Category: Politics

MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Blumenthal, Senators Pen Letter To HHS Secretary Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Makary Urging Them To Halt Efforts To Weaken Food Oversight

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

May 09, 2025

FDA “is one of the best positioned federal offices to help ‘Make America Healthy Again,’ but the Trump Administration has undermined the program,” the Senators wrote in their letter

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and three of their Senate Democratic colleagues today sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary raising concerns about recent changes to the FDA that will weaken the Human Foods Program, which spearheads all food safety and nutrition efforts at FDA. The Senators’ letter comes as Secretary Kennedy has slashed staffing at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), terminating 10,000 employees, including 19 percent of the FDA workforce.

“The Human Foods Program oversees 78 percent of food in the United States. It enforces federal laws, coordinates with other federal agencies and state and local governments, and distributes public health information. Further, it combats diet-related chronic diseases, such as heart disease and certain cancers, that shorten lives and contribute to rising health care costs,” the Senators wrote in their letter.

“The Human Foods Program is one of the best positioned federal offices to help ‘Make America Healthy Again,’ but the Trump Administration has undermined the program through workforce terminations, funding cuts, and haphazard ‘reorganizations,’ all of which will put the health and well-being of Americans at risk,” the Senators continued their letter.

Secretary Kennedy and Commissioner Makary have signed off on massive cuts to FDA, damaging critical operations at the Human Foods Program. In addition to laying off 3,500 FDA employees, including hundreds of workers in the Human Foods Program and Office of Inspections and Investigations, FDA has slashed funding for state inspection offices that review processed food facilities, produce facilities, and restaurants.

“The Government Accountability Office found that food inspections need to be strengthened to prevent outbreaks. However, HHS’ changes will force food inspectors to spend valuable time booking their own travel and seeking approvals, rather than inspecting food facilities. This is careless and will lead to even fewer inspections—and less safe food,” the Senators wrote.

Further, Secretary Kennedy has senselessly chosen to consolidate HHS’ 28 divisions into 15 while reducing HHS regional offices from 10 to five, resulting in the closure of HHS’ Chicago office that worked with state and local governments to address outbreaks and other public health concerns.

“Eliminating these regional offices will reduce state and local governments’ access to HHS resources, and the decision to shutter laboratories across the nation—some which had been working to curb the spread of bird flu—will lead to even slower response times to future outbreaks. Further, reports that FDA is considering combining all product offices into a single Office of Product Evaluation and Regulation would further undermine oversight and enforcement,” the Senators wrote.

The Senators concluded their letter, urging Secretary Kennedy and Commissioner Makary to reconsider their decision to ax HHS and FDA’s workforce at the detriment of Americans’ health.

“Americans deserve access to the safest and healthiest food. But, too often, it has been a source of sickness, rather than a source of health. The Trump Administration’s recent actions, sadly, will not change that—and will not ‘Make America Healthy Again.’ Americans will become even sicker. We encourage HHS and FDA to abandon these plans and invest in improving the health and well-being of Americans,” the Senators concluded their letter.

In addition to Durbin and Blumenthal, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) signed onto the letter.

In April, Durbin led the Illinois Democratic Delegation in sending a letter to Secretary Kennedy vocalizing their strong opposition to his decision to close the HHS Region 5 office in Chicago. In addition to ripping away billions in promised federal funding, Secretary Kennedy has overseen the destruction of HHS’ workforce and infrastructure, putting thousands of dedicated career civil servants out of a job while gutting critical federal agencies. Since President Trump’s inauguration, 10,000 HHS employees have left the agency or been fired. A couple weeks ago, HHS announced that an additional 10,000 public health workers will be fired, including 3,500 from the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 workers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,200 workers from the National Institutes of Health, and 300 workers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Full text of the letter follows:

May 9, 2025

Dear Secretary Kennedy and Commissioner Makary,

We write with concern about recent changes at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that will weaken the Human Foods Program. We urge you to abandon these plans before Americans become even sicker.

The Human Foods Program oversees 78 percent of food in the United States. It enforces federal laws, coordinates with other federal agencies and state and local governments, and distributes public health information. Further, it combats diet-related chronic diseases, such as heart disease and certain cancers, that shorten lives and contribute to rising health care costs. The Human Foods Program is one of the best positioned federal offices to help “Make America Healthy Again,” but the Trump Administration has undermined the program through workforce terminations, funding cuts, and haphazard “reorganizations,” all of which will put the health and well-being of Americans at risk.

For example, in March, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced plans to eliminate 3,500 FDA employees, including hundreds of workers in the Human Foods Program and nearly 170 workers in the Office of Inspections and Investigations, who helped to book travel for inspectors and processed reimbursements. In addition, FDA is cutting funding to state inspection offices, which conduct more than 50 percent of inspections at processed food facilities, 90 percent of inspections at produce facilities, and all inspections at restaurants. In the face of too many serious outbreaks and recalls, FDA has not taken the steps necessary to inspect food facilities or address serious issues, such as prior to the nationwide infant formula recall in 2022. The Government Accountability Office found that food inspections need to be strengthened to prevent outbreaks. However, HHS’ changes will force food inspectors to spend valuable time booking their own travel and seeking approvals, rather than inspecting food facilities. This is careless and will lead to even fewer inspections—and less safe food.

HHS also announced a significant reorganization, including the closure of regional offices in Chicago, New York, Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco, and the closure of laboratories across the nation. Eliminating these regional offices will reduce state and local governments’ access to HHS resources, and the decision to shutter laboratories across the nation—some which had been working to curb the spread of bird flu—will lead to even slower response times to future outbreaks. Further, reports that FDA is considering combining all product offices into a single Office of Product Evaluation and Regulation would further undermine oversight and enforcement.

Americans deserve access to the safest and healthiest food. But, too often, it has been a source of sickness, rather than a source of health. The Trump Administration’s recent actions, sadly, will not change that—and will not “Make America Healthy Again.” Americans will become even sicker. We encourage HHS and FDA to abandon these plans and invest in improving the health and well-being of Americans.

Sincerely,

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MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Discusses Trump Cuts To AmeriCorps Programs With Program Alumni

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

May 09, 2025

CHICAGO ? U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined leaders from Public Allies Chicago and North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) , as well as AmeriCorps alumni, to discuss the impact of the Trump Administration’s elimination of federal funding for AmeriCorps programs.

“From rebuilding homes and providing rural health care, to tutoring kids after school and cleaning up after natural disasters, AmeriCorps supports our most under-resourced communities,” said Durbin. “Service providers like Public Allies and North Lawndale Employment Network are left in the lurch thanks to President Trump’s decision to eliminate this critical, bipartisan-supported funding. I will continue urging my Republican colleagues to fight against this Administration’s senseless attempts to eliminate such small amounts of funding that have such incredible, positive impact in their communities like here in Chicago.”

“Since its founding 1993, Public Allies Chicago has equipped young community leaders with the skills to improve the lives of Chicagoans through service placements at more than 400 local nonprofit and government partners working on critical issues like education, violence prevention and underemployment,” said Mark Payne, Executive Director, Public Allies Chicago. “In just the last few years, Public Allies Chicago has turned $3.7 million in federal funds into a $7.5 million investment in Chicago’s communities. Cuts to AmeriCorps harm Chicago’s service-minded young people and our most vulnerable communities.”

“Public Allies has been an incredible capacity builder for NLEN, enhancing our ability to serve the community effectively while investing in residents like Michael Bradley and Ronnie Branch, our community leaders of tomorrow.” said Brenda Palms-Barber, NLEN CEO

Photos of today’s meeting are available here.

The Trump Administration’s elimination of federal funding for AmeriCorps will lead to the shuttering of 1,000 programs and will end service for more than 32,000 AmeriCorps members across the nation. In Illinois, $12 million in federal grants will be terminated, impacting 632 AmeriCorps employees, including Public Allies Chicago and North Lawndale Employment Network, which provide critical community and career services to Chicagoans.

Earlier this week, Durbin spoke on the Senate floor about the direct impact that eliminating AmeriCorps funding will have on Illinois, including the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House in East St. Louis, Illinois, which Durbin visited last month.

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MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Breaking: China supports Cuba in defending sovereignty, resisting foreign interference – Xi Jinping

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

Moscow, May 9 (Xinhua) — China firmly supports Cuba in defending its national sovereignty and opposing foreign interference and blockade, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in the Russian capital on Friday.

Xi Jinping made the statement during a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.

As the Chinese President noted, the Chinese side also supports Cuba’s efforts to promote socio-economic development. The two countries, as important members of the Global South, should strengthen coordination and cooperation within such structures as BRICS and the China-CELAC Forum (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), oppose power politics and unilateral bullying, and uphold international fairness and justice, the Chinese leader stressed. -0-

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, Colleagues Push Trump Administration to Fill Sudan Special Envoy Position as Civil War Continues

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to work with President Trump to appoint a new Special Envoy for Sudan, build out key senior Africa roles at the State Department and the National Security Council, and to hold accountable both internal and foreign actors prolonging the conflict.
The ongoing violence in Sudan has led to a massive humanitarian crisis. Since the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023, it’s estimated that the conflict has claimed the lives of tens of thousands to potentially over one hundred thousand individuals, and in the region, an estimated 30 million Sudanese are in need of immediate assistance.
Warner and Kaine have led efforts to address this crisis, including introducing the Response to Conflict in Sudan Act, legislation to bolster and coordinate the U.S. response to the war in Sudan. The senators also previously pushed the Biden administration to take steps to better address the chaos and violence displacing millions of people in Sudan and the surrounding regions by appointing a Special Envoy for Sudan. Following the senators’ calls for a special envoy, President Biden appointed former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello to the position, but the position has remained vacant under the Trump administration.
The senators wrote, “Since its outbreak, this conflict has displaced more than 14 million people – an estimated 11.5 million internally, plus an additional 3 million fleeing to neighboring countries and regions. Approximately 30 million people – more than half of Sudan’s population – are in urgent humanitarian need. By some estimates, the conflict has killed upwards of 150,000 people, in what the U.S. government has officially declared a genocide. Belligerents on both sides stand accused of atrocities, including killings, abductions of civilians, and horrific instances of sexual violence against women and children.”
The senators highlighted continued bipartisan efforts to respond to the crisis in Sudan and the need to fill crucial roles in countries impacted by the ongoing civil war.
Added the senators, “We urge the Administration to fill the Special Envoy position, which would align with bipartisan Congressional intent expressed through the passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which included provisions of the Response to Conflict in Sudan Act. We also strongly urge you to work with the President to nominate senior officials responsible for Africa, including the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, ambassadors to countries impacted by or otherwise implicated in the conflict, and push for the appointment of a Senior Director for Africa at the National Security Council to coordinate interagency efforts.”
In addition to the need to fill these crucial roles, the senators highlighted the impact that outside influences are having on this crisis, and the need for the U.S. to hold accountable any foreign actors exacerbating the crisis.
“To date, the Office of Foreign Assets Control added SAF and RSF members to the Specially Designated Nationals List and taken action against numerous UAE companies for potentially violating U.S. sanctions. We encourage you, alongside allies and partners, to continue to hold accountable external actors that support and/or finance the conflict, using all available tools,” they wrote.
In addition to Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by Todd Young (R-IN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).
A copy of letter is available here and text is below.
Dear Secretary Rubio,
Now into the third year of destructive conflict in Sudan, with escalating violence and atrocities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), U.S. engagement to bring a resolution to this conflict is more critical than ever. You can send a strong signal to the region by working with the President to appoint a new Special Envoy for Sudan and holding accountable both Sudanese and foreign actors prolonging the conflict.
Since its outbreak, this conflict has displaced more than 14 million people – an estimated 11.5 million internally, plus an additional 3 million fleeing to neighboring countries and regions. Approximately 30 million people – more than half of Sudan’s population – are in urgent humanitarian need. By some estimates, the conflict has killed upwards of 150,000 people, in what the U.S. government has officially declared a genocide. Belligerents on both sides stand accused of atrocities, including killings, abductions of civilians, and horrific instances of sexual violence against women and children.
We urge the Administration to fill the Special Envoy position, which would align with bipartisan Congressional intent expressed through the passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which included provisions of the Response to Conflict in Sudan Act. We also strongly urge you to work with the President to nominate senior officials responsible for Africa, including the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, ambassadors to countries impacted by or otherwise implicated in the conflict, and push for the appointment of a Senior Director for Africa at the National Security Council to coordinate interagency efforts.
In addition to naming an envoy, we urge you to hold accountable external actors – including the UAE, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt – and foreign businesses fueling the gruesome atrocities. The recent large-scale offensive by the RSF in Darfur – which has included storming and systematically burning down the Zamzam refugee camp, killing hundreds of people in a massacre that has also forced hundreds of thousands more to flee the camp in a matter of days – exemplifies the depravity that is being enabled by these external forces.
To date, the Office of Foreign Assets Control added SAF and RSF members to the Specially Designated Nationals List and taken action against numerous UAE companies for potentially violating U.S. sanctions. We encourage you, alongside allies and partners, to continue to hold accountable external actors that support and/or finance the conflict, using all available tools.
Conflicts rarely stay localized, and the longer this horrific war drags on, the more combustible this region becomes – an outcome that creates a power vacuum that extremists, terrorists, and our foreign adversaries will only be too happy to fill. The war’s continuation not only harms millions of innocent civilians, but also poses serious risk to American security interests in the region.
We strongly support U.S. engagement and leadership in Sudan. The appointment of a new Special Envoy would send a strong signal. We look forward to working together to support your efforts to end the conflict in Sudan, address the humanitarian crisis, hold accountable those responsible for atrocities, and stop the actors fueling this crisis inside and outside Sudan.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: THREE BATON ROUGE INDIVIDUALS PLEAD GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE’S 2024 NATIONAL HEALTH CARE FRAUD ENFORCEMENT ACTION

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that three Baton Rouge individuals pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson in connection with schemes to obtain controlled substances from pharmacies using fraudulent prescriptions with the stolen identities of licensed medical professionals, and to obtain funds from federal pandemic assistance programs by submitting false and fraudulent applications.

