NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-Evening Report: Location-sharing apps are enabling domestic violence. But young people aren’t aware of the danger

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Atienzar-Prieto, PhD Candidate, School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University

    The Conversation/Snapchat

    Location-sharing apps are shaping how we connect and communicate – especially among younger people. Snap Map, a popular feature within Snapchat, is widely used by teens and young adults to stay in the loop and facilitate real-time meet-ups with friends and partners.

    Meanwhile, Life360 markets itself as “Australia’s number one family safety app”. It offers parents peace of mind through continuous, sophisticated location tracking.

    These apps determine a person’s real-time location primarily with GPS technology that’s already in a phone. The convenience and sense of security they provide might be appealing to many people. But they can also enable stalking and other forms of coercive control.

    The recent inquest into the murder of Lilie James starkly highlighted these risks. However, our research on young people’s perceptions of technology-facilitated abuse has shown many of them are not aware of the danger.

    A meticulously planned murder

    In October 2023, James, a 21-year-old water polo coach, was killed by her 24-year-old ex-boyfriend, Paul Thijssen, in a bathroom at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Sydney.

    James had been in a brief relationship with Thijssen. But she ended it when he became obsessed.

    The coronial inquest revealed Thijssen had meticulously planned the murder. He had also used a range of coercively controlling behaviours in the lead up to his crime. For example, he physically stalked James by driving past her home on multiple occasions.

    He also tracked James’s location on Snapchat to monitor her whereabouts and asked a mutual friend to keep “an eye on her” during a party she attended.

    The court also heard about Thijssen’s use of abusive digital behaviours as a pattern of coercive control across his previous relationships.

    Not a sign of love and care

    A friend of James and Thijssen misinterpreted his tracking of her location as a sign of love and care. Young people are generally at risk of making similar mistakes, as our recent research highlights.

    As part of Maria’s PhD thesis, the research included surveys with more than 1,000 respondents and follow-up focus groups with 28 young people (aged 16–25). We asked these young people about their perceptions of technology-facilitated coercive control in dating relationships.

    Every young person who participated in the focus groups had either used location-sharing apps in their own relationships or knew someone who had. This reflected a high level of normalisation regarding the use of location sharing between dating partners.

    Many participants underestimated the risks associated with these behaviours.

    In fact, most young people in our study misinterpreted tracking a partner via Snapchat, the “Find My” app and Life360 as a protective behaviour and a sign of care and trust.

    There is a high level of normalisation regarding the use of location sharing between dating partners.
    Tom Wang/Shutterstock

    It starts at home

    According to the young people in our study, initial experiences with location tracking often start in the family home.

    In an attempt to ensure their children’s safety, parents are increasingly adopting tracking apps to monitor their children’s movements.

    Our findings suggest the widespread use of location sharing within families normalises its adoption outside the home. This can lead to a greater acceptance of surveillance among young people in friendships and romantic relationships.

    This observation is unsurprising when considering research from November 2024 by the eSafety Commissioner on broader community attitudes towards location sharing. It found one in ten Australians believe it is “reasonable to expect to track a partner using location-sharing apps”.

    Young people in our research were able to identify common red flags of harmful location tracking – for example, obsessively monitoring a partner’s whereabouts. But they described how the normalisation of location sharing makes it challenging for them to “opt out” of sharing their location with friends and partners.

    Location sharing is perceived as a demonstration of commitment in young relationships. Therefore, when someone in a relationship decides to stop sharing their location, it is seen as a sign of distrust or a breach of shared dating norms. And it may lead to displays of anger, as seen in the example of Thijssen’s earlier controlling relationships.

    Apps such as Snapchat include location-sharing features.
    Diego Thomazini/Shutterstock

    Negotiating digital boundaries early on

    Location sharing is often normalised in the family context without informed conversations about the associated risks in other relationships. But opting out of location sharing with friends or partners requires the skills and confidence to have such conversations.

    The Australian Government is investing A$77.6 million in respectful relationships education. This will be delivered in partnership with states, territories and non-government school sectors.

    However, for this initiative to be successful, both parents and young people should be educated about digital behaviours. These behaviours include location sharing in various contexts, such as with family members, partners and friends.

    Parents need to be informed about the potential risks associated with location sharing and its normalisation. Beyond learning how to use parental controls to ensure their children’s online safety, it is equally important that parents are equipped with skills to have informed conversations with their children about the risks associated with these features.

    Young people also require skills to navigate difficult conversations about their own digital boundaries.

    Solely relying on more education around the risks and protective measures related to location sharing, such as online stalking or increasing awareness of privacy controls, will not achieve this. We must equip young people with crucial knowledge and skills to recognise the need for, and negotiate, digital boundaries early on in their relationships.

    Setting boundaries in response to experiences of technology-facilitated coercive control may require additional safeguards, including the awareness and support of family and friends.

    Where technology-facilitated coercive control behaviours persist or escalate, national helplines and local domestic violence services can offer vital support, information and referral pathways.

    The National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

    Silke Meyer receives funding from Australia’s Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) and state government funding for research into domestic, family and sexual violence.

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

    – ref. Location-sharing apps are enabling domestic violence. But young people aren’t aware of the danger – https://theconversation.com/location-sharing-apps-are-enabling-domestic-violence-but-young-people-arent-aware-of-the-danger-253932

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Greece hit by 24-hour general strike

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Strikers take part in a demonstration in Athens, Greece, on April 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Greece was hit by a 24-hour strike on Wednesday, called by trade unions to protest against inadequate salary increases amid the high cost of living.

    Thousands of strikers marched through the center of Athens, as public services — including transport, hospitals, and schools — were paralyzed.

    “We want decent wages, not breadcrumbs,” read banners raised by protesters in front of the Greek Parliament.

    The Greek economy has returned to growth after exiting a severe debt crisis that brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy (2009-2018), and the government has increased wages and pensions in recent years.

    However, unions and protesters said that households and small businesses are still struggling to make ends meet. They called for more generous increases, as well as measures to ease inflationary pressures and the housing crisis, amid concern that the ongoing tariffs war will exacerbate challenges for many ordinary people across the globe.

    “No sacrifices for the elite’s wealth, no sacrifices for the war economy and tariffs,” said Dimitris Koutsoumbas, general secretary of the Greek Communist Party (KKE), during the protest, which ended peacefully, with only minor scuffles between small groups of demonstrators and police forces.

    “We demand adequate salaries for a life with dignity for employees in both the public and private sectors,” Nikos Bosinakos, a civil servant, told Xinhua. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Republicans Shoot Down Peters’ Amendments to Eliminate Phony Math from Republican Budget and Boost NIH Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) filed two amendments to the Republican budget blueprint, which extends $4.5 trillion in temporary tax cuts that add to the national debt and cuts vital programs like Medicaid to offset the cost. His first amendment would strike a provision that allows Republicans to pretend that extending these tax cuts skewed toward the wealthy costs nothing. Non-partisan experts at the Committee for a Responsible Budget have estimated that this Republican gimmick alone could explode the national debt by an additional $3.4 to $4.6 trillion. His second amendment would stop Republican attempts to cut the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget and instead boost it by billions of dollars. Republicans on the House Rules Committee refused to consider Rep. Peters’ amendments.

    “As Trump’s tariffs drive up the cost of living for American households, Republicans in Congress double down on a reckless budget that blows up the national debt at the expense of hard-working Americans,” said Rep. Scott Peters. “I’ve stood with some of my Republicans colleagues to call out our national debt in the past, but now these same people are poised to dramatically increase it. My amendment would have forced Republicans to face the truth: their budget is cruel and not at all fiscally conservative.”

    “Countless families around the country are desperate for cures to Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other diseases that depend on government funded research,” said Rep. Peters. “It is both cruel and wasteful to stop these clinical studies and trials as be forced to throw out their data. New cures to these diseases will save the government money in the long run as we move patients from expensive long-term care to healthy lives. We should invest more, not less in NIH and other basic scientific research.”      

    Representative Peters is the author of the Fiscal Commission Act, legislation to establish a bipartisan, bicameral, and open-doored commission to tackle our nation’s long-term debt, help us avoid automatic and across-the-board cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and secure a more prosperous future for our children. This approach stands in stark contrast to the partisan bill Republicans are advancing, which will only make our debt problems worse.

    San Diego is home to one of the country’s largest life sciences ecosystems, including world-class public and private research institutions and private companies that turn discoveries into therapies and cures. Rep. Peters’ district receives nearly $1 billion in NIH grant funding every year, more than any other district in California.

    In February, the Trump Administration announced a cap on all NIH grants for expenditures like lab space, utilities, IT, and equipment. These investments are integral to the work researchers do, and the proposed cuts will result in an estimated $800 million cut in funding in California alone. The NIH funding cap will devastate the development of life-saving research, inhibit patient access to life-saving treatments and clinical trials, and cede American dominance in biomedical research to our foreign competitors like China and Russia for years to come. In response, Rep. Peters led a letter demanding the Trump Administration preserve NIH funding. In March, Rep. Peters brought Dr. James B. Brewer, MD, PhD, medical professor and chair of the Department of Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego, as his guest to the President’s Joint Address to Congress to highlight the devastation of these cuts. While federal courts have blocked the President’s across-the-board cuts, the administration is already looking for other ways to cut NIH grant funding. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on the passing of Amara Essy, former Interim Chairperson of the African Union [scroll down for French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. Amara Essy, former Interim Chairperson of the African Union Commission, former President of the 49th Session of the General Assembly and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire. Mr. Essy also held several leadership positions with the United Nations.

    The Secretary-General extends his deepest condolences to his family and the Government and people of Côte d’Ivoire as well as to the entire African Union family.

    Mr. Essy played a pivotal role in steering the African Union through the crucial transition from the former Organization of African Unity, marking a significant step in the continent’s push for regional integration. He also facilitated the peaceful resolution of several conflicts in Africa.

    As President of the 49th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Essy was known for his effective leadership and for being a consensus builder. In the same vein, as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo, Mr. Essy contributed to the facilitation of the resolution of the political crisis in the region.

    Mr. Essy will be remembered for his dedication to the African cause. He was a true African statesman whose legacy will continue to inspire generations of future diplomats.

    *************************************

    Déclaration attribuable au porte-parole du Secrétaire général sur le décès d’Amara Essy, ancien Président par intérim de la Commission de l’Union africaine et ancien Président de la 49ème session de l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies

    Le Secrétaire général a appris avec une profonde tristesse le décès de M. Amara Essy, ancien Président par intérim de la Commission de l’Union africaine, ancien Président de la 49ème session de l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies et ancien Ministre des Affaires étrangères de la République de Côte d’Ivoire. M. Essy a également exercé plusieurs fonctions de haut niveau au sein des Nations Unies.

    Le Secrétaire général présente ses plus sincères condoléances à la famille de M. Amara Essy, au Gouvernement et au peuple ivoiriens, ainsi qu’à toute la famille de l’ Union africaine.

    M. Essy a joué un rôle essentiel dans la conduite de l’Union africaine lors de sa transition cruciale de l’ancienne Organisation de l’Unité africaine, marquant une étape importante dans l’élan du continent vers la paix et la sécurité régionales. Il a également facilité la résolution pacifique de plusieurs conflits en Afrique.

    En tant que Président de la 49ème session de l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies, il était connu pour son leadership efficace et sa capacité à créer des consensus. En tant qu’Envoyé spécial du Secrétaire général pour la République centrafricaine et la République du Congo, M. Essy a  contribué à la facilitation de la résolution de la crise politique dans la région.

    M. Essy restera dans les mémoires pour son dévouement à la cause africaine. Son héritage d’homme d’État africain authentique continuera d’inspirer des générations de futurs diplomates.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beyer Eviscerates Trump Tariff Policy In Hearing With U.S. Trade Representative

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

    Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today ripped the “logic” of President Trump’s insane tariff regime to shreds today during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Trump’s trade policy with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

    During the course of his testimony, Greer repeatedly advocated for increased tariffs on top U.S. trading partners – tariffs Trump abruptly paused during the hearing. Greer, who ostensibly serves as Trump’s top adviser on trade policy, obliviously continued to defend the paused tariffs to members of the Committee for some time until he was informed of the sudden change.

    Video of Beyer’s exchange can be viewed here. Some of his comments to Ambassador Greer: 

    “Ambassador Greer, you have a most awful job: to try to convince us and the people we represent that the President’s trade policies are wise and measured when the truth is they are stupid and bad.”
    …
    “I want to quickly run through a few of the ways the logic behind the Trump tariffs makes no sense. You got the math wrong, according to the people whose research you cited. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a New York Times article by former Treasury official Brent Neiman titled, ‘The Trump White House Cited My Research to Justify Tariffs. It Got It All Wrong.’ This math error had the effect of quadrupling the tariffs Trump applied to some of our biggest trading partners.

    “Trump exempted some goods – notably oil – but not others, including things we simply cannot produce in the United States. Why tariff bananas? Why tariff cocoa? Why tariff coffee? We don’t have the capacity to produce these things at a scale that meets domestic demand.

    “Trump logic equates any trade deficit with ‘cheating,’ in fact he called it ‘rape.’ But even this stupid logic didn’t help Australia or Brazil or Singapore, all countries with whom we have a trade surplus. How does Australia negotiate an end to a trade deficit that doesn’t exist?

    “Some countries have a deficit because we import things we want but they are too poor to afford our exports. A perfect example is Madagascar. We buy something like 60 percent of our vanilla from Madagascar, but they have one of the lowest GDP-per-capita rates in the world, and they just can’t afford many of our products. We just hit them with a 47% tariff.

    Trump is hinting that maybe if countries lower tariffs on us he might drop tariffs on them, a little bit or some or possibly. But Vietnam, knowing that Trump was coming, massively cut their tariffs on the U.S. to appease him ahead of his announcement last week. Instead you slapped a 46% tariff on them anyway. So what are the Vietnamese supposed to do?

    “Trump declared a phony national emergency and imposed tariffs on Canada to punish our closest ally for ‘fentanyl smuggling,’ despite the fact that our own government says the amount of smuggling at the northern border is vanishingly small, less than one percent. How does Canada get out of tariffs imposed for something we admit they’re not doing?

    “Trump is risking our economy to bring back factory jobs that pay far less than the 8 million jobs listed in the JOLTS report right now, 8 million jobs available in America, that pay far more in fast-growing like health care, clean energy, or data science.

    “The Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, is on television raving about shifting millions of Americans to work on, and I quote, “screwing in little screws to make iPhones.”

    “You guys are blasting nearly every product from nearly every country with these tariffs, Senator Tillis yesterday called it ‘a trade war on all fronts.’ It hurts our alliances, it is hurting our economy, it hurts our ability to make and keep free trade agreements – which is supposedly your job.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Mayor Campbell Barry announces that he won’t be seeking re-election – Hutt City

    Source: Hutt City Council

    Campbell Barry has announced today that he will not seek a third term as Lower Hutt’s Mayor.
    During his mayoralty, Barry has delivered on major commitments including the re-building of Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness after its sudden closure in 2019, record investment and delivery in water infrastructure and rolling out a new rubbish and recycling system.
    The most significant project – Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi (RiverLink), has now got the green light after $1.5 billion in total funding was secured and final agreements signed last week.
    “This is a once-in-a-generation deal for Lower Hutt. RiverLink has been dreamt about for decades, and we’re now getting on with it. It’s going to be transformational but it will take six to eight years to deliver. Our city needs a leader who will see it through to its completion,” Barry says.
    Barry served one term on the Wainuiomata Community Board and two terms as a Hutt City Councillor before making history in 2019 when he was elected New Zealand’s youngest Mayor of a city at age 28.
    “After 15 years in local government, I want to leave on a high and on my terms. I’ve seen the impact of leaders and elected members who stay too long. It’s important to allow fresh energy and perspectives to take the city through this next exciting phase.”
    Central Government has invested record and unprecedented amounts in Lower Hutt during Barry’s tenure.
    “This has only been possible through working relentlessly to always get the best deal for the Hutt, and building credible and respectful relationships across the spectrum”
    Barry plans to make the most of every single day in the lead-up to local body elections.
    “A key priority between now and the election is to reach agreement on a new water entity for the region. I personally see it as vital that all of Wellington’s metropolitan councils are part of it.
    “So, I’ll be doing everything I can to set our region up for success so that a new water entity is ready to be implemented by incoming councils.
    “Nation-wide, there is still a lot of work to be done to turn around how we plan and deliver infrastructure, particularly water, and this is something that will continue to be a passion of mine.”
    Barry says he is incredibly grateful for the support he’s received as Mayor.
    “It has been the privilege of my life to serve our city. People have put their trust in me as Mayor, and I’ve never taken that trust for granted.
    “I want to thank everyone who has supported me along the way.”
    As for what’s next, Barry says he hasn’t got anything locked in post October but is looking forward to a change.
    “What I know, and am grateful for, is that being Mayor has given me a lot of unique skills and experience. What drives me is a desire to tackle longstanding and challenging issues through courageous leadership. That is not something that will stop post October.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Nominations now open for 2025 Porirua Civic Awards

    Source: Porirua City Council

    Porirua City Council is calling for nominations for the city’s highest honour. The Porirua Civic Awards recognise locals who have made a significant contribution to the Porirua community by their personal leadership, inspiration, sacrifice or commitment to a cause.
    Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says volunteers are at the heart of our community with many working tirelessly behind the scenes on a wide range of activities. “Porirua Civic Awards give us a chance to recognise and thank individual volunteers for their efforts and encourage them to keep up the good work achieving positive outcomes for Porirua city,” she says. “Porirua is a city with a fantastic network of volunteers. If you know someone who’s made a difference in your community, nominate them today!” This year’s Civic Awards have an additional category, service to sport. The full list of categories, and some of the criteria, is outlined below:
    • Community service: Consistently demonstrates qualities of compassion and service to a community organisation or a variety of volunteer activities
    • Cultural & art affairs: Improvement and enhancement of participation in cultural affairs, including heritage, music and the arts
    • Educational service: Improvement and enhancement of the educational and social development of others including children and/or youth
    • Environmental: Taking a leadership role in improving and/or revitalising the environment
    • Health & wellbeing: Enhancing the health and wellbeing of our community
    • Service to sport: An individual honoured for exceptional commitment and dedication, who has significantly contributed to a club, association or sport and has gone the extra mile for an extended period of time
    • Youth service: For young people aged 15-25 who have carried out outstanding voluntary service. The emphasis should be on how actively involved the young person has been in their community.
    Nominations close on 19 May, with Council considering nominations on 12 June. Recipients will be notified later in June, before a Civic Awards event on 22 July. “Nominations are also open for the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards, which celebrate volunteer groups that make a valuable contribution to our city, and to our region,” says Mayor Baker.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amo Shares Rhode Islander’s Story to Defend Medicaid from Planned Republican Cuts

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Al of East Providence shared his fears at Amo’s town hall last week about the possible impact of Republican’s budget plans

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01), a member of the House Budget Committee, once again slammed the latest Republican budget resolution, which threatens devastating cuts to critical programs. In his remarks, Amo spoke about the story of Al, a 74-year-old resident of East Providence who relies on Medicaid and Medicare to make ends meet.

    “Despite the overwhelming majority crying out for everyday Americans over the whims of billionaires, clearly Republicans don’t care about the facts or figures. So maybe they’ll listen to my constituent Al,” said Congressman Gabe Amo, a member of the House Committee on Budget, on the House Floor. “Al is a 74-year-old resident of an assisted living facility in East Providence. He is petrified that Republican cuts will force him on the street. Al needs Medicare and Medicaid to make ends meet. Even with assistance, he lives on $120 a month — $30 a week. It’s not fear mongering to say Republican plans would hurt Al.”

    Watch Congressman Amo’s remarks HERE

    BACKGROUND
    Congressman Amo serves on the House Committee on the Budget to fight for budget priorities that reflect Rhode Island values and the needs of working families across the country. The committee is also the first step in the reconciliation process the Republican House majority is using to push the Trump Tax Scam 2.0 — a plan that could cut key programs like SNAP and Medicaid.

    On February 25, 2025, Congressman Amo took to the House Floor to slam the Republican budget resolution that threatens devastating cuts to critical programs.

    On February 24, 2025, Congressman Amo submitted two amendments to the House Committee on Rules to protect SNAP and affirm that Medicaid is a critical program for more than 306,000 Rhode Island residents.

    On February 19, 2025, Congressman Amo visited the Barrington Peck Center for Adult Enrichment where he spoke about his support for critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid. There, Congressman Amo discussed his work on the Budget Committee to protect these programs from Republican cuts.

    On February 20, 2025,Congressman Gabe Amo joined Dean Ashish Jha of Brown University’s School of Public Health to reaffirm his support for funding health care facilities that provide comprehensive primary care to medically underserved communities, as well as his work to protect critical funding for medical research and public health programs under threat due to cuts by the Trump administration.

    During the House Budget Committee markup on February 13, 2025, Congressman Amo offered two amendments to support protecting and extending Medicare’s solvency as well as protect SNAP, the Community Eligibility Provision, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program.

    The Republican budget resolution directs specific committees to achieve spending cuts or increases. Republicans leaked menu of options includes:

    • At least $880 billion in cuts for the Energy and Commerce Committee, which could target Medicaid, Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium assistance, and repeal Inflation Reduction Act policies.
    • At least $330 billion in cuts for the Education and Workforce Committee, which could target student loan programs, income driven repayment, and Pell grants, Head Start, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
    • At least $230 billion in cuts for the Agriculture Committee, which could target SNAP.
    • At least $50 billion in cuts for the Oversight Committee, which could target government employee retirement benefits and changes to federal workforce.
    • At least $10 billion in cuts for the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which could target restricting Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding, Essential Air Service, increasing the “tonnage tax” on cargo, and raiding the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.
    • At least $1 billion in cuts for the Financial Services Committee, which could target the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and funding for financial regulators.
    • At least $1 billion in cuts for the Natural Resources Committee, which could include expanded oil and gas leasing and the repeal of Inflation Reduction Act policies. 
    • Up to $4.5 trillion in new spending for the Ways and Means Committee, which could include tax cuts for the top one percent, repeal of Inflation Reduction Act policies, cuts to Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Social Services Block Grant, cuts in Medicare payments to providers, and cuts to ACA premium assistance.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Demands Trump Administration Provide Plan to Address Impact of Trump Tariffs, Other Executive Action on Tourism

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik, U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, National Economic Council (NEC) Director Dr. Kevin Hassett, and Ambassador Jamieson Greer (USTR) demanding they provide their plan to mitigate the economic stress caused by the implementation of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and other executive actions. The Senator especially expressed concern about these efforts and their harms to the Nevada, and broader U.S., travel and tourism industry.

    Nevada is one of the top five states most visited by international travelers, and the industry makes up nearly 16 percent of the state’s economy, generating $23.6 billion in total income. As of 2024, more than 300,000 Nevadans are employed by our tourism industry, including more than 60,000 union members.

    “Among the Trump Administration’s unclear executive orders, actual and threatened executive actions, and the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), there has been no transparency about the negative impacts these actions will have on the United States,” wrote the Senator. “These efforts have resulted in damaging trade policies, frozen federal funding, a gutted federal workforce, and have extended Presidential authority beyond legal limits, all creating real consequences for working families, small businesses, and industries. I cannot stress enough the need for the Trump Administration to seriously consider the devastating impacts your actions are having on our nation’s tourism economy.”

    Cortez Masto listed a handful of policies that are having a detrimental impact on the tourism industry, including:

    • the threats and application of tariffs to nations including America’s allies;
    • the increasingly aggressive – and questionably legal – procedures being utilized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection;
    • the freezing or eliminating of federal funding supporting transportation infrastructure, National Parks, and cultural sites;
    • and the firing of employees across the federal government.

    “Because of the lack of transparency regarding the negative impacts of the Trump Administration’s actions, I am writing to underscore a concern about these efforts and their harm on our nation’s travel and tourism sector, request information on how you are mitigating the economic stress, and offer solutions,” continued the Senator. “It is a fact that the travel industry is seeing a noticeable decrease in room bookings, business travel, and recreational visits from both domestic and international travel. This sector is fundamental to my home state of Nevada and its hundreds of thousands of hardworking men and women who work in events, entertainment, and hospitality.”

    The travel and tourism industry represents 2.5 percent of the national Gross Domestic Product and supports over 15 million American jobs. Travel experts estimate the number of people arriving to the U.S. from abroad to decline by 9.4% in 2025 and travel spending to fall 12.3%, resulting in a $22 billion annual loss nationally. The domestic travel industry has seen devastating impacts as well – in February, U.S. consumer spending on air travel dropped 10 percent and spending on hotels dropped 6 percent relative to a year ago.

    Read the full letter here.

    Senator Cortez Masto has continued to push the Trump Administration to address the impacts of Trump’s tariffs on working families. Earlier today, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Cortez Masto pressed U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about the impacts of President Trump’s blanket tariffs on Nevadans, particularly those employed in the tourism and hospitality industry. Earlier this month, the Senator introduced the Tariff Transparency Act to require the U.S. International Trade Commission to investigate how Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will impact the American people and make that information public. Senator Cortez Masto also wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Hegseth and Secretary of Treasury Bessent demanding answers on the national security impacts on President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Unveils New Legislation Prohibiting Special Government Employees’ Companies from Receiving Federal Contracts or Grant Payments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a top member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committee, is introducing new legislation that would prevent federal contracts or grant payments to companies owned or controlled by any person who became a Special Government Employee (SGE) on or after January 1, 2025.  

    “Those who step up to serve our country should do so because they want to contribute to the betterment of our nation – not because they stand to benefit from their public service at the expense of taxpayers,” said Shaheen. “I’m introducing legislation to prohibit anyone named a Special Government Employee from raking in federal dollars in government contracts and grant payments and prevent the clear conflicts of interests this arrangement could pose.” 

    Senator Shaheen’s legislation utilizes the beneficial ownership framework that is also used by the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to companies traded on stock exchanges, and the agency uses this framework to disclose the true owners of companies whose ownership would otherwise be obscured or hidden by shell companies. Hence, if an SGE owns 5% or more of a company, that company would be ineligible to contract with or receive payment from the federal government.  

    Shaheen’s bill provides a route for such companies to again be eligible for payments and contracts. If the SGE whose beneficial ownership triggers the payment and contract prohibition quits being an SGE, the company would then be eligible to receive both. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Global Policy Advisors credits market insight of Bessent and Lutnick in tariff reversal

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In response to President Trump’s decision to reverse course on his administration’s tariff policy, Global Policy Advisors LLC today credited key leaders, notably Scott Bessent and Howard Lutnick, for playing a pivotal role in shaping the shift. The firm also pointed to Bill Ackman’s outspoken criticism as an important accelerant of broader market and political reconsideration.

    “Scott Bessent’s macro perspective and Howard Lutnick’s pulse on real-time liquidity and trading dynamics have been central to illustrating how tariffs—while politically expedient—risk structural harm to U.S. markets and global financial credibility,” said Salar Ghahramani, president of Global Policy Advisors. “Their insights informed the decision and helped bring clarity to the long-term downsides of an overly protectionist posture.”

    President Trump’s decision comes amid mounting pressure from Wall Street and global trading partners, as well as a growing recognition that prolonged tariffs could undermine capital markets and U.S. competitiveness in strategic sectors.

    “While the initial politics of tariffs may have played well in some quarters, the policy began to lose traction as figures like Bill Ackman openly questioned its wisdom,” Ghahramani added. “When market-savvy voices unite in their concern, even the most entrenched positions can shift.”

    GPA continues to assess the ways in which market participants and institutional investors influence policy direction, noting the potential for further realignments as financial and political dynamics continue to evolve.

    About Global Policy Advisors

    Global Policy Advisors® LLC is a boutique sovereign wealth fund advisory to corporations, boards of directors, and institutional investors—including hedge funds, private equity firms, pension funds, and SWFs. GPA’s ​expertise is delivering actionable insights, strategy sessions, and executive briefings on the governance, operations, and investment strategies of sovereign wealth funds.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Bodies – Parliamentarians champion social development and justice at Tashkent Assembly – IPU

    Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

    The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has successfully concluded its 150th Assembly in Tashkent, hosted by the Parliament of Uzbekistan. This landmark Assembly gathered nearly 1400 delegates, including some 740 members of parliament from approximately 130 countries.

    The presence of over 100 Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliament underscored the increasing recognition of parliamentary diplomacy as a vital complement to traditional international relations, especially at a time of significant geopolitical tensions.

    Highlighting the importance of the event, the President of Uzbekistan, Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, addressed the Assembly in a special plenary session.

    Women MPs comprised over 37% of the parliamentarians at the Assembly, their highest representation at an IPU Assembly since 2022.

    The Tashkent Declaration: A call for social development and justice

    The global parliamentary community adopted the Tashkent Declaration on Parliamentary action for social development and justice, emphasizing the need for renewed efforts on social development to address ongoing and emerging challenges.

    The declaration highlights that the global social development agenda, initiated 30 years ago, has only been partially realized. It calls for a policy reset to balance market demands with the needs of the people, focusing on three key areas:

    investing in people to lift them from poverty to prosperity;
    democratizing the economy to benefit those who historically have been deprived of their fair share, particularly women and youth; and
    strengthening institutions, including through broad participation in the regulation of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence.

    Parliaments are urged to develop national plans for social development and engage in debates ahead of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Qatar in November 2025.

    Gender equality takes centre stage

    The IPU celebrated 40 years of its Forum for Women Parliamentarians, a unique platform driving significant advancements in gender equality and women’s empowerment.

    Against the backdrop of challenges to women’s rights and the stagnation of female parliamentary representation at 27.2%, the IPU launched its new gender campaign for 2025, Achieving gender equality: Action by action.

    The campaign aims to mobilize the global parliamentary community to accelerate progress in achieving gender equality in politics and society.

    Other outcomes and meetings

    The Assembly adopted two critical resolutions:

    The role of parliaments in advancing a two-State solution in Palestine: This resolution emphasizes the role of parliaments in promoting a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on international law. It calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the lifting of blockades, and the release of hostages, as well as urging support for humanitarian efforts and compliance with international law. It also urges parliaments to use their legislative powers to reinforce support for a two-State solution, ensuring the recognition of both Israel and Palestine as independent sovereign States.

    Parliamentary strategies to mitigate the long-lasting impact of conflicts, including armed conflicts, on sustainable development: This resolution addresses how conflicts hinder progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights the role of parliaments in mitigating the negative effects of conflicts, promoting peace, and ensuring the protection of infrastructure and humanitarian principles. The resolution stresses the importance of human rights, environmental considerations, and inclusive governance in post-conflict reconstruction.

    The Assembly also featured sessions on various topics, including the role of the BRICS in international relations, tackling weapons of mass destruction, preventing illegal adoptions, addressing the effects of armed conflict on children, advocating for climate action and reducing methane emissions.

    Elections

    Several new nominations and elections were also announced, including Ms. Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka (Poland) as IPU Vice-President, Ms. Noor Abugoush (Jordan) as President of the Bureau of Young Parliamentarians, and a second term for Ms. Cynthia López Castro (Mexico) as President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians.

    Quotes

    President of the 150th IPU Assembly and Chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan, Ms. Tanzila Narbaeva, said: “This Assembly underscores Uzbekistan’s parliamentary leadership on the international stage and reflects confidence in the country’s reform agenda. The Tashkent Declaration will serve as a roadmap for global social progress and justice.”

    IPU President, Dr. Tulia Ackson, said: “From the get-go, this Assembly has carried a sense of significance with the commemoration of the 150 occasions where the world’s parliamentarians have come together. This Organization has stood the test of time. But I would also like to say that our mission remains of profound importance, perhaps more so today than ever before. The world needs parliamentary diplomacy. We look forward to the next 150 IPU Assemblies, and to the generations they will serve.”

    IPU Secretary General, Mr. Martin Chungong, said: “Many delegates have pointed out that they come to IPU Assemblies not just to hear views that chime with their own, but to hear all sides of the argument. To be challenged, to break free of their echo chambers, to look at the world through different eyes. And although parliamentarians may not always agree, they are still enriched by what they have learned along the way thanks to the IPU.”

    The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 182 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener, more innovative and gender-balanced. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Improved mental health support for diverse communities – AMES

    Source: AMES

    Diverse communities will have better access to mental health support thanks to a new partnership between settlement agency AMES Australia and mental health agency Beyond Blue.

    The partnership is delivering a new set of resources to help migrant and refugee communities address mental health issues, recently launched at the Melbourne Multicultural Hub.

    The AMES-Beyond Blue partnership is aimed at making it easier and more efficient for people to find the support that best suits them, when they need it.

    AMES Australia CEO Cath Scarth said the partnership would help improve access to mental health support for migrant and refugee communities.

    “We know that refugees and migrants are among the most vulnerable in our society to the effects of poor mental health. We also know that they often find it difficult to access services of all kinds, including mental health support,” Cath said.

    Domestic violence survivor Uyen Truong says the resources would have made a difference in her life when she became the victim of an abusive controlling relationship.

    “I had no money of my own, I wasn’t allowed to learn English and I had no freedom to meet people. And I couldn’t even wear the clothes I wanted to,” Ms Truong said.

    “My husband was not violent, but he made my life miserable. I tried to end my life a few times.”

    “Having access to mental health care at the time would have made a world of difference,” she said.

    Uyen left her husband in 2015 with her three children and found support through women’s refuges, a kindly social worker and through government programs. But with virtually no English, she faced a long journey in rebuilding her life.

    “When I left, I couldn’t speak English, I didn’t know how to use public transport and I had no family or friends to help me,” she said.

    “Having some mental health support when going through what I went though is so important,’” Ms Truong said.

    Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman said the partnership will address the unique mental health needs of individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD), particularly those for whom English is a second language, or who have poor literacy levels.

    “By working together, we aim to promote the importance of good mental health and destigmatisation and deepen understandings of mental health support services across the community.

    “We hope that by coming together, we can ensure that mental health support is accessible, and comprehensive to those who need it most,” she said.

    AMES community development officer Reshma Manandhar told the initiative’s recent launch event of her own struggles with post-natal depression and the need for diverse communities to talk about mental health.

    “We all need to understand that it is OK to talk about these issues and it is OK to ask for help. So having resources out in the community informing people how they can get that help is important,” Ms Mananadhar said.

    The partnership will improve access to mental health resources and information on supports/services for many marginalised communities; including refugees and migrants, and those who face additional barriers to accessing help.

    With one third of people in Australia born overseas, an increase in people finding refuge and safety in Australia, the continued impact of racism and discrimination, and current global conflicts, the need for more inclusive approaches to mental health is greater than ever.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Delegation Welcomes $25 Million FAA Investment in Alaska Aviation Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    04.09.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today welcomed a $25 million investment in Alaska aviation safety by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of the FAA’s Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative (DYAASI). This investment is a result of a Sullivan provision in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 authorizing $25 million annually for DYAASI from FY 2025 through 2028. The initiative was established by the FAA in response to a 2020 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on Alaska’s high rates of aviation accidents and fatalities, and focuses on prioritizing funding for the most safety critical systems.

    Additionally, in accordance with the requirements of the FAA legislation, the FAA recently announced it will be expanding the FAA’s use of satellites in Alaska—growing from four testing sites to 16—to help support connectivity at weather monitoring sites, particularly in the more remote parts of the state.

    “In Alaska, aviation is absolutely essential. Yet many of our rural communities either have poorly maintained safety and telecommunications infrastructure, or lack it altogether, leaving them without vital weather data,” said Sen. Sullivan. “This amplifies the risks in a state that already has unacceptably high rates of aviation accidents and fatalities. As a member of the Commerce Committee overseeing the FAA, I worked hard to secure many provisions in the recent FAA reauthorization requiring the agency to focus on and robustly invest in Alaska aviation safety. That work is paying off today with this significant down payment on new technologies and updates to the vital systems we need to make flying in Alaska safer and more reliable. In the absence of Congress executing a full year’s appropriations bill, this is an example of how long-term strategy and working with the administration can produce positive, sustainable results. I very much appreciate Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau for recognizing the unique challenges our state faces and for their strong commitment to Alaska.”

    “Don Young spent his 49-year career fighting to make aviation safer for Alaskans – and we continue to build on that legacy,” said Sen. Murkowski. “Last summer, I convened a summit of government agencies and companies responsible for maintaining the Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) in Yakutat to collaborate on better practices to reduce flight delays and bolster safety for travelers. The $25 million that I fought to include in appropriations for the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative will pave the way for significant progress towards that goal by investing in critical upgrades to our aviation weather reporting systems. I commend the FAA for following through on this objective and partnering with the delegation to make this investment a reality, and I appreciate that Secretary Duffy has made this an early priority. Our state has an all-too tragic history of fatal air crashes, and I’m committed to doing everything in my power to ensure that we are able to confidently, and safely, take off and land at any airport in Alaska. This announcement today helps make aviation safer for all.”

    “Alaska must be the gold standard in aviation safety. It is critically important to ensure that every flight is backed by the technology, data, and the resources needed to make aviation safer in Alaska and throughout our nation. That is what we owe the people of Alaska,” said Congressman Begich. “This $25 million investment through the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative is an important step toward modernizing the infrastructure that so many Alaskans rely on every day, and I commend the FAA for their continued efforts to make aviation safety a priority for Alaska. As a member of the House Aviation Subcommittee, I will continue to work with President Trump and Secretary Duffy on the Administration’s broader vision to modernize our national airspace system.”

    Background on DYAASI

    A February 2020 NTSB report identified a recent 10-year period during which the total accident rate in Alaska was 2.35 times higher than the rest of the United States. During the same period, the fatal accident rate in Alaska was 1.34 times higher. One critical aspect of safety, as referenced in the 2020 report, is access to reliable weather data.

    The FAA’s DYAASI is an effort to respond to the February 2020 NTSB report and the Alaska Aviation Safety Summit. DYAASI identifies safety improvements and investments for the Alaska Region, and aims to make progress on the effort and for the FAA and Department of Transportation (DOT) to take a holistic view of DOT programs. This effort was codified and strengthened in the 2024 FAA reauthorization.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Introduces Bill to Strengthen Taxpayer Protections Against IRS Abuses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced the Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act, which would strengthen taxpayer protections against improper targeting and abuse by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS):

    “Each year, Tax Day reminds us that small business owners must spend thousands of hours conforming to IRS requirements instead of boosting the economy and creating jobs,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bill lowers the compliance burden, strengthens taxpayer protections, and ensures small businesses are not targeted for additional scrutiny based on their politics.”

    U.S. Congressman David Kustoff (TN-08) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

    Background:

    The Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act would strengthen taxpayer protections by:

    • Prohibiting secret conversations between IRS employees and the IRS Independent Office of Appeals when discussing a taxpayer’s case and makes a violation of this prohibition a fireable offense;
    • Prohibiting the IRS Independent Office of Appeals from raising new issues or theories during a conference with taxpayers and the IRS, ensuring Appeals will be a neutral party;
    • Requiring taxpayers’ consent before allowing IRS Counsel or compliance officials to participate in Appeals conference;
    • Increasing the penalty on rogue IRS agents who commit extortion, fraud, or bribery;
    • And adding additional protection against unnecessary lien foreclosures on a taxpayer’s home.

    The legislation would protect taxpayers from improper IRS targeting by:

    • Making it a fireable offense for the development or use by an IRS employee of any methodology that applies disproportionate scrutiny to any applicant who is applying for tax-exempt status based on the ideology expressed in the name or purpose of the organization;
    • Requiring the Inspector General to review and consult with the IRS on any criteria it uses to select tax returns for audit, assessment, or any heightened scrutiny or review, to ensure that the criteria does not discriminate against taxpayers on the basis of race, religion, or political ideology;
    • And requiring the IRS Commissioner to fire any IRS employee who violates taxpayers’ Constitutional rights, including their First Amendment rights.

    The legislation would compensate taxpayers for IRS abuses by: 

    • Allowing more small businesses to petition for attorney’s fees when a court determines the IRS’s legal actions are not substantially justified;
    • Increasing the amount of civil damages and providing more time that small businesses can be awarded when the IRS recklessly or intentionally disregards the law or its own regulations;   
    • Increasing the amount of civil damages a taxpayer can be awarded when their tax return information is unlawfully disclosed by the IRS;
    • And compensating individuals for burdensome “No Change” National Research Program (NPP) audits.

    Lastly, the legislation would lower the compliance burden for taxpayers by:

    • Creating a new alternative dispute resolution procedure program that would allow taxpayers to request mediation by an independent, neutral party not employed by the IRS, allowing for a speedier and less costly resolution of audits;
    • Giving small businesses the opportunity to become compliant without going out of business or firing workers because of the economic hardship faced by paying a harsh levy;
    • And improving taxpayer access to the Offer-in-Compromise program by repealing partial payment requirement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Peters, Fallon, Khanna Introduce Bill to Bolster Defense Cybersecurity, U.S. Supply Chains

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Gary Peters (D-MI) and Representatives Pat Fallon (TX-04) and Ro Khanna (CA-17) today introduced their Securing America’s Federal Equipment (SAFE) in Supply Chains Act, which would protect America’s cybersecurity by ensuring the Department of Defense (DoD) does not unintentionally acquire counterfeit electronics or those from unauthorized sellers:

    “As the world grows increasingly reliant on technology, we must take steps to defend against a potential cyberattack by shoring up our vulnerable domestic supply chains,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would prevent the Department of Defense from unintentionally purchasing counterfeit electronics to strengthen national security and ensure the integrity of our military’s digital infrastructure.”

    “Securing the Department of Defense’s information technology supply chains is a critical step to protecting against cybersecurity threats that endanger our national security,” said Sen. Peters. “Our nation’s adversaries are increasingly targeting vulnerabilities across technologies, which can disrupt operations and steal sensitive data. This bipartisan legislation helps strengthen our national defense by ensuring that the Department of Defense is purchasing reliable technologies like software and cloud computing services from trusted sellers.”

    “The proliferation of artificial intelligence has allowed US adversaries to conduct offensive cyber-operations with alarming speed and impact, creating the possibility of a devastating attack on our nation’s most sensitive networks,” said Rep. Fallon. “Simultaneously, our adversaries have been targeting our hardware and software systems by selling the US government counterfeit products through what are known as ‘grey market’ sellers. These products, although marketed as genuine hardware, allow our adversaries to gain access to US government systems, making it far easier to conduct subsequent cyber-attacks. This is unacceptable.”

    “It is vital we work to protect American data from collection by our adversaries Russia, China, and Iran,” said Rep. Khanna. “Our bill will require the federal government to purchase technology hardware exclusively from trusted sources — guarding access to our telecommunications network and preventing the exploitation of American data.”

    Background:

    Due to increased cyberattacks on vulnerable supply chains and federal agencies, including the Department of Defense (DoD), it is vital that when purchasing information technology products, the DoD only purchase these electronics from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or their authorized resellers. Under the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARs), in order for businesses to contract with the U.S. military, they are required to only acquire electronic products from these OEMs or authorized sellers. However, there are still many cases of federal government employees purchasing technology from grey-market sellers rather than authorized sellers. Grey-market sellers may circumvent trusted supply chains and provide counterfeit technology that could harm security networks within the DoD. These counterfeit devices are often older and may contain unsafe and unreliable components, causing technology to malfunction or completely fail, leading to significant damage to networks and operations.

    The Securing America’s Federal Equipment (SAFE) in Supply Chains Act would:

    • Prohibit the DoD from using a covered product from an entity other than an original equipment manufacturer or authorized seller;
    • Allow the Secretary of Defense to waive the prohibition of a covered product, upon written notice to the Congressional Defense Committees, if they determine the waiver is necessary in the interest of national security;
    • Require written notice on justification for waivers and any security mitigations that have been implemented and a plan of action to avoid future waivers for similar future purchases; and
    • Require the DoD to submit a report to Congress that lists the number and types of covered products for which a waiver was granted and why.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China takes firm countermeasures against US tariff bullying

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China has taken swift, firm countermeasures following the latest U.S. tariff hike on Chinese imports, in a move to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.
    The Chinese government on Wednesday announced that it will raise additional tariffs on products imported from the United States to 84 percent, add six U.S. firms to its unreliable entity list, and place 12 U.S. entities on its export control list.
    These steps — all in effect from 12:01 p.m. Thursday — came after the country pledged to take countermeasures with “firm will” and “abundant means” following the United States’ decision to raise its so-called reciprocal tariffs on Chinese imports from 34 percent to 84 percent.
    China has also filed a case against the United States with the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement mechanism over the latest tariff hike.
    China’s State Council Information Office on Wednesday released a white paper to clarify the facts about China-U.S. economic and trade relations, and to elaborate on China’s position on relevant issues.
    China-U.S. economic and trade relations are mutually beneficial and win-win in nature, and cooperation benefits the two sides while confrontation harms both, the white paper said.
    Recently, the United States has launched several rounds of tariff hikes on Chinese imports, and China has responded to these protectionist moves with forceful countermeasures.
    “I want to emphasize that there is no winner in a trade war, and that China does not want a trade war. But the Chinese government will by no means sit by when the legitimate rights and interests of its people are being hurt and deprived,” an official of China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Wednesday.
    The official said that the United States’ use of tariffs as a weapon to exert maximum pressure and pursue its self-interests is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying.
    Under the guise of pursuing “reciprocity” and “fairness,” the United States is engaging in zero-sum games and, in essence, seeking “America First” and “American exceptionalism,” the official said.
    China is willing to communicate with the U.S. side on key bilateral economic and trade issues, address their respective concerns through dialogue and consultations on an equal footing, and jointly advance the steady, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations, the official noted.
    “If the United States really seeks to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should demonstrate an attitude of equality, respect and reciprocity,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a daily news briefing on Wednesday.
    “If the United States is bent on waging a tariff war or trade war, China is ready to fight to the end,” Lin said, noting that China has the capability and confidence to cope with various risks and challenges. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China unveils plan to boost health-related consumption

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

    BEIJING, April 9 — Chinese authorities on Wednesday released an action plan to boost health-related consumption as the country moves to improve the quality of its health products and services, and to meet the people’s expanding needs in their pursuit of a better life.

    To spur such spending, China will work to increase the healthiness of people’s diets and improve the market supply of special foods, according to the plan, which was formulated by the country’s commerce ministry and 11 other government departments.

    The supply of high-quality agricultural products will be strengthened, and there will be a crackdown on illegal food additives, per the plan. Medical and health institutions will be guided to provide dietary and exercise guidance for people with hypertension, diabetes, obesity and other medical conditions.

    China will create more fitness and sports consumption scenarios and develop its sports tourism, according to the plan. The transformation and upgrading of the sports goods manufacturing sector will also be accelerated on the back of technologies and smart applications.

    The country will also bolster market services for the elderly, and the plan pledges efforts to facilitate their online and offline consumption, and to enrich their cultural life. Additionally, the supply of tourism products for China’s silver-haired population will be increased.

    Work will also be done to develop new service businesses such as those providing health examinations, consultations and management, and to accelerate the establishment of rehabilitation hospitals, nursing homes and palliative care institutions, according to the plan.

    China’s per capita spending on health care stood at 2,547 yuan (about 353 U.S. dollars) last year, accounting for 9 percent of the country’s total per capita consumption expenditure, official data shows.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Addressing Risks from Susman Godfrey

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Background.  Lawyers and law firms that engage in activities detrimental to critical American interests should not have access to our Nation’s secrets, nor should their conduct be subsidized by Federal taxpayer funds or contracts.  My Administration must also take appropriate and necessary measures to guard against the actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that arise when the Government funds, engages with, or otherwise devotes resources to law firms and their clients that engage in conduct undermining critical American interests and priorities.
    I have determined that action is necessary to address the significant risks, egregious conduct, and conflicts of interest associated with Susman Godfrey LLP (Susman).  Susman spearheads efforts to weaponize the American legal system and degrade the quality of American elections.  Susman also funds groups that engage in dangerous efforts to undermine the effectiveness of the United States military through the injection of political and radical ideology, and it supports efforts to discriminate on the basis of race.
    Susman itself engages in unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race.  For example, Susman administers a program where it offers financial awards and employment opportunities only to “students of color.” My Administration is committed to ending such unlawful discrimination perpetrated in the name of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies and ensuring that Federal benefits support the laws and policies of the United States, including those laws and policies promoting our national security and respecting the democratic process.  Those who engage in blatant discrimination and other activities inconsistent with the interests of the United States should not have access to our Nation’s secrets nor be deemed responsible stewards of any Federal funds.

    Sec. 2.  Security Clearance Review.  (a)  The Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and all other relevant heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take steps consistent with applicable law to suspend any active security clearances held by individuals at Susman, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest. 
    (b)  The Office of Management and Budget shall identify all Government goods, property, material, and services, including Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities, provided for the benefit of Susman.  The heads of agencies providing such material or services shall, to the extent permitted by law, expeditiously cease such provision. 

    Sec. 3.  Contracting.  (a)  To prevent the transfer of taxpayer dollars to Federal contractors whose earnings subsidize, among other things, activities that are not aligned with American interests, including racial discrimination, Government contracting agencies shall, to the extent permissible by law, require Government contractors to disclose any business they do with Susman and whether that business is related to the subject of the Government contract. 
    (b)  The heads of agencies shall review all contracts with Susman or with entities that disclose doing business with Susman under subsection (a) of this section.  To the extent permitted by law, the heads of agencies shall:
    (i)   take appropriate steps to terminate any contract, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation, for which Susman has been hired to perform any service; and
    (ii)  otherwise align their agency funding decisions with the interests of the citizens of the United States; with the goals and priorities of my Administration as expressed in executive actions, especially Executive Order 14147 of January 20, 2025 (Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government); and as heads of agencies deem appropriate.  Within 30 days of the date of this order, agencies shall submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget an assessment of contracts with Susman or with entities that do business with Susman effective as of the date of this order and any actions taken with respect to those contracts in accordance with this order. 

    Sec. 4.  Racial Discrimination.  Nothing in this order shall be construed to limit the action authorized by section 4 of Executive Order 14230 of March 6, 2025 (Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP).  

    Sec. 5.  Personnel.  (a)  The heads of agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide guidance limiting official access from Federal Government buildings to employees of Susman when such access would threaten the national security of or otherwise be inconsistent with the interests of the United States.  In addition, the heads of agencies shall provide guidance limiting Government employees acting in their official capacity from engaging with Susman employees to ensure consistency with the national security and other interests of the United States.
    (b)  Agency officials shall, to the extent permitted by law, refrain from hiring employees of Susman, absent a waiver from the head of the agency, made in consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, that such hire will not threaten the national security of the United States. 

    Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Addressing Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-center”> MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

    The Federal Government has a constitutional duty and a moral responsibility to respect and promote the free speech rights of Americans. Yet in recent years, elitist leaders in Government have unlawfully censored speech and weaponized their undeserved influence to silence perceived political opponents and advance their preferred, and often erroneous, narrative about significant matters of public debate. These disgraceful actions have taken the form of coercive threats against the private sector — including major social media platforms — to suppress conservative or dissenting voices and distort public opinion. Much of this censorship took place during a Presidential election with the apparent purpose of undermining the free exchange of ideas and debate.

    Christopher Krebs, the former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), is a significant bad-faith actor who weaponized and abused his Government authority. Krebs’ misconduct involved the censorship of disfavored speech implicating the 2020 election and COVID-19 pandemic. CISA, under Krebs’ leadership, suppressed conservative viewpoints under the guise of combatting supposed disinformation, and recruited and coerced major social media platforms to further its partisan mission. CISA covertly worked to blind the American public to the controversy surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop. Krebs, through CISA, promoted the censorship of election information, including known risks associated with certain voting practices. Similarly, Krebs, through CISA, falsely and baselessly denied that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, including by inappropriately and categorically dismissing widespread election malfeasance and serious vulnerabilities with voting machines. Krebs skewed the bona fide debate about COVID-19 by attempting to discredit widely shared views that ran contrary to CISA’s favored perspective.

    Abusive conduct of this sort both violates the First Amendment and erodes trust in Government, thus undermining the strength of our democracy itself. Those who engage in or support such conduct must not have continued access to our Nation’s secrets. Accordingly, I hereby direct the heads of executive department and agencies (agencies) to immediately take steps consistent with existing law to revoke any active security clearance held by Christopher Krebs.

    I further direct the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and all other relevant agencies to immediately take all action as necessary and consistent with existing law to suspend any active security clearances held by individuals at entities associated with Krebs, including SentinelOne, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest.

    I further direct the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with any other agency head, to take all appropriate action to review Krebs’ activities as a Government employee, including his leadership of CISA. This review should identify any instances where Krebs’ conduct appears to have been contrary to suitability standards for Federal employees, involved the unauthorized dissemination of classified information, or contrary to the purposes and policies identified in Executive Order 14149 of January 20, 2025 (Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship). As part of that review, I direct a comprehensive evaluation of all of CISA’s activities over the last 6 years, focusing specifically on any instances where CISA’s conduct appears to have been contrary to the purposes and policies identified in Executive Order 14149. Upon completing these reviews, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall prepare a joint report to be submitted to the President, through the Counsel to the President, with recommendations for appropriate remedial or preventative actions to be taken to fulfill the purposes and policies of Executive Order 14149.

    This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Tai Software Introduces the Most Flexible TMS on the Market at the TIA 2025 Capital Ideas Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN ANTONIO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — At this year’s TIA Capital Ideas Conference, Tai Software announced three powerful new enhancements. These upgrades position Tai as the most flexible and automation-ready transportation management system for freight brokers. With it, brokers are empowered to operate on their terms, without the delays and expense of custom software development.

    Traditional TMS platforms often lock brokers into rigid workflows, limiting how they manage shipment references, alerts, and carrier behavior. These constraints lead to inefficiencies, reactive customer service, and inconsistent carrier communication. Tai’s latest updates are designed to give brokers total control over these essential elements.

    “We’re enhancing TMS flexibility by putting control directly in the hands of brokers, allowing them to define their own business rules, streamline workflows, and adapt the system to fit their operations,” said Daniel Ely, Chief Product Officer at Tai Software. “It’s not about changing how you work to fit your TMS. It’s about your TMS working the way you do.”

    Tai’s Three Flexibility-Driven Enhancements

    1. Custom Shipment Reference Numbers

    Brokers can now create and manage reference fields tailored to their operations. The TMS dashboard, customer portals, reports, and APIs will show these fields. Fields include internal tags and customer-specific IDs based on each company’s unique logic.

    2. Custom Shipment Alerts with Workflow Automation

    Move beyond basic notifications. With Tai, brokers can create alerts based on business-specific conditions and trigger real-time actions. Custom alerts enable teams to stay ahead of issues instead of reacting after they occur.

    3. Carrier Rules Engine

    Brokers can set their own logic for interacting with carriers across their operations. Tai offers brokers tools for consistent, brand-driven carrier management. These include auto-selection, compliance checks, visibility settings, and performance tracking.

    “These three capabilities give brokers deep operational control over what gets tracked, when to take action, and how their systems respond in real-time,” said Ely.

    Real Value for Freight Brokers

    These latest enhancements give freight brokers the power to fully customize their TMS without relying on developers or incurring added costs. With greater visibility and better collaboration across teams and systems, Tai TMS helps brokers operate more efficiently, respond faster, and scale with confidence.

    “This isn’t just flexibility. It’s data intelligence,” Ely explains. “You’re not just getting alerts; you’re triggering results.”

    See Tai in Action at TIA 2025

    Experience these new capabilities live at TIA Media Day and see how Tai delivers unmatched flexibility, intelligence, and control to freight brokers nationwide.

    To learn more about Tai’s new capabilities or TIA 2025, contact Vanessa Galvis, Marketing Director, at vanessa.galvis@tai-software.com.

    About Tai Software

    Tai Software is a fully integrated freight management platform that drives brokers’ efficiency and growth. Tai TMS automates operations for both Full Truckload (FTL) and Less-than-Truckload (LTL) shipments, integrating seamlessly with major carriers and technology partners. With over 500 tool integrations and over 20 years of industry innovation, freight brokers trust Tai TMS to simplify their processes and focus on strategic business growth. To learn more about Tai Software, visit https://tai-software.com/.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pfluger’s Bills to Counter the Chinese Communist Party’s Influence in America Pass Through Committee

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, participated in the full committee legislative markup. The markup included two of Chairman Pfluger’s bills, the “Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025” and the “DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes Act.” Both bills passed through committee by voice with bipartisan support.

    In his remarks on the “Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025”, Chairman Pfluger said in part, “The Chinese Communist Party, the Iranian regime, and other malign entities have reached into American soil to silence American citizens and residents who defend human rights and advocate for free speech. These unacceptable acts of hostility are a direct challenge to our nation’s sovereignty and the rule of law, and the U.S. government must respond to defend the homeland…A proactive approach is crucial and especially urgent considering the Chinese Communist Party’s repressive activities, which include an illegal CCP pseudo-police station in New York City the Justice Department says was used to monitor and intimidate dissidents.”

    Watch Chairman Pfluger’s full remarks on the “Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025” HERE.

    In his remarks on the “DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes Act”, Chairman Pfluger said in part, “I am deeply concerned about the threats the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses to our homeland. National security experts and law enforcement officials have continuously raised alarms about the CCP’s increasing subversive activities inside our country through organizations like the CCP’s Confucious Institutes and their affiliate groups…This bill would play a vital role in protecting our students, our intellectual property, and our national security.”

    Watch Chairman Pfluger’s full remarks on the “DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes Act” HERE.

    Background:

    In March, Chairman Pfluger reintroduced the “Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025″ to combat the threat of transnational repression within the United States by strengthening the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) response and coordination to these threats.

    Chairman Pfluger also penned an op-ed in the Washington Times outlining the threat of transnational repression in the United States and the need for his legislation. Chairman Pfluger’s constituent, Dr. Bob Fu, has been directly impacted by transnational repression and detailed this in a Wall Street Journal op-ed he recently wrote.

    Earlier this year, Chairman Pfluger also introduced the

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Banks Continue Push to Protect American Institutions from Foreign Control

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) in cosponsoring the Safeguarding American Education From Foreign Control Act. This bill requires universities to disclose gifts they receive from foreign adversaries, regardless of the amount of the gift or contract. This bill aligns with President Trump’s America First agenda by preventing foreign money and influence from infiltrating our higher education institutions.

    Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation in the 118th Congress.

    “The Chinese Communist Party wants to brainwash our kids and destroy our country — not on my watch,” said Sen. Tuberville. “The CCP has made it clear their plan of action is to infiltrate our education system and indoctrinate our kids. It is astounding that we have allowed universities to get away with taking money from a country that hates us. I was glad to see Troy University in Alabama close its CCP-backed Confucius Institute, and hope other universities will follow their lead. Transparency about how China is funding our schools is not only vital to our national security — our kids’ futures depend on it.”

    “Americans deserve to know if universities are accepting money from our enemies like China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea. This bill delivers that transparency and stops hostile nations from hiding their influence on our campuses,” said Sen. Banks.

    Sens. Tuberville and Banks were joined by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) in cosponsoring the legislation.

    Representative Erin Houchin (R-IN-09) is leading the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    Read full text of the legislation here. 

    BACKGROUND:

    Key Provisions of the Safeguarding American Education from Foreign Control Act are:

    • Requiring Disclosures – Universities Must Report:
      • All gift disclosures from foreign sources associated with a covered nation (Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea)
      • Reports from Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965
      • Investigations enacted by the Department of Education
    • Guaranteeing transparency by ensuring the Department of Education transmits disclosure reports to the FBI, ODNI, and Department of State
    • Enforcing accountability by allowing the FBI and the ODNI to request the DOJ bring forward action for inability to comply with disclosure requirements

    According to the Americans for Public Trust, China donated more than $175 million to American universities last year. 

    In August 2023, Sen. Tuberville joined 19 of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden Administration’s Department of Education (ED) expressing outrage for allowing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to infiltrate U.S. classrooms through Confucius programming. Confucius programming establishes a partnership between schools, universities, or nonprofits and a Chinese government entity. Expansion of Confucius Classrooms in the United States is a top priority for the Chinese government. A report released in July 2023 shows over 143 United States schools across 34 states and the District of Columbia have received CCP-related funding. Additionally, the report shows the CCP has ties to 20 school districts near United States military bases. Read the letter here. 

    In February 2023, Sen. Tuberville let Troy University know that future funding opportunities would be in jeopardy if they did not end their Confucius Institute program. He was pleased when Troy announced they were closing the program.

    Since assuming office in the U.S. Senate in 2021, Sen. Tuberville has led and supported numerous efforts to protect American resources, farmland, investments, intellectual property, and national security from the growing threat of Communist China.


    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Leads Senators Demanding Answers from Trump Admin on Cuts to Partnership that Boosts American Manufacturing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) are demanding answers from the Trump Administration on its decision to take away funding that has long helped boost domestic manufacturing and created thousands of jobs. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program is a public-private partnership that helps small and medium-sized manufacturers grow, make operational improvements, and create jobs. The administration announced that it would be cutting off future funding for 10 MEP Centers across the country, with others, including Wisconsin, waiting in the lurch. In Wisconsin, the MEP has helped create more than $2.5 billion in economic impact and created or retained nearly 4,000 jobs in just the past two years.

    “Small manufacturers rely on MEP Centers for essential support in adopting the latest advanced technologies, updating their cybersecurity, navigating supply chain challenges, and accessing workforce training—resources that are often out of reach for small businesses without this dedicated assistance,” wrote Baldwin and the Senators in a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “These centers drive innovation, boost productivity, and create high-quality jobs, strengthening both local economies and America’s global competitiveness.”

    The Senators continued, “Eliminating federal support for MEP Centers would hamper American small and medium-sized manufacturers. We urge you to take immediate action to protect the MEP program and the manufacturers that rely on it.”

    A report by Summit Consulting and the Upjohn Institute found that the MEP program generated a substantial economic and financial return ratio of more than 17:1 for the $175 million funding invested by the federal government in FY2023. The study also determined that MEP Center projects contributed to an overall increase of nearly 309,000 jobs nationwide.

    Centers in Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming will be immediately affected. The national network of 51 MEPs, including the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership, has helped boost the productivity and competitiveness of thousands of small American manufacturers across the country for decades.

    Since 1988, the MEP has worked to strengthen and empower U.S. manufacturing through a nationwide network of MEP Centers. The MEP National Network is comprised of 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico and over 1,450 trusted advisors and experts at more than 430 MEP service locations that provide any U.S. manufacturer with access to resources they need to succeed.

    Senator Baldwin has long championed investing in the manufacturing sector. In addition to helping pass the CHIPS and Science Act, Senator Baldwin worked to secure significant investments to support the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Baldwin is Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee charged with oversight of MEP at the Department of Commerce.

    This letter was co-signed by 13 other Senate colleagues.

    A full version of this letter is available here and below.

    Dear Secretary Lutnick,

    We write to express our deep concern regarding the Department of Commerce’s recent decision to cancel future funding for ten National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers in Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming. This decision has raised widespread concern across the entire national network of MEP Centers, prompting fears about whether these initial cancellations are the first step in a broader effort to dismantle the program and eliminate federal funding for all 51 centers, with centers in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin expected to be notified about their status shortly. Given the MEP program’s long-standing, bipartisan support in strengthening small and medium-sized American manufacturers, we share these concerns and urge you to provide clarity and certainty on your plans for the future of the MEP program.

    According to the National Association of Manufacturers, 93% of manufacturers have fewer than 100 employees, while 75% have fewer than 20 employees. Small manufacturers rely on MEP Centers for essential support in adopting the latest advanced technologies, updating their cybersecurity, navigating supply chain challenges, and accessing workforce training—resources that are often out of reach for small businesses without this dedicated assistance. These centers drive innovation, boost productivity, and create high-quality jobs, strengthening both local economies and America’s global competitiveness. Without this critical federal support, MEP Centers—especially those with the fewest resources, and those serving rural and underserved communities—will be at the greatest risk of closure.

    Dismantling this program would not only disrupt benefits for small businesses but also undermine decades of federal investment in domestic manufacturing resilience, which Congress prioritized in the MEP program in the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988. Congress also reauthorized the MEP program in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. NIST was provided $175 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 to fund the MEP Centers. In FY2024 alone, the MEP National Network resulted in $2.6 billion in cost savings, $15 billion in new and retained sales, $5 billion in new client investments, and over 108,000 jobs created or retained. Additionally, a report by Summit Consulting and the Upjohn Institute found that the MEP program generated a substantial economic and financial return ratio of more than 17:1 for the $175 million funding invested by the federal government in FY2023. The study also determined that MEP Center projects contributed to an overall increase of nearly 309,000 jobs across the United States.

    Given these benefits and the funding in the FY 2025 Continuing Resolution, we request a full explanation of the rationale behind this funding decision and ask that you promptly reconsider. Additionally, we urge the Department of Commerce to provide Congress with an impact assessment detailing how this decision will affect manufacturers in the affected states and regions. This action has caused tremendous uncertainty for all MEP Centers and the thousands of American manufacturing companies and their workers.  Therefore, to better understand your plans for renewals across other states in the future, we request a briefing on the way ahead for the overall MEP program prior to making any final non-renewal decisions by April 30, 2025. 

    Eliminating federal support for MEP Centers would hamper American small and medium-sized manufacturers. We urge you to take immediate action to protect the MEP program and the manufacturers that rely on it. We look forward to your response no later than April 30, 2025, and are ready to work with you to find solutions that maintain and enhance the MEP program’s ability to serve America’s manufacturing sector.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pasadena Woman Pleads Guilty to Stalking Campaign Against Victims and Threatening to Bomb U.S. Consulate in Vietnam

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley woman pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for stalking a victim then impersonating him and his wife to further stalk government employees at a United States consulate in Vietnam, which she threatened to bomb.

    Natalie Nguyen, 39, of Pasadena, pleaded guilty to one count of stalking and one count of threat by interstate commerce to kill another person and to damage and destroy buildings by fire and explosives.

    Nguyen has been in federal custody since February 2024.

    According to her plea agreement, Nguyen stalked a victim – identified in court documents as “T.H.” – from April 2023 to February 2024, sending emails threatening to kill him and his wife. One of the emails contained screenshots of a text conversation about paying a hitman $15,000 to kill the victim’s wife.

    Nguyen also began stalking five employees at the U.S. consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At times, she impersonated T.H.’s wife, including in an August 2023 email in which she threatened to “bomb the [expletive] consular in Ho Chi Minh City.”

    In October 2023, Nguyen – impersonating T.H. and using T.H.’s email account without permission – sent an email to three government employees at the U.S. consulate stating, “i wil [sic] kill every [expletive] one of you who has been delaying issuing my wife visa.”

    In January 2024, Nguyen – impersonating T.H.’s wife – sent a message to U.S. officials through an online portal stating, “Device will be detonated at America consular in Saigon and in San Francisco. All of you will be exploded for causing my separation with my husband for this last year. Everything will be exploded around new year or after.”

    The following month, Nguyen impersonated T.H. and sent an inquiry to a U.S. Embassy online portal threatening to explode grenades around the time of the lunar new year at the consulate. Several minutes later, Nguyen, impersonating T.H., sent an email to the Vietnamese consulate stating, “i have a grenade set to be exploded this lunar new year at the consulate. my wife is ready.”

    United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett scheduled a June 18 sentencing hearing, at which time Nguyen will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the stalking count and up to 10 years in federal prison for the threats count.

    The FBI investigated this matter with assistance from the Diplomatic Security Service.

    Assistant United States Attorney Diane Roldán of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Two Men Of Damaging Rock Formations At National Recreation Area In Nevada

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – A federal jury convicted two Henderson, Nev., men today of damaging ancient rock formations at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada.

    According to evidence presented and statements made at trial, on April 7, 2024, Wyatt Clifford Fain and Payden David Guy Cosper pushed ancient rock formations over a cliff onto the ground below while on or near the Redstone Dunes Trail at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

    Following a two-day jury trial, Fain and Cosper were each found guilty of one count of injury and depredation of government property.

    United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025. Fain and Cosper each face a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Lake Mead National Recreation Area Superintendent Mike Gauthier made the announcement.

    The National Park Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Skyler Pearson is prosecuting the case.

    If you see something suspicious or if you have information that could help an investigation, call the National Park Service Tip Line at 1-888-653-0009 or submit a tip online to nps_isb@nps.gov. 

    ###

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Meeting with Chicago Head Start Provider, Duckworth Underscores How Trump and Elon Musk are Exploding Costs for Illinois Children and Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 09, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with leadership from Chicago Commons Association, Chicago’s second-largest Early Head Start and Head Start provider to discuss how recent cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will massively increase the cost of living for hardworking Illinois families, while harming the development of children. After unleashing Elon Musk—an unelected, unaccountable and unstable billionaire—to dismantle investments that help middle-class families get ahead, the Trump Administration last week announced the closure and termination of all staff at the Office of Head Start’s Region 5 office in Chicago, which providers like Chicago Commons rely on for training, technical assistance and help in approval to access funding. Chicago Commons operates four early education centers and provides Early Head Start and Head Start services in 15 additional Chicagoland neighborhoods. A photo from today’s meeting can be found on the Senator’s website.
    “Despite running on the promise that he would lower costs for middle-class Americans, Donald Trump’s extreme cuts to federal services and funding hurt the same families he swore he’d protect,” said Duckworth. “Donald Trump’s agenda is out of touch and harmful to our kids, which is why I’m working closely with Governor Pritzker, Senator Durbin, Illinois Head Start Executive Director Lauri Morrison-Frichtl and local leaders and providers like Chicago Commons to repair the damage he’s already done and support this important program that helps middle-class families across Illinois.”
    Today, Duckworth called on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., for answers about the closure of five regional Head Start offices across the country, including the Region 5 office in Chicago. Last week, Duckworth joined 27 of her Senate Democratic colleagues in condemning the Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal employees at the Office of Head Start and the Office of Child Care, demanding Kennedy immediately reinstate these employees. The sweeping firings of staff from these critical HHS offices will severely restrict access to child care for working families and limit the federal government’s ability to administer and conduct oversight of nearly $25 billion in federal investments in early childhood programs.
    Duckworth has been outspoken in pushing back against Trump’s illegal funding freeze that continues to inflict needless chaos, confusion and financial pain on Head Start programs and the middle-class families they serve throughout Illinois. Last month she hosted Illinois Head Start Association Lauri Morrison-Frichtl will be her guest to President Donald Trump’s Joint Address to Congress. Earlier this year she joined Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, parents, teachers and staff at Two Rivers Head Start in Elgin to highlight the financial setbacks for Head Start programs in Illinois.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues in Demanding HHS Restore Title X Family Planning Funding Immediately to Protect Health Care Services for Millions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 09, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and other Senate Democratic colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately reinstate Title X family planning funding in 23 states after the agency began withholding grants that support basic health care for approximately one million people.
    “We are alarmed at the Trump administration’s attacks against providers that enable access to health care for low-income and uninsured people,” the Senators wrote in a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We urge you to swiftly reinstate funding to avoid extended gaps in service for vulnerable communities who rely on Title X funded health centers and programs.”
    Title X is the nation’s only dedicated source of federal funding for family planning. In 2023, the program supported health care services for 2.8 million people at nearly 4,000 clinics across all 50 states and U.S. territories. These clinics provide cancer screenings, sexually transmitted infections testing and treatment, contraception and pregnancy-related care—regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. On April 1, the Trump Administration began withholding all, most, or a substantial portion of Title X funds across 23 states, including Illinois. The move threatens 23 percent of the entire Title X network.
    “These interruptions will be widely felt in our communities and exacerbate the country’s maternal health crisis,” the Senators wrote. “By withholding critical appropriated funds, you are impeding access to essential health care services in rural and underserved areas, risking providers closing their doors, and jeopardizing working families’ lives and livelihoods.”
    The Senators demanded the administration reverse course before more irreparable harm is done.
    California, Hawai‘i, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana and Utah are currently receiving no family planning dollars. Meanwhile, Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia are experiencing reduced access to Title X-funded services.
    Along with Duckworth, Durbin, Schatz, Smith, Schiff and Hirono, the letter was also co-signed by U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).
    Full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:
    Dear Secretary Kennedy:
    We write with great concern regarding the withholding of Title X family planning funding, impacting approximately one million patients in 23 states. We are alarmed at the Trump administration’s attacks against providers that enable access to health care for low-income and uninsured people. We urge you to swiftly reinstate funding to avoid extended gaps in service for vulnerable communities who rely on Title X funded health centers and programs.
    For the past 55 years, Title X has served as the nation’s only dedicated, federally-funded family planning program. It provides lifelines to essential health care, including cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, contraceptive services and supplies, pregnancy testing, and more. Importantly, Title X providers offer care to all people, regardless of their ability to pay. In fact, 60 percent of patients seeking care at Title X funded health centers have incomes below 101 percent of the federal poverty level and receive care at no cost. Altogether, in 2023, Title X supported health care services for 2.8 million patients at 3,853 health centers across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Freezing Title X funds puts millions at risk of losing basic health services and screenings.  A 2024 report from the HHS Office of Population Affairs determined that there “remains a significant need for publicly funded programs to provide free or subsidized sexual and reproductive health [SRH] services.”
    Despite its vast impact, on April 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began withholding all, most, or a substantial portion of Title X funding in 23 states, and all other grantees received partial awards. These states span from coast to coast and the non-contiguous states, covering nearly a quarter of the nation’s Title X network. You have entirely cut access to Title X family planning services for California, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, and Utah; and your agency is making significant cuts to Title-X funded services in Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. All other grantees have received partial funding which significantly constrains planned staffing and service delivery this performance year.
    The notifications were premised on specious arguments and contain unreasonable deadlines given the hundreds of health centers that must be surveyed in order to respond to this politically motivated inquiry. Though the administration has explicitly targeted specific providers like Planned Parenthood affiliates, it also included a varied group of nonprofit state and regional grantees.
    These interruptions will be widely felt in our communities and exacerbate the country’s maternal health crisis, particularly in the context of health center closures and restrictive state policies that impact access to reproductive care. By withholding critical appropriated funds, you are impeding access to essential health care services in rural and underserved areas, risking providers closing their doors, and jeopardizing working families’ lives and livelihoods. We request that you expeditiously release funding to Title X grantees in the 23 impacted states before you cause irreparable harm.
    Sincerely,
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Hirono in Introducing Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 09, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) in reintroducing the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. This comes at a critical time, after President Trump’s recent executive order ended collective bargaining for more than one million federal workers.
    “Our public sector workers deserve the same right to organize as private sector workers, work in a safe job that pays a livable wage and be able to save for a secure retirement,” said Duckworth. “As Donald Trump works to hollow out the backbone of our public sector, I’m proud to help Senator Hirono and my colleagues introduce this legislation that would protect these hardworking Americans by finally enshrining their right to unionize into law and enabling them to advocate for the wages and working conditions they rightfully deserve.”
    “Public sector workers – our teachers, firefighters, nurses – keep our communities safe, healthy, and educated.  They deserve the same freedom to organize and collectively bargain as those who work in the private sector,” said Durbin. “I am cosponsoring the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act to ensure that those who serve our communities are not denied basic labor rights.”
    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. Unlike private sector workers, there is currently no federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits and improved working conditions.
    Specifically, this bill would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation provides public service workers with the freedom to:
    Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees; 
    Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment; 
    Access dispute resolution mechanisms; 
    Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues; 
    Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid; 
    Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections and 
    File suit in court to enforce their labor rights. 
    Along with Duckworth, Durbin and Hirono, this legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    The full text of the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is available on Senator Duckworth’s website. 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Van Hollen, Shaheen, SFRC Democrats to Rubio: Plan for USAID Illegal, Unconstitutional; Broader Restructuring Threatens National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 09, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—joined her fellow Democratic SFRC colleagues, including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the State Department’s recently announced plans to restructure the Department and fold USAID into the Department of State. In their letter, the SFRC Democrats emphasize that the State Department’s proposal for USAID is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers, and that broader efforts to restructure, including the closure of U.S. embassies and consulates, are illegal without Congressional action and would be an unjustified seismic shift in the U.S foreign policy enterprise. 
    “The proposal, if implemented, and action taken to date to gut USAID, are clearly an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers,” the Senators wrote. “The executive branch may not eliminate a congressionally created and funded agency without congressional authorization. Such action would be incompatible with the express will of Congress. The administration’s plan to permanently dismantle USAID and fire all of its employees will not only render it impossible for any retained USAID programs to be implemented, but will also cause significant disruption to the State Department’s core mission. The actions outlined in this proposal are unconstitutional, illegal, unjustified, damaging, and inefficient.”
    “In addition, we have seen reports on additional restructuring that would include dozens of U.S. embassies and consulates being closed, a fifth of the State Department’s workforce slashed, career positions being reclassified into political ‘Schedule P/C’ positions, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) being absorbed into separate divisions under the DFC,” the Senators continued. “This reorganization would have dramatic U.S. national security implications, constitutes an unjustified seismic shift in the U.S. foreign policy enterprise, and includes many proposed measures that would be illegal without congressional action.  We demand that you follow the law and engage with the relevant committees before the State Department begins to execute any such plans, including you testifying before the relevant committees to explain and defend these plans to restructure the country’s premier diplomatic agencies.”
    “Given the gravity of these potential consequences, we expect that the administration will immediately engage with Congress before taking any further steps toward implementing these plans, as required by law,” the Senators close.
    Along with Duckworth, Van Hollen and Shaheen, the letter was also co-signed by every Democratic member of SFRC: U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
    Full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:
    Secretary Rubio,
    On March 28, 2025, the State Department sent a Congressional Notification indicating its intent to fold USAID into the Department of State. The proposal, if implemented, and action taken to date to gut USAID, are clearly an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers. The executive branch may not eliminate a congressionally created and funded agency without congressional authorization. Such action would be incompatible with the express will of Congress. The administration’s plan to permanently dismantle USAID and fire all of its employees will not only render it impossible for any retained USAID programs to be implemented, but will also cause significant disruption to the State Department’s core mission. The actions outlined in this proposal are unconstitutional, illegal, unjustified, damaging, and inefficient.
    In addition, we have seen reports on additional restructuring that would include dozens of U.S. embassies and consulates being closed, a fifth of the State Department’s workforce slashed, career positions being reclassified into political “Schedule P/C” positions, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) being absorbed into separate divisions under the DFC. This reorganization would have dramatic U.S. national security implications, constitutes an unjustified seismic shift in the U.S. foreign policy enterprise, and includes many proposed measures that would be illegal without congressional action. We demand that you follow the law and engage with the relevant committees before the State Department begins to execute any such plans, including you testifying before the relevant committees to explain and defend these plans to restructure the country’s premier diplomatic agencies.
    According to the congressional notification we received, the administration would eliminate USAID’s status as an independent establishment in the executive branch, abolish multiple USAID bureaus and offices, as well as “realigning certain USAID functions to the Department.” As you know, Congress mandated that USAID be established in statute. Some reporting about the State Department’s plans also suggest an attempt to dissolve certain State Department bureaus that focus on functional and bilateral assistance, which could potentially result in the dissolution of multiple bureaus already authorized in law. Any attempt to dissolve those bureaus requires congressional action to modify or repeal the relevant authorizing statutes.
    It is also our understanding that the State Department is considering substantially shrinking its workforce and diplomatic footprint around the world. This includes a potential major cut in staffing and the closure of multiple embassies and consulates abroad. If carried out, these plans would undermine our ability to conduct diplomacy abroad at a time when China is increasing its presence globally and outpacing the U.S. presence in multiple regions.
    Beyond the immediate structural and personnel changes, these proposed reforms could have a severe deleterious impact for U.S. global leadership and influence. The State Department, USAID, and its diplomatic corps are the backbone of American foreign policy, advancing U.S. interests, strengthening alliances, and responding to global crises. Slashing their workforces, closing embassies, consulates, and missions, and dismantling key bureaus would severely weaken America’s ability to conduct diplomacy, support democracy, and counter the growing influence of strategic competitors like China and Russia. At a time when global challenges are increasing, from conflicts and humanitarian crises, such as the recent earthquakes in Myanmar, to economic instability, the United States cannot afford to undermine its own diplomatic capacity.
    Given the gravity of these potential consequences, we expect that the administration will immediately engage with Congress before taking any further steps toward implementing these plans, as required by law.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –