NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man who possessed a firearm as a felon pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Mickey Lee Miller, age 37, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

    In a plea agreement, Miller admitted that on October 16, 2024, in Dubuque, Iowa, he possessed a loaded firearm and ammunition.  A witness told law enforcement officers that Miller had pointed the firearm at her and threatened to kill her and others.  Miller has a prior felony conviction for robbery with threat of force.  

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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

    Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Miller remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Miller faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 25-CR-1008.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Flew From California to Texas to Smuggle Aliens, Will Spend 5 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national who had resided illegally in Vallejo, California was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 66 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy.

    According to court documents, on July 10, 2024, a U.S. Border Patrol agent initiated a lawful immigration stop of a pickup truck suspected of picking up undocumented noncitizens near U.S. Route 277 in Eagle Pass. The driver, Guillermo Hernandez-Gonzalez, 23, refused to yield and led agents on a 25-mile pursuit at speeds between 50 and 80 mph. At one point during the pursuit, Hernandez-Gonzalez placed his truck in reverse and crashed into an agent’s patrol vehicle as he was attempting to exit.

    The pursuit came to an end when Hernandez-Gonzalez crashed into a cattle fence and telephone pole. He attempted to flee from the scene but was quickly apprehended by responding agents who discovered a total of seven illegal aliens in the truck. Three of the aliens were in the truck’s bed, while four sat in the cabin. Two of the seven were transported to the hospital to be treated for a lacerated scalp and sprained ankle.

    Hernandez-Gonzalez admitted that he learned of the alien smuggling opportunity through an advertisement on Instagram, which offered to pay him between $7,700 and $15,000. Hernandez-Gonzalez flew from Oakland, California to San Antonio and followed instructions from an unindicted co-conspirator.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    USBP investigated the case with support from the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayvee Rhoda prosecuted the case.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: NASA’s SpaceX 32nd Commercial Resupply Services Rendezvous and Docking

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    Watch a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft dock to the International Space Station after a successful liftoff on April 21 at 4:15 a.m. EDT (0815 UTC). The spacecraft is carrying supplies – including food and essential equipment for the crew – as well as a variety of science experiments.

    The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the space station until May, when it will depart and return to Earth with research and cargo, splashing down off the coast of California.

    Learn more about the science aboard, including studies to produce gold nanoparticles and to test a vision-based sensor that could improve navigation: https://youtu.be/4841piONzVk

    Follow the ISS blog for the latest updates: https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/

    Credit: NASA

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Salazar, Carey, Neal, Stauber Introduce Religious Workforce Protection Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    strong>WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.-27), U.S. Reps. Mike Carey (R-Ohio-15), Richard Neal (D-Mass.-01), and Pete Stauber (R-Minn.-08) introduced the Religious Workforce Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to allow religious workers already present in the U.S. on temporary Religious Worker status (R-1 status), with pending special immigrant (EB-4) applications to stay in the U.S. while waiting for permanent residency. This bill would allow foreign-born religious workers to continue performing essential services in American communities.

    “Miami is home to hundreds of faith communities that rely on religious workers to do God’s work,” Rep. Salazar said. “I’m proud to co-lead the Religious Workforce Protection Act to ensure our congregations have the personnel they need to keep the faith alive and growing.”

    “Religious organizations across the country continuously rely on religious workers to help meet the needs of their communities,” Rep. Carey said. “That’s why I’m proud to lead this common sense, bipartisan legislation to ensure that places of worship can operate without disruptions despite the current backlog in EB-4 processing times.”

    “For years, my office has worked with religious organizations across western Massachusetts to help bring religious workers to the United States to serve in their congregations. Recently, we began hearing from the Springfield Diocese about priests at risk of having to return to their home country due to delays in processing their green cards. Failure to address this issue would affect not just Massachusetts, but faith-based organizations nationwide,” Rep. Neal said. “I am proud to partner with Congressman Carey and our colleagues in the Senate to address this pressing issue with a bipartisan, commonsense solution. Religious institutions play an essential role in our communities, offering support, connection, and invaluable services. This legislation will ensure they can continue their vital work for years to come.”

    “Religious workers play a vital role in our communities. It is important that we address the current backlogs to ensure they continue to provide their crucial services. That is why I am proud to support this common-sense legislation with my colleagues,” Rep. Stauber said.

    “I am deeply grateful for the efforts and leadership of Congressman Carey in finding a solution through the Religious Workforce Protection Act to allow many of our religious priests and sisters to continue to serve the People of God and our local communities through their ministry. At a pivotal time in our country, priests and religious, including those from other countries who serve here as missionaries, are critical to building a civilization of love, assisting in the growth of the virtues of solidarity and fraternity, and providing the sacramental and pastoral care to meet the needs of our people, an increasingly diverse group from around the world. Congressman Carey listened attentively to our concerns and showed initiative in seeking a constructive solution. His efforts and those of his colleagues represent ‘the better kind of politics’ to which Pope Francis invites us and for which we, in the Diocese of Columbus, are most grateful,” Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of Columbus said.

    BACKGROUND:

    Under current law, workers with Religious Worker status are limited to five years in the U.S. After five years, these religious workers must return to their home countries for at least one year before they can come back to the U.S., costing churches, synagogues, and other religious organizations the religious workers on whom their congregations, and the local communities that they serve, have grown to depend.

    The Religious Workforce Protection Act would fix this problem by granting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary the authority to extend temporary R-1 nonimmigrant status for religious workers past five years until they receive a decision on their permanent residence application.

    Though some progress has been made, many religious workers who are in the United States on temporary R-1 visas are still unable to receive decisions on permanent EB-4 visa applications within the maximum five-year duration of an R-1 visa. 

    The Religious Workforce Protection Act would provide a targeted and limited solution to this problem by granting the DHS Secretary the authority to extend temporary R-1 nonimmigrant status for religious workers past five years until they receive a decision on an EB-4 application if (1) the religious institution that they work for has petitioned for their lawful permanent residence under the EB-4 category, and (2) they are otherwise eligible to become lawful permanent residents (and, therefore, are not subject to any existing bars to obtaining a visa). 

    The bill would also allow for limited job flexibility while these religious workers are waiting for a decision on their EB-4 applications, so that they do not have to restart the long permanent residence process simply because they moved from one parish or temple to another or received a promotion or title change.

    U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Five petroleum product pipelines were completed in the United States in 2024

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    April 21, 2025

    In 2024, pipeline companies completed five pipeline projects to transport petroleum liquids in the United States, according to our recently updated Liquids Pipeline Projects Database. The five projects consisted of three hydrocarbon gas liquid (HGL) pipelines and two petroleum product pipelines.

    The completed projects are:

    • Texas Western Products system
      Enterprise Products Partners’ Texas Western Products system is a conversion and reversal of a 60,000-barrel-per-day (b/d) pipeline that transports refined products (gasoline and diesel) from the Texas Gulf Coast to markets in the Mid-continent and Rocky Mountain regions. The system serves four key destinations: Gaines County, Texas; Jal, New Mexico; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Grand County, Utah. It was completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Houston to El Paso refined petroleum products pipeline
      ONEOK’s Houston to El Paso refined petroleum products pipeline system is a 30,000-b/d expansion along its existing route between Odessa and Crane, Texas. The new 30-mile, 16-inch pipeline increases the total capacity to approximately 1,000,000 b/d from Gulf Coast and Mid-Continent refineries to El Paso. It was completed in the first quarter of 2024.
    • Daytona NGL Pipeline
      Targa Resource’s Daytona NGL Pipeline is a 400,000-b/d pipeline that transports Y-grade natural gas liquids (NGLs) from the Permian Basin to North Texas, where it connects with Targa’s Grand Prix NGL Pipeline. From there, NGLs move to Targa’s fractionation and storage complex in Mont Belvieu, Texas. The pipeline is approximately 400 miles in length with a 30-inch diameter and was completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.
    • Seminole Red Pipeline
      Enterprise Products Partners’ Seminole Red Pipeline is a conversion of a 280,000-b/d crude oil pipeline back to an HGL pipeline while the company builds the Bahia Pipeline, another HGL pipeline project that will also service the Permian Basin. The pipeline transports Y-grade NGLs approximately 440 miles from the Permian Basin in West Texas to Enterprise’s fractionation and storage facilities in Mont Belvieu, Texas. The Seminole Red Pipeline was originally an HGL pipeline before it was converted to a crude oil pipeline in 2019. The conversion back to HGL service was completed in the first quarter of 2024.
    • West Texas NGL Loop
      The West Texas NGL Loop developed by ONEOK is a 40,000-b/d expansion that increased the total pipeline capacity to 515,000 b/d. The looping expansion involved installing additional pipeline segments in parallel to the existing line, which extends along the West Texas NGL Pipeline route from the Permian Basin to multiple fractionation and storage facilities in Mont Belvieu, Texas. The company completed the project in the fourth quarter of 2024 and plans to add pump stations by mid-2025 to further expand capacity to 740,000 b/d.

    Our Liquids Pipeline Projects Database contains information about projects at various stages of construction. In addition to these completed projects, we estimate there are nine announced pipeline projects and eight projects under construction in the United States. We estimate 17 projects have been permanently canceled since 2020.

    Our Liquids Pipeline Projects Database compiles information on more than 270 future, ongoing, and past liquids pipeline projects in the United States. These pipelines carry crude oil, HGLs, and petroleum products—which include gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refinery products. This database includes projects that date back to 2010. Our database contains project types, start dates, capacity, mileage, geographic information, and project status. We track expanded, reversed, converted, and new pipeline projects.

    Some projects are connected to each other, with some pipelines doubling as segments of other longer lines that may carry the same fuels to their final destination. As a result, adding together the capacity of all projects would result in overestimating or double counting some pipeline capacity.

    The Liquids Pipeline Projects Database complements our Natural Gas Pipeline Projects tracker. We update our Liquids Pipeline Projects Database based on the best available information from pipeline company websites, trade press reports, and government documents, such as U.S. Department of State permits for border crossings. We update the database twice each year. The data reflect reported plans and do not reflect our assumptions on the likelihood or timing of project completion.

    Principal contributors: Merek Roman, Jim O’Sullivan

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TOMORROW: Governor Newsom, First Partner Siebel Newsom celebrate Earth Day with students focused on environmental solutions and responsibility

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Apr 21, 2025

    BUTTE COUNTY – Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom will provide remarks during California’s annual Earth Day celebration, spotlighting young leaders and local efforts to protect natural resources and promote environmental responsibility.
     
    WHEN: Tuesday, April 22 at 11:30 a.m.

    **NOTE: This in-person press event will not be livestreamed and will be open to credentialed media only. Media interested in attending must RSVP here by no later than 8 a.m., April 22.  Location information and instructions will be provided upon RSVP.

    Media Advisories, Recent News

    Recent news

    Apr 21, 2025

    News California is the first state in the nation to provide an affordable direct-to-consumer drug onlineWhat you need to know: CalRx® Naloxone is now available directly to individuals at the same affordable price of $24 previously offered to businesses, further…

    Apr 21, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today on the passing of Pope Francis:”Jennifer and I join the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis. He saw God in all His creatures, reminding us of humanity’s obligations…

    Apr 19, 2025

    News What you need to know: Leaders across the nation, from elected officials to representatives from the business community, are praising California’s efforts to challenge President Trump’s authority to unilaterally enact tariffs. SACRAMENTO – This week, Governor…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hagerstown Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Swatting Charges

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Baltimore, Maryland – Owen Jarboe, 19, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has pled guilty to conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

    According to the guilty plea, from December 2023 through January 18, 2024, Jarboe along with other co-conspirators, knowingly and unlawfully conspired to place swatting calls to multiple police and emergency departments across the United States. Swatting is a form of criminal harassment that involves deceiving an emergency service into sending a police or emergency service response team to another person’s location.

    Jarboe helped create an online group known as “Purgatory.” The group used multiple online social-media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to coordinate and plan swatting activities and to announce swats that they had conducted.  Jarboe and his co-conspirators often used shared scripts to obscure their phone numbers and identities.

    Swatting incidents perpetrated as part of this scheme include threatening to burn down a residential trailer park in Alabama and shoot a teacher and unnamed students at a Delaware high school. Other swatting occurrences include false allegations about multiple homicide events and shooting threats of individuals at a residence in Eastman, Georgia, and bombing and shooting threats of Albany International Airport in New York and an Ohio casino.

    “Swatting is a very serious offense – one that can easily become dangerous for law enforcement and the victims involved,” Hayes said.  “Emergency personnel work hard every day to ensure that first responders are dispatched to render aid to those who truly need it. Mr. Jarboe and his co-conspirators’ actions showed a complete disregard for law enforcement, the victims, and those who actually needed emergency assistance during these incidents.”

    “Jarboe’s crimes are despicable and dangerous. He put our brave first responders and countless innocent lives at risk while creating unnecessary fear in many different communities,”  DelBagno said. “Jarboe’s guilty plea shows that the FBI will not tolerate swatting or hoax threats and will make sure anyone committing these crimes is found and charged to the full extent of the law.”

    Jarboe is facing a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threat, and a maximum sentence of 10 years for each charge to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosive. 

    Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, July 23, at 10 a.m.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its outstanding work in the investigation.  Additionally, Ms. Hayes praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Columbus; Ohio Police Department; Newark, Delaware Police Department; Lenoir City, Tennessee Police Department; Albany, New York Police Department; Albany County, New York Sheriff’s Office; Fairburn City, Georgia Police Department; Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Police Department; Giles County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Blue Springs, Missouri Police Department; Tarboro, North Carolina Police Department; Boston, Massachusetts Police Department; Dodge County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office; Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; and the FBI’s Mobile, Richmond, Boston, Charlotte, and Cincinnati Field Offices for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert I. Goldaris and Patricia C. McLane who are prosecuting the case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Newtown Resident Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned a four-count indictment charging DONALD S. HAMMALIAN, JR, 50, last residing in Newtown, with child exploitation offenses.

    The indictment was returned on April 10, 2025, and Hammalian appeared today before U.S. District Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges.  He has been detained on a violation of supervised release since November 16, 2023.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in January 2010, Hammalian was sentenced in the Middle District of Florida to 48 months of imprisonment and 20 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.  In 2015, Hammalian’s supervision was transferred to the District of Vermont where he moved after his release from prison.  In June 2018, Hammalian pleaded guilty to violating his supervised release by again possessing child pornography and was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment and 20 years of supervised release.  In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a federal judge in Vermont reduced Hammalian’s sentence to time served and Hammalian was released from prison.

               It is alleged that on November 13, 2023, the U.S. Probation Office searched Hammalian’s residence and found five unapproved internet capable devices, including three smartphones and two tablets, two of which contained child sex abuse material.  The investigation revealed that Hammalian was managing about a dozen social media accounts and had more than 100,000 followers, and he was using the accounts to communicate with minors, sometimes posing as a 16-year-old boy.

    The indictment alleges that between July 2022 and November 2023, Hammalian received child pornography.  The indictment further alleges that between July 2022 and February 2023, Hammalian enticed a minor to send him child pornography, that he transferred obscene material to a minor, and that he committed these offenses while a registered sex offender.

    The indictment charges Hammalian with receipt of child pornography, which, based on Hammalian’s criminal history, carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; coercion and enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; transfer of obscene material to a minor, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and commission of a felony offense involving a minor by a registered sex offending; which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Hammalian faces additional penalties if he is found to have violated the conditions of his supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel M. Krull and Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man convicted of providing fentanyl to a member of a drug trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Calvin Tavarez, 30, previously admitted to a federal judge that on at least two occasions he supplied fentanyl to a member of the conspiracy.

    Tavarez pleaded guilty on January 29, 2025, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 60 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter I. Roklan and Stacey A. Erickson.

    The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Task Force. The Safe Streets Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, Rhode Island State Police, the Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, West Warwick, and Central Falls Police Departments, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Lawler, Bacon Lead Bipartisan Legislation To Support Youth Leadership Organizations

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 4/21/2025…  Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17) joined Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Don Davis (NC-01), Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), and David Valadao (CA-22) introduced the bipartisan Youth Lead Act last week.

    This bill allows the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants to support the operations of Future Farmers of America (FFA), 4-H, and the Scouts. These are preeminent youth leadership organizations in the United States with approximately eight million youth taking part.  Participation in these organizations helps children make lifelong friendships and learn leadership and life skills. The grant program authorizes $5 million annually from 2024 to 2028. 

    “In the Hudson Valley, youth organizations like the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H, and FFA have long helped shape the next generation of leaders,  teaching kids the value of service, responsibility, and community. The Youth Lead Act will ensure that young people in rural towns and small communities get the opportunity to grow and thrive. I’m proud to support the effort to expand access to these formative youth programs in New York state and nationwide,” said Congressman Mike Lawler. 

    “Every year, I meet with youth involved in FFA, 4-H, and Scouts,” said Congressman Don Bacon. “They are always impressive and possess a strong work ethic, valuable life skills, and a commitment to teamwork. Ensuring our youth can participate in these great organizations helps to secure our country’s future leadership in agriculture and numerous other industries.”

    “As an Eagle Scout, I know firsthand the transformative impact youth organizations have – instilling discipline, purpose, and a deep commitment to service. The Youth Lead Act strengthens that impact by expanding access to proven programs like the Scouts, 4-H, and FFA. When we equip young people with these lifelong values and leadership skills, we’re not just preparing them for success – we’re preparing our nation for a stronger future,” said Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick.

    “Youth organizations like FFA, 4-H Council, and Scouting play a vital role in developing the leaders and citizens of tomorrow,” said Congressman Jimmy Panetta.  “By expanding federal investments in these programs, we can support their critical work in equipping young people with the skills they need to succeed in their careers and contribute to their communities. Congress must continue to invest in the next generation, and I’m proud to co-lead this effort to shape a brighter future.”

    “Growing up, I learned how important it is to work hard, be part of a team, and help others—and that’s exactly what programs like FFA, 4-H, and the Scouts teach,” said Congressman Eric Sorensen. “The Youth Lead Act helps support these awesome groups so more kids in our community can build confidence, learn new skills, and become great leaders. When we believe in our young people, we believe in a brighter future for everyone.”

    “As someone who grew up in a rural town, I know firsthand the positive impact youth organizations can have on our community,” said Congressman David Valadao. “From teaching leadership skills to providing volunteer opportunities, programs like Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H, and FFA are an important outlet for young people in rural America. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to ensure our youth can participate in these programs no matter where they live.”

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    PROVIDENCE, RI — U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement on the passing of Pope Francis, 88, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, who was elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, becoming the first person from the Southern Hemisphere to hold the papacy:

    “I join people of all faiths in mourning the loss of Pope Francis.  His dynamic leadership, humility, compassion, and care for the downtrodden resonate widely and continue to inspire.  A man of great wisdom, courage, and faith, his life and ministry are marked by love, devotion, and a commitment to bringing people together and promoting peace and cross-cultural understanding.  His selfless example continues to resonate and inspire.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 21st, 2025 Heinrich, Rounds Introduce Legislation to Expedite Use of AI Medical Devices for Medicare Patients

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), co-chairs of the Senate Artificial Intelligence Caucus, introduced the Health Tech Investment Act, legislation aimed at improving health outcomes for Medicare patients by encouraging the use of cutting-edge, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled medical devices. The bill establishes a consistent and predictable Medicare payment pathway for these technologies, providing patients with earlier and more accurate diagnoses.

    “I’m proud to cosponsor legislation that expands Medicare coverage of new technologies and helps New Mexicans get the best, most affordable high-quality care they need when they need it,” said Heinrich.

    “Medicare patients deserve access to the life-changing care that artificial intelligence-enabled devices can offer,” said Rounds. “There is currently no clear Medicare payment system for these devices, meaning that it can take years to be approved and paid out by Medicare accurately. This legislation would create that system, improving diagnoses and encouraging the adoption of AI devices in clinical settings.”

    The use of AI in healthcare is quickly becoming the standard of care, with practitioners using algorithm-based healthcare services (ABHS) to detect and diagnose diseases sooner and advance better patient outcomes. The FDA has over 600 AI-enabled medical devices, but the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lacks standard or consistent methods for covering and paying for these products. This inconsistency will, in the long run, impact the adoption and patient access to medically appropriate AI technologies across the country.

    The Health Tech Investment Act will assign all U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved AI-enabled medical devices to a New Technology Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) in the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) for a minimum of 5 years so that adequate data regarding delivery and service costs is acquired before assignment of a permanent payment code.

    Specifically, the Health Tech Investment Act:

    This legislation is endorsed by AdvaMed, Alliance for Aging Research, Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer, Focused Ultrasound Foundation, National Health Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Patients Rising, and Right Scan Right Time.

    The text of the bill is here. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Expand Access to Historic Tax Credit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) re-introduced the Historic Tax Credit Growth & Opportunity (HTC-GO) Act to foster economic growth and local renewal by expanding the Historic Tax Credit.
    “Our architectural heritage is a point of Louisiana pride that draws folks to visit our state and supports our economy. If we want to preserve it, we need the tools to do so. The Historic Tax Credit gives us those tools,” said Dr. Cassidy. 
    The HTC-GO Act:
    Creates a new 30 percent transferable credit for small and rural projects while returning the base credit to be payable in the same year the revitalized property is placed into service. The bill lowers the threshold the cost of a project must meet to be eligible by eliminating the basis-adjustment requirement, which will bring the HTC in line with other credits such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
    Further expands eligible renovation projects by decreasing the rehabilitation investment threshold from 100 percent to 50 percent of the project’s expenses. Project expenses would only have to exceed half of the project’s cost to qualify for the credit. It also amends rules for tax-exempt entities – such as health care centers, arts organizations, community services, and workforce training providers – to allow better access to the credit.
    The bill is endorsed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
    “The federal historic tax credit is one of our most powerful tools for historic preservation, economic development, and community revitalization,” said Carol Quillen, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “The leadership of Senators Cassidy and Warner, with the strong support of long-time champions Senators Collins and Cantwell and Representatives LaHood and Souzzi, attests to the role the historic tax credit plays in reenergizing communities across the country. With the reintroduction of the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act, we take a crucial step towards empowering Americans in every state to invest in older and historic buildings, neighborhoods and commercial districts. These investments support small businesses, create housing, and generate economic opportunity as they build community connection and engagement. This time-tested community-serving incentive demonstrates how preservation efforts serve the public good. We’re grateful to our Congressional champions for their steadfast support of the federal historic tax credit and look forward to supporting this effort in upcoming tax discussions.” 
    Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) in introducing the bill.
    Background
    Elimination of the basis adjustment and a return to a one-year credit will increase the value of the credit and simplify transaction structures. Under current tax law, a building owner must subtract the amount of credits received from a building’s basis (the amount a property is worth for tax purposes) and receive the credit over 5 years. Eliminating this requirement will bring more value to all HTC projects by increasing the basis of rehabilitated historic buildings for building owners, providing additional depreciation and other tax benefits, and attracting more capital from tax credit investors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Travel Advisory: Extended Weekend Lane Closures Begin May 1 on Route 1 at Route 138 in North Kingstown

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    Traffic delays expected

    Starting Thursday night, May 1, at 9 p.m. the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will begin the first of two consecutive extended weekend lane closures on Route 1 at the Route 138 interchange in North Kingstown. RIDOT is using accelerated bridge construction methods to rapidly replace structurally deficient bridges.

    During these weekends, lanes and ramps will be temporarily shifted and closed, and detours will be implemented. Route 1 will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Motorists should expect delays and provide additional time for travel. RIDOT strongly recommends the use of alternate routes if possible.

    RIDOT has constructed new bridge decks next to the existing bridge and will slide them into place over the weekends. The southbound bridge will be done first, with demolition of the old bridge and installation of the new one taking place from 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 1 through 5 a.m. on Monday, May 5. The northbound bridge will be replaced during the same hours beginning Thursday night, May 8 and finishing prior to the morning commute on Monday, May 12.

    The planned closures and suggested detours for both weekends are as follows:

    Lanes/Ramps to be Closed:

    • � Route 1 � one lane in each direction closed at the bridge
    • � Ramp from Route 1 South to Route 138 East
    • � Ramp from Route 138 West to Route 1 South
    • � Ramps that allow traffic to reverse direction from Route 1 North to Route 1 South, and Route 1 South to Route 1 North

    Lanes/Ramps to Remain Open:

    • � Ramp from Route 1 North to Route 138 East
    • � Ramp from Route 138 West to Route 1 North

    Suggested Detours:

    • � Route 1 South to Route 138 East to Jamestown/Newport: Remain on Route 1 South and reverse direction to Route 1 North using the turnaround approximately 1 mile south of the intersection with Moorsefield Road and Bridgetown Road. Follow Route 1 North to the ramp to Route 138 East. Note: Trucks will be directed to detour at Bridgetown Road to Boston Neck Road (Route 1A) to Route 138.
    • � Route 1 South to Route 1 North: Use same detour as Route 1 South to Route 138.
    • � Route 138 West to Route 1 South: Use the ramp for Route 1 North. Merge onto Route 4, then turn right onto West Allenton Road. Turn right onto Route 1 South.
    • � Route 1 North to Route 1 South: Use same detour as Route 138 West to Route 1 South.

    In addition to the detours listed above, motorists coming from the University of Rhode Island Kingston campus area heading toward North Kingstown should use Route 2 North to reach Route 4. Anyone heading driving north from the Narragansett area should use Route 1A. Drivers in the Providence area or points north may wish to use I-195 toward Newport County.

    By using these extended weekend closures, motorists avoided up to two years of lane closures on Route 1. RIDOT scheduled the bridge replacement weekends to occur prior to Memorial Day and the start of Rhode Island’s busy summer tourism season.

    The bridge replacements are part of a larger $35.8 million project that included repaving two long sections of Route 1. The first segment was done last year, from Shermantown Road in North Kingstown to the Stedman Government Center in South Kingstown. The second segment will be done after the bridge installation, from Shermantown Road to the Route 4 interchange.

    All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.

    The Tower Hill Road Improvements project is made possible by RhodeWorks and the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Improvement Act. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island’s infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington Man Who Distributed Large Amounts of Fentanyl in the Tri-Cities Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced that United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Ricardo Cantu, age 26, to 108 months in prison on drug trafficking charges. Judge Dimke also imposed 4 years of supervised release.

    According to court documents and information provided at the sentencing hearing, in September 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) developed information that Cantu, who was a source of supply for methamphetamine and fentanyl laced pills, was distributing large quantities in and around the Tri-Cities with the assistance of several co-defendants to include Julio Gaspar Iniguez, Veronica Martinez and Daniel Mora.  

    Between September and October 2023, the DEA conducted two controlled purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Cantu and Gaspar totaling nearly two pounds of methamphetamine and over 3,041 fentanyl pills. Cantu and Mora were armed with firearms during each transaction.

    On December 7, 2023, Agents executed search a warrant at Cantu’s home. Cantu and another man were smoking fentanyl in the garage at the time, and as a result, law enforcement and children inside the home were exposed to the fumes from this dangerous controlled substance.

    During a search of Cantu’s bedroom, agents located 10,000 pink fentanyl-laced pills in a child’s Hello Kitty bag.  Inside the closet, there were another 2,000 fentanyl-laced pills, a digital scale, and loaded Glock firearm, which previously had been reported stolen. During a search of the garage, agents located another 1,500 fentanyl pills, 3 digital scales and other evidence of drug distribution.

    Agents also executed a search warrant at Gaspar’s home, recovering 5 pounds of marijuana and a loaded 9mm firearm that has been associated with two shootings in the Yakima Valley. Agents also located a loaded privately made firearm, or Ghost gun, with a loaded magazine. During a search of Gaspar’s Jeep, agents located a loaded pistol in the center console.

    On March 26, 2025, Gaspar pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges. He will be sentenced on June 25, 2025, in Spokane.

    “Distributing and using fentanyl and methamphetamine in our communities – especially in places where children are present – is both reckless and deeply dangerous,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker. “Mr. Cantu not only trafficked deadly narcotics but did so while armed and in the presence of children, putting lives at risk. I commend the DEA and our law enforcement partners for their work in removing these dangerous drugs and firearms from Eastern Washington communities.”

    “Mr. Cantu put the entire community at risk by trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine while armed,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division.  “This sentence conveys the seriousness of the danger Mr.  Cantu posed to law enforcement and other members of the community poised to get caught in the crossfire of his drug trafficking enterprise.”

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.

    Case 2:23-cr-00132-MKD

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Walgreens Agrees To Pay Up to $350M for Illegally Filling Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions and Submitting False Claims

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON — The Justice Department, together with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), today announced a $300 million settlement with Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walgreen Co., and various subsidiaries (collectively, Walgreens) to resolve allegations that the national chain pharmacy illegally filled millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and then sought payment for many of those invalid prescriptions by Medicare and other federal health care programs in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA). The settlement amount is based on Walgreens’s ability to pay. Walgreens will owe the United States an additional $50 million if the company is sold, merged, or transferred prior to fiscal year 2032.

    The government’s complaint, filed on Jan. 16 and amended April 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that from approximately August 2012 through March 1, 2023, Walgreens, one of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains, knowingly filled millions of unlawful controlled substance prescriptions. These unlawful prescriptions included prescriptions for excessive quantities of opioids, opioid prescriptions filled significantly early, and prescriptions for the especially dangerous and abused combination of three drugs known as a “trinity.” Walgreens pharmacists allegedly filled these prescriptions despite clear red flags indicating a high likelihood that the prescriptions were invalid because they lacked a legitimate medical purpose or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. 

    The complaint further alleges that Walgreens pressured its pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly and without taking the time needed to confirm that each prescription was lawful. Walgreens’s compliance officials also allegedly ignored substantial evidence that its stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions and even intentionally deprived its own pharmacists of crucial information, including by refusing to share internal data regarding prescribers with pharmacists and preventing pharmacists from warning one another about certain problematic prescribers.

    In light of the settlement, the United States has moved to dismiss its complaint. Walgreens will also move to dismiss a related declaratory judgment action filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

    “Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction.”

    “This settlement resolves allegations that, for years, Walgreens failed to meet its obligations when dispensing dangerous opioids and other drugs,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Granston of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those entities and individuals whose actions contributed to the opioid crisis, whether through illegal prescribing, marketing, dispensing or distributing activities.”

    “Importantly, Walgreens’s agreements with the DEA and HHS-OIG provide swift relief in the form of monitoring and claims review that will improve Walgreens’s practices immediately,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that opioids are properly dispensed and that taxpayer funds are only spent on legitimate pharmacy claims.”

    “This landmark civil settlement is the largest Controlled Substances Act resolution in our district’s history and once again confirms the high priority our office has placed upon confronting those responsible for the opioid crisis here,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We are grateful for the energy and collaborative spirit brought to this effort by our colleagues in the DEA, the Department of Justice Civil Frauds Section and Consumer Protection Branch, and the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois, District of Maryland, Eastern District of New York, and Eastern District of Virginia.”  

