Category: Politics

MIL-OSI Germany: Unchanged global climate policies will cost India 19% and world 15% of GDP by 2050 | Interview with The Economic Times

Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English

The interview was conducted by Deepshikha Sikarwar & Vinay Pandey.
How do you see US president Donald Trump’s election weighing in on the entire climate debate?
We are central bankers and supervisors, so we are non-political. We are data-dependent and science-based. We are here together to discuss the impact of climate and nature-related risks on our economies. Talking about climate change in general, there are two major risks: physical risks; meaning increasing numbers of droughts, floods, hurricanes and wildfires. And transition risks, which are the costs and consequences of the transition to net zero.
If climate policy falls short then, of course, economic and financial risks will increase. That’s what central banks must look at. We analyze the data and see what kind of impact climate change has on the economy. That’s our job. We must deal with these risks, and we will address them, also towards governments.
What does the withdrawal of the US Federal Reserve mean for NGFS and its agenda?
The NGFS was founded at the end of 2017. At that time, we were only eight members. Now we are 144. The Fed, as you just mentioned, left in January. Except for the US, none of the members have exited so far. Instead, thirteen new members have joined since I took over as NGFS Chair at the start of 2024. So, we are still a growing organization.
And our agenda stays the same, because it has nothing to do with the exit of one member. If we see deregulation, if we see climate being taken off the policy agenda, then we might see increasing physical risk, meaning an acceleration of climate change. And that might mean that we even become more vocal on the risks we see.
How do you see India’s progress? What more needs to be done?
It’s not up to me to judge the stance and actions of our colleagues from the Reserve Bank of India. I just mentioned our latest update on the long-term scenarios about GDP being 15 % lower, worldwide, than in a world without climate change. For India, the GDP loss is even bigger. If the world keeps its current policies unchanged, global temperatures are expected to rise by three degrees Celsius (on average). And this could cost India roughly 19 % of GDP by 2050, compared to a world without climate change. So, for India, we show that climate change can have even more serious consequences than elsewhere. And, at the same time, the scenarios show that India is among those countries who would benefit the most from a global transition towards net zero emissions.
You’ve said your actions are data dependent. What is the data telling us in terms of the economic impact of climate change? Because there is also a pushback.
We are analytical powerhouses. Our climate scenarios are our flagship product. We have set up different long-term scenarios. For example, a current policy scenario or a fragmented world one, where climate policy is delayed, divergent and/or insufficient across the globe. Or a scenario where policy would bring us to a Paris-aligned world. We look at what those different climate scenarios mean in economic terms, for GDP, inflation, productivity, and so on.
The fifth vintage of our long-term climate scenarios was published at the start of November last year. It told us that under the current policies scenario, global GDP will be 15 % lower globally in 2050 than it would be without climate change. This is a striking number, and in fact we have reason to believe that it doesn’t even show the full picture, because we do not yet have a full set of data. It does not reflect, for example, future sea level rises, or the kind of climate migration that we might see. When we have more data, we will get more insights, and the results might even change.
What has the conversation been like at the plenary in the backdrop of the US exit and what is the assessment of the progress made so far?
We’ve never seen such a strong commitment as we see here in India today. More than 100 people from over 60 countries came from all around the world to be here in person. Another 100 people participated virtually. We’ve never had so many senior level representatives from central banks and financial supervisors. We have more than 25 governors or deputy governors here in India at our annual meeting.
What we’ve reflected on today is how political headwinds, deregulation, impact our work. And our work stays the same, because we are non-political animals, and we stick to our mandates. With so many central banks from all over the world in our network, we all have different mandates. In emerging markets or developing countries, the mandates are often not as narrow as they are in, for example, Europe. So, we do have members with broader mandates. That allows them to do different things, such as promoting green finance or other financial sector development.
Most central banks have initiated some sort of action on tackling climate change and its economic impact. What is your assessment of the progress and what more is needed?
With 144 members from all over the globe, there are members at completely different stages, depending on when they started and how big their capacities are. Some members are very advanced, like the French, the Dutch, the UK, and there are those who have just started or are so small that they barely have capacity.
What are the advanced central banks doing? They have started with climate stress testing in the banking sector. For example, in Europe, we have already done a few climate stress tests. In India, Brazil and many countries in Africa, you see that climate change strongly affects food prices. We also see, in some African countries for example, that energy prices are significantly affected by climate change. We cannot rely on past data or experiences; we need a forward-looking perspective. There’s a lot of uncertainty and non-linearity. So, we must work in terms of scenarios.
When the NGFS was set up in December 2017, there were some central banks who thought, “oh my god, there’s climate change and we do not know at all whether this will affect our work, our mandates”. We thought, “this might be such a big threat that it’s better to collaborate, put together all the resources we have and to see what will come out”. This is why the NGFS was set up. Over the years, we have not only realized that climate change really matters to the economy but also confirmed that it affects our mandates.
The whole idea of this network is that we share our knowledge amongst our members. This is the benefit of being a member of the NGFS. And we also produce public goods like the scenarios mentioned, which can be used by financial sector players and policymakers beyond the network.
Different governments have different commitments to climate change and central banks have different mandates. Given that, how effective can this body be?
Climate policy is not part of our mandate. What governments do is another thing. Of course, our analysis shows that if governments take less action on climate, it will have a huge impact on the economy, often also on inflation.
You are right, central banks globally have a wide range of different tasks and mandates. But this is also the beauty of our network. 144 different organisations learn from each other. Many members – for example emerging markets – have a lot in common with each other. These countries often form groups among peers so that they can share experience and best practice.
Any thinking on short-term scenario mapping?
We will soon publish our short-term scenarios with a time horizon of three to five years, hopefully in the first half of the year. We think it is important to show what will happen within this time horizon.
Not many care about 2050 and 2100. Not many of us work over this time horizon. If you are a CEO, your contract lasts 3‑5 years. If you’re a politician, you want to be re-elected within 3‑5 years. A scenario which tells you what might happen in 2050, of course, really matters for human beings. But, to tell the story to someone who thinks short term, you need also short-term scenarios.
© The Times Group. All rigths reserved.

MIL OSI

MIL OSI German News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Germany: German balance of payments in January 2025

Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English

Sharp decrease in current account surplus
Germany’s current account recorded a surplus of €11.8 billion in January 2025, down €9.1 billion on the previous month’s level. This was attributable to a lower surplus in the goods account and especially in invisible current transactions, which comprises services as well as primary and secondary income.
The surplus in the goods account fell by €1.3 billion to €9.2 billion in January because expenditure increased more sharply than receipts. The surplus in invisible current transactions declined by €7.9 billion to €2.6 billion. Net receipts in primary income decreased by €5.5 billion to €14.1 billion. This was mainly attributable to the countermovement on the revenue side to the EU agricultural subsidies that were paid out to Germany in December 2024. In addition, in investment income receipts declined more sharply than expenditure. Moreover, the deficit in the services account expanded by €5.5 billion to €6.0 billion. Receipts fell more sharply overall than expenditure, chiefly due to computer services and other business services. Net expenditure on travel also increased. By contrast, the deficit in the secondary income account narrowed by just €3.1 billion to €5.5 billion. In particular, lower general government payments for current transfers relating to international cooperation and smaller payments to the EU budget in connection with financing related to gross national income played a role here.
Net capital exports down
In line with the decline in the current account surplus, German net capital exports were also down in January compared with the previous month (€14.6 billion, following €44.5 billion in December 2024).
Direct investment generated net capital imports of €3.6 billion in January (following net capital exports of €18.8 billion in December 2024). Foreign enterprises provided their German affiliates with additional direct investment funds (€16.4 billion), issuing additional intra-group loans to the tune of €12.9 billion and raising their equity capital by €3.5 billion. German enterprises stepped up their foreign direct investment by €12.8 billion, boosting equity capital by €9.0 billion and increasing the lending volume to affiliates by €3.8 billion.
Germany’s cross-border portfolio investment recorded net capital exports of €15.7 billion in January (after €30.6 billion in December 2024). Domestic investors added €51.3 billion worth of securities issued by non-residents to their portfolios on balance. They purchased foreign bonds (€25.1 billion), mutual fund shares (€20.3 billion) and shares (€6.2 billion), while selling money market paper (€0.4 billion). Foreign investors acquired German securities worth €35.5 billion net, primarily buying bonds (€41.3 billion) as well as a modest volume of shares (€0.9 billion) and mutual fund shares (€0.1 billion). By contrast, they disposed of money market paper (€6.8 billion).
In January, transactions in financial derivatives resulted in net outflows of €3.8 billion (after inflows of €0.8 billion in December 2024).
Other statistically recorded investment – which comprises loans and trade credits (where these do not constitute direct investment), bank deposits and other investments – registered net inflows of capital amounting to €2.5 billion in January (following €2.1 billion in December 2024). Bundesbank account transactions recorded net capital exports (€61.5 billion), with its TARGET claims on the ECB increasing by €21.7 billion, while the Bundesbank’s external liabilities in the form of currency and deposits decreased significantly, as is often the case at the start of the year. By contrast, the other investment account recorded net capital imports of €85.5 billion from cross-border transactions by other monetary financial institutions. Furthermore, general government also recorded net inflows of capital (€0.8 billion). Transactions by enterprises and households led to net capital exports (€22.2 billion).
The Bundesbank’s reserve assets rose – at transaction values – by €1.2 billion in January.

MIL OSI

MIL OSI German News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI | America’s Nuclear Renaissance: How the TVA Can Lead Our Energy Future
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

‘President Trump and Secretary Wright must apply their best-in-class leadership to rescue TVA from itself…We won’t be satisfied by half-measures. Nor will President Trump. Nor will the American people. The time for bold action is now.’

America’s Nuclear Renaissance: How the TVA Can Lead Our Energy Future
By: Senators Hagerty and Blackburn
March 20, 2025
Link here.

You may have heard of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), our nation’s largest public utility and source of cheap, clean, and reliable electricity for 10 million people. You may even know that its Board of Directors is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate, making it directly accountable to the American people.

But one thing you might not know: the TVA is facing a historic moment that could decide our nation’s energy security for decades to come.

With the right courageous leadership, TVA could lead the way in our nation’s nuclear energy revival, empower us to dominate the 21st century’s global technology competition, and cement President Trump’s legacy as “America’s Nuclear President.”

President Trump’s Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, has charted the course. “The long-awaited American nuclear renaissance must launch during President Trump’s administration,” he declared in a February order. “As global energy demand continues to grow, America must lead the commercialization of affordable and abundant nuclear energy.”

Wright is right. The 21st century will be America’s next Golden Age only if we can supply the vast amounts of power required to run artificial intelligence, quantum computers, and advanced manufacturing. Nuclear energy is the only viable solution, but the industry has been stagnant for decades. We’ve lacked national ambition.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist Party has been ramping up its nuclear industry, announcing plans last year to build 11 new nuclear reactors to power its economy. As we face this global competition, TVA could be to the nuclear race what NASA was to the space race.

How? TVA holds the nation’s only early site permit for a next-generation small modular reactor, known as SMR. SMR is the new nuclear technology that has the best chance of being deployed in the United States within the next decade.

The beauty of SMR technology is its simplicity. It’s just a smaller version of the nuclear technology that powers much of America today, with the benefit of being safer, more replicable, and more efficient. It’s not a science project, it’s a proven commodity.

Yet, having the ticket to build the first made-in-America SMR won’t take TVA very far if the status quo of a hidebound bureaucracy gets in the way. As it stands now, TVA and its leadership can’t carry the weight of this moment.

The presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed, TVA Board of Directors lacks the talent, experience, and gravitas to meet a challenge that clearly requires visionary industrial leaders. The group looks more like a collection of political operatives than visionary industrial leaders.

The current TVA board focused on the diversity of its executives ahead of job creation for hungry workers in the region it is supposed to serve. It has fallen victim to paralysis by analysis, encumbering TVA’s SMR project with studies and hurdles that will bog it down.

Absent world-class vision, fiduciary competence, and the courage to effectively balance risks and rewards, TVA’s board has allowed the nation’s largest public utility’s role in leading America’s “Nuclear Renaissance” atrophy. And when TVA’s current CEO announced his retirement in February, the board quickly hired a tiny headhunter firm with an apparent aim to ensure TVA’s next CEO would be hired from within. While maintaining the status quo, an “inside job” forgoes the chance to recruit a top-quality leader from the outside.

What’s required at this moment is clear. President Trump and Secretary Wright must apply their best-in-class leadership to rescue TVA from itself. An interim CEO trusted by the president must be appointed to clean up this mess and lay the groundwork for a new, long-term leader. United States senators who have an interest in the future of TVA—and all of them should—must demand strong, competent, visionary board leadership—a departure from its current culture of patronage. Once TVA’s leadership is on a steady course, the interim CEO must:
- Immediately file an SMR construction application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Seek funding from the Department of Energy Generation III+ Small Modular Reactor Program.
- Stop analysis paralysis from getting in the way of producing a first-in-class SMR.
- Articulate a plan, and the resources necessary, for the nation’s largest public utility to command a lead in the provision of energy for the country’s technological innovations that will ensure American leadership throughout this century and beyond.
If we, as a nation, fail to meet this moment, American leadership in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced manufacturing, and the ability to win conventional wars will be put at risk. If we choose to lead, a Golden Age lies ahead.

We won’t be satisfied by half-measures. Nor will President Trump. Nor will the American people. The time for bold action is now.
MIL OSI USA News –
March 22, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Top Pacific diplomats ready for direct talks on Bougainville independence

By Leah Lowonbu, Stefan Armbruster and Harlyne Joku of BenarNews

The Pacific’s peak diplomatic bodies have signalled they are ready to engage with Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Government of Bougainville as mediation begins on the delayed ratification of its successful 2019 independence referendum.

PNG and Bougainville’s leaders met in the capital Port Moresby this week with a moderator to start negotiations on the implementation of the UN-supervised Bougainville Peace Agreement and referendum.

Ahead of the talks, ABG’s President Ishmael Toroama moved to sideline a key sticking point over PNG parliamentary ratification of the vote, with the announcement last week that Bougainville would unilaterally declare independence on September 1, 2027.

The region’s two leading intergovernmental organisations — Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) — have traditionally deferred to member state PNG on discussion of Bougainville independence as an internal matter.

But as a declaration of nationhood becomes increasingly likely and near, there has been a subtle shift.

“It’s their [PNG’s] prerogative but if this matter were raised formally, even by Bougainville themselves, we can start discussion on that,” PIF Secretary-General Baron Waqa told a press briefing at its headquarters in Fiji on Monday.

“Whatever happens, I think the issue would have to be decided by our leaders later this year,” he said of the annual PIF meeting to be held in Solomon Islands in September.

Marked peace deal
The last time the Pacific’s leaders included discussion of Bougainville in their official communique was in 2004 to mark the disarmament of the island under the peace deal.

Waqa said Bougainville had made no formal approach to PIF — a grouping of 18 Pacific states and territories — but it was closely monitoring developments on what could eventually lead to the creation of a new member state.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape (second from left) and Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama (right) during mediation in the capital Port Moresby this week. Image: Autonomous Government of Bougainville/BenarNews

In 2024, Toroama told BenarNews he would be seeking observer status at the subregional MSG — grouping PNG, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia’s FLNKS — as Bougainville’s first diplomatic foray.

No application has been made yet but MSG acting Director-General Ilan Kiloe told BenarNews they were also keeping a close watch.

“Our rules and regulations require that we engage through PNG and we will take our cue from them,” Kiloe said, adding while the MSG respects the sovereignty of its members, “if requested, we will provide assistance” to Bougainville.

“The purpose and reason the MSG was established initially was to advance the collective interests of the Melanesian countries, in particular, to assist those yet to attain independence,” he said. “And to provide support towards their aim of becoming independent countries.”

Map showing Papua New Guinea, its neighboring countries and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Map: BenarNews

The 2001 peace agreement ended more than a decade of bloody conflict known as the Bougainville crisis, that resulted in the deaths of up to 15,000 people, and laid out a roadmap for disarmament and the referendum in 2019.

‘We need support’
Under the agreement, PNG retains responsibility for foreign affairs but allows for the ABG to engage externally for trade and with “regional organisations.”

“We need countries to support us, we need to talk to those countries [ahead of independence],” Toroama told BenarNews last September.

The referendum on independence was supported by 97.7 percent of Bougainvillians and the outcome was due to be ratified by PNG’s Parliament in 2020, but was deferred because of the covid-19 pandemic.

Discussions by the two parties since on whether a simple or two-thirds majority vote by parliamentarians was required has further delayed the process.

Toroama stood firm on the issue of ratification on the first day of discussions moderated by New Zealand’s Sir Jerry Mataparae, saying his people voted for independence and the talks were to define the “new relationship” between two independent states.

Last week, the 15 members of the Bougainville Leaders Independence Consultation Forum issued a statement declaring PNG had no authority to veto the referendum result and recommended September 1, 2027 as the declaration date.

Bougainville Leaders Consultation Forum declaration setting September 1, 2027, as the date for their independence declaration. Image: AGB/BenarNews

“As far as I am concerned, the process of negotiating independence was concluded with the referendum,” Toroama said.

Implementation moderation
“My understanding is that this moderation is about reaching agreement on implementing the referendum result of independence.”

He told Marape “to take ownership and endorse independence in this 11th Parliament.”

PNG’s prime minister responded by praising the 25 years of peace “without a single bullet fired” but warned Bougainville was not ready for independence.

“Economic independence must precede political independence,” Marape said. “The long-term sustainability of Bougainville must be factored into these discussions.”

“About 95 percent of Bougainville’s budget is currently reliant on external support, including funding from the PNG government and international donors.”

Proposals to reopen Rio Tinto’s former Panguna gold and copper mine in Bougainville, that sparked its civil conflict, is a regular feature of debate about its economic future.

Front page of the Post-Courier newspaper after the first day of mediation on Bougainville’s independence this week. Image: Post-Courier/BenarNews

Marape also suggested people may be secretly harbouring weapons in breach of the peace agreement and called on the UN to clarify the outcome of the disarmament process it supervised.

“Headlines have come out that guns remain in Bougainville. United Nations, how come guns remain in Bougainville?” Marape asked on Monday.

“You need to tell me. This is something you know. I thought all guns were removed from Bougainville.”

PNG relies on aid
By comparison, PNG has heavily relied on foreign financial assistance since independence, currently receiving at about US$320 million (1.3 billion kina) a year in budgetary support from Australia, and suffers regular tribal violence and massacres involving firearms including assault rifles.

Bougainville Vice-President Patrick Nisira rejected Marape’s concerns about weapons, the Post-Courier newspaper reported.

“The usage of those guns, there is no evidence of that and if you look at the data on Bougainville where [there are] incidents of guns, it is actually very low,” he said.

Further talks are planned and are due to produce a report for the national Parliament by mid-2025, ahead of elections in Bougainville and PNG’s 50th anniversary celebrations in September.

Republished from BenarNews with permission.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Helping disengaged NSW youth get back in the game

Source: Government of Victoria 3

22 March 2025

Joint with:

The Hon Jim Chalmers MP
Treasurer
Member for Rankin

The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
Minister for Social Services
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Member for Kingston

The Hon Steve Whan MP
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education
Member for Monaro

The Albanese and Minns Governments are partnering to connect disadvantaged young people with education, training and employment in NSW.

Both governments are investing $5 million each into the Get Back in the Game Program – helping local organisations deliver specialist support to young people aged 15 to 21.

The funding, through the $100 million Commonwealth Outcomes Fund, will support around 1,400 young people a year who may not have reached their full potential.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Get Back on Track would help to tackle intergenerational disadvantage in communities across NSW.

“This is all about helping more young people get great training, get a great job and get ahead,” the Treasurer said.

“No matter who you are or where you live, you deserve a decent education and a decent opportunity to earn a good living and provide for your loved ones.

“We’re backing local organisations to give local kids the opportunities they need and deserve.

“Programs like this one will help us tackle intergenerational disadvantage in communities right around Australia where a national approach on its own will never be enough.”

Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, said investing in local partnerships ensures Government funding is tailored to the needs of young people and their communities.

“The Outcomes Fund will give community organisations under the Get Back in the Game Program the flexibility to design and deliver services for young people that recognises where they are at and will get the best results they need,” Minister Rishworth said.

“I am excited to be partnering with the NSW Government on the program so community organisations can get on with their important work with young people across NSW.”

Minister Whan said empowering our youth is crucial for building a stronger future for NSW.

“I’ve met some of the young people who have benefited from this program – it quite literally has changed their lives. From being disengaged from school to building a career. It is producing results for young people,” Minister Whan said.

“By investing in skills training and education opportunities, we are ensuring that no young person is left behind. This program will provide essential pathways for those who need it the most. Thank you to the Albanese Government for investing in this important program.”

Participants must be aged 15-21 and not be a current participant in any Commonwealth or NSW program or service supporting youth transitions to work or study.

The Get Back in the Game program is the last of the four projects to be announced from the first Expression of Interest process under the $100 million Commonwealth Outcomes Fund.

The Outcomes Fund gives providers the flexibility to tailor services to the needs of communities and young people. They receive payments when outcomes are achieved.

The Fund aims to achieve service delivery and funding reform as part of the over $200 million Targeting Entrenched Disadvantage package.

Sue Watson, Manager of Yourtown’s Get Back in the Game program, said that the program funding will make a real difference for disengaged youth.

“Yourtown works together with young people to uncover and supercharge their strengths, providing the practical training, education and skills development they need to land a job and break the cycle of unemployment,” Ms Watson said.

“Our program creates pathways to help young people unlock their potential and achieve a bright future. This funding makes a real difference to these young people.”

MIL OSI News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: WSJ: Thanks to Trump Administration, We Now Know the Truth About LNG’s Benefits

Source: US Department of Energy

The Wall Street Journal
March 20, 2025
“The Biden LNG ‘Pause’ Deception”
By The Editorial Board

“The Energy Department on Wednesday approved the Venture Global CP2 liquefied natural gas export project that became a cri de coeur for climate activists. Good call. Meantime, we are learning more about how the Biden team deceived Americans about its 2024 LNG export “pause.”

“President Biden, prodded by climate adviser John Podesta, announced a supposedly temporary suspension of LNG project approvals in January of the election year. The stated purpose was so Energy could do a study to determine if increased exports are in the “public interest.” It turns out that DOE career staff had already completed such a study by autumn 2023.

“A draft of that study, which was shared with us, shows that increased U.S. LNG exports would have negligible effects on domestic prices while modestly reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. The latter is largely because U.S. LNG exports would displace coal in power production and gas exports from other countries such as Russia.
“The majority of the additional U.S. natural gas substitutes for other global sources of natural gas,” the study notes. “Global and U.S. GHG emissions do not change appreciably” across various scenarios that DOE staff modeled.

. . .

“The climate lobby also says more LNG exports will increase U.S. energy costs. But the study forecast that wholesale gas prices in the U.S. would rise less than in the “study DOE commissioned on the economic impacts from U.S. LNG exports in 2018.” Residential gas prices would increase by a mere 4% by 2050.

“DOE staff and lawyers rigorously reviewed the models and findings because these conclusions “are going to receive a lot of scrutiny” and we “need to be able to explain why the model shows reduced emissions,” as one commented in the study’s margins. Another recommended “full tabulated results in an Excel workbook be made available to provide transparency to the public.”

“That isn’t what the Biden crowd wanted to hear. They shelved the staff study and imposed their “pause” to motivate progressives during last year’s election. In December, Biden Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm released a different study, which purported to show that “unfettered” LNG exports would increase global emissions and domestic gas prices.
“Had Kamala Harris won, Democrats would undoubtedly have used the new study to justify a permanent export ban and we would never have found out about the other study. The LNG two-step is another notable example of how the Biden Democrats tried to deceive Americans. . .”

Read the full article here.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Journalists, Federal Workers, and Unions File Lawsuit to Challenge Closure of U.S. Agency for Global Media

Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

NEW YORK, N.Y.—Today, journalists, federal workers, and their unions sued the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), its Acting Director Victor Morales, and Special Adviser Kari Lake to challenge the unlawful shuttering of the agency and silencing of global media.

The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, asserts that the agency has failed to fulfill its legally required functions and violated both the freedom of journalists and separation of powers when it ordered staff not to report to work, suspended contractors, turned off service, and locked the agency’s doors.

The plaintiffs include the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), The NewsGuild-CWA, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and seven individual workers. VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara is the lead plaintiff.

Government Accountability Project, a non-partisan civil rights defense and whistleblower protection organization, represents the seven individuals. New York City law firm Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP represents 11 of the 12 plaintiffs. AFGE, AFSCME, NewsGuild-CWA and AFSA are represented by Democracy Forward and their respective in-house legal departments. State Democracy Defenders Fund represents Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), Reporters Without Borders (RSF USA), AFGE, and AFSCME.

Altogether, these actions amount to an unprecedented attack on the freedom of press and threaten the reputation and credibility of VOA journalists and all USAGM networks. The filing reads:

“The VOA Journalists have devoted their careers to helping to build USAGM’s networks into a credible media force with global audiences in the hundreds of millions. They are dedicated public servants of the utmost integrity whom Defendants have maligned without basis as incompetent and, even worse, as ‘terrorist sympathizers.’ What is happening to the VOA Journalists is not just the chilling of First Amendment speech; it is a government shutdown of journalism, a prior restraint that kills content before it can be created.”

The plaintiffs seek immediate relief to reverse the shuttering of the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

This assault on VOA is an attack on international democracy and journalistic integrity.

“Voice of America was founded to spread the truth and fight propaganda from lawless authoritarian regimes—so it’s no surprise that the Trump administration is trying to dismantle it. This blatant political takeover isn’t just an attack on our members’ jobs—it’s an assault on press freedom, journalistic integrity, and democracy the world over,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley, whose union represents VOA and Office of Cuba Broadcasting employees. “These patriotic journalists and professionals have dedicated their careers to making sure regular people understand the truth, and AFGE will not stand by while this administration tries to silence them. That’s why we are joining this lawsuit with our partners—to defend our members, protect their rights, and uphold the truth they work tirelessly to promote across the globe.”

“The Voice of America was created to promote freedom of press and advance democratic values across the globe. Silencing this agency is nothing short of anti-American and a retaliatory attack on the independent journalists and workers who have dedicated their careers to fighting oppressive regimes and censorship. The voices and reporting of VOA professionals, including AFSCME members, are a beacon of freedom to people everywhere. We refuse to stand by as this administration violates the constitution to obstruct their work and diminishes America’s standing in the world as a leading democracy,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.

“AFSCME members are proud of the work they do at Voice of America to develop and distribute free and independent news to hundreds of millions of citizens everywhere. The very existence of Voice of America is a testament to our nation’s commitment to protecting a free and independent press. This open assault on journalists and our jobs should alarm everyone, and we remain committed to fighting back whether we’re standing up to dictators abroad or our own leaders,” said AFSCME District Council 20 Executive Director Wayne Enoch.

“Our union was established by journalists to protect the workers that make a free press possible, and we are proud to continue that fight 91 years later,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss. “America’s founders passionately believed that everyone has the right to free speech and a free press. The work of journalists at Radio Free Asia, Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and other newsrooms ensures that these fundamental American freedoms know no borders. Journalists across the globe fight every single day to hold power to account, expose corruption and provide communities with life-saving news. We’ll do whatever it takes to support that fight.”

“The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media undermines America’s soft power and global credibility,” said Tom Yazdgerdi, president of the American Foreign Service Association. “Foreign Service members have long served as trusted messengers and conduits of a fact-based, independent press—core to our nation’s democratic values. AFSA stands firmly against any efforts that compromise this mission.”

“This is another tragic attack on democracy. Over eight decades, VOA and its sister organizations have been renowned, evidenced by the over 400 million viewers, listeners and readers who tune in every day. That reputation is now in tatters. Our lawsuit is intended to stop the bleeding,” said David Seide, Government Accountability Project’s Senior Counsel.

“Our firm is honored to represent these clients in this historic fight. The people who gather the news, who write the news, who deliver the news, and who operate the equipment that distributes the news are the lifeblood of a democracy. Without them, the landscape of ideas and information would be a desert. The Voice of America is many, many voices; we are committed to having those voices heard in court — so they can get back to the business of speaking to the world,” said Andrew G. Celli, Jr.

“Free press is important for every American and is a cornerstone of our democracy. The abrupt and unlawful shutdown of the U.S. Agency for Global Media is yet another step in an accelerating extreme and authoritarian playbook that benefits no Americans and fails to make anyone in this country’s life better or easier. Silencing those who report the truth—especially those who have spent their careers countering disinformation worldwide—makes Americans less safe at home and abroad, and further compromises the United States’ leadership in the world. Democracy Forward is committed to protecting the American people and defending the integrity of a free and independent press,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward.

“The attempt to dismantle Voice of America and the US Agency for Global Media is an unconscionable and outright attack on press freedoms. A free and independent press is the bedrock of democracy both at home and abroad. We are proud to stand with Reporters Without Borders and coalition members in our critical fight to defend free and independent journalism,” said Ambassador Norman Eisen (ret.), executive chair of State Democracy Defenders Fund and counsel for Reporters Without Borders, AFGE and AFSCME.

“Authoritarian censorship regimes like the Kremlin and the Chinese Communist Party are loudly cheering for the death of Voice of America. It’s clear that Donald Trump’s action will encourage harsher crackdowns against journalists and press freedom, putting VOA and RSF staff, correspondents, volunteers, and supporters in greater danger. RSF is compelled to act to protect VOA and the broader press freedom community,” said Clayton Weimers, Executive Director, RSF USA.

“VOA reporting helps keep the public and local journalists informed about human rights violations, violence, protests and corruption — even in the world’s most censored countries. Trump’s decision is not only illegal, it’s a major blow to millions of citizens’ right to trustworthy information and an invaluable gift to the world’s biggest predators of press freedom. RSF is proud to champion this battle in US court, defending access to independent, reliable journalistic reporting for citizens worldwide,” said Thibaut Bruttin, Director General, Reporters sans frontières.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint statement from the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the UK (E3) on Gaza
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

Press release

Joint statement from the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the UK (E3) on Gaza

The Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, and the UK (the E3) call for immediate return to a ceasefire
Joint statement on behalf of the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the UK (E3):

The resumption of Israeli strikes in Gaza marks a dramatic step backward for the people of Gaza, the hostages, their families and the entire region. We are appalled by the civilian casualties and urgently call for an immediate return to a ceasefire.

We call on all parties to re-engage with negotiations to ensure the ceasefire is implemented in full and becomes permanent. This must include Hamas releasing the hostages that they have cruelly detained and persistently refuse to release.

All Israelis and Palestinians have a right to peace and security. We call on all those with influence over Hamas to use that influence to ensure no further attacks against Israel. We are clear that Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel anymore. However, this conflict cannot be resolved through military means. A return to fighting will only result in the deaths of more Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages.

More bloodshed is in no-one’s interest. Israel should fully respect international law and allow the flow of aid immediately. Civilians should be protected and not be cut off from essential aid or assistance. We call on Israel to restore humanitarian access, including water and electricity, and ensure access to medical care and temporary medical evacuations in accordance with international humanitarian law.

We are deeply shocked by the deadly incident affecting a UNOPS building in Gaza, which has killed one UN employee and injured several others. Amongst the victims were European citizens. UN personnel and its premises should be protected and never be a target. There must be a full investigation into what happened.

A long-lasting ceasefire is the only credible pathway towards a sustainable peace, a two-state solution and the reconstruction of Gaza.

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Published 21 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Labrador Letter – Victory at the Ninth Circuit: Roe v. Critchfield

Source: US State of Idaho

Dear Friends,
Yesterday, in Roe v. Critchfield, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a district court decision in support of Idaho’s law that mandates separate-sex facilities in public schools, like bathrooms and other areas with expectations of privacy. Idaho’s common-sense law for now can be enforced as intended, protecting the safety, privacy and dignity of Idaho students.
Last March, Idaho enacted Senate Bill 1100 which protected children’s privacy by ensuring that sex-specific facilities in K-12 public schools like showers, locker rooms, restrooms, and overnight accommodations remained sex-specific, while also allowing single-user facilities. But activists sued Idaho State Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield and the State Board of Education last July, demanding that K-12 public schools force girls to share private spaces with males and vice-versa. As your Attorney General, I represented Superintendent Critchfield and the State Board of Education in defense of Idaho’s law.
We initially won at the federal district court level when Judge David Nye denied a motion for preliminary injunction from the Plaintiffs who claimed irreparable harm by having to use facilities that corresponded with their biological sex. This ruling was appealed by the Plaintiffs to the Ninth Circuit and that court granted a temporary injunction while this case was being argued, effectively putting Idaho’s law on hold. My office, aided by counsel from the Alliance Defending Freedom, argued this case in December of last year.
In yesterday’s decision, the Ninth Circuit wrote that it saw “no argument at this stage that [Idaho law’s] mandatory segregation of [showers and overnight stays] on the basis of ‘biological sex’ is not substantially related to the State’s interests in: (1) not exposing students to the unclothed bodies of students of the opposite sex; and (2) protecting students from having to expose their own unclothed bodies to students of the opposite sex.” By upholding the denial of a preliminary injunction, the Ninth Circuit also acknowledged the Plaintiffs in Roe v. Critchfield were not likely to succeed on the merits of their case.
The reality is that boys and girls are different. Trying to force a fundamental change in the most basic concept of biology by putting a male into a girls’ locker room isn’t safe or dignified, or respectful of anyone. Children suffering from gender dysphoria need compassion, support, and competent counseling. But to enable and perpetuate their condition by putting other kids at risk and removing everyone’s privacy and dignity is simply unacceptable. Idaho’s law drew a very clear line on this issue, and I was proud to successfully defend it.
Idaho has led the way, pushing back against the gender identity agenda. Idaho was the first state to pass a law keeping men from participating in women’s sports. Idaho was the first state to pass a law to stop gender transition surgeries and procedures for minors. Despite being challenged by activists, many of these laws across the country are being affirmed by higher courts and are now supported by a new Administration that isn’t caving to the gender identity movement.
I won’t stop fighting for Idaho. Our laws are the voice of our people, expressed through our legislature and the statutes they pass on our behalf. Those who oppose Idaho’s laws – regardless of the topic – have shown a willingness to engage in endless lawfare to get their way. As your Attorney General, I will make sure that Idaho’s laws have the very best defense against activist agendas, every time.
Best regards,

Not yet subscribed to the Labrador Letter? Click HERE to get our weekly newsletter and updates. Miss an issue? Labrador Letters are archived on the Attorney General website.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Statement of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Investigation into Intelligence Leak

Source: US State of North Dakota

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made the following statement today regarding an investigation into the leak of intelligence information.

“The Justice Department is opening a criminal investigation relating to the selective leak of inaccurate, but nevertheless classified, information from the Intelligence Community relating to Tren de Aragua (TDA). We will not tolerate politically motivated efforts by the Deep State to undercut President Trump’s agenda by leaking false information onto the pages of their allies at the New York Times. The Alien Enemies Proclamation is supported by fact, law, and common sense, which we will establish in court and then expel the TDA terrorists from this country.”

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: General Assembly Adopts Texts, Marks International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

The poison of racism remains in the veins of global institutions, laws and everyday practices and must be fought in all its forms, speakers urged the General Assembly today, as the body commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in addition to taking action on three draft texts.

One of these, the draft resolution titled “Permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan” (document A/79/L.59), was introduced by that country’s representative. She affirmed neutrality as a fundamental principle of her nation’s foreign policy — “a beacon of peace, stability and constructive engagement in the international community for three decades”. The Assembly then adopted the draft resolution without a vote.

By the text, the Assembly called on Member States to respect and support this status of Turkmenistan and to respect its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. It further welcomed the decision of the Government of Turkmenistan to host an international forum, in December 2025, devoted to the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Day of Neutrality and the thirtieth anniversary of the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan.

The Assembly also adopted without a vote the draft decision titled “United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities” (document A/79/L.61). By its terms, the Assembly decided to convene the next such Conference in 2026. Also adopted without a vote was the draft decision titled “Speakers for the opening segment of the ‘World Social Summit’ under the title ‘the Second World Summit for Social Development’” (document A/79/L.65).

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

At the outset of the meeting, Philémon Yang (Cameroon), President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session, recalled that peaceful protesters stood against injustice in Sharpeville, South Africa, 65 years ago. While 69 lives were lost that day, “their courage ignited a movement — one that continues today,” he stated. And, on the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination — to which 182 Member States are party — he said: “We must recommit to its provisions that prohibit racial discrimination in all its forms.” Further, he called on the international community to “take decisive action to enforce antidiscrimination laws and ensure they are effective”.

Urging States to invest in inclusive education, raise public awareness and challenge harmful stereotypes, he emphasized that the fight against racial discrimination is not just a moral duty, but essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. And, while Africa has long carried the weight of historical injustice, he stressed that the continent is also a beacon of resilience and leadership that “has shown the world how to successfully end abhorrent examples of institutional racism and bigotry”. The international community must therefore listen to African voices and fully integrate their perspective into global anti-racism efforts. Additionally, he called on the next generation to “carry forward the fight against racial discrimination with hope and determination”.

Speaking next was Courtenay Rattray, Chef de Cabinet of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, who said that the poison of racism is the toxic legacy of historic enslavement and colonialism. Today, it continues to corrupt communities and erode the foundations of justice, stoked by “growing inequalities and algorithms that capitalize on polarizing content”, he stated. Forged amidst the civil rights and anti-Apartheid movements of the 1960s, the Convention remains a beacon of hope. Calling for its universal ratification, he urged business leadership, civil society and everyday people to take a stand against racism in all its forms.

Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, then emphasized that race, colour, descent or origin must never silence people, block their opportunities, make them targets or endanger their lives. While the Convention was a milestone treaty, she warned that “we once again find ourselves in a period of turmoil” — with racism still permeating institutions, social structures and everyday life in all societies. While diversity is profoundly human and enriches societies, “because of it, millions of people are treated as sub-human”, she stated. Condemning the resurgence of nationalist populism and ideologies of racial superiority, she called today’s gathering an opportunity for States, national human-rights institutions, civil society, the private sector and United Nations entities to commit to concrete steps to combat the scourge.

Echoing calls for universal ratification, Michał Balcerzak (Poland), Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, also encouraged Member States to recognize the competence of his Committee to receive individual communications to provide effective access to justice for victims. “Formal ratification is essential, but not sufficient,” he said, noting that various provisions were included in the Convention to address historical injustice and structural racism — such as the obligation to adopt special or affirmative measures. “We witness today the challenging of these measures in many countries,” he pointed out, calling on States and judicial bodies to protect them. He added: “Racist and xenophobic discourse are not only increasing, but also encouraged by some politicians and public figures. This is not the time to remain silent.”

For her part, Sarah Lewis, Associate Professor at Harvard University, noted that she is “the descendant of enslaved men and women from, we believe, Ghana and Nigeria, and also from slave owners who came from the United Kingdom”. While this anniversary is a chance to salute the extraordinary progress made to confront racial discrimination, she emphasized that “much more is needed today in many parts of the world to combat injustice”. Stressing that the racial divide around the world is built on the fiction of racial superiority, she cited ignorance — for example, that slavery could ever be construed as beneficial for the skills it taught the enslaved. She recalled the words of civil-rights leader Frederick Douglass, who spoke of internalized narratives that seemed to justify inequity, making the case for the power of culture as an overlooked tool for ending racism. “He said it might take over 150 years for society here, and around the world, to understand these ideas,” she observed.

During the ensuing discussion, South Africa’s delegate recalled that, “on this day 65 years ago”, people gathered around police stations in his country without carrying the dompas — the document that restricted the movement of people based on their race. During this peaceful protest, Apartheid security forces and police opened fire on a crowd in Sharpeville, killing 69 and injuring 130. “Most were shot in the back,” he said. While the equal enjoyment of human rights is a basic principle of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — adopted in 1948 — he noted that, in 1965, “it was obvious that this was not a universal understanding”. This is why the global community recognized the need to establish international law to protect human rights, regardless of race. The Convention, he recalled, remains the only active legal instrument against racism and racial discrimination.

Echoing those sentiments, the representative of Equatorial Guinea, speaking for the African Group, stressed the need to address contemporary forms of racism and new forms of slavery, such as human trafficking. All States must eliminate systemic barriers and racial discrimination faced by people of African descent in housing, healthcare, education and other sectors. Further, global reparatory justice is crucial for equitable sustainable development. In a similar vein, Jamaica’s delegate, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that the injustice of the transatlantic slave trade lingers and affects the lives of people of African descent today. He also expressed concern about “the growing incitement of hatred and intolerance, including through the use of new and emerging technologies”.

Echoing that, the representative of Greece, speaking for the Group of Western European and Other States, affirmed the collective “responsibility to address all factors that ignite racist harassment, hate speech, hate crimes and all other forms of incitement”. Moreover, nationalist and populist ideologies and rhetoric that erode social cohesion have no place in societies. The representative of Fiji, speaking for the Asia-Pacific Group, strongly condemned racial profiling and negative stereotyping on any grounds and against any persons. Meanwhile, Suriname’s delegate, speaking for the Group of Latin America and Caribbean Countries, expressed solidarity with all victims of racial discrimination around the world. He further highlighted the intersection of racial and gender discrimination, calling for gender-responsive policies.

However, the representative of the Russian Federation recalled that the international community is far from consensus on fighting racism, with the various documents and decisions adopted by the General Assembly lacking support from Western countries. “We all know that, in Europe, discrimination flourishes,” she said, spotlighting bans on studies in one’s native language and on participating in elections. Condemning Western Governments for “turning a blind eye” to their racist, xenophobic and colonialist pasts, she voiced support for the objectives of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Tiny but Mighty, Endangered Native Species Making a Comeback!

Source: Merlin Entertainments

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium Releases, 252 Southern Pygmy Perch in a World-First for Conservation supported by NSW DPIRD Fisheries

Sydney, AUSTRALIA, Friday 21 March 2025 – In a world-first, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium has bred and released 252 Southern pygmy perch (Nannoperca australis) at Lade Vale, New South Wales, marking a key milestone for conservation efforts to protect this native Endangered species.

“Though they are small, the Southern pygmy perch are mighty! They play a vital role in freshwater ecosystems by controlling insect populations and supporting biodiversity, which ensures the health of streams and wetlands,” said Laura Simmons, Head of Conservation, Welfare, and Education for SEA LIFE Aquariums Australia and New Zealand.

“Four years ago, when the NSW Government’s Fisheries Division approached SEA LIFE Sydney, we embraced the challenge to take on custodianship, develop best practices within the aquarium, and ultimately breed the Southern pygmy perch for a cooperative breed-for-release program to encourage wild repopulation. We are incredibly proud of reaching this milestone, which marks a significant step in recovering the species and securing its future in Australia’s freshwater ecosystems,” she added.

Southern pygmy perch were once widely distributed and abundant in the Murray, Lachlan, and Murrumbidgee catchments. The species has now disappeared from most locations in NSW and has only been recorded from a handful of sites in the last 30 years.

The aquarium-bred Southern pygmy perch have been released into a waterway on a private property at Lade Vale, NSW, determined as a suitable habitat by the project experts. Post-release, project partners, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Fisheries and Gunning District Landcare, will closely monitor the fish to ensure their successful integration into the wild.

“It’s exciting to be working with SEA LIFE Sydney and the local landcare group on new and innovative ways to re-establish this unique and important species back in the landscape”, said Luke Pearce, DPIRD Senior Fisheries Manager.

Southern pygmy perch are threatened by habitat loss from flood control measures and dams, which disrupt river flow and temperature, as well as by competition and predation from invasive species like Redfin perch, common carp and Eastern gambusia.

As part of its broader conservation strategy, SEA LIFE Sydney will continue to support research, breeding programs, and habitat restoration projects, collaborating with government and conservation partners to secure a future for the Southern pygmy perch and other vulnerable species within Australia and around the world.

For more information on SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium’s conservation efforts or to plan a visit, please visit: www.visitsealife.com/sydney/conservation/local-conservation-projects/southern-pygmy-perch-breeding-program

About Merlin Entertainments:

Merlin Entertainments is a world leader in branded entertainment destinations, offering a diverse portfolio of resort theme parks, city-centre gateway attractions and LEGOLAND® Resorts which span across the UK, US, Western Europe, China, and Asia Pacific. Dedicated to creating experiences that inspire joy and connection, Merlin welcomes more than 62 million guests annually to its growing estate, with over 140 sites across 23 countries. An expert in bringing world-famous entertainment brands to life, Merlin works with partners including the LEGO® Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Peppa Pig, DreamWorks and Ferrari to create destinations where guests can immerse themselves in a wide array of brand-driven worlds, rides and uplifting learning experiences.

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Statement of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Investigation into Intelligence Leak

Source: United States Attorneys General 1

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made the following statement today regarding an investigation into the leak of intelligence information.

“The Justice Department is opening a criminal investigation relating to the selective leak of inaccurate, but nevertheless classified, information from the Intelligence Community relating to Tren de Aragua (TDA). We will not tolerate politically motivated efforts by the Deep State to undercut President Trump’s agenda by leaking false information onto the pages of their allies at the New York Times. The Alien Enemies Proclamation is supported by fact, law, and common sense, which we will establish in court and then expel the TDA terrorists from this country.”

MIL Security OSI –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: From hempseed gruel to CBD: the curious history of cannabis as a health product

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lauren Alex O’Hagan, Research Fellow, School of Languages and Applied Linguistics, The Open University

H_Ko/Shutterstock

The cannabis-derived product CBD has been hailed “the wonder drug of our age”, offering potential health benefits without the high. From juices and coffee to truffles and ice cream, CBD products have flooded the market for consumers looking for an answer to health problems from anxiety to insomnia.

But with CBD products in the UK and EU falling under “novel foods” regulations rather than pharmaceutical standards, they aren’t subjected to the same rigorous safety and quality controls as drugs. The UK’s Committee on Toxicology has even flagged potential health risks, such as liver injury, leading the Food Standards Agency to issue safety guidance.

The regulatory gaps and health concerns of today reflect those of the 19th century when cannabis products were commercialised by the food industry.

In the 1830s, William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, an Irish doctor, discovered that cannabis was effective in treating muscle spasms and stomach cramps. French psychiatrist Jacques-Joseph Moreau later explored its potential for mental illness. This led many 19th-century doctors to champion cannabis as a cure-all.

It wasn’t long before patent medicine manufacturers began using cannabis as a common ingredient in their formulas. But soon, cannabis wasn’t just in pharmacies – it was in food.

Surprisingly, this shift was not driven by the food industry, but by the free church environment in Sweden as part of efforts to combat tuberculosis – a leading cause of death across all social classes in the country at the time.

Paul Petter Waldenström, leader of the Swedish Mission Covenant, wrote a letter to Svenska Morgonbladet about a woman reportedly cured of tuberculosis by a homebrewed gruel made with hempseed, rye flour and milk. His endorsement helped popularise the remedy and many started making their own “Waldenström gruel”, as it became known.

Sensing a business opportunity, entrepreneur J. Barthelson developed a powdered commercial version with the elegant French name Extrait Cannabis. He marketed it as a dietary remedy for tuberculosis, chest diseases and low energy. As demand grew, competitors quickly jumped on the bandwagon, using fearmongering tactics to persuade consumers that they were putting their lives at risk without it.

The rise and fall of Maltos-Cannabis

The most striking cannabis-infused product of the era came from the Red Cross Technical Factory. Their “health drink”, Maltos-Cannabis, was a maltose and cannabis blend marketed as both nutritious and delicious, especially when mixed with cocoa.

With an aggressive advertising campaign, the company raked in nearly SEK 290,000 a year (around £775,000 in modern money), opening factories in Chicago, Helsinki, Brussels and Utrecht.

A particularly dramatic advertisement depicted the Grim Reaper fleeing from the light of science, shining from a lighthouse. Meanwhile, a mother and daughter raised their arms triumphantly, symbolising victory over death thanks to Maltos-Cannabis. The tagline boldly claimed that the product had “a big future”.

Maltos-Cannabis advertisement, Hälsovännen, 1 February 1894.
Wikimedia Commons

However, questions swirled about its legitimacy. Newspapers debated whether the product was a groundbreaking remedy or “a pure scam product”. While some critics called the craze an “epidemic”, others argued coffee was more harmful – a hot topic in Sweden’s parliament at the time.

In response, Red Cross published a half-page rebuttal signed by its executives, defending the product’s credibility. But scepticism persisted. After various lawsuits and growing concerns over its effectiveness and safety, sales of Maltos-Cannabis began to decline. By the 1930s, the product had disappeared entirely.

History repeats itself?

The 19th-century commercial cannabis market was able to thrive due to the absence of marketing regulations for both food and pharmaceutical products. Manufacturers freely advertised their products using pseudo-scientific claims and buzzword-heavy marketing – strategies we’re seeing again today in the thriving CBD industry.

This is because CBD is a “borderline” product, existing in a regulatory grey area that allows for marketing strategies to flourish without stringent oversight. Much like in the past, brands tap into consumers’ health anxieties with promises of a wellness revolution. Most worryingly, social media influencers are being used to endorse CBD, making it particularly appealing for younger audiences.

With the global CBD market valued at US$19 billion in 2023 and projected to grow by 16% annually until 2030, looking back at the broader, problematic history of commercial cannabis should serve as a cautionary tale.

Lauren Alex O’Hagan 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. From hempseed gruel to CBD: the curious history of cannabis as a health product – https://theconversation.com/from-hempseed-gruel-to-cbd-the-curious-history-of-cannabis-as-a-health-product-251967

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Demand Answers on DHS, DOGE Requests to Access Sensitive IRS Information

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
March 21, 2025
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., today led Senate colleagues, including Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., in a letter to top officials with the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) demanding answers on reports that DHS and the self-styled “Department of Government Efficiency” have illegally requested sensitive taxpayer information from the IRS.
“We write about alarming reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has asked for unprecedented access to private taxpayer data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS),” the senators wrote Acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause, IRS Acting Chief Counsel Andrew De Mello and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. “Elon Musk and his associates at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have also reportedly sought to cross-reference taxpayer data with sensitive personal data held by other agencies that provide public benefits.”
According to a Washington Post report, DHS officials requested the IRS turn over home addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of more than 700,000 people in an apparent attempt to weaponize the tax system against those suspected of being undocumented immigrants. This unlawful move would target people paying taxes and contributing to U.S. communities and is the latest Trump Administration attempt to target immigrant communities. It was also reported that DOGE sought access to sensitive personal tax records, the sharing of which would be illegal.
“In addition to violating tax privacy laws, the wholesale sharing of tax return information with DHS or DOGE, as described in the press, would also penalize individuals for complying with federal tax law and undermine the IRS’s core mission of tax collection by reducing voluntary tax compliance,” the senators wrote. “According to official government data, millions of taxpayers who do not have a social security number file their taxes with the IRS each year using an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), including many undocumented individuals. Such voluntary tax compliance depends on trust that the IRS will keep taxpayer data confidential.”
The letter was led by Wyden and Cortez Masto. In addition to Wyden, Cortez Masto and Merkley the letter was signed by Senators Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
The full text of the letter is here.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Murkowski Addresses the Alaska State Legislature

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
03.19.25
“We are all Alaskans; we are all invested in the future of this great place.”
Juneau, AK – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today delivered her annual address to the Alaska State Legislature during a joint session at the Alaska State Capitol Building.
Murkowski thanked many of the legislators for their good work and recapped the progress the delegation has made for Alaska over the past year. While celebrating many Alaskans’ accomplishments, she expressed her concern for the indiscriminate firing of federal employees and the impacts the federal funding freeze will have on the state. Murkowski also spoke to areas where Alaska can work closely with the new administration, particularly resource development.
After her remarks, Murkowski took questions from the legislators on a variety of topics, which are available to watch in the video linked below.

Senator Murkowski addresses the Alaska State Legislature on March 18, 2025.
Click here to watch the Senator’s remarks.
Below is the text of Murkowski’s remarks as delivered.
Good morning. We’ve got a full house, full crowd, and it is good to be home with all of you.
Mr. Speaker Edgmon and Mr. President Stevens, to our Majority Leaders Senator Giessel and Representative Kopp, Minority Leaders Senator Shower and Representative Costello, to all members of the Legislature: thank you for the opportunity to be back with you in these chambers.
I’ve had a good morning. I think I’ve been able to meet with the vast majority of you, exchanging conversation as Alaskans and as fellow lawmakers. Thank you for the time you have given me already, and for the hour that we will have this morning.
A lot of new faces, this is good to see. When you have a House with 10 new members, that’s impressive, this is good. And I love, and I will emphasize love, the fact that we have so many women in our House, more women than men. It has taken a little bit of time, but congratulations to all of you. I look forward to the many contributions that we will see.
At the same time that you see the new faces, there are many that I have known over the years. You have a few that I’ve actually served with. They’re more like friends and extended family. We’ve got Lyman back there in the corner. We’ve got Gary.
I know I’m supposed to be using your formal titles here, but you know, you look at these guys in their tenure here, these are the giants of the place. I think of you as the Ted Stevens and the Don Young of the Legislature. I’ll let you figure out which one’s which, but you’ve been around, been around a little bit of time.
Whether you’re new to public service or continuing this, thank you for stepping up. Thank you for engaging. Thank you for being in the arena at a time that our state needs each and every one of you.
So, for those of you that are new, you need to know, I start out every one of my legislative addresses, not talking about you, but talking about my family, because our families are so important to who we are and what we do.
When I got on the plane on Monday, coming out of Anchorage to come to Juneau, I run into Representative Costello, you, Mia, and I remembered when you first came to this body, your kids were young. They were about the same age as my kids were when I joined the Legislature. And I remember thinking mornings were when you’re leaving the kids and you’re saying, “have a good week,” instead of “have a good day at school.”
So, to each and every one of you who leave your families behind, or who bring them here and who uproot them to be part of this, thank you for what you do. Thank you for the sacrifice that you are making. Your children will be better because of your service. So, thank you for making those trips every Monday.
So, my family is doing well. The boys are good. They’re getting older, they’re both married. One is living in Anchorage, the other is living in Tennessee. They married great women. Verne is doing well, he is on both ends of the country, flying with me. We never fly on the same airplane, he’s always looking for more legroom, and I’m always so used to being squeezed into wherever I need to be.
My parents are well, thank you for inquiring. Dad is turning 91 here at the end of the month. They are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary at the end of this month, so they’re hanging in there.
As for me, I’ve spent a lot of time in Washington, DC this year. We’re beginning a new Congress and a new administration. This is actually our first recess of the year. Usually I come here during President’s Day, but this is our first recess that we have had, so you’re not going to find anyone that is happier about being home right now than me.
I wasn’t quite sure it was actually going to happen. We managed to avoid a government shutdown. That’s a good thing. But the end result was less than desirable. The Continuing Resolution that we will be operating under from now through the end of September is not what I would have hoped. We were dealing with a situation that I think was best described as a Morton’s Fork. For those of you who are not familiar with this term, it’s okay to look it up. Basically, it’s a choice between two equally bad options: a shutdown, which is never good, and a continuing resolution that doesn’t do much, if anything, to reduce the level of spending. It takes away the work we had done to identify what our priorities would be, and tells the administration, “here is the money,” but we’re not providing you with the details to administer it.
So, we’re moving forward and that’s going to be important. Beginning next week, we begin, in earnest, budget reconciliation. We can talk about it a little bit later if you want. But, before I get started, I want to recognize some of the good work that has gone on here, in this Legislature. Some of the good work that you are doing.
Representative Dibert, Senator Kawasaki, and Representative Carrick, I want to thank you for saying it loud and proud—it’s Denali. So, thank you for that. That resolution is really important. I thank you, I thank all 50 of you who voted for it.
Senators Wielechowski, Tobin, Cronk, and Hughes, Speaker Edgmon and Representatives Himschoot, Johnson, and Ruffridge, all of you who have been tackling K-12 funding with the Governor—thank you for what you’re doing there. I know this is hard, but there is nothing more important that we can do for Alaska’s future than focusing on our kids’ education. So, thank you for working through those hard things. I appreciate that.
To those of you who were part of the Joint Legislative Task Force on Alaska’s Seafood Industry, I’m not going to name all the names, but I was with you at the Commissioners’ task force meeting in January, and thank you for the good recommendations to help our fish, fishermen, fish processors, and coastal communities. Thank you. We need to take your recommendations and help you with implementation.
Senator Hughes, I appreciate what you’re doing on food security. These are important initiatives. I’m proud to support your work through the microgrants program I was able to create for Alaska, so there’s good work going on there.
Representative Stutes, Representative Tomaszewski, and all who supported HB 65—great work on your legislation for a new passenger dock in Seward and the economic development that will bring. Good work on so many of these initiatives that I appreciate.
On a personal level, Senator Olson and Representative Dibert, we’re glad you’re better and back to work. Glad to know that you are on the mend. I was able to earlier congratulate Representative Schrage on the birth of your daughter. So again, congratulations to you and your wife on the birth of your daughter, Emily.
Keep doing good work in all of these really important areas.
I’ve got some friends and colleagues in the gallery I want to introduce. I am going to try to introduce folks in the gallery because you might not be familiar with because they haven’t been in the gallery yet.
You’ve got a gentleman that is no stranger to you, Joe Plesha. He’s handling all of my communications. I don’t know whether we let him continue with the mustache, but I guess that’s who he is.
The gentleman seated on the end there, that is my Chief of Staff, Garrett Boyle. Garrett has been on my team now in this capacity since last April.
Next to Joe is Hali Gruber, who is my advisor for energy and natural resources. She was working previously for Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers on the House side, and did a great job over there. So, we were able to pick her up.
Next to her, we have my regional director here in Juneau, Kara Hollatz.
Next to Kara, we have Karina Waller. Karina has worked on the federal side for a long time before coming to me. She was with Senator Stevens a long time ago, btu has been heading up my state operations since last April.
So those are the new faces you’re going to see. You’re going to see more of my team wandering the halls, having meetings with you. This is a good opportunity for us, again, to start figuring where we can partner and work together.
I’m proud of the partnerships and relationships that we’re able to develop with one another. Don’t hesitate to call. Call me, call them, call all of us, get us engaged.
Back in Washington, DC, some of the things we’re doing there, we have made progress. It’s tough to sometimes think of what we did last year. It was an election year, right? Who was paying attention to anything about accomplishments. But we did.
One of the things I know Dan and I are particularly proud of is the effort we were able to advance across the finish line, which is to secure a commercially available icebreaker, and the Coast Guard’s commitment to homeport that vessel, called the Storis, here in Juneau.
We were able to secure cold weather pay for Alaska’s Air and Space Forces, and something that was quite personal to me, we were able to save the Alaska Air National Guard from cuts that would have cost 80 positions. That was really important.
We were able to secure $300 million for fishery disasters and passed legislation to reform the declaration process to work better for Alaska. This is something we need to keep doing more on. We’ve improved it, but the fact of the matter is the process still does not work for our fisherman, so we’re not letting up on that.
We broke ground on the Kenai Bluff Stabilization Project, this is one of many major infrastructure projects now underway around our state. This is one that many of you on the peninsula have been working on with us for a long time, so it’s good to see that going.
We were able to work with our military leaders to help Kake, Angoon, and Wrangell secure long overdue apologies for the bombings that wiped out their Native villages in the late 1800s. So, to be part of those ceremonies was quite impactful.
We increased funding to address natural hazards, including the landslides that continue to claim lives across Southeast. It’s great to see Jeremy Bynum here from Ketchikan, and to see the role that you played in your local government, and to see the impact that had on your community when we had a devastating loss just last year in Ketchikan.
We’ve been able to make some headway, finally, for better, more reliable weather observing systems, which we will deliver through the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative, but we have more that we need to be doing on that. After the devastating Bering Air crash outside Nome, I think we’re all rightly focused on what we can be doing on aviation safety.
Then on the Congressionally Directed Spending process, we were able to advance dozens of community priorities. This was everything from housing for Sitka to the expansion of the University’s program for nurses and the allied healthcare workforce.
Then we were able to finish up some things that have been outstanding for a long time. We secured nearly all funding needed for an Alaska Veterans Cemetery in Fairbanks. I remember when Representative Guttenberg started that ages ago. We’re putting a new roof on the Palmer Pioneer Home after years of delay, seeing the threats from heavy snowfalls. And, a personal one, this is big for Frank and Nancy Murkowski, we finally repainted the Wrangell Post Office. Sometimes you take your wins where you can.
We also have good news this week. I’ve told many of you in our conversations, but I’ve been working with Secretary Lutnick and Secretary Rubio, and I’m able to confirm that our fishermen will be able to get out on the water on Thursday for the black cod and halibut opener. That was caught up in a process that most fishermen will not know, they don’t care to know how the sausage is made, they just want to know they’ll be able to get out on the water and be able to do their fishing. We were able to do that for them, so that was a good win.
We’ve accomplished a lot, and it takes hard work from the delegation, from you, from our teams, and from Alaskans across our state. Before I move on, I want to acknowledge someone that, as I’m looking in the gallery, I see my friend and our Lieutenant Governor, Nancy Dahlstrom. Thank you for joining us. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you back there before, but I don’t want to skip over your contributions and those of the Governor, and all that you do when we talk about working together to make things happen. So, thank you.
It really is our people that make the difference. And that’s what I want to focus on today.
It’s not just the great Alaskans who make us proud at the Olympics, like Kristen Faulkner from Homer, or who receive top honors from the National Endowment for the Arts, like Chief Reverend Dr. Gilbert Trimble from Arctic Village.
It’s not just the Alaskans who run James Beard award-winning restaurants, like Carolina and Heidi and Patricia at Lucky Wishbone in Anchorage. Or those who have built institutions, like Jack Hébert did with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks. Or our military men and women, who we are proud to have serving in our state, and who come from all over the country.
We celebrate them all, as we should. But today, I want to talk about another set of people who make a difference, and these are Alaska’s federal employees. There are about 15,000 of them across our state. On a per capita basis, we have more than just about any state outside of Maryland and a couple of others. I want to give them the credit they are due—and express how disturbed I am by how they have been treated recently.
As I stand here, federal employees across Alaska are losing, or have lost, their jobs.
I can’t tell you with accuracy how many, because no one who has that information is either able to share it, or willing to share it.
What I do know is that these abrupt terminations have affected NOAA, the National Weather Service, the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, USDA Rural Development, the VA, and other federal agencies.
These terminations are indiscriminate and many, we are learning, are unlawful. They are being made regardless of performance and with little understanding of the function and value of each position. At a human level, they are traumatizing people and leaving holes in our communities.
As one couple said to us, they’re not just losing their jobs, they’re losing their lives. They’re losing their community. We heard that yesterday in a discission with some terminated employees.
No one should feel good about that.
Now I agree, and every single person in this chamber would agree that the federal government is too big. The debt is now above $36 trillion. We’re spending more on interest than national defense. So, I support the mission behind DOGE, to find efficiencies in government. This is our responsibility—you need to find them at the state level, we need to find them at the federal level. And reductions in the federal workforce make absolute sense, but let’s do it in the right way.
Not like this.
The Trump administration’s approach lacks the type of planning you need to avoid unintended consequences, and it lacks the fundamental decency you need when dealing with real people. Public servants are not our enemies. They’re our friends and neighbors; they are integral to our economy and our ability to function as a state and as a country.
Their work may go underappreciated. Maybe we don’t know what it is they’re doing, but that doesn’t make it any less important.
Just because I don’t know who is processing my renewal for my passport, all I care about is getting it in a timely manner. I’ll never know that person. And I’ll never know that they’ve been working at that same job for twelve years, and it is not glamorous, but they show up, and they work, and they give me and you what we’re hoping for. So, I want us to think about the value that comes to us from these public servants.
Today, I asked if there was any update on Mount Spurr. We’re all wondering when she’s going to pop her top. Do we want to go back to the days of KLM Flight 867, which lost its engines and 14,000 feet of altitude after flying through a cloud of ash? I don’t want that.
In a few weeks, I think it’s April 14, thousands of tourists will arrive here on the first cruise ship of the season—do we really think one or two people can handle them all at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center? I was out there yesterday, and I don’t think a couple of people are going to be able to do it.
Do we no longer recognize that our weather forecasters save lives in our state?
Is it a good idea to fire the scientists who are tracking avian flu, given our status as a global flyway for migrating birds?
We had a conversation earlier this morning about the potential for a really bad fire season this year. With fire season starting yesterday, the earliest ever—do we really want to gut the support staff for the firefighters who will be on the front lines here?
I was able to visit with some folks yesterday, one was a NOAA fish biologist, he’s one of the guys doing the trawl surveys, which are so necessary to be able to give direction to the council on the management of our fisheries. The fish aren’t going to be able to save themselves. We need our fish biologists, our stream ecologists, they need our help.
I’m just as frustrated by the federal funding freeze—another area where Alaska faces disproportionate impact.
We have more than $1 billion in limbo, even though Congress approved the funding, a president signed it into law, and Alaskans secured these resources through competitive national processes.
Keep in perspective what’s being targeted will not put a dent in the deficit or balance the budget. But we’re going to see project costs go up. Construction seasons lost. Employees and contractors laid off. And we may lose some projects, entirely.
We worked for more than 20 years to get funding for Angoon’s Thayer Creek hydro project, and let me assure you, we are not about to let go of that. So, we have to keep working to advance all of this.
But again, this is happening indiscriminately, with little understanding of what projects mean for Alaska—how a small hydro project in the total scheme of things may not seem that substantial back in Washington, DC, but if you can reduce your reliance on expensive diesel in a community where you have no other option, don’t we want to encourage that? Making sure people understand the impacts, not only of a small little hydro project, but the impact on the victims of domestic violence who have no safe place to go.
I thank folks for weighing in. I kind of like this process, it can be a little unruly, a little rambunctious, but they are weighing in, and I welcome that. And then there are some very measured ways.
President Stevens and Speaker Edgmon, I got your letter. Senator Kiehl and Representatives Story and Hannan, I got yours, too. I accept the challenge. And I want you to know that I’m doing everything in my power to make the best of this.
We are engaging every day to identify where we are seeing challenges presented to us in Alaska, and ways we can work to address it and get it unlocked. I’ve been working directly with Cabinet Secretaries and folks at the White House. We are making some progress, and that’s good. But, a reminder: I’m one of three in the delegation. We all need your help. I can’t do my job alone.
When I ask you for these stories, when I ask you to share what you’re hearing from your folks back home, take us up on the offer. Don’t be afraid to give us too much. We can be more responsive and help more Alaskans when we do this all together. I’m opening the door to more work, but we’re going to pass it through both ways.
I also stood here in 2017 and said that as long as this Legislature wants to keep the Medicaid expansion, you should have that option.
My commitment remains to you. I did not support Medicaid cuts then, and I will not support them now. I know what it would mean to Alaskans, and I know what it would mean to you here in the Legislature. There may be some reasonable reforms we can make, and we have talked a little bit about them, about what we may be able to do in Medicaid, we do need to address the rising costs of these entitlement programs. But I just can’t be on board with anything that hurts our people or puts you in a budget hole.
Speaking of holes, I need to bring up a difficult subject: the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan. The STIP. The reality is Alaska is on pace to wind up hundreds of millions of dollars short of where we could and should be. I’m not here to point fingers, that is not my job, but I can’t solve this one. And the longer it takes to sort out, the more our contractors and communities will lose. So, let’s be working on that.
The same goes for the Alaska Marine Highway System. We’re about to enter the final year of our bipartisan infrastructure law. We’ve delivered $700 million and counting for AMHS, but the system isn’t modernized. It’s not on track for the long-term. There’s a plan for that, but it’s a draft on paper. Unless the State steps up on capital and operating expenses, we’ll have wasted a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do right by all who depend on our ferries.
Senator Bjorkman, I know you get it, and I commend your work on the Transportation Committee on federal funding, AMHS, the STIP, and more.
When federal dollars are on the table, we need to go after them, especially as spending is constrained. And when the delegation manages to throw a lifeline, I’d hope the State grabs it and uses it to reach stable ground.
We have enough problems, without creating more for ourselves. But that seems to be what we are doing.
The environment in Washington, DC is, let’s just say…challenging.
Take tariffs: that’s the topic of the day back in Washington, DC. But you can’t talk about them in isolation and say, “Washington, DC.” We can talk about it our own state’s Capitol here, and the impact.
This afternoon I’m going to be meeting with folks from the Alaska Forest Association, and I am going to hear their concerns about tariffs, and what it may mean for some of our small operators down south from here, with China’s retaliatory tariffs.
We also have Canada threatening tolls on goods trucked to our state. Whether they make good on that, we have no idea, but now we’re talking about what will we have to do to insulate ourself from that, will we have to revamp the PVSA. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t anticipate that we would be dealing with this in March of 2025.
Or foreign policy, I think you’ve seen some of my comments, but I have been stunned by a turn of events that threatens to abandon Ukraine and collapse long-standing alliances from NATO to NORAD.
We have two close neighbors. We’ve got Russia over here, and Canada over here. How we came to a place where we are fighting with Canada and placating Russia is beyond me. As long as we have to send up fighter jets to chase off Russian Bear Bombers from our ADIZ, I won’t trust Putin, and I’m not going to be quiet, I will continue to stand up and speak out.
I want to acknowledge, it’s easy to stand here and say something, but I can’t tell you how proud I am of those who do get that call and who go up and lead on these intercepts. It’s the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron up north, and it’s our Air National Guard helping to facilitate these intercepts through their refueling mission. We should be so exceptionally proud of the men and women that are serving us, honoring us every day, and taking these threats that we see as just another day at work. They are my everyday heroes, and I’m just so very grateful.
You’ve heard me describe a few things from the Trump administration that I oppose. When I feel strongly about it, I am going to say something about it. But there are also plenty of areas where I agree with the President.
We do need to secure our borders. We do need to stop the flow of fentanyl. Our trade relationships aren’t always fair. The war in Ukraine does need to end, and I am encouraged that there may be some progress here that we will actually see that end. Our partners and allies do need to step up for themselves and the defense of democracy.
Things are going to be different, for the next two to four years or beyond. We’re already seeing that.
Some of it will be difficult—I’m acknowledging that Alaskans are out of jobs, projects are stuck or canceled, volatility in the markets, the potential for trade wars or the collapse of international partnerships, to name a few.
Some of it has been difficult for a while—like in our fisheries, which need every bit of help we can give amid Russia’s war on fish, trade manipulations, lawsuits from extreme environmental groups, and climate change. This has been hard.
But some of it is also going to be notably better. There are good people we can work with to do good things for Alaska.
On fisheries, as we push to bring back our fish and crab, we recognize we have the ability to modernize. We need to reinvest. We need to recapitalize an aging fleet. The President’s push for more domestic shipbuilding can be great for us, and it can extend to Ketchikan, Seward, and more. So, these are good areas of cooperation.
We also have a chance to grow our private sector and reduce our dependence on the federal government. We need to embrace that, because it will benefit and could define our economy, our budget, and our quality of life for a generation or more.
We can put Alaska back on the global map for energy and resource production. Turn the NPR-A back into a petroleum reserve, as it was designated by law decades ago. We need to tap into the rich resources beneath a small fraction of the non-wilderness Coastal Plain. Reverse the political decision to reopen and reject the Ambler Road.
We can get Graphite One through permitting. Produce antimony, copper, nickel, tungsten, tin, and other critical minerals. Restore our federal timber harvests to more than a single—but beautiful—Christmas tree in front of the U.S. Capitol. Lift public land orders, complete conveyances, and ensure our Alaska Native veterans receive their rightful allotments. We can not only approve, but build the life-saving road to King Cove that has been sought for so long.
All of that is now right in front of us—and we are working hard through every person and every process available to us, including budget reconciliation—but there’s more.
After years of skepticism and doubt, I think we have a real chance to move forward on an Alaska natural gas pipeline. The President mentioned it in his recent address to Congress, and he’s given the project an incredible lift.
Here in Alaska, Senator Sullivan and Governor Dunleavy have helped bring Japan, Korea, and Taiwan into the conversation. There is movement and there is reason for encouragement as we think about our natural gas resources. And I thank them for working this.
You know I hate LNG imports with the white-hot fury of a thousand suns, but I will acknowledge, just this once, that maybe we can take those lemons and use them as part of a bigger plan to export our North Slope reserves.
There’s so much we can begin to partner on. Again, though, I would remind you—every one of our opportunities depends on our people. People make it all happen. People allow us to be resilient.
Resource development. Road construction. Fishing and tourism. Everything.
Our opportunities, our industries, require people. They depend on the essential workers who build our houses, keep us healthy, and teach and watch the kids while we work. To bring it full circle, our opportunities also depend on functional government—the men and women who do the trawls and the surveys, who issue permits, maintain visitor facilities, forecast the weather, and a whole lot more.
We have incredible potential, but it will take all sorts of people, doing all sorts of things, to realize it.
A big part of my job is to make sure we have people in place at the federal level who will help us. And at the state level, it’s a big part of yours.
We need to grow our own, for every facet of life in Alaska, so we can grow as a state. We need to take care of our own, so that people can stay and build and enjoy their lives here. And that means we need to work together to knock down every barrier we find in housing, schooling, childcare, healthcare, infrastructure, the cost of living, the cost of energy, and everything else.
Through it all, we also need to treat people like people—because we are all Alaskans, we are all invested in the future of this great place, and we all contribute to it in our own way.
We must treat one another with the respect and dignity that we would wish to be treated with ourselves. So, I wish you all success in this session; we’ve got a lot of work to do. And I believe you will find it, if you keep the Alaskan people front and center in everything you do.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER, FOLLOWING HISTORIC PENSION FIX LAW HE PASSED, ANNOUNCES HUDSON VALLEY IBEW UNION TO RECEIVE $45+ MILLION TO RESTORE AT-RISK PENSIONS FOR 850 UNION WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

NY’s International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1783, Representing Hundreds Of Electrical Workers, Who – Without Action – After A Lifetime Of Hard Work Would Have No Pension Benefits Remaining By 2030

As Schumer’s First Major Act As Majority Leader, He Secured Pension Fix So Union Members Could Get Hard-Earned Pensions & Relief They Need And Earned

Schumer: Hudson Valley IBEW Union Workers & Families Can Breathe Sigh Of Relief With The Restored Pensions They Rightfully Earned

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today announced that, after years of advocacy to secure relief for ailing multiemployer pension plans for union workers, New York’s International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1783 Fund covering electrical workers in the Hudson Valley will receive an approximately $45.9 million pension-fix from the Schumer-led American Rescue Plan. The federal relief will restore full pension benefits for approximately 850 union workers and their families.

“Today, I am saying a promise made is a promise kept to hard-working union families at risk of losing their pensions through no fault of their own – at more than $45 million for 850 IBEW workers across the Hudson Valley and New York. These are the Hudson Valley union electricians who repair machinery and toil in the warehouses that drive our economy forward. They worked hard, played by the rules, and paid into pension plans that were at risk of being drastically cut or even completely disappearing,” said Senator Schumer. “I’m very proud to deliver over $45 million in federal relief to help hundreds of union construction workers ensure their hard-earned pension benefits and the retirement security they provide remain intact for many years into the future and ensure they can retire after a lifetime of hard work. I made sure as my first act as Majority Leader to pass the American Rescue Plan with a key provision to deliver the pension relief to our union brothers and sisters and their families they have desperately needed and earned. New York is and will forever be a union town and I always will work with my union brothers and sisters to deliver the benefits they deserve.”

“One of the most concerning issues that will impact every American, not just Union members, is the inability to have retirement security. Until now, I have not seen a politician accomplish anything toward solving the massive and unrecognized retirement crisis that most Americans face. Our lives should not be that we work until we are too sick or drop dead at work because we cannot afford to retire. Unlike the 401k retirement plans that routinely get wiped out by market shifts, defined benefit pension plans promise a guaranteed future. But, the hardworking people who relied on those guarantees were nearly left destitute. Let’s all be thankful that Majority Leader Senator Schumer led the Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Relief Act into successful passage through the American Rescue Plan. It has been the only meaningful accomplishment toward resolving the retirement crisis in some meaningful way in my past 25 years as a labor advocate,” said IBEW 1430 Local President Jordan El-Hag, which also includes IBEW Local 1783 workers following its merger in 1988.

