Category: Transport

MIL-OSI: CloudFirst to Join Performive in Strategic Growth Transaction

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MELVILLE, N.Y., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Data Storage Corporation (Nasdaq: DTST) (the “Company”) today announced that on July 11, 2025 it entered into a definitive agreement to sell the assets of the business of its wholly owned subsidiary, CloudFirst Technologies Corporation. The goal of this transaction is to continue to accelerate CloudFirst’s growth with a new purchaser, while exploring strategic opportunities for the Company that enhance shareholder value. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and approval by Data Storage Corporation’s shareholders at its annual meeting of shareholders scheduled for September 10, 2025.

Under the terms of the agreement, CloudFirst will join Performive, a cloud and infrastructure services provider backed by Renovus Capital Partners, a private equity firm. CloudFirst will continue to market its services under its well-established brand, the CloudFirst leadership team will remain in place, and CloudFirst will maintain its renowned support and account management teams. The Company expects continuity throughout the approval process and beyond.

If the transaction is approved by the Company’s shareholders, Data Storage expects that it will retain its public listing and continue to operate Nexxis Inc., a provider of telecommunications and data services. Assuming shareholder approval and closing of the transactions, the Company is planning to use the proceeds together with certain other cash on hand in connection with a tender offer to repurchase up to 85% of its outstanding shares. Data Storage intends to use the funds remaining in the Company following the tender offer to pursue strategic growth through acquisitions in high-growth sectors, including, but not limited to, AI-enabled SaaS, cybersecurity, and healthcare automation.

Chuck Piluso, CEO of Data Storage Corporation, commented, “This agreement highlights the long-term value CloudFirst has created and reflects confidence in the future. While the transaction remains subject to shareholder approval, operations at CloudFirst remain unchanged, with no changes to structure or leadership. The current teams remain fully committed to delivering the high standards our clients expect and, in fact, over the past 30 days we have added staff. With the added scale and strategic backing from this transaction, we expect CloudFirst to be well-positioned for continued growth, while preserving the identity and strengths that have driven its success to date.”

“Although we believe in the strong fundamentals and long-term potential of CloudFirst, we believe that the public markets did not adequately reflect its value. This transaction positions CloudFirst for continued growth in a private setting, while allowing Data Storage to return value to shareholders and pursue strategic opportunities in high growth sectors,” concluded Mr. Piluso.

About Data Storage Corporation

Data Storage Corporation (Nasdaq: DTST) through its subsidiaries, is focused on providing solutions that ensure business continuity, improvement in business processes, and efficiency, while striving to build shareholder value.

For more information, please visit www.dtst.com or follow us on X @DataStorageCorp.

Safe Harbor Provision

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “projects,” “estimates,” “plans” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may” and “could” are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts, although not all forward-looking statements include the foregoing. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and include statements regarding approval by the Company’s shareholders at its annual meeting scheduled for September 10th, 2025; the transaction continuing to accelerate CloudFirst’s growth and allowing the Company to explore strategic opportunities that enhance shareholder value; CloudFirst continuing to market its services under its well-established brand; the CloudFirst leadership team remaining in place; CloudFirst maintaining its renowned support and account management teams; the Company’s expectation of continuity throughout the approval process and beyond; the Company expecting to retain its public listing and continuing to operate Nexxis Inc.; the Company’s plan to use the proceeds together with certain other cash on hand in connection with a tender offer to repurchase up to 85% of its outstanding shares; the Company’s intention to use the funds remaining in the Company following the tender offer to pursue strategic growth through acquisitions in high-growth sectors; CloudFirst being well-positioned for continued growth; the transaction positioning CloudFirst for continued growth in a private setting; the transaction allowing the Company to return value to shareholders and pursue strategic opportunities in high-growth tech sectors. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include approval by the Company’s shareholders at its annual meeting scheduled for September 10, 2025; consummation of the transaction; the transaction continuing to accelerate CloudFirst’s growth and allowing the Company to explore strategic opportunities that enhance shareholder value; the Company retaining its public listing and continuing to operate Nexxis Inc.; the Company’s plan to use the proceeds together with certain other cash on hand in connection with a tender offer to repurchase up to 85% of its outstanding shares; the Company’s use of its remaining funds; the transaction positioning CloudFirst for continued growth in a private setting; and the transaction allowing the Company to return value to shareholders and pursue strategic opportunities in high-growth sectors. These risks should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read together with the other cautionary statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was initially made. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

Contact:
Crescendo Communications, LLC
212-671-1020
DTST@crescendo-ir.com

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Secures Key Provisions to Protect Rock Island Arsenal, Support Illinois Quantum Technology Research and Safeguard Care for Veterans

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
July 15, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), secured several important provisions to support our state’s residents, Servicemembers, Veterans and economy in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that SASC recently approved last week and the full Senate will now consider. Some of the priorities Duckworth secured to help Illinoisans include protecting Rock Island Arsenal from any restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plans, expanding access to vital health care services for our state’s servicemembers, Veterans as well as military families and supporting research and development at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago.
“The brave Illinoisans who serve our nation in uniform at home and abroad deserve to know that our country fully supports them as they and their families sacrifice to defend our country,”?said Senator Duckworth.?“While I do not support every provision in this bipartisan compromise, I’m proud I was able to secure several important provisions to benefit our state by protecting operations at Rock Island Arsenal, protecting health care access for our military and Veteran families and supporting groundbreaking quantum computing research in Chicago. I’m glad the Armed Services Committee included these important provisions in this year’s NDAA and I hope the full Senate approves it as soon possible.”
Key Duckworth provisions secured in this year’s Committee-passed NDAA that would support Illinoisans include:
Supporting and Protecting Rock Island Arsenal Operations:
By Protecting Jobs: This provision would restrict the Secretary of the Army from using any funds allocated for restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plan to integrate Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command, helping ensure operations at Rock Island Arsenal are not affected unnecessarily.
By Sustaining Workload and Industrial Base: This provision would establish a 5-year pilot program requiring DoD to give preference to public-private partnerships in arsenals, especially those non-public partners that ensure equitable workshare to DoD employees to protect critical skills. This provision would help ensure arsenals and factories, like Rock Island Arsenal, remain active and viable while preserving the skilled workforce, equipment and production capacity critical to the nation’s defense industrial base.
By Constructing a Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal: The bill authorizes $50 million in Major Construction funds for a new addition to the Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal and to consolidate the existing facilities and make upgrades to meet DoD guidelines and safety requirements, ensuring that eligible families at Rock Island Arsenal have a safe, modern facility for childcare.
By Improving Predictive Manufacturing Analytics at Army Arsenals: Language urging the continued implementation of industrial control networks across our Army’s arsenals to enable the collection, aggregation, and analysis of data associated with the manufacture and repair of equipment and supplies. This work completed by MxD, the nation’s digital manufacturing and cybersecurity institute, located in Chicago, helps ensure the efficiency and security of the critical manufacturing completed at Rock Island Arsenal and the Army’s other arsenals.?
By Expanding Robotic Enhancements for Armaments Manufacturing: Language authorizing an additional $5 million for the Secretary of the Army to expand prototyping and production capacity by integrating robotics, automation and digital manufacturing into the munitions industrial base, further modernizing production at Rock Island Arsenal with technology pioneered by innovators in Chicago.?
By Improving the Governance of the Organic Industrial Base: Language directing the Army to analyze the effectiveness of their current governance and resourcing model for the Army’s arsenals, depots as well as ammunition plants and identify opportunities for changes to ensure the enterprise and its workforce can support the military’s munitions and sustainment requirements now and in the future. The Senator helped secure this provision alongside Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK). ?
Safeguarding Veteran Medical Care in North Chicago: This provision, led with Senator Durbin, would secure a one-year extension of the Joint Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, which supports the operations of the North Chicago-based Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC). This provision will help safeguard continued access to vital services for military families and Veterans in the area.
Protecting Cities Like Chicago from the Trump Administration’s Overreach with the Military: A modified version of a provision of Senator Duckworth’s Military In Law Enforcement Accountability Act (MiLEAA) requires servicemembers identify themselves as part of the military when assisting federal law enforcement when operating in the United States. As the Trump Administration continues to send federal agents and our nation’s military into our communities to intimidate their fellow Americans, this provision ensures that servicemembers identify themselves properly—to avoid public misunderstanding about who is providing logistical support versus conducting arrests or law enforcement duties.
In light of the Trump administration’s increasing use of troops to support law enforcement within the United States, another provision will help ensure troops know how to responsibly operate within the bounds of domestic laws and protect American civil rights. This provision requires DoD to provide legal training to all servicemembers, including a refresher within 90 days of any mobilization or deployment, on their responsibilities under the law of armed conflict, rules of engagement, defense support for civil authorities and standing rules for the use of force within the United States.
Strengthening Domestic Suppliers of Critical Uniform Components: Language prohibiting the Department of Defense from sourcing clothing, fabrics or components from countries of concern—such as China, Iran, North Korea and Russia—when using domestic sourcing waivers under the Berry Amendment, to prevent further weakening of the U.S. clothing and textile industrial base and bolstering Chicago’s top-quality garment industry.
Investing in Quantum Technology in Chicago: Language recognizing the importance of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) program, which aims to build a commercially useful FTQC by 2033, and encouraging the Department to concurrently prepare algorithms to operate those machines, while the hardware is being built. This provision recognizes the importance of the development of the first FTQC, which is being built at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago, Illinois.
Championing Domestic Manufacturing in Belleville: Language requesting DoD provide data and analysis on the necessary war reserves for footwear and textiles, and the accompanying surge needs in the event of crisis or conflict. This report language is a modified version of the Senator’s Better Outfitting Our Troops (BOOTS) Act, which recognizes that our defense industrial base for combat boots needs investment in order for it to support our troops and help ensure they have the sturdiest and most protective boots in a possible war, like those manufactured in Illinois at Belleville’s Belleville Boot Manufacturing Co.
Advancing U.S. Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation in Champaign: This provision would support the innovative work being done at advanced facilities like the University of Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Hub (iFAB) by requiring more information on how DoD is investing in this technology critical for national security.
Encouraging Investment in Nuclear Energy and Domestic Printed Circuit Boards: Language allowing the Office of Strategic Capital to enter into investments in nuclear fusion and fission energy and directing OSC to explore printed circuit boards (PCBs) and PCB assemblies, to ensure these critical technologies—which Illinois plays a central role in manufacturing and advancing—has sufficient capital investments to scale for warfighting.
Protecting Servicemembers from Dangerous PFAS in their Protective Garments: Language requiring the DoD to articulate its plan for acquiring chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat protective garments free from toxic PFAS chemicals as soon as possible.?Innovative Illinois research and development and manufacturing is leading the way on alternatives that protect servicemembers without relying on toxic chemicals.
Designing a New Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at Scott Air Force Base: The bill authorizes $6 million in Planning and Design funds for the construction of a new aircraft maintenance hangar to support the training and operational mission of the 126th Aerial Refueling Wing at Scott Air Force Base. The current hangar was constructed in 1956, remains in disrepair and no longer meets Department of Defense standards or mission requirements, making a new hangar critical to the Wing’s mission.
Renovating General Jones Readiness Center: The bill authorizes $5 million in Planning and Design funds for major alternations to the General Richard L. Jones National Guard Readiness Center in Chicago. This facility was built in 1931 and remains one of the largest readiness centers in the country. Renovating it to meet mission requirements is a top priority for the Illinois National Guard.
In addition to these provisions, Senator Duckworth also successfully worked to protect Universities like Northwestern University and University of Illinois from having their DoD funding for critical technological research cut unnecessarily.
Other key funding for Illinois projects contained in the committee-passed bill include:
$5 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support forging annex at Rock Island Arsenal.
$3.05 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support range control at Marseilles Training Center.
$8 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support the Peoria Armory Readiness Center.
$36 million authorized to boost Fort Sheridan area maintenance support activity.
A full list of Duckworth’s priorities included in the FY26 NDAA can be found here.
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MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: REMARKS: Senator Coons grills U.N. nominee Mike Waltz over his role in leaking sensitive information at confirmation hearing

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today pushed Mike Waltz – President Trump’s nominee to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations – during a confirmation hearing to take accountability for his mishandling of sensitive military information that could have endangered the lives of U.S. servicemembers.
Waltz was questioned by lawmakers for the first time since he was ousted as national security adviser in May, weeks after The Atlantic reported that Waltz added the magazine’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat where senior administration officials, including Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Vice President J.D. Vance discussed sensitive military plans for airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including real-time updates about the strike. If the information in the chat had fallen into the wrong hands, Houthi rebels would have been able to prepare for the strikes and target the servicemembers carrying them out.
“We both know signal is not an appropriate, secure means of communicating highly sensitive information, and yet, on March 24, The Atlantic published a series of Signal messages including sensitive information about a U.S. military operation against the Houthis involving you and several other Trump officials,” said Senator Coons. “Were you investigated for this disclosure of sensitive operational information?”
In his response, Waltz repeatedly insisted that the information shared in the group chat was not “classified.” However, multiple military and intelligence officials have asserted that the information could have endangered servicemembers regardless of its classification. Sarah Streyder, Executive Director of the Secure Families Initiative, which advocates for military families, said her group had heard from members that they were feeling “a range of emotions, from heartbroken, disappointment, pretty angry … it feels like we’re being let down by our leaders who are at the bare minimum, supposed to be keeping us safe from unnecessary and preventable harm.”
Waltz acknowledged he built the Signal chain but has downplayed the security risks. While the National Security Council and the White House Counsel’s office claimed they were investigating how the breach occurred, the White House closed the case shortly after and failed to provide any details.
“We both know Signal is not a secure way to convey classified information, and I was hoping to hear from you that you had some sense of regret over sharing what was very sensitive, timely information about a military strike on a commercially available app, that’s not, as we both know, the appropriate way to share such critical information,” said Senator Coons.
A full video of his remarks and transcript are below.
WATCH HERE.
Senator Coons: I want to get to the larger questions of the U.N. and the U.N. Mission but – in your role in the army, in the house, as national security advisor, you have long handled classified and sensitive information.
We both know Signal is not an appropriate, secure means of communicating highly sensitive information, and yet, on March 24, The Atlantic magazine published a series of Signal messages including sensitive information about a U.S. military operation against the Houthis in Yemen involving you and several other Trump officials. Were you investigated for this disclosure of sensitive operational information?
Waltz: Thank you, senator, and that engagement was driven by and recommended by the cyber security – infrastructure security agency – by the Biden administration CISA guidance.
Senator Coons: I’m sorry –
Waltz: And I have here – well, just the use of Signal
Senator Coons: Your sharing this information on Signal was driven by –
Waltz: No excuse me, the use of Signal is not only – as an encrypted app – is not only authorized, it was recommended in the Biden-era CISA guidance, and in fact, it says here, I’ll read it to you: “Use only end-to-end encrypted communications. Adopt a free messaging application to secure communications that guarantees end-to-end encryption – particularly if you are a highly targeted individual, such as Signal or similar apps. CISA recommends end-to-end encryption messaging on both government and personal devices.
Senator Coons: For sensitive military information?
Waltz: Oh, of course, of course. Senator, there was no classified information exchanged.
Senator Coons: For sensitive military operations… You were sharing details about an upcoming airstrike and the time of launch and the potential targets. This was demonstrably sensitive information. And the question I asked was, were you investigated for this expansion of the Signal group to include a journalist?
Waltz: The White House conducted an investigation, and my understanding is the Department of Defense is still conducting an investigation.
Senator Coons: Was any disciplinary action taken?
Waltz: From the White House investigation, senator?
Senator Coons: Yes.
Waltz: No. The use of Signal was not only authorized, it’s still authorized and highly recommended.
Senator Coons: Would you recommend the use of Signal for classified information to be shared between folks who have access to classified information?
Waltz: Again, we followed the recommendation, almost the demand, to use end-to-end encryption, but there was no classified information shared.
Senator Coons: Did you speak to Secretary Hegseth about his decision to share detailed information on the specifics of an imminent military strike?
Waltz: What we spoke about, senator, was a highly successful mission that did something that, something that the Biden administration did not do, was actually target the Houthi leadership. We subsequently saw a ceasefire, an increase in shipping and a drop in attacks on our ships.
Senator Coons: Well, look, here’s what I hear on this exchange, and I want to get to the U.N. point. At the time you took responsibility for having added a journalist inadvertently to a Signal chat, but it doesn’t seem to me that the administration has taken any action to make sure this doesn’t happen again, there’s been no consequences, and yet the president continues to denounce those who leak information. We both know Signal is not a secure way to convey classified information, and I was hoping to hear from you that you had some sense of regret over sharing what was very sensitive, timely information about a military strike on a commercially available app, that’s not, as we both know, the appropriate way to share such critical information.
Waltz: Again, senator, I think, where we have a fundamental disagreement is there was no classified information on that – uh, on that chat.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: King on Potential Recissions Legislation: ‘Checks and Balances Essentially have Melted Away’

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today spoke on the Senate floor to speak on the Senate floor against the ‘Recissions Package’ currently being considered. This legislation aims to remove Congressionally-approved funding from critical public services including, but not limited to, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) which helps to fund Maine Public broadcasting and public interest newsgathering nationwide, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) which leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage and directs and coordinates the world’s response to health emergencies before they can pose a threat to American lives.

More specifically, King made the point that this bill is a further abdication of congressional authority to fund national priorities, also known in the Constitution as “the power of the purse.”

The full transcript of Senator King’s floor speech from this morning is below.

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“Mr. President, I’d like to talk today about the rescission bill that will be coming before us in the next couple of days, and I want to really cover two points – what is being done in this bill, and how it’s being done. I think they are equally important. In fact, I think perhaps how it is being done is more significant in the long run. The rescission bill talks about essentially two areas, public broadcasting, and USAID. In my view, the rescission, the total rescission of those two agencies, by the way –it is a total rescission— it’s not selective cutting of certain programs or partially, it’s the whole thing, both in the corporation for public broadcasting and USAID, go from bad policy to downright dangerous, and I want to talk about that for a minute.

“Public broadcasting has a unique place in the United States and our media environment in that it is the only media form not driven by advertising and advertising dollars. It cannot be driven by ratings. It therefore is able to provide programming to the American people that they probably almost certainly would not have access to otherwise. It wouldn’t simply find a home on commercial broadcasting because the ratings wouldn’t be there, but that doesn’t mean the programming isn’t important.

“My kids were raised on ‘Sesame Street.’ It made a huge difference in their readiness to go to school, in their understanding of language and numbers, and the whole basis of our education system. ‘Sesame Street’ is a program that wouldn’t find a home on commercial broadcasting. Likely, also with “Nova” with “Nature” and yes, the “PBS Newshour.”

“The [corporate] news business today has become more entertainment because it’s based upon advertising [and] attracting viewers and therefore is more inciteful. And I don’t mean – I mean that c-i-t-e not s-i-g-h-t. More inciting to people’s anger and unrest in order to keep them viewing. Whereas the PBS Newshour is pretty much straight news. It wouldn’t get ratings on MSNBC or Fox News, but it provides a source of news both in terms of nationally, but also in each state.

“The local national public radio “All Things Considered”, those kinds of programming are essential to providing information. Now, some people may think it’s biased. I don’t think anything done by a human is going to be free of any and all bias, but it is pretty much straight news. And it’s an asset to our communities, particularly our rural communities.

“And by the way, this isn’t where we have federal dollars that are supporting all of these initiatives. In fact, the majority of the support for public broadcasting, both television and radio, comes from the public, from contributions. So, in effect, our federal dollars are matched to a very high degree by the public making their own contributions. That’s an indication of how much the public values these wonderful assets to our information environment here in the country. And to cut off federal funding is just — it’s an essential piece of the funding. A lot of it goes to the local stations. We talk about the corporation for public broadcasting, we think of PBS and the national programs, but a lot of this funding ends up going to the local stations all over the country that provide essential sources of information to their public.

“By the way, the costs we’re talking about is ridiculously low. I did the calculation. The relationship between the cost of the public broadcasting to the federal budget is, let’s see, it’s seven cents to $10,000. That’s the ratio. Seven cents out of $10,000. That’s what we’re talking about here, an almost immeasurable part of the federal budget, but the return on investment is enormous. It’s enormous. If this were a gigantic $100 billion program, we’d be having a different kind of discussion, but this is a relatively small program in the context of the federal budget, with a very high return on investment to the American people.

“Now let’s talk about USAID and the [majority] whip was just talking about that. He listed a number of projects that I think are questionable, that I don’t necessarily support, but USAID is an essential part of our foreign policy to help to stabilize unstable parts of the world, to extend America’s soft power, to build America’s brand, and yes, to do some very essential projects. For example, in PEPFAR, which is an initiative of the George W. Bush administration, involving AIDS, the estimate is that that initiative since its beginning in 2005 has saved 25 million lives. 25 million lives were saved by that program that will be destroyed by this bill. You can’t tell me that having that level of benefit to the people of the world does not [result in] the benefit of the United States, the sponsor of the initiative.

“Same thing with malaria. The estimates are that the malaria program, which goes back to I believe it was the Obama Administration, has prevented 1.5 billion cases of malaria, which is a real plague in many parts of the world, and saved 11 million lives. Just those two programs together, those two USAID projects, have saved 36 million lives, and we’re talking about cutting them off. That’s not only bad policy, it’s cruel. It’s cruel, and it undermines the credibility of this country.

“Now, of course, foreign aid has a lot of benefits aside from the ones that I’ve just outlined. By the way, if the Congress and the Administration wants to cull the programs and say we don’t think this one is necessary, this is not a good expenditure of the people’s money, that’s fine. But that’s not what this bill does. This bill throws out the beneficial baby with the questionable bathwater. It is a total abdication of America’s engagement with the world.

“Vaccination campaigns, food security, nutrition programs, disaster response, refugee support. This aligns with our American values. As I say, it’s a relatively small part of the budget. It helps to stabilize fragile states. It cuts the risk of extremism and terrorism and conflict. And James Mattis put it best. General James Mattis, one of the most distinguished military officers of our time, said, ‘If you don’t fund the State Department fully, then you’re going to have to buy me more bullets.’

“That puts it most succinctly, you’re going to have to buy me more bullets, because the programs of USAID tend to stabilize the world and mitigate the tendency toward extremism and violence. And since we have started to gut A.I.D., which was one of the first actions of this administration in January and February, China has stepped into our shoes.

“I’m on the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Intelligence Committee. I have seen and heard testimony that China is basically stepping in where we’re walking away. We are handing Africa and Latin America to the Chinese. In some cases, to the very programs that we were sponsoring. They’re the ones now engaging with local governments, local leadership, getting the credit for helping with these kinds of problems across the world. We’re giving away the goodwill that is part of the American brand. We’re giving away the opportunity to build alliances, to strengthen our influence, especially in competition with regimes like China and Russia.

“It also creates markets for U.S. goods and the U.S. economy. A significant share of the foreign aid ends up going back to businesses and NGO’s here in the United States. So, it actually contributes to our economic development. Countries that are receiving this USAID end up being partners and customers of U.S. goods, products, and services. I mentioned it saves lives, it aligns with our values, and there’s nothing wrong with talking about values. That’s a part of what we should be doing. USAID is doing important work all over the world. I met with USAID people in Kabul, Afghanistan. I met with them in Jordan, where they’re working on a water desalinization project that will literally save Jordan. Jordan is a country that has no water, and they’re facing a tremendous crisis. One of the projects that they’re relying on is a very large water production facility supported by USAID. That’s the kind of project that I think we need to continue.

“Again, I would not say that every single project they’ve sponsored is what I would have agreed upon. That’s our job as oversight bodies, to take a look at the projects being sponsored, the administration can also do that, and they can then cull the projects we don’t think are a useful expenditure of the government’s money, or the people’s money. But not the wholesale destruction of an agency that is critical, I believe, to the foreign policy of the United States.

“So, that’s the picture on these rescissions. I believe the more important question, though, Mr. President, as I’ve mentioned, is how this is being done. The question is, who has the power in our government over appropriations? That’s the fundamental question. Where is the power over appropriations, where do the federal dollars go?

“The answer, of course, is the Congress. Article 1, Section 8. The Congress has the ‘power of the purse.’ The president can submit his budget, and he can submit a budget that zeros out USAID, that zeros out corporation for public broadcasting. But then, the way the process works, we have hearings, we have meetings with the appropriation committee. The appropriators meet, decide, discuss, debate, and come to the floor with a bill that represents the consensus of those on the appropriations committee. And then we consider it here.

“This process that we’re talking about here—this rescission process—turns the whole thing upside down. It basically says the administration can decide programs that are going to go away, and you can take it or leave it, Congress. I believe it shreds the appropriations process. The appropriations committee, indeed, this body, becomes a rubber stamp for whatever the administration wants.

“The deeper problem, Mr. President, is I believe this is another step in Congress’ abdication of its constitutional authority, which has dramatically accelerated since January. The war power, Article 1, Section 8, an express power of the Constitution, we barely could have a debate about that, and the President attacked another sovereign country, which may have been the right thing to do, but there was no consultation, there was no attempt whatsoever to engage Congress, which has the power over declaring war, before that step was taken.

“Foreign trade, again, foreign trade, trade among nations is the term in the Constitution, is expressly delegated by the Constitution to the Congress, and the Congress has delegated some of that authority to the president, to a president, any president, under emergency circumstances. But this President has expanded emergency to mean just about anything.

“We learned this week he’s talking about a 50% tariff against Brazil because he doesn’t like the way the current government is treating the prior president. Has nothing to do with trade, has nothing to do with trade deficits or the tariffs. It has to do with something the President individually doesn’t like. That’s not the way the systems supposed to work. The up and down rollercoaster we’ve been on with regards to tariffs is a perfect example of why one person shouldn’t have this authority. This should be something done thoughtfully and systematically here in the Congress. Under Article 1 Section 8, to debate and decide what appropriate tariff levels there are across the world and not this helter skelter up and down changing every other day that has not only affected inflation in this country and brought it up, but it’s also created enormous uncertainty both in our markets and across the world. And finally, we see the power of the purse, Congress’s fundamental responsibility.

“And by the way, Mr. President, as I talk to my colleagues, particularly my Republican colleagues, about this issue over the last several months, one of the common refrains is, don’t worry, we don’t have to buck the President because the courts will take care of it. The courts will take care of us. They’ll protect us. Well, that ain’t happening. The ridiculous decision of the Supreme Court yesterday on the Department of Education is an indication that we cannot count on the courts to protect us from the depredations of an authoritarian, proto authoritarian regime. They basically said the President can continue to gut the Department of Education because we are going to hear the case later and decide when it comes. They did the same right with birthright citizenship. They punted on the issue and allowed the activities, the authoritarian-like activities to continue before they get to the case in their own good time.

“So we can’t count on the courts. That means we’re it. The Congress, the Senate has to stand up for the Constitution. What this bill is, is another building block in the edifice of authoritarianism that we’ve seen built, that we are seeing built before our eyes. A building block in the edifice of authoritarianism.

“Why is this important? Is this just a dispute between the Congress and the President, politics as usual. Democrats undermining a Republican president, and it’s just going to be all about the midterms and the elections of 2028? No, this is much deeper than that.

“The fundamental premise of the Constitution is the separation of power and the reason it’s there is because history tells us if power is concentrated, it’s dangerous. Madison put it bluntly in the 47th Federalist: ‘The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary in the same set of hands may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.’ He used the word tyranny. Madison wasn’t mincing words. History tells us that if you concentrate power in one set of hands it’s dangerous. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. We know that from 1,000 years of human nature. And that was exactly what the framers of the Constitution were trying to prevent by this complicated, difficult structure where there’s power in the Congress, power in the states, power in the executive, power in the courts, two houses of Congress vetoes, overrides.

“All of those checks and balances which has become a kind of cliche are there for a fundamental reason, and that’s to protect our liberty. To protect us from the danger of power being concentrated in one set of hands. Now the framers thought that they didn’t have to worry about this, having set up the Constitution the way they did, because they said never will the Congress give up its power. The term they used was ambition must be made to counteract ambition. That there would be institutional rivalry and we would never give up. They didn’t reckon on parties. They didn’t reckon on party primaries. They didn’t reckon on the executive having such sway with the legislative branch that the checks and balances essentially have melted away.

“So this bill is important because of the merits, as I talked about, about the danger of wiping out USAID and all the good it does in the world and the good it does for our country, and also wiping out public broadcasting and all the good that it does, the irreplaceable good that it does for the people in the United States.

“But it’s also more dangerous than ever because it’s one more step, as I mentioned, in the breakdown of the fundamental constitutional structure that says power must be divided, because if it’s concentrated in one set of hands — and I don’t care if it’s Donald Trump or the archangel Gabriel. It’s dangerous to have the power in one set of hands. That’s how we lose our liberty.

“Madison said when the executive and legislative are united in one body, there can be no liberty. Mr. President, we must listen. We must listen to history, to the people that brought us here, the people that brought us this government, the geniuses that formed this structure to protect the liberty of the American people. And it may seem like a small thing. This is one more bill, one more item. But it is one more step, in my view, toward empowering the executive at the expense, not of the Congress, but of the people. But of the people of the United States.

“Mr. President, I don’t know what it’s going to take, but I hope this debate, this discussion will lead us to finally say this is a line too far. We’re going to draw a line here, and we’ll establish a relationship with the president that is cooperative, collaborative, bipartisan, and sharing the power that the Constitution gives to each of us.

“There’s nothing less than the liberty of our people that’s at stake. I therefore urge my colleagues to vote against this bill and begin a discussion in the appropriations process as to these two elements and how they should be structured and funded. That’s the way it should be done, not by the dictate of a President, of one who is trying to collapse the authority in our Constitution into his own hands. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.”

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Press Trump Admin. on Reversal of Medical Debt Rule
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

WASHINGTON, DC – Nearly 15 million Americans were poised to see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points under a Biden Administration rule that would have removed medical bills from consumer credit reports. But the Trump Administration reversed course and joined credit reporting agencies in opposing the rule. On Friday, a Trump-appointed judge in Texas overturned the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) efforts to leave medical debt off consumer credit reports.

Now, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 26 other senators in pressing the Trump Administration for answers regarding the CFPB’s decision to vacate the medical debt rule finalized in January 2025.

100 million people in America — including 41 percent of adults – are burdened by over $220 billion in medical debt, according to KFF Health News.

The American Medical Association contends that medical debt isn’t an accurate barometer of people’s ability to repay other loans, because most bills are a one-time or short-term expense from a hospital stay or accident.

Warnock, Warren, Reed, Whitehouse and their colleagues are demanding the CFPB share any data the agency relied on in deciding to petition a court to vacate the rule and any communications it had with entities during the process that would profit from its decision.

“On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with collection agencies that stand to profit from it,” the 30 U.S. Senators wrote.

“Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts…Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care,” they continued.

At the conclusion of the letter, the senators emphasize the need for transparency into the agency’s decision-making process.

“On April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it – lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry,” the senators closed.

Senator Reed is a member of the Senate Banking Committee and has strongly criticized the Trump Administration’s efforts to diminish and downsize the CFPB. In May, President Trump withdrew his nominee for the CFPB. Currently, OMB Director Russell Vought serves as acting director of the agency and has failed to take action to ensure the CFPB protects Americans from predatory medical debt collection practices.

In addition to Senators Warnock, Warren, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Acting Director Vought,

On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with debt collection agencies that stand to profit from it.

Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts. One major credit scoring company, VantageScore, has stopped using medical debt in its newer models entirely. Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care. People often receive collection notices for debts they did not owe, in the wrong amount, or that should have been covered by insurance—but still end up experiencing long-lasting damage to their credit scores.

Listing medical debt on a person’s credit report drives down their credit score, which hurts their ability to purchase a car, buy a home or rent an apartment, get utility service, start a business, or access other banking services. This has profound effects on families that can last generations. To make matters worse, medical debt is the most common reason debt collectors contact consumers; the debt collection industry makes one-fourth of its annual revenue from health care debt. Including medical debt on credit reports makes consumers more vulnerable to predatory debt collection practices.

Medical debt on credit reports also blocks working families from access to credit that they would be able to repay.The CFPB found that people who had all their medical debts completely removed from their credit reports experienced an average credit score increase of 20 points, in some cases elevating families into a higher credit score tier.

In response to growing data that medical debt is not a good indicator of creditworthiness, states across the country have acted to ban the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. And on January 7, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. The rule would remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans, prohibit credit reporting companies from sharing medical debt information with lenders, and bar lenders from considering medical debt in underwriting decisions. It was designed to help the millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, by lowering costs and increasing access to affordable credit for working families without affecting the predictive value of their credit reports. The rule would also help reduce the effects of structural racism and other prejudices. People of color are disproportionately harmed by the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. Meanwhile, adults with a disability and new moms are more than twice as likely to carry medical debt.

Despite the critical importance of the medical debt rule, on April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it—lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry, by July 28, 2025. We specifically request that CFPB publicly publish all data about how medical debt relates to key economic indicators, including:
- Barriers to home and car ownership, including challenges getting loans or not being approved to rent or lease,
- Paying higher premiums for auto, homeowner’s and other types of insurance,
- Losing job opportunities as a result of credit reporting on background checks,
- Obstacles to starting small businesses because of challenges with securing loans,
- Paying more for everyday services such as household utilities or cell phone contracts
We are particularly concerned about the outsize impact that medical debt has on the credit scores of seniors, veterans, new parents, people with disabilities, cancer patients and survivors, and small business owners.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
MIL OSI USA News –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Oral Statement on Afghan data breach

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

Oral statement to Parliament

Oral Statement on Afghan data breach

Statement on a significant data protection breach from February 2022, relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.

With permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a statement on a significant data protection breach from February 2022, relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy. This led to the High Court granting an unprecedented superinjunction. And the previous government establishing a secret Afghan resettlement route.

Today, I am announcing to the House a change in government policy. I am closing this resettlement route; I’m disclosing the data loss and confirm that the Court Order was lifted at 12 noon today. Members of the House, including you Mr Speaker, have been subject to this superinjunction. It is unprecedented.

And to be clear, the Court has always recognised the parliamentary privilege of proceedings in this House and Ministers decided not to tell Parliamentarians at an earlier stage about the data incident, as the widespread publicity would increase the risk of the Taleban obtaining the dataset.

But, as Parliamentarians – and as Government Ministers – it has been deeply uncomfortable to be constrained in reporting to this House.

And I am grateful today to be able to disclose the details to Parliament.

And I trust you, Mr Speaker – and Members – will bear with me, if I take the time to ensure the House now has the fullest information possible, something I discussed with you Mr Speaker, yesterday.

Mr Speaker, the facts are as follows…

In February 2022… ten months after the Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, introduced the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and six months after the fall of Kabul a Defence official emailed an ARAP caseworking file outside of authorised government systems.

ARAP as the House knows is the resettlement scheme that this country established for Afghan citizens who worked for or with UK Armed Forces over the combat years of Afghanistan.

Both in Opposition – and in Government – we have backed this scheme and I know ARAP has had full support from across this House.

Now this official mistakenly believed they were sending the names of 150 applicants.

However, the spreadsheet in fact contained personal information associated to 18 714 Afghan who had applied to either the Ex Gratia or ARAP scheme on or before 7 January 2022.

It contained names and contact details of applicants – and some instances, information relating to the applicants’ family members.

In a small number of cases Mr Speaker, the names of Members of Parliament, senior military officers and government officials were noted as supporting the application.

This was a serious departmental error.

It was in clear breach of strict data protection protocols.

And it was one of many data losses relating to the ARAP scheme during this period.

Previous Government Ministers first became aware of the data loss in mid-August 2023 – 18 months after the incident. They became aware of the loss when personal details of nine individuals from the dataset appeared online.

Action was taken to ensure they were swiftly removed, an internal investigation was conducted and the incident was reported to both the Metropolitan Police and the Information Commissioner.

The Met deemed that no criminal investigation was necessary.

And the Information Commissioner has continued to work with the department throughout.

However, journalists were almost immediately aware of the breach and the previous administration applied to the High Court for an injunction to prevent the data loss becoming public.

The Judge deemed the risk warranted going further and on 1 September 2023, granted a superinjunction, which prevented disclosure of the very existence of the injunction.

Mr Speaker, that superinjunction has been in place for nearly two years, during which time 8 media organisations and their journalists have been served to prohibit any reporting.

And no government wishes to withhold information from the British public, from parliamentarians or the press in this manner.

In Autumn 2023, previous Ministers started work on establishing a new settlement scheme specifically designed for people in the compromised dataset who were not eligible for ARAP, not eligible for ARAP but judged to be at the highest risk of reprisals by the Taleban.

It is known as the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR). It was covered by the superinjunction.

The then-Government initially established the ARR to resettle a target cohort of around 200 principals but in early 2024, a combination of the Minister’s decisions on the scheme’s policy design and the court’s views had broadened this category to nearly 3,000 principals.

I want to provide assurance Mr Speaker – both to the House and the British public – that all individuals relocated under the Afghanistan Response Route, ARAP or the Home Office’s ACRS undergo strict national security checks before being able to enter our country.

And the full number of Afghan arrivals under all schemes have been reported in the regular Home Office statistics, meaning they are already counted in existing migration figures.

As Shadow Defence Secretary, I was initially briefed on the ARR by James Heappey – former Armed Forces Minister – on 12 December 2023; and issued with the super injunction at the start of the meeting.

Other Members of the present Cabinet were only informed of the evidence of the data breach, the operation of the ARR, and the existence of the super injunction on taking office after the General Election.

By this time, the ARR scheme was fully established and in operation. By this time it was nearly two and a half years since the data loss.

I have felt deeply concerned about the lack of transparency to parliament and the public.

I felt it only right to reassess the decision-making criteria for the ARR.

So, we began straightway to take a hard look at the policy complexities, costs, risks, court hearings and the range of Afghan relocation schemes being run across government.

Cabinet colleagues endorsed the need for new insights in the scheme in the Autumn last year while the scheme kept running.

In December 2024, I announced a streamlining of the range of government schemes we inherited into the Afghan Resettlement Programme, to better establish

value for money, establish a single set of time-limited entitlements and support to get families resettled.

And I would on behalf of the House, Mr Speaker, like to thank our colleagues in local government, without whom this unified resettlement programme would simply not have been possible.

And at the beginning of this year, I commissioned Paul Rimmer – a former senior civil servant and ex-Deputy Director of Chief of Defence Intelligence – to conduct an independent review.

This Review was concluded and reported to Ministers last month.

Today, I am releasing a public version of the Rimmer Review and I am placing a copy of the report in the Library of the House.

I am very grateful to him for his work.

Mr Speaker, despite brutal human rights abuses in Afghanistan, the Rimmer Review notes the passage of time – nearly four years after the fall of Kabul – and concludes…

First and I quote.. there is little evidence of intent by the Taleban to conduct a campaign of retribution against former officials…

Second…those who pose a challenge to the Taleban rule now are at greater risk of a reaction from the regime…

Three… and the wealth of data inherited from the former Government by the Taleban would already enable them to target individuals if they wish to do so which means fourthly he concludes, and I quote it is “highly unlikely” that merely being on the spreadsheet would be the piece of information enabling or prompting the Taleban to act.

However, Rimmer is clear – he stresses the uncertainty in any judgments… and he does not rule out any risk. Yet he concludes given this updated context, the current policy we inherited appears an “extremely significant intervention” to address the potentially limited net additional risk the incident likely presents.

Mr Speaker, the Rimmer Review is a very significant, but not the sole element in the Government’s decision to change policy, to change policy to close the ARR and to ensure that the Court Order is lifted today.

Policy concerns about proportionality, about public accountability, about cost and about fairness were also important factors to the Government.

And this was not a decision taken lightly.

It follows a lengthy process, including the Rimmer review, detailed ministerial discussions, and repeated consultations with legal advisors.

And just as I have changed government policy in light of the Rimmer Review, so the High Court today in light of the Rimmer Review ruled that there is no tenable basis for the continuation of the superinjunction.

Mr Speaker, to date, around 900 ARR principals are in Britain or in transit, with 3 600 family members at the cost of £400 million.

From today, there will be no new ARR offers of relocation to Britain.

From today the route is now closed.

However, we will honour the 600 invitations already made to any named person still in Afghanistan and their immediate family.

When this nation makes a promise, we should keep it.

Today, Mr Speaker, I am also restoring full accountability for the government’s Afghanistan relocations schemes to Parliament.

And I would expect select committees to hold us to account now, through in-depth inquiries.

Let me turn now if I may, to the practical action we have taken, as a result of this policy change and in preparation for the Court’s lifting of the superinjunction today.

Mr Speaker, my first concern has been to notify as many as possible affected by the data incident, and provide them with further advice.

The MOD has done this this morning, although I have to say to this House it has not been possible to contact every individual on the dataset due to its incomplete and out-of-date information.

Anyone who may be concerned can head to our new dedicated gov.uk website wherein they will find:

… more information about the data loss incident…

… further security guidance…

… a self-checker tool which will inform them whether their application has been affected …

… and contact steps for the dedicated Information Services Centre, which the MOD has established.

Mr Speaker, this serious data incident should never have happened.

It may have occurred 3 years ago under the previous government…

But to all those whose information was compromised, I offer a sincere apology today on behalf of the British government.

And I trust the Shadow Defence Secretary – as a former Defence Minister – will join me in this.

Mr Speaker, to date, 36 000 Afghans have been accepted by Britain through the range of relocation schemes.

Britain has honoured the duty we owe to those who worked and fought alongside our troops in Afghanistan.

The British people have welcomed them to our country, and in turn this is their chance to rebuild their lives the chance to contribute to – and share in – the prosperity of our great country.

However, none of these relocation schemes can carry on in perpetuity, nor were they conceived to do so.

That’s why, on 1 July, we announced that we would no longer accept new applicants to ARAP.

However, I will reiterate the commitment we made then to process every outstanding ARAP application and relocate those who may prove eligible.

And we will complete our commitment to the continuing the review of the Triples.

Mr Speaker, I recognise my statement will prompt many questions.

I would have wanted to settle these matters sooner – because full accountability to Parliament and freedom of the press matter deeply to me…

They are fundamental to our British way of life.

However, lives may have been at stake…

And I’ve spent many hours thinking about this decision – thinking about the safety of and the lives of people I will never meet – in a far off land in which 457 of our servicemen and women lost their lives.

So this weighs heavily on me – and it’s why no government could take such decisions lightly, without sound grounds and hard deliberation.

During this last year, we have conducted and have now completed this work.

And I commend this statement to this House.

Updates to this page

Published 15 July 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Press Trump Admin. on Reversal of Medical Debt Rule

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – Nearly 15 million Americans were poised to see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points under a Biden Administration rule that would have removed medical bills from consumer credit reports. But the Trump Administration reversed course and joined credit reporting agencies in opposing the rule. On Friday, a Trump-appointed judge in Texas overturned the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) efforts to leave medical debt off consumer credit reports.
Now, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 26 other senators in pressing the Trump Administration for answers regarding the CFPB’s decision to vacate the medical debt rule finalized in January 2025.
100 million people in America — including 41 percent of adults – are burdened by over $220 billion in medical debt, according to KFF Health News.
The American Medical Association contends that medical debt isn’t an accurate barometer of people’s ability to repay other loans, because most bills are a one-time or short-term expense from a hospital stay or accident.
Warnock, Warren, Reed, Whitehouse and their colleagues are demanding the CFPB share any data the agency relied on in deciding to petition a court to vacate the rule and any communications it had with entities during the process that would profit from its decision.
“On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with collection agencies that stand to profit from it,” the 30 U.S. Senators wrote.
“Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts…Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care,” they continued.
At the conclusion of the letter, the senators emphasize the need for transparency into the agency’s decision-making process.
“On April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it – lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry,” the senators closed.
Senator Reed is a member of the Senate Banking Committee and has strongly criticized the Trump Administration’s efforts to diminish and downsize the CFPB. In May, President Trump withdrew his nominee for the CFPB. Currently, OMB Director Russell Vought serves as acting director of the agency and has failed to take action to ensure the CFPB protects Americans from predatory medical debt collection practices.
In addition to Senators Warnock, Warren, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
Full text of the letter follows:
Dear Acting Director Vought,
On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with debt collection agencies that stand to profit from it.
Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts. One major credit scoring company, VantageScore, has stopped using medical debt in its newer models entirely. Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care. People often receive collection notices for debts they did not owe, in the wrong amount, or that should have been covered by insurance—but still end up experiencing long-lasting damage to their credit scores.
Listing medical debt on a person’s credit report drives down their credit score, which hurts their ability to purchase a car, buy a home or rent an apartment, get utility service, start a business, or access other banking services. This has profound effects on families that can last generations. To make matters worse, medical debt is the most common reason debt collectors contact consumers; the debt collection industry makes one-fourth of its annual revenue from health care debt. Including medical debt on credit reports makes consumers more vulnerable to predatory debt collection practices.
Medical debt on credit reports also blocks working families from access to credit that they would be able to repay.The CFPB found that people who had all their medical debts completely removed from their credit reports experienced an average credit score increase of 20 points, in some cases elevating families into a higher credit score tier.
In response to growing data that medical debt is not a good indicator of creditworthiness, states across the country have acted to ban the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. And on January 7, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. The rule would remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans, prohibit credit reporting companies from sharing medical debt information with lenders, and bar lenders from considering medical debt in underwriting decisions. It was designed to help the millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, by lowering costs and increasing access to affordable credit for working families without affecting the predictive value of their credit reports. The rule would also help reduce the effects of structural racism and other prejudices. People of color are disproportionately harmed by the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. Meanwhile, adults with a disability and new moms are more than twice as likely to carry medical debt.
Despite the critical importance of the medical debt rule, on April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it—lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry, by July 28, 2025. We specifically request that CFPB publicly publish all data about how medical debt relates to key economic indicators, including:
Barriers to home and car ownership, including challenges getting loans or not being approved to rent or lease,
Paying higher premiums for auto, homeowner’s and other types of insurance,
Losing job opportunities as a result of credit reporting on background checks,
Obstacles to starting small businesses because of challenges with securing loans,
Paying more for everyday services such as household utilities or cell phone contracts
We are particularly concerned about the outsize impact that medical debt has on the credit scores of seniors, veterans, new parents, people with disabilities, cancer patients and survivors, and small business owners.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Press Trump Admin. on Reversal of Medical Debt Rule

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – Nearly 15 million Americans were poised to see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points under a Biden Administration rule that would have removed medical bills from consumer credit reports. But the Trump Administration reversed course and joined credit reporting agencies in opposing the rule. On Friday, a Trump-appointed judge in Texas overturned the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) efforts to leave medical debt off consumer credit reports.
Now, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 26 other senators in pressing the Trump Administration for answers regarding the CFPB’s decision to vacate the medical debt rule finalized in January 2025.
100 million people in America — including 41 percent of adults – are burdened by over $220 billion in medical debt, according to KFF Health News.
The American Medical Association contends that medical debt isn’t an accurate barometer of people’s ability to repay other loans, because most bills are a one-time or short-term expense from a hospital stay or accident.
Warnock, Warren, Reed, Whitehouse and their colleagues are demanding the CFPB share any data the agency relied on in deciding to petition a court to vacate the rule and any communications it had with entities during the process that would profit from its decision.
“On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with collection agencies that stand to profit from it,” the 30 U.S. Senators wrote.
“Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts…Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care,” they continued.
At the conclusion of the letter, the senators emphasize the need for transparency into the agency’s decision-making process.
“On April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it – lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry,” the senators closed.
Senator Reed is a member of the Senate Banking Committee and has strongly criticized the Trump Administration’s efforts to diminish and downsize the CFPB. In May, President Trump withdrew his nominee for the CFPB. Currently, OMB Director Russell Vought serves as acting director of the agency and has failed to take action to ensure the CFPB protects Americans from predatory medical debt collection practices.
In addition to Senators Warnock, Warren, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
Full text of the letter follows:
Dear Acting Director Vought,
On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with debt collection agencies that stand to profit from it.
Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts. One major credit scoring company, VantageScore, has stopped using medical debt in its newer models entirely. Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care. People often receive collection notices for debts they did not owe, in the wrong amount, or that should have been covered by insurance—but still end up experiencing long-lasting damage to their credit scores.
Listing medical debt on a person’s credit report drives down their credit score, which hurts their ability to purchase a car, buy a home or rent an apartment, get utility service, start a business, or access other banking services. This has profound effects on families that can last generations. To make matters worse, medical debt is the most common reason debt collectors contact consumers; the debt collection industry makes one-fourth of its annual revenue from health care debt. Including medical debt on credit reports makes consumers more vulnerable to predatory debt collection practices.
Medical debt on credit reports also blocks working families from access to credit that they would be able to repay.The CFPB found that people who had all their medical debts completely removed from their credit reports experienced an average credit score increase of 20 points, in some cases elevating families into a higher credit score tier.
In response to growing data that medical debt is not a good indicator of creditworthiness, states across the country have acted to ban the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. And on January 7, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. The rule would remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans, prohibit credit reporting companies from sharing medical debt information with lenders, and bar lenders from considering medical debt in underwriting decisions. It was designed to help the millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, by lowering costs and increasing access to affordable credit for working families without affecting the predictive value of their credit reports. The rule would also help reduce the effects of structural racism and other prejudices. People of color are disproportionately harmed by the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. Meanwhile, adults with a disability and new moms are more than twice as likely to carry medical debt.
Despite the critical importance of the medical debt rule, on April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it—lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry, by July 28, 2025. We specifically request that CFPB publicly publish all data about how medical debt relates to key economic indicators, including:
Barriers to home and car ownership, including challenges getting loans or not being approved to rent or lease,
Paying higher premiums for auto, homeowner’s and other types of insurance,
Losing job opportunities as a result of credit reporting on background checks,
Obstacles to starting small businesses because of challenges with securing loans,
Paying more for everyday services such as household utilities or cell phone contracts
We are particularly concerned about the outsize impact that medical debt has on the credit scores of seniors, veterans, new parents, people with disabilities, cancer patients and survivors, and small business owners.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Press Trump Admin. on Reversal of Medical Debt Rule

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – Nearly 15 million Americans were poised to see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points under a Biden Administration rule that would have removed medical bills from consumer credit reports. But the Trump Administration reversed course and joined credit reporting agencies in opposing the rule. On Friday, a Trump-appointed judge in Texas overturned the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) efforts to leave medical debt off consumer credit reports.
Now, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 26 other senators in pressing the Trump Administration for answers regarding the CFPB’s decision to vacate the medical debt rule finalized in January 2025.
100 million people in America — including 41 percent of adults – are burdened by over $220 billion in medical debt, according to KFF Health News.
The American Medical Association contends that medical debt isn’t an accurate barometer of people’s ability to repay other loans, because most bills are a one-time or short-term expense from a hospital stay or accident.
Warnock, Warren, Reed, Whitehouse and their colleagues are demanding the CFPB share any data the agency relied on in deciding to petition a court to vacate the rule and any communications it had with entities during the process that would profit from its decision.
“On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with collection agencies that stand to profit from it,” the 30 U.S. Senators wrote.
“Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts…Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care,” they continued.
At the conclusion of the letter, the senators emphasize the need for transparency into the agency’s decision-making process.
“On April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it – lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry,” the senators closed.
Senator Reed is a member of the Senate Banking Committee and has strongly criticized the Trump Administration’s efforts to diminish and downsize the CFPB. In May, President Trump withdrew his nominee for the CFPB. Currently, OMB Director Russell Vought serves as acting director of the agency and has failed to take action to ensure the CFPB protects Americans from predatory medical debt collection practices.
In addition to Senators Warnock, Warren, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
Full text of the letter follows:
Dear Acting Director Vought,
On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with debt collection agencies that stand to profit from it.
Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts. One major credit scoring company, VantageScore, has stopped using medical debt in its newer models entirely. Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care. People often receive collection notices for debts they did not owe, in the wrong amount, or that should have been covered by insurance—but still end up experiencing long-lasting damage to their credit scores.
Listing medical debt on a person’s credit report drives down their credit score, which hurts their ability to purchase a car, buy a home or rent an apartment, get utility service, start a business, or access other banking services. This has profound effects on families that can last generations. To make matters worse, medical debt is the most common reason debt collectors contact consumers; the debt collection industry makes one-fourth of its annual revenue from health care debt. Including medical debt on credit reports makes consumers more vulnerable to predatory debt collection practices.
Medical debt on credit reports also blocks working families from access to credit that they would be able to repay.The CFPB found that people who had all their medical debts completely removed from their credit reports experienced an average credit score increase of 20 points, in some cases elevating families into a higher credit score tier.
In response to growing data that medical debt is not a good indicator of creditworthiness, states across the country have acted to ban the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. And on January 7, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. The rule would remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans, prohibit credit reporting companies from sharing medical debt information with lenders, and bar lenders from considering medical debt in underwriting decisions. It was designed to help the millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, by lowering costs and increasing access to affordable credit for working families without affecting the predictive value of their credit reports. The rule would also help reduce the effects of structural racism and other prejudices. People of color are disproportionately harmed by the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. Meanwhile, adults with a disability and new moms are more than twice as likely to carry medical debt.
Despite the critical importance of the medical debt rule, on April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it—lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry, by July 28, 2025. We specifically request that CFPB publicly publish all data about how medical debt relates to key economic indicators, including:
Barriers to home and car ownership, including challenges getting loans or not being approved to rent or lease,
Paying higher premiums for auto, homeowner’s and other types of insurance,
Losing job opportunities as a result of credit reporting on background checks,
Obstacles to starting small businesses because of challenges with securing loans,
Paying more for everyday services such as household utilities or cell phone contracts
We are particularly concerned about the outsize impact that medical debt has on the credit scores of seniors, veterans, new parents, people with disabilities, cancer patients and survivors, and small business owners.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Press Trump Admin. on Reversal of Medical Debt Rule

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – Nearly 15 million Americans were poised to see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points under a Biden Administration rule that would have removed medical bills from consumer credit reports. But the Trump Administration reversed course and joined credit reporting agencies in opposing the rule. On Friday, a Trump-appointed judge in Texas overturned the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) efforts to leave medical debt off consumer credit reports.
Now, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 26 other senators in pressing the Trump Administration for answers regarding the CFPB’s decision to vacate the medical debt rule finalized in January 2025.
100 million people in America — including 41 percent of adults – are burdened by over $220 billion in medical debt, according to KFF Health News.
The American Medical Association contends that medical debt isn’t an accurate barometer of people’s ability to repay other loans, because most bills are a one-time or short-term expense from a hospital stay or accident.
Warnock, Warren, Reed, Whitehouse and their colleagues are demanding the CFPB share any data the agency relied on in deciding to petition a court to vacate the rule and any communications it had with entities during the process that would profit from its decision.
“On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with collection agencies that stand to profit from it,” the 30 U.S. Senators wrote.
“Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts…Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care,” they continued.
At the conclusion of the letter, the senators emphasize the need for transparency into the agency’s decision-making process.
“On April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it – lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry,” the senators closed.
Senator Reed is a member of the Senate Banking Committee and has strongly criticized the Trump Administration’s efforts to diminish and downsize the CFPB. In May, President Trump withdrew his nominee for the CFPB. Currently, OMB Director Russell Vought serves as acting director of the agency and has failed to take action to ensure the CFPB protects Americans from predatory medical debt collection practices.
In addition to Senators Warnock, Warren, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
Full text of the letter follows:
Dear Acting Director Vought,
On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with debt collection agencies that stand to profit from it.
Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts. One major credit scoring company, VantageScore, has stopped using medical debt in its newer models entirely. Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care. People often receive collection notices for debts they did not owe, in the wrong amount, or that should have been covered by insurance—but still end up experiencing long-lasting damage to their credit scores.
Listing medical debt on a person’s credit report drives down their credit score, which hurts their ability to purchase a car, buy a home or rent an apartment, get utility service, start a business, or access other banking services. This has profound effects on families that can last generations. To make matters worse, medical debt is the most common reason debt collectors contact consumers; the debt collection industry makes one-fourth of its annual revenue from health care debt. Including medical debt on credit reports makes consumers more vulnerable to predatory debt collection practices.
Medical debt on credit reports also blocks working families from access to credit that they would be able to repay.The CFPB found that people who had all their medical debts completely removed from their credit reports experienced an average credit score increase of 20 points, in some cases elevating families into a higher credit score tier.
In response to growing data that medical debt is not a good indicator of creditworthiness, states across the country have acted to ban the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. And on January 7, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. The rule would remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans, prohibit credit reporting companies from sharing medical debt information with lenders, and bar lenders from considering medical debt in underwriting decisions. It was designed to help the millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, by lowering costs and increasing access to affordable credit for working families without affecting the predictive value of their credit reports. The rule would also help reduce the effects of structural racism and other prejudices. People of color are disproportionately harmed by the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. Meanwhile, adults with a disability and new moms are more than twice as likely to carry medical debt.
Despite the critical importance of the medical debt rule, on April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it—lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry, by July 28, 2025. We specifically request that CFPB publicly publish all data about how medical debt relates to key economic indicators, including:
Barriers to home and car ownership, including challenges getting loans or not being approved to rent or lease,
Paying higher premiums for auto, homeowner’s and other types of insurance,
Losing job opportunities as a result of credit reporting on background checks,
Obstacles to starting small businesses because of challenges with securing loans,
Paying more for everyday services such as household utilities or cell phone contracts
We are particularly concerned about the outsize impact that medical debt has on the credit scores of seniors, veterans, new parents, people with disabilities, cancer patients and survivors, and small business owners.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Press Trump Admin. on Reversal of Medical Debt Rule
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

WASHINGTON, DC – Nearly 15 million Americans were poised to see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points under a Biden Administration rule that would have removed medical bills from consumer credit reports. But the Trump Administration reversed course and joined credit reporting agencies in opposing the rule. On Friday, a Trump-appointed judge in Texas overturned the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) efforts to leave medical debt off consumer credit reports.

Now, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 26 other senators in pressing the Trump Administration for answers regarding the CFPB’s decision to vacate the medical debt rule finalized in January 2025.

100 million people in America — including 41 percent of adults – are burdened by over $220 billion in medical debt, according to KFF Health News.

The American Medical Association contends that medical debt isn’t an accurate barometer of people’s ability to repay other loans, because most bills are a one-time or short-term expense from a hospital stay or accident.

Warnock, Warren, Reed, Whitehouse and their colleagues are demanding the CFPB share any data the agency relied on in deciding to petition a court to vacate the rule and any communications it had with entities during the process that would profit from its decision.

“On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with collection agencies that stand to profit from it,” the 30 U.S. Senators wrote.

“Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts…Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care,” they continued.

At the conclusion of the letter, the senators emphasize the need for transparency into the agency’s decision-making process.

“On April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it – lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry,” the senators closed.

Senator Reed is a member of the Senate Banking Committee and has strongly criticized the Trump Administration’s efforts to diminish and downsize the CFPB. In May, President Trump withdrew his nominee for the CFPB. Currently, OMB Director Russell Vought serves as acting director of the agency and has failed to take action to ensure the CFPB protects Americans from predatory medical debt collection practices.

In addition to Senators Warnock, Warren, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Acting Director Vought,

On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with debt collection agencies that stand to profit from it.

Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts. One major credit scoring company, VantageScore, has stopped using medical debt in its newer models entirely. Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care. People often receive collection notices for debts they did not owe, in the wrong amount, or that should have been covered by insurance—but still end up experiencing long-lasting damage to their credit scores.

Listing medical debt on a person’s credit report drives down their credit score, which hurts their ability to purchase a car, buy a home or rent an apartment, get utility service, start a business, or access other banking services. This has profound effects on families that can last generations. To make matters worse, medical debt is the most common reason debt collectors contact consumers; the debt collection industry makes one-fourth of its annual revenue from health care debt. Including medical debt on credit reports makes consumers more vulnerable to predatory debt collection practices.

Medical debt on credit reports also blocks working families from access to credit that they would be able to repay.The CFPB found that people who had all their medical debts completely removed from their credit reports experienced an average credit score increase of 20 points, in some cases elevating families into a higher credit score tier.

In response to growing data that medical debt is not a good indicator of creditworthiness, states across the country have acted to ban the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. And on January 7, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. The rule would remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans, prohibit credit reporting companies from sharing medical debt information with lenders, and bar lenders from considering medical debt in underwriting decisions. It was designed to help the millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, by lowering costs and increasing access to affordable credit for working families without affecting the predictive value of their credit reports. The rule would also help reduce the effects of structural racism and other prejudices. People of color are disproportionately harmed by the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. Meanwhile, adults with a disability and new moms are more than twice as likely to carry medical debt.

Despite the critical importance of the medical debt rule, on April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it—lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry, by July 28, 2025. We specifically request that CFPB publicly publish all data about how medical debt relates to key economic indicators, including:
- Barriers to home and car ownership, including challenges getting loans or not being approved to rent or lease,
- Paying higher premiums for auto, homeowner’s and other types of insurance,
- Losing job opportunities as a result of credit reporting on background checks,
- Obstacles to starting small businesses because of challenges with securing loans,
- Paying more for everyday services such as household utilities or cell phone contracts
We are particularly concerned about the outsize impact that medical debt has on the credit scores of seniors, veterans, new parents, people with disabilities, cancer patients and survivors, and small business owners.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
MIL OSI USA News –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: A polyclinic has been restored at the central city hospital of Svetlodarsk in the DPR

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

In Donbass and Novorossiya, the Russian construction complex continues to work on the restoration and major repairs of healthcare facilities, after which residents will be able to receive medical care there in modern conditions. Thus, the renovated polyclinic in Svetlodarsk of the Donetsk People’s Republic is ready to receive up to 500 patients daily, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin reported.

“A lot of work is being done in the reunited regions to create a social infrastructure that will improve the quality of life and provide services in comfortable conditions. The program for the socio-economic development of Donbass and Novorossiya has a comprehensive approach and includes not only the construction and restoration of buildings, but also tools for attracting specialists who will work, among other things, in the healthcare sector. Speaking about facilities, in Svetlodarsk, for example, a major overhaul of the outpatient clinic at the central hospital was completed. In total, we have about 300 such restored and updated facilities in the reunited regions. Among other things, medical workers are attracted to work in them under the programs “Zemsky Doctor” and “Zemsky Paramedic”. There are more than 100 such specialists today,” said Marat Khusnullin.

The Deputy Prime Minister added that during the major repairs of the 7,000 sq. m. building, under the supervision of specialists from the Single Customer in Construction, the roof, windows and doors were replaced, the interior was finished and the engineering systems were modernized.

“Implementation of programs to support reunited regions remains one of the key priorities of the Russian Ministry of Construction. Particular attention is paid to the development of social infrastructure, including healthcare. From 2022 to 2024, residents were issued 3.6 million compulsory medical insurance policies, which guarantees citizens all the possibilities of the compulsory medical insurance system. This is an important step in integrating historical regions into a single social space of the country,” said Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities Almaz Khusainov.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Mikhail Mishustin held a strategic session on the development of the aviation industry

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

M. Mishustin: “Our country has sufficient technological potential, all the resources to make a radical breakthrough in the field of aircraft manufacturing and, as a result, provide our citizens with guaranteed opportunities for convenient flights – comfortable, safe.”

Opening remarks by Mikhail Mishustin:

Good afternoon, dear colleagues!

Mikhail Mishustin held a strategic session on the development of the aviation industry

15 hours ago

Today we will look at important issues in the development of the aviation industry.

The President has set large-scale tasks for the industry to update the fleet of Russian airlines. Without a doubt, our country needs a modern air fleet based on its own technological solutions and a powerful production base.

In the context of sanctions and external restrictions, the creation of a full range of domestic equipment is necessary for the reliable development of connectivity between our regions and the achievement of the strategic goal of increasing the aviation mobility of citizens by one and a half times by 2030.

Of course, for this purpose new comfortable airport complexes are also being actively built, airfield infrastructure is being modernized, air traffic control systems are being improved, which contributes to the expansion of the route network. And as a result, flights on domestic routes are becoming more convenient for more people.

In order to ensure the independence of Russian civil aviation, a specialized federal project has been formed – “Production of Aircraft and Helicopters”. It has become part of the national project of technological leadership “Industrial Support of Transport Mobility”, which was launched, let me remind you, at the beginning of this year. It is planned to allocate a total of 765 billion rubles from the federal budget for its implementation over six years.

First of all, to create aircraft, competitive engines, electronic equipment, various technical systems. And the entire list of science-intensive equipment. We are talking about developing truly unique products that do not yet have Russian analogues, the production of which must be mastered.

Of course, here we are counting on the high efficiency and coordinated actions of our research centers, design bureaus, industry enterprises and many thousands of related companies that are involved in cooperation chains.

I will highlight several key challenges that aviation industry enterprises will have to overcome.

First of all, it is necessary to bring to successful completion the experimental design work on all implemented programs.

There are preliminary results. In particular, yesterday the operation of the onboard radio-electronic equipment was successfully tested during the flight tests of our flagship MS-21. For the first time, a laboratory based on the Yak-40 with a VK-800 engine took to the air, which will be installed on local aircraft – “Baikal” and the joint aircraft with the Belarusians “Osvey”.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the certification of the updated Superjet with the PD-8 engine is expected to be completed no later than December of this year. Just recently, let me remind you, it flew from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to Zhukovsky. As did the regional airliner Il-114, which we examined in detail last week while visiting the Innoprom exhibition in Yekaterinburg.

And the MS-21 and Baikal should be ready for serial production – according to the plans we have – in October and December of next year, respectively.

I would like to draw the attention of my colleagues to the fact that specific deadlines need to be set for each type of aircraft. Including for import-substituted versions of the well-known Tu-214 and Il-96-300 models. As well as for our other projects, such as Ladoga and Osvey. And also for promising helicopters of various classes: from the lightest – Mi-34, Ansat, Ka-62 to the heavy ones – Mi-38, Mi-171. It is important that the final economic and flight-technical characteristics of the new Russian equipment correspond to the parameters agreed upon with the airlines.

Another equally serious task is related to the implementation of investment projects to expand production capacity at all enterprises of the cooperation, taking into account the high cost of credit resources today.

In order to provide systemic support for the construction and modernization of plant facilities, the Government approved a comprehensive program for the development of the aviation industry until 2030 three years ago.

Taking into account new challenges, it needs to be revised. It is also necessary to update the aircraft delivery schedules by year, based on the current situation.

I would like to emphasize that we cannot allow any delays that could hinder the growth of passenger traffic. This is a top priority.

Dear colleagues!

I propose to analyze in detail the current status of each project, the results achieved, as well as the existing challenges, and to develop solutions that will allow us to reach large-scale production of a full cycle of aircraft.

Our country has sufficient technological potential and all the resources to make a radical breakthrough in the field of aircraft manufacturing and, as a result, provide our citizens with guaranteed opportunities for convenient flights – comfortable and safe.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: In the Zabaikalsky Krai, repairs have been completed on 30 km of the federal highway R-297 “Amur” Chita – Khabarovsk

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

On the federal highway R-297 “Amur” Chita – Khabarovsk in the Zabaikalsky Krai, work has been completed to bring four sections of the road with a total length of 30 km up to standard. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

“This year marks 15 years since the federal highway R-297 “Amur” was launched. This is the only route between two major transport hubs and administrative centers of the country’s regions – Chita and Khabarovsk. As an eastward extension of the federal highway R-258 “Baikal” Irkutsk – Ulan-Ude – Chita, the road connects the western part of Russia with the Far East, and also provides access to the A-360 “Lena” highway to Yakutia and the Magadan Region. Of course, any road surface requires maintenance and timely renewal. And in order for motorists to remain comfortable, repairs have been completed on four sections of R-297 with a total length of 30 km – the road surface has been renewed, culverts have been repaired, and the barrier fence, signal posts and road signs have been restored,” said Marat Khusnullin.

The work was carried out under three government contracts on the following sections: km 115–km 125 near the settlement of Naryn-Talacha in the Karymsky District, km 270–km 275 and km 295–km 297, as well as km 323–km 337 in the Chernyshevsky District.

Additionally, on the section between km 323 and km 337 near Zhireken, a rest area was renovated and sunshades were installed to prevent the occurrence of subsidence or so-called Amur waves, which are formed as a result of the thawing of permafrost soils at the base of the road.

“The Amur Federal Highway is one of the most important elements of the Russian transport system. The average annual traffic intensity on this highway is growing every year. Thus, in 2022 it was about 2.5 thousand cars per day, and in 2024 – already more than 3.2 thousand vehicles. That is why we are constantly working to improve the transport characteristics of the road, including the use of innovative technologies and materials that can increase the durability and safety of the highway,” said Azamat Ilimbetov, head of the Federal State Institution “Zabaikalye Federal Highway Administration”, which carried out the repair of the highway.

Work to bring the route up to standard continues. By the end of 2026, more than 138 km of the R-297 “Amur” highway from Chita to the border with the Amur Region are planned to be repaired (including 30 km already commissioned). This year, a total of 84 km are planned to be commissioned.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: In the Zabaikalsky Krai, repairs have been completed on 30 km of the federal highway R-297 “Amur” Chita – Khabarovsk

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

On the federal highway R-297 “Amur” Chita – Khabarovsk in the Zabaikalsky Krai, work has been completed to bring four sections of the road with a total length of 30 km up to standard. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

“This year marks 15 years since the federal highway R-297 “Amur” was launched. This is the only route between two major transport hubs and administrative centers of the country’s regions – Chita and Khabarovsk. As an eastward extension of the federal highway R-258 “Baikal” Irkutsk – Ulan-Ude – Chita, the road connects the western part of Russia with the Far East, and also provides access to the A-360 “Lena” highway to Yakutia and the Magadan Region. Of course, any road surface requires maintenance and timely renewal. And in order for motorists to remain comfortable, repairs have been completed on four sections of R-297 with a total length of 30 km – the road surface has been renewed, culverts have been repaired, and the barrier fence, signal posts and road signs have been restored,” said Marat Khusnullin.

The work was carried out under three government contracts on the following sections: km 115–km 125 near the settlement of Naryn-Talacha in the Karymsky District, km 270–km 275 and km 295–km 297, as well as km 323–km 337 in the Chernyshevsky District.

Additionally, on the section between km 323 and km 337 near Zhireken, a rest area was renovated and sunshades were installed to prevent the occurrence of subsidence or so-called Amur waves, which are formed as a result of the thawing of permafrost soils at the base of the road.

“The Amur Federal Highway is one of the most important elements of the Russian transport system. The average annual traffic intensity on this highway is growing every year. Thus, in 2022 it was about 2.5 thousand cars per day, and in 2024 – already more than 3.2 thousand vehicles. That is why we are constantly working to improve the transport characteristics of the road, including the use of innovative technologies and materials that can increase the durability and safety of the highway,” said Azamat Ilimbetov, head of the Federal State Institution “Zabaikalye Federal Highway Administration”, which carried out the repair of the highway.

Work to bring the route up to standard continues. By the end of 2026, more than 138 km of the R-297 “Amur” highway from Chita to the border with the Amur Region are planned to be repaired (including 30 km already commissioned). This year, a total of 84 km are planned to be commissioned.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. Schedules Earnings Release and Quarterly Earnings Call to Discuss its Financial Results for the Second Quarter Ended June 30, 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (“Carlyle Secured Lending”) (NASDAQ: CGBD) will host a conference call at 11:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 to announce its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025. The Company will report its quarterly financial results on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.

The conference call will be available via public webcast via a link on Carlyle Secured Lending’s website at carlylesecuredlending.com and will also be available on the website soon after the call’s completion.

About Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc.

Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. is a publicly traded (NASDAQ: CGBD) business development company (“BDC”) which began investing in 2013. The Company focuses on providing directly originated, financing solutions across the capital structure, with a focus on senior secured lending to middle-market companies primarily located in the United States. Carlyle Secured Lending is externally managed by Carlyle Global Credit Investment Management L.L.C., an SEC-registered investment adviser and wholly owned subsidiary of Carlyle.

Web: carlylesecuredlending.com

About Carlyle

Carlyle (“Carlyle,” or the “Adviser”) (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Carlyle AlpInvest. With $453 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2025, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. Carlyle employs more than 2,300 people in 29 offices across four continents. Further information is available at www.carlyle.com. Follow Carlyle on X @OneCarlyle and LinkedIn at The Carlyle Group.

Contacts:

Investors: Media:

Nishil Mehta Kristen Ashton

+1-212-813-4918 +1-212-813-4763

publicinvestor@carlylesecuredlending.com kristen.ashton@carlyle.com

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Results of monitoring maximum interest rates of credit institutions (07/15/2025)

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Central Bank of Russia –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

1 When determining the maximum interest rate for each credit institution:

— maximum rates on deposits available to any client (including potential ones) without restrictions and preconditions are taken into account. Deposits for selected categories of clients (pensioners, children) and purposes (for social and humanitarian purposes, etc.) are not considered;

— rates with capitalization of interest on the deposit are not taken into account;

— rates that apply under certain conditions (regular turnover on a bank card, constant minimum balance on a bank card, etc.) are not taken into account;

— combined deposit products, i.e. deposits with additional conditions, are not considered. Such additional conditions for calculating an increased interest rate may be, for example, the purchase of investment units for a certain amount, opening an investment account, registration of an investment or savings life insurance program, connection of an additional service package, etc.;

— deposits whose term is divided into periods with different rates are not considered.

The average maximum interest rate indicator is calculated as the arithmetic mean of the maximum interest rates of 10 credit institutions.

2 PJSC Sberbank (1481) – www.sberbank.ru, VTB Bank (PJSC) (1000) – www.vtb.ru, GPB Bank (JSC) (354) – www.gazprombank.ru, JSC Alfa-Bank (1326) – alfabank.ru, JSC Rosselkhozbank (3349) – www.rshb.ru, JSC “Bank Dom.RF” (2312) – domrfbank.ru, PJSC “Moscow Credit Bank” (1978) – mkb.ru, JSC “TBank” (2673) – www.tbank.ru, PJSC “Promsvyazbank” (3251) – psbank.ru, PJSC “Sovcombank” (963) – sovcombank.ru. The monitoring was conducted by the Department of Banking Regulation and Analytics of the Bank of Russia using information provided on the specified websites. The published indicator is indicative.

3 Average maximum interest rates on deposits: for a term of up to 90 days – 17.22%; for a term of 91 to 180 days – 17.39%; for a term of 181 days to 1 year – 16.93%; for a term of over 1 year – 15.08%.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. to Announce 2Q25 Results on July 29, 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MILWAUKEE, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. (NYSE: APAM) will report its second quarter 2025 financial results and information relating to its quarterly dividend on July 29, 2025 at approximately 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time). Artisan Partners Asset Management’s earnings release and supplemental materials will be available on the investor relations section of artisanpartners.com at that time. Chief Executive Officer and President Jason Gottlieb , Executive Chair Eric Colson, and Chief Financial Officer C.J. Daley will host a conference call on July 30, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss the results.

A live webcast of the conference call will be available via the investor relations section of artisanpartners.com. Those interested in participating in the conference call should dial:

United States/Toll Free: 1-877-328-5507

International: 1-412-317-5423

Conference ID: 10199994

An audio replay of the conference call will be available one hour after the end of the conference until August 6, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) by dialing the following:

United States/Toll Free: 1-877-344-7529

International: 1-412-317-0088

Replay Conference ID: 4893273

An audio replay will also be available via the investor relations section of artisanpartners.com within 24 hours after the end of the conference.

About Artisan Partners

Artisan Partners is a global investment management firm that provides a broad range of high value-added investment strategies in growing asset classes to sophisticated clients around the world. Since 1994, the firm has been committed to attracting experienced, disciplined investment professionals to manage client assets. Artisan Partners’ autonomous investment teams oversee a diverse range of investment strategies across multiple asset classes. Strategies are offered through various investment vehicles to accommodate a broad range of client mandates.

Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc.

Investor Relations Inquiries
866.632.1770
ir@artisanpartners.com

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: The State Duma approved in the first reading the bill on investment programs in the housing and communal services sector.

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

At a meeting on Tuesday, July 15, State Duma deputies supported in the first reading a systemic bill that will help increase investment in the housing and utilities sector and modernize the utilities infrastructure.

The bill was prepared in the context of fulfilling the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin to attract budget and private funds in the amount of 4.5 trillion rubles for the modernization of critical infrastructure by 2030.

“The bill introduces a rule for resource supplying organizations to approve investment programs. We also link these programs with depreciation already taken into account in the current tariffs. In the absence of legislatively established directions for depreciation, it is impossible to track what purposes it is spent on (major repairs, covering current expenses, or placing funds on deposits), since this remains at the discretion of the resource supplying organization,” Deputy Minister of Economic Development Mikhail Kaminsky noted at the plenary session.

Depreciation charges in the housing and utilities sector are part of the cost of fixed assets that organizations include in their costs to compensate for their wear and tear. Depreciation is already included in the tariffs that the population pays for housing and utilities services, while depreciation can also be used for purposes not related to the modernization of housing and utilities facilities, which leads to insufficient funding of investment programs and accelerated wear and tear of infrastructure.

Now the direction of depreciation to finance investment programs will become mandatory. This will allow the investment resource already included in the tariff to be used for the development of the industry. According to Mikhail Kaminsky, today no more than 10% of organizations have investment programs.

The mechanism of regulatory agreements, which will be extended to the heat supply sector and fine-tuned in water supply, will help support investments in the regions of the Russian Federation. The agreement will establish the procedure for determining and changing tariffs for the heat supply organization, and will record the obligations of the subject of the Russian Federation, the municipality to set tariffs for the entire term of the agreement. This is necessary to attract private investment and provide regions and municipalities with the opportunity to provide budget support measures to resource supply organizations.

“We are thus providing the opportunity to record long-term mutual obligations of resource supplying organizations, regions and municipalities: organizations will receive long-term tariffs that take into account investment programs for a period of at least five years, and regions and municipalities will receive modernized infrastructure facilities,” Mikhail Kaminsky clarified.

The bill also introduces a unified approach to monitoring the implementation of investment programs. Currently, regional state control over investment programs is carried out within the framework of tariff regulation. Now the bodies authorized to do so, which are determined by the region itself, will work according to the rules of the basic law on control. In particular, they will receive the right to inspect the implementation of investment program activities.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Graphjet Technology Provides Update on Current Events

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Graphjet Technology (“Graphjet” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq:GTI), a leading developer of patented technologies to produce graphite and graphene directly from agricultural waste, has today filed its Form 10-K filing.

During the current year, the Company has seen changes to its shareholders whereby the new controlling shareholder, Mr. Aiden, Lee has made numerous contributions to the Company, including providing funds to fund the transformation of the Company. With the funds received from Mr. Aiden Lee, the Company was able to complete its audit for the fiscal year September 30, 2024, albeit later than anticipated due to unforeseen circumstances.

The Company has made plans to address the current non-compliances with the Nasdaq listing requirements. The Company has and will continue to engage an experienced accounting services firm, to advise the Company and ensure speedy completion of the Form 10Qs for the December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025. The completion of the Form 10Qs will allow the Company to take necessary measures to raise funds to further expand the capacity and capabilities of the Company.

A hearing before the Nasdaq Hearings Panel from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC has been scheduled for July 17, 2025, during which the Company will appeal the delisting determination due to the non-compliances with the Nasdaq listing requirements. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will get a favorable outcome.

The Company will also be holding a shareholders’ meeting on July 30, 2025 for a reverse split exercise. The Company is confident to secure the shareholders’ approval for the reverse split exercise, which is aimed at ensuring that we meet the minimum price bids.

With the minimum price bids met and Form 10Qs filed, the Company will be able to attract new investors which will allow our Company to move towards compliance with the minimum market value of listed securities (MVLS). The Company is currently in discussion with a few parties who has indicated their interest in funding the Company.

“We are confident that our plan to be address the non-compliances with the Nasdaq listing requirements can be implemented. In addition, the Company will make the necessary announcement when the efforts made for the Company’s transformation bears fruit” said Chris Lai, the CEO of the Company.

About Graphjet Technology Sdn. Bhd.
Graphjet Technology Sdn. Bhd. (Nasdaq: GTI) was founded in 2019 in Malaysia as an innovative graphene and graphite producer. Graphjet Technology has the world’s first patented technology to recycle palm kernel shells generated in the production of palm seed oil to produce single layer graphene and artificial graphite. Graphjet’s sustainable production methods utilizing palm kernel shells, a waste agricultural product that is common in Malaysia, will set a new shift in graphite and graphene supply chain of the world. For more information, please visit https://www.graphjettech.com/.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The information in this press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “aim,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result” and similar expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) changes in the markets in which Graphjet competes, including with respect to its competitive landscape, technology evolution or regulatory changes; (ii) the risk that Graphjet will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plans, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; (iii) Graphjet is beginning the commercialization of its technology and it may not have an accurate estimate of future capital expenditures and future revenue; (iv) statements regarding Graphjet’s industry and market size; (v) financial condition and performance of Graphjet, including the anticipated benefits, the implied enterprise value, the financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, the products, the expected future performance and market opportunities of Graphjet; (vi) Graphjet’s ability to develop and manufacture its graphene and graphite products; and (vii) those factors discussed in our filings with the SEC. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that will be described in the “Risk Factors” section of the documents to be filed by Graphjet from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward- looking statements, and while Graphjet may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, they assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law. Graphjet does not give any assurance that Graphjet will achieve its expectations.

Graphjet Technology Contacts

Investors
ceo.office@graphjettech.com

Media
ceo.office@graphjettech.com

The MIL Network –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Global demand for meat and dairy set to rise, but climate and nutrition gaps remain
Source: United Nations 2

However, persistent nutritional gaps and mounting environmental pressures reveal a complex path ahead, according to a new study by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – an influential international policy forum.

The Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034, released on Tuesday, projects a six per cent increase in global per capita consumption of animal-source foods by 2034 – beef, pork, poultry, fish, dairy and other animal products.

The trend is most pronounced in lower middle-income countries, where intake is expected to rise by 24 per cent, far outpacing the global average.

“These projections point to better nutrition for many people in developing countries,” said Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the FAO.

OECD‑FAO

Agricultural Outlook 2025‑2034

Increased incomes, better diets – but not for all

The surge in consumption in middle-income economies is attributed largely to rising disposable incomes, changing dietary preferences and urbanisation. In these countries, daily per capita intake of animal-sourced foods is projected to reach 364 kilocalories, surpassing the 300 kcal benchmark.

At the same time, consumption in low-income countries will remain low – reaching just 143 kcal per day, less than half the amount deemed necessary for a healthy diet – highlighting stark inequalities in access to nutrient-rich diets and the challenges ahead to ensure everyone is food secure.

Mr. Qu urged greater efforts to ensure people in the lowest-income countries also benefit from improved nutrition and food security.

Production expanding but emissions rising

To meet rising demand, global agricultural and fish production is projected to increase by 14 per cent over the next decade, largely driven by productivity gains in middle-income nations.

Output of meat, dairy and eggs is expected to grow by 17 per cent, while total livestock inventories are projected to expand by seven per cent.

However, these gains come at an environmental cost: direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture are set to rise by six per cent by 2034, despite improvements in emissions intensity.

As production becomes more efficient, the emissions generated per unit of output will decline, but the overall footprint will still grow unless additional measures are taken.
OECD‑FAO

Agricultural Outlook 2025‑2034

Other key findings
- Cereal yields to grow 0.9 per cent annually, with harvested area expanding just 0.14 per cent per year – half the pace of the last decade
- By 2034, 40 per cent of cereals will go directly to human consumption, 33 per cent to animal feed, and the rest to biofuels and industry
- Biofuel demand set to rise 0.9 per cent annually, led by Brazil, India and Indonesia
- Sub-Saharan Africa’s beef herd projected to grow 15 per cent, though productivity remains just one-tenth of North America’s
- India and Southeast Asia will drive 39 per cent of global consumption growth by 2034; China’s share falling to 13 per cent from 32 per cent
- High-income countries to see drop in per capita fats and sweeteners intake due to health trends and policy shifts
A win-win: More nourishment, fewer emissions

The report outlines a scenario in which nourishment improves for all, and agricultural emissions are reduced by as much as seven per cent below current levels by 2034.

Achieving this dual outcome would require major investments to improve productivity, alongside widespread adoption of existing low-emission technologies such as precision farming, improved livestock feed and prioritising nutritional production.

Future progress will depend on a blend of policy coordination, technological innovation and targeted investments – especially in countries where the gap between demand and nutritional value is stark.

“We have the tools to end hunger and boost global food security,” said Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the OECD.

“Well-coordinated policies are needed to keep global food markets open, while fostering long-term productivity improvements and sustainability in the agriculture sector.”

Pivotal role for global trade

The Outlook also reiterates the importance of trade, given that 22 per cent of all calories eaten will have crossed international borders by 2034.

“International trade will remain indispensable to the global agri-food sector,” the report stressed.

“Multilateral cooperation and a rules-based agricultural trade are essential to facilitating these trade flows, balancing food deficits and surpluses across countries, stabilising prices and enhancing food security, nutrition and environmental sustainability.”

MIL OSI United Nations News –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Clarke, Kelly, Watson Coleman Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Tackle Uterine Fibroids Through Research and Education

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with U.S. Representatives Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), reintroduced the bicameral Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act, legislation that would expand research and raise awareness through public education programs to support women suffering from uterine fibroids. The legislation is named after the late U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio, who championed this issue.
“Millions of Americans, including nearly 25% of Black women, will suffer from uterine fibroids by the age of 25,” said Senator Booker. “We must act to prevent, diagnose, and treat fibroids so that affected women can find relief. This legislation will raise awareness, expand research, and improve access to evidence-based care for women struggling with uterine fibroids.”
“The health crisis Black women across this nation confront every day will not end unless meaningful, targeted action is taken to do so. Today, my colleagues and I have introduced this legislative package as an unprecedented and historic step towards ensuring those who are at-risk or suffering from fibroids and uterine cancer have the support, resources, and care they need to navigate the painful diagnoses far too many have faced throughout their lives. With these four bills, we are not only putting the uterine health of millions first, but we are also carrying on the torch lit by a long line of lawmakers, advocates, and leaders who refused to stand by while women struggle in silence. I am proud to fight for the health equity they have long been denied but have always deserved,” said Congresswoman Clarke.
“Uterine fibroids can be debilitating, but symptoms are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or dismissed while treatment remains out of reach,” said Congresswoman Kelly. “I’m proud to support this legislation to better understand uterine fibroids and develop more effective treatments for everyone — especially for Black women, who are three times more likely to develop uterine fibroids. We must continue to raise awareness, empower women to make their own health choices, and increase funding and research to treat fibroids.”
“This bill is crucial for understanding, treating, and preventing uterine fibroids,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “Fibroids impact Black women at substantially higher rates, and the current body of medical research is wholly insufficient. This is a serious public health issue that impacts millions of women, contributing to greater overall lifetime stress and decreasing our quality of life. More must be done to address this issue which has gone overlooked for too long. I’m proud to join my colleagues in advancing this bill to raise awareness, provide resources, and mandate research to help relieve suffering for women and girls everywhere.”
July marks Fibroid Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise awareness for uterine fibroids, which are noncancerous growths of the uterus that impact an estimated 26 million women nationwide. Symptoms of this devastating condition include severe menstrual bleeding, anemia, pregnancy complications and loss, and infertility.
In addition to the pain and discomfort they cause, uterine fibroids cost the health care system an estimated $5.9 billion to $34.4 billion every year. Despite their prevalence and impact, preventing, diagnosing, and treating uterine fibroids is very difficult. This condition often goes undiagnosed, and even when it is accurately diagnosed, treatment is usually invasive and can lead to infertility. Black women are particularly impacted by this condition as they tend to develop uterine fibroids earlier, have larger and a greater number of fibroids, and have more severe symptoms and complications.
Specifically, the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act would:
Expand and intensify research on uterine fibroids and authorize $30 million a year for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 for that effort.
Require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collect data on services provided to people diagnosed with uterine fibroids under Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Create a public education program for uterine fibroids.
Promote evidence-based care for uterine fibroids among health care providers.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act is being introduced within a legislative package aimed at advancing uterine health initiatives. The package also includes the Uterine Fibroid Intervention and Gynecological Health Treatment (U-FIGHT) Act, the Uterine Cancer Study Act, and the Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month Resolution.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: New Warren Report Exposes Potential Trump Corruption, Bribery Through Presidential Library Donations

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

July 15, 2025

Warren analysis reveals at least half a billion dollars in monetary contributions, gifts, in-kind donations flowing into Trump Presidential Library

Donations come while Trump makes critical decisions that may impact donors; raises serious concerns about bribery, influence-peddling

Report (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a new report exposing how companies, special interests, and foreign governments may be pledging donations to President Trump’s future Presidential Library as a corrupt tool to secure favorable outcomes from his administration.

“Donald Trump may be using his presidential library as a tool for corruption and bribery while still in office. We could be seeing giant companies like Paramount and Meta and foreign countries like Qatar pay Trump off in plain sight,” said Senator Warren. “Government should work for the American people, not just whichever giant company or foreign government can dump the most money into the president’s future library.”

Senator Warren’s new analysis reveals that companies seeking favorable outcomes from the Trump administration have pledged to funnel at least $63 million into Trump’s future presidential library. Other gifts and in-kind donations — including a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar, expensive candlelight dinners at Mar-a-Lago, leftover inauguration donations, and more — bring the total value of gifts flowing into Trump’s library to at least half a billion dollars.

Presidential Libraries are used to honor a president’s legacy and allow scholars and the public to learn about their time in office. This new report details how giant corporations, special interests, and at least one foreign government are promising donations to President Trump’s future library while his administration makes decisions on mega-mergers, the preservation of a U.S. military base in Qatar, Big Tech regulation, and more.

Just weeks ago, Paramount settled President Trump’s lawsuit against CBS’s 60 Minutes for $16 million, with the money funneling straight into Trump’s library. Paramount is currently vying for approval by the Trump administration of its proposed megamerger with Skydance.

In December 2024, ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit with Donald Trump by agreeing to pay $15 million toward his Presidential Library.

Past presidents have also accepted suspicious donations while in office — such as the Clinton Foundation accepting a $450,000 donation from a woman pushing for a presidential pardon for her ex-husband, which President Clinton later granted, or a Bush Administration advisor soliciting Presidential Library donations in exchange for arranging meetings with top administration officials.

“But Trump is doing so at a magnitude that makes glaringly clear the need for common-sense guardrails around donations,” said Senator Warren’s report.

Unlike donations to presidential campaigns or inaugural committees, there are almost no restrictions on donations to Presidential Libraries. Even while in office, presidents can solicit unlimited, undisclosed donations from anyone — including foreign nationals, lobbyists, federal contractors, individuals seeking presidential pardons, and corporations with business before federal agencies.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rethinking London’s future: Zoë Garbett AM response to the Mayor’s London Plan consultation
Source: Mayor of London

In response to the Mayor’s publication of the London Plan consultation, Zoë Garbett AM has released a bold set of planning proposals aimed at reshaping the current London Plan to confront the city’s worsening housing emergency and environmental challenges.

In a city riddled with deep inequality and rising poverty, Garbett’s response sets out a clear call for change.

Drawing from the experiences and voices of London’s grassroot organisations and campaigners, community leaders, housing justice organisers, disability rights groups and policy experts, this response is rooted in listening to what Londoners really want, and how we can create a city that works for everyone.

Key proposals in the report include:
- Social housing must be central to development – not treated as an afterthought or burden – with barriers to its delivery removed.
- The Green Belt must be protected, not sacrificed in favour of short-term, profit driven schemes that erode London’s much needed green spaces and wildlife.
- A reversal of the growth-at-all costs mentality with a renewed focus on the principle of good growth.
- Well-connected transport networks should be the default standard across London.
- Recognising the importance of ‘emerging heritage’ where we can protect culturally significant spaces created by London’s older and newer diaspora communities – spaces that are too often overlooked or under threat.
- Valuing and protecting London’s ‘real-life economy’ made up of market stall traders, independent retailers and creators who are embedded in our communities.
Addressing the need for the consultation, Zoë Garbett, Green Party London Assembly Member said:

“Each day, London becomes more and more unequal and the divide between those with power and those without grows wider.

“Private developers are marching through London’s communities unchecked, tearing down places of cultural importance and bulldozing over our green spaces, with the interest of Londoners so far down their priority list.

“With every tower that rises, their bottom lines come first, while the majority of Londoners are pushed out, priced out and ignored.

“This cannot continue. We desperately need a radical shift in how we think about land, housing, our green spaces and who London is really for.

“Our city’s future can’t be decided behind closed doors, it has to be created with the people who live here.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how the Mayor responds to the recommendations proposed.”
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: CMS Expands Access to Lifesaving Gene Therapies Through Innovative State Agreements

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services

CMS Expands Access to Lifesaving Gene Therapies Through Innovative State Agreements
Participating states to test outcomes-based payments for sickle cell disease treatments, improving care while lowering long-term costs

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that 33 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will participate in the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Access Model, a bold new approach to delivering cutting-edge treatments for people on Medicaid living with sickle cell disease. Participating states represent approximately 84% of Medicaid beneficiaries with the condition, significantly expanding access to transformative care.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Zoë Garbett AM responds to the Mayor’s green belt proposal: This won’t solve London’s housing crisis

Source: Mayor of London

In response to the Mayor’s recent announcement to build on the green belt, Green Party London Assembly Member Zoë Garbett said:

“The Mayor’s green belt proposal talks about affordable homes, but that’s just developer-speak for housing that’s still out of reach for most people. There’s no guarantee of 100% social housing in this plan, just vague promises dressed up as affordability.

“If we’re serious about fixing this crisis right now, we need to be honest about what actually works. That means freezing Right to Buy to stop the loss of desperately needed social homes. It means cracking down on long-term empty homes, with thousands of properties left unoccupied while families are forced to sleep in temporary accommodation. It means regulating Airbnb-style short lets that are hollowing out communities and driving up rents. And it means implementing rent controls so we can break this cycle of unaffordability and take back control of our housing.

“While the Mayor drags his feet and banks on developers to fix the housing crisis, across London, homelessness is on the rise, people are being pushed into precarious and dangerous living situations, primary schools are closing and communities are being torn apart as more and more people are being priced out of their neighbourhoods. We are far beyond a housing crisis. The system is completely broken.

“Yet instead of tackling the root causes, we’re being sold the false promise that building on the green belt will somehow solve our city’s housing crisis.

“This project will just recreate the same broken housing model that’s left so many Londoners struggling – high rents, empty homes and landlords buying up more social housing.

“Not only will this fail to solve London’s housing crisis, but it’s also a devastating blow to the environment and our green spaces, especially during a climate emergency. Not exactly what you’d expect from the self-declared ‘greenest Mayor’ ever.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: American Academy of Nursing Announces its 2025 Fellows Including Three UConn School of Nursing Faculty

Source: US State of Connecticut

UConn School of Nursing faculty Mallory Perry-Eaddy, Ph.D., RN, CCRN, Tiffany Kelley, Ph.D., MBA, RN, NI-BC, FNAP, and Gee Su Yang, Ph.D., RN, will be inducted as 2025 Fellows into the American Academy of Nursing this fall.

“The induction of Mallory, Tiffany, Gee Su, and our distinguished UConn Nursing alumni into the American Academy of Nursing represents a profound acknowledgment of their scholarly excellence and transformative impact on the nursing profession,” says Victoria Vaughan Dickson, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Dean of the School of Nursing. “Their exemplary contributions to advancing health equity, shaping clinical practice, and informing health policy resonate on both national and global levels, embodying the highest ideals of academic and professional nursing leadership.”

The newest Fellows represent 42 states, the District of Columbia, and 12 countries. Their extensive expertise will enrich the thought leadership of the over 3,200 Academy Fellows who together advance the Academy’s mission of improving health and achieving health equity by impacting policy through nursing leadership, innovation, and science.

The inductees will be recognized at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place on October 16-18, 2025, in Washington, DC. This year’s conference theme is “Impact Through Integrity and Trust: Our Role as Navigators and Translators” which will focus on shaping the future of healthcare and fulfilling the Academy’s vision of “Healthy Lives for All People.”

“I cannot emphasize enough at this pivotal time in history the vital importance of recognizing this extraordinary and sizeable group of nurse leaders. With rich and varied backgrounds from practice, policy, research, entrepreneurship, and academia, they have been instrumental in using nursing’s holistic approach to improve the health of patients and communities throughout the world,” said Academy President Linda D. Scott, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FNAP, FAAN. “Induction into the Academy represents the highest honor in nursing. Earning the FAAN (Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing) credential is a prestigious recognition of one’s accomplishments and signifies the power of nursing to transform health and enact positive outcomes.”

Mallory Perry-Eaddy, Ph.D., RN, CCRN (Contributed Photo)

Mallory Perry-Eaddy, Ph.D., RN, CCRN

Perry-Eaddy is an assistant professor whose research focuses on pediatric critical care outcomes as they relate to inflammation and social determinants of health.

Perry-Eaddy has been with the school for many years, receiving her BSN, Certificate in Pain Management, MS, and Ph.D. from the UConn School of Nursing. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania.

In 2022, she was named a National Institute of Health (NIH) PRIDE Functional and Translational Genomics Scholar, and in 2021, she was named a NIH K99/R00 MOSAIC Scholar where she is currently completing her R00.

She is an active member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators, American Thoracic Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine where she is an editorial board member for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. She is also an invited advisory board member to the Sepsis Alliance.

“I am deeply honored and grateful to be inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nursing. This recognition affirms my commitment to advancing the science of pediatric critical care, with a focus on improving long-term outcomes for children after sepsis and critical illness,” said Perry-Eaddy. “Through my research, and as a Fellow, I aim to elevate survivor-centered care, address health disparities, and inform policy that supports recovery beyond the intensive care unit (ICU). I am excited to join this esteemed community of nurse leaders and to contribute to shaping the future of nursing and child health.”

Tiffany Kelley, Ph.D., MBA, RN, NI-BC, FNAP (Contributed Photo)

Tiffany Kelley, Ph.D., MBA, RN, NI-BC, FNAP

Kelley is an in-residence professor and co-director of the Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center at UConn School of Nursing. She earned her Ph.D. from Duke University, MS and MBA from Northeastern University, and BSN from Georgetown University.

Kelley joined UConn in 2018 where she was appointed to serve as the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Visiting Associate Professor for Innovations and New Knowledge, a first-of-its-kind role. Her goal was to develop and execute a strategic plan to integrate innovation into the core education across all degree programs. Outcomes of her pioneering initiatives have enabled her to co-direct the creation of a Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center and assist in the design of a unique Makerspace for the new School of Nursing building, further solidifying nursing’s innovation leadership at UConn.

Kelley’s impact in nursing spans across the nation and globe through her collective academic, intrapreneurial, inventive, and entrepreneurial roles in innovation, informatics, and associated leadership in nursing. Over the last 20 years, she has relentlessly worked to advance the nursing profession by expanding the boundaries of what is possible in nursing through her own journey in creating a novel pathway that straddles academia and industry while also educating and mentoring nurses and nursing students on how to create and develop their own intrapreneurial and entrepreneurial innovative solutions.

Her national and international recognition of impact is shown through her receipt of American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award, induction into the National Academies of Practice in Nursing as a Distinguished Fellow, and an invitation from Singapore’s Ministry of Health in 2024 to serve as a Health Manpower Development Visiting Expert on Innovation, Informatics, and Digital Health.

“Our future needs nurses who reimagine nursing and healthcare to create positive changes that address human health problems in this rapidly evolving digital age. We have not yet fully realized the benefits of digital health innovative tools on advancing nursing practice, workforce operations, and global health,” said Kelley. “As a Fellow, I aim to further my reach and serve as an exemplar for amplifying nurse-led innovation and digital health while leading others to do the same.”

Gee Su Yang, Ph.D., RN (Contributed Photo)

Gee Su Yang, Ph.D., RN

Yang is an assistant professor at UConn and is recognized for her work in cancer survivorship, particularly in addressing cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, pain, fatigue, and depressive symptoms, as well as symptom management strategies using multi-omics approaches. She has garnered numerous grants from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, Oncology Nursing Foundation, Rockefeller University, American Nurses Foundation, American Society for Pain Management Nursing, Connecticut Breast Health Initiative, and the UConn Clinical Research and Innovation Seed Program.

She has played a central role in planning and conducting clinical cancer research focused on the adverse toxicities and symptoms of cancer treatment to optimize benefits from treatment. She actively engages with cancer survivors, oncologists, and community partners to enhance research participation, raise awareness, and promote education on cancer survivorship.

Her work pioneered investigations into the adverse effects and symptoms of emerging treatments, such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy, as well as their behavioral and gut mechanisms in the precision health symptom science field.

In acknowledgment of the impact of her work, she was recognized as a prestigious Heilbrunn Nurse Scholar by the Rockefeller University Heilbrunn Family Center for Research Nursing for her immunotherapy-associated symptom research and its potential to advance the field. In addition, she was selected as a Butler-Williams Scholar by the National Institute on Aging to support her immunotherapy study in older adults.

Yang has also been tapped to serve as a review panelist for NIH study sections, the Oncology Nursing Foundation, UConn Research Excellence Program, and many more. Her work contributes to the growth of nurses and advocacy for scientific and professional development by influencing policy changes in research, supporting recognition of nurses’ achievements, and reviewing numerous conference abstracts, manuscripts, and scholarship applications in several professional societies.

“Being inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing is a great honor and recognition that motivates me to strengthen my program of research in precision health symptom science to advance scientific discoveries and benefit cancer survivors,” said Yang.

Congratulating our Fellows

Alumni Judith Hahn Ph.D. ‘14, Barbara Jacobs Ph.D. ‘02, Wendy Lord BS ’94, Lisa Sundean Ph.D. ’17, and Amy D’Agata MS ’04, Ph.D. ’15, were also selected as 2025 fellows, following a competitive, rigorous application process.

The School of Nursing would like to congratulate these newest Fellows as influential nursing leaders who are advancing health equity for all.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic
Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic

Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic
jejohnson6
Tue, 07/15/2025 – 15:57

FORT FISHER
Gentle nudges, reminders and inspiration are all part of how the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) is enlisting the community to choose to refuse single-use plastic during Plastic Free July. Dedicating a month to sustainability can be just the jumpstart folks need to begin their green journey. From skipping the straw to refusing single-use plastic bags, the Aquarium is along for the ride. The Aquarium is a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources which oversees the state’s resources for the arts, history, libraries and nature.

“By sharing ideas and inspiration, we hope that our community will discover there are some green ideas they can easily incorporate into their lives,” said Deyanira Romo Rossell, communications manager and green team member, NCAFF. “Whether you have already made strides toward refusing single-use plastic or are just beginning, there is something for you in our monthlong Plastic Free July campaign.”
Greenspiration for Plastic Free July

It’s all about choosing to refuse single-use plastic by being prepared with a greener alternative. Here are a few of the tips:

Refuse plastic cutlery. Opt for reusable utensils at parties, for lunch at work and even when picking up takeout.

Ditch disposable to-go cups and lids. Carry your own tumbler to load up on tea or coffee at your favorite cafe.

Avoid plastic produce bags. Bring your own produce bags to the grocery store, farmers market or produce stand and keep reusing them.

Get away from single-use plastic grocery bags. Keep reusable bags at the ready in your car, bike basket or any mode of transportation you use to get to the grocery store or farmers’ market.

Skip the Straw! Or find alternatives to plastic straws, including reusable stainless steel, glass, silicone or biodegradable/compostable made of bamboo, agave or wheat.

The Aquarium also walks the walk with composting bins for visitors on the food deck and in office areas for staff and volunteers. Everyone, from visitors to volunteers has access to the Aquarium water refill stations. The food vendor, SharkBites uses compostable cups, dinnerware and utensils for meals and drinks. The drink vending machines only dispense aluminum cans. The community is encouraged to follow along on NCAFF Facebook, Instagram, and Threads to find more clever tricks and clean ideas on how to live a greener life. Followers will find new greenspiration every day in July!

About the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is just south of Kure Beach, a short drive from Wilmington on U.S. 421 and less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal. The Aquarium is one of three Aquariums and a pier that make up the North Carolina Aquariums, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The mission of the Aquarium is to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments. The Aquarium features a 235-000-gallon sand tiger shark habitat, an albino alligator, a bald eagle, a loggerhead sea turtle habitat and two families of mischievous Asian small-clawed otters.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: $15 ages 13-61; $13 children ages 3-12; $14 seniors (62 and older) and military with valid identification; NC EBT card holders*: $3. Free admission for children 2 and younger and N.C. Aquarium Society members and N.C. Zoo members. *EBT rate is applicable to a maximum of four tickets.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
Jul 14, 2025

MIL OSI USA News –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic
Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic

Aquarium Leads Monthlong Campaign Inspiring the Community to Refuse Single-Use Plastic
jejohnson6
Tue, 07/15/2025 – 15:57

FORT FISHER
Gentle nudges, reminders and inspiration are all part of how the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) is enlisting the community to choose to refuse single-use plastic during Plastic Free July. Dedicating a month to sustainability can be just the jumpstart folks need to begin their green journey. From skipping the straw to refusing single-use plastic bags, the Aquarium is along for the ride. The Aquarium is a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources which oversees the state’s resources for the arts, history, libraries and nature.

“By sharing ideas and inspiration, we hope that our community will discover there are some green ideas they can easily incorporate into their lives,” said Deyanira Romo Rossell, communications manager and green team member, NCAFF. “Whether you have already made strides toward refusing single-use plastic or are just beginning, there is something for you in our monthlong Plastic Free July campaign.”
Greenspiration for Plastic Free July

It’s all about choosing to refuse single-use plastic by being prepared with a greener alternative. Here are a few of the tips:

Refuse plastic cutlery. Opt for reusable utensils at parties, for lunch at work and even when picking up takeout.

Ditch disposable to-go cups and lids. Carry your own tumbler to load up on tea or coffee at your favorite cafe.

Avoid plastic produce bags. Bring your own produce bags to the grocery store, farmers market or produce stand and keep reusing them.

Get away from single-use plastic grocery bags. Keep reusable bags at the ready in your car, bike basket or any mode of transportation you use to get to the grocery store or farmers’ market.

Skip the Straw! Or find alternatives to plastic straws, including reusable stainless steel, glass, silicone or biodegradable/compostable made of bamboo, agave or wheat.

The Aquarium also walks the walk with composting bins for visitors on the food deck and in office areas for staff and volunteers. Everyone, from visitors to volunteers has access to the Aquarium water refill stations. The food vendor, SharkBites uses compostable cups, dinnerware and utensils for meals and drinks. The drink vending machines only dispense aluminum cans. The community is encouraged to follow along on NCAFF Facebook, Instagram, and Threads to find more clever tricks and clean ideas on how to live a greener life. Followers will find new greenspiration every day in July!

About the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is just south of Kure Beach, a short drive from Wilmington on U.S. 421 and less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal. The Aquarium is one of three Aquariums and a pier that make up the North Carolina Aquariums, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The mission of the Aquarium is to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments. The Aquarium features a 235-000-gallon sand tiger shark habitat, an albino alligator, a bald eagle, a loggerhead sea turtle habitat and two families of mischievous Asian small-clawed otters.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: $15 ages 13-61; $13 children ages 3-12; $14 seniors (62 and older) and military with valid identification; NC EBT card holders*: $3. Free admission for children 2 and younger and N.C. Aquarium Society members and N.C. Zoo members. *EBT rate is applicable to a maximum of four tickets.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
Jul 14, 2025

MIL OSI USA News –
July 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island to Celebrate Shark and Ray Awareness Day July 14

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island to Celebrate Shark and Ray Awareness Day July 14

N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island to Celebrate Shark and Ray Awareness Day July 14
jejohnson6
Tue, 07/15/2025 – 16:05

As film lovers enjoy the 50th anniversary of Jaws, Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film about a frightful shark, the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island is celebrating Shark and Ray Awareness Day to inspire appreciation and conservation of these important ocean species. The Aquarium is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

On Monday, July 14 the public is invited to join the Aquarium for special event activities to learn about sharks and rays and how to protect them. On this special day, visitors can become “Ocean Wanderers” and “Fin-fluencers” by participating in fun knowledge quest scavenger hunts throughout the Aquarium. Together with Aquarium educators, visitors can learn about shark migration and conservation, sharks that travel across the world, and sharks that call North Carolina home. Visitors who follow riddles to complete fact-finding scavenger hunts will receive a prize. Guests can play a Spot-A-Shark game and are encouraged to photograph a shark and share positive messages about sharks on social media. Shark and Ray Awareness Day activities are included with regular Aquarium admission.

Hannah Catherman, education curator at the Aquarium said, “Educating the public about the importance of sharks and rays within the marine ecosystem is an integral part of our conservation messaging. We are excited to bring the world of sharks and rays to the community and inspire future generations of ocean stewards!”

In addition to special knowledge quests and crafts, the Aquarium will be offering regularly scheduled shark and ray-themed programming, including behind-the-scenes experiences at the Aquarium’s 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic shark habitat, Shipwreck Stories, shark and stingray feedings, and sensory-friendly experiences with stingrays at the popular touch pools in the Sea Senses gallery. A daily calendar of events is available on the Aquarium website. Founded in 1976, the Aquarium is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026.

Shark and Ray Awareness Day
Monday, July 14, 2025
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island

About the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island

Located on the Outer Banks in Manteo, N.C., the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island is part of N.C. Aquariums, which includes four attractions along North Carolina’s coast and is a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The 63,000 square-foot facility on 16 acres overlooks the Croatan Sound and houses over 2,200 animals. Over 319,000 guests visit the Aquarium each year to see the 285,000-gallon “Graveyard of the Atlantic” shark and ocean habitat, visit the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (S.T.A.R.) Center, and learn why North Carolina’s waterways are so special. As an educational attraction, the mission of N.C. Aquariums is to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments. The Aquarium is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit www.ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

Jul 14, 2025

MIL OSI USA News –

July 16, 2025

Investors:	Media:
Nishil Mehta	Kristen Ashton
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publicinvestor@carlylesecuredlending.com	kristen.ashton@carlyle.com


United States/Toll Free:	1-877-328-5507
International:	1-412-317-5423
Conference ID:	10199994


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Category: Transport

Oral Statement on Afghan data breach

Updates to this page

Increased incomes, better diets – but not for all

Production expanding but emissions rising

Other key findings

A win-win: More nourishment, fewer emissions

Pivotal role for global trade

Congratulating our Fellows