NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI China: China-made tonne-class eVTOL delivered

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    The V2000CG CarryAll, a tonne-class electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, conducts a flight demonstration at a flight test base in Kunshan, east China’s Jiangsu Province, on July 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A Chinese tech startup on Tuesday delivered a tonne-class electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, marking a breakthrough in the application of large eVTOLs.

    Developed by the Shanghai-based company AutoFlight, the V2000CG CarryAll boasts a maximum takeoff weight of 2 tonnes.

    Following the acquisition of the type certificate and production certificate last year, along with the airworthiness certificate acquired on Monday, the unmanned aircraft will be operated by a Guangzhou-based low-altitude transportation business.

    The all-electric V2000CG CarryAll has a payload capacity of up to 400 kg with a maximum cruising speed of 200 km per hour and a range of 200 km. It features vertical takeoff and landing capabilities and a fixed-wing cruising design, enabling its applications in low-altitude logistics, emergency response and other fields.

    Xie Jia, senior vice president of AutoFlight, said that the aircraft type has so far completed more than 40,000 km of safe flights over various terrains across China and other countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Japan, which help validate its performance and explore its potential application scenarios.

    The eVTOL’s delivery comes as China’s low-altitude economy is entering a stage of rapid growth. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the market value of the sector will soar from 500 billion yuan (about 70 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023 to 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025, and that number could reach an astounding 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to evaluate WTO ruling on standard essential patent disputes with EU

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China’s Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday said it will carefully evaluate the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on China’s standard essential patent disputes with the European Union (EU), and address the issue in accordance with WTO rules.

    A spokesperson for the ministry said that the arbitration panel had upheld the expert group’s ruling, affirming that China’s actions had not affected the protection of patent rights by other WTO members and were not considered measures for the enforcement of intellectual property regulations under WTO rules. China welcomed the decision.

    However, in the absence of basis, the panel wrongly concluded that WTO members should avoid affecting the ability of patent holders to exercise their rights in other members’ territories. China has expressed dissatisfaction with this over-extension of WTO member obligations, the spokesperson said.

    China recognizes the value of the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) in effectively resolving trade disputes through legal channels, and will continue to work with other MPIA participants to ensure its proper and effective implementation, jointly upholding the rule-based multilateral trading system, the spokesperson noted.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MATSUI AND COLLEAGUES SLAM REVISED GUIDANCE FOR BROADBAND, EQUITY, ACCESS, AND DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

    WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a group of 22 lawmakers in a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Howard Lutnick, expressing deep concerns regarding the recent restructuring of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. 

    The BEAD Program provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs in all 50 states. Over 40 states and territories, including California, had partially or fully completed the process of selecting projects for deployment. But last month, DOC released new guidelines through their BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice (BPRN) that threatens to derail progress. The notice would force states to reopen the application process and rescind preliminary and provisional awards—substantially delaying efforts to get shovels in the ground and broadband to the communities that need it most.

      

    “Despite your stated goals of removing burdensome requirements from the BEAD Program and ensuring American taxpayers receive the ‘benefit of the bargain,’ the BRPN actually further complicates and delays the program for all stakeholders, violating congressional intent” wrote the lawmakers. “Worst of all, American families and businesses will be left with inferior connectivity.”

    The new guidelines impose burdensome scoring requirements that would hamstring states’ flexibility to choose the most effective mix of technologies to deliver reliable, scalable, and future-proof internet service.  On top of that, the Trump administration’s changes would gut key safeguards—slashing protections for affordability, good-paying jobs, climate-resilient infrastructure, and a free and open internet. These changes will drive up costs for consumers while driving down the quality of service.

    “The BEAD Program you inherited on January 20, 2025, was on track to get shovels in the ground months ago to deliver reliable, high-speed internet to communities on the wrong side of the digital divide. Nothing about the BRPN simplifies the BEAD Program for state broadband offices or providers, and the changes you insist upon will only lead to indefinite delays and worse internet service for Americans,” the lawmakers continued. 

    The full letter is available HERE. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Aderholt Celebrates Grand Opening of Nauvoo Capstone Rural Health Clinic

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

    Nauvoo, Alabama — Congressman Robert Aderholt joined community leaders, healthcare professionals, and residents today for the official ribbon cutting and grand opening of the newly constructed Capstone Rural Health Clinic in Nauvoo.

    Standing inside the clinic’s state-of-the-art facility, Congressman Aderholt marked the occasion as a moment of progress and renewed commitment to rural health care. He praised the Capstone team for their steadfast dedication to delivering both medical and behavioral health services in the community — even while operating for years out of an inadequate and non-ADA-compliant building.

    “When my office received the request to help secure funding for this project, I knew it was the kind of investment that makes a real difference,” Aderholt said. “That’s why I was proud to request and secure $725,000 in federal funding to help bring this facility to life.”

    The new clinic addresses longstanding infrastructure limitations and significantly expands the services available to the Nauvoo community. Features of the upgraded facility include:

    • Expanded access to both primary and behavioral health care;
    • Space to add an additional primary care provider;
    • On-site case management to help patients navigate complex health and social needs;
    • A dedicated Telehealth suite for increased provider access;
    • ADA-compliant access throughout, including to the pharmacy.

    Within a 30-mile radius, Capstone’s clinic may be the only source of consistent, community-based care. With this expansion, the clinic expects to handle an additional 1,000 to 1,500 patient visits annually — in addition to the 3,600 visits already served each year. The on-site pharmacy currently fills over 2,500 prescriptions each month.

    “This clinic is more than a building — it is a beacon of hope for rural families,” said Aderholt. “Congressional earmarks sometimes get a bad name, but this is a shining example of how smart, community-driven investments can improve lives and strengthen the fabric of our towns.”

    Congressman Aderholt concluded his remarks by thanking Capstone’s leadership and staff for their vision, and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting rural health initiatives across Alabama’s 4th District.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Lauren Underwood Demands Answers from ICE and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Alleged ICE Activity in Joliet Last Week

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Lauren Underwood, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, wrote to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons after receiving no response to previous inquiries regarding alleged ICE activity in Joliet, Illinois last week.

    Multiple witnesses report that on Wednesday, July 9th, an unmarked black truck taking part in alleged ICE enforcement actions rammed a civilian vehicle in a high-traffic public area, trapping it near a youth center, high school, and minor league baseball stadium. Witnesses report that four individuals in military-style fatigues then allegedly exited the vehicle and pointed automatic weapons at the vehicle’s occupants, removing one of them and telling him he would “be removed on the 22nd.”

    “If true,” Underwood wrote, “these allegations are a flagrant violation of law enforcement’s responsibility to prioritize community safety, minimize potential risks to civilians and officers involved in operations, and operate with extreme care and sensitivity for child welfare. The reckless use of vehicle assault and weapons of war on our streets – especially in areas near schools and youth centers where these actions pose heightened risks to children – is completely unacceptable.” 

    People who need help with federal agencies like ICE and DHS are always encouraged to contact Rep. Underwood’s office for free assistance at (630) 549-2190 or https://underwood.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency. 

    Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

     

    July 17, 2025

     

    The Honorable Todd Lyons

    Acting Director

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    500 12th Street SW

    Washington D.C. 20536                                            

    Dear Acting Director Lyons,

    I write to urgently request a detailed briefing regarding reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement action last week in Joliet, Illinois that allegedly put the community’s safety at risk. My office reached out to your office via email and phone last week immediately after hearing these reports but has not received any response from ICE despite repeated follow-ups.  

    Multiple witnesses report that on Wednesday, July 9th, an unmarked black extended cab truck taking part in ICE enforcement actions allegedly rammed the rear of a civilian vehicle and forcibly trapped it near the intersection of Cass and Arch Street in Joliet. This location is adjacent to a youth center, a high school, and a minor league baseball stadium, and is considered a high-traffic public area. 

    Witnesses further report that four individuals, reportedly dressed in military-style fatigues with black bulletproof vests labeled “Police,” allegedly exited the vehicle and pointed what were described as automatic weapons at the vehicle’s occupants. Witnesses then report seeing one man being removed from the vehicle that was rammed and detained. We have since been informed that the individual was told he would be “removed on the 22nd.” 

    These allegations, if true, are egregious. They appear to be a flagrant violation of law enforcement’s responsibility to prioritize community safety, minimize potential risks to civilians and officers involved in operations, and operate with extreme care and sensitivity for child welfare. The reckless use of vehicle assault and weapons of war on our streets – especially in areas near schools and youth centers where these actions pose heightened risks to children – is completely unacceptable.  

    Given the nature, location, and urgency of these allegations, I request a comprehensive briefing from you or senior leadership on your team on this incident no later than July 20, 2025. Please contact my office at 202-570-2381 or il14.scheduling@mail.house.gov as soon as possible to schedule this. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and I look forward to your timely response.

    Sincerely,

    Lauren Underwood

    Member of Congress

    CC: The Honorable Kristi Noem, Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Lauren Underwood Delivers Remarks at the Full Committee Markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Funding Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

    WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) delivered the following remarks at the House Appropriations Committee markup of the fiscal year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill:

    “Families in northern Illinois are in a cost-of-living crisis. The price of rent is through the roof. Actually buying a home feels more out of reach than ever. And working people are paying more—and waiting longer —to get to work and back home every single day.

    We heard Republicans talk endlessly about inflation and the cost of living before the election. But what have they done since? Nothing to lower costs. Nothing to help families. Nothing to make housing more affordable or transit more reliable.

    Instead, they’ve pushed through their “Big Ugly Bill,” which gives tax breaks to the same corporations and private equity firms that are driving up the cost of housing and construction.

    And now, the bill in front of us today continues the Republican agenda of stealing from the poor to give to the rich.

    This bill cuts nearly $1 billion from effective, data-backed housing programs.

    While rents skyrocket, Republicans are gutting the very programs that help the lowest-income families keep a roof over their heads and pushing more families into homelessness.

    These policies don’t just ignore the housing crisis—they’re fueling it.

    This bill also includes more poison pills that, once again, do nothing to help families in northern Illinois.

    This bill includes language to block HUD from building energy-efficient housing. It also strips away basic protections for tenants, making it easier for families to be evicted in violation of their rights.

    And the transportation cuts in this bill are just as harmful.

    Families in my district depend on Metra every day to get to work, pick up their kids, and get downtown without sitting in hours of traffic.

    Yet the bill we are debating today cuts federal funding programs that Metra uses to improve service, capacity, and reliability by 98 percent.

    That means slower trains, longer waits, worse service, more traffic on our roads, and more pollution for everyone.

    Republicans are also slashing Amtrak—another essential service for Illinois families, especially in rural towns like Mendota, where Amtrak is a lifeline. These communities will be hit the hardest.

    But once again, the Republican answer to popular government services is: cut it, dismantle it, or give it away to big corporations who will charge us more. 

    Republicans will tell you this is about cutting waste. But the truth is, this is about taking resources away from working families, so they can hand the reins to their billionaire friends who want to keep making money off public services. 

    Families in my district, and across the country, deserve safe, affordable housing and reliable, efficient public transportation. 

    They deserve a government that shows up for them, not one that guts the programs they depend on.

    With this bill, Republicans are once again failing to address the cost-of-living crisis that is crushing families in northern Illinois.

    I urge my colleagues to reject this cruel, out-of-touch bill.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Harder Calls for National Aging Conference to Fast-Track Solutions for Seniors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10)

    Senior population skyrocketing while resources, health care access dwindling

    Last convened in 2015, time running out for 10-year Aging Conference this year

    WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) called for immediate action to fast-track solutions to address unprecedented challenges for seniors. As the senior population grows, long-term care becomes less accessible and more unaffordable, leaving many seniors without the critical care they need.

    The White House Conference on Aging is traditionally held every ten years and was last convened in 2015. With time running out to hold the conference this year, Rep. Harder introduced legislation to demand the federal government take this long-term care crisis seriously and immediately convene the 2025 Conference. 

    The aging crisis by the numbers:

    • By 2034, seniors will outnumber children under 18 years old for the first time ever.
    • 70% of seniors need long-term care at a time when the long-term care workforce is short nearly 8 million workers.
    • More than 53 million Americans currently provide unpaid caregiving services to family members, and nearly one-third of unpaid caregivers report experiencing mental health challenges.

    “A caregiver collapse is coming, and we’re running out of time to prevent it,” said Rep. Harder. “Seniors can’t get the care they need, and now many parents are being squeezed to provide for their parents and their kids at the same time. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to change course before it’s too late – that’s why I’m calling for the 2025 Aging Conference to immediately convene and put long term care at the top of the agenda.”  

    Harder’s top priorities for the 2025 White House Conference on Aging:

    • Protect health care access, including Medi-Cal and the Affordable Care Act.
    • Tackle workforce shortages facing the nation’s health care system.
    • Reduce barriers to quality, affordable in-home care.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Crow Secures Key Wins in Annual Defense Bill for Colorado

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), a former Army Ranger who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, announced today that more than 15 provisions he championed have been successfully included in the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Congressman Crow’s provisions focused on improving the lives of servicemembers and their families, modernizing our military to make America more safe, and investing in Colorado’s space industry to make us more competitive.

    “I served in combat and know the critical role Congress plays in improving the quality of life for servicemembers, strengthening our military readiness, and keeping Americans safe,” said Congressman Crow. “As a Member of the Armed Services Committee, I’ve worked in a bipartisan fashion to secure key wins for Colorado and support our men and women in uniform.”

    Congressman Crow’s provisions included in this year’s Pentagon budget include:

    Improving the Lives of our Servicemembers:

    • Upgrading Digital Health Technologies for Traumatic Brain Injury: Improves care for active-duty servicemembers suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) by identifying ways that digital technology can be used to better deliver care.
    • Preventing Traumatic Brain Injuries in Fighter Pilots: Directs the Department of Defense to create a strategy to better identify, document, and treat TBIs in active duty pilots.
    • Providing Dental for Our Troops: Ensures no-cost dental care for all reservists, which will help recruiting, retention, and readiness.
    • Securing affordable health care for servicemembers: Ensures children’s hospitals that serve a large population of active duty families can continue providing high quality, affordable healthcare for servicemembers and their children.

    Investing in Colorado’s Space Industry & Making America More Competitive:

    • Bolstering Crucial Space Programs: Provides U.S. Space Systems Command with the resources needed to compete tactically and technologically with our adversaries in outer space.
    • Modernizing Rocket Launches: Requires the Space Force to report to Congress on how it will modernize standards and processes around rocket launches so they are safer and more efficient.
    • Supporting Space Domain Awareness: Improves our ability to track objects, like satellites, and activities happening outside of our atmosphere.
    • Increasing competition when the government buys space technology: Ensures that all companies have a fair shot when the U.S. government is looking to purchase technology that we use in space.

    Modernizing our Military:

    • Updating Air Force’s Flying Communications System: Authorizes support for mobile communications platforms to ensure continuity of government and national military command and control during a crisis
    • Protecting Assets Against Climate Change: Ensures climate shocks don’t negatively impact military installations, training, operations, and readiness.
    • Ensuring the Military Protects Civilians in Combat: Compels the Department of Defense to produce a report on how civilian harm could impact the success of military operations.
    • Improving the Defense Supply Chain: Encourages changes to the way DoD buys equipment so the supply chain that supports our defense is stronger and more efficient.
    • Strengthening the Afghanistan War Commission: Gives them more tools to complete their bipartisan assessment of key decisions made over twenty years of war in Afghanistan and to produce their final report.
    • Maintaining a global security footprint: Prevents the elimination or consolidation of US Southern Command.
    • Bolstering our strategy in Eastern Europe: Requires DoD to provide Congress an updated strategy related to NATO, and provide a detailed update on Russia’s actions. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Veterans’ Access to Non-Opioid Medications

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Ranking Member of the Economic Opportunity (EO) Subcommittee of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC), joined Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01), Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-07), Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-01), and Congressman Abraham Hamadeh (AZ-08) in introducing the NOPAIN for Veterans Act, bipartisan legislation to increase veterans’ access to non-opioid pain medications.

    “Veterans served and sacrificed for our country, and they shouldn’t face barriers to accessing the medications and treatments they need and prefer. Making non-opioid pain management more affordable and accessible to veterans is common sense for their health and for preventing addiction,” said Congressman Pappas. “This bipartisan legislation will close the gap on VA’s non-opioid drug coverage to help our veterans stay safe and healthy.”

    The opioid epidemic has impacted nearly every demographic in the United States. In response, Congress passed the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act in 2022 so seniors on Medicare have access to and never pay more for non-opioid pain management medications.

    To ensure veterans have the same access, the NOPAIN for Veterans Act would reform the way the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers and covers non-opioid pain management drugs. The legislation would require VA to furnish and cover non-opioid pain management drugs under VA pharmacy benefits if those drugs are covered by Medicare.

    “Our veterans deserve the very best care, which includes access to safer options for managing pain,” said Congressman Landsman. “Our bipartisan bill is a commonsense step to make non-opioid treatments more affordable and available to those who’ve served our country, and a way to prevent addiction before it starts. We can protect our veteran’s health and keep pushing forward in the fight to end the opioid epidemic.”

    “I thank the VA for taking the issue of opioid administration mismanagement seriously and the great strides they have made over the years to improve care for our vets,” said Congressman Van Orden. “Veterans must have access to comprehensive medical treatment plans, and the NOPAIN for Veterans Act will provide pain management alternatives that are safer, more effective, and promote long-term recovery.” 

    “As a police chief in Southwestern Ohio, we are on the front lines of the opioid addiction epidemic. As a veteran myself, I know that veterans face additional risks for developing a substance use disorder and prevention is critical for these individuals. This bill will go a long way towards preventing addiction in our veteran community,” said Tom Synan, Board Member of Voices for Non-Opioid Choices:

    The full text of the NOPAIN for Veterans Act can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Continues to Underscore the Negative Impact of the Big, Ugly Bill on New Hampshire Communities and Seniors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) met with staff and residents of Hillsborough County Nursing Home (HCNH) to discuss how the Republican’s so-called “One Big, Beautiful Bill”, which is now law, makes devastating cuts to Medicaid funding that is essential to New Hampshire nursing homes, their operations, and patient care.

    “People deserve to retire with dignity and live peacefully. Nursing homes are key to ensuring our seniors can do so while getting the care they need. Medicaid is the primary payer for about six in ten nursing home residents. The Big, Ugly Bill, which is now law, makes devastating cuts to Medicaid funding that New Hampshire nursing homes rely on to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. Without these resources, their services and care are in real jeopardy,” said Congressman Pappas. “Today I joined staff and residents of Hillsborough County Nursing Home to hear directly from them about these impacts. I fought against the passage of this cruel legislation, and I will continue working to protect health care access and other essential programs for New Hampshire families and seniors.”

    “Our nursing homes try our best to provide quality, affordable care to seniors. The cuts to Medicaid threaten our operations, will increase costs for residents, push the burden onto county taxpayers, and ultimately, could lead to loss of care throughout our state,” said David Ross, Administrator of the Hillsborough County Nursing Home. “Ahead of the reconciliation bill’s passage, I reached out to the Congressman’s office about my concerns. I’m grateful for him voting no, for coming to us today to hear from staff and our residents, and for his work to protect and strengthen access to care.”

    Background:

    Pappas voted against Republicans’ reconciliation bill every timeit came to the floor. Pappas filed two amendments to the Senate-passed Republican reconciliation bill to protect Granite Staters’ access to Medicaid and food assistance and to prevent Congress from passing the burden of cuts to these programs onto the state; neither was adopted.

    Now law, this legislation included deep cuts to health care and food programs for working families to cover the cost of $5 trillion in tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. It will leave an estimated 17 million Americans uninsured, including at least 46,388 Granite Staters; trigger $500 billion in cuts to Medicare; increase monthly out-of-pocket costs for families and leave more Americans with overwhelming medical debt; defund Planned Parenthood, leaving more than 1.1 million women without access to needed care like cancer screenings and birth control; and kick millions of Americans off SNAP, leaving them unable to put food on the table.

    In February, Pappas held a roundtable with New Hampshire health care advocates and community leaders to highlight the devastating impact the Republican budget would have on New Hampshire residents’ access to health care and local community health centers’ ability to serve their patients. In April, he held another discussion to highlight the negative impact the legislation would have on people who access care through the Medicaid program and New Hampshire’s Medicaid Expansion. Pappas spoke on the floor several times in opposition to the reconciliation bill and on behalf of his constituents on Medicaid and SNAP.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Statement on Passage of Cryptocurrency Legislation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) released the following statement after voting in support of H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, and S.1582, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act:

    “In order for New Hampshire and the United States to remain innovation leaders, we must embrace emerging technologies and establish baseline rules and guardrails for cryptocurrency. The legislation considered today is necessary to begin to provide common-sense safeguards, establish consumer protections, and allow entrepreneurs and small businesses to spur economic growth.”

    “Today’s action is just the start of this process. I remain committed to working with regulators, industry stakeholders, and my constituents to ensure that new policies are written in a way that drives innovation, protects consumers, and prevents bad actors and U.S. adversaries from abusing this technology. I am deeply concerned by President Trump’s disregard for existing ethics standards and laws, and I urge Congress to strengthen anti-corruption rules and enforcement that prevent public officials from violating the public trust.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Joins Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers, Advocates to Condemn Shutdown of 988 LGBTQ+ Crisis Lifeline

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Today, in response to the LGBTQ+ subline of the 988 crisis support hotline being shut down as previously ordered by the Trump Administration, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers and national mental health advocates to speak out against the harmful decision and called for its immediate reversal. Today’s event follows an earlier plea to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., urging his office to “scrap this ill-advised plan.” WATCH HERE.

    Since its launch in 2022, the LGBTQ+ subline under the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has been a critical, life-saving resource for LGBTQ+ youth and adults facing mental health crises. The line has handled nearly 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats from LGBTQ+ individuals seeking support. Its closure comes at a time of growing need — just last year, nearly 40 percent of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide, according to national surveys.

    “LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. It should not be a political issue, but a matter of basic human decency to restore the 988 hotline’s specialized services that have been proven to save LGBTQ+ children’s lives,” said Rep. Pappas. “We all know someone who struggles with their mental health. We will continue to call on the administration to right this wrong and make them see why they must fund these critical services for LGBTQ+ youth.” 

    The decision to shut down the LGBTQ+ subline has drawn widespread concern from mental health experts and civil rights organizations, including The Trevor Project, which helped establish the dedicated line in partnership with the federal government. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ own data shows the subline has significantly expanded access to crisis care for LGBTQ+ individuals, especially youth in underserved communities.

    Today’s press conference included Representatives Sharice Davids (KS-03), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mike Lawler (NY-17), and representatives from The Trevor Project, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The bipartisan group emphasized that the LGBTQ+ subline is not duplicative or political — it is a proven, specialized tool that meets a real and growing public health need. 

    “The 988 Lifeline’s ‘press 3’ option represents a landmark, bipartisan achievement that has connected more than 1.5 million LGBTQ+ youth in crisis with life-saving care during their darkest moments,” said Jaymes Black, CEO, The Trevor Project. “Ending our country’s suicide crisis is about people, not politics — and we are devastated that the federal government has prioritized a political agenda over saving the lives of at-risk young Americans. Even in the wake of this difficult news, we express our enormous gratitude to the champions in Congress and across the mental health space who have fought to protect these life-saving services — and who continue to fight for a country that supports the health, happiness, and safety of LGBTQ+ young people everywhere. For any LGBTQ+ young person who needs help or support, The Trevor Project’s counselors are still here for you 24/7 — no matter what. Visit TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help.” 

    “LGBTQ+ youth face unique challenges — including stigma, discrimination, and elevated stress — that contribute to a suicide attempt rate more than four times higher than their non-LGBTQ+ peers,” said Robert Gebbia, Chief Executive Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “Recognizing the urgent need for culturally competent support, Congress established a dedicated crisis line for LGBTQ+ youth in 2022. Since then, usage has grown steadily, with over 1.4 million contacts as of June 2025. We are grateful to Representatives Moulton, Krishnamoorthi, Davids, Matsui, Salinas, Tonko, Pappas, Fitzpatrick, and Lawler for championing continued support for this life-saving resource. At a time when youth, including LGBTQ+ youth, are facing a mental health crisis, eliminating specialized services would endanger lives.” 

    “Since its launch, over 1.3 million individuals have reached out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults. The importance of talking to someone who understands your experience or has a shared experience with you is invaluable, and it has saved countless lives,” said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “NAMI urges the Administration to immediately reverse its decision eliminating these specialized services and to support resources for the mental health of our LGBTQ+ friends and family, who are tragically at a higher risk of suicide.” 

    If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call, text, or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Guest Opens Hearing on How NGOs Fueled the Border Crisis: “Tax Dollars Were Used to Form the Final Link in Cartels’ Human Smuggling”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael Guest (MS-03)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS), chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement, delivered the following opening statement in a full committee hearing to examine how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) helped facilitate and benefited from the historic Biden-Harris border crisis, as well as how far-left NGOs are still working to help inadmissible aliens undermine federal immigration law under the Trump administration. 

      

       

    Watch Subcommittee Chairman Guest’s full opening statement in a hearing entitled, “An Inside Job: How NGOs Facilitated the Biden Border Crisis.”

     
    As prepared for delivery:
     
    For four years, the Biden-Harris administration created the worst border crisis in American history. From day one, Biden, Harris, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas implemented a policy of mass catch-and-release, dismantled effective border-security policies, and gutted interior enforcement. As a result, roughly 13 million inadmissible aliens were either encountered at our borders or entered as gotaways. The consequences have been devastating.   

    Thousands of Americans were lost to fentanyl poisonings. Gang members wreaked havoc in local communities. Young women like Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, and Rachel Morin were raped, abused, and murdered by illegal aliens. 

    This committee led the way in impeaching Secretary Mayorkas for his willful and systemic refusal to enforce longstanding immigration laws—laws passed and amended over the years by bipartisan majorities in Congress. The American people also emphatically rejected the open-borders policies at the ballot box last November.  

    What is not known by many, and what will be highlighted today at this hearing, is that the Biden-Harris administration could not execute an open borders policy on its own. They needed help, and that help came from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) funded by the federal government.  

    These groups that received billions in taxpayer funding would prove instrumental in helping the Biden-Harris administration process and release a historic number of illegal aliens into our communities.  

    Under a DHS program called the Emergency Food and Shelter Humanitarian Program (EFSP-H), which later became the Shelter and Services Program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided grants to numerous NGOs, many of whom were operating at the Southwest border.  These groups spent billions of taxpayer dollars given to them by the Biden and Harris administration to provide all manner of benefits to illegal aliens “recently released from DHS custody,” according to the department. 

    Our taxpayer dollars were spent on purchasing tens of thousands of nights in hotel rooms for illegal aliens, instead of using existing ICE detention facilities to house those detained individuals. The Biden-Harris Administration sent taxpayer dollars to NGOs to put them in hotels at the cost of hundreds of dollars per night, often without any ICE supervision. 

    Even worse, our tax dollars were used to form the final link in the cartels’ human smuggling operation, paying to help illegal aliens travel to their preferred destination—Chicago, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and other destinations of choice.   

    Jason Owens, then-chief of the Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector, told us in an official interview, “ICE would then turn [illegal aliens] over to NGOs for them to travel to wherever they were going to go while they await their hearing.”   

    Recent studies have shown that illegal aliens who passed through the doors of these NGOs at the border ended up in effectively every congressional district in this country. Many of the NGOs served as a launching pad for mass illegal immigration.   

    The abuse was so widespread that even the Biden-Harris administration and the NGOs couldn’t deny what was happening. In June 2022, one DHS official said the department “will continue to closely coordinate with and support…NGOs to facilitate the movement of any individual encountered at the Southwest border…” John Martin with the Opportunity Center for the Homeless, an NGO in El Paso, said that his organization works with illegal aliens to “facilitate travel to the destination of their choice.”  

    These actions appear to constitute a violation of Section 274 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which prohibits any individual from encouraging or inducing someone to enter the country unlawfully, or helping transport them in the interior. 

    Corruption and waste were rampant in the spending by NGOs. Under Biden and Harris, DHS’s top watchdog audited millions of dollars that had gone to local grant recipients over a six-month period in 2021. They found that a lack of proper documentation kept them from determining how more than half of that money had been spent. In some cases, they discovered that funds had been used to pay for benefits for individuals who were legally ineligible to receive them.    

    The Biden border crisis proved to be a profitable business model for NGOs. According to the Free Press, three large NGOs involved in handling unaccompanied alien children—Global Refuge who received 85 percent of its revenue from government grants, Endeavors who received 97 percent of its funding from government grants and Southwest Key Programs who received an astonishing 99 percent of its revenue from government funding — these three groups saw “their combined revenue grow to an astonishing $2 billion by 2022.”   
     
    They had a vested interest in prolonging the crisis. One NGO, Southwest Key Programs, used the increase in government funding to raise salaries of officers across the board, including an over $675,000 salary increase for their CEO, according to media reporting.  

    Many NGOs tried to mislead the public in how these funds were being allocated, as documented by a recent Florida grand jury investigation, “actively obstructed” efforts to determine how they were spending federal dollars. The grand jury also noted that some NGOs received the vast majority of their funding from federal grants—pretty interesting for groups calling themselves “non-governmental organizations.”  

    The American people are tired of being told that we should fund the actions of those breaking our laws. They are tired of groups encouraging people to cross the border illegally, and organizations that facilitate the release of illegal aliens into the interior.   

    When would-be border crossers know that a host of benefits awaits them immediately after crossing the border, they are more likely to make the deadly journey. That’s exactly what happened on Biden and Harris’s watch as millions of vulnerable people put themselves in the hands of the cartels and smuggling groups.

    An untold number perished along the route. Tens of thousands more suffered physical and sexual assault on the way, and many are still trapped paying off their cartel debts through forced labor or working in the sex trade.   

    We can and should look for ways to care for the vulnerable and less fortunate. But using taxpayer dollars to undermine our laws and the well-being of Americans and migrants alike is not the way to do it. We cannot let taxpayer dollars be used to facilitate lawbreaking. Shining a light on this disgrace is the first step in accountability. This can never happen again.   

      

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amo Calls Out Trump’s Cuts to Vital Weather Services After Tragic Texas Floods

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Trump’s Cuts to the NOAA and the NWS Undercut American Disaster Readiness in the Midst of Atlantic Hurricane Season

    Washington, D.C. – TODAY, Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI) of the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on the Environment highlighted the devastating impact of  President Trump ’s cuts to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service.

    “Dedicated public servants work around the clock, ensuring our communities are warned and protected in real time. These experts are the backbone of America’s weather enterprise. But this Administration is taking a sledgehammer to that backbone,” said Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI). “We need a fully staffed and well-resourced National Weather Service and continued funding for the critical research capacities at NOAA. Not just to help predict storms, but to help communities prepare, coordinate emergency response, and warn Americans when minutes matter.”

     

    Watch Congressman Amo’s Opening Remarks Here

     

    Background

    Congressman Amo, serves as the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Environment on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. This subcommittee has jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which administers the National Weather Service.

    Ranking Member Amo, Science, Space, and Technology Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Subcommittee Ranking Member Greg Stanton (D-AZ) sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and NOAA seeking answers on federal activity in preparation for and in response to the tragic floods in Texas.

    Amo and Ranking Member Lofgren alsosent a letter calling on Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to testify before the Committee about the staffing shortages at the National Weather Service and their potential impact on the Texas flash floods.

    Amo and CongresswomanEmilia Sykes (D-OH) led 64 Democratic colleagues in calling on the Acting NOAA Administrator Laura Grimm to reinstate the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters Report to ensure America has a record of the increasing number of storms that cause catastrophic financial damage to communities.

    On Earth Day, April 22nd 2025, Amo led colleagues on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee to express alarm over Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and NOAA Acting Administrator Laura Grimm’s proposal to slash NOAA’s budget and cripple the agency.

     

    Ranking Member Amo’s Remarks as Delivered

    Thank you, Chair Franklin, for convening today’s hearing on how innovative technologies can strengthen weather forecasting and protect communities across the country. I also want to thank our witnesses for joining us, especially given the rescheduling of this hearing.

    As we all know, this hearing comes at a devastating time. Just last week, catastrophic flooding struck Texas, New Mexico, and North Carolina. Texas lost at least 134 lives, 37 of whom were children, and at least 101 people remain missing. In New Mexico, a man and two children, ages 7 and 4, were killed. Tropical Storm Chantal, and at least 2 tornadoes, hit North Carolina with one woman confirmed dead.

    Entire families were lost. Livelihoods destroyed. Communities shattered. To the families grieving unimaginable loss, and to the first responders still working through the wreckage, our hearts are with you.

    Unfortunately, this won’t be the last disaster we face. Climate change is accelerating extreme weather, and we must do more to prepare our communities.

    We need to confront a hard truth: the United States cannot lead in weather prediction, cannot harness innovation, and cannot protect lives and property — without people.

    Meteorologists who issue forecasts and warnings.

    Hydrologists who model flood risks.

    Climate scientists who analyze long-term trends.

    Data analysts and modelers who improve forecast accuracy.

    Emergency managers who translate forecasts into action.

    Dedicated public servants, many represented here today, who work around the clock, ensuring our communities are warned and protected in real time. These experts are the backbone of America’s weather enterprise. But this Administration is taking a sledgehammer to that backbone.

    On May 2nd, five former directors of the National Weather Service wrote to President Trump with a warning: “Our worst nightmare is that forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life.”

    This Administration has already haphazardly gutted 15% of the National Weather Service’s workforce. These were career public servants. Scientists and forecasters. People who devoted their lives to keeping Americans safe.

    Now the remaining staff are being asked to do the impossible: operate at full capacity, with reduced numbers, during an above-average Atlantic hurricane season. It’s unacceptable. We are flying blind into the eye of the storm, quite literally.

    We’re already seeing the consequences. While it’s too early to draw final conclusions about the tragic flooding in Texas, early reporting suggests that staff shortages in local weather forecasting offices may have impaired coordination with local officials.

    In the San Angelo forecasting office, critical positions were vacant, including the meteorologist-in-charge, senior hydrologist, and staff forecaster. Nearby, San Antonio’s forecasting office lacked a warning coordination meteorologist and science officer. These aren’t optional roles. These are lifesaving roles.

    We need a fully staffed and well-resourced National Weather Service, full stop. Not just to help predict storms, but to help communities prepare, coordinate emergency response, and warn Americans when minutes matter.

    And yet, even in the face of growing disasters, Trump’s proposed 2026 budget would:

    Eliminate funding for NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, including climate, weather, and ocean labs and cooperative institutes, such as those serving on our witness panel today, lash NOAA’s workforce by an additional 17%, and extract over $1.8 billion from its current budget, weakening the core services Americans rely on.

    Thankfully, it seems like Congressional appropriators care more about protecting Americans from extreme weather than we’ve seen from the Trump administration.

    This is playing out in real time back in Rhode Island. Last year, we celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Marine Operations Center, a nearly $150 million investment in NOAA’s research fleet and Rhode Island’s blue economy. But with the hiring freeze still in place, there’s no guarantee it will be staffed when it opens. That’s not efficiency – its waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.

    That’s why last week, Ranking Member Lofgren and I demanded Secretary Lutnick testify before this Committee. Come and give answers. The staffing crisis at the National Weather Service is a public safety threat. We need answers, and more importantly, we need a plan, not concepts of a plan.

    Today, let’s not talk about innovation in the abstract. Let’s talk about what it takes to make that innovation real: investment in data, commitment to people, and trust in science.

    Let’s protect lives and property, not just in name. Let’s protect in practice.

    Thank you. I yield back.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Omar Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on the Future of Workplace Safety

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

    WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) delivered the following opening statement at a Workforce Protections Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Safe Workplaces, Stronger Partnerships: The Future of OSHA Compliance Assistance.”

    “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today.

     “Over the last six months, the Trump Administration has embarked on an aggressive assault on worker protections. And just in the past two weeks, Trump’s Department of Labor has released five dozen deregulatory rulemakings – two-thirds of which focus on health and safety issues.

     “These proposals target core worker protections, including changes to child labor rules, removing a requirement as basic and essential as having adequate lighting on construction sites, and even weakening workers’ protections against asbestos.

     “This spree of deregulation follows months of mass firing at the very agencies tasked with researching and investigating workplace conditions—and a proposed budget that would reduce inspections and slash DOL’s capacity to develop new safety standards.

     “The message is clear: workers’ rights and protections are under attack. Compliance assistance programs, such as the Voluntary Protection Program, have their place. But they are no substitute for clear standards that are actively and effectively enforced.

     “No job should ever be a death sentence. Workers deserve to come home to their families at the end of the day alive, healthy, and whole. Yet, according to the AFL-CIO, workplace hazards killed approximately one hundred forty thousand workers in 2023, including 5,283 workers from traumatic injuries and an estimated 135,000 from occupational diseases.

     “To protect workers from harm, Congress passed landmark safety laws and established important agencies like OSHA, MSHA, NIOSH, and the Chemical Safety and Hazards Investigation Board. When they are allowed to do their jobs and are fully funded, these agencies save lives and prevent harm to workers. But now, the Trump Administration is attempting to strip away safety regulations and dismantle critical agencies like NIOSH & the CSB. In doing so, they are threatening the lives of workers who rely on those safeguards and the resources these agencies provide.

     “In my own district, we are already feeling the consequences of these cuts. The University of Minnesota’s Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety is one of just 18 NIOSH-funded Education and Research Centers in the nation. It trains the next generation of workplace safety experts who will help protect our workers in high-risk industries.

     “Without NIOSH, the invaluable research and workforce development provided by that Center—and others like it across the country—will be lost. That means fewer trained medical and safety professionals, less research capacity on critical issues such as heat stress, and decreased investment in innovative technologies that can prevent illness and injury.

     “The Trump Administration’s deregulatory agenda will result in more injuries, more deaths, more grieving families – and lessaccountability for employers who put their workers in harm’s way.

     “Committee Democrats are committed to honoring those workers who have been harmed or killed on the job, not just with words, but with action to change the system.

     “Later today, Ranking Member Scott will reintroduce a bill that will finally bring workers the common-sense protections they deserve against heat-related injury and illness.

     “I am a proud cosponsor of the Asunción ValdiviaHeat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which requires OSHA to finally issue an enforceable rule with the strongest feasible protections against heat illness, including paid rest breaks, access to water, shaded or cooled recovery areas, and training that is delivered in a language and format that workers understand. These are sensible safeguards that will save lives. 

    “Ranking Member Scott, Representative Courtney, and I also reintroduced the Protecting America’s Workers Act, which would make long-overdue improvements to the enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This bill would expand coverage to millions of workers currently excluded from the law’s protections and strengthen whistleblower protections. These reforms are critical to preventing the most serious violations that endanger workers’ safety.

    “Democrats are offering real solutions to the problems workers face on the job instead of ripping away protections. I hope that our discussion today can center around ensuring that workers come home safely at the end of the day.

    “Finally, Mr. Chairman, I request unanimous consent to enter into the record a statement from the United Steelworkers about the compliance assistance programs we will be discussing today. 

    “Thank you, and I yield back.”

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Omar Introduces Five Amendments to FY 2026 Defense Appropriations Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

    WASHINGTON–Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced five amendments to the FY 2026 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. The amendments aim to center human rights; redirect funds to critical medical research; destroy chemical agents and munitions; stop military funding to Israel; fund environmental restoration to clean up hazardous substances, pollutants, and munitions from former defense sites; and prohibit the United States Northern Command from unlawfully operating inside Mexico.

    “We have a moral responsibility to reduce our defense budget and invest in our communities,” said Rep. Omar. “It’s way past time we stop writing blank checks for endless wars that only hurt our reputation abroad and do not make us safer. I introduced five amendments to bring us in line with a more just defense budget–one that centers the needs of the American people and addresses past harms. Earlier this month, Congress greenlit an additional $150 billion to our defense budget to fund Trump’s police state. At a time when the United States spends more on our defense than the next nine highest-spending countries combined, it is more important than ever to reorient our budget to address the pressing issues facing our communities instead of appeasing warmongers.”

    The amendments introduced by Rep. Omar include:
    •    Omar #122 – transfers $5 million from defense-wide operation and maintenance to defense health programs.
    •    Omar #123– transfers $5 million from defense-wide operation and maintenance to chemical agents and munitions destruction account.
    •    Omar #168– strikes military funding to Israel.
    •    Omar #169– transfers $5 million from Army aircraft procurement to Army environmental restoration.
    •    Omar #211– strikes the exemption for Executive Order 14167 in the prohibition on Northern Command activities with respect to Mexico.

    Additionally, Rep. Omar is cosponsoring the following amendment:
    •    Gosar #126– prohibits funds to carry out section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.

    The full text of the amendments is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CPC Taskforce Chair Ilhan Omar Condemns Bloated Pentagon Spending Bill, Highlights Amendments to Promote Peace

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

    WASHINGTON — Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chair of the Promoting Peace & Security Taskforce of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), issued the following statement on H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026, which passed on a party-line vote:

    “Last night’s Republican spending bill further bloats an out-of-control Pentagon while doubling down on skewed priorities. This bill expands funding to a military deployed by Trump to launch unconstitutional wars while enriching well-connected private contractors with no safeguards. Meanwhile, this legislation attacks the right to access reproductive healthcare in the military and guts efforts to recruit diverse servicemembers who reflect the full range of America.

    “The Pentagon has failed every audit since it became legally required to submit one in 2018. No other federal agency is thrown hundreds of billions of dollars with so little transparency. Meanwhile, Trump is illegally destroying agencies like the Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which provide urgent resources to our children’s classrooms and protect Americans from corporate fraud.

    “The Progressive Caucus will continue to push for a budget that prioritizes human needs and lifts up our communities at home—not endless wars abroad. I am proud of my CPC colleagues for putting forward commonsense alternatives to this Pentagon budget that advance peace, restraint and social justice. I urge Senate Democrats to impose meaningful checks on Trump’s unconstrained military during the appropriations process as this bill now moves to that chamber.”

    The following submitted amendments are a sampling of CPC Members’ efforts to improve the Defense Department Appropriations bill:

    Amendment #123 by Rep. Omar transfers $5 million from defense-wide operation and maintenance to chemical agents and munitions destruction account.

    Amendment #126 by Reps. Omar, Tlaib, Gosar, and Biggs prohibits funds to carry out section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.

    Amendment #337 by Rep. Chuy Garcia prohibits the use of funds for transferring data and other records to DHS for civil immigration enforcement.

    Amendment #342 by Rep. Chuy Garcia and Amendment #455 from Rep. Salinas prohibit the use of funds for the National Guard to enforce immigration laws.

    Amendment #471 by Rep. Chuy Garcia and Amendment #475 by Rep. Nadler prohibit the use of funds for transferring any individual to the Migrant Operations Center at United States Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay.

    Amendment #509 by Rep. Kamlager-Dove prohibits the use of funds to implement the June 7 presidential memo activating the deployment of the National Guards to protect ICE personnel and federal property in Los Angeles.

    Amendment #188 by Takano, Smith, Jacobs, Randall, Pappas, Torres, and Craig prohibits funds from being used to implement, administer, or enforce Executive Order No. 14183, which prohibits transgender people from serving in the military.

    Amendment #397 by Rep. Friedman strikes section 8142 – prohibiting funding for execution of DOD memorandum on access to reproductive care.

    Amendment #13 by Rep. Jacobs strikes Sections 8138, 8139, 8144, and 8145, which ban gender-affirming care, drag queen shows, and allows discrimination for people who do not support gay marriage.

    Amendment #200 by Rep. Tlaib strikes sections prohibiting programs relating to advancing racial equity and support for under-served communities and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

    Amendment 206 by Rep. Tlaib prohibits the use of funds for foreign security force training with respect to El Salvador.

    Amendment #441 from Rep. Garamendi limits funding for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program until Congress receives the Milestone B approval decision pursuant to section 4252(e) of title 10, United States Code.

    Amendment #394 from Rep. Simon and Amendment #488 from Rep. Khanna and Rep. Massie prohibits fund from being used to introduce U.S. forces into hostilities in Iran in contravention of the War Powers Resolution.

    Amendment #203 from Rep. Tlaib prohibits funds from being used in contravention of the War Powers Resolution with respect to Yemen.

    Amendment #355 from Rep. Tlaib prohibits funds from being used to support the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

    Amendment #301 from Reps. Chuy Garcia, Castro, Velázquez prohibits funds from being used for unauthorized military force against Mexico.

    Amendment #216 by Rep. Velázquez prohibits military action and/or regime change in the Western Hemisphere without Congressional authorization.

    Amendment #213 from Rep. Tlaib prohibits the use of funds to maintain a U.S. military presence inside Syria after one year, unless otherwise Congressionally authorized.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stauber Votes to Send Rescissions Package to President Trump’s Desk

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) voted to pass the Recissions Act of 2025, legislation that will claw back $9 billion in wasteful federal spending. This first rescissions package includes necessary cuts to USAID, National Public Radio (NPR), and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

    Of his vote, Congressman Stauber stated, “Today, I was proud to take an essential step to rein in federal spending and save taxpayer dollars. The bulk of this $9 billion package targets wasteful foreign spending identified by the Department of Government Efficiency. The American people should not be paying $1 million for voter ID in Haiti, $6 million for Net Zero Cities in Mexico, $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street, $4 million for sedentary migrants in Columbia, or $135 million to the World Health Organization- which lied about the origins of COVID. And there are so many other egregious examples.

    “Regarding the public broadcasting cuts included in this package, I also do not believe Americans should be forced to fund opinion journalism masquerading as unbiased news coverage. A recent survey found that 100% of NPR’s 87-person editorial board in DC are registered Democrats with zero Republicans. This has led to many concerning headlines, including one claiming there is no evidence that biological men have an unfair advantage over biological women in sports. And even worse, PBS has pushed gender-affirming care for children on its airwaves. 

    “While many on the left will falsely claim that these cuts will restrict access to information, remember that 96% of Americans report using the internet regularly, providing far more access to the news than ever before. 

    “The passage of this package through Congress is a win for commonsense and it wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership of President Trump. Our nation is currently $36 trillion in debt, so I am excited to keep the momentum going by voting for more rescission packages down the road.”

    BACKGROUND: 

    Under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA), the Administration may transmit a request to Congress to rescind previously appropriated funds through a rescissions package. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, The University of Melbourne

    HRAUN/Getty

    A young woman needs an abortion and the reasons, while urgent, are not medical. A United States Navy nurse at Guantánamo Bay is ordered to force-feed a defiant detainee on hunger strike.

    These very different real-life cases have one connecting thread: the question of whether a health professional can conscientiously object to carrying out a patient’s request.

    Freedom of conscience is often held up as a purely noble principle. But when it’s used to deny health care, it means a single person’s beliefs are dictating what is best for another person’s physical and mental health – which can have devastating, even fatal, results.

    In our recent book, Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Healthcare, colleagues and I conclude doctors should not be free to make medical decisions based on their personal beliefs.

    It’s not noble to refuse care

    Freedom of conscience is strongly – but not absolutely – protected under international human rights law. It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    This principle has often been used for moral purposes: for example, to resist orders to torture or kill.

    But after researching use of conscientious objection by health professionals, I have concluded it is seriously flawed when used to deny patients health services. This is especially so when particular doctors have a monopoly on service provision, as is the case with abortion and assisted dying in many rural and regional areas of Australia.

    In Australia, doctors are allowed to conscientiously object to abortion, although nearly all states require referral to other service providers or information about how to access the relevant service.

    In practice, these laws are not enforced and sometimes disregarded.

    A doctor’s refusal can mean patients can be denied the standard of care they need, or indeed, any care at all.

    Health-care professionals are not like pacifists refusing conscription into the military, opposing something forced upon them. They freely choose health-care careers that come with obligations and with ethical stances already established by professional codes of conduct.

    People are free to hold whatever beliefs they choose, but those beliefs will inevitably close off some options for them. For example, a vegetarian will not be able to work in an abattoir. That is true for every one of us. But what shouldn’t happen is a doctor’s personal beliefs closing off legitimate options for their patient.

    4 guiding questions

    Instead of personal values, there are four key secular principles we propose that doctors should rely on when deciding how to advise patients about sensitive procedures:

    • is it legal?

    • is it a just and fair use of any resources that might be limited?

    • is it in the interests of the patient’s wellbeing?

    • is it what the patient has themselves decided they want?

    Of course, there will be times when some of these principles are in conflict – that is when it is important to apply the most crucial ones, the wellbeing of the patient and the patient’s own wishes.

    In Ireland in 2012, a young woman named Savita Halappanavar went to an Irish hospital for treatment for her miscarriage. Doctors knew there was no hope of the pregnancy surviving but refused to evacuate her uterus while there was still a fetal heartbeat, for fear of breaching Ireland’s anti-abortion laws. The result: Savita died of septicaemia at 31.

    If doctors had put the patient’s wellbeing first, they would have given her that termination, despite the law, and it would have saved her life.

    These are the principles that should have been applied to the examples above: the woman seeking an abortion for career reasons or the nurse refusing to force-feed prisoners.

    The doctor (or nurse) should ask: Is it what the patient has autonomously decided they want? Will it lead to the best outcome for both their physical and their mental health?

    If abortion will promote a woman’s wellbeing, it is in her interests. Hunger strikers should not be force-fed because it violates their autonomy.

    An unfair burden

    While doctors’ personal values are important, they should not dictate care at the bedside. Not only can this disadvantage the patient, but it places an unfair burden on colleagues who do accept such work, and must carry a disproportionate load of procedures they might find unpleasant and financially unrewarding.

    It also creates injustice. Patients who are educated, wealthy and well-connected already find it easier to access health care. Conscientious objection intensifies that unfairness in large swathes of the country because it further limits options.

    Two countries with excellent health-care systems, Sweden and Finland, do not permit conscientious objection by medical professionals.

    In Australia, it is time we do the same and strongly limit conscientious objection as a legal right for health professionals. We should also ensure those entering the discipline are prepared to take on all procedures relevant to their specialty.

    And lastly, but most importantly, we should educate them that the patient’s interests and values must always come first. An individual doctor’s sense of moral authority should not be permitted to morph into medical and moral authoritarianism.

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

    – ref. Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients – https://theconversation.com/doctors-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-object-to-medical-care-if-it-harms-their-patients-260003

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, The University of Melbourne

    HRAUN/Getty

    A young woman needs an abortion and the reasons, while urgent, are not medical. A United States Navy nurse at Guantánamo Bay is ordered to force-feed a defiant detainee on hunger strike.

    These very different real-life cases have one connecting thread: the question of whether a health professional can conscientiously object to carrying out a patient’s request.

    Freedom of conscience is often held up as a purely noble principle. But when it’s used to deny health care, it means a single person’s beliefs are dictating what is best for another person’s physical and mental health – which can have devastating, even fatal, results.

    In our recent book, Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Healthcare, colleagues and I conclude doctors should not be free to make medical decisions based on their personal beliefs.

    It’s not noble to refuse care

    Freedom of conscience is strongly – but not absolutely – protected under international human rights law. It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    This principle has often been used for moral purposes: for example, to resist orders to torture or kill.

    But after researching use of conscientious objection by health professionals, I have concluded it is seriously flawed when used to deny patients health services. This is especially so when particular doctors have a monopoly on service provision, as is the case with abortion and assisted dying in many rural and regional areas of Australia.

    In Australia, doctors are allowed to conscientiously object to abortion, although nearly all states require referral to other service providers or information about how to access the relevant service.

    In practice, these laws are not enforced and sometimes disregarded.

    A doctor’s refusal can mean patients can be denied the standard of care they need, or indeed, any care at all.

    Health-care professionals are not like pacifists refusing conscription into the military, opposing something forced upon them. They freely choose health-care careers that come with obligations and with ethical stances already established by professional codes of conduct.

    People are free to hold whatever beliefs they choose, but those beliefs will inevitably close off some options for them. For example, a vegetarian will not be able to work in an abattoir. That is true for every one of us. But what shouldn’t happen is a doctor’s personal beliefs closing off legitimate options for their patient.

    4 guiding questions

    Instead of personal values, there are four key secular principles we propose that doctors should rely on when deciding how to advise patients about sensitive procedures:

    • is it legal?

    • is it a just and fair use of any resources that might be limited?

    • is it in the interests of the patient’s wellbeing?

    • is it what the patient has themselves decided they want?

    Of course, there will be times when some of these principles are in conflict – that is when it is important to apply the most crucial ones, the wellbeing of the patient and the patient’s own wishes.

    In Ireland in 2012, a young woman named Savita Halappanavar went to an Irish hospital for treatment for her miscarriage. Doctors knew there was no hope of the pregnancy surviving but refused to evacuate her uterus while there was still a fetal heartbeat, for fear of breaching Ireland’s anti-abortion laws. The result: Savita died of septicaemia at 31.

    If doctors had put the patient’s wellbeing first, they would have given her that termination, despite the law, and it would have saved her life.

    These are the principles that should have been applied to the examples above: the woman seeking an abortion for career reasons or the nurse refusing to force-feed prisoners.

    The doctor (or nurse) should ask: Is it what the patient has autonomously decided they want? Will it lead to the best outcome for both their physical and their mental health?

    If abortion will promote a woman’s wellbeing, it is in her interests. Hunger strikers should not be force-fed because it violates their autonomy.

    An unfair burden

    While doctors’ personal values are important, they should not dictate care at the bedside. Not only can this disadvantage the patient, but it places an unfair burden on colleagues who do accept such work, and must carry a disproportionate load of procedures they might find unpleasant and financially unrewarding.

    It also creates injustice. Patients who are educated, wealthy and well-connected already find it easier to access health care. Conscientious objection intensifies that unfairness in large swathes of the country because it further limits options.

    Two countries with excellent health-care systems, Sweden and Finland, do not permit conscientious objection by medical professionals.

    In Australia, it is time we do the same and strongly limit conscientious objection as a legal right for health professionals. We should also ensure those entering the discipline are prepared to take on all procedures relevant to their specialty.

    And lastly, but most importantly, we should educate them that the patient’s interests and values must always come first. An individual doctor’s sense of moral authority should not be permitted to morph into medical and moral authoritarianism.

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

    – ref. Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients – https://theconversation.com/doctors-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-object-to-medical-care-if-it-harms-their-patients-260003

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Do countries have a duty to prevent climate harm? The world’s highest court is about to answer this crucial question

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Nathan Cooper, Associate Professor of Law, University of Waikato

    Getty Images

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will issue a highly anticipated advisory opinion overnight to clarify state obligations related to climate change.

    It will answer two urgent questions: what are the obligations of states under international law to protect the climate and environment from greenhouse gas emissions, and what are the legal consequences for states that have caused significant harm to Earth’s atmosphere and environment?

    ICJ advisory opinions are not legally binding. But coming from the world’s highest court, they provide an authoritative opinion on serious issues that can be highly persuasive.

    This advisory opinion marks the culmination of a campaign that began in 2019 when students and youth organisations in Vanuatu – one of the most vulnerable nations to climate-related impacts – persuaded their government to seek clarification on what states should be doing to protect them.

    Led by Vanuatu and co-sponsored by 132 member states, including New Zealand and Australia, the United Nations General Assembly formally requested the advisory opinion in March 2023.

    More than two years of public consultation and deliberation ensued, leading to this week’s announcement.

    What to expect

    Looking at the specific questions to be addressed, at least three aspects stand out.

    First, the sources and areas of international law under scrutiny are not confined to the UN’s climate change framework. This invites the ICJ to consider a broad range of law – including trans-boundary environmental law, human rights law, international investment law, humanitarian law, trade law and beyond – and to draw on both treaty-related obligations and customary international law.

    Such an encyclopaedic examination could produce a complex and integrated opinion on states’ obligations to protect the environment and climate system.

    Second, the opinion will address what obligations exist, not just to those present today, but to future generations. This follows acknowledgement of the so-called “intertemporal characteristics” of climate change in recent climate-related court decisions and the need to respond effectively to both the current climate crisis and its likely ongoing consequences.

    Third, the opinion won’t just address what obligations states have, but also what the consequences should be for nations:

    where they, by their acts and omissions have caused significant harm to the climate system and other parts of the environment.

    Addressing consequences as well as obligations should cause states to pay closer attention and make the ICJ’s advisory more relevant to domestic climate litigation and policy discussions.

    Representatives from Pacific island nations gathered outside the International Court of Justice during the hearings.
    Michel Porro/Getty Images

    Global judicial direction

    Two recent court findings may offer clues as to the potential scope of the ICJ’s findings.

    Earlier this month, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights published its own advisory opinion on state obligations in response to climate change.

    Explicitly connecting fundamental human rights with a healthy ecosystem, this opinion affirmed states have an imperative duty to prevent irreversible harm to the climate system. Moreover, the duty to safeguard the common ecosystem must be understood as a fundamental principle of international law to which states must adhere.

    Meanwhile last week, an Australian federal court dismissed a landmark climate case, determining that the Australian government does not owe a duty of care to Torres Strait Islanders to protect them from the consequences of climate change.

    The court accepted the claimants face significant loss and damage from climate impacts and that previous Australian government policies on greenhouse gas emissions were not aligned with the best science to limit climate change. But it nevertheless determined that “matters of high or core government policy” are not subject to common law duties of care.

    Whether the ICJ will complement the Inter-American court’s bold approach or opt for a more constrained and conservative response is not certain. But now is the time for clear and ambitious judicial direction with global scope.

    Implications for New Zealand

    Aotearoa New Zealand aspires to climate leadership through its Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019. This set 2050 targets of reducing emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide) to net zero, and biogenic methane by 25-47%.

    However, actions to date are likely insufficient to meet this target. Transport emissions continue to rise and agriculture – responsible for nearly half of the country’s emissions – is lightly regulated.

    Although the government plans to double renewable energy by 2050, it is also in the process of lifting a 2018 ban on offshore gas exploration and has pledged $200 million to co-invest in the development of new fields.

    Critics also point out the government has made little progress towards its promise to install 10,000 EV charging stations by 2030 while axing a clean-investment fund.

    Although a final decision is yet to be made, the government is also considering to lower the target for cuts to methane emissions from livestock, against advice from the Climate Change Commission.

    With the next global climate summit coming up in November, the ICJ opinion may offer timely encouragement for states to reconsider their emissions targets and the ambition of climate policies.

    Most countries have yet to submit their latest emissions reduction pledges (known as nationally determined contributions) under the Paris Agreement. New Zealand has made its pledge, but it has been described as “underwhelming”. This may present a chance to adjust ambition upwards.

    If the ICJ affirms that states have binding obligations to prevent climate harm, including trans-boundary impacts, New Zealand’s climate change policies and progress to date could face increased legal scrutiny.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Do countries have a duty to prevent climate harm? The world’s highest court is about to answer this crucial question – https://theconversation.com/do-countries-have-a-duty-to-prevent-climate-harm-the-worlds-highest-court-is-about-to-answer-this-crucial-question-261396

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Here’s why 3-person embryos are a breakthrough for science – but not LGBTQ+ families

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Jennifer Power, Principal Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University

    Last week, scientists announced the birth of eight healthy babies in the United Kingdom conceived with DNA from three people. Some headlines have called it “three-person IVF”.

    The embryo uses the DNA from the egg and sperm of the intended father and mother, as well as cells from the egg of a second woman (the donor).

    This process – known as mitochondrial replacement therapy – allows women with certain genetic disorders to conceive a child without passing on their condition.

    While it’s raised broader questions about “three-parent” babies, it’s not so simple. Here’s why it’s unlikely this development will transform the diverse ways LGBTQ+ people are already making families.

    What this technology is – and isn’t

    The UK became the first country in the world to allow mitochondrial donation for three-person embryos ten years ago, in 2015.

    In other countries, such donations are banned or strictly controlled. In Australia, a staged approach to allow mitochondrial donation was introduced in 2022. Stage one will involve clinical trials to determine safety and effectiveness, and establish clear ethical guidelines for donations.

    These restrictions are based on political and ethical concerns about the use of human embryos for research, the unknown health impact on children, and the broader implications of allowing genetic modification of human embryos.

    There are also concerns about the ethical or legal implications of creating babies with “three parents”.

    Carefully and slowly considering these ethical issues is clearly important. But it’s inaccurate to suggest this process creates three parents.

    First, the amount of DNA the donor provides is tiny, only 0.1% of the baby’s DNA. The baby will not share any physical characteristics with the donor.

    While it is significant that two women’s DNA has been used in creating an embryo, it doesn’t mean lesbian couples will be rushing to access this particular in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technology.

    This technique is only used for people affected by mitochondrial disease and is closely regulated. It is not available more widely and in Australia, is not yet available even for this use.

    Second, while biological lineage is an important part of many people’s identity and sense of self, DNA alone does not make a parent.

    As many adoptive, foster and LGBTQ+ parents will attest, parenting is about love, connection and everyday acts of care for a child.

    How do rainbow families use IVF?

    Existing IVF is already expensive and medically invasive. Many fertility services offer a range of additional treatments purported to aid fertility, but extra interventions add more costs and are not universally recommended by doctors.

    While many lesbian couples and single women use fertility services to access donor sperm, not everyone will need to use IVF.

    Less invasive fertilisation techniques, such as intrauterine insemination, may be available for women without fertility problems. This means inserting sperm directly into the uterus, rather than fertilising an egg in a clinic and then implanting that embryo.

    Same-sex couples who have the option to create a baby with a sperm donor they know – rather than from a register – may also choose home-based insemination, the proverbial turkey baster. This is a cheaper and more intimate way to conceive and many women prefer a donor who will have some involvement in their child’s life.

    In recent years, “reciprocal” IVF has also grown in popularity among lesbian couples. This means an embryo is created using one partner’s egg, and the other partner carries it.

    Reciprocal IVF’s popularity suggests biology does play a role for LGBTQ+ women in conceiving a baby. When both mothers share a biological connection to the child, it may help overcome stigmatisation of “non-birth” mothers as less legitimate.

    But biology is by no means the defining feature of rainbow families.

    LGBTQ+ people are already parents

    The 2021 census showed 17% of same-sex couples had children living with them; among female same-sex couples it was 28%. This is likely an underestimate, as the census only collects data on couples that live together.

    Same-sex couples often conceive children using donor sperm or eggs, and this may involve surrogacy. But across the LGBTQ+ community, there are diverse ways people become parents.

    Same-sex couples are one part of the LGBTQ+ community. Growing numbers of trans and non-binary people are choosing to carry a baby (as gestational parents), as well as single parents who use donors or fertility services. Many others conceive children through sex, including bi+ people or others who conceive within a relationship.

    While LGBTQ+ people can legally adopt children in Australia, adoption is not common. However, many foster parents are LGBTQ+.

    When they donate eggs or sperm to others, some LGBTQ+ people may stay involved in the child’s life as a close family friend or co-parent.

    Connection and care, not DNA

    While mitochondrial replacement therapy is a remarkable advance in gene technology, it is unlikely to open new pathways to parenthood for LGBTQ+ people in Australia.

    Asserting the importance of families based on choice – not biology or what technology is available – has been crucial to the LGBTQ+ community’s story and to rainbow families’ fight to be recognised.

    Decades of research now shows children raised by same-sex couples do just as well as any other child. What matters is parents’ consistency, love and quality of care.

    Jennifer Power receives funding from the Australian Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care and the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Here’s why 3-person embryos are a breakthrough for science – but not LGBTQ+ families – https://theconversation.com/heres-why-3-person-embryos-are-a-breakthrough-for-science-but-not-lgbtq-families-261462

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressional Democrats Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

    Headline: Congressional Democrats Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    As originally released by the Committee on Education & Workforce, Democrats

    WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA.-28), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections.

    Co-leads of the legislation include Representative Alma Adams (D-NC-12), and Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). 

    To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace.  The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

    The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures.  Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

    “This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott.  “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process.  I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress.  Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

    “As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

    “Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique.  As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers.  That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,”said SenatorPadilla.  “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home.  A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

    “As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,”said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.”

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States.  The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse.  Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death.  Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000.  The Washington Center for Equitable Growthestimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

    From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates.  Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness.  And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.

    The bill is cosponsored by Representatives Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03) , Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN-07), Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY-09), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO-05), Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL-22), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL-10), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Rep. Al Green (D-TX-09), Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA-04), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY-17), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03), Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), Rep. John Mannion (D-NY-22), Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (D-IN-01), Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-At Large), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Rep. Luz Rivas (D-CA-29), Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25), Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03), Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS-02), Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA-35), Rep. Derek T. Tran (D-CA-45), Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY-07), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12).

    To read the fact sheet on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is availablehere.

    To read the section-by-section summary of the bill is available here.

    To read the bill text of the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act here.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman McCaul Delivers Opening Remarks at Task Force on Securing the Homeland for Special Events Inaugural Hearing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman of the bipartisan Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events — held the task force’s first hearing, entitled “Lessons Learned: An examination of historic security incidents at mass gatherings.” Chairman McCaul highlighted several previous attacks on mass gatherings and emphasized the need for federal and state level cooperation in preventing future security incidents ahead of major events planned in the United States, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. 

    Click to watch 

    Full Transcript of Opening Remarks: 

    I’d like to welcome everyone to this inaugural hearing of the bipartisan House Committee on Homeland Security’s Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States. In the coming decade, the United States will host millions of international travelers for several major national and international special events, including the FIFA World Cup, the celebration of the United States 250th birthday in 2026, and the Los Angeles Summer Olympics of 2028. 

    Though these events present an opportunity to showcase everything that makes America great, we cannot forget that our adversaries and other violent extremists will view these events as targets for inflicting mass casualties and generating fear.

    To that end, I’m honored to chair the task force and lead the committee’s efforts in investigating and conducting oversight of the security needs of these major national and international events. Our goal is to develop and advance legislative solutions that will enhance our preparedness and security posture against all threats, and I look forward to working with the ranking member of the task force, Mrs. Nelly Pou of New Jersey, and with all the members assigned to this task force to empower state and local law enforcement and other first responders to carry out their missions.

    As we prepare to secure the major events ahead, this task force must begin by learning from past failures both here and abroad. In the United States, we’ve seen deadly attacks at mass gatherings: the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta and the 2025 New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans. Abroad, the 1972 Munich Olympics, which are still emblazoned in my mind, saw terrorist murder [11] Israeli athletes after exploiting security gaps. In addition, in 2015, ISIS launched coordinated attacks across Paris, killing 130. 

    These tragedies make clear the cost of complacency, and we owe it to the American people to confront these lessons and ensure we don’t repeat them. This hearing is the first step.

    Today’s historic focus will lead us to discuss and consider [events] like the instance of vehicular terrorism on January 1st of this year in New Orleans, the crowd security breach at the Copa América final game at Miami Hard Rock Stadium last year, and the Kansas City parade shooting early last year.

    We will also discuss the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing, which occurred during my tenure as chairman of this committee. And, Commissioner Davis, it’s great to see you again. We worked well together in our oversight and investigating the activities following that tragedy to find a constructive outcome so that something like that couldn’t happen again. 

    So, we look forward to hearing from our witnesses on these challenges, what we can do better and more importantly, we want to know what more Congress and the federal government can do to strengthen security ahead of these major events.

    One clear lesson from the past attacks is the need for strong intelligence sharing. Our state and local law enforcement rely on timely information from the federal intelligence community, especially our fusion centers. With rising tensions in the Middle East and the threat of Iran backed actors operating inside the United States, raising awareness and coordination is critical to stopping potential attacks before they happen.

    Earlier this month, Congress passed — and the president signed into law — supplemental funding for the World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics, which will be used in part to enhance information sharing. That same information sharing is critical in stopping human trafficking, which we see unfortunately all too well at these events. With millions of international visitors expected, criminal networks will look to exploit. 

    We also face a growing threat from drones. According to the NFL, there were over 2,800 drone incursions at stadiums during the 2023 season — a 4,000-percent increase from just five years prior. With minimal skill, bad actors can use these drones to launch attacks or create chaos. Yet most state and local agencies lack the authority to respond. We need to equip federal agencies so they can help the state agencies and close the gap to make these events safe. 

    We have a lot of work to do ahead of these events. I hope this hearing is a strong first step to ensure the incidents we discuss today will never happen again, and that the United States remains a global leader in providing safe and secure experiences for citizens and visitors alike. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McCaul Votes to Pass Defense Appropriations Bill in Support of U.S. Servicemembers, Strengthen National Security

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — voted for the fiscal year 2026 Defense appropriations bill. 

    “After four years of President Biden’s weak leadership that fueled global chaos, the Trump administration has worked swiftly to reassert U.S. military superiority and restore peace through strength,” said Rep. McCaul. “Today, I was proud to help advance their work at this crucial moment in history by voting to fully fund our Department of Defense. This bill not only honors the brave service men and women who defend our freedoms each day, but it also readies our military with best-in-class defense technology, infrastructure, and training to ensure the U.S. will continue to lead on the world stage and deter our adversaries’ aggression.”

    The FY26 Department of Defense Appropriations Act will support our servicemembers and strengthen U.S. national security by: 

    • Raising all military personnel pay by 3.8 percent;
    • Funding border security and measures to counter drug trafficking;
    • Prioritizing fiscal sanity by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse at the Pentagon;
    • Drives a major shift to embed AI and advanced tech into defense by rapidly scaling innovation programs, streamlining procurement, and leveraging commercial breakthroughs to outpace future threats;
    • Investing in critical ships, aircraft, and next-generation military assets, including unmanned aerial systems, hypersonics, and missile warning systems; and
    • Bolstering medical and health programs and improving quality of life for servicemembers and families.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McCaul, Vasquez Lead Stop Coyotes Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Homeland Security Committee — introduced the Stop COYOTES Act alongside Congressman Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.). The bipartisan bill is designed to address the continued threat of organized criminal activity in border communities by targeting drug cartels and human traffickers who exploit vulnerable populations, particularly children, and strengthening law enforcement’s ability to respond through enhanced coordination, resources, and accountability.

    “For too long, dangerous criminals have exploited our border crisis to traffic innocent children and smuggle deadly narcotics into our nation,” said Rep. McCaul. “It’s time we finally put a stop to these predators and ensure law enforcement agencies have the information-sharing infrastructure to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. I am proud to co-lead this bill alongside Rep. Vasquez to protect innocent children across Texas and support our local law enforcement officers as they work to counter cartel-sponsored crime.”

    “Representing 180 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, I’ve had the opportunity to hear directly from law enforcement, educators, and families about the very real challenges posed by transnational criminal organizations in border towns,” said Rep. Vasquez. “My bipartisan bills strengthen our ability to disrupt cartel activity, protect our kids from exploitation, and equip local law enforcement with the tools and coordination they need to keep communities safe.”

    Background:

    The Stop COYOTES Act improves public safety by imposing harsher penalties against human smugglers and fentanyl traffickers while also improving information sharing and reporting between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and local law enforcement along the border. Under the bill, DHS must report on trafficking trends, smuggling routes, and cartel activity — ensuring that local communities have the data they need to respond in real time. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Chu and Senator Padilla and Colleagues Join Union Workers to Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

    Rep. Chu and Senator Padilla and Colleagues Join Union Workers to Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    WATCH: Rep. Chu’s remarks on pushing for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, following yet another extreme heat wave in California, U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), joined by co-leads Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.-03), Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), stood alongside union leaders, including Yaisy Villalobos of the United Farm Workers (UFW), Dorothy Bryant of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and Roy Houseman of the United Steelworkers (USW) to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to establish an enforceable federal workplace heat protection standard.

    To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with common sense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill would also direct employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

    The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 in California after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53. 

    Ever since the United Farm Workers first shared Asunción Valdivia’s story with her, Rep. Judy Chu has been a tireless advocate to protect workers from dangerous heat exposure. She helped pass into law a state heat standard for outdoor workers when she was in the California state legislature. And she will continue to introduce this federal legislation each session of Congress until workers finally have a federal law protecting them from heat-related illness, injury, or death while on the job.

    “As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

    “Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

    “This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

    “Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift.  The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”

    “As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.” 

    “From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.”  

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round. From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

    The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, AFSCME, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, National Employment Law Project, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Auto Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, National Resources Defense Council, Service Employees International Union, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

    “Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

    “Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”

    “For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers. 

    “Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

    “It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.” 

    “Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.

    “Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.

    This bill is originally cosponsored by 90 House Members, including Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03)*, Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12)*, Rep. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Andre Carson (IN-07), Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06), Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02), Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Rep. Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Rep. Al Green (TX-09), Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Rep. Michael Lawler (NY-17), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Rep. John Mannion (NY-22), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-04), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Rep. Luz Rivas (CA-29), Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rep. Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35), Rep. Derek T. Tran (CA-45), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33), Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

     A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.

    A section-by-section of the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Chu Honors Local Leaders at 2025 Congressional Leadership of the Year Awards Ceremony

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

    PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – On Saturday, Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28) hosted her annual Congressional Leadership of the Year Awards Ceremony, honoring nine remarkable individuals and organizations from across California’s 28th Congressional District for their outstanding service and contributions to their communities. The event was emceed by acclaimed actress and community advocate Tamlyn Tomita, best known for her roles in The Karate Kid Part II, The Joy Luck Club, and Star Trek: Picard. 

     “After everything our communities have been through, especially in the wake of the Eaton Fire, these leaders stepped up,” said Rep. Chu. “Many of our honorees have helped families rebuild, uplifted young people, supported our seniors, empowered immigrant communities, and brought hope during some of the hardest times. They’re educators, volunteers, activists, and small business owners. I’m so proud to recognize them for all they’ve done and all they continue to do. They really do represent the very best of the San Gabriel Valley.”

    This year’s honorees include:

    • Wendy Sinnette – Educator of the Year (La Cañada Flintridge): Wendy Sinnette was recognized for her compassionate and resilient leadership as Superintendent of the La Cañada Unified School District, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the Eaton Fire.
       
    • San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity – Nonprofit of the Year: SGV Habitat for Humanity was celebrated for its decades-long commitment to affordable housing and rapid response to the Eaton Fire, including innovative rebuilding efforts and community-driven volunteer mobilization.
       
    • Pastor Jonathan “Jon” DeCuir – Community Activist of the Year (Altadena): Pastor DeCuir was honored for transforming Victory Bible Church into a relief hub after the Eaton Fire and launching the Legacy Land Project to support long-term recovery and housing.
       
    • Jason Kim & Johanna Quach – Businesspeople of the Year (San Gabriel): The leadership of Paris Baguette San Gabriel, Jason Kim & Johanna Quach, were recognized for their philanthropic support of local schools, emergency responders, and inclusive hiring practices. 
       
    • Rev. Gene Boutilier – Volunteer of the Year (Claremont): A lifelong advocate for social justice, Rev. Gene Boutilier has dedicated decades to volunteer service across Southern California and was instrumental in launching Claremont’s first low-income housing project – Larkin Place. 
       
    • National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) – Nonprofit of the Year (Pasadena): NDLON was commended for their leadership in defending day laborers and immigrants, including its response to ICE raids and coordination of fire recovery work through the Pasadena Community Job Center.
       
    • Tzi Ma – Community Activist of the Year (Pasadena): Tzi Ma is a renowned actor and activist, honored for decades of advocacy for AAPI representation in entertainment and media, civil rights activism, and his leadership in #WashTheHate social media campaign during the rise in anti-Asian hate amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
       
    • Nic Arnzen – Building Bridges Award (Altadena): Nic Arnzen is the Vice Chair of the Altadena Town Council, recognized for his leadership during the Eaton Fire and for founding Altadena Pride, fostering visibility, inclusivity, and healing.
       
    • Edgar McGregor – Courageous Service of the Year (Altadena/Pasadena): Edgar McGregor is a local meteorologist awarded for issuing life-saving warnings ahead of the Eaton Fire, helping thousands of residents evacuate safely and avoid disaster.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Biggs Urges Senate Leadership to Preserve Spending Cuts in the House Rescission Package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

    Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) led a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune urging the Senate to preserve the entire $9.4 billion in spending cuts contained in the House rescission package. The Senate has a chance to prove its commitment to President Trump’s America First mandate by passing the long-overdue cuts targeting wasteful bloat. Provisions in the House rescission package include:

    • $1.07 billion in cuts to National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS);
    • $900 million in cuts to Global Health Programs promoting abortion pills, LGBTQ+ activism, and DEI dogma abroad;
    • $125 million in cuts to the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), a vehicle for funneling billions into Green New Deal-style projects in foreign nations.

    “At $37+ trillion in debt, our nation is careening toward a financial cliff,” said Congressman Biggs. 

    “$9.4 billion is a small drop in the bucket of wasteful spending that must be reined in, but cutting taxpayer dollars to mouthpieces for the Left and radical, woke programs abroad is a commonsense start. If Congress refuses to support modest cuts like those included in the House’s rescission package, fiscal doom is inevitable.

    “I urge the Senate to stand firm and reject the D.C. status quo. Preserve the cuts passed by the House.”

    Cosigners of the letter include: Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC), Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), Rep. Keith Self (R-TX), Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL), Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Rep. Sheri Biggs (R-SC), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), and Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD).

    Fox News covered the letter here.

    The letter may be read here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ICJ climate crisis ruling: Will world’s top court back Pacific-led call to hold governments accountable?

    By Jamie Tahana in The Hague for RNZ Pacific

    In 2019, a group of law students at the University of the South Pacific, frustrated at the slow pace with which the world’s governments were moving to address the climate crisis, had an idea — they would take the world’s governments to court.

    They arranged a meeting with government ministers in Vanuatu and convinced them to take a case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ top court, where they would seek an opinion to clarify countries’ legal obligations under international law.

    Six years after that idea was hatched in a classroom in Port Vila, the court will today (early Thursday morning NZT) deliver its verdict in the Dutch city of The Hague.

    More than 100 countries – including New Zealand, Australia and all the countries of the Pacific – have testified before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alongside civil society and intergovernmental organisations. Image: UN Web TV/screengrab

    If successful — and those involved are quietly confident they will be — it could have major ramifications for international law, how climate change disputes are litigated, and it could give small Pacific countries greater leverage in arguments around loss and damage.

    Most significantly, the claimants argue, it could establish legal consequences for countries that have driven climate change and what they owe to people harmed.

    “Six long years of campaigning have led us to this moment,” said Vishal Prasad, the president of Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change, the organisation formed out of those original students.

    “For too long, international responses have fallen short. We expect a clear and authoritative declaration,” he said.

    “[That] climate inaction is not just a failure of policy, but a breach of international law.”

    More than 100 countries — including New Zealand, Australia and all the countries of the Pacific — have testified before the court, alongside civil society and intergovernmental organisations.

    And now today they will gather in the brick palace that sits in ornate gardens in this canal-ringed city to hear if the judges of the world’s top court agree.

    What is the case?
     The ICJ adjudicates disputes between nations and issues advisory opinions on big international legal issues.

    In this case, Vanuatu asked the UN General Assembly to request the judges to weigh what exactly international law requires states to do about climate change, and what the consequences should be for states that harm the climate through actions or omissions.

    Over its deliberations, the court has heard from more than 100 countries and international organisations hoping to influence its opinion, the highest level of participation in the court’s history.

    That has included the governments of low-lying islands and atolls in the Pacific, which say they are paying the steepest price for a crisis they had little role in creating.

    These nations have long been frustrated with the current mechanisms for addressing climate change, like the UN COP conferences, and are hoping that, ultimately, the court will provide a yardstick by which to measure other countries’ actions.

    Vanuatu’s Minister of Climate Change Ralph Regenvanu . . . “This may well be the most consequential case in the history of humanity.” Image: IISD-ENB

    “I choose my words carefully when I say that this may well be the most consequential case in the history of humanity,” Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Ralph Regenvanu said in his statement to the court last year.

    “Let us not allow future generations to look back and wonder why the cause of their doom was condoned.”

    But major powers and emitters, like the United States and China, have argued in their testimonies that existing UN agreements, such as the Paris climate accord, are sufficient to address climate change.

    “We expect this landmark climate ruling, grounded in binding international law, to reflect the critical legal flashpoints raised during the proceedings,” said Joie Chowdhury, a senior attorney at the US-based Centre for International Environmental Law (which has been involved with the case).

    “Among them: whether States’ climate obligations are anchored in multiple legal sources, extending far beyond the Paris Agreement; whether there is a right to remedy for climate harm; and how human rights and the precautionary principle define States’ climate obligations.”

    Pacific youth climate activist at a demonstration at COP27 in November 2022 . . . “We are not drowning. We are fighting.” Image: Facebook/Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change

    What could this mean?
     Rulings from the ICJ are non-binding, and there are myriad cases of international law being flouted by countries the world over.

    Still, the court’s opinion — if it falls in Vanuatu’s favour — could still have major ramifications, bolstering the case for linking human rights and climate change in legal proceedings — both international and domestic — and potentially opening the floodgates for climate litigation, where individuals, groups, Indigenous Peoples, and even countries, sue governments or private companies for climate harm.

    An advisory opinion would also be a powerful precedent for legislators and judges to call on as they tackle questions related to the climate crisis, and give small countries a powerful cudgel in negotiations over future COP agreements and other climate mechanisms.

    “This would empower vulnerable nations and communities to demand accountability, strengthen legal arguments and negotiations and litigation and push for policies that prioritise prevention and redress over delay and denial,” Prasad said.

    In essence, those who have taken the case have asked the court to issue an opinion on whether governments have “legal obligations” to protect people from climate hazards, but also whether a failure to meet those obligations could bring “legal consequences”.

    At the Peace Palace today, they will find out from the court’s 15 judges.

    “[The advisory opinion] is not just a legal milestone, it is a defining moment in the global climate justice movement and a beacon of hope for present and future generations,” said Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat in a statement ahead of the decision.

    “I am hopeful for a powerful opinion from the ICJ. It could set the world on a meaningful path to accountability and action.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –