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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Security: Buffalo man pleads guilty to conspiracy to steal mail

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Eric Michael Robinson, 33, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to commit mail theft, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2024, Robinson conspired with co-defendants Lamor Runell Bolden and Antonio Jones, Jr. to steal mail from mail receptacles in Cheektowaga, NY. In addition, the defendants also possessed a key used to open authorized mail receptacles. Robinson drove Bolden and Jones to a mail facility in Cheektowaga at approximately 1:00 a.m. on the morning of October 2, 2024. Robinson parked behind a row of blue collection mailboxes outside the postal facility. Bolden and Jones got out of the car, while Robinson remained in the driver’s seat and kept watch. Jones opened the mailboxes with the stolen key and stole mail from the mailboxes. Bolden and Jones got back into the car and Robinson drove away from the mail facility. A short time later, their car was stopped by law enforcement. At the time the car was stopped, various opened and unopened pieces of mail were found inside. Robinson admits that he and his co-conspirators used the stolen key to open mailboxes at other locations around the Western District of New York.

    Charges remain pending against Lamor Runell Bolden and Antonio Jones, Jr.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons.

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 7, 2025, before Judge Sinatra.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz, Senators Demand HHS Restore Title X Family Planning Funding Immediately To Protect Health Care Services For Millions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), along with U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i), led a group of 29 senators urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately reinstate Title X family planning funding in 23 states, including Hawai‘i, after the agency began withholding grants that support basic health care for approximately one million people.

    “We are alarmed at the Trump administration’s attacks against providers that enable access to health care for low-income and uninsured people,” the senators wrote in a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We urge you to swiftly reinstate funding to avoid extended gaps in service for vulnerable communities who rely on Title X funded health centers and programs.”

    Title X is the nation’s only dedicated source of federal funding for family planning. In 2023, the program supported health care services for 2.8 million people at nearly 4,000 clinics across all 50 states and U.S. territories. These clinics provide cancer screenings, sexually transmitted infections testing and treatment, contraception, and pregnancy-related care—regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.

    On April 1, the Trump administration began withholding all, most, or a substantial portion of Title X funds across 23 states, including all funds to Hawai‘i. The move threatens 23 percent of the entire Title X network.

    “These interruptions will be widely felt in our communities and exacerbate the country’s maternal health crisis,” the senators wrote. “By withholding critical appropriated funds, you are impeding access to essential health care services in rural and underserved areas, risking providers closing their doors, and jeopardizing working families’ lives and livelihoods.”

    California, Hawai‘i, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, and Utah are currently receiving no family planning dollars; while Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia are experiencing reduced access to Title X-funded services.

    In protest of this lawless Trump administration policy and many more like it, Schatz has placed a hold on the confirmation of more than 300 Trump nominees, including the nominee for HHS Assistant Secretary for Health, Brian Christine, who would oversee Title X.

    In addition to Schatz, Smith, Schiff, and Hirono the letter was also signed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.).

    The full text of the letter can be found below and is available here.

    Dear Secretary Kennedy:

    We write with great concern regarding the withholding of Title X family planning funding, impacting approximately one million patients in 23 states. We are alarmed at the Trump administration’s attacks against providers that enable access to health care for low-income and uninsured people. We urge you to swiftly reinstate funding to avoid extended gaps in service for vulnerable communities who rely on Title X funded health centers and programs.

    For the past 55 years, Title X has served as the nation’s only dedicated, federally-funded family planning program. It provides lifelines to essential health care, including cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, contraceptive services and supplies, pregnancy testing, and more. Importantly, Title X providers offer care to all people, regardless of their ability to pay. In fact, 60 percent of patients seeking care at Title X funded health centers have incomes below 101 percent of the federal poverty level and receive care at no cost. Altogether, in 2023, Title X supported health care services for 2.8 million patients at 3,853 health centers across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Freezing Title X funds puts millions at risk of losing basic health services and screenings.  A 2024 report from the HHS Office of Population Affairs determined that there “remains a significant need for publicly funded programs to provide free or subsidized sexual and reproductive health [SRH] services.”

    Despite its vast impact, on April 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began withholding all, most, or a substantial portion of Title X funding in 23 states, and all other grantees received partial awards. These states span from coast to coast and the non-contiguous states, covering nearly a quarter of the nation’s Title X network. You have entirely cut access to Title X family planning services for California, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, and Utah; and your agency is making significant cuts to Title-X funded services in Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. All other grantees have received partial funding which significantly constrains planned staffing and service delivery this performance year.

    The notifications were premised on specious arguments and contain unreasonable deadlines given the hundreds of health centers that must be surveyed in order to respond to this politically motivated inquiry. Though the administration has explicitly targeted specific providers like Planned Parenthood affiliates, it also included a varied group of nonprofit state and regional grantees.

    These interruptions will be widely felt in our communities and exacerbate the country’s maternal health crisis, particularly in the context of health center closures and restrictive state policies that impact access to reproductive care. By withholding critical appropriated funds, you are impeding access to essential health care services in rural and underserved areas, risking providers closing their doors, and jeopardizing working families’ lives and livelihoods. We request that you expeditiously release funding to Title X grantees in the 23 impacted states before you cause irreparable harm.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police acknowledge IPCA report into fatal fleeing driver incident

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police acknowledge the findings of the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) in relation to a fatal fleeing driver incident in June 2024.

    The fatal crash occurred on Lambie Drive, Manukau on 17 June after a stolen vehicle was signalled to stop, but failed to do so and ended up crashing into a tree.

    The driver died at the scene and the passenger was seriously injured.

    Officers had earlier stopped the vehicle in Manukau after noticing the number plates had been reported stolen and spoke to the driver before he drove off at speed.

    Another Police unit signalled for the vehicle to stop however it continued on.

    Two other officers were alerted to the fleeing driver and positioned themselves to deploy road spikes in an attempt to stop the vehicle, however when the driver saw the officer step out from behind a sign he swerved and lost control, crashing into a tree.

    The investigation found that the vehicle and plates were stolen and that the driver had methamphetamine in his system, was breaching a court-imposed curfew, and was driving dangerously.

    Police agree with the Authority’s findings that two officers breached policy concerning the planned use of road spikes by not informing the Emergency Communications Centre (ECC) of their position and intention to use them.

    Police note the Authority’s other findings around the incident.

    Counties Manukau District Commander Superintendent Shanan Gray says Police actions should be considered in the context of all the circumstances surrounding this event.

    “Footage shows our staff had seconds to make a decision around whether or not to lay road spikes, and in this timeframe were unable to advise ECC of their plan due to other radio traffic.

    “Staff who attend these incidents need to make decisions based on the threat and circumstances as they present, and without the benefit of hindsight.”

    The staff involved were subject to a confidential employment process and remain employed with New Zealand Police.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech on foreign affairs and trade

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Kia ora and good morning everyone.
    Before I start, can I acknowledge the Wellington Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity to speak to all of you this morning.
    It comes at a difficult time for the global economy, with rising rhetoric, escalating tariffs, and the prospect of further retaliation to come.
    I had originally planned to take this opportunity to speak about my Government’s plan for economic growth – to create jobs, lift incomes, and put more money back in the wallets of Kiwis.
    I will still touch on that.
    It’s my Government’s top priority and it frames just about every decision we take here in Wellington as we focus on improving the lives of all New Zealanders.
    But with markets rocked and exporters facing uncertainty, I know there’s one topic front of mind for many businesses and many households.
    So this morning I want to take some time to speak to those events and make the case for free trade and the rules-based international order.
    Trade is the lifeblood of the New Zealand economy.
    Whether it’s our incredible farmers and growers, our outstanding tourism industry, or our burgeoning tech sector, Kiwis businesses thrive when we compete on the world stage.
    Our success isn’t an accident – and it didn’t happen overnight.
    Successive generations of trade negotiators and political leaders have invested in relationships offshore, and worked hard to complete deals like CER, the China FTA, the CPTPP, and the more recent EU, UK, UAE and GCC FTAs.
    Business leaders have moved rapidly, too – finding fresh opportunities for growth in emerging markets, and developing outstanding products back home that put New Zealand on the map.
    Our rural economy in particular represents the very best of open and competitive trade – selling into difficult markets, with no direct financial support, and consistently coming out on top.
    I could – and often do – speak at length about the contribution exporters make to the domestic economy.
    But trade goes both ways.
    Yes, export growth will be critical to improving New Zealand’s economic prospects in the coming years.
    But the removal of New Zealand’s own trade barriers and embrace of goods and services imported from offshore has also led to a major improvement in our quality of life in recent years.
    Our clothing is more affordable, our cars are more reliable, our diets are more diverse, and our holidays in Bali and Europe are a nice contrast to summers at the lake or the beach.
    Free trade of goods purchased from offshore has also supported growth in productivity.
    Kiwi exporters rely on the trucks, tractors, jet engines, computers, and smart phones we buy from overseas that make their businesses tick.
    And it’s not realistic to expect that in a country of just five million people, we could make everything we need here at home.
    Political leaders have tried that before in New Zealand – and it didn’t end well.
    Older generations will remember the efforts we went to.
    Governments imposed strict import controls and encouraged cars and televisions to be assembled here at home.
    And like today, conflict offshore occasionally helped to send prices spiralling – but the response looked very different.
    In the late 1970s, politicians imposed “carless days”, with stickers on your vehicle dictating which days you could drive to work, and which days you caught a ride with a friend or just walked into town instead.
    There was no “work from home” in 1979.
    Agriculture, today the backbone of our economy, was heavily subsidised and much less productive, much less diverse than the efficient and entrepreneurial sector thriving in New Zealand today.
    Those failed policies weren’t just foolish economics.
    They reflected the best efforts of political leaders to insulate New Zealand from an era of major social and geopolitical change.
    History shows those best efforts were a mistake, that required years of difficult choices and careful recovery.
    New Zealanders paid the price then.
    I don’t intend for them to do so again.
    Which brings us to today.
    The events of recent days are the most significant challenge to the rules-based trading system since the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was formed in 1947.
    Action, reaction, and response have shocked financial markets.
    As the Minister of Finance highlighted earlier this week, the direct impact on the New Zealand economy from the US tariffs announced last week is likely to be around $900 million or roughly 0.2% of GDP.
    But the second order consequences of a region and a world retreating from trade and increasingly uncertain about its economic future will be more significant, despite the welcome news of de-escalation this morning.
    I know for many businesses keeping an eye offshore and for those New Zealanders watching their KiwiSaver accounts, that could be confronting.
    The exporters I’ve spoken to in recent days remain buoyant, rightly confident in the quality of their product, and their ability to navigate choppy waters.
    But for countries whose prosperity is underpinned by global trade, the months ahead will be challenging for their economic interests.
    Many commentators will see these events as just the next step in a longer-term trend towards economic security and national resilience, as countries insure themselves against emerging geopolitical threats.
    Others have gone further, declaring an end to the era of free markets, free trade, and free people, and the rules-based international order underpinning it.
    For my part, I’m not ready to throw in the towel quite yet. Kiwis have worked too hard and for too long, to give up on the values and institutions which have seen our country and the region we live in thrive.
    So, for as long as I am Prime Minister, New Zealand will keep making the case for trade as a cornerstone of our prosperity.
    Yes, we are a small country – but stature has never been a barrier to our success.
    Take the P3 – a proposed trade agreement which began life under negotiation at APEC between New Zealand, Singapore, and Chile in the early 2000s.
    Three small countries, practicing what we preach – and doing everything we could to create opportunity for our people through trade.
    Today, that agreement lives on as the CPTPP and covers a dozen countries, including New Zealand and Australia, Canada, much of Asia, and most recently the United Kingdom.
    In total, that’s roughly 15% of global economic activity, or $13 trillion USD – a long way from where we started just over twenty years ago.
    The United Kingdom might be the most recent accession, but I expect they won’t be the last.
    New Zealand will continue to work with like-minded countries to promote free trade as a path to prosperity and explore the role of the CPTPP in strengthening that vision.
    One possibility is that members of the CPTPP and the European Union work together to champion rules-based trade and make specific commitments on how that support plays out in practice.
    My vision is that includes action to prevent restrictions on exports and efforts to ensure any retaliation is consistent with existing rules.
    Collective action, and a collective commitment, by a large portion of the global economy would be a significant step towards preserving free trade flows and protecting supply chains.
    Clearly though, efforts at collective action won’t be enough to support New Zealand’s economic interests.
    As Prime Minister, I have a responsibility to do everything I can to both bolster the existing rules-based order and to further strengthen New Zealand’s position offshore.
    It’s why I have put so much emphasis on deepening our relationships with partners around the region, with visits throughout South-East Asia, Korea and Japan, the United States, and to India last month as we commenced negotiations for a free trade agreement.
    It’s why my Government has worked so hard to close out fresh agreements with the UAE and GCC that enable additional trade and investment.
    It’s why we hosted an Investment Summit in Auckland, making the case both for New Zealand as an outstanding place to do business and for the opportunity to enter long-term infrastructure partnerships.
    It’s why on Monday this week the Minister of Defence and I launched the Government’s Defence Capability Plan, that lifts defence expenditure to 2% of GDP and ensures New Zealand pulls its weight for many years to come.
    It’s why I will be on the phone later today to world leaders comparing notes on world trade, and testing what we can do together to buttress the rules-based trading system.
    And it’s why I will be heading to the United Kingdom later this month to meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, to talk trade, security, and the geopolitical backdrop in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
    We can’t make the case for New Zealand sitting at home.
    We have to position ourselves as advocates both for our own economic interests and the institutions that underpin them.
    I’m very lucky to lead a Government with so many Ministers dedicated to that task, whether that’s the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Trade, or the Minister of Defence, each of whom having already made a number of significant achievements supporting New Zealand’s interests offshore.
    Back home, the volatility offshore is a fresh reminder of just how important our focus on economic growth will be in the coming years.
    As I said recently at our Investment Summit in Auckland, New Zealand can be a shelter from the global storm.
    That brings a serious opportunity from ensuring our business environment is as welcoming as possible for investment and growth.
    We are making serious inroads into that task.
    Earlier this year, Minister for Economic Growth Nicola Willis published our Government’s Going for Growth Agenda, which outlines a range of actions we are taking to get the New Zealand economy moving and realising its vast potential.
    Each of those actions fits into one of five pillars we have identified as critical to lifting economic growth and improving New Zealanders’ standard of living:

    Developing talent,
    Encouraging innovation, science, and technology,
    Introducing competitive business settings,
    Promoting global trade and investment,
    And delivering infrastructure for growth.

    Across each of those pillars, we have Ministers working day and night to drive through reform – in transport, tourism, aquaculture, construction, advanced aviation, mining, energy, agriculture, and horticulture.
    In just the last few weeks, we have presented our plans to replace the Resource Management Act, fix our broken health and safety laws, and make nation-shaping investments like the Northland Expressway.
    We have introduced the Fast Track regime, streamlining the consenting process for projects of regional and national significance.
    We are re-writing the Overseas Investment Act, so major investments from offshore are consented faster and more reliably.
    We are tearing down the barriers to fresh investment in renewable and non-renewable energy, by repealing the oil and gas ban and ushering in new consenting rules for wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal.
    And we are doubling down on efforts to showcase New Zealand to the world, promoting our tourism and international education sectors offshore so we can attract even more people to spend their money here.
    I know there’s more we can do.
    Growth has now returned, and the economy has turned the corner, but our reform agenda will need to continue at pace for us to out-run the challenges to growth facing us from offshore.
    The challenges to the rules-based international order are intense and the strategic environment my government has inherited is more difficult than it has been for many years.
    For New Zealanders who grew up watching events unfold in Europe and the Middle East, it will be confronting to watch strategic competition and the deterioration of rules-based trade come to our neighbourhood, the Indo-Pacific.
    But the response for New Zealand cannot be retreat.
    New Zealanders are at our best when faced with adversity and we thrive when we compete on the world stage.
    To quote my friend the Foreign Minister, this isn’t our first rodeo.
    Our export sector is jam-packed with talented, sharp New Zealanders who make great products – and create jobs here at home while they do it.
    Farmers, growers, wine makers, and start-ups from all around the country investing in our nation’s future because they have confidence that better days lie ahead.
    I’m not ready to call time on the rules-based trading system.
    And I’m not ready for New Zealand to give up on our efforts to advocate for it on the world stage.
    We’re not in this alone.
    The same institutions that have served New Zealand so well for so long, also underpin the prosperity of so many of our friends and partners, many of whom are also continuing to make the case for free and open trade in recent days.
    My government will keep making the case – overseas, here at home, with a strong voice and a consistent message.
    Free trade works.
    It lifts incomes.
    It creates jobs.
    It builds partnerships.
    And it secures peace.
    I think that’s worth fighting for – and I’m up for that fight.
    Thank you.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Auckland University of Technology to offer new psychology training

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says that the government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s mental health and addiction workforce continues to build momentum, announcing today that the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) is joining the work to develop the training for the new associate psychologist role.
    “Demand for mental health and addiction services continues to grow. Unfortunately, despite this demand, we have many psychology students graduating each year with undergraduate degrees that are unable to progress to work in mental health, due to limited intake into training programmes that lead to registered psychology roles,” says Mr Doocey.
    “I’m delighted that AUT will be helping to develop training for a role that will offer many more psychology students the opportunity to go on to build careers in mental health and support more people to receive timely support.
    “I’m committed to growing our mental health and addiction workforce so more New Zealanders receive the support they need, when they need it. This Government is doing that by investing in a range of initiatives that will enable us to continue to build our workforce, expand capacity, and ensure we have a training pipeline.
    “Since announcing the role, there has been some misconceptions and concerns that are necessary to clear up.
    “Psychologists will continue to play a vital part in this workforce. We have been hard at work to support universities to grow psychologist numbers by investing to increase the number of new psychology internships from 40 to 80 per year by 2027.
    “The creation of the new associate psychologist role is designed to support, not replace the existing psychology workforce. They will work under supervision of a psychologist, within mental health or addiction services.
    “Working with aspects of care that have been defined as less complex within a multi-disciplinary team, this will allow existing registered psychologists to focus on the more complex work they’re trained for.
    “Undergraduate students who have already completed a major in psychology may be eligible to go on to complete a one-year postgraduate diploma to become a qualified associate psychologist. This offers psychology students a new pathway option that will see more people gaining the qualifications they need to and retain more people in the mental health and addiction workforce.”
    Last month Minister Doocey announced that the University of Canterbury were the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme.
    “Together, the two universities are working to prepare a curriculum to train the first intake of students in 2026. It will be exciting to see the first graduates joining the workforce in 2027,” Mr Doocey says.
    “Last year I announced New Zealand’s first targets for mental health and addiction, including the target to train 500 new mental health and addiction health professionals every year. The mental health and addiction workforce plan aims to deliver on that target through a broad range of initiatives, including better utilisation of the Peer Support workforce and increasing the number of psychology internships. The creation of innovative new roles such as associate psychologists is another way we are strengthening the mental health and addiction support available.”
    Note for editors:

    AUT will be working alongside the University of Canterbury to develop the training programme for the qualification, with guidance from Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and the New Zealand Psychologists Board (NZPB) who are developing the scope of practice, competencies and accreditation process for the role.
    NZPB will also advise on a final title for the role, so the name “associate psychologist” is being used as a placeholder.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ, Colorado to cooperate on space, science

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New Zealand and the State of Colorado have agreed to deepen relationships and offer opportunities in aerospace, quantum and geothermal technologies and beyond, Space Minister Judith Collins says.
    Ms Collins signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Colorado State Governor Jared Polis while attending the 40th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.
    “Today marks a significant moment in the strengthening of ties between New Zealand and Colorado,” she says.
    “When Mr Polis and I first met a year ago we agreed to work to strengthen our partnership to further cooperation in science and technology, including in aerospace, quantum and geothermal technologies.
    “This Memorandum of Cooperation formalises that we’re on the same page when it comes to the things that will drive economic growth, including research and development, company exchanges, regional technology hubs and innovation ecosystems that advance strategic industries,” Ms Collins says.
    The Memorandum of Cooperation encourages increased collaboration between New Zealand and the State of Colorado across multiple areas including:

    Aerospace technologies and applications;
    geothermal technologies, including conventional and enhanced geothermal systems, geothermal direct use;
    quantum technologies; and   
    entrepreneurship, venture capital, and startups. 
    New Zealand and Colorado have strong people-to-people links, historically through tourism. These links have to led to an important collaboration in new weightless industries and highlight the prospects for enhanced engagement in research, science, and technology spheres.
    Our respective ski resort areas, Queenstown and Aspen, have enjoyed a sister-city relationship since 1992.
    In September 2024, Auckland and Denver became City2City partners to encourage innovation and increase support to boost the startup ecosystems in both cities.
    Two-way trade with Colorado is worth US$61 million (NZ$106 million:

    Ms Collins says the agreement encourages engagement, and will deepen New Zealand’s commercial relationships as well as establishing links to develop new ones.
    “Increasing collaboration will be a win-win for those looking to invest in New Zealand companies or start-ups, and the same applies for those looking to invest in opportunities in Colorado,” Ms Collins says.
    The Memorandum of Cooperation can be found on the MBIE website.
    Notes to editors:
    New Zealand–Colorado Collaboration

    Colorado exports to NZ are US$23m, with the largest contributors being transportation equipment (US$6m), machinery (US$6m), computer and electronic products (US$3m).
    Colorado imports from NZ are worth US$38m, with the largest contributors being machinery (US$17m) computer and electronics (US$7m), beverage and tobacco products (US$5m) and processed food (US$5m).
    New Zealand was the sixth-largest provider of foreign direct investment in Colorado in 2023. Twenty-nine New Zealand companies, many startups, have a presence in the Denver region alone.
    The strength of these ties led to New Zealand appointing an Honorary Consul based in Denver, and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, tasked with growing New Zealand businesses internationally, has representatives in Colorado. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Manakau overbridge resurfacing planned for State Highway 1

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    The Manakau rail overbridge on State Highway 1 is about to get a new road surface ahead of the Easter break.

    Road crews will be completing this work on the night of Wednesday, 16 April between 9 pm and 4:30 am.

    State Highway 1 is heavily used and there are no local detours available, north and southbound drivers will need to wait up to 20 minutes under stop/go traffic management.

    Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead, travel earlier if possible, and expect delays until the work is completed.

    The narrowness of the bridge and the heavy machinery being used means both lanes must be closed as there is not enough safe space to let vehicles through.

    The project has been deliberately timed to minimise  its impact on the public. Work will be done at night when traffic volumes are lighter. Doing it during the day when there are more vehicles on the road would create longer delays and more disruption for drivers.

    NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance understand that these works will affect residents and road user. However, this essential state highway maintenance is critical in ensuring the highway remains safe and reliable for the public.

    More Information

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Expanding Transportation Innovation: Gov. Polis Announces Swisspod Expansion in Colorado

    Source: US State of Colorado

    COLORADO SPRINGS – Today, Governor Polis and the Global Business Development Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced that Swisspod, a company pioneering high-speed, emission-free Hyperloop transportation, is expanding in Colorado Springs. As a designer and manufacturer of high-speed vehicles and subsystems for transportation assets, Swisspod aims to transform the way people and goods move.

    “I’m excited to see Swisspod expand its presence in Colorado, the best place to live and do business. Colorado’s future is one where people can have more transportation options and expanded transit services at a lower cost. Swisspod will bring new, good-paying jobs to Colorado Springs while supporting the future of transportation infrastructure,” said Governor Polis.

    In 2024, Governor Polis announced Colorado Transportation Vision: 2035, which includes new goals and strategies to reduce transportation-related air pollution and GHG emissions by increasing transportation options, expanding transit services, and building more housing near train and bus stops.

    Swisspod develops technology that can revolutionize the transportation sector, making it faster, more reliable, and more sustainable. The company has developed patents for propulsion and levitation technologies that have the potential to transform current track-based transportation systems and extend into industries like aerospace, automotive, and more.

    Now, the company is expanding its North American presence with a new manufacturing and assembly facility in Colorado Springs. There, access to talent, supply chain connectivity, and proximity to partners, as well as the development of a prototype of its hyperloop transportation system in Pueblo, Colorado, will support the company’s growth.

    “We’ve built deep ties to Colorado. This is the home to our full-scale hyperloop infrastructure in Pueblo. And now, our newest R&D hub in Colorado Springs, a city that’s on the rise, an innovation powerhouse packed with bold thinkers and exceptional engineers ready to build the future. Setting up an operational office and a manufacturing & assembly space here was a natural next step. We’re excited to shape the future of transportation in a city that’s evolving full speed ahead,” said Swisspod CEO and Co-Founder Denis Tudor.

    In Colorado Springs, the company expects to create 107 net new jobs at an average annual wage of $67,952.38, which is 108% of the average annual wage in El Paso County. The positions will include roles in engineering and design, production, marketing, operations, and administrative support.

    “Companies like Swisspod are creating the technologies of tomorrow while creating good-paying jobs for Coloradans. We are thrilled to see them expand in Colorado Springs, enhancing our state’s commitment to innovation and diversifying our thriving economy,” said OEDIT Executive Director Eve Lieberman.

    The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved up to $918,000 in a performance-based Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit for the company over an eight-year period. These incentives are contingent upon Swisspod, referred to as Project Chocolate throughout the OEDIT review process, meeting net new job creation and salary requirements.

    The Colorado Springs City Council approved $5,250 over a four-year period in performance-based incentives. The sales and use tax rebates apply to the purchases of construction materials, equipment, machinery, furniture, and fixtures.  The City’s Economic Development Department also offered to support the company through its Rapid Response Program, as well as talent and workforce development support. Additionally, El Paso County approved $1,041,609 in incentives.

    “Swisspod’s expansion will significantly enhance Colorado Springs’ advanced manufacturing sector, diversify our transit systems, and open our region to new business opportunities across North America,” said Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, President & CEO of Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC. “Our region’s diverse industries, robust economy, and highly skilled workforce create strong supply chains, allowing deep tech companies like Swisspod to thrive.”

    “We are proud to welcome Swisspod Technologies to Colorado Springs as they open their first North American headquarters. Their forward-thinking approach to technology and transportation aligns with our goals of creating vibrant economic growth, high-quality jobs, and positioning our community as a hub for cutting-edge industries. Hyperloop transportation has captured the attention and imagination of the world, and Colorado Springs is proud to be home to the people who are leading this innovative and ambitious work,” said Mayor Yemi Mobalade, City of Colorado Springs.

    “El Paso County remains committed to creating a business-friendly environment where private enterprise can thrive,” said Commissioner Carrie Geitner, Chair of the Board of County Commissioners. “By supporting initiatives like the Pikes Peak Enterprise Zone, we’re making it easier for job creators to invest, grow, and hire right here in our community. We’re proud to welcome Swisspod Technologies to El Paso County and look forward to the positive impact this investment will have on our region.”

    In addition to Colorado, Swisspod considered New Mexico for expansion. The company already has 10 employees in Colorado and is looking to expand its team here.

    About Swisspod

    Swisspod is a Swiss-American transportation technology company leading the development of the most sustainable, efficient, and comprehensive Hyperloop solution. The company was founded in 2019 by Denis Tudor, CEO, and Cyril Dénéréaz, CTO, two multiple-award winners of the SpaceX Hyperloop Competition. Swisspod aims to change the way people travel by connecting every major city using sustainable, carbon-neutral, energy-efficient, and high-speed transportation solutions. The company envisions a continental map of connections between major cities that will facilitate collaboration, accelerate human progress, and create a more prosperous future for the generations to come. For more information, visit www.swisspod.com and follow Swisspod on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X.com, and YouTube for ongoing updates.

    About Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

    The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado’s economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: State of Colorado and New Zealand Sign Agreement to Foster Cooperation in Aerospace, Quantum and Geothermal Technologies

    Source: US State of Colorado

    COLORADO SPRINGS – Today, at the 40th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Governor Jared Polis and Space Minister Judith Collins signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between Colorado and New Zealand to strengthen the partnership between the two regions and foster opportunities in aerospace, quantum and geothermal technologies. The MoC grew out of a meeting between Governor Polis and Minister Collins in April 2024, when the leaders agreed to take active steps to further cooperation in key advanced industries.

    “We are thrilled to strengthen our relationship with New Zealand, a country that shares our commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and advancing new technologies like aerospace, geothermal and quantum. This agreement will help create more opportunities for investments into Colorado businesses and the creation of good new jobs,” said Governor Polis.

    The MoC is intended to increase bilateral foreign direct investment between Colorado and New Zealand, develop bilateral research and development projects, strengthen company exchanges and expansion opportunities, and promote regional technology hubs and innovation ecosystems that advance strategic industries.

    “Today’s announcement demonstrates the importance of building long-term relationships with our partners abroad. This milestone builds on years of cooperation with New Zealand to increase opportunities for startups and growing businesses while advancing new technologies, strengthening our economies and creating new jobs,” said Eve Lieberman, OEDIT Executive Director.

    Two-way trade between New Zealand and Colorado is valued at $61 million annually. In 2024, Colorado exported $23 million in goods to New Zealand, including transportation equipment, machinery and computer and electronic projects. Colorado imported $38 million in goods from New Zealand, including machinery; computer and electronics; beverage and tobacco products; and processed foods. Over the past five years, New Zealand was the seventh largest provider of foreign direct investment into Colorado, with twenty-nine New Zealand companies, many of them startups, in the Denver area alone.  

    Additionally, ski resort areas, Queenstown and Aspen, have enjoyed sister-city relations since 1992. In 2019, Colorado’s Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera and OEDIT conducted an investment mission to New Zealand, and in September 2024, Auckland and Denver became City2City partners to encourage innovation and boost the startup ecosystems in both cities. The strength of these ties led New Zealand to appoint representatives from New Zealand Trade & Enterprise to further assist New Zealand companies land in Colorado, as well as an Honorary Consul based in Denver. Following the signing of the MoC, a steering committee will be formed to oversee implementation of the agreement.

    About OEDIT’s Global Business Development Division

    Global Business Development (GBD) is a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. GBD supports Colorado businesses and communities by using a data-driven approach to recruit, support, and retain businesses that contribute to a robust and diversified economy. We align our portfolio of programs, services, and incentives with industries that benefit Colorado companies and elevate the state’s national and international competitiveness. GBD also hosts foreign delegations and participates in trade and investment missions around the world to strengthen global awareness of Colorado. With a highly educated and motivated workforce, a thriving innovation economy, and nation-leading entrepreneurial spirit, Colorado is a top market for business development.

    About the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

    The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado’s economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Remarks by Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director at the PMNCH High-Level Panel – SRHR as a Catalyst for Social and Economic Rights: Advancing Health, Equity, and Development

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Your Excellencies, 
    Dear Rajat, 
    Esteemed partners and friends, 
    Dear young people,

    My greetings are of peace – now so needed and the fervent wish of the women, girls and young people UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, serves in over 150 countries. In these times, the United Nations’ mission: peace, human rights and development, is more precious now than ever before.

    Since 1994 and the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Principle 1 of the Programme of Action affirming that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. This has been underscored in the UN Charter itself. 

    So we thank our friends at the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) for organizing this event with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights – an intrinsic part of the right to health and development. UNFPA will continue to be your best ally on the frontlines of the fight for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

    Let me go further and commend you, the stalwarts of the sexual and reproductive health and rights movement – a movement that connects us all around the world. 

    We must face the reality that the pushback is intensifying and that progress is slowing. Once again, it is poor marginalized women and girls being left behind – who have the least access to health services and are bearing the greatest burden of ill health and preventable deaths. 

    Who is listening to them? Because they are being denied their fundamental rights and choices every day.

    Right now, the world over, human rights are being threatened. Let me tell you, there are two areas in particular that have me up at night:

    1) Population crusaders

    Some are currently taking the view that you should have 10- or 20 children because it’s what’s best for society. The right to bodily autonomy asserts that no woman anywhere should ever be told how many children to have, to be denied contraception of her choosing, or to be coerced into sterilization. It is women without a social safety net who fall victim to unsafe abortion and will be particularly harmed by these types of ideas.

    The right to bodily autonomy should not be up for debate. It should not be a toxic, third rail issue. Yet even in parts of Europe, women face difficulties accessing contraception and young women are being encouraged to pursue motherhood only, not a career.

    2) Online violence

    Online violence is terrorizing women, girls, and people of diverse sexual identities. If we do not act, if we do not listen, the average 10-year-old girl will not be able to go online without being bullied or shamed.

    The increasing prevalence of shocking disrespect and technology-facilitated gender-based violence threatens the safety and wellbeing of women and girls. Two in five women say they have experienced online violence. It’s even higher for women at the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination, including racism.

    Every day, UNFPA valiantly serves women and girls who have experienced life-altering violence; and women and girls who lack access to the essential sexual and reproductive health care that is their right.

    Let me remind us that a woman living in a country with a fragile health system is 135 times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than one in a country with accessible emergency care. This disparity is further compounded for women of African descent and Indigenous women, who face alarmingly high mortality rates due to inadequate care.

    Women and girls caught up in a humanitarian crisis have to contend with even more dire conditions. 

    In Myanmar, where the earthquake recently struck, it didn’t just shake the ground; it shook the very foundations of women’s access to life-saving care. In Gaza, pregnant women are giving birth amid chaos and without the essential maternal health care and medicines they desperately need. 

    And in conflicts everywhere, women and girls are singled out for abuse. Rape and assault as a tactic of war aims to terrorize and displace populations. I can imagine no worse violation of the dignity and rights of a human being.

    People who have been victimized tell us that justice is very important to them – it is part of the healing that they seek. But again, is anyone listening?

    I can assure you that UNFPA, PMNCH and all of us in this room are listening and are determined to speak up for her. I am certainly determined to defend the rights and choices of women, girls and young people everywhere.

    It is not something that goes in and out of fashion. It is not something that any one Member State can dictate. These are values that must not be compromised. 

    The enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights generates a multitude of socioeconomic benefits, ranging from reductions in maternal and child mortality to higher education levels and greater productivity — building blocks for stronger, healthier communities.

    It is one of the best investments possible.

    I learned this week about a study in South Africa that has shown that at the age of 14-16 years, something dramatic happens in the life of an adolescent girl. Prior to that age, boys and girls enjoy the same freedoms when it comes to accessing social and economic opportunities. But with the onset on puberty, the girl diverges from the boy, her potential curtailed.

    Meeting the needs of young people has to be a priority, and solutions have to be co-created with them. 

    I hope we will take inspiration from CPD week and be humble enough to explain our positions, which are based on data and evidence, but also be adamant about our values proposition, as proclaimed in Principle 3 of the ICPD Programme of Action:

    The right to development is a universal and inalienable right and an integral part of fundamental human rights, and the human person is the central subject of development. 

    Thank you again. I encourage and urge you to continue to be vocal and to be visible, not just here in New York during this time, but everywhere where you sit. As you go back home, know that we wish the best for you as defenders of the rights and choices women and girls. 

    Please continue to wave the flag of the ICPD up high.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 9 April 2025 Departmental update Global Sepsis Alliance hosts annual World Sepsis Congress

    Source: World Health Organisation

    This year’s congress featured over 90 expert speakers, including leading clinicians, scientists, policymakers, sepsis survivors and representatives from patient advocacy groups. With more than 15 000 participants from over 180 countries, the event was a significant gathering dedicated to addressing the key issues surrounding sepsis. 

    Several WHO staff members, including WHO Chief Scientist, Dr Jeremy Farrar; WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, Dr Yukiko Nakatani; and technical leads from various departments, were present at the congress. The WHO’s involvement underscores the importance of global collaboration in the fight against sepsis. 

    During the Congress, the delegates discussed issues such as integrated emergency, critical and operative care, research agenda for antimicrobial resistance and sepsis, potential of AI in the global sepsis response, and sepsis in emergencies and humanitarian crisis, among others. 
     
    Dr Teri Reynolds, Unit Head for WHO Clinical Services and Systems, said, “The World Sepsis Congress gathers global stakeholders to share knowledge aimed at preventing death and disability from sepsis, with WHO emphasizing the importance of prevention and people-centred care pathways to improve early recognition and optimize health system navigation for timely care. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Global Sepsis Alliance, a key partner in our Acute Care Action Network.” 

    In response to the growing global burden of sepsis, the WHO adopted Resolution WHA70.7 in May 2017, focusing on improving the prevention, diagnosis and clinical management of sepsis. The resolution’s key pillars include developing clinical management guidelines, estimating the global burden of sepsis, supporting member states in implementing standards, and enhancing sepsis treatment and infection prevention. 

    The World Sepsis Congress serves as a critical platform for updating current research, discussing new innovations and advancing clinical, political and financial support to reduce sepsis mortality and its associated sequelae. By bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, the congress aims to address the global burden of sepsis and improve outcomes for patients and their families.

    “,”datePublished”:”2025-04-09T05:00:00.0000000+00:00″,”image”:”https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/ihs/ipc/sepsis/sepsis_activities.jpg?sfvrsn=4f22efce_1″,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”World Health Organization: WHO”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg”,”width”:250,”height”:60}},”dateModified”:”2025-04-09T05:00:00.0000000+00:00″,”mainEntityOfPage”:”https://www.who.int/news/item/09-04-2025-global-sepsis-alliance-hosts-annual-world-sepsis-congress”,”@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”NewsArticle”};
    ]]>

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ISIS Supporter Sentenced to Over 19 Years in Prison for Recruiting for ISIS, Obstruction, and Attempting to Flee Justice

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, also known as ‘Umm Nutella,’ Initially Cooperated with Law Enforcement, but then Secretly Contacted ISIS Supporters, Deleted Evidence, Lied to Investigators, and Tried to Flee the Country Rather than Face Prison

    A Brooklyn woman, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, 30, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced today to serve 230 months in prison for three separately charged crimes: conspiring to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization; obstructing justice while released on bail pending sentencing; and failing to appear for court as required when she attempted to flee the United States. Ceasar pleaded guilty to the material support charge in February 2017, to the obstruction of justice charge in March 2019, and to the failure to appear charge in October 2022.

    “Today’s re-sentencing marks the end of a righteous journey that began a decade ago,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Terrorist organizations like ISIS rely on recruiters like Ceasar to attract, indoctrinate, and enlist new followers. The Department is committed to holding accountable those who seek to follow a similar path. Today was made possible by our prosecutors, staff, and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. We are grateful for their tireless pursuit of justice in this case.”

    “With today’s sentence, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, an unrepentant ISIS recruiter, will be incarcerated for a significant period of time to protect Americans here and abroad from her violent extremism,” said U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “Even after pleading guilty to providing material support to ISIS, the defendant continued to support terrorists, obstructed justice and fled from prosecution. This office, together with the FBI, the NYPD, and all the members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, works tirelessly to pursue and hold accountable all those who support terrorism.”

    “Ceasar pleaded guilty to helping ISIS, yet she continued on the same path by communicating with other ISIS supporters, “said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Her actions demonstrate a failure to truly accept responsibility for her actions, and she ultimately cut off her electronic monitoring device and went on the run. Ceasar’s efforts failed and with today’s sentencing she is being held accountable for her criminal actions.”

    Between January 2016 and November 2016, Ceasar used numerous social media accounts to praise, promote, and support ISIS and violent jihad and to disseminate ISIS propaganda. Ceasar posted under a variety of names, including her nom de guerre, or war name, “Umm Nutella,” which translates to “Mother of Nutella.” Ceasar developed contacts with ISIS members overseas, recruited individuals in the United States to travel overseas to join and fight for ISIS, and used her contacts with ISIS facilitators to attempt to help at least five people from the United States join ISIS abroad. Ceasar also expressed her own desire to travel to ISIS-controlled territory to join the group and die as a martyr.

    In November 2016, Ceasar was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport as she prepared to board an international flight, which was to be the first leg of her journey to join ISIS. Ceasar pleaded guilty in February 2017 to conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS and agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigations of ISIS members and supporters.

    In April 2018, Ceasar was released on bail, subject to court-ordered conditions of release. However, she violated those conditions, and her cooperation agreement with the government, by reconnecting with individuals she had identified to the government as supporters of ISIS. Ceasar attempted to conceal these communications from the government and the court, attempted to delete more than 1,000 electronic communications, and lied to the government about her conduct. The court revoked Ceasar’s bail in July 2018. Ceasar pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding in March 2019.

    In June 2019, the late U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein sentenced Ceasar to 48 months in prison for the material support and obstruction offenses, and the government appealed. In August 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the sentence imposed by Judge Weinstein, calling it “shockingly low, and unsupportable as a matter of law,” and sent the case back to the district court for resentencing.

    While the appeal was pending, however, Ceasar completed serving this 48-month sentence in July 2020, and began serving an eight-year term of supervised release. Almost immediately after her release, Ceasar began to repeatedly violate the conditions of her supervision by downloading and using phone apps that she failed to report to the Probation Department, recontacting and communicating with ISIS supporters, soliciting funds from ISIS supporters, communicating with convicted felons, using extremist language, and deleting the evidence of her violations of these conditions of supervision.

    In August 2021, after the Second Circuit issued its decision remanding her case for resentencing, Ceasar fled. On the day she was scheduled to appear before the Court, Ceasar removed her ankle bracelet location monitoring device, and fled New York City on a cross-country bus trip to New Mexico, setting off a nationwide fugitive investigation that led to her arrest in New Mexico two days later. The evidence established that Ceasar intended to escape the United States and travel to Russia, and that, while fleeing, she used an internet-based messaging application to contact an individual in Afghanistan to seek assistance to travel there. She sought assistance from the individual in Afghanistan in the hours after ISIS Khorasan carried out a bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that killed hundreds, including 13 members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In connection with her flight from prosecution, Ceasar ultimately pleaded guilty to her third separate felony offense, a charge of failing to appear before the court as required, in October 2022.

    After being returned to custody at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to await sentencing, Ceasar routinely violated Bureau of Prisons institutional rules, circumvented telephone and email monitoring and use restrictions, and continued to communicate and associate with other ISIS supporters.

    The government’s case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian C. Richardson, currently of the National Security Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew D. Reich of the Eastern District of New York’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Republicans Waste Time and Taxpayer Money with Vanity Bill as Economy Crashes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    April 09, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, as the stock market was thrown into chaos and Americans are struggling to make ends meet, the House Natural Resources Committee Republicans held a markup on legislation designed to distract from this administration’s pandemonium and stroke the President’s ego. The markup featured pushing a Gulf of Mexico renaming stunt – all while families across America face rising costs, real crises, Trump Tariff whiplash, and shrinking retirement accounts thanks to the economy Republicans wrecked.

    [embedded content]

    “President Trump’s reckless tariff plan has driven our markets into turmoil. The S&P 500 is officially in bear market territory, the Dow is cratering and for the average American teachers, firefighters, truck drivers, their 401ks and retirement savings are crumbling before their eyes, and that’s without getting into the higher prices that we’re all starting to see. These tariffs go into effect starting today. Is the majority doing anything about this looming economic catastrophe that absent decisive intervention will profoundly harm every sector of our economy and numerous programs under this committee’s jurisdiction? Obviously, no. Republicans in this Congress are just too busy renaming things like the Gulf of Mexico,” Ranking Member Huffman said during the markup. “The many issues that we’re neglecting today are not abstract problems, they’re immediate threats to our constituents’ safety, heritage, and livelihoods, and they’re entirely avoidable problems… caused by an administration that is going entirely unchallenged by this Republican Congress. Elon Musk is dismantling the Social Security Administration after calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme just a few days ago.

    “Americans are not asking us to rename places in this moment, they’re asking us to lower costs to protect their savings, to fight for their future. They’re asking us to confront and mitigate the real and immediate threats of drought and wildfire. They’re asking us to stop the absolute chaos coming out of this administration. We urgently need congressional leadership to tackle the most pressing problems in America, and instead we are here with distractions and culture war sideshows. We owe the American people better, much better than this.”

    Republicans voted against multiple Democratic amendments, including: 

    • Ranking Member Jared Huffman’s amendment to restore the name “Denali” to North America’s highest peak.
    • Rep. Darren Soto’s amendment to permanently withdraw the eastern Gulf of Mexico from oil and gas leasing.
    • Rep. Julia Brownley’s amendment to ensure the Secretary of the Interior certifies that the Department will not authorize any oil and gas lease sales in Atlantic and Pacific planning areas.
    • Rep. Debbie Dingell’s amendment to require the protection of gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park.

    BACKGROUND

    A full list of amendments offered by Committee Democrats can be found below.

    H.R. 276 (Greene) Gulf of America Act of 2025

    H.R. 276 (Greene) Gulf of America Act of 2025
    Amendment #1 by Dexter Clarifies that nothing in this bill authorizes the federal government to engage in retribution or censorship against a news organization that refers to the gulf as “Gulf of Mexico”
    Amendment #2 by Huffman Adds that the term “Gulf of America” was first coined by Stephen Colbert in reference to the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster
    Amendment #3 by Huffman Strikes “Gulf of America” and inserts “Gulf of Ignorance”
    Amendment #4 by Huffman Adds that references to Planet Earth shall be considered references to “Planet Trump”
    Amendment #5 by Soto Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the President permanently withdraws the Eastern Gulf of Mexico from oil and gas leasing
    Amendment #6 by Velázquez Strikes “Gulf of America” and inserts “Gulf of Helene”
    Amendment #9 by Ansari Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Secretary of the Interior certifies that President Trump’s trade war will not increase costs for American families and businesses
    Amendment #11 by Rivas Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Secretary of the Interior provides an economic policy assessment of the bill to determine its effects on food prices, GDP, job creation, and unemployment.
    Amendment #12 by Velázquez Adds that the bill shall not take effect until CBO certifies that renaming the gulf would not increase the deficit or increase spending.
    Amendment #13 by Gray Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Secretary of the Interior certifies that they will not reduce or redirect funding for the Bureau of Reclamation in drought-vulnerable states
    Amendment #15 by Dexter Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Secretary of the Interior certifies that the Department’s Office of the Inspector General is fully funded at the requested FY25 level
    Amendment #27 by Brownley Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Department of the Interior conducts a public comment period on the proposed name change
    Amendment #28 by Brownley Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Secretary of the Interior certifies that the Department will not authorize any oil and gas lease sales in Atlantic and Pacific planning areas
    Amendment #31 by Brownley Strikes “Gulf of America” and inserts “Gulf of America Should Rejoin the Paris Agreement” 
    Amendment #34 by Randall Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources certifies that the 119th Congress will not direct or authorize the sale of public lands to raise revenue in a reconciliation bill
    Amendment #36 by Brownley Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the NOAA extreme weather funding, positions, and offices are restored
    Amendment #38 by Brownley Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources certifies that IRA funds supporting Gulf states will not be rescinded
    Amendment #49 by Huffman Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Secretary of the Interior certifies that the name “Denali” has been restored to North America’s highest peak

     

    H.R. 845 (Boebert) Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025

    H.R. 845 (Boebert) Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025
    Amendment #1 by Dexter Adds that the bill shall not take effect until the Secretary of the Interior certifies that workforce reductions will not hinder the ability of the Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out monitoring and conservation actions
    Amendment #2 by Hoyle Adds that the final rule will not be subject to judicial review unless the Secretary of the Interior finds that the gray wolf population has declined more than 10 percent in one year. 
    Amendment #6 by Huffman Strikes Sections 2 and 3 and requires the Secretary of the Interior to publish a nationwide recovery plan for the gray wolf.

     

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    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Orders Flags to Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of Whitewater Fire Protection District Chief Garry Moore

    Source: US State of Missouri

    APRIL 9, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, in honor of Whitewater Fire Protection District Chief Garry Moore, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at government buildings in Cape Girardeau County, the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri in Kingdom City, and firehouses statewide on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from sunrise to sunset.

    “Garry Moore’s life was devoted to serving his community, state and nation,” Governor Mike Kehoe said. “He served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, during which he first joined the fire service. After retiring from the Navy, he joined the Whitewater Fire Protection District, was soon promoted to chief, and spent over three decades responding to fires and other emergencies. Selfless people like Chief Moore are the foundation upon which our strong Missouri communities are built. Claudia and I are keeping his family and community in our prayers during this difficult time.” 

    On April 2, Chief Moore, 68, responded to the Delta, Missouri area after an EF-2 tornado caused widespread destruction. He was fatally injured while responding to a stranded vehicle.

    The flags will be held at half-staff on the day of Chief Moore’s memorial services. To view the Governor’s proclamation, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Time Federal Felon Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A male who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl pills after previously being convicted of a federal firearms crime was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison.

    Ian Michael Bonnette, age 45, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 30, 2024 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.  Evidence at the sentencing hearing demonstrated that in addition to conspiring to distribute controlled substances, defendant had many woman over to his home and provided them free methamphetamine in exchange for sex.  Many of these women were homeless and with limited resources and defendant took advantage of them due to his financial position.  The evidence also showed that defendant threatened a female with a knife over drugs he believes were stolen from him.

    Bonnette was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Bonnette was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Bonnette is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 24-CR-01012. 

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Gabelli Multimedia Trust Board Approves at the Market Common Stock Offerings With Prices Trading Above NAV

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RYE, N.Y., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Board of Directors of The Gabelli Multimedia Trust Inc. (NYSE:GGT) (the “Fund”) has authorized the Fund to conduct offerings of common stock in “at the market” transactions (“ATM offering”),at prices above the net asset value, which would be accretive to the common shares.

    The Board of Directors will continue to evaluate the Fund’s capital structure, including the ability for shareholders to subscribe for additional common stock. The Fund has previously completed six rights offerings.

    In the ATM offering, the Fund may issue and sell, from time to time, shares of its common stock when such shares are trading at a premium to the Fund’s net asset value per share. Such sales would be accretive to all shareholders of the Fund as these shares would be issued at prices above the then current net asset value per share. The timing of any sales and the number of shares sold, if any, will depend on a variety of factors to be determined by the Fund.   The Fund anticipates that the investment of the proceeds from the ATM offering will be made in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies as appropriate investment opportunities are identified.

    The ATM offering will be made pursuant to the Fund’s currently effective shelf registration statement on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus will be filed with the SEC, but has not been filed as of the date hereof.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of these securities, in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction

    Investors should read the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, when available, and carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the Fund before investing. For more information regarding the Fund, visit www.gabelli.com or call:

    Carter Austin
    (914) 921-5475

    About The Gabelli Multimedia Trust
    The Gabelli Multimedia Trust Inc. is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company with $166 million in total net assets whose primary investment objective is long-term growth of capital. The Fund is managed by Gabelli Funds, LLC, a subsidiary of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (OTCQX: GAMI).

    NYSE: GGT
    CUSIP – 36239Q109

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Carter Austin
    (914) 921-5475
    caustin@gabelli.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey Joins Sen. Hirono, Rep. Norcross in Introducing Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to join Unions, Bargain Collectively

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (April 8, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee today joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ) in reintroducing the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. This comes at a critical time, after President Trump’s recent executive order ended collective bargaining for over a million federal workers.
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing everything in their power to kill public sector unions and deny public servants their fundamental right to organize and collectively bargain. Their union busting is disgusting,” said Senator Markey. “Congress must pass the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act to guarantee public service workers their rights and empower them to fight for better wages and working conditions. Public servants deliver for the American people every day, and we must deliver for them.”
    “Public sector workers teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward—they deserve the right to organize,” said Senator Hirono. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will help ensure that that millions of public sector workers across our country have the federal protections they deserve as they fight for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. Private sector workers are already guaranteed the right to organize under federal law, it should be common sense that public sector workers are afforded those same rights. As President Trump works to gut our public sector workforce, this bill is crucial to protect workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively. I’m proud to lead this important legislation with Representative Norcross to help ensure that every public employee has their voice heard in the workplace.”
    “I know the power of collective bargaining because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Norcross, a former union electrician, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “I spent decades at the negotiating table standing up for working families—fighting for fair pay, safer jobs, and better benefits like health care and retirement. This bill ensures public-sector workers across the country have that same right to a voice on the job and a seat at the table.” 
    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. Unlike private sector workers, there is currently no federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions.
    “Unions built the middle class,” said Senator Alsobrooks. “At a time when our President has unleashed brazenly illegal attacks on unions, we need legislation to protect our public service employees – those who keep us safe, who ensure our communities can function, and who are teaching our next generation. They deserve fair benefits and wages, safe working conditions, and the right to organize – and we won’t stop fighting until they get it.”
    “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act ensures that teachers, nurses, child welfare workers, firefighters, and so many others who serve our communities are afforded the same right to join a union as workers in the private sector,” said Senator Blumenthal. “All workers deserve the free and unhindered opportunity to organize and collectively bargain for better pay, benefits, and working conditions.”
    “As the granddaughter of union steelworkers and Delaware’s former Secretary of Labor, I know the power workers have when they stand together,” said Senator Blunt Rochester, member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. “At a moment when the Trump administration is indiscriminately firing federal employees across government, it is past civil servants have the protections and benefits that private sector workers do: the right to organize. I look forward to working with Senator Hirono and Congressman to get the bicameral Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act across the finish line. We are standing up for public servants across the nation.”
    “Public sector workers bear a huge responsibility within our communities, whether it’s teaching our children, responding to emergencies, or providing vital services that keep our society running,” said Senator Booker. “Public servants should have the same right to advocate for higher pay or safer working conditions as everyone else in America. The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will ensure all workers have the opportunity organize, collectively bargain, and thrive in our economy.”
    “Public servants ask nothing more than the chance to serve our communities and our nation. They are our neighbors and often our heroes: teachers and 911 operators and police officers,” said Senator Coons. “This legislation protects their right to unionize so they can seek fair salaries and safe workplaces, just like everyone else. When public servants join together and elect a path forward, we ought to respect that choice. I’m proud that the bill we put forward today will do just that while creating better opportunities for public servants and their families in Delaware and across the country.”
    “Our public sector workers deserve the same right to organize as private sector workers, to work in a safe job that pays a livable wage and to be able to save for a secure retirement,” said Senator Duckworth. “As Donald Trump works to hollow out the backbone of our public sector, I’m proud to help Senator Hirono and my colleagues introduce this legislation that would protect these hardworking Americans by finally enshrining their right to unionize into law and enabling them to advocate for the wages and working conditions they rightfully deserve.”
    “Public sector workers – our teachers, firefighters, nurses – keep our communities safe, healthy, and educated.  They deserve the same freedom to organize and collectively bargain as those who work in the private sector,” said Senator Durbin.  “I am cosponsoring the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act to ensure that those who serve our communities are not denied basic labor rights.”
    “From the firefighters and police officers who keep us safe to the educators who teach our kids, public sectors employees serve Arizonans every day. They deserve our support in return,” said Senator Gallego. “I’m proud to back this bill to ensure that public sector employees have the same rights and protections as any other worker.”
    “Public sector workers are the backbone of our communities, ensuring that essential services are provided with dedication and care,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Unionization and collective bargaining are not just rights—they are a recognition of the value of these critical public servants. The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would help ensure that millions of public sector workers have a voice in their working conditions, pay, and benefits, giving them the same federal rights as their private sector counterparts. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation so that every worker can organize and fight for fair treatment.”
    “Unions, including public-sector unions, have provided critical advocacy and support for many workers,” said Senator Kaine. “I am proud to cosponsor this crucial legislation to protect millions of American workers’ right to unionize and bargain for better wages and working conditions.”
    “All workers deserve the right to collectively bargain and have their voices fully heard on the job,” said Senator Kim. “As President Trump continues to vilify public service and go after workers’ rights, it is as important as ever that congress pass legislation like this to defend them, empower their voice, and have their backs as they simply demand the fair pay and benefits working families across our country deserve.”
    “Every worker in this country should have the opportunity to speak up for themselves on the job. This includes the teachers shaping our kids’ futures, the first responders keeping us safe, and the healthcare and social workers who are there for us when we need them most,” said Senator Luján. “I’m proud to introduce legislation that ensures the folks essential to our communities have the right to organize and fight for fair wages, good benefits, and safe working conditions.”
    “As the son of a union mechanic, I know unions make a difference in standing up for workers and their families by ensuring they have a safe workplace and good pay for their work,” Senator Merkley said. “While the Trump Administration threatens the rights of America’s public sector workers to organize and receive fair treatment in the workplace, we’re pushing to make sure these workers receive just treatment and fair pay for a hard day’s work.”
    “Trump has already stripped hundreds of thousands of federal workers of their collective bargaining rights, and even more public sector workers could be next. Unions built the middle class, and they’re still the best tool for workers to fight for better pay and fair treatment. This legislation would make sure our teachers, firefighters, and more than a million Americans who serve their communities have a seat at the negotiating table,” said Senator Murphy.
    “The nearly 20 million public sector workers across our nation deserve the fundamental right to organize and fight for a fair contract and better working conditions. Yet, the Trump Administration has repeatedly tried to strip away this right and attack public service workers’ ability to unionize,” said Senator Padilla. “From public school teachers who educate our children to first responders on the frontlines of emergencies in our communities, we must guarantee the right for workers to join a union and collectively bargain nationwide.”
    “Working men and women deserve the freedom to negotiate for fair wages and improved working conditions in the communities they serve.  This bill is about basic fairness,” said Senator Reed.
    “Nevada’s police officers, teachers, firefighters, and other public servants work tirelessly to serve our communities, and they absolutely deserve the right to bargain for better wages and working conditions,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m proud to help introduce a bill to protect their right to join a union and collectively bargain amid attacks from the Trump Administration. I’ll always stand up for Nevada’s public servants.”
    “Donald Trump is dead set on illegally dismantling workers’ rights to organize and advocate for higher pay, benefits, and workplace safety,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Public employees dedicate themselves to serving their communities each and every day, and they deserve the opportunity to join a union. Democrats stand with working Americans and will continue to fight until the right to organize is fully protected.”
    “Americans have a fundamental right to come together to bargain with their employer for fair wages and better working conditions,” said Senator Smith. “By protecting the rights of public employees to organize and advocate for themselves, we will put the power back in the hands of workers and strengthen the middle class.”
    “American workers’ right to organize is ingrained in our democratic principles, but for state and local government employees, this right is not a given. These public servants deliver vital services for our communities – and we’re fighting to ensure they have the freedom to organize and be treated fairly, no matter where they live,” said Senator Van Hollen.
    “Our hardworking civil servants dedicate their careers to teaching our kids, making sure our buses run on time, protecting our communities, and so much more. They should have the freedom to collectively organize and fight for good pay and working conditions,” said Senator Warren. “This bill protects the rights of these workers in every state to unionize and fight for what they deserve.”
    “Public servants are at the heart of our country and are essential to the functioning of our communities. The work of public employees–from our teachers to health care professionals to firefighters–is invaluable, and they deserve fair wages that reflect the important work they do every day,” said Senator Welch. “This bill will ensure that public sector employees have federal protections to form a union and collectively bargain in their efforts to secure better pay and safer working conditions for their essential work. In the wake of Elon Musk’s DOGE and Trump’s attacks on the federal workforce, it’s never been so important to protect workers.”
    Specifically, this bill would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation gives public service workers the freedom to:
    Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees; 
    Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment; 
    Access dispute resolution mechanisms; 
    Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues; 
    Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid; 
    Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections; and 
    File suit in court to enforce their labor rights. 
    “Passing this legislation has never been more urgent — especially now, as federal workers face unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We believe, as most Americans do, that every worker deserves a union — no matter who they work for.  This bill is about something fundamental: respect. Respect for the public service workers who’ve devoted their careers to serving their communities. And respect means the freedom to negotiate.”
    “When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve. But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, the attacks on the fundamental freedoms of workers who keep our streets and water clean, our public transportation moving, and our children learning are increasing from the highest level of government,” said AFL-CIO President, Liz Shuler. “We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue to do the work that is so essential to our communities. We call on every member of Congress to stand with working people and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.”
    “For years now, the rights of workers like nurses, librarians, educators, and all our essential public servants who dedicate themselves to our communities have been chipped away at, despite their dedication and selfless service to their communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “That’s why the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is so vital. It protects public sector workers’ fundamental right to join together, bargain for fair pay, and stand up for decent working conditions. Congress needs to step up and pass this now and push back against efforts trying to undermine these essential rights.”
    “As education, healthcare and public service workers, our members make a difference in the lives of others every day. But too many states don’t allow the people who do the work to have a voice,” said Randi Weingarten, President of AFT. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would change that, ensuring public servants, no matter where they reside, have a means to influence their own lives. Whether it’s higher wages, safer working conditions, or a secure retirement, the ability to organize a union and bargain collectively lifts working families, students, patients, and entire communities up. That’s why we enthusiastically support this legislation and are committed to moving it forward.”
    This legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW).
    The full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mullin, Capito, Fischer, Introduce Resolutions to Repeal California’s Extreme EV Mandate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    Mullin, Capito, Fischer, Introduce Resolutions to Repeal California’s Extreme EV Mandate

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced joint resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal California’s EV waivers that prohibit the sale of new gas-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035, and set unrealistic and stringent requirements for heavy-duty trucks and heavy-duty diesel engines.
    Senator Mullin’s CRA, the ‘Omnibus’ Low NOx Regulation, overturns a Biden EPA approved waiver that allowed California to enforce overly burdensome Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emission limits regulations for heavy-duty highway and off-road vehicles and engines. The regulation includes longer emission control system warranties, new cold start emission requirements, and extended durability requirements over a vehicles operational life. This waiver applies to model year 2024 and later on-road heavy-duty Otto-cycle and heavy-duty diesel engines used to operate Class 3-8 medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including drayage trucks, buses (except transit buses), refuse trucks, and other commercial work vehicles. 
    “This waiver imposes significant compliance costs estimated at upwards of $20,000 per truck making it more difficult for small fleets and independent operators to invest in new equipment. Moreover, this creates a competitive disadvantage for manufactures and fleets by forcing stricter standards to apply unequally across the country. We cannot allow California’s costly and extreme Green New Deal agenda to bankrupt families and eliminate consumer choice for hundreds of millions of American families. Thankfully, after four years of ineffective one-size-fits-all crippling bureaucracy, the Trump administration is bringing back common sense,” said Senator Mullin. “I’m grateful to my colleagues for partnering with me on this effort.”
    “By sending these rules to Congress, Administrator Zeldin and the Trump administration followed the law and addressed the Biden administration’s attempt to circumvent Congress in this process. California’s extreme EV mandate imposes unrealistic and stringent requirements, fails to meet the Clean Air Act’s requirements for a waiver, forces the hand of American consumers, and makes our country more reliant on China for critical minerals. The American people have made it clear that they want consumer choice – not an EV mandate,” said Senator Capito. “I will continue to address all options available to strike down these rules and eliminate the consequential impact they would make across our country.”
    “As we saw under the Biden administration, what happens in California doesn’t stay in California. Their emissions regulation will cripple the truck manufacturing industry nationwide, overloading companies and truckers with expensive, heavy-handed requirements. This inevitably leads to increased prices for families across the nation. My resolution will overturn the Biden administration’s waiver allowing the ACT regulation to take effect without congressional review,” said Senator Fischer.
    The ‘Omnibus’ Low NOx Regulation is supported by the following groups: American Trucking Association, American Petroleum Institute, National Automobile Dealers Association.
    Full text of the resolution can be found here.
    Background:
    In December 2024, EPA granted California’s “Omnibus” low-NOx regulation waiver for heavy-duty highway and off-road vehicles and engines.
    In February 2025, EPA Administrator Zeldin sent over to Congress three of the Biden Administration’s rules granting waivers that allowed California to preempt federal car and truck standards approved by EPA and DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Zeldin’s decision to send over the rules are part of EPA’s “Powering the Great American Comeback” initiative to protect human health and the environment while restoring our economy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick Passes Bill to Address Haiti’s Gang Crisis

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Florida 20th district))

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), the Ranking Member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, released the following statement after the House Foreign Affairs Committee voted on a bipartisan basis to advance her bill, the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act.

    “As a leader on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I’m working across party lines to find solutions that meet our national security needs and keep Americans safe. Armed criminal gangs, with the promotion of cartels, continue to wreak havoc across Haiti, fanning the flames of a worsening humanitarian crisis that has left children hungry. 

    “The Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act will shine a necessary light on Haiti’s economic and political elite who regularly use gangs as levers of power.

    “I’ll work alongside my colleagues to get it passed and signed into law.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”> BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    A PROCLAMATION 
    On this National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, we remember every American service member who carries the memory of being captured in war as a consequence of defending American freedom.  Since the battlefields of the Revolutionary War, millions of selfless patriots have sacrificed their lives, safety, and security to protect our homeland and preserve our inheritance of liberty.  These noble men and women embody the best of our Nation’s spirit.  Tragically, far too many have been taken by the enemy and forced to endure captivity and sometimes torture.My Administration is steadfastly committed to taking care of our great veterans — especially every former American prisoner of war (POW).  For 4 long years under the previous administration, illegal aliens were living in luxury hotels while our homeless veterans were shivering on the sidewalks — a disgrace of the highest order.  Today, more than 30,000 veterans are homeless.  To that end, I am committed to eradicating all veteran homelessness in our country.  Under my leadership, if you served our Nation in uniform, your Government will never betray you — and we will never stop fighting for the brave men and women who devoted their lives to protect our sovereignty.To protect our brave service members and uphold our Nation’s interests both at home and abroad, my Administration remains committed to restoring peace through strength and ending the years of endless foreign wars.  As I stated during my Inaugural Address, we will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars we end — and my proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.We are approaching the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States Army later this year, and I pledge to every POW, POW family, and member of our Armed Forces that you have our Nation’s full support and unending gratitude.  Today and every day, we pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in service to our Nation.  We ask Almighty God to preserve America’s peace, prosperity, security, and freedom for generations to come.NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9, 2025, as National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day.  I call upon Americans to observe this day by honoring the service and sacrifice of all former prisoners of war and to express our Nation’s eternal gratitude for their sacrifice.  I also call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand thisninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Directs Repeal of Regulations That Are Unlawful Under 10 Recent Supreme Court Decisions

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    REPEALING UNLAWFUL REGULATIONS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum requiring agencies to rescind regulations that are unlawful under 10 recent landmark Supreme Court decisions.
    This memorandum implements President Trump’s Executive Order 14219, Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s “Department Of Government Efficiency” Deregulatory Initiative (February 19, 2025).
    EO 14219 ordered agencies to review and identify their unlawful regulations.  Now, President Trump is directing agencies to prioritize that review under 10 recent watershed Supreme Court cases, and to repeal regulations that are unlawful under those cases.
    IMPLEMENTING THE LAW FROM RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISIONS:  President Trump’s memorandum directs departments and agencies to review rules for legality under ten recent watershed Supreme Court decisions:
    Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, 603 U.S. 369 (2024) overturned the Chevron doctrine.  Accordingly, agencies are to repeal any regulation that is not consonant with the “single, best meaning” of the statute authorizing it.   Agencies are also to repeal any regulation that was promulgated in reliance on the Chevron doctrine and that could be defended only by relying on Chevron deference.
    West Virginia v. EPA, 597 U.S. 697 (2022) was a landmark ruling applying the Major Questions Doctrine, i.e., the principle that an agency cannot claim to discover vast delegations of power on an important issue in a statutory text that doesn’t clearly provide such authority. (Agencies cannot “seek to hide ‘elephants in mouseholes.’”)  Accordingly, agencies must repeal any regulation promulgated in violation of the Major Questions Doctrine. 
    SEC v. Jarkesy, 603 U.S. 109 (2024) held that it violates the Seventh Amendment for agencies to adjudicate common-law claims in their in-house courts.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation authorizing enforcement proceedings that enable the agency’s courts to impose judgments or penalties that can only be obtained via jury trial in Article III Courts.
    Michigan v. EPA, 576 U.S. 743 (2015) held that it violates the Administrative Procedure Act for an agency to promulgate regulations without properly considering the cost as well as the benefits.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation where the costs imposed are not justified by the public benefits, or where such an analysis was never conducted to begin with.
    Sackett v. EPA, 598 U.S. 651 (2023) ended a twenty-year attempt by the EPA to enforce the Clean Water Act against landowners whose property was near a ditch that fed into a creek, which fed into a navigable, intrastate lake.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation inconsistent with a properly bounded interpretation of “waters of the United States.”
    Ohio v. EPA, 603 U.S. 279 (2024) struck down an EPA plan under the Clean Air Act that the EPA had adopted after the scientific and policy premises undergirding it had been shown to be wrong.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation that does not sufficiently account for the costs it imposes, or for which foundational assumptions have changed and are no longer defensible.
    Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid, 594 U.S. 139 (2021) held that a law that forced landowners to admit union organizers onto their property violated the Takings Clause. Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation inconsistent with a proper understanding of the Takings Clause, which protects far more than just real estate from being taken by the government without compensation.
    Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 600 U.S. 181 (2023) held that “affirmative action” admission programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation that imposes racially discriminatory rules or preferences.  As the Court said, “[e]liminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.” 
    Carson v. Makin, 596 U.S. 767 (2022) held that a law excluding religious schools from participating in Maine’s school-voucher program violated the Free Exercise Clause.  Agencies accordingly must review their regulations to ensure equal treatment of religious institutions vis-à-vis secular institutions for purposes of funding and access to public benefits.
    Roman Cath. Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo, 592 U.S. 14 (2020) struck down New York’s Covid-era occupancy restrictions on churches and synagogues because they were uniquely harsher than those that applied to “essential” businesses—such as acupuncture facilities.  Each agency should review its regulations to ensure at least equal treatment of religious institutions vis-à-vis secular institutions for regulatory purposes. 
    AVOIDING CUMBERSOME AND UNNECESSARY PROCEDURES:  President Trump’s memorandum directs agencies to revoke these unlawful regulations expeditiously, using the Administrative Procedure Act’s (“APA”) “good cause” exception where appropriate.  Agencies must move quickly to delete illegal regulations from imposing further burdens on the American people. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New measures to put neighbourhood bobbies back on beat

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New measures to put neighbourhood bobbies back on beat

    Communities will be safer and trust in local policing will be restored under plans to put police officers back in our neighbourhoods.

    • Prime Minister unveils plan to restore confidence in policing and deliver security for working people
    • New measures mean named and contactable officers for every neighbourhood and guaranteed police patrols in busy areas at peak times, such as town centres, ending years of postcode lottery
    • For the first time in fifteen years, working people across the country will be entitled to the same standards from the police, no matter where they live 
    • This forms part of the government’s Plan for Change and Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, putting 13,000 more neighbourhood officers on our streets, up more than 50% across the country

    Communities will be safer and trust in local policing will be restored under plans to put police officers back in our neighbourhoods, announced by the Prime Minister today, as he delivers manifesto pledge to roll out the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

    New measures will ensure every community will have dedicated and specialist neighbourhood policing teams, ending the postcode lottery on law and order.

    Announcing the plan, the Prime Minister will make clear that security is the bedrock on which working families build their lives, but that in recent years visible policing has fallen dramatically, with the number of people who regularly see officers patrolling in their local area halving in the past decade. 90% of crime has been left unsolved and there were one million incidents of antisocial behaviour last year alone, including big increases in street crime.

    The measures will put prevention at the heart of policing. Under the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, crimes like vandalism or antisocial behaviour will be less likely to turn into more serious and violent offences, boosting confidence and security in local communities across Britain. 

    The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will put 13,000 more officers into neighbourhood policing roles by 2029, an increase of more than 50%. The early focus of the plan will be to establish named local officers, target town centre crime and build back neighbourhood policing, meaning hard working people can feel safer and more secure in their daily lives.

    The measures, announced today, will transform communities across Britain and will deliver the security communities deserve:

    •                 Each neighbourhood will have named, contactable officers to tackle the issues facing their communities, helping to restore trust that policing is working to keep people safe and meaning no community feels ignored when they need help. 

    •                 Every neighbourhood in England and Wales will have dedicated teams who will spend their time on the beat with guaranteed police patrols in town centres and other hotspot areas at peak times such as Friday and Saturday nights.  

    •                 There will be a dedicated antisocial behaviour lead in every force, working with residents and businesses to develop tailored action plans to tackle record levels of antisocial behaviour, which is blighting communities.

    Under these plans, communities across the country will, for the first time in 15 years, be able to hold forces to account and expect a minimum standard of policing in their area.

    The government’s new Police Standards and Performance Improvement Unit will ensure police performance is consistently and accurately measured, so the government can narrow the gap between the best and worst performing forces. 

    This will make clear that everyone across the country, no matter where they live, can expect the same standards from the police,  with a new online tool so the public are able to check how their local force is performing and hold forces to account.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

    Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure on the streets they call home. It is just about the most basic right that anyone would expect. Yet for years crimes such as shoplifting and antisocial behaviour have wreaked havoc on our neighbourhoods. Policing has become reactive, picking up the pieces after crimes have occurred.

    Britain deserves better. It should not matter where you live – everyone deserves local, visible policing they can trust, and with our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will end this postcode lottery, putting prevention back at the heart of policing and ensuring police are back on the streets.

    That’s why our Plan for Change is delivering security for working people in their communities with a return to neighbourhood policing, putting thousands of bobbies back on the beat and keeping people safe.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    The heartbeat of our Great British policing tradition is seeing bobbies on the beat, but for too long, too many communities have been feeling abandoned as crime soared and neighbourhood police disappeared, even when local crimes like shop theft, street theft or blatant drug dealing rose sharply.

    That’s why this government is determined to get police back on the beat and into our town centres. 

    It should not matter where you live – everyone deserves local, visible policing they can trust, and with our Plan for Change and Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will tackle this postcode lottery and restore policing to our communities.

    Today’s announcement is just one part of the government’s commitment to keep communities safe.

    Through the Crime and Policing Bill, new powers will be given to police so they can better tackle crimes that matter most to communities. This includes bringing in Respect Orders to clamp down on persistent antisocial behaviour and giving police the power to seize vehicles that cause havoc to communities. The Bill will also scrap the effective immunity of theft of goods below £200 and help police go after phone thieves by removing the warrant to search properties where stolen items have been electronically geolocated.

    Through the Plan for Change and mission to keep our streets safe, this government will restore confidence in local policing and making towns and communities safer places to live, work and visit.

    Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing, said:  

    We welcome the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which builds on the bedrock of British policing. Our evidence shows that good neighbourhood policing reduces crime and builds trust with communities, and it remains a top priority for the College. 

    We also know how important neighbourhood policing is to the public. That’s why, this June, we’ll be rolling out the Neighbourhood Policing Pathway training for neighbourhood officers and staff in police forces right across the country. Our training will ensure these teams have the specialised knowledge and skills to tackle anti-social behaviour, engage with communities and build relationships that support intelligence gathering and crime reduction. 

    We will also continue to use our position as a national source of best practice to help forces to constantly improve how they approach neighbourhood policing. Through our Practice Bank and Smarter Practice examples, the College will continue to evaluate and share initiatives and interventions to help police forces provide the best possible service for their communities.

    Emily Spurrell, Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and PCC for Merseyside, said:

    Neighbourhood policing is vital for building trust, preventing crime and fostering community engagement. It ensures that local officers, with their unique knowledge, can swiftly address the specific needs of their communities, creating safer and more connected neighbourhoods. Residents and businesses have made it clear, time and again, that they want an accessible local policing team, with local knowledge, dealing with the unique problems in their communities.

    Police and Crime Commissioners and Deputy Mayors have echoed their communities’ voices in setting the priorities for their Chief Constables and made neighbourhood policing a priority in their Police and Crime Plans. The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is an opportunity to reconnect policing with the communities they serve, helping to restore the trust and confidence that is vital if we are to continue policing by consent.

    The APCC welcomed the additional neighbourhood policing funding announced in January by the government, to enhance policing’s ability to deliver with additional officers and Police Community Support Officers. However, there remains significant pressure on police budgets and we will continue to work with the government to ensure policing has the resources it needs to effectively deliver neighbourhood policing for the public.

    Kurtis Christoforides, Chief Executive Officer of Police Now, said: 

    Police Now was founded to help transform communities through outstanding neighbourhood policing and brilliant public sector leadership, so it’s tremendously exciting to be working even more closely with government and police forces to do just that.

    The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said:

    I welcome the return of dedicated neighbourhood policing and the introduction of named ASB leads in each area. Persistent anti-social behaviour blights lives and communities, and these new roles will be vital in ensuring victims’ concerns are taken seriously by officers they know and trust.

    Some of the most harmful and enduring anti-social behaviour takes place in residential communities – away from the town centres and out of sight. The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee has real potential, but its impact will depend on trained officers who have the support and skills to be able to respond to every report – whether from a busy high street or a quiet cul-de-sac.

    Matt Hood, Co-op Managing Director said:

    Creating healthy, safer high streets within resilient and durable communities is absolutely essential. We have effective partnerships with local police in several communities across the UK and we see first-hand the benefits of working together to target high impact offenders. At Co-op we have recently seen an encouraging improvement in police response and attendance, however the offenders keep coming and as retailers, we do all we can to prevent crime in our shops, but along with our communities, we need this support from the police to make it count.  We welcome this new Government commitment on increasing neighbourhood policing and our store colleagues will definitely be pleased to see a higher police presence.

    Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: 

    It cannot be overstated how important it is for businesses and communities to feel confident in their own safety on the streets, and knowing their neighbourhood police officers engenders that confidence. Utilising local knowledge and relationships is critical to providing safe high streets. 

    Hospitality and our high streets are critical for driving economic growth and regenerating our towns and cities, and we want them to be thriving hubs of activity. The government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is an important way of ensuring that.

    John Hayward-Cripps, Chief Executive of Neighbourhood Watch said: 

    The advantage of having a named officer is that it humanises the relationship between the police and the community. People report greater trust and confidence in the police when they can reach out to an officer who knows their area, and the communities who live there. Evidence suggests that patrols alone don’t make a significant difference to cutting crime, what is effective is combining them with community engagement. 

    Our members regularly work with the police, partners and the local people to adopt a problem-solving approach to crime and antisocial behaviour. And yet, nearly a third of people who responded to our community survey told us they lack a feeling of safety. It is especially important for younger people; they are the age group least likely to feel safe in their neighbourhoods.

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    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: El Representante Juan Vargas, Miembros del Congreso y la Familia de Kilmar Abrego García se Unen para Exigir su Regreso Inmediato a los Estados Unidos

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-51)

    April 09, 2025

    WASHINGTON – Hoy, el Representante de los Estados Unidos Juan Vargas (D-CA) y sus colegas del Congreso se unieron a la esposa de Kilmar Abrego García, Jennifer Vásquez Sura, y líderes defensores de los inmigrantes para exigir respuestas y responsabilidad de la Administración Trump sobre la deportación ilegal y la desaparición de Abrego García.

    Ábrego García es un padre y miembro de un sindicato que estaba viviendo legalmente, bajo estatus protegido, en Maryland con su familia hasta que fue deportado por la Administración Trump sin debido proceso a una prisión en El Salvador donde permanece. La Administración ha admitido que la deportación de Ábrego García fue resultado de un “error administrativo”.

    Una transcripción está disponible a continuación:

    Muchas gracias. 

    En primer lugar, quiero dar las gracias a la familia por estar aquí. 

    Quiero darte las gracias, a ti, Jennifer, en particular. 

    Y quiero agradecerte especialmente por tus lágrimas. Porque creo que la gente americana pudo ver el dolor de tantas familias en América en este momento. 

    Tus lágrimas se unen a las lágrimas de mucha gente de mi distrito en San Diego, y forman un torrente, y en todo este país, forman un río, un río de lágrimas por lo que les está pasando a las familias. 

    Ahora, supuestamente la Administración es la Administración de los “valores familiares” y sin embargo están destrozando a estas familias. 

    Así que gracias por tu valentía al subir aquí y mostrar la emoción que sientes hacia tu marido que ha sido desaparecido. 

    Y yo tampoco pensé nunca que esto ocurriría en Estados Unidos. 

    Pasé un tiempo en El Salvador durante los años ’80 como jesuita. Estuve allí como misionero. Y allí también desaparecían personas y nunca las volvías a encontrar. 

    Nunca pensé que algo así ocurriría en mi propio país, donde personas enmascaradas que trabajan para el gobierno vendrían y secuestrarían a gente de la calle. 

    Así que, de nuevo, quiero darles las gracias por su valentía. 

    También quiero que sepas que tenemos dos trabajadores del metal del sindicato que han venido a apoyarte, se han enterado de lo de tu marido y están aquí. Gracias. Gracias por estar aquí. 

    Gracias a ti por estar aquí. No estás sola. Estamos contigo. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casten Statement on Republican Resolution to Cut Medicaid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

    April 09, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement regarding the Republican budget resolution:

    “The Republican budget resolution serves only to cut Medicaid and veterans’ health care. No one can vote for this legislation in good conscience and claim otherwise, which is why I will vote NO.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kamlager-Dove, Ossoff Reintroduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Notify Loved Ones When Inmates Suffer Health Complications or Pass Away in Custody

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    Legislation will ensure families receive timely notifications should an incarcerated family member pass away or suffer health complications while in prison

    Washington, D.C. — Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) and U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) led Senator Kennedy (R-LA) and Reps. John Rutherford (FL-05), Barry Moore (AL-01), and Glenn Ivey (MD-04) in reintroducing a bipartisan bill to help notify family members in a timely and compassionate manner in the event of a death, serious illness or injury of a loved one in custody.  

    The Family Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act would require the U.S. Department of Justice to implement policies and procedures for family notification by issuing central guidance to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The bill would also direct the Attorney General to develop and distribute model notification policies and procedures to state and local detention agencies.

    “In 2016, when Wakiesha Wilson tragically died while incarcerated, her family members–my constituents–were never directly informed of her passing. It took 18 days for Wakiesha to be reunited with her family, compounding their agony of experiencing the death of a loved one. No one should have to go through that pain,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “It is shameful that our correctional facilities are not required to notify the families of incarcerated people if their loved ones are seriously ill, injured, or deceased. I’m proud to introduce this legislation to change that.”

    “Too often, the families of those incarcerated never find out about a serious illness, a life-threatening injury, or even the death of a loved one behind bars. That’s why Senator Kennedy and I are introducing this bipartisan reform legislation,” Sen. Ossoff said.  

    “Every family member deserves to be notified if their loved one has passed away, is injured, or becomes ill,” said Rep. Rutherford. “As a former sheriff, I understand the importance of notifying families about the health challenges their loved ones are facing while in custody. No parent, spouse, or child should be left in the dark. That’s why I am proud to join my colleagues in the House and Senate to introduce bipartisan legislation to ensure compassionate notification of a detainee’s health status to their family members.” 

    “Families deserve to be informed when their loved one has died, has a serious illness, or sustains an injury while in custody. In FY21 alone, the Department of Justice failed to identify at least 990 prison and arrest related deaths,” said Moore. “This legislation requiring the Department of Justice and Bureau of Prisons to implement clear procedures for notifying families if these events occur is a step toward transparency and accountability that ensures no family is left in the dark.”

    “This bipartisan bill would ensure that the Department of Justice develops policies to notify family members about the well-being of their loved ones in custody,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey. “I am proud to partner with my House and Senate colleagues in introducing this important legislation.” 

    In 2016, Los Angeles’ resident Wakiesha Wilson was found deceased inside her prison cell at the LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center. Wakiesha’s family was never directly contacted regarding her death, sending them on an agonizing journey to discover information about her whereabouts. It wasn’t until 18 days later that Wakiesha’s family was finally able to see her at the L.A. morgue. On March 28, Rep. Kamlager-Dove participated in a press conference to mark nine years since Wakiesha’s tragic death.

    “We worked hard for many years on this with BLMLA support and are encouraged to see it finally re-introduced. Wakiesha’s Law will help to ensure that no other family has to endure the agony our family did,” said Lisa and Sheila Hines, mother and aunt of Wakiesha Wilson.  

    “Across the United States, deaths in prisons and jails are an unacceptable crisis. When someone in custody dies or is seriously ill, their family has a right to know what has happened in a timely and compassionate manner. Incarcerated people’s lives matter, and they should be treated with the utmost care and respect,” said the Prison Policy Initiative.

    Click here to read the Family Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garbarino, LaLota Reintroduce Bill To Improve Boating Safety In Honor of Long Islander Brianna Lieneck

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02) and Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY-01) reintroduced the Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act. The legislation directs the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to study and submit to Congress a report on recreational vessel operator education and training in order to improve boating safety and reduce the number of boating accidents that occur due to untrained boat operators. 

    The legislation is named in honor of a young girl from Long Island who was killed in a tragic boating accident. In August 2005, a 25-foot boat driven by Steven Fleisher, an air traffic controller, collided with a boat carrying 11-year-old Brianna Lieneck and her family in the Great South Bay off the coast of Bay Shore. Brianna was killed, her parents suffered severe head and facial injuries, and her sister’s arm was nearly severed. Criminal charges of boating while intoxicated were dismissed. The driver did not have a boating license. Since then, her mother, Gina Lieneck, has advocated for mandatory licenses for all boaters.

    “Many Long Islanders spend their summers enjoying boating and other water activities, but if we don’t proactively prioritize safety that’s when tragedies, like the one that befell the Lieneck family, happen,” said Rep. Garbarino. “According to the Coast Guard, boat operators who did not receive boating safety instruction were involved in 75% of fatal recreational boating accidents in 2023. This legislation would help eliminate these incidents and keep boaters on Long Island and around the country safe through education and training programs.”

    Between 2018 and 2023, there have been 3,871 accidental boating deaths nationwide, according to data provided by the USCG. Boating deaths have remained consistent year over year, averaging between 560-760 deaths annually. USCG has determined alcohol to be a leading factor in boating deaths overall. 

    “As a Navy man, boater, and Long Islander, I understand that increasing boating education and safety training will go a long way to preventing injuries and fatalities like what happened to Brianna Lieneck,” said Rep. LaLota. “Our legislation will save lives and ensure that families can safely enjoy our waters. I am proud to join my Long Island colleague in introducing this bill to keep more Americans safe.”

    Specifically, the Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act would require the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to study and report to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation regarding recreational vessel operator training. The study and report shall include a review of Coast Guard Auxiliary and Power Squadron training programs, existing state boating education programs, and other hands-on training programs available to recreational vessel operators. Among other things, the legislation would also require the report to include:

    • A section laying out steps the USCG and National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) have taken to encourage States to adopt mandatory recreational vessel operator training;
    • A section outlining the minimum standards for education of recreational vessel operators;
    • A section analyzing how the Coast Guard would administer a Federal boating education, training, and testing program, and;
    • An analysis of the extent to which a Federal boating education, training, and testing program should be required for all waters of a State, including internal waters.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Men Sentenced in Largest-Ever Bird Mount Trafficking Case

    Source: US State of Vermont

    $900,000 Fine is One of the Largest Ever Ordered for an Endangered Species Act Case

    A federal judge in Brooklyn today sentenced two men for trafficking protected birds and eggs into the United States in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

    Dr. John Waldrop of Cataula, Georgia, was ordered to pay a $900,000 fine — one of the largest-ever for an ESA case — and serve three years of probation. Toney Jones of Eufala, Alabama, was sentenced to six months of probation. Waldrop pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to smuggle wildlife and ESA violations, while Jones pleaded guilty to an ESA charge.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Waldrop amassed an extensive collection of 1,401 taxidermy bird mounts and 2,594 eggs which included:

    • Four eagles protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act,
    • 179 bird and 193 egg species listed in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and
    • 212 bird and 32 egg species covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This included incredibly rare specimens like three eggs of the Nordmann’s Greenshank, an Asian shorebird with only 900 to 1,600 remaining birds in the wild; no North American museum has any Nordmann Greenshank eggs in their collection.

    “Waldrop’s gigantic and rare bird collection was bolstered in part by illegal imports, where he and his enlisted co-conspirators intentionally avoided permit and declaration requirements,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We applaud the efforts of the various federal and state law enforcement entities in investigating and prosecuting this case.”

    “The scale of this investigation underscores the critical importance of protecting our natural resources,” said Assistant Director Douglas Ault of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement. “Waldrop’s collection included thousands of bird specimens and eggs, many of which are among the rarest in the world. This is one of the largest bird trafficking cases in history, and the commercialization of species protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and CITES highlights the conservation impact of Waldrop’s crimes. We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement are unwavering in our commitment to safeguarding wildlife for future generations. We will remain vigilant and will continue to hold accountable those who exploit our shared natural resources for personal gain.”

    Photo of birds and other mounts, from the sentencing memo in United States v. John Waldrop, et al., 1:23-cr-00378 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
    Photo of a portion of Waldrop’s egg collection, from the sentencing memo in United States v. John Waldrop, et al., 1:23-cr-00378 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

    Between 2016 and 2020, Waldrop imported birds and eggs without the required declarations and permits. After USFWS inspectors at John F. Kennedy International Airport and elsewhere intercepted several shipments, Waldrop recruited Jones, who worked on his Georgia farm, to receive the packages. Jones also deposited approximately $525,000 in a bank account that Waldrop then used to pay for the imports and hide his involvement. Waldrop and Jones used online sales sites such as eBay and Etsy to buy birds and eggs from around the world, including Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.

    Waldrop forfeited his collection. The USFWS National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab examined the items and determined it to be the largest seizure of bird mounts in their 37-year history. The ESA requires that all wildlife imports be declared to USFWS and have required permits, including species protected by CITES.

    Photos of a freshly killed Roseate Spoonbill (left) and mount from Waldrop’s collection (right), from the sentencing memo in United States v. John Waldrop, et al., 1:23-cr-00378 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

    The USFWS Office of Law Enforcement in Valley Stream, New York, conducted the investigation as part of Operation Final Flight. The operation focused on the trafficking of protected birds into the United States. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources assisted with the investigation.

    Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Karamigios for the Eastern District of New York prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Selling Fentanyl and Cocaine in Cumberland County

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

    NEW BERN, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distributing a quantity of cocaine.  Charles Bernard Veal, age 50, pled guilty to three counts of drug trafficking on January 15, 2025.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, Veal supplemented his income as a screen-printer by selling dangerous narcotics. Known as “T-Shirt Man,” law enforcement identified him as a source of both cocaine and fentanyl in the Fayetteville area. As part of the investigation, law enforcement purchased cocaine from Veal in October 2021. Veal provided law enforcement with approximately 56 grams of cocaine for $2,600 in the parking lot of a local restaurant.

    In February 2022, law enforcement made two undercover purchases of fentanyl from Veal. On the first occasion, Veal sold approximately 57 grams of fentanyl for $3,600 in the parking lot of a Lowe’s Home Improvement. On the second occasion, Veal sold law enforcement approximately 54 grams of fentanyl for $3,600 at a location near Cross Creek Mall.

    In March 2022, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office arrested Veal after a traffic stop on Interstate 95. During that traffic stop, law enforcement found 57 grams of cocaine, a 9mm magazine, and a BB gun in Veal’s car.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan W. Liles  prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00277-FL.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to the BARCODE1 trial assessing the use of a polygenic risk score in screening for prostate cancer

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    April 9, 2025

    The results of the BARCODE1 trial, published by The New England Journal of Medicine assesses the use of a polygenic risk score in screening for prostate cancer.

    Prof Michael Inouye, Professor of Systems Genomics & Population Health, University of Cambridge, said:

    “This study is the strongest evidence to date on the clinical utility of a polygenic score for prostate cancer screening. It shows that a polygenic score can improve early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer, including those warranting radical treatment. A large proportion of prostate cancer cases detected using a polygenic score would not have been detected using the current diagnostic pathway. The authors appropriately discuss the study’s limitations and further research required (e.g. cost effectiveness). Taken together, I suspect we will look back on this as a landmark study that really made the clinical case for polygenic scores as a new tool that moved health systems from disease management to early detection and prevention.”

    When asked how long it would take to know if this could be used clinically?

    “This is a big step along the path to clinical implementation, but it is still a long road. Realistically, it will likely be years for the NHS to use polygenic scores routinely. It will require investment in infrastructure, generation of genomic data, training for healthcare practicians and potentially access to counselling for patients. There are more targeted ways to use polygenic scores clinically which may make for good next steps. To me, the study really makes me start to believe that these investments are worth it.”

     

    Mr Ben Lamb, Consultant Urological and Robotic Surgeon, Barts Health and UCLH NHS Trusts, and Clinical Senior Lecturer, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), said:

    “This is a very interesting study that assesses the utility of polygenic risk score in the detection of prostate cancer. The population may not be representative of those most at risk of prostate cancer, or of poorer health outcomes in general (e.g. black men, men in areas of deprivation), and further research is needed to test the results in these populations. Further research is also needed to understand longitudinal risk for men with a higher polygenic risk score i.e. their risk of developing cancer over time.

    “Interestingly, the best rate of detection of significant prostate cancer arose when the saliva test, PSA test and MRI tests were all positive. The saliva test may help to direct resources to those men most likely to have significant prostate cancer, but at present it does not replace these investigations, which we know are powerful tools in reassuring some men and recommending biopsy (and performing a better biopsy) in others.

    “The saliva test is less invasive than a blood test, or an MRI, and may be more acceptable for larger populations.”

    Dr Oliver Pain, Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London, said:

    “This study uses solid data and analyses and its findings fit nicely with the previous literature suggesting that polygenic scores can improve estimation of prostate cancer risk. It goes a step further than previous research in this area by providing a direct comparison with the current diagnostic pathway, showing that stratifying individuals by their polygenic score helped to identify people with clinically significant prostate cancer who would have otherwise been missed. As stated by the authors, the main limitation of this study is that it is restricted to individuals of European ancestry. Previous research has shown that the polygenic score they have used performs worse in non-European individuals, limiting the generalisability of this study’s conclusions. However, this is a common limitation of the field, not just this study, and there is progress being made with polygenic scores performing better across ancestral populations as the training data (GWAS) becomes more ancestrally diverse and polygenic scoring methods develop to improve their ability to be transferred across populations. There is evidence that progress is being made in this area for prostate cancer specifically, although there is a lot more work to be done (https://elifesciences.org/articles/78304, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011990).

    “In general, this study fits with others coming out for other diseases, and it is great step forward, but I would say we need research demonstrating the predictive utility of polygenic scores for prostate cancer in a more representative sample before we can start implementing them in the clinical setting.”

    Dr Chantal Babb de Villiiers, Senior Policy Analyst at PHG Foundation, said:

    “The BARCODE study results contribute valuable insights into the use of polygenic scores for risk stratification of prostate cancer, and how they can supplement risk prediction with known risk factors. The follow-up of the entire cohort will provide crucial data for evaluating the clinical and economic impact of using polygenic scores. Whilst some polygenic scores are showing promise in very specific scenarios, it is important to approach their implementation with caution and ensure thorough validation. We need further research to determine the best combination of these risk factors as well as how to effectively implement stratified screening.”

    Professor Rhian Gabe, Professor of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), said:

    “The test evaluated in this high quality study has exciting results in terms of detection, the hopes for an optimal future prostate cancer screening strategy and deserves larger-scale evaluation. Excitingly, this will happen in the TRANSFORM trial of prostate cancer screening where the test will also be evaluated in terms of acceptance, impact on prostate cancer deaths and incidence by comparing it with other promising strategies involving PSA testing and MRI.”

    Dr Samuel Lambert, Assistant Professor of Health Data Science, University of Cambridge, said:

    “The results of the BARCODE1 study are a major achievement, clearly illustrating the value of targeting prostate cancer screening to individuals defined as high-risk using a polygenic risk score. Targeting screening to the high-polygenic score population identified significant cancers that would not have been detected using existing thresholds, a comparable rate to previous trials targeting screening to individuals with pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants.

    “A current limitation is that the polygenic risk score in this study could only be used in individuals of European ancestry due to limitations in the diversity of available genome-wide association study data. This limitation is likely to be overcome in the long term, with data from new studies like Our Future Health in the UK that have prioritised diversity in their recruitment and linked health records to genetics data. Diverse studies like Our Future Health will allow researchers to better identify the variants associated with disease in all ancestries.”

     

    Prof Dusko Ilic, Professor of Stem Cell Sciences, King’s College London (KCL), said:

    “Polygenic risk scores (PRS) offer moderate discriminatory power when used alone. The study used a score based on 130 SNPs and showed that men in the top 10% of the PRS distribution had significantly higher risk. However, when added to established factors like age, PSA level, and MRI findings, the predicting clinically significant prostate cancer improved only modestly. Notably, further stratification within the top decile (e.g., 90th vs. 99th percentile) did not significantly improve predictive accuracy, suggesting diminishing returns at extreme PRS levels.

    “Furthermore, there is no direct evidence yet that using PRS improves long-term outcomes such as mortality or quality-adjusted life years. Modelling suggests benefit, but empirical confirmation is needed.

    “While the results are promising, especially in identifying significant cancers that would otherwise be missed, major caveats remain:

    • Population limitations: The cohort was self-selected, highly educated, and entirely of European ancestry.
    • Unclear generalizability: The PRS used was only validated in men of European descent.
    • No mortality data: The study doesn’t demonstrate reduced prostate cancer mortality or improved overall survival.
    • Cost-effectiveness: Not yet fully evaluated.

    “So, while PRS could supplement existing screening in high-risk individuals, the evidence is insufficient to recommend a standalone screening program based solely on PRS at this time.”

     

    Dr Britta Stordal, Associate Professor in Cancer Research, Middlesex University, said:

    “McHugh et al show that through the use of their BARCODE1 genetic risk score they are able to identify men who are at a higher risk of prostate cancer. 74 men had their prostate cancer diagnosed as a result of participating in this clinical trial that would not have been detected with current standard care on the NHS. This work is possible due to extensive previous research into genetic risk for prostate cancer in European populations. A similar risk score for men of Black African or Caribbean ancestry is urgently needed as we know that these men have a much higher prostate cancer risk than those of European ancestry.”

     

    ‘Assessment of a Polygenic Risk Score in Screening for Prostate Cancer’ by J.K. McHugh et al. was published in The New England Journal of Medicine at 22:00 UK time Wednesday 9 April 2025. 

    DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2407934

    Declared interests

    Prof Michael Inouye: Trustee of the Public Health Genomics (PHG) Foundation, Scientific Advisory Board of Open Targets, and research collaborations with AstraZeneca, Nightingale Health, and Pfizer. All of these are not related to the study. It’s also worth noting that, while the study is obviously driven by the Institute of Cancer Research in London, one of the coauthors (Pashayan) is a colleague at Cambridge.

    Prof Dusko Ilic: I declare no interest.

    Prof Rhian Gabe: I am Co-Lead of the TRANSFORM trial of prostate cancer screening, we are collaborating with Professor Eles to evaluate her PRS test.

    Dr Samuel Lambert: No conflicts of interest to disclose.

    Dr Britta Stordal: No conflicts of interest to declare.

    For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Hawley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Make Car Repairs Easier, Expand Options, and Increase Transparency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Senators Champion Efforts to Improve Car Repair Processes, Offer More Repair Choices, And Make Information About Repairs More Transparent For Car Owners And Repair Shops
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the REPAIR Act, legislation that would give car owners expanded options for automobile repairs. The REPAIR Act ensures vehicle owners, independent repair shops, and aftermarket manufacturers have secure access to vehicle repair and maintenance data which is critical to the independent aftermarket industry’s ability to provide safe, dependable, and affordable repairs for consumers.
    As vehicle technology becomes more complex, safely repairing and maintaining automobiles requires access to data, software, compatible replacement components, training, and sophisticated diagnostic tools. The REPAIR Act guarantees the rights of vehicle owners and their designated repair facilities to maintain and repair their vehicles while maintaining the same cybersecurity standards, intellectual property protections, and vehicle safety standards that the manufacturers use with their dealerships.
    “Vehicle owners deserve to have options when it comes to safe, dependable, and affordable auto repairs,” said Senator Luján. “Giving vehicle owners, independent repair shops, and aftermarket manufacturers access to vehicle repair and maintenance data is critical to improving repair options. I’m proud to partner with Senator Hawley on this legislation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to support car owners and repair shops.”
    “Big corporations have a history of gatekeeping basic information that belongs to car owners, effectively forcing consumers to pay a fixed price whenever their car is in the shop. The bipartisan REPAIR Act would end corporations’ control over diagnostics and service information and give consumers the right to repair their own equipment at a price most feasible for them,” said Senator Hawley.
    Specifically, the REPAIR Act protects consumers by:
    Preventing motor vehicle manufacturers from deploying barriers that limit the ability of a motor vehicle owner (or their designee) from accessing their vehicle-generated data;
    Preventing barriers to an aftermarket parts manufacturer, a motor vehicle equipment manufacturer, a remanufacturer, a diagnostic tool manufacturer, or a motor vehicle repair facility (including their distributors and service providers), to access critical repair information, tools, and parts;
    Requiring motor vehicle manufacturers to make “Vehicle-Generated Data” available to consumers (or their designees);
    Requiring motor vehicle manufacturers make “Critical Repair Information, Tools, and Parts” available to motor vehicle owners (and their designees), aftermarket parts manufacturers, remanufacturers, diagnostic tool manufacturers, and motor vehicle repair facilities (including their distributors and service providers);
    Ensuring that Over-the-Air (OtA) updates do not render aftermarket parts inoperable;
    Prohibiting the mandate of a motor vehicle manufacturer the use of any particular brand or manufacturer of tools, parts, or other motor vehicle equipment; and
    Ensuring federal enforcement through the Federal Trade Commission.
    Endorsement quotes can be found here.
    Full bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025
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