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  • MIL-OSI USA: At Historic Hearing on Project 2025, Pressley Spotlights Deadly Impact of Abortion Bans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Hearing Underscored Devastating Harm of Project 2025 on Democracy, Reproductive Freedom, Workers, Seniors, and More

    “Every single woman who has died because of Trump abortion bans should be alive today. But what do we have instead? No compassion. No care. No justice. That’s not the America we should be.”

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), co-founder of the Stop Project 2025 Task Force and Region 12 Representative for the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, joined House Democratic Leadership and her colleagues on the Steering and Policy Committee to hold a historic hearing on Trump’s Project 2025 and its devastating impact on families across America.

    Congresswoman Pressley, who also chairs the Pro-Choice Caucus’ Abortion Rights and Access Task Force, highlighted the harmful and deadly impact of abortion bans in America to date, and discussed the national abortion ban proposed by Trump’s Project 2025. Rep. Pressley also outlined in detail the shameful circumstances under which Amber Nicole Thurman died after being denied necessary abortion care in Georgia.

    Featuring testimony from everyday people who know firsthand how the policies of Trump’s Project 2025 have or will hurt them and their families, the hearing explored the impact of proposals to criminalize abortion nationwide, hurt the middle class with higher costs and tax reform that advantages the wealthiest, and end Social Security and Medicare as we know it.

    A full transcript of Congresswoman Pressley’s testimony is available below and full video is available here.

    Transcript: At Historic Hearing on Project 2025, Pressley Spotlights Deadly Impact of Abortion Bans
    September 24, 2024
    U.S. Capitol

    PART ONE

    REP. PRESSLEY: For half a century, Roe v. Wade was the law of the land. Roe protected the right of people in this country to make their own reproductive health care decisions, including the right to get an abortion.

    Abortion care is routine medical care, but then Donald J. Trump became president. He campaigned on banning abortion care and even called to punish women for having abortions.

    When Donald J. Trump took office, he appointed three extreme right-wing justices to the Supreme Court, and in June of 2022, just as Donald J. Trump promised they would, those three justices banded together with other Republican-appointed justices and overturned Roe.

    They gave a green light for Republicans to criminalize abortion, to criminalize doctors and nurses in states across the country.

    Today, one in three women in America lives under a Trump abortion ban. The consequences are being felt by people across this country who are denied the care they need and by providers who can no longer care for their patients, and we will hear from some of them today.

    Donald J. Trump’s campaign to end Roe was a devastating, decisive step in a decades long Republican effort to make it impossible for women to get reproductive health care.

    And while Republicans are now trying to run away from the consequences of their extreme agenda, they were jubilant the day that Roe was overturned and even promised to take it much further.

    [VIDEO BEGINS]

    SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON: There’s no right to abortion in the Constitution, and thankfully, the Supreme Court finally said that decisively, thanks be to God.

    REP. JIM JORDAN: Mr. Speaker, let me first, first say God bless the United States Supreme

    Court, and God bless President Trump for the people he selected for our highest court.

    REP. ANDREW CLYDE: Thank you to the Supreme Court for removing the curse of abortion.

    REP. ANN WAGNER: I am so incredibly grateful and gratified that the Supreme Court has finally overturned Roe versus Wade.

    REP. ELISE STEFANIK: Today’s historic Supreme Court decision is a victory for the sanctity of life.

    REP. STEVE SCALISE: But the work just begins now to go and protect life even more because the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v Wade, correcting that flawed decision, finally allows states and Congress to protect life in ways that we never were able to for the last 50 years.

    [VIDEO ENDS]

    REP. PRESSLEY: Republicans will not stop until abortion is criminalized nationwide. After all, just six pages into the more than 900 pages of Trump’s Project 2025 it says, “The Dobbs decision is just the beginning,” and we just saw how they celebrated the Dobbs decision.

    PART TWO

    [Gracie Ladd of Pennsylvania shares her story]

    REP. PRESSLEY: Thank you for your courage, for sharing your story, for sharing Connor’s story.

    I look forward to the day when people do not have to publicly uplift their trauma in order to compel action. And I’m deeply sorry for your loss. I’m devastated that your family and families across this nation have borne the burden of Trump’s abortion bans.

    No one, no one in America should go through what you went through. You should be able to get the safe and necessary medical care you need in your own community.

    We must restore reproductive freedom so what happened to you never, ever happens again. Women have already lost their lives. It is heartbreaking.

    The last few days, I’ve been thinking of one woman: Amber Nicole Thurman.

    A 28-year-old mom from Georgia, Amber was a dedicated mom to her six-year-old son. Every chance she got, she took her son to petting zoos, to pop up museums and on planned trips like one to a Florida beach.

    ‘The talks I have with my son are everything,’ she posted on social media. She loved her family deeply.

    Trump-appointed justices overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022. Georgia began enforcing its abortion ban that very same day.

    In August, Amber had a medication abortion in another state. She then went back home to Georgia.

    Abortion pills are very safe. On rare occasions they require a follow up, surgical abortion if the body has not expelled the tissue fully. That is what happened in Amber’s case. She developed an infection, one that could have easily been treated with a routine procedure called a D and C.

    But under George’s abortion ban, a doctor performing that procedure could go to prison for 10 years.

    So when Amber shows up at the hospital, the question on doctors minds isn’t just how they can best care for Amber. It’s also what they have to do to comply with Georgia’s draconian law and to stay out of jail.

    That’s never a choice that doctors should be faced with, but that’s exactly what happened in the case of Amber Thurman.

    On August 18, Amber’s infection reaches a boiling point. She’s vomiting blood. Amber arrives at Piedmont Henry hospital in the city of Stockbridge at 6:51pm.

    She suffers all night. She suffers all night.

    By 5:14am, her vitals are dire, and Amber runs the risk of bleeding out.

    At 6:45am – 12 hours from when she first arrived at the hospital – Amber is moved to the ICU. Her doctors look on as her condition worsens. They’ve now given her five liters of IV fluid to no avail.

    7:14am. Amber’s doctors discuss initiating a D and C, the routine procedure to treat infections like hers. Nothing happens.

    At noon, now five hours after Amber was moved to the ICU, a specialist reports that her condition is deteriorating. We are now 17 hours from when she was first admitted.

    2pm. Amber is wheeled into the operating room as her vitals crash and blood pressure bottoms out.

    Her mother is right there with her. As she heads into surgery, Amber turns to her and says, ‘Promise me you’ll take care of my son.’ That afternoon, Amber dies on the operating table.

    Amber should be alive today. Every single woman who has died because of Trump abortion bans should be alive today.

    But what do we have instead? No compassion, no care, and no justice. That’s not the America we should be.

    —

    In March 2024, Rep. Pressley was elected by acclamation to represent members of the New England Congressional delegation on the powerful House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which is responsible for appointing members of the House Democratic Caucus to committee seats and shaping caucus priorities.

    Rep. Pressley is a founding member of a Congressional Task Force designed to stop Project 2025, a thousand-page blueprint for Donald Trump to seize “supreme” powers and radically undermine reproductive rights, LGBTQIA+ equality, racial justice, free speech, and other democratic institutions and freedoms. The Task Force was announced by Rep. Huffman in June and its members are leaders on many of the issues currently under attack by Project 2025.

    As a member of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Pressley has repeatedly sounded the alarm on Project 2025, a bucket list extremist policies that would uproot every government agency and disrupt the lives of every person who calls America home.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA to Close Its Business Recovery Center in Ruidoso

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, announced today that SBA will close its Ruidoso Business Recovery Center at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2. “SBA opened the center to provide personalized assistance to businesses that were affected by the South Fork Fire, Salt Fire and flooding that occurred June 17 – Aug. 20,” said Sánchez.

    Until the center closes, SBA customer service representatives will continue to meet with business owners to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process, help each individual complete their electronic loan application and close their approved loans. No appointment is necessary.

    LINCOLN COUNTY
    Business Recovery Center
    Ruidoso Public Library
    Archive Room
    107 Kansas City Rd.
    Ruidoso, NM  88345
    Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
    Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
    Closes 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2

    “SBA representatives will also continue to be available at the following federal-state Disaster Recovery Center to meet with businesses and residents,” Sánchez continued. The center is open on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

    LINCOLN COUNTY
    Disaster Recovery Center
    Horton Complex
    237 Service Rd.
    Ruidoso, NM  88345
    Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
    Saturdays, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

    Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize disaster damage from occurring in the future.

    For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

    Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.688 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

    Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to apply for property damage is Oct. 19, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is March 20, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration
    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Ensuring First Nations children in Victoria are school ready

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    The Albanese Government is expanding the Connected Beginnings program, helping more First Nations children thrive in the crucial early years.

    Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly today announced more than $2 million for Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative to deliver the Connected Beginnings program in Bairnsdale.

    The program connects First Nations children aged zero to five with a range of early childhood education, health and family support services – helping children meet the learning and development milestones necessary to achieve a positive transition to school.

    The new site will support around 100 local First Nations Children. The Bairnsdale site joins 46 other locations across the country supporting more than 23,000 First Nations children. 

    The community-led program is a key contributor to the early childhood Closing the Gap targets, driving an increase in preschool enrolments and improvements to developmental outcomes.

    The Government partners with SNAICC National Voice for our Children and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to deliver the program.

    The new Bairnsdale site is part of an $81.8 million Government investment to expand to 50 sites across Australia. Once all 50 sites are established, the program has the potential to support up to 20 per cent of all First Nations children aged zero to five.

    Other Connected Beginnings sites in Victoria include Ballarat, Mildura, Shepparton and Whittlesea.

    Once all Victorian sites are up and running the program will support around 1,700 First Nations children across the state.

    Learn more about the Connected Beginnings program at: education.gov.au/early-childhood/community-child-care-fund/connected-beginnings.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly:

    “All children, no matter their background or where they live, should be able to access the transformational benefits of quality early childhood education and care.

    “Connected Beginnings is delivering significant positive results for First Nations children right across the country, helping to Close the Gap by improving developmental outcomes.

    “The Connected Beginnings program is empowering communities to design and deliver the program in a way which supports their individual needs and aspirations.”

    Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister Ged Kearney:

    “Labor is committed to closing the health gap that leads to a significantly lower life expectancy for First Nations people.

    “Connected Beginnings is all about centring the voices of First Nations Australian and a community-led approach.

    “From child care, to pre-school, to primary school, Connected Beginnings is setting First Nations kids up for best start in life.”

    Quotes attributable to Federal Labor Senator for Victoria Raff Ciccone:

    “The Connected Beginnings program is making a big difference for families across Australia and its expansion in Bairnsdale is a terrific outcome.

    “The first five years of a child’s life are the most important and this program will provide foundational support to First Nations children in the Gippsland community.

    “Kids thrive when they have the best support available, and Federal Labor’s more than $2 million commitment will help children develop the skills needed to make a successful transition to school.”

    Quotes attributable to SNAICC Chief Executive Catherine Liddle:

    “Through Connected Beginnings, more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Bairnsdale will benefit from culturally integrated services, including maternal and child health, early childhood education, and family support.

    “With Connected Beginnings, communities are empowered to customise and implement the program to meet their specific needs and aspirations, driving authentic progress. 

    “This initiative means around 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the region will receive access to comprehensive, culturally appropriate services, laying a solid foundation for their learning journey.”

    Quotes attributable from GEGAC CEO Kenton Winsley:

    “We have long known that the strength of GEGAC’s Early Years services is that the families are immediately connected to the wide range of other services that GEGAC provides. Everything from maternal and child health services to medical and dental, counselling services, and cultural education events; here on site are the full range of supports our families need to raise healthy, deadly kids.

    “Connected Beginnings is going to enable us to take that holistic, connected approach to the next level, by engaging with new partners, and further involving the community, so we are all working together in the best interests of these children.

    “Our community is where we draw our strength from. We know that when we involve community members and empower them to be advisors and advocates, we get better outcomes for our people.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Blinken participates in a UN Security Council Ministerial Meeting on Ukraine

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken participates in a UN Security Council Ministerial Meeting on Ukraine in New York City, New York, on September 24, 2024.

    Transcript: https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-at-a-un-security-council-ministerial-meeting-on-ukraine/
    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
    Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/

    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
    Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkG8Y6FlYSM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sept 24 U.S. Central Command Update

    Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

    Sep. 24, 2024

    Release Number 20240924 – 01

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    TAMPA, Fla. – In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle over the Red Sea.

    It was determined this system presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. This action was taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Remarks by President  Biden Honoring the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League Champions, NJ/NY GOTHAM FC | (September 23,  2024)

    Source: The White House

    10:38 A.M. EDT

    THE PRESIDENT:  Hey, guys.  How are you doing?  (Laughter.)  Holy mackerel.  I like your tie.  (Laughter.) 

    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Can you guys say thank you?

    THE PRESIDENT:  “Dad, you didn’t tell me the president was going to talk to me.”

    Please, have a seat. 

    Well, good morning.  For the first time — for the first time in National Women’s Soccer League history, welcome to the White House to the 2023 championships [champions] the Gotham F.C.  (Applause.)  
    It’s so good to be joined by so many friends from New York and New Jersey — (applause) — team owners, the Tisch family — 

    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes!

    THE PRESIDENT:  There you go.  God love you.  We go back a long way.  (Laughter.)  Led by Carolyn.  

    And — and the team — the fellow team governors and investors, Ed, as well as the great Sue Bird — (applause) — was here a few years ago to celebrate the Seattle Storm’s WNBA championship, and she’s simply incredible.  No, you are.  I tell you what, man.  (Applause.) 

    I also want to thank the founding team owners, and good friends of mine, the Murphys and, particularly, Tammy, to continues the — to be the champions for women’s sports.  They couldn’t be here today because they are representing the great state of New Jersey on a trade mission abroad.  

    But I also want to thank New Jersey’s newest United States senator, George Helmy.  Where — where are you, George?  (Applause.)  There you are, George.  George, you don’t get to take the trophy home.  (Laughter.) 

    And, of course, a special thanks to the incredible players.  You know — (applause) — one thing is clear: This organization is no stranger to adversity.  In 2022, Gotham placed last in the entire league.  There were doubts about turning things around.  But you never gave up.  You never gave up.  And you kept the faith, as my mother would say.  You retooled the roster, hired a new coach.  Something clicked.  

     And after a tough season, you were in — the final team to make the playoffs.  But as the saying goes, winners simply win.  Back-to-back playoff wins holding North Carolina and Portland scoreless and then beating Seattle to win it all.  The new Tiffany trophy is one at — new home now in Gotham.  

    Look, just yesterday, you clinched the playoff spot, so maybe you’ll be back here next year.  (Applause.)  Now, if you are, I won’t be president but ask if I can come and listen.  (Laughter.) 

    What’s really important is your championship win also set an attendance record.  I think it’s fair to say everyone — everyone watches women’s sports.  (Applause.)  It’s about time.   

    I got some All-State soccer players as well as — a goalie as well as lacrosse champions in my family.  And, by the way, in my family, we have a — an advantage: All the women are smarter than all the men — (laughter) — including me. 

    Look, and when fans watch you play, they also see the power of the example off the field as well.  It matters.  And I really mean it.  You lead the way in providing sports medicine and health care focused on women.  My wife is deeply involved in trying to make sure there’s enough attention paid and research done on women’s diseases as men.  As a matter of fact, we’re going to the United Nations after this to make that very case.

    You helped establish the Players Association fighting for the dignity of work all across the league.  And most powerful — I’m — you know, I get — I get categorized as the most pro-union president in American history.  I am, and I approve of what you’re doing, man.  (Laughter.)    

    You know, and your teammate Midge came to the White House with the U.S. Women’s National Team to highlight the campaign and equal — for equal pay.  That’s happening too.  Matter of fact, it’s going to get unequal here; you’re going to be paid a hell of a lot more, I think (inaudible).

    But let’s be clear.  And I mean this sincerely.  I was raised by my best friend in the world, who is my sister.  She — she — anyway.  I won’t get into all that, but — (laughter) — you know, I mean this sincerely: A woman can do anything a man can do — anything a man can do, including being president of the United States.  (Applause.)  

    Let me close by thanking you all.  You really represent our nation with such dignity.  You inspire all of us — and you really do; you’re an inspiration.  Think — I bet you wh- — you can’t walk down the street in your hometown without some young girl coming up to you just wanting to talk to you, just wanting to touch you, just wanting to hold your hand.  It’s amazing.  

    And congratulations to the Bats of Gotham.  You like being called the “Bats of Gotham”?  (Laughter.)

    GOTHAM FC PLAYERS:  Batties.  

    MS. PURCE:  The Batties.  

    THE PRESIDENT:  (Inaudible.)  

    MS. KRIEGER:  Batties.

    MS. PURCE:  The Batties.  

    THE PRESIDENT:  I like that.  (Laughter.)

    Look, I’m going to turn it over to the top Bat — no, the top — (laughter) — to Ali, last year’s team captain, who, by the way, I watched in 2015 win the World Cup in — when I was vice president — in Canada.  Ali, it’s great to see you again, kiddo.  (Laughter.)  The floor is yours.  (Applause.)

    MS. KRIEGER:  Thank you.  

    THE PRESIDENT:  I like your kicks.

    MS. KRIEGER:  Thank you.  They’re — I wore them for you, so — (laughter).  Yeah.

    Mr. President and esteemed guests, thank you for hosting Gotham FC, the reigning NWSL champions.  (Applause.)  

    We are deeply honored to be the first NWSL team to receive this recognition, marking a pivotal moment for women’s sports.  

    Firstly, I have to thank my teammates for their grit and perseverance to enable us to be the champions standing here today.  (Applause.)

    Starting the 2023 season, coming off of the last place finish — from worst to first — (laughter) — nobody backed this team to do what we did.

    Reflecting on my career, I recall times when women’s soccer lacked coverage and support.  Our progress since those days have been remarkable, from our humble beginnings to becoming champions.  

    Both Gotham and the NWSL have seen tremendous growth with more fans, greater engagement, and increased recognition.  

    Yet, despite these strides, we are reminded that our work is far from over.  

    Every time we step on the field, we think of young girls who dream the future in sports.  This moment is not just about titles or trophies, it’s about paving the way for them.  Being the first is historic, but it’s even more important that we ensure we are not the last.  

    We all know that we are committed to build on this momentum for future generations. 

    As a token of our appreciation and commitment to advancing women’s sports, we are delighted to present you with a Gotham FC jersey.  (Applause.)

    We expect you to be wearing that under the suit soon, okay?  (Laughter.)

    THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll wear it over it.

    MS. KRIEGER:  Yeah, great.  (Laughter.)

    On behalf of my exceptional teammates and the entire organization, thank you again for this incredible honor, for sup- — and for supporting the growth of women’s sports.  

    THE PRESIDENT:  All right.

    MS. KRIEGER:  Thank you.  (Applause.)

    THE PRESIDENT:  You know, I thought when I got to be president, I’d get to do things that I wanted to do, but my staff tells me what I can’t do.  (Laughter.)  But I’m going to do it anyway.  All the young women — young kids out there that are wa- — are out there, come on up and do this when we — stand behind me when we do this.  Come on.

    AUDIENCE:  Aww.  (Applause.)

    THE PRESIDENT:  And the guys.  Come on.  (Applause.)  

    (The president greets children coming to the stage.)

    THE PRESIDENT:  All right.

    MS. KRIEGER:  So, our head coach, Juan Carlos Amorós, and the — the championship 2023 MVP, Midge Purce.  (Applause.) 

    (The president is presented with a Gotham FC jersey.) 

    THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you. 

    10:49 A.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sarbanes, Matsui, Huffman Urge Forest Service to Take Additional Measures to Protect Old-Growth Forests

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Sarbanes (3rd District of Maryland)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Sarbanes (MD-03) and Reps. Doris Matsui (CA-07) and Jared Huffman (CA-02) led a group of 33 lawmakers in sending a letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack, supporting the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) National Old-Growth Amendment and urging USFS to take additional measures to protect old-growth forests. 

    “Protecting older forests is part of an overarching climate-informed strategy to increase forest resilience to wildfires, combat climate-related impacts and help retain forest carbon,” the lawmakers wrote.  

    In April 2022, President Biden issued Executive Order 14072, recognizing mature and old-growth forests as vital to the health, prosperity and resilience of communities across the nation. Mature and old-growth trees absorb and store more planet-warming greenhouse gases than younger trees and are an important part of healthy, resilient ecosystems, making them essential to our climate and conservation goals. 

    In response to the President’s Executive Order, USFS proposed to amend all national forest management plans to protect, conserve and sustainably steward old-growth forests and foster the development of new old-growth forests. On June 21, 2024, USFS issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the National Old-Growth Amendment.

    “We strongly support the USFS’s proposed land management amendment, but we urge USFS to strengthen protections in the Final EIS,” the lawmakers concluded. “In keeping with the President’s E.O. 14072, we urge USFS to clarify that management activities must not degrade or impair old-growth forests and that an area cannot lose its classification as old-growth forest as a result of these management activities. Finally, we urge USFS to take concrete steps to conserve mature forests with the intention of nurturing future old-growth forests.”

    This letter builds on an April 2023 letter urging the USFS to initiate this formal rulemaking protecting old-growth forests and an April 2024 letter supporting USFS’s National Old-Growth Amendment, both of which Congressman Sarbanes also led with Reps. Matsui and Huffman. 

    A copy of the letter can be found here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister advances progress and prosperity at the United Nations General Assembly and the Summit of the Future

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Progressive leadership is driven by a shared belief that we cannot falter – on rights, on equality, and on an economy that works for everyone. We must keep moving forward.

    That’s the message the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, delivered as he concluded his participation in the 79th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (UNGA) and the Summit of the Future, in New York City, United States of America. During UNGA, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to advancing progress, prosperity, and fairness for every generation.

    Prime Minister Trudeau joined global leaders at the Summit of the Future, which concluded with the adoption of the Pact for the Future – an ambitious pact that will see countries work together to tackle shared challenges. At the Summit, the Prime Minister delivered a statement affirming Canada’s support for the Summit of the Future, its call for nations to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and its commitment to investing in our workers, our communities, and our future.

    Building on the progress made at the Summit of the Future, Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders and prominent advocates at UNGA to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He emphasized Canada’s commitment to unlocking increased financing to achieve the SDGs globally, particularly through his role as Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders group. He also underscored the central role of gender equality as a pathway to achieving sustainable development, and made clear that women and girls must be able to make choices about their bodies, their lives, and their own futures. Canada announced over $112 million to help protect the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls worldwide. We will also invest $58 million in projects that empower women and promote gender equality, particularly in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. With this funding, Canada will fulfill its $100 million commitment to address issues in unpaid and paid care work in low- and middle-income countries.

    For tens of millions of people across the globe, including in Canada, climate change is not an abstraction. It is real, it is costly, and it does not stop at our borders. To successfully tackle climate change, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of global, collective climate action. He highlighted industrial decarbonization as one such approach to fight climate change, including through innovative tools such as carbon pricing. He also welcomed six new members to Canada’s Global Carbon Pricing Challenge, which calls on countries to put a price on carbon to cover 60 per cent of global emissions by 2030. The Prime Minister also announced $3.9 million to be delivered through Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program so we can more effectively respond to wildfires and advance international leadership on sustainable forest management.

    Prime Minister Trudeau, alongside the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, convened a High-Level Meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to strengthen efforts to restore democracy, security, and stability in Haiti. The Prime Minister highlighted ongoing work to respond to the humanitarian needs of the Haitian people and Canada’s continued support of the Multinational Security Support mission in the country. He emphasized the criticality of Haitian-led solutions to the conflict. He announced over $16 million to support the transitional government’s election preparedness, increase humanitarian aid, reduce gang violence, and expand access to justice for women and youth detainees while supporting their reintegration into society. These measures will make a meaningful difference in helping Haiti address its immediate needs and create a better, more prosperous future for its people.

    At UNGA, the Prime Minister also announced $3.6 million in new wide-ranging investments to strengthen global peace and security, including on land mine clearance, and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly women affected by conflict. He emphasized the role of UN agencies in accomplishing this important work, announcing a $9 million investment to support the UN’s efforts to strengthen development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding assistance in countries across the globe.

    The Prime Minister participated in a leaders’ roundtable titled In Defense of Democracy: Fighting Against Extremism, where he engaged with world leaders on challenges facing democracies, such as inequality, polarization, disinformation, and violent extremism, including online. He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening the rules-based international order and multilateral institutions, like the UN.

    Throughout his visit, Prime Minister Trudeau met with international counterparts to discuss pressing geopolitical challenges, including Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and its global impacts, as well as the evolving situation in the Middle East. He emphasized the importance of protecting democratic institutions from emerging threats, including misinformation and election interference, and safeguarding peace and security around the world.

    At UNGA, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio, among others. 

    In the face of global economic and social insecurity, Canada chooses to invest in our country. Whether it’s national $10-a-day child care, an ambitious housing plan, a national dental care program, or an industrial strategy that creates good-paying jobs while fighting climate change – these are choices that will make a positive difference in the lives of Canadians and help solve global challenges.

    Quote

    “Canada chooses to invest in our people, in our future, and in progress. That was my message at UNGA and at the Summit of the Future. Our government is taking action to fight climate change, break down barriers, solve the world’s most pressing challenges, and deliver fairness for every generation.”

    — The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

    Quick Facts

    • While in New York City, Prime Minister Trudeau had bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, the Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, the Mayor of Kitchener, Berry Vrbanovic, the Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, the President of Kenya, William Ruto, and Malala Yousafzai.
    • The Prime Minister also had interactions with other leaders, including the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, the Taoiseach of Ireland, Simon Harris, the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, the President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, and the President of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
    • As a founding member of the UN since its creation in 1945, Canada has actively contributed to the organization, playing a key role in drafting the UN Charter, the treaty that is the cornerstone of the rules-based international order.
    • Canada is the sixth-largest donor to the UN, including voluntary and assessed contributions totalling over US$2 billion in 2022.
    • In 2015, Canada joined all UN Member States in adopting ambitious goals for sustainable development, as outlined in Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda centres on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encompassing the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Taken together, the SDGs aim to improve the lives of all people, while protecting the planet.
    • Released in 2021, Moving Forward Together: Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy builds upon 30 actions and five core principles to create and foster an enabling environment for ongoing dialogue and participation to encourage Canadians to take action to realize the SDGs.
    • In 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau was named Co-Chair of the UN SDG Advocates group by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, alongside the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley. SDG Advocates work to raise global awareness of the SDGs and of the need for accelerated action by using their respective platforms.
    • Prime Minister Trudeau is also Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders group alongside the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness. The group advocates for equipping developing countries with the financial resources to invest in the 17 SDGs and secure a more just and equitable future for all people.
    • At the Summit for the Future, global leaders enhanced co-operation on critical challenges and addressed gaps in global governance. They reaffirmed existing commitments – including to the SDGs and the UN Charter – and moved toward a modernized UN system that can effectively tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.
    • At the Summit, leaders adopted the Pact for the Future  and its annexes – the Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The Pact is a global framework to bolster global co-operation and address critical challenges facing the world, such as climate change, global inequality, and the need for stronger multilateral co-operation, for the benefit of all and for future generations.
    • In 2021, Canada launched the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. This partnership aims to expand the use of pollution pricing by strengthening existing systems and supporting emerging ones. The Challenge, which has a collective goal of covering 60 per cent of global emissions by 2030, also serves as a forum for dialogue and co-ordination to make pricing systems more effective and compatible while supporting other countries in adopting carbon pricing and cutting emissions on the path to net-zero by 2050.

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Maryland Delegation Members Announce $931,000 for Firefighters, First Responders in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard Counties

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Sarbanes (3rd District of Maryland)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen John Sarbanes and Dutch Ruppersberger (all D-Md.) announced $931,896.84 in federal funding to support Maryland firefighters and first responders in Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Howard Counties. The funding will enhance emergency response capabilities through personnel recruitment and equipment upgrades, ensuring better protection for the public, firefighters and other first responders.

    “Maryland’s firefighters and first responders run towards danger every day to protect us, and we need to have their backs. This federal funding will help ensure our local fire departments have the resources and support they need to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies in our communities,” said the lawmakers.

    The federal grants have been awarded as follows:

    1. $490,909.08 to Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company in Anne Arundel County to replace thermal imaging cameras and purchase an air and light vehicle, which enables firefighters to refill oxygen tanks and provides high resolution lighting to assist on-scene response.
    2. $272,200 to Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company in Baltimore County for recruitment and retention activities. The Department also received a $64,772.72 award earlier this summer to implement a comprehensive cancer screening program for its members.
    3. $127,533.22 to the Baltimore County Fire Department Administrator Service to distribute and install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in at-risk communities.
    4. $41,254.54 to Howard County Fire and Rescue to support its Fitness and Injury Prevention Program.

    The awards are provided through the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program and Fire Prevention and Safety Grant (FP&S) program with funds from FY2023 annual appropriations that the lawmakers fought to secure. The lawmakers additionally worked to reauthorize the AFG, SAFER and FP&S programs through FY2028 within the Fire Grants and Safety Act of 2023, which passed Congress and was signed into law earlier this year.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Representatives Cleaver, Lee Introduce Bill to Prepare Workers and Next Generation for Technology Driven Workforce

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – This week, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the Workforce of the Future Act, legislation that would identify how artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies will change the workforce of the future and provide workers, teachers, and our nation’s students with the resources to develop integral skills required to participate in that workforce. U.S. Senators Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

    “With the rapid development of technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing, there is boundless opportunity to boost innovation, productivity, and prosperity across the nation,” said Congressman Cleaver. “However, as with all new technologies, we must work to ensure the benefits will be distributed equitably across society. As has been highlighted by our work as co-chairs of CBC TECH2025, too often Black and Brown communities get left out when our leaders fail to make intelligent and proactive investments in growing a workforce that supports all Americans. To maximize the potential of these emerging technologies, the U.S. must ensure that we not only have a workforce capable of leading the world in these industries, but also that workers of every background and in every region share in the spoils. I’m proud to partner with Representative Lee and Senator Butler in introducing the Workforce of the Future Act to strengthen the pipeline of America’s technology workforce and safeguard our status as a global leader in innovation.”

    “With the advent of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, it’s essential that we ensure we don’t widen the digital divide that disproportionately harms people of color,” said Congresswoman Lee. “The Workforce of the Future Act will invest $250 million into preparing our students, teachers, and workers for the advanced technology jobs that will shape our future. This bill is about equity, and ensures that the opportunities of tomorrow are available to all communities, particularly those historically underrepresented in the tech sector.”

    The Workforce of the Future Act would require the Department of Labor (DOL), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Department of Education (ED) to conduct a study on the effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on job outlooks across sectors.

    This bill would also authorize $250 million in grant funding for labor organizations and state, local, and tribal entities managing education and workforce development programming to foster the development of emerging and advanced technology education in K-12 schools. It would also train a new generation of emerging and advanced technology teachers and provide workers with up-skilling and lifelong learning opportunities.

    Major concerns have been raised over the impact AI will have on the job market, particularly in the manufacturing, automobile, and entertainment industries. Throughout 2023, writers, musicians, and other entertainment industry workers held strikes in an attempt to prevent AI from supplanting their jobs.

    Concerns have also been raised about AI not impacting all communities equally. Many AI models are trained on biased data, leading to outcomes that disproportionately harm marginalized groups, especially Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. These biases can manifest in hiring practices, criminal justice systems, healthcare, and more.

    “Emerging technologies have the potential to significantly change the reality of work. We must continue to understand those impacts, ensuring that we adequately prepare America’s workers to thrive in the evolving job market,” said Senator Butler. “The purpose of this legislation is to solidify our commitment to today’s – as well as tomorrow’s – workers, preparing them to work in tandem with AI and to be ready for the jobs of the future.”

    “As advancements in AI rapidly increase, so do concerns regarding the potential effects of this technology on our workforce,” said Senator Hirono. “This legislation will help protect American workers by identifying the impacts AI has on jobs, and investing in education and workforce development to better prepare our students, educators, and workers for the future.”

    Specifically, funding from the Workforce of the Future Act would be administered by the Labor and Education Departments and distributed as follows:

    1. $80,000,000 for the creation of K-12 educational programming utilizing emerging technology to foster interest in and increase exposure to science, technology, engineering, art, and math;
    2. $80,000,000 for initiatives to increase the development and recruitment of emerging and advanced technology teachers; and
    3. $90,000,000 for workforce development, upskilling, and lifelong learning programs specifically targeted towards workers in industries or occupations that are projected to see worker displacement as a result of AI adoption.

    The Workforce of the Future Act is endorsed by The Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Microsoft, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), the Urban League, and the California Department of Education.

    Official text of the Workforce of the Future Act is available here.

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Press conference, Toowoomba

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    JIM CHALMERS:

    Thanks for coming here to Toowoomba. I want to say a few things about the interest rate decision today but I’m conscious that the Reserve Bank Governor is up very shortly in Sydney so I’ll be relatively brief.

    The Reserve Bank board today agreed to leave interest rates on hold. There are no surprises in this decision and no surprises in the statement released by the board. This was the expected outcome.

    When the board next meets it will be a year since interest rates went up.

    Interest rates haven’t gone up for the best part of a year, and this reflects the progress that we’ve made when it comes to getting inflation down. When we came to office inflation was 6.1 per cent. It’s now half of its peak a couple of years ago. Our policies are helping in the fight against inflation.

    When we came to office inflation was high and rising and interest rates were rising. Inflation has been coming down quite substantially over the course of the last couple of years and we haven’t had an interest rate rise for the best part of a year now.

    The Governor and the Reserve Bank board have noted today the very substantial progress that Australia has made when it comes to getting on top of this inflation challenge. When it comes to the Reserve Bank and the government, we have the same objective of getting on top of inflation without ignoring the risks to growth in our economy.

    We’ve seen growth in our economy has been quite weak. We’ve seen consumption has been weak. Discretionary spending has been going backwards. All of this indicates that rate rises already in the system are combining with international uncertainty and persistent inflation to slow our economy quite substantially, and we saw that in the most recent National Accounts. The government remains primarily focused on the fight against inflation, but is not ignoring those risks to growth at the same time.

    We have the same objective as the Reserve Bank when it comes to the fight against inflation. We’ve made welcome and encouraging progress, and we’ll learn more about that tomorrow when the monthly inflation data is released. Whether that monthly inflation data is in the low 3s or the high 2s, it will show that inflation has halved since we came to office. That’s a good thing. We are making welcome and encouraging progress in the fight against inflation, and the fact that rates haven’t gone up for the best part of a year now is an indicator of that.

    Happy to take a couple of questions.

    JOURNALIST:

    Treasurer, the RBA’s statement today talks about temporary migration propping up consumer spending, in particular, students. Are you worried that the government’s cap on students might stymie growth further?

    CHALMERS:

    Our changes to foreign students are all about recognising the huge contribution that education makes to our economy but making sure that we are managing that growth. What we’ve seen in the most recent net overseas migration numbers is that net overseas migration has come off since it peaked in 2023. It has been coming down since then. Some of the pressure that’s still there when it comes to net overseas migration is not about extra arrivals, it’s about fewer departures.

    We’ve got a sensible, methodical, considered way to manage net overseas migration down. It has started coming down. Our changes kicked in from the middle of this year and the data doesn’t yet capture that.

    When it comes to spending in the economy, the last National Accounts showed that consumption is very weak in our economy and discretionary spending has gone backwards quite substantially. That is an indication that the combination of global uncertainty, persistent inflation and higher interest rates are slowing our economy quite considerably.

    The fact that interest rates haven’t gone up for the best part of a year is an indication that we have been making welcome and encouraging progress in the fight against inflation. It’s still higher than we’d like, but it is definitely trending downwards, and we’ll learn more about that tomorrow.

    JOURNALIST:

    You’ve said they’re smashing the economy. So are you disappointed that they’re not coming down?

    CHALMERS:

    I don’t pre‑empt and I don’t second guess decisions taken by the independent Reserve Bank. I’ve made that very clear repeatedly.

    I’ve made a factual statement that the interest rate rises which are already in the system, combined with some of these other factors, are slowing our economy quite dramatically. We saw that in the most recent National Accounts. But these decisions are taken independently by the Reserve Bank.

    My efforts have been about trying to make the Bank more independent, not less independent. I respect and cherish its independence. They’ve taken this decision today, and the Governor will have an opportunity, a welcome opportunity, to talk about that very shortly this afternoon.

    JOURNALIST:

    Not everyone agrees that the Bank should be as independent as it is. Do you have a response?

    CHALMERS:

    On the Reserve Bank reforms, the Coalition and the Greens are indistinguishable when it comes to economic irresponsibility. We’ve seen that once again when it comes to their whacky behaviour in the Senate. The Coalition and the Greens are as one when it comes to doing the wrong thing about the independent Reserve Bank.

    Both the Coalition and the Greens, the way that they’ve teamed up in the Senate means that our efforts for the time being to reform the Reserve Bank, there is a barrier to that. We’ve been upfront about that. It’s been clear from the beginning that there is a risk that the parties to the left and to the right of us will play politics with the Reserve Bank. We don’t intend to do that. They have both dramatically changed their position to avoid doing the right thing when it comes to these Reserve Bank reforms.

    Whether it’s the Coalition or the Greens, they both made their views known. Where we could accommodate those views we did. They both dramatically changed their position to avoid doing the right thing when it comes to these Reserve Bank reforms.

    JOURNALIST:

    Treasurer, how close do you think you are to getting inflation down?

    CHALMERS:

    Inflation’s been coming down really quite considerably since its peak a couple of years ago. We shouldn’t forget that when we came to office inflation was 6.1 per cent and rising. It now in quarterly terms has a 3 in front of it and we’ll learn the new monthly figure tomorrow when we get the monthly data. The expectation there, whether it’s the high 2s or the low 3s, shows that inflation has halved since we came to office. That’s good progress, but we know that there’s still pressure on inflation and we know that people are still doing it tough.

    This is why our cost‑of‑living relief is so important. Our policies are helping, not hurting the fight against inflation. We’ve turned 2 big Liberal deficits into 2 big Labor surpluses. The Reserve Bank Governor has said that our surpluses are helping in the fight against inflation, and we’ve designed our cost‑of‑living relief to help take some of the edge off these price pressures in our economy rather than make them worse.

    There’s nothing artificial about helping people with their electricity bills or making early childhood education cheaper or medicines cheaper or a tax cut for every taxpayer or energy bill relief for every household, getting wages moving again.

    We’re doing all of this in the most responsible way we can. Our primary focus is on the fight against inflation, but we can’t ignore those risks to growth.

    I’ll take one more question, then we’re good.

    JOURNALIST:

    I just have a question about Woolies and Coles. Should they both sack their CEOs over this pricing saga?

    CHALMERS:

    I need to be careful not to pre‑empt the legal and other processes that have been put in train by the ACCC. But I will say this: Woolies and Coles shouldn’t be taking their customers for mugs.

    This is precisely why we’ve empowered the ACCC, why we want to make the grocery code mandatory, compulsory, not voluntary. It’s why we’re making sure that farmers and families get a fair go from the supermarkets.

    We don’t want to see ordinary Australians, families and pensioners, being taken for a ride by the big supermarkets. This is precisely why we’ve empowered the ACCC and why we’re taking other steps as well to make sure that farmers and families get a fair go when it comes to the supermarkets in this country.

    Thanks very much.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Minister Rishworth interview on Sunrise with Natalie Barr and Shadow Finance Minister, Jane Hume

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    E&OE TRANSCRIPT

    Topics: Interest rates; Cost of living; Inflation; Housing; Commonwealth Rent Assistance; Medicare; Negative gearing.

    NATALIE BARR, HOST: Another major blow for mortgage holders as the Reserve Bank decides to hold interest rates at 4.35 per cent for the seventh time in a row. In a press conference yesterday, Governor Michele Bullock refused to rule anything out of stressing that she wants to see inflation come down before the bank takes decisive action. For their take, let’s bring in Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth and Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume. Good morning to both of you. So, the RBA is resolute in its position, arguing that the latest inflation figures are not good enough at just 3.5 per cent. Amanda, people are blaming you, aren’t they? Is there anything that you think you can do better?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Well, firstly, I would say that this rate hold is not unexpected. We have seen now no rate hike for almost a year, and that shows that we are, you know, working towards our fight on inflation. This is really, really important and we are making sure that this is absolutely our primary focus. And that’s why you’ve seen responsible budgeting, but also cost of living support that doesn’t add to the inflation challenge. So, we’re very much working on this. We’ve seen a halve since the peak when it comes to inflation, and this is something that we’re taking very seriously as we fight inflation, which is a primary issue in the country, but we know people are doing it tough and that’s why we keep working on it.

    NATALIE BARR: Isn’t some of that cost-of-living relief actually not helping? Aren’t they looking through some of the energy help and saying, look, we’re putting that out of the way and we’re looking at the figures and they’re still no good?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: I would say that when it comes to the Reserve Bank’s job, their job is, of course, to look at monetary policy. Our job is to make sure that we’re responsible with our fiscal policy. That’s exactly what we’re doing. But it’s also to support people and help people. And we know, for example, that cost of living is an issue people are facing. And that’s why we have important measures like rent relief, for Commonwealth Rent Assistance recipients, and also, of course, energy bill relief. These are really important measures to support people that are adding to the inflation challenge. So, this is, is really important. We get the balance right and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

    NATALIE BARR: Okay, Jane, what would you say that the Government should be doing or could be doing to change where we are economically at the moment?

    JANE HUME, SHADOW FINANCE MINISTER: Well, Nat, the Reserve Bank have said two things. One is that inflation is homegrown, so that means it’s not being imported from overseas. It’s a problem with our domestic policies and it’s also sticky, which means it’s not coming down fast enough. The Reserve Bank economists told the cost-of-living committee that I chair that unless they see a reduction in public sector expenditure, well, then they’re not going to be able to bring interest rates down any sooner. They’ve now pushed out their forecast to say that they don’t expect inflation to come sustainably back to the band in which they could lower interest rates until 2026. Now, that’s 15 months away and it’s more than a year longer than Labor’s own forecasts were saying. So, that’s going to be cold comfort to mortgage holders that are really feeling the pinch of those high interest rates, and that’s a real shame. So, the government can’t just say, well, we’re not making the problem worse. They have to tackle it head on and particularly around tackling this growing public sector expenditure.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: We are. We are, Jane. Of course, what we’re doing is returning the budget to surpluses. That’s something that you weren’t able to do when you were in government. But of course, the question, Jane, for you and your opposition, is what would you cut? I mean, you flag cutting pension increases.

    JANE HUME: No we haven’t. We haven’t done that. That’s your talking.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: You have said, cuts to Medicare. You are planning cuts.

    JANE HUME: No, we haven’t.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: No, no. That’s what you said. You said you saw billions of dollars of unrestrained spending, which you would look at cutting with other pension increases. They’re actually Medicare…

    JANE HUME: We’ve said that we won’t cut essential savings.

    NATALIE BARR: Look, I want to get to negative gearing because this is making headlines this morning. An anonymous senior Labor official has revealed that work has begun on developing options to scale back negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions. The Government has reportedly asked Treasury for expert advice on the possible changes, with the PM not ruling out any changes when asked on radio last week. Amanda, are you considering scaling back negative gearing in this country?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: I want to be really clear. We’ve got a very ambitious housing policy in front of us at the moment – $32 billion of investment in increasing supply and housing and a number of policies is already underway. A number that, unfortunately, the Coalition, the Greens are blocking in the Senate. But we’ve got a really ambitious housing policy that is focused on supply. It is not our proposal to address or to add negative gearing to that. We’re getting on with the job.

    NATALIE BARR: So, it’s not your proposal, but are you asking Treasury what the numbers look like to possibly scale back negative gearing?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: Treasury does this sort of work. It would have done so under the previous Coalition government…

    NATALIE BARR: Not if they’re not asked, I guess.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, Treasury does routine work all the time around different policies, different ideas.

    NATALIE BARR: Do they just think it would have happened or do you ask them? Have you asked them?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, of course they look at a variety of scenarios across the board and they would have done under the Coalition, many times.

    NATALIE BARR: Yeah, but, I mean, look, we’re with you guys, you’re the Government. Have you asked the Treasury to look at the numbers on scaling back negative gearing? Just a question.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: I have to be very clear that as a Government, our focus is on delivering our housing agenda that we’ve got in front of us. And quite frankly, if the Greens and the Coalition would get out of the way of the Senate, and that’s obviously a no, we can have more rent to buy. We’ve got a housing policy and it’s there to be seen.

    NATALIE BARR: Yeah, we know you have a housing policy, but that’s obviously not something you want to answer this morning. Jane, there are a lot of arguments for scaling back negative gearing. Number one, I guess a lot of net three quarters of people who negative gear properties do it for established houses. Would you consider this?

    JANE HUME: Actually, when we looked at this policy in 2019, when a then Shorten-led Labor Opposition was proposing changes to negative gearing, the Coalition worked out that, in fact, if you scale back negative gearing, it can have dramatic effects on supply. And we’re already beginning to see, well.

    NATALIE BARR: If it’s used for housing, it’s not adding to the supply. That would be the number one reason to scale it back. Would you look at it?

    JANE HUME: If you take landlords out of the system, well, then all that happens is rents go up. I was down in Western Victoria just on Monday, walked into a real estate agent and there’s a sign up saying no rental properties available. And that’s a catch cry that we’re hearing right around the country. You take away negative gearing, as clearly the government are planning to do. That’s why they’re commissioning the work. Clearly they’re planning to do this. You take away negative gearing, you’re going to have a dramatic impact on rental supply. That’s a real problem in this country already. It would only make it worse.

    NATALIE BARR: Ok, thank you both.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Prepare now: Four overnight weekend closures of I-5 in Fife planned for September and October

    Source: Washington State News 2

    Additional closures planned in Puget Sound area Sept. 27-30 as part of ‘monster’ weekend of roadwork

    FIFE – Setting the second longest pre-cast concrete girders in the world will close both directions of Interstate 5 in Pierce and King counties overnight on Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28. This is the first of four consecutive weekends the interstate will be closed overnight between State Route 18 in Federal Way and 54th Avenue East in Fife to build a new bridge and tear down an old one. The remaining overnight closures for I-5 are scheduled for Oct. 4-6, Oct. 11-13 and Oct. 18-20. 

    In addition, the Sept 27 and 28 weekend work coincides with highway closures in King County on I-405, SR 167 and SR 520. Drivers are urged to prepare now for all of the closures. The I-5 detour route does not have the same capacity as I-5 and alternate routes in the area are limited.

    Over the course of the weekend closures, crews working on the SR 167 Completion Project for the Washington State Department of Transportation will set 15 bridge girders over I-5. The girders form the backbone of a new bridge that will carry the new SR 167 tolled expressway over I-5 in Fife. This new bridge will be located immediately north of the existing Wapato Way East bridge. At the same time as the girder setting, other construction crews will tear down the nearby 70th Avenue East bridge, which has been closed to the public since 2021.  

    Closing times

    • 7 p.m. – Lanes in both directions of I-5 begin closing.
    • 10:30 p.m. – All northbound lanes are closed.
    • 11 p.m. – All southbound lanes are closed.

    Saturday reopening times

    • 7 a.m. – Northbound lanes begin reopening.
    • 7:30 a.m. – Southbound lanes begin reopening.
    • 11 a.m. – All lanes in both directions are open.

    Sunday reopening times

    • 8 a.m. – Northbound lanes begin reopening.
    • 8:30 a.m. – Southbound lanes begin reopening.
    • Noon – All lanes in both directions are open.

    Ramp closure details 

    Multiple ramps will also close beginning at 8:30 p.m. Ramps reopen by 8:30 a.m. on Saturdays and 9:30 a.m. on Sundays.

    • Southbound I-5 exit to Port of Tacoma Road (closed overnight during the first two weekends for girder delivery).
    • Southbound I-5 exit to 54th Avenue East.
    • Westbound SR 18 and South 348th Street ramp to southbound I-5.
    • 54th Avenue East ramp to northbound I-5.
    • 54th Avenue East ramp to southbound I-5 (intermittent closures during the first two weekends for girder delivery).

    Detour information

    Drivers who are headed into the Fife or Port of Tacoma areas are encouraged to detour to SR 99 between SR 18 and 54th Avenue East. All other travelers are strongly encouraged to use alternate routes such as SR 161, 167 and 512. Maps of the local SR 99 detour route and regional alternate routes are available online. 

    Drivers should also:

    • Consider delaying discretionary trips.
    • Leave earlier in the evening or later in the morning.
    • Allow extra time for traveling the detour or alternate routes, which will have more traffic than usual while I-5 is closed. 

    About the girder setting and new bridge

    Each of the 15 bridge girders that will be set during the first two weekends weigh 270,000 pounds and are 222 feet 9 inches long, spanning the entire width of I-5 at the Fife curve. Multiple cranes must be placed in both northbound and southbound lanes of I-5 to lift and set the girders into place. The girders are manufactured by Concrete Technology Corporation in Tacoma. After leaving the plant, the girders will travel north using the southbound lanes of I-5 from Port of Tacoma Road to the work zone. Traffic entering southbound I-5 from 54th Avenue East will be temporarily halted each time a girder is delivered. 

    Demolishing an old bridge

    To tear down the old 70th Avenue East bridge, crews will spread a protective 6-inch-deep layer of sand over I-5 to protect the roadway. Excavators fitted with claw and jackhammer-like attachments will break and remove pieces of the bridge, dropping them on I-5. Bulldozers and sweepers will push the bridge debris off I-5 in time to open lanes each morning. The bridge has not been open to travelers since 2021, when the new Wapato Way East bridge opened.

    Other regional closures Sept. 27-30

    In addition, travelers should be aware of around-the-clock weekend closures on northbound I-405 in Renton, southbound SR 167 in Kent, the SR 520 floating bridge between Seattle and Bellevue and the Mercer Street ramps to I-5 in Seattle. More information about these closures is available on the WSDOT website. 

    SR 167 Completion Project information

    The SR 167 Completion Project builds 6 miles of new tolled highway between Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma. The new highway is being built in stages. The portion currently under construction between I-5 and the Port of Tacoma is scheduled to open in 2026. The third stage is scheduled to begin construction in 2025 and construction work on the last stage will begin in 2026. The entire project is planned for completion by 2029.  

    Puget Sound Gateway Program overview

    The SR 167 Completion Project is part of WSDOT’s Puget Sound Gateway Program, which also includes the SR 509 Completion Project in south King County. Combined, the two completion projects finish critical missing links in Washington’s highway and freight network.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hirono, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Support Survivors of Sexual Assault on Campus

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Mazie K. Hirono
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in introducing legislation to support survivors of sexual assault on college campuses. The Survivor Outreach and Support on Campus Act, or S.O.S. Campus Act, would require that every college and university that receives federal funding have an independent advocate dedicated to campus sexual assault prevention and response.
    “As we continue working to ensure that our students are safe on campus, the S.O.S. Campus Act would help to ensure that survivors of sexual assault at colleges and universities receive the treatment and support they deserve,” said Senator Hirono. “All students deserve to be safe and supported on campus and I will keep fighting to combat sexual violence and ensure that survivors can access much-needed medical, legal, and mental health resources.”
    Sexual violence and harassment on college campus is heavily underreported, in part due to shortcomings in existing reporting structures. After a change to Title IX under the Trump administration, many universities experienced a drastic decrease in the number of sexual assaults being reported. The Association of Title IX Administrators estimated that upwards of 90% of sexual misconduct cases are handled “informally” and without formal protections and guidance for survivors. 
    The S.O.S. Campus Act would require campuses to have an independent advocate to conduct public information campaigns on sexual assault prevention and ensure that survivors of sexual assault have access to:
    Emergency and follow-up medical care,
    Guidance on reporting assaults to law enforcement,
    Medical forensic or evidentiary exams,
    Crisis intervention, ongoing counseling, and assistance throughout the process, and
    Information on their legal rights.
    Local rape crisis centers and other community-based organizations are currently providing many of these services in communities and on campuses around the nation. The legislation recognizes the importance of these partnerships by requiring that universities either consult with or partner with these organizations to ensure that survivors can access the services they need.
    Full text of the legislation is available here.
    Senator Hirono has been a strong advocate for making sure survivors of campus sexual assault have the resources they need to be supported. Earlier this Congress, she reintroduced the Patsy T. Mink and Louise M. Slaughter Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA), which, like the S.O.S. Campus Act, would provide additional resources for colleges and universities to support survivors. Specifically, GEEA would create an Office for Gender Equity (OGE) within the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that would, among other things, be responsible for providing Title IX coordinators with annual trainings, detailed information, and best practices about Title IX compliance. ED’s OGE would also be responsible for administering a new $160 million grant program to provide resources for colleges and universities, K-12 schools, and other entities to comply with Title IX.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Will Rollins busted for lying about legal work

    Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    September 24, 2024

    Extreme Democrat Will Rollins’ fantastical claims about his legal work crumbled under scrutiny. 

    “Rollins has greatly exaggerated his record,” a new investigation found. Reminder: A judge slapped down Rollins for attempting to trick voters with a similarly “misleading” ballot designation.

    “Extreme liberal Will Rollins will say or do anything to get elected. Riverside County families cannot trust a word that comes out of this serial liar’s mouth.” – NRCC Spokesperson Ben Petersen

    In case you missed it…

    ‘I Took On the Sinaloa Cartel’: Democratic House Candidate Will Rollins Claims He Fought Drug Lords, ISIS, and MS-13. Did He?
    Washington Free Beacon
    Meghan Blonder

    Democrat Will Rollins has made his prosecutorial record central to his rematch against Rep. Ken Calvert (R., Calif.). The Palm Springs lawyer repeatedly boasted that he went after ISIS, the Sinaloa cartel, and MS-13 when he worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Central District of California.

    “Rollins, a counterterrorism prosecutor, took on ISIS terrorists and went after the Sinaloa cartel to stop illegal drugs from crossing our border,” said a February ad, which made salacious allegations about Calvert and called him “one of the most corrupt members of Congress.”

    The ad ended with Rollins saying, “I’m Will Rollins, and I approve this message because I’ve spent my career fighting to keep our families safe.”

    But there’s no available evidence that Rollins had any role in fighting the Sinaloa Cartel or ISIS. His only documented involvement in fighting MS-13? He helped negotiate a lenient plea deal for a meth dealer who was once on a list of “members and associates” of the gang.

    Indeed, an exhaustive Washington Free Beacon review found no documentation indicating Rollins participated in the prosecution of anyone tied to ISIS or the Sinaloas during his five-year stint as an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles. Rollins also claims he’s gone after “murderers,” but the Free Beacon connected only one homicide case to the junior prosecutor—one that wasn’t resolved until two years after Rollins had quit his job.

    In early August, the Free Beacon began asking the Rollins campaign to provide information about the candidate’s record during his tenure from 2016 to 2021 in the Central District, which includes Los Angeles and its surrounding suburbs. The Rollins campaign did not respond to any of the Free Beacon’s inquiries. Rollins’s extensive public claims—on his campaign website, social media, and press interviews—don’t cite specific cases or link to Department of Justice or FBI press releases.

    The Free Beacon reviewed every federal court case that mentioned Rollins, scouring through reams of documents. The review also included extensive searches of the Central District’s website.

    The Mexico-based Sinaloa cartel—which controls much of the drug trade—along with the sadistically violent Salvadoran immigrant gang, MS-13, and the Islamic terrorists of ISIS are three of the world’s most feared criminal organizations, and many ambitious young prosecutors would jump at the chance to battle them. But since Rollins’s name doesn’t appear on any public government documents involving Sinaloa or ISIS, it is highly unlikely he had a meaningful role in such cases, according to a former assistant U.S. attorney who spoke on the condition of anonymity. It is possible he was involved in more minor ways that kept his name off cases, like writing search warrants and applying for digital surveillance, or in supervising cases that others actually prosecuted.

    Furthermore, the law firm where Rollins currently works makes no mention of ISIS, the Sinaloa cartel, or MS-13 on his biography page. Instead, Raines Feldman Littrell, a Los Angeles-based corporate law firm that must accurately represent its lawyers to its clients, simply says that Rollins prosecuted “a wide variety of U.S. counterterrorism, export control, and national security laws” as an assistant U.S. attorney.

    The Free Beacon found one instance in which Rollins prosecuted a member of MS-13 for dealing meth—and struck a sweetheart plea deal. In that 2012 case, Juan Carlos Garcia was caught dealing 80 grams of meth in front of his children. He faced two distribution charges, one carrying a prison sentence of up to 40 years, the other a life sentence. Rollins dropped one count and helped Garcia score the mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison for the other.

    A 2013 FBI press release lists Garcia among “members and associates of the MS-13 street gang.” Garcia’s indictment, however, doesn’t mention gang membership, nor does his pleading. His court judgment only noted that he was barred from associating with known members or wearing anything connected to MS-13.

    Rollins’s attempts to use his stint in government to boost his campaign have become a flashpoint in his campaign. A county GOP chairman challenged Rollins’s bid to describe himself as a “counterterrorism attorney” on the primary ballot, and a judge ruled that he must instead describe himself as a “counterterrorism law attorney.”

    […]

    Rollins has also said in campaign ads that he’s “put away” members of a gang called the Mexican Mafia. The United States-based prison and street gang organizes other Hispanic gangs to establish a larger network of illegal activities.

    The Free Beacon’s review found Rollins was involved in two cases that were peripherally connected to the Mexican Mafia. In both, Rollins signed off on lenient plea deals that gave the gang members light prison sentences for serious crimes.

    Julio Cesar Alvarado faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for a firearm charge in June 2016. He admitted he was a member of the Eastside Santa Ana gang, an affiliate of the Mexican Mafia. Rollins struck a plea deal, and Alvarado was sentenced to just two years in prison.

    Justin Robert Burkett, a known member of the Westside VLP gang, another Mexican Mafia affiliate, was busted with 120 grams of meth and a stolen .38 caliber revolver. He faced a life sentence for peddling drugs and another five years for the gun crime. But Rollins dropped the firearm charge and helped Burkett score a 10-year prison sentence, the mandatory minimum for the distribution count. Burkett was also required to participate in a substance abuse program once he got out of prison.

    Read more here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Northland transmission tower collapse report released

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Electricity Authority’s report into the collapse of a Northland transmission tower on 20 June 2024 that left 88,000 people without power has been released, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.

    “The report highlights that several key failures led to the transmission tower collapsing and that the economic impact for Northland was substantial. The report shows a range of estimates between $37.5 million and $80 million dollars in lost economic activity and that without distributed electricity generation, this figure would have been even higher.

    “As expected, the report found that the removal of the nuts on the tower’s baseplates, which led to the towers collapse and the underlying factors that contributed to this, were entirely avoidable.

    “More broadly, the report found an overreliance by Transpower on service providers to ensure that critical assets are maintained. It also found that identifiable risks were missed, including concerns that were raised internally.

    “The report shows that concerns were raised by a senior engineer within Transpower in 2021 regarding a gap in the knowledge of maintenance crews undertaking foundation work, but that the recommendations for improvement by Transpower were not acted on. 

    “Transpower failing to act on these opportunities has led to terrible consequences for the people of Northland but there is also evidence that the removal of all nuts from more than one tower leg was not a one-off event. 

    “These are incredibly concerning findings, and the report identifies a number of recommendations that I expect Transpower will fully accept and act with urgency to address.” 

    The report recommends that Transpower review its policies on the escalation of service provider noncompliance events. It also calls for greater reporting on service providers so that the Transpower board and senior management can exercise effective governance and oversight. 

    The report also found that the restoration of power after the tower collapsed was carried out quickly, safely and efficiently, and highlights the importance of distributed generation.

    “Distributed generation was able to meet 45 per cent of the peak demand, meaning that many customers could get up and running shortly after the tower collapse. Without distributed electricity generation, the economic cost to Northland would have been far greater. The Electricity Authority estimates that having access to that distributed electricity generation saved Northland consumers at least $26 million.

    “The report recommends a review of the rules which limit the amount of power that can be generated by electricity distributors. The Government has already announced that we will be easing the restrictions that currently exist on EDBs so they can increase electricity generation and bolster regional resilience. Details will be confirmed by Cabinet later this year. 

    “The 26 recommendations in the report provide not only improvements in the oversight of maintenance work, training and assurance processes they also lay out a way to promote regional resilience,” Mr Brown says.

    Recommendations include:

    •    Transpower improving processes for maintenance work for baseplate refurbishment, and ensuring its contractors are more appropriately trained, monitored and compliant. 

    •    Transpower should require its service providers to review and revise their work procedures for baseplate refurbishment to ensure they align with Transpower’s technical specifications. 

    •    Transpower ensuring regular reporting and escalation of non-compliance by service providers to the Transpower’s Board so that the Board and senior management can exercise effective governance and oversight.

    •    The Electricity Authority developing options to amend the Electricity Code to allow for more regional resilience through distributors able to generate more on their own networks.  

    “Transmission towers are critical infrastructure and must be treated as such by all parties involved in managing and maintaining them.

    “These recommendations are concrete steps for Transpower to improve its processes and contractor management to ensure that an event like this does not happen again. I will be writing to the Electricity Authority to express my expectation that the recommendations are implemented. The Electricity Authority will also be monitoring implementation of the recommendations. 

    “I would like to thank the review’s independent Chair Sarah Sinclair and the review team for its comprehensive report and those who provided information to inform the findings and recommendations,” Mr Brown says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Prime Minister advocates progress and prosperity at UN General Assembly and Future Summit

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Prime Minister of Canada – in French

    Progressive leadership is driven by the belief that we cannot turn back the clock on rights, equality, and an economy that works for everyone. We must keep moving forward.

    This was the message delivered by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the conclusion of his participation in the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the Future Summit in New York, United States of America. At the UNGA, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to progress, prosperity and equity for all generations.

    Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders at the Future Summit, which concluded with the adoption of the Compact for the Future, an ambitious agreement that will inspire countries to work together to address shared challenges. At the Summit, the Prime Minister issued a statement indicating Canada’s support for the Future Summit, calling on countries to deliver on the2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developmentand intended to invest in its workers, in its communities and in its future.

    Building on the progress made at the Future Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders and prominent human rights advocates at the UNGA to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He signalled Canada’s commitment to finding new sources of financing to achieve the SDGs globally, particularly as co-chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders Group. He highlighted the fundamental role of gender equality as a means to achieve sustainable development and made clear that women and girls must be able to make choices about their bodies, their lives and their futures. To this end, Canada announced more than $112 million in support to protect access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights services for women and girls around the world. Canada will also invest $58 million in projects that empower women and promote gender equality, particularly in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia. With this funding, Canada will deliver on its $100 million commitment to address issues related to paid and unpaid care work in low- and middle-income countries.

    For tens of millions of people around the world, including in Canada, climate change is not an illusion: it is real, it is costly and it knows no borders. To effectively combat this threat, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of collective action on a global scale. He highlighted decarbonizing the industrial sector as one solution to combat climate change, including through innovative tools such as carbon pricing. He also welcomed six new members of theGlobal Carbon Pricing Challenge launched by Canada, which calls on countries to set a price on carbon to cover 60% of global emissions by 2030. The Prime Minister also announced $3.9 million through Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program, so we can better fight wildfires and advance international expertise in sustainable forest management.

    Prime Minister Trudeau, together with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, convened a High-level Meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to strengthen efforts to restore democracy, security and stability in Haiti. The Prime Minister highlighted the work being done to address the humanitarian needs of the Haitian people and Canada’s continued support for the Multinational Security Support Mission in the country. He emphasized the critical importance of Haitian-led solutions to the conflict. In this regard, he announced more than $16 million to support the transitional government’s electoral preparations, increase humanitarian assistance, reduce gang-related violence, and increase access to justice for women and youth detainees, while supporting their reintegration into society. These measures will go a long way to helping Haiti address its immediate needs and create a brighter, more prosperous future for its people.

    At the UNGA, the Prime Minister also announced $3.6 million in major new investments to strengthen global peace and security, including mine clearance, and to protect the rights of indigenous peoples, particularly women affected by conflict. He highlighted the role of the United Nations in this important work, and announced an investment of $9 million to support United Nations initiatives to increase the effectiveness of development, humanitarian and peacebuilding assistance in countries around the world.

    The Prime Minister participated in a leaders’ roundtable entitled “Defending Democracy: Combating Extremism,” where he spoke with world leaders about the challenges facing democracies, such as inequality, polarization, disinformation and violent extremism, including online. He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening the rules-based international order and multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations.

    During his visit, Prime Minister Trudeau met with his international counterparts to discuss priority geopolitical challenges, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its global implications, as well as developments in the Middle East. He also stressed the need to protect democratic institutions from emerging threats, including disinformation and election interference, and to preserve peace and security around the world.

    At the UNGA, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio, among others.

    In the face of economic and social insecurity around the world, the Government of Canada is choosing to invest in our country. From a $10-a-day national child care program to an ambitious housing plan, a national dental care plan, and an industrial sector strategy that creates well-paying jobs – not to mention fighting climate change – these choices will have a positive impact on the lives of Canadians and help address global challenges.

    Quote

    “Canada is choosing to invest in its people, its future and progress. This is the message I wanted to bring to the UNGA and the Future Summit. Our government is taking action to fight climate change, break down barriers, address the world’s most pressing challenges and give every generation a fair chance.”

    Highlights

    During his trip to New York, Prime Minister Trudeau held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Garry Conille of Haiti, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Mayor Berry Vrbanovic of Kitchener, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, Senior Advisor to Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus, President William Ruto of Kenya, and Malala Yousafzai. The Prime Minister also held discussions with other leaders, including North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, International Monetary Fund President and Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and Spanish President Pedro Sánchez. As a founding member of the United Nations since its creation in 1945, Canada has actively contributed to the organization, including playing a key role in drafting the UN Charter, the cornerstone treaty of the rules-based international order. Canada is the sixth largest donor to the United Nations, with voluntary contributions and assessed contributions totaling more than US$2 billion in 2022. In 2015, Canada joined all UN Member States in adopting ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, as outlined in theTransforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda focuses on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that address the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Together, the SDGs aim to improve people’s lives, but also protect the planet. Released in 2021, theCanada’s National Strategy for the 2030 Agenda: Moving Forward Togetheris based on 30 actions and 5 core principles to create and foster an environment for ongoing dialogue and engagement to encourage Canadians to take action to implement the SDGs. In 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau was appointed Co-Chair of the SDG Advocates Group by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, alongside Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados. Through their respective platforms, the members of the SDG Advocates Group aim to raise global awareness of the SDGs and the need to accelerate action to achieve them. Prime Minister Trudeau also serves as Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders Group, alongside Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica. The Group advocates for developing countries to have the financial resources they need to invest in the 17 SDGs to ensure a just and equitable future for all people. At the Future Summit, world leaders strengthened cooperation on major challenges and addressed gaps in global governance. They renewed existing commitments, including to the SDGs and the Charter of the United Nations, and undertook to modernize the United Nations system to effectively address the challenges of today and tomorrow. Also at the Summit, leaders adopted the Deal for the Future and its annexes, the Global Digital Deal and the Declaration on Future Generations. The Deal for the Future is a comprehensive framework to promote global cooperation and address critical challenges facing the world, such as climate change, inequality, and the need for strong multilateral cooperation, for the benefit of all and future generations. In 2021, Canada launched the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. This partnership aims to scale up the use of pollution pricing by strengthening existing systems and supporting new ones. The Challenge, which collectively aims to cover 60% of global emissions by 2030, also serves as a forum for dialogue and coordination to improve the effectiveness and compatibility of pricing regimes, while helping other countries adopt carbon pricing and reduce emissions towards the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

    Related products

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    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Introduces AI Civil Rights Act to Eliminate AI Bias, Enact Guardrails on Use of Algorithms in Decisions Impacting People’s Rights, Civil Liberties, Livelihoods

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Bill Text (PDF) | Section by section (PDF)
    Washington (September 24, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, introduced his Artificial Intelligence (AI) Civil Rights Act, comprehensive AI civil rights legislation which will put strict guardrails on companies’ use of algorithms for consequential decisions, ensure algorithms are tested before and after deployment, help eliminate and prevent bias, and renew Americans’ faith in the accuracy and fairness of complex algorithms. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) is a cosponsor on the bill.
    “Whether on the Senate floor or around the dining room table, artificial intelligence is the hottest topic of the year. But these complex algorithms have a darker side as well — one that has real consequences for everyday people, especially marginalized communities,” said Senator Markey. “I am introducing the Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act to ensure that the AI Age does not replicate and supercharge the bias and discrimination already prevalent in society today. Make no mistake: we can have an AI revolution in this country while also protecting the civil rights and liberties of everyday Americans, we can support innovation without supercharging bias and discrimination, and we can promote competition while safeguarding people’s rights.
    I am grateful for the support of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and many other advocates who have been essential partners in this fight for fair and equitable AI. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that any AI regulation includes strong and enforceable civil rights protections.”
    “While AI can improve decision-making across various sectors, systemic biases in AI algorithms disproportionately impact marginalized communities,” said Senator Hirono. “This legislation would help to protect Americans against biased algorithms and mitigate discrimination perpetuated through AI, helping to secure the civil rights and liberties of all Americans.”
    In particular, the AI Civil Rights Act:
    Regulates algorithms involved in consequential decisions, such as those that impact people’s rights, civil liberties, and livelihoods, including employment, banking, health care, the criminal justice system, public accommodations, and government services;
    Prohibits developers and deployers from offering, licensing, or using covered algorithms that discriminate based on protected characteristics or that cause a disparate impact;
    Requires developers and deployers of covered algorithms to complete independently audited pre-deployment evaluations and post-deployment impact assessments to identify, evaluate, and mitigate any potential biased use or discriminatory outcomes;
    Requires developers and deployers to mitigate any harms identified by the pre-deployment evaluations and impact assessments and ensure that any covered algorithm performs reasonably well and is consistent with its publicly-advertised purpose;
    Increases transparency around the use of covered algorithms in consequential decisions, including providing individuals a right to appeal an algorithmic decision to a human decision-maker; and
    Authorizes the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and private individuals to enforce the Act.
    The AI Civil Rights Act is endorsed by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Free Press Action, UnidosUS, NAACP,  American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), Public Citizen, Access Now, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJ, Brennan Center for Justice, Fight for the Future, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), Common Cause, National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), The Trevor Project, National Council of Negro Women, Encode Justice, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Accountable Tech, the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), Color of Change, and Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE).
    “Algorithmic justice is a civil rights issue. Just as the struggles of the civil rights movement gave rise to groundbreaking civil rights laws, the harms resulting from the unregulated use of AI and other algorithmic tools demand passing new legislation now,” said Damon Hewitt, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “The AI Civil Rights Act is first-of-its-kind legislation that takes a comprehensive approach to regulating AI across sectors. It prioritizes protecting Black communities and other people of color from discrimination, bias, and rampant AI abuse. The civil rights bill of the future is right here, and we are proud to endorse it.”
    “After a flurry of AI bills being introduced by this Congress — with many omitting any mention of civil rights or safeguards — it’s refreshing to see Senator Markey take a unique and necessary approach. The AI Civil Rights Act is comprehensive, touching on everything from employment to housing and education and setting a standard for other pieces of AI legislation to address real-world harms. Rather than reflect Big Tech talking points and the urge to ‘move fast and break things,’ this bill recognizes that innovation must include all of us,” said Koustubh “K.J.” Bagchi, vice president of The Leadership Conference’s Center for Civil Rights and Technology.
    “The AI Civil Rights Act is the bold, innovative policy we need today to ensure a just tomorrow for us all. The premise is simple: the AI tools and systems used at the most critical decision points in our lives – mediating our access to homes, employment, healthcare, and opportunities –should be demonstrated to be accessible and fair before being unleashed on the American public. With this technologically sophisticated bill, anchored in enduring American commitments to freedom, Senator Markey ushers in a new day for civil rights and digital equity,” said Alondra Nelson, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress and former Acting Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
    “It is vitally important that technological development serves the public interest. A key part of this is ensuring that those who develop and deploy technology, including advanced AI systems that impact people’s civil rights and opportunities, are held to a duty of care. The AI Civil Rights Act provides a detailed and practical approach to ensuring that we can continue to benefit from safe innovation in technology,” said Suresh Venkatasubramanian, former White House AI Advisor and co-author of the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights.
    “AI products are now making their way into the lives of real people at an unfathomable scale – impacting everything from our experience at work to our ability to access benefits. It is crucially important in this moment that we do what we can to protect the vulnerable populations most impacted by these systems. Even in the hyped rush to adopt AI technology, we cannot permit anything to interfere with our hard-earned civil rights,” said Deborah Raji, researcher, UC Berkley.
    “Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering every corner of our lives — from access to education, healthcare and insurance to decisions made by the courts, police, and immigration officials — with far too little public input or recourse when these systems cause real-world bias or harm,” said Craig Aaron, President and Co-CEO of Free Press Action. “The AI Civil Rights Act is a serious step toward addressing these urgent issues and enabling federal regulators to keep up with these evolving technologies. It prohibits the use, sale, or promotion of algorithmic decision-making systems that discriminate or cause disparate impact on the basis of race, sex, religion, or disability. This legislation would require those designing and deploying AI tools to conduct audits for potential harms and publicly share the results. Ensuring new tools and technologies aren’t used to exacerbate discrimination must be a top priority for policymakers. We applaud Senator Markey and the co-sponsors of this legislation for their leadership.”
    “AI systems—which already today impact consumer credit, law enforcement, immigration, housing, and health care decisions—can be unfair in any direction, and in multiple directions at once, because the systems generate predictions based on inferences from complex data sets. Assessing the fairness of the inputs to systems and the outcomes is an essential check—or we risk models that senselessly bind our futures to our often-problematic past. We simply cannot afford to implement systems first and check them later, nor would that approach be consistent with a multicultural democracy that strives to achieve opportunity for all,” said Laura MacCleery, Senior Policy Director, UnidosUS. “By mandating pre- and post-deployment testing, minimum transparency standards, and human alternatives to AI decision-making, this legislation establishes essential steps to help make the uses of AI both accountable and legitimate. We commend Senator Markey for his continued leadership in this ongoing effort to keep emerging technologies fair and responsible—not just in name but in practice. This Act is an excellent foundation for the checks and balances we will need to harness AI’s potential while protecting civil rights and promoting fairness.”
    “The AI Civil Rights Act is a benchmark for AI legislation; it avoids sensationalist claims about AI, while providing real protections from civil rights harms that are happening already. The emerging world of AI is complex, and Sen. Markey has set the bar for legislation ensuring that AI is fair and equitable. We look forward to continuing to refine and champion these protections and working with Congress for passage,” said Cody Venzke, Senior Policy Counsel, ACLU.
    “Artificial intelligence systems are being developed and deployed in opaque and unaccountable ways that are harming individuals and exacerbating biases. Senator Markey’s Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act of 2024 puts critical guardrails in place to ensure automated decision-making is fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory. EPIC is proud to support this legislation,” said Caitriona Fitzgerald, Deputy Director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).
    “With the AI industry launching products that will make decisions on key aspects of our lives, such as unemployment insurance, Congress must install guardrails to prevent violations of our rights. The AI Civil Rights Act is necessary legislation that addresses the growing need to protect civil rights in an era where AI systems are increasingly shaping critical decisions in areas such as employment, housing, and access to services. By setting rigorous standards for the development, deployment, and auditing of AI technologies, the Act installs pertinent guardrails so that these powerful models will not perpetuate discrimination or harm marginalized communities. Public Citizen commends Senator Markey for his leadership in advancing this vital piece of legislation,” said Lisa Gilbert, Co-President, Public Citizen.
    “Secretive algorithms developed by the private sector can easily fuel discriminatory surveillance, policing, and immigration enforcement,” said Faiza Patel, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. “The AI Civil Rights Act is a significant step towards ensuring that the private sector undertakes adequate and transparent due diligence to mitigate AI’s most profound risks to civil liberties and rights.”
    “Access Now is proud to support the AI Civil Rights Act, a crucial step in holding algorithmic decision-making accountable at every stage,” said Willmary Escoto, U.S. Policy Counsel, Access Now. “This bill prioritizes human rights by enforcing transparency, accountability, and remedies for those harmed by AI. We commend Senator Markey for championing equity, privacy, and justice, and urge Congress to advance this critical legislation.”
    “When it comes to AI regulation, the AI Civil Rights Act is right to prioritize civil rights protections coupled with requirements to test and provide transparency. We desperately need AI policies that are rooted in human rights, free expression, and addressing the most immediate harms to the most marginalized people. It’s clear that AI is exacerbating problems with discrimination and bias, but those problems are being hidden behind layers of tech hype, trade secrets, and a focused but familiar campaign to tell legislators and everyday people alike that we aren’t smart enough to grapple with the realities of emerging technology. This is a lie that is being weaponized to allow AI’s supercharged harms to run rampant. This bill is an important step toward putting risky and harmful AI projects and their shady sycophants back in their place. Human rights and accountability should come before tech profits,” said Lia Holland, Campaigns and Communications Director, Fight for the Future.
    “AI inherently poses risks for voters, as biased algorithms can perpetuate discrimination and lead to disparate outcomes,” said Ishan Mehta, Director for Media and Democracy, Common Cause. “We commend Senator Markey for his bill to create important and strong safeguards for AI systems, which will promote equity and accessibility.”
    “The Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act is our generation’s moonshot for democracy in the digital age. It ensures that as machines learn, America’s values aren’t forgotten. This isn’t just about regulating technology; it’s about safeguarding the very fabric of our society for generations to come. With this Act, we’re not just keeping pace with AI – we’re encoding fairness and equal opportunity into the DNA of our technological future,” said Sunny Gandhi, VP of Political Affairs, Encode Justice.
    “The AI Civil Rights Act must become law to ensure that people are not denied work or career advancement because of biased algorithms ingrained in artificial intelligence systems. Whether it’s a journalist who covers marginalized communities or a first-time screenwriter whose voice is not a common tone, we cannot let employers weaponize AI as cover to discriminate against people based on race, religion, age or other protected characteristics,” said Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, President of the Writers Guild of America, East.
    “Organizations developing and deploying AI tools should have to prove to the public that their tools aren’t harmingful before they are allowed to release these tools. We’re glad to see Senator Markey taking these steps to prioritize citizen’s rights over profits for multinational corporations,” said Timnit Gebru, Founder and Executive Director of Distributed Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (DAIR).
    While artificial intelligence has already begun to revolutionize certain industries, the federal government must be committed to combating potential side effects of this emerging technology. Senator Markey has called on the federal government to hold Big Tech accountable, investigate AI, and stop algorithmic injustice. On September 17th, 2024, Senator Markey and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Shalanda Young, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, demanding that all federal agencies that use AI for consequential decisions establish or maintain a civil rights office to establish additional safeguards to prevent algorithmic discrimination.
    In December 2023, Senator Markey introduced the Eliminating Bias in Algorithmic Systems (BIAS) Act to ensure that every federal agency that uses, funds, or oversees artificial intelligence (AI) has an office of civil rights focused on combatting AI bias and discrimination. In October 2023, he and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) applauded the Biden administration for heeding their call to incorporate the White House Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights into its AI Executive Order. In July 2023, Senator Markey and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) reintroduced their Algorithmic Justice and Online Platform Transparency Act to ban discriminatory algorithms and improve transparency on social media platforms.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford Objects to Democrats’ Partisan Push to Extreme Advance Extreme Abortion Agenda, Jeopardizing Health Care for Women

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    CLICK HERE to watch Lankford’s remarks on YouTube.
    CLICK HERE to watch Lankford’s remarks on Rumble.
    WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK), chair of the Senate Values Action Team, went to the Senate floor to object to Senate Democrats’ attempts to force a vote on their extreme abortion agenda.
    He objected to a resolution falsely stating the Senate believes women lack access to life saving care, and that doctors face criminal prosecution for caring for their patients. During a Senate FinanceCommittee hearing today, he called out Democrats’ fearmongering on abortion and warned that it may discourage women from receiving health care.
    Excerpts
    Lankford Challenges Fearmongering Rhetoric:  This resolution itself, and the wording that it has in this resolution, says it’s sense of the Senate that every person has the basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care. I’m going to be very, very specific on this. We had a hearing today in the Finance Committee where this same subject was addressed. We had OBGYNs from both perspectives on this, those that perform abortions and those that have a moral objection to it. We had a very good argument to be able to lay some facts out, to be able to walk through this with two sets of attorneys that were there to be able to walk through the law. Here’s what became very clear during that conversation in this morning in that open hearing.
    There is no state in America in which a woman faces persecution or prosecution for having an abortion. No state criminalizes miscarriage. No state criminalizes removing an ectopic pregnancy. No state prohibits life saving care for the mother. No state requires a woman to be actively dying in order for her doctor to care for her. We heard story after story about doctors being concerned that they may face this because they’re hearing political rhetoric—political rhetoric like Vice President Harris in a speech that she said recently where she said, ‘Women were being arrested and facing prosecution for experiencing miscarriages.’ That is not true.
    So all of this rhetoric that is being put out there is making doctors afraid, but it was very clear from the conversation in law that none of those things are actually true. Every physician, prior to the Dobbs decision, when there were limitations on abortion across the country, and post Dobbs decision when every single state is making those decisions, allowed physicians in an E.R. to be able to make lifesaving decisions for the mother and the child. Every doctor has already the ability to be able to make that decision, to be able to protect the life of the mother. They have the protections to be able to do that. So this is a false claim that somehow that what happened in the Dobbs decision and what’s happening in states is limiting, that it’s actually the political rhetoric that’s making people afraid.
    Democrats’ Abortion-On-Demand Obsession Endangers Women: What also came out during the hearing this morning was the very real risk of chemical abortions. That we’ve recently had tragic situations where women use the chemical abortion pills that they’re being told are ‘as safe as Tylenol,’ and then it has life threatening and in some cases, recently, life taking consequences. Chemical abortion pills are not Tylenol, yet they’re being sold as that. And what we’re seeing is more and more cases of the diminishing of ‘This is no big deal to be able to end this pregnancy’ when they haven’t seen a doctor, because the Biden Administration is now saying ‘You don’t have to see a physician’ so the woman doesn’t know if she has an ectopic pregnancy or not. If she takes the chemical abortion pill while she has an ectopic pregnancy, she is at risk.
    But the Biden Administration is saying ‘You don’t have to go see a doctor. They can just mail it to you. It’s just as safe as a Tylenol.’ When it’s not. They’re also not being tested for their blood type to be able to make sure this doesn’t affect future pregnancies during this chemical abortion. And they’re not also determining by a sonogram how far along the mom is in this process, because there are limitations to this where it becomes more and more dangerous.
    All those things are restrictions that used to be there, that the Biden Administration has taken away to say, ‘No, we want more people to have access to chemical abortions,’ but it’s making it more dangerous for women. And we have seen that recently. So we want to engage in a conversation about how can we actually put some of those basic, humane, doctor-requested restrictionsin there to make sure that we’re protecting the lives of all those women. That’s a better conversation for us to be able to have.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Veterans Translate Military Certifications to Civilian Jobs

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced legislation to provide every transitioning servicemember with documentation outlining their military certifications and qualifications to use when applying for a job. The bipartisan Translating Military Skills into Civilian Jobs Act would establish a military training and competency record to ensure that every servicemember has a record of the training, certifications, and qualifications they achieved during their time in the military, so that when they transition, they can provide that record to employers to determine if their qualifications meet the job requirements. Currently, too many veterans are forced to spend time and money earning the same certifications for civilian jobs that the military already trained them to do. 
    “The men and women of our military earn valuable skills and certifications during their service that should more easily qualify them for a wide array of high-demand civilian jobs when they transition into veteran status,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to provide every transitioning servicemember with a record detailing their training, certifications, and qualifications earned through their service so that they can more easily start their civilian careers. I’ll keep working across party lines to support our veterans.”
    “Military service provides servicemembers and veterans with unique skills that make them valuable employees to any company,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation would make certain every servicemember leaves the military with a document outlining the training and qualifications they achieved during their service, to assist in the job search and their life after service.”
    Senator Rosen has been leading bipartisan efforts to deliver for Nevada’s veterans. Earlier this month, she helped pass bipartisan legislation to allocate billions of dollars for PACT Act benefits. She also introduced bipartisan legislation to permanently maintain a helpline for veterans to obtain information and assistance with VA services. Senator Rosen secured funding to increase access to affordable housing for veterans, continue building Nevada’s first national veterans cemetery in Elko, and increase funding for veteran’s access to telehealth in the last bipartisan government funding package.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone’s HEARTS Act to Address Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young People Passes House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    Federal bill inspired by New Jersey student-athlete tragedies heads to the Senate, aiming to safeguard young lives across the nation

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, announced that his Cardiomyopathy Health, Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act has overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Pallone authored the HEARTS Act in response to the rising number of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) incidents among young people, particularly student-athletes, ensuring schools are better equipped to handle life-threatening cardiac emergencies with vital resources and training.

     

    “I introduced the HEARTS Act because too many young people are tragically dying from sudden cardiac arrest,” Pallone said. “In New Jersey, we’ve seen devastating losses like that of Edison’s Kittim Sherrod, who collapsed and died at just 17 during track practice from an undiagnosed heart condition. The HEARTS Act ensures that schools have the AEDs, training, and resources needed to act swiftly during a cardiac emergency. No child should lose their life because schools weren’t prepared—we owe it to our students and their families to act now.”

     

    The bill was inspired by local tragedies like that of Kittim Sherrod, a standout football star at Edison High School, who passed away in 2009 from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an often undiagnosed condition. The HEARTS Act aims to prevent future tragedies by ensuring that schools across the country are equipped with life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs), Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs), and CPR training for both staff and students.

     

    With strong bipartisan backing, the HEARTS Act was expanded to include provisions from the Access to AEDs Act, ensuring that AEDs are available in schools and childcare centers and that students, staff, and sports volunteers receive critical CPR and AED training. A federal grant program will be established to support these efforts, making sure schools can access the funding they need to implement these life-saving measures.

     

    In his remarks on the House floor, Pallone emphasized the need for immediate action, saying, “The HEARTS Act will raise awareness about the causes of sudden cardiac arrest and ensure schools are more prepared to deal with cardiac emergencies so we can save lives. This legislation has the support of the American Heart Association and the Smart Heart Coalition, among others. We cannot afford to delay—this is about saving young lives.”

      

    The HEARTS Act mandates that the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), patient advocacy groups, and health professional organizations to develop and distribute educational materials on cardiomyopathy to schools, parents, and teachers. This educational push is critical, as cardiomyopathy, the condition that took Sherrod’s life, is often silent until a fatal cardiac event. According to the CDC, approximately 2,000 young people under the age of 25 die from sudden cardiac arrest each year—a sobering figure that highlights the urgent need for this legislation.

     

    Support for the HEARTS Act has been widespread, with organizations such as the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation, and the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation applauding Pallone’s leadership in raising awareness and helping schools prepare for cardiac emergencies.

     

    “Having a cardiac emergency response plan in place and people nearby who know what to do can be the difference between life and death for the more than 350,000 people who experience a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year. The HEARTS Act will help improve the safety of our schools and playing fields and we urge the Senate to quickly follow the House to make this policy the law of the land,” Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association.

     

    “The John Taylor Babbitt Foundation is thrilled to see this critical piece of legislation pass out of the House of Representatives. Creating heart safe communities for our children continues to be a priority for our organization and this law would provide access to resources in helping to achieve that goal,“ JoAnne Babbitt, Vice President, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation and co-founder of the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation.

     

    “The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation wholeheartedly supports the HEARTS Act of 2024 (H.R 6829) and commends Rep. Frank Pallone for stewarding this lifesaving legislation. Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a public health crisis. It strikes 356,000 people a year in the U.S., including 23,000 youth. Enacting this legislation will undoubtedly help improve the current survival rate of ~10 percent—not only in schools, but also in communities,” Mary. M. Newman, MS President, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation.

     

    “We are thrilled the HEARTS bill has passed the house and thankful to Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ-06) for championing legislation for kids with cardiomyopathy.” said Kathy Swenson, executive director of the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation. “This disease is a leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest, and this legislation has the potential to save the lives of many children.”

     

    “The HEARTS Act will take precautions to save lives, which were not in place 15 years ago when my grandson Kittim Sherrod succumbed to this silent disease Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Many youths’ lives were lost due to the lack of knowledge as well as the lack of the proper equipment available to assist in saving lives. I am so thankful that Frank Pallone continued in the quest to take action to make a difference in the future of our children’s heart health. Thank you, Congressman Frank Pallone, Kittim did not die in vain,” Razeenah Walker, President of The Kittim N. Sherrod Foundation.

     

    The bill now moves to the Senate, where its passage is crucial to ensuring that schools across the nation can implement these life-saving measures.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone Announces Continuation of Critical Dredging in Shrewsbury, Navesink Rivers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    Long Branch, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced the continuation of a major dredging project in the Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers. Following a temporary pause in January of this year for fish spawning, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has resumed maintenance dredging this month with the goal of completing the project by the end of 2024. Pallone secured $26 million for the project as part of a federal spending bill for Fiscal Year 2023, which was signed into law by President Biden.

    “Dredging in these rivers is essential for both local recreation and commerce,” said Pallone. “The Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers are not only natural treasures but also critical to the economy of our coastal communities. Ensuring safe navigation for boaters by addressing the shoaling in the federal channel is a top priority, and I’m glad to see this important work continuing.”

    The project is taking place in three phases, with the first phase already completed during the summer 2023. This initial phase involved dredging sand material from the mouth of Sandy Hook Bay south to the Route 36 bridge. The second and third phases were started last fall before the January 2024 pause.

    In the second phase, the Army Corps is dredging the remaining sand material from the Shrewsbury River and the Navesink River. This sand will be transported and pumped onto sections of Monmouth Beach for beach replenishment. The final phase, which will run concurrently, will focus on dredging the silt material within the federal channel of both rivers as far west as the Branchport Ave. bridge in Long Branch for the Shrewsbury River and as far west as the Route 35 Bridge in Red Bank for the Navesink River. The dredged material will be transported to a nearby facility in Woodbridge for processing and repurposed as construction fill.

    Pallone first secured funding for this crucial project after receiving reports of dangerous shoaling that posed risks to navigation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone Leads Bipartisan Push to Make FEMA’s New Disaster Aid Rule Retroactive for Hurricane Ida Survivors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-New Jersey) is leading a bipartisan effort, alongside U.S. Representatives Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico) and Troy Carter (D-Louisiana), urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to apply its new disaster aid rule retroactively. This would ensure that those affected by past events, like Hurricane Ida, can benefit from the improved and more accessible assistance. The proposed extension would cover major disasters declared since January 20, 2021, ensuring that survivors of these events—including those in New Jersey—are eligible for the updated relief measures.

     

    The draft interim Individual Assistance Program Equity rule, a major reform introduced by the Biden-Harris Administration in early 2024, marks the first significant overhaul of FEMA’s aid program in 20 years. The changes were driven by mounting frustrations from survivors who faced delays, denials, and excessive bureaucratic hurdles when seeking help. With the growing frequency and severity of disasters due to climate change, the Administration recognized the need for more accessible and efficient aid, particularly for low-income and vulnerable communities.

     

    Key updates include Critical Needs Assistance, which automatically provides $750 to cover immediate expenses, and up to $42,500 in FEMA aid not covered by insurance. The rule also eliminates outdated eligibility requirements, such as removing the mandate that the Small Business Administration reject a survivor’s loan application before they could receive FEMA aid, reduced documentation requirements, and a simplified appeals process. These changes aim to deliver faster, fairer assistance to those in need.

     

    “The Biden-Harris Administration has made meaningful changes to FEMA’s Individual Assistance program that will help New Jerseyans get back on their feet faster when the next storm hits,” said Pallone. “We must make these improvements retroactive, so people devastated by Hurricane Ida get the same opportunity to benefit and aren’t left behind.”

     

    “I’m proud to have advocated for changes to FEMA for future storm survivors, but I’m still nowhere near recovered from Hurricane Ida three years ago.  These changes would have helped me tremendously – I had to get an SBA loan because FEMA told me to apply.  I had no choice and am now very in debt and I am still fighting my flood insurance for a fair payout.  Having FEMA help more with my uninsured losses would be so much better than a loan I can’t afford to pay.  We are grateful to Congressman Pallone for his ongoing work on behalf of storm survivors and we hope the Biden administration makes the changes retroactive for my family and families like mine around the country,” said Leanna Jones a single mother of two and Storm Organizer with the New Jersey Organizing Project. 

     

    The full letter to FEMA is available below and online here:

     

    Dear Administrator Criswell:

     

    We are encouraged by the Individual Assistance Program Equity interim final rule you announced on January 22, 2024 and urge you to make it retroactive to all major disasters with individual assistance that President Biden has declared since January 20, 2021. Retroactively making this assistance available to that date will allow many of our constituents impacted by devastating natural disasters to finally move forward with their recovery.

     

    This rule has the potential to dramatically improve Americans’ experience and ability to access the federal disaster assistance system. However, as members whose constituents have been impacted by recent major disasters, many of our constituents turned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in their time of need and were denied assistance due to the preceding rule’s strict and confusing eligibility requirements. Likewise, our constituents that were deemed eligible for assistance may have received far less support under the preceding rule than they may potentially be able to receive now. These disaster survivors are still struggling to get back on their feet and they deserve the opportunity to benefit from the new and improved disaster assistance system. 

     

    We urge you to at least prioritize extending the rule’s coverage to survivors of the 19 largest disasters which had more than 10,000 Individual and Household Program applications:

     

    • 2021: Texas Severe Winter Storm Uri (DR-4586), Michigan Severe Storm (DR-4607), Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania Hurricane Ida (DR-4611, DR-4614, DR-4515, and DR-4618),  Kentucky Tornado (DR-4630)
    • 2022: Kentucky Flood (DR-4663), Missouri Flood (DR-4665), Puerto Rico Hurricane Fiona (DR-4671), and Florida Hurricane Ian (DR-4673)
    • 2023: California Severe Storm (DR-4683), California Severe Storm (DR-4699), Florida Flood (DR-4709), Guam Typhoon Mawar (DR-4715), Hawaii Wildfire (DR-4724), Illinois Severe Storm (DR-4728), Florida Hurricane Idalia (DR-4734), and Illinois Flood (DR-4749)

     

    Under the old system, many survivors of these disasters were pushed into expensive or untenable circumstances due to their inequitable denial of Individual Assistance or low levels of federal support. Giving people a chance to receive assistance they were unjustly denied will allow them to make informed decisions regarding their housing needs without duress. Survivors of these disasters would especially benefit from the new rule’s changes to home repair assistance, the treatment of insurance proceeds, the definition of “owner-occupied” housing, rental assistance, and the elimination of the Small Business Administration application requirement, among other changes. The improved accessibility to Individual Assistance brought by these and other changes will help survivors fix their homes, make accessibility modifications, and ease short-term housing debts. FEMA could help these survivors move out of hotels, inadequate rental properties, nursing homes, and other care institutions and into safe and permanent housing.

     

    Thank you for your serious consideration of our request and commitment to improving our disaster assistance system. We look forward to your response.

     

    Sincerely,

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone’s Bill to Preserve AM Radio in Cars Advances to House After Full Committee Passage

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) championed passage of his bipartisan legislation to preserve AM radio in cars in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, advancing the critical legislation for consideration in the House. The bill mandates that all new passenger vehicles sold in the United States include devices capable of receiving analog AM radio signals at no additional cost to consumers.

    Amid concerns that some automakers, including Tesla, BMW, Mazda, Volvo, Rivian, and Volkswagen, have considered phasing out AM radio from certain vehicle models, top Committee Democrat Pallone led the initiative to preserve this essential resource that Americans rely on for broadcasting local and national news, emergency alerts, and public safety information.

    “During crises like Superstorm Sandy, AM radio has proven indispensable for providing vital information when other communication networks falter,” stated Congressman Pallone. “This legislation ensures that AM radio, a fundamental tool for public safety and information dissemination, remains accessible to all Americans.”

    The bipartisan bill garnered support from various stakeholders, including the New Jersey Broadcasters Association and public safety officials who rely on AM radio’s broad reach during emergencies. Pallone remains committed to safeguarding access to essential services for his constituents and communities across the nation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone Helps Secure Nearly $2.5 Million For Community Policing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    Long Branch, NJ –– Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced he has helped secure nearly $2.5 million in federal funding for Highland Park, Neptune, Perth Amboy, Sayreville and Old Bridge police departments. This funding was made possible through the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Community Oriented Policing Hiring Program (CHP), Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program (LEMHWA), and Technology and Equipment Program (TEP). These funds will be used to increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts by hiring officers, improving access to mental health and wellness services for officers, and acquiring effective equipment and technologies.

    “We rely heavily on our local law enforcement officers to build relationships with the communities they serve, and to work together to prevent crime and promote public safety,” said Congressman Pallone. “I’m grateful to our law enforcement officers who work hard to help make New Jersey a safe place to live. I’ll continue advocating for federal funding to ensure our municipalities have the resources they need to promote public safety.”

    Grant awards are as follows:

    2024 Community Oriented Policing (COPS) Hiring Program (CHP) Awards

    • Highland Park – $375,000 to hire 3 officers
    • Neptune – $375,000 to hire 3 officers
    • Perth Amboy – $250,000 to hire 2 officers

    2024 Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) Program Awards

    • Sayreville – $162,050 to support its Psychological Wellness Program

    2024 COPS Office Technology and Equipment Program (TEP) Awards

    • Old Bridge – $1.3 million

    “This generous grant from the Department of Justice will help strengthen our police department and enhance public safety in Highland Park. We are committed to ensuring a safer community for all, and this funding allows us to continue that important work. I want to extend my deepest thanks to Congressman Pallone for his support and to the Department of Justice for this critical investment in our future,” said Highland Park Mayor Elsie Foster.

    “Strong communities are safe communities, and that is what we strive for every day in Neptune Township,” Mayor Tassie York said. “We are grateful for the tireless support of Rep. Frank Pallone and his efforts to secure this funding which will play a critical role as we push forward on building an even better Neptune Police Department,” said Neptune Township Mayor Tassie D. York

    “Our priority is to ensure our students feel safe and supported at school. In response to growing safety concerns across the country, the city and school district in Perth Amboy have teamed up to take proactive steps, maintaining a secure and focused learning environment for our students. With the support of Congressman Pallone and the COPS Hiring Program, we are bringing in specially trained School Resource Officers (SROs) to work directly with our schools. This strong partnership highlights our shared commitment to safety, giving students, teachers, and families the confidence that we’re doing everything to protect and support our community.”said Perth Amboy Mayor Helmin J. Caba.

    “I am pleased the Borough will be receiving $162,050 from the federal Department of Justice through the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program,” said Sayreville Mayor Kennedy O’Brien. “I want to extend my appreciation to Congressman Pallone for his efforts, as this grant will allow the Sayreville Police Department to enhance mental health and wellness resources for our officers, ensuring they are well-supported in serving and protecting our community.”

    “I would like to thank the Department of Justice for considering our application and awarding this grant to Old Bridge Township which will assist our Police Department in upgrading its technology equipment, emergency operations center, and much more,” said Old Bridge Mayor Debbie Walker.

    Additionally, New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety received $4 million to investigate illicit activities relating to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, or prescription opioids, as well as $1 million to investigate precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine traffickers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beatty Boosts STEM Education Equity & Awareness with STEM Week Bill   

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

    Washington, D.C. — Representatives Joyce Beatty (OH-3) and Mike Carey (OH-15) introduced the National STEM Week Act. The bill would create an annual week dedicated to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education access and interest, especially among communities with limited access to educational resources.

    “Ohio is the heart of American innovation and will soon be home to the most advanced semiconductor fabrication facilities in the world thanks to historic investments from the Biden-Harris administration and Intel. STEM fields power these industries of the future, so it is vital that we help future generations in our community develop the skills they need to make the most of this generational investment,” said Congresswoman Beatty. “Establishing a National STEM Week to promote education in these fields, particularly among underserved communities, gives our kids the chance to actually see what a future in STEM looks like and will ensure that every student – no matter their background or zip code – has the tools needed to become the next generation of American innovators.”

    “As Ohio students begin another school year, it is all the more important to recognize the role that STEM education plays in preparing them for the future,” said Congressman Carey. “Science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning can inspire new curiosity, a lifelong passion or a successful career. Unfortunately, not every student has the same access to this transformative education. A National STEM Week will help emphasize the value of these subjects to students, parents and teachers alike.” 

    “It has long been the philosophy of COSI that science, technology, engineering and math need not be confined to a laboratory or a classroom,” said Dr. Frederic Bertley, President & CEO of COSI, one of the nation’s top ranked science museums and a co-developer of this bill. “They form the fabric of our daily lives, existing everywhere for everybody to experience and learn from.  This belief is what inspired us to co-develop the National STEM Week Act – which will inspire students in Ohio and beyond to appreciate the wonders of STEM that exist all around us. We applaud Representatives Carey and Beatty for their leadership in introducing this bill, and their underlying appreciation for the role of STEM in creating a better America.”  

    Specifically, the bill aims to promote STEM education and careers among all students regardless of their geographic or socio-economic status, support both formal and informal learning tools like field trips and clubs, and encourage families, teachers and industry leaders to participate in students’ STEM education.

    Full text of the National STEM Week Act is available here.

    For inquiries, please contact Cassandra Johnson at Cassandra.Johnson@mail.house.gov.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey, Fetterman, Evans, Scanlon, Parker Secure Nearly $9 Million to Install Electric Vehicle Chargers in Philadelphia

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dwight Evans (2nd District of Pennsylvania)

    Infrastructure law funding to support planning, community engagement, and installation of EV chargers in underserved Philadelphia neighborhoods, EV charging hub at Philadelphia Airport; EV charger installation project to create jobs

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), U.S. Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA 3), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced a total of $8,984,800 in funding to bring electric vehicle (EV) chargers to underserved neighborhoods in Philadelphia and to the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). The funding is from the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, made possible by the infrastructure law. Thanks to this funding, Philadelphia can expand access to EV charging to low-and middle-income communities and the Philadelphia International Airport can build an EV charging hub to serve passengers and employees.

    “As electric vehicles become more popular and lower fuel costs for families, it is critical that all Philadelphians can access reliable charging,” said Senator Casey. “Pennsylvania was among the first states in the Nation to begin building out a statewide network of charging stations with infrastructure law funds and now this grant will help more Philadelphians charge up. I will keep working to ensure the Commonwealth has the tools it needs to strengthen our burgeoning electric vehicle industry, providing more jobs and reducing our carbon footprint.”

    “Philadelphia is taking a bold step forward with this funding, bringing much-needed infrastructure to neighborhoods that have been left out of the clean energy transition. This project makes it possible for every Philadelphian, regardless of where they live, to benefit from the shift to green energy,” said Senator Fetterman. “We’re laying the groundwork for a future where clean, affordable energy is accessible to everyone, and I’m proud to back this crucial investment in our communities.”

    “I’m proud to have voted for federal funding that’s resulted in this nearly $9 million for Philadelphia, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act! Having this cleaner-energy option available in more Philadelphia neighborhoods and at our area’s largest airport will help to reduce air pollution and help with addressing climate change. I’ll keep working with Senator Casey and all of our delegation to deliver more federal funding for Philadelphia and the commonwealth,” said Congressman Evans.

    “One of the challenges in transitioning to electric vehicles is ensuring that a robust, accessible network of public charging stations is available to everyone,” said Representative Scanlon. “This new investment in that charging network will make it easier for EV drivers across our region to charge their cars, reduce our carbon footprint, and support the American workers building these charging stations. I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which is funding this work, and look forward to seeing all of the infrastructure improvements that it will bring to Pennsylvania consumers”

    “We are pleased to announce that, once again, the City of Philadelphia finds itself the recipient of significant investment from the Biden-Harris administration. We are grateful for this opportunity to expand public infrastructure for electric vehicle (EV) charging in our city,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “This funding will be used to build out our EV charging network by installing EV fast chargers, and ultimately moving us closer to a cleaner and greener Philadelphia.”

    The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This grant program supports the installation of public EV charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure. Additionally, IIJA passed with provisions to make EV charging more accessible nationwide through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced 91 total EV charging projects, across 43 counties in the Commonwealth. Thanks to today’s funding, the City of Philadelphia can plan for and install EV chargers at the Philadelphia International Airport and at places across the city, particularly in neighborhoods with multifamily housing and in low-and-middle-income communities. These planned EV chargers are set to be accessible to the community, with some located at recreation centers near public transportation.

    To see more information about the Commonwealth’s EV charger implementation projects, click here.

    To see more federal investments Senator Casey has delivered to the Commonwealth, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey, Fetterman, Evans Deliver More Than $8.7 Million for Safe Streets Program in Southeastern Pennsylvania

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dwight Evans (2nd District of Pennsylvania)

    Funding will improve pedestrian safety, support traffic injury studies, and develop programs to improve safety in underserved communities

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) announced a total of $8,711,688 in federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to increase traffic safety on Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania streets. The two awards will support projects to develop pedestrian safety plans, calm traffic in school crosswalks, create safety studies to reduce traffic injuries, and help underserved communities develop programs to make streets safer.

    “From improving pedestrian and sidewalk safety to reducing traffic in school zones, these awards will help protect pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers in Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “I advocated for this funding from the infrastructure law to reduce fatal crashes, and I will always fight to keep Pennsylvania communities safe.”

    “Too often, our most vulnerable communities are left behind when it comes to street safety. With this award, we’re ensuring that every corner of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, no matter the zip code, gets the attention it deserves. By focusing on high injury corridors and giving forgotten communities the tools to plan and protect their own streets, we’re not just talking about change—we’re making it happen. This is how we build a safer Pennsylvania.” said Senator Fetterman.

    “I’m pleased that more than $7 million in federal funding I voted for will help to improve pedestrian safety around 40 schools in Philadelphia! Improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety will take involvement from the federal, state and local levels,” said Congressman Evans.

    The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The City of Philadelphia will receive $7,191,688 to develop a Pedestrian Safety and Sidewalk Improvement Plan, as well as conduct a demonstration project at 40 schools to test traffic calming interventions at crosswalks. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission will receive $1,520,000 to conduct regional high injury network corridor safety studies, develop a municipal safety analysis and create a model and process for partners to implement the regional plan at the subregional level.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: IAEA, Honduras and Japan join forces to strengthen Cancer Care Access through Rays of Hope

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Left to right: Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Honduras, Eduardo Enrique Reina García, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, and Director-General/Assistant Minister for the Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau of Japan, Yasushi Noguchi. (Fredrik Dahl/IAEA)

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Government of Honduras and the Government of Japan have joined forces to expand radiotherapy services and improve cancer care in the Republic of Honduras under the IAEA’s flagship Rays of Hope initiative.

    This tripartite cooperation was formalized during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly which is taking place this week in New York, with the signature of a Letter of Intent by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Honduras, Eduardo Enrique Reina García.

    Under this tripartite cooperation, Japan will consider, when and where appropriate, offering contributions, including facilities, equipment and infrastructure, to expand radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy facilities in Honduras as well as capacity-building, while the IAEA will explore resources and offer technical expertise and guidance to expand radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services in the country. Honduras, as the recipient, will work towards increasing access to life-saving cancer diagnosis and treatment, helping to address the growing burden of cancer in the region.

    This Letter of Intent follows the IAEA Director General Grossi’s visit to Japan in March this year, in which he commended the Diplomatic Initiative toward Latin America and the Caribbean launched by Foreign Minister Kamikawa in February 2024, which underscores Japan’s unwavering support in the region. It builds on the long-standing cooperation between the IAEA and the Government of Japan to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy to support development around the world. This cooperation has seen a deeper commitment with Japan’s support for the IAEA initiative “Rays of Hope – Cancer Care for All”, launched by Director General Grossi in February 2022.

    Under the Letter of Intent, the following areas of cooperation are included: enhancing facilities, equipment and infrastructure to expand radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy facilities, as well as support in capacity-building through the engagement of multidisciplinary teams of professionals involved in the practices of radiology radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, as appropriate.

    “Today’s signing of the Letter of Intent will further help to bring life-saving cancer care to those who need it the most. From the beginning, Japan has been a very strong and generous supporter of Rays of Hope, helping to reduce global imbalances in the access to such care,” Director General Grossi said.

    The Rays of Hope initiative is helping low- and middle-income countries establish and expand access to radiation-based medical services, including diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy. Through this initiative, the IAEA, together with its donors and partners, are working to address inequities in cancer treatment and improve survival rates through early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. So far, 86 countries have reached out to the Agency for support under Rays of Hope and concrete actions have been initiated in more than 30 Member States.

    In Honduras, the most common cancers require radiotherapy, but many patients have limited or no access to these services in public healthcare institutions. The high cancer mortality rate has prompted President Xiomara Castro to make the availability of specialised radiation therapy equipment and the training of experts a top priority.

    Honduras is one of the first eight countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region to receive assistance through the Rays of Hope initiative. Honduras will soon receive mammography equipment and a linear accelerator to deliver life-saving radiotherapy treatment.

    This tripartite cooperation is expected to greatly improve the availability and quality of radiation therapy in Honduras and represents the strong commitment of the parties to help save lives and address the disproportionate burden of cancer.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Casar, Williams, Adams, Carter, McClellan, & Raskin Introduce Resolution Declaring Abortion as a Human Right

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05), Alma Adams (NC-12), Troy Carter (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) announced the introduction of a Congressional Resolution affirming reproductive freedom as a human right.

    “Texas is ground zero in the fight for abortion rights, with many of my constituents now traveling hundreds of miles to get the health care they need,” said Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas). “Let me be clear: Reproductive rights are human rights. We won’t stop fighting until abortion rights are restored and protected across the U.S.”

    “We are seeing the deadly result of abortion bans in Georgia and around the country. Just last week, ProPublica reported on the deaths of two Georgia women, Candi Miller and Amber Thurman, who died because they could not receive the abortion care they desperately needed,” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05). “That is why this resolution is important: it affirms that reproductive freedom is a fundamental human right according to the United States’ own law and that state abortion bans are violating federal law and endangering the lives of women.”

    “Too many women have already died from Donald Trump’s abortion bans, and even one more is too many,” said Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12). “Abortions are healthcare, and reproductive justice is a human right. I will continue to stand up for women’s rights until they are restored nationwide.”

    “Access to safe, legal abortion is healthcare. It’s as fundamental as any other medical service,” said Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02). “I’m proud to support this resolution because it sends a message that no matter where you live in this country, your rights to make decisions about your body and your health should not be up for debate. That’s a matter for you, your doctor, and your family. Not the government.”

    “After Trump-appointed Justices on the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, conservative legislatures and judges across the nation have unleashed extreme abortion bans and restrictions to comprehensive reproductive health care,” said Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04). “Reproductive health care is a public health, social justice, economic, civil rights, and human rights issue. I thank Congresswoman Williams for her leadership on this resolution, as we affirm that reproductive rights are part of our obligations under international human rights treaties.”

    State and Local Actions

    • Alexandria, VA enacted a resolution to expand access to abortion on June 28th, 2022.
    • In Louisiana, House Bills 56, 63, 164, and 293 were introduced in February 2024 to counter the state’s restrictions on reproductive freedom and underscore the human rights concerns with those restrictions.
    • Mt. Rainier, MD issued a Mayoral Proclamation declaring June 24, 2024, as “Reproductive Rights are Human Rights Day.” 
    • Montgomery County, MD passed a resolution to address the Dobbs decision and introduced a new resolution with unanimous support in 2024 to increase abortion access in the county.
    • Austin, TX has invested over $400,000 in support for abortion access and introduced a resolution declaring abortion as a human right.

    This bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Colin Allred (TX-32), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nannette Barragán (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Bennie Thompson (MI-02), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Cori Bush (MO-01), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), André Carson (IN-07), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Jim Himes (CT-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Ted Lieu CA-36), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Wiley Nickel (NC-13), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Mary Peltola (AK-AL), Scott Peters (CA-50), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Katie Porter (CA-47), Delila C. Ramirez (IL-03), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Darren Soto (FL-09), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Norma Torres (CA-35), Lori Trahan (MA-03), David Trone (MD-06), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Susan Wild (PA-07), and FredericaS. Wilson (FL-24).

    The resolution text can be found here.

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    Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio.  A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 118th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on Agriculture.

    MIL OSI USA News –