    “With the power to dispense potentially harmful substances comes the responsibility to ensure that every prescription is legitimate before it is filled,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “When pharmacies fail that responsibility, this office will work with others across the country to hold accountable those who put patients and communities at risk.”

    “This settlement holds Walgreens accountable for failing to comply with its critical responsibility to prevent the diversion of opioids and other controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “The settlement also underscores our office’s continued commitment to ensure that all persons and businesses that fill controlled-substance prescriptions adhere to the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act that are designed to prevent highly addictive medications from being used for illegitimate purposes.”    

    “Strict compliance with the law is essential to safeguarding the public, who rely on carefully considered and limited prescriptions for their health and wellbeing,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Those companies and individuals authorized to provide controlled substances have a professional responsibility to ensure that the prescriptions they fill are within the course of professional practice and regulations. Medically unnecessary prescriptions are a cost ultimately borne by the taxpayers and consumers. As we continue to address the opioid crisis here in Virginia and across the nation, we are determined to ensure pharmacies and pharmacists operate within the law.”

    In addition to the monetary payments announced today, Walgreens has entered into agreements with DEA and HHS-OIG to address its future obligations in dispensing controlled substances. Walgreens and DEA entered into a memorandum of agreement that requires the company to implement and maintain certain compliance measures for the next seven years. Walgreens must maintain policies and procedures requiring pharmacists to confirm the validity of controlled substance prescriptions prior to dispensing controlled substances, provide annual training to pharmacy employees regarding their legal obligations relating to controlled substances, verify that pharmacy staffing is sufficient to enable pharmacy employees to comply with those legal obligations, and maintain a system for blocking prescriptions from prescribers whom Walgreens becomes aware are writing illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions. Walgreens has also entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG, which further requires Walgreens to establish and maintain a compliance program that includes written policies and procedures, training, board oversight, and periodic reporting to HHS-OIG related to Walgreens’s dispensing of controlled substances. 

    “Pharmacies have an obligation to ensure that every prescription for highly addictive controlled substances is legitimate and issued responsibly in compliance with the Controlled Substances Act,” said DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz. “When one of the nation’s largest pharmacies fails at this obligation, they jeopardize the health and safety of their customers and place the American public in danger. The DEA remains committed to protecting all Americans from unscrupulous practices that prioritize profit over patient safety.”

    “Pharmacies that neglect their legal duties and their critical role in delivering safe and appropriate medications to enrollees of federal health care programs, and instead exploit these programs for market advantage, squander taxpayer dollars and put patient safety at risk,” said Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins of HHS-OIG. “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will use every tool in our arsenal to prevent these outcomes. This settlement and corporate integrity agreement reflect HHS-OIG’s commitment to ensuring compliance, correcting failures in oversight, and protecting the foundation of federally-funded health care.”

    “In the midst of the opioid crisis that has plagued our nation, we rely on pharmacies to prevent not facilitate the unlawful distribution of these potentially harmful substances,” said Norbert E. Vint, Deputy Inspector General Performing the Duties of the Inspector General at OPM OIG. “We applaud our investigative staff, law enforcement partners, and partners at the Department of Justice for their hard work and unwavering commitment to protecting patients from harm.”

    The civil settlement resolves four cases brought under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the FCA by former Walgreens employees. The FCA authorizes whistleblowers to sue on behalf of the United States and receive a share of any recovery. It also permits the United States to intervene and take over such lawsuits, as it did here. The relators will receive a 17.25% share of the government’s FCA recovery in this matter.

    The United States’ pursuit of this matter underscores the government’s commitment to combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS-OIG, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    The DEA, HHS-OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Defense Health Agency (DHA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General, FBI Chicago Field Office, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Colorado, Southern District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Eastern District of Washington, Southern District of Alabama, Southern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, District of Arizona, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, District of Puerto Rico, and Eastern District of Louisianaprovided substantial assistance in the investigation.

    The United States is represented in this matter by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Division Consumer Protection Branch (Assistant Director Amy DeLine and Trial Attorney Nicole Frazer) and Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section (Assistant Director Natalie Waites and Trial Attorney Joshua Barron), as well as from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois (Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie R. Raedy), Middle District of Florida (Chief of the Civil Division Randy Harwell and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Tapie), District of Maryland (Chief of the Civil Division Thomas Corcoran), Eastern District of New York (Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot M. Schachner) and Eastern District of Virginia (Assistant U.S. Attorney John Beerbower). Fraud Section senior financial analyst Karen Sharp provided support for the matter.

    The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Subcontractor Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Bribe General Services Administration Official

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, a Mt. Airy, Maryland, man pled guilty to conspiring to bribe a U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) official, wire fraud in connection with an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, and possession of a machine gun with an obliterated serial number.

    According to court documents, Christopher Brackins, 51, conspired to bribe Public Official A, a former GSA contracting officer’s representative.  GSA is a federal agency that manages federal property.  Brackins owned a general construction company that performed subcontracting work on GSA projects.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s (DOJ) Criminal Division; Deputy Inspector General Robert Erickson, GSA Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG); Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Baltimore Field Office; Acting Inspector General Steven A. Stebbins, U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DOD-OIG); and Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG).

    As outlined in court documents, between 2018 and 2021, Brackins provided approximately $50,000 worth of money and other things of value to Public Official A in exchange for Public Official A’s role in directing GSA projects to Brackins’s company.  For example, in late 2018, as part of the bribery scheme, Brackins paid a fraudulently inflated bonus to one of his employees. Brackins then directed the employee to pay Public Official A $8,000 in cash from the fraudulently inflated bonus check.  Similarly, in early 2021, Brackins paid Public Official A $25,000, at Public Official A’s direction, using an intermediary who accepted the payments through the intermediary’s air-conditioning repair business.  The defendant and his company earned an estimated $133,413 in profits from this scheme.

    Brackins pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal public official.  He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release.  Brackins also pled guilty to wire fraud and possession of a machine gun, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years and 10 years in prison, respectively, and up to three years of supervised release each.  U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman has scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, September 10, at 2 p.m.

    Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the GSA-OIG, FBI, DOD-OIG, and DHS-OIG for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo and DOJ Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson who are prosecuting the federal case. 

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Men Indicted for Controlled Substance Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    More than two and a half kilograms of pure methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine seized during the investigation

    BOSTON – Three men residing in Boston have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy involving methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.

    Heriberto Perez, 50, whose immigration status is unknown; Jean Carlos Frias Polcano, 27, a Dominican national; and Rafael Vargas-Cabrera, 36, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Perez and Frias Polcano were also indicted on one count each of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.  

    According to court documents, in July 2024, law enforcement authorities received information about the drug trafficking activities of Perez. Over the course of the investigation, over 2.6 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, as well as hundreds of grams of cocaine and over 60 grams of fentanyl was allegedly seized from Perez and his associates, including Frias Polcano and Vargas-Cabrera, through controlled purchases.

    The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Perez and Frias Polcano are subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Narcotic & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.  

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Lieu, Carbajal Announce Transformative Legislation to Address Affordable Housing and Homelessness Crises

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Lieu, Carbajal Announce Transformative Legislation to Address Affordable Housing and Homelessness Crises

    Housing for All Act would invest in proven solutions to address affordable housing shortages and provide historic level of federal funding for existing programs and innovative solutions to keep people housed and reduce homelessness
    CALIFORNIA — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representatives Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36) and Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24) announced the reintroduction of the Housing for All Act, a comprehensive approach to address the homelessness and affordable housing crises in California and across the nation. The legislation would invest in proven solutions to address affordable housing shortages and provide a historic level of federal funding for both existing programs to reduce homelessness and innovative, locally developed solutions to help vulnerable populations experiencing homelessness.
    As the Trump Administration undermines and defunds critical housing services across the country — including illegal staff cuts at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and potential closures of nearly two-thirds of HUD field offices nationwide — investments to boost the affordable housing stock and reduce homelessness are essential. The investments in the Housing for All Act would build on the creative solutions that cities and states across California have successfully developed to help combat the housing and homelessness crises.
    “Housing is a basic human right, not a privilege. As the Trump Administration callously cuts essential housing programs and resources that Americans across the country depend on, our Housing for All Act is a blueprint for building upon locally developed solutions and providing necessary federal investments to finally treat the homelessness and affordable housing crises with the seriousness they deserve,” said Senator Padilla. “For far too long, the lack of affordable housing has hurt Americans nationwide and disproportionately harmed low-income communities and communities of color. Community leaders across California know that we have the tools to end homelessness and lower the cost of housing for Americans, but we need significant federal investments to scale up creative and effective housing solutions. I won’t stop this fight until every person has a place to call home.”
    “Housing and homelessness are two significant crises we face today,” said Representative Lieu. “There is not enough affordable housing in California and across this country. Everyday Americans can work more than one job, and it’s still not enough to afford safe and stable housing. This is unacceptable. It’s time we finally invest in the proven, community-driven solutions that combat homelessness and create more affordable housing. I’m pleased to partner with Senator Padilla and Congressman Carbajal to introduce legislation that meets the urgency of this moment and helps get more people into homes.”
    “Homes have been too expensive for far too long,” said Representative Carbajal. “While we have the tools to address this crisis, the challenge has always been scale. The Housing For All Act will make historic investments in programs addressing housing and homelessness–including my Safe Parking legislation–to ensure every American has a roof over their head.”
    The lack of affordable housing access and the population of individuals experiencing homelessness are growing crises impacting Americans nationwide, disproportionately hurting communities of color and low-income communities. In the United States, over 770,000 individuals and families experience homelessness annually, and significantly more Americans face housing insecurity. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s recent Out of Reach 2024 Report, no state or county exists where a person working 40 hours a week and earning the state or local minimum wage can afford to rent a modest two-bedroom apartment. In fact, the average minimum wage earner would need to work 113 hours per week — nearly three full-time jobs — to afford a two-bedroom rental home.
    The Housing for All Act would take an all-hands-on-deck approach to combat these crises, including investments from the federal government in housing solutions. Specifically, the bill would:
    Address the affordable housing shortage by investing in the National Housing Trust Fund, the HOME Investment Partnerships program, the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program, and the Section 811 Supportive Housing for People with Disabilities;
    Address the homelessness crisis by investing in Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Rental Assistance, the emergency solutions grant program (which helps with street outreach, rapid re-housing assistance, emergency shelter, and homelessness prevention), and Continuums of Care;
    Support innovative, locally developed approaches to these crises by investing in hotel and motel conversions to permanent supportive housing with supportive services, the Eviction Protection Grant Program to support experienced legal service providers in providing legal assistance to low-income tenants at risk of or subject to eviction, mobile crisis intervention teams to help those with medical or psychological needs get the care that they need, programs that offer a safe place to park overnight and facilitate access to rehousing services and essential services, library programs that support people experiencing homelessness, inclusive transit-oriented development and infill development, and improved coordination of culturally competent, trauma-informed behavioral health and homelessness services.
    Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are cosponsoring the bill in the Senate.
    Representatives Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.-03), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.-20), Cleo Fields (D-La.-06), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.-02), LaMonica Mclver (D-N.J.-10), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.-03), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), and Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.-13) are cosponsoring the bill in the House.
    The Housing for All Act of 2025 has been endorsed by organizations and stakeholders including the National Alliance to End Homelessness; National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC); LeadingAge; National Rural Housing Coalition; UnidosUS; US Conference of Mayors; Corporation for Supportive Housing; Covenant House; Liberation in a Generation; American Library Association; Self-Help Enterprises; California Housing Partnership; California League of Cities; California State Association of Counties; County Welfare Directors Association of California; Center for Law and Social Policy; California Business, Consumer Services and Housing (BCSH) Agency; and more.
    “At a time when more households than ever are struggling to make ends meet, and the number of people experiencing homelessness has reached record levels, we must keep up the fight for the resources needed to ensure everyone has a safe, stable, affordable, and accessible place to call home,” said NLIHC Interim President and CEO Renee Willis. “I applaud Senator Padilla for his leadership on the ‘Housing for All Act,’ which would provide bold, long-term solutions required to address the nation’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis at its root.” 
    “Senator Padilla’s Housing for All Act recognizes the extraordinary work performed by local homelessness systems and would provide them with robust resources, including significant new investments in the Continuum of Care and Emergency Solutions Grants programs as well as Housing Choice Vouchers and Project-Based Rental Assistance,” said Steve Berg, Chief Policy Officer at the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “In addition to providing resources, Senator Padilla’s legislation would promote innovative policies like using motels and hotels for permanent supportive housing and specific efforts to help house the growing numbers of individuals and families experiencing vehicular homelessness. In introducing the Housing for All Act, the Senator is meeting the moment–and his legislation should inspire policymakers in the legislative and executive branches.”
    “The Housing for All Act is a common sense, critically needed response to our country’s shortage of affordable homes—particularly for low-income older adults,” said Katie Smith Sloan, President & CEO, LeadingAge, the Association of Nonprofit Providers of Aging Services. “Our nonprofit members have years-long waiting lists—which means that many low-income older adults die before receiving relief in the form of an available, federally assisted house. The programs and policies supported by Senator Padilla’s bill will reverse course on record levels of housing unaffordability: for example, its authorization of $2.5 billion for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program would build new, service-connected affordable homes for older adults with average annual incomes below $17,000 a year. For these older adults, the private market alone has not, cannot, and will not solve the affordable housing shortage. As Senator Padilla makes clear, public resources are critically needed. LeadingAge enthusiastically supports the Housing for All Act.”
    “The California Housing Partnership enthusiastically supports Senator Padilla’s Housing for All Act providing expanded federal resources to counteract the acute shortage of affordable homes, which in California has been pushing families and individuals into overcrowded situations and risking homelessness amidst the pandemic,” said Matt Schwartz, President and CEO of the California Housing Partnership.
    “Now is the time to strengthen the commitment to programs that are successful in preventing and reducing homelessness as well as increase collaboration between federal, state, county, and city governments,” said Jeff Griffiths, Inyo County Supervisor and California State Association of Counties (CSAC) President. “Senator Padilla’s Housing for All Act would accomplish these goals. CSAC and California’s counties strongly support this legislation, and are grateful for his leadership.”
    “The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) is proud to once again stand in support of Senator Padilla’s Housing For All legislation,” said Carlos Marquez III, CWDA Executive Director. “Every day, California’s 58 county human services agencies work to stabilize and rapidly rehouse older adults, former foster youth, families experiencing poverty, and others at high risk of homelessness, but our efforts are limited by a lack of investment in affordable housing and in evidence-based strategies that get people off the street. Senator Padilla’s Housing For All legislation will enable counties to scale what works and provide immediate solutions to our housing crisis.”
    “Cal Cities is proud to support the Housing for All Act, which would provide critical funding to connect our unhoused residents to services and keep Californians in their homes,” said League of California Cities Executive Director and CEO Carolyn Coleman. “We all know there’s more work to be done to address the housing and homelessness crisis in our state and that every level of government has a role to play in finding a meaningful path forward. Senator Padilla’s bill will strengthen the partnership between all levels of government by investing in the diversity of solutions that cities throughout the state are carrying out to support vulnerable residents.”
    “We’re grateful for Senator Padilla’s leadership in advancing legislation that would provide comprehensive resources to address the housing and homelessness challenges facing California and across the country,” said Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss. “California has made significant investments, but we know real, sustained progress will require every level of government working together.”
    Senator Padilla believes everyone deserves access to affordable and safe housing and recognizes the need to drastically increase the affordable housing stock to address the homelessness crisis facing California and the country. Last week, Padilla introduced the bipartisan Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act to ensure veterans experiencing homelessness and receiving disability payments maintain access to crucial housing support. In the aftermath of the Los Angeles fires, Padilla introduced the bipartisan Disaster Housing Reform for American Families Act to expedite, expand, and improve temporary housing available to victims of disasters like wildfires and storms.
    Padilla has fought against the Trump Administration’s proposals to cut HUD staff and field offices who help provide crucial housing services. Padilla and U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.-05) recently led more than 100 Democrats in the Senate and House in condemning staffing cuts and potential closures of HUD field offices across the country. Earlier this year, Senator Padilla sounded the alarm that these wide-ranging cuts would hamper HUD’s ability to support vulnerable communities and address the housing and homelessness crises.
    A one-pager on the bill is available here. 
    A section-by-section summary of the bill is available here.
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Democrats Continue Apology Tour for Deported Illegal Immigrant Gang Member

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    The past week has shown Americans everything they need to know about Democrats’ priorities.
    Today, four more Democrats — Rep. Robert Garcia of California, Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida, Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, and Rep. Maxine Dexter of Oregon — are in El Salvador, picking up their party’s mantle of prioritizing a deported illegal immigrant MS-13 gang member over the Americans they represent.
    Why hasn’t Rep. Dexter spoken about these illegal immigrants putting her region at risk?
    Alvaro Flores-Barboza, a 24-year-old citizen of Venezuela, escaped from an ICE processing facility before he was arrested in Portland, Oregon. He has convictions for assault, reckless driving, and felony use of a weapon.
    Juan Jose-Sebastian, a 26-year-old citizen of Guatemala, was arrested in West Palm Beach, Florida. He is wanted for 2017 rape and sexual assault charges in Washington County, Oregon. He was arrested in Florida in 2024 for driving without a license — but was released onto the streets because the Biden Administration refused to take custody of him and Oregon officials refused to extradite him.
    Why hasn’t Rep. Ansari spoken about these illegal immigrants putting her region at risk?
    Bonifacio Renteria-Cruz, a 48-year-old citizen of Mexico, was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona. He has ties to the Sinaloa Cartel and has convictions for aggravated assault and weapons charges. He also has an active arrest warrant for homicide in Mexico.
    Jose Escobar-Robles, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona. He is believed to be illegally funneling money to Mexico to benefit violent cartels engaged in drug smuggling and human trafficking.
    Luis Garcia-Sanchez, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona. He is connected to the notorious 18th Street Gang and has been wanted for felony narcotics charges dating back to 1987.
    Edgar Guadalupe Jimenez-Aguilar, an illegal immigrant, was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona. He was wanted on charges of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and possession with intent to distribute heroin.
    Why hasn’t Rep. Frost spoken about these illegal immigrants putting his region at risk?
    Franklin Jose Jimenez-Bracho, a member of the Tren de Aragua gang, was arrested near Orlando, Florida. He was wanted for human trafficking and smuggling.
    Juan Andres Borolo Moreno Romero, a 25-year-old citizen of Venezuela, was arrested by ICE in Orlando, Florida. He is a known member of the brutal Tren de Aragua gang.
    Paula Hernandez Lazaro, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested near Orlando, Florida. She crashed into a patrol car and another vehicle, sending a police officer to the hospital.
    Five illegal immigrant members of the brutal Tren de Aragua gang were arrested after a string of liquor store thefts and robberies in Polk County, Florida. The five have lengthy criminal histories, including “immigration violations, thefts, robbery, drug possession, resisting arrest, fraudulent use of and possession of personal identification, false reports to law enforcement, robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence (listed as armed and dangerous), and driver’s license offenses.”
    Why hasn’t Rep. Garcia spoken about these illegal immigrants putting his region at risk?
    Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, a 43-year-old citizen of El Salvador, arrested in Los Angeles. He is charged with first-degree murder in the brutal slaying of a 13-year-old soccer player in Los Angeles, who was found discarded on the side of the road, and with the sexual assault of another young teenager in 2022.
    Noe Diaz De Leon, a citizen of Mexico, arrested by ICE Los Angeles. He has convictions for attempted murder of a peace officer, burglary, and possession of a controlled substance.
    Boxiao Song, a citizen of China, arrested by ICE Los Angeles. He is a convicted child sex offender.
    Seung Hun Baik, a 39-year-old citizen of South Korea, arrested by ICE Los Angeles. He is wanted in his home country for an aggravated offense involving psychotropic drugs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Hears From Healthcare Providers in Wenatchee: Medicaid Cuts Would be Devastating

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    04.21.25

    Cantwell Hears From Healthcare Providers in Wenatchee: Medicaid Cuts Would be Devastating

    Cantwell continues tour of WA to fight back against proposed Medicaid cuts; Cantwell reports highlight impacts to WA State health care if GOP cuts Medicaid to pay for lower taxes for the ultra-wealthy

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, heard from health care providers in the Wenatchee Valley about the dangers of cuts to Medicaid being considered by Republican lawmakers.

    At an April 17 roundtable hosted by U.S. Representative Kim Schrier (D, WA-08) and joined by Sen. Cantwell, health care providers warned that such cuts would devastate the region’s health care system and limit access to lifesaving care. 

    Cutting Medicaid, Sen. Cantwell said, “affects the programs, then affects the hospital, then it affects the workforce, then you end up with shortages, then you end up with deserts. Then you end up with, ‘Who wants to have a business there?’ It keeps cascading,” Sen. Cantwell said. “This is a crazy idea. This is not a sledge hammer — this is like a ticking time bomb that’s blowing up the foundation of the system. And we have to take your stories and go back [to D.C.] and convince these people that it’s not even worth thinking about.”

    Wenatchee marked the fourth stop in Sen. Cantwell’s tour around the state to hear from folks who would be directly impacted by cuts to Medicare. Last month, Sen. Cantwell heard from voices across Washington state about the dangers of President Trump and the GOP’s proposed cuts to Medicaid. Doctors, patients, and health care providers in Seattle, Spokane, and the Tri-Cities warned that such cuts would devastate Washington state’s health care system and limit access to lifesaving care.

    WATCH:

    FOX 13 Seattle: WA health leaders join Sen. Cantwell against proposed Medicaid cuts

    KREM 2 Spokane: Spokane doctors, patients speak at Medicaid roundtable hosted by Sen. Cantwell

    KAPP 35 Tri-Cities: MARIA CANTWELL: How proposed cuts to Medicaid could impact South Central Washington

    In February, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the impact that slashing Medicaid to fund tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy would have on Washington state’s health care system — especially in Central and Eastern Washington. In March, Sen. Cantwell released a second snapshot report highlighting impacts on the Seattle-area health care delivery system.

    READ MORE:

    The Seattle Times: Cuts to Medicaid would hurt WA’s children, poor

    The Spokesman Review: Medicaid could be on chopping block after Northwest Republicans help pass House budget measure

    The Tri-City Herald: Newhouse backs House GOP budget plan that could lead to cuts for Tri-Cities Medicaid users

    Medicaid is the federal program that insures many low-income adults and children, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities. Washington state’s Medicaid program, Apple Health, ensures that eligible Washingtonians can afford to seek health care and see providers when they need to. The program also ensures that hospitals — which are required to treat everyone, regardless of their ability to pay — receive reimbursements for the significant number of low-income people they serve. Over 1.9 million Washingtonians are enrolled in Apple Health.

    The House of Representatives has passed a budget resolution that would necessitate $880 billion in cuts from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid. Supporters of the bill claim that the text includes no mention of Medicaid — however, the extent of the cuts required by the legislation would mean that the committee has essentially no other options other than to hack away at Medicaid.

    Video of yesterday’s roundtable in Wenatchee is HERE; photos are HERE; and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s opening and closing remarks are HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    04.21.25

    Cantwell Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis

    EDMONDS, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement on the passing of Pope Francis:

    “Today, I join with the millions of other Americans mourning the death of Pope Francis. I admired this Pope for his devotion, dedication to inclusivity, and unwavering care for the most vulnerable among us.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman, Lankford Advocate for Greater Health Care Access for Rural Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and James Lankford (R-OK) introduced the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act to re-empower physician-owned hospitals (POHs) to expand and deliver high-quality care to Medicare and Medicaid patients in rural communities. 

    Currently, POHs are prohibited from expanding and creating new hospitals. While they represent less than five percent of the 5,700 hospitals nationwide, POHs have a successful track record of providing individualized and innovative quality care, and they meet a growing demand for health care services, especially in rural areas. Seventy-three percent of POHs with a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) overall hospital quality star rating earned three or more stars in the program; 26 percent of them have earned five stars.

    “Millions of Americans need the access to health care that physician-owned hospitals can provide,” said Boozman. “These institutions also serve as important economic pillars in less populated communities. Removing arbitrary limits that can help expand medical care in rural Arkansas and beyond is an important step to ensuring reliable, quality health systems operate in more communities.”

    “Oklahomans and rural communities across the country need more quality health care options,” said Lankford. “This bill lifts the outdated restrictions that have blocked physician-owned hospitals from growing or opening where they’re needed most. Local physicians should be empowered to deliver high-quality, patient-focused care in rural Oklahoma.”

    The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), John Barrasso (R-WY) and Ted Budd (R-NC).

    The legislation is endorsed by the American Medical Association (AMA), Physician-Led Healthcare for America (PHA) and the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). 

     “Across the country, patients in rural communities are struggling to access essential medical care as more rural hospitals are forced to close due to the immense financial strain associated with declining reimbursements and rising medical costs,” said AMA President Bruce A. Scott, M.D. “By allowing physicians to invest in and revitalize these hospitals, this legislation has the power to preserve and expand access to critical health care services in the communities that need them most. Physician-led hospitals are known to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care. This is a commonsense solution to a worsening problem. The AMA strongly supports this legislation and urges Congress to pass it as a vital step toward improving health care access for rural patients.”

    “The daily headlines are impossible to ignore,” said PHA President-elect Carlos Cardenas, M.D. “Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, rural hospitals are shuttering at alarming rates, and quality and patient satisfaction continue to decline. The status quo is failing us. It’s time to revitalize our healthcare system with a proven solution: physician-led hospitals.” 

     “When physicians lead hospitals, patients win,” said AAOS Advocacy Council Chair Dr. Adam Bruggeman, M.D. “Physician-led hospitals are a powerful solution to the consolidation plaguing our healthcare system. By lifting outdated restrictions on physician ownership, we can drive down costs, improve quality, and expand access to care, especially in underserved rural areas. It’s past time to empower physicians to build healthcare institutions that prioritize patients over profits.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Promoting a Healthier California: Attorney General Bonta Announces New Funding Available for Local Public Agencies Through the 2025-2026 Tobacco Grant Program

    Source: US State of California

    Funding helps combat the illegal sale of tobacco products to youth

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ) is now accepting proposals for the 2025-2026 Tobacco Grant Program, which will provide approximately $28.5 million in grant funding to eligible local agencies. The program aims to reduce the illegal sale of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to our youth. Any local public agency within the State of California that has authority to enforce tobacco-related state laws or local ordinances related to retail tobacco sales and marketing is eligible to apply. This may include police and sheriffs’ departments, district and city attorneys and county counsels, public health departments, cities, counties, and public school/college districts. Information on the application process is available at oag.ca.gov/tobaccogrants. DOJ will also hold a Zoom webinar on Wednesday, April 30 at 10:00 AM PT to provide guidance to those interested in applying for the Tobacco Grant Program. To RSVP for the webinar, please click here.

    “At the California Department of Justice, we are committed to protecting our youth from the dangers posed by tobacco products. The reality is that, especially in recent years, companies have been aggressively going after our young people and attempting to turn as many of them as possible into regular customers,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I encourage local agencies to apply to the Tobacco Grant Program — it is a critical tool that allows us to collaborate and hold accountable those companies and individuals who violate our laws around tobacco products.” 

    Companies target our youth by making and marketing tobacco products with a myriad of kid-friendly flavors and loading those products with nicotine, a highly addictive chemical that harms the developing brains of children and young adults. Surveys show flavored tobacco products remain the products of choice for young people. In 2024, among students reporting current e-cigarette use, 87.6% used flavored products. Tobacco usage during adolescence increases the risk for lifelong nicotine addiction and adverse health consequences. 

    DOJ’s Tobacco Grant Program aims to reduce childhood addiction to tobacco products by supporting local partners who:

    • Enforce the statewide flavor ban and similar local flavor ordinances.
    • Prosecute and penalize retailers who violate statewide and local tobacco laws, including those who sell or market tobacco products to youth under the age of 21, including over the internet.
    • Conduct retail inspections to ensure compliance.

    The program is funded by Proposition 56, the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Act of 2016. To date, the Tobacco Grant Program has distributed approximately $212 million in grant funding to approximately 470 grantees through a competitive process.

    Attorney General Bonta remains committed to combating the illegal marketing and sale of tobacco products. Just this year, he announced a lawsuit against Flumgio Technology Inc., Berkeley Int’l Business Crew, and their founder, Mr. Zaoyu Zhu, for importing, marketing, and selling the popular FLUM brand e-cigarettes, which are illegal under California’s retail flavor ban and lack Food and Drug Administration authorization. He also announced lawsuits against two California online retailers of e-cigarettes, Ejuicesteals and E-juice Vapor, Inc., alleging that they engaged in unlawful remote sales of tobacco products and failed to verify the age of California consumers properly. Finally, Assembly Bill 3218 — his sponsored bill to help ensure the successful implementation of the flavored tobacco ban — was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom last year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Where the parties stand on child care in the Canadian federal election

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Gordon Cleveland, Associate Professor Emeritus, Economics, University of Toronto

    What will child care in Canada look like after this federal election?

    Depending on who becomes prime minister, parents now paying $10 a day for child care could continue to do so and many additional parents could access affordable day care in the future due to plans to expand. Or, the cap on child-care fees could be eliminated in a return to market provision of child-care services, in at least some provinces.

    The $10-a-day plan, introduced by the Liberal government through Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care agreements (CWELCC) with provinces and territories, was developed to improve Canada’s long-standing inadequate child-care situation.

    Québec’s model for child care inspired the Canada-wide plan. Under Québec’s CWELCC “asymmetrical agreement,” the province receives federal transfer funds without conditions.



    Read more:
    Ottawa’s $10-a-day child care promise should heed Québec’s insights about balancing low fees with high quality

    After the April 28 election, it’s expected our new prime minister will either be a Liberal or a Conservative — Mark Carney or Pierre Poilievre.

    Both leaders have said they want to preserve affordable child care but have presented their proposals in significantly different ways.

    As an economist with specialization in the economics of child care and early childhood education, I believe looking beneath surface statements reveals major differences that would affect parents, children and their families.

    Strengthening the $10-a-day policy

    The Liberal Party’s newly released platform highlights the protection and strengthening of the $10-a-day early learning and child care system. The platform promises the building of 100,000 new child-care spaces by 2031, better compensation for child-care educators, the expansion of child care in public institutions and a stronger link between housing development and child care when housing is supported by federal funds.

    In the Liberal leadership debate, Carney said we “absolutely have to keep in place the progress that the government has made on crucial things such as child care….” The Liberal platform affirms this, takes credit for introducing the existing system and notes: “In just a few short years, this program has become a core part of Canada’s social infrastructure.”



    Read more:
    Trudeau’s record may be spotty, but his biggest accomplishment was a national child-care program

    Since January, among the provinces and territories, all but Alberta and Saskatchewan have approved or tentatively approved five-year extensions to early learning and child-care funding agreements with the federal government.

    Those extensions are key, as they represent commitments from 11 provinces and territories to use the federal government’s additional $37 billion to continue building the $10 a day program through 2031.

    The NDP supported $10-a-day child care in the last election and continues that support, although child care is not mentioned in their published election platform.

    Changing the $10-a-day policy

    Poilievre, on the other hand, wants major changes from the $10-a-day child-care policy but he has not been forthcoming about details.

    However, he did discuss ideas and major criticisms in a March 25 campaign stop in Vaughan, Ont.

    He said: “We all believe that there should be more affordable child care in this country.” But then he criticized the current system as “bureaucratic” and “top down,” saying that “provinces can decide how to deliver those services on the front line with more flexibility and freedom for parents, provinces, and providers….”

    Clearly his “affordable child care” will not look anything like the burgeoning $10-a-day system.

    Poilievre’s wording is very similar to that of a new lobby organization of for-profit child care operators.

    The group calls for a shift from “federally controlled funding to no-strings-attached childcare funding for the provinces …” It also calls for a “funding-follows-the-family approach” which they believe will encourage parental and operator choice and minimize bureaucratic administrative costs and red tape.

    The Poilievre position, then, is an update from former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole’s policy proposals during the 2021 federal election.

    It harkens back to the cash-for-care approach Stephen Harper’s Conservative government had in place from 2006 to 2015. Conservatives prefer and encourage the provision of cash, a tax credit or voucher that parents can spend on child care.

    Such a Conservative approach is known as demand-side funding rather than supply-side funding — giving parents money to pay some of their child-care costs instead of funding child-care providers to ensure the services are available for families.

    Examining Conservative criticisms

    The “flexibility and freedom” that come with demand-side funding would mean removing conditions such as a guaranteed parent fee of $10 a day, targets for expansion of licensed child care, growth primarily by public and non-profit provision, and requirements for public financial accountability, from the federal funding agreements with the provinces and territories.

    There are substantial problems with Poilievre’s suggestion of overhauling the $10-a-day program. First, his March 25 criticisms are flawed:

    • He said “120,000 fewer children have daycare spaces than when the program was created,” but Statistics Canada surveys show a growth in attendance at child-care centres of an additional 177,900 children from late 2020 to the first half of 2023.

    • Poilievre said “child care now is worse than when the Liberals took office.” In fact, the main indicators of availability and affordability of child care are much better. Between 2015, when the Liberals took office, and 2023, the number of child care spaces grew by 426,203 to a total of 1,627,211 total licensed spaces. Child-care affordability is also greatly improved. By 2023, child-care fees had dropped by between 40 per cent and 75 per cent nearly everywhere across Canada, varying by geography and child age. As a proportion of after-tax family income, parents’ average spending on child care in January 2025 was less than one third of what it was before 2021, declining from just under 16 per cent to five per cent.

    • Poilievre said “most of the money has been consumed by bureaucracy.” In fact, child-care fees have dropped to an average of $10 a day (or less) in
      Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Québec, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland/Labrador, and all the remaining provinces have lowered parent fees substantially.

    This would not have been possible if “most of the money was consumed by bureaucracy,” something easily seen in readily available public data on how child-care funds are spent.

    Demand-side funding solutions

    Demand-side funding solutions with no cap on fees would be a dream for private corporations looking to enter a Canadian child-care market rich with public funds but a nightmare for cash-strapped parents who are desperate for child care.

    Australia is the poster child for generous demand-side funding of child care.

    In the Australian model, parents spend funds however they like, and there is no restriction on the fees providers can charge and no requirement for financial reporting. Funds are paid directly to child-care providers from the government on behalf of parents and corporate child-care thrives. Under this funding model, Australia has seen a sixfold increase in child-care fees since the early 1990s, twice as much as the increase in consumer prices.

    Bolster gains already made

    Nearly a million Canadian children between the ages of birth to five years are already able to access low-fee licensed child care.

    Building a quality child-care system is underway, but the work is far from complete.

    It’s time to redouble efforts to provide affordable, quality child care for all who need it rather than to abandon these major combined efforts of federal, provincial and territorial governments to build a dependable and affordable child-care system.

    Gordon Cleveland receives funding for expenses from an SSHRC project “Re-imagining care/work policies/Réinventer les politiques soins/travail”. He is a member of the National Advisory Council on Early Learning and Child Care. He volunteers for Building Blocks for Child Care. He is a research associate with L’Équipe de recherche Qualité contextes éducatifs de la petite enfance.

    – ref. Where the parties stand on child care in the Canadian federal election – https://theconversation.com/where-the-parties-stand-on-child-care-in-the-canadian-federal-election-254569

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s federal election must grapple with the limits of neoliberal economics

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Daniel Horen Greenford, Lecturer and postdoctoral researcher in Ecological Economics and Climate Policy, Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University

    With a federal election on the horizon, economic policy is once again taking centre stage. Yet missing from the national debate is a serious reckoning with the failures of neoliberalism and the urgent need for alternatives.

    A continued adherence to neoliberal policy, and the fiscal austerity it entails, risks deepening social divides and strengthening the electoral prospects of the far right (absent a compelling populist left). To meet today’s challenges, parties must explore more progressive schools of economic thought like modern monetary theory.

    Liberal Leader Mark Carney, with his experience across banking and global finance, is one figure who could potentially steer that shift. Carney’s career, spanning Morgan Stanley, the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England and Brookfield Asset Management, has exemplified his competence within the bounds of economic orthodoxy.

    As the Bank of Canada’s governor, Carney pre-emptively cut interest rates to cushion the blow of the 2008 financial crisis. Standard measures like interest rate cuts and quantitative easing are meant to keep economies afloat during downturns. While necessary, these steps remained squarely within the bounds of conventional economic thinking.

    Today, however, those old tricks aren’t enough. The twin crises of climate collapse and socioeconomic inequality demand bolder policy and braver leadership from policymakers.

    The case for modern monetary theory

    Modern monetary theory (MMT) offers a more ambitious economic toolkit to policymakers than current approaches do.

    MMT scholars argue that countries that issue their own currency, like Canada, have monetary sovereignty. These governments don’t need to rely on bond markets for funding; instead, they can create money directly through public spending. And, when they do sell debt, there’s never a shortage of demand for it.



    Read more:
    Explainer: what is modern monetary theory?

    From this perspective, the real constraint isn’t money, but productive capacity: materials, energy and labour. Public debt is neither inherently dangerous, nor is it “owed” to anyone.

    MMT also argues the “tax and spend” perspective is backwards — taxes are not needed to fund public spending. In its view, governments spend first, then tax to remove money from circulation to keep inflation under control.

    Inflation risk stems not from government spending, but from economic over-demand or supply constraints. During periods of low growth, spending is not just safe — it’s essential, as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Inflation during the pandemic was driven predominantly by supply chain disruptions and gas price spikes, not overspending. Strategic taxation can be used to curb demand and reduce inequality when inflation emerges.

    MMT’s job guarantee

    The hallmark policy of MMT is a job guarantee — a public option for employment that would employ anyone wanting to work. This would effectively end structural unemployment while improving conditions for those employed in the private sector through competition.

    Such an initiative would help unlock productivity needed to revitalize and decarbonize housing, transport, energy and other critical infrastructure.

    Yet instead of embracing such ideas, centrist parties like the Canadian Liberal Party and United Kingdom’s Labour Party cling to outdated concerns over “fiscal responsibility,” echoing debates that have been outdated since the end of the gold standard in the 1970s.

    The cost of playing it safe

    Carney appears to have retreated into political caution and has avoided challenging fiscal conservatism in any substantive way. Immediately upon taking office, he capitulated to misleading narratives promoted by politicians like Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and cut the consumer carbon price.

    Carney also is cancelling a proposed hike to the amount of capital gains subject to tax to avoid penalizing Canada’s “builders.” But who are the real “builders”? Not hedge fund managers, but the workers who actually produce goods and services.

    According to the government’s own analysis, only the top 0.13 per cent of Canadians stood to lose from a modest increase in the inclusion rate for taxing unearned income.

    Like Poilievre, Carney has expressed support for new oil and gas projects, including pipelines — despite the scientific consensus that any new fossil fuel infrastructure is incompatible with avoiding climate catastrophe. Poilievre and Carney’s positions contradict the urgent need for a rapid energy transition — which begins with no new fossil fuel projects.



    Read more:
    Canada needs to set its businesses up for success in the clean energy transition

    During the Liberal leadership race, Carney advocated for using public investment to attract private capital during a CBC News interview. Sidestepping a direct answer about whether he’d balance the overall budget, he instead committed to balancing “operational spending.” When pressed, he said he would run deficits when necessary to “invest [in] and grow Canada’s economy.”

    Carney’s approach frames public spending as a way to mobilize private capital, rather than as a driver of public-led economic transformation. True to his background, his language casts the government as a shrewd investor, not a driver of structural change.

    Carney also framed public investment as “borrowing,” which MMT clarifies is a misnomer: unlike a household or a business, a currency-issuing government doesn’t need to borrow in the traditional sense and faces no risk of running out of its own currency.

    A bolder path forward is needed

    Canada needs more than cautious tweaks to the status quo. A climate jobs program, like a Youth Climate Corps, could guarantee well-paid, meaningful work in communities across the country for anyone ready to contribute. Public opinion is already there: more than half of Canadians support a climate corps.

    Public-sector competition in industries like housing and renewable energy could keep private firms efficient and accountable. During World War II, engineer and businessman C.D. Howe became Minister of the Department of Munitions and Supply and oversaw the creation of 28 Crown corporations that drove wartime production.

    That same spirit of pragmatic, state-led investment could help address the ongoing climate and economic crises, instead of being used to buy more pipelines.



    Read more:
    Canada’s federal election doesn’t seem like it’s about climate change, but it actually is

    Towards more affordable housing

    Canada already has a Crown corporation mandated to support affordable housing: the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. This agency could be expanded to not only finance, but also tender contracts and build housing. It could be a federal landlord, with long-term goals of community management and ownership.

    The more affordable units kept out of an increasingly profit-driven market, the more accessible housing will be. This would stabilize the market and provide a floor (and roof) for affordability.

    Some MMT scholars and social movements have even called for a homes guarantee — a federally-funded program to guarantee a place to live for anyone squeezed out of the housing market.

    Critics might say bold investment is politically infeasible. But is it? Or could one of Canada’s federal parties champion policies that inspire instead of capitulate? Traditionally, the NDP would pick up this mantle, but they ceded their place as the progressive vanguard after former NDP Leader Tom Mulcair promised to balance the budget in 2015.

    The real risk isn’t ambitious reform, but relying on outdated tricks in a world that demands new solutions.

    Daniel Horen Greenford receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

    – ref. Canada’s federal election must grapple with the limits of neoliberal economics – https://theconversation.com/canadas-federal-election-must-grapple-with-the-limits-of-neoliberal-economics-254364

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The new abnormal: Debating Canada’s future at a hinge point in history

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Stewart Prest, Lecturer, Political Science, University of British Columbia

    Canadians watched the two leaders’ debates unfold last week in Montréal. The debates, and this election, occur at a pivotal moment in history. Canadians go to the polls as the future of global democracy and governance, and in fact the very independence of the country, is in the balance.

    In crucial ways, the debates failed to meet the moment — and therefore will likely be forgotten as Canadians vote cast their ballots in a week. Unlike a past debate that focused on Canadian sovereignty between John Turner and Brian Mulroney in 1988, this one featured few knockout punches or memorable moments.

    Shadows of the past

    In the weeks prior to the debates, observers drew comparisons to that momentous English-language leaders’ showdown 37 years ago. That debate laid out a clear question for voters: Are you in favour of entering a free-trade agreement with the United States?

    Prime Minister Mulroney was supportive of the agreement, while Liberal Leader Turner was sharply opposed, fearing for the country’s independence.

    In the end, both Mulroney and Turner had a point. In the ensuing decades, free trade with the U.S. has brought both prosperity and dependence on the country as the Canadian economy became ever more deeply intertwined with that of the United States.

    A hinge point in history

    In 2025, we face an even more pivotal moment. The global order is shifting.

    Under Donald Trump, the U.S. has moved away from its decades-old position at the heart of a liberal international order centred on western democracies to embrace a transactional and illiberal foreign policy built on the language of power.



    Read more:
    Like dictators before him, Trump threatens international peace and security

    Given the gravity of the moment however, we heard comparatively little during the debates about how Canada must respond at this hinge point in history as Canadians adapt to a predictably unpredictable future.

    The threat of economic tariffs, while real, are just the beginning. Leaders alluded to the fact that Canada’s erstwhile closest ally now constitutes a threat to Canadian sovereignty, but it was not a major point of discussion, even as the the White House Press secretary recently affirmed Trump still wants Canada to become the 51st state. Threats to the territorial integrity of other former American allies continue as well.

    Viewers heard questions during the debate related to the possibility that the U.S. may no longer support Ukraine, but nothing about how Trump shocked the world with a very public dressing-down of Ukraine’s president or how he seems more comfortable co-operating with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

    Virtually no mention was made of the fact that the U.S. is, by some measures, no longer a democracy. Its courts are politicized. Congress is polarized. The federal civil service remains under siege, and key institutions of civil society are under pressure to conform to Trump’s demands. Nor was there any discussion about how the Trump administration is openly defying court orders, effectively flouting the rule of law, and what that could mean for Trump’s annexation threats against Canada.

    There was some talk during the debate of Canada trying to reach the (Trump-demanded) NATO military target for military spending, but nothing about the fact that the future of the alliance is uncertain. European states are openly questioning the credibility of American support in the event of an attack and European leaders discussing defence strategies without American involvement for the first time since the Second World War.



    Read more:
    How could Canada deter an invasion? Nukes and mandatory military service

    A debate like any other

    It’s clear from such silences on the debate stage that Canadian voters, journalists, debate moderators and politicians alike are all still coming to terms with the depth of change in the world around them.

    The debate was filled with talk of pipelines, housing strategies and domestic law and order. In fact, neither debate was much different from those of the past 20 years.

    That’s not to suggest domestic challenges don’t require substantive discussion and policy proposals. As I and others have argued, the populist anti-incumbent wave that we saw sweeping Canadian and global politics in recent years can be traced to the sense that a portion of the population — younger voters in particular — feel left behind and ignored.



    Read more:
    Justin Trudeau’s bleak poll numbers are part of a global trend as young voters reject incumbents

    The challenges are multiple and significant, including but not limited to housing and affordability, public safety and policing, slow economic development and the challenges of responding to climate change in an economy dependent on energy exports.

    Nonetheless, in focusing so heavily on domestic and not global threats, the debate verged at times on the parochial.

    Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet, for instance, tried to keep provincial jurisdiction and Québec’s interests top of mind. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s message, at its most effective, was that as the country turns to face new challenges, it cannot forget about the marginalized in Canadian society and abroad. Worthy points, but secondary to the larger moment.

    Ultimately, the debate was dominated by the other two men on the stage with a real chance to govern the country next week: Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

    The two appeared united in their passion for the country and pipelines, and share some other priorities, notably facilitating interprovincial economic integration.

    Conservative base is divided

    In other respects, the two leaders diverged significantly in their views. Of all the leaders, Carney was the most willing to discuss the Trump threat, including when he suggested in his closing English remarks that Trump is “trying to break us so the U.S. can own us.”

    For the majority of the debates, however, the Liberal leader focused primarily on the economic threat. He argued that the country must look away from the U.S., and instead build inward with investment in housing and energy at home, and build outward by identifying more reliable markets and allies abroad.

    Poilievre’s messaging was more nuanced, moving in different directions to suit different audiences. No doubt this is because the country’s Conservative voting base is itself deeply divided between mainstream conservatives who share their fellow Canadians’ concerns about Trump and a populist faction that tends to identify with the MAGA movement in numerous ways.



    Read more:
    Why some Canadians are in denial about Donald Trump

    In attempting to square that circle, Poilievre has signalled strong opposition to Trump and his tariffs — a point he repeatedly discussed during the debate — and called for measures to enhance Canadian productivity, notably in the energy sector.

    At the same time, however, he endorsed other policies that evoke aspects of Trump’s own political agenda, something he largely avoided mentioning during the debates. Notable among are Poilievre’s promised war on “woke” culture. While not discussed in detail during the debates, disruptive questions from right-wing media outlets following the French debate illustrated just how close to the surface such issues remain.

    The ‘new abnormal’

    In the absence of a significant gaffe, knockout blow or other dramatic twist, the debates are unlikely to change many minds, and seem likely to soon fade from memory.

    Initial post-debate polling suggests as much. Anyone leaning one way or another heard enough to affirm their views as they tuned into the debates, and nothing to make them question their choice.

    Answers to larger questions about how Canada should move forward in this emergent new global order, amid daunting new threats to peace and democracy, remain only hinted at. Whoever wins the election, those questions will continue to be asked with increased urgency in the coming years.

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

    – ref. The new abnormal: Debating Canada’s future at a hinge point in history – https://theconversation.com/the-new-abnormal-debating-canadas-future-at-a-hinge-point-in-history-254675

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Highway 17 exit to Keating Cross Road moving south until summer

    Starting Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the left-turn lane and waiting area from Highway 17 (Patricia Bay Highway) to Keating Cross Road, Exit 18, will be moved south.

    This change is needed to allow contractors to complete work on a retaining wall for the future southbound on-ramp.

    This traffic pattern will remain in place until the overpass is fully operational in the summer of 2025. Once complete, the Keating Cross Road Overpass will improve safety, reduce traffic congestion, and make travel along Highway 17 more efficient.

    Drivers are reminded to obey signage in the area, and drive with caution in active construction zones. For the most up-to-date information on road conditions and potential changes to the traffic schedule, visit: https://www.drivebc.ca/

    Learn more: https://gov.bc.ca/keatingoverpass

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Norma Torres Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

    April 21, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Norma Torres issued a statement following the news of the passing of Pope Francis:

    “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis. He was a humble man who dedicated his life to promoting peace and mending division. He cared profoundly about the plight of migrants and refugees in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church, and spent a lifetime living the values of care and compassion.

    “As a freshman in Congress, I will always remember the Pope’s address to us in 2015. He made an appeal to our common humanity, to care for the most vulnerable among us, to be better stewards of our planet, and to promote respect for all.  This message is needed now more than ever.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Colorado Democrats Call to Protect Head Start Amid Child Care Crisis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    Head Start supports 11,600+ Colorado kids, ensuring they are set up for lifelong success
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and the Colorado Democratic delegation wrote a letter urging President Trump to fully fund Head Start in the upcoming budget. The letter follows alarming reports that the Trump administration is considering a proposal to eliminate funding for the program.
    “Colorado families face a child care crisis: child care is neither affordable nor accessible, and most families face a lengthy enrollment waitlist,” wrote the lawmakers. “The elimination of Head Start funding would further imperil an already fragile state of affairs – particularly for rural communities, where local child care facilities are often oversubscribed or nonexistent. Head Start facilities often serve as the only affordable option.”
    In Colorado alone, more than 11,600 children rely on Head Start services every year, and the program supports over 5,000 jobs. Head Start provides child care, early education, nutrition, and health services to children in low-income households, while also offering parents opportunities for employment and education.
    Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below:
    Dear President Trump:
    We write to express our concerns with any proposal that cuts or eliminates Head Start and Early Head Start (Head Start), and we request that the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Budget Request includes sufficient funding to support these vital programs.
    From the inception of Head Start 60 years ago, every Administration, including yours, has supported and recognized this program’s foundational role in solidifying life’s earliest years. Head Start benefits more than 40 million children across the United States each year, offering child care, health, and nutrition services to children, as well as employment and educational support to parents. Presidents have endorsed Head Start because it prepares children for success in school and beyond, helps families achieve greater stability and self-sufficiency, supports working parents, and boosts local economies.
    Given more than half a century of unwavering support for Head Start, we write to share our deep concerns with the USA Today article citing that your Administration is considering a budget proposal that would eliminate funding for Head Start. In Colorado alone, this proposal would
    impact the well-being of more than 11,600 children, 5,000 jobs, and thousands of families, some of whom live in rural areas that lack access to early care and education programs.
    Colorado families face a child care crisis: child care is neither affordable nor accessible, and most families face a lengthy enrollment waitlist. The elimination of Head Start funding would further imperil an already fragile state of affairs – particularly for rural communities, where local child care facilities are often oversubscribed or nonexistent. Head Start facilities often serve as the only affordable option. Since the 1990s, the cost of child care has more than tripled, outpacing wages, the cost of groceries, and even housing. Reducing critical funding for Head Start would reverse decades of bipartisan investment in children amidst a cost-of-living crisis, compounding potential harm for working families.
    As you continue your work developing the FY26 Budget Request, we urge you to keep in mind the well-being of children and families who depend on Head Start. Again, we stress our deep concerns with reports that the Administration intends to eliminate Head Start funding and urge you to include robust funding for these essential programs in the FY26 Budget Request.

    MIL OSI USA News –