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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton Introduces Bill to Ban Blacklisted Firms from Sensitive DOE Contracts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    June 4, 2025

    Cotton Introduces Bill to Ban Blacklisted Firms from Sensitive DOE Contracts

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act, legislation that would establish a Department of Energy non-procurement list for critical minerals, battery production, and other related energy needs. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) is cosponsoring the legislation.

    “Supply chains for our country’s critical minerals and battery production are a cut-and-dry national security issue. Firms that are banned from doing business with the Department of Defense and other federal agencies should face significant restrictions when working in these sensitive areas,” said Senator Cotton.

    “Organizations that threaten our national security have no business engaging in American energy production,” said Senator Risch. “The Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act protects the energy sector, which is critical to both our economy and security, from bad actors while advancing domestic needs.”

    Full text of the bill may be found here.

    The Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act would:

    • Establish a master energy non-procurement list for DOE projects prioritizing critical minerals and battery production
    • Establish a waiver process for contracts or projects that require exceptions
    • Require a federal study to pull all similar lists of entities of concern from Commerce, DOD, Energy, State, Treasury, DNI, and other agencies and make recommendations for harmonization.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Bill Cuts Drug Prices and Red Tape

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the bipartisan Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act today to cut drug prices for consumers and increase competition in the pharmaceutical market by categorizing generic-brand “biosimilar” drugs as interchangeable with their name-brand counterparts. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) cosponsored the legislation.
    “Americans are missing out on lower drug prices thanks to bureaucratic red tape that protects big pharma monopolies,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Many consumers would choose a cheaper generic-brand version of their medications, but technicalities from Congress have kept these out of reach. Our legislation will cut the red tape to bring drug prices down, break up the big pharma monopolies, and let Americans make their own medication choices.” 
    “I’m proud to support Senator Lee’s Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act. Americans pay too much for prescription treatments because of outdated FDA requirements. This bill would give pharmacists more options, subject to state law, to substitute unaffordable therapeutics with lower-cost alternatives. I offered similar reforms in the past because health care reform starts with giving patients more affordable choices. It’s time we stop letting red tape stand between patients and lower prices.” said Dr. Rand Paul
    “Too many Americans face sky-high prescription drug costs. This bipartisan legislation will cut unnecessary red tape and help biosimilar drugs get to the market faster, creating more competition in the market, and cutting costs for consumers,” said Senator Hassan. “I will continue to work to lower prescription drug and health care costs for Granite Staters and all Americans.”
    “Limited competition drives up drug prices, making it harder for people to afford the medications they need to survive. Expanding access to biosimilar drugs can improve patients’ lives and reduce costs. But too often, access can be limited due to regulatory red tape that scientists agree is not necessary,” said Senator Luján. “This bipartisan bill will help simplify that process while maintaining rigorous safety and effectiveness standards. By increasing competition, this legislation will allow more patients and families to access the treatments they need.”
    “As the FDA has made clear, there is no clinically meaningful difference between biosimilars and interchangeable biosimilars,” said John Murphy, President and CEO of the Association for Accessible Medicines. “The Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act will expand competition and generate savings for patients and taxpayers, while preserving FDA’s ability to ensure the safety and efficacy of medicines for America’s patients. The Biosimilars Council and AAM thank Senators Lee and Luján for their work on behalf of American patients and we look forward to working with Congress to eliminate this outdated and unnecessary barrier to lower-priced biosimilar medicines.”
    Background:
    “Biosimilars” – generic alternatives to name-brand medications – have the potential to significantly reduce the cost of biologic drugs through increased competition. Choosing biosimilars over their name-brand counterparts could save consumers an estimated $42.9 billion by 2027. Americans deserve to hold this decision-making power, but red tape around biosimilars keeps them from being widely used. The FDA’s complex approval system has confused physicians, patients, and states about biosimilars’ safety and efficacy.
    Biosimilars must undergo extensive testing to prove they provide no meaningful difference from their name-brand version. Bringing a new biosimilar to market costs as much as $300 million and can take as long as 9 years. Even after this approval, patients may not be able to access biosimilars because Congress created a separate designation: interchangeability. To be classified as truly “interchangeable” with the name-brand version, a biosimilar must undergo further testing called “switching studies.” This type of research has proven unnecessary for biosimilars, as it repeatedly shows no meaningful difference or relevant new data. 
    The Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act would remove these extra steps so that a biosimilar will immediately be classified as interchangeable upon its initial approval by the FDA. Foregoing unnecessary switching studies would no longer disqualify biosimilars as alternatives to their name-brand counterparts. 
    This legislation will streamline the regulatory pathway for biosimilar approval by aligning the law with the current scientific reality, giving Americans the option to save billions and increasing competition in the pharmaceutical market.
    The Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act would:
    Amend the federal code to state that all biosimilars, upon approval, shall be deemed interchangeable. The bill still uses the term “interchangeable” because states have crafted their own laws around interchangeability. Retaining that word would provide for minimal disruption to current biosimilar distribution.
    Strike the current requirement in code that has been used to justify switching studies.
    Create a cooldown period for certain biologics that were already granted exclusive interchangeable status. 
    Instruct HHS and FDA to issue or retract relevant guidance. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn: Work of DOGE Will Live On Through One Big Beautiful Bill, Rescissions Package, Appropriations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) praised the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and highlighted how Congress can carry on its legacy of reining in frivolous spending through the One Big Beautiful Bill, rescissions package, and annual appropriations process. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

    “I don’t see the work of DOGE being finished, but rather being the starting place.”

    “The DOGE recommendations now embraced within this rescissions package cuts millions of dollars for Green New Deal style programs not in America, but around the world.”

    “The bill rescinds $6 million appropriated for net zero cities in Mexico, a half a million dollars for electric busses in Rwanda, and $2.1 million for climate resilience in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and East Africa.”

    “It rescinds $4 million for Legume Systems Research and $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street.”

    “We also have savings opportunities in the big, beautiful bill. Things like eliminating the Inflation Reduction Act, which was inappropriately named.”

    “The third means by which we are going to begin this process of controlling our out-of-control spending in our national debt is the appropriations process.”

    “While we often think of the appropriations process as strictly a spending process, it does not have to be that way. We can also use this appropriations process to enact further spending reductions.”

    “I hope the House and Senate will take full advantage of each of these three opportunities to begin the process of reducing our deficit and debt.”

    “While the formal Department of Government Efficiency Task Force may have concluded, the work of DOGE lives on.”

    “As a founding member of the DOGE caucus, I’ll keep doing my part, along with all of my colleagues, to bend the spending curve, and I urge all of my colleagues to join us in that effort, particularly by passing this rescissions package, and then eventually in the coming weeks, the big, beautiful bill.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins RFD-TV to Discuss Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, MAHA, and the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Market Day Report on RFD-TV today to highlight the Senate Agriculture Committee advancing his legislation, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which will put whole milk back in schools. He detailed the next steps to get the bill across the finish line and to President Trump’s desk.
    The Senator also discussed the recent Make America Healthy Again Commission report and President Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill.’

    [embedded content]

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On the importance of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act:
    Senator Marshall: “This is so important to me, to my family. My dad grew up on a dairy [farm] where every day for 25 years, they milk cows twice a day. And some of your listeners know exactly what that’s like, but milk is the most nutritious drink known to mankind, and for whatever reason, the federal government took whole milk out of our schools over a decade ago.
    “Because of that, we have a generation of young adults now whose bones will never reach their peak mass. We’re going to have an epidemic of osteoporosis and osteopenia. Look, whole milk just tastes better. So we need to focus on the quality of the nutrition as opposed to just the calorie count. And again, milk [is] the most nutritious drink known to mankind.”
    On the next steps for the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act:
    Senator Marshall: “I think very easily we could go to the Senate floor and ask unanimous consent, and as long as not one senator stands up objects to it, we’ll get it across the Senate floor. Hopefully, they can do a similar effort over on the House side and get it to the President’s desk. So we’ll do our very best to give the President a win here.”
    On the MAHA Commission report:
    Senator Marshall: “As you look at that MAHA commission report, I didn’t write it, but certainly I agree with the same goals that they have, that we want healthy, nutritious food out there for everybody, a special emphasis on children…
    “My emphasis is soil health. Soil health is where agriculture meets healthy food. Healthy soil means healthy food. And so many of our farmers are out there doing regenerative agriculture. They’ve been doing it for decades. We’ve got to share what we’ve been doing. You know, you showed a little aerial report of a person using drones to grow more with less to grow more. Instead of blanketing that field with the fungicide, they were able to spot-spray it.
    “… Regenerative agriculture, healthy soil, what that means to me is, number one is using no-till farming, coming back and using the least amount of fertilizers, pesticides. That means precision agriculture. It means putting a cover crop on and then grazing cattle over it, maybe bringing in some manure from the local dairy or the local feedlot as well, and then measuring the quality of that soil as well, and showing our customers out there… they’re who is driving this, I’m not driving this, the MAHA moms out there that are driving this, and I know that American agriculture is doing incredible jobs in this area, and they but they need to be reimbursed for it, because it’s expensive to undertake all these efforts.”
    On the hurdles President Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ may face:
    Senator Marshall: “Well, there’s always hurdles. We have 53 Republican senators and 53 opinions. But it’s important for your listeners to know why this is so important to them. This will take care of the reference price issues on the title one, funding, and open the doors for us to be able to get the Farm Bill across the finish line. 
    “From the business tax perspective on this, we’re going to take care of permanently, the 199a, which your listeners will be excited about, as well as the R and D deduction, capital appreciation, bonus depreciation as well, and writing off their interest expenses. So all those are important to every one of your listeners and making those permanent will be so, so important to the financial viability of the future farmers of America.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Questions FDA’s Acting Director About Steps to Remove Harmful Ingredients from OTC Drugs and Replace Animal Testing with AI

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) today questioned Dr. Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay, Acting Director at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research for United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), during the most recent Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full exchange with Dr. Corrigan-Curay.
    Highlights from the hearing include: 
    On inactive ingredients in over-the-counter drugs:
    Senator Marshall: “Let’s talk about inactive ingredients. As you know, the OTC monographs only list active ingredients. A lot of MAHA [Make America Healthy Again] moms out there are concerned about inactive ingredients, artificial flavors, sweeteners, etc. What is going on in the world of over-the-counters [medications] as far as identifying those inactive ingredients, and is there an effort to get the ones that are not safe out of these over-the-counters?”
    Dr. Corrigan-Curay: “Thank you for that question. We certainly, anytime we identify that there’s an issue with an inactive ingredient, we would review it and we would look to make changes in that inactive ingredient. We do have ways and guidances. We just did one on color additives to allow firms to a pathway if they want to change their inactive ingredients or their color additives, and we can get back to you with more information.”
    On animal studies and AI:
    Senator Marshall: “Alright, let’s talk about… studies. More and more, it would seem that AI can replace animal studies. And probably even more accurate. So often you read, well, what works, what happened in monkeys and dogs, has nothing at all to do with the biology of human beings. Is there any effort in your department to convert over to AI and do less animal studies?”
    Dr. Corrigan-Curay: “Thank you. We’re engaged on the new initiative to reduce animal studies in monoclonal antibodies, and we previously have been working on looking for alternatives to animal studies. We already do. We no longer use animal studies for eye irritation or skin irritation, and we certainly will, you know, are looking at both AI as we’re looking at these non-animal approaches. There are still challenges in coming out with validated studies, when you’re looking at you’re looking for an effect that would affect multi-organ systems. That doesn’t mean that we won’t get there, and we’ll continue to work on that.”
    Senator Marshall: “Okay, again, if there’s a way that you could measure that and show us – we were doing so many animal studies five years ago, this is how many we did last year, this is how many we’re doing this year. You know, prove to me that you’re making progress in that, that would be very helpful.”
    Dr. Corrigan-Curay: “We can get back to you.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Applauds Key Union Endorsements of Credit Card Competition Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) issued the following statement today after numerous major unions, representing over four million American workers, endorsed the Credit Card Competition Act – legislation that would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market, which is currently dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly. 
    “Visa-Mastercard and Wall Street banks are charging American families the highest swipe fees in the world — nearly five times higher than those in other countries,” said Senator Marshall. “These excessive fees cost the average hardworking American household over $1,200 a year. No one understands the burden of these costs better than our trade unions, and I’m proud to have their support as we fight to bring fairness and competition back to the payments market.”
    The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union (RWDSU), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), wrote a letter detailing their endorsement, saying:
    “We, the undersigned labor unions, who together represent over 4.5 million American workers, write to express our support for the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) and urge its passage into law.
    “While our memberships are diverse, hail from different industries, and different parts of the country, all unions know that working people are reeling from an affordability crisis on everyday goods.  This crisis is especially challenging for low-wage workers who often need to make necessary purchases like gasoline, groceries, and clothing on credit cards.
    “We embrace the Credit Card Competition Act as a means to return more buying power to hard-working Americans by curbing the outrageous rise in fees charged by Visa and Mastercard to merchants in the United States.
    “In the past decade, the fees charged by the two dominant credit card companies have nearly tripled. And because almost 90% of Visa/Mastercard credit cards are issued by the largest 10 banks, some of whom also sit on the boards of Visa and Mastercard, arguments about the risk of swipe fee reform to small community banks ring hollow.”
    Read the full letter here. 
    Background:

    Building off of debit card competition reforms enacted by Congress in 2010, the bill would direct the Federal Reserve to ensure that the largest credit card-issuing banks offer a choice of at least two networks over which an electronic credit transaction may be processed. 
    Visa and Mastercard wield enormous market power in credit cards; according to the Federal Reserve, they account for nearly 576 million cards, or about 83 percent of general-purpose credit cards.  
    Visa’s and Mastercard’s market power and network structure have enabled them to impose fees on U.S. merchants that are among the world’s highest, charging a total of $93 billion in U.S. merchant credit card fees in 2022. 
    These fees include interchange or swipe fees, which Visa and Mastercard require merchants to pay to issuing banks, as well as network fees that Visa and Mastercard require merchants to pay directly to them.  
    Consumers ultimately pay for these fees in the price of the goods and services they buy.
    The legislation is estimated to save merchants and consumers $15 billion each year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Helps Secure Helene Recovery Funding for North Carolina

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis applauded the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) announcement of its Fiscal Year 2025 Disaster Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity, which allocates approximately $1.45 billion in federal funding for disaster-impacted communities, including those in Western North Carolina affected by Helene. 

    “This critical EDA funding will help ensure that communities in Western North Carolina still reeling from the impacts of Helene have the resources they need to recover and rebuild stronger than before,” said Senator Tillis. “I remain fully committed to making sure North Carolina receives its fair share of this funding and that Western North Carolina is made whole again.” 

    The announcement follows a bipartisan letter led by Senator Tillis and members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation to the Trump Administration urging the U.S. Economic Development Administration to issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity as quickly as possible. 

    Background:

    Senator Tillis has been pushing for federal assistance for Western North Carolina since the moment Helene made landfall.

    On October 1, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) on the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and the urgent need to pass an appropriations package to support the millions of Americans affected by the storm.  

    On October 16, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the White House to rapidly submit a government funding request to Congress that will fully cover costs associated with clean-up and recovery following Hurricanes Helene and Milton so that affected communities could begin to heal. The Senators called for Congress to return to Washington from the October in-state work period to approve federal disaster relief legislation. 

    On October 23, 2024, The Hill published an op-ed by Senator Tillis addressed to members of Congress to step up and be proactive with long-term disaster recovery assistance.   

    On October 29, 2024, Senator Tillis and his colleagues announced plans to introduce legislation that would replenish the Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program with families and small businesses across WNC unable to get loans approved until then. The Senators outlined their plan to seek passage of the legislation when Congress returned to session.

    On November 14, 2024, Senator Tillis attempted to pass legislation to replenish the SBA Disaster Loan Program through a unanimous consent request on the Senate floor, but was blocked by another Senator. 

    On November 15, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) immediately send a supplemental appropriation request to Congress to support the communities we represent, which were devastated after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The OMB sent the request to Congress a few days later.

    On November 18, 2024, Senator Tillis introduced the standalone RELIEF Act to provide Hurricane relief to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene.  

    On November 20, 2024, Senator Tillis called on Congress to quickly pass Hurricane Helene relief during his testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee.  

    On November 21, 2024, Senator Tillis met with Governor Cooper, Governor-Elect Stein, members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation and the North Carolina General Assembly, and local leaders from Western North Carolina to discuss efforts to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. 

    On December 5, 2024, Senator Tillis joined Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto where he discussed the urgent need for Congress to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.  

    On December 10, 2024, Senator Tillis hosted N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, N.C. House of Representatives Speaker-elect Destin Hall, State Senators Bill Rabon and Ralph Hise, and State Representative Dudley Greene to discuss efforts to provide immediate assistance to North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene’s devastation.   

    On December 18, 2024, Senator Tillis committed to filibustering any continuing resolution that did not include disaster aid for Western North Carolina. 

    On December 21, 2024, Senator Tillis voted to pass a bipartisan government funding bill that included more than $100 billion in disaster relief for states and communities hit by natural disasters, including North Carolina during Hurricane Helene.

    On January 7, 2025 Senator Tillis announced $1.65 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help rebuild communities devastated by Hurricane Helene.  

    On January 24, 2025, Senator Tillis released a statement thanking President Trump for his visit to Western North Carolina to survey the devastation left behind by Helene. 

    On January 31, 2025, Senator Tillis introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025, legislation that excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any qualified catastrophe mitigation payment made under a state-based catastrophe loss mitigation program. 

    On March 11, 2025 Senator Tillis reintroduced the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to simplify the application process for federal disaster recovery assistance. 

    On April 1, 2025 Senator Tillis sent a letter urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to work with Congress to quickly distribute the more than $23 billion Congress passed in December to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.

    On April 3, 2025 Senator Tillis (R-NC) introduced the FEMA Independence Act, bipartisan legislation to restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an independent cabinet-level agency and improve efficiency in federal emergency response efforts. 

    On April 24, 2025 Senator Tillis introduced the Helene Recovery Small Business Act and the Loans in Our Neighborhoods (LIONs) Act of 2025, legislation that would provide much-needed relief to small businesses as they work to recover from the devastation of Helene.

    In addition to Senator Tillis’ legislative efforts the Senator has met with local leaders, residents, and elected officials across Western North Carolina including in: Asheville, Black Mountain, Boone, Burnsville, Canton, Clyde, Fairview, Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Hot Springs, Marshall, Morganton, Spruce Pine, Swannanoa, Waynesville and Wilkesboro.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Klobuchar Lead Senate Spotlight Forum on Devastating Impact of GOP SNAP Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Spotlight Forum Follows CBO Analysis Warning That Millions of Food-Insecure Americans Will Face Higher Food Costs;

    Lawmakers, Experts Warn of National Hunger Crisis and State Budget Shortfalls Under GOP Proposal

    More photos available HERE.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, led a Senate Spotlight Forum titled “Hunger by Design: The GOP’s Assault on SNAP,” bringing together national experts and advocates to highlight the dangerous consequences of Congressional Republicans’ proposal to slash the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $300 billion.

    SNAP is a lifeline for over 42 million Americans, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 4 million people with disabilities, and 1.2 million veterans. The forum followed House Republicans’ Big, Beautiful Betrayal of American families – cutting SNAP by 30% – the largest cut in the program’s history. These cuts will raise grocery costs for more than 4 million Americans in need by taking away or reducing their food assistance.

    “The House Republican bill proposes the deepest cuts to SNAP in American history – gutting $300 billion in nutrition assistance and forcing states to take on more than $150 billion in costs. This would dismantle one of our most effective anti-poverty programs and hurt millions of Americans – including children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities,” said Senator Luján. “In New Mexico, I’ve heard directly from food banks, farmers, and families already stretched thin. These cuts would only make it harder for them to get by.

    “I was honored to lead this forum alongside Senator Klobuchar and to stand with my Democratic colleagues in fighting these extreme GOP cuts. I was especially proud to elevate the voice of Katy Anderson from Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico, who brought critical insight into how these cuts would impact communities on the ground. The testimony of our witnesses reminded us what’s really at stake – and why we have to keep fighting,” continued Senator Luján. 

    “House Republicans’ bill will rip the rug out from under families who count on SNAP to put food on the table. It will mean more seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities will go to bed hungry,” said Senator Klobuchar.

    “The House Republican bill will upend state budgets – forcing states to make impossible choices between food assistance and other priorities, like education, health, and public safety. It will devastate our farmers, who stand to lose $35 billion in revenue over the next decade. It will mean more food pantries with empty shelves. These cuts will cost jobs and wages for everyone who is a part of the food system – from truck drivers to local grocers. SNAP supports nearly 390,000 jobs and $20 billion in wages every year for workers. We are fighting this in the Senate every step of the way,” continued Senator Klobuchar.

    Witnesses warned that the House bill would reduce or terminate food assistance for millions and shift over $150 billion in costs to states, forcing them to cut benefits or restrict eligibility. These changes could strain state budgets, particularly when combined with similar proposed Medicaid cuts.

    The forum featured testimony from:

    • Dr. Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, Margaret Walker Alexander Professor, Northwestern University
    • Barbara C. Guinn, Commissioner, NY State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
    • Katy Anderson, Vice President of Strategy, Partnerships and Advocacy, Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico
    • Jade Johnson, Mother and Student

    “SNAP provides very important help to a very wide range of Americans who struggle to put food on the table. The provisions in the recently passed House bill would cause substantial harm to children, older Americans, and low-wage workers. This new requirement for states to pay for up to 25% of SNAP benefits would substantially reduce the effectiveness of the program in times of economic downturn,” said Dr. Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach in her opening statement.

    “The cuts put forward by the recently passed House reconciliation bill would harm individuals and states nationwide by forcing billions of dollars in annual cost shifts alongside unprecedented administrative hurdles that will harm households that rely on SNAP,” said Barbara C. Guinn in her opening statement.

    “SNAP continues to be our country’s most important and effective anti-hunger program. It plays an important role in New Mexico, with 21 percent of the state’s residents relying on the program in order to ensure access to food. More than 61 percent of participants are in families with children, 31 percent are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled, and 43% are in working families. The vast majority of SNAP recipients in New Mexico and across the country are children and seniors,” said Katy Anderson in her opening statement. 

    “SNAP benefits are the only way we can regularly afford to put food on the table. I would never have time to work a third job to make up for the loss of my SNAP benefits and care for my child effectively. With costs going up on things like rent and other basic necessities, my income gets completely eaten up before I am able to even think about buying food,” said Jade Johnson in her opening statement. 

    The lawmakers and experts warned that an estimated 500,000 children would lose school meals tied to SNAP eligibility; emergency food providers, already stretched thin, would be unable to meet the increased demand; and farmers, rural grocery stores, and small businesses would see declines in revenue.

    Since its creation, SNAP has operated with a consistent national benefit structure that ensures Americans, no matter where they live, can access basic nutrition. The proposed changes would undermine that structure and deepen hunger across the country.

    Footage of the full forum can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Whitehouse, Durbin, Blumenthal, Coons Question DOJ Decision to Shutter Specialized Unit for Cracking Down on Transnational Crime

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces program has helped arrest fentanyl traffickers, seize hundreds of tons of narcotics, and confiscate billions in dirty money

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi questioning the Department of Justice’s plan to end the successful Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. 

    “As the Department’s website notes, OCDETF ‘is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational-organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation.’ OCDETF oversees coordination of thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to implement a national strategy to dismantle transnational drug cartels, the financial networks that support them, and the flow of drugs from these cartels into the United States,” wrote the senators.

    The OCDETF program is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. In just the past two months, OCDETF program resources have been used to secure prison sentences for two individuals operating a clandestine fentanyl lab in South Carolina and to take down three prolific Chinese money launderers who pleaded guilty to laundering tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds. Many OCDETF investigations target the cartels’ financial networks, an often-overlooked component of the U.S. strategy to combat drug-trafficking organizations. In Fiscal Year 2023, OCDETF investigations resulted in forfeitures and seizures totaling more than $423 million. 

    Reporting from Bloomberg in May revealed that the Trump Administration plans to eliminate the OCDETF program, including its support for specialized investigators and prosecutors, in a move that would kneecap America’s ability to dismantle cartels trafficking illicit fentanyl. 

    “We seek to fully understand the Department’s plans to cease OCDETF operations.  We also seek to ensure that the federal government continues to have a coordinated strategy for working with state and local stakeholders to investigate and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations operating in, or financing the operations of organizations that operate in, the United States,” added the senators.

    The senators requested answers to the following questions by June 13, 2025:

    1. How many cases has OCDETF led, or supported with funds, intelligence, or other resources, that disrupted fentanyl traffickers’ production, distribution, financing, or money laundering networks?
    1. Does the Department intend to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?  If so, please specify how.
    1. If the Department intends to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations:
    1. Why is the Department choosing to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?
    1. How will the Department ensure that ongoing OCDETF investigations and prosecutions continue uninterrupted?
    1. According to GAO, “OCDETF cases must have a financial component” to facilitate the targeting of financial networks underpinning drug trafficking organizations.  How will the Department ensure that OCDETF-enabled inter-agency coordination on investigations into the financial networks of fentanyl traffickers and transnational criminal organizations continues uninterrupted?
    1. How will the Department ensure that federal, state, and local law enforcement relying on OCDETF’s Fusion Center intelligence products are not hampered by a cessation or reduction of OCDETF operations? 
    1. Does the Department intend to designate another entity to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of transnational criminal organizations, unrelated to low-level offenders?  If so, which entity?

    The text of the letter is below and a PDF is available here.

    Dear Attorney General Bondi:

    We write to request information on the Department of Justice’s plans to terminate its Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program.  On May 5, 2025, Bloomberg reported that DOJ has begun the process of “closing down” OCDETF and “zeroing” out its budget in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.

    As the Department’s website notes, OCDETF “is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational-organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation.”  OCDETF oversees coordination of thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to implement a national strategy to dismantle transnational drug cartels, the financial networks that support them, and the flow of drugs from these cartels into the United States.  By leveraging resources from its participating and partner agencies, OCDETF can pursue investigations into the highest-level criminal actors behind these drug crime networks.

    OCDETF’s intelligence products and insights enhance the capacity of federal, state, and local law enforcement.  In FY 2023, OCDETF Fusion Center analysts disseminated 4,141 intelligence products to 36,693 law enforcement personnel across the country.  These resources buoy state and local agencies that may otherwise lack the expertise or funds to launch longer, more complex investigations. 

    According to DEA, “since OCDETF’s inception tens of thousands of arrests have been made and hundreds of tons of narcotics and billions in currency, real property, and conveyances have all been seized.”  And as the Department of Justice noted upon the 40th anniversary of President Reagan’s establishment of OCDETF, “[s]ome of the department’s most notable successes against drug cartels have resulted from OCDETF coordinated investigations and prosecutions.”  These successes include “taking down the powerful Colombian cartels of the 1980s, the notorious and violent Mexican cartels . . . in the 1990s; and the methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and opioid threats from all over the world in the last two decades.”

    OCDETF investigations continue to deliver.  This month, DOJ announced that “three members of a prolific Chinese money laundering organizations plead[ed] guilty to laundering tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds.”  In April, DEA reported that two individuals operating a clandestine fentanyl lab in South Carolina “were each sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.”  OCDETF resources were used for both cases.     

    Many OCDETF-supported investigations that result in financial forfeitures or seizures channel money into government funds, which can be used to pay for the expenses associated with forfeiture operations, as well as certain investigative costs.  In FY 2023, closed OCDETF investigations resulted in forfeitures and seizures totaling $423.1 million.  These benefits are in addition to money judgments resulting from ODCETF investigations, which ranged between $125 million to over $750 million from FY 2019 to FY 2023. 

    We seek to fully understand the Department’s plans to cease OCDETF operations.  We also seek to ensure that the federal government continues to have a coordinated strategy for working with state and local stakeholders to investigate and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations operating in, or financing the operations of organizations that operate in, the United States.  Thus, we request that you provide answers to the following questions.

    1. How many cases has OCDETF led, or supported with funds, intelligence, or other resources, that disrupted fentanyl traffickers’ production, distribution, financing, or money laundering networks?
    1. Does the Department intend to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?  If so, please specify how.
    1. If the Department intends to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations:
    1. Why is the Department choosing to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?
    1. How will the Department ensure that ongoing OCDETF investigations and prosecutions continue uninterrupted?
    1. According to GAO, “OCDETF cases must have a financial component” to facilitate the targeting of financial networks underpinning drug trafficking organizations.  How will the Department ensure that OCDETF-enabled inter-agency coordination on investigations into the financial networks of fentanyl traffickers and transnational criminal organizations continues uninterrupted?
    1. How will the Department ensure that federal, state, and local law enforcement relying on OCDETF’s Fusion Center intelligence products are not hampered by a cessation or reduction of OCDETF operations? 
    1. Does the Department intend to designate another entity to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of transnational criminal organizations, unrelated to low-level offenders?  If so, which entity?

    Please provide your response to our questions no later than June 13, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Key Unions Announce Endorsement Of Durbin, Marshal Credit Card Competition Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    June 04, 2025

    The Teamsters, RWDSU, SEIU, and UFCW announced their support for the bipartisan legislation in a letter to Durbin and Marshall

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) today announced that key unions, representing 4.5 million American workers, have endorsed their Credit Card Competition Act, which would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market that is currently dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly.  The International Brotherhood of Teamsters; the Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union (RWDSU); Service Employees International Union (SEIU); and the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) wrote a letter detailing their endorsement, emphasizing that swipe fees harm hardworking Americans.

    “Unions understand Americans’ concerns about inflation and the rising costs of necessities like groceries and gas.  As Americans are trying to make ends meet, the biggest Wall Street banks, Visa, and Mastercard, are lining their pockets by charging outrageous swipe fees on each credit card transaction.  For the benefit of working Americans being charged for swiping their credit card, we must inject competition into the credit card market,” Durbin said.  “I wholeheartedly welcome the endorsement of these unions who are looking out for their members and American consumers.”

    “Visa-Mastercard and Wall Street banks are charging American families the highest swipe fees in the world — nearly five times higher than those in other countries,” said Marshall. “These excessive fees cost the average hardworking American household over $1,200 a year. No one understands the burden of these costs better than our trade unions, and I’m proud to have their support as we fight to bring fairness and competition back to the payments market.”

    “While our memberships are diverse, hail from different industries, and different parts of the country, all unions know that working people are reeling from an affordability crisis on everyday goods.  This crisis is especially challenging for low wage workers who often need to make necessary purchases like gasoline, groceries and clothing on credit cards,” unions wrote in their endorsement letter.  “We embrace the Credit Card Competition Act as a means to return more buying power to hard working Americans by curbing the outrageous rise in fees charged by Visa and Mastercard to merchants in the United States.”

    Building off debit card competition reforms enacted by Congress in 2010, Durbin and Marshall’s Credit Card Competition Act would direct the Federal Reserve to ensure that the largest credit card-issuing banks offer a choice of at least two networks over which an electronic credit transaction may be processed.  The legislation is estimated to save merchants and consumers $17 billion each year.

    Visa and Mastercard wield enormous market power in credit cards; they account for more than 726 million cards or about 84 percent of general-purpose credit cards.  Visa’s and Mastercard’s market power and network structure have enabled them to impose fees on U.S. merchants that are among the world’s highest, charging a total of $101 billion in U.S. merchant credit card fees in 2023.  Thesefees include interchange or swipe fees which Visa and Mastercard require merchants to pay to issuing banks, as well as network fees that Visa and Mastercard require merchants to pay directly to them.  Consumers ultimately pay for these fees in the price of the goods and services they buy.

    A copy of the endorsement letter is available here.

       

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Meets With Three Federal Judges To Discuss Judicial Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    June 04, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after discussing judicial security with Judge Beth Bloom of the Southern District of Florida, Judge Mark Norris of the Western District of Tennessee, and Judge Esther Salas of the District of New Jersey, whose son was murdered at the family’s home by a former litigant who posed as a deliveryman:

    “President Trump is openly threatening judges with over-the-top rhetoric and even calling for their impeachment for ruling against him. Just as bad: Republicans seem to be keeping quiet about—or even enabling—his threats. If President Obama or President Biden had said these things, Republicans would’ve thrown a fit.

    “Americans are welcome to disagree with judicial decisions on the merits, but we must all agree that we cannot undermine our Constitution by allowing threats to the officers of our judicial branch in an attempt to weaken it.

    “Judges Salas, Bloom, and Norris are helping to shed light on the threats faced by our judges in a heightened political environment, and I thank them for having the courage to speak about their experiences and carry on the legacy of Judge Salas’s son Daniel.”

    New reporting found that USMS has seen a spike in threats against federal judges, including 197 federal judges threatened between March 1 and May 27 of this year. One report identified more than 600 posts on social media and right-leaning message boards since February targeting family members of judges who ruled against the Trump Administration—with the posts viewed more than 200 million times. Another report described federal judges and their family members receiving anonymous deliveries to their homes intended to show that those seeking to intimidate the targeted judge know the judge’s address or their family members’ addresses. Some of these deliveries were made using the name of Judge Salas’s son.

    The spike in threats coincides with escalating, threatening language by President Trump and his allies, including calls for impeaching judges who don’t rule in the President’s favor.

    Durbin has urged Attorney General Bondi and FBI Director Patel to investigate the ongoing and increasing threats against federal judges. Durbin asked for a response by May 20, but has yet to receive one.

    In 2023, the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation provided additional intelligence analysts and deputy Marshals to the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and allowed judges to remove sensitive personal information from government websites and private publications.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis, Cruz Introduce Resolution Designating June as “Life Month”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in introducing a resolution to designate June as “Life Month” to celebrate the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

    “Life is God’s greatest gift,” said Lummis. “Wyoming fiercely defends the sanctity of human life, and I am proud to reaffirm America’s commitment to the unborn. We must protect our most vulnerable, and this designation is a powerful reminder that every life is worthy of protection.”

    The resolution is cosponsored by Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Kennedy (R-LA), Ted Budd (R-NC), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall (R-KS),  Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Todd Young (R-IN), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Jim Risch (R-ID), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Hoeven (R-ND), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tim Scott (R-SC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Jim Justice (R-WV).

    This resolution is supported by ADF, Heritage Action, SBA Pro-life, National Right to Life, Human Coalition, Heartbeat International, Family Research Council, Students for Life, Americans United for Life, Family Policy Alliance, Concerned Women for America, Catholic Vote, March for Life, 40 Days for Life, National Pro-Life Alliance, NIFLA, Citizens for Life, Christian Broadcasting Network, Focus on the Family, Liberty Counsel Action, and Eagle Forum.

     Read the full resolution here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SASC Chairman Roger Wicker Releases Defense Reconciliation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today unveiled legislative text of the reconciliation bill’s defense portion. The House and Senate Armed Services Committees developed this legislation in close coordination with the White House and Department of Defense to modernize America’s military, secure the border, and strengthen national security.
    Chairman Wicker released the following statement after the release of the bill text:
    “This bill is a landmark down payment toward the modernization of our military and our defense capabilities. It represents a generational upgrade for our national security with historic funding for Golden Dome, American manufacturing, innovative unmanned technology, and new shipbuilding efforts,” Chairman Wicker said. “It would not have been possible without the peace-through-strength leadership of President Trump, Chairman Rogers, and Secretary Hegseth. This is about building the future of American defense, and ultimately deterring war. In combination with significant legislative reforms through the NDAA process, this bill will fundamentally change the Pentagon and help us maintain peace and prosperity for Americans.” 
    House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL.) released the following statement alongside Chairman Wicker:
    “The House and Senate Armed Services Committees are committed to implementing President Trump’s Peace through Strength agenda with a generational investment in our national defense. Chairman Wicker and I have worked closely together to identify how we can best modernize our military, regrow our defense industrial base, and build a ready, capable, and lethal fighting force. Now that the Senate will soon take up the One Big, Beautiful Bill, I’m eager to continue our forward momentum and get this to the President’s desk as soon as possible.”
    The full text is available here. 
    A legislative overview is available here.
    Legislation Highlights:
    $9B to improve servicemember quality of life, including housing modernization, childcare and education improvements, and health care.
    $29B for shipbuilding to expand the maritime industrial base, build 13 Battle Force ships, and rapidly grow an unmanned fleet.
    $25B for Golden Dome to maintain space superiority, develop space-based missile intercept, and accelerate existing missile defense efforts.
    $23B to re-stock crucial munitions, rebuid U.S. supply chains for critical minerals, and expand advanced manufacturing capacity.
    $16B to scale production of innovative low-cost and next-gen weapons like drones, counter-drone tech, cheap munitions, and artificial intelligence.
    $400M to accelerate the DOD audit through artificial intelligence and improve cybersecurity.
    $9B to expand the fighter fleet and accelerate next-gen air superiority programs.
    $15B to accelerate nuclear modernization programs and fix infrastructure.
    $12B to equip INDOPACOM commander with necesary capabilities and rebuild our Pacific infrastructure.
    $16B to improve readiness, including through modernization of depots, additional spare parts for aircraft, and expanded naval maintenance.
    $3.3B to expand military border support mission through Trump term.
    Background:
    In December 2024, Chairman Wicker introduced the FORGED Act, a comprehensive legislative proposal to reform Pentagon efficiency. The bill is designed to fundamentally change the way the Pentagon does business by getting better weapons to our troops faster and maximizing taxpayer dollars.
    Since taking the gavel as Chairman, Senator Wicker has laid out a significant defense investment plan aimed at rebuilding our military for generations to come. The plan encompasses several critical areas including rebuilding the arsenal of democracy, proliferating integrated air and missile defense, modernizing infrastructure, and more.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Agrees with Senator Warren: Scrap the Debt Limit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    June 04, 2025
    “If Republicans in Congress were serious about preventing that economic disaster, they would scrap the debt limit entirely like President Trump has called for – not increase it by $4 trillion dollars to finance tax cuts for billionaires and billionaire corporations.”
    Washington, D.C. – In response to President Donald Trump’s post, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, released the following statement:
    “The independent non-partisan Congressional Budget Office confirmed today that Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill will rip away health care from millions of people and increase the debt by $2.4 trillion to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. That’s a disgusting abomination, as Elon Musk made clear.
    “I’ve argued for years that a default on the national debt would be an economic catastrophe that must be avoided by getting rid of the debt limit permanently. If Republicans in Congress were serious about preventing that economic disaster, they would scrap the debt limit entirely like President Trump has called for – not increase it by $4 trillion dollars to finance tax cuts for billionaires and billionaire corporations.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams Lutnick for Decimation of NOAA, Illegal Cancellation of Digital Equity Act Funding, More

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Q&A with Sec. Lutnick***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at a Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department. Senator Murray slammed what’s happening at the Department and President Trump’s thoughtless tariffs, and grilled Secretary Lutnick on the Department’s decision to completely eliminate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund in the budget request, the Department’s failure to submit required budget justifications to the Committee, and the Trump administration’s decision to cancel billions of dollars of funding from Senator Murray’s Digital Equity Act which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “You know, over the law few months, I am deeply concerned because we have seen: mass firings at NOAA that are really, seriously jeopardizing the weather forecasting that we all count on; funds have been frozen; grants and contracts have been abruptly cancelled; and agencies that were created by Congress in a bipartisan way have been shuttered unilaterally—really ignoring the law—and sweeping, thoughtless tariffs that are crunching small businesses and raising costs for families.

    “And we have even seen President Trump illegally block some emergency funding House Republicans included in their yearlong CR which has cut off funding your Department counts on for trade fairness, export controls, NOAA satellites, and more.

    “So, needless to say: I don’t think any of this helps advance the Department’s mission to spur economic growth and strengthen America’s competitiveness, and it does leaves me very seriously concerned about whether the Department is going to be able to carry out its job.

    “Now, before I turn to my questions, I do want to quickly raise your decision to cancel $48 million in Tech Hub funding for the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center in Eastern Washington and Idaho—alongside several other hubs. We had a chance to talk about this yesterday, but I want you to know I have a lot more questions than I think you answered.

    “This hub is really a partnership of industry, academia, the military, and governments at all levels. Cancelling that funding and further delaying progress at the tech hub really damages our defense industrial base and limits our ability to compete with China, as I told you yesterday. So, that is unacceptable, and I look forward to you resolving that as soon as possible.”

    [TRUMP REQUESTS TO ELIMINATE SALMON RECOVERY PROGRAM]

    Senator Murray began by explaining how important NOAA is to our nation’s fisheries and how important salmon are to Washington state’s way of life, calling out President Trump’s request to zero out funding for a key salmon program: “Now, I do want to ask you while you’re here, one of the agencies you oversee is NOAA. It is absolutely essential to supporting sustainable fisheries, protecting our natural resources, and making sure that we have accurate weather forecasts. Cutting away at NOAA—as you have been doing and as your budget proposes to do further—is going to do serious harm. Among other cuts, your budget would completely eliminate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. That would be a catastrophic failure—it would abandon our communities, our Tribes, and our industries who rely on salmon. And across the Pacific Northwest, salmon are not just fish—they are a way of life, and they are foundational to our economy and our culture. So, I would like you to explain quickly why you proposed that cut, and I want to ask you, did you consult with our Tribes or fishing communities who count on it before making that decision?”

    Secretary Lutnick replied, “The issues are that we do the same thing in multiple ways in NOAA. We have not cut any hydrologists, which are the people who study the water.”

    “You eliminated the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. That is what I’m precisely asking you about. Did you talk to our tribes or fishermen before you did that?” Senator Murray pressed.

    “Of course,” responded Secretary Lutnick.

    Senator Murray said, “Well, I have spoken to the tribes, I’ve talked to the scientists, I’ve talked to the fishermen. No one—no one—in the Pacific Northwest supports those cuts. And I want everyone to know I will not vote for an appropriations bill that eliminates that funding.”

    [LACK OF TRANSPARENCY]

    Senator Murray then asked about the Department failure to present full budget justifications to Congress, “Now, staying on NOAA facilities like the Northwest Fishery Science Center, which is in Seattle, are really in dire need of investment. For this reason, this CJS Appropriations Subcommittee has long included language requiring the Secretary of Commerce to include the cost estimates for NOAA construction projects of more than $5 million, in the congressional budget justification materials, as well as the 5-year cost estimates for those projects. Are you aware of that requirement?”

    “My understanding is we filed our budget according to the CR with exact precision,” Secretary Lutnick replied.

    “Well, have you submitted the Department’s FY26 congressional budget justification? It did not include the list of projects, which it’s required to do,” asked Senator Murray.

    Secretary Lutnick continued to dodge, “My understanding is the CR had certain obligations for us, and we followed them with precision. That’s my understanding.”

    Senator Murray pushed back, “Well, the fact is that you are required by law to submit the NOAA PAC [Procurement, Acquisition and Construction] construction list to Congress with the budget. That wasn’t done. Can we get that list by Friday?”

    “I’ll happily take a look at it. And if it’s required, of course, I will send it,” said Secretary Lutnick.

    Senator Murray responded, “Okay. It is required.”

    [ATTACKS ON DIGITAL EQUITY ACT]

    Senator Murray turned her questions about President Trump’s recent announcement he is illegally planning to cancel Digital Equity Act grants, “Mr. Secretary, I wrote a law, it was called the Digital Equity Act, to help close the digital divide—and it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Now, the Administration has arbitrarily cancelled billions of dollars for the Digital Equity Act, claiming it’s unconstitutional. This is a program that every state, Democrat and Republican, has applied for—every single state in the country. It distributes laptops in Iowa. It helped people get back online after Hurricane Helene washed away computers and phones in western North Carolina. It’s a program in rural Alabama where they taught seniors—including some who have never used a computer—how to use the internet. I want to ask you, has the Supreme Court declared this bipartisan law unconstitutional? Has any judge?”

    Secretary Lutnick sidestepped the question, “It will go through the courts and the courts will decide.”

    “No one has declared this unconstitutional—no one. Your job, Mr. Secretary, is to carry out the law that Congress has passed. You don’t get to keep laptops from our kids, because the President doesn’t care about kids in rural communities. My advice to you here—it is a law, it is not unconstitutional, and I would urge you to get those digital equity dollars out the door and save everyone the legal fees, because the law is very clear,” emphasized Senator Murray.

    [TRUMP’S THOUGHTLESS TRADE WAR]

    Senator Murray concluded by saying, “I just have a few seconds left, and I before I finish, I do want to underscore my state, Washington state, is one of the most trade dependent states in the nation. 40% of our jobs are connected to international trade and President Trump and your Department continue to pursue this chaotic tariff policy that businesses in my state stand to lose billions of dollars. I have heard from businesses across my state, from manufacturers, from small retailers. They are struggling to absorb the cost increases on everything from napkins to car parts. And this uncertainty has really left them scrambling which has delayed investments and caused serious supply chain disruptions, especially at our ports. These actions, in addition, have really harmed our relationships with our key allies like Canada. I heard Senator Collins here earlier talking about Maine being their neighbor—it is our neighbor in Washington state. They are one of our biggest trading partners. And let me be clear, this is causing chaos, disruption, anger. And we have got to get this resolved because farmers, our people and our small businesses and our communities, are really hurting.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Presidential Message on the 83rd Anniversary of the Battle of Midway

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    class=”has-text-align-left”>Today marks the 83rd anniversary of America’s seminal victory at the Battle of Midway—a watershed moment in World War II that set the Allied Forces on the path to ultimate triumph over forces of evil.
    After the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Imperial Japan surged across the Pacific—dealing Allied forces a series of defeats from the fall of the Philippines, to the capture of Hong Kong and Singapore, to devastating air raids over Australia.  With the U.S. Navy still reeling from the surprise attack, Japan’s ruthless push for regional dominance seemed unstoppable. 
    By the summer of 1942, Japan set its sights on Midway Island—a tiny American outpost with massive strategic value, just over 1,000 miles from Hawaii.  The Japanese plan was clear: lure what remained of the battered U.S. Pacific Fleet out of Pearl Harbor, destroy it, and capture Midway, from where they would launch further offensives across the Pacific.
    President Franklin D. Roosevelt knew our Armed Forces had to act decisively.  He tasked Admiral Chester Nimitz, a submariner and newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, with launching a full-scale effort to restore the Navy’s remaining ships to fighting condition.  With vital intelligence from American codebreakers, the Allies stayed one step ahead, anticipating the major elements of Japan’s strategy.
    At dawn on June 4, 1942, the U.S. Navy struck back.  Despite facing a larger enemy force and suffering heavy losses, the U.S. fleet under the command of Admirals Jack Fletcher and Raymond Spruance fought with unmatched resolve.  In the course of twenty-four hours, they sank four Japanese aircraft carriers, destroyed a heavy cruiser, and crushed Japanese hopes of advancing deeper into the eastern Pacific—paving the way for our Nation’s acceptance of Japan’s unconditional surrender and the end of World War II in 1945.
    Today, former enemies stand united as allies.  The United States and Japan have forged an enduring partnership built on the shared values of freedom, sovereignty, and an abiding commitment to peace across the Indo-Pacific.  Together, we are advancing the causes of safety, security, prosperity, and liberty—all while confronting threats from China and North Korea.
    The epic Battle of Midway stands to this day as a glorious reminder that, even in the face of long odds, perilous danger, and tremendous uncertainty, no challenge is too great for the strength of the American spirit.  As our Nation commemorates this legendary battle, we honor the grit of our servicemen, we pay tribute to the sacrifice of our veterans, and we vow to carry forward the legacy of the fallen heroes who secured victory over tyranny in the Pacific 80 years ago.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI | Fox News — SEN BILL HAGERTY: Nashville is not a sanctuary city. I won’t let that happen

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    ‘Illegal aliens are facing justice. They are being sent home. And violent criminals, who are here illegally, will no longer plague our communities…The American people, the people of Tennessee and the brave men and women of ICE deserve much better. I look forward to seeing this commitment upheld.’

    SEN BILL HAGERTY: Nashville is not a sanctuary city. I won’t let that happen
    By: Senator Bill Hagerty
    June 4, 2025
    Link here.

    Nashville mayor condemns arrests of illegal immigrants. Now, ICE agents are targets of doxxing.

    Nashville is not, nor is any other city in Tennessee, a sanctuary city. I intend to make certain that remains the case.  

    In May in Nashville, ICE conducted a successful operation with Tennessee Highway Patrol to arrest 196 criminal illegal aliens, including a convicted rapist and a suspected murderer. 

    While I have received every assurance that Nashville and every other city in Tennessee will work in a cooperative manner with law enforcement, make no mistake: I will make certain those commitments are not just lip service. 

    After the operation, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell condemned ICE’s good work, promoted a fund to provide support dollars for illegal immigrants and their families in Nashville, and even updated an executive order to fast-track the collection of all Nashville government employees’ interactions with ICE. 

    The mayor’s executive order has – unsurprisingly – led to the doxxing of ICE agents, who have faced a 413% increase in assaults against them while on the job. In Nashville, we know that activists are monitoring ICE activity in the city and alerting each other of ICE’s movements using encrypted group chats. 

    Did these groups see the doxxed ICE agents’ personal information? How will they use it? How does the mayor ensure these lists of ICE agents do not end up in the wrong hands? These are all questions we shouldn’t have to ask, but now we do. 

    The cloud of confusion that has arisen from this misstep is unfortunate, and the facts need to be made clear: the state of Tennessee is a state that stands for law enforcement and the protection of its citizens. 

    The leftwing media is adding fuel to the fire. For example, New York Times opinion writer Margaret Renkl explicitly compares ICE raids in Nashville to the Jim Crow South and the Trail of Tears. Her article – littered with cherry-picked stories from immigrant activists – uses such ridiculous words as “hunt” to suggest that what is happening in my state is not legal. Let me be clear: the only illegality is from those who chose to cross the border illegally. 

    We know where this all leads: In 2019, an Antifa activist attempted to firebomb an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington. Thankfully, he was stopped before he could succeed. But his intentions and motivation were clear. In his manifesto, he slandered ICE as “the forces of evil,” and compared their detention facilities to “concentration camp[s].” 

    Even when such rhetoric from the media and mismanagement on the part of local officials does not inspire acts of domestic terrorism, it still leads to harassment and threats against ICE and other federal law enforcement officers. 

    In the first Trump presidency, the left shamelessly engaged in doxxing of ICE agents, sharing their personal information in an effort to intimidate them out of their jobs, or even cause direct harm to them. Such private information was even shared by college professors, published by WikiLeaks, and disseminated by the far-left domestic terrorist organization Antifa.

    Now that President Donald Trump is back in office, activists have resumed this dangerous tactic. Even state lawmakers have joined in on efforts to expose ICE officers’ identities, with Tennessee Democrat state Representative Aftyn Behn filming herself gleefully stalking ICE agents. 

    Trump’s historic re-election made it clear: the American people support his immigration agenda, including the removal and deportation of criminal illegal aliens from our communities. Yet some, like Nashville Mayor O’Connell, whether intentional or not, are inhibiting the president’s mission. This will not stand. 

    The Trump administration and the men and women of ICE have a Herculean task before them in cleaning up what former President Joe Biden facilitated: the largest invasion of our Southern border in history. 

    For four years, we watched Biden sacrifice our national sovereignty to allow millions to illegally flood our country. Unsurprisingly, this illegal tsunami included murderers, rapists, human traffickers, drug smugglers, people on terrorist watch lists, and more. Today, ICE is working overtime to remove these criminals and make our communities safer. 

    Here’s the reality: Illegal aliens are facing justice. They are being sent home. And violent criminals, who are here illegally, will no longer plague our communities. 

    O’Connell should take care to empower ICE and local law enforcement to remove illegal aliens from our communities, not endanger them. The American people, the people of Tennessee and the brave men and women of ICE deserve much better. I look forward to seeing this commitment upheld. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins Varney & Co. on Fox Business to Discuss Budget Reconciliation, Chinese Nationals’ Arrests

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking and Foreign Relations Committees, joined Varney & Co. on Fox Business to discuss the budget reconciliation package, along with two Chinese nationals charged with smuggling and potential agroterrorism.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*

    Partial Transcript

    Hagerty on the need to pass the budget reconciliation package: “We certainly do respect the effort that Elon undertook with respect to government efficiency. We all want to see cost reductions, but I tell you: my number one goal is to avoid what would otherwise be a greater than $4 trillion tax increase on Americans. I talked with Kevin Hassett yesterday, the National Economic Advisor at the White House. Were that to happen, were we not to pass this, we’d have over $4.2 trillion tax increase on America that would cut GDP growth negative six percent. Certainly, the nation, the world, doesn’t need to see that happen. One of the overarching aims here is to create certainty in our tax code to stimulate more capital investment. That’s exactly what will happen if we pass this. And Leader [John] Thune is right, the Congressional Budget Office essentially conducted malpractice last time in 2017 when they tried to estimate the impact of that Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. They missed it by a trillion dollars of revenue. I’m very optimistic; this will help reduce the deficit.”

    Hagerty on the prospective positive financial impacts of the budget reconciliation package: “As I talk to CEOs around the country, they want to make investments here in America, but they need certainty in terms of the rule set. We can deliver that through this bill. We need to do it quickly. And if we do it quickly, we’ll be able to see a 2026 that’s going to be an incredible move forward, lots more capital investment. That capital investment begets more employment. That employment and jobs begets more economic activity. It’s a positive feedback loop that will make America grow at a great degree, much higher than the 1.8 percent that the Congressional Budget Office predicts. And if we’re at three percent or better, we’re going to see that deficit begin to close much more rapidly.”

    Hagerty on the arrest of two Chinese nationals for smuggling and potential agroterrorism: “We need to be extremely careful, particularly when you think about the movement that we’ve had with Chinese nationals, particularly those affiliated with the [People’s Liberation Army], moving into our university system. That was precisely the case here. And we need to be very, very careful about who comes in, what they’re bringing with them. And make no mistake, and I’m so pleased that [FBI Director] Kash Patel [is] in the position he’s in, because he’s seeing right through all of this. Make no mistake: the Chinese Communist Party is not our friend. This sort of infiltration, this act of agroterrorism is the last thing we need to see on American soil. And the only way to prevent it is by waking up and realizing that we’ve got to be extraordinarily careful as we allow anybody to come into this country.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Leader Schumer, Wyden, Merkley Seek Information on Republican Reconciliation Bill’s Potential to Close Rural Hospitals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Letter Text (PDF)

    Washington (June 4, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Budget Committee, today wrote to Mark Holmes, PhD, Director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, requesting analysis of the impact of House Republicans’ budget bill’s proposed cuts to federal spending on health programs, on rural hospitals, and their surrounding communities. 

    In the letter the lawmakers write, “The independent, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill and other regulatory actions by the Trump administration will lead to nearly 14 million Americans losing their health insurance and shifting billions of dollars in health care costs to states. In short, the House-passed budget reconciliation bill is expected to have substantial and devastating impacts to health care access for working families across America, particularly in rural communities. We are deeply concerned that these cuts will increase uncompensated care and make it more difficult for rural hospitals to continue providing services to all patients, paying workers, and keeping their doors open.”

    The lawmakers continue, “The magnitude of federal cuts to health programs will inevitably devastate health access for millions of Americans who will see their local hospitals forced to reduce services or close altogether. To help us better understand the devastation of these cuts, we are interested in the Sheps Center’s expert analysis of how this bill will impact rural hospitals and the communities they serve.”

    The lawmakers request responses to the following questions by June 11, 2025:

    1. Which U.S. rural hospitals treat the highest share of Medicaid recipients? Please identify these hospitals by name, state, and congressional district.
    1. How many rural hospitals are currently in financial distress or at risk of closure? Please identify these hospitals by state and congressional district and whether these hospitals are eligible for any Medicare rural hospital designation.
    1. If the health care cuts in the House-passed budget reconciliation bill were to become law, would the rural hospitals with the highest share of Medicaid recipients or that are currently in financial distress face risk of closure or having to reduce services (including obstetric and behavioral health care, emergency room services, etc.)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Rep. Cohen Introduce Legislation to Make America’s Streets Safer for Everyone

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (June 4, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Representative Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today reintroduced the Complete Streets Act, which would transform America’s public roads. The bill would require states to direct a portion of their federal highway funding toward the creation of a Complete Streets Program. A “Complete Street” provides safe and accessible transportation options for children, seniors, and people with disabilities by prioritizing infrastructure for pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit users. The bill would also require future construction projects on public roads to be designed for the safety of all its road users.

    “The skyrocketing number of pedestrian and cyclist deaths in our country is a crisis. This moment calls for us to ensure our roads are designed with safety – not speed – as our top priority,” said Senator Markey. “I am grateful for Representative Cohen’s partnership to ensure we prioritize roadway safety and accessibility over a reliance on fast, fossil-fueled vehicles. Let’s build complete streets and complete communities and accelerate into a safer, more accessible future for all.”

    “In recent years, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of pedestrians killed by vehicles, especially in Memphis. Our country is seeing a national safety crisis on our roads. We need streets that can accommodate all means of transportation, from foot traffic and strollers to bicycles, scooters, cars, light trucks and 18-wheelers. The Complete Streets Act will transform communities and make it safer for everyone to make ‘complete’ use of our roadways and adjacent infrastructure,” said Congressman Cohen.

    The Complete Streets Act is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and in the House by Representatives Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), and Dina Titus (NV-01).

    Under the Complete Streets Act, eligible local and regional entities can use funds from their state’s Complete Streets Program for technical assistance and capital funding to build safe street projects such as sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, and bus stops. The legislation would also phase in a requirement for states to incorporate Complete Streets elements into all new construction and reconstruction.

    The legislation is endorsed by the National Complete Streets Coalition, Transportation for America, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, GreenLatinos, and the League of American Bicyclists.

    Senator Markey and Representative Cohen first introduced the Complete Streets Act in 2019. Elements of the Complete Streets Act were incorporated into the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which created the Safe Streets for All grant program. In 2024, Massachusetts received $25 million in funding from the Safe Streets for All program to make roads safer in communities like Lynn, Boston, Fitchburg, and Haverhill.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Takes Liberal Professor to Task for Flip-Flopping on Injunctions Stance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Wednesday, June 04, 2025

    In a joint Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) took Kate Shaw, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, to task over her double standard for nationwide injunctions issued against the Trump Administration versus those against the Biden Administration. Senator Hawley repeatedly called out Shaw for lacking a “principle” to guide her legal opinion regarding when nationwide injunctions constitute the appropriate remedy for a legal dispute.   

    Libs thought nationwide injunctions were a “travesty for principles of democracy” – when Joe Biden was in office
    But now they LOVE them.
    What changed? TRUMP. Once again: the rule of law should be blind. Not blinded by rage. pic.twitter.com/9PEJmyhzF0
    — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 3, 2025

    The hearing was jointly hosted by the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and the Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights. 
    Earlier this year, Senator Hawley introduced legislation to end liberal judges’ serial abuse of power by banning nationwide injunctions.
    Watch the full committee hearing here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock, Tillis Unleash Animal Shelters to Fetch More Donations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
    Today, Senators Reverend Warnock and Tillis introduced the BARK Act, to make it easier for animal shelters to accept pet food and supplies 
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “This common-sense, bipartisan legislation protects good-faith donations, making the donation process easier and less stressful, allowing much needed resources to go to dogs and cats waiting for adoption instead of being thrown away”
    Senator Tillis: “No shelter pet should have to go hungry when so many pet stores have a surplus of readily available food”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) reintroduced the bipartisan Bring Animals Relief and Kibble Act, which encourages donations to animal shelters by providing liability protections for good-faith donations of pet food and supplies.
    “Georgia animal shelters around the state are struggling to keep their doors open, we should make it easier for local businesses to donate pet food and supplies,” said Senator Warnock. “This common-sense, bipartisan legislation protects good-faith donations, making the donation process easier and less stressful, allowing much needed resources to go to dogs and cats waiting for adoption instead of being thrown away.”
    “Every year, pet stores throw out surplus pet food, which could easily be donated to feed hungry pets in animal shelters,” said Senator Tillis. “This commonsense legislation removes unnecessary bureaucratic restrictions that keep many pet stores from donating food to animal shelters. No shelter pet should have to go hungry when so many pet stores have a surplus of readily available food.”
    The BARK Act will help boost donations of pet food and supplies to animal shelters as shelters across Georgia face overcrowding and rising costs. The bipartisan legislation aims to support overwhelmed animal shelters and reduce wasted pet food and supplies sitting in landfills by providing donor liability protections to businesses, individuals, nonprofits, and government entities that provide good-faith donations of pet food and supplies to animal shelters. 
    This bill is endorsed by the Humane World Action Fund, Best Friends Animal Society, Pet Food Institute, and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
    A companion bill was introduced in the House by Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08) and Young Kim (R-CA-40).
    Read the BARK Act HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces $6.8 million in Hurricane Ida aid for Houma schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced a $6,764,854 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant for the Terrebonne Parish School Board.
    “Hurricane Ida hit Houma hard, but the community has worked tirelessly to rebuild. This $6.8 million grant will help cover the costs of demolishing, relocating and renovating school facilities due to severe damage from the storm,” said Kennedy.
    The FEMA aid will fund the following:
    $6,764,854 to the Terrebonne Parish School Board to relocate the Hurricane Ida-damaged Louis Miller Vo-Tech campus to its Fletcher Building in Houma, La., and demolish its Ida-damaged School for Exceptional Children facility and renovate its existing Elysian Fields campus.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Cruz, colleagues introduce resolution to designate June as “Life Month”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and 25 colleagues in introducing a resolution to designate the month of June as “Life Month.”
    The resolution commemorates the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in the June 2022 landmark decision Dobbs v. Jackson and affirms that every human life is precious.
    “With too many extreme politicians supporting abortion up until the moment of birth, it’s more important than ever that Americans declare their support for God’s greatest gift, life. I’m proud to help introduce this resolution to designate June as ‘Life Month’ and support the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision—a win for both the Constitution and the unborn,” said Kennedy.
    “Every human life is worthy of protection, and it is especially incumbent upon Americans and lawmakers to protect the most vulnerable among us. Designating June as Life Month is a recommitment to the American principle that every life has dignity. I call on my colleagues in the Senate to swiftly pass this resolution,” said Cruz.
    Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) introduced the resolution in the House of Representatives.
    “For decades abortion advocates have gone to extraordinary lengths to ignore, trivialize, and cover up the battered baby victim, fostering a culture of denial, disrespect, and bias against the unborn. This resolution designating June as Life Month highlights our moral imperative to protect innocent children’s lives from extermination. It calls our nation to reject willful blindness to the realities of abortion—brutally dismembering helpless babies with sharp knife-like curettes or poisoning babies with pills that literally starve them to death and often result in their bodies being flushed down a toilet. This resolution affirms that the cruel injustice of abortion need not be forever: instead we must defend the unborn and show love and compassion to both mother and child through meaningful assistance and support,” said Smith.
    Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) also cosponsored the resolution.
    Alliance Defending Freedom, Heritage Action, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, National Right to Life, Human Coalition, Heartbeat International, Family Research Council, Students for Life, Americans United for Life, Family Policy Alliance, Concerned Women for America, Catholic Vote, March for Life, 40 Days for Life, National Pro-Life Alliance, NIFLA, Citizens for Life, Christian Broadcasting Network, Focus on the Family, Liberty Counsel Action and Eagle Forum support the resolution.
    The full resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Cotton Introduce Bill to Ban Blacklisted Firms from Sensitive DOE Contracts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) today introduced the Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act, which would establish a Department of Energy non-procurement list for critical minerals, battery production, and other related energy needs. 
    “Organizations that threaten our national security have no business engaging in American energy production,” said Risch. “The Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act protects the energy sector, which is critical to both our economy and security, from bad actors while advancing domestic needs.”
    “Supply chains for our country’s critical minerals and battery production are a cut-and-dry national security issue. Firms that are banned from doing business with the Department of Defense and other federal agencies should face significant restrictions when working in these sensitive areas,” said Cotton.
    The Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act would:

    Establish a master energy non-procurement list for DOE projects prioritizing critical minerals and battery production

    Establish a waiver process for contracts or projects that require exceptions

    Require a federal study to pull all similar lists of entities of concern from Commerce, DOD, Energy, State, Treasury, DNI, and other agencies and make recommendations for harmonization.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MYTHBUSTER: The One Big Beautiful Bill Cuts Spending, Deficit — and That’s a Fact

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    By every honest metric, President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill dramatically improves the fiscal trajectory of the United States and unleashes an era of unprecedented economic growth.
    HOAX: The One Big Beautiful Bill increases spending.
    FACT: The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers nearly $1.7 trillion in mandatory savings — a fact that even the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) admits is true.
    FACT: This is the highest level of mandatory savings in history — dwarfing spending reductions from similar reconciliation bills in 2005 ($140 billion), 1997 ($800 billion), 1993 ($370 billion), and 1990 ($440 billion) on an inflation-adjusted basis.
    FACT: The One Big Beautiful Bill’s $1.7 trillion savings are permanent changes to the law — meaning these savings will continue long into the future.
    FACT: This is a reconciliation bill — not an appropriations (budget) bill. This means there is no mechanism for including spending reductions on 99% of government operations, which will come in future legislation.
    HOAX: The One Big Beautiful Bill adds to the deficit.
    FACT: So-called “forecasts” (including by the CBO) predicting higher deficits are based on a false assumption that President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts will expire. In reality, extending the CURRENT tax rates — which this legislation does — has zero impact on the deficit.
    If you cite the CBO’s faulty score, you must also cite CBO’s forecast that President Trump’s tariffs will cut the deficit by $2.8 trillion over the next decade. In other words, even the partisan CBO admits the deficit will be slashed by at least $500 billion over the next ten years.

    FACT: Of course, the $1.7 trillion savings is partly offset by one-time spending on border security and additional tax cuts (NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX ON OVERTIME) — which brings the net deficit reduction to exactly $1.407 trillion.
    FACT: Upon enactment the bill — and through increased tariffs revenues, discretionary spending cuts, and reversing Biden-era regulations — the Trump Administration will have taken actions that reduce deficits by at least $6.6 trillion over the next decade.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Connecticut Delegation, Colleagues Statement Opposing USDA Secretary Rollins’ Illegal Restriction of Farm Recovery and Support Block Grant

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 04, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04),and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) today joined 22 members of Congress from New England and Hawaii in issuing the following bicameral statement in response to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins illegally restricting relief funding to small and mid-sized family farms in New England, Alaska, and Hawaii:

    “On behalf of our States and small farmers, we oppose the Department of Agriculture’s decision to violate Congressional intent, and the statutory purpose of the small states block grant, known as the Farm Recovery and Support Block Grant program. This block grant was created specifically to bridge the gap between traditional disaster relief programs and uncovered losses experienced by small farmers who cannot access traditional crop insurance. 

    “USDA has dragged its feet for months on implementing this simple program, adding barrier after barrier to our States, and has now set an arbitrary deadline in a clear attempt to rush States into making a decision without sufficient information. USDA is demanding States either accept traditional disaster relief, which has failed most of our small farmers for years, or gamble on an unknown amount of repayment with little to no guidance from USDA. Once again, this choice would leave so many small farms to fend for themselves after a disaster.

    “The Secretary of Agriculture must execute the law as written to make these farmers whole. Our farmers know what they need best, and they have been left behind by traditional disaster relief before. This grant was created to address those shortcomings. Small farmers in our States deserve respect and fair treatment, not another bait and switch from Washington bureaucrats.”

    U.S. Representatives Richie Neal (D-Mass.-01), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.-02), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.-03), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.-04), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.-05), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Bill Keating (D-Mass.-09), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine-01), Jared Golden (D-Maine-02), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.-01), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.-02), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.-01), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.-02), Becca Balint (D-Vt.-AL), Ed Case (D-Hawaii-01), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii-02), as well as U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also joined the statement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions Witnesses On Nationwide Injunctions During Senate Judiciary Joint Subcommittee Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    June 03, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Joint Subcommittee hearing entitled “The Supposedly ‘Least Dangerous Branch’: District Judges v. Trump.” Durbin first asked the witnesses about nationwide injunctions. Last month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. CASA. In that case, the justices are considering whether they should stay the district courts’ nationwide preliminary injunctions against the Trump Administration’s executive order that attempted to end birthright citizenship. During his question, Durbin echoed a hypothetical posted by Justice Sotomayor during the case’s oral arguments.
    “She [Justice Sotomayor] said, and I’m paraphrasing: imagine a new president takes office and decides, because of the epidemic of gun violence in our country, to issue an executive order announcing that he will deploy the military to seize the guns of every gun owner across the country. That executive order would be swiftly challenged in a federal district court—or, more likely, in several district courts. Should a district court be allowed to issue a nationwide injunction to at least temporarily prevent the enforcement of that executive order?” Durbin asked.
    Josh Blackman, a professor at the South Texas College of Law, responded that he did not think the remedy would be in the courts. Kate Shaw, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, responded, “whatever the Constitutional right is… if a president tries to do something that is in clear violation of settled law… an injunction is an appropriate remedy.” Joel Alicea, a professor at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, responded, “I don’t think a judge could issue a universal injunction under those circumstances.”
    “Do you think it is reasonable to expect every single person affected by an executive order, like the one I described, to seek relief through Rule 23 or to file their own lawsuit to seek relief?” Durbin asked.
    Professor Alicea responded, “I don’t think that would be necessary. If you had one person who sought class certification successfully, that would be sufficient.”
    Durbin then asked the witnesses about judge shopping. During the Biden Administration, right-wing litigants flocked to the Amarillo Division of the Northern District of Texas to file their lawsuits. Those litigants filed their lawsuits in Amarillo because only one judge sits in that division—Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. Litigants knew Judge Kacsmaryk would be assigned to their cases and viewed him as favorable to their arguments.
    “Judge Kacsmaryk is pretty well known for the way he rules. Professor Shaw, do you have any observation on that?” Durbin asked.
    Professor Shaw responded that “those single-judge divisions—like the one in Amarillo, Texas where Judge Kacsmaryk sits—are a genuine problem, but none of the injunctions against the Trump Administration have issued from judges who sit in those single-member districts… we aren’t seeing it now but I do think, regardless of who the president is, these single-judge divisions are a problem that Congress would be well-served to address.”
    Video of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On President Trump’s Proposal To Codify Devastating DOGE Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    June 03, 2025
    If passed by Congress, the rescissions package offered by the White House will cut $9.4 billion in federal funding for critical government programs
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Trump released a rescissions package that, if passed by Congress, would codify cuts made by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency:
    “These sloppy and shortsighted rescissions slash public broadcasting and cut critical global health, HIV/AIDs, democracy, and other stabilization programs that save lives while helping to prevent wars and further develop markets for American goods, including Illinois farmers.  Programs that make up less than one percent of the federal budget are being cruelly cut to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest at the expense of the world’s most poor and our national security interests.  These rescissions are also dangerously targeting public broadcasting, which is critical to providing Americans, especially those in rural areas, with unbiased local news, educational programming, and emergency alerts.
    “We cannot allow this proposal, championed by President Trump, to erode the federal government.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces Restoration of Funding for Maine AgrAbility Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Published: June 04, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced the restoration of funding for the Maine AgrAbility program. This announcement follows reports that the University of Maine (UMaine) was unable to draw down funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)—which funds the Maine AgrAbility program—without any notice from the federal agency.
    “The Maine AgrAbility program has helped hundreds of workers across our state prevent serious injuries by providing training and technical assistance that help make high-risk jobs safer,” said Senator Collins. “I am glad that, following my discussions with Administration officials, this critical funding has been released so UMaine and its partners can continue to provide valuable guidance to our farmers, fishermen, and foresters.”
    According to UMaine, the Maine AgrAbility program serves more than 1,600 workers in Maine’s heritage industries, supporting numerous efforts, such as providing safety training to loggers on best practices to prevent slips, trips, and falls on the work site, reducing the risk of injury and helping to lower the rates of their workers’ compensation coverage.

    MIL OSI USA News –