Kevan Andre Hills, age 31, Devin Tyrone Stampley, Jr., age 33, and Asia Deshan Guess, age 28, all of Baton Rouge, admitted that they caused the submission of fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances, such as Promethazine with Codeine and Hydrocodone, to Medicaid, causing Medicaid to be fraudulently billed for filling those fraudulent prescriptions. They used the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration numbers and other identifying information of several physicians and other medical providers, without authority, on the fraudulent prescriptions. As part of the scheme to unlawfully obtain controlled substances for resale, Stampley burglarized a pharmacy in Louisiana.

Hills, Stampley, and their co-conspirators also submitted, caused to be submitted, and assisted others in submitting numerous false and fraudulent applications for federal funds, seeking at least $293,498 in funds administrated by the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act unemployment benefits. Hills, Stampley, and their co-conspirators submitted and caused to be submitted falsified bank statements, tax forms, and other documents in support of the fraudulent PPP applications. Hills, Stampley, and their co-conspirators defrauded the federal pandemic assistance programs of at least $87,663 by posing as fake small business owners and residents in need of assistance. Upon receipt of the illegal funds, Hills, Stampley, and their co-conspirators made electronic transfers and personal purchases.

Guess illegally sought at least $125,978 in federal funds, including federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits under the CARES Act for eligible workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guess caused the submission of fraudulent applications and claims for unemployment benefits to the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC), Maine Department of Labor (Maine DOL), and other state workforce agencies around the country. Guess assisted in the submission of falsified application details, such as her employment history and residency, to appear eligible for PUA funds and other benefits. Guess fraudulently obtained at least $15,859 in unemployment insurance benefits from the LWC and Maine DOL.

Hills, Stampley, and Guess pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Hills and Stampley pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Stampley pleaded guilty to one count of burglary of a pharmacy. Guess pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds.

Each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of thirty years in prison, each count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, each count of theft of government funds carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, each count of burglary of a pharmacy carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison, and each count of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; April M. Leon, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Dallas Region, Baton Rouge Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the DEA, New Orleans Division; and Special Agent in Charge Casey J. Howard of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Central Region, made the announcement.

HHS-OIG, DEA, and DOL-OIG are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen L. Craig for the Middle District of Louisiana and Trial Attorneys Gary A. Crosby II and Samantha E. Usher of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

MIL Security OSI –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. supports projects that help communities prepare for climate emergencies
Source: Government of Canada regional news

The new Disaster Resilience and Innovation Funding (DRIF) program provides support to First Nations and local governments for projects that will enhance their ability to withstand and adapt to natural hazards and climate-caused disasters.

Funding is available in two categories:
- Structural projects
- Foundational and non-structural projects
Local governments and First Nations throughout British Columbia are receiving approximately $21 million for 46 projects as follows:

Structural projects

City of Pitt Meadows: Kennedy Drainage Pump Station upgrades
This project will increase the resilience of the City of Pitt Meadows and help protect people, businesses, farmers and critical transportation networks from flooding.
Amount: $3.65 million

City of Merritt: Installation of the next phase of the City of Merritt flood-protection dikes
Planning to begin construction of another section of dike to help protect the city from flooding. This dike section protects the Middlesboro area and the downtown core.
Amount: $3,398,150

Nazko First Nation: Natural infrastructure disaster risk-reduction project
An urban forest will be created to offer relief during extreme heat and provide flood mitigation through increased soil stability.
Amount: $1,102,560

Regional District of Central Okanagan: Community hall HVAC installations
This project strengthens critical community infrastructure against extreme temperatures and associated power outages, particularly supporting vulnerable populations during emergencies.
Amount: $200,000

Foundational and non-structural projects

Aitchelitz First Nation: Cost benefit analysis for flood-risk and mitigation strategies
Enhance the understanding of flood-risk and flood-mitigation strategies in the community, and support future projects to reduce flood risk.
Amount: $147,845

City of Burnaby: Burnaby Strategies and Actions for Earthquake Resilience (B-SAFER)
B-SAFER focuses on developing seismic resiliency strategies, including recommendations for infrastructure improvements, upgrades and revision of bylaws and guidelines.
Amount: $400,000

City of Castlegar: Floodplain mapping and climate change hazard risk assessment
This project will provide a better understanding of areas within the city that are at a higher risk of flooding. This will allow the city to co-ordinate and communicate with residents in times of higher flood risk.
Amount: $399,920

City of Chilliwack: Chilliwack Creek catchment flood-mitigation project
The project will improve the city’s resilience to natural and climate-driven disasters through improved understanding of flood risks, vulnerabilities and available risk-reduction options.
Amount: $110,000

City of Courtenay: Anderton Dike remediation assessment, design and engagement
The planning phase of the dike remediation project will determine how to best apply engineering and biology to naturalize the shore to mitigate the risk associated with erosion and flooding.
Amount: $400,000

City of Delta: Climate-adaptation and resilience strategy
Delta will improve its understanding of risks, vulnerabilities and impacts to climate-related hazards through a review of climate-change projections and impacts, and a review of the city’s hazard, risk and vulnerability analysis (HRVA).
Amount: $75,000

City of Kamloops: Thompson River watershed climate-adaptation plan
Drought risk in Kamloops is increasing annually, with a trend of water-level decline found in recent floodplain mapping. To complete planning for critical infrastructure, the study will include hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of the Thompson River watershed.
Amount: $400,000

City of Merritt: Hazard risk and vulnerability analysis (HRVA)
An updated, modernized HRVA is essential to identify hazards of biggest concern and to allow communities to reduce risks through identifying future risk-reduction projects.
Amount: $60,000

City of Merritt: Sandbagging machine
A sandbagging machine improves flooding resiliency by allowing the rapid sealing of manholes and catch basins. It reduces the labour required to produce sandbags in an emergency, freeing up personnel to conduct other response actions.
Amount: $100,000

City of Nanaimo: Sea-level rise management plan
This project helps the city plan for and manage potential sea-level rise before severe impacts occur, and ensure new infrastructure is designed and located to be resilient to sea-level rise and coastal flooding impacts.
Amount: $400,000

City of Richmond: North Dike preliminary design project
This project improves the city’s resilience to flood, addressing both current and future risks associated with sea-level rise and climate change.
Amount: $400,000

Cowichan Valley Regional District: Tsunami modelling and mapping – Regional partners: Municipality of North Cowichan, Town of Ladysmith
Resiliency will be increased by improving the understanding of disaster risk from tsunami caused by earthquake and underwater landslide/sand slide.
Amount: $400,000

District of North Vancouver: Disaster risk-reduction action plan for the North Shore – Regional partners: City of North Vancouver, District of West Vancouver
This project is a collaboration between the three North Shore municipalities, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Squamish Nation and critical infrastructure partners. The action plan will reduce risk and empower residents, organizations and communities to share the responsibility to reduce disaster risk and adapt to climate change.
Amount: $997,000

Dzawada’enuxw First Nation: Disaster risk assessment, and resilience and innovation planning-mitigation options assessment
The disaster risk assessment will identify potential solutions to mitigate hazards and identify adaptation and risk-reduction options. The resilience and innovation assessment will increase the remote Nation’s resilience through a mitigation and planning analysis.
Amount: $400,000

Fraser Valley Regional District: Landslide hazard assessment at Boston Bar, and risk-management framework for catastrophic landslides
This project includes a technical evaluation of the landslide hazard above the community, and an examination of existing risk-management policies. It will build resiliency through co-ordination and engagement with First Nations, infrastructure owners and the regional district.
Amount: $345,434

Lytton First Nation: Enhancing climate resilience through infrastructure planning
This project is part of a five-year strategy to improve the Nation’s ability to plan, prioritize and implement infrastructure projects and programs to improve resilience in the face of growing impacts caused by climate change.
Amount: $325,000

Metro Vancouver (Regional District): Rice Lake dams – Seismic hazard and stability assessments
The Rice Lake dams are classified as “very high consequence” under the BC Dam Safety Regulation, indicating the importance of understanding potential risks.
Amount: $300,000

District of Peachland: Hazard, risk and vulnerability analysis (HRVA) and climate-change risk assessment (CCRA)
The project will assess hazard probabilities by comparing annual climate hazard occurrences with historical climate trends and thresholds for specific assets or systems.
Amount: $70,000

Regional District of Central Kootenay: Updated floodplain bylaws and associated mapping – Regional partner: Village of Salmo
This project will improve resilience of the small rural communities by providing updated and detailed floodplain and hazard mapping and bylaws related to land adjacent to flood-prone and steep creek areas.
Amount: $194,000

Regional District of Central Okanagan: Comprehensive hazard risk and vulnerability assessment
The project will improve resilience by enhancing co-ordination and engagement, informing mitigation strategies and existing infrastructure upgrades, promoting green infrastructure and guiding the development of new infrastructure.
Amount: $125,000

Regional District of Kootenay Boundary: Floodplain and alluvial fan mapping, Electoral Areas D and E
This region experiences regular and destructive flooding. The two electoral areas were identified in previous risk assessments as requiring updated flood mapping that incorporates climate change forecasting.
Amount: $400,000

Saulteau First Nation: Water-related hazard management plan
The project will improve resilience through increased and more accessible planning/mapping resources. This work aids the Nation in working with external partners toward regional resiliency.
Amount: $245,987

Skowkale First Nation: Disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation plan – Regional partners: Aitchelitz First Nation, Yakweakwioose First Nation
This regional project increases resilience of the First Nations to natural and climate disasters through a deeper understanding of their specific risks and the development of community-centred solutions.
Amount: $486,579

Strathcona Regional District: Walters Island water system study
The regional district will assess the system’s vulnerabilities and develop a more resilient design that reduces the risk of catastrophic water shortages.
Amount: $70,000

Village of Kaslo: Enhancing Kaslo’s resilience to flooding and geohazards
A two-part project that helps ensure a sustainable future for Kaslo’s drinking-water sources, and planning for flood and erosion mitigation on the Kaslo River by identifying hazards and mitigating the effects of extreme weather events.
Amount: $150,000

Town of Princeton: Diking system ownership study and Similkameen dike upgrades pre-design report
The pre-design project identifies dike sections to upgrade, alternatives for flood protection upgrades, and provide the foundational work for a future structural project.
Amount: $400,000

Town of Sidney: Disaster-safe water supply
This project will help the town access alternate sources of potable water when primary infrastructure is damaged during an earthquake or cannot deliver expected volumes or quantities.
Amount: $176,000

Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation: Pesqatwa7 (Pavilion Lake) landslide hazard mitigation planning
Continual monitoring of existing landslide hazards to better define their extents and magnitude. Community resilience will be increased by the development of preliminary mitigation measures and designs.
Amount: $400,000

Uchucklesaht Tribe Government: Shoreline protection analysis
A shoreline protection analysis will examine nature-based and engineering approaches to shoreline protection that could result in new infrastructure that enhances resilience to coastal storms, flooding and tsunamis.
Amount: $400,000

Village of Cumberland: Perseverance watershed initiative
This project provides hydrometric and soil data to improve understanding of water scarcity, drought and flood issues in the region.
Amount: $75,000

Village of Lumby: Duteau Creek flood-mitigation works preliminary design
Continuation of the village’s flood-mitigation plan that will reduce the risk of flooding and increase resilience. A proposed new dike will provide structural flood mitigation to the project area.
Amount: $400,000

Village of Pemberton: Ayers Dike flood mitigation project
This project will inform decision-making around structural and non-structural flood mitigation to increase resilience in the Pemberton Valley, ensuring flood mitigation strategies are cost-effective, data-driven and sustainable.
Amount: $297,589

Wei Wai Kum First Nation: IR #11 disaster resilience and development planning
The project includes a flood-mitigation-and-erosion-control plan, including floodplain mapping, a seismic assessment and an environmental assessment, including consideration of future structural disaster risk-reduction projects.
Amount: $400,000

Witset First Nation: Comprehensive study for water supply resilience
Detailed hydrologic modelling, flow, water-quality monitoring and infrastructure assessments will generate vital data on risks such as water shortages, reduced water quality and system failures.
Amount: $399,226

Xaxli’p First Nation: IR1 Landslide hazard assessment and preliminary mitigation design
This study will provide the framework for future detailed mitigation design and continued monitoring as part of the next phase of the project, increasing the resiliency of this remote community.
Amount: $400,000

City of Vancouver: Reducing extreme heat risk in multi-family buildings
This project forms the foundation for increasing city resilience through municipal actions, policies or programs to reduce the risk of extreme heat in homes across Vancouver.
Amount: $215,000

Kitselas Band Council: Assessment and design to mitigate sediment inputs from the Clore Slide
The project will develop mitigation options and a detailed design to reduce the potential for landslide activity, which will reduce the risks to people and infrastructure.
Amount: $170,000

Leq’a:mel First Nation: Building resilience and strengthening relationships for disaster risk mitigation – Partnering proponent: Sumas First Nation
The two First Nations will lead a project in developing partnerships with 15 Coast Salish Nations to create a regional resilience plan, promoting disaster risk reduction around drought and water scarcity, extreme temperatures, flood and geohazards.
Amount: $200,000

Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine: Climate action plan
The climate action plan will provide a better understanding of the impacts of climate change and the risks it poses on the region, where vulnerabilities lie and what options are available to reduce these risks.
Amount: $174,558

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) First Nation: Nature-based solutions assessment
This work will identify potential structural and non-structural mitigation works to support the Nation to adapt to climate change and impacts from sea-level rise and shifting precipitation patterns.
Amount: $233,832

Town of Smithers: Integrated climate change and natural-assets management plan
The plan will help the town understand the risks posed by climate change to natural assets, the value that they provide from an economic and ecological perspective, and the options available to mitigate that risk.
Amount: $199,300

Village of Cache Creek: Sewer protection options analysis and design
An options analysis and detailed plan contribute to a better understanding of risks and vulnerabilities to floods, avalanches and landslides.
Amount: $394,000

MIL OSI Canada News –
May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Radio Davos | Stock markets and supermarkets how business is deploying AI

Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6WWFwvECBI

MIL OSI Video –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Young, Colleagues Push Trump Administration to Fill Sudan Special Envoy Position as Civil War Continues

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Todd Young (R-IN) wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to work with President Trump to appoint a new Special Envoy for Sudan, build out key senior Africa roles at the State Department and the National Security Council, and to hold accountable both internal and foreign actors prolonging the conflict. Joining Sens. Warner and Young in the letter are U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).
The ongoing violence in Sudan has led to a massive humanitarian crisis. Since the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023, it’s estimated that the conflict has claimed the lives of tens of thousands to potentially over one hundred thousand individuals, and in the region, an estimated 30 million Sudanese are in need of immediate assistance.
Sen. Warner has led bipartisan efforts to address this crisis, including pushing the Biden administration to take steps to better address the chaos and violence displacing millions of people in Sudan and the surrounding regions. Following the senators’ calls for a special envoy, President Biden appointed former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello to the position, but the position has remained vacant under the Trump administration.
The senators wrote, “Since its outbreak, this conflict has displaced more than 14 million people – an estimated 11.5 million internally, plus an additional 3 million fleeing to neighboring countries and regions. Approximately 30 million people – more than half of Sudan’s population – are in urgent humanitarian need. By some estimates, the conflict has killed upwards of 150,000 people, in what the U.S. government has officially declared a genocide. Belligerents on both sides stand accused of atrocities, including killings, abductions of civilians, and horrific instances of sexual violence against women and children.”
The senators highlighted continued bipartisan efforts to respond to the crisis in Sudan and the need to fill crucial roles in countries impacted by the ongoing civil war.
Added the senators, “We urge the Administration to fill the Special Envoy position, which would align with bipartisan Congressional intent expressed through the passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which included provisions of the Response to Conflict in Sudan Act. We also strongly urge you to work with the President to nominate senior officials responsible for Africa, including the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, ambassadors to countries impacted by or otherwise implicated in the conflict, and push for the appointment of a Senior Director for Africa at the National Security Council to coordinate interagency efforts.”
In addition to the need to fill these crucial roles, the senators highlighted the impact that outside influences are having on this crisis, and the need for the U.S. to hold accountable any foreign actors exacerbating the crisis.
“To date, the Office of Foreign Assets Control added SAF and RSF members to the Specially Designated Nationals List and taken action against numerous UAE companies for potentially violating U.S. sanctions. We encourage you, alongside allies and partners, to continue to hold accountable external actors that support and/or finance the conflict, using all available tools,” they wrote.
Sen. Warner has been a leading voice in the Senate about the need for increased diplomatic and humanitarian support for Sudan since the war erupted. Last year, Sen. Warner pushed the Biden administration take more decisive action against foreign entities fueling the ongoing civil war in Sudan. In May 2023, he and Sen. Kaine requested that the Biden administration issue a new Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Sudan, which was subsequently issued. Later that month, Sens. Warner and Kaine led a group of colleagues in urging the administration to offer all available support for humanitarian efforts in the region – and to be forward leaning on prioritizing local and community-based response efforts – as well as appoint a Special Envoy to Sudan tasked with coordinating and leading U.S. diplomatic efforts to address the crisis. In December 2023, the senators continued calling on the Biden administration to designate a Special Envoy to Sudan, and former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello was subsequently appointed to the position. Sen. Warner has also continued his efforts to provide support to Sudan and the Sudanese diaspora and meeting with the Sudanese community in Virginia.
A copy of letter is available here and text is below.
Dear Secretary Rubio,
Now into the third year of destructive conflict in Sudan, with escalating violence and atrocities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), U.S. engagement to bring a resolution to this conflict is more critical than ever. You can send a strong signal to the region by working with the President to appoint a new Special Envoy for Sudan and holding accountable both Sudanese and foreign actors prolonging the conflict.
Since its outbreak, this conflict has displaced more than 14 million people – an estimated 11.5 million internally, plus an additional 3 million fleeing to neighboring countries and regions. Approximately 30 million people – more than half of Sudan’s population – are in urgent humanitarian need. By some estimates, the conflict has killed upwards of 150,000 people, in what the U.S. government has officially declared a genocide. Belligerents on both sides stand accused of atrocities, including killings, abductions of civilians, and horrific instances of sexual violence against women and children.
We urge the Administration to fill the Special Envoy position, which would align with bipartisan Congressional intent expressed through the passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which included provisions of the Response to Conflict in Sudan Act. We also strongly urge you to work with the President to nominate senior officials responsible for Africa, including the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, ambassadors to countries impacted by or otherwise implicated in the conflict, and push for the appointment of a Senior Director for Africa at the National Security Council to coordinate interagency efforts.
In addition to naming an envoy, we urge you to hold accountable external actors – including the UAE, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt – and foreign businesses fueling the gruesome atrocities. The recent large-scale offensive by the RSF in Darfur – which has included storming and systematically burning down the Zamzam refugee camp, killing hundreds of people in a massacre that has also forced hundreds of thousands more to flee the camp in a matter of days – exemplifies the depravity that is being enabled by these external forces.
To date, the Office of Foreign Assets Control added SAF and RSF members to the Specially Designated Nationals List and taken action against numerous UAE companies for potentially violating U.S. sanctions. We encourage you, alongside allies and partners, to continue to hold accountable external actors that support and/or finance the conflict, using all available tools.
Conflicts rarely stay localized, and the longer this horrific war drags on, the more combustible this region becomes – an outcome that creates a power vacuum that extremists, terrorists, and our foreign adversaries will only be too happy to fill. The war’s continuation not only harms millions of innocent civilians, but also poses serious risk to American security interests in the region.
We strongly support U.S. engagement and leadership in Sudan. The appointment of a new Special Envoy would send a strong signal. We look forward to working together to support your efforts to end the conflict in Sudan, address the humanitarian crisis, hold accountable those responsible for atrocities, and stop the actors fueling this crisis inside and outside Sudan.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Smith, Baldwin, Sanders Slam Trump Admin Proposal to Dissolve Mental Health Agency

US Senate News:

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

Padilla, Smith, Baldwin, Sanders Slam Trump Admin Proposal to Dissolve Mental Health Agency

Senators to Secretary Kennedy: “We demand that HHS not unlawfully dismantle SAMHSA, which would only serve to further exacerbate a growing mental health and substance use disorder crisis.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus, Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, condemned the Trump Administration’s proposed dissolution of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) restructuring plan and the White House Office of Management and Budget’s HHS budget proposal. In their letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Senators expressed deep concerns about the consequences of dismantling SAMHSA, outlined the impacts on the worsening behavioral and mental health crisis, and detailed why the proposal is unlawful.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 50 million Americans aged 12 and older battled a substance use disorder and 58.7 million Americans aged 18 and older experienced a mental illness in 2023. The programs administered by SAMHSA are crucial to addressing this national crisis. The Trump Administration’s actions harm the operations of crucial programs, including roughly $7 billion in grant distribution, access to early intervention for mental health care, and support services for crisis care, many of which are statutorily required.
“At a time when America is in a dual mental health and substance use crisis, a time when youth suicide is at all-time highs, a time when synthetic opioids are destroying communities and taking lives, this proposed destruction of SAMHSA will harm the American people,” wrote the Senators. “This proposed reorganization and your proposed cuts of over $1 billion to mental health and substance use programs threaten the lives of millions of Americans and appear to violate federal law.”
“SAMHSA, its functions, its role, and many of its positions are clearly outlined and required by federal law. Firing most of SAMHSA’s staff and breaking up SAMHSA appear to violate these statutory requirements,” continued the Senators. “Downsizing SAMHSA into a new ‘division’, dismantling its functions, and firing over half its workforce puts at risk the lives of the 58.7 million Americans who experience a mental health condition and 48.5 million of those who are impacted by a substance use disorder.”
The Senators emphasized the importance of SAMHSA’s essential work in administering programs including State Opioid Response grants, the National Survey of Drug Use and Health for crucial behavioral health data collection, the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program for funding community-based care, and FindTreatment.gov for connecting people to mental health care resources, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Furthermore, the Senators stressed that Congress has passed multiple bills creating and expanding SAMHSA’s behavioral and mental health services, and that eliminating SAMHSA would violate the law. The bipartisan Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration Reorganization Act (ADAMHA), signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1992, established SAMHSA and included requirements for various grant programs and roles that the Trump Administration has proposed eliminating. The ADAMHA Reorganization Act codified additional positions and transferred numerous authorities to SAMHSA.
Moreover, the 21st Century Cures Act established the Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee through 2027, which the Trump Administration terminated, and codified SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality to administer the annual National Survey of Drug Use and Health, but the team responsible for the survey was reportedly eliminated in the mass layoffs.
The Senators concluded by demanding answers on the Trump Administration’s plans for the continuity of SAMHSA’s statutorily required roles and programs and the impacts of HHS’ restructuring.
“We demand that HHS not unlawfully dismantle SAMHSA, which would only serve to further exacerbate a growing mental health and substance use disorder crisis,” concluded the Senators.
Senator Padilla is a leading advocate for expanding mental health care access, especially for underserved communities. Earlier this year, Padilla led 12 Democratic Senators in warning HHS Secretary Kennedy that additional staffing cuts at SAMHSA would have disastrous ramifications for millions of Americans struggling with mental and behavioral health challenges. In 2023, Padilla launched the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus to serve as a forum for Senators to collaborate on and promote bipartisan legislation and solutions, hold events to raise awareness of critical mental health issues, and destigmatize mental health. Padilla applauded the Federal Communications Commission for making critical improvements to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by adopting the main provisions of his Local 9-8-8 Response Act of 2023.
Additionally, Padilla recently introduced bipartisan legislation to combat the growing youth mental health crisis in America through early intervention and prevention services. Last year, Padilla passed a Senate resolution to raise the alarm about the mental health care crisis American children face and highlight the urgent need to increase our investment in mental health care for children and adolescents. Padilla previously introduced a trio of bills to address the unique mental health needs of military children, Latinos, and farm workers.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary Kennedy,
We write in strong opposition to the proposed dissolution of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) outlined in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) fact sheet on March 27, 2025, and by the proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget. At a time when America is in a dual mental health and substance use crisis, a time when youth suicide is at all-time highs, a time when synthetic opioids are destroying communities and taking lives, this proposed destruction of SAMHSA will harm the American people. This proposed reorganization and your proposed cuts of over $1 billion to mental health and substance use programs threaten the lives of millions of Americans and appear to violate federal law, including the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA) Reorganization Act and the 21st Century Cures Act.
President George H.W. Bush signed the bipartisan ADAMHA Reorganization Act into law in 1992. This law formed SAMHSA, a new agency to be the nation’s lead on community-based mental health and substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services. In addition to creating a variety of grant programs to be administered by SAMHSA, the ADAMHA Reorganization Act created the role of the Assistant Secretary, transferred numerous authorities to SAMHSA, and created Centers and Center Director and Associate Administrator positions. Therefore, SAMHSA, its functions, its role, and many of its positions are clearly outlined and required by federal law. Firing most of SAMHSA’s staff and breaking up SAMHSA appear to violate these statutory requirements.
SAMHSA leads the government’s efforts to promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and advance the behavioral health of people across this country. SAMHSA’s programs provide a model for behavioral health care. Downsizing SAMHSA into a new “division”, dismantling its functions, and firing over half its workforce puts at risk the lives of the 58.7 million Americans who experience a mental health condition and 48.5 million of those who are impacted by a substance use disorder.
The White House Office of Management and Budget HHS Budget Proposal eliminates SAMHSA and creates a new “Mental Health Division”, demotes substance use from its focus, and guts budgets focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery. Amid a dual crisis, this undoes the bipartisan work that Congress and past Administrations have worked to improve. And the federal investments, the expansion of SAMHSA’s work through grant programs and expertise, have worked – for the first time in years, the U.S. has seen a decline in opioid overdose deaths. As the mental health crisis grows, as new synthetic opioids continue to surge, restructuring the agency stands to reverse this historic decline. Now is not the time to change course and risk American lives.
Congress has passed numerous bills expanding SAMHSA services to reach more Americans. In 2014, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) was signed into law, creating the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Program, which funds community-based programs for adults with serious mental illness. This program allows individuals to stay in their community and their homes while also receiving “medically prescribed mental health treatment.” For example, using SAMHSA funds, an AOT program in Montana is working to reduce homelessness and incarceration while improving health and social outcomes for individuals with serious mental illness. Because HHS is dissolving SAMHSA and firing its staff, Montana is in jeopardy of losing the ability to provide their patients with up-to-date, evidence-based services, a key SAMHSA function. Any interruption to the effective delivery of these programs has detrimental consequences.
In 2016, Congress again prioritized SAMHSA and expanded its services and programming by passing the 21st Century Cures Act. This bill codified SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ), requiring CBHSQ to perform several functions. One of these requirements was to publish an annual report on mental health and substance use disorder, also known as the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). NSDUH is the only source of behavioral health data for people 12 and older in the U.S. and is a critical tool to combat these dual crises. Without this data, states would not be able to implement State Opioid Response grants with fidelity.
The State Opioid Response (SOR) grant was created to address the overdose crisis, which is now driven by illicit fentanyl, and is meant to help states provide a continuum of care, including prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services. Funding to support states in combating this epidemic is critical, especially as the crisis is exacerbated by other synthetic opioids. States use SOR funding to purchase and distribute naloxone, test strips, buprenorphine, and much more. SOR is proven to be effective – in 2023, the percentage of people who did not use substances increased by 29.7 percent. SOR funding and NSDUH data give states the ability to purchase these medications, implement these programs, and track outcomes. Reports suggest the entire team running NSDUH was fired on April 1, 2025. Without NSDUH data, states will have inaccurate information on how opioids are affecting their communities, which will result in a lack of resources, incomplete strategies, and an increase in deaths.
In addition to data collection, CBHSQ is responsible for operating FindTreatment.gov, a critical tool where individuals can find treatment for mental health and substance use disorder care. Launched in 2019 under the first Trump Administration, FindTreatment.gov provides individuals with resources in their communities and connects those in crisis with helplines, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Without adequate staffing of FindTreatment.gov, people across this country are left stranded, not knowing where to turn to find treatment and services. The mass terminations at SAMHSA’s CBHSQ and HHS’s announced reorganization make unclear who is operating and overseeing this program that President Trump proudly launched. It is unclear how HHS can now live up to its claim of continuing “to support people who seek substance use treatment on their journey to recovery.”
The 21st Century Cures Act not only expanded data collection but also improved interdepartmental coordination, something that you claim to prioritize. This bill established the first ever Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC) to better direct mental health services for adults and children with a serious mental illness. ISMICC is tasked with evaluating the effects of federal programs, including programs for suicide prevention and overdose reduction, so they can provide “recommendations for actions that agencies can take to better coordinate the administration of mental health services.” By law, ISMICC must be operating to achieve these goals through at least September 30, 2027. However, HHS terminated ISMICC on April 9, 2025. By dismissing ISMICC, HHS is actively putting people in crisis at risk and violating a statutory requirement to protect the American people.
We demand that HHS not unlawfully dismantle SAMHSA, which would only serve to further exacerbate a growing mental health and substance use disorder crisis. To better understand HHS’s plans and statutory compliance, we request responses to the following questions by May 16, 2025.
1) Per the 21st Century Cures Act, SAMHSA is required to have an Assistant Secretary, a Chief Medical Officer, and a Director, with specific qualifications, at each of its four mandated Centers – the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Center for Mental Health Services, and CBHSQ.
a. Who is currently serving in these roles, and what are their qualifications?
b. Have any of the people in these roles been subject to the reduction in force that occurred on April 1, 2025? If so, please explain why these legally mandated positions were part of the reduction.
c. What is HHS’s plan to maintain these positions and centers under the restructuring at HHS?
2) SAMHSA is required to have Associate Administrators for Alcohol Prevention and Treatment Policy and Women’s Services.
a. Who is currently serving in these roles, and what are their qualifications?
b. Have any of the people in these roles been subject to the reduction in force that occurred on April 1, 2025? If so, please explain why these legally mandated positions were part of the reduction.
c. What is HHS’s plan to maintain these positions under the restructuring at HHS?
3) SAMHSA is required to have a National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory to coordinate policy changes, review programs, identify duplication, and more.
a. Please provide a list of all employees in SAMHSA’s Policy Laboratory as of January 19, 2025, and as of April 15, 2025, including job title and General Schedule rank. Please indicate which staff were part of the reduction in force that occurred on April 1, 2025.
b. How did HHS determine that the proposed restructuring will not prevent fulfilling these statutory duties?
4) Which Centers and Branches are overseeing each of SAMHSA’s grant programs, including AOT? Please provide the number of employees currently employed for each Center and Branch, and the number of grants each employee is required to supervise.
5) Who is overseeing each of CBHSQ’s data collection and roles, including NSDUH and FindTreatment.gov? Please provide a list of staff working on each service and provide their qualifications.
6) Is NSDUH data still being collected through its contract with RTI International?
a. Does HHS plan to continue its contract with RTI International and ensure all payments are received promptly?
b. Has there been any break in data collection since January 20, 2025? If so, why, and what did HHS do to restore any missing information?
7) Why did HHS terminate statutorily-required ISMICC?
a. When will ISMICC be restored?
8) What is HHS’s long-term plan with SAMHSA under the restructuring? Please explain how HHS plans to remain in compliance with all relevant statutes under this restructure.
9) Explain how your decision to dissolve SAMHSA into a “division” will increase efficacy and improve mental health and substance use disorder outcomes for Americans.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Sounds Alarm on DOJ Threats to Journalists, Joins Resolution Condemning Trump Attacks on Free Press

US Senate News:

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

Padilla Sounds Alarm on DOJ Threats to Journalists, Joins Resolution Condemning Trump Attacks on Free Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined his colleagues in blasting President Trump’s continued attacks on the freedom of the press, a fundamental First Amendment right guaranteed by the Constitution. Padilla joined a letter pressing Attorney General Pam Bondi on her decision to change Justice Department policies to make it easier for the Department to subpoena journalists to obtain confidential information about their sources and potentially harass journalists who write stories critical of the Trump Administration. He also cosponsored a resolution calling for the Executive Branch to respect the rights of journalists and demanding they be allowed to perform their duties “without fear of retaliation.”
“We write to express our deep concern with the Department of Justice’s April 25, 2025 memorandum changing the guidance that set limitations on the Department’s ability to subpoena materials from journalists and news organizations,” wrote the Senators in their letter to Attorney General Bondi. “The free press is a bedrock of our democracy and reporters must be able to do their jobs without fear of being investigated or prosecuted.”
“When asked at your confirmation hearing to commit to ‘respect the importance of a free press,’ you said ‘absolutely,’” continued the Senators. “Yet your decision to rescind important limits on the Justice Department’s ability to compel information from the press threatens the ability of journalists to fully perform their critical jobs, as guaranteed by the First Amendment.”
The letter was led by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and signed by Senator Padilla and every other Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee: Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
The bicameral resolution Padilla cosponsored was led by Senator Whitehouse in the Senate and cited President Trump’s various attacks on the operations of the press, including:
Accusing media outlets such as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC of “illegal” behavior during a speech at the Department of Justice;
Claiming CNN and MSNBC networks are “political arms of the Democrat Party” during a speech at the Department of Justice;
Excluding the Associated Press from White House press pool access due to disputes over naming conventions, leading to legal challenges concerning First Amendment violations;
Filing a lawsuit against CBS News over a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, alleging biased editing and calling for CBS to lose broadcast licenses;
Seeking to defund National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), including launching a Federal Communications Commission probe and issuing an executive order instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease providing direct and indirect funds to either broadcaster;
Refusing to take questions from NBC News reporters, claiming the network is “discredited;”
Seeking to impose the Administration’s policy preferences on independent news organizations by forcing PBS to eliminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion office using threats of government funding cuts and ignoring reporters who list pronouns in their email signatures; and
Rescinding a Department of Justice policy against subpoenaing journalists, exposing journalists’ sources to the threat of possible identification and punishment.
The resolution is endorsed by PEN America, National Press Photographers Association, American Governance Institute, Radio Television Digital News Association, and Society of Environmental Journalists.
Full text of the resolution is available here.
Full text of the letter to Attorney General Bondi is available here and below:
Dear Attorney General Bondi:
We write to express our deep concern with the Department of Justice’s April 25, 2025 memorandum changing the guidance that set limitations on the Department’s ability to subpoena materials from journalists and news organizations.
The free press is a bedrock of our democracy and reporters must be able to do their jobs without fear of being investigated or prosecuted. When asked at your confirmation hearing to commit to “respect the importance of a free press,” you said “absolutely.” Yet your decision to rescind important limits on the Justice Department’s ability to compel information from the press threatens the ability of journalists to fully perform their critical jobs, as guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Under the previous guidance, the Justice Department was authorized to subpoena journalists engaged in news gathering only “[w]hen necessary to prevent an imminent or concrete risk of death or serious bodily harm.” Under the 2025 guidance, Justice Department officials can take the extraordinary step of subpoenaing journalists merely to investigate “unauthorized disclosures that undermine President Trump’s policies,” extending far beyond disclosures of classified information. In other words, under this new guidance, there is little protection for journalists who publish any story critical of the Administration from being threatened with a subpoena and litigation to enforce the subpoena. The threat to journalists is especially concerning given Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel’s claims prior to his confirmation that the news media is “the most powerful enemy the United States has ever seen” and that he would “come after the people in the media . . . criminally or civilly.”
Nor does it appear that the Justice Department would subpoena reporters’ records only as a last resort. Under the guidelines, the Justice Department may subpoena journalists after the Attorney General has made only a few subjective determinations, such as whether the information sought is “essential to a successful prosecution,” whether “reasonable attempts” to obtain the information from alternative sources were made, and whether engaging in negotiations would threaten “the integrity of the investigation.” These factors make it far too easy for the Attorney General to compel journalists to reveal sources.
This change will also deter whistleblowers from coming forward with information to the news media, depriving the public of valuable information about its government. Whistleblowers that violate the law—for example by disclosing classified information—should be subject to the legal consequences of that action, but the government should not be allowed to intimidate or harass journalists who lawfully report the news.
As the Office of Legal Policy prepares regulations to implement your memorandum, we respectfully request that you provide responses to the following questions:
1. What protections are in place to ensure that journalists are not targeted because they published a news article critical of the Administration?
2. Will you commit to ensuring that issuing a subpoena to a journalist or news organization will be used only as a last resort when there is a compelling and overriding interest in the information, such as protecting national security?
3. Will the regulations require the Department to comply with state shield laws?
4. Is the Department consulting with outside organizations, including organizations representing journalists, as part of the preparation of regulations? If so, what organizations?
5. What measures will the regulations put in place to ensure that the White House is not allowed to order or influence the issuance of a subpoena to a journalist or news organization?
6. What process for review, if any, will be put in place to ensure the new regulations are being followed and are not being abused for political or any other inappropriate purpose?
7. Has the Justice Department issued any subpoenas to journalists or news organizations under this new guidance? If so, to whom and seeking what information?

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Disaster Relief to Florida Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by April Drought

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Florida to offset economic losses caused by caused by drought beginning April 15.

The disaster declaration covers the primary counties of Broward and Collier, and the adjacent counties of Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach.

Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is Dec. 22, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Michigan Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Excessive Rain

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP)organizations of the June 10 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by excessive rain occurring June 22 through July 23, 2024.

The disaster declaration covers Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Otsego and Wexford in Michigan.

Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than June 10, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Michigan Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Excessive Heat

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations of the June 10 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by excessive heat occurring June 23-Aug. 1, 2024.

The disaster declaration covers Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Otsego and Wexford.

Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than June 10, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Assistance Still Available to Michigan Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by 2024 Frost and Freeze

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP)organizations in Michigan of the June 10 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the frost and freeze occurring Feb. 19-May 14, 2024.

The disaster declaration covers the counties of Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Otsego and Wexford.

Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 10, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Signs FY26 Budget – Providing Hurricane Helene Relief and Important Investments in Education, Healthcare, and Public Safety
Source: US State of Georgia

ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, House Appropriations Chairman Hatchett, constitutional officers, and members of the Georgia General Assembly, and state leaders today signed the budget for Fiscal Year 2026.

Excerpt of Governor Kemp’s Remarks

I’m proud to be here with the nation’s best First Lady, Marty Kemp!

And we’re both thankful for the great legislative partners you see behind us and next to me, including Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Chairman Matt Hatchett, and the members of the General Assembly from both chambers and parties who overwhelmingly voted for this commonsense and balanced budget.

Speaker Jon Burns and Chairman Blake Tillery couldn’t join us today, but they also worked very hard on this budget and I know they send their regards.

We’re also glad to be joined by the Constitutional Officers here with us who serve as great partners in safeguarding taxpayer money and keeping government lean and efficient.

I want to thank OPB Director Rick Dunn and his team, as well, for all the time and hard work they put into the budget process each year alongside our partners in the House and Senate Budget offices. That hefty document on that table that represents our state’s priorities is the result of their hard work and dedication.

Today, I’ll sign the budget for Fiscal Year 2026 – a budget that makes important investments to meet the needs of our growing state without growing government or adding to our long-term liabilities.

It represents an impact across so many different areas of our state – including investments in education, public safety, healthcare, infrastructure, and much more.

Through this budget, we’re again fully funding our schools. We’re also committing:
- Over 300 million additional dollars for enrollment and expense growth for K-12 education…
- 49.7 million dollars to promote our students’ mental health and wellbeing…
- 13 million dollars in new funding to improve literacy for our elementary students…
- 267 million dollars to fund higher education growth at the University and Technical College Systems, furthering their ability to provide the workforce we need to meet demand…
- 20 million dollars to replace 227 school buses…
- And over 141 million dollars to fund the Promise Scholarship Program, delivering on the promise we made last year to students and their families who deserve an education that is right for them.
We’re also working to promote the health and wellbeing of all Georgians, with:
- 257 million additional dollars in support for Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids expense and enrollment growth… just in case someone tries to tell you we don’t spend more each year on Medicaid…
- 10 million dollars for significant capital repairs at state hospitals…
- Over 5 million dollars for salary enhancements for social services eligibility caseworkers, building on previous pay raises for these critical employees…
- And over 4.5 million dollars to improve maternal health.
In Fiscal Year 2026, we’re also building on our past work to make Georgia safer, to keep our communities and businesses secure, and to take criminals off our streets.

This budget includes 200 million dollars for the Department of Corrections to increase Corrections Officer salaries and number of positions… to increase salaries for non-security staff… and to meet other operational needs that will make our prison facilities safer.

This was a priority for both my administration and leaders in the legislature, and I’m proud we worked together to deliver these investments.

Other key investments in public safety within this budget include:
- Over 1.7 million dollars for additional positions and technology at the GBI’s Crime Labs across the state…
- Over 1 million dollars for two crime scene technical leaders and three digital forensic investigators…
- 1 million dollars for a gang case management system and gang enforcement efforts statewide…
- Over 268,000 dollars for Attorney General Chris Carr to expand the Gang Prosecution Unit in the Savannah region… and over 748,000 dollars to expand the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit to the Macon and Augusta regions…
- And over 421,000 dollars to improve operations of the 24/7 hotline to report human trafficking and serve victims through the CJCC… a measure championed by the first lady.
Last but not least, this budget makes considerable investments in infrastructure statewide… an important factor in keeping us the best place for business and opportunity.

With 290 million dollars in additional funding going toward transportation projects… and 715 million dollars going to capital projects, including some for K-12 school systems… we are using the funds we have from years of growth to build stronger communities and encourage further investment and success.

I’m especially proud we’re doing so – for the second straight year – with cash, meaning for two straight years we have not added any new debt.

That brings our state’s debt service-to-revenue ratio to the lowest level in Georgia history!

And it ultimately means we’ll save taxpayers 150 million dollars per year for the next 20 years in future debt service costs we won’t have to pay… on top of the billions saved in tax refunds and tax cuts we’ve implemented over the past several years.

We’re able to take these steps because of our conservative approach to budgeting.

We don’t follow the path that states like California, New York, Illinois, and others do… They’re growing government and raising taxes to cover budget deficits.

But here in Georgia, we’re keeping government in check, cutting taxes, and returning taxpayer money where it belongs – back to hardworking Georgians!

We balance our budgets and encourage economic growth statewide without growing government.

That’s thanks to this team you see up here that is committed to being good stewards of what Georgians entrust us with.

So, thank you all, again, for helping us keep Georgia the best place to live, work, and raise a family through budgets like this.

“This budget is a result of deliberate and effective work by Senate Appropriations Chairman Tillery, the subcommittee Chairs and all members of the Senate Appropriations Committee,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. “Governor Brian Kemp’s recommendations at the beginning of session provided a great foundation for our work to begin and for us to ultimately pass a budget focused on Georgia’s children, families and future, while reducing unnecessary or redundant government spending. In Georgia, we are continuing to keep government spending in check, while giving money back to taxpayers – where it belongs. I want to thank everyone for their hard work to ensure our state remains fiscally sound, our reserves remain healthy and our citizens get back their hard-earned money with a reduction in the state income tax. I look forward to continuing to prioritize a fiscally conservative philosophy as we look at budgets next session.”

“This year’s budget reflects the unwavering commitment of the General Assembly to championing strategic investments that will keep our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come—all while putting more money back in the pockets of hardworking Georgia taxpayers,” said Speaker Jon Burns. “Thank you to Governor Kemp, Chairman Hatchett, and each member of the House who worked tirelessly to get this budget across the finish line, securing the current and future success of our great state.”

MIL OSI USA News –
May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Signs Legislation Cutting Red Tape and Streamlining Government

Source: US State of Georgia

ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, constitutional officers, and members of the Georgia General Assembly, signed SB 96 and HB 113 into law, streamlining government and helping safeguard the state from interference from foreign adversaries.

SB 96 was a priority of Governor Kemp, sponsored by Senator Drew Echols and carried in the House by Representative Matthew Gambill. It decreases the administrative burden on state agencies by reducing the number of boards that have grown inactive or perform duplicative roles.

“Every day we serve the people of Georgia, it’s important for us to remember that we work for them,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “It’s our job to help streamline their experiences with the government, make it easier for them to access opportunity, and limit as best we can the challenges they may face in accessing new skills and good careers. Thanks to the diligent work of our partners in the General Assembly, I’m proud to say that the bills I’ve signed today will help us accomplish that.”

HB 113 was another priority of Governor Kemp, sponsored by Representative Lauren McDonald and carried in the Senate by Senator Bo Hatchett. It directs the Georgia Technology Authority to establish and keep updated a list of companies and products that are produced and/or sold by citizens or governments of countries designated as “foreign adversaries” by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. This list will be utilized by the Department of Administrative Services (“DOAS”) and other state agencies in state purchasing decisions to bring greater security to our state agencies.

Governor Kemp signed several additional pieces legislation that further his commitment to eliminate government waste and cut red tape:

HB 148, sponsored by Representative John Carson and carried in the Senate by Senator Billy Hickman, authorizes two additional pathways towards obtaining a CPA, while maintaining the current CPA pathway – 150 Credit Hours, one year of experience, CPA Exam. The first requires a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, two years of experience, and the CPA exam; while the second allows for a Master’s degree in Accounting, one year of experience, and the CPA exam. The other change clarifies that out-of-state CPAs in good standing in their home state and a passing grade on the national CPA exam can practice in Georgia without the need for a second state certification.

HB 322, sponsored by Representative Lee Hawkins and carried in the Senate by Senator Max Burns, allows the Georgia Board of Dentistry to issue a teacher’s or instructor’s license to applicants who are licensed to practice in another state, country, or territory while they are employed at an accredited school or college.

HB 579, sponsored by Representative Matt Reeves and carried in the Senate by Senator Larry Walker, grants the Professional Licensing Board Division Director administrative approval for licenses – streamlining the licensure process and removing barriers of entry for individuals to get to work in Georgia.

HB 630, sponsored by Representative Marcus Wiedower and carried in the Senate by Senator Larry Walker, streamlines the administration of the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers and clarifies the requirements applicants for licensure must satisfy, while preserving the protections against bad actors within the industry.”.

HB 635, sponsored by Representative Marcus Wiedower and carried in the Senate by Senator Larry Walker, makes licensing requirements more objective by reducing individual discretion, promoting fairness, and streamlining the three pathways to licensure for Residential Basic, Residential Light Commercial, and Commercial General Contractors.

SB 125, sponsored by Senator Larry Walker and carried in the House by Representative Lee Hawkins, decouples the pathway to licensure for professional engineers and land surveyors, allowing individuals to take their licensing exam after they graduate from their schooling and before acquiring their experiential requirements. Additionally, this bill authorizes the Secretary of State’s Office to implement a third-party electronic database to monitor the compliance of certain licenses where continuing education courses are required for license renewal. Lastly, the bill revises grammar and out of date language for electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low-voltage contractors, and utility contractors with few regulatory changes.

Governor Kemp extends his appreciation to all of those whose diligent work and efforts led to him being able to sign these bills today.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025

MIL-OSI: Alaris Announces the Trustee Election Results from its Unitholder Meeting

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAW.

CALGARY, Alberta, May 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (“Alaris” or the “Trust“) (TSX:AD.UN) is pleased to announce the results of voting on the election of trustees at its annual general meeting of unitholders held on May 9, 2025. Each nominee trustee recommended by management and listed in the Trust’s information circular and proxy statement dated March 20, 2025, was elected as a trustee for a term ending at the next annual meeting of unitholders. The results of the voting for each individual trustee are set forth below:

Trustee	For	Withhold
Peter Grosskopf	10,302,433 (99.18%)	85,658 (0.82%)
Stephen King	10,315,001 (99.30%)	73,090 (0.70%)
Robert Bertram	9,990,402 (96.17%)	397,689 (3.83%)
Sophia Langlois	10,004,440 (96.31%)	383,651 (3.69%)
Kim Lynch Proctor	10,006,357 (96.33%)	381,734 (3.67%)
Felix-Etienne Lebel	10,287,127 (99.03%)	100,964 (0.97%)
Sarah Hughes	10,298,610 (99.14%)	89,481 (0.86%)

Final voting results on all matters voted on at the meeting will be filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Alaris’ profile later today.

For more information please contact:
Investor Relations
P: (403) 260-1457
ir@alarisequity.com

About Alaris:

The Trust, through its subsidiaries, invests in a diversified group of private businesses (“Private Company Partners“) primarily through structured equity. The primary goal of our structured equity investments is to deliver stable and predictable returns to our unitholders through both cash distributions and capital appreciation. This strategy is enhanced by common equity positions, which allow us to generate returns in alignment with the founders of our Private Company Partners.

The MIL Network –

May 10, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Expanding Access to Affordable Child Care
Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today signed new legislation as part of the FY26 Enacted Budget to support children and families, including investing $2.2 billion in affordable child care and providing new resources for low-income parents to help them raise healthy babies.

“Parenthood is an incredible experience — but these days, it’s definitely not cheap,” Governor Hochul said. “By expanding access to affordable child care and providing resources to new parents, we’re helping to make New York an even better place to raise a family.”

The FY26 Budget includes landmark new investments to help families in New York meet the cost of daily necessities and services like child care. These investments include:
- Expanding access to child care by investing $2.2 billion statewide, including up to $350 million investment to save child care subsidies for tens of thousands of New York City families
- Investing $110 million in child care capital funding to build new child care facilities and repair existing sites, as well as home-based programs
- Advancing another nation-leading legislative proposal to improve maternal and infant health through the provision of a birth allowance — the New York State BABY Benefit
- Investing $9 million to distribute free diapers and other postpartum supplies to low-income New York families
- Securing a historic increase in New York’s Child Tax Credit that will provide eligible families with a $1,000 credit for kids younger than 4 years old and a $500 credit for kids ages 4-16, effectively doubling the credit for the average family
- Providing $340 million to ensure free breakfast and lunch for every K-12 student in New York, over 2.7 million kids, saving families an average of $1,600 per child
Expanding Access to Child Care and Saving Child Care Subsidies
The FY26 Budget includes a $400 million investment to save child care subsidies for families statewide through the state’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) with up to $350 million available for tens of thousands of New York City families. Since taking office, State funding for CCAP has more than doubled, bringing low-cost, affordable childcare to a record 150,000 families statewide. These investments in CCAP further build on Governor Hochul’s historic $7 billion investment to expand and improve child care accessibility and affordability for working families. This includes initiatives to help families by raising the eligibility threshold for child care assistance so families of four making up to $108,000 are eligible for child care that costs only $15 per week. The Governor also launched a new online portal last year to make the application process as easy as possible for eligible families.

Providing Capital Grants for Child Care Providers
The FY 26 Budget includes $100 million in capital grants for child care providers to renovate and build new child care centers, especially in child care deserts. This investment will help child care providers facilitate opening new seats and serve additional children. Further, $10 million will be made available to family child care providers to renovate and repair their home-based child care locations.

Establish the Birth Allowance for Beginning Year (BABY) Benefit
The FY 26 Budget includes $8.5 million to advance another nation-leading initiative to improve maternal and infant health through the provision of a birth allowance — the New York State BABY (Birth Allowance for Beginning Year) Benefit — to low-income parents on public assistance. As part of her agenda to make New York the best, most affordable place to start and raise a family, Governor Hochul will provide a one-time $1,800 benefit at birth for New Yorkers who receive public assistance when they have a new baby. The BABY Benefit will increase household income for thousands of New York’s most under-resourced families at a most crucial time in their lives, help defray birth-related expenses, and overall ease the financial stress that can come with caring for a new baby. This investment builds on Governor Hochul’s record of support for pregnant people, new parents and infants, ensuring a stronger and more stable foundation for both parent and child, uplifting working families by putting more money in their pockets, and continuing the State’s progress reducing child poverty.

Free Diapers and Other Postpartum Supplies
The FY26 Budget includes $9 million to provide an estimated 100,000 families with maternal health and newborn baby resources, educational materials, self-care products and diapers. This funding will be allocated pending approval from the federal government. Governor Hochul will partner with Baby2Baby — a national nonprofit that provides essential items to one million children living in poverty annually — to deliver maternal health and newborn supply boxes to expectant mothers enrolled in Medicaid and those reached through community-based organizations and hospitals serving lower-income areas. Additionally, New York State will distribute millions of diapers to low-income families, with the intent to grow that number each year. Governor Hochul will also expand maternal behavioral health services and will build upon previous investments through the co-location of mental health services into OBGYN practices in high-needs communities across New York State.

Expanding New York’s Child Tax Credit
The FY 2026 State Budget includes Governor Hochul’s plan to give 1.6 million New York families an annual tax credit of up to $1,000 per child under age four and up to $500 per child from four through sixteen. This is the largest expansion of New York’s child tax credit in its history — and it will benefit approximately 2.75 million children statewide. This historic expansion will assist families with young children and help families across the income spectrum.

Governor Hochul’s expansion of the credit will double the size of the average credit going out to families from $472 to $943, providing relief to low-income and middle-income households. A family of four with a toddler and school-age child, earning up to $110,000, would receive a $1,500 annual credit, nearly $1,000 more than under the current program. Even a family of four with an income of $170,000, which was previously ineligible, would receive over $500 per year. Additionally, the Governor’s reforms eliminate a provision that restricted the poorest families from accessing the full credit. Over 187,000 children will now be eligible for the credit. This expansion and reform will help build on New York’s progress reducing child poverty. The credit alone is estimated to reduce child poverty by up to 8.2 percent.

MIL OSI USA News –
May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Largest Investment in New York State’s Transportation History
Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today signed new legislation as part of the FY26 Enacted Budget to fully fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) $68.4 billion 2025-29 Capital Plan — a move that represents the largest investment in New York State’s transportation history. The plan will enable the MTA to make transformative investments that will include breaking ground on the new Interborough Express (IBX), rehabilitating the Grand Central Artery and improving the overall rider experience.

“Public transit is the lifeblood of New York and our investments in this century-old system will ensure it can thrive for years to come,” Governor Hochul said. “For too long, leaders had ignored the needs of straphangers and underfunded public transit. When I took office we changed that approach — and now, we’re making long-overdue investments to keep this system strong.”

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “The Governor and legislature have been great supporters of MTA riders and understand the importance of mass transit to New York’s economy. An extraordinary effort went into identifying what needs to be done to maintain the $1.5 trillion asset that is our region’s transportation network. The women and men of the MTA look forward to getting to work on important capital projects that deliver on the Governor’s vision and ensure that New Yorkers keep moving for decades to come.”

The investment will enable the MTA to:
- Start construction of the new Interborough Express (IBX) — a transformative new rapid transit service between Brooklyn and Queens
- Rehabilitate the Grand Central Artery — a four-mile stretch that carries 98 percent of all Metro-North service
- Purchase thousands of new subway and rail cars
- Modernize signals to provide faster, more frequent and more reliable service
- Upgrade maintenance facilities
- Renew electric power systems to enhance reliability
- Repair structurally deficient bridges and tunnels
- Deliver full ADA-accessibility improvements at more than 65 subway and railroad stations
- Make safety enhancements at stations and across infrastructure systems
- Install modern fare gates at more than 150 stations to prevent fare evasion
- Grow its zero-emissions bus fleet to stay on track for a fully-electric fleet by 2040
- Increase resiliency against flooding and protect the Hudson Line against severe weather
All of this will be achieved with a funding plan that also includes cuts to the regional Payroll Mobility Tax (PMT) for roughly 10,000 small businesses and an elimination of the PMT for self-employed individuals earning $150,000 or less. The plan will also fully eliminate the PMT for all local governments outside of New York City.

Notably, the FY 2026 Budget also reallocates up to $1.2 billion from the Penn Station redevelopment project to be put towards priority capital projects such as the Interborough Express, safety initiatives, and efforts to reduce fare evasion.

The MTA’s capital plan will also spend $6 billion on the Metro-North Railroad, including:
- Rolling stock: Completing the replacement of 40-year-old railcars with new, fully accessible M9A trains for use on the Harlem and Hudson Lines
- Station platforms and components: Replacing and rehabilitating deteriorating station platforms and other major station components
- Climate and weather protection: Coordinating investments at the most vulnerable locations – including bridges, culverts, retaining walls, and shoreline structures – to reduce service disruptions and equipment damage caused by extreme weather
Additionally, the MTA’s capital plan will spend $6 billion on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) which would include:
- Rolling stock: Purchasing new railcars to allow MTA to retire 1980s-era M3 cars and provide for more reliable new dual-mode locomotives
- Power system improvements: Replacing or renewing 16 substations making the system more reliable
- Accessibility: Achieving 98 percent accessibility by making four more stations accessible, including Bellerose, Douglaston, and Cold Spring Harbor
Finally, the MTA capital plan includes $800 million to advance regional investments that help create additional capacity, connect with underserved communities, and respond to changing populations and land-use patterns. The plan supports projects to reduce conflicts at the nation’s busiest railway junction, electrification and capacity initiatives on the LIRR and MNR, and the evaluation and development of promising improvement and expansion projects.

The funding plan includes a balanced and responsible mix of local, state, federal and MTA sources as well as new Payroll Mobility Tax (PMT) revenues from the region’s largest businesses. In addition to providing $8 billion in total operating aid for the MTA, the FY 2026 Budget will provide a $3 billion State capital appropriation to support the MTA capital plan. The modest change to the Payroll Mobility Tax (PMT) will cause the largest businesses in the region with payrolls of $10 million or more to pay less than one percent more in PMT.

The FY 2026 Budget also requires the City of New York to provide $3 billion toward the MTA capital plan and requires the MTA to find $3 billion in efficiencies.

MIL OSI USA News –
May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Luján Leads Colleagues in Calling on Trump Administration to Crack Down on U.S. Firearms Flowing to Latin American Drug Cartels

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
Administration’s Designation of 8 Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations Unlocks New Tools to Crack Down on Southbound Arms Trafficking
Over 200,000 American Firearms Flow into Mexico Every Year, Fueling Gang Violence and Drug and Human Trafficking
Washington, D.C – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), along with U.S. Representatives Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Rob Menendez (D-N.J.), led 14 of their colleagues—including U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.)—in urging the Trump administration to use its recent designation of Latin American cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) to take aggressive action to stop the illegal trafficking of American firearms across the Southern Border.
In a letter addressed to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, the lawmakers called for a coordinated federal response to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of American firearms that arm violent drug cartels, fuel lawlessness along the Southern Border, and bring drugs into communities across the United States.
“We were pleased that President Trump agreed to address the outflow of hundreds of thousands of American-made firearms across the southern border when he initially postponed the implementation of tariffs on our ally Mexico. Accordingly, we urge you to utilize the FTO designation to take aggressive action to stem the flow of American guns to the cartels,” the Members wrote.
Anywhere between 200,000 and 500,000 American firearms are smuggled across U.S. borders into Mexico every year, arming Latin American criminal organizations that have used them to undermine domestic law enforcement and assert control over fentanyl and human trafficking operations back into the United States.
“The new FTO designation for these cartels provides additional legal tools to bolster interagency coordination, disrupt their financial networks, and impose stricter penalties on those who provide material support to these criminal enterprises. Specifically, under current statute, it is unlawful to knowingly provide material support or resources to a Foreign Terrorist Organization and those who do so can be fined or imprisoned for up to 20 years,” the Members continued.
The members urged the administration to effectively and strategically employ the full suite of legal options this new designation enables and offered their assistance to empower it to specifically address the “Iron River” of American firearms that are fueling violence and destruction in communities across the United States and Mexico.
“We hope that you move swiftly and use these new legal authorities to combat southbound arms trafficking. We stand ready to assist in this effort in any way we can, including through legislation that expands your programmatic authorities to address this critical issue,” the Member concluded.
In addition to Senators Luján and Bennet and Representatives Goldman and Menendez, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), along with U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), J. Luis Correa (D-Calif.), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.), and Nellie Pou (D-N.J.).
Read the letter here or below:
Dear Secretary Noem, Secretary Rubio, and Attorney General Bondi:
We write to you today regarding the Trump Administration’s recent designation of eight Latin American cartels and gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), a move aimed at addressing the growing harms these organizations are causing in the United States. As you know, the primary source of strength and control that these criminal organizations exert over the U.S./Mexico border stems from one source: American firearms. We were pleased that President Trump agreed to address the outflow of hundreds of thousands of American-made firearms across the southern border when he initially postponed the implementation of tariffs on our ally Mexico. Accordingly, we urge you to utilize the FTO designation to take aggressive action to stem the flow of American guns to the cartels.
It is a well-established fact that the overwhelming majority of the weapons used by Latin American cartels are manufactured in the United States. In fact, anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 are smuggled into Mexico every single year and a whopping 70 percent of firearms recovered at crime scenes in Mexico are traced to the U.S. Alarmingly, although Mexico has just a single gun store in the entire country, it still endures approximately 30,000 firearm related deaths every year. This steady supply of weapons coming in from the north has allowed these criminal organizations to gain control over fentanyl and human trafficking across the border and undermine Mexican law enforcement.
Put simply, if we do not stop the flow of American-made guns across the southern border to Mexico, we cannot stop the flow of fentanyl into our country over that same border.
The new FTO designation for these cartels provides additional legal tools to bolster interagency coordination, disrupt their financial networks, and impose stricter penalties on those who provide material support to these criminal enterprises. Specifically, under current statute, it is unlawful to knowingly provide material support or resources to a Foreign Terrorist Organization and those who do so can be fined or imprisoned for up to 20 years. Individuals and entities that provide weapons, funds, equipment, or other tangible support to designated terrorist organizations can face serious federal prosecution if found liable.
To leverage this designation most effectively, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of State (DOS) must take immediate steps to crack down on the “Iron River” of illegal arms flowing into Mexico by taking the following actions:
Increasing interagency cooperation to track, target, and dismantle smuggling rings that facilitate weapons trafficking across the Mexican border.
Expanding inspections at border crossings to intercept vehicles carrying firearms, related munitions, and other contraband into Mexico.
Increasing law enforcement efforts against straw purchasers and firearm dealers that knowingly provide material support to smugglers.
Strengthening our intelligence-sharing with Mexican authorities and trusted partners to target and disrupt arms traffickers and their networks.
Given that this issue has been a key topic of discussion between President Trump and President Sheinbaum of Mexico – which has resulted in the U.S. government agreeing to work together to stop the flow of firearms into Mexico – we hope that you move swiftly and use these new legal authorities to combat southbound arms trafficking. We stand ready to assist in this effort in any way we can, including through legislation that expands your programmatic authorities to address this critical issue.
Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to continuing to work with you on this issue.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Assertio Therapeutics Inc. Agrees to Pay $3.6M to Resolve Allegations that It Violated the False Claims Act in Connection with Marketing its Fentanyl Product

Source: United States Department of Justice

The Justice Department announced today that Assertio Therapeutics Inc., formerly known as Depomed Inc., (Assertio), a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, has agreed to pay $3.6 million to resolve claims that Assertio violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by causing the submission of false claims for the transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl (TIRF) drug Lazanda for individuals who did not have breakthrough cancer pain.

Lazanda, a fentanyl nasal spray, is approved by the FDA solely for break-through cancer pain in patients who are already receiving and who are tolerant to opioid therapy for their underlying persistent cancer pain. The United States alleges that, between 2013 and 2017, Assertio, which was known as Depomed at the time, caused the submission of false claims to the Medicare and TRICARE programs by focusing its marketing on pain specialists who were prescribing high volumes of TIRF products, including those who were flagged for diversion or who were later indicted. The United States further alleges that Assertio placed high-volume TIRF prescribers on its speakers’ bureau and advisory boards and developed its “Signature Support Program” to ensure that Lazanda prescriptions would be approved by insurance companies, including Medicare Part D plans. The United States contends that Assertio’s marketing efforts caused prescribers to write Lazanda prescriptions for Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries who did not have breakthrough cancer pain, resulting in the submission of false claims to Medicare and TRICARE from thirteen high-volume prescribers.

“This company took steps to boost its profits despite the risk of boosting the deadly opioid epidemic, said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Our office will continue to seek out violations like this that demonstrate a brazen disregard for the safety of the public.”

“At a time when communities across the country are still dealing with the devasting impact of the opioid epidemic, pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to uphold the highest standards of integrity,” said Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This settlement reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting public health and holding those accountable who fuel addiction and defraud federal healthcare programs through deceptive marketing of powerful drugs like fentanyl.”

“Violations of the False Claims Act such as the illegal prescribing practices alleged in this settlement are especially egregious considering the opioid epidemic,” said Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure health care providers and corporations involved in schemes that threaten patient safety are held accountable.”

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the FCA by Noelle Webb and Nicole Novellino, who previously worked at Assertio as sales representatives. The FCA authorizes private parties to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Webb et al. v. Assertio Therapeutics Inc., f/k/a Depomed, Inc., No. 1:17-02309 (D.D.C.). Pursuant to the settlement, relators will receive a $657,000 share of the settlement amount.

The Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia handled this matter. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, led by its Washington Field Office; the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations; and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General provided substantial assistance in the investigation and resolution.

Today’s settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

Senior Trial Counsel Sarah Arni, Trial Attorney Matthew Arrow, and Assistant Director Natalie Waites of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell Valdez for the District of Columbia handled this matter.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

MIL Security OSI –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with Prime Minister Støre  of Norway: 9 May 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

PM meeting with Prime Minister Støre  of Norway: 9 May 2025

The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway this afternoon onboard a Norwegian coastguard vessel.
The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway this afternoon onboard a Norwegian coastguard vessel.

The Prime Minister began by thanking Prime Minister Støre for hosting the Joint Expeditionary Force summit today. It was a vital forum to address evolving defence and security issues, the leaders agreed.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to providing steadfast support to Ukraine and welcomed President Trump’s ongoing efforts to deliver a secure and lasting peace.

The leaders also discussed joint efforts between the UK and Norway to protect critical subsea infrastructure to safeguard economic security and working people at home. The Prime Minister updated on his visit to the Carrier Strike Group last month and thanked Prime Minister Støre for Norway’s vital contribution to the deployment.

Turning to the situation in Gaza, both agreed the situation on the ground was intolerable and more needed to be done to secure a lasting peace that delivered long-term security and stability for both Palestinians and Israelis.

The Prime Ministers also welcomed the signing of the Green Industrial Partnership by UK and Norwegian energy ministers earlier this week.

The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.

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Published 9 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Getting Albertans back to work
Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)
Through the Training for Work program, Alberta’s government has awarded millions in new contracts during the 2024-25 fiscal year. These programs are providing skills training and employment supports for more than 5,000 Albertans across the province over the next four years. These investments don’t just support individuals – they strengthen families, communities and Alberta’s entire economy.

Training for Work programs offer skill development and employment services to unemployed Albertans in more than 50 communities across Alberta. Some programs offer virtual access to ensure all Albertans can get the training they need to propel their careers into the future.

“Alberta needs more skilled workers to meet the labour market demands of our growing economy. Training for Work helps unemployed or underemployed Albertans get the skills and support they need to get back into the workforce or upskill into new roles, while also assisting Alberta’s employers in filling high-demand positions with job-ready workers.”

Matt Jones, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade

In addition to helping fill labour market gaps in high-demand sectors like construction and health care, the Training for Work program helps offer personalized supports to meet the needs of job seekers and local employers. The Training for Work program remains vital to creating sustainable employment opportunities to strengthen Alberta’s labour market.

“BGS Career Ventures is proud to deliver Training for Work programs that help Albertans overcome employment barriers and build meaningful long-term careers. Through our JobPLUS Transition to Employment Services and JobCO Workplace Training programs, we’ve helped hundreds of Albertans including youth, older workers, newcomers and others facing challenges, connect to the labour market across a wide range of industries.”

Steve McGean, managing partner, BGS Career Ventures

In 2024-25, Training for Work programs were added to 23 communities across Alberta under four subcategories: Integrated Training, Immigrant Bridging, Transition to Employment Services and Workplace Training.
- Integrated Training programs provide industry-recognized skills, hands-on experience and job search support to help Albertans re-enter the workforce.
- Immigrant Bridging programs help newcomers get their credentials recognized and use their skills and education in Alberta’s labour market.
- Transition to Employment Services offers personalized support, including career counselling, job matching and up to $7,000 for short-term training and work exposure – to help Albertans rejoin the workforce.
- Workplace Training links unemployed Albertans with employers for on-the-job training, wage reimbursements, and up to $7,000 for off-site training to fill skill gaps and support long-term employment.
Alberta’s government is opening doors to opportunity by expanding training programs and tailoring support – helping thousands of Albertans get back to work or upskill, while connecting employers with the talent they need to grow. These investments reinforce Alberta’s commitment to building a resilient, responsive workforce that is meeting the needs of a growing and diversifying economy.

Quick facts:
- In 2024-25, Jobs, Economy and Trade awarded a total of $33,276,640 in new contracts to deliver services to 5,152 unemployed Albertans.
- New training programs and services are available in Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Brooks, Airdrie, Fort McMurray, Lloydminster, Leduc, Grande Prairie, Camrose, Wetaskiwin and more due to these investments.
- Many Training for Work programs support underrepresented groups in Alberta’s workforce, such as youth, older workers, Indigenous peoples and newcomers to Alberta, while also encouraging workers to acquire the skills needed to work in growing and in-demand sectors such as construction, health care and child care.
- Training for Work is funded in part by Alberta’s government, as well as by the Government of Canada through the Labour Market Transfer Agreement.
Related information
- Training and employment services
- Training and employment services directory
MIL OSI Canada News –
May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Strong Leads Bipartisan Effort to Support Veterans, Law Enforcement
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dale Strong (Alabama)

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Representatives Dale W. Strong (R-AL), Lou Correa (D-CA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), and Glenn Ivey (D-MD) introduced the Supporting Every at-Risk Veteran In Critical Emergencies (SERVICE) Act. Nine additional Members joined as original cosponsors of the bill.

The SERVICE Act would establish a pilot program to allow local law enforcement agencies to use the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants to establish dedicated “Veterans Response Teams” within departments to respond to emergency calls involving veterans in crisis.

A Veterans Response Team is a team of law enforcement officers who also have a background in military service. Members of the team would be available 24/7 to respond to instances of a veteran in crisis, including mental health or substance abuse situations. Following the initial response, members of the team would assist in connecting the individual with community and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) resources.

“The SERVICE Act is a crucial step toward ensuring our veterans get the care and understanding they deserve in times of crisis,” said Rep. Dale Strong. “We owe our servicemembers a debt that cannot be repaid, and it is my honor to introduce this legislation and work toward providing our veterans with the compassionate and effective resources they need. This legislation honors their service by meeting them with support, not stigma.”

“When our nation’s veterans return home, we owe it to them to make sure they’re met with the support they deserve and have earned—and we must keep our moral commitment to them,” said Rep. Lou Correa. “Many of our veterans return home with invisible wounds and respond better to their fellow veterans in times of need. This common-sense, bipartisan legislation is key to fulfilling our promise to those who’ve offered their lives for our freedom—and will save countless lives along the way.”

“Research shows that when a veteran is in crisis, they are most receptive to help and support provided by fellow veterans. Nearly 20% of our U.S. law enforcement has served in the military, and they are undoubtedly the most well-equipped to respond to other veterans in need,” said Rep. Maria Salazar. “Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our freedoms, and we owe them the best care possible when they return from their service. I am proud to co-lead the SERVICE Act to provide support to our brave men and women in uniform.”

“Veterans have served us in our nation’s time of need. Now we must keep this sacred covenant to serve our veterans in their darkest hour. The SERVICE Act will help them get mental health services and prevent suicides. Service men and women who now face PTSD, psycho-social trauma, and physical symptoms of being in war zones across our world must get treatment for what ails them,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey. “My father and father-in-law both served in the military, so I know what it means to be a part of a military family. They deserve the respect and dignity of getting the care they rightly earned. I co-lead this bill because this is about doing what’s best for veterans in crisis and helping our law enforcement personnel assist in this effort.”

This program was first implemented in Cincinnati, Ohio, and now serves as the blueprint for the state. Sergeant Dave Corlett (Ret.), a veteran himself, established the program and maintains that having a fellow veteran respond to these calls is more effective in de-escalating and ensuring that veterans are aware of the resources available to them.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled than to hear about the reintroduction of the SERVICE Act. As a military veteran and 30-year first responder, I have seen the effects of trauma on our warfighters. We all want to reduce the stigma of seeking help for mental health issues and reduce the number of military and first responder suicides. This program has proven itself in the real world to be a great step in that direction,” said Dave Corlett.

The SERVICE Act has been endorsed by the American Legion, Hope for the Warriors, Vietnam Veterans of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, National Policing Institute, Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association, and the CJ3 Foundation.

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) strongly supports this legislation, saying, in part: “The SERVICE Act will provide veterans in law enforcement with tools and training to help our fellow veterans and the law enforcement community to better deal with veterans in crisis,” said Jack McManus, National Vietnam Veterans of America President. “The SERVICE Act presents an opportunity to improve community relations while saving the lives of our nation’s veterans.”

“At HOPE for the Warriors, we stand firmly behind the SERVICE Act as a critical lifeline for veterans in crisis,” said Robin Kelleher, Hope for the Warriors CEO. “By empowering specialized Veteran Response Teams—who truly understand the unique challenges veterans face—communities can respond with compassion, defuse crisis situations more effectively, and create safer, healthier outcomes for everyone involved.”

“Having served in both the military and law enforcement, I believe we have a sacred duty to support those who have protected us. Our veterans, much like our law enforcement officers, have answered the call in our nation’s time of need,” said Sheriff Eli Rivera, Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association President. “This bill presents an opportunity to uphold that covenant, ensuring our veterans receive the care and resources they deserve in their darkest hour. SRLEEA is committed to advocating for policies that honor and support our nation’s heroes, both on and off the battlefield.”

“The SERVICE Act is a vital and strategic support for the critical role of trained veterans in responding to their peers in times of need—because no one understands a veteran like another veteran,” said Jim Burch, President of the National Policing Institute. “By establishing dedicated Veterans Response Teams, law enforcement can provide immediate, informed, and empathetic care, bridging the gap between crisis intervention and long-term support.”

“CJ3 Foundation is proud to endorse Congressman Dale Strong’s introduction of the Supporting Every at Risk Veteran In Critical Emergencies (SERVICE) Act of 2025, which proposes that the Attorney General support the creation and operation of ‘Veterans Response Teams’ in the law enforcement agencies of states, local government, and similar entities to assist veterans in need and strengthen local law enforcement relationships with the veteran communities they serve,” said Eric Thomas, CJ3 Foundation Founder and Director.

Original cosponsors of the SERVICE Act include Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Derek Tran (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA), Don Davis (D-NC), Barry Moore (R-AL), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Mike Rogers (R-AL).

BACKGROUND:

There were 6,407 veteran suicides in 2022, according to the most recent VA data. Most veterans who committed suicide were not receiving any form of care at the VA.

VA studies suggest that strides can be made toward prevention with greater community-based intervention and coalition-building and by increasing awareness of and access to mental health services, among other things.

It is estimated that 20-25% of law enforcement officers have a background in military service. Establishing Veterans Response Teams affords an opportunity for positive engagement for veterans both within their departments and within their broader communities – which could assist in the transition between military and civilian life and improve recruitment and retention efforts within law enforcement.

To that end, the SERVICE Act aims to take steps toward assisting veterans in crisis by allowing DOJ COPS grants to be used to:
- Train and educate law enforcement officers on mental health issues related to military service.
- Outfit law enforcement officers with insignia that indicate their branch of service.
- Provide overtime pay for law enforcement officers who participate in a Veterans Response Team.
- Grow awareness of the program within their communities and promote VA resources.
MIL OSI USA News –
May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Quantum computers could crack the security codes used by satellites

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Panagiotis (Panos) Vlachos, PhD Researcher in Post-Quantum Cryptography, Queen’s University Belfast

ESA

Satellites are the invisible backbone of modern life. They guide airplanes, help us find our way with GPS, deliver TV and internet, and even help emergency services respond to disasters. But a new kind of computer – quantum computers – could put all of this at risk.

Quantum computers are not just faster versions of today’s computers. They work in a completely different way, using the peculiar rules of quantum physics. While they have not yet reached their full capabilities, quantum computers are expected to be game changing provided that the technological hurdles can be overcome.

For example, they are expected to be able to solve certain mathematical problems that would take classical computers millions of years. In some cases, quantum computers could solve such difficult problems in just seconds or minutes.

It’s very difficult to predict exactly when practical quantum computers will become available. However, progress is being made both in the design of more powerful quantum processors and in overcoming other hurdles to their development.

The new capabilities presented by quantum computers could help push forward areas such as science and medicine. For example, they could carry out the complex simulations needed to design new materials and more effective drugs. They could also improve our simulations of the Earth’s future climate.

However, there’s a catch: quantum computers could also break the codes that keep our digital world safe.

Experts around the world are working urgently to develop new kinds of digital “locks” that can’t be cracked by quantum computers – an area known as “post-quantum cryptography”. These new codes are being tested and approved by international bodies, while governments are starting to plan how to upgrade everything from satellites to bank systems.

The digital locks that protect satellite signals, bank accounts and private messages are based on mathematical puzzles that regular computers can’t solve quickly. Quantum computers, however, would be able to crack these puzzles with ease.

You might think that satellites are safe because they’re far away and hard to reach. But as the technology required to attack them becomes cheaper and more widely available, satellites are becoming targets for hackers and hostile governments. Today, it’s possible for skilled attackers to intercept satellite signals or try to send fake commands.

Staying ahead of the curve

Most satellites are designed to last for decades. This means the security systems we put in place now need to be strong enough to withstand not just today’s threats but tomorrow’s as well – including the threat from quantum computers.

In the UK, the National Cyber Security Centre has published a roadmap for moving to quantum-safe security. It has set a date of 2035 by which organisations should aim to migrate all their systems to post-quantum cryptography – the new digital codes that should protect against hacking by quantum computers. The message is clear: both private- and public-sector organisations need to start preparing now, so that by the time quantum computers are ready, our most important systems – including satellites – are already protected.

Updating a satellite’s security isn’t as simple as updating your phone’s software. Once a satellite is in orbit, it’s very hard – sometimes impossible – to change its systems. That’s why new satellites being designed today must use quantum-resistant security from the start.

It’s also necessary to design these systems so they can work efficiently across more than one satellite, because some spacecraft are designed to collaborate with each other in what are known as “swarms”.

If we don’t act now, the data sent to and from satellites could one day be read or even tampered with by anyone with a powerful enough quantum computer. That could mean anything from disrupted GPS signals to attacks on emergency communications or threats to national security.

No country can solve this problem alone. It will take scientists, engineers, governments and international organisations working together to make sure our digital infrastructure is ready for the quantum age.

The good news? The world is already moving in this direction. By building in the protections against quantum computers now, satellites that connect and protect us can be secured – no matter what the future brings.

Panagiotis (Panos) Vlachos’s employer, Mastercard, covers his tuition fees. He is an active volunteering member of CyberPeace Builders and ISC2’s Code TaskForce.

– ref. Quantum computers could crack the security codes used by satellites – https://theconversation.com/quantum-computers-could-crack-the-security-codes-used-by-satellites-256167

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Urges Court to Immediately Halt Mass Firings Across Federal Government
Source: US State of California

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in submitting an amicus brief in American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, et al. v. Trump, in support of the request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt the Trump Administration’s illegal mass firings in agencies across the federal government.

“The illegal ransacking of federal agencies and the mass firing of federal workers that make these agencies run has sown tremendous chaos, instilled distrust among the American people, and caused deep harm to our country,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Beyond the on-the-ground impacts we are seeing, the continued uncertainty surrounding the fate of various federal agencies has a real and lasting impact on states that must devote substantial time and resources to prepare for agencies that may or may not cease to exist. I urge the court to order an immediate end to the Trump Administration’s firing rampage.”

In the brief, the attorneys general argue that the Trump Administration is acting beyond its authority in dismantling agencies across the federal government — the Trump Administration does not have the power to incapacitate a department that Congress created, nor can it decline to spend funds that were appropriated by Congress for that department.

Massive federal layoffs substantially disrupt the ability of the states to protect and serve their residents and pose serious risks and harms to their citizens’ health, safety, and lives by impacting state programs ranging from emergency planning and response, infrastructure repair, environmental protection, public health, among many more.

The brief includes multiple examples of federal statutes inviting or requiring federal and state collaboration to solve problems, including:
- The United States Geological Survey’s work to identify, assess, and plan for potential landslide hazards;
- The tsunami hazard mitigation program created by the Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA);
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) national suicide and mental health hotlines;
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s deployment of a team to address crises such as food-borne pathogens’ threat to human health; and
- FEMA’s responsibility to develop operational plans and lead infrastructure workers who respond to disasters, establish programs for temporary housing during emergencies, and ensure that federal agencies work in coordination with state and local officials.
Attorney General Bonta has forcefully stood up to the Trump Administrations illegal efforts to dismember and impair the federal government though mass firing.

This week, Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration challenging the unlawful mass firing of roughly 10,000 full-time HHS employees, the consolidation of 28 HHS divisions into 15 divisions, and the closing of half of HHS’s ten regional offices — in addition to previously filed lawsuits challenging the illegal firing of probationary federal workers and U.S. Department of Education workers.

Attorney General Bonta has submitted two amicus briefs (here and here) in lawsuits challenging the Trump Administrations dismantling of the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau — actions that include issuing a suspension of work across the agency and terminating probationary employees — and rapidly and substantially increases the burden on state agencies to protect consumers.

Last month, Attorney General Bonta filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit challenging operational changes to Social Security Administration policies. These changes, including staffing cuts, field office closures, and the illegal shuttering of departments, have hampered SSA’s ability to help older adults and persons with disabilities access the benefits and services they depend on.

In filing the brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the brief can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –
May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Two Women Sentenced for Running a More Than $1.5 Million COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

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

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Zebulon woman was sentenced Thursday to 8 years in prison for her role in a multi-million-dollar COVID-19 fraud scheme. Loretta Clarice James, 49, had previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on May 29, 2024. One of James’ co-conspirators, Lakesha Bowles, 43, was sentenced on April 24, 2025, to 30 months imprisonment for her role in the conspiracy. Both women were also ordered to repay over one million dollars in restitution.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, James and Bowles conspired to commit wire fraud by fraudulently submitting loan applications to the federal Paycheck Protection Program(PPP), which was established by Congress through the CARES Act to support small businesses during the economic uncertainty and layoffs that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fraudulent claims on the PPP loan applications, guaranteed by the United States Small Business Association, inflated payroll numbers and asked for funding on behalf of dormant or non-existent businesses. James and Bowles submitted loan applications in their own names, and on behalf of others whom they recruited. James and Bowles were given a portion of the loan proceeds if the third-party loans were approved.

In addition to PPP fraud, James also conspired to commit wire fraud by fraudulently submitting loan and grant applications to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) Program. These other programs were also created by the federal government as a lifeline to struggling small businesses affected by COVID-19. James submitted fraudulent EIDL loans applications in her name, her family members’ names, and in the names of other friends and associates. James submitted EIDL applications for businesses that did not exist and for salaries of employees who were fictitious. James submitted several hundred fraudulent EIDL applications, leading to over $500,000 in fraudulent EIDL disbursements.

In all, James, Bowles and other co-conspirators facilitated the fraudulent disbursement of more than $1.5 million in COVID-19 Loans. Darnell William King, who conspired with both women, pled guilty to PPP fraud and identity theft charges on March 11, 2025.

In addition to this significant COVID-19 loan fraud conspiracy, Loretta James was involved in an identity theft scheme where she and others used stolen identities to obtain loans or personal lines of credit from private lenders. James’ main role in that scheme included obtaining Social Security Numbers of individuals with good credit, completing a loan application in that individual’s name, using forged documents and email accounts in furtherance of the loan applications. James and her conspirators then hired “Mules” to physically obtain the funds from the bank or lender. Equipped with fake identity documentation made by James or others, the Mule would physically sign the application and associated paperwork, claiming to be the true applicant and promising to pay the loan back. After securing the funds, the Mule would bring the money back to James and other members of the scheme, and they would give the Mule a cut of the loan, ranging from $100 to $2,000 per loan. James and her compatriots did this over and over again, with loans that ranged from $5,000 to $10,000, none of which was ever paid back.

“This office is committed holding accountable those who exploited a national crisis and the hardships of others for their personal gain and greed. Public relief funds were created to support hardworking individuals and small businesses during times of crisis—not to line the pockets of criminals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We will continue to work diligently with our many state and federal partners to peruse justice for those who choose to abuse public trust by lying, cheating, and stealing resources that are meant to support our community in its greatest time of need.”

“This extensive investigation, known as Operation Overload, uncovered a sophisticated criminal enterprise that fraudulently utilized thousands of North Carolina licenses, resulting in financial crimes that impacted individuals across multiple states,” said Captain Vaughn of the North Carolina DMV License & Theft Bureau. “Bureau commends its inspectors, intelligence analysts, and all partner agencies for their hard work and collaboration. Their efforts underscore the importance of interagency cooperation in combating complex fraud schemes and safeguarding the identities of North Carolina residents.”

“The defendants conspired to take advantage of critical aid programs intended to provide relief for businesses affected during the pandemic by fraudulently applying for and obtaining COVID-19 program funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”

“This investigation began following several complaints from Wake County residents regarding identity theft and fraud. Over the course of nearly a year, a thorough investigation led to multiple arrests, supported by the NCDMV License and Theft, Clayton Police Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the IRS Criminal Investigations. The investigators involved demonstrated exceptional diligence in pursuing the suspects and uncovering a vast network of crimes. Their efforts resulted in identifying hundreds of victims, not only in Wake County, but across North Carolina, and uncovering hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraud. I would like to commend the investigators for their tireless work and unwavering commitment to serving the residents of our county and state,” Wake County Sheriff Willie Rowe said.

Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II announced James’ sentence. The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation investigated the case with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations; the Wake County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle License & Theft Bureau. The Clayton Police Department and other local agencies also aided over the course of the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Beraka, Ashley H. Foxx, and Karen Haughton prosecuted the cases.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:24-CR-00132 and 5:24-CR-00363.

###

MIL Security OSI –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Fugitive Wanted for Murder in Saint Lucia Indicted in Atlanta on Firearm Charge

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

ATLANTA – Orville Andrew Pernell, also known as “Oneil Christopher Reid,” 32, of Saint Mary, Jamaica, was arraigned today before the Honorable John K. Larkins, III, United States Magistrate Judge, on a federal charge of possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully present in the United States. Pernell was indicted by a federal grand jury seated in the Northern District of Georgia on April 23, 2025.

“Pernell is an international fugitive who was charged with murder before escaping custody in both Saint Lucia and Jamaica, and then unlawfully entering the United States under a false identity,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our office is proud of the collaborative work of our United States, Saint Lucian, and Jamaican law enforcement partners whose efforts resulted in Pernell’s identification and apprehension.”

“Law enforcement collaboration is instrumental in apprehending violent individuals locally and internationally,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “This arraignment sends a direct message to criminals that ATF and our local and international law enforcement partners will investigate and protect its citizens.”

“This case demonstrates the far-reaching impact of Homeland Security Investigations in identifying and apprehending fugitives who pose a threat to public safety across international borders,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Pernell’s ability to evade law enforcement in multiple countries and unlawfully enter the United States under a false identity underscores the importance of strong global partnerships. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of HSI and our domestic and international counterparts, a dangerous individual is now off the streets and facing justice.”

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, Jr., the charges, and other information presented in court: Pernell was charged with the murder of Clius Alfred in Saint Lucia on October 8, 2020. He then escaped custody in Saint Lucia while awaiting trial. He was arrested in Jamaica on July 21, 2021, but then escaped Jamaican custody while awaiting his extradition to Saint Lucia.

Pernell was then encountered by immigration authorities on December 7, 2022, when he attempted to illegally enter the United States via an unmanned border area near the San Ysidro point of entry. He gave the false name of “Oneil Christopher Reid” and was allowed to enter the United States pending further immigration proceedings.

On July 21, 2023, Pernell, using the Reid alias, was stopped by the Clayton County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office after being observed traveling 115 miles per hour on a motorcycle. He attempted to flee but was forced to stop after he encountered a heavily congested intersection. Once he was stopped, officers determined that the motorcycle he was driving was stolen. During a search that followed, officers found a firearm in the front pocket of his jacket. Officers also determined that the firearm was stolen from a Southern Freight Lines firearms shipment. He was arrested for possession of a stolen motorcycle, possession of a stolen firearm, and attempting to evade arrest.

Pernell is facing federal charges of possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully present in the United States. He has been ordered detained pending trial, and is subject to removal and extradition back to Saint Lucia once the proceedings in the United States are concluded.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains a charge. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charge and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wylly is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America 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).

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

MIL Security OSI –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Green leader sends warm congratulations to Pope Leo XVI

Source: The Green Party in Northern Ireland

Warm congratulations to Pope Leo XVI, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, on his election.Green Party leader Mal O’Hara said “This is a moment of profound significance for millions of Catholics in Northern Ireland and across the globe.
I sincerely hope that Pope Leo will build on the bold legacy of Pope Francis — speaking out against poverty, inequality, and the climate emergency.
I also hope he will show moral courage in confronting genocide, defending the most vulnerable, and challenging outdated orthodoxy, especially on the rights of minority communities.
The Catholic Church holds immense power, wealth and global influence. At a time of growing instability — with the far right on the rise and the climate crisis accelerating — we need courageous, compassionate leadership.
Let’s hope Pope Leo chooses to be a prophetic voice for justice, dignity and hope in a world that so urgently needs it.”
ENDS

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 10, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Spokesperson: Statement On Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) of Migrants in the United States

Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

9 May 2025, Geneva – For decades, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has supported Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programs in more than 100 countries—helping people without resources, legal options, or support return to their countries of origin safely and with dignity. AVR is a proven, rights-based tool that allows migrants facing the challenges of a complex global migration system to regain agency and make informed decisions.

At the request of the U.S. government, IOM is providing AVR to people in the U.S. who register to voluntarily return to their countries of origin. Our role is to ensure that those who lack the means to return on their own can do so in a safe, dignified, and informed way. This reflects IOM’s global mandate to protect vulnerable people, uphold human dignity, and ensure that migration—whether to a new home or in return—is safe, orderly, and rights-based.

The United States determines its own migration policy. IOM does not facilitate or implement deportations. Our involvement begins only after an individual, required by U.S. law to leave the country, gives informed consent to receive assistance. In these moments, IOM ensures that people have access to accurate information and essential services, in line with international standards.

IOM helps people navigate the complexities of the migration system to find stability, safety, and the ability to make meaningful choices about their future. In the United States, many migrants face a challenging reality—navigating complex systems with limited options and resources. This initiative provides support to those who choose to return, helping them make a life-changing decision with care and clarity.

*ENDS*

MIL OSI United Nations News –

May 10, 2025

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