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Category: Politics

  • MIL-Evening Report: Heroin found in cocaine and ‘ice’, and snorting a line can be lethal

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darren Roberts, Conjoint Associate Professor in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, St Vincent’s Healthcare Clinical Campus, UNSW Sydney

    Skrypnykov Dmytro/Shutterstock

    Authorities in New South Wales and Victoria have been warning the public about worrying cases of heroin overdoses after people thought they had taken cocaine or methamphetamine.

    We know the issue is also relevant to other parts of Australia. And it’s particularly concerning because heroin can cause life-threatening opioid overdoses, particularly in people inexperienced with heroin who snort it.

    Our new research sheds more light on what happens to people who accidentally took heroin thinking it was something else.

    What we did and what we found

    We are part of a NSW Health program that helps to find and quickly respond to concerning illicit and recreational drug poisonings and trends. The program is a collaboration between many government health services, including hospitals, the NSW Poisons Information Centre and labs.

    We searched our database and found 34 cases of opioid overdoses after using what people thought to be a stimulant drug between January 2022 and June 2024. A total of 19 people thought they were taking cocaine and 15 methamphetamine.

    Most of these 34 people had a severe opioid overdose requiring treatment by paramedics and in hospital. Sadly, two people died.

    Heroin was the opioid in all cases where we specifically tested for it, and we suspect all the cases.

    Cases occurred across NSW but most cases (68%) were in Sydney. In the last eight months of our study we identified multiple cases each month which may indicate these cases are becoming more common.

    In the United States, drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine are sometimes mixed with the potent opioid drug fentanyl. This unintentional use of opioids is causing many deaths in the US. But we didn’t find any evidence that fentanyl was the cause of the overdoses we examined.

    What happens when you take heroin by accident?

    Cocaine and methamphetamine are stimulant drugs. These are drugs that make a person feel more energetic and confident, and their pupils become larger.

    They have the opposite effect to heroin, which is an opioid and sedative. Heroin and other opioids make a person feel relaxed and often drowsy, with smaller pupils.

    When overdosing, opioids cause loss of consciousness and a person’s breathing slows or even stops, which is life-threatening. Severe opioid overdose without prompt treatment is lethal.

    If you expect to be taking cocaine or methamphetamine, but it is actually heroin, or has some heroin in it, you will very likely overdose. This is particularly true if you don’t usually take opioids, or if you use it for the first time. People can overdose from as little as snorting a line.

    Why is this happening?

    Sometimes people get a different drug than they wanted. This can happen because the drug is mixed with something else or swapped.

    This can happen for many reasons, including during manufacturing and distribution. It can happen intentionally or unintentionally by the dealer or people using the drug.

    One major reason is that you sometimes can’t tell heroin apart from cocaine or methamphetamine just by looking at them. So if drugs are mixed or swapped, you can’t always tell until you take them.

    What can we do about it?

    Opioid deaths are preventable. Government and community groups are working together to respond to the problem, either via issuing drug alerts or by educating their members.

    But people who take illicit or recreational drugs can reduce their risk by avoiding using drugs alone, and by making sure one person in their group is able to get help if needed.

    Unexpected sleepiness is a reason to seek help, not to simply rest. Start CPR if someone is not responsive and call 000.

    If someone is not responsive, start CPR and call 000.
    PanuShot/Shutterstock

    How about naloxone?

    Definitely, if someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, give them naloxone as soon as possible.

    Naloxone is a life-saving medicine that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose. It comes in an easy-to-use nasal spray, and as a pre-filled injection.

    It’s available for free and without a prescription via the national Take Home Naloxone program. You can also order it online and get it by post.

    Naloxone is for anyone who may experience, or witness, an opioid overdose or adverse reaction.

    NSW authorities recommend it for people who use any illicit drugs including opioids, stimulants (like cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA), ketamine and counterfeit pharmaceuticals, due to the risk of drugs being mixed with something else or swapped. Call 000 even if you have given naloxone.

    You can report unexpected overdoses to the Poisons Information Centre from anywhere in Australia on 131 126. In an emergency in Australia, call 000.

    Darren Roberts is the Medical Director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre and a clinical toxicologist and addiction medicine specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

    Jared Brown is affiliated with NSW Ministry of Health and NSW Poisons Information Centre.

    Peter Chisholm is a is a public health registrar in Drug and Alcohol Services at The Langton Centre and Prince of Wales Hospital.

    – ref. Heroin found in cocaine and ‘ice’, and snorting a line can be lethal – https://theconversation.com/heroin-found-in-cocaine-and-ice-and-snorting-a-line-can-be-lethal-253348

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Second batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies by Chinese gov’t arrives in Myanmar

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The second batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government arrived at Yangon International Airport in Myanmar on Thursday.

    The second batch of aid supplies includes 800 tents, 2,000 blankets, 3,000 boxes of biscuits, 2,000 boxes of mineral water and other urgently needed supplies. The supplies were transported to Yangon by a chartered flight from China.

    The first batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government for earthquake disaster relief arrived in Myanmar on March 31.

    Li Ming, spokesperson for China International Development Cooperation Agency, said that China is willing to continue providing assistance to the people in the disaster-stricken areas based on Myanmar’s needs, supporting their efforts to overcome the disaster as soon as possible.

    He expressed confidence that with the joint efforts of China and the international community, the people of Myanmar will surely be able to overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes at an early date. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Logging in to our services is now a little different

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    We now use the Australian Government Digital ID System to verify your ID when you use your Digital ID to access:

    • Online services for business
    • Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM)
    • Access Manager
    • Australian Business Register (ABR).

    You may use these services when updating your NFP’s details, lodging your NFP self-review return or lodging your NFP’s activity statement.

    What to expect

    The next time you log in, you’ll be prompted with 2 new screens.

    The first screen allows you to select a Digital ID provider, such as myID, while the second screen requests your consent for your information to be shared with the online service.  

    To make it faster to login, you can select ‘Remember my choice’ and ‘Yes, remember my consent’. However, this is not recommended if you use a shared device.  

    These screens may look familiar if you’ve used your Digital ID to access other government services.

    For secure access, always:

    • log in directly through the ATO, RAM and ABR websites
    • log out after your session and close the browser to keep your information secure from unauthorised access.

    To find out more about Australia’s Digital ID System, visit digitalidsystem.gov.auExternal Link. 

    For assistance accessing our services, visit Accessing online services with Digital ID and RAM.

    Read more articles in the Not-for-profit newsroom and, if you haven’t already, subscribeExternal Link to our free monthly newsletter Not-for-profit news to be alerted when we publish new articles.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst on DOGE: The E Stands for Efficiency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    Published: April 3, 2025

    “The American people are best served by an efficient workforce full of good employees, and there are many.”

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair and founder of the Senate DOGE Caucus, advocated for a more efficient government for American taxpayers by ensuring public servants are actually serving the American people.
    During a U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs hearing, Ernst pointed out several bureaucrats that her investigations exposed who should receive a “Reductions in Force” notice, including:

    A Veterans Affairs (VA) manager phoning in from a bubble bath while veterans’ calls go unanswered,
    A VA therapist who gushed about telework with a cat around her neck instead of helping an Army veteran with mental health,
    A Housing and Urban Development employee who was arrested for drunk driving while on the clock,
    A Social Security employee who had his mother answer emails on his behalf while he ran a private business on government time, and
    An IRS employee who was caught golfing on the taxpayers’ dime.

    Watch Senator’s Ernst full remarks here.
    “We need people that care about our constituents. They need to show up to work and do their work. We should reward good employees and get rid of those that truly don’t want to work for Americans and only are working for themselves,” said Ernst.
    Ernst asked Director for the Office of Personnel Management nominee Scott Kupor and Deputy Director for Management for the Office of Management and Budget nominee Eric M. Ueland for their plans to empower agencies to not only dismiss bad employees quickly but reward good employees, stating that “taxpayers deserve better than bubble bath bureaucrats and self-interested therapists.”
    Ernst also cited her personal experience working to get the Social Security Administration’s field office in Sioux City, Iowa back to work after a whistleblower exposed the office’s habit of ignoring simple requests for weeks and not serving Iowans.
    Background:
    As chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, Ernst unveiled a $2 trillion plan to save taxpayer dollars and downsize the government and her telework report that exposed an absent federal workforce.
    For years, Ernst has been working on getting bureaucrats back to work. In August 2023, Ernst demanded investigations into 24 federal departments and agencies to determine the impact of telework on the delivery and response times of services. In December 2024, Ernst exposed that, almost four years after COVID-19 temporarily closed federal buildings, not a single government agency was occupying even half their office space and called on Biden’s bureaucrats to deck the agency halls with federal workers or sell off unused facilities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Pens Op-Ed in The Daily Signal: Dr. Oz Will Save Medicare, Strengthen Medicaid, Secure a Healthier America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) penned an op-ed in The Daily Signal in support of President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz.

    You may click HERE.
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s op-ed include:  
    “Medicaid and Medicare are on a path that should concern all Americans, but with the right leadership, we can turn their trajectory around.
    On its current course, Medicare, the government-run health insurance program for seniors, will fall off a financial cliff in as little as a decade – maybe even sooner. Meanwhile, Medicaid, the program that pays for health care for the poor, now covers more people than Medicare, placing an enormous strain on both state and federal budgets. 
    As a nation, we face a chronic disease epidemic, and along with it, a crisis of unsustainable rising costs, high demand, and worsening patient outcomes. Over the past five years, Medicaid spending has surged by some 50% – another unsustainable trend that diverts funds from schools, roads, bridges, and high-speed internet.
    Together, Medicare and Medicaid will each spend roughly a trillion dollars this year. That’s why we urgently need a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator who can rescue Medicare and fortify Medicaid.
    As both programs fall under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, we need a leader with a fresh perspective – one who prioritizes patient care while ensuring financial stability. This role demands someone who has experienced these programs at the grassroots level, where patients, doctors, and hospitals intersect. 
    This person must be an exceptional communicator, capable of managing a $2 trillion budget and transforming an organization of 6,000 employees who oversee the health needs of 140 million Americans. This budget accounts for nearly a quarter of federal spending in a system that already overspends by $2 trillion annually. 
    Above all, we need someone who can help us in our mission to Make America Healthy Again.
    Thankfully, we have just the person for the job: Dr. Mehmet Oz.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Process to consider establishing a sika deer Herd of Special Interest begins

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Almost 12 years after the passing of Herds of Special Interest (HOSI) legislation, the formal process that will look into designating New Zealand’s first HOSI has begun, Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager has announced. 

    “Hunters are one of the biggest conservation tools we have in New Zealand, and we are committed to community-led management of valued introduced species like deer and tahr in some key places,” says Mr Meager.

    “I have recently received a HOSI proposal for the Central North Island sika herd in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks from the Central North Island Sika Foundation, and under the Game Animal Council Act 2013 have decided to begin the process to consider formally designating our country’s first Herd of Special Interest.    

    “A HOSI provides an opportunity for communities and government to proactively manage highly valued New Zealand game animal herds on conservation land. Not only will a HOSI reduce the environmental impacts of large deer populations, they will improve the condition of herds so hunters have better, larger-bodied, more sustainable populations to hunt.  

    “The Central North Island Sika Foundation have presented a  proposal which is a great starting point, and reflects the ongoing passion they have for improving the management and health of the central North Island sika herd and the environment they live in. 

    “The proposed sika HOSI would cover over 125,000 hectares of Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks, and complement efforts by others in the area, like local landowners, to better manage the deer population.” 

    The goals of the proposed HOSI are to enhance hunter participation in sika deer management, improve hunter satisfaction with sika venison quality and hunting experience, and reduce animal numbers to achieve sustainable forest regeneration. Herds would be managed in a way that improves hunting opportunities and outcomes, while maintaining or improving conservation values. 

    More information about the sika HOSI proposal is available on the Department of Conservation website here: Herds of Special Interest.

    The next phase will involve targeted consultation with stakeholders – including the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Game Animal Council, Department of Conversation, the Conservation Authority, relevant regional councils, conservation boards and iwi.

