NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: More regional events to get funding boost

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is driving economic growth in the regions by investing $2.6 million in 152 regional events, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.
    “I’m thrilled with the variety of exciting events on offer, encouraging more New Zealanders to enjoy and explore our beautiful country beyond the main centres,” Louise Upston says. 
    “Events include the National Waka Ama Sprint Championships in Waikato, the National Jazz Festival in the Bay of Plenty, the 2026 Hokitika Wildfoods Festival, and NZ Premier Motorsport Summer Series events around the country.
    “Some of the new events coming to the regions include the Whakapapa Festival, a non-skiing event occurring over June 2026, and Summernats NZ, a car festival in the Waikato.”
    “I’m particularly pleased to support events in regions which traditionally don’t see as many domestic tourists,” Louise Upston says. 
    “Investing in these events has a direct impact, with visitors spending money in local cafes, businesses and accommodation providers, driving economic activity in our communities.
    “By growing regional tourism, our remote and rural communities can benefit from the economic opportunities it brings.
    “Events are excellent drawcards to get more visitors into our regions, particularly in quieter parts of the year for the tourism and hospitality sector. 
    “New Zealand is open for business, and we encourage both Kiwis and international visitors alike to explore and enjoy what New Zealand has to offer.”
    Funding comes from the $5 million Regional Events Promotion Fund. Over its two rounds, the Fund has invested in 284 regional events.
    The full list of funding recipients is available on the MBIE website. 
    Note to editors: 

    The Regional Events Promotion Fund was a contestable fund over two financial years to support regions to host local events attracting domestic tourists.
    The Fund was established using $5 million from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy ($2.375 million for round one and $2.652 million for round two).

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brownley, Barragán and California Democrats Urge Trump Administration to Protect Head Start

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) joined Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) and every Democratic member of the California Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., urging them to safeguard federal funding for the Head Start program. The letter comes in response to alarming reports that the Trump Administration considered eliminating Head Start funding during recent federal budget discussions.

    “From Los Angeles County to the Central Valley to rural tribal lands, Head Start provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and housing instability,” wrote the members. “These essential services support our state’s economy by allowing parents to work and go to school, while giving our future workforce the strong start that they need to be successful later in life.”

    California is home to one of the largest populations of Head Start children in the nation. In Fiscal Year 2023 alone, Head Start and Early Head Start programs served more than 94,000 children across the state. These programs offer critical support to children by integrating early education with health, nutrition, and family services – providing targeted support to those experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, and systemic inequities.

    “The elimination or reduction of Head Start funding would be catastrophic. In California, it would shut the doors of 1,835 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers and eliminate access to early education for tens of thousands of children – disproportionately children of color, English learners, children with disabilities, and those living in low-income and rural communities.”

    Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has served over 40 million children and families nationwide. Decades of research confirm that the program improves school readiness, boosts long-term academic and employment outcomes, and helps break the cycle of poverty.

    “Head Start is not optional – it is a national commitment that must be honored,” the members added. “We urge you to reject any future attempts to weaken or eliminate this program and to ensure its continued success for the children and families who rely on it every day.”

    The letter was co-signed by each of the 45 Democratic members of the California Congressional Delegation: Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, and Representatives Pete Aguilar, Nancy Pelosi, Robert Garcia, Linda Sánchez, John Garamendi, Kevin Mullin, Mark Takano, Ted Lieu, Maxine Waters, Laura Friedman, J. Luis Correa, Ro Khanna, Mike Thompson, Norma Torres, Mark DeSaulnier, Juan Vargas, Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr., Judy Chu, Derek Tran, Raul Ruiz, Jared Huffman, Doris Matsui, Salud Carbajal, Brad Sherman, Ami Bera, Jimmy Panetta, Zoe Lofgren, Eric Swalwell, Lateefah Simon, Dave Min, Jimmy Gomez, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Jim Costa, George Whitesides, Luz Rivas, Sara Jacobs, Scott Peters, Josh Harder, Adam Gray, Mike Levin, and Sam Liccardo.

    The full letter can be found here and below:

    President Trump and Secretary Kennedy:

    We write today to express serious concern over reports that your Administration considered proposals to eliminate federal funding for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Head Start program in recent budget discussions. While we are relieved that the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Fiscal Year 2026 proposal did not include this cut, that such an action was even contemplated underscores the vulnerability of this vital program under your Administration. As members of the California Congressional Delegation, we urge you to safeguard this critical program, which plays an irreplaceable role in supporting California’s children and families, especially those facing economic hardship and systemic barriers.

    California is home to one of the largest populations of Head Start children in the nation. In Fiscal Year 2023 alone, more than 94,000 children and pregnant women in California were served by Head Start and Early Head Start programs. These services are not just beneficial – they are essential. From Los Angeles County to the Central Valley to rural tribal lands, Head Start provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and housing instability. These essential services support our state’s economy by allowing parents to work and go to school, while giving our future workforce the strong start that they need to be successful later in life.

    Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has supported more than 40 million children and their families nationwide – and millions in California alone. Research continues to confirm what educators and parents have long known: Head Start works. It boosts school readiness, improves long-term academic outcomes, increases high school graduation and employment rates, and helps break cycles of generational poverty.

    The elimination or reduction of Head Start funding would be catastrophic. In California, it would shut the doors of 1,835 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers and eliminate access to early education for tens of thousands of children – disproportionately children of color, English learners, children with disabilities, and those living in low-income and rural communities. Thousands of parents would also lose their ability to go to work or school, and otherwise participate in the economy.

    Head Start is not optional – it is a national commitment that must be honored. For these reasons, we urge you to reject any future attempts to weaken or eliminate this program and to ensure its continued success for the children and families who rely on it every day.

    ###

    Issues: 119th Congress, Education

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pressley’s Statement on Five-Year Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder

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

    Ahead of Anniversary, Pressley Introduced Suite of Bills to Transform Criminal Legal System, Improve Police Accountability

    BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) released the following statement marking the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. Last week, ahead of the anniversary, Congresswoman Pressley reintroduced the People’s Justice Guarantee (PJG), the Ending Qualified Immunity Act, and the Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act – a suite of bills that collectively would help build a fair, equitable, and just legal system in America, and improve police accountability.

    “George Floyd should be alive today. Like every Black man, he deserved to grow old, to laugh with his children, to love and be loved. But five years ago today, George Floyd was murdered in broad daylight by police—a harrowing reminder of the brutal, state-sanctioned violence that Black folks in America have endured for generations and that we continue to endure to this day.

    “In the days and weeks that followed, America underwent a so-called ‘reckoning’ on racial injustice. People from every corner of this country mobilized, demanding justice, accountability, and transformative change. But five years later, meaningful policy change remains stalled in Congress, corporations are backing away from their commitments to racial equity, and a white supremacist once again occupies the White House—continuing his unprecedented assault on Black America, rolling back policies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and advancing harmful executive actions to ‘unleash law enforcement’ and threaten Black lives. Without meaningful policy and budget change, the unjust status quo will persist, and we will continue to be robbed of innocent lives.

    “This anniversary must be more than hashtags, performative statements, and remembrance—it must be a recommitment to dismantling the systems of oppression that enabled George Floyd’s murder and the killing of many, many others. That means continuing to advance policies like the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and my People’s Justice Guarantee, Ending Qualified Immunity Act, and Andrew Kearse Act, which I was proud to re-introduce this past week. It means legislating to affirm housing, healthcare, food security, and education as the human rights that they are. It means centering compassion, accountability, and healing in our policymaking—not cruelty, criminalization, and incarceration.

    “We’ll never have true justice for George Floyd. True justice would be George Floyd alive today, at home with his fiancée, children, and siblings. As we mark this somber anniversary, we owe it to George, his family, and everyone killed at the hands of law enforcement to continue governing like lives depend on it and building a more just America where everyone can thrive and live free from fear.”

    In April 2021, Congresswoman Pressley authored an op-ed in USA Today in which she responded to reports that the guilty verdicts in the Derek Chauvin trial have reduced the appetite amongst lawmakers—in both parties—for action on police reform. In the op-ed, Rep. Pressley called for meaningful policy and budget change to dismantle every system that finances and perpetuates brutality, murder and state-sanctioned violence at home and abroad.

    Congresswoman Pressley has introduced over a dozen pieces of precise legislation informed by the People’s Justice Guarantee to fundamentally redefine what justice looks like in America, including the Ending Qualified Immunity Act and Andrew Kearse Accountability for the Denial of Medical Care Act.

    Congresswoman Pressley also led calls in Congress for President Biden to use his clemency authority to address mass incarceration and has applauded the President for granting clemency to thousands of people and commended him for commuting the death sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row.

    • In June 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12)unveiled the Housing for Formerly Incarcerated Reentry and Stable Tenancy (Housing FIRST) Act, bold legislation to help people who are formerly incarcerated and those with criminal histories access safe and stable housing.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley reintroduced her Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act to improve maternal health care and support for pregnant individuals who are incarcerated. It was originally introduced in March 2020 and reintroduced in February 2021 as part of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Package—a suite of 12 bills aimed at addressing the Black maternal health crisis.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Co-Chair of the Mental Health Caucus, requested the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to research post-traumatic prison disorder and share findings related to prevention and treatment for people returning from behind the wall.
    • In April 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) re-introduced their Ending Qualified Immunity Act, legislation that would eliminate the unjust and court-invented doctrine of qualified immunity and restore the ability for people to obtain relief when state and local officials, including police officers, violate their legal and constitutionally secured rights. Rep. Pressley originally introduced the bill in June 2020 with Rep. Justin Amash (L-MI) and reintroduced it with Sen. Markey in March 2021.
    • On April 6, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Hank Johnson led 25 of their colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus in calling on Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to address racial disparities in traffic enforcement.
    • In April 2023, Rep. Pressley, in partnership with Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Ilhan Omar (MN-05), re-introduced the Ending PUSHOUT Act, their legislation to end the punitive pushout of girls of color from schools. It was originally introduced in December 2019 and reintroduced in March 2021.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35) and 27 Members of Congress, alongside more than 300 advocacy organizations and community leaders, reintroduced the New Way Forward Act, a landmark piece of legislation that addresses some of the most harmful provisions of immigration law that drive racist enforcement practices, expanded incarceration in immigration detention centers, and unjust deportations. It was originally introduced in December 2019 Reps. Chuy Garcia (IL-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Karen Bass (CA-37) and was reintroduced in January 2021.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues re-introduced the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act to stop federal entities’ use of facial recognition tools and prohibit federal support for state and local law enforcement entities that use biometric technology. They reintroduced the bill in June 2021.
    • In December 2022, the House passed Congresswoman Pressley’s amendment to strengthen maternal health care for people who are incarcerated.
    • In December 2021, Rep. Pressley unveiled the Fair and Independent Experts in Clemency (FIX Clemency) Act, historic legislation to transform our nation’s clemency system and address the mass incarceration crisis.
    • In March 2021, Rep. Pressley sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to consider H. Res. 266, the People’s Justice Guarantee, as a framework for embedding justice in our criminal legal system and building integrity in the Department of Justice (DOJ). 
    • In February 2021, October 2020, Congresswoman Pressley reintroduced the Mental Health Justice Act with Reps. Katie Porter (CA-45), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), to support the creation of mental health first responder units that would be deployed in lieu of law enforcement when 911 is called due to a mental health crisis. The lawmakers originally introduced the legislation in October 2020.
    • In January 2021, she reintroduced the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 with Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) to prohibit the use of the death penalty at the federal level, and require re-sentencing of those currently on death row. The lawmakers originally introduced the bill in July 2019.
    • In August 2020, she introduced the COVID-19 in Corrections Data Transparency Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and others, requires federal, state, and local prisons and jails to collect and publicly report COVID-19 data. The legislation was reintroduced last month.
    • In July 2020, she introduced the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), to prohibit federal funds to support the increased presence of police in K-12 schools and supports school districts that invests in counselors.
    • In June 2020, she introduced the Dismantle Mass Incarceration for Public Health Act with Reps. Tlaib (MI-13) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to require decarceration to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jails.
    • In June 2020, she introduced the Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Ed Markey (D-MA), to hold police officers criminally liable for denying care to those in medical distress.
    • In May 2020, she introduced a resolution with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Karen Bass (CA-37) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to condemn any and all acts of police brutality, racial profiling, and militarization and over-policing of Black and brown communities.  
    • In July 2019, she introduced the No Biometric Barriers Housing Act with Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) that would prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology in most public and assisted housing units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), protecting tenants from biased surveillance technology. 
    • In June 2019, in conjunction with Gun Violence Awareness Month and the 5th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day, she introduced a resolution to honor survivors of homicide victims by establishing National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Shoplifter lands in custody after thorough Police work

    Source: New Zealand Police

    A sticky-fingered thief almost bagged nearly $1000 worth of groceries before Police tracked him down in Auckland last week.

    It’s led to Police laying charges for a wider spate of offending valued at over $10,000.

    At around 9am on Saturday 24 May Police received a report of a male shoplifting from a Manukau supermarket.

    “This male has taken a large amount of meat products and fled the scene in a vehicle,” Counties Manukau Central Area Prevention Manager Inspector Warrick Adkin says.

    Officers attending the incident made enquiries into the vehicle and discovered the same male had been involved in a shoplifting event at a Three Kings supermarket only an hour earlier.

    “Police Officers immediately responded in an attempt to locate this male and the vehicle,” Inspector Adkin says.

    “Not long after, the vehicle was located a short distance away, as it was about to enter State Highway 20.”

    Police successfully stopped the vehicle and took the alleged offender into custody.

    Inside the vehicle, approximately $800 worth of groceries were located, which were returned to the store.

    “Further enquiries revealed this male has allegedly been involved in numerous shoplifting or theft incidents this year, totalling several thousand dollars,” says Inspector Adkin.

    “We are pleased to have brought this spree to an end and for this male to be held accountable for his actions. We will not tolerate such brazen criminal offending.”

    A 17-year-old appeared in the Manukau Youth Court on May 24 charged with multiple shoplifting.

    ENDS

    Amanda Wieneke/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Thermomix pays penalties for allegedly misleading customers over NDIS endorsement

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    Vorwerk Australia Pty Ltd, trading as Thermomix in Australia, has paid $79,200 in penalties after the ACCC issued it with four infringement notices for allegedly making false or misleading representations to consumers online, suggesting two of its household appliances were endorsed by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

    In November 2024, the ACCC put businesses on notice of its focus on problematic advertising practices targeting NDIS participants. Since then, it has taken compliance and enforcement action against a number of businesses.

    The ACCC alleges that in November 2024 and March 2025, Thermomix made false or misleading representations on its website promoting the Thermomix TM6 cooking product and Kobold cordless vacuum and mop as being endorsed through the NDIS or registered by an entity administering the NDIS.

    This included allegedly describing the products as ‘NDIS approved’, ‘NDIS-registered product’, ‘NDIS-consumables’, ‘NDIS assistive technology’, and ‘NDIS equipment’.

    “The NDIS does not provide specific approval for any particular goods or services. Each NDIS participant has unique needs, and what’s funded under their plan is determined individually, not through a list of approved products. There are no categories of goods or services which are automatically NDIS approved or funded for all NDIS participants,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

    “Misleading consumers experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage is of concern to us, and we will not hesitate to take appropriate action.”

    The Australian Government’s NDIS (Fair Price and Australian Consumer Law) Taskforce is comprised of the ACCC, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and the NDIA. The taskforce was established in December 2023 to address potential breaches of Australian Consumer Law amid concerns that NDIS participants were being charged more for goods and services than other consumers.

    Any person who thinks a business has made false or misleading statements about products or services, including whether they are endorsed or approved by the NDIS, or who considers their consumer rights have not been met, can make a report to the ACCC.

    Further information for NDIS participants is available on the ACCC website.

    Note to editors

    The ACCC can issue an infringement notice when it has reasonable grounds to believe a person or business has contravened certain consumer protection provisions in the Australian Consumer Law.

    The payment of a penalty specified in an infringement notice is not an admission of a contravention of the Australian Consumer Law. The Australian Consumer Law sets the penalty amount.

    What false or misleading advertising about the NDIS might look like

    Examples of concerning advertising that may be false or misleading include:

    • The use of the words ‘NDIS approved’ as the NDIS does not have the function of approving or endorsing particular goods or services.
    • Advertising suggesting NDIS funds will cover “all inclusive” holidays, when general costs associated with holidays would not be covered by NDIS funding.
    • Meal delivery services suggesting the cost of meals is covered by the NDIS, when the NDIS does not cover food expenses.
    • Advertising that provides instructions on how to use NDIS funding codes to cover costs of recreational services that are not covered by the NDIS – for example, going to the movies or a theme park.
    • Advertising that suggests a business is affiliated or endorsed by the NDIS, by using NDIS in its business name or in the description of its services, for example ‘NDIS therapies’.

    Background

    Vorwerk Australia Pty Ltd is the sole Australian distributor of Thermomix products in Australia and the owner of TheMix Shop, an ecommerce store for Thermomix and Kobold products.

    In November 2024, Vorwerk International AG, the Germany-based manufacturer of Thermomix and Kobold appliances, completed an acquisition of The Mix Australia Pty Ltd, which held the sole official licence to distribute Thermomix appliances in Australia and operated the ecommerce store TheMix Shop. After the acquisition, The Mix Australia Pty Ltd was renamed as Vorwerk Australia Pty Ltd.

    In December 2024, the ACCC instituted proceedings against registered NDIS provider Ausnew Home Care Service Pty Ltd, for alleged false and misleading representations, including statements that certain products were ‘NDIS approved’ relating to aged care and disability products. The matter remains before the Court.

    Last week, Bedding retailer Bedshed paid $39,600 in penalties for allegedly making false and misleading representations that some of the products it sold were ‘NDIS approved’ and ‘NDIS permitted’.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trump Admin Encourages Max $200k Pay for Political Appointees as It Fires Veterans, Cancer Researchers, & More—Murray, Democratic Colleagues Demand Answers, List of Top-Paid Political Staff

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    OPM encourages agencies to offer maximum salary to Trump political appointees, encouraging them to sidestep agency HR offices & standard vetting process
    Lawmakers: “Padding the pockets of political operatives while firing food safety inspectors is nothing short of an egregious abuse of taxpayer dollars.”
    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) calling out its recent memo encouraging agencies to ignore the recommendations of agency HR offices and offer the maximum available salary of $195,200 to Schedule C political appointees.
    As the Trump administration fires dedicated federal employees en masse across government, the senators demanded information about the Trump administration’s hiring of Schedule C political appointees, their salaries, the number of appointees making the maximum salary, justification for sidestepping HR recommendations and vetting processes, any guardrails implemented to prevent cronyism, and the costs to taxpayers.
    “You issued a memo to the heads and acting heads of departments and agencies encouraging them to offer the maximum available salary to political appointees and sidestep the regular hiring process,” write the senators. “This memo, coupled with the Administration’s widespread layoffs of career government workers who have loyally served in the Executive Branch for Presidents of both political parties, makes clear your intention: fire dedicated public servants in droves, cut essential government services, and use taxpayer dollars to instead hire underqualified and overpaid political cronies.”
    “While this Administration pushes out scores of public servants and guts entire agencies, often in defiance of Congress and federal law, your memo encourages agencies to help install loyalists who have not been properly vetted, in critically important positions—and to pay them at the highest possible rate. As dedicated career public servants are receiving notice that they have been fired, the Administration is offering higher pay for those hired under Schedule C,” they continue.
    “Per your memo, agencies may consider setting initial salaries at up to $195,200, almost five times the median income for individuals in the U.S.,” write the lawmakers.
    The lawmakers note that the OPM memo “demonstrates a desire for the expeditious hiring of underqualified and overpaid political elites. Schedule C hires are not career civil servants. They will not be answering phones at Social Security field offices or conducting food inspections or fighting wildfires.”
    “Padding the pockets of political operatives while firing food safety inspectors is nothing short of an egregious abuse of taxpayer dollars and massively wasteful,” they state.
    The full letter is available HERE and below:
    Mr. Charles Ezell
    Acting Director
    Office of Personnel Management
    1900 E Street N.W.
    Washington, D.C. 20415
    Dear Acting Director Ezell:
    On April 10, 2025, you issued a memo to the heads and acting heads of departments and agencies encouraging them to offer the maximum available salary to political appointees and sidestep the regular hiring process. This memo, coupled with the Administration’s widespread layoffs of career government workers who have loyally served in the Executive Branch for Presidents of both political parties, makes clear your intention: fire dedicated public servants in droves, cut essential government services, and use taxpayer dollars to instead hire underqualified and overpaid political cronies.
    Since President Trump took office, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has worked with Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to facilitate the firings of tens of thousands of government employees under the guise of government efficiency. The American people have experienced only chaos as a result. The phone lines at Social Security are overwhelmed, food inspections are down, and as fire season begins, the Forest Service is planning to layoff wildland firefighters—to name just a few of the consequences of this administration’s arbitrary and thoughtless cuts. Put simply, OPM’s actions have sowed inefficiency and counter-productivity for the essential government services that our constituents depend on.
    While this Administration pushes out scores of public servants and guts entire agencies, often in defiance of Congress and federal law, your memo encourages agencies to help install loyalists who have not been properly vetted, in critically important positions—and to pay them at the highest possible rate. As dedicated career public servants are receiving notice that they have been fired, the Administration is offering higher pay for those hired under Schedule C, a type of appointment for those serving in confidential or policy roles, including as confidential assistants, policy experts, special counsel, and schedulers. Per your memo, agencies may consider setting initial salaries at up to $195,200, almost five times the median income for individuals in the U.S. Further, your memo encourages agency heads to sidestep the standard hiring process and remove the objective additional reviewer of candidates. This would allow appointees to begin work in sensitive roles without any vetting, including for conflicts of interest or background checks, bypassing the basic guardrails that have been in place for decades. On its face, OPM’s April 10 memo demonstrates a desire for the expeditious hiring of underqualified and overpaid political elites.
    Schedule C hires are not career civil servants. They will not be answering phones at Social Security field offices or conducting food inspections or fighting wildfires. They do not work for the American people; they work to advance the political agenda of the President. OPM’s April 10 memo makes clear the Trump Administration’s ultimate goal is to decimate the nonpolitical career civil service and use taxpayer dollars to enrich and reward political allies, all at the cost of the government services that people rely on.
    Padding the pockets of political operatives while firing food safety inspectors is nothing short of an egregious abuse of taxpayer dollars and massively wasteful.
    In order to ensure OPM works to actually promote efficiency and productivity in the government workforce, we request you provide the following information:
    The salary information of all Schedule C appointees, and the current number of Schedule C appointees, broken down by agency. For those Schedule C appointees the administration has hired at a pay level of GS-15 or $195,200, please provide a brief job description for each.
    The justification for revoking the authority of agency HR departments to set the terms for Schedule C appointment and additional information as to how agencies will set the terms for Schedule C appointment without HR involvement.
    Any guidance or detail OPM has provided to agencies as to how to set the terms for a Schedule C appointment in order to avoid widespread corruption.
    The agency-level cost of hiring the desired number of Schedule C appointees.
    Any written information detailing the role of the Presidential Personnel Office (PPO) in hiring Schedule C appointees.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward receiving your responses no later than June 4, 2025.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Government meeting (2025, No. 18)

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    1. On the results of the passage of housing and communal services enterprises and electric power industry entities in the autumn-winter period of 2024-2025 and the tasks of preparing for the passage of the autumn-winter period of 2025-2026

     

    2. On the draft federal law “On the execution of the federal budget for 2024”

     

    3. On the draft federal law “On ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the United Arab Emirates on the elimination of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and capital, and on the prevention of tax avoidance and evasion”

    The bill aims to ratify the agreement signed in Abu Dhabi on February 17, 2025.

     

    4. On the implementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of state programs of the Russian Federation based on the results of 2024

    The materials of the Consolidated Report contain information on the assessment of the effectiveness of 37 state programs.

     

    5. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Article 33332–1 of Part Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation”

    The bill is aimed at forming a common market for veterinary drugs within the Eurasian Economic Union.

     

    6. On Amending the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 30, 2004 No. 327 (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance)

    The draft act is aimed at granting Rosselkhoznadzor the right to establish departmental awards.

     

    7. On amendments to certain acts of the Government of the Russian Federation (in terms of amendments to the Regulation on the Federal Agency for Fisheries)

    The development of the draft act was dictated by the lack of authority of the Federal Agency for Fisheries to create a certification commission, which is necessary to conduct, in the established manner, the certification of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Northern Expeditionary Squad for Emergency Rescue Operations” and the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Far Eastern Expeditionary Squad for Emergency Rescue Operations”, subordinate to the Federal Agency for Fisheries, which carry out emergency rescue operations to ensure the safety of fishing vessels in fishing areas during fishing.

     

    8. On the draft federal law “On the execution of the budget of the Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund for 2024”

     

    9. On amendments to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 19, 2012 No. 608 (in terms of amendments to the Regulation on the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation)

    The draft resolution supplements the provision with a new authority to approve the procedure for providing representatives of a medical insurance organization with consultations to insured persons in filing claims against medical organizations in connection with refusal to provide medical care or poor-quality medical care and the collection of funds for the provision of medical care.

     

    10. On the draft federal law “On Amending Article 49 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation”

    The bill was developed with the aim of improving the legal regulation of the procedure for concluding lease agreements in relation to federal real estate of civil aviation airfields.

     

    11. On the distribution of subsidies to the budgets of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Zaporizhia region and the Kherson region

    The development of the draft act is dictated by the need to bring public roads of regional, inter-municipal or local significance, including the street road network, into compliance with the regulatory requirements by 2025.

     

    12. On the allocation to the Ministry of Construction of Russia in 2025 of budgetary allocations reserved in the federal budget for the provision of subsidies to the budgets of the Republic of Kalmykia and the Pskov Region for the implementation of measures to modernize the public utility infrastructure

    The draft order is aimed at achieving the goals of the national project “Infrastructure for Life”.

     

    13. On the allocation to the Ministry of Construction of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation of budgetary appropriations for the provision of one-time financial assistance in the form of a subsidy to the budget of the Saratov Region

    The draft order proposes to allocate additional funds to the Saratov Region budget for the implementation of measures to improve public and courtyard areas.

     

    14. On the draft federal law “On the execution of the budget of the Pension and Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation for 2024”

     

    15. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 151 and 18 of the Federal Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation”

    The bill is aimed at improving the implementation of state migration policy, as well as legal regulation of issues related to the need for foreign citizens to confirm their proficiency in the Russian language, knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of legislation.

     

    16. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 35 and 38 of the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation”

    The adoption of the bill will make it possible to avoid refusal to register a list of candidates, candidates for single-mandate (multi-mandate) electoral districts due to the expiration of the statutory deadline for submitting documents required for registration, if the failure to comply with this deadline was caused by a refusal to certify the list of candidates, the list of candidates for single-mandate (multi-mandate) electoral districts and this refusal was cancelled or recognized as illegal.

     

    17. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 3 and 9 of the Federal Law “On Combating the Legalization (Laundering) of Criminally Obtained Incomes and the Financing of Terrorism”

    The implementation of the draft federal law will improve the effectiveness of the national system for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

     

    18. On Amendments to Certain Acts of the Government of the Russian Federation (in terms of amendments to the Regulation on the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision)

    The draft act is aimed at bringing certain provisions of the regulation into line with current legislation.

     

    Moscow, May 28, 2025

     

    The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE apprehends Venezuelan woman who fled the scene of jet ski accident that killed woman on kayak at Lake Grapevine

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    DALLAS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a joint operation with state and federal law enforcement, arrested Daikerlyn Alejandraa Gonzalez-Gonzalez, a 22-year-old citizen of Venezuela in Dallas on May 27, following a state warrant execution for felony manslaughter.

    Gonzales was operating a personal watercraft with a female passenger at high speed near the shoreline of Oak Grove Park May 25, when she collided with a kayak occupied by 18-year-old Ava Moore. The collision resulted in Moore’s death. Gonzalez fled the scene with her passenger on board.

    Gonzalez and the passenger returned to Oak Grove Park. The passenger remained on the scene with witnesses and was interviewed by Grapevine Police Department while Gonzalez left in a vehicle with 21-year-old Maikel Coello Perozo, also of Venezuela.

    Perozo has been charged with hindering apprehension. As the investigation unfolds, more state charges could be filed.

    “This criminal alien and her boyfriend will account for the tragic accident that ended the life of a young woman who exhibited enormous potential,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas acting Field Office Director Josh Johnson. “ICE Dallas will remain steadfast in our commitment to arresting and removing criminal aliens who pose threats to the safety of our communities.”

    ERO Dallas lodged immigration detainers with the Grapevine Police Department following Gonzalez and Coello’s arrests. Both are in removal proceedings pursuant to the policies of the Immigration and Nationality Act as aliens present without admission or parole.

    “Our partnerships with law enforcement across jurisdictions are key during these types of investigations,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “This investigation will continue to be driven by facts, evidence and a firm commitment to justice. The arrests of these two illegal aliens reflect the diligence and professionalism of our law enforcement team.”

    On Sept. 28, 2023, Gonzalez illegally entered the United States without inspection or parole by an immigration officer. On the same day, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested and processed Gonzalez with a Notice to Appear and released her on an order of recognizance.

    On Jan. 22, 2023, Coello arrived at the Camino Real Port of Entry without authorization. He was released pending an immigration hearing.

    This investigation included law enforcement officials from ERO Dallas, HSI Dallas, the Texas Department of Wildlife, the Grapevine Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Office of the Attorney General, the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas U.S. Marshals office.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form .

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @ERODallas or @HSI_Dallas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ICE Lodges Detainers Against Two Illegal Aliens Involved in Hit and Run Killing 18-Year-Old Air Force Academy Cadet Candidate Ava Moore over Memorial Day Weekend

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    The Biden Administration released both illegal aliens into the country in 2023

    WASHINGTON – On May 25, 18-year-old Ava Moore was hit by an illegal alien on a jet ski while kayaking in Lake Grapevine and tragically killed. The illegal alien fled the scene. Moore recently accepted an appointment to join the U.S. Air Force Academy as a member of the class of 2029. 

    The driver of the jet ski was allegedly Daikerlyn Alejandraa Gonzalez-Gonzalez, an illegal alien from Venezuela. Following the collision, Gonzalez allegedly fled the scene with Maikel Alexander Coello-Perozo, also an illegal alien, and they also struck two vehicles while leaving.

    Ava Moore, one of the countless victims of illegal alien crime. 

    Gonzalez has been charged with felony manslaughter.

    Daikerlyn Alejandraa Gonzalez-Gonzalez 

    Perozo has been charged with hindering apprehension. 

    Maikel Alexander Coello-Perozo

    ICE lodged immigration detainers with the Grapevine Police Department following the arrest of Gonzalez and Perozo. Both are in removal proceedings.

    Gonzalez entered the United States illegally on Sept. 28, 2023, and was released by the previous administration into the country. 

    Perozo entered the country illegally on January 22, 2023, and was released by the previous administration into the country.

    “Ava Moore was a patriot serving her country when she was killed by an illegal alien in a hit-and-run over Memorial Day weekend. This senseless tragedy was 100 percent preventable,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Daikerlyn Gonzalez and Maikel Perozo should have never been in our country and Ava Moore should be alive today preparing for the Air Force Academy. The previous administration’s open border policies have cost too many Americans their lives. President Trump and Secretary Noem will continue to stand with victims of illegal alien crime and their families.”

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fairfield Man Indicted for Failure to Pay Over $2 Million in Employment Taxes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 41-count indictment against Warren Soto Delfin, 54, of Fairfield, charging him with failure to pay more than $2 million in trust fund taxes to the IRS, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, between January 2018 and December 2022, Delfin owned and operated five home health care businesses that accumulated more than $2 million in employment taxes. The employment tax liabilities stem from amounts Delfin withheld from his employee’s paychecks. Instead of paying the employee withholdings to the IRS as required under the law, Delfin retained them and made purchases of luxury items including a Lamborghini, jewelry, and real estate.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Delfin faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charged count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno Man Indicted for Possessing Fentanyl Powder and Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Henry Joseph Garcia, 49, of Fresno, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, on May 13, 2025, Garcia possessed more than 400 grams of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl with the intent to distribute it to another person. Garcia also possessed two loaded firearms, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Garcia faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Francisco Man Sentenced To Seven-And-A-Half Years In Federal Prison For Tenderloin Carjacking And Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Lafayette Davenport was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for carjacking a San Francisco AIDS Foundation vehicle in the Tenderloin in August 2023, unlawfully possessing a firearm, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.  Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup handed down the sentence.

    Davenport, 30, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2024, on charges of carjacking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119(1), brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1), and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).  Davenport pleaded guilty on Feb. 11, 2025, to all three counts.  

    According to the plea agreement and court documents, on the morning of Aug. 24, 2023, Davenport saw an employee of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation driving in the Tenderloin neighborhood in a vehicle marked with the nonprofit organization’s logos.  As the victim driver completed a pickup of discarded needles and returned to the car, Davenport, wearing a ski mask, ran up to the victim and pointed a pistol at him, saying “Don’t make me shoot you” and “I swear I’ll shoot you right here.”  Davenport stole the victim’s watch and car keys and drove the San Francisco AIDS Foundation vehicle several feet before fleeing on foot to a nearby apartment building.

    On Feb. 22, 2024, San Francisco Police Department officers arrested Davenport in the Tenderloin neighborhood.  Officers found Davenport with the ski mask and the loaded pistol that he had used during the carjacking.  At the time of his arrest, Davenport was on probation and had been convicted of prior felonies, including second-degree burglary of automobiles while on parole.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release and ordered $500 in restitution.  

    United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Henderson prosecuted the case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Alycee Lane, and Janice Pagsanjan.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and San Francisco Police Department. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Blasts House Passage of Irresponsible Tax Bill That Will Take Away Health Care, Wreak Havoc on America’s Finances

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    PROVIDENCE, RI – At a time when many Americans believe government should be more responsive to everyday families, Congressional Republicans are working on a law to kick millions of Americans off their health care coverage and food assistance programs this week, with House passage of President Donald Trump’s irresponsible tax bill that will increase poverty to enrich the ultra-wealthy, while doing nothing to lower costs.
    According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Republican reconciliation package would cause millions of Americans to lose access to their affordable health care and leave Americans in worse financial shape.
    According to the Center on American Progress, under the House Republican bill, roughly 40,000 Rhode Islanders would be kicked off of their health insurance.  And 21,000 Rhode Islanders would lose access to SNAP, which provides nutrition assistance to vulnerable children, seniors, and families.
    Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) spoke out against the bill:
    “The numbers don’t lie.  And the ugly truth about the GOP’s so-called ‘big beautiful bill’ is that it’s a fiscally irresponsible betrayal of hardworking American taxpayers that will take away people’s health care and increase costs.
    “The tax code should be simpler and fairer across the board, with tax breaks targeted to working people, not the uber-wealthy.
    “The Republican bill takes from the poor to give to the rich and President Trump’s preferred special interests.  America cannot afford this ill-conceived and unbalanced proposal to take the most from the least and place a heavier financial burden on states and middle-class taxpayers.  I commend Congressmen Magaziner and Amo for opposing this bill in the House and I will strongly oppose it in the Senate.
    “This bill rips away people’s health care.  It reduces vital nutrition assistance for children in need.  It will increase poverty — further disadvantaging the most vulnerable Americans in order to give a bigger benefit to the top one percent.
    “America’s credit rating has already been down-graded under Trump and this bill will make America’s financial outlook worse.  This so-called ‘big, beautiful bill’ will ultimately make it harder to access affordable health care and cause a big, ugly financial mess.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul Introduces Bill to Unleash Free Market Solutions in the Agriculture, Energy and Automotive Sectors

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul
     
     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    May 28, 2025
    Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
    Washington, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2025.  This legislation breaks down burdensome federal mandates and empowers American consumers—not Washington bureaucrats—to drive the future of energy and transportation, save taxpayer dollars, and reduce our deficit. 
    “For decades, unelected regulators in Washington have distorted energy and automotive markets by picking winners and losers—driving up costs, stifling competition, and burdening consumers,” said Dr. Paul. “The Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act restores market freedom by removing arbitrary barriers to innovation, expanding consumer access to affordable fuel options, and encouraging domestic energy production. It’s a commonsense step toward lowering energy costs, reducing regulatory bloat, and ending our dependence on foreign oil.”
    Key Provisions of the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2025:
    Consumer Freedom – Lifts restrictions that prevent older vehicles from using alternative fuels, expanding fuel options for millions of Americans.
    Lower Fuel Costs – Increases availability of biofuels and allows higher ethanol blends to create a more competitive fuel market and drive down fuel costs.
    Support for Rural America – Eliminates restrictions on biomass fuel production, opening new markets for U.S. farmers.
    Reduced Regulatory Burdens – Automakers producing fuel-flexible vehicles will be considered compliant with EPA regulations, lowering compliance costs, and encouraging investments in clean energy technologies.
    This legislation is a win for the free market, a win for innovation, and a win for the American consumer.  It’s time we get Washington out of the way and let American ingenuity lead.
    You can read it HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newly Declassified FBI Document Proves Fusion GPS Contractor Nellie Ohr Lied to Congress about Contributions to Crossfire Hurricane

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Justice (DOJ) failed to prosecute Fusion GPS contractor Nellie Ohr for lying to Congress about her role in advancing the FBI and DOJ’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation, according to an internal FBI analysis confirming Ohr’s false congressional testimony. 
    The 2019 FBI analysis, obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and declassified at the chairman’s request, provides detailed evidence Ohr lied to Congress during sworn testimony and, as a result, obstructed ongoing congressional investigations, violating federal statutes 18 U.S.C. § 1001 and 18 U.S.C § 1505. The document also exposes how the FBI prevented agents from reviewing all relevant information necessary to perform a full analysis of the extent of Ohr’s false testimony and her role in the fake Russia collusion investigation. 
    “By lying to Congress, Nellie Ohr showed contempt for congressional oversight and the American people. What’s more, the FBI and DOJ’s failure to hold Ohr accountable for appearing to commit multiple felonies and its obstructive conduct against agents that sought additional information reveals the agencies’ deeply disturbing political bias. Ohr never suffered consequences for advancing the phony Trump-Russia narrative and attempting to cover up her involvement in the hoax. Yet time and again, the American justice system has been weaponized against President Trump and his associates with reckless abandon,” Grassley said. “The DOJ’s inaction on Nellie Ohr’s criminal referral – despite the obviously incriminating evidence provided in the FBI’s own analysis – undermines public trust in the rule of law. I applaud Director Patel, Attorney General Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Blanche for cooperating with my request to declassify this information, which is in the public’s interest, and chart a new course for transparency and accountability at the FBI and DOJ.”
    Read the unclassified Nellie Ohr analysis HERE. 
    Background:
    Nellie Ohr was employed by the political opposition research firm Fusion GPS between 2015 to 2016 to perform open-source research attempting to connect then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to Russian organized crime. This research was paid for by the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign and Democratic National Committee (DNC). Both organizations ultimately settled with the Federal Election Commission after allegations of campaign finance violations for intentionally misreporting the true purpose of the payments. 
    At the time of Nellie Ohr’s Fusion GPS employment, her husband, Bruce Ohr, was an Associate Deputy Attorney General at DOJ. Both Nellie and Bruce Ohr testified to the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in 2018 as part of the committees’ oversight of the FBI’s bogus 2016 Crossfire Hurricane investigation into President Trump’s disproven collusion with Russia. 
    In 2019, then-Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), a member of the House Oversight Committee, filed a criminal referral with DOJ asserting Nellie Ohr knowingly provided false testimony to the House committees.
    Key Findings of the FBI’s 2019 Nellie Ohr Analysis:  
    Nellie Ohr may have been involved in drafting aspects of the Steele Dossier and conspired with her husband, Bruce Ohr, to ensure high-level FBI officials received her work product, while Fusion GPS coordinated with media entities to legitimize the FBI’s opening of its now discredited Trump-Russia investigation. 
    Nellie Ohr may have falsely testified to Congress that she had no knowledge of the DOJ’s Trump-Russia investigation (pg. 13).  
    Nellie Ohr gave a thumb drive containing her Fusion GPS work to her husband, Bruce Ohr, which he then provided to the FBI as part of its ongoing investigation (pg. 14).  
    Nellie Ohr’s email traffic shows she emailed her Russian investigative research directly to Bruce Ohr. Nellie’s research closely mirrored the DOJ and FBI’s Trump-Russia investigation (pgs. 15-16). 
    Bruce Ohr only shared information with the FBI relating to the Trump-Russia investigation after receiving it from his wife, Nellie Ohr (pgs. 15-17). 
    Nellie Ohr and Bruce Ohr met personally with British intelligence officer and Fusion GPS contractor, Christopher Steele, in 2016 (pg. 21). 
    Fusion GPS pitched Nellie Ohr’s research to the Department of State (DOS) for additional investigation, per DOS emails (pg. 23). 
    Nellie Ohr deleted emails with Russia-focused DOJ prosecutors, indicating an effort to conceal her exchanges with DOJ officials involved in the Trump-Russia investigation (pg. 24). 

    Nellie Ohr may have falsely testified to Congress that she was not involved in drafting the Steele Dossier (pgs. 25-28). 
    Nellie Ohr made an analytical error in her own research identical to that in the Steele Dossier (pgs. 29-30). 
    A report deleted from a thumb drive owned by Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson and provided to the FBI via Bruce Ohr contained the same subject matter researched by Nellie Ohr (pg. 31-33). 

    In direct contradiction to her congressional testimony, Nellie Ohr disseminated Fusion GPS research to DOJ prosecutors beyond those identified in her testimony (pg. 33). 
    Nellie Ohr repeatedly sent information to the following DOJ officials: Lisa Holtyn, Ivana Nizich, Joseph Wheatley (pgs. 34-37). 

    In direct contradiction to her congressional testimony, Nellie Ohr took six ham radio classes and an exam during her time as a Fusion GPS employee (pg. 37). Ham radios can facilitate international communication without the use of a cell signal. 
    Nellie Ohr claimed her ham radio training occurred before she was employed by Fusion GPS. However, per records from the Fairfax Fire and Rescue Department and Federal Communications Commission, Nellie Ohr’s entire ham radio training occurred between March to May 2016, while working at Fusion GPS. 

    Nellie Ohr may have been involved in the “Alfa dossier,” an additional sham document attempting to connect Trump to Russian crime (pg. 40). 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Health – Resurgence of preventable diseases threatens children in East Asia and the Pacific – WHO

    Source: World Health Organization (WHO)
    Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and WHO raise alarm over falling vaccine coverage and eroding trust, with measles cases at their highest since 2020

    Manila/Bangkok/Geneva, 28 May 2025 – Across East Asia and the Pacific, vaccine-preventable diseases are making a dangerous comeback, with measles at the forefront of this resurgence. In the first months of 2025, countries like Cambodia, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam have reported a sharp rise in measles cases compared with the same period last year, signalling that far too many children are missing out on life-saving vaccines.

    Measles is among the most infectious diseases in the world, with the potential to cause severe illness and death, especially in children. Since the beginning of 2025, Viet Nam has recorded 81,691 suspected measles cases in 63 provinces and cities. As of 21 May, Mongolia had confirmed 2,682 measles cases. Cambodia reported 2,150 cases of measles between January and April 2025. The Philippines reported 2,068 cases from 1 January to 10 May 2025. Measles cases across the region are now at their highest level since 2020, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

    “The alarming rise in measles cases is a wake-up call,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “It highlights the vulnerable children who are being left behind — those who haven’t received even a single dose of vaccine, living in underserved communities, missed by routine immunization and vaccination campaigns. This underscores the critical importance of ensuring every child is immunized to protect their health and that of our communities.”

    Meanwhile, the confirmation of a poliovirus outbreak in Papua New Guinea has triggered a national public health emergency response. The risk of continued transmission within the country remains high, with potential implications beyond its borders. Although Papua New Guinea was declared polio-free 25 years ago, persistently low routine immunization coverage has left many children vulnerable.

    Vaccine-preventable diseases remain a significant threat to children’s health. Measles can cause serious complications including pneumonia, brain damage and lifelong disability. Polio can lead to irreversible paralysis. The youngest children, especially those living in poverty, conflict zones, remote areas, or without access to basic health care, are most at risk and least likely to recover.

    “We’re not just seeing a spike in disease, we’re seeing a signal that the systems meant to protect children are faltering,” said June Kunugi, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific. “Measles and polio are highly infectious, and children are paying the price for gaps in coverage, delayed care, and misinformation. No child should suffer or die from a disease we know how to prevent.”

    The resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases in East Asia and the Pacific reflects deeper, systemic failures. Immunization systems weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic remain under-resourced. Across the WHO Western Pacific Region, an estimated 3.2 million children did not receive a single dose of vaccine between 2020 and 2023. Many more children remain under-vaccinated, and even countries with previously strong systems are now grappling with immunity gaps. These setbacks have left millions of children vulnerable to diseases that should already be under control or eliminated. Additionally, rising vaccine hesitancy – driven by misinformation, disinformation, and distrust – is further eroding the confidence families need to protect their children.

    “We are very concerned about the rising cases of measles in the region,” said Nadia Lasri, Senior Country Manager and Coordinator of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in the Western Pacific Region. “Gavi is actively supporting response efforts in the region, including funding emergency vaccination campaigns, strengthening surveillance systems, and providing technical assistance to national immunization programmes. We are working with partners to bolster routine immunization systems and ensure children in hard-to-reach and cross-border areas are not left behind. The spike in cases underscores the urgent need for a coordinated regional response to stop transmission and protect millions of children.”

    The cost of inaction is high: outbreaks demand emergency campaigns and intensive responses that are far more expensive than maintaining well-functioning, reliable routine immunization systems.

    The tools to stop these diseases already exist: safe, effective, and affordable vaccines; early warning systems; and health workers with the skills and dedication to deliver them. UNICEF and WHO are calling for a shift from crisis response to prevention. That means:

    • Reach every child with routine immunization and catch-up campaigns to close immunity gaps.
    • Track risks and respond early with strong surveillance, laboratory capacity, and rapid outbreak response.
    • Improve diagnosis and care with clear treatment protocols and infection control in health facilities.
    • Build public trust by engaging communities, addressing concerns, and countering misinformation.
    • Share timely information across countries to stay ahead of outbreaks.
    • Ensure immunization programmes are adequately and sustainably resourced.

    Critically, this work dep

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stansbury, Luján Hold Town Hall in Albuquerque on GOP Attacks on Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and SNAP

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01)

    Albuquerque, N.M. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) held a town hall in Albuquerque on Tuesday to sound the alarm on Republican-led efforts to gut critical federal programs that New Mexicans rely on, including Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and SNAP. 

    The town hall followed a House vote advancing legislation that would slash billions from health care and food assistance programs while delivering trillions in tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans. New Mexicans packed the event to hear directly from Senator Luján and Representative Stansbury and to raise concerns about the devastating impact these Republican-led proposals would have on New Mexico families. Senator Luján and Representative Stansbury denounced the Republican proposal and warned that the legislation would impose the biggest cut to Medicaid and nutrition assistance in American history. 

    “We are in the fight of our lives for our communities, our democracy, and to make life better for our people. Every day, I am deeply honored to be in this fight for New Mexico alongside Senator Luján and our entire congressional delegation. Together we are working to defend our rights and Constitution and to tackle our biggest challenges from healthcare, housing and education to caring for our veterans and protecting our lands and waters,” said Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01). “I am grateful to everyone who showed up to our Town Hall and who is speaking up and speaking out against the GOPs disastrous reconciliation bill which will gut Medicaid and food assistance for millions of Americans. As this bill heads to the Senate and the GOP continues to gut programs, we need you in this fight.” 

    “This Republican-led bill is a total rip-off for New Mexicans – all to line the pockets of people like President Trump and Elon Musk,” said Senator Ben Ray Luján. “The Republicans’ priorities couldn’t be more clear: tax handouts for billionaires and massive corporations, paid for by cutting health care, food assistance, and benefits for New Mexicans. We are not backing down. In the Senate, I’m going to keep fighting for our seniors, our children, and the future of New Mexico.” 

    Impacts of the House GOP legislation include: 

    • Cuts to SNAP, reducing food assistance for children, families, and seniors; 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech to the Australasian Railways Association RailNZ 25 conference

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good morning.
    Thank you for the invitation to address this conference. Foreign Affairs responsibilities require us to be elsewhere today, so it is with regret that this address to you all must be delivered in this format.
    Let us begin by acknowledging the board members and management of the Australasian Railway Association; leaders from KiwiRail, Metlink, Auckland Transport, Auckland One Rail, infrastructure firms, and heritage operators, as well as our Australian freight and metro counterparts. 
    As the Minister for Rail – that’s for rail – the chance to share our record and vision was not to be missed.
    We had responsibility for rail during the 2017-2020 term and we turned things around. Contrast our legacy for rail with any other and you will see who is out in front.
    We are rebuilding rail
    In 2020, we changed the law – rail is now funded like roads. A common-sense reform.
    We funded the third main line between Wiri and Westfield – Auckland’s busiest rail section – and planning is underway for a fourth main line across the whole Auckland southern corridor. New stations are being built in South Auckland and electrification has extended commuter trains to Pukekohe.
    Northland’s line can now take standard-weight trains and hi-cube containers. Marsden Point’s spur – stalled under the previous Government – is now in Fast Track legislation, alongside the Avondale-Southdown corridor.
    Remediation and upgrades are occurring across Auckland and Wellington, lifting the quality, reliability and frequency of services. A city rail link in Auckland’s centre and new trains in Wellington.
    Our regional investments are also about positioning New Zealand for global trade: port connections, less truck congestion, and more freight competition.
    Just a fortnight ago, the Honourable Shane Jones announced $8.2 million to fund a three-track rail siding connecting Southern Link Logistics to the network.
    Freight is about getting from A to B. Freight is the lifeblood of our economy. It’s no good making something if it doesn’t go to a customer.
    Inland freight hubs mean local road freight operators and rail freight can feed regional goods into the hub, and have rail take the combined heavy haul to port. 
    Rail is the clearing house for busy ports, moving vast quantities so ports can handle more ships. More ships enable more exports, more imports, more trade.
    And, last week, we announced in Budget 2025 the commitment of $604 million for rail. $461 million for the national network, and $143 million to the metro networks in Auckland and Wellington.
    Both investments continue our focus on arresting the decline of the networks, contributing to better reliability.
    Freight must pay its way.
    KiwiRail must cover all its operating and capital costs—just like any other business. Freight volumes are down, as they are across the board.
    So the turnaround begins with cost. Competitive pricing requires leaner operations, better use of its assets and better, more responsive systems for customers.
    The second issue is reliability. Big players like Fonterra get a good service from KiwiRail – but KiwiRail must compete on speed and certainty for domestic and export freight. 
    We know that KiwiRail is alive to these issues. They are hungry for customers, and as shareholders we are as eager as their customers are to see that lift in performance.
    We’re doing our part. Sixty-six new locomotives from Spain will replace the South Island fleet and support the North Island fleet.
    We’re refurbishing the Hamilton-Palmerston North electric fleet, and planning is underway on electrifying the line to Mt Maunganui. Electric engines haul heavy weights, cost little to run, and emit nothing.
    We’ve rebuilt Dunedin’s Hillside Workshops and new wagons are rolling out of there. A total of 1,350 wagons will be assembled, creating local jobs and capability, and wagons to reliably move customers’ freight. 
    It is on KiwiRail to deliver a strong freight business on the back of our investment. You will be measured on volumes, reliability, and earnings. Succeeding will open the door to new customers and then we can truly begin to rebalance transport in this country. 
    It is up to freight movers to come to the party, too. The Government is making the investment in rail that’s needed, so use it. The greater the use of the rail network, the greater the savings on reduced road congestion and road maintenance costs. 
    Every person who sees a wagon of logs moving by rail is a person who is not stuck behind a logging truck on the road.
    Finally: the ferries.
    We shut down the bloated iReX project. No Taj Mahal in Picton, no Opera House in Wellington. Just safe, reliable efficient ferries for road and rail – by 2029 – and infrastructure that works.
    Ferry Holdings has two jobs: deliver ferries by 2029 and build low-cost infrastructure to serve them. Picton will get dual linkspans and faster load times. In Wellington, we’ll build on what’s already there. Rail is a primary customer across Cook Strait, and it will be served.
    We will deliver, and rail is here to stay.
    In closing: We back rail. Not with words, but with deeds. 
    But do not mistake this for unquestioning support. Let iReX be a lesson to the whole rail system: we do not tolerate waste.
    As rail people, the delivery is up to all of you and your teams at this conference. 
    All of New Zealand expects you to succeed. 
    Thank you and have a great historic conference.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Purpose Investments Inc. Announces May 2025 Distribution for Purpose Global Bond Fund – ETF Units

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. is pleased to announce the May 2025 distribution rate for Purpose Global Bond Fund – ETF Units. The May 2025 distribution for Purpose Global Bond Fund – ETF Units will be paid in June 2025.

    The following table reflects the final distribution amount for the May 2025 distribution for Purpose Global Bond Fund – ETF Units. Ex-distribution date for the May 2025 distribution is June 3, 2025.

    Open-End Fund Ticker
    Symbol    		 Final distribution
    per unit    		 Record Date Payable Date Distribution
    Frequency
    Purpose Global Bond Fund – ETF Units BND $0.0840 06/03/2025 06/06/2025 Monthly
     

    About Purpose Investments Inc.

    Purpose Investments Inc. is an asset management company with more than $24 billion in assets under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation, and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company.

    For further information please contact:
    Keera Hart
    Keera.Hart@kaiserpartners.com
    905-580-1257

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Investment funds are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in a fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Blast Trump Administration’s Call for Agencies to Max Out Pay for Political Appointees Amid Firings of Civil Servants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined six of their colleagues in sending a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) criticizing its recent memo encouraging agencies to ignore the recommendations of agency human resources (HR) offices and offer the maximum available salary of $195,200 to Schedule C political appointees.

    This memo comes on the heels of the Trump Administration firing dedicated federal employees en masse across the government. In the letter, the senators demanded information about the Trump Administration’s hiring of Schedule C political appointees, their salaries, the number of appointees making the maximum salary, justification for sidestepping HR recommendations and vetting processes, any guardrails implemented to prevent cronyism, and the costs to taxpayers.

    “…You issued a memo to the heads and acting heads of departments and agencies encouraging them to offer the maximum available salary to political appointees and sidestep the regular hiring process,” wrote the senators. “This memo, coupled with the Administration’s widespread layoffs of career government workers who have loyally served in the Executive Branch for Presidents of both political parties, makes clear your intention: fire dedicated public servants in droves, cut essential government services, and use taxpayer dollars to instead hire underqualified and overpaid political cronies.”

    “While this Administration pushes out scores of public servants and guts entire agencies, often in defiance of Congress and federal law, your memo encourages agencies to help install loyalists who have not been properly vetted, in critically important positions—and to pay them at the highest possible rate. As dedicated career public servants are receiving notice that they have been fired, the Administration is offering higher pay for those hired under Schedule C, a type of appointment for those serving in confidential or policy roles,” they continued.

    “Per your memo, agencies may consider setting initial salaries at up to $195,200, almost five times the median income for individuals in the U.S.,” wrote the lawmakers. “…Padding the pockets of political operatives while firing food safety inspectors is nothing short of an egregious abuse of taxpayer dollars and massively wasteful.”

    In addition to Warner and Kaine, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

    The full letter is available here and below:

    Dear Acting Director Ezell:

    On April 10, 2025, you issued a memo to the heads and acting heads of departments and agencies encouraging them to offer the maximum available salary to political appointees and sidestep the regular hiring process. This memo, coupled with the Administration’s widespread layoffs of career government workers who have loyally served in the Executive Branch for Presidents of both political parties, makes clear your intention: fire dedicated public servants in droves, cut essential government services, and use taxpayer dollars to instead hire underqualified and overpaid political cronies.

    Since President Trump took office, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has worked with Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to facilitate the firings of tens of thousands of government employees under the guise of government efficiency. The American people have experienced only chaos as a result. The phone lines at Social Security are overwhelmed, food inspections are down, and as fire season begins, the Forest Service is planning to layoff wildland firefighters—to name just a few of the consequences of this administration’s arbitrary and thoughtless cuts. Put simply, OPM’s actions have sowed inefficiency and counter-productivity for the essential government services that our constituents depend on.

    While this Administration pushes out scores of public servants and guts entire agencies, often in defiance of Congress and federal law, your memo encourages agencies to help install loyalists who have not been properly vetted, in critically important positions—and to pay them at the highest possible rate. As dedicated career public servants are receiving notice that they have been fired, the Administration is offering higher pay for those hired under Schedule C, a type of appointment for those serving in confidential or policy roles, including as confidential assistants, policy experts, special counsel, and schedulers. Per your memo, agencies may consider setting initial salaries at up to $195,200, almost five times the median income for individuals in the U.S. Further, your memo encourages agency heads to sidestep the standard hiring process and remove the objective additional reviewer of candidates. This would allow appointees to begin work in sensitive roles without any vetting, including for conflicts of interest or background checks, bypassing the basic guardrails that have been in place for decades. On its face, OPM’s April 10 memo demonstrates a desire for the expeditious hiring of underqualified and overpaid political elites.

    Schedule C hires are not career civil servants. They will not be answering phones at Social Security field offices or conducting food inspections or fighting wildfires. They do not work for the American people; they work to advance the political agenda of the President. OPM’s April 10 memo makes clear the Trump Administration’s ultimate goal is to decimate the nonpolitical career civil service and use taxpayer dollars to enrich and reward political allies, all at the cost of the government services that people rely on.

    Padding the pockets of political operatives while firing food safety inspectors is nothing short of an egregious abuse of taxpayer dollars and massively wasteful.

    In order to ensure OPM works to actually promote efficiency and productivity in the government workforce, we request you provide the following information:

    1. The salary information of all Schedule C appointees, and the current number of Schedule C appointees, broken down by agency. For those Schedule C appointees the administration has hired at a pay level of GS-15 or $195,200, please provide a brief job description for each.
    2. The justification for revoking the authority of agency HR departments to set the terms for Schedule C appointment and additional information as to how agencies will set the terms for Schedule C appointment without HR involvement.
    3. Any guidance or detail OPM has provided to agencies as to how to set the terms for a Schedule C appointment in order to avoid widespread corruption.
    4. The agency-level cost of hiring the desired number of Schedule C appointees.
    5. Any written information detailing the role of the Presidential Personnel Office (PPO) in hiring Schedule C appointees.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward receiving your responses no later than June 4, 2025.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Condemn GOP Tax Plan for Driving Up Costs for American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Just a week after Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating due to mounting government debt, pushing up mortgage interest rates, Republicans in the House moved forward with their plan to provide massive tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans that would add an additional $3.8 trillion to the deficit, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement:

    “Moody’s decision to downgrade our nation’s credit rating should have been a wake-up call, but instead, Republicans in the House doubled down with a tax plan that blows a hole in the deficit and leaves working families holding the bag. The result will be a ballooning national debt, higher interest rates, and the very real prospect of increased prices for everything from groceries to mortgages. Virginia families are already feeling the pinch from inflation and rising costs. The last thing they need is a reckless giveaway to the richest Americans that undermines our economic stability and puts the full faith and credit of the United States at risk. In the Senate, we will oppose this disastrous legislation.”

    Additionally, the GOP tax bill would add so much to the national debt that it could trigger nearly $500 billion in cuts to Medicare beginning next year, according to the CBO analysis.

    The nonpartisan CBO report also confirmed what Warner and Kaine have previously warned – that working Americans will foot the bill for massive tax breaks handed to the wealthiest few, if President Trump and congressional Republicans move forward. The CBO found that under the GOP plan, the bottom 10 percent of Americans would see household resources reduced by 4 percent while the top 10 percent would see their resources increase by 2 percent. Meanwhile, the Republican bill would result in $698 billion in cuts to Medicaid and $267 billion in cuts to nutrition assistance. 

    Warner and Kaine have been sounding the alarm about the effects of the GOP plan on Virginia families if Republicans in Congress continue to insist on gutting vital programs in order to pay for tax breaks for the richest Americans, noting that the GOP bill would strip health insurance from more than 262,000 Virginians, cut SNAP benefits for more than 204,000 people in Virginia, raise energy costs for Virginia households, jeopardize more than 20,000 Virginia jobs, and raise taxes on minimum wage workers while giving the richest 0.1% a $188,000 tax cut.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Expand Medicare Drug Price Negotiation and Lower Costs for Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Peter Welch (D-VT) to introduce the Strengthening Medicare and Reducing Taxpayer (SMART) Prices Act. The legislation would expand the number of drugs that Medicare can negotiate lower drug prices for, reduce federal spending, and give the Department of Health and Human Services stronger tools to negotiate lower drug prices in Medicare Part B and Part D.

    “No Wisconsinite should be forced to forgo the medication they need to stay healthy because of cost,” said Senator Baldwin. “This bill will build on the progress we’ve made to give more Americans some breathing room – cracking down on greedy drug companies and helping ensure no Wisconsinite has to choose between affording their medication and putting food on the table.”

    This legislation builds on the Baldwin-backed Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed into law in 2022, and empowered Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time, unleashing the power of 53 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D Drug Coverage. The SMART Prices Act would extend this progress by more than doubling the number of prescription drugs Medicare must negotiate to a minimum of 50 per year, allowing the costliest prescription drugs to have negotiated prices five years after approval by the Food and Drug Administration, and by increasing the discount that Medicare is allowed to negotiate.

    According to preliminary estimates from a model by West Health and Verdant Research, if the SMART Prices Act was enacted in 2026, it would save 33 percent more by 2030 than current law. It would also allow Medicare to begin negotiations earlier and bring down the price of more expensive drugs.

    The bill is endorsed by Center for American Progress, FamiliesUSA, Patients For Affordable Drugs NOW, Protect Our Care, and Public Citizen.

    “The SMART Prices Act builds on the progress of the Inflation Reduction Act to help bring down today’s exorbitant prescription drug prices,” said Andrea Ducas, Vice President of Health Policy at the Center for American Progress. “The bill is an important step forward in holding pharmaceutical companies accountable and ensuring seniors are paying fair and affordable prices for life-saving medications.”

    “One in three Americans can’t afford their prescription drugs. We hear from patients every day who are rationing medication or skipping doses because of high drug costs. The SMART Prices Act is a welcome step that builds on the historic drug price reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act by increasing the number of drugs subject to Medicare negotiation – a proposal that has broad support from Americans on both sides of the aisle. We are grateful to Senator Klobuchar for her tireless leadership on this critical issue and are eager to expand Medicare negotiation to secure a better deal for more patients on Medicare,” said Merith Basey, Executive Director of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now.

    “Senators Klobuchar and Welch are fighting for seniors and their families by bringing down the high cost of prescription drugs,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Americans across the political spectrum support Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices and want to see the program expand. Instead, Trump and his cronies in Congress are charging ahead with their budget that not only guts Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to fund billionaire tax breaks, but hands billions in give-aways over to Big Pharma. The contrast couldn’t be more clear. If Republicans are serious about wanting to lower drug prices and save taxpayer dollars, they should join Senators Klobuchar and Welch in passing the SMART Prices Act and deliver real, lasting relief for the American people.”

    “The SMART Prices Act would save billions of dollars by empowering Medicare to negotiate lower prices for more patients sooner. We applaud Senators Klobuchar, Welch, and cosponsors for their leadership. Congressional Republicans should follow their lead instead of seeking to undermine Medicare drug price negotiations and take away health insurance from millions of our society’s most vulnerable people,” said Robert Weissman, Co-President of Public Citizen.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sajah Konateh Pleads Guilty to Illegal Entry into the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 27, 2025, Sajah Konateh, 51, born in Sierra Leone and a citizen of The Gambia, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with illegally entering the United States at a time or place other than designated for entering the country by immigration authorities.

    According to court records, on May 19, 2025, at approximately 11:45 p.m., the United States Border Patrol received an image of three individuals, including Konateh, walking south toward the bike path on North Derby Road in Derby, Vermont. This area is less than a tenth of a mile south of the United States/Canada border. Investigators believed that the three individuals had just entered the United States illegally from Canada. Border Patrol agents responded to the area, and found the three individuals, who appeared to be the same people in the image they had received, hiding in thick vegetation. The three defendants, including Konateh, were placed under arrest. Border Patrol conducted records checks, which indicated that Konateh had no current legal status in the United States.

    Konateh appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on May 27, 2025, where he pleaded guilty and received a time-served sentence. The two other individuals, Belvie Ikiela Lecka, 32, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ayse Gul Sakiner, 49, a citizen of Türkiye, pleaded guilty on May 20, 2025, to the same charges.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.

    The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Konateh is represented by Assistant Federal Defender Sara Puls.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Allegedly Attempted to Smuggle Over 135 Pounds of Illicit Drugs Through Eagle Pass, Indicted for 12 Counts

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – A federal grand jury in Del Rio returned an indictment today charging a Mexican national with 12 counts for allegedly attempting to transport more than 95 pounds of cocaine, 26 pounds of methamphetamine and 14 pounds of heroin into the United States.

    According to court documents, Wara America Castanon Campos, 39, attempted to enter the U.S. through the Eagle Pass Port of Entry on May 1. She was referred during a Customs and Border Protection inspection to an x-ray scan, during which officers allegedly discovered anomalies in the rear of the vehicle. Further inspection allegedly revealed a total of 56 packages concealed in hidden compartments in the rear floorboard area, the vehicle’s rear quarter panels, and the spare tire of the vehicle. The packages allegedly contained three separate substances that tested positive for heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. Castanon Campos was arrested and initially charged with importing a controlled substance.

    Castanon Campos is now charged in an indictment with four counts related to cocaine trafficking, four counts related to heroin trafficking, and four counts related to meth trafficking. She made her initial court appearance May 2 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Cordova of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, she faces 10 years to life in prison for each count, a maximum fine of $10 million and at least five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

    Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Kass is prosecuting the case.

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

    An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien serial felon sent to prison for third unlawful reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 44-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history and multiple prior removals has been sentenced once again for illegally reentering the United States without permission, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Juan Humberto Lara Molina pleaded guilty Feb. 13.

    U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Molina to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In imposing the sentence, the court noted that his criminal history raises serious concerns, stating that if he kept coming back, he would be spending much more time in prison.

    Molina has a lengthy drug, weapons and immigration criminal history including two other illegal reentry convictions, one in 2007 and another in 2015. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois. He has also been previously ordered removed from the United States on multiple occasions.

    Authorities removed Molina most recently in November 2021. However, law enforcement discovered him at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint Dec. 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported farther north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer.

    Molina will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Young Min C. Burkett prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Clear Blue Technologies Announces Q1 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clear Blue Technologies International Inc. (TSXV: CBLU) (FRANKFURT: OYA), the Smart Off-Grid™ Company, announces its financial results for the first quarter of 2025 (“Q1 2024”) ending March 31, 2025. A complete set of Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion & Analysis (“MD&A”) has been filed at www.sedarplus.ca. All dollar amounts are denominated in Canadian dollars.

    On a Trailing Four Quarter (“TFQ”) basis:

    • As of March 31, 2025, bookings decreased to $4,365,698, a decrease of 14%, when compared to $5,071,105 as of December 31, 2024, with delivery anticipated over the next three years. Of this, $3,636,637 is expected to be recognized over the next 12 months.
    • TFQ revenue was $3,001,003, a 50% decrease from $5,950,005 in the corresponding previous period.
    • TFQ recurring revenue was $676,137 a 40% decrease from $1,120,838 in the corresponding previous period.
    • TFQ Gross Profit decreased to $1,563,054 compared to $2,716,412 in the comparable period, an 42% decrease. However, the gross margin percentage increased to 52% from 46% with the comparative TFQ period of 2024.
    • Non-IFRS Adjusted EBITDA for the period was ($2,634,592) as compared to ($1,629,513) for the previous period, a 62% decrease from the comparative period of 2024. This increase is mainly attributable to financing challenges which also impacted revenue in 2024 which have now been resolved.
    • Cash as of March 31, 2025, was $128,971 and remained stable through Q1.
    • As of December 31, 2024, the Company had approximately $1,800,000 remaining from its IRAP Green Fund contract. At this time, it expects to receive $1,300,000 of that amount by the end of Q2 2025.

    For Q1 F2024:

    • Q1 2025 revenue was $1,051,261, a 30% increase from $808,553 in Q1 2024.
    • Recurring revenue comprised $217,662 of the quarter’s revenue compared to $300,786 in Q1 2024, a 28% decrease.
    • Gross Profit for Q1 2025 was $551,601 compared to $338,339 for Q1 2024, a 63% increase, mainly due to higher revenue for the quarter. The Gross Margin percentage for the quarter was quite healthy at 52%, increasing from 42% from the comparative quarter of 2024.

    Clear Blue 2.0 – A Strong Foundation for 2025

    Looking forward, Clear Blue sees three key themes as critical to triggering high growth for the company:

    Smart Solar Lighting Goes Mainstream

    Clear Blue is powering the shift as smart solar lighting becomes the default for municipalities, power utilities, and Departments of Transportation (DoTs) seeking sustainable, intelligent lighting solutions. (Clear Blue Products: Illumient & Senti)

    Road to Zero Diesel: Empowering Africa’s Telecom Transition

    As telecom operators across Africa transition away from diesel, Clear Blue delivers high-performance solar power systems that ensure energy reliability and cost savings—supporting the continent’s clean energy future. (Clear Blue Products: Micro & Nano)

    Enabling Satellite Internet & IoT Expansion

    Satellite internet is now critical infrastructure. Through our partnership with Eutelsat, Clear Blue is enabling large-scale rollouts of satellite-powered community internet and IoT services across emerging markets—unlocking a projected $25M revenue opportunity over the next three years. (Clear Blue’s Product: Pico)

    Having filled out Clear Blue’s portfolio with 3 new products over the last two years, and having successfully completed the financial restructuring, Clear Blue is building a strong growth trajectory around the above key vectors.

    Said CEO of Clear Blue, Miriam Tuerk, “In the quarter, the company successfully completed that last component of its financial restructuring, a herculean effort which demanded the energy of the entire management team. Now it’s time to look forward, build a strong growth trajectory and deliver to our stakeholders the results that everyone believes this company can deliver.”

    Clear Blue will host a conference call on Thursday May 29th, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, to review the financial restructuring, the Company’s 2024 results, and to provide an update on its 2025 outlook and growth plan going forward. Those interested can register at:

    Registration Link

    https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_06KGLRU8Tf6oobFxiB1LtQ

    For more information, contact:

    Miriam Tuerk, Co-Founder and CEO
    +1 416 433 3952
    investors@clearbluetechnologies.com

    www.clearbluetechnologies.com/en/investors

    About Clear Blue Technologies International

    Clear Blue Technologies International, the Smart Off-Grid™ company, was founded on a vision of delivering clean, managed, “wireless power” to meet the global need for reliable, low-cost, solar and hybrid power for lighting, telecom, security, Internet of Things devices, and other mission-critical systems. Today, Clear Blue has thousands of systems under management across 37 countries, including the U.S. and Canada. (TSXV: CBLU) (FRA: 0YA) (OTCQB: CBUTF)

    Legal Disclaimer

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or “U.S. Persons”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

    Forward-Looking Statement

    This press release contains certain “forward-looking information” and/or “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Clear Blue’s beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Clear Blue’s control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “will continue”, “will occur” or “will be achieved”. The forward-looking information contained herein may include, but is not limited to, information concerning financial results and future upcoming contracts.

    By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Clear Blue is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Clear Blue to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements.

    An investment in securities of Clear Blue is speculative and subject to several risks including, without limitation, the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Clear Blue’s listing application dated July 12, 2018. Although Clear Blue has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.

    In connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Clear Blue has made certain assumptions. Although Clear Blue believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to Clear Blue or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.”

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or “U.S. Persons”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

    Legal Disclaimer

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or “U.S. Persons”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

    Forward-Looking Statement

    This press release contains certain “forward-looking information” and/or “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Clear Blue’s beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Clear Blue’s control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “will continue”, “will occur” or “will be achieved”. The forward-looking information contained herein may include, but is not limited to, information concerning financial results and future upcoming contracts.

    By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Clear Blue is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Clear Blue to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements.

    An investment in securities of Clear Blue is speculative and subject to several risks including, without limitation, the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Clear Blue’s listing application dated July 12, 2018. Although Clear Blue has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.

    In connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Clear Blue has made certain assumptions. Although Clear Blue believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to Clear Blue or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.”

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or “U.S. Persons”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The Right Fit: Galaxy S25 Edge, Designed to Fit Your Lifestyle

    Source: Samsung

    Galaxy S25 Edge was unveiled earlier this month — showcasing an incredibly light, durable, and powerful design, crafted to keep up with you. Now, Samsung is teaming up with Top Dawg Entertainment’s Doechii, to offer an inside look at how Galaxy S25 Edge can fit into your day.
    As a champion for those who don’t always conform to the status quo, Doechii exemplifies the same forward-looking spirit that Samsung is known for. The latest example, Galaxy S25 Edge, creates a unique experience for users while retaining the style, creative features, and powerful performance that users expect from the Galaxy S series.
    With ultra-light and thin Galaxy S25 Edge at your side — in your pocket, waistband, or wherever you want to carry it — you can always stay connected to what you need with a device that’s packed with features, and light on your fit. It effortlessly integrates into any dynamic lifestyle without compromising your look.

    Galaxy S25 Edge is crafted to be your companion all day and night. It’s packed with the powerful Galaxy AI experience that users rave about, in the lightest and thinnest form factor ever sported by a Galaxy S series device. It includes fan-favorite tools like Audio Eraser1 and Drawing Assist,2 along with the same ProVisual Engine optimized for the Galaxy S25 series. Users can combine these powerful tools with Galaxy S25 Edge’s 200MP camera, so you can capture your stylish fits or snap a picture of your favorite animal friend in breathtaking detail.
    Doechii is joined in the spots by her favorite alligator, Coconut, who was featured on the iconic cover to her award-winning hit mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal.

    “Music and fashion are some of my favorite creative outlets because they let me push boundaries and express myself in a way that feels authentic” said Doechii. “With this partnership, I want to encourage people to have fun, try something new, and know that the creative voice inside them is valid and something to lean into.”

    The spots also help set the stage for Samsung Galaxy’s VIP event at Edge NYC in Hudson Yards celebrating the launch of Galaxy S25 Edge. The event includes an exclusive private performance by Doechii. Fans can catch the livestream of her performance at Edge NYC here on May 30 at 8 p.m. ET.
    For more information on Galaxy S25 Edge, visit Samsung.com.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: Minerals Processing Facility in Beulah a Game-Changer, Helping Secure U.S. Domestic Battery Supply Chain

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    05.28.25
    Senator Worked to Secure $115 Million Grant for Talon Metals Facility, Supporting 150 Jobs in Mercer County & Reducing U.S. Reliance on Foreign Critical Minerals
    BEULAH, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today joined leaders from Talon Metals in announcing a site has been secured for the Beulah Minerals Processing Facility:
    Talon has signed an agreement with Westmoreland Mining to acquire approximately 256 acres and a 7-mile rail spur from the former Beulah Mine, following a 3-month due diligence period.
    The company expects the project to bring a total investment of up to $365 million to the region and directly create up to 150 jobs.

    The facility will process raw ore from the Tamarack nickel mine in Minnesota into “battery-grade nickel.”
    Doing so will help reduce U.S. reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals, including from adversaries such as China and Russia.
    The plant operations will be further supported by a $2.5 million award to Talon for researching methods for enhanced recovery of nickel that Hoeven worked to fund through the Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).

    The project will also benefit local coal producers as the company procures coal residuals from facilities like Coyote Station.
    The company is exploring using fly ash to create a value-added cement replacement product that would reduce the amount of waste stored at the site.

    “The Beulah Minerals Processing Facility is a game-changer for both North Dakota and the nation. By establishing a domestic supply chain for critical minerals, we are strengthening America’s economic and national security, while creating good-paying jobs right here in Mercer County,” said Senator Hoeven. “We worked with the Department of Energy to secure nearly $115 million to help move Talon’s project forward, reducing our reliance on China for these increasingly important minerals and positioning the U.S. as a leader in critical mineral processing.”
    “We are extremely grateful for Senator Hoeven’s support for this project from day one. From helping to secure the $114.8 million grant from the Department of Energy to his continued efforts to reduce the nation’s reliance on critical minerals from foreign nations. His commitment to advancing North Dakota’s leadership in energy and mineral development has been critical to making this project a reality,” said Henri van Rooyen, Talon CEO.
    Today’s announcement comes as part of Hoeven’s efforts to support the creation of a fully-domestic U.S. supply chain for batteries, from mining up through cathode manufacturing and recycling. In addition to his work with Talon, Hoeven continues his efforts to support the operations of companies like Packet Digital:
    The company has been expanding its operations in North Dakota due to partnerships Hoeven has worked to establish between it and the Navy, Air Force and Space Force.
    The company is using the latest round of funding to manufacture batteries at its new 80,000 square-foot battery cell production facility, known as Badland Batteries.
    The Badland Batteries cell plant is scheduled to begin its first manufacturing runs towards the end of 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Weber Joins Galveston Business Leaders in Push to Preserve Pro-Growth Tax Cuts

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

    Galveston, TX – U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) sat down with local business leaders, the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Galveston-Texas City Pilots for a U.S. Camber of Commerce roundtable discussion focused on protecting hardworking Texans from looming tax hikes. With key provisions of President Trump’s historic 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) set to expire at the end of the year, Rep. Weber and local stakeholders made the case for extending these pro-growth tax policies that have fueled job creation and economic opportunity across Southeast Texas.

    “As a former small business owner, I know firsthand what it takes to make payroll, grow a company, and support workers,” said Rep. Weber. “Local job creators shouldn’t be punished with higher taxes. The 2017 tax cuts were a game-changer for our economy, and now we’re working to make them permanent. Texans want less government, lower taxes, and more freedom to build their businesses. We’re putting small businesses first, right where they belong.”

    “The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce was honored to host the U.S. Chamber’s Roundtable with Congressman Randy Weber. We are grateful for the Galveston-Texas City Pilots and the local business leaders who participated in a substantial discussion around the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, tariffs and issues crucial to the region,” said Gina Spagnola, President and CEO of the Galveston Regional Chamber.  “Lending their voices and vision proved how important this community is to Texas. As a former small business owner, the Congressman knows businesses in every sector collectively shape our economy and we are grateful for his incredible leadership and unwavering commitment.” 

    “The U.S. Chamber thanks Congressman Weber for working tirelessly to ensure Americans everywhere continue to benefit from the pro-growth policies enacted in the Tax Cuts and Jobs act of 2017. I am grateful to the Galveston Regional Chamber for partnering in today’s discussion which highlighted these tax provisions included in the recent House passage of the budget bill. The impact on businesses of all sizes in this district help to fuel, feed and transport resources across the nation,” said Monique Thierry, Vice President, Southwest/South Central region, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “Congressman Weber is once again demonstrating his commitment to the workers, families, and businesses of Texas 14th District.”

    On May 22, the House passed H.R. 1 – the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, legislation that would lock in the 2017 Trump tax cuts for families, small businesses, and workers. The bill now heads to the Senate.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Supreme Service Solutions LLC Voluntarily Recalls Supreme Vegetable Products Because of Possible Health Risk

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    May 26, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    May 28, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & BeveragesProduceFoodborne Illness
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Due to possible contamination with Salmonella

    Company Name:
    Supreme Service Solutions, LLC.
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    Supreme Produce

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Fresh cucumbers and salad and vegetable trays containing fresh cucumbers.

    Company Announcement
    Summary of Recall: Supreme Service Solutions LLC. (dba Supreme Produce) is voluntarily recalling items purchased from Bedner Growers Inc. (purchased from Kroger and its affiliates ) due to possible contamination with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
    The recalled cucumbers also were sold to a wholesale distributor, which has been directed to further contact its customers with recall instructions. The potential contamination was discovered by Bedner Browers, Inc., who initiated their recall after the US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) notified Bedner Browers, Inc. that the cucumbers have been linked by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to a Salmonella outbreak that has resulted in 26 illnesses in AL, CA, CO, FL, IL, KS, KY, MI, NC, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, and VA.
    Recalled produce was distributed to Kroger and its affiliated retail stores located in IN, IL, OH, KY, TN, MS, MO, AR and, MI.
    Products are packaged in clear-plastic grab-n-go containers of various sizes with the appearance of cut produce.
    Retail packaged items and impacted code dates:

    Product 

    UPC 

    Purchase Dates

    Cucumber Bowl with Ranch Dip

    850054894519

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Cucumber Slices W/Tajin

    850053685699

    05/08/2021 to 05/21/2025

    Fruit and Veg Tray

    850065403748

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Cucumber Carrot Ranch Pack

    850065403557

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Large Vegetable Tray

    850054894571

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Vegetable Bowl $5

    850065403380

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Vegetable Bowl $10

    860010507131

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Vegetable Ranch Tray No Dip Small

    850054894335

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Chef Salad

    850065403328

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Family Cobb Salad

    850054894625

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Individual Garden Salad

    850054894618

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Individual Greek Salad

    850054894649

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Family Garden Salad

    850054894601

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Individual Cobb Salad

    850054894632

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Southwest Salad

    850065403069

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Cucumber w/Ranch Snack Cup

    850065403144

    05/08/2025 to 05/21/2025

    Labels Example*: see attached
    *Note: Address line will be specific to store of purchase.
    There have been no illnesses or consumer complaints reported to date for items purchased from Supreme Produce.
    What You Should Do:Consumers should not consume and discard the product. The product(s) involved is past its shelf life and should already be out of distribution, but if consumers have any product they question, do not consume it, but rather discard it. Consumers with questions or concerns about their health should contact their Physician.
    Asking Questions?Consumers who have purchased the recalled products may obtain additional information by contacting Bedner Growers, Inc. at 866-222-9180, M-F 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EDT.
    Link to FDA Outbreak Advisory

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    Bedner Growers, Inc.
    866-222-9180

    Content current as of:
    05/28/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Topic(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –