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Category: Taxation

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kelly backs House budget resolution, paves way for border security funding, lower taxes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax, voted in favor of the House budget resolution, which formally establishes the budgetary framework for fiscal year 2025 and sets appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026-2036.

    The resolution serves as a framework for House Republicans to advance President Trump’s legislative priorities, including border funding, energy policy, and tax cuts.

    “The American people made it clear in November: they want Congress to secure all of our nation’s borders, rein in wasteful spending, and expand American energy production. This budget resolution does just that,” Rep. Kelly said. “2025 is the Super Bowl of Tax. This resolution aims to deliver on the entirety of President Trump’s agenda and fulfill our commitment to the American people.”

    Major portions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire in 2025. In April 2024, Rep. Kelly and Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) announced the formation of ten Committee Tax Teams, comprised of Ways and Means Republican members, to address key tax provisions from the 2017 Trump tax cuts that are set to expire in 2025 and to identify legislative solutions that will continue to help families, workers, and small businesses. This included a historic Ways & Means field hearing in Erie in May 2024.

    You can learn more about Rep. Kelly’s recent work here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Kustoff Introduces the Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Kustoff (TN-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN) introduced the Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act in the House of Representatives. This bill protects small businesses and taxpayers by bolstering taxpayer protections, prohibiting improper Internal Revenue Service (IRS) targeting of taxpayers, compensating taxpayers for IRS abuse, and lowering the regulatory burden on taxpayers.

    “Small businesses are the engine that runs our economy. As such, small businesses should be focused on what is important – growing and creating jobs. They should not have to deal with burdensome and costly IRS regulations,” said Congressman Kustoff. “I introduced the Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act to hold the IRS accountable and give small business owners the support they need.” 

    Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the companion bill in the United States Senate.

    “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 Senator Cornyn. “This bill lowers the compliance burden, strengthens taxpayer protections, and ensures small businesses are not targeted for additional scrutiny based on their politics.”

     

    Click here to read the full text of the bill. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Resale Businesses Owner Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Operating Extensive Interstate Fencing Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on April 9, 2025, to five years in prison on his conviction of money laundering and conspiracy in connection with the sale and interstate transportation of stolen goods, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Durrell Waters, 41, also ordering him to serve three years of federal supervised release following his imprisonment. A federal jury found Waters guilty on four counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy in August 2024 (read the verdict news release here).

    Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hornak stated that the evidence presented against Waters was extensive, and that the victims of this crime included people experiencing addiction, retail establishments, and all consumers. Judge Hornak noted that, unlike some crimes that take place in a single event, Waters’s criminal conspiracy took place over the course of years and “required [Waters] to decide every day to keep doing this.” Judge Hornak emphasized the need for members of the public to be deterred from similar conduct and remarked that “a sentence without substantial imprisonment would be insufficient.”

    According to information presented to the Court, Waters was one of the primary owners of a series of Pittsburgh and surrounding area second-hand or resale businesses called Trader Electronics, Last Call Entertainment, and The Outlet. From 2013 through 2016, Waters conspired with others to use these businesses as a front for a criminal fencing operation that sold over the internet a wide variety of health and beauty aids and over-the-counter medications like teeth whiteners, vitamins, hair and skin care products, makeup, and other similar items.

    Waters’s stores and similar stores in the area knowingly engaged in high-volume purchases of stolen brand-new retail health and beauty aids and other products, such as new-release DVDs, from walk-in sellers who had shoplifted, or “boosted”, the items. Store records reflected that Waters and his businesses purchased hundreds of thousands of brand-new items, sometimes for less than 10% of their value, from a group of repeat shoplifters. Waters and his businesses then resold that stolen property online via several Amazon and eBay storefronts, with the proceeds from the stores’s main Amazon account totaling over $4.3 million during the conspiracy.

    Evidence presented at sentencing highlighted the widespread and diverse economic and public health harms caused or aggravated by this conduct. Ripple effects from high-volume retail theft harm consumers by imposing more and more restrictive anti-theft measures in stores and costs every consumer hundreds of dollars per year. Additionally, many of the boosters were people experiencing drug addiction who used the money paid to them by Waters to finance their dependency and feed the drug epidemic.

    Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin C. Dobkin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Postal Inspection Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Waters. Police departments from the City of Pittsburgh, Ross Township, and Shaler Township also assisted in the investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Fitzgerald Statement on House Passage of FY25 Senate Budget Resolution

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) issued the following statement in response to the House passage of the FY25 Senate Budget Resolution.

    “House Republicans are keeping our word to the American people. By passing the Senate Budget Resolution, we’re moving forward on our commitment to extend the Trump Tax Cuts, secure the border, and rein in inflation through responsible spending cuts,” said Congressman Fitzgerald. “With ‘one big, beautiful bill,’ we’re advancing President Trump’s America First agenda and putting our country back on a path to prosperity.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down Ohio Tax Preparer

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Note: View order here.

    A federal court in Ohio yesterday permanently enjoined a Columbus, Ohio, tax preparer from preparing returns for others and from owning or operating any tax return preparation business in the future. According to the court’s order, Michael Craig, both individually and doing business as Craig’s Tax Service, consented to the entry of the injunction.

    The court’s order requires Craig to send notice of the injunction to each person for whom he prepared federal tax returns or refund claims after Jan. 1, 2022. According to the government’s complaint, many tax returns that Craig prepared made false and fraudulent claims, including:

    • Reporting losses for fictitious Schedule C businesses;
    • Claiming costs of goods sold (COGS) for types of businesses that cannot legitimately claim COGS and without supporting documentation;
    • Inventing or inflating expenses for otherwise legitimate Schedule C businesses; and
    • Taking deductions for both cash and non-cash charitable deductions that are either exaggerated or completely fabricated.

    According to the complaint, the IRS estimated a tax loss of more than $3.1 million in 2022 alone from tax returns prepared by Craig.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.

    In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down Ohio Tax Preparer

    Source: United States Attorneys General 2

    Note: View order here.

    A federal court in Ohio yesterday permanently enjoined a Columbus, Ohio, tax preparer from preparing returns for others and from owning or operating any tax return preparation business in the future. According to the court’s order, Michael Craig, both individually and doing business as Craig’s Tax Service, consented to the entry of the injunction.

    The court’s order requires Craig to send notice of the injunction to each person for whom he prepared federal tax returns or refund claims after Jan. 1, 2022. According to the government’s complaint, many tax returns that Craig prepared made false and fraudulent claims, including:

    • Reporting losses for fictitious Schedule C businesses;
    • Claiming costs of goods sold (COGS) for types of businesses that cannot legitimately claim COGS and without supporting documentation;
    • Inventing or inflating expenses for otherwise legitimate Schedule C businesses; and
    • Taking deductions for both cash and non-cash charitable deductions that are either exaggerated or completely fabricated.

    According to the complaint, the IRS estimated a tax loss of more than $3.1 million in 2022 alone from tax returns prepared by Craig.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.

    In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 10 April 2025 Donors making a difference in support of WHO’s global work for better nutrition for all

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Nutrition is a critical part of health and development at every stage of life. Better nutrition is related to improved infant, child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and longevity. Healthy children learn better. People with adequate nutrition are more productive and can create opportunities to gradually break the cycles of poverty and hunger.

    Today, the world faces a double burden of malnutrition that includes both undernutrition and overweight. Undernutrition as well as obesity result in diet-related noncommunicable diseases.

    WHO’s support to initiatives to tackle malnutrition is not possible without funding. For core work like this, WHO needs sustainable financing that is predictable, flexible and resilient, enabling the Organization to have the greatest impact where it is needed most.

    In parallel to providing fully flexible funding, donors also invest in specific WHO activities across the globe to address malnutrition. The examples reveal a wide range of donor support, not only in emergency contexts with vulnerable or displaced populations but also as a long-term and deeply embedded concern for many countries. This support is even more vital in the face of rising conflict, poverty, food insecurity and rising food prices coupled with easy access to cheap and highly processed foods across all income levels.

    Bridging gaps in health and nutrition services for internally displaced people (IDPs) and crisis-affected communities in Amhara, Ethiopia

    Bridging gaps in health and nutrition services for IDPs and crisis-affected communities in Amhara, Ethiopia. Photo by: WHO/Nitsebiho Asrat

    The Amhara region of Ethiopia has faced a severe humanitarian crisis since November 2021. Nearly a million IDPs are scattered across 38 collective sites and host communities, alongside hundreds of thousands of refugees and returnees.

    Ongoing public health emergencies have exacerbated the already critical demand for basic essential health and nutrition services. Availability and access to services are severely limited. WHO, in collaboration with regional government authorities, deployed Mobile Health and Nutrition Teams (MHNTs) to bring essential services to the most vulnerable populations.

    As needs increased, the number of MHNTs expanded to 19, comprising 132 health workers, in April 2024. This was made possible through funding from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid, the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (UN CERF), and the People and Government of Japan.

    Read the full story.

    Stabilisation centres are a lifeline for Sudan’s malnourished children

    WHO Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy at the WHO-supported nutrition stabilisation centre in Port Sudan which is providing life-saving care for many infants suffering from acute malnutrition. Photo by: WHO/Inas Hamam

    In 2024, almost a year after conflict erupted in Sudan, nearly 25 million people needed humanitarian assistance. Of these, 18 million people faced acute hunger, 5 million of them at emergency levels.

    In 2024, WHO provided medical supplies and technical support to 121 state-run stabilisation centres in Sudan and supported 11 with operating costs. About 3.5 million children under 5 years – every 7th child in Sudan – experience acute malnutrition. Stabilisation centres are a lifeline to more than 100 000 children who are severely acutely malnourished and suffer from medical complications.

    Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, WHO has trained 1 942 nutrition cadres and distributed over 2 300 severe acute malnutrition kits to help treat more than 28 000 children. WHO was able to do this thanks to the generous financial assistance of the Italian Development Cooperation, Japan and the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. This ensured life-saving support, much more of which is needed to address the staggering numbers of Sudanese children in need.

    Read the full story.

    Nutrition services included in the emergency health response in Syria

    WHO team visits a health centre in Maskaneh village in rural Aleppo, meeting with health and community workers and beneficiaries, 2024. Photo by: WHO/Farah Ramada

    WHO welcomes US$ 5.5 million funding received from UN CERF to enhance its integrated multisectoral emergency response in Syria. The funding will enable WHO to continue delivering life-saving healthcare services to the most vulnerable populations in conflict-affected regions of the country.

    The support aims to reduce morbidity and mortality by ensuring access to essential health care, including advanced nutrition services, and by delivering health services to people in need in north-west and north-east Syria, including sub-districts in Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh, Dar’a, Deir-ez-Zor, Idleb and Lattakia.

    The funding supports around 1.8 million people in prioritized areas, aiming to improve access to primary and secondary health care and to bolster emergency referral systems. The focus is on children experiencing malnutrition, providing essential supplies to nutrition stabilisation centres and hospitals, and on strengthening the capacity of local health care workers for mental health, gender-based violence, and communicable diseases.

    Read the full story.

    Life-saving health supplies and services to over 5 million people across drought-affected states in Somalia

    EU ECHO-funded project helped equip 11 nutrition stabilisation centres, 2024. Photo by: WHO/Somalia I.Taxta

    WHO and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (EU ECHO) supported Somalia’s Federal and State Ministries of Health to provide life-saving health supplies and services to over 5 million people across drought-affected areas of Banadir, South West, Jubbaland and Galmudug states. WHO supported 63 stabilisation centres for treatment of severe acute malnutrition with medical complications, treating over 25 000 children across the country in these centres. 84% of these children survived.

    The 24-month project increased access to health and nutrition services for IDPs in camps and host communities and addressed the needs of pregnant and lactating women, elderly individuals, and children under 5 in drought and conflict-affected areas.

    Essential medical supplies were procured and distributed for severe acute malnutrition with medical complications in children, essential health and severe malnutrition kits, and to support detection and response to outbreaks. The project helped equip 11 nutrition stabilisation centres across target districts with severe acute malnutrition kits, with an average cure rate of 94.25% in children under 5.

    Read the full story.

    Benin: nutrition and health monitoring to bolster children’s health

    WHO-supported health screenings help safeguard children’s physical and intellectual well-being in Benin’s primary schools, 2023. Photo by: WHO/D. Akomatsri

    Every day, all primary and pre-primary pupils in Benin’s state schools receive a hot meal, courtesy of the National Integrated School Feeding Programme. An associated nutritional and health monitoring campaign is carried out biannually offering a package of services, including micronutrient supplementation, deworming, and hygiene promotion in schools.

    The campaign reached 60 schools in 2023, with support from WHO, the World Food Programme and the United Nations Children’s Fund. This helped detect and treat cases of malnutrition amongst pupils, with 13 986 children screened and 1 367 cases of malnutrition detected, including 390 severe acute cases and 975 moderate acute cases.

    By linking medical care to the school feeding scheme, Benin’s Ministry of Health aims to address both the physical and intellectual health of schoolchildren. WHO, through the French Muskoka Fund, is supporting this initiative to monitor health and nutrition amongst schoolchildren in a bid to help entrench health promotion in schools.

    Read the full story.

    Protecting children from the harmful effect of food marketing in Malaysia

    Policymakers, civil society organizations, academics and industry representatives participated in the consultative seminar. Photo by: WHO

    Malaysia has the highest rate of childhood overweight or obesity in ASEAN, yet children continue to be exposed to aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages. Over 30% of children aged 5-17 years old were classified as overweight or obese in 2022.

    This trend is coupled with a significant portion of children growing up stunted, creating a double burden of malnutrition. Addressing the double burden of malnutrition demands collaboration across different sectors and levels of society.

    In Malaysia, the Pledge on Responsible Advertising to Children was launched in 2012 and it included 15 food and beverage companies which committed to not marketing unhealthy foods to children aged 12 and below.

    To identify ways to better protect children in Malaysia from the harmful effects of food marketing, WHO and the Nutrition Division, Ministry of Health convened over 60 policymakers, academics, industry and civil society representatives in September 2024. Stakeholders discussed key challenges and barriers to policy implementation, and developed strategies and recommendations while strengthening collaboration.

    This works is thanks to invaluable flexible, unearmarked funding to WHO.

    Read the full story.

    Nine Latin American and Caribbean countries intensify efforts to curb obesity

    Lady measuring her weight. Photo by: iStock/klvn

    The WHO Region for the Americas (PAHO/AMRO) has the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in the world, with 67.5% of adults and 37.6% of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 experiencing overweight or obesity. The WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity and forthcoming Technical Package to stop obesity aims to halt rising obesity rates through a comprehensive approach combining regulatory, fiscal, and multisectoral strategies.

    In the Americas, 9 countries are pioneering this initiative: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. Lessons learned are expected to serve as a model for future expansion across the region.

    PAHO and these countries are implementing a series of measures including the application of front-of-package warning labels, regulation of marketing for unhealthy food products, promotion of breastfeeding, regulation of foods offered in schools, and adoption of fiscal policies that promote healthy diets. Along with monitoring and learning, PAHO continues to provide technical assistance, capacity-building, and intersectoral coordination.

    This work is thanks to invaluable flexible, unearmarked funding to WHO.

    Read the full story.

    Thailand fighting obesity – changing the system to save lives

    The Minister of Public Health, DOH Director-General and other officials, together with WHO Representative to Thailand showed strong commitment to fight against obesity. Photo by: Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand

    In recent years, Thailand is facing an escalating obesity trend that threatens the health of its future generations. In the span of just two decades, the rate of obesity in school children has surged from 5.8% to 15%. The situation amongst adults is equally alarming, with 42% falling into the obese category by 2020. Noncommunicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and stroke now claim 400 000 lives annually and account for 74% of all deaths in Thailand.

    Recognizing the urgent need for action, Thailand has taken bold and innovative steps to curb this epidemic. The Ministry of Public Health (MPOH) has rolled out a comprehensive policy that aims to drive changes in 4 systems.

    The priority interventions will focus on improving the quality of school lunch programme, changing food marketing to reduce sugar, fat, and salt, strengthening health services system to provide better prevention and management of obesity-related conditions, and modifying the environment to increase physical activity. Thailand has also tightened its national definition of obesity. While WHO’s definition states that “a body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese”, in Thailand citizens with BMI greater or equal to 25 are registered as obese – which allows the health stakeholders to expand the reach and support to broader population groups.

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    Promoting healthy diets and increased physical activity are key strategies which are supported by Global Regulatory and Fiscal Capacity Building Programme (RECAP), a collaborative project between the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and WHO, supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the European Union. In addition, Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) partners with WHO to promote healthy diets through evidence-based interventions.

    Strong leadership, multi-sectoral action and development partners’ support are crucial in bending the obesity curve in the country.

    Read the full story.

    Fast forward: Nutrition for Growth 2025 Summit

    WHO announced 13 ambitious commitments across 8 key areas at the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit, hosted by the Government of France. Stakeholders pledged US$ 27,55 billion in global funding for nutrition. This moment of global solidarity showcases growing support to improve health and well-being for all through nutrition.

    127 delegations, including the governments of 106 countries, together with international and civil society organizations, development banks, philanthropic organizations, research institutions, and businesses, joined forces in Paris to help put an end to the malnutrition scourge, which hinders countries’ economic and social development and traps communities in an intergenerational cycle of poverty.

    A few amongst numerous examples of pledges are: €750 million in projects supported by France (between now and 2030), €6.5 billion to fight malnutrition mobilized by the European Union, of which €3.4 billion was allocated by the European Commission. Other countries, including Madagascar, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, and Bangladesh also made noteworthy political and financial commitments to tackling the burden of malnutrition in their countries. The development banks are also on board, particularly the World Bank and the African Development Bank, which pledged US$ 5 billion and US$ 9.5 billion respectively until 2030. Philanthropic organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector account for a substantial share of financial commitments. Philanthropic organizations will raise more than US$ 2 billion in the coming years to combat malnutrition. As follow up builds, participants expect more than 500 commitments to be made overall.

    WHO’s eight commitments reflect our dedication to tackling malnutrition and promoting health and well-being worldwide. Read more on commitments.

    Acknowledgements

    WHO’s work is made possible through all contributions of our Member States and partners. WHO thanks all donor countries, governments, organizations and individuals who are contributing to the Organization’s work, with special appreciation for those who provide fully flexible contributions to maintain a strong, independent WHO.

    The donors and partners acknowledged in this story are (in alphabetical order) the African Development Bank, Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire, the EU ECHO, European Commission Humanitarian Aid, French Muskoka Fund, the Government of France, Guatemala, the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), Italian Development Cooperation, Japan, Madagascar, Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), UNCERF, the USA Agency for International Development, and the World Bank.

    WHO’s support to initiatives to tackle obesity and malnutrition would not have been possible without funding. To continue to support core work like this, WHO needs sustainable financing, that is, predictable, flexible, and resilient. This will allow WHO to have the greatest impact where it is needed most.

    More on nutrition and obesity

    Draft recommendations for the prevention and management of obesity over the life course, including potential targets

    Follow-up to the political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases – Annex 12

    Obesity and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists | Obesity | JAMA | JAMA Network

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise: Country Can’t Afford for Congress to Delay Budget Vote

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) to discuss House Republicans moving forward on the budget resolution in order to unleash President Trump’s agenda to cut spending and unleash American growth. Leader Scalise stressed the importance of moving forward with the reconciliation process to ensure tax cut permanency so families and businesses have the certainty they need to plan for the future.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On Republicans and President Trump rallying around one agenda:“This is a really important week, not just in the House, but for the ability for Congress to join with President Trump and deliver on that agenda that we all ran on. We all know what President Trump said at his rallies, talking about getting America back on track, securing the border, locking in tax rates, no tax on tips, producing more energy in America, getting rules and regulations under control. All of those things are in this one big, beautiful that we have been focused on for more than a year in the House. But President Trump is not the only one that ran on all of those objectives. We did, too. House Republicans ran on those same things. We need to follow through now and get the job done. Nobody said it would be easy. Wasn’t easy to get the budget passed a few weeks ago. Some, in fact, not necessarily saying anybody in this room, but some said the bill might not pass. And yet we passed the bill without a vote to spare because we know our margins are narrow. But our commitment is firm on getting this done because, as the Whip said, failure is not an option.”On House Republicans moving forward on budget resolution without delay:“So today is no different where we are than where we were the same week that we passed the budget over a month ago. There are members that have questions – that’s not a surprise. On any big bill we’ve dealt with, going back to 2017, when we did the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, there were members who had questions, and our job is to continue answering those questions while moving the ball forward. But it’s critical that we advance this agenda, that we don’t delay, because passing the budget doesn’t end the process. It starts the reconciliation process. We can’t even begin reconciliation until the budget is done. If some people think we could just wait for the Senate to catch up to the House, we could talk all day about the fact that they’re not against what we’re trying to do. They just haven’t gotten to that point. The months of meetings and negotiations that we’ve had in the House, the back and forth with CBO that we have done, which, by the way, has yielded some really big improvements in the CBO scoring. Some of it is just coming in from the initial scoring from the CBO because we disagreed with their numbers, but we didn’t just yell and scream. We went back to them, and we’re now getting CBO to give us better numbers on the savings that we’ll achieve from things like work requirements and some of the other reforms that we all agree upon. But we cannot delay.”On the need for Congress to stabilize the tax code and advance Trump’s agenda:“The country can’t afford for us to delay a month or longer to wait on the Senate getting where we are. We’ve got to continue to move forward. The bill that we have before us allows us to do that. It allows us to achieve all the savings that we laid out in the House bill. It allows us to achieve all the border security we laid out. It allows us to achieve all the things we want to do to stabilize the tax code. But think about this, because people are watching the markets, and that’s understandable. There is trillions of dollars on the sidelines, and I’ve heard this from so many people in different industries all across the country, trillions of dollars that are not looking at tariffs, that are looking to see what Congress does on the tax code. And they’re not going to make those investments until they see a stabilized tax code that doesn’t expire at the end of this year, but in fact, gets renewed for 10 years, ideally, permanently, to lock in tax rates so you don’t have a massive tax hike on the country.“We need to remove that uncertainty. The President can’t do that. Congress needs to do that, House and Senate combined. So the President is all in. You saw his Truth Social post yesterday. We’re all in as well. And yes, members will continue to raise questions. We’re going to continue working through that process, but we can’t stop the advancement of our agenda. Democrats don’t want this economy to turn around, but we do. We ran on it. We’re committed to it.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Neal Leads Massachusetts Delegation in Demanding Answers on the Sudden Closure of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Office in Boston

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA)

    Letter Text PDF

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and the entire Massachusetts Congressional delegation – Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Representatives Jim McGovern (MA-02), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), and Bill Keating (MA-09) – demanded answers from the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. after the abrupt shuttering of the entire HHS Regional Office (RO) in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 1, 2025.

    In the letter, the lawmakers write, “It is impossible to overstate the lasting consequences this reckless action will have on every single person in this region—whether the families who rely on Region 1 employees dutifully overseeing child care licensing systems to ensure they deliver quality care to our children, or the coordination these civil servants conduct with state survey agencies to make sure all our nursing homes meet federal safety standards. Through steadfast commitment to the programs they oversee, employees of ROs provide a service to all of us whether we know it or not.”

    The HHS Boston RO employs hundreds of workers who serve Americans from Maine to Connecticut. As the economic catastrophe caused by Trump’s Tariff Tax devastates communities and businesses across the country, the administration continues to make senseless layoffs, adding even more individuals to the ranks of the unemployed. These job losses will have trickle-down effects on other businesses in the area during an already challenging time.

    The Boston RO specializes in health care innovation, partnering with drug companies, biotech groups, and other innovators to ensure gaps in research are being filled and the cures of tomorrow come to fruition. Eliminating the Boston RO will both deny the people of New England access to public health officials with expertise in our local communities and halt innovation in its tracks, with ramifications felt by the whole country for generations to come.

    The ROs are also on the front lines of fighting fraud, waste, and abuse alongside local law enforcement, as well as the vanguard coordinating responses against disease and outbreaks. Its closure will leave our communities and our programs less safe.

    The lawmakers continue, “It could open our region to massive risks of fraud and abuse of our vital federal programs. And it could provide the pathway for another pernicious disease to sweep the nation, absent vital on-the-ground detection and coordination among public health experts. We do not take lightly this attack on the health of our constituents and the unceremonious termination of thousands of experts living in our communities who make us all safer.”

    The Boston Regional Office property is desirable real estate and appeared on an early list of properties Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) group wished to “auction off”, raising questions about whether this action has ulterior motives – enabling Trump acolytes to cash in on real estate deals while ordinary Americans suffer from loss of services. The Trump Administration has shown a complete disregard for Americans’ needs, closing Social Security offices and curtailing customer service. This RO closure is just another effort to make it more difficult for our constituents to access the health and safety protections they count on the federal government to provide.

    The lawmakers are demanding detailed answers as to the basis of this decision, its effect on constituent health, and how HHS will continue serving individuals in the region. They request answers to the following questions by April 18:

    ·       Please provide a list of each division within the Boston RO that was eliminated, a description of its core functions, a summary of staff expertise, program staff caseloads for each overseen program at the time of closing, and all documentation justifying the Department’s decision to close each division within the RO.

    ·       Please provide the Department’s analysis of the impact this regional closure will have on costs and health outcomes for the 15 million residents of New England, as well as the local economy.

    ·       Please provide a detailed analysis of how the remaining five ROs will take over the responsibilities of the Boston RO, including total caseloads, in beneficiaries served and dollars managed, for the staff taking over New England responsibilities, and any anticipated hirings or training to offset the caseload inundation and loss of regional expertise.

    ·       Please provide a detailed analysis of anyways responsibilities of the Boston RO which will be absorbed by HHS headquarters, including the current and new responsibilities of any headquarters staff assuming responsibilities and any anticipated hirings to offset the caseload inundation and loss of regional expertise.

    ·       Please provide a detailed analysis of the anticipated additional wait times for services previously provided by staff at the Region 1 RO, such as the approval of Medicaid State Plan Amendments, enrollments of new providers into Medicare, surveys of nursing homes, child care licensing inspections, state plan approvals, and cost allocation agreements.

    ·       Please explain the Administration’s plan for the now-vacant real estate that previously housed the Boston RO.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas, Goodlander Help Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Affordable Housing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) helped to introduce the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to support the financing and development of affordable housing across the country by expanding and strengthening the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit).  Both Pappas and Goodlander are original cosponsors.

    “New Hampshire continues to face a housing crisis that is impacting our families, small businesses, and economy,” said Congressman Pappas. “These tax credits are helping to get Granite Staters into stable housing and will become even more essential to ensuring its availability given the instability in the economy and higher building costs as a result of tariffs. I’m proud to help reintroduce this legislation and will continue working to expand tools and resources that will bolster New Hampshire’s affordable housing stock.”

    “Having a home is a cornerstone of the American Dream. One of my top priorities in Congress is making housing more affordable for hardworking Granite Staters. I am proud to help introduce the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act to do just that,” said Representative Goodlander. “Everywhere I go, I hear from families, small businesses, and employers about the housing crisis. In Congress, I will continue looking for every possible path to expand access to affordable housing, eliminate barriers for development, and tackle the housing crisis head-on.”

    “NeighborWorks has been utilizing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program since our inception over 30 years ago to revitalize neighborhoods and create new affordable housing opportunities. This program has enabled us to build 550 apartments during that time,” said Robert Tourigny, Executive Director of NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire. “We are hopeful that the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will finally be enacted to increase the amount of federal tax credits available, and make this scarce resource go even further toward building more homes in New Hampshire.”

    “The AHCIA represents a critical step forward in addressing the affordable housing crisis our communities face. By enhancing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, we can empower developers to create more affordable multifamily housing,” said New Hampshire Housing CEO, Rob Dapice. “This legislation not only provides equitable housing opportunities but also strengthens the economic foundation of our neighborhoods. We hope Congress will support this vital initiative for the well-being of our citizens.”

    “New Hampshire has a severe shortage of homes affordable to low and extremely-low-income earners. These are our friends, neighbors, and workers who keep our economy running. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will directly address this shortage by enabling the construction and preservation of thousands of homes in our state,” said Nick Taylor, Director of Housing Action NH. “Every year, developers seek to build affordable housing through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, yet program limits force many to be denied funding. It makes no sense to turn away the affordable homes we desperately need because of arbitrary federal limits. Thank you to Congresswoman Goodlander and Congressman Pappas for supporting this bipartisan, common-sense legislation.”

    Since its creation, the Housing Credit has built or restored more than 3.5 million affordable housing units, nearly 90% of all federally funded affordable housing during that time. Roughly 8 million American households have benefited from the credit, and the economic activity that it generated has supported 5.5 million jobs and generated more than $617 billion in wages.

    The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will support the financing of nearly two million new affordable homes across the country by:

    • Increasing the number of credits allocated to each state by 50 percent for the next two years and making the temporary 12.5 percent increase secured in 2018 permanent. These credits have already helped build more than 59,000 additional affordable housing units nationwide.
    • Increasing the number of affordable housing projects that can be built using private activity bonds. This provision stabilizes financing for workforce housing projects built using private activity bonds by decreasing the amount of private activity needed to secure Housing Credit funding. As a result, projects would have to carry less debt, and more projects would be eligible to receive funding.
    • Improving the Housing Credit program to serve at-risk and underserved communities, including veterans, victims of domestic violence, and rural Americans.

    The text of the legislation can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Salford City Council appoints new Chief Executive

    Source: City of Salford

    • Stephen Young confirmed as city’s new Chief Executive
    • He will move from his current role of Chief Executive at Halton Borough Council
    • He is expected to take up the role in the autumn
    • He brings over 30 years of public sector experience, including 17 years in senior leadership roles and the past three years as Chief Executive
    • He will take over from current Interim Chief Executive Melissa Caslake

    Salford City Council has confirmed the appointment of a new Chief Executive, the permanent successor to Tom Stannard, who departed the role in January.

    Following an extensive recruitment and selection process, Stephen Young has been appointed to the role. He is currently Chief Executive at Halton Borough Council, a role he has held since March 2022.

    Stephen brings a wealth of experience to the role, with over 30 years working in the public sector, with seventeen of those being in senior leadership roles. He has previously held the role of Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transportation and Community Services at Lancashire County Council. Other key roles include Director of Place and Assistant Director of Development and Regeneration at Bolton Council, having started his public sector career as a Council Tax Recovery Officer at Burnley Borough Council in 1995.    

    Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “I’m delighted to confirm Stephen’s appointment; this really is an exciting appointment for Salford City Council. I’ve been impressed by his views and his approach to the public sector, firmly aligned with our organisation values.

    “I was especially impressed with his track record of delivering growth through regeneration and of improving outcomes for children and young people in Halton. His experience and expertise of working for a Combined Authority make him the perfect candidate for Salford as we continue to work to ensure our city’s voice is heard within our own Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

    “I’d like to thank Melissa Caslake who has been our Interim Chief Executive, for all her leadership and dedication and her calm, steady guidance and unwavering commitment to both the organisation and the city.
     
    “I now look forward to working with Stephen, and to jointly leading our organisation through the next phase of delivering for the people of Salford – supporting our communities, tackling inequality, and continuing to work in partnership across the city and beyond to champion the work of Salford City Council.” 

    Stephen Young said “Salford is an incredible city – full of energy, pride and potential. I’m honoured to step into the role of Chief Executive and to work with elected members, colleagues, partners, and communities to help drive forward our shared ambitions. There’s so much to be proud of, and even more to look forward to. We’re entering an exciting new chapter, and I can’t wait to meet everyone, get started, and deliver for this great city.” 

    Salford City Council will officially ratify Stephen Young’s appointment at a special meeting of the full council on Wednesday 30 April. He is then expected to take up the role in the autumn.   

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    Date published
    Thursday 10 April 2025

    Press and media enquiries

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: NextNRG Reports Preliminary March 2025 Revenue Growth of 161% Year-Over-Year and Q1 Revenue Growth of 146%

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NextNRG, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXXT), a pioneer in AI-driven energy innovation—transforming how energy is produced, managed, and delivered through its advanced Utility Operating System, smart microgrid technology, wireless EV charging, and on-demand mobile fuel delivery solutions— today announced preliminary unaudited revenue and volume results for March 2025 and the first quarter of 2025. The company delivered its third consecutive record month, with March revenue increasing 161% year-over-year to approximately $6.15 million.

    March 2025 Highlights

    • Revenue: $6,148,266 (vs. $2,354,048 in March 2024)
    • YoY Revenue Growth: 161%
    • Gallons Delivered: 1,799,955 (vs. 580,217 in March 2024)
    • YoY Gallon Growth: 210%

    Q1 2025 Highlights

    • Revenue: $16,232,354 (vs. $6,597,119 in Q1 2024)
    • YoY Revenue Growth: 146%
    • Gallons Delivered: 4,688,045 (vs. 1,658,272 in Q1 2024)
    • YoY Gallon Growth: 183%

    “We are pleased to report another record-breaking month as our growth trajectory continues to accelerate,” said Michael D. Farkas, Founder and CEO of NextNRG. “With volume nearly tripling year-over-year in March, our focus on disciplined expansion and operational execution is delivering measurable results. The successful integration of strategic acquisitions and our partnerships with major fleet operators are helping to validate our business model as we scale.”

    Farkas continued, “With three consecutive months of all-time high performance, we are seeing strong market demand and consistent customer adoption of our mobile fueling platform. As we expand our AI-powered infrastructure and prepare for future deployments of smart microgrid and wireless charging technologies, we believe NextNRG is playing a key role in powering the transition to a cleaner, more flexible energy future.”

    Note on Preliminary Results
    These March and Q1 2025 financial results are preliminary and unaudited. Final figures may be subject to adjustment pending the completion of month-end and quarter-end closing procedures.

    About NextNRG, Inc.
    NextNRG, Inc. (NextNRG) is Powering What’s Next by implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into renewable energy, next-generation energy infrastructure, battery storage, wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging and on-demand mobile fuel delivery to create an integrated ecosystem.

    At the core of NextNRG’s strategy is its Utility Operating System, which leverages AI and ML to help make existing utilities’ energy management as efficient as possible; and the deployment of NextNRG smart microgrids, which utilize AI-driven energy management alongside solar power and battery storage to enhance energy efficiency, reduce costs and improve grid resiliency. These microgrids are designed to serve commercial properties, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, parking garages, rural and tribal lands, recreational facilities and government properties, expanding energy accessibility while supporting decarbonization initiatives.

    NextNRG continues to expand its growing fleet of fuel delivery trucks and national footprint, including the acquisition of Yoshi Mobility’s fuel division and Shell Oil’s trucks, further solidifying its position as a leader in the on-demand fueling industry. NextNRG is also integrating sustainable energy solutions into its mobile fueling operations. The company hopes to be an integral part of assisting its fleet customers in their transition to EV, supporting more efficient fuel delivery while advancing clean energy adoption. The transition process is expected to include the deployment of NextNRG’s innovative wireless EV charging solutions.

    To find out more visit: www.nextnrg.com

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statement describing NextNRG’s goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions, or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Words such as “expect,” “intends,” “will,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those related to NextNRG’s business and macroeconomic and geopolitical events. These and other risks are described in NextNRG’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. NextNRG’s forward-looking statements involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although NextNRG’s forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by NextNRG. Except as required by law, NextNRG undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements for any reason. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements.

    Investor Relations Contact
    NextNRG, Inc.
    Sharon Cohen
    SCohen@nextnrg.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tax Day highlights the costs of single living – but demographics are forcing financial change

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Peter McGraw, Professor of Marketing and Psychology, University of Colorado Boulder

    Tax Day is right around the corner – an annual reminder that without the option to file jointly, singles pay more per dollar earned than married people. Tax advantages are just one of over 1,000 legal and economic benefits married couples enjoy, a disparity worsened by marketplace and employer practices.

    Despite its disadvantages, single living is on the rise. While the average age of first marriage was just 21 in 1960, today it has risen to 29. Half the adults in the U.S. are unmarried, and half of them aren’t seeking a relationship. As many as a third of Zoomers may never tie the knot.

    But this shift is more than cultural – it’s redefining the rules of personal finance. Freed from the constraints of shared decision-making, single people are earning, spending and investing on their own terms.

    And as a behavioral economist who studies single living, I think this could mean big things for the future of money. As more people opt out of marriage, I expect that governments, businesses and financial systems will adapt – just as they did in response to women’s economic independence.

    The price of singlehood

    As a lifelong bachelor, I have a cheeky response when filing my taxes: “That’s the price of freedom.”

    For many singles, the price is too steep. More than half of singles over 30 feel financially insecure, one survey found, and their economic reality backs it up. For example, singles spend about US$5,500 more annually than their married peers – which adds up to more than $200,000 over a 40-year career.

    Some of the challenge is mathematical. Married couples split major expenses like housing, transportation and travel, and rely on dual incomes as a buffer against job loss or disability.

    Policy amplifies the financial burdens. One-person households are the most common type in the U.S., yet developers still prioritize building large single-family houses – driving up apartment and condo costs. Retirement presents another stark contrast. Singles can’t claim spousal or survivor Social Security benefits and solely fund their retirement.

    Employers design benefits around families – offering spousal coverage, dependent tax breaks and family leave. Single employees tend to shoulder more responsibilities yet receive 3.6 fewer paid days off per year than their married peers.

    In the marketplace – from travel to tech and insurance – businesses often price goods and services with couples and families in mind. Solo travelers often pay single supplements on cruises and tours. Streaming, phone and retail memberships offer “family plans” with no option for solo users subscribing as part of a group. Even auto insurance penalizes solo drivers – two-door cars cost 16% more to insure.

    The costs add up – but the news for singles isn’t all bad.

    Peter McGraw discusses living single in a financial system built for two.

    The financial upside of going solo

    I study how singles build financial security through the hallmarks of single living: autonomy and adaptability.

    An obvious financial factor is the cost of children. While some singles are parents, they’re far less likely than married couples to shoulder the expense of raising a child – an outlay of more than $300,000 per child before college.

    A key advantage: Singles have complete financial control. They choose how to earn, save and spend. There’s less risk of absorbing a partner’s credit card or student loan debt, covering for reckless spending, or facing the financial fallout of divorce.

    Career flexibility is another key advantage. Singles can more easily relocate for higher-paying jobs or lower-cost locales – freedom that enables powerful financial arbitrage. Many digital nomads, most of them single, choose countries with lower costs and better quality of life.

    Singles also have greater control over when and how they retire. Unlike couples, who must coordinate timing and strategies, singles have more freedom to retire early, ride out a down market, or ease into semiretirement.

    Building a financial system for everyone

    As a business school professor, I’ve seen how slow business and government can be to respond to demographic shifts. The tax system won’t change overnight – governments have long used the tax code to promote marriage – but other policies and practices will evolve. I believe the rise of singles – and the power of their votes and dollars – will make the status quo unsustainable.

    Scandinavia and parts of Asia are setting precedents. In Sweden, solo adults are recognized as a “family of one,” with access to housing support, parental leave and pension benefits – no marriage required. Smart companies will also adapt to recruit and retain singles, who make up a large portion of the labor force. I expect to see an expansion of single-inclusive offerings like caregiving leave, flexible work arrangements and individual-friendly health plans.

    Singles also build lifelong support systems outside marriage. Sweden again offers a glimpse of what might be: A landmark court case recently granted life insurance benefits to a platonic partner, proving that legal protections don’t have to hinge on romance.

    Housing remains another legacy system built for couples. While most new developments still prioritize single-family homes, markets like Japan and
    Hong Kong have embraced lower-cost micro-apartments with shared community spaces – an appealing model for solo dwellers. Some U.S. cities are beginning to experiment with similar designs, signaling a shift toward more inclusive urban housing.

    China’s celebration of solo living, Singles’ Day – held every year on 11/11 – is now the world’s largest e-commerce holiday, generating more sales than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. The company that created it, Alibaba, promotes deals on single-serve appliances, one-way flights and self-care bundles.

    Western companies are catching on: Travel brands are waiving singles supplements, restaurants are welcoming solo diners with dedicated seating, and telecom companies are rolling out “friends and family” plans that don’t require a romantic partner.

    Finally, I believe wealth management will respond to the rise of singles. While I’ve found that most financial advice still assumes that people will eventually marry, solo earners need different strategies, such as bigger emergency funds, flexible housing options and proactive estate planning. Expect a wave of financial products designed for solo living, from retirement tools to mortgages built for one.

    As singles become the majority in many countries, governments, businesses and financial institutions will adapt by necessity.

    The bottom line

    As an advocate for singles, I am an optimist. Yes, singles pay more on Tax Day – among other challenges. But they also have one undeniable advantage: financial freedom. Singles can do more than survive in a system built for two – they can thrive.

    Americans are not going back to the 1960s. As solo living becomes the norm, financial systems will evolve. Governments will face pressure to modernize policy, businesses will launch products and services for one-person households, and financial professionals will adapt to better serve solo earners.

    The institutions that recognize this shift first will shape the future – for everyone.

    I have a book (“Solo: Building a Remarkable Life of Your Own”) and a podcast (“Solo – The Single Person’s Guide to a Remarkable Life”) that are relevant to this article.

    – ref. Tax Day highlights the costs of single living – but demographics are forcing financial change – https://theconversation.com/tax-day-highlights-the-costs-of-single-living-but-demographics-are-forcing-financial-change-254035

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Projections of Deficits and Debt Under an Alternative Scenario for the Budget

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    This letter responds to a request for an analysis of projected deficits and debt under an alternative scenario for the budget that reflects two changes to CBO’s baseline. Specifically, Senator Merkley asked how CBO’s projections of deficits and debt would change if certain provisions of the 2017 tax act (Public Law 115-97) were extended permanently. (By statute, estimates of the effects of tax legislation are made by the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, or JCT.) Senator Merkley also asked how those projections would change if revenues were reduced by an additional $150 billion in each year of the 10-year budget window and by a fixed percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) thereafter.

    In CBO’s most recent extended baseline projections, which reflect the assumption that current laws generally remain unchanged, primary deficits (that is, deficits excluding net outlays for interest) average 2.0 percent of GDP over the 2025–2055 period and equal 1.9 percent of GDP in 2055.

    Total deficits average 6.3 percent of GDP over that period and reach 7.3 percent of GDP in 2055. Federal debt held by the public increases from 100 percent of GDP to 156 percent of GDP—exceeding any previously recorded level and on track to increase further.

    CBO estimates that if provisions of the 2017 tax act were extended, tax revenues were lower by the additional amount Senator Merkley specified, and there were no other changes to fiscal policy, debt held by the public would reach 220 percent of GDP in 2055, 63 percentage points higher than in the long-term baseline projections. Interest rates would also be higher, and real gross national product (GNP) per person—a measure of the resources available to U.S. households—would be lower in that year.

    Those estimates incorporate the economic effects that would result from the extension of provisions of the 2017 tax act and the additional reductions in revenues that Senator Merkley specified. Those effects include increases in the supply of labor and investment brought about by lower marginal tax rates on income from labor and capital, increases in output in the short term caused by greater overall demand for goods and services, and decreases in output in the longer term caused by larger federal deficits and debt.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: SalesHood Launches AI Role Play to Boost Sales Readiness and Win Rates with Realistic, Real-Time Training Simulations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    San Francisco, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SalesHood, the AI-driven revenue enablement platform, announced the launch of AI Role Play, its latest innovation designed to empower sales teams with personalized, adaptive, real-world sales training experiences. The new AI-driven feature enables sales and customer success teams to practice core selling skills in immersive, realistic simulations—receiving instant feedback, actionable insights, and personalized coaching tips.

    AI Role Play strengthens reps’ messaging, objection handling, and closing techniques, accelerating sales readiness, boosting confidence, and increasing overall effectiveness in prospect engagement.

    “SalesHood AI Role Play marks a significant step forward in sales training, enabling reps to sharpen their skills in real-world, AI-powered simulations that feel both practical and impactful,” said Elay Cohen, CEO of SalesHood. “Our goal is to create everboarding experiences for teams to accelerate skill-building and mastery with self-service, AI-driven enablement.”

    “SalesHood’s AI Role Play boosts win rates by 7 to 10% and improves sales productivity with real, life-like practice conversations,” shares Craig Jones, Chief Revenue Officer at StarCompliance. “Our sales teams are being trained to think on their feet and adapt new positioning strategies using SalesHood’s AI Role Play.”

    Key Features of SalesHood AI Role Play

    Realistic, AI-Driven Training
    SalesHood AI Role-Play offers an intuitive, immersive experience that replicates real-world sales interactions, encouraging deeper engagement and skill development in an authentic setting.

    Context-Rich Preparation
    Sales reps receive comprehensive instructions, context, and resources for each role play scenario, ensuring they enter each session well-prepared and confident.

    User-Friendly Dashboard
    Managers benefit from a streamlined dashboard that organizes all role-play submissions, making it easy to monitor rep progress, evaluate performance, and provide tailored feedback.

    Customizable Scenarios and Personas
    With customizable options for roles, job titles, companies, and conversation contexts, SalesHood AI Role Play supports personalized training across a wide range of selling scenarios.

    No-Code, Easy Setup
    SalesHood AI Role-Play enables personalized training at scale without requiring engineers to program AI interactions.

    SalesHood’s Advanced AI Architecture

    The AI Role Play solution leverages SalesHood’s cutting-edge AI architecture—a unified, adaptive and flexible system that seamlessly integrates third-party and localized language models. SalesHood’s AI architecture supports a fully connected experience for sales teams to practice and refine their skills with consistently high-quality, AI-driven interactions.

    About SalesHood

    SalesHood is a global leader in AI-driven revenue enablement, on a mission to empower salespeople to sell smarter and faster. SalesHood’s purpose-built platform delivers repeatable revenue by activating content, ramping readiness, personalizing buyer engagement, and measuring impact at scale.

    Easy to use, fast to deploy, and consistently rated best-in-class for results and usability, SalesHood helps high-growth companies accelerate onboarding, improve rep performance, and drive in-quarter revenue growth. Trusted by leading teams at Copado, SmartRecruiters, and Frontline Education, SalesHood customers report win rate improvements of 50–200%, reduced coaching time for managers, and more selling time for sellers.

    For more information on SalesHood AI Role Play and how it is revolutionizing sales enablement, visit SalesHood.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Here’s What Happens if Trump Tax Cuts Aren’t Extended

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Democrat Rep. Steve Horsford actually said delivering “the biggest tax cut in history” would “screw America.”
    What would “screw America” is failing to act. A new report from the Council of Economic Advisers shows that extending the Trump Tax Cuts will deliver needed relief to Americans after years of unending Bidenflation:
    Real wages will go up by as much as $3,300/year.
    Take-home pay for median-income households will increase by as much as $5,000/year.
    Short-run real GDP will be boosted by 3.3-3.8% and long-run real GDP by 2.6-3.2%.
    Save 4.1 million jobs from being destroyed.
    Distressed communities will see as much as $100 billion in investment.
    If Congress doesn’t extend the Trump Tax Cuts, Americans will be stuck with the largest tax hike in history:
    President Trump is calling on Congress to immediately “pass the one, big, beautiful bill” and unleash a soaring economy, surging jobs market, manufacturing boom, and prosperity like never before.
    It’s time to get it done.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Cerence AI Honored with HARMAN’s Best Technology Award

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BURLINGTON, Mass., April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) (“Cerence AI”), a global leader pioneering conversational AI-powered user experiences, today announced that it has been awarded the Best Technology Award by HARMAN during its Supplier Awards event held in Budapest. This recognition underscores Cerence AI’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge AI solutions that enhance the in-car experience.

    The Supplier Awards event celebrates HARMAN’s exceptional suppliers who have significantly contributed to HARMAN’s resilience, collaboration, and innovation across its global supply chain. Cerence AI was honored in the Best Technology Award category in recognition of the companies’ long-term, successful collaboration on innovations shaping the future of automotive technology.

    Most recently, at CES 2025, HARMAN introduced its “Luna” avatar powered by Ready Engage, HARMAN’s new emotionally intelligent AI system designed to transform in-car experiences. This system features pre-integration with Cerence AI’s voice assistant, offering personalized AI-powered interactions that anticipate needs and respond naturally through voice and visuals. In addition, the companies integrated Cerence AI’s CaLLM™ Edge SLM, powered by Microsoft, into HARMAN’s Ready Upgrade, making it easier for third-party app developers to create in-car applications that bring consumers’ preferred, personalized content into the vehicle while ensuring that personal data remains secure.

    “We are honored to receive the Best Technology Award from HARMAN, a testament to our ongoing collaboration and shared vision for the future of in-car experiences,” said Christian Mentz, Chief Revenue Officer, Cerence AI. “This recognition reflects our dedication to pushing the boundaries of AI to create intuitive and intelligent interactions between drivers and their vehicles.”

    “The HARMAN Supplier Awards was more than a celebration—it was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we move as one with our partners,” said Dave Parker, Senior Vice President, Procurement and Best Cost Analytics, HARMAN. “These recognitions reflect the shared pursuit of excellence that drives our industry forward and we are proud to recognize Cerence AI for its innovative technology and continued collaboration.”

    To learn more about Cerence AI, visit www.cerence.ai, and follow the company on LinkedIn.

    About Cerence Inc.
    Cerence Inc. (NASDAQ: CRNC) is a global industry leader in creating intuitive, seamless, AI-powered experiences across automotive and transportation. Leveraging decades of innovation and expertise in voice, generative AI, and large language models, Cerence powers integrated experiences that create safer, more connected, and more enjoyable journeys for drivers and passengers alike. With more than 500 million cars shipped with Cerence technology, the company partners with leading automakers, transportation OEMs, and technology companies to advance the next generation of user experiences. Cerence is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with operations globally and a worldwide team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI innovation. For more information, visit www.cerence.ai.

    Contact Information

    Kate Hickman | Tel: 339-215-4583 | Email: kate.hickman@cerence.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock Issues Statement on Partial Tariff Pause  

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
    Amidst massive public pressure, President Trump was forced to announce a partial pause on some of his sweeping tariffs that will raise the cost of everyday goods for ordinary Georgians
    Much of the Trump Tariff Tax Hike remains in effect and the President continues to threaten new tariffs on items like prescription drugs, which millions of Americans already struggle to pay for
    Remaining tariffs include the 10% universal tariff, which will harm Georgia’s consumers, farmers, and small businesses
    Senator Reverend Warnock is the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “Congress must step up and put an end to the Trump Tariff Tax Hike once and for all.”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), ranking member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, issued the following statement after President Trump bent to massive pressure and announced a partial 90 day pause on his sweeping tariff policy. 
    “The President was forced to hit pause on some of his tariffs after he took the country to the edge of economic calamity. Americans are angry and they are rightfully demanding that the President stop the reckless destruction of our economy and reverse his unilateral decision to raise prices.
    Much of the Trump Tariff Tax Hike remains in effect and the President continues to threaten new tariffs on items like prescription drugs, which millions of Americans already struggle to pay for.
    Make no mistake, these tariffs are nothing more than a tax on Georgians. They will spike your grocery bill and risk driving many small businesses across our state to bankruptcy. Every day that Congress fails to act and put an end to this madness is another day of uncertainty that risks sending our economy into a recession. 
    During the partial 90 day pause, Congress must step up and put an end to the Trump Tariff Tax Hike once and for all.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Starting and stopping a super income stream pension

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Information for trustees of APRA regulated super funds

    This information may help advise trustees of APRA-regulated superannuation funds with what to consider when a super income stream starts or stops.

    This applies only to taxed, complying super funds that started a super income stream in the form of an account-based pension, including a transition to retirement income stream (TRIS), on or after 1 July 2007.

    Super income stream

    A super income stream includes an income stream that is a pension, according to the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 (SIS Regulations).

    An income stream can’t be a pension in accordance with the SIS Regulations unless it meets 2 requirements:

    • payment occurs at least annually
    • for an account-based pension, a minimum amount is paid to the member each year.

    We use the term:

    • ‘pension’ when referring to the operation of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (SIS Act) or SIS Regulations
    • ‘super income stream’ when referring to the operation of income tax laws.

    A super income stream exists when all of the following apply:

    • a member is entitled to a series of payments that relate to each other
    • the payments are periodic, whether paid annually or more frequently
    • the payments are made over an identifiable period of time
    • the minimum payment standards of the SIS Regulations have been met.

    A liability to make a single payment for one year is not a series of payments and won’t meet the requirement of being a super income stream. While there must be continuing liability, a super income stream may stop after only one payment.

    For more information see Taxation Ruling TR 2013/5 Income tax: when a superannuation income stream commences and ceases

    Paying a super income stream

    Once an account-based pension starts, there is an ongoing requirement for trustees to meet the minimum pension standards in the SIS Regulations.

    If any of the requirements of the SIS Regulations are not met in an income year, both of the following apply:

    • the super income stream is taken to have ceased at the start of that income year for income tax purposes
    • you are taken to have not been paying an income stream at any time during the income year.

    Reporting obligations

    Funds have an obligation to report when an income stream starts to be in the retirement phase for transfer balance cap purposes. Funds also have an obligation to report other retirement phase events after an income stream has started, most commonly commutations of retirement phase income streams, for transfer balance cap purposes.

    Funds have a broader obligation to report when an income stream stops and an account is closed.

    Once funds have completed on-boarding to the Member account transaction serviceExternal LinkExternal Link (MATS) they are required to report retirement phase events such as starting an income stream via MATS. Prior to MATS on-boarding, funds report retirement phase events via the Transfer balance account report (TBAR).

    Note: Retirement phase events with an effective date before 1 July 2018 and reporting a response to a Commissioner’s commutation authority should be reported through the TBAR.

    For more information see

    Tax implications for a fund paying a super income stream to a member

    Once a complying super fund starts to pay a super income stream, you may be entitled to exempt a portion of the income earned from the fund’s assets until such time as the pension stops. This is referred to as exempt current pension income (ECPI).

    ECPI doesn’t include assessable contributions or non-arm’s length income.

    From 1 July 2017, funds are unable to claim ECPI for the earnings from assets supporting a Transition to Retirement Income Stream (TRIS) that is not in the retirement phase. These earnings will now be taxed at 15%.

    A TRIS is in the retirement phase when the person receiving the TRIS reaches 65 years old or notifies their fund that they have met a specified nil cashing restriction condition of release, such as retirement, permanent incapacity or terminal illness.

    A TRIS will also be in retirement phase if it starts to be paid to a reversionary beneficiary after the member’s death, irrespective of whether the reversionary beneficiary has reached 65 years old or they have personally met a nil cashing restriction condition of release.

    From 1 July 2017, ECPI will be extended to certain retirement phase products such as deferred lifetime annuities which are not currently paying a benefit.

    For more information see

    If you don’t meet the minimum pension payment requirements under the SIS Regulations

    If a fund doesn’t meet the minimum pension payment requirements for an account-based pension in an income year, the super income stream will be taken to have ceased at the start of that income year for income tax purposes.

    From the start of the income year, the account is no longer supporting a super income stream and any payments from the start of the income year onwards will be super lump sums for both income tax and SIS Regulations purposes.

    This is the case even if the member remains entitled to receive a payment from the fund for the pension under the governing rules or under general trust law concepts.

    If income from assets supporting the income stream was eligible to be treated as ECPI because the income stream was in retirement phase, the fund won’t be entitled to treat the income or capital gains as ECPI for the income year or subsequent years.

    If a pension stops being in the retirement phase because the minimum pension payment requirements are not met, the fund must report a STO event (income stream stops being in the retirement phase) for the member via the Member Account Transaction Service (MATS) Retirement Phase Event reporting.

    Meeting the minimum pension payment requirement in subsequent years

    For the member to receive a super income stream for income tax purposes in future years, the income stream must cease (for example by commutation) and a new superannuation income stream must start that meets all of the requirements of the SIS Regulations.

    When a new super income stream starts, you will be required to recalculate the tax-free and taxable components of the new super income stream.

    You will also need to revalue assets at market value and recalculate the minimum pension payment required at the start of the new super income stream.

    General power of administration may apply to allow an APRA-regulated fund to continue claiming ECPI

    If the total payments in an income year to a member are less than the minimum payment amount for a super income stream, we may exercise our general power of administration (GPA) to allow the fund to continue to claim ECPI if all of the following conditions are met.

    • You didn’t pay the minimum pension amount in that income year because of either:
      • an honest mistake you made resulting in a small underpayment of the minimum payment amount for a super income stream
      • matters outside your control.
    • The entitlement to the ECPI exemption would have continued but for you not paying the minimum payment amount.
    • When you became aware that the minimum payment amount was not met for an income year, you make a catch-up payment as soon as possible in the following (current) income year; or treat a payment (intended prior year payment) made in the current income year, as being made in that prior income year.
    • Had you made the catch-up payment in the prior income year, the minimum pension standards would have been met.
    • You treat the catch-up payment, for all other purposes, as if it were made in the prior income year.

    If all of these conditions are met:

    • the super income stream is taken to have continued and a new pension is not started in the following income year – the proportioning rule doesn’t need to be applied again to determine the tax-free and taxable components
    • you can continue to claim an income tax exemption for earnings on assets supporting that pension, notwithstanding the fund not meeting its obligations under super law
    • any payments made to the member during that income year are treated as super income stream benefit payments (such as pension payments) and not super lump sums.

    If the circumstances of the underpayment don’t meet all of these conditions, the exercise of the GPA would not be relevant.

    Defining a ‘small’ underpayment

    We consider a small underpayment to be one that doesn’t exceed one-twelfth of the minimum pension payment in the relevant income year.

    Defining ‘as soon as practicable’

    Generally, if an underpayment is due to an honest trustee error, we consider ‘as soon as practicable’ to be within 28 days of you becoming aware of the underpayment.

    If the underpayment is due to matters outside your control, ‘as soon as practicable’ is considered to be within 28 days of you being in a position to be aware of the underpayment.

    When you can self-assess your entitlement to the GPA concession

    We allow you to self-assess and apply the GPA concession if all of the following apply:

    • not meeting the minimum pension requirements was an honest mistake or was outside your control
    • the underpayment is only small – doesn’t exceed one-twelfth of the minimum annual pension payment
    • all of the other GPA conditions have been met.

    In all other cases, you must write to us and outline why you didn’t meet the minimum pension requirements for us to consider the exercise of our general power of administration.

    Example 1: you didn’t meet the minimum pension requirements for the year ending 30 June due to a transposition error which resulted in a small underpayment

    In considering whether the GPA concession would apply, the trustee would need to assess if all of the following apply:

    • payments were made during the income year and not meeting the minimum pension payment requirements by 30 June was due to an honest administrative error
    • the amount of the underpayment was small
    • a catch-up payment was made as soon as practicable, in the following income year.

    Based on meeting all of these conditions, we will allow the trustee to self-assess and apply the GPA concession. Despite the fund not meeting its obligations under super law:

    • the super income stream doesn’t stop and a new pension is not started in the following income year
    • the trustee continues to claim an income tax exemption for earnings on assets supporting that pension.

    End of example

    Example 2: you incorrectly calculated the minimum pension requirement

    The trustee makes an honest administrative error when calculating the minimum pension payment in the relevant income year. The trustee used the incorrect minimum pension percentage factor to calculate the July 2017 pension payment. The member turned 65 years old on 28 June 2017 so the percentage factor increased to 5%, however, the trustee used 4% as this was the percentage they had used in the previous year and there was a delay in updating their computer system.

    The trustee needs to assess if all the following apply:

    • payments were made during the income year, and not meeting the minimum pension payment requirements by 30 June 2017 was due to an honest administrative error
    • the amount of the underpayment was small
    • a catch-up payment was made as soon as practicable, in the following income year (2017–18).

    Based on meeting all of these conditions, we will allow the trustee to self-assess their entitlement to the GPA concession to treat the fund as having continuously paid a super income stream.

    End of example

    If you don’t meet the conditions to self-assess

    If the circumstances of the underpayment don’t meet all of these conditions, the super income stream will be taken to have ceased for income tax purposes from the start of the income year.

    For the consequences see:

    If you think we should consider your case further, you need to outline the relevant circumstances to us in writing.

    To ensure a fair and reasonable outcome is achieved in each case, our decision will be made in accordance with the statements and principles set out in the Taxpayers’ charter, compliance model and the good decision-making model, which requires that the decision be legal, ethical, overt, sensible, timely and in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

    Example 3: minimum pension payment requirements are not met due to factors outside the trustee’s control

    If trustees are unable to make a payment before 30 June for reasons beyond their control – such as an error or failure on the part of a financial institution – we would consider all the following in determining whether to exercise the GPA to allow the pension to continue if the:

    • trustee would have been entitled to the ECPI exemption but for not paying the minimum payment amount
    • catch-up amount was made as soon as possible
    • circumstances that prevented the trustee from completing the pension payment were out of their control.

    End of example

    Recording the underpayment of the pension as an ‘accrual’

    You can’t record the underpayment of the pension as an ‘accrual’ in the accounting records of the fund. For you to meet the minimum pension payment standards you must meet the payment requirements both in form and effect. It is not enough for the rules of the pension to state a payment will be made in each income year if the payment for a particular income year is not actually made.

    If you don’t make the minimum pension payment in an income year, the pension will be taken to have stopped at the start of that income year for income tax purposes, unless we have exercised the GPA.

    This applies even if the member remains entitled to receive a payment from the super fund for the purported income stream under the governing rules or under general trust law concepts and you record the underpayment as an ‘accrual’ to recognise that liability.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) Introduces Suite of Bills to Lower Housing Costs for Michigan Families

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI) introduced four bills in the Congress to help lower housing costs for Michigan families. This comprehensive package of legislation would help Americans buy their first home, age in place, find housing close to needed services, and much more. The four bills are: the Healthy Affordable Housing Act, the Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act, the Fix Moldy Housing Act, and the First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act.

    “Every Michigan family deserves a safe, affordable, and accessible place to live. But for too many in our great state, the cost of housing is way too high. That’s why I’m introducing a comprehensive package of housing legislation — to bring down costs,” said Rep. Haley Stevens. “With the Healthy Affordable Housing Act, the Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act, the Fix Moldy Housing Act, and the First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act we’re not just investing in our infrastructure—we’re investing in families, communities, and our future. This package brings essential services closer to home, increases the supply of housing, tackles environmental hazards, empowers first-time buyers, and ensures older Michiganders and those with disabilities have the support they need to live independently. I’m honored to lead this bold step forward, uniting diverse voices and innovative solutions to make sure every Michigander has a safe, affordable place to call home.”

    The Healthy Affordable Housing Act introduced with U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY), directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to create a competitive grant program to fund affordable housing near needed services including grocery stores, childcare, and public transportation. This bill is supported by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Oakland County Michigan, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, the National Community Development Association, the Michigan Hospital Association, and Habitat for Humanity Oakland County. 

    “There is no issue more important to me than expanding access to safe, healthy, and affordable housing. When I was growing up in the Bronx, public housing was a lifeline for my family,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) in support of the Healthy Affordable Housing Act. “That being said, far too often, public housing units like the one I grew up in lack adequate access to essential services – groceries, healthcare, public transportation, and more – leaving their residents siphoned off from the rest of our society and set up to fail. I refuse to sit by and allow this unacceptable status quo to continue. That’s why I am joining my colleague Rep. Stevens in introducing the Healthy Affordable Housing Act, which would re-invigorate our nation’s affordable housing infrastructure and ensure that they are established with a host of necessary services in close proximity. I would not be where I am today without the stability affordable housing gave me and my family. I want to ensure every American, no matter their zip code, can say the same, and that’s what this bill tries to achieve.”

    The Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act would provide a refundable tax credit to help seniors and Americans with disabilities finance retrofitting their homes to meet their accessibility needs. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) introduced companion legislation in the United States Senate. This bill is supported by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the National Disability Institute, the National Council on Independent Living, and the National Federation of the Blind. 

    The Fix Moldy Housing Act would help individuals and local governments remove mold from homes and public buildings to increase the supply of healthy housing and make sure every home in Michigan is safe to live in. This bill is endorsed by the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, and the National Environmental Health Association. 

    The First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act would increase the amount first-time homebuyers could pull from their IRA savings from the $10,000 set in the 1990s to $25,000, indexed to inflation to use as a down payment on their first home. The First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act is endorsed by the National Association of Realtors, the American Bankers Association, and the Mortgage Bankers Association.

    A full list of supporting quotes can be found here.

    The full text of each piece of legislation can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US consumers rush to buy ahead of tariffs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Americans are racing to make purchases before a tariffs war between the United States and its major trade partners across the world drive up prices, while some of the wealthiest people in the country publicly condemned the policy as potentially catastrophic for the economy.

    In recent weeks, consumers have rushed to increase their purchases of everything from clothing and electronics to cars and furniture, fearing that the costs of goods will jump sharply once tariffs fully take hold.

    “Definitely more people coming into store look to buy TV and electronics to beat the tariff increase,” San Francisco Bay Area-based Best Buy’s sales consultant Van told Xinhua Tuesday.

    The panic-buying has flooded online stores and big-box retailers, including Shein, Ssense, Amazon, Costco, and Walmart, according to The Cut and Facebook News 8 posts. Some online shoppers reported overnight price hikes of 5 to 15 U.S. dollars on items in their carts, citing anticipation of the tariffs.

    “I just bought a TV now instead of waiting,” one user wrote on Reddit. “Prices are already rising on Amazon.” Another thread on the r/carbuying subreddit discussed buyers hurrying to secure vehicles before tariffs increase sticker prices.

    The reckless tariffs, including a tariff on Chinese imports which jumped to 104 percent from midnight of Wednesday, targeted a wide range of goods, from electronics to vehicles. Critics said it will squeeze consumers by raising costs on everyday items.

    For some families, the shift is already painful. A mother in Texas told NPR she used her summer savings to buy back-to-school gear early. “We can’t afford to wait and pay more,” she said. “But now we don’t have money set aside for fall clothes.”

    The “tariff-induced shopping spree” span everything from electronics and appliances to clothing and cars, according to ABC News. Auto sales surged 11.2 percent in March as buyers rushed to beat the 25 percent tariffs on imported vehicles that took effect April 3.

    “Now is the time to buy,” Noel Peguero, a 50-year-old school worker from Queens, New York, told ABC News after spending about 3,500 U.S. dollars on car parts, electronics, and gardening supplies ahead of potential price increases.

    Consumers are actively sharing strategies about what to purchase on social media platforms before prices skyrocket. Reddit users who recently bought homes considered upgrading appliances early, while others on Facebook contemplated purchasing electronics like MacBook laptops before potential price hikes.

    Billionaire Mark Cuban added to consumer concerns by advising people on social media to “buy lots of consumables” before prices increase, recommending “from toothpaste to soap, anything you can find storage space for, buy before they have to replenish inventory.”

    The tariffs introduced on April 2 included a 10 percent universal tariff and additional “reciprocal tariffs” on more than 60 economies who have trade surplus with the United States.

    CBS News reported that the tariffs are actually paid by U.S. importers, who typically pass costs on to consumers.

    Financial experts warned the tariffs represented “the largest tax hike since 1982” and amounted to “an average tax increase of more than 1,900 U.S. dollars per U.S. household in 2025,” according to the Tax Foundation.

    Electronics could see some of the steepest price increases. The Consumer Technology Association estimated that laptop and tablet prices could rise by up to 45 percent, while smartphones may increase by an average of 213 U.S. dollars, representing a 26 percent jump.

    Clothing prices are expected to increase by up to 20 percent, while footwear costs could rise between 20 and 30 percent due to reliance on international manufacturing.

    According to an analysis cited by lifestyle blog Cha Ching Queen, toys could see among the most dramatic price hikes, potentially rising 36 to 56 percent.

    Meanwhile, several billionaires who were republican supporters during last year’s presidential election have broken ranks to criticize the tariff policy.

    Bill Ackman delivered perhaps the most stark warning on Monday, calling the tariffs tantamount to launching an “economic nuclear war” that would severely damage America’s reputation with trading partners.

    Even Elon Musk, who has been heading the Department of Government Efficiency, called for “a zero-tariff situation” between the U.S. and Europe during an Italian political event. Musk also criticized Whitehouse trade adviser Peter Navarro, suggesting his Harvard economics PhD is “a bad thing, not a good thing,” on X, his social media platform.

    Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone, a GOP megadonor and billionaire, also blasted the tariffs, calling the 46 percent import duties on Vietnam “bullshit” and describing the tariff rate on China as “too aggressive, too soon,” on CNBC.

    “The cost of materials for the project I quoted to a client must now cost a lot higher due to the tariff,” home remodeling contractor Jose told Xinhua outside the Home Depot store in San Jose, California. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 9th, 2025 Heinrich Introduces Legislation to Save Lives, Protect Communities from Gun Violence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    Heinrich’s GOSAFE Act and BUMP Act would protect communities from gun violence, while safeguarding Americans’ constitutional right to own a firearm for legitimate self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced his Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act and bipartisan Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act, commonsense legislation designed to protect communities from gun violence, while safeguarding Americans’ constitutional right to own a firearm for legitimate self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes.
    “For too long, Congress has failed to stem the onslaught of mass shootings. Our work in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was critically important, but more must be done,” said Heinrich. “I’m introducing my GOSAFE and BUMP Acts to deliver on that unfinished work to save lives and make our communities safer. As a sportsman and gun owner, I’m committed to upholding the laws that protect responsible gun ownership, but we must do more to prevent deadly weapons from reaching those who are all too ready to turn them against our communities.”
    The GOSAFE Act seeks to regulate firearms based on their inherently dangerous and unusually lethal mechanisms, as opposed to focusing on cosmetic features that manufacturers can easily modify. The GOSAFE Act is co-led by Heinrich and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). The GOSAFE Act is led by U.S. Representative Lucy McBath in the House of Representatives.
    “We have a solemn obligation to protect our communities, and the Gas-Operated Semiautomatic Firearm Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act can reduce threats without infringing on Second Amendment rights,” said Senator King. “By limiting capacity and requiring fixed magazines, there’s an opportunity for people to escape and room to disarm the shooter — helping to prevent mass tragedies like we suffered in Lewiston in future towns and communities. This is commonsense, responsible legislation that will save lives, and I want to thank my colleagues for all their work to ensure a safer tomorrow for communities across Maine and our country.”
    “As a gun owner and a combat veteran, but also the husband of a gun violence survivor, I know firsthand the damage these weapons can cause when they end up in the wrong hands,” said Senator Kelly. “We can protect the rights of responsible gun owners and take action to keep the most lethal firearms out of the hands of those who intend to do harm. We’ve seen the consequences of inaction, let’s not wait for the next tragedy to do something about it.”
    “For more than two decades, Colorado has grieved one incident of senseless gun violence after another,” said Senator Bennet.“This common-sense gun safety bill will keep weapons of war out of the hands of the wrong people while respecting responsible gun owners. With this legislation, we are taking an important step to combat gun violence in our communities and protect children across the country.”
    “I came to Congress because of a promise I made to my late son Jordan—that I would take action in honor of victims of gun violence to prevent more families from experiencing the same tragic loss that I have,” said Representative McBath. “The GOSAFE Act is an important piece of a comprehensive legislative approach to keep lethal weapons from individuals who should not have them, while still honoring the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. Americans deserve to live their lives free from the fear of gun violence. I intend to follow through on the promise I made to my son and every victim of America’s gun violence epidemic.”
    In addition to Heinrich, King, Kelly, and Bennet, the GOSAFE Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).
    For a list of endorsements of the GOSAFE Act and statements of support, click here.
    The text of the GOSAFE Act is here.
    The BUMP Act seeks to prohibit the sale of bump stocks and other devices or modifications that allow semi-automatic firearms to increase their rate of fire and effectively operate as fully automatic weapons. The BUMP Act is co-led by Heinrich and U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). The BUMP Act is led by U.S. Representatives Dina Titus (D-Nev.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) in the House of Representatives.
    “Bump stocks are designed to turn semi-automatic firearms into what are essentially fully-automatic weapons,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would prohibit the use of these dangerous devices while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.”
    “It’s been nearly eight years since the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival massacre changed my hometown forever,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Bump stocks like the one used by the shooter have no place in our communities. I will never forget the events of October 1, 2017, and will never stop fighting to permanently ban these dangerous devices.”
    “Nearly eight years after the Harvest Festival massacre we still do not have a federal law banning these deadly devices,” said Representative Titus. “Bump stocks continue to pose a threat to innocent lives and Congress must act. Without a federal law firmly banning them, federal regulations and court rulings could allow bump stocks on our streets and in our neighborhoods, raising the risk of more mass shootings.”
    “The work to close the bump stock loophole and keep these dangerous devices out of the hands of criminals is critical to our mission of protecting communities from gun violence. This bipartisan legislation strengthens law enforcement and reinforces our commitment to safety without compromising constitutional rights,” said Representative Fitzpatrick, a former federal gun crimes prosecutor and FBI agent. “I will continue working across the aisle to advance commonsense solutions that keep our neighborhoods safe while upholding the rights of responsible gun owners. Congress can and must do both.”
    In addition to Heinrich, Collins, and Cortez Masto, the BUMP Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
    For a list of endorsements of the BUMP Act and statements of support, click here.
    A one-page summary of the BUMP Act is here.
    The text of the BUMP Act is here.
    The GOSAFE Act
    Regulates Sale, Transfer, & Manufacture of Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms 
    If enacted, the GOSAFE Act would regulate the sale, transfer, and manufacture of gas-operated semi-automatic weapons by: 
    Establishing a list of prohibited firearms; 
    Preventing unlawful modifications of permissible firearms; 
    Mandating that future gas-operated designs are approved before manufacture;  
    Preventing unlawful firearm self-assembly and manufacturing; and
    Prohibiting machinegun conversion devices.  
    Protects Americans’ Second Amendment Right 
    The GOSAFE Act protects Americans’ constitutional right to own a gun based on a firearm’s established use for self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes. The bill accomplishes this by including exemptions based on ammunition capacity limitations according to a firearm’s individual class: rifle, shotgun, or handgun.  
    Capacity limitations must be “permanently fixed,” meaning firearms must be incapable of accepting detachable, high-capacity magazines that increase the number of rounds that can be fired before reloading and make reloading easier. 
    Exemptions include:  
    .22 caliber rimfire firearms, excluding any firearm that is based on an AR-15 design 
    Semi-automatic shotguns 
    Recoil-operated handguns 
    Any rifle with a permanently fixed capacity of 10 rounds or less 
    Any shotgun with a permanently fixed capacity of 10 rounds or less 
    Any handgun with a permanently fixed capacity of 15 rounds or less 
    Limits High-Capacity Ammunition Devices, Outlaws Conversion Devices
    The GOSAFE Act limits a firearm’s ability to inflict maximum harm in a short amount of time by directly regulating large capacity ammunition feeding devices.  The bill would limit the number of rounds that these devices are permitted to carry to 10 rounds of ammunition or fewer.  
    Additionally, the GOSAFE Act makes machinegun conversion devices, including bump stocks and Glock switches, unlawful. 
    Creates Voluntary Buy-Back Program
    The GOSAFE Act will protect the value of firearms already owned before enactment and prevent stockpiling of these lethal firearms and high-capacity magazines by establishing a voluntary buy-back program. The program would allow firearm owners to voluntarily turn over and receive fair compensation for non-transferrable firearms and magazines as defined by the legislation. 
    The BUMP Act
    Bans Deadly Weapons That Operate as Machineguns
    The BUMP Act bans the sale of deadly bump stocks and other devices or modifications that materially increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic firearms allowing them to operate like machine guns. 
    Specifically, the BUMP Act amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt, or possession of:
    A device that is primarily designed, or redesigned, to materially increase the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm;
    A device, part, or combination of parts that is designed and functions to materially increase the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm; or
    A semi-automatic firearm that has been modified to materially increase the rate of fire of the firearm.
    Additionally, the legislation amends the Internal Revenue Code to add modified semi-automatic firearms to the list of firearms subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Wyden, Cortez Masto, Warren Seek Watchdog Investigation of Potential Trump Administration Violations of Taxpayer Privacy Laws

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Wyden, Cortez Masto, Warren Seek Watchdog Investigation of Potential Trump Administration Violations of Taxpayer Privacy Laws

    New request for investigation comes as Treasury Secretary agrees to leak millions of protected records to DHS, multiple senior IRS officials announce intent to leave agency

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) urged the acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate several reports that the Trump Administration is potentially violating strict taxpayer privacy laws by providing highly sensitive and legally protected taxpayer data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and personnel affiliated with Elon Musk across various federal agencies. The Senators’ request comes after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Homeland Security to provide an unprecedented level of access to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) taxpayer data for open-ended investigations.

    “Taxpayer data held by the IRS is, by design, subject to some of the strongest privacy protections under federal law, the violation of which can trigger civil and criminal sanctions, including up to five years in prison. Congress passed these protections in the 1970s after President Nixon weaponized the IRS against his political enemies. These legal protections for taxpayer data apply to all taxpayers and are an essential foundation for our tax system, which requires the voluntary submission of information to the government. Voluntary tax compliance depends on taxpayers having faith that their confidential information will not be used for anything other than tax administration,” wrote the Senators.

    The letter also follows several high-ranking IRS officials, including the acting commissioner and chief privacy officer, announcing their imminent departures from the agency.

    “Immediately following Bessent’s execution of the [agreement with DHS], several IRS leaders announced their resignations, including Acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause and Chief Privacy Officer Kathleen Walters, raising further questions about whether they resigned to avoid being a party to a criminal conspiracy to violate tax privacy law,” continued the Senators. 

    “The risks created by these activities cannot be overstated… [IRS] data can be inaccurate because of identity theft, keypunch errors, obsolete address information, and a wide range of other reasons. If DHS relies on the same data to deport millions of people without validating its accuracy, it is likely to end up making grave errors that impact American citizens and immigrants with valid legal status,” added the Senators.

    In addition to Padilla, Wyden, Cortez Masto, and Warren, the letter was also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).  

    Last month, Senators Padilla, Cortez Masto, and Wyden condemned the IRS’ plan to provide sensitive taxpayer information to DHS to locate suspected undocumented immigrants. The Senators also led a letter to IRS and DHS leadership raising the alarm on reports that DHS and the Department of Government Efficiency illegally requested sensitive taxpayer information from the IRS.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Acting Inspector General Hill:

    We write to request an investigation into alarming reports about improper access to tax return information at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Elon Musk’s associates at the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and others, potentially violating the privacy of every taxpayer. As you know, violations of the tax privacy rules are punishable by civil and criminal penalties, including up to five years in prison.

    Following the abrupt departure of the Acting Chief Counsel and Acting IRS Commissioner on April 7, 2025, Treasury Secretary Bessent signed a memorandum of understanding that gives ICE unprecedented access to return information in an apparent attempt to weaponize the tax system against up to seven million people suspected of being undocumented immigrants. The MOU cites Internal Revenue Code section 6103(i)(2), which permits certain limited disclosures for active criminal investigations individually approved by high level officials, but there were only 30,538 disclosures for all such investigations in the U.S. in 2023 and 14,640 in 2022, raising questions about whether it would be possible for ICE to have a valid reason for obtaining information on up to seven million people.  

    Immediately following Bessent’s execution of the MOU, several IRS leaders announced their resignations, including Acting IRS Chief Counsel Melanie Krause and Chief Privacy Officer Kathleen Walters, raising further questions about whether they resigned to avoid being a party to a criminal conspiracy to violate tax privacy law.  

    DOGE has also sought access to the IRS’s most sensitive systems to create a “mega-API,” that insiders have said is an “open door controlled by Musk for all American’s [sic] most sensitive information with none of the rules that normally secure that data.” This proposed “hackathon” by Musk and third parties could result in the exporting of taxpayer data to private entities and compromise the privacy of millions of Americans. DOGE has also requested an “omnibus” agreement with federal agencies that would allow a broad swath of federal officials to cross-reference benefits rolls with taxpayer data.

    Finally, Treasury and IRS are requiring IRS employees, including employees in service centers who do not have a government-issued computer, to send emails listing five things they did each week to an external email address at OPM without any pre-screening to ensure no return information is included. Agencies are permitted to opt out of this requirement, but the IRS has not.

    The risks created by these activities cannot be overstated. The data in IRS systems cannot necessarily be relied upon for non-tax purposes. The IRS suspends the processing of millions of returns each year and flags millions of others for follow-up because the information in its files does not match what is on the taxpayer’s return. The data can be inaccurate because of identity theft, keypunch errors, obsolete address information, and a wide range of other reasons. If DHS relies on the same data to deport millions of people without validating its accuracy, it is likely to end up making grave errors that impact American citizens and immigrants with valid legal status.

    Moreover, taxpayer data held by the IRS is, by design, subject to some of the strongest privacy protections under federal law, the violation of which can trigger civil and criminal sanctions, including up to five years in prison. Congress passed these protections in the 1970s after President Nixon weaponized the IRS against his political enemies. These legal protections for taxpayer data apply to all taxpayers and are an essential foundation for our tax system, which requires the voluntary submission of information to the government. Voluntary tax compliance depends on taxpayers having faith that their confidential information will not be used for anything other than tax administration. Otherwise, those who value their privacy are less likely to file and pay what they owe. 