    Public consultation on a draft sika herd management plan will begin after targeted consultation is complete.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: It’s not easy being a street tree, but this heroic eucalypt withstands everything we throw at it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne

    alybaba/Shutterstock

    Street trees usually grow in appalling soils, have little space for their roots, are rarely watered and often get aggressively trimmed by road authorities or utility companies.

    If they do get established, many street trees suffer damage from vehicles, have to live in wind tunnels or are forced to grow in the permanent shade of large buildings.

    But despite everything we throw at them, many street trees don’t just survive, they thrive. So let’s meet one of these heroic species: the yellow gum, (Eucalyptus leucoxylon).

    Pretty but tough

    Yellow gum is widely planted across southeastern and eastern Australia as a street tree. In some suburbs and towns, it is so common that people think it is a native tree (in fact it is from South Australia, Victoria or southwest New South Wales).

    It is not to be confused with yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora), a different eucalypt altogether.

    Yellow gum has been widely planted because it meets many of the demands we place on urban trees.

    It grows well in different soils and climates, and has very attractive red, white or pink flowers.

    It’s called yellow gum in Victoria and parts of NSW, but is often known as blue gum in SA.

    The common names can be confusing, but yellow gum refers to its pale yellow wood and bark patches, while blue gum refers to its leaves.

    Many specimens develop dense, low, spreading canopies, which offer lovely shade and help cool our cities down.

    And importantly, it doesn’t grow too big. It is typically a medium to small woodland tree, usually between 13 and 16 metres high (but it can grow higher in the wild).

    Yellow gum has an attractive smooth trunk with yellow, blue-grey or cream patches.
    alybaba/Shutterstock

    Different bird and insect species feed on the trees some feeding on flowers and fruits and others on the foliage.

    Natural populations of yellow gum occur in coastal and inland SA, in the southwest corner of NSW and in the western half of Victoria from the Murray River to the coast.

    There are several subspecies, too, and debate rages in botanical and horticultural circles about whether some of them deserve to be recognised as their own species.

    Yellow gum is also tolerant of wind and salt spray, and can withstand waterlogged soils. They stood up to the millennium drought conditions well.

    Many arborists think the yellow gum has the potential to do well in many parts of Australia as the climate changes. Research has shown, for example, that some individual yellow gum trees regulate their water use better (when compared to other individuals in the species, and when compared to other eucalypts).

    Like many eucalypts, yellow gum possesses lots of dormant buds and a lignotuber (a swelling at the base of the trunk containing dormant buds and carbohydrate). This means it copes well with pruning and will respond especially well to targeted formative pruning when young.

    This can help reduce the risk of problems such as what’s known as “co-dominant stems” (when two main stems grow from a single point of origin, instead of one tall, straight trunk) and rubbing or crossing branches.

    Not everyone’s favourite

    Not everybody likes the yellow gum, and for some good reasons.

    Some yellow gums are multi-stemmed, while others have twisted and curving trunks; some have both. These are not the characteristics many local governments want in street trees; many want to see straight trunks and dense canopies.

    Yellow gums often produce a lovely dense canopy.
    Gregory Moore

    These problems can be so annoying that some council arborists no longer recommend planting yellow gums.

    But these issues are due to poor tree selection and propagation. In the past, yellow gum seed was not carefully sourced from the best trees with the most suitable characteristics, and so inferior specimens have prospered.

    With the right investment of time and money into tree selection, these problems can be overcome.

    Ticking most of the boxes

    All in all, yellow gum can be a very fine and useful urban tree.

    The species grows well and if superior stock is used, the trees develop with straight and attractive trunks and wide, dense canopies.

    They are typically medium-sized trees, do well in tough street conditions or in smaller domestic front and back yards.

    They tick most, if not all, of the boxes for a good urban street tree.

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

    – ref. It’s not easy being a street tree, but this heroic eucalypt withstands everything we throw at it – https://theconversation.com/its-not-easy-being-a-street-tree-but-this-heroic-eucalypt-withstands-everything-we-throw-at-it-246040

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Rebuke to Trump’s Trade War, Reed Helps Pass Measure to Repeal Trump’s Costly Canadian Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – Late last night, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 to pass a bipartisan measure (S.J. Res 37) to effectively end President Trump’s steep new tariffs on Canadian goods, which amount to a 25 percent tax on a wide array of goods imported from one of America’s top trading partners and closest allies.  Tariffs are taxes on imports collected when foreign goods cross the U.S. border via Customs and Border Protection.  They are not paid for by a foreign country, but rather by U.S. importers, retailers, and consumers who actually purchase the products.
    The resolution would repeal the emergency declaration that allowed Trump to place tariffs on Canada.  This allowed Democrats to force a floor vote, with action on the joint resolution coming just after President Trump announced he is unilaterally imposing new blanket tariffs on nearly all imports coming into the United States.
    Every Democrat and independent member of the U.S. Senate voted for the resolution, along with Republican Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Rand Paul (R-KY).
    U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who helped pass the measure, stated: “President Trump’s chaotic, blanket tariffs are a backdoor tax increase on the American people.  They are going to raise consumer prices and lift small businesses’ costs.  The added uncertainty and chaos President Trump is creating is already forcing companies to layoff American workers, and could soon threaten a recession.  President Trump should reverse course and lay out a clear, competent strategy that would lower costs for everyday Americans – something he promised to do while campaigning for President.  But President Trump has made clear over the past two months that helping families afford rent, gas, and groceries isn’t his priority.  What he really wants is to consolidate power for himself, bypass Congress, and force entire industries to come to him and ask for favors or punish companies he doesn’t like.  It’s bad for our economy, bad for American households, and bad for democracy.  Congress needs to reassert its authority as an equal branch of government and this vote was a positive if likely symbolic step in the right direction.  I will continue working on a bipartisan basis to help lower costs, not increase them through higher tariff taxes and costly trade wars.”
    The resolution, which was sponsored by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), was endorsed by a diverse group of economic and labor advocates, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL-CIO, the United Steelworkers (USW), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the National Retail Federation (NRF), the North America’s Building Trades Unions, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Foreign Policy for America (FP4A), National Taxpayers Union, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and Advancing American Freedom.
    It is unclear if the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the bill.  President Trump has threatened to veto the measure if it comes to his desk.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Van Orden Releases Statement on the Phasing Out of the VASP Program

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin 3rd)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Veterans’ Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Chairman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) released the following statement after the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) announced that the politically created, Biden-era Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program, will phase out:  

    “From time immemorial, back when someone first lent seashells to buy a cave, a program like VASP has never existed. It was developed by unelected bureaucrats at the VA in direct defiance of Congress and has jeopardized the VA loan guarantee program. We are working to ensure that American servicemembers who risked their lives to protect our freedoms have the opportunity to use the VA home loan program to achieve homeownership— an essential part of the American Dream.”

    Background:

    In February 2024, the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee held an oversight hearing on the future of the VA home loan program where Subcommittee Chairman Van Orden pressed the Biden-Harris administration on their lack of transparency regarding creating the VASP program. Committee Chairman Mike Bost, Chairman Van Orden, and Committee members repeatedly sounded the alarm on the effects that VASP would have on veteran homeowners, taxpayers, and the mortgage industry. Since May 31, 2024, VA has used authorities that have traditionally been limited to less than 100 loans to purchase over $5.4 billion worth of loans. VA has been unable to show the Committee how their decision would benefit the taxpayer and prove that individuals would not take advantage of a 2.5% interest rate. In April 2024, VA estimated that they would purchase over 60,000 loans for a total of $17.7 billion. Instead of reinstituting the partial claim program for an average loan delinquency of $22,500, VA chose to purchase these loans through the VASP program at an average of $292,000. However, since the implementation of VASP, the average amount of loans purchased has increased to $320,000. House Republicans have raised significant concerns since before the creation of the program, especially when a partial claim program could solve most delinquent loans at a much less expensive clip to the taxpayer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Durbin, Welch Lead Colleagues in Demanding Answers on Dismantling of U.S. Refugee Admissions Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Durbin, Welch Lead Colleagues in Demanding Answers on Dismantling of U.S. Refugee Admissions Program

    Senators to Secretaries Rubio and Noem: “These actions undermine America’s longstanding commitment to humanitarian protection and place thousands of vulnerable individuals—many of whom served alongside U.S. armed forces—at grave risk”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee, led 18 Senators in condemning the dismantling of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), including a funding freeze that has halted refugee processing and resettlement. The indefinite refugee ban and funding freeze have stranded tens of thousands in dangerous conditions, separated families, and left recently resettled refugees in the United States without the legally required support.

    “As you know, the USRAP was established on a bipartisan basis by the Refugee Act of 1980 and is a strong public-private partnership that drives U.S. economic growth, advances global stability and peace, and supports our national security and diplomatic priorities,” wrote the Senators. “The USRAP represents the best of American values and is part of what makes our country great. From 2005 to 2019, refugees contributed to the U.S. economy $123.8 billion more than they received in government expenditures. Refugees, including multiple former Secretaries of State, have shaped and improved our nation.”

    President Trump suspended the USRAP “indefinitely” in a day one executive order with a review after 90 days, and on Friday, January 24, resettlement agencies received stop work orders, which the executive order defined as a “foreign assistance program.” Since then, on February 25, a federal court in Washington granted a nationwide preliminary injunction to restart refugee processing, but just 24 hours later, the State Department issued termination notices, effective immediately, to plaintiff organizations and all other resettlement agencies in attempt to circumvent the court’s order. Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals permitted the funding freeze to stay in effect amid ongoing litigation but required resettlement to continue for refugees approved before January 20, 2025.

    The Senators urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to fully comply with the federal court order, resume all refugee processing, and rebook canceled travel for refugees.

    “We ask that you restart this life-saving program and immediately confirm that the Department of State is expeditiously complying with federal court orders to resume refugee resettlement and reimburse resettlement agencies for critical reception and integration services,” continued the Senators.

    The Senators highlighted reports indicating that all 10 refugee agencies and many Resettlement Support Centers overseas have received termination notices for the cooperative agreements that allow them to resettle refugees, leading to mass layoffs and shutdowns of essential refugee processing systems. They also emphasized that the Administration has delayed payments to refugee agencies, despite the preliminary injunction requiring payments to resume.

    The consequences of these stoppages are immense, including for Afghan allies evacuated to third countries, such as Pakistan, who are now stranded indefinitely without legal status or the ability to reunite with their families and face harassment and deportation. On February 2, an Afghan man who had worked for the U.S. military in Afghanistan was murdered after his scheduled resettlement to Garden Grove, California was delayed by the refugee ban and funding freeze.

    “These actions undermine America’s longstanding commitment to humanitarian protection and place tens of thousands of vulnerable individuals—many of whom served alongside U.S. armed forces—at grave risk,” wrote the Senators. “One of the most alarming consequences of the Administration’s funding and resettlement freeze is the situation facing Afghan allies who were evacuated to third countries with the promise of eventual resettlement in the United States. Many of these Afghans are former interpreters, civil society leaders, and their families, who now find themselves stranded without legal status and facing harassment, violence, and deportation.”

    The Senators demanded answers regarding the refugee program suspension, refugees in the admissions pipeline, and current capacity of resettlement infrastructure.

    In addition to Senators Padilla, Durbin, and Welch, the letter is also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. Padilla, Durbin, Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07) previously urged Secretary Rubio to immediately restore vital services for refugees already resettled in the United States after the State Department abruptly halted services for refugees.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Noem:

    We write to strongly object to the dismantling of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), including the funding freeze that has halted refugee processing and resettlement, pursuant to Executive Order 14013 (the “EO”), titled “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program.”

    On February 25, 2025, a federal court in Washington granted a nationwide preliminary injunction to restart refugee processing. However, just 24 hours later, plaintiff organizations, along with all other resettlement agencies, received termination notices from the State Department, effective immediately, in an apparent attempt to circumvent the court’s order. In the meantime, on March 25, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to allow the funding freeze to stay in effect. While that ruling requires the Administration to continue resettlement for the thousands of individuals conditionally approved for refugee status before January 20, 2025, it seems clear that this Administration’s indefinite refugee ban and funding freeze for refugee reception programs are intended to completely end this incredibly successful program.

    For example, we have received reports that all ten refugee agencies – and several Resettlement Support Centers (RSCs) overseas – have received termination notices for the cooperative agreements that allow them to resettle refugees. As a result, RSC staff overseas have been laid off en masse, and payment and case management systems have been shut down. Resettlement sites in most of the states we represent are being forced to close, abruptly cutting off support for refugees who have arrived in the last 90 days.

    The Administration also stopped payments to refugee agencies for services already rendered. After a preliminary injunction requiring payment, the Administration notified plaintiffs that it had directed the appropriate agencies to release payments, but there is still no evidence that these payments have been fully released. The Administration also notified plaintiffs and the International Organization for Migration operating RSCs overseas that they can resume refugee processing. Without reimbursements or access to necessary case processing systems, however, this notification has had little effect.

    These actions undermine America’s longstanding commitment to humanitarian protection and place tens of thousands of vulnerable individuals—many of whom served alongside U.S. armed forces—at grave risk. One of the most alarming consequences of the Administration’s funding and resettlement freeze is the situation facing Afghan allies who were evacuated to third countries with the promise of eventual resettlement in the United States. Many of these Afghans are former interpreters, civil society leaders, and their families, who now find themselves stranded without legal status and facing harassment, violence, and deportation. We are already seeing the fatal consequences of USRAP’s demise: on February 2, an Afghan man who had worked for the U.S. military in Afghanistan and whose scheduled resettlement to Garden Grove, California was delayed by the refugee ban and funding freeze was murdered.

    As you know, the USRAP was established on a bipartisan basis by the Refugee Act of 1980 and is a strong public-private partnership that drives U.S. economic growth, advances global stability and peace, and supports our national security and diplomatic priorities. The USRAP represents the best of American values and is part of what makes our country great. From 2005 to 2019, refugees contributed to the U.S. economy $123.8 billion more than they received in government expenditures. Refugees, including multiple former Secretaries of State, have shaped and improved our nation.

    We ask that you restart this life-saving program and immediately confirm that the Department of State is expeditiously complying with federal court orders to resume refugee resettlement and reimburse resettlement agencies for critical reception and integration services. We also ask that you respond to the following questions by April 10, 2025:

    1. How many refugees who have been vetted and approved for travel have been unable to travel to the United States since the ban went into effect?

    2. What steps are being taken to protect prospective refugees and SIV holders with particular vulnerabilities who remain overseas?

    3. What steps have been taken to implement the case-by-case exemption process for refugees whose arrival is “in the national interest” that is described in Executive Order 14163?

    4. What is the current status of Reception and Placement (R&P) reimbursements to domestic resettlement agencies?

    5. What is the current status of cooperative agreements with resettlement agencies? What is the justification for sending termination notices for reception and placement services?

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Food cuts and an earthquake bring double the devastation for children in Thai refugee camps – Save the Children

    Source: Save the Children

    Food cuts this month and an earthquake that has devastated Myanmar and parts of Thailand will exacerbate living conditions for more than 110,000 refugees living along the Thai-Myanmar border and could force some children out of school, Save the Children said.
    Due to budget shortfalls, The Border Consortium (TBC), a government and non-government organisation funded provider of food assistance for refugees living on the border, has said it will have to reduce food support this month, affecting more than 80% of families in nine camps. [1]
    The situation inside the camps was already dire, with schools saying limited funding was leaving them unable to pay some teachers or repair school structures [2] ahead of the new academic year starting next month.
    Now, parents struggling to put food on the table are being forced to make impossible choices, with many considering pulling their children out of school to help earn money or support the family’s basic needs.
    With school fees now falling more heavily on parents, many families can no longer contribute towards school running costs, deepening the financial crisis for schools and risking the collapse of basic education services inside the camps.
    “Even if you are not educated, everyone has to eat,” said Saw Paw, the parent of one refugee student. “Livelihood comes first now.”
    Many teachers in the camps are refugees themselves and some have had to seek work outside the camps to support their families.
    Thant Zin-, a teacher who lives inside the camps, said: “I can’t buy a sack of rice with the total amount my family receives through the food card support system. I have children, and to ensure they have food every day, I may have to give them porridge instead of rice a few days a week.”
    Guillaume Rachou, Executive Director, Save the Children (Thailand) Foundation said:
    “Save the Children, along with local partners, is assessing the safety of school structures following the 28 March earthquake including in 58 schools inside the refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border.
    “We must ensure schools, teachers and students in the camps are prepared to respond to natural hazards and mitigate their impact.”
    The death toll from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar has risen to more than 2,000 with nearly 4,000 injured, according to the country’s state television channel MRTV, although these numbers are likely to rise as rescue efforts continue. In Thailand, at least 20 people have died and several buildings across the capital Bangkok have been deemed unsafe.
    Save the Children supports 28,000 children living across nine camps along the Thai-Myanmar border. It is also responding to the mental health and well-being of Thai and Burmese teachers and their families across Thailand following the earthquake.
    The child rights organisation is calling on donors to ensure children in these refugee camps are not forgotten in earthquake response and recovery efforts. Urgent humanitarian aid-including food, education, infrastructure, and psychosocial support-is critical to their recovery.
    Save the Children has worked in Thailand since 1979 and works to support children who are most impacted by discrimination and inequality through programmes on education, child protection, livelihood and child rights governance.
    About Save the Children NZ:
    Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
    Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Lower Hutt lands once-in-a-generation deal for city centre

    Source: Hutt City Council

    Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry says securing funding and signing final agreements for the transformational Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi project is a once-in-a-generation deal for the city.
    “We’ve pushed hard to get this over the line, and today, we can say with confidence: funding is secured, agreements are signed, and we are ready to go.”
    Barry said today is more than just a milestone for the project formerly known as RiverLink.
    “It’s the result of years of behind-the-scenes grind, tireless advocacy, and collaboration across local government, central government, iwi, and our community,” Barry says.
    “I’m proud that we have landed a once in a generation deal for Lower Hutt and our City Centre.”
    The signing of these agreements represents one of the most significant infrastructure commitments in Lower Hutt’s history. It will also be the largest infrastructure project in the Wellington region since Transmission Gully.
    Landing this deal has been a top priority for Hutt City Council and the mayor. Working collaboratively with various Governments across the political spectrum has secured it for the future.
    Today provides certainty for both the City Link Bridge and the relocation of Melling train station.
    The new City Link Bridge will provide a vital link between the city centre and key transport routes, including the new Melling train station. It also unlocks the potential for business and urban development.
    Designed for pedestrians and cyclists, it will link seamlessly with public transport and active travel networks, opening up easier, safer, and more sustainable ways for people to move around Lower Hutt. It focuses on the future resilience and prosperity of our city.
    It also lays the foundation for urban revitalisation – enabling both commercial activity and public spaces along Te Awa Kairangi Hutt River corridor, providing economic development opportunities in the City Centre.
    “Lower Hutt is open for opportunity. Come and talk to us” Barry says.
    The new Melling Station will be relocated outside of the flood zone, providing a safer and more reliable service for the city’s growing population.
    Together, the bridge and station will support long-term growth, climate resilience, and a more accessible, future-ready city.
    Construction is expected to start later this year.
    The approximate overall $1.5 billion investment is funded through a partnership between central, regional, and local government.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wilson Introduces ‘Bulgarian-American Heritage Month Resolution’

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Joe Wilson (2nd District of South Carolina)

    Washington, DC – Co-Chairs of the Congressional Bulgaria Caucus Joe Wilson (R-SC), Bradley Schneider (D-IL), Neal Dunn (R-FL), and Richard Neal (D-MA) yesterday introduced the Bulgarian-American Heritage Month Resolution. This legislation recognizes the critical contributions that the people of Bulgaria have made to the U.S. since the 19th Century.  

    “I am grateful to lead this important legislation recognizing the contributions that Bulgarian-Americans have made to the United States and the strong benefits of the bilateral relationship. Having witnessed the Bulgarian people rebuke communism and adopt the democratic values of the Western world during my visit to the country as an election observer in 1990, I continue to be inspired by their journey and founded this caucus in 2002 to further strengthen our mutually beneficial partnership,” said Rep. Wilson.

    “Bulgarian-Americans have helped shape our nation for generations, strengthening our communities, economy, and future. The partnership between the United States and Bulgaria is built on shared values and made stronger by the deep ties forged by those who call both countries home,” said Rep. Schneider. 

    “I extend my gratitude to the co-chairs of the Congressional Bulgaria Caucus—Representatives Joe Wilson, Brad Schneider, Neil Dunn, and Richard Neal—for their leadership in advancing this legislative initiative. Bulgaria deeply values the bipartisan commitment to strengthening the ties between our two nations.

    “Equally significant is the invaluable role of Bulgarian Americans—both past and present—who have contributed to the prosperity of the United States. Their dedication and achievements give meaning to our daily mission as diplomats representing Bulgaria in the United States.

    “Bulgarian Americans take great pride in their rich historical heritage, the profound influence of the Bulgarian alphabet on global cultural advancement, and the nation’s enduring pursuit of freedom and individual liberty.

    “Bulgarian-Americans also have established thriving business communities throughout the United States, and a particularly large diaspora in Illinois, fostering economic growth and entrepreneurship.

    “This year, as we celebrate 122 years of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and the United States, we honor a legacy of friendship, partnership, and strategic cooperation—built on shared values and strengthened by the bonds between our peoples,” said Ambassador Georgi Panayotov of the Republic of Bulgaria. 

    The full text of H.Res. 291 is available here.  

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor leads in three recent national polls, four weeks from the election

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    The federal election will be held in four weeks. A national YouGov poll, conducted March 28 to April 3 from a sample of 1,622, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, a one-point gain for Labor since the previous non-MRP YouGov poll taken March 14–19.

    Primary votes were 35% Coalition (down two), 30% Labor (down one), 13% Greens (steady), 7% One Nation (steady), 2% Trumpet of Patriots (up one), 10% independents (up two) and 3% others (steady). YouGov is using respondent preferences from its last MRP poll. By 2022 election preference flows, Labor would lead by about 52–48.

    Anthony Albanese’s net approval rose three points to -6, with 50% dissatisfied and 44% satisfied. Peter Dutton’s net approval slumped ten points to -15, his worst in YouGov’s polls and the first time he’s had a worse net approval than Albanese since June 2024. Albanese led as better PM by 45–38 (45–40 previously).

    Since Sunday, we have had leaders’ ratings polls from Newspoll, Resolve, Freshwater, Essential and YouGov. A simple average of the net approval from these five polls has Albanese at net 7.8 and Dutton at net -12.

    Here is the poll graph. Labor has led in four of the six polls taken since the budget, with the exceptions a 50–50 tie in Resolve and a Coalition lead by 51–49 in Freshwater. However, Labor’s lead is narrow, except in Morgan.

    While the Coalition could regain the lead before the election, Donald Trump’s tariff announcement on Thursday may make it more difficult for the Coalition.

    Essential poll: Labor takes slight lead

    A national Essential poll, conducted March 26–30 from a sample of 1,144, gave Labor a 48–47 lead by respondent preferences including undecided (a 47–47 tie in mid-March). This was the first Labor lead in Essential since November, with the Coalition either leading narrowly or a tie since.

    Primary votes were 34% Coalition (down one), 30% Labor (up one), 12% Greens (steady), 9% One Nation (up one), 2% Trumpet of Patriots (up one), 8% for all Others (down one) and 5% undecided (down one). By 2022 election flows, Labor would lead by about 51–49.

    Albanese’s net approval was down three points to -2, with 46% disapproving and 44% approving. Dutton’s was down one point to -6. It’s Dutton’s worst net approval in Essential since October 2023.

    By 52–32, voters thought Australia was on the wrong track (48–35 previously). Essential and Morgan have a big lead for wrong track, but Labor is ahead. Voters may be blaming Trump more than Labor.

    By 61–29, voters did not think the federal budget would make a meaningful difference on cost of living (64–27 after the May 2024 budget). By 69–31, voters thought the government should prioritise the delivery of services, even if it means running a deficit, over prioritise running a surplus.

    Voters were told the Trump administration wanted to pressure Australia into removing some policies using tariffs. By 65–15, voters supported the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and by 64–13 they supported making US companies pay tax on income generated in Australia.

    Morgan poll: Labor retains solid lead

    A national Morgan poll, conducted March 24–30 from a sample of 1,377, gave Labor a 53–47 lead by headline respondent preferences, unchanged from the March 17–23 poll.

    Primary votes were 35% Coalition (down 0.5), 32% Labor (down 1.5), 13% Greens (up 0.5), 5.5% One Nation (up 1.5), 10.5% independents (up 0.5) and 4% others (down 0.5). By 2022 election flows, Labor led by 53.5–46.5, a 0.5-point gain for the Coalition.

    By 51.5–32, voters thought Australia was going in the wrong direction (52.5–32.5 previously). Morgan’s consumer confidence index was up 1.1 points to 85.3.

    This term, Morgan’s results in general haven’t skewed to Labor relative to other polls, and Labor was behind in Morgan’s polls from November until late February. But Trump’s initial imposition of steel and aluminium tariffs on Australia on March 12 has seen Morgan move much more to Labor than other polls.

    Additional Resolve and Newspoll questions and a NSW federal poll

    I covered the national Resolve poll for Nine newspapers on March 30. In additional questions, by 60–15 voters thought Trump’s election was bad for Australia (40% bad in November). On threats to Australia in the next few years, 31% thought China the greatest threat, 17% the US, 4% Russia and 38% all equally.

    Newspoll has been asking the same questions on the budget since 1988. The Poll Bludger said on Wednesday the March 25 budget was the fourth worst perceived on economic impact (at net -10), but about the middle on personal impact (net -19). The nine-point lead for “no” on would the opposition have delivered a better budget was about par for a Labor government.

    A federal DomosAU poll of New South Wales, conducted March 24–26 from a sample of 1,013, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead (51.4–48.6 to Labor in NSW at the 2022 federal election). Primary votes were 38% Coalition, 30% Labor, 12% Greens, 9% One Nation and 11% for all Others.

    Albanese led Dutton as preferred PM by 39–38. By 52–31, respondents did not think Australia was headed in the right direction.

    Canadian election and US special elections

    The Canadian federal election is on April 28. Polls continue to show the governing centre-left Liberals gaining ground, and they now lead the Conservatives by 43.4–37.6 in the CBC Poll Tracker.

    US federal special elections occurred on Tuesday in two safe Republican seats. While Republicans easily retained, there were big swings to the Democrats from the 2024 presidential election results in those districts. A left-wing judge won an election to the Wisconsin state supreme court by 55–45. I covered the Canadian and US developments for The Poll Bludger.

    WA election final lower house results

    I previously covered Labor winning 46 of the 59 lower house seats at the March 8 Western Australian election. The ABC’s final two-party estimate was a Labor win by 57.2–42.8. While that’s way down from the record 69.7–30.3 in 2021, it’s up from 55.5–44.5 in 2017.

    Final primary votes were 41.4% Labor (down 18.5% since 2021), 28.0% Liberals (up 6.7%), 5.2% Nationals (up 1.2%), 11.1% Greens (up 4.1%), 4.0% One Nation (up 2.8%), 3.2% Australian Christians (up 1.7%), 2.5% Legalise Cannabis (up 2.1%) and 3.3% independents (up 2.5%).

    The upper house will be finalised next week. All above the line votes have been included, with only below the line votes to be added. Labor will win 15 of the 37 seats, the Liberals ten, the Nationals two, the Greens four and One Nation, Legalise Cannabis and the Christians one each. That leaves three unclear seats.

    ABC election analyst Antony Green’s modelling of the effect of below the line votes suggests Labor’s 16th seat is in doubt and the Liberals won’t win an 11th seat. If this is correct, an independent group and Animal Justice will probably win two seats, with the final seat to be determined by preferences.

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

    – ref. Labor leads in three recent national polls, four weeks from the election – https://theconversation.com/labor-leads-in-three-recent-national-polls-four-weeks-from-the-election-253541

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Hirono, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Guarantee Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Children in Immigration Proceedings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (April 3, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), and 25 of their colleagues in introducing The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025, legislation to provide unaccompanied children with legal representation for their court when they appear in proceedings before an immigration judge. This comes after the Trump Administration’s recent termination of a contract that provides legal services for approximately 26,000 unaccompanied children who appear in immigrant court.
    “As the Trump administration continues to generate distress with its immigration actions — including the recent cancellation of a vital contract that provides legal services to unaccompanied migrant children — we must ensure that we protect the safety, welfare, and legal rights of vulnerable minors,” said Senator Markey. “The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025 would provide unaccompanied children with the critical legal representation they need, ensuring that kids do not have to go to court alone.”
    “Children cannot represent themselves in Court—it’s that simple,” said Senator Hirono. “Legal representation helps ensure unaccompanied minors in our court system get the fair hearing they’re entitled to, and is critical to the function of immigration court proceedings. As the Trump Administration continues its war on immigrants, The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act will safeguard legal representation for unaccompanied children, helping to protect them from heightened risk of mistreatment, exploitation, and trafficking.”
    Nearly half of all unaccompanied children represent themselves during legal proceedings and it is extremely difficult for children to successfully navigate the U.S. immigration system without an attorney—unrepresented children appear alone in immigration court to face a judge and an adversarial government attorney seeking their removal from the United States. Many of these children, potentially as young as 3-years old, are unable to speak English and unable to understand our complicated legal system. Immigration judges are nearly 100 times less likely to grant relief to unaccompanied children without counsel compared to those with counsel. The federal government previously provided legal representation to some unaccompanied minors in accordance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, which created special protections for children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or a legal guardian. Now, the Trump Administration is working to terminate those services completely.
    “Alongside Senator Hirono, we are leading an effort to ensure that children are treated fairly and humanely with access to legal representation,” said Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.).
    “The Trump Administration’s breathtakingly cruel decision to strip tens of thousands of tiny children of access to a lawyer shows exactly why this legislation is so important,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). “The right to legal counsel is a central tenet of our justice system. Yet unaccompanied immigrant children as young as 3 and 4 years old are expected to navigate the cold complexities of our legal system with no one to help them through the process. The consequences of sending these children back to the countries they are fleeing can be literally life-and-death and presents grave human-trafficking risks. We have a moral obligation to ensure that that decision is made with due process, including access to an attorney.”
    “Abandoning immigrant children to navigate a complicated legal system alone with their future on the line is beneath who we are as Americans,” said Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.). “I’m proud to cosponsor the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act, which would address this shocking policy in our legal system by giving children the representation they need and ensuring they have a fair day in court.”
    “The idea that small children could represent themselves in a court of law is ridiculous,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). “The immigration court system is complicated and confusing, and we shouldn’t expect any minor to navigate it on their own. This commonsense bill would fix a glaring flaw in our immigration system.”
    “It is deeply, cruelly unfair that so many unaccompanied children—including some who don’t speak English or are too young to understand what a judge is asking them—are forced to represent themselves in immigration court without a lawyer,” said Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.). “Having attorney representation can make the difference between safely remaining in the United States or being deported back to the same dangerous conditions they fled in the first place. This commonsense bill would help right this wrong and provide these children the legal representation they need to effectively navigate our complex immigration system.”
    “Time and time again, children, as young as three years old, enter the U.S. immigration court system without an attorney present. And now, the Trump Administration is trying to force these children to face an immigration judge alone. Not only do attorneys help these children navigate a complicated system, but they also play a critical role in preventing and stopping trafficking, abuse, and neglect,” said Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “That is why I am signing on to the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act, which would ensure that no child has to navigate our complex legal process without representation.”
    “President Trump’s inhumane immigration policies are putting kids in danger by forcing unaccompanied children to represent themselves in court,” said Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). “It’s unimaginably cruel, and we must fight to ensure every child has a fair chance to accurately present their case for legal protection in our country.”
    “For unaccompanied children caught up in our immigration courts, navigating our complex immigration system alone is virtually impossible. The numbers speak for themselves: unaccompanied children without counsel are almost 100 times less likely to receive protection from deportation,” said Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). “The Trump Administration’s decision to stop funding legal representation for these children is needlessly cruel and severely misguided. At the very least, these children deserve legal representation to help ensure their voices are heard.”
    “Children shouldn’t be forced to navigate the immigration system alone—especially when their future is on the line,” said Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). “This legislation ensures that unaccompanied kids have legal representation and due process rights, no matter where they come from.”
    “Forcing toddlers to represent themselves in immigration court does not make us safer, yet that’s exactly what’s happening because of this Administration,” said Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.). “Children should worry about growing up and going to school, not about facing a prosecutor and judge alone. This bill would provide some much-needed support for children caught up in our broken immigration system, and make sure their rights are respected and protected.”
    “It’s unacceptable to force unaccompanied children to navigate immigration court by themselves – yet that’s the frightening reality that far too many face. This legislation will help prevent this unjust practice, and ensure they have a lawyer when they come before a court,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
    “Forcing toddlers to navigate their immigration hearing without a lawyer is cruel and violates their due process rights,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). “This bill will provide them with the necessary protections to ensure they are treated with dignity and have a fair shot in court.”
    “There is one word to describe what the Trump Administration is doing to unaccompanied migrant children—cruel,” said Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.). “These children can’t be expected to navigate our complex immigration system and should never be forced to face off against seasoned government attorneys alone, but that’s what President Trump is doing. In response to the administration’s actions, Congress must reaffirm America’s commitment to due process and ensure all unaccompanied children are afforded legal counsel. Justice demands it.”
    “No kid should ever have to represent themself in court – period,” said Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). “It should go without saying that courts are meant to be navigated by the attorneys who understand America’s complex legal system. The Trump administration’s decision to gut legal representation for unaccompanied kids is not only immoral but also blatantly illegal. Forcing unaccompanied babies, toddlers, and youth to go without representation will leave kids vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and trafficking. Congress must ensure children have real legal counsel and protect them from harm.”
    Specifically, the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act:
    Requires that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provide counsel to noncitizen unaccompanied children appearing before the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or a state court, unless the child has obtained counsel at their own expense;
    Extends the government’s duty to ensure counsel for unaccompanied children to the end of the immigration proceedings, even if the child turns 18 during proceedings;
    Ensures that children are informed of their right to representation within 72 hours and creates infrastructure to identify, recruit, and train pro bono lawyers to provide representation;
    Allows unaccompanied children to reopen their case if HHS fails to provide counsel;
    Requires the government and stakeholders to create guidelines and duties for counsel representing unaccompanied children, largely based on American Bar Association recommendations;
    Clarifies that the government may, at its choosing, also provide counsel to other individuals in immigration court;
    Requires noncitizens, and their attorneys, to receive a complete copy of the noncitizen’s immigration file at least 10 days before the removal proceedings;
    Guarantees access to counsel for all noncitizens detained in DHS facilities; and
    Requires a report on children’s access to counsel.
    Last month, after the Trump Administration issued the first stop work order in February, Senator Hirono and Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) led 30 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, demanding that the Trump Administration continue legal services for unaccompanied children caught up in the immigration system as required by law.
    The bill is cosponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). 
    The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act is endorsed by Kids in Need of Defense (KIND); Acacia Center for Justice; Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights; and National Center for Youth Law.
    The full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Baird Votes to Keep Government Funded, Advance America First Agenda

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

     Today, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) released the following statement regarding the vote on H.R. 1968, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025:

    “While this bill is not perfect, I voted for this Continuing Resolution (CR) because it freezes spending levels, prevents a costly shutdown, and ensures critical programs and services such as Medicare, Social Security, and Veterans’ benefits can continue without disruption. This CR provides Congress and President Trump with a path to focus on delivering real results for Hoosier families, including historic tax cuts, securing our borders, and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in our federal agencies. House Democrats are playing absurd political games and voted to shut down the government to thwart the President’s successful America First agenda. House Republicans are unlocking the ability to make lasting changes to Washington, D.C. so that the government works for the American people, not the other way around.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Baird Statement on President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

    Today, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump’s Joint Address to Congress:

    “For four years, Hoosiers were buckling under the numerous crises caused by President Biden and Congressional Democrats’ failed leadership. Tonight, President Trump laid out his bold agenda to renew the American dream and restore American excellence.

    “President Trump has been working at a rapid pace to deliver on his successful America First agenda. The president is already reclaiming our leadership on the world stage and will restore peace in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. This is a far cry from President Biden’s failed foreign policy of appeasement.

    “In his first month in office, the President took executive action to secure our southern border and sign the Laken Riley Act into law. As a result, we have seen the lowest number of monthly illegal border crossings on record. The Trump Administration is also taking historic action to unleash American energy dominance, rescind burdensome regulations, drive investment in American industries, root out waste, fraud, and abuse in our federal government, and lower costs for Hoosiers to ensure the American Dream is more achievable than ever.

    “President Trump’s Joint Address made it clear: under President Trump and House and Senate Republicans’ leadership, this is truly the beginning of the Golden Age of America, and we will work hard to make the American Dream a reality once again.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stauber Continues Push for Special Education Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in reintroducing the IDEA Full Funding Act, legislation to ensure the federal government meets its obligation to fully fund special education. Stauber has been championing this issue since he first arrived in Congress. 

    Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act, the federal government committed to pay 40% per pupil. However, that pledge has never been met, and in Minnesota, special education programs currently receive as little as 8% per pupil. Stauber has cosponsored the IDEA Full Funding Act to require regular, mandatory increases in IDEA spending over ten years until it hits 40%.

    Of this legislation, Stauber stated, “For too long, the federal government has fallen short of its funding commitment to students with special needs, forcing schools to subsidize rising special education costs with general education funds. This leaves every student at a disadvantage. As the parent of a child with special needs, I am proud to continue the fight to ensure Congress fulfills its promise to our special needs students and their parents, so our educators can strengthen special education services while meeting the needs of every American student.”

    This bill is co-led in the House by Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02), Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15), Joe Neguse (CO-02), and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Golden, Fitzpatrick introduce bipartisan bill to repeal President Trump’s order restricting collective bargaining for federal workers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

    WASHINGTON — Congressmen Jared Golden (ME-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) today introduced the Protect America’s Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to nullify President Trump’s March 27 executive order seeking to end collective bargaining rights for unionized federal employees across several agencies.

    “In his order, President Trump said that federal workers’ rights are incompatible with national security. He is wrong. Union workers make America stronger every single day, including the more than 6,000 federal workers in Maine,” Rep. Golden said. “Throughout our history, unions have ensured workers got a fair shake in the workplace. Unions built our middle class and are key to strengthening its future. We cannot have a government that undermines workers’ rights.”

    “Improving government efficiency is essential — but sweeping exclusions from collective bargaining are a blunt instrument that risk weakening the very stability and performance we aim to strengthen,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said. “The Protect America’s Workforce Actrestores a balanced, targeted approach — protecting bargaining rights where they pose no threat to national security and reinforcing their proven role in supporting morale, accountability and effective governance. We can defend our national security without silencing those who serve it. Efficiency and fairness are not mutually exclusive — and this legislation ensures we uphold both.”

    In addition to Golden, a Democrat, and Fitzpatrick, a Republican, the bill was sponsored by Democratic Reps. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02) and Debbie Dingell (MI-06), and Republican Reps. Nick LaLota (NY-01), Mike Turner (OH-10) and Mike Lawler (NY-17).

    “Donald Trump is trying to end collective bargaining for hundreds of thousands of federal workers, silencing their voices and ripping up their contracts. This order would strike a blow to every American’s fundamental right of freedom of speech and association,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “More than 70 percent of Americans and nearly 9 in 10 young people support unions — no one voted to attack the freedom to organize with our co-workers for a better life. We commend the leadership of Reps. Jared Golden and Brian Fitzpatrick for using Congress’ power to reverse this executive order. The labor movement is 100 percent behind this bill, and we call on every member of Congress, Democrat and Republican, to take a stand in support of our fundamental rights by backing this critical legislation.”

    In addition to the AFL-CIO, the bill has the support of unions representing federal employees, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU). 

    The bill nullifies President Trump’s March 27 executive order, “Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs,” which sought to end collective bargaining with unions at the departments of Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Justice and Energy, and some workers at the departments of Homeland Security, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Interior and Agriculture. The employees covered by the order account for 67 percent of the federal workforce, according to independent news reports. 

    Federal workers’ bargaining rights are already limited. Unlike private-sector unions, federal employees cannot bargain collectively over wages, benefits or classifications, nor can they strike under existing law. Their bargaining rights are limited to conditions of employment. Roughly one-third of all federal workers in unions are veterans.

    Full text of the bill is available here. 

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Golden speaks out against shuttering of agency supporting Maine libraries, museums

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today joined more than 100 lawmakers urging President Donald Trump to restore the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the support for Maine museums and libraries that it provides. 

    “From early literacy programs and STEM education initiatives to high-speed internet access and job training resources, funding for the IMLS enables libraries and museums to provide critical services to millions of Americans,” Golden and the lawmakers wrote in a letter to the President. “The loss of this funding would be particularly devastating for rural, tribal, and other underserved communities that rely heavily on these institutions for access to learning resources, workforce development, and technological infrastructure.”

    President Trump named IMLS as one of seven agencies slated to be dismantled in a March 14 executive order. On Monday, the president put the agency’s entire staff on administrative leave.According to the American Federation of Government Employees union, “without staff to administer the programs, it is likely that most [IMLS] grants will be terminated.”

    The IMLS provides more than $1.8 million in discretionary and nondiscretionary funding to Maine organizations focused on education and workforce development, including the Maine State Library, Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, and Maine Maritime Academy. It is the only federal agency dedicated to supporting library and museum services.

    “IMLS grants are an integral part of our services to rural Mainers. Specifically, they help smaller communities have access to information and resources that they otherwise would not have access to. I support Congressman Golden’s efforts to fight for these resources,” said Maine State Librarian Lori Fisher.

    Congress established the IMLS in 1996 to consolidate the operations of multiple government agencies into a single, streamlined office. Its most recent reauthorization came in 2018 during the first Trump administration.

    The letter can be found here, and is included below in full:

    +++

    April 2, 2025

    The Honorable Donald J. Trump
    President
    The White House
    1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
    Washington, D.C. 20500

    Dear President Trump,

    We write to express our deep concern over the proposed elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the devastating impact such cuts would have on communities throughout the country. 

    The IMLS is the only federal agency dedicated to supporting America’s museums and libraries. Operating in all 50 states and U.S. territories, it plays a vital role in strengthening these institutions which serve as essential educational, cultural, and economic pillars in our communities. From early literacy programs and STEM education initiatives to high-speed internet access and job training resources, funding for the IMLS enables libraries and museums to provide critical services to millions of Americans. The loss of this funding would be particularly devastating for rural, tribal, and other underserved communities that rely heavily on these institutions for access to learning resources, workforce development, and technological infrastructure.

    Beyond their valuable contributions to education and social development, museums and libraries also serve as significant economic drivers. The American Alliance of Museums reports that museums alone contribute more than $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year and support over 726,000 jobs. Museums have immense power to draw tourism and foot traffic to other local businesses and revitalize communities. For every $1 that museums and other nonprofit cultural organizations receive in government funding, they return more than $5 in tax revenue. They also have broad public support, with 96% of Americans wanting to maintain or increase federal funding for museums. Libraries similarly generate economic returns through workforce training

    programs, small business support, and research services. Nearly all of the approximately 17,000 public libraries across the nation offer Wi-Fi access at no charge, and in 2019, Americans accessed the Internet using library computers close to 224 million times. This includes millions of students who lack adequate broadband access at home and rely on libraries to complete their homework. Despite this, IMLS funding accounts for a mere 0.0046% of the federal budget, an incredibly modest investment relative to the immense benefits these institutions provide.

    Eliminating the IMLS would not only jeopardize these essential services but also dismiss the everyday needs of millions of Americans who rely on libraries and museums for learning, job opportunities, and community engagement. We urge the Administration to reconsider this decision and recognize the far-reaching impact of IMLS funding. Maintaining and strengthening federal support for museums and libraries is not just an investment in cultural preservation, it is an investment in education, innovation, and economic growth.

    Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to working with you to ensure that America’s libraries and museums continue to thrive and serve the public.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Davids Works to Cut Waste Through Improper Medicaid Payments for Deceased Beneficiaries

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

    Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced her support for bipartisan legislation to stop improper Medicaid payments for deceased individuals that had gone unnoticed. A recent Office of Inspector General (OIG) report of just 14 states found more than $249 million in improper payments. Davids continues to support strengthening and expanding Medicaid, but also prioritizes the responsible use of taxpayer dollars. 

    According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Medicaid improper payment rate was just 5 percent in 2023, marking an 3.5 percent decrease from the previous year. Of those improper payments, 79 percent were due to insufficient documentation, which typically involved situations where a state or provider missed an administrative step.

    “Kansans work hard and deserve to see their tax dollars used wisely,” said Davids. “While I strongly support expanding Medicaid to ensure more people have access to affordable health care, it’s also important to eliminate wasteful spending where possible — and do so responsibly. It’s unacceptable for these funds to be improperly paid out instead of going to those who truly need them. This bipartisan bill is a common-sense solution to improve oversight, reduce waste, and ensure accountability in government spending — without the extreme and reckless cuts that undermine critical programs.”

    The Leveraging Integrity and Verification of Eligibility for (LIVE) Beneficiaries Act, which Davids voted to pass last year, would require states to check the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File database on a quarterly basis and verify that Medicaid patients are not deceased and still properly enrolled in the program. Should there be discrepancies, state Medicaid programs would be required to disenroll deceased beneficiaries to prevent Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) from improperly billing for those who are no longer living. 

    The federal audit found that over $249 million in Medicaid payments were improperly made to MCOs on behalf of deceased individuals in 14 states — the cause cited as “various reasons.” In this audit, OIG recommends that CMS improve its oversight by developing a system to match Medicaid enrollment data with the Social Security Administration’s death records to identify states that may be making improper payments.

    Last month, Davids held a press conference to push back against President Trump and U.S. House Republicans’ proposed Medicaid cuts to fund tax giveaways for billionaires and big corporations. These cuts would have severe consequences for Kansans, threatening the well-being of children, seniors, people with disabilities, and working families. Davids firmly believes that the bill announced today offers a responsible approach to eliminating fraud — without resorting to reckless, politically-driven actions that harm hardworking Kansans.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan Rips Republican Bill to Disenfranchise 69 Million Women

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of House Democratic Leadership, spoke on the House floor in opposition to H.R. 22, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, legislation that requires voters to provide a birth certificate, naturalization papers, or passport matching their current name to vote in a federal election. The legislation provides no alternative pathway for women who changed their name after marriage to prove their citizenship so they can cast their ballot.
    “House Republicans are forcing a vote this week on the so-called SAVE Act – a bill that does nothing to stop inflation from driving up grocery prices, nothing to end Donald Trump’s trade war that is pummeling the stock market, and nothing to protect Americans’ retirements,” Congresswoman Trahan said. “Instead, this is a messaging bill, sloppily written and dangerously flawed, designed to create confusion and chaos in our electoral system rather than strengthen it.”
    CLICK HERE or the image below to view Trahan’s speech. A transcript is embedded below.

    H.R. 22 requires that all Americans prove their citizenship status by providing an original copy of their birth certificate, naturalization papers, or passport matching their current name in person to register to vote or update their voter registration information. There are as many as 69 million American women who have taken their spouse’s name after marriage and do not have a birth certificate matching their legal name. Additionally, half of all Americans do not possess a passport.
    H.R. 22 provides no alternative option for these women to register to vote or amend their voter registration.
    “This isn’t just bureaucratic nonsense. It is an outrageous attack on the rights of women across our country,” Congresswoman Trahan continued. “And the worst part, Madam Speaker, is that Republicans have known that this was an issue with this bill for years, and they’ve done nothing to fix it. They either don’t care that millions of American women will be stripped of their right to vote, or that has been their goal all along.”
    ——————————————–

    Congresswoman Lori Trahan
    Remarks As Delivered
    Floor Speech on H.R. 22, The SAVE Act
    April 1, 2025
    Madam Speaker, we are witnessing yet another shameful attack on the fundamental rights of millions of Americans. House Republicans are forcing a vote this week on the so-called SAVE Act – a bill that does nothing to stop inflation from driving up grocery prices, nothing to end Donald Trump’s trade war that is pummeling the stock market, and nothing to protect Americans’ retirements.
    Instead, this is a messaging bill, sloppily written and dangerously flawed, designed to create confusion and chaos in our electoral system rather than strengthen it. The SAVE Act claims to prevent non-citizens from voting in federal elections. And at first glance, that may seem logical if not for the fact that it is already illegal and has been for decades. Non-citizens caught voting in federal elections already face deportation and even jail time.
    Time and again, when pressed for evidence of widespread non-citizen voting, Republicans have failed to produce a single credible example. The reason? Because the problem they claim to be solving simply doesn’t exist.
    So why are we here today? Why are we debating a bill that addresses a non-existent problem while hardworking American families are struggling with rising costs and economic insecurity?
    Because Republicans in Congress, they don’t have real solutions. Rather than addressing the issues that matter – like lowering grocery costs and helping families get ahead – they are prioritizing a bill that disenfranchises millions of American women. Roughly 69 million women – about 25% of eligible voters in our country – have IDs that do not match their birth certificates, usually because they changed their name once they got married. Under this bill, if they don’t have a passport – and half of Americans don’t – they wouldn’t be able to register to vote.
    Think about that. Tens of millions of women, the backbone of our families and our communities, stripped of their right to vote simply because they got married.
    Imagine a woman who has voted in every election since she turned 18, who pays her taxes, who contributes to her community. One day, she learns that because her name changed when she got married, she is suddenly unable to register to vote in her state. No amount of documentation – no social security card, no marriage license, no previous voter registration – will satisfy the requirements of this bill unless she possesses an updated passport or a birth certificate that matches her current name.
    This isn’t just bureaucratic nonsense. It is an outrageous attack on the rights of women across our country. And the worst part, Madam Speaker, is that Republicans have known that this was an issue with this bill for years, and they’ve done nothing to fix it. They either don’t care that millions of American women will be stripped of their right to vote, or that has been their goal all along.
    Either way, this is going to create chaos in every state in America, and it’s going to make it harder for Americans to participate in their democracy. And it appears to be the latest in a long series of tactics – like polling place closures and gerrymandering – designed to silence voters that Republican politicians don’t think they can win.
    That’s not how democracy works. You don’t get to silence millions of Americans just because they might not like your policies. You represent them too.
    So, I urge my colleagues to reject this dangerous legislation and protect the rights of every eligible voter in the country. Because our democracy is strongest when every voice is heard and every vote is counted. Thank you, I yield back.
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  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Brown, DelBene Demand Independent Investigation into DOGE Privacy Violations

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), Shontel Brown (OH-11), and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) wrote to the Deputy Inspectors General of the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Government Services Administration (GSA) requesting an independent investigation into a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer’s mishandling of Americans’ personally identifiable information.
    “We write to request that you immediately open an investigation into the unauthorized and harmful actions of a former Treasury employee affiliated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who shared a spreadsheet containing personally identifiable information (PII) with officials at the General Services Administration (GSA). Such an investigation is especially imperative as we determine the extent to which federal privacy laws were violated and how individual Americans were adversely affected,” the lawmakers wrote.
    In late January, DOGE staffers were granted access to the Treasury Department’s payment system, which processes approximately $200 billion in payments each day to Americans. Payments include Social Security benefits, tax refunds, payments to government contractors, and more. One DOGE staffer, who was granted access to the payment system before his background check was complete, sent an email with an attached spreadsheet containing an unknown amount of Americans’ personally identifiable information to two GSA officials, likely in violation of the Privacy Act. The staffer did not gain approval or encrypt the spreadsheet to protect the privacy of the GSA employees, despite receiving a briefing on cybersecurity and privacy rules just days before.
    “Under the Privacy Act, which was passed in the wake of the Watergate scandal to protect Americans’ privacy, federal agencies may not disclose records contained within a system of records to third parties without an individual’s prior written consent, subject to certain exceptions. Moreover, case law supports the proposition that information taken from a record maintained in a system of records—say, a few data points pulled from a larger record—are subject to this disclosure requirement, even if this information is incorporated into a new document that is not itself maintained in the system,” the lawmakers continued. “With this understanding, Elez’s compilation of names, transaction types, and payment amounts into a spreadsheet, even if not entire records from Treasury systems, and subsequent disclosure to GSA officials constitutes a likely violation of the Privacy Act.”
    Congresswoman Trahan, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, recently announced an effort to rewrite the Privacy Act for the first time since its passage in 1974. Congresswoman Brown is the Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation. Congresswoman DelBene is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has direct jurisdiction over the Treasury Department.
    A copy of the letter sent today can be accessed HERE.
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  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Cassidy, Ossoff Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Restore Americans’ Control Over Their Own Data

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee, partnered with Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and John Ossoff (D-GA) to reintroduce the Data Elimination and Limiting Extensive Tracking and Exchange (DELETE) Act. The bipartisan, bicameral legislation would establish a system through which individuals could request that all data brokers delete any personal data collected by the company and a prohibition on future collection.
    “Americans should be the ones in control of our own personal data – not shady online middlemen who harvest our most sensitive information and auction it off to the highest bidder,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The DELETE Act puts power back where it belongs: in the hands of consumers. By giving individuals a simple, effective way to wipe their data from data brokers’ databases and block future collection, this bill takes a critical step toward protecting our privacy and reining in an industry that monetizes our data without our consent.”
    “Privacy should be expected and protected online,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This bill gives Americans a solution to ensure their personal data is not tracked, collected, bought or sold by data brokers.”
    “Data brokers are buying, collecting, and reselling vast amounts of personal information about all of us without our consent. This bipartisan bill is about returning control of our personal data to us, the American people,” said Senator Ossoff.
    The DELETE Act would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create an online dashboard for Americans to submit a one-time data deletion request that would be sent to all data brokers registered. Under current law, individuals must request removal from each individual data broker to ensure their privacy is protected. This legislation would also create a ‘do not track list’ to protect taxpayers from future data collection. The DELETE Act is supported by Public Knowledge.
    Since her appointment to the Energy and Commerce Committee, Trahan has spearheaded efforts to protect Americans’ most sensitive data, strengthen privacy rights, and protect consumers from corporate abuses. This March, she announced an effort to reform the Privacy Act of 1974, a 51-year-old law regulating how the federal government collects, maintains, utilizes, and disseminates Americans’ personally identifiable information. Also in March, she reintroduced the bipartisan Terms-of-service Labeling, Design and Readability (TLDR) Act, legislation requiring that online companies make their terms-of-service contracts more accessible, transparent, and understandable for consumers. In Energy and Commerce committee meetings and hearings, Trahan has consistently exposed and condemned exploitative business practices that violate Americans’ online privacy. 
    Supported by a strong track record, Trahan has earned a reputation of challenging the practices of data brokers. In 2022, she first introduced the DELETE Act to rein in data brokers’ shady behaviors. Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, she wrote to top data brokers questioning their handling of women’s health and reproductive data in light of the decision. Trahan blasted the companies after their responses failed to adequately address concerns about how this data could be used to target women seeking reproductive care, including issues raised by Massachusetts leaders.
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  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley, Chu, Repro. Caucus, Dem. Women’s Caucus Press RFK Jr. to Unfreeze Title X Funding, Restore Access to Critical Reproductive Care

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Members express outrage at Trump administration claims that Title X is frozen because it is DEI, stating “A federal program’s ability to provide care to people from historically marginalized and underserved communities does not make it wrong or illegal”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Diana DeGette, Co-Chairs of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, along with Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Reproductive Health Care Task Force Chair & Liaison Judy Chu (CA-28), DWC Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Reproductive Freedom Caucus Vice Chair & Whip Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), author of the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03), and Democratic Women’s Caucus Chief Whip Nikema Williams (GA-05), sent a letter signed by 162 Members urging Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to restore all appropriated funding for Title X providers and coordinate an urgent meeting on the matter. The Trump administration’s attack on Title X is yet another attack on women and reproductive health care. 

    Title X, the nation’s only federal program dedicated to family planning, allows low-income, uninsured, or underinsured individuals to receive critical health care from a diverse network of providers. Title X health centers served 2.8 million people in FY 2023, administering high-quality family planning and sexual health care, including cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, contraceptive services and supplies, pregnancy testing, and other essential health care services. In the letter, the Members ask Sec. Kennedy to immediately unfreeze funds for federal programs: 

    “We urge you to restore all appropriated funding for Title X providers and instead invest fully in the program which has helped people access essential health care for almost 50 years. On behalf of our 2.8 million constituents and women across the country who depend on Title X’s services, we also request a prompt reply to coordinate a meeting on this matter. We look forward to introducing you to the providers, community leaders, and patients from our districts who understand better than anyone else the importance of this program. We hope your agency will not be so reckless as to upend nearly half a century of bipartisan achievement and place Title X on the DOGE chopping block without hearing firsthand the consequences of that action.”

    The Members also expressed their outrage at reports that the funding is frozen due to claims that it might support “diversity, equity, and inclusion.” The Members explained:

    “This is another way of saying that this program is used to help people of color access care. Nearly half of the people served each year by Title X are people of color, the vast majority are people with low-incomes and most Title X users are women. A federal program’s ability to provide care to people from historically marginalized and underserved communities does not make it wrong or illegal. To suggest otherwise implies that HHS would determine who is worthy of taxpayer dollars based on the color of their skin. Congress created Title X to address the needs of underserved populations across our country, regardless of background, and it has demonstrated success in doing so for 50 years.”

    The full letter can be accessed here.

    In addition to letter leads Judy Chu, Diana DeGette, Ayanna Pressley, Teresa Leger Fernández, Lizzie Fletcher, Sharice Davids, and Nikema Williams, the letter was signed by: Gwen S. Moore, Chrissy Houlahan, Delia C. Ramirez, Frederica S. Wilson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Gerald E. Connolly, Dwight Evans, LaMonica McIver, Lori Trahan, Danny K. Davis, Eugene Simon Vindman, Nydia M. Velázquez, Brad Sherman, Rashida Tlaib, Darren Soto, Joyce Beatty, Seth Moulton, Marc A. Veasey, Jerrold Nadler, Madeleine Dean, Laura Friedman, John B. Larson, Juan Vargas, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Becca Balint, Stephen F. Lynch, Betty McCollum, Lloyd Doggett, Jennifer L. McClellan, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mikie Sherrill, Rick Larsen, Derek T. Tran, Greg Stanton, Jimmy Panetta, Paul D. Tonko, Jill Tokuda, Dave Min, Terri A. Sewell, Jake Auchincloss, Jared Huffman, James P. McGovern, Mary Gay Scanlon, Mark DeSaulnier, Dina Titus, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Scott H. Peters, Doris Matsui, Emanuel Cleaver, Suzanne Bonamici, Grace Meng, Lucy McBath, Emilia Strong Sykes, Jim Himes, Joseph D. Morelle, Chellie Pingree, Josh Gottheimer, Veronica Escobar, Jasmine Crockett, Kathy Castor, Zoe Lofgren, Mike Quigley, Jan Schakowsky, Kevin Mullin, Greg Landsman, Marilyn Strickland, Pramila Jayapal, Ted W. Lieu, Robert J. Menendez, Jim Costa, Ilhan Omar, Timothy M. Kennedy, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Robin L. Kelly, Sara Jacobs, Ritchie Torres, Bennie G. Thompson, Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Adriano Espaillat, Sarah McBride, Luz M. Rivas, Ami Bera, Seth Magaziner, Andrea Salinas, Lois Frankel, Melanie Stansbury, Mike Thompson, Julia Brownley, Summer L. Lee, Deborah K. Ross, Nikki Budzinski, Lateefah Simon, Julie Johnson, Kelly Morrison, Lauren Underwood, Yassamin Ansari, Mark Takano, Chris Pappas, Shri Thanedar, Mark Pocan, Maxine Dexter, Donald Norcross, Hillary J. Scholten, Ro Khanna, Sarah Elfreth, Jahana Hayes, André Carson, Jimmy Gomez, Raul Ruiz, Angie Craig, Norma J. Torres, Gregory W. Meeks, Val Hoyle, Maggie Goodlander, Salud Carbajal, Sylvia R. Garcia, George Latimer, Gabe Amo, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Shontel M. Brown, Suhas Subramanyam, Katherine M. Clark, Nancy Pelosi, Johnny Olszewski, Alma S. Adams, William R. Keating, Donald S. Beyer Jr., Ed Case, Glenn Ivey, Suzan K. DelBene, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Dan Goldman, Joaquin Castro, Sean Casten, Brittany Pettersen, Debbie Dingell, Chris Deluzio, Wesley Bell, Mike Levin, Bill Foster, Pete Aguilar, Bradley Scott Schneider, Greg Casar, Valerie P. Foushee, Al Green, Kim Schrier, Maxwell Alejandro Frost, John Garamendi, Joe Courtney, Steve Cohen, Troy A. Carter, and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott.

    Yesterday, Congresswoman Pressley rallied with Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), colleagues, and advocates outside the U.S. Supreme Court during oral arguments in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, which could allow states to block Medicaid patients from accessing routine care at Planned Parenthood health centers.

    Rep. Pressley has also spoken out against Republican attempts to gut Medicaid and delivered an impassioned speech slamming Republicans’ cruel and callous budget resolution that would slash Medicaid and other critical government services to pay for trillions of dollars in tax giveaways for Donald Trump’s billionaire donors.

    In her personal capacity throughout her time in Congress, Rep. Pressley has fought persistently to protect fundamental reproductive and sexual healthcare rights. 

    • On the anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Rep. Pressley introduced the Abortion Justice Act, sweeping, intersectional legislation to address access to abortion care and put forth a comprehensive vision of a just America where abortion care is readily available—without stigma, shame or systemic barriers—for all who seek it, regardless of zip code, immigration status, income, or background.
    • Rep. Pressley is a lead co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), bicameral federal legislation to guarantee equal access to abortion care, everywhere. 
    • Rep. Pressley is also a lead co-sponsor of the EACH Act, bold legislation to repeal the Hyde Amendment and help guarantee abortion coverage—regardless of how a patient gets their health insurance.
    • Shortly before the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Rep. Pressley led a group of her Black women colleagues in writing to President Biden urging him to declare a public health emergency amid the unprecedented threats to abortion rights nationwide. 
    • Rep. Pressley condemned the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade., and implored the Senate to protect abortion rights and slammed the white supremacist roots of anti-abortion efforts.
    • In October 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on Josseli Barnica, who died on Sept. 3, 2021 after being denied emergency abortion care in Texas as she suffered a miscarriage.
    • In September 2024, in a House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Hearing, Rep. Pressley highlighted the harmful and deadly impact of abortion bans in America to date, and outlined in detail the shameful circumstances under which Amber Nicole Thurman died after being denied necessary abortion care in Georgia.
    • In June 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Idaho v. United States; Moyle v. United States – the case about whether emergency abortion care is included under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). 
    • In May 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on a Louisiana bill that would classify medication abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled substances. 
    • In April 2024, at a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley played “Fact or Fiction” with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf to emphasize the safety and efficacy of medication abortion drug mifepristone.
    • In August 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Fifth Circuit Court decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA.
    • In July 2023, Rep. Pressley, alongside Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Rep. Cori Bush (MO-01), and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), reintroduced the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation to help people with disabilities—who face discrimination and extra barriers when seeking care—get better access to reproductive healthcare and the informed care they need to control their own reproductive lives.
    • In July 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of over-the-counter birth control.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the FDA Advisory Committee’s unanimous, 17-0 vote to recommend the approval of the first-ever application for over-the-counter birth control. She and Senator Murray also held a press conference applauding the decision and urging the FDA to approval over-the-counter birth control without delay.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Ami Bera, MD (CA-06) and Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), reintroduced their bicameral Affordability is Access Act to ensure that once the FDA determines an over-the-counter birth control option to be safe, insurers fully cover over-the-counter birth control without any fees or out-of-pocket costs.
    • In April 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Texas court ruling on mifepristone, and discussed the Texas case in a recent floor speech in which she affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care and access to mifepristone as essential. She later joined Governor Maura Healey, Senator Elizabth Warren (D-MA), and local leaders in announcing action to protect Mifepristone in Massachusetts.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Reps. Schakowsky, Lee, DeGette, Torres and Strickland, reintroduced the Abortion is Healthcare Everywhere Act harmful and discriminatory Helms Amendment and expand abortion access globally.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Hirono led their colleagues in reintroducing a bicameral congressional resolution honoring abortion providers and clinic staff. 
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley delivered a speech in which she discussed the pending court case in Texas, which aims to restrict access to medication abortion across the entire nation. In her remarks, Rep. Pressley affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care, and accessibility to the abortion pill mifepristone as essential.
    • In September 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Supreme Court’s inaction on SB-8, Texas’ restrictive abortion law. Later that month, she participated in a House Oversight Committee hearing to examine the threat posed by abortion bans and underscored the urgency of the Senate passing the Women’s Health Protection Act. 
    • In April 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Congresswomen Barbara Lee (CA-13), Diana DeGette (CO-01) and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), led a group of 131 Democratic members in reintroducing the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act or the EACH Act, which would repeal the Hyde Amendment and ensure that all people, regardless of income, insurance or zip code, can make personal reproductive healthcare decisions without interference from politicians. She re-Introduced the legislation In January 2023.
    • Rep. Pressley has led calls in Congress for the FDA to remove medically unnecessary restrictions on the medication abortion drug mifepristone, and applauded the FDA’s action in January 2023 to allow retail pharmacies to dispense abortion medication pills.
    • As Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus’s Abortion Rights and Access Task Force, Congresswoman Pressley has led the fight to repeal the Hyde Amendments from annual Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bills and in July 2020 published a Medium post on the importance of doing so. She applauded the removal of the Hyde Amendment in President Biden’s FY2022 budget.
    • In May 2020, she led more than 155 Members of Congress in calling on House Democratic leadership to ensure that any future COVID-19 relief packages rejected Republican efforts to use the public health crisis to diminish abortion access.
    • In August 2021, Rep. Pressley, Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, and Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Diana DeGette and Barbara Lee led more than 70 of their House Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution in support of equitable, science-based policies governing access to medication abortion care. 
    • In January 2023, Rep. Pressley introduced a resolution to condemn all forms of political violence in the U.S., regardless of its target or intent. That same day, she delivered a powerful speech on the House floor slamming Republicans’ harmful, misleading anti-abortion resolution.
    • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley hosted U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at the Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester for a convening on their work to address the Black maternal health crisis and the criminalization of abortion care in states across the nation following the harmful U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. 
    • In May 2019, she led more than 100 colleagues in introducing H.Con.Res.40, a resolution reaffirming the House of Representative’s support for Roe v. Wade.
    • In June 2019, Rep. Pressley introduced H.R. 3296, the Affordability is Access Act, to make oral contraception available without a prescription. 
    • In September 2016, as a member of the Boston City Council, Pressley championed a resolution calling on Congress and President Obama to repeal the Hyde Amendment and reinstate insurance coverage for abortion services.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Representatives Stevens and Khanna Hold Press Conference to Hold China Accountable and Reduce our Debt

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI) along with U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), hosted a press conference to call on the Trump Administration to sue the Chinese Communist Party for Covid damages.

    Last week, a federal judge in Missouri held that the Chinese Communist Party is liable for $24 billion to the state for covering up the severity of COVID in early 2020 and hoarding pandemic related supplies in violation of antitrust law. Now, the Representatives are calling on the Trump Administration to follow suit and pursue similar legal action against the CCP to hold them accountable for damages across the United States. Rather than putting tariffs on Canada and gutting the federal government, the Representatives are calling on the Administration to hold China accountable and then use the damages to rebalance our financial relationship with China, reduce our federal debt, and fund the services Americans rely on. 

    “The COVID pandemic cost the United States trillions of dollars and 1 million American lives,” said Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI). ”And it’s time to hold the CCP accountable. I’m calling on the Trump Administration to pursue legal action against the CCP for lying and misleading about Covid and hoarding resources. Rather than putting tariffs on our friend Canada, firing veterans, and slashing food and housing assistance, let’s go after our competitor, China, for their role in letting COVID get out of hand and use the damages to reduce our debt and pay for the services Americans rely on.”

    “During the COVID-19 pandemic, China was not transparent with the U.S. or the world,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). “The CCP prevented Americans from getting the PPE they urgently needed by restricting exports. We must hold the CCP accountable and strengthen our domestic industrial base so we are never in that position again. This should be supported by both parties. I am grateful for Congresswoman Stevens’ leadership on this issue.”

    “After a federal judge found Communist China liable for billions in damages to the people of Missouri for its misconduct around the COVID pandemic, we need the Trump Administration to toughen up and hold the Chinese government accountable on behalf of all Americans,” said Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA). “Attorney General Bondi and the Justice Department should pursue every legal option to bring the Chinese Communist Party to justice. Making China pay what it’s liable for under U.S. law is about justice and fiscal responsibility.” 

    Full video of the press conference can be found here. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Craig Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Fully Fund Special Education Programs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-MN) co-introduced the bipartisan IDEA Full Funding Act, which would finally ensure Congress fulfills its commitment to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  

    The bill was co-introduced by Reps. Jared Huffman (D-CA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Glenn Thompson (R-PA) Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Janelle Bynum (D-OR), Don Bacon (R-NE), Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Mike Bost (R-IL).  

    Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. 

    In 1975, Congress passed IDEA to ensure that every child with a disability has access to a quality education that meets their needs. This law was a historic step forward, but since its passage, Congress has failed to provide the funding it promised. 

    The IDEA Full Funding Act would ensure the federal government funds special education at the full 40% per student required under the law. Currently, special education programs are funded at less than 13% per student nationwide. 

    “As the mother of a child who benefited from special education, I know firsthand just how lifechanging these programs can be for Minnesota students and their families,” said Rep. Craig. “I’m proud to be co-leading this bipartisan legislation to fully fund special education programs and ensure our special educators and paraprofessionals have the resources they need to keep up this critical work.”   

    Since she came to Congress, Rep. Craig has been a strong advocate for Minnesota’s special education programs – consistently leading legislation to fully fund IDEA.  

    This year, Rep. Craig brought together special educators, paraprofessionals and parents from Minnesota’s Congressional District to form her inaugural Special Education Advisory Council.  

    In a show of support for Minnesota’s educators and in opposition to the Administration’s proposed cuts to education funding, Rep. Craig invited Education Minnesota President Denise Specht as her guest to this year’s State of the Union. And in 2023, she brought Heather Mathews, a special education teacher from Apple Valley.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Over 300,000 Treaty Principles Submissions, and not a glove laid on Equal Rights

    Source: ACT Party

    “The Treaty Principles Bill Select Committee report confirms what ACT has long said. There are no good arguments against people being equal, and more people making bad arguments does not improve them,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

    “They came in their thousands to oppose the Bill, but only succeeded in showing why Parliament should pass it into law. The confused and often self-contradictory arguments against the bill (analysed below) show why it is necessary to clarify a simple truth by Parliament passing this law: All Kiwis are Equal, forever.

    “The alternative version of New Zealand supported by many submitters, where Parliament is not sovereign and people shouldn’t have their rights upheld equally, is unworkable. The idea that two babies born in New Zealand should have a different place in New Zealand thanks to events occurring nearly two centuries before their birth is abhorrent.

    “High profile bills often draw out Select Committee submissions that don’t reflect public opinion. Opponents will make much of the balance of submissions, but if they believed the public opposed the bill they could call for a referendum where everyone votes. You can’t say the majority decides the matter unless you’re ready for the majority to decide the matter.

    “We have seen wide contrasts between submissions and public opinion before. In the case of the End of Life Choice Act, analysis of that showed 90 per cent were opposed. When that law was put to referendum, it passed by 65 per cent to 34 per cent (with a small number of ‘informal’ votes).

    “When people are asked about the Bill’s principles, they come out strongly in favour. For example when a scientific poll asked about the specific wording of the proposed principles, it found:

    1. The Executive Government of New Zealand has full power to govern, and the
      Parliament of New Zealand has full power to make laws in the best interests of
      everyone; and in accordance with the rule of law and the maintenance of a free and democratic society.
      Support: 45%
      Oppose: 24%
    2. The Crown recognises, and will respect and protect, the rights that hapū and iwi Māori had under the Treaty of Waitangi/te Tiriti o Waitangi at the time they signed it. However, if those rights differ from the rights of everyone, this applies only if those rights are agreed in the settlement of a historical treaty claim under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975.
      Support: 42%
      Oppose: 25%
    3. Everyone is equal before the law. Everyone is entitled, without discrimination, to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law; and the equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights.
      Support: 62%
      Oppose: 14%

    “The principles in the bill are strongly supported by an average margin of two votes to one. However, even if the principle of equal rights for all was wildly unpopular (as it has been on many issues throughout our history), it would still be the right policy. The reason is that people truly are equal, and the law of the land should treat them as being alike in dignity.

    “The submissions and the opposition parties’ summaries of them show why the bill is needed.

    Here are the key arguments:

    Māori never ceded sovereignty

    “Various submitters claim that Māori never ceded sovereignty in the Treaty of Waitangi, and it’s implausible that they would have. It has always been inconsistent to argue that the Chiefs were all powerful when they signed, but only years later the British superpower was able to trample rights Māori with overwhelming force in the land wars.

    “The truth is that Britain was the superpower of its day, and there were good reasons to seek its protection. A combination of the musket wars, unruly settlers, and concern about possible French intrusion made it very plausible that Māori would want British protection, including from other iwi.

    “Furthermore, Rangatira raised the concern that sovereignty would be lost as a reason not to sign. They were fully aware of what they were signing up to, that people now say they were not an afront to their mana.

    “More importantly, those submitting to Parliament failed to give any workable solution to a country without a sovereign Parliament. Without clearly understood and respected laws it would be much harder for people to build their lives, homes, families and businesses, as is the case in many countries around the world that lack strong democratic traditions.

    “Widespread claims that Parliament does not have the right to make laws show why the first proposed principle is needed. The basic idea that the Government and Parliament have the full right to make laws is essential to a coherent country where people have certainty to plan their lives. Te Pati Māori have shown a hint of the anarchist alternative with their theatrics around the bill and subsequent Privileges hearing.

    Parliament cannot interpret the Treaty

    “One submission claimed ‘Parliamentarians come from all walks of life and have a vast array of skills, however very few have a coherent understanding of the historical context in which Te Tiriti was signed, nor proficiency in Te Reo Māori to understand the true context of the original text, nor the experience applying the principles in a judicial context. (Green Minority View)’

    “Various submitters argued that the Courts, Waitangi Tribunal and various experts can interpret what Parliament meant when it legislated that there are Treaty Principles, but a Parliament of the people cannot. What they are really saying is that the destiny of the country cannot be decided by the people who must live in it. That is a recipe for disenfranchisement and growing discontent. Parliament can and must remain the highest court in the land.

    Other countries have special indigenous rights

    “One Party’s Minority View claims that ‘Canada, Denmark, Bolivia, Sweden, Finland, Ecuador, and the Philippines are a few countries that have enabled constitutional recognition of Indigenous rights.’  This is only partially true, none of these countries have a constitution that effectively splits Governance equally between two ethnic groups regardless of numbers, as many suggest New Zealand should be co-governed.

    “More importantly, there are many examples of bad policies around the world that we should not want to emulate. Canadian indigenous policy, for example, is a very poor comparator to New Zealand, it is certainly not an example we should want to follow.

    Māori don’t have special rights

    “Various submitters were summarized as saying the Māori do not in fact have special rights. This contradicts the argument that Māori have separate sovereignty from the rest of New Zealand. It also brings into question why anyone would oppose a bill that says All New Zealanders have the same rights, notwithstanding Treaty Settlements.

    “The contradiction emerged in one passage from the report:

    One often repeated statement was that Māori were given special privileges under the Resource Management Act. There was no substantive evidence provided for this, and the Auckland City Council in its oral submission rejected that this was the case. It is true that where there is an application for a resource consent for a use outside of the District Plan the interests of Māori, including local iwi and hapu, are relevant to decision making. However it is hard to understand how consultation with the mana whenua is in any way a special privilege.

    Māori do have special rights

    “The above paragraph perhaps brought out the best contrast between those objectors who believe Māori do have special rights, and those who believe they do not. They began by claiming there are not special rights, then concluded Māori are so special they should expect to have special rights!

    “Clearly many people do believe Māori should have special rights, while also claiming to support equal rights. That is why it is necessary to pass the Treaty Principles Bill.

    Māori have a group right to language and culture

    “One of the most interesting themes of the submissions was that the Māori have group rights to language and culture that must be protected by the Treaty. This reflects a genuine anxiety that opponents of the bill have created, that gains in te reo Māori, Kapa haka, and the application of Tikanga might be lost. I take that anxiety seriously.

    “There is no need for specific Treaty protection for Māori language and culture for flourish. Choice programs and health and education, arts funding, and tikanga practices in everyday life can all flourish without a specific constitutional protection, none of them rely on it. All of them are part of a commitment to allowing all citizens an opportunity to flourish and succeed on their own terms.

    “Furthermore, if Māori language and culture require constitutional protection, what about the many other groups who make up New Zealand. Are they somehow not entitled to their language and culture? If they are not, then how can we say we are a society committed to equal rights?

    The bureaucracy criticised it

    Some made much of the Public Service criticizing the Bill. Public servants were the most predictable critics of the bill. The whole point of the Bill is that the bureaucrats got it wrong. If their view of the Treaty was consistent with equal rights and democracy, it would not be necessary for parliament to intervene in the first place.

    The Bill is divisive

    “Others claimed that the Bill has been divisive. The Bill propose that the Treaty be interpreted in such a way that All Kiwis are Equal. What the Bill has done is reveal that New Zealand is divided. Many believe Parliament should not be sovereign, and the rights of two New Zealanders born on the same day might not be equal, depending on their ancestry.

    “The Bill has revealed a drift towards division in this country. That drift to division further shows why the Bill is necessary.

    In conclusion

    “In conclusion, there are no compelling arguments that Parliament is not sovereign, and citizens of this country do not have equal rights. There are worrying arguments that New Zealand cannot function as a liberal democratic state if the Treaty gives different New Zealanders different rights. The Select Committee process has strengthened the case for the Treaty Principles Bill.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Van Hollen Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Fully Fund Special Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in reintroducing bicameral legislation to ensure Congress fulfills its commitment to fund the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). IDEA was passed 50 years ago, but it has never received the funding it is owed, so the IDEA Full Funding Act would put Congress on a fiscally responsible path to fully fund the program. While fully funding IDEA has been a decades-long fight, it is all the more important now that President Trump has vowed to dismantle the Department of Education, putting special education across the country at risk.
    “Across Nevada, I have heard from the parents of children with disabilities, and all they want is for their children to have the same opportunities as any other child,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The government has already committed to fund the IDEA program, yet it has consistently failed to do so. This legislation fulfills the government’s promise and provides essential funding for schools across the Silver State.”
    Under IDEA, the federal government committed to pay 40 percent of the average per pupil expenditure for special education; however, that pledge has never been met. According to the Congressional Research Service, current funding is at less than 12 percent, and the IDEA shortfall in the 2024-2025 school year nationwide was $38.66 billion. The IDEA Full Funding Act would require regular, mandatory increases in IDEA spending to finally meet our obligation to America’s children and schools.
    This legislation is supported by a broad and diverse group of over 50 national organizations, including The School Superintendent Association (AASA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Occupational Therapy Association, Assistive Technology Industry Association, Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), Autism Society of America, Center for Learner Equity, Council for Exceptional Children, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Down Syndrome Congress, National Education Association, and The Arc of the United States.
    The full text of the legislation can be found here.
    Senator Cortez Masto has delivered critical support to students and schools across Nevada. Cortez Masto’s legislation to increase the number of mental health professionals in schools was included in the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was signed into law. In addition, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included three of Cortez Masto’s bipartisan bills to boost transportation safety for students, expand internet access for both rural and urban schools, and update old school infrastructure. The Senator has also championed bipartisan Reaching English Learners Act to create a competitive grant program to fund partnerships between institutions of higher education and high-need school districts to provide training for new English-language teachers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Introduces Bill to Combat Illicit International Trade in Foreign Free Trade Zones

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Containing and Limiting the Extensive Abuse Noticed in Free Trade Zones Act (CLEAN FTZ) to create a trade rating system based on U.S. and international standards to combat trade-based money laundering and other criminal activities in foreign free trade zones. Currently, no formal rating system for free trade zones exists making it challenging for federal enforcement authorities to address illegal trafficking of illicit narcotics, persons, weapons, tobacco, counterfeits, commodities, wildlife, and more.
    “Why are we trading with countries that don’t fight corruption?” said Dr. Cassidy. “We are combating the flow of illegal drugs, weapons, and more. Seems important.”
    The CLEAN FTZ Act:
    Creates a formal rating system with four tier classifications of countries based on compliance to U.S. and international standards.
    Gives countries an overall rating based on the performance of all free trade zones under their national jurisdiction. 
    Makes the ratings publicly available and is updated annually.
    Allows the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to make recommendation to improve efforts to combat illicit trade to countries rated tier II, III, and IV.
    Creates a hotline for reporting of instances of illicit trading and money laundering activity.
    Provides financial penalty options for foreign persons involved in illicit international trade.
    Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in introducing this legislation.
    The CLEAN FTZ Act is supported by the International Coalition Against Illicit Economies (ICAIE), Advocacy for Transparency International U.S., and the Global Financial Integrity (GFI). 
    “We applaud Senators Cassidy and Whitehouse for their leadership in protecting our national security, American competitiveness, and the health and safety of our citizens by countering illicit trade, organized crime, and money laundering across some of today’s risky free trade zones around the world,” said David M. Luna, Executive Director for ICAIE. “Disrupting the increasing cross-border flows of illicit goods, contraband, and dirty monies and dismantling transnational illicit networks and their enablers from financing other criminalities and threats helps all communities to secure greater peace and security.”
    “The CLEAN FTZ Act takes a crucial step in the fight against corruption by targeting how foreign corrupt officials rely on trade-based money laundering to move and conceal the proceeds of their crimes,” said Scott Greytak, Director of Advocacy for Transparency International U.S. “By enhancing oversight of free trade zones, ensuring that they comply with globally recognized anticorruption and trade transparency frameworks, and holding bad actors accountable, this legislation would help disrupt the financial networks that enable bribery, fraud, and the abuse of public trust, and will help safeguard global markets and protect economies from the destabilizing effects of financial crime.”
    “Global Financial Integrity (GFI) endorses the CLEAN FTZ Act of 2025 and commends Senators Cassidy and Whitehouse for their collaboration on this important piece of legislation. Once in force this legislation will shed light on the operations of free trade zones around the globe, many of which have long been known to facilitate all manner of illegal activity including trafficking, illicit trade, and money laundering. Further, the proposed sanctions against perpetrators of illegal activity through these zones will protect U.S. ports and American consumers from goods that may be harmful. It is also important to note that under this legislation the U.S. government can provide recommendations for improvement to countries where low-performing zones are located,” said Tom Cardamone, President and CEO for GFI.

    MIL OSI USA News –