Tom Carey, President of the AFL-CIO Westchester Central Putnam Labor Body said, “Hardworking union workers contribute to our communities every day, trusting that the pensions they have earned will be available to them when they retire. When these pension plans faced jeopardy following the 2008 recession, many workers and retirees began to worry about their ability to achieve a dignified retirement. Thanks to Senator Schumer, who led the Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Relief Act into successful passage through the American Rescue Plan, union workers, retirees, and their families can rest assured that the benefits they earned will be available to them in full for as long as they need them. Once again, Senator Schumer shows organized labor that we have a true friend in Washington.”

Schumer said the Armonk-based IBEW Local 1783 Fund, which covers approximately 850 workers in the communications, electrical manufacturing, professional technical and clerical, and warehouse and supply industries, will receive approximately $45.9 million in special financial assistance. The IBEW plan was projected to become insolvent and run out of money in 2030. Without the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) Program funded through the American Rescue Plan, the Local 1783 IBEW Plan would have been required to reduce participants’ benefits to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) guarantee levels upon plan insolvency, which is roughly 25% below the benefits payable under the terms of the plan. That means, if not for the SFA Program, participants in the plan would have seen their monthly pension benefits reduced by roughly 25%. The SFA Program will enable the plan to continue to pay retirement benefits without reduction for many years into the future.

Schumer fought to include the Butch Lewis Act in the American Rescue Plan – securing pension solvency in his very first major bill as majority leader. Before the American Rescue Plan over 200 multiemployer plans were on pace to become insolvent in the near term, risking benefits for millions of workers and their families. The law created the Special Financial Assistance program administered by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to protect benefits for millions of workers, reverse harsh pension cuts, and put existing plans on a path to solvency through 2051. To date, the program has provided billions in federal assistance to support thousands of construction industry workers.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Moran, Marshall, Hawley Introduce Legislation to Provide Reliable, Affordable Energy to Kansas & Missouri

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced legislation to help provide stable energy rates and a reliable electric grid to states in the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA), including Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

The Southwestern Power Administration Fund Establishment Act would give SWPA the authority to operate on a self-funding, revolving Treasury fund to help provide the administration with a long-term, reliable financing source. This would give SWPA more stable funding in order to lower customer rates, which can be highly volatile due to market demand and weather. Furthermore, this legislation would provide SWPA more clarity to help plan long-term infrastructure improvements and power replacement and allow SWPA to avoid drastic and unnecessary spikes in power rates charged to its wholesale customers in an extreme or multi-year regional drought situation.

“It is critical that Kansans have access to reliable electricity at stable rates, especially during extreme and dangerous weather,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation will provide funding stability that will allow energy providers to make needed infrastructure improvements and prevent Kansans from suffering mass power outages.”

“Kansans – especially our farmers and ranchers – need reliable and affordable power,” said Sen. Marshall. “Consumers have suffered from high energy costs for too long, and this bill will help deliver stable and affordable power while improving our power grid infrastructure. I am proud to stand with Senators Jerry Moran and Josh Hawley in supporting this important legislation.”

“After the devastating tornadoes last weekend that left victims without power for days, Missourians deserve consistent and affordable energy,” said Sen. Hawley. “This legislation will ensure that every Missourian has access to power they can rely on.”

“Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. and its member co-ops have strongly supported the Southwestern Power Fund Establishment Act for its ability to provide appropriated dollars that will improve grid reliability while helping to stabilize rates,” said Lee Tafanelli, CEO, Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. “We thank our home state Sens. Moran and Marshall for bringing forward legislation that will have a positive impact on our rural electric cooperatives and their consumer-members.”

“Federal hydropower is a reliably renewable generation resource,” said Nicki Fuller, Executive Director, Southwestern Power Resources Association. “This legislation recognizes the value of protecting that resource throughout the six-state region, making sure that these important assets are maintained. This legislation would go a long way toward ensuring grid reliability and affordably throughout the region for millions of homes, farms and small businesses. I thank Sens. Moran and Marshall for introducing this important bill that represents good business sense.”

“NRECA supports the Southwestern Power Administration Fund Establishment Act. The self-financed revolving loan fund authorized by this bill would allow the Southwestern Power Administration to better manage infrastructure needs while being more responsive to market conditions and electric demands created by extreme weather events.” – National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

“The American Public Power Association applauds the introduction of the Southwestern Power Fund Establishment Act. Since 1943, not-for-profit public power utilities and rural electric cooperatives have successfully partnered with the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA) to bring reliable hydropower produced at Army Corps dams to millions of customers in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. While SWPA customers pay all costs of generating and transmitting the electricity in their power rates, a complicated funding process has increasingly failed to provide the financial certainty necessary to steady power rates to customers during drought and extreme weather events. The Southwestern Power Fund Establishment Act would streamline this process in a manner that would help avoid rate spikes and economic hardship for communities served by public power utilities and rural electric cooperatives while continuing to ensure that SWPA customers pay all costs associated with generating and transmitting hydropower produced at Corps dams. It is a win-win for the federal government and communities served by not-for-profit electric utilities.” – American Public Power Association

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Honduras Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Honduras pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served and removal from the U.S. on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Saul Enrique Padilla-Mejia, 38.

According to information presented to the Court, Padilla-Mejia was previously removed from the United States on August 13, 2019, and returned to Honduras. On February 4, 2024, the Pennsylvania State Police charged Padilla-Mejia in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County with various traffic offenses as well as driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol content of .16% and greater. Those charges remain pending, according to the public docket. Immigration authorities determined that Padilla-Mejia was illegally present in the United States and took him into immigration custody on October 30, 2024. Padilla-Mejia will remain detained until his deportation from the United States.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Padilla-Mejia.

MIL Security OSI –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: In Las Vegas, Rosen Hosts Roundtable Discussion with Nevada Federal Workers Amid Trump Mass Firings

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
Discussion Included Federal Workers From Multiple Critical Agencies That Serve Veterans And Keep Nevadans Safe
LAS VEGAS, NV – Amid the Trump Administration’s mass firings, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) held a roundtable discussion in Las Vegas with federal workers. During the discussion, Senator Rosen heard directly about the devastating impact the Trump Administration and Elon Musk are having on federal workers and agencies that are critical for serving veterans and keeping Nevadans safe.
“Federal workers in Nevada go to work every day to serve our communities, doing everything from keeping our airports safe to making sure our veterans get the care they deserve,” said Senator Rosen. “It’s outrageous that the Trump Administration and Elon Musk are slashing federal resources and firing federal workers without a care of how this will affect Nevadans’ ability to get the services they rely on, all while working to give more tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy. I sat down with federal workers in Las Vegas today to hear about their experiences and discuss how I’m fighting back against these reckless, illegal actions.”
Senator Rosen has been a vocal opponent of the Trump Administration’s efforts to cut critical programs Nevadans rely on, all while trying to give further tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. She has pushed multiple Departments under the Trump Administration for detailed, public information regarding the impacts of President Trump’s federal funding freeze, hiring freeze, and terminations on Nevada – including the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, the Social Security Administration, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Last week, Rosen helped introduce a bill to protect veterans, military spouses, and VA employees indiscriminately targeted in Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts at the VA and across the federal government.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Warner & Colleagues Demand Answers Over Trump Administration’s Illegal Cancellation of Grants to Train and Retain Quality Teachers

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Mark R. Warner (both D-VA) joined 23 of their colleagues in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon demanding detailed answers about the Trump Administration’s illegal cancellation of over $600 million in federal funding for teacher training grants, and to warn the Secretary of the detrimental effects the cancellation is already having on communities across the nation.
“We write to raise serious objections and call for the immediate reinstatement of federal funding provided in the Department of Education’s (Department) appropriations laws intended to help strengthen our educator workforce in at least 34 states and improve teaching and learning for our nation’s students. It is shocking to us that the Department would take such disruptive action to take away funding from schools as they work to implement their approved plans to improve outcomes for our nation’s students,” the senators wrote.
The senators continued, “The cancellation of these grants comes at a time when our country faces dire teacher shortages. A recent analysis of state-identified teacher shortages found that in recent school years, nationally, 1 in 8 of all teaching positions—or over 400,000 positions— are vacant or filled by a teacher who is not fully certified for their position. … Congress created and funded the Teacher Quality Partnership, Supporting Effective Educator Development, and Teacher and School Leader Incentive Fund programs in a bipartisan manner to ensure that all students have access to an effective educator workforce. The Department’s decision to terminate locally-driven grants previously awarded to schools, institutions of higher education, and other partners to address educator shortages and improve the quality of the teaching workforce will have long-term consequences on student outcomes.”
Regarding the confusion and distress caused by the cancellation of funds already promised, the senators wrote, “Cutting off grant funds already adopted and in use in local budgets shows utter disregard to local officials who are now faced with a lengthy process for challenging the terminations and are required to adjust their adopted budgets and plans. These local communities may also face difficult decisions to curtail activities paid for by these terminated grant funds, such as recruiting teachers in rural communities, improving literacy, and mentoring early-career teachers to improve retention. Ultimately, the Department’s decision to terminate these grant funds simply passes necessary expenses onto local and state taxpayers, who may have to sustain costs previously supported by federal funds that have been taken away by the Trump administration.”
“We are deeply disappointed that despite claims of radical transparency from President Trump and other administration officials, the Department has not provided any transparency to Congress or the public about its teacher training grant terminations. Instead, the President’s disregard for the law and his desire to find savings to pay for his tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations seems to be driving these terminations. Given the need for actual transparency, stability, and productivity in government, as well as the bipartisan support these critical education training programs have received for many years, it is critical for the Department to provide accurate, timely responses on its use of taxpayer resources provided by the laws passed by Congress,” the senators wrote before concluding their request with a detailed list of questions for McMahon.
The letter was led by Kaine and U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and signed by Warner and U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Edward Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Andy Kim (D-NJ).
The full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary McMahon:
We write to raise serious objections and call for the immediate reinstatement of federal funding provided in the Department of Education’s (“Department”) appropriations laws intended to help strengthen our educator workforce in at least 34 states and improve teaching and learning for our nation’s students. Approximately two weeks ago, the Department announced that it terminated “over $600 million in divisive teacher training grants” and created confusion for schools and institutions of higher education around our nation.[1][2][3] The amount of reported savings is misleading since many of the terminated grants had already been partially spent and were in active use. Further, it appears that terminated grantees received no information from Department staff in response to their requests for additional information, even for grants with obligated and spent funds.[4] It is shocking to us that the Department would take such disruptive action to take away funding from schools as they work to implement their approved plans to improve outcomes for our nation’s students. Thankfully, a federal judge ordered the administration to temporarily restore these grants in eight states[5] and just yesterday, another federal judge ordered the reinstatement of more than 100 of these grants,[6] but every impacted grantee deserves immediate action.
U.S. students have not recovered from the devastating effects of the pandemic. National scores are below pre-pandemic levels in all tested grades and subjects, and gaps continue to grow between higher-performing and lower-performing students. A February 2025 analysis found that our students are approximately half a grade level behind pre-pandemic achievement in math and reading.[7] With teachers and principals being the most important in-school factors to student learning, these grant cancellations will hinder pandemic learning recovery and break President Trump’s promises of “great principals and great teachers.”[8]
The cancellation of these grants comes at a time when our country faces dire teacher shortages. A recent analysis of state-identified teacher shortages found that in recent school years, nationally, 1 in 8 of all teaching positions—or over 400,000 positions— are vacant or filled by a teacher who is not fully certified for their position.[9] This school year, 49 states reported to the Department critical shortages in math, science, or special education teachers.[10] In rural America, to attract and retain teachers in many places, including in states like Colorado,[11] Louisiana,[12] Missouri,[13] and Texas,[14] districts were forced to move to 4-day school weeks, despite the unknown impact on student achievement. Research shows that principals are the second most important in-school factor to student learning and also impact teacher retention. Yet, about one in ten principals leave the field every year.[15]
Congress created and funded the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP), Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED), and Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive Fund programs in a bipartisan manner to ensure that all students have access to an effective educator workforce. The Department’s decision to terminate locally-driven grants previously awarded to schools, institutions of higher education, and other partners to address educator shortages and improve the quality of the teaching workforce will have long-term consequences on student outcomes. These terminations create confusion for dozens of local communities supported by now unavailable grant funds.[16] Cutting off grant funds already adopted and in use in local budgets shows utter disregard to local officials who are now faced with a lengthy process for challenging the terminations and are required to adjust their adopted budgets and plans. [17] These local communities may also face difficult decisions to curtail activities paid for by these terminated grant funds, such as recruiting teachers in rural communities, improving literacy, and mentoring early-career teachers to improve retention. Ultimately, the Department’s decision to terminate these grant funds simply passes necessary expenses onto local and state taxpayers, who may have to sustain costs previously supported by federal funds that have been taken away by the Trump administration.
We are deeply disappointed that despite claims of radical transparency from President Trump and other administration officials, the Department has not provided any transparency to Congress or the public about its teacher training grant terminations. Instead, the President’s disregard for the law and his desire to find savings to pay for his tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations seems to be driving these terminations. Given the need for actual transparency, stability, and productivity in government, as well as the bipartisan support these critical education training programs have received for many years, it is critical for the Department to provide accurate, timely responses on its use of taxpayer resources provided by the laws passed by Congress. We request you provide written answers to the following questions as soon as possible but not later than March 26, 2025:
Please describe the policy and procedure established for the review of grants terminated on or after January 20, 2025.
Are they the same as any grant terminations prior to this date? If not, how and why were they different, including in the use of any program or technology not previously employed?
Please identify the offices and titles of staff involved in the review.
How many employees involved in the review were onboarded at the Department on or after January 20, 2025? Please describe each of such employee’s role in the review.
Please provide the total costs, including all personnel and non-personnel costs, of the review.
Please identify any other program currently undergoing or planned for the same or similar review and the associated timeline for each such review.
Please specifically identify each program undergoing a different review and explain each difference and the reason for each such difference for such program.

Please explain the policy and procedure for offering grantees the opportunity to clarify, explain or modify any element of their approved application prior to termination to avoid the disruption to grant activities that the Department’s termination has caused. Please explain why an opportunity was not offered in each case of it not being offered.
Please explain the policy and procedure for offering grantees the opportunity to appeal their grant termination. When will appeals be reviewed, and when will grantees receive a decision on their appeal?
For each program that includes a terminated grant, please provide the following about all such terminated grants:
The total number of grants terminated by fiscal year of initial funding,
The total amount of funding expected under the approved budgets of terminated grants on official documentation as of January 1, 2025 for each fiscal year,
The total amount of funding outlaid as of the date of response to this letter for each fiscal year, and
The total amount of funding deobligated by fiscal year as of the date of termination.

For each program that includes a terminated grant, please provide the following about all such terminated grants:
The total number of educators expected to participate in professional development activities,
The total number of new educators expected to be prepared,
The expected number of years of service that were expected from participants under each grant,
The number of years of service that had already been completed,
The total number of schools expected to benefit from any grant activities, and
The total number of states in which any grant activities were expected to take place.

For each program that includes a terminated grant, please provide the following:
The name of each recipient of a grant not terminated by program and fiscal year of initial funding,
An assurance that each non-terminated grant was subject to the same policy and procedure described in response to the first question, and as applicable, the reason for not doing so, and
Please provide the most recent annual performance report submitted by each non-terminated grantee prior to January 1, 2025.

For each terminated grant, please provide the most recent annual performance report submitted by such grantee prior to January 1, 2025, if applicable.
For each terminated grant, please provide the following:
The Department’s definition of divisive ideology,
The Department’s definition of inappropriate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and
The specific evidence demonstrating how the grantee’s approved grant activities are inconsistent with such definitions of divisive ideology and DEI.

Please explain how and when you will comply with the temporary restraining orders issued by federal judges on March 10, 2025 and March 17, 2025.
Please provide a detailed plan on how the Department will prioritize training and preparing educators for the classroom.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Warren and Duckworth Demand Answers from Hegseth on Reports of Musk’s Planned Top-Secret Briefing on U.S. War Plans for China

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
March 21, 2025
Musk has extensive conflicts of interests, allegations of illegal drug use, and reports of previous problems protecting national security information
“Although they may satisfy his curiosity, there is no legitimate national security or other rationale for providing (top-secret war plans) to Mr. Musk.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, demanding clarity on meetings held by Elon Musk at the Pentagon today, with questions about whether he received a “top-secret briefing on U.S. war plans for China” that media reports indicated would have provided him with access to information that is “among the military’s most closely guarded secrets.”
Initial reports from the New York Times, later confirmed by the Wall Street Journal, indicated that Elon Musk was scheduled to receive such a briefing today, “because he asked for one.” But President Trump, Elon Musk and Secretary Hegseth indicated that they may have reversed course after this news became public. However, it still remains unclear what information Mr. Musk received at the Pentagon today.
“We hope that you did not share top-secret war plans with Mr. Musk today and do not do so in the future,” wrote the senators. “Although they may satisfy his curiosity, there is no legitimate national security or other rationale for providing this information to Mr. Musk – who is not a military or national security expert, is not a member of the President’s cabinet, and is not even serving as a permanent federal employee.”
Although Mr. Musk is ostensibly engaged in an effort to cut wasteful spending with his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), there is no need for him to obtain access to some of our most sensitive secrets in order to do so. Meanwhile, Mr. Musk’s conflicts of interest also raise significant concerns.
Mr. Musk has extensive business interests in China through his automotive company, including a factory in Shanghai that “was built with special permission from the Chinese government” and “now accounts for more than half of (the company)’s global deliveries.” Along with Mr. Musk’s “extensive financial interests in China,” in public, Mr. Musk has “avoided criticizing Beijing and signaled his willingness to work with the Chinese Community Party (CCP).” He has parroted CCP talking points – contrary to the current official U.S. foreign policy – that Taiwan is “an integral part of China” and should become a special administrative zone like Hong Kong.
“The military’s top-secret information is classified as top secret for a reason,” concluded the senators. “The unauthorized disclosure of such information to any one of our adversaries could pose exceptionally grave national security risks.”
The senators asked Secretary Hegseth a series of questions to establish an accurate accounting of Mr. Musk’s briefing, including precisely what information was provided to Mr. Musk today and why.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department was inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s decades-long disapproval of the agency

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Fred L. Pincus, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

The Heritage Foundation flag flies over its building on July 30, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 20, 2025, that calls for closing the U.S. Department of Education.

The president needs congressional approval to shutter the department. The order, however, directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”

The executive order reflects many recommendations from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a conservative political initiative to revamp the federal government. But it’s worth noting that the foundation’s attempt to abolish the Education Department goes back more than 40 years.

The think tank first called for limiting the federal role in education in 1981. That’s when it issued its first Mandate for Leadership, a book offering conservative policy recommendations.

As a sociology professor focused on diversity and social inequality, I’ve followed the Heritage Foundation’s efforts to eliminate the Department of Education since 1981. Although the idea didn’t garner enough support 44 years ago, the current political climate makes conditions more favorable.

Mandate 1981

In its 1981 mandate, the Heritage Foundation struck now-familiar themes.

Its education policy recommendations included closing the Department of Education and “reducing its controls over American education.”

Additionally, the think tank called on lawmakers to repeal the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which provides federal funding for disadvantaged students in K-12, so that “the department’s influence on state and local education policy and practice through discretionary grant authority would disappear.”

And the Heritage Foundation called for ending federal support for programs it claimed were designed to “turn elementary- and secondary-school classrooms into vehicles for liberal-left social and political change …”

The Heritage Foundation building is seen on July 30, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Education experts disputed these proposed reforms just a few years later.

Four educational task forces, composed mainly of educators, corporate executives and politicians, published reports on education in 1983. All four reports were critical of the more liberal education policies of the 1960s and 1970s – such as an emphasis on student feelings about race, for example, rather than a focus on basic skills.

But they all saw the need for a strong federal role in education.

The four reports blamed the U.S. educational system for losing ground to Japan and Western Europe. And all called for more required courses rather than the “curriculum smorgasbord” that had become the norm in many public schools. They all wanted longer school days, longer school years and better-trained teachers.

Nevertheless, President Ronald Reagan tried unsuccessfully to abolish the Department of Education in 1983.

Project 2025

Jumping ahead more than 40 years, Project 2025 reflects many of the main themes the Heritage Foundation addressed in the 1981 mandate. The first line of Project 2025’s chapter on education states: “Federal education policy should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.”

The charges of leftist indoctrination have expanded. Now, conservative advocates are calling to eliminate anything that has to do with diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.

Other executive orders that Trump has signed reflect these attitudes.

For example, they call for defending women from “gender ideology extremism” and eliminating “radical” DEI policies.

According to Project 2025, school choice – which gives students the freedom to choose schools that best fit their needs – should be promoted through tuition tax credits and vouchers that provide students with public funds to attend private school. And federal education programs should either be dismantled or moved to other federal departments.

Current political climate

In the 1980s, the Heritage Foundation was seen as part of the New Right, a coalition that opposed issues such as abortion, homosexuality and affirmative action. The GOP’s alliance with conservative evangelical Christians, mobilized by advocacy groups such as Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority, was picking up steam, but it was still seen as marginal.

By 2025, things have moved significantly to the right.

Conservative Republicans in Congress view the Heritage Foundation as an important voice in educational politics.

The far right is emboldened by Trump after his Cabinet appointments and pardons of Jan. 6 rioters.

And Christian Nationalism – the belief that the United States is defined by Christianity – has grown.

Paul Dans, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, speaks at the National Conservative Conference in Washington, D.C., on July 10, 2024.
Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Trump’s executive order does not abolish the Education Department. He needs congressional approval to do that.

But he has already weakened it. His administration recently canceled nearly $900 million in contracts at the Institute of Education Sciences, the independent research arm of the Education Department.

Despite public reluctance to eliminate the department – in February, 63% of U.S. residents said they opposed its elimination – it looks like Heritage Foundation influence could cause significant damage, with the additional firing of staff members and the reduced distribution of funds.

McMahon sent a directive to department employees in early March calling the dismantling of their agency a “final mission.”

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

– ref. Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department was inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s decades-long disapproval of the agency – https://theconversation.com/trumps-executive-order-to-dismantle-the-education-department-was-inspired-by-the-heritage-foundations-decades-long-disapproval-of-the-agency-250605

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: The Government of Canada invests over $107 million to help stop gun violence and fight crime in Québec

Source: Government of Canada News

March 21, 2025 – Ottawa, ON

Today, the Honourable David McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, announced that the Government of Canada is investing $107.3 million to fight crime in Quebec. This includes $84.8 million through the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund and up to $22.5 million in federal support until 2027 to bolster Quebec’s participation in the National DNA Data Bank – an essential tool to solving crimes.

Combatting gun violence

The $84.8 million, through to 2028, supports efforts by community organizations and law enforcement to combat gun violence and keep our communities safe. This announcement will ensure the renewal and implementation of promising initiatives in crime prevention, crime repression and the development of knowledge and skills on the subject in Quebec. These initiatives target both the use of armed violence to support the activities of organized crime groups, and the more erratic use of violence resulting from conflicts between rival gangs. This investment builds on the success of the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence (ITAAGGV), announced in 2017, which provides federal support to provinces and territories who then distribute the funding to where it has the biggest impact on reducing gun violence.

The ITAAGGV is a central part of the government’s plan to fight crime and keep Canadians safe. It includes investing in the men and women who protect our borders, building capacity to further strengthen our cooperation with the United States to fight gun smuggling, developing knowledge informing major changes to strengthen our firearms legislation, as well as support for prevention and enforcement efforts.

Enhancing forensic capacity

The funding of up to $22.5 million through to 2027 for the National DNA Data Bank will help law enforcement across Canada identify suspects, persons of interest and victims through DNA matches. This investment builds on existing federal funding of $3.45 million annually, provided through Public Safety Canada’s Biology Casework Analysis Contribution Program and will go toward boosting forensic lab capacity, purchasing new equipment and hiring more staff. These enhancements are expected to result in an increase in the number of DNA profiles uploaded to the national data base each year, strengthening criminal investigations and prosecutions both in the province and across the country.

MIL OSI Canada News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Canada provides funding to respond to crises in Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo
Source: Government of Canada News (2)

March 21, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

Canada recognizes that the world is grappling with increasing geopolitical uncertainty, with conflicts spanning several continents impacting millions of people. This is why Canada is dedicated to doing its part to support those in need by collaborating with trusted and reliable partners on international assistance efforts.

Today, the Sudanese people continue to bear the brunt of the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which started in April 2023. More than 12.8 million people have been forced to flee as they faced unspeakable human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law. And in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the escalating violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of people across the eastern DRC and exacerbated the longstanding humanitarian crisis.

To address the needs of the people affected by these conflicts, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, today announced that Canada is providing more than $116 million in humanitarian, development and peace and security assistance funding for Sudan ($75 million) and the DRC (more than $41 million).

In Sudan, this includes:
- $60 million in humanitarian assistance funding, bringing the total funding of Canada’s humanitarian response in Sudan to $64 million in 2025; this funding is being provided to the UN, the Red Cross and NGO partners to deliver life-saving assistance, including food, protection, health, water, sanitation and hygiene services
- $5 million in development assistance funding to enhance the dignity and safety of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to strengthen the capacity of health care providers in the clinical management of rape survivors and psychological first aid services
- $10 million in peace and security funding to protect civilians and humanitarian workers and facilitate the delivery of much needed humanitarian assistance in conflict-affected areas by reducing the threat of explosive ordnance contamination
In the DRC, this includes:
- over $26 million in humanitarian assistance funding, bringing Canada’s humanitarian response in the DRC to more than $42 million in 2025; this funding is being provided to the UN, the Red Cross and NGO partners to deliver life-saving assistance, including food, protection, health, water, sanitation and hygiene services
- $15 million in development assistance funding to strengthen the capacity of national institutions and local civil society to protect conflict-affected women and girls from gender-based violence, to provide holistic care to sexual- and gender-based violence survivors and to support displaced families in their transition from emergency food assistance to sustainable food sources and livelihoods
Canada calls on all parties to these conflicts to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law. They must allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance for civilians in need. Canada also urges them to promote accountability for international humanitarian law and human rights law violations. Canada continues to call on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and to conduct negotiations in good faith on a peaceful resolution through inclusive dialogue.

MIL OSI Canada News –
March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Announces Three Appointments to the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission, Fills One County Office Vacancy

Source: US State of Missouri

MARCH 21, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe announced three appointments to the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Council and the appointment of a new Atchison County Treasurer.

Roye Cole, of Rogersville, was appointed to the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission.

Mr. Cole has served as Sheriff of Webster County since 2008 and has been a certified police officer since 2003. He previously worked as a deputy juvenile officer for the State of Missouri and as a security guard at Drury University. Cole holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminology and a Master of Business Administration from Drury University, with expertise in leadership, management, and economics.

Amanda Grellner, of Linn, was appointed to the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission.

Ms. Grellner has served as the prosecuting attorney for Osage County since 2002. In addition to her prosecutorial work, Grellner has held leadership roles in various organizations such as the Community Health Center of Central Missouri, Missouri Association of Treatment Court Professionals, Rape and Abuse Crisis Service, and the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Missouri and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law.

Kurt D. Marquart, of Lee’s Summit, was appointed to the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission.

Mr. Marquart is a retired attorney, and has operated a private law practice since 1991. Before practicing law, he served as a Missouri State Highway Patrolman. Marquart is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Missouri Bar Association, and the Knights of Columbus. He also serves as a director for the Missouri Association of State Troopers Emergency Relief Society (MASTERS). He earned his Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement from Southeast Missouri State University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.

Tasha Zach, of Rock Port, was appointed as the Atchison County Treasurer.

Ms. Zach is currently filling the vacant county treasurer position, having been appointed by the county commission in December of 2024. She previously served as an accounts payable deputy and the election deputy in the Atchison County clerk’s office for over nine years. Ms. Zach holds an Office Information Systems Technology certificate from Iowa Western Community College.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: At Statewide Virtual Town Hall, Hickenlooper Addresses Top Concerns from Coloradans

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
Hickenlooper answered questions about Trump admin threats to our economy, national parks, scientific research, veteran care, and more
In case you missed it, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper held a statewide virtual town hall last week to answer questions from Coloradans about Trump’s attacks on our federal government and top-of-mind concerns from constituents.
More than 8,000 Coloradans from across the state attended the event live to ask questions and hear from Hickenlooper. Hickenlooper plans to hold in-person town halls across Colorado in the coming weeks. Since the beginning of his term, Hickenlooper has held at least four public town halls every year. Last year he held in-person town halls in Alamosa, Cortez, Eagle, Pueblo, and Walden.

Watch the full video of the event HERE or see excerpts below:
On threats to Colorado’s public lands:
“Coloradans overwhelmingly support protecting our public lands. You look at any poll there’s 75%, 80%, sometimes 85% of voters who support protections for our public lands. That doesn’t seem to stop or slow down the Trump administration. They’re threatening all of that.”
“They’ve fired over 3,400 US Forest Service employees. 3,400. They fired another 2,300 workers from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and there might even be another one. I mean, these are cuts that we’re going to feel. These are the folks who are being fired who are responsible for wildfire mitigation, for timber management, for all kinds of things. They are the people that remove hazardous fuels on federal lands, clean the campsites, or maintain the trails. This doesn’t all happen by itself. These cuts are going to put Colorado at a higher risk for wildfires. These cuts are going to hurt our economy.”
On protecting Medicaid:
“Health care is a right, not a privilege. Let’s recognize the Republicans’ budget for what it is: it’s a blatant attempt to strip critical services like Medicaid from Americans who need the help the most. They are stripping these critical services to fund these tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. Bottom line: millions are going to lose their healthcare and the ultra-wealthy get tax cuts that in all cases they don’t need, and in many cases they don’t want.”
“We have 1 million Coloradans that are enrolled in either Medicaid or CHIP: that’s almost 1 in 6 Coloradans. 60% of seniors in nursing homes are able to be there because they are covered by Medicaid. You cut Medicaid at that level, and you are going to have a lot of grandmothers and grandfathers out of their ear, bankrupt.”
“We stayed up all night a month ago fighting for amendments to protect access, to protect Medicaid, investments in renewable energy, veterans benefits. The Republicans blocked every single one. I think we can use those votes to let the public know what the Republicans have been doing. In other words, they are on the record by those votes. We made them vote on those amendments and bills so that they are on the record and when the time comes we will be able to make sure that they can be held accountable. When they go back to their states or to Colorado when they hold town halls, they are going to have to answer for those votes.”
On efforts to make government more efficient::
“The first time I got into politics in 2003 I ran on the premise that I was going to come in as mayor and make the city government smaller and yet do more, but I didn’t come in and say I was going to use an axe to make cuts.”
“…We went into each agency and made sure we knew what everyone was doing so we knew how we were spending the money and what we were getting for it so that we could really look for actual fraud, waste, and abuse. If that’s what we are about then I am game, but that’s not what the Trump administration is doing. They’re taking an axe and sledgehammer to our federal government without any concern on the impact it has on Coloradans or Americans. You just can’t throw our veterans, working families, or the services we all depend on under the bus by saying you are looking for fraud and abuse.”
On supporting our veterans:
“What is happening is a travesty of history… Ever since I got to the Senate I’ve made supporting veterans and enhancing VA care a priority. The PACT Act, like I said, advanced care to over a million veterans. The news that the Trump administration is planning to fire 80,000 staff from the Veterans Administration is beyond words. It’s insulting to our nation’s heroes.”
“…We introduced an amendment during the reconciliation process, which of course they ignored, but this was an amendment seeking to reverse workforce cuts and fill frontline vacancies like at the Veteran Health Administration, particularly personnel who provide access to healthcare for rural veterans. We’ve joined many of our colleagues sending a very direct letter to President Trump demanding fired veterans be reinstated across the federal government. We also supported a resolution condemning mass termination of VA employees.”
“I mean I just can’t imagine what these people are thinking… I mean, firing veterans serving our communities is not a way to find fraud, waste, and abuse. It is not waste. It is not fraud. It is not abuse.”
On the importance of trust in science:
“The American people look to us, to science, for trust and for accurate, factual information so they can have the freedom to raise their families without fear. Now again, I’m not saying all science is perfect. I’m not saying that one agency or another hasn’t made mistakes, but when trust is broken, things fall apart.”
“…Unfortunately, the new administration has elevated people into cabinet positions who peddle some of these anti-science claims and mistruths and misinformation. This threatens not just Coloradans but our country. It puts us at risk. That’s why funding for things like medical research through the NIH or climate research through NOAA is so important.”

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Call on President Trump to Reverse Illegal Firing of FTC Commissioners

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, along with 26 of their Senate colleagues, recently called on President Trump to reverse the illegal firing of Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
“This action contradicts long standing Supreme Court precedent, undermines Congress’s constitutional authority to create bipartisan, independent commissions, and upends more than 110 years of work at the FTC to protect consumers from deceptive practices and monopoly power,” the senators wrote.
“We urge you to rescind these dismissals so the FTC can get back to the people’s work.”
On Tuesday, the Trump administration fired two Democratic FTC commissioners, violating the independence of the agency, which was established in 1914 to enforce consumer protection and antitrust laws. In 2024 alone, the FTC returned $337.3 million to consumers.
The FTC consists of five commissioners, each nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Historically, no more than three commissioners can be from the same political party. Longstanding Supreme Court precedent protects FTC commissioners from being fired by the president over policy disagreements.
Hickenlooper serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy, which oversees the FTC.
Hickenlooper recently condemned the firings on Twitter/X saying:
“Firing two FTC commissioners without cause is illegal and threatens consumers. It puts the FTC’s independence and ability to protect Americans at risk. This sets a dangerous precedent that could raise costs for consumers.”
Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
Dear President Trump,
On March 18, 2025 you announced your intention to fire Commissioner Slaughter and Commissioner Bedoya from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This action contradicts long standing Supreme Court precedent, undermines Congress’s constitutional authority to create bipartisan, independent commissions, and upends more than 110 years of work at the FTC to protect consumers from deceptive practices and monopoly power. We urge you to rescind these dismissals so the FTC can get back to the people’s work.
Congress established the FTC in 1914 as an independent agency made up of bipartisan, multi-member, expert commissioners who are tasked with protecting consumers. In 2024 alone, the FTC used this authority to return more than $330 million to consumers, while simultaneously blocking anticompetitive mergers and challenging monopoly power that can result in higher prices, fewer choices, and less opportunity for American consumers, workers, and small businesses. The FTC has consistently carried out this mandate as a bipartisan commission under Republican and Democratic administrations.
When establishing the FTC, Congress lawfully exercised its power to establish a bipartisan, multi-member, expert commission and to shield that commission from political pressure by allowing commissioners to serve 7-year terms and limiting the President’s power to remove commissioners only “for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” Under the law, as you are aware, the President retains the sole authority to nominate new commissioners and to appoint the Chair of the Commission. The President may also appoint a new Chair among the sitting commissioners at any time.
Ninety years ago, the Supreme Court held that Congress’s authority to create bipartisan, multi-member, expert commissions—and specifically the FTC—“cannot well be doubted” because “it is quite evident that one who holds his office only during the pleasure of another cannot be depended upon to maintain an attitude of independence. . . .” In a 2020 decision involving whether Congress could insulate the single director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from at-will removal by the President, the Supreme Court declined to revisit this precedent, finding important differences between the CFPB and the FTC, including that the FTC has multiple expert members to ensure the Commission retains relevant expertise at all times, that each President can influence the makeup of the Commission by nominating new members and appointing the Chair (as you have already done), and that the Commission is funded through the traditional appropriations process that the President may influence.
As such, the structure of the FTC does not undermine executive authority and is well within Congress’s power to establish independent agencies tasked with protecting Americans from harmful business practices, fraud, and outright corruption. As Commissioners duly appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya must be allowed to continue their work at the Commission.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Exposes True Cost of Taxpayer Subsidies Given to Federal Employee Unions

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
Published: March 21, 2025
The most recent report from 2019 revealed cost across government was at least $160 million.
WASHINGTON – To close out Sunshine Week, the annual celebration of transparency in government, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is introducing the Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act to expose just how much federal employee unions are subsidized by tax dollars after the Biden administration stopped publicly releasing the data.
According to the most recent report from 2019, the cost across government was at least $160 million for Taxpayer-Funded Union Time (TFUT), the practice where federal employees negotiate higher salaries and other cushy perks for themselves when they are supposed to be on the clock.
“Bureaucrats have forgotten that they serve the American people not themselves,” said Ernst. “Taxpayers deserve to know just how much of their hard-earned money is footing the bill for the insane practice of taxpayer-funded union time. Once we figure out just how much these unions owe, I will be coming to collect every penny.”
Congressman Scott Franklin (R-Fla.) is introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Click here to view the bill.
Background:
Earlier this month, the Trump administration agreed to a request from Senator Ernst requesting that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) resume tracking and publicly disclosing the total cost of TFUT across government.
In December 2024, Senator Ernst demanded that 24 federal agencies provide data about the true cost of TFUT.
Additionally, Ernst introduced the Protecting Taxpayers’ Wallet Act which requires federal unions to reimburse taxpayers for all costs from taxpayer-funded union time.
Ernst’s investigations previously exposed bureaucrats claiming to be on taxpayer-funded union time while sitting in a jail cell and on permanent vacation in Florida.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Speakers Warn of ‘Gazafication’ of West Bank, Urge Israel to End Illegal Settlements, Occupation

Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

Israeli West Bank Operations Aimed at Dismantling Iran’s Terror Networks, Says Delegate

Speakers in the Security Council today warned of the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and its “Gazafication” amid Israel’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations, which its representative described as efforts to dismantle Iran’s terror networks.

“The relentless expansion of Israeli settlements is dramatically altering the landscape and demographics of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, presenting an existential threat to the prospect of a contiguous, viable, independent Palestinian State,” said Sigrid Kaag, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim. Presenting the latest Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) — a measure calling on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” — she pointed out that settlement activity has nevertheless continued at a high rate, with Israeli planning authorities advancing or approving approximately 10,600 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank, including 4,920 in East Jerusalem.

Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures accelerated across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, she continued, reporting that Israeli authorities demolished 460 structures and displaced 576 people, including 287 children and 149 women, because they did not possess Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain. Meanwhile, “alarming levels” of violence continued, with 123 Palestinians, including 6 women and 19 children, killed amidst Israeli forces’ air strikes, operations, armed exchanges and other incidents, she said, adding: “Most Palestinians were killed in the context of Israeli operations in Area A, including during exchanges of fire with armed Palestinians.”

Israel’s largest operation in the occupied West Bank since 2002 began on 21 January and has since expanded across the northern West Bank in what Israeli authorities described as a counter-terrorism operation, displacing 40,000 people, she continued. On 9 February, Israeli operations expanded into Nur Shams Camp in Tulkarem where Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot and killed two Palestinian women, one of whom was pregnant, she said, adding that two Palestinian children were killed by Israeli soldiers in incidents in Jenin and Hebron on 21 February, bringing the total number of children killed to eight across the occupied West Bank since the operation began. Detailing other developments in the occupied West Bank, including widespread movement restrictions, the arrest of 1,711 Palestinians, settler-related violence in 11 Palestinian towns and villages, and Palestinian attacks against Israelis, she called on both parties to refrain from provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric, which has, unfortunately continued.

Echoing the Secretary-General’s observations on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016), she drew attention to the emptying out of refugee camps in the northern West Bank during Israeli operations. She also voiced concern that any long-term presence of Israeli security forces in the camps would further undermine the Palestinian Authority and contravene Israel’s obligation to end its unlawful continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.

Clear Response Needed at International Conference in June

“Israel’s goal has always been maximum Palestinian land with minimum Palestinians,” said the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, adding: “Instead of ending its occupation, it is attempting to end the occupied people.” Pointing to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the “most massive ethnic-cleansing campaign since 1967” in the northern West Bank, displacing 40,000 Palestinians in weeks, he underscored the need for accountability, emphasizing: “Confronted with this unprecedented Israeli escalation, there must be an unprecedented escalation of international measures in response.”

Voicing concern that Israel aims to entrench its occupation, rather than reverse or end it, he spotlighted the International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in June, hoping it would be a platform for mobilization and action. “Israel’s intentions have never been clearer. The international response needs to be equally clear,” he emphasized, calling for “unprecedented decisions by States” to change the course of history.

Israel’s delegate, denouncing “morally obscene” remarks equating Israeli hostages with Palestinian terrorists “legally arrested by Israel”, said his country had “no choice” but to act decisively, considering Hamas’ rejection of the offer to release the remaining hostages for a continued ceasefire. It has struck targets with precision, eliminating “arch-terrorists” such as Mahmoud Abu Watfa, head of Hamas’ internal security forces and Issam al-Daalis, head of Hamas’ Government in Gaza. The group has a choice: “Come back to the table and negotiate or wait and watch as its leadership falls one by one.”

His country’s operations in “Judea and Samaria” intend to break down Iran’s terror networks there, he continued, citing 2,000 attempted terror attacks originating there over 11 months. The Palestinian Authority left the job of “taking care of the terror cells” in [refugee] camps in Jenin and Tulkarm to his country, he said, stressing that terrorists will be given no sanctuary, in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Yemen or Iran.

United States Dismisses Passage of Resolution 2334 (2016) as ‘Mistake’

The United States’ delegate, characterizing the passage of the Council resolution 2334 (2016) as “a mistake”, called on the UN Secretary-General to join the United States in putting pressure on Hamas. Just as Hamas could end the war by releasing the hostages, Iran “could chose to join the community of nations by ending its support for terrorist proxy groups and providing transparency on its nuclear programme”, she added, reiterating her Government’s support for the Israel Defense Forces and the Palestinian Authority Security Forces in rooting out extremists in Jenin and Tulkarm. “The future of the Middle East must look different. Fresh thinking is needed for a better tomorrow,” she added.

France’s representative, however, stated that the reason evoked by Israel to justify its new massive bombardments does not hold water, and delays in the hostages’ release cannot justify the punishment of the entire people. Noting that settlements in the West Bank are becoming more violent, with active participation of Israeli security forces, he reiterated that France opposes any annexation in the West Bank or Gaza. To that end, his Government has been working with all countries to find a mechanism and to use ceasefire as a starting point for resuming dialogue.

Pakistan’s representative warned that “daily military raids, settler violence and illegal land annexations are part of a systematic effort to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people in the West Bank,” he said. The Security Council, and the world community, cannot sit back and watch this ongoing ethnic cleansing. “A failure to halt this brutal war will unleash the worst instinct of powerful and predatory States,” he said, urging the elected Council members to initiate measures to end “this cruel war”. Somalia’s delegate called on States to present a united front against forced demographic changes, displacement from Palestinian communities or attempts to annex territories in either Gaza or the West Bank, a point echoed by China’s delegate, who urged Israel to “abandon its obsession with the use of force”.

Unchecked Settlements Darken Prospect of Palestine’s Statehood

Many speakers echoed alarm over the threat posed by unchecked settlement activities in the West Bank to the prospects for Palestinian statehood, with the representative of Denmark, Council President for March, who spoke in her national capacity, stating that such developments “rob Palestinians of their land, [and] push them into isolated enclaves, making it virtually impossible to form a connected and viable land for a future Palestinian State”. Any unilateral attempt to change the geography of the occupied Palestinian territories is unacceptable, she said, stating that some settlements come about through settler violence. She added: “We have the frameworks. What is needed is full implementation of resolution 2334 (2016).”

“We have been witnessing what many are calling the Gazafication of the West Bank,” echoed Slovenia’s delegate, noting that, not only dights, but also dynamics “remind us of Gaza”. “The one radical solution is a real peace,” he said, calling for the end of occupation and return of displaced persons. Pages of history already written, including those contained in the reports of accountability mechanisms, must be a wake-up call for a new chapter to take place, he added.

Greece’s representative, calling the Arab plan for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction “a constructive proposal”, deplored the increase of settlement activity in the West Bank, a concern echoed by the representative of the Republic of Korea, who called the ongoing violence and vandalism by Israeli settlers unacceptable.

On that, the representative of the United Kingdom highlighted three rounds of sanctions on violent settlers and their supporters imposed by his country to bring accountability for abuses of human rights, in the absence of sufficient Israeli action. “The level of restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank are crippling,” he observed, underscoring the importance of ensuring that religious freedoms are respected, especially during Ramadan.

Many speakers emphasized the urgent need for progress towards a political solution, including the delegates of Guyana and Panama, with the latter stating that, in the future, Gaza — free from extremist groups, together with the West Bank and East Jerusalem — can be integrated into a territorial and political structure. Sierra Leone’s representative, also calling for the political process to be revitalized, expressed hope for the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, guided by the proposal tabled by the League of Arab States in Egypt.

Noting that the West Bank “risks repeating the Gaza scenario”, the representative of the Russian Federation underscored that what is happening in the West Bank is a “good illustration” that there is no alternative to political solutions. Israel’s settlement actions are aimed to undermine a two-State solution, he said, adding that, while Israel is using “crude force” to ensure their security, he said it is not surprising that the radical forces are popular among regular Palestinians. The only sensible alternative is for Israel to return to negotiations, he noted, stating that the Council can and should play a role in this process.

Algeria’s delegate said that the Israeli occupying Power’s objective in the West Bank is clear: total sovereignty over it. Their modus operandi is also well-known: killing, forced demolition, displacement, dispossession and settlement. Over 40,000 people have been forcibly displaced in the past two months in the West Bank. Striking a note of urgency, he asked: “When will we rise to the level of our obligations and impose respect and implementation for our collective decision to establish a Palestinian State with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital?”

Rounding out the meeting, the representative of Jordan recalled that the Arab League summit held in Cairo at the beginning of the month confirmed the bloc’s rejection of any attempt to displace the Palestinian people from their occupied lands, and approved the Gaza Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan presented by Egypt. This is a comprehensive Arab plan, based on joint Egyptian-Palestinian efforts, to organize an international conference on recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, in cooperation with the UN, he said. Deploring the dangerous escalation in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, marked by recurrent military incursions into Palestinian towns, population displacements and home demolitions, he called on the Council and the international community to address these violations.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 22, 2025