    There are already projections that taxpayers are paying $500 billion less in taxes this year, which could be explained, in part, by a lack of confidence that their tax return information will be kept confidential. Experts estimate that this MOU could reduce revenue by $25 billion in 2026 and $313 billion over a ten-year period. If that trend continues, it will undermine the finances of Medicare and Social Security, which the Trump Administration is already dismantling and Elon Musk has said is a Ponzi scheme.  

    While there are procedures by which agencies can gain access to return information, they generally require a determination that the information is required in a specific case for a lawful purpose. IRS employees may not access such information without proper training, and the information cannot be transmitted to another party without proper safeguards. The administration has thus far failed to timely respond to a congressional request on March 14, 2025, for information about the legal basis for the spate of recent requests for access to return data.   

    1. Concerning DHS’s request for return information about ITIN holders, please provide:

    a. A complete unredacted copy of the MOU and any related agreements (including the separate implementation agreement referenced in the redacted MOU);

    b. Any documented concerns raised by any senior IRS officials;        

    c. Any statements received describing the intended use of the information; 

    d. Any parties, officers, or agencies to whom the requester intended to redisclose any or all of the information; and

    e. The legal basis for authorizing disclosures under this MOU; and

    f. The extent to which such disclosures would be unprecedented. 

    2. Please provide any other requests for access to taxpayer or other sensitive information the IRS received from any agency in the executive branch (including DHS, SSA, DOGE, and the Office of Personnel Management) during this administration for return or other sensitive information or access to IRS systems containing such information, which was not subject to judicial review or routinely granted during the last administration.

    3. Please also provide any requests for taxpayer or other protected information received from the President or the Executive Office of the President (EOP) during this administration, including the Office of Management and Budget, DOGE, and Elon Musk.

    4. In each instance described in #2 or #3, please explain how the requestor proposed to use the information requested, the IRS’s response to the request, and the legal basis for the IRS’s response.

    5. Every month until the end of this administration, please provide a copy of any new request that would fall into any of these categories and the IRS’s response.

    6. Please also provide a list of all non-IRS employee(s) currently detailed to, or working with, the IRS as part of DOGE or its affiliates and provide a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding(s) allowing them to do so. 

    7. Every month until the end of this administration, provide an update on any modifications to any of the agreements referenced above to share return information.

    8. Please provide an analysis of the risk that the “5-things” emails IRS employees are required to send to OPM contain information protected by section 6103 or protected by other provisions (e.g., the Privacy Act).

    9. Please provide an estimate of the number of 6103 or other statutory violations the management of the IRS and Treasury are allowing to occur by requiring 5-things emails to OPM.

    10. Please provide information about the nature and scope of the “mega API” and “hackathon” activity, which was reported in the press, including what sensitive data the vendor has access to, how the contract for services was negotiated, and whether there were any violations of federal contracting regulations.

    11. Please provide an estimate of the percentage of individuals who have been given access to return or other sensitive information for the first time during this administration without first completing all of the training that IRS employees are required to take before having such access. Please provide a list of their titles.

    12. To the extent new individuals or agencies have been granted access to return or other sensitive information during this administration, please estimate the percentage who did not properly secure and safeguard such information as required. Please provide a list of any agencies and the titles of any individuals. 

    13. To the extent that improper access or disclosures of return or other sensitive information have occurred during this administration, please describe the circumstances of the disclosure, provide an estimate of the number of taxpayers affected, and whether they have been notified that their information has been improperly accessed or disclosed. 

    Please provide us with this information as soon as it is available, provide us with a briefing by May 8, 2025, and complete this work by September 30, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Passes Padilla-Cosponsored Legislation to Improve Aerial Firefighting Efforts

    US Senate News:

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

    Senate Passes Padilla-Cosponsored Legislation to Improve Aerial Firefighting Efforts

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Wildfire Caucus, announced that the Senate passed bipartisan legislation he is cosponsoring to strengthen the aerial wildfire suppression fleet and better combat the year-round threat of catastrophic wildfires. The Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act of 2025 reauthorizes the Secretary of Defense’s authority to sell excess Department of Defense aircraft and aircraft parts to persons or entities that contract with the government to help deliver fire retardant or water used to suppress wildfires.

    Senators Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) are leading the bill, and Padilla and Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), James Risch (R-Idaho), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) are cosponsoring the legislation. The Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act now awaits House passage.

    “As catastrophic wildfires devastate communities across the country, we need to be smarter and more resourceful in our approach to wildfire suppression,” said Senator Padilla. “Californians saw firsthand the power of our aerial wildfire suppression fleet in putting out the Los Angeles fires as quickly as possible. Shoring up aerial firefighting fleets by allowing the Department of Defense to sell excess aircraft parts is a lifesaving, commonsense priority — and I’m glad to see the Senate come together to unanimously pass this bipartisan legislation.”

    “It’s only April, and this year has already seen the most dangerous and expensive wildfire season in history. It’s clear our government must do more to give wildland firefighters the tools they need to protect communities and save lives. The Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act supports that mission by eliminating bureaucratic obstacles to provide our aerial wildfire suppression fleet the resources necessary to fight wildfires quickly and aggressively. I’m grateful to my colleagues for their support of this bipartisan legislation, and I will continue to use the full power of my office to support the brave first responders on the front lines fighting wildfires across the country,” said Senator Sheehy.

    “I’m pleased that my Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act is one step close to becoming law,” said Senator Heinrich. “The Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act is urgently needed to expand the operations of Very Large Air Tankers that have proven absolutely essential to firefighters battling large wildfires in New Mexico and across the West. I will never stop fighting to deliver the resources that our communities need to effectively respond to wildfires.”

    “In Arizona and across the West, wildfires are more frequent, more intense, and no longer confined to a single season. Our response capabilities need to reflect that new reality,” said Senator Kelly. “Strengthening our aerial firefighting fleet by making more aircraft and parts available is a smart, proven way to help firefighters respond faster and keep communities safe. I’m proud to support this effort to ensure the tools are in place to meet the growing threat, and I’ll keep working to get it done.”

    The Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act amends the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 to reauthorize the sale of excess aircraft and parts by the Department of Defense for wildfire suppression as long as the aircraft and parts are used only for wildfire suppression. These aircraft and parts are already acceptable for commercial sale. The initial authority for these sales expired in 2005 and was reauthorized from 2012 to 2017 before lapsing again.

    The bill would help the United States better suppress wildfires by facilitating the acquisition of military excess aircraft, sold at fair market value, for the aerial wildfire suppression fleet. Additionally, the sale of parts would help the United States maintain its existing aerial firefighting aircraft fleet.

    In the aftermath of the devastating Southern California fires, Senator Padilla has introduced more than 10 bills to help prevent and respond to future disasters. In February, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. He also announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Wildfire Emergency Act, the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act. In January, Padilla introduced another suite of bipartisan bills to strengthen wildfire recovery and resilience, including the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, the Fire Suppression and Response Funding Assurance Act, and the Disaster Housing Reform for American Families Act. Additionally, last week, he introduced the FEMA Independence Act, bipartisan legislation to restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency as an independent, cabinet-level agency and improve efficiency in federal emergency response efforts.

    A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA 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, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Cut Taxes for Working Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

     ***VIDEO AVAILABLE***

    Video of the Senator’s remarks at a press conference introducing this critical legislation is available here.

    Video download is available here.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) led 43 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Tax Cut for Workers Act to give millions of working Americans a much-needed tax break. Cortez Masto’s bill is part of Senate Democrats’ comprehensive plan to bring relief to the American people, and it is being introduced with the Senators’ American Families Act to permanently expand the Child Tax Credit. The Tax Cuts for Workers Act will be introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Dwight Evans (D-Pa.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).

    “With costs skyrocketing right now thanks to the Trump administration, millions of hardworking Americans need expanded tax relief to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table for their families,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bill is focused on those who really need a tax cut – middle-class Americans who contribute to our economy – not Donald Trump’s billionaire friends.

    “Working people need relief more than ever. The Trump Administration’s reckless tariff policy will cost the average American family upwards of $3,800 annually,” said Senator Bennet. “These tariffs, coupled with an extension of Trump’s tax cuts for his billionaire friends, are an insult to hard working Americans. Senator Cortez Masto and I are committed to passing real tax relief for middle-class families through the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit.”

    The existing Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – the Worker Tax Cut – has been delivering tax relief for millions of workers for decades. But it’s just not enough, and Cortez Masto is determined to give more working Americans a break. Her legislation would cut taxes for working class Americans without children, who currently receive a much smaller EITC than workers with children. This expansion would include over 160,000 Nevadans by nearly tripling the average tax break many of these Americans receive from the existing EITC. It also extends eligibility for the tax cut to workers under the age of 25 and over the age of 64.

    Read the full bill here.

    Additional cosponsors include Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported efforts to cut taxes and lower costs for hardworking Nevadans. She helped pass critical expansions to the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue plan, and has been fighting to permanently increase this vital relief for working families. Cortez Masto also helped introduce the No Tax on Tips Act to exempt tipped wages from federal income tax. Additionally, Senator Cortez Masto supports raising the federal minimum wage and eliminating the minimum wage gap for tipped workers nationally. 

    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 News: Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance

    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.  Purpose.  The commercial shipbuilding capacity and maritime workforce of the United States has been weakened by decades of Government neglect, leading to the decline of a once strong industrial base while simultaneously empowering our adversaries and eroding United States national security.  Both our allies and our strategic competitors produce ships for a fraction of the cost needed in the United States.  Recent data shows that the United States constructs less than one percent of commercial ships globally, while the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is responsible for producing approximately half.
    Rectifying these issues requires a comprehensive approach that includes securing consistent, predictable, and durable Federal funding, making United States-flagged and built vessels commercially competitive in international commerce, rebuilding America’s maritime manufacturing capabilities (the Maritime Industrial Base), and expanding and strengthening the recruitment, training, and retention of the relevant workforce.

    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to revitalize and rebuild domestic maritime industries and workforce to promote national security and economic prosperity.

    Sec. 3.  Maritime Action Plan.  (a)  Within 210 days of the date of this order, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), and the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) the APNSA deems appropriate, shall submit a Maritime Action Plan (MAP) to the President, through the APNSA and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Director) to achieve the policy set forth in this order.
    (b)  The OMB Director, in coordination with the APNSA, shall be responsible for all legislative, regulatory, and fiscal assessments related to the MAP.  
    (c)  The MAP shall, to the extent permissible and consistent with applicable law, including the Buy American Act (41 U.S.C. 8301–8305), reflect actions taken pursuant to sections 4 through 21 of this order.

    Sec. 4.  Ensure the Security and Resilience of the Maritime Industrial Base.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall provide to the APNSA and the OMB Director for inclusion in the MAP an assessment of options both for the use of available authorities and resources, such as Defense Production Act Title III authorities, and for the use of private capital to the maximum extent possible to invest in and expand the Maritime Industrial Base including, but not limited to, investment and expansion of commercial and defense shipbuilding capabilities, component supply chains, ship repair and marine transportation capabilities, port infrastructure, and the adjacent workforce.  The Secretary of Defense shall pursue using the Office of Strategic Capital loan program to improve the shipbuilding industrial base.  As part of their assessment, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall:
    (a)  identify key maritime components in the supply chain that are essential for rebuilding and expanding the Maritime Industrial Base and that should be prioritized for investment;
    (b)  ensure that their recommendations of public and private investments are made according to a clear metric, derived in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, of return on invested capital for the United States taxpayer and to the economic and national security of the United States; and
    (c)  ensure that their recommendations take into consideration the projected increases to commercial and defense capabilities, the projected growth in economic activity, and the projected benefits for taxpayers and the workforce.

    Sec. 5. Actions in the Investigation of the PRC’s Unfair Targeting of Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors. (a)  With respect to the actions, if any, that the USTR determines to take consistent with the USTR’s notice of public hearing entitled Proposed Action in Section 301 Investigation of the PRC’s Targeting of the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance, 90 Fed. Reg. 10843 (February 27, 2025), the USTR shall:
    (i)   coordinate with appropriate agencies to collect additional information, as appropriate and to the extent permitted by law, in support of administering such actions; and 
    (ii)  coordinate with the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to take appropriate steps to enforce any restriction, fee, penalty, or duty imposed pursuant to such actions.
    (b)  Based on the USTR’s determinations arising out of its Section 301 investigation into the PRC’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors, the USTR shall also consider taking all necessary steps permitted by law to propose the following actions:
    (i)   tariffs on ship-to-shore cranes manufactured, assembled, or made using components of PRC origin, or manufactured anywhere in the world by a company owned, controlled, or substantially influenced by a PRC national; and
    (ii)  tariffs on other cargo handling equipment.

    Sec. 6.  Enforce Collection of Harbor Maintenance Fee and Other Charges.  In order to prevent cargo carriers from circumventing the Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) on imported goods through the practice of making port in Canada or Mexico and sending their cargo into the United States through land borders, and to ensure the collection of other charges as applicable, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take all necessary steps, including proposing new legislation, as permitted by law to:
    (a)  require all foreign-origin cargo arriving by vessel to clear the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) entry process at a United States port of entry for security and collection of all applicable duties, customs, taxes, fees, interest, and other charges; and
    (b)  ensure any foreign-origin cargo first arriving by vessel to North America clearing the CBP process at an inland location from the country of land transit (Canada or Mexico) is assessed applicable customs, duties, taxes, fees (including the HMF), interest, and other charges plus a 10 percent service fee for additional costs to the CBP, so long as the cargo being shipped into the United States is not substantially transformed from its condition at the time of arrival into the country of land transit (with the discretion for such decisions to be determined by CBP).

    Sec. 7.  Engage Allies and Partners to Align Trade Policies.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the USTR, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, shall engage treaty allies, partners, and other like-minded countries around the world with respect to their potential imposition of any actions taken pursuant to sections 5 and 6 of this order.  The USTR shall deliver an engagement plan and progress report on these engagements to the President.

    Sec. 8.  Reduce Dependence on Adversaries through Allies and Partners.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, shall recommend to the APNSA and the OMB Director for inclusion in the MAP all available incentives to help shipbuilders domiciled in allied nations partner to undertake capital investment in the United States to help strengthen the shipbuilding capacity of the United States.

    Sec. 9.  Launch a Maritime Security Trust Fund.  In conjunction with the formulation of the President’s Budget, the OMB Director shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, develop a legislative proposal, which shall be described in detail in the MAP, to establish a Maritime Security Trust Fund that can serve as a reliable funding source to deliver consistent support for MAP programs.  This proposal shall consider how new or existing tariff revenue, fines, fees, or tax revenue could further the goal of establishing a more reliable, dedicated funding source for programs support by the MAP.

    Sec. 10.  Shipbuilding Financial Incentives Program.  In conjunction with the formulation of the President’s Budget and consistent with the findings of the report required under section 12 of this order, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit a legislative proposal to the APNSA and the OMB Director, which shall be described in detail in the MAP, that establishes a financial incentives program with broad flexibility to incentivize private investment in the construction of commercial components, parts, and vessels; capital improvements to commercial vessel shipyards; capital improvements to commercial vessel repair facilities and drydocks through grants; and Federal Credit Reform Act-compliant loans and loan guarantees.  Such proposal may augment or replace existing programs with similar purpose including the Small Shipyard Grant Program and the Federal Ship Financing (Title XI) Program.

    Sec. 11.  Establish Maritime Prosperity Zones.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall deliver a plan to the President through the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP that identifies opportunities to incentivize and facilitate domestic and allied investment in United States maritime industries and waterfront communities through establishment of maritime prosperity zones.  The proposal shall: (a) model these maritime prosperity zones on the opportunity zones established pursuant to section 13823 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-97, 131 Stat. 2054), which I signed into law during my first Administration;
    (b) include stipulations for appropriate regulatory relief in the establishment of such zones; and
    (c) provide for zones that are outside of traditional coastal shipbuilding and ship repair centers and are geographically diverse, including river regions as well as the Great Lakes.

    Sec. 12.  Report on Maritime Industry Needs.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the heads of other agencies as appropriate, shall deliver a report to the OMB Director and APNSA for inclusion in the MAP that inventories Federal programs that could be used to sustain and grow the supply of and demand for the United States maritime industry.  The report and inventory shall include:
    (a)  any Federal programs that provide financial and regulatory incentives for United States shipping, shipbuilding, and shipbuilding supply chains, including the training of shipbuilders and United States-credentialed mariners; 
    (b)  Maritime Administration programs such as the Tanker Security Program, Cable Security Fleet, Maritime Security Programs, Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance Program, Title XI, Assistance to Small Shipyards, Port Infrastructure Development Program, the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), and programs that support the State Maritime Academies;
    (c)  existing domestic cargo preference laws, including the Military Cargo Preference Act of 1904, as amended, (10 U.S.C. 2631) and the Cargo Preference Act of 1954, as amended, (46 U.S.C. 55304), and whether and how they can be used to ensure that United States cargo is transported on United States-built and flagged vessels, including a review of the existing waiver process and all current waivers to ensure they are consistent with the promotion of American domestic shipping;
    (d)  other available means that could further support the industry, including modifications of existing programs, establishment of new programs, and tax and regulatory relief; and
    (e)  in coordination with the National Security Council and the Office of Management and Budget, the costs and benefits of increased cargo preference rates, including on liquid cargo carriers, tankers, and military useful vessels, and options for increasing cargo preference compliance and directing open market procurement of shipping to meet urgent military needs for maritime vessels.

    Sec. 13.  Expand Mariner Training and Education.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall deliver a report to the President through the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP with recommendations to address workforce challenges in the maritime sector through maritime educational institutions and workforce transitions.  
    (a)  In preparing their report, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consult, as needed, with industry stakeholders including private industry and labor organizations. 
    (b)  The report shall:
    (i)    include the current number of credentialed mariners and estimate the additional credentialed mariners required to support the policies described in this order;
    (ii)   analyze the impact of establishing new and expanding existing merchant marine academies as a means of educating, training, and certifying the additional credentialed merchant mariners estimated under subsection (b)(i) of this section;
    (iii)  identify any requirements for credentialing mariners that are unnecessary, insufficient, or unduly burdensome and provide recommendations for reform;
    (iv)   inventory existing educational and technical training grants and scholarships to colleges and vocational-technical training institutions for critical shipbuilding specialties and other maritime studies, and provide recommendations for enhancement; and
    (v)    assess the United States Coast Guard credentialing program applicability to United States Navy Active Duty and Reserve sailors to increase opportunities for sailors to transfer into the Merchant Marine with validated skills.
    (c)  Consistent with the findings of the report and in conjunction with the formulation of the President’s Budget, the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall deliver a legislative proposal to the APNSA and the OMB Director that:
    (i)    reflects the recommendations of the report required under this section;
    (ii)   establishes national maritime scholarships to send promising maritime experts abroad to learn cutting edge techniques and subjects, such as innovative maritime logistics, clean fuels and advanced nuclear energy, human-machine teaming, and additive manufacturing and other advanced technologies; and
    (iii)  offers scholarships to maritime experts from allied countries to teach at United States institutions. 

    Sec. 14.  Modernize the United States Merchant Marine Academy.  
    (a) The Secretary of Transportation shall: 
    (i) within 30 days of this order consistent with applicable law and available appropriations, take action to hire the necessary facilities staff and reprogram budgetary resources needed to execute urgent deferred maintenance projects and any other mission critical repair works at the USMMA;
    (ii) take immediate action to finalize a long-term master facilities plan (LMFP) for the modernization of the USMMA campus and submit such plan to the APNSA and OMB Director for concurrence; and
    (iii) within 90 days of the concurrence described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section, in consultation with the Department of Government Efficiency, submit a 5-year capital improvement plan (CIP) consistent with the LMFP to the APNSA and OMB Director that includes capital project budgets, schedules, and sequencing, as well as an inventory of deferred maintenance items necessary to sustain campus operations through completion of the CIP.
    (b) All actions taken pursuant to this section shall be detailed in the MAP.

    Sec. 15.  Improve Procurement Efficiency.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall develop a proposal for improved acquisition strategies processes for United States Government vessels and submit such proposal to APNSA and the OMB Director for inclusion in the MAP.  The proposal shall:      (a) have as its objective providing American shipbuilders with market forecasting needed to justify investments in infrastructure, workforce, and intellectual property to meet United States demand;
    (b) include reforms recommended by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security related to:
    (i) staff structure and innovations in acquisition strategies that will improve Federal vessel procurement; and
    (ii) reductions of the layers of approval needed to execute, build, and improve the vessel acquisition process, including by utilizing commercial acquisition and modular design practices that reduce complexity and prevent frequent changes to ship designs;
    (c) identify for elimination excessive requirements, including the number of Government reviews and onerous regulations that add to ship design and acquisition delays; and
    (d)  consider use of broad industry standards and American-made readily available parts and components to drive up production volume while shrinking the iterative design process, which historically has led to delays and cost increases.  

    Sec. 16.  Improve Government Efficiency.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Department of Government Efficiency shall begin a separate review of the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security vessel procurement processes and deliver a proposal to the President, through the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these processes.   

    Sec. 17.  Increase the Fleet of Commercial Vessels Trading Internationally under the flag of the United States.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, in conjunction with the formulation of the President’s Budget and consistent with the findings of the report required under section 12 of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, deliver a legislative proposal to the APNSA and OMB Director for inclusion in the MAP that:
    (a)  is designed to ensure that adequate cubed footage and gross tonnage of United States-flagged commercial vessels can be called upon in times of crisis, while limiting the likelihood of Government waste;
    (b)  provides incentives that will:
    (i)   grow the fleet of United States built, crewed, and flagged vessels that serve as readily deployable assets for national security purposes; and
    (ii)  increase the participation of United States commercial vessels in international trade; and
    (c)  enhances existing subsidies to include coverage of certain construction or modification costs in a manner designed to enhance incentives for the commercial shipping industry to operate militarily useful ships that trade internationally under the flag of the United States.

    Sec. 18.  Ensure the Security and Leadership of Arctic Waterways.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall develop a strategy that identifies the vision, goals, and objectives necessary to secure arctic waterways and enable American prosperity in the face of evolving arctic security challenges and associated risks, and deliver it to the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP.

    Sec. 19.  Shipbuilding Review.  Within 45 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall conduct a review of shipbuilding for United States Government use and submit a report to the President with recommendations to increase the number of participants and competitors within United States shipbuilding, and to reduce cost overruns and production delays for surface, subsurface, and unmanned programs.  This report must include separate itemized and prioritized lists of recommendations for the United States Army, Navy, and Coast Guard and shall be included in the MAP.

    Sec. 20.  Deregulatory Initiatives.  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall conduct a review of their regulations, and implementation thereof, across all components pertaining to the domestic commercial maritime fleet and maritime port access to determine where each agency may be able to deregulate within the framework of Executive Order 14192 of January 31, 2025 (Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation), to reduce unnecessary costs and clear barriers to emerging technology and related efficiencies.  Each agency will submit a report of its findings to the OMB Director and to the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP.

    Sec. 21.  Inactive Reserve Fleet.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct a review and issue guidance on the funding, retention, support, and mobilization of a robust inactive reserve fleet.  This review and guidance shall be delivered to the APNSA for inclusion in the MAP. 

    Sec. 22.  Coordination.  Unless otherwise specified in this order, the plans, reports, reviews, and recommendations that are required to be submitted to the President by this order shall be developed through interagency coordination in accordance with National Security Presidential Memorandum 1 of January 20, 2025 (Organization of the National Security Council and Subcommittees), or its successors.

    Sec. 23.  Severability.  If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

    Sec. 24.  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: Rosen Helps Introduce Bills to Cut Taxes for Hardworking Nevadans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce legislation, alongside Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and their Senate colleagues, to give hardworking Nevadans a much-needed tax cut. The Tax Cut for Workers Act will give millions of working Americans a much-needed tax break by permanently expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The American Families Act will permanently expand the Child Tax Credit.
    “Nevada families are struggling with rising costs made worse by the Trump Administration’s reckless tariff threats and program cuts,” said Senator Rosen. “While Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are working to give billionaires more tax breaks, I’m proud to help introduce bills to cut taxes for hardworking Nevada families and provide them with real financial relief. I’ll keep fighting to bring down costs for Nevadans.” 
    Senator Rosen has consistently supported efforts to cut taxes and lower costs for hardworking Nevadans while making sure billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share. Earlier this year, she introduced bipartisan legislation to exempt tipped wages from federal income tax. Last year, Senator Rosen sent a letter urging Senate leaders to put a bipartisan tax cut package on the Senate floor for a vote. Senator Rosen also strongly supports raising the federal minimum wage and eliminating the minimum wage gap for tipped workers nationally. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Blasts Trump’s Tariff Tax Hike, Which Will Raise Inflation, Slow Economic Growth, And Increase Cost Of Living For New York Families; Pushes Legislation To Reassert Congress’ Power Over Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Trump’s Tariffs Could Cost New York Households Almost $4,000 Extra Per Year For Gas, Groceries, And Other Everyday Goods
    Tax Hike Will Also Devastate Small Businesses, Lower Life Savings, And Kill Good-Paying Jobs Across New York
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference slamming President Trump’s tariff tax hike, which is already wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy and raising prices for consumers. In response to the tariffs, Gillibrand signed on to the bipartisan Trade Review Act, which would require congressional oversight over the president’s implementation of tariffs. She also signed on to a letter demanding that the Trump administration immediately repeal the tariffs.
    Last week, President Trump announced far-reaching tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners, sending the stock market tumbling and drawing criticism from allies across the globe. These destructive policies include a 10 percent baseline tariff on all countries, a 20 percent tariff on the European Union, and a 54 percent tariff on imports from China, on top of a previously announced 25 percent tariff on a broad range of imports from Mexico and Canada. Experts say that these tariffs represent the largest tax hike since 1951.
    Trump’s tariffs will drastically increase the cost of living for American consumers, as prices will rise for a range of products including food, clothing, gas, cars, electronics, and construction materials. If the tariffs remain unchanged, they will cost the average New York household roughly $3,800 extra per year. They will also devastate small businesses, lower life savings, and kill good-paying jobs across New York.
    “By instigating a global trade war, President Trump is playing games with the American economy, driving up costs for hardworking families, and fueling inflation,” said Senator Gillibrand.“I refuse to stand idly by as President Trump destroys our economy. That’s why I joined a bipartisan bill to reestablish limits on the president’s ability to unilaterally impose tariffs, and it’s why I’m demanding that the Trump administration repeal these ill-conceived tariffs immediately. I am committed to doing everything in my power to shield New Yorkers from these horrific tax hikes and hold the president accountable for the harm he’s causing.”
    If passed, the Trade Review Act would impose congressional oversight over the president’s implementation of tariffs. Specifically, it would do the following:
    Require the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of imposing or increasing a tariff on imported goods. The congressional notification would be required to include the reasoning behind the tariff and an analysis of the potential economic impact on American businesses and consumers.
    Mandate that any new tariff will expire after 60 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution of approval.
    Give Congress the power to terminate any imposed tariffs through a joint resolution of disapproval.
    The text of the letter calling on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to immediately repeal Trump’s tariffs can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –