NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Brown releases statement on agreement to temporarily pause federal restrictions on public benefit programs

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Brown today released the following statement after the federal government agreed to temporarily pause implementation of harmful new restrictions on access to public benefit programs:
     
    “I’m glad there is a temporarily pause in enforcement of this harmful policy, which has caused confusion and chaos for Washington’s safety net programs. But relief through September 3 is not enough. All Washingtonians should be able to access critical services without fear.”
     
    Earlier this week, Attorney General Brown and 20 other attorneys general filed a lawsuit opposing the federal government’s attempt to change how eligibility for federally supported services is interpreted under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). Now, the U.S. Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Education, and Labor have agreed not to enforce the challenged policy changes in the plaintiff states until at least September 3, 2025. The agreement also confirms that no one will face penalties or enforcement for any actions taken in line with the old PRWORA rules during this same period. 

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    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Thailand to consider ceasefire ‘based on relevant conditions on the ground’ – FM

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BANGKOK, July 25 (Xinhua) — Thailand will consider a ceasefire, but it must be based on the conditions on the ground, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

    The statement from the Foreign Ministry said the Thai government would like to thank Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his ceasefire proposal, “which Thailand fully agrees with in principle and will consider.”

    However, the ministry noted that Cambodian armed forces continued their “indiscriminate attacks” on Thai territory throughout Friday.

    “Any ceasefire must be based on the relevant conditions on the ground. Thailand places the highest priority on the safety of civilians, and Cambodia’s actions at this time demonstrate a lack of good faith and continue to put civilians at risk,” the statement said. The Thai government “has an obligation to fully defend its sovereignty and its citizens,” the Thai Foreign Ministry added.

    As of 9:00 p.m. Thursday local time, 14 Thai citizens had been killed and 46 injured in clashes near the Thai-Cambodia border, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health.

    Met Meas Phekdey, deputy governor of Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey Province, told Xinhua by telephone that one villager was killed and five others were injured when Thai shelling hit Cambodian territory on Thursday.

    Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia escalated after clashes broke out early Thursday, with each side accusing the other of violating international law. –0–

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

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SCO Media and Think Tank Summit Highlights Importance of ‘Shanghai Spirit’ in Promoting Exchanges and Cooperation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    ZHENGZHOU, July 25 (Xinhua) — The plenary session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media and Think Tank Summit was held in Zhengzhou on Friday, stressing the importance of upholding the “Shanghai Spirit” and bringing together media and academia to promote exchanges and cooperation within the SCO.

    The SCO Media and Think Tank Summit is taking place from July 23 to 27 in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province (Central China).

    The event, the theme of which was “Developing the Shanghai Spirit and Jointly Building a Beautiful Home,” brought together more than 400 representatives from about 200 media outlets, think tanks and government bodies from SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partners, as well as international and regional organizations.

    Speaking at the plenary session, Mo Gaoyi, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and director of the State Council Information Office, called on all parties to actively promote the “Shanghai Spirit.”

    According to him, in the context of the upcoming SCO summit in Tianjin, the meeting of media representatives and think tanks is of great importance for building a closer community of shared destiny for the SCO.

    For his part, Xinhua News Agency Director General Fu Hua expressed his willingness to make full use of the advantages of media and think tanks to work with all parties in line with the SCO’s common aspiration to achieve common development.

    He noted that by highlighting areas of common interests and concerns, and presenting a panoramic and multidimensional narrative of the vibrant practice of unity and cooperation of SCO member states in the new era, Xinhua aims to contribute its wisdom and strength to the cause of building a closer community with a shared future for the SCO.

    Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CAS) Peng Jinhui and Secretary of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee Liu Ning also spoke at the plenary meeting.

    In addition, a congratulatory letter from Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov to the summit participants was read out at the meeting. In his message, the Kyrgyz leader noted that the media and analytical centers play an important role in strengthening trust and reflecting the spirit and culture of the SCO. He expressed confidence that the summit will contribute to the birth of new ideas and initiatives aimed at promoting peace and sustainable development.

    The SCO Media and Think Tank Summit is jointly organized by Xinhua, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Henan Provincial People’s Government under the leadership of the State Council Information Office.

    During the ongoing summit, the “Zhengzhou Consensus of the SCO Media and Think Tank Summit” and think tank reports titled “Jointly Protecting the Treasures of Human Civilization: China’s Concept and Practice of Preserving Cultural Heritage in the New Era” and “Research on Building a Community with a Shared Future for the SCO” were also published. –0–

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

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Syria: Deadly sectarian violence displaces thousands in Sweida; healthcare attacked

    Source: United Nations 4

    Since 13 July, around 176,000 people have been displaced from Sweida,  according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

    Mostly migrating to neighbouring Dar’a and Rural Damascus governorates, civilians are fleeing violent clashes between Bedouin tribal fighters, Syrian caretaker government forces and Druze militias.

    Meanwhile in the north of the country, local authorities reported that a large explosion struck an ammunition depot in Ma’arrat Tasmarin, in Idleb Governorate, on Thursday, reportedly killing six people and injuring at least 140 others.

    Although Syrian Civil Defense teams attempted to evacuate people and transfer the injured for medical care, secondary explosions in the vicinity significantly hindered emergency response efforts.

    Attacks on healthcare

    In Sweida, health facilities are under immense strain, with staff operating in extremely difficult conditions, while access to healthcare remains a challenge.

    As WHO confirmed five attacks on healthcare, including the killing of at least two doctors, the organization also reported on the obstructions to and targeting of ambulances as well as the temporary occupation of hospitals.

    “We know healthcare must never be a target. In fact, health facilities, patients and health workers must be actively protected,” said Dr. Christina Bethke, WHO acting representative in Syria, speaking from Damascus to journalists at the UN in Geneva on Friday.

    Dr. Bethke said that Sweida’s hospitals are facing shortages of staff, electricity, water, and basic supplies, with the morgue at the city’s main hospital reaching capacity earlier this week.

    “Ensuring that doctors, nurses and supplies can reach people safely is not just vital for saving lives, it is a responsibility under international law that all sides must uphold,” Dr. Bethke said.

    Limited access

    As different groups control different pathways, poor security conditions are restricting access to Sweida, limiting the ability of the UN and partners to deliver aid to those affected by the violence.

    While access to the city remains limited, WHO has been able to deliver vital supplies to health facilities in Dar’a and Damascus governorates, including trauma supplies, essential medicine and hospital support.

    In response to rising violence both in Sweida and in the north, UN humanitarian coordinator in Syria Adam Abdelmoula  launched an extension of the 2025 humanitarian appeal, which is currently less than 12 per cent funded. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: After GOP Cuts Threaten Rural Healthcare, Luján and Heinrich Demand Transparency on Administration’s Inadequate Rural Health Slush Fund and Backroom Deals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), joined Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with 12 of their Democratic colleagues, to demand accountability from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed to states and what guidance will be considered in this decision:

    In a letter to Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Senators demanded clarity on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed across the country. Earlier this month, Senate Republicans passed their “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” which delivered devastating cuts to the U.S. health care system – slashing funding by over $1 trillion dollars, the largest cut to healthcare in history. To try and cover up the damage of these cuts, they included a $50 billion rural health slush fund. However, this temporary fund only accounts for 5 percent of the cuts, which will have devastating, irreversible impacts. Perhaps even more alarming is the potentially blatant political distribution of this fund, underscoring the importance of accountability as to how CMS plans to award this money to states.

    “We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds,” the Senators wrote. “Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the Big, Ugly Betrayal. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund.”

    Moreover, there are many questions about how the funds will be distributed. Shortly after the passage of the “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” Republican Senators took to “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to celebrate specific money for their states to support rural hospitals. Senator Britt (R-AL) tweeted: “the Senate just amended the Big Beautiful Bill to invest over $500M in Alabama’s rural hospitals.” Senator Husted (R-OH) said: “I’m proud to have secured $1.3 billion in funding for rural hospitals across Ohio—because every Ohioan deserves access to quality care close to home.” Senator Cassidy (R-LA) even noted an inequity, tweeting: “We secured a $50 billion fund to support rural hospitals. Louisiana is set to receive about 2% of that money, despite having only 1% of the U.S. population—a double share.” Since CMS has yet to release the criteria for how the funding will be awarded, there are questions about if this slush fund constituted a political pay-off.

    Additionally, the Senators noted the hasty and ill-conceived wording of the fund, which leaves it open to abuse, fraud, and re-appropriation.

    “Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the Big, Ugly Betrayal, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health,” the Senators continued. “Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse.”

    To combat this apparent political giveaway, the Senators demanded answers on several questions, including:

    • When will CMS provide guidance to states on criteria for an application?
    • Will they commit to clear defined criteria before distributing these funds, and an appeals process related to funding award decisions? 
    • Will CMS prioritize rural providers receiving these funding awards?
    • How will CMS define proper vs improper use of funds and accountability for how CMS will hold states accountable for improper use? 
    • What states/districts has the Trump administration already promised funding to?

    In addition to Luján, Heinrich, Schumer, and Wyden, other Senators who signed on to the letter include Senators Alsobrooks (D-MD), Blumenthal (D-CT), Durbin (D-IL), Gillibrand (D-NY), Kim (D-NJ), Markey (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR), Padilla (D-CA), Sanders (I-VT), Smith (D-MN), Van Hollen (D-MD), and Warren (D-MA).

    The full text of the letter can be seen here and below.

    Dear Administrator Oz:

    As you know, the Republican reconciliation bill cuts funding to the U.S. health care system by over $1 trillion, and will devastate communities nationwide, with disproportionate, negative impacts on health care access in rural America. To cover up the harms of these catastrophic cuts, Trump and Republicans stood up a temporary $50 billion rural health slush fund. This meager investment amounts to just five percent of the Big, Ugly Betrayal’s largest health care cuts in history. 

    We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds.

    Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the reconciliation bill. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund. Before the Big, Ugly Betrayal was even signed into law, Senator Husted celebrated the $1.3 billion he claims is promised to rural hospitals in Ohio,[1] and Senator Hawley said the bill will give $1 billion to rural hospitals in Missouri.[2]

    Other reports suggest you promised to send funding from the rural health slush fund to districts in Pennsylvania that are not even rural.[3] The Trump Administration’s explanation that this fund can and will be used for more than rural areas was a key fact that swayed Republicans to vote for the bill.[4] The rural health slush fund appears to be nothing more than a political parachute to pay off members of Congress for their unpopular votes.   

    Rural communities will suffer greatly because of the health care cuts enacted in the Republican reconciliation bill. One-third of all rural hospitals are already at risk of closing, and the bill will force over 330 rural hospitals to reduce service lines, convert to other types of hospitals with fewer services, or close altogether.[5] The Big, Ugly Betrayal makes no meaningful investments in rural hospitals, rural health centers, and other rural health care providers, which have some of the most fragile operating margins in the nation, and often are the largest employers and economic engines of their communities. 

    Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the reconciliation bill, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health.

    Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse. There is no clear definition of an appropriate state application for the rural health slush fund, CMS is not required to follow a clear formula for distribution of funds, and there are no guardrails on how CMS should claw back funding from states in cases of inappropriate use. Without more clarity, this rural health slush fund is vulnerable to the very abuse of taxpayer spending that Republicans purport to care about.

    To provide states, rural hospitals, and other health care providers clarity on the available use of funding from the rural health slush fund in advance of the December 31, 2025 deadline for CMS to approve or deny state applications, we request that you provide a staff-level briefing on the parameters of this fund as well as detailed, written responses to the following questions by August 15, 2025:

    1. When will CMS provide states with guidance on the components that should be included in an appropriate state application for funding from the fund? 
    1. Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are required to be distributed equally among states with an approved application?
    2. Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are not required to be distributed equally among states?
    3. What percentage of program funding will CMS allocate to rural health care providers?
    1. How will CMS ensure that states use this federal funding to benefit rural hospitals and other health care facilities, providers, and patients?
    2. What is the breakdown of funding that CMS anticipates allocating across the different categories of eligible providers?
    3. How will CMS make sure that states use the funds for purposes that support the financial viability of rural hospitals and other health care providers, including by providing funding to address high fixed costs and low volumes, improve health care workforce retention and recruitment in rural areas, and replace aging infrastructure?  
    1. The Big, Ugly Betrayal outlines several metrics that CMS may consider when distributing funding to states. How will CMS apply these metrics—the number of people who live in rural communities, the number of rural health facilities in a state, and the number of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) in a state—when distributing funding to states?
    2. Will CMS commit to make the formula for awarding and distributing funds to states public before making any commitments to states and before formally distributing funding? 
    3. Will CMS commit to creating a public website outlining state applicants for funding, the funding formula and criteria for distributing funds, and approved state applications? 
    4. How will CMS define and determine improper uses of funding? How will CMS monitor funds to ensure appropriate spending and use?
    5. Will CMS commit to establishing an appeals process for states to provide an opportunity to contest decisions made on award, distribution and/or clawback of funding?  
    6. Given the ongoing hiring freeze at CMS, it appears that the agency cannot hire more people to distribute this funding. How will CMS use the $200 million in implementation funding tied to the rural health slush fund? 
    1. Will CMS hire a third party to administer this fund?
    2. If yes, has CMS already committed to a hire a specific third party to administer this fund and, if so, which vendor?
    3. What other states or districts have Trump Administration officials already promised funding from the rural health slush fund to? Which states and districts have received this promised funding?

    While this taxpayer-supported rural health slush fund is wholly insufficient to plug the massive hole created by the Big, Ugly Betrayal including the 15 million people expected to lose insurance coverage, it is critical that CMS move with urgency to provide clarity to rural communities, states, hospitals, and other health care providers about the fund. We look forward to your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $10M to Support Coastal Shoreline Project in Buffalo

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced $10 million to support the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park’s Coastal Shoreline Project in the City of Buffalo. The funding from the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act is part of a $65 million initiative to enhance the resiliency of the Lake Erie shoreline by replacing an aging 100-year-old seawall and naturalizing the shoreline along the park property.

    “Enhancing the Ralph Wilson Park is just the type of project New York voters envisioned when they overwhelmingly supported the $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act in 2022,” Governor Hochul said. “This park restoration project enhances accessible recreational opportunities just steps away from downtown Buffalo while advancing a more sustainable and resilient future for the Lake Erie shoreline. By bolstering and naturalizing the urban shoreline, we’re helping protect this special area from high water, reducing flooding from extreme weather events driven by climate change and enhancing valuable shoreline fish and wildlife habitat.”

    Governor Hochul first announced the transformation of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park property in 2022. The waterfront location on the east end of Lake Erie at its confluence with the Niagara River provides desirable lake access but is also subject to frequent and damaging wind, ice, and waves. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ condition assessment of the seawall in June 2011 showed significant deterioration requiring repairs to structural failures along this stretch of shoreline.

    In 2018, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation committed $50 million to support the City of Buffalo and surrounding community to transform the former LaSalle Park into a world-class destination. The Wilson Foundation provided additional funding to launch the Imagine LaSalleinitiative, a multi-year, community-driven effort to explore and develop a community vision for the park as it undergoes a $110 million transformation. The park’s name honors the legacy of the late Buffalo Bills owner, American veteran, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.

    The City of Buffalo, University at Buffalo Regional Institute, and community engagement group Imagine LaSalle conducted outreach and created a redevelopment plan for Ralph Wilson Park that includes replacement of part of the degraded sea wall with a resilient softened shoreline that will dissipate damaging wave energy, reduce flood risk, and create recreational waterfront access.

    New York State is contributing $10 million in funding from the Environmental Bond Act, administered by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to support Phase II of the shoreline redevelopment, including the Blueway, at Ralph Wilson Park to rehabilitate a segment of the Lake Erie shoreline, replace the deteriorating seawall with a more resilient, graded revetment-based shoreline that reduces flooding of City infrastructure, provide waterfront access to car-top watercraft, and contribute to the larger efforts of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. This new resilient shoreline includes an armored natural slope that will restore habitat while protecting a revamped community gem. The park is a world class destination that serves neighborhoods, residents from Western New York, and beyond. The park features a new signature pedestrian bridge that spans I-90 and connects neighbors with a regional destination. The park builds on existing high value amenities such as the swimming pool, splash pad, skate park, and dog park and by adding new and revamped community assets which include: an active-imaginative play garden, soccer fields, baseball and softball diamonds, tennis courts, playground areas with custom equipment, picnic shelters and concession stands, and miles of pedestrian and bike paths.

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “As climate change and extreme weather continue to impact our shorelines, the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act is one of the most critical tools we have to support projects like the shoreline restoration at Ralph Wilson Park in Buffalo. This investment is helping New York State safeguard communities from extreme weather, protect natural resources and drinking water, and ensure people have places to explore nature and public recreation. Under Governor Hochul’s sustained leadership and generational investments, New York State is committed to building a healthier, more sustainable, and resilient future for every New Yorker.”

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said,“Empire State Development is pleased to support the Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park project through the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper by funding paddlesport launches to provide safe access to the water. The excitement for this project is building as we work to create a thriving waterfront that attracts visitors, boosts tourism, and generates economic activity.”

    Environmental Facilities Corporation President and CEO Maureen A. Coleman said, “We applaud this latest investment in the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park shoreline project, which builds on EFC’s earlier support of nearly $2.5 million through our Green Innovation Grant Program. This transformational project is a model for how Environmental Bond Act funding can strengthen shoreline resiliency, improve water quality, and reconnect communities to their natural waterfronts. We’re proud of the continued partnership on projects like this that deliver long-lasting benefits for Buffalo and the region.”

    In addition to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, and Empire State Development are supporting the current phase of shoreline restoration. Other contributing partners to previous phases of the project include the Great Lakes Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, Dormitory of the State of New York, City of Buffalo, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Western New York Land Conservancy.

    State Senator Ryan said, “When New Yorkers voted to pass the Environmental Bond Act, we took a massive step forward to promote climate resiliency, insulate communities across the state from the impacts of climate change, and invest in the future of parks and green spaces across New York. This project is a natural fit for the bond act’s shoreline restoration funding. This funding will help protect the park and the pumping station for decades to come, which is essential for the future of the City of Buffalo. I thank Governor Hochul and the DEC for recognizing this critical need.”

    Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “I applaud Governor Hochul and DEC for their $10 million investment in Niagara River shoreline restoration with the seawall replacement. This investment will protect and complement the continued redevelopment of Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park, the shoreline aquatic habitat, and recreational water access. Both investments will be appreciated by generations of Buffalonians to come.”

    Assemblymember Jonathan Rivera said, “This investment and commitment to the Coastal Shoreline Project at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park will ensure that this treasured community space is both environmentally resilient and accessible for generations to come. This project strengthens our shoreline, restores natural habitats, and enhances a beloved public destination that connects Buffalo’s neighborhoods both to its waterfront and to each other. This is a win for sustainability, recreation, and regional pride, and I’m proud to continue building on New York State’s commitment to our region’s greatest natural assets.”

    City of Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon said, “Ralph Wilson Park represents a once-in-a-generation transformative investment in the future of Buffalo’s waterfront and in the quality of life for our residents. This $10 million investment through the Environmental Bond Act helps us build a more sustainable future by safeguarding critical infrastructure, enhancing natural ecosystems, and strengthening the long-term resiliency of our Lake Erie shoreline — all while honoring the community’s vision for a park that is inclusive, accessible, and connected to surrounding neighborhoods. I want to thank Governor Hochul, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation for their partnership and shared commitment to making Buffalo a greener, stronger, and more connected city.”

    Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation President & CEO David Egner said, “Throughout the Imagine LaSalle community engagement process, thousands of residents shared their hopes and concerns for the future of the park. As the Foundation joins with the City of Buffalo, State of New York and dozens of public and private partners to invest in the incredible transformation of Ralph Wilson Park into the community’s vision, it’s critical that we also address the safety and resiliency needs along the shoreline so the park can be enjoyed today, tomorrow and long into the future.”

    Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy Executive Director Katie Campos said, “This funding shores up one of the most vital pieces of infrastructure in our city—and unlocks the next phase of a once-in-a-generation investment in Ralph Wilson Park. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership and the support of the Environmental Bond Act, we are delivering on the community’s bold vision for a world-class, resilient, and welcoming waterfront park. This shoreline not only protects the park and our drinking water system—it makes the entire transformation possible.”

    Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Executive Director Jill Jedlicka said, “Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper has guided efforts in the region for decades in order to create living shorelines and a healthier environment, and we couldn’t be happier with the results and progress that has been made by all of the partners working on this project at Ralph Wilson Park. The vision has always been to create a more resilient waterfront in the face of climate change, to endure relentless Lake Erie seiche impacts, and to rehabilitate habitat for the fish and wildlife that can once again thrive here. Through collaboration and creativity, that vision is becoming a reality. Thank you to the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, and state and federal partners including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the New York State Department of Conservation, for collaborating on the transformation of this invaluable Great Lakes shoreline and community space.”

    On Nov. 8, 2022, New Yorkers overwhelmingly approved the Environmental Bond Act ballot proposition to make $4.2 billion available for environmental and community projects. The Environmental Bond Act supports new and expanded projects across the state to safeguard drinking water sources, reduce pollution, and protect communities and natural resources from climate change. State agencies, local governments, and partners can access this historic funding to protect water quality, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency, and create green jobs.

    This investment is the latest step in Bond Act investments to enhance shoreline resiliency, encourage economic development, revitalize neighborhoods, and bolster recreational opportunities. In April, the Governor announced $60 million in Environmental Bond Act funding for the next round of  Green Resiliency Grants to support vital stormwater management and resilient infrastructure projects in flood-prone communities across New York State. Applications for this program are due by Aug. 15, 2025. To learn more about resources available for resilient Bond Act-supported projects, visit environmentalbondact.ny.gov.

    New York’s Commitment to Water Quality

    New York State continues to increase its nation-leading investments in water infrastructure. With an additional $500 million for clean water infrastructure in the 2025-2026 enacted State Budget announced by Governor Hochul, New York will have invested a total of $6 billion in water infrastructure since 2017. The budget also maintains a strong commitment to environmental conservation with a $425 million Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). This funding bolsters a wide array of vital programs, including land acquisition for habitat and open space preservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives, and water quality improvement projects.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Albany Capital Center Authority Expansion Project

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Hochul today announced a $10 million grant to the Albany Convention Center Authority (ACCA) in support of the expansion of the Albany Capital Center (ACC) to continue its mission to be the premier event and meeting destination in the Capital Region. Since opening its doors in 2017, the ACC has hosted more than 1,100 events which attracted more than 630,000 visitors to the capital city, generating nearly $100 million in total new visitor spending and adding over 133,000 hotel room nights in the Capital Region. This grant complements Governor Hochul’s $400 million FY26 Budget investment to launch the Championing Albany’s Potential (CAP) Initiative, a comprehensive, State-led effort to revitalize Albany’s downtown core in partnership with local stakeholders.

    “Albany isn’t just the State’s capital — it’s a place where residents should thrive and visitors should feel welcomed,” Governor Hochul said. “The Albany Capital Center is an iconic destination that bolsters tourism through exciting events. With this investment into its expansion, more residents and visitors will be able to experience what the Capital Region has to offer — from expositions to educational conferences — while uplifting the region’s local economy.”

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “New York’s investment in the Albany Capital Center is another example of Governor Hochul’s commitment to revitalize our State’s proud capital city. By expanding this premier destination for events and conventions, we’re not only building upon the transformative Championing Albany ‘s Potential Initiative, but also enhancing Albany’s ability to attract world-class gatherings that support local businesses, create jobs, and generate sustained economic activity across the Capital Region.”

    Albany Convention Center Authority Executive Director and CEO Monica Kurzejeski said, “We are thankful to be at the forefront of Governor Hochul’s CAP initiative in downtown Albany. The Albany Capital Center’s expansion will welcome larger events and more people to Albany — an American crossroads of history, innovation and culture. At a time where profound collaboration is paramount, the ACCA appreciates the partnership with the Governor’s Office, Empire State Development, the Albany County Executive, Albany County Legislature and other local elected officials.”

    Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said, “The Albany Capital Center is a cornerstone of our community’s event and hospitality industry, and this funding will help unlock its full potential to attract larger events, generate new business opportunities, and boost our local economy. This grant will also bolster the county’s own financial commitment to the Convention Center’s expansion, and help accelerate our shared vision for the Downtown neighborhood. I would like to thank Governor Hochul for recognizing the importance of this effort and for her continued dedication to strengthening Albany County.”

    Albany County Legislature Chair Joanne Cunningham said, “Everyone who lives in, works in, and visits Albany County wins today. A heartfelt thank you to Governor Hochul and her team for believing and investing in the capital city by adding this keystone piece in the partnership between New York State, Albany County, and the Convention Center Authority. The shockwave of economic activity that emanates from this expansion will bring tens of millions of dollars into downtown Albany and throughout Albany County. We are thrilled to see the expansion move forward with this additional investment and support by our Governor.”

    State Senator Patricia Fahy said, “The Albany Convention Center is a key anchor and pillar institution of downtown Albany. Enlarging the Convention Center by adding space will strengthen its ability to attract events, conferences, and more to downtown Albany. Coupled with the $400 million we secured in this year’s budget, we’re making the necessary investments in our Capital City that will pay dividends in the future. I want to thank Governor Hochul and her team for recognizing the importance of reinvigorating and revitalizing our City, and I look forward to continuing to partner with her to ensure that it is indeed, finally Albany’s day.”

    Assemblymember John T. McDonald III said, “Thank you to Governor Hochul for this exciting announcement in support of the Albany Capital Center (ACC) expansion. As a board member of the Albany Convention Center Authority, I’m proud to see this $54 million investment nearly double the size of the ACC, paving the way for more events and greater regional success for the Capital Region. Now in its eighth year of operation, the ACC welcomes up to 100,000 visitors annually from across the region and beyond, generating significant sales tax revenue that supports local government budgets and benefits taxpayers. It also plays a key role in filling hotel rooms and boosting the local economy. This expansion, including a new connection to State Street in downtown Albany, aligns with the Governor’s broader investment in revitalizing downtown, benefiting Albany, Albany County, and the entire Capital Region. A strong Capital City builds a stronger Capital Region, and this expansion moves us in that direction.”

    Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero said, “I’m thrilled to see this $10 million investment in the Albany Convention Center to expand its capacity and boost Albany’s standing as a top event destination. I commend Governor Hochul for the $400 million investment through the Championing Albany’s Potential (CAP) initiative that was included in this year’s budget, a vital commitment to revitalizing our downtown, enhancing tourism, and stimulating sustained economic growth in our community.”

    Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “The expansion of the Albany Capital Center will help New York’s Capital City attract even more world-class events, bring even more people to our historic city, and further raise the profile of our vibrant Downtown Albany corridor. Thank you to Governor Hochul for this important funding to help make this expansion possible, and thank you to the leadership of the Albany Convention Center Authority for having the vision to lead this important enhancement of the Albany Capital Center. I look forward to seeing how this project, coupled with Governor Hochul’s $400 million investment in Downtown Albany, helps catalyze even more investment and make our newest neighborhood and our entire city even stronger.”

    Discover Albany President and CEO Jill Delaney said, “The expansion of the Albany Capital Center brings much-needed meetings and events space to our region, allowing us to grow current events, and meet the needs of larger groups who have been hoping to bring their event to Albany County. We are thrilled that the Governor has supported this project.”

    The project, located at 126 State Street, expands the ACC meeting space and adds amenities that will position the center to better serve the growing demands of the events industry. This expansion will add five new meeting rooms, a large multi-purpose room, a large ballroom and pre-function area on the first floor, and a 4,000 square foot courtyard for outdoor events on State Street. This will increase the ACC’s rentable space to 84,000 square feet, making it more competitive and bringing more world-class events that serve as an economic anchor for Albany’s ongoing renaissance.

    The $54.9 million project builds on prior State investments at and around the Albany Capital Center that create jobs and economic activity in Downtown Albany and across New York State. The project was recommended for funding by ESD’s Regional Office and Regional Council.

    As part of Governor Hochul’s FY26 Enacted Budget, the State is investing $400 million in Albany’s downtown to launch the Championing Albany’s Potential (CAP) Initiative, a collaborative, State-led effort to revitalize Albany’s downtown core. This includes $200 million in funding to plan and implement projects that reinvigorate commercial corridors, strengthen small businesses, promote housing growth, and revitalize underutilized real estate and open spaces. The CAP initiative also includes up to $150 million to transform cultural experiences in and around Downtown Albany such as the State Museum, up to $40 million to advance plans to reconnect communities divided by Interstate 787, and $1.5 million for public safety enhancements.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Interior And Transportation, Housing, & Urban Development Funding Bills With Illinois Priorities Secured By Durbin, Duckworth

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    July 25, 2025
    The Senate Appropriations Committee passed Interior, Environment, & Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing, & Urban Development, & Related Agencies government funding bills
    SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a funding bill for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, as well as for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). Durbin and Duckworth worked to secure various priorities for Illinois in the appropriations bills, both through Congressionally Directed Spending requests and through the programmatic appropriations process.
    “It is the responsibility of Congress to fund our government programs and agencies through the appropriations process. Rather than rely on continuing resolutions, I hope that we can prioritize a true bipartisan process to pass these funding bills through the Senate in a timely process,” said Durbin. “While the Trump Administration continues to drain resources from critical programs, I will fight for the funding and support for the programs Illinoisans rely on.”
    “Our state and our nation are stronger when we invest in our communities and families—and that’s what these bipartisan funding bills do,” Duckworth said. “Appropriating federal funding is the primary role of Congress, and it’s critical this responsibility remains in the legislative branch. I’m proud I was able to help secure critical support for projects throughout Illinois that help modernize our state’s infrastructure, clean up our water, improve accessibility and more.”
    The two funding bills include the following Illinois priorities secured by Congressionally Directed Spending requests:
    Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
    · City of Chester, Chester, Illinois. $1.2 million to the City of Chester to help fund the Route 150 water main replacement.
    · City of Markham, Markham, Illinois. $1.5 million to the City of Markham to help fund water system infrastructure improvements.
    · Infrastructure Improvements, Lockport, Illinois. $250,000 to the Bonnie Brae Forest Manor Sanitary District to fund water main infrastructure improvement projects.
    · Lead Service Line Replacements, Chicago, Illinois. $2 million to the City of Chicago to replace more than 200 lead service lines. Chicago has more lead service lines than any other municipality in the country and the majority of properties in Chicago receive their water from lead service lines.
    · Lead Service Line Replacements, Macomb, Illinois. $1 million to the City of Macomb to replace lead drinking water service lines in various locations throughout the City.
    · PFAS Remediation, Rockford, Illinois: $1 million to Winnebago County to help fund water infrastructure upgrades to address PFAS contamination in Rockford.
    · Stormwater and Flooding Mitigation Project, Carbondale, Illinois. $1.5 million for the City of Carbondale to replace storm sewer piping. The failing pipes cause frequent flooding during significant rain events and is also causing pavement failures on an arterial street that is heavily traveled.
    · Wastewater Improvements, Paris, Illinois. $500,000 to the City of Paris to help fund wastewater treatment plant upgrades.
    · Water Main Extension, Winnebago County, Illinois. $600,000 to Winnebago County to extend a water main to provide water to additional areas of the County.
    · Water Main Improvements, Park Forest, Illinois. $1.45 million to the Village of Park Forest to replace the highest priority water main.
    · Water Main Replacement, Springfield, Illinois. $900,000 to the City of Springfield to replace a water main on South Seventh Street in downtown Springfield. The water main was installed in 1931 and has had 27 breaks and is need of replacement. The main serves the historic downtown Springfield area, including Lincoln’s Home National Historic Site Visitor Center, the Illinois State Police Memorial Park, Springfield Clinic, and the Elijah Iles House.
    · Well Reconstruction and Water Treatment, Machesney Park and Roscoe, Illinois. $1 million to North Park Public Water District for the reconstruction of Roscoe and Machesney Park’s well to accommodate PFAS treatment. This funding will ensure continued access to a reliable source of safe, plentiful, and affordable drinking water for the communities of Machesney Park and Roscoe in Winnebago County, Illinois.
     
    Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
    · Accessibility Upgrades, Chicago, Illinois. $750,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago to help fund accessibility upgrades at the Boys and Girls Club True Value in Little Village.
    · Affordable Housing, Edwardsville, Illinois. $1 million to Home First Housing to help expand affordable housing units in Edwardsville.
    · Affordable Housing, Joliet, Illinois: $1 million to Volunteers of America Illinois to help fund the expansion of Hope Manor Village Joliet’s housing development initiative.
    · Capital Improvements, Chicago, Illinois. $500,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago to make capital improvements at the Bartlett J. McCartin Boys & Girls Club in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago.
    · City of Marseilles, Marseilles, Illinois. $1.5 million to the City of Marseilles to help fund the Sycamore Street Bridge rehabilitation.
    · Construction of the National Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, Chicago, Illinois. $2.5 million to Illinois Institute of Technology to fund construction of a facility to serve as the National Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (NIAM). The NIAM on IIT’s Bronzeville Campus will train more than 4,000 students in advanced manufacturing fields through in-person instruction and online curricula.
    · Economic Hub Project, Carbondale, Illinois. $693,000 to Carbondale Community Arts, Inc. (d.b.a. Artspace 304) to make facility improvements for an economic hub.
    · Equipment Upgrades, Chicago, Illinois. $722,000 to Navy Pier Inc. to upgrade the Pier’s surveillance apparatus to ensure the safety of the Pier’s guests and businesses.
    · Environmental Justice Institute, Chicago, Illinois. $900,000 to People for Community Recovery to help fund the development of the Hazel M. Johnson Institute for Sustainability and Environmental Justice.
    · Facilities Improvements and Technology Upgrades, Carbondale, Illinois. $500,000 to Southern Illinois University’s (SIU) Center for Teaching Excellence to revitalize learning spaces at the SIU campus and community colleges throughout Southern Illinois.
    · Facility Improvements, Springfield, Illinois. $450,000 to the Lincoln Presidential Foundation for facility improvements at the Visitor Center at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site.
    · Fire Truck, North Chicago, Illinois. $861,000 to the City of North Chicago to purchase a new fire truck, as the City’s current fire truck has exceeded its useful life by nearly 10 years.
    · Food Security Project, Hamilton, Illinois. $2.5 million to the City of Hamilton to establish a rural health village, in partnership with Memorial Hospital, to address food insecurities in the region by offering meal subscription/prescription programming, home-delivered meals, and more.
    · Infrastructure Developments, Chicago, Illinois: $1.6 million to North Lawndale Catalyst Impact Initiative, Inc. to help fund infrastructure developments in Chicago’s North Lawndale community.
    · Infrastructure Updates, Mascoutah, Illinois. $4 million to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport to help fund infrastructure upgrades at airport.
    · Land Remediation, Will County, Illinois. $3 million to the State of Illinois, in coordination with the State of Michigan, to remediate 3.6 acres of land on the bank of the channel of the Des Plaines River needed for construction of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Interbasin Project.
    · Station Improvements, Macomb, Illinois. $134,000 to the Illinois Department of Transportation to make improvements to Macomb’s Amtrak Station, including HVAC upgrades, electrical work, and painting.
    · Supportive Housing Development, Arlington Heights, Illinois. $750,000 to Full Circle Communities for construction of a housing development to support veterans and people with disabilities.
    · Track Reconstruction Design, Chicago, Illinois. $2 million to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to fund design of track reconstruction of CTA’s Blue Line Forest Park Branch from Western Avenue to Lathrop Avenue, a roughly 6.5-mile section of the line. This reconstruction is needed in order to improve safety and on-time performance of the Forest Park Branch.
    · Trail Extension, Normal, Illinois. $1.9 million to the Town of Normal to fund engineering and construction of a trail connection. This will close a gap in pedestrian and bicycle accommodations between the existing Constitution Trail network and major employers located in west Normal, and promote safe multimodal travel by separating pedestrians and cyclists from motor vehicles.
    · Transit Improvements; Vermilion County, Williamson County, and Jackson County; Illinois. $3.711 million to the Illinois Department of Transportation to fulfill ongoing transit needs, including vehicle and equipment purchases, maintenance, and other improvements for transit agencies serving Carbondale, Marion, and Danville.
    · Transitional Shelter, Chicago, Illinois. $650,000 to BEDS Plus, Inc. to help fund the expansion of transitional shelter services at BEDS Plus Inc.
    · Transportation Center Pedestrian Access Improvements, Normal, Illinois. $1.6 million to Connect Transit to improve pedestrian access to the City of Bloomington’s Downtown Transportation Center.
    · Unhoused Population Support, Carbondale, Illinois: $2 million to the City of Carbondale to help fund the development of a new homeless center facility in Carbondale.
    · Workforce Accelerator Program, Chicago, Illinois. $1 million to the North Lawndale Employment Network to transform a vacant lot across the street from its workforce development campus to offer an agricultural and environmental workforce accelerator program.
    · Youth Mentoring, Springfield, Illinois. $1 million to The Outlet Mentoring Program to help fund the development of a youth mentoring center in Springfield.
     
    The two funding bills include additional Illinois priorities secured through the programmatic appropriations process:
    Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
    Department of Interior
    Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
    Plant Conservation Activities. $20.6 million for conservation activities and includes language supporting BLM’s continued support of the Seed Strategy, the interagency Native Plant Materials Development Program, the Seeds of Success program, the Plant Conservation Alliance, and regional native plant materials development programs.
    o Urban and Community Forestry (Chicago Region Trees Initiative). Includes language prioritizing multi-organizational collaborations to support conservation and offset climate change for urban and community forestry grants.
    o Migratory Bird Management Program, Incidental Take. Includes language supporting an incidental take authorization program for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which will help bird species that are experiencing population decline.
     
    National Park Service
    New Philadelphia National Historic Site. Includes language directing the National Park Service to ensure park operation begins in a reasonable timeframe for the newly established New Philadelphia site.
    Springfield Race Riot Site. Includes language directing the National Park Service to work with the community to complete the Foundation Document for the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument and provide for park planning.
    Land and Water Conservation Fund
    Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge. Includes language supporting federal land acquisition by the National Fish and Wildlife Service for the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge
    Environmental Health Program. $30.5 million for the program and includes language that sets aside $1 million for addressing PFAS contamination in the Great Lakes.
     
    Environmental Protection Agency
    Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF). $1.6 billion to provide critical investments that create jobs, repair crumbling wastewater infrastructure, and protect public health and environmental quality. Ten percent of CWSRF may be used as grants to address lead exposure.
    Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF). $1.13 billion to help water systems and states to ensure clean and safe drinking water is reliably delivered to communities. Fourteen percent of DWSRF may be used as grants to address lead exposure.
    EPA Compliance. $97.7 million to enable EPA and co-regulators to undertake inspections and other monitoring activities to determine if regulated entities are complying with environmental statutes as well as applicable regulations and permit conditions.
    EPA Enforcement. $284.9 million to ensure consistent and fair enforcement of all major environmental statutes and numerous regulations implementing each of those statutes. Includes report language supporting EPA in addressing PFAS contamination through National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives and incorporating Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) in settlements.
    Bubbly Creek. Includes report language on the inclusion of the restoration Bubbly Creek in EPA’s Lakewide Management Plan (LAMP) and directs EPA to maximize its partnerships and resources to ensure no further delays.
    Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). $368 million for GLRI and includes report language to allow funds from the program to be used for projects in the Chicago River Watershed. Congress established the GLRI to provide funding to states, tribes, local governments, and federal agencies to protect the Great Lakes. The program has provided $4 billion since 2010 to fund projects that restore habitat, fight invasive species, clean up toxic pollution, and reduce pollution runoff.
    Lake Explorer II Support Vessel Decommission. Includes language regarding the importance of EPA replacing the Great Lakes research vessel Lake Explorer II so the agency may continue uninterrupted water quality and biological monitoring of the Great Lakes.
    Coal Combustion Residual Permit Program. Includes language requesting $9 million for federal and state permitting programs for coal combustion residuals (CCR, coal ash).
    Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development
    Department of Transportation
    Capital Investment Grants (CIG). $1.95 billion for grants to fund the extension and improvements of existing transit systems. This amount would fully fund the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line Extension Project for FY26.
    Protections for the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line Extension Project. Includes language protecting Chicago’s FY26 allocation of $350 million and requiring disbursement within 120 days of enactment.
    Amtrak. $2.43 billion in nationwide funding to support Amtrak operations, with $1.57 billion for the National Network.
    BUILD (formerly RAISE) Grants. $250 million to fund innovative transportation projects that will create jobs and have a significant impact on the nation, a region, or a metropolitan area.
    Passenger Rail Grant Programs. The two rail grant programs were reauthorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and address gaps in supporting and growing our nation’s rail infrastructure:
    Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grants. $151.52 million for the CRISI program.
    Federal-State Partnerships for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant (FSP) Program. $75 million for FSP grants for capital improvement projects that expand or establish intercity passenger rail service.

    Midwest Rail Commission Study. Includes report language directing GAO to examine the establishment of a federally authorized commission for the purposes of developing a long-term delivery strategy for Midwest rail. The study would identify lessons learned from the establishment of the Northeast Corridor Commission that could be applied to a Midwest Rail Commission, it also would examine any Federal resources necessary to establishment of the commission.
    FRA Rail Research & Development Center of Excellence (COE). Supports the FRA’s intent to use no less than $2.5 million of its and development funding for the FRA COE, which Durbin established in IIJA and secured funding for in FY22, FY23, and FY24 (FY25’s full-year CR did not have a report, so the COE was not funded in the CR). The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was competitively selected to host the COE.
    Blocked Crossings Causes & Solutions Identification. Includes report language directing the FRA to include in its annual report potential solutions and best practices to improve safety, mobility, and emergency response capabilities at highway-rail crossings. This would require the FRA to consider technology’s potential role in detecting the highest risk areas and to explore what role train length plays in blocked crossings, among other measures.
    Emergency Response Blocked Crossing Reports. Includes report language urging the FRA to require states receiving track inspection funding to require first responders to report verified blocked crossing incidents to the FRA’s blocked crossings portal, which you established through previous appropriations legislation. It also directs the FRA to continue working with stakeholders to identify root causes of blocked crossings and identify meaningful solutions.
    Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). $22.4 billion for the FAA. This includes $13.8 billion for FAA operations and $4 billion for facilities and equipment. This funding will allow the FAA to hire 2,500 additional air traffic controllers; improve air traffic control facilities, equipment, and systems; improve the aircraft certification process; improve hazardous materials transport oversight, and more.
    Airport Improvement Program. More than $4 billion for airport improvement grants for capital improvements at the nation’s airports, including investments that emphasize capacity development, safety improvements, and security needs.
    Digital Alert Technologies. Includes report language urging National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to deploy digital alert technologies, with local law enforcement, that can provide up-to-date information about dynamic road conditions to drivers.
    NHTSA Rulemakings. Includes language directing NHTSA to continue to provide quarterly briefings on the status of all major rulemakings to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. In 2023, DOT implemented a key provision of Durbin and Duckworth’s Protecting Roadside First Responders Act by proposing a rule to require automatic emergency braking (AEB) on all new cars and light trucks, and finalizing this rule in April 2024. The provision, which was passed in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and injuries. According to NHTSA, the rule could save more than 360 lives and prevent more than 24,000 injuries each year. The Trump Administration has delayed the effective date of this rule.
    Automated Track Inspections. Includes no less than $21.6 million to support the FRA’s fleet of advanced inspection vehicles that accompany its field inspectors to validate the railroads’ inspection programs and advance research priorities, with a special emphasis on routes transporting passengers and hazardous materials.
    Department of Housing and Urban Development
    HEAL Initiative Pilot Program. Includes $5 million to support efforts underway between HUD and HHS to provide direct technical assistance to communities leveraging programs like Medicaid to cover and provide housing-related supportive services and behavioral healthcare. Includes report language acknowledging that several studies have demonstrated that interventions based on social determinants of health can help support housing permanency.
    Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. $295.6 million to provide funding to state and local governments to develop cost-effective ways to reduce lead-based paint hazards.
    Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). $529 million to help cities and states address the housing crisis facing people living with HIV/AIDS.
    Homeless Assistance Grants. $4.5 billion to provide funding to state and local governments for emergency shelters, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, and other crisis response programs.
    Housing Counseling. $57.5 million to enable housing counseling organizations to provide foreclosure prevention counseling, mortgage counseling before and after purchase, rental counseling, homelessness prevention counseling, and fair housing education.
    Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). $86.36 million to provide resources to nonprofit fair housing organizations that tackle discrimination and predatory lending and ensure that our nation’s fair housing laws are enforced.
    Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). $3.1 billion to provide states and localities with resources to meet the needs of low-income communities, including housing rehabilitation, supportive services, public improvements, and economic development projects.
    Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). $1.25 billion to provide state and local governments the funding necessary to provide affordable housing in low-income communities.
    Public Housing Capital and Operating Funds. $3.2 billion for Capital Funds and $4.87 billion for Operating Funds. This includes $30 million for emergency capital needs; $10 million for safety and security measures, with report language supporting safety and security improvements to protect tenants; and $65 million for lead remediation grants.
    Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance. $37.35 billion for Section 8 Tenant-Based rental assistance. This includes $429 million for new Tenant Protection Vouchers, $15 million to expand the HUD-VASH program, and $30 million for new Family Unification Program vouchers.
    Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) and Rural Capacity Building Program (RCB). $13 million for SHOP and $5 million for RCB. Both programs support affordable housing in rural communities.
    Section 4 Capacity Building Program. $49 million for Section 4 Capacity Building Program. This program allows HUD to partner with national nonprofit community development organizations to provide education, training, and financial support to local community development corporations (CDCs) across the country.
    Choice Neighborhoods Program. $40 million to provide funding for the transformation, rehabilitation, and replacement of distressed public and HUD-assisted housing, as well as support for communities working to revitalize neighborhoods of concentrated poverty.
    Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program. $156.4 million to provide funding for an asset-building program to serve more households, both within already-established Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher FSS Programs
    Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NeighborWorks). $158 million to create opportunities for Americans to live in affordable and safe homes by providing community development organizations in all fifty states with financial resources and counseling services.
    -30-
     
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Keating Cross Road flyover will improve safety, traffic flow

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The new northbound flyover on Patricia Bay Highway connecting to Keating Cross Road will be open for drivers on Monday, July 28, 2025, bringing significant safety and traffic-flow improvements to the region.

    “People driving through this region need to be able to count on safe and smooth travel when they’re heading to their homes, work, the airport or ferries,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit. “Opening the Keating Cross Road flyover means we’ve removed a dangerous left turn and have made travel safer for families, commuters, tourists and commercial transport drivers who rely on this corridor every day.”

    While moving traffic onto the new flyover is the most significant milestone, final work on the broader project will continue through summer 2025 and conclude in fall 2025. This will include paving the southbound on-ramp toward Victoria, drainage improvements and landscaping. Once complete, the project will include a new sidewalk on Keating Cross Road to improve safety and will support future bus rapid transit to reduce congestion further.

    “The opening of the Keating Cross Road flyover is a tremendous achievement for the Saanich peninsula,” said Lana Popham, MLA for Saanich South. “This investment makes travel on this busy corridor safer and more reliable for families, commuters and commercial drivers. It also strengthens ties to our local business community and supports the region’s growth well into the future.”

    The total project budget is $76.8 million, with the Government of British Columbia contributing $57.6 million, the Government of Canada contributing $16.7 million and the District of Central Saanich providing $2.5 million.

    “With the Keating Cross Road flyover open, drivers and pedestrians in Central Saanich will benefit from improved safety and better access to the region,” said Will Greaves, member of Parliament for Victoria. “Our government is proud to invest in projects that support the expansion of local public transit and make life easier and safer for all Canadians.”

    More than 52,000 vehicles use this part of the Patricia Bay Highway every day, with more than 4,000 vehicles per hour at peak travel times. The flyover project was identified as a priority in the South Island Transportation Strategy and supports the Province’s commitment to improving safety, expanding transit infrastructure and building strong, connected communities.

    “The new flyover aims to make travel through the Saanich peninsula faster and our neighbourhoods safer. It’s an important connection to the Keating Business District, a key industrial and business centre for our region,” said Ryan Windsor, mayor, District of Central Saanich. “This has been a long-standing priority for our community. We’re grateful to the provincial and federal governments for recognizing its importance and we’re thrilled to see the flyover opening.”

    Learn More:

    To keep up to date with the latest progress on the Keating Cross Road flyover, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/other-transportation-projects/highway-17-keating-cross-overpass

    To learn more about the South Island Transportation Strategy, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-reports-and-reference/reports-studies/vancouver-island/south-island-transportation-strategy

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Political Organizer and Former President of City Council of Atlantic City Sentenced to 24 Months for Submitting Fraudulent Mail-In Ballots

    Source: US FBI

    CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for his role in the procurement, casting, and tabulation of fraudulent mail-in ballots submitted in connection with the general election held on November 8, 2022, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Craig Callaway, 64, a former member and President of the City Council of Atlantic City and a political organizer who assisted campaigns for elected offices in New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to an Information charging him with depriving, defrauding, and attempting to deprive and defraud the residents of the State of New Jersey of a fair and impartially conducted election process by the fraudulent procurement, casting, and tabulation of ballots.

    “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who seek to undermine New Jersey’s electoral process: that such conduct will result in serious consequences.  The sentence also reflects our Office’s commitment to protecting free and fair elections, one of the bedrock principles of our democracy.”

    – U.S. Attorney Alina Habba

    “The right to vote is a fundamental aspect of our democracy, one that the FBI and our law enforcement partners strive to protect. Craig Callaway’s nefarious plot to hijack mail-in ballots resulted in his arrest and subsequent sentencing, and serves as a reminder to like-minded criminals, voter fraud will not be tolerated in New Jersey,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy.

    According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Beginning in or about October 2022, approximately one month before the general election held on November 8, 2022 (the “2022 General Election”), Callaway and others who were working at Callaway’s direction approached numerous individuals in Atlantic City, promising to pay them between approximately $30 and $50 to act as purported authorized messengers for voters who supposedly wished to vote by mail.

    After receiving Vote-By-Mail Applications from Callaway or his subordinates, these purported messengers entered the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office carrying anywhere from one to four completed Vote-By-Mail Applications. Inside the County Clerk’s Office, as instructed by Callaway or his subordinates, these individuals provided County Clerk’s Office personnel proof of identification and signed the Vote-By-Mail Applications in the authorized messenger portion before handing those signed applications to office personnel.  Further as instructed by Callaway or his subordinates, these purported messengers waited while office personnel processed the applications and, if the applications were approved, provided to the purported messengers mail-in ballots for the voters listed on the applications.

    Under New Jersey law, a messenger is required to deliver any mail-in ballot they received directly to the voter who requested the ballot and must certify that they would do so.  However, after receiving mail-in ballots, these purported messengers left the County Clerk’s Office and handed the ballots to Callaway or his subordinates, instead of delivering the ballots to the voters.

    Many of the mail-in ballots collected by Callaway or his subordinates were ultimately cast in the names of voters who have confirmed that they did not vote in the 2022 General Election—either in-person or by submitting a mail-in ballot—and that they did not authorize Callaway, his subordinates, or anyone else, to cast ballots for them in the 2022 General Election.  Many of these mail-in ballots were counted towards the 2022 General Election.

    In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Bumb sentenced Callaway to three years of supervised release. 

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency’s Public Corruption Task Force, including the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William Reynolds; the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Chief James A. Sarkos; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; as well as special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; the Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins; and the postal inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. 

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney James H. Graham of the Special Prosecutions Division.

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: Megan J. Davies, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former New Jersey Resident Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud for Telemarketing Scheme Targeting Timeshare Owners Over the Age of 55

    Source: US FBI

    CAMDEN, N.J. – A former New Jersey resident recently pled guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his participation in a telemarketing scheme to defraud timeshare owners over the age of 55 from 2016 to 2020, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.

    James Toner, a/k/a “Jason Turner,” a/k/a “James Turner,” a/k/a “Jason Thomas,” 43, of Lake Mary, Florida pleaded guilty today, before the Hon. Karen M. Williams, U.S. District Judge, Camden, to Counts One and Two of a 13-count Indictment, charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing that targeted or victimized timeshare owners over the age of 55 (Count One) and wire fraud in connection with telemarketing that targeted or victimized timeshare owners over the age of 55 (Count Two). Toner’s sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2025.

    Toner was previously charged by indictment along with William O’Hanlon, a/k/a “Patrick Burns,” a/k/a “William Burns,” 61, Karen Stefanowski, 63, and William Chiusano, Jr., then-48, of Laguna Niguel, California. Chiusano is now deceased, and charges against him have been dismissed. O’Hanlon and Stefanowski previously pleaded guilty before Judge Williams to their roles in fraudulent telemarketing schemes from 2016 to 2023 on May 9, 2025 and April 30, 2025, respectively.

    In addition, Alex Klemash, 32, of Williamstown, New Jersey, Michael Lambe, 45, of Mullica Hill, New Jersey, and La’Tresa Jackson, 59, of Lindenwold, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before Judge Williams on March 8, 9, and 13, 2023, respectively, to related Informations charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the 2016 to 2020 telemarketing scheme.

    Accordingly, all living defendants charged for their roles in the telemarketing scheme from 2016 to 2020 have now pleaded guilty. The sentencings for the defendants are currently scheduled as follows:

    La’Tresa Jackson September 25, 2025
    Alex Klemash September 23, 2025
    Michael Lambe September 30, 2025
    William O’Hanlon September 24, 2025
    Karen Stefanowski September 4, 2025
    James Toner December 2, 2025

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    The wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charge to which Toner pleaded guilty arise out of his participation in a timeshare fraud scheme operated through businesses WILLIAMS ANDREWS BURNS LLC, RESORT BNB, INC., and WILLIAMS & BURNS, INC. (collectively referred to as “WAB”). As part of his plea agreement, Toner admitted that he was a manager and supervisor at WAB.

    From in or about October 2016 through in or about October 2020, Toner and additional co-conspirators (collectively referred to as “Conspirators”), engaged in a scheme to financially enrich themselves by selling fraudulent services to timeshare owners offered through WAB, including offering to rent and/or buy the owners’ timeshares under false and fraudulent pretenses or representations, and offering to recover monies timeshare owners had previously paid in connection with other scams. The Conspirators obtained lists of timeshare owners and their contact information, and cold-called them to pitch their various services in return for upfront fees.

    The Conspirators made numerous false and misleading statements to the timeshare owners, including falsely stating that the timeshare owners had “bonus” timeshare weeks which WAB would rent for them in return for an upfront fee, and falsely guaranteeing thousands of dollars in rental income for the timeshare owners. Once the timeshare owners had signed up and paid their fees for the phony rentals services, the Conspirators also generally pitched collections/recovery services, offering to obtain refunds of monies previously paid by the timeshare owners in other fraudulent scams, in return for fees. Again, the Conspirators made numerous false and misleading statements in many instances to both timeshare owners and the banks that issues their credit cards. One of the fraudulent pitches used by the Conspirators was to falsely claim that the timeshare owner had been identified as a victim of timeshare fraud and was entitled to monies that were held by a government entity, often referred to as the attorney general’s office or the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), and that WAB would obtain those monies for the timeshare owner in return for the payment of an upfront fee. The Conspirators also offered additional fraudulent services to timeshare owners, including occasionally offering timeshare buyouts/take-overs.

    Toner agreed to make restitution for any proven losses to victims of WAB.

    Each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud is punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison, including an enhancement of 10 years in prison for committing such fraud via telemarketing that targeted persons over the age of 55 or victimized 10 or more persons over the age of 55. The sentences on each count may run consecutively. Each offense also carries a potential fine of the greater of $250,000,or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, and the defendant may be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any term of imprisonment imposed.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs; special agents of the IRS Criminal Investigations, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; and special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge, Cooperative Disability Investigations – Eastern Region, Conor Washington, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elisa T. Wiygul and Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.

                                                                           ###                               

    Defense Counsel:

    Lee Vartan, Esquire and Melissa Wernick, Esquire for William O’Hanlon

    Zach Intrater, Esquire for Karen Stefanowski

    Megan Davies, Esquire for James Toner

    Michael Baldassare, Esquire for La’Tresa Jackson

    Perry DeMarco, Sr., Esquire for Alex Klemash

    Ira M. Slovin, Esquire for Michael Lambe

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FORMER MAYORAL CANDIDATE SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR ARMED ROBBERY OF DOLLAR GENERAL

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA –Whitfield Leland III, 45, was sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment in federal court today for Hobbs Act Robbery, Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and being an Armed Career Criminal in Possession of a Firearm. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to excellent work of our law enforcement partners, this career criminal will no longer be able to victimize and terrorize our community.  My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting violent criminals to hold them accountable to the full extent of the law in order to keep our communities safe.”

    Court documents reflect that Leland robbed a Tallahassee Dollar General at gunpoint on May 20, 2024. During the robbery, Leland pointed a pistol at the store manager and demanded that the manager open the safes. A customer observed the robbery in progress and called 911. Officers from the Tallahassee Police Department responded within minutes and surrounded the store while Leland was still inside. Leland then stole the manager’s Dollar General shirt and exited the store pretending to be an employee. Leland made it outside the store in his disguise but kept running when ordered to stop. Officers chased Leland and were able to follow a trail of dropped money to where he was hiding in nearby bushes, still wearing the Dollar General shirt and with additional money stuffed into his pants. Officers were able to recover $689 stolen during the robbery.

    Leland is a 13-time convicted felon who qualified as an Armed Career Criminal because he had convictions for three violent felonies committed on separate occasions: two separate incidents of resisting a law enforcement officer with violence and one conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Leland was a 2022 candidate for Tallahassee mayor.

    Leland received a sentence of 22 years in prison, which will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Leland was also ordered to pay restitution.

    “The safety of our community is always our top priority,” said Chief Lawrence Revell of the Tallahassee Police Department. “Thanks to the quick actions of our officers and strong collaboration with our federal partners, a repeat violent offender is off the streets. This outcome reflects our continued commitment to protecting Tallahassee’s residents and businesses from harm.”

    The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Arbor Realty Trust Schedules Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    UNIONDALE, N.Y., July 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ABR), today announced that it is scheduled to release second quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Friday, August 1, 2025. The Company will host a conference call to review the results at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on August 1, 2025.

    A live webcast and replay of the conference call will be available at www.arbor.com in the investor relations section of the Company’s website. Those without web access should access the call telephonically at least ten minutes prior to the conference call. The dial-in numbers are (800) 343-4136 for domestic callers and (203) 518-9843 for international callers. Please use participant passcode ABRQ225 when prompted by the operator.

    A telephonic replay of the call will be available until August 8, 2025. The replay dial-in numbers are (800) 839-8531 for domestic callers and (402) 220-6074 for international callers.

    About Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.

    Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ABR) is a nationwide real estate investment trust and direct lender, providing loan origination and servicing for multifamily, single-family rental (SFR) portfolios, and other diverse commercial real estate assets. Headquartered in New York, Arbor manages a multibillion-dollar servicing portfolio, specializing in government-sponsored enterprise products. Arbor is a leading Fannie Mae DUS® lender, Freddie Mac Optigo® Seller/Servicer, and an approved FHA Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) lender. Arbor’s product platform also includes bridge, CMBS, mezzanine, and preferred equity loans. Rated by Standard and Poor’s and Fitch Ratings, Arbor is committed to building on its reputation for service, quality, and customized solutions with an unparalleled dedication to providing our clients excellence over the entire life of a loan.

    Contact:
    Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.
    Investor Relations
    516-506-4200
    InvestorRelations@arbor.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Van Hollen, Colleague to Call on Administration to Conduct Independent, U.S.-Led Investigation Into Death of American Citizen in West Bank

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Senators also press for an update on any investigations into the killings of 6 other Americans in the West Bank
    Washington (July 24, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and 27 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Pam Bondi calling on the Administration to conduct an independent investigation into the death of Saifullah Kamel Musallet, an American citizen recently killed near the West Bank town of Sinjil. The Senators point to the repeated lack of accountability in the deaths of other American citizens killed in the West Bank since January 2022, including Shireen Abu Akleh, Omar Assad, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, and Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee. Given that, the Senators also ask for an update on the status of any investigations into the killings of these six other Americans.
    The Senators write, “We write with grave concern regarding the brutal killing of a Palestinian-American, Saifullah Kamel Musallet, near the West Bank town of Sinjil, on July 11, 2025. The U.S. government must conduct a credible and independent investigation into his death and hold all perpetrators accountable. Protecting and supporting U.S. citizens abroad is one of the foremost responsibilities of the U.S. government. The United States Government has failed to secure accountability for the killing of respected Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, or any of the other five American citizens – Omar Assad, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, and Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee – killed in the West Bank since January 2022. Following the Trump Administration’s sudden revocation of all U.S. sanctions against extremist settlers in the West Bank, the first five months of 2025 have seen the highest rate of settler attacks in years and the killing of another American. We urge you to pursue a different approach.”
    “Saifullah Kamal Musallet is the seventh American citizen killed in the West Bank since January 2022 — and the fifth in just the last nineteen months. The killings of these Americans in the West Bank have been met by a lack of accountability from the Netanyahu government and an inability to secure justice by the U.S. government. These failures have contributed to an unacceptable culture of impunity when it comes to incidents where civilians have been killed in the West Bank, including Americans,” they continue.
    The Senators note, “The Netanyahu government has failed to hold anyone accountable for any of these seven killings of Americans and the United States government has failed in its responsibility to protect American citizens overseas and demand justice for their deaths.”
    “It is long past time for the U.S. government to demand accountability in these killings of Americans. To that end, we urge you to immediately launch an independent investigation into the brutal killing of Saifullah Kamel Musallet, including the circumstances that blocked ambulances from reaching him. We also ask that you provide us with an update on the status of any investigations into the killings of the six other Americans who have been killed since January 2022, and provide us with a briefing on actions you are taking to ensure accountability for their deaths and to prevent future killings of Americans in the West Bank,” the Senators close.
    The letter was signed by Senators Murray, Kaine, Durbin, Reed, Shaheen, Schatz, Merkley, Sanders, Warner, Warren, Cantwell, Welch, Smith, Baldwin, Warnock, Lujan, Ossoff, Kim, Heinrich, Duckworth, Klobuchar, Whitehouse, Hirono, Booker, Alsobrooks, Blunt Rochester, and Murphy.
    The full text of the letter is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Secures Funding for Great Lakes, Michigan’s Water Infrastructure in Appropriations Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC?– U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped the Senate Appropriations Committee pass the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bipartisan legislation would provide funding for Michigan priorities and high-impact local projects to strengthen water infrastructure, protect our wildlife and environment, and improve access to clean drinking water for Michiganders. As Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, Peters also advocated and secured funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which plays a critical role in protecting and restoring Great Lakes waterways and habitats. The bill now advances to the full Senate.

    “Protecting our Great Lakes and Michiganders’ access to clean drinking water have been some of my top priorities,” said Senator Peters, Co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force.“This bipartisan legislation helps us accomplish those things by investing in our state’s water infrastructure, removing dangerous lead pipes, and working to protect folks from exposure to toxic PFAS contamination. The bill also makes sure the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a historic program that keeps our Great Lakes healthy and vibrant, continues to receive funding to carry out essential cleanup projects in our state.”  

    The bill includes numerous measures led and supported by Peters, including:

    Protecting our Great Lakes, Fisheries, and Environment

    Funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Peters fought and secured continued funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The GLRI is the largest investment in the Great Lakes’ health, ecosystem, and water quality. Since the program’s inception in 2010, $4 billion has been used to fund over 8,000 projects to combat the greatest threats to the Great Lakes, including invasive species, harmful algal blooms, and loss of fish and wildlife habitats. During his time in the Senate, Peters has championed the GLRI, and earlier this year led the effort to introduce the?Great Lakes Restoration Act of 2025,?which would reauthorize the program and increase its annual authorized funding levels.

    Keeping Invasive Carp Out of the Great Lakes: Invasive carp pose a grave risk to the lasting health of our Great Lakes. That’s why this bill provides funding for the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Aquatic Invasive Species program, which supports Great Lakes Basin-wide efforts to combat aquatic invasive species, including invasive carp. This work helps assess the threats posed by invasive carp to the Great Lakes and supports efforts to detect and respond to new invasive species. The bill also provides funding for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program which produces essential research, detection methods, and tools to help keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. Finally, the bill also provides funding for efforts to monitor, detect, and respond to aquatic nuisance species within the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Systems.

    Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration: The bill protects funding for The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act, which helps fund critical fish and wildlife projects in the Great Lakes Basin. Funding from this program has helped establish ecosystem management tools, restored wetlands and aquatic habitat, and advanced fish and wildlife monitoring and modeling.

    Great Lakes Science Center: Peters secured funding in the bill to support the Great Lakes Science Center, which works to enhance our understanding of the Great Lakes’ complex ecosystem through studies and collaboration with a wide range of partners.

    Forest Service: The bill provides robust funding for the Forest Service. These resources will help ensure adequate staffing levels and improve forest restoration and fire risk reduction efforts.

    Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): The bill allocates funding for federal land acquisition and financial assistance to states through the?Great American Outdoors Act. This program is critical for improving recreational access to our federal lands, protecting iconic landscapes, delivering grants to states and local governments to create and protect urban parks and open spaces. It also provides farmers and ranchers with easements to allow them to continue to steward their private lands in the face of development pressures.

    Addressing Wildfires: As catastrophic wildfires grow in size and frequency, it is essential that support for, and investments in, the federal firefighting workforce keep pace. As such, this bill fully funds essential wildfire preparedness and suppression efforts by providing $4.25 billion for wildfire suppression, of which $2.85 billion is for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund. The Reserve Fund provides the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior with an assured amount of funding to be used when major fire activity requires expenditures exceeding regular base suppression operations funding. This bill also provides much-needed funding to help prevent a devastating pay cut for the federal firefighting workforce. 

    Strengthening Michigan’s Water Infrastructure & Ensuring Clean Drinking Water

    Addressing PFAS: Michigan communities and residents continue to face severe challenges with toxic PFAS contamination. Michigan is home to a number of military installations where PFAS contamination has been detected, including Camp Grayling and the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda. The bill provides much needed funding for PFAS research and remediation efforts. Peters has led and championed numerous efforts in the Senate to address PFAS. Peters convened the first-ever hearing on PFAS contamination in the Senate, then convened a field summit in Grand Rapids in November 2018 to shine a light on how local, state and federal governments are coordinating responses to address PFAS contamination. Peters introduced and advanced bipartisan legislation to reduce the spread of PFAS chemicals at commercial airports. Peters’ Preventing PFAS Runoff at Airports Act, which was signed into law in 2022, is working to deploy more existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding for commercial airports to purchase devices to test their firefighting equipment without discharging toxic PFAS chemicals. In 2022, Peters’ bill to help protect firefighters and emergency responders from PFAS exposure in the line of duty was also signed into law.

    Bolstering Lead Abatement Programs: Lead poisoning continues to be a public health challenge in areas with aging infrastructure, causing life-long health impacts particularly among children. Peters helped secure funding for critical programs that support communities seeking to clean up lead contaminated waste sites, replace toxic lead pipes, and minimize exposure in surrounding areas. The bill includes funding for the Lead Testing in Schools Program and Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Program.

    Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds: The bill restores funding for both the Drinking Water and the Clean Water State Revolving Funds, which the Trump Administration had proposed slashing by nearly 90 percent. The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds are vital to protecting Michigan’s water resources and rebuilding critical water infrastructure. These projects provide Michigan residents with significant benefits, ranging from reduced exposure to pollution to lead-free drinking water. While the primary focus of the state revolving funds is offering financing solutions for water infrastructure for wastewater, storm water, and drinking water systems, the funds also reduce energy waste and decrease water system rates, improving affordability. 

    Mitigate PFAS Contamination, Provide Safe Drinking Water for Residents of Grayling Township: The bill provides $3,000,000 to deliver clean, safe drinking through a new municipal water system to residents whose water wells have been contaminated from PFAS migrating off the Grayling Army Airfield and Camp Grayling.

    Improve Water Reliability in Grand Blanc: The bill provides $1,000,000 to modernize critical water infrastructure throughout Grand Blanc, reducing inefficiencies and water loss and improving water reliability for residents and businesses.

    Strengthen St. Ignace’s Water and Wastewater System: The bill provides $36,000 for St. Ignace to update its system that controls the alarms and communication between water wastewater plants as well as other facility operations.

    Upgrade the Aging Freud & Conners Creek Pump Stations: The bill provides $1,000,000 to make improvements to the aging Freud and Conner Creek pump stations.

    Improve Wastewater Management in Oakwood: The bill provides $1,000,000 to improve wastewater management in Oakwood, Michigan.

    Upgrade Marquette County K.I. Sawyer Wastewater Treatment Plant: The bill provides $1,370,000 to upgrade the disinfection system at the K.I. Sawyer Wastewater Treatment Plant.

    Pontiac Drinking Water System Improvements: The bill provides $1,000,000 to improve drinking water quality and reliability for Pontiac residents.

    Lead Service Lines Replacement in Redford Charter Township: The bill provides $1,000,000 to replace lead service lines in Redford Charter Township.

    Supporting New Drinking Water Well for Village of Bellevue: The bill provides $144,000 to help build a new drinking water well in the Village of Bellevue to ensure continued safe drinking water for the residents and surrounding community.

    Protecting and Preserving Public Lands and Cultural Resources

    Preservation of the Historic Freer House at Wayne State University: The bill provides $550,000 for Wayne State University to repair and replace damaged and deteriorating parts of the historic Charles Lang Freer House, which is an important part of Detroit’s cultural heritage.

    Funding for the National Park Service: The bill includes nearly $3 billion to support National Park Service (NPS) operations. This funding will allow NPS to more effectively manage its 433 national parks, monuments, historical sites and other recreational areas that encompass nearly 84 million acres of land across the United States. Michigan is proud to be home to five National Parks, which draw more than 2.5 million visitors to the state annually.

    Supporting the National Heritage Areas Program: Peters helped secure funding for the National Park Service’s Heritage Partnership Program. National Heritage Areas (NHAs) across the country commemorate, conserve, and promote important natural, scenic, historic, and cultural resources, delivering recreational and educational opportunities to visitors, residents, and entire regions. NHAs are key for economic development in their communities. Michigan’s MotorCities NHA alone creates an economic impact every year of nearly $490 million including?5,343 jobs and $40 million in tax revenues.

    Protecting Tribal Nations

    Tribal Programs: In total, the bill provides $12 billion for Tribal programs across the Department of the Interior and the Indian Health Service, rejecting President Trump’s proposed cuts of nearly $1 billion from Tribal programs. 

    Indian Health Service (IHS):The bill provides $8 billion in total resources for IHS to maintain critically important health care services and maintain current staffing for doctors, nurses, and health services staff.

    Supporting Tribal Self-Governance and Essential Services: The bill provides $1.91 billion, an increase in funding, for the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ operations of Indian programs. This funds essential government services in critical areas like roads and infrastructure, housing improvement, natural resources protection, Tribal courts, economic development, and social services. This funding is essential for Tribal governments exercising self-determination and crucial to upholding the federal government’s trust responsibility.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders: America Must End the Atrocities and Starvation in Gaza 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    BURLINGTON, Vt., July 25 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement calling on the United States to act to end Israel’s illegal war in Gaza.

    After 21 months of brutal war, the Netanyahu government’s extermination of Gaza is entering a new and terrible phase. America and the world cannot continue to look away. We must reckon with what is being done with our taxpayer money, our weapons and the support of our government.

    More than that, we must act to stop it.

    After many months of Israel blocking humanitarian aid, children and other vulnerable people are starving to death in increasing numbers. The World Food Programme says that the food crisis has reached “new and astonishing levels of desperation, with a third of the population not eating for multiple days in a row.” Children’s bodies are eating themselves from within, their organs are shutting down. Starving mothers cannot breastfeed their infants, and no formula is available, with little clean water to make it in any case. Hospitals have run out of nutritional treatments, and doctors themselves are fainting from hunger.

    When mass death from starvation begins, it is difficult to reverse. Aid groups say Gaza faces a tidal wave of preventable death. This is the direct result of the Israeli government’s policies. From March 2 to May 19, Israel did not allow a single shipment of aid into Gaza — no food, water, fuel or medical supplies for a population of more than 2 million people. Israel has since allowed a trickle of aid to get in, but nowhere near enough to meet the enormous needs of a population starved for so long.

    Earlier this week, 28 of our closest allies, including Britain, Japan and numerous European nations, issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s “drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.” More than 1,000 Palestinians have been shot down while trying to get food aid over the past two months. Most of these deaths are the result of Israel’s replacement of the established United Nations distribution system with the untested Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, whose few distribution points have become death traps for Palestinian civilians, with near-daily massacres.

    This is the reality: Having already killed or wounded 200,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the extremist Israeli government is using mass starvation to engineer the ethnic cleansing of Gaza. Don’t take my word for it, listen to Israeli minister Amichay Eliyahu, who said this week: “All Gaza will be Jewish… the government is pushing for Gaza being wiped out. Thank God, we are wiping out this evil.”

    Despite these war crimes, carried out daily in plain view, the United States has provided more than $22 billion for Israel’s military operations since this war began. In other words, American taxpayer dollars are being used to starve children, bomb civilians and support the cruelty of Netanyahu and his criminal ministers.

    Enough is enough. The White House and Congress must immediately act to end this war using the full scope of American influence. No more military aid to the Netanyahu government. History will condemn those who fail to act in the face of this horror.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint Foreign Secretary-Home Secretary statement on Hong Kong announcing new arrest warrants for overseas activists

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Joint Foreign Secretary-Home Secretary statement on Hong Kong announcing new arrest warrants for overseas activists

    The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary have issued a response after Hong Kong announced new arrest warrants for overseas activists.

    The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary said:

    “The Hong Kong Police Force’s issuing of further arrest warrants and bounties on individuals living in the UK is another example of transnational repression. It encourages reckless behaviour on UK soil and damages Hong Kong’s international reputation. 

    “The UK strongly opposes the National Security Law, which has eroded the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers. We call on the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to end the deliberate targeting of opposition voices in the UK and elsewhere.

    “The UK is committed to human rights, the rule of law, and the safety of all individuals in the UK. That’s why we have taken further steps to complete the severing of ties between the UK and Hong Kong extradition systems by removing Hong Kong from the Extradition Act 2003.

    “This Government will continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong, including those who have made the UK their home. We take the protection of their rights, freedoms, and safety very seriously, and will not tolerate any attempts by foreign Governments to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: The One Big Beautiful Bill is a Historic Investment in Rural Healthcare

    Source: US Whitehouse

    Today’s White House memo “The One Big Beautiful Bill is a Historic Investment in Rural Healthcare” outlines in detail how the President’s landmark legislation makes historic investments in vulnerable communities to ensure healthcare options are made sustainable for Americans who rely on these options for their care.

    TRANSFORMING RURAL CARE WITH HISTORIC INVESTMENTS AND RADICAL TRANSPARENCY

    The Rural Health Transformation Program will provide unprecedented new funding to states for a range of uses designed to make rural healthcare more effective and sustainable for the long term. Collaborating with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), states must submit detailed rural health transformation plans on how these resources will be put to work improving access to healthcare providers in their communities and ultimately improving health outcomes. CMS will monitor implementation and hold states accountable to this plan to ensure resources are appropriately distributed and going to the most deserving, not the most politically connected.

    ENSURING SUSTAINABILITY OF RURAL CARE BY ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES

    Unlike smaller programs that have been traditionally the main mechanisms to support rural care, the Rural Health Transformation Program is uniquely designed to promote innovation and long-term sustainability of rural healthcare.

    Rural hospitals suffer from chronic challenges with extremely low patient volume. They have both smaller bed counts than urban hospitals and occupancy rates that are much lower (37%) than those of their urban counterparts (62%). Therefore, when programs link funding to reimbursements for services provided—as these legacy programs do—these programs do not promote long-term sustainability as the overall volume of services provided in these facilities remains low. In other words, these programs do not actually provide hospitals with investments that would help them sustain themselves.

    Distinct from these other programs, the Rural Health Transformation Program is designed to promote innovation in payment and flexibility. These funds can be used to help these facilities make investments necessary to better meet the needs of the communities they serve and become more sustainable over the long term.

    HEALTH INDUSTRY PROMOTES FLAWED ANALYSES TO HIDE THE REAL POSITIVE EFFECTS OF THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL

    Rural hospitals only receive 7% of Medicaid hospital spending. Yet, industry leaders and lobbyists continue to cry foul, and fearmonger that the law puts rural care facilities at risk when in actuality the OBBB delivers historic investments into the Rural Health Transformation Program to ensure underserved rural hospitals are strengthened, a monumental victory that should be celebrated after years of neglect and lack of financial support.

    The disparity between urban and rural hospitals clearly shows how the waste, fraud, and abuse that proliferated under the Biden Administration did not benefit the most vulnerable hospitals. The OBBB aggressively goes after that waste, fraud, and abuse by enforcing eligibility requirements, prioritizing work over welfare, and putting Americans first by removing non-citizens and ending financing gimmicks used to subsidize coverage for illegal immigrants. This momentous effort to combat waste, fraud, and abuse is what allowed Congress and the Trump Administration to make this historic investment in rationalizing our health care system by actually ensuring new healthcare dollars reach facilities in vulnerable communities to help make them sustainable for good.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board Concludes 2025 Article IV Consultation with Equatorial Guinea and IMF Management Approves the First and Second Reviews Under the Staff Monitored Program for Equatorial Guinea

    Source: APO


    .

    • The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded today the 2025 Article IV consultation with Equatorial Guinea. IMF Management approved in June the combined first and second reviews under the Staff Monitored Program (SMP) and a 12 month SMP extension.
    • Equatorial Guinea registered a mild economic recovery in 2024, but the economy is projected to grow weakly and a drain on regional reserves is expected to continue in the medium term as hydrocarbon production declines. The banking sector is showing clear signs of improvement.
    • Performance under the program has been strong, with significant reforms implemented and a substantial fiscal adjustment that met the SMP conditionality. However, contrary to longstanding commitments, the authorities decided not to publish asset declarations of public officials. The program extension will provide the authorities with an opportunity to complete an alternative governance reform measure aimed at strengthening transparency in the extractive sector.

    The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the Article IV Consultation for Equatorial Guinea.[1] IMF Management approved the completion of the first and second reviews and a 12-month extension of the Staff Monitored Program (SMP) for Equatorial Guinea on June 25, 2025. The authorities have consented to the publication of the Staff Report prepared for this consultation.[2]

    Equatorial Guinea registered a mild economic recovery in 2024, growing by 0.9 percent following a strong contraction in 2023. However, non-hydrocarbon GDP growth slowed in 2024 to 1.3 percent, and the economy is expected to grow only modestly in the medium term as hydrocarbon production declines. Inflationary pressures have persisted, with inflation increasing from 2.5 percent in 2023 to 3.4 percent in 2024.

    The banking sector showed clear signs of improvement in 2024 but remains undercapitalized. The average capital adequacy ratio of the system is marginally below the regulatory minimum, but substantially higher than at the end of 2022.

    The authorities’ substantial fiscal adjustment in 2024 improved the non-hydrocarbon primary balance from -22.3 percent of non-hydrocarbon GDP in 2023 to -17.0 percent in 2024. Public debt decreased from 39.1 percent to 36.4 percent of GDP. Equatorial Guinea’s contribution to foreign reserves at the regional central bank remained negative in 2024, following a reserve loss in 2023. The authorities planned further fiscal adjustment will aim to keep public debt below 50 percent of GDP despite the projected decline in hydrocarbon revenues and restore external balance in the medium term.

    The authorities have implemented substantial reforms over the past year in the context of the SMP. The significant fiscal adjustment in 2024 helped initiate stabilization of the public debt dynamics and restoration of external balance. They enacted a new tax law that broadens the tax base, prepared a plan to phase out fuel subsidies, began making payments under a new arrears clearance strategy and reformed the customs administration. The authorities took concrete steps toward restoring the health of the financial sector. In an effort to improve governance and transparency, they also developed an AML/CFT strategy and published contracts in the extractive sector and an audit of spending following the accidental explosions in Bata in 2021.

    The authorities’ policies have allowed them to meet almost all of the SMP’s quantitative conditionality as well as complete actions related to most of their structural reform program commitments in the areas of governance, financial sector development and structural fiscal policy. The authorities missed two structural benchmarks following their decision not to publish the asset declarations of public officials. The 12-month SMP extension will afford the authorities the opportunity to complete an alternative governance reform measure – the publication of an extractive industry transparency report in line with EITI standards – while continuing to implement their broader reform agenda.

    Executive Board Assessment[3]

    Executive Directors agreed with the thrust of the staff appraisal. Directors welcomed the authorities’ progress on their reform agenda under the Staff‑Monitored Program, noting its 12‑month extension. They stressed, however, that the macroeconomic environment remains challenging, particularly because of the continued decline in hydrocarbon production that is placing sustained pressure on fiscal and external balances. Directors urged steadfast reform implementation going forward, particularly to address long‑standing and serious governance challenges, which would help economic diversification and lay the foundation for private sector‑led, sustainable, and inclusive growth.

    Directors welcomed the authorities’ decision to anchor public debt to preserve debt sustainability and restore external balance. They emphasized that this will require a gradual and sustained fiscal adjustment in the face of declining hydrocarbon revenues. Directors welcomed the commitment to achieving the 2025 budget and stressed the need for continued efforts to mobilize domestic non‑hydrocarbon revenues and strengthen fiscal institutions. Improving public financial management remains essential. Directors called for ambitious social spending reform to improve social outcomes and boost human capital development. They stressed the importance of approving the social protection law to enable the building of comprehensive social safety nets.

    Directors commended the progress made toward restoring the health of the financial sector—including the completion of the audit of the systemic public bank and the creation of an arrears clearance strategy—but noted that vulnerabilities remain. Directors highlighted the importance of obtaining approval from the regional banking supervisor for the arrears clearance plan, further strengthening private banks’ balance sheets, and implementing the financial inclusion strategy.

    Directors urged the authorities to redouble their efforts to substantially improve transparency and governance. They regretted the authorities’ decision to step back from the long‑standing commitment to publish asset declarations of public officials, and many Directors urged the authorities to reconsider this option. Directors considered that the publication of an annual report on financial flows in the extractive sector could help demonstrate the authorities’ commitment to address their governance deficit. They recommended further governance reforms to address issues highlighted in the 2019 governance diagnostic, including implementing the AML/CFT strategy. A predictable and transparent business environment with reliable and efficient application of laws is needed to create a level playing field that would attract domestic and foreign investment.

    It is expected that the next Article IV consultation with Equatorial Guinea will be held on the standard 12‑month cycle.

    Table 1. Equatorial Guinea: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2024–26

    Estimates

    Projections

    2024

    2025

    2026

    (Annual percentage change, unless otherwise specified)

    Production, prices, and money

    Real GDP

    0.9

    -1.6

    0.5

    Hydrocarbon GDP1

    0.4

    -6.4

    -2.6

    Non-hydrocarbon GDP

    1.3

    2.3

    2.8

    GDP deflator

    2.5

    3.0

    1.0

    Consumer prices (annual average)

    3.4

    2.9

    2.9

    Consumer prices (end of period)

    3.4

    2.9

    3.5

    Monetary and exchange rate

    Broad money

    2.6

    2.7

    2.9

    Nominal effective exchange rate (- = depreciation)

           …

    …

    …

    External sector

    Exports, f.o.b.

    -7.1

    1.6

    -8.7

    Hydrocarbon exports

    -8.4

    1.7

    -10.2

    Non-hydrocarbon exports

    2.6

    1.8

    1.0

    Imports, f.o.b.

    -8.9

    2.2

    -1.9

    Government finance

    Revenue

    -14.3

    0.7

    -5.0

    Expenditure

    -0.7

    4.9

    -1.3

    (Percent of GDP, unless otherwise specified)

    Government finance

    Revenue

    17.9

    17.8

    16.7

    Hydrocarbon revenue

    14.5

    14.3

    13.0

    Non-hydrocarbon revenue

    3.4

    3.5

    3.7

    Expenditure

    18.5

    19.1

    18.6

    Overall fiscal balance (Commitment basis)

    -0.6

    -1.3

    -1.9

    Overall fiscal balance (Cash basis)

    -1.0

    -2.0

    -2.6

    Non-hydrocarbon primary balance2

    -11.7

    -12.6

    -12.3

    Non-hydrocarbon primary balance (as percent of non-hydrocarbon GDP)

    -17.0

    -17.4

    -16.4

    Change in domestic arrears

    -0.3

    -0.7

    -0.7

    External sector

    Current account balance (including official transfers; – = deficit)

    -3.2

    -3.3

    -4.5

    Imputed Foreign Reserves (net), US$billion

    0.4

    0.4

    0.2

    Debt

    Total public debt

    36.4

    37.0

    38.4

    Domestic debt

    28.7

    28.0

    27.9

    External debt

    7.8

    9.0

    10.5

    External debt service-to-exports ratio (percent)

    6.2

    5.7

    6.2

    External debt service/government revenue (percent)

    7.9

    7.4

    7.7

    Memorandum items

    Oil price (U.S. dollars a barrel)3

    79.9

    67.7

    63.3

    Nominal GDP (billions of CFA francs)

    7,740

    7,846

    7,959

    Nominal GDP (millions of US dollars)

    12,769

    12,881

    13,138

    Hydrocarbon GDP (billions of CFA francs)

    2,401

    2,193

    1,971

    Non-hydrocarbon GDP (billions of CFA francs)

    5,340

    5,653

    5,987

    Government deposits (in percent of GDP)

    17.7

    17.5

    17.2

    Oil volume (crude and condensado, millions of barrels)

    29.1

    26.8

    25.1

    Gas volume4 (millions of bbls oil equivalent)

    51.8

    49.2

    49.5

    Total Hydrocarbon Volume (in millions of barrels of oil equivalent)

    81.0

    76.0

    74.7

    Exchange rate (average; CFA francs/U.S. dollar)

    606.2

    …

    …

    Sources: Data provided by the Equatoguinean authorities; and staff estimates and projections.

    1 Including oil, LNG, LPG, butane, propane, and methanol.

    2 Excluding hydrocarbon revenues, hydrocarbon expenditures, and interest earned and paid.

    3 The reference price for crude oil is the Brent.

    4 Includes LNG, propane, butane and methanol.

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

    [2] Under the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, publication of documents that pertain to member countries is voluntary and requires the member consent. The staff report will be shortly published on the www.imf.org/Countries/GNQ page.

    [3] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chair of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summings up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa: President Ramaphosa concludes meeting between the National Executive and the Northern Cape Provincial Executive Council

    Source: APO


    .

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has concluded a meeting between the National executive and the Northern Cape Provincial Executive. 

    The meeting, held under the theme “Unlocking the Northern Cape potential as a modern, growing and successful province”, was the sixth formal engagement that the national executive had with a provincial executive.  

    The meeting was also joined by Executive Mayors.  

    Previous sessions include meetings with the Executive Councils of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and most recently, the Eastern Cape. 

    These sessions have resulted in strengthening cooperative governance, breaking down silos and cooperative project planning that leads to collaborative execution.  

    As President Ramaphosa said during the Budget Debate last week, when the three spheres of government work together, the lives of the people of South Africa are improved.

    It is envisaged that the National Executive would have met with the leadership of the remaining provinces over the next few months.  

    The President emphasised the importance of structured engagements between the national and provincial executives that assist government coordinate more efficiently, resolve challenges together and to plan smarter. 

    The meetings are also meant to facilitate innovative ideas and proposals to address service delivery and skills   challenges.  

    The meeting discussed the ongoing roll out of catalytic economic development projects that require the deepening of cooperation between the national and provincial governments. 

    These include the Boegoebaai Harbor and SEZ development, revitalisation and expansion of Vaalharts, Namakwa SEZ and the development of the infrastructure masterplan.  

    The meeting further affirmed closer cooperation on issues of climate change mitigation considering the province’s vulnerability to erratic weather conditions. 

    The national executive pledged to continue working closely with the province in areas of Transport and Logistics, Basic Education, Water and Sanitation infrastructure development, Human Settlements, Tourism and Energy and Electricity.  

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada, B.C. strengthen support for farmers dealing with unexpected losses

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 25, 2025 – Victoria, British Columbia – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    The governments of Canada and B.C. are making changes to the AgriStability program to provide more financial support to B.C. farmers, following a virtual meeting of the federal, provincial and territorial ministers of agriculture. 

    Effective Friday, July 25, 2025, there are several enhancements for the 2025 AgriStability program year, including:  

    • increasing the compensation rate from 80% to 90%, meaning producers will receive 90 cents for every dollar of eligible income decline
    • doubling the compensation cap from $3 million to $6 million to offer more equitable protection for larger farms and ranches
    • advancing interest-free payments to farmers for up to 75% of their anticipated final claim 

    B.C. farmers have until Thursday, July 31, 2025, to enrol in AgriStability for the 2025 program year. 

    These changes respond to international trade concerns and will help many B.C. farmers who are enrolled in the AgriStability program and have suffered income losses from occurrences such as extreme weather damage.  

    AgriStability is part of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership and helps protect farmers from large drops in income due to things like poor yields, rising costs or market changes.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister’s statement on the rescue of three workers at Red Chris mine

    Jagrup Brar, Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals, has released the following statement on the successful rescue of three workers at Red Chris mine in northwestern B.C.:

    “Today, we breathe a collective sigh of relief and express our profound thanks in celebration of the rescue and safe return of the three workers at Red Chris mine. After a fall-of-ground incident on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, these men spent more than two days in an underground refuge station before being safely extracted late last night.

    “I want to commend the many agencies, organizations, companies and individuals who pulled together in the face of this challenge, the mine rescue teams, Newmont, the Tahltan Nation, industry and government. Your decisive action and collaborative work around the clock helped ensure the best possible outcome in the face of this emergency.

    “Earlier this year, I participated in the mine rescue competition, meeting the incredible men and women who are responsible for coming to the rescue in events like these. I was able to see first-hand their incredible skills and dedication in action. Our province is well served by such courageous professionals.

    “This is a proud day for our province, and I am so happy to know that Kevin, Darien and Jesse are healthy and well and are safely back with their families.

    “As we move forward, we reflect on the impact of this incident and the lessons we can glean from it. The ministry’s chief inspector has begun an investigation, the results of which will be made public, and I know that Newmont will also be conducting its own investigation.

    “Thanks once again to everyone involved, and I wish Kevin, Darien and Jesse all the best and a happy reunion with their families and loved ones.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from the Department of Energy on Nomination of David Eisner

    Source: US Department of Energy

    The Department of Energy (DOE) today released the following statement from DOE Chief of Staff Carl Coe on the President’s nomination of David Eisner to serve as the Assistant Secretary of International Affairs

    Energy.gov

    July 25, 2025

    WASHINGTON— The Department of Energy (DOE) today released the following statement from DOE Chief of Staff Carl Coe on the President’s nomination of David Eisner to serve as the Assistant Secretary of International Affairs:

    “After careful consideration, David Eisner has made the decision to withdraw his nomination as the Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary of International Affairs. Eisner is a thoroughly qualified nominee with decades of experience working at the highest levels of the private and public sector. While we are disappointed that he will not be serving alongside the talented staff in DOE’s Office of International Affairs, we thank him for his service to the U.S. government and wish him the best in all future opportunities.”
     

                                                                                                            ###

    Demolition of former NNSA Albuquerque Complex Eliminates Over $11 Million in Deferred Maintenance

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Building stronger communities across rural Alberta

    [. That is why Alberta’s government is providing $114.6 million in grant funding to ensure rural communities have safe and efficient roads, bridges and community airports, as well as modern water and wastewater facilities to support their growing populations.

    The funding will be distributed through the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP), the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) and Water for Life program. STIP provides grants to small and rural municipalities to maintain and improve local road bridges, community airports and local resource roads. AMWWP and the Water for Life program provide grants to municipalities to assist in the construction of high-priority municipal water supply and treatment facilities, as well as wastewater treatment and disposal facilities.

    “Rural Alberta is the backbone of our province, driving economic growth, feeding the world and strengthening our communities. Our government is investing in the infrastructure rural communities need to grow and thrive, whether it’s reliable roads, modern bridges, safe community airports or water facilities. These are the essentials that support families, attract investment and keep our rural economy moving. Through Budget 2025, we’re proud to partner with municipalities to deliver real, on-the-ground results that build stronger communities and a stronger Alberta.”

    Danielle Smith, Premier

    “Rural communities are vital to Alberta’s success. In Budget 2025, we are making targeted investments through the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program and our water grant funding programs to ensure rural communities across the province have effective transportation and water infrastructure to support their continued growth and prosperity.”

    Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors

    A total of 51 local road, bridge and community airport projects are receiving funding this year under STIP. They include a $2.6-million grant for reconstruction of Range Road 150 in Newell County, west of Brooks. This road is an important part of the county’s future truck route, providing connectivity for residents and commercial traffic between Highway 1 and Highway 542. STIP grants also include a $2.5-million grant for airfield pavement rehabilitation at the CYLB airport in Lac La Biche County and a $3.6-million grant to support the replacement of the Township Road 352 bridge over the Little Red Deer River, 23 kilometres west of Innisfail.

    Additionally, a $3.5-million grant will support an industrial rail extension project in Coaldale, which will allow local producers to transport southern Alberta-grown and manufactured goods to a global customer base in the agrifood processing sector.

    Funding is being provided for 35 water and wastewater projects this year in small and rural communities across Alberta. Approved projects under the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership include an $8.9 million grant to the City of Brooks to design and build a mechanical membrane bioreactor wastewater treatment plant to replace the lagoon-based system, a $2.4 million grant to the Wabasca Water Treatment Plant that will improve services at the existing facility while the community plans for a new water treatment facility, and a $923,000 grant to the town of Sylvan Lake to drill three new wells and upgrade an existing well to increase its water supply and ensure the community has reliable access to clean drinking water.

    “We’re very pleased to receive this substantial support from the Government of Alberta. The $8.9 million in funding for our new wastewater treatment facility is a critical investment in Brooks’ future. This project will help us meet the needs of a growing population, support economic development and ensure long-term sustainability for our community.”

    John Petrie, mayor, City of Brooks

    Projects funded under the Water for Life program include a $1-million grant to the Bonnyville Regional Services Water Commission to support engineering for Phase 2 of the regional waterline extension from Bonnyville to Glendon, providing clean drinking water to many communities along this route. As well, a $14.8-million grant is being provided to the Darwell Lagoon Commission for the Northeast Lagoon Extension project, which will help ensure long-term capacity, protect local watersheds and support future community growth. Additionally, a $1.6-million grant will allow Mountain View Regional Water Services Commission to connect its regional water supply lines to the new reservoirs in the Towns of Didsbury and Carstairs, supplying water to these communities, including water for use in firefighting.

    “Rural municipalities are the backbone of Alberta’s economy, fuelling industrial growth across our province. The RMA welcomes these targeted investments in roads, bridges and water infrastructure as a vital step to maintaining safe and reliable rural transportation networks, and we look forward to building on this progress to address remaining priorities. A sustained, collaborative partnership between the RMA and the Government of Alberta will ensure a prosperous future not just for rural municipalities, but for all Albertans.”

    Kara Westerlund, president, Rural Municipalities of Alberta

    This funding is included in Budget 2025 and is part of the Alberta government’s commitment to supporting rural and small municipalities in building and maintaining critical local transportation, and water and wastewater infrastructure.

    Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

    Quick facts

    Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP) grants:

    • 51 projects approved for 2025 will receive a total of $41 million in funding under the following STIP components:
      • Local Road Bridge Program – 38 projects receiving $23.8 million in provincial funding.
      • Community Airport Program – Five projects receiving $3.7 million in provincial funding.
      • Local Municipal Initiatives – Four projects receiving $8.6 million in provincial funding.
      • Resource Road Program – Four projects receiving $4.9 million in provincial funding.

    Water grants:

    • The 35 water and wastewater infrastructure projects approved for 2025 will receive $73.6 million:
      • Nine projects will receive about $33.4 million under Water for Life program.
      • 26 projects will receive about $40.2 million through AMWWP.

    Related information

    • Budget 2025
    • Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program
    • Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership
    • Water for Life

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Grigorenko: The government has simplified the procedure for issuing permits for businesses

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The simplified format for issuing licenses and permits in Russia is enshrined in amendments to 69 federal laws. Today, they were approved by the Federation Council. The project lasted four years. During this time, the terms for issuing permits were shortened and the number of required documents was reduced, papers were transferred to electronic form and to a registry model. The project was implemented under the supervision of Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko.

    The work was carried out as part of an experiment and included more than 400 government services, all of which became available on the government services portal. In 2024 alone, about 9.5 million applications for various types of permits were received. Without a positive decision on these applications, it is illegal to carry out permitting activities.

    The adoption of the law allows us to consolidate the results of the optimization of the permitting process. Thus, thanks to the project, the time for issuing permits has been halved (from 43 to 19 days on average) and the number of documents from applicants (from 8 to 4 documents). Some types of permitting activities have been transferred to a registry model. This has made it possible to abandon paper permits in favor of entries in electronic registers, in which case it is no longer necessary to obtain and store a document on a form.

    “The government is creating conditions for comfortable business in Russia. Optimizing the process of obtaining permits is an important part of this work. We have digitalized the entire procedure: from collecting documents and submitting an application to issuing the permit itself. Entrepreneurs no longer need to duplicate information – government agencies receive it through interdepartmental data exchange. This approach has made it possible to halve the number of requested documents and the time it takes to obtain permits. That is, the procedure is simplified through digital tools without reducing the overall level of security,” commented Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko.

    The law establishes the possibility of obtaining comprehensive permits in electronic form. This format has been available on the public services portal since June of this year. In particular, the comprehensive services “Opening a Pharmacy” and “Certification of Forest Management Specialists” were launched. The user only needs to submit one application to receive a number of permits at once, which are necessary for carrying out a particular entrepreneurial activity.

    The public services portal also implements six services that provide proactive provision of permits from Rosrybolovstvo, FMBA, Rostransnadzor and Rosmorrechflot. Thus, portal users receive a notification about the need to extend permits. At the same time, the application for registration of such documents is pre-filled automatically taking into account up-to-date information from other state systems. Proactive provision of services for issuing permits is also enshrined in law.

    Amendments to 69 federal laws were prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development, adopted by the State Duma and supported by the Federation Council.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 24 more nomination forms for Election Committee Subsector By-elections received today

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Returning Officers for various subsectors of the 2025 Election Committee (EC) Subsector By-elections received a total of 23 nomination forms for candidates and one nomination form from designated bodies today (July 25). This has brought to 86 the total number of nomination forms for candidates and seven the total number of nomination forms from designated bodies received since nominations for the By-elections opened on July 22. The nomination period will end on August 4.

    If there is a contested election for an EC subsector, a poll will be held on September 7.

    The By-elections will fill a total of 93 vacancies in the membership of the EC to be returned by election involving 28 subsectors. The breakdown of nomination forms received for the relevant subsectors is set out below:

    First Sector
    Subsector No. of nomination forms for candidates received today Cumulative total
    Catering 1 1
    Commercial (first) 2 2
    Commercial (second) 0 1
    Commercial (third) 0 2
    Employers’ Federation of Hong Kong 0 1
    Hotel 0 1
    Import and export 0 2
    Industrial (first) 1 1
    Industrial (second) 0 1
    Real estate and construction 1 2
    Small and medium enterprises 0 1
    Tourism 0 1
    Transport 1 1
    Second Sector
    Subsector No. of nomination forms for candidates received today Cumulative total
    Architectural, surveying, planning and landscape 1 1
    Chinese medicine 0 1
    Education 2 2
    Legal 1 1
    Medical and health services 0 0
    Sports, performing arts, culture and publication 0 1
    Technology and innovation 5 5
    Third Sector
    Subsector No. of nomination forms for candidates received today Cumulative total
    Agriculture and fisheries 1 1
    Associations of Chinese fellow townsmen 1 7
    Grassroots associations 4 8
    Labour 0 3
    Fourth Sector
    Subsector No. of nomination forms for candidates received today Cumulative total
    Heung Yee Kuk 0 0
    Representatives of members of Area Committees, District Fight Crime Committees, and District Fire Safety Committees of Hong Kong and Kowloon 0 5
    Representatives of members of Area Committees, District Fight Crime Committees, and District Fire Safety Committees of the New Territories 1 8
    Fifth Sector
    Subsector No. of nomination forms for candidates received today Cumulative total
    Representatives of Hong Kong members of relevant national organisations 1 26
    Total: 23 86

    Besides, 10 vacancies involving five subsectors to be returned by nomination will be filled through supplementary nominations by designated bodies. The breakdown of nomination forms received for the relevant subsectors is set out below:

    Accountancy
    Designated body No. of nomination forms received from designated bodies today Cumulative total
    Association of Hong Kong Accounting Advisors Limited 0 1 (3 nominees in total)
    Sports, performing arts, culture and publication
    Designated body No. of nomination forms received from designated bodies today Cumulative total
    Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China 0 1 (1 nominee in total)
    Hong Kong Publishing Federation Limited 0 1 (1 nominee in total)
    Technology and innovation
    Designated body No. of nomination forms received from designated bodies today Cumulative total
    The Greater Bay Area Association of Academicians 1 (1 nominee in total) 1 (1 nominee in total)
    Religious
    Designated body No. of nomination forms received from designated bodies today Cumulative total
    Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong 0 0
    Chinese Muslim Cultural and Fraternal Association 0 1 (1 nominee in total)
    The Hong Kong Taoist Association 0 1 (2 nominees in total)
    Representatives of associations of Hong Kong residents in the Mainland
    Designated body No. of nomination forms received from designated bodies today Cumulative total
    Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China—Guangdong 0 1 (1 nominee in total)
    Total: 1 (1 nominee in total) 7 (10 nominees in total)

    Particulars of the nominated persons received today will be uploaded to the election website (www.elections.gov.hk).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 580, Combating CCP Labor Abuses Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 580 would require the Department of Commerce to periodically train employees who provide counseling services to businesses engaged in interstate commerce or foreign direct investment on global human rights abuses perpetrated against the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities by the government of the People’s Republic of China. The bill also would direct the agency to provide guidance to such businesses, including ways to avoid doing business with countries implicated in human rights abuses.

    CBO expects that the department would conduct training and update guidance once every three years starting in 2026. Using information from the department, CBO estimates that implementing S. 580 would cost $2 million over the 2025-2030 period for temporary staff, contracts for online courses, and printed guides. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Margot Berman. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New report shows Cap-and-Invest dollars are improving air quality in California’s most polluted communities

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jul 25, 2025

    What you need to know: With support from California’s Cap-and-Invest Program, also known as Cap-and-Trade, the state is funding air protection efforts in 19 communities with some of the highest levels of air pollution in the state. 

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that thanks to California’s Community Air Protection Program, more than four million Californians living in some of the state’s most polluted communities are seeing air quality improvements. A new progress report from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) highlights how community-led solutions are cutting emissions, strengthening enforcement of clean air policies, and delivering cleaner, healthier air around the state. 

    More than $600 million has gone to over 9,000 projects cleaning the air since 2017, funded by the state’s Cap-and-Invest program, also known as Cap-and-Trade.

    “We’re cutting harmful pollution across California with a special focus on communities that have some of the dirtiest air in our state. Thanks to Cap-and-Invest, we’ve invested hundreds of millions of dollars in projects that are proven to clean the air. In the face of a federal government hostile to clean air, we can’t let up now – that’s why we’re working to extend Cap-and-Invest this year.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    As Governor Newsom and legislative leaders continue to work on extending the Cap-and-Invest program, recent reports highlight how critical the program is to the state’s economic future, and how uncertainty is costing the state billions. 

    Turning Cap-and-Invest revenues into lasting air quality gains

    Established in 2017 by Assembly Bill 617 and supported by Cap-and-Invest revenue, the Community Air Protection Program places community voices at the center of efforts to reduce air pollution and protect public health in the state’s most impacted areas.

    In each of the 19 communities the program supports, CARB and the local air districts have established partnerships to develop plans addressing local pollution problems.

    Funded through California’s Cap-and-Invest Program, CARB has directed $632 million to more than 9,000 incentive projects since 2017, with 85% of the funding reaching disadvantaged and low-income communities.

    The projects vary widely across the state based on community priorities including:

    • Swapping out thousands of dirty old lawnmowers with clean electric replacements throughout the San Joaquin Valley.
    • Reducing dust exposure by funding paving of school parking lots, urban greening projects, and installing air filtration systems in schools in the Imperial Valley.
    • Helping fund a first-in-the-nation electric tugboat in the Port of San Diego, which will reduce 30,000 gallons of diesel pollution per year.

    The projects are producing permanent, enforceable reductions in harmful air pollutants, including reducing:

    • 23,000+ tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx)— equivalent to removing about 22.5 million cars from the road for an entire year. 
    • 950 tons of diesel particulate matter — equivalent to annual emissions from up to two million heavy-duty trucks. 
    • 282,600 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions — equivalent to emissions from driving a gasoline-powered car nearly 872 million miles.  

    Expanding the program’s reach

    Adopted in 2023, CARB’s Blueprint 2.0 expands the Community Air Protection Program to 64 communities that continue to experience high pollution burdens. This next phase focuses on:

    • Supporting community-based capacity building and local emissions reduction plan development with grant funding; 48 grants have been awarded in these communities. 
    • Implementing community-focused enforcement strategies.
    • Increasing funding flexibility and efficiency to respond to local needs, such as urban greening projects and indoor air filtration projects.

    To support these communities, the Statewide Mobile Monitoring Initiative (SMMI) was launched in June. The $27 million pilot project uses specially equipped vehicles to collect block-by-block pollution data to support actions to protect public health.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jul 25, 2025

    News What you need to know: California is celebrating the fourth anniversary of the California Cradle-to-Career Data System, which connects datasets from multiple state entities to deliver information on education and workforce outcomes and help students reach their…

    Jul 24, 2025

    News Governor Newsom praises the State Water Board for incorporating the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program into the Bay-Delta Plan What you need to know: The Newsom Administration’s innovative Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program, which improves environmental…

    Jul 24, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today on a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit striking down California’s ammunition background check law, which was passed by voters in 2016: Strong…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Country heat policy review: Australia

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Australia has implemented a coordinated, multi-tiered approach to managing extreme heat through federal and state-level initiatives.

    Australia has implemented a coordinated, multi-tiered approach to managing extreme heat through federal and state- level initiatives. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) launched the National Heatwave Warning Framework in November 2022, which issues heatwave warnings along with behavioural advice during periods of extreme heat. These warnings are disseminated nationwide through online portals, mobile apps, and media partnerships, supporting the management of critical services and infrastructure while providing targeted advice to vulnerable populations. State and territory government emergency services and health departments, in collaboration with federal health authorities, implement localized heat action plans tailored to regional needs, ensuring that responses to extreme heat are context- specific.

    The National Heatwave Warning Framework aligns with the Australian Warning System, providing a consistent three-level warning structure (Advice, Watch and Act, Emergency Warning) across Commonwealth, State, and Territory Governments. This system is designed to reduce the impact of heatwaves not only on health but also on critical infrastructure, ecosystems, and societal functions. The warnings allow for a wide range of preparatory actions as heatwaves intensify, escalating advice from vulnerable individuals to healthy people, and including guidance on protecting infrastructure.

    Each State and Territory has developed its own heat health plans to address heat risks through prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery strategies. Lead agencies vary by jurisdiction but typically include health departments, emergency services, and meteorological bodies. The decentralized approach ensures that State and Territory Governments can adapt their heat action plans to local conditions while benefiting from federal coordination.

    Cross-sectoral collaboration primarily involves the integration of public health, meteorological services, and emergency management. While public-private partnerships have not played a prominent role in Australia’s heat resilience efforts, there is ongoing exploration of partnerships to incorporate heat resilience into urban planning and infrastructure projects.

    Efforts are increasingly focused on integrating Indigenous knowledge into heat resilience strategies, recognizing that Western approaches may not be sufficient and that engagement with Indigenous ways of understanding and managing heat could offer valuable insights.

    Key achievements include the nationwide Multi Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS), an informed heatwave warning system developed by BOM, which provides timely information to both the public and authorities, enabling prompt action.

    Localized heat action plans have been developed across States and Territories, allowing for tailored responses to regional climate conditions and population needs. These efforts have significantly strengthened Australia’s resilience to extreme heat and improved cross-sectoral public health response capabilities.

    Australia’s model of decentralized, State-led heat management supported by strong national coordination highlights the importance of localized adaptation strategies. While public- private partnerships were not prominently featured, Australia’s comprehensive warning system and cross-government collaboration provide a robust foundation for responding to extreme heat. This model offers valuable insights for countries with similar governance structures and emphasizes the need for integrating Indigenous knowledge, health, climate, and urban planning efforts to build long-term resilience.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Country heat policy review: Argentina

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Argentina has adopted several governance structures to address the impacts of extreme heat, focusing on integrating efforts into broader climate adaptation and disaster management frameworks.

    The National Weather Service (SMN) first introduced an early warning system for extreme heat in Buenos Aires in 2009, which has now expanded to cover 71 meteorological stations for country-wide alerts issued year-round due to changing climate patterns. These alerts are disseminated through various channels, including email systems and media partnerships, ensuring broad coverage across regions.

    The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with SMN, leads public health campaigns and has developed a sentinel surveillance system to monitor heat-related morbidity, tracking the health impacts of extreme temperatures across provinces. Argentina also involves provincial and local governments in implementing heat action plans and managing hospital responses during heatwave alerts, with emergency services playing a critical role in the outreach and protection of vulnerable populations.

    Early warning systems are further integrated into workplace regulations, adapting work hours and hydration protocols during extreme heat events, particularly in sectors like construction and agriculture, where workers are at higher risk. While not formalized, coordination with the energy and agricultural sectors helps manage the impacts of blackouts and other heat-related disruptions.

    Public-private partnerships play an increasing role in Argentina’s heat resilience efforts, including collaborations with organizations like the Argentine Red Cross and professional medical associations to improve emergency care and healthcare system capacity.

    Partnerships are also emerging in urban planning and energy sectors, including projects to develop green spaces and cool roofs to mitigate the urban heat island effect in low-income areas, such as the Cool Roofs Initiative, which targets temperature reduction in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

    An important actor in these efforts is the Centre for the Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth (CIPPEC), an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to policy innovation. Through its “Cities” Programme, CIPPEC conducted dialogues on urban heat resilience to support climate adaptation at the municipal level and was instrumental in presenting a forthcoming project with Wellcome Trust, which aims to enhance Argentina’s heat resilience framework through strengthened municipal engagement.

    Argentina’s key achievements include expanding the early warning system to cover the entire population, developing the sentinel surveillance project to improve data on heat-related health impacts, and leveraging international funding for research.

    Additionally, Argentina’s public-private partnerships have enhanced its ability to respond to heat risks, and collaborations with international organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Bank, continue to strengthen the country’s capacity to manage extreme heat effectively. Argentina has also begun discussions around integrating heat resilience measures into long-term urban development plans, aiming to create a sustainable framework for heat adaptation in the years to come.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –