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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Booker, Schumer, Duckworth, DeLauro Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Increase Access to Fertility Treatment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) along with U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) reintroduced the bicameral Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act, legislation that would require more health insurers to provide coverage for infertility treatment, as well as fertility preservation services for individuals who undergo medically necessary procedures that may cause infertility, such as chemotherapy.

    “Infertility is a painful struggle for millions of people in America, and the steep cost of infertility treatment like IVF prevents many of them from growing their families—that’s just wrong. The Access to Fertility Treatment and Services Act would require more insurance plans, including TRICARE and the VA coverage our veterans and their families rely on, to cover infertility treatment without raising insurance costs or copays. We should be doing everything we can to support families and make it easier to have and raise children in America, and our legislation is one important step in that direction,” said Senator Murray.

    “Everyone’s path to parenthood is different, and the decision to pursue fertility treatments is deeply personal,” said Senator Booker. “Nobody should have to choose between financial stability and the opportunity to have a family. On top of that, people who find themselves at the daunting intersection of a cancer diagnosis and fertility challenges should have access to affordable fertility services. This legislation would require more insurance plans to cover fertility treatments so that Americans no longer face barriers to care when deciding to start a family.” 

    “While Republicans have tried to brand themselves as the pro-family party, Senate Democrats are putting forward actual solutions to help the millions of Americans grappling with the financial and medical realities of safely growing their families,” said Leader Schumer. “Infertility can – and does – affect so many in our communities, and while Republicans continue their relentless attacks on reproductive rights, I will keep fighting to protect access to affordable health care and am proud to support this legislation which offers hope and opportunity to many with this deeply personal decision.”

    “Millions of Americans depend on IVF to build a family—and yet, this treatment is too often out of reach for so many because of exorbitant, out-of-pocket costs,” said Senator Duckworth. “If Donald Trump really wants to deliver on his campaign promise to ensure IVF is covered for those who rely on it, he’d call on Republicans to support our bill that would expand coverage for so many more Americans. Otherwise, all the pro-IVF talking points are just more empty promises from people who have proven time and again they have no interest in actually taking any meaningful action to protect IVF access.”

    “When people don’t have insurance coverage for fertility care, they are forced to make impossible choices between paying for treatment or affording essentials,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “The emotional and physical toll of trying to build a family is already heavy. We should not add a crushing financial burden on top of it. This bill ensures that all families have the insurance coverage they deserve. Americans should have the opportunity to grow their families without sacrificing their basic needs.”

    “Every day providers encounter patients who need medical treatments like IVF to build their families, but have to forego, delay, or stop treatment because they cannot afford it,” said Sean Tipton, ASRM Chief Advocacy & Policy Officer. “While ASRM has championed progress on state-level IVF mandates, we firmly believe that access to health care should not depend on your zip code. For this reason, we remain grateful to Sen. Booker and Rep. DeLauro for their tireless leadership on the Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act. It is well past time for Congress to pass this critical legislation and achieve access to family building care for all Americans.”

    “Every day, millions of Americans face heartbreaking and unnecessary barriers to building their families, simply because they can’t afford the out-of-pocket medical costs. Access to fertility treatment should not depend on your income, your zip code, or your employer. The ‘Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act’ is a critical step toward ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to pursue their dream of having a family. On behalf of RESOLVE and the family-building community, I thank Senator Cory Booker and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro for their steadfast leadership in championing equitable access to care,” said Danielle Melfi, President & CEO, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.

    Despite the prevalence of infertility – a reported one in six couples have challenges conceiving – coverage for treatment options is limited. In 2024, nearly half of large employers voluntarily offered fertility benefits and 97% of those offering benefits reported no significant increase in costs to their medical plans.

    Specifically, the Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act would:

    1. Require most private health insurance plans, as well as plans offered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, Medicaid, TRICARE, ERISA, and the VA, to provide coverage for treatment of infertility without raising insurance or copayment costs.
    2. Ensure these plans cover fertility preservation services for individuals who undergo a medically necessary procedure that may cause infertility.

    The bill is endorsed by the following organizations: Alliance for Fertility Preservation, Endocrine Society, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, National Women’s Political Caucus, American Society for Reductive Medicine, Resolve, MomsRising, In Our Own Voice: National Black, Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, National partnership for Women and Families, Invisible Project, Human Rights Campaign, Families USA, National  LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, Service Women’s Action Network, Guttmacher, ACOG, and AllPaths Family Building.

    The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

    The full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    Senators Murray has been leading the charge to protect IVF for the millions of Americans who rely on it nationwide. Last Congress, Murray introduced the Right to IVF Act in the Senate—which would establish a nationwide right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) and lower the costs of IVF treatment for middle-class families. The Right to IVF Act also includes Senator Murray’s longtime bill—the Veteran Families Health Services Act—to help veterans and servicemembers, who experience higher rates of infertility and encounter restrictive laws and policies before they can access IVF services.

    Despite many Republicans publicly claiming to support IVF, nearly every Senate Republican voted against the bill in June twice last year. Overall, Republicans blocked legislation that would protect IVF nationwide three separate times last year.

    Senator Murray has been fighting for over a decade to expand access to IVF care for veterans and servicemembers, and  protect servicemembers’ and veterans’ access to the reproductive care they deserve. She has introduced multiple pieces of legislation to address the challenges veterans face when starting a family after their service, and in 2012, Senator Murray secured Senate passage of a provision to end the ban on IVF services at VA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of Interior-Environment and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks as the committee meets to consider the draft fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations acts.

    Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below:

    “Thank you very much, Chair Collins, and thank you to Senator Murkowski and Senator Merkley, our Interior subcommittee leads, and Senators Hyde-Smith and Gillibrand, our THUD subcommittee leaders, for working so hard and working together to hammer out two bipartisan bills.

    “May not be the bills I would have written on my own, certainly more I would love to see us do and investments and accountability measures I’d like to see. But these bills are serious bipartisan compromises that reject many of the truly harmful cuts Trump and House Republicans are pushing for, and maintains crucial programs that help make sure folks back home have a roof over their heads; safe, reliable transportation; and clean air and water.

    “In the Interior bill, we were able to put together a bill that protects public lands and national parks, invests in fighting wildfires, helps live up to our obligations to Tribes, and invests in critical work protecting our environment—and our families.

    “And in the THUD bill, we were able to maintain crucial investments to address the housing crisis reject Trump’s deep cuts to rental assistance programs that make sure millions of families have a roof over their head and invest in transportation infrastructure across the board—including a much needed increase to hire more air traffic controllers.

    “These are worthwhile investments—and they show just what is possible if we work together and exactly why a bipartisan process is a better path for everyone than the Trump bills House Republicans seem intent on writing—or another slush fund CR.

    “Now, Russ Vought may want to break this process—and make it more partisan, he said so. He may want to set Congress on a track for a shutdown. But we, on this committee, can reject that partisan vision that hurts working families everywhere. And we can reject the painful cuts and policies they’re trying to inflict in our communities—just as these bills do.

    “In fact, I think most of us here recognize that we have to reject that path.

    “Because, at the end of the day—passing funding bills here in the Senate takes 60 votes.

    “And that means the Trump-Vought path is choosing a dead end and a shut down.

    “I won’t pretend the work ahead is going to be easy—I think every one of us knows, compromise means doing hard work, making hard choices.

    “And it requires trust—something that unfortunately continues to be chipped away at. I hope that trajectory can be reversed—and I look forward to more discussion on each of the bills before us today.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Interior-Environment, Transportation-HUD Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Committee approves Interior-Environment bill in a 26-2 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE

    Committee approves Transportation-HUD bill in a 27-1 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE

    ***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee met for a full committee markup to consider its draft fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations acts.

    “These may not be the bills I would have written on my own. There’s more I certainly want to see us do and investments and accountability measures I’ll keep pushing for. But these bills are serious, bipartisan compromises that reject so many of the truly harmful cuts Trump and House Republicans are pushing for and that maintain crucial programs that help make sure folks back home have a roof over their head, safe, reliable transportation, and clean air and water,” said Vice Chair Patty Murray in her opening remarks. “Now, Russ Vought may want to break this process and make it more partisan. He may want to set Congress on track for a shutdown. But we can reject that partisan vision that hurts working families everywhere. And we can reject the painful cuts and policies Trump and Vought are trying to inflict in our communities—just as these bills do.”

    In a 26-2 vote, the Committee approved the draft fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

    “Oregonians turned out in record numbers during my town halls to deliver a clear message—we need to do everything we can to fight against harmful federal funding cuts and to instead double down on supporting our public lands, Tribal communities, and clean air and water for all,” said Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. “This bipartisan bill protects funding for operating the National Park System, National Refuge System, National Forest System, our National Conservation Lands, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund, making a bold statement to the Trump Administration that Congress intends to fight back against any attempt to rip away public lands from public use. I’ll continue to work with members from both parties to invest in our country’s and our children’s futures.”

    “When it comes to protecting our public lands, this bill provides critical funding for our National Parks and our Forest Service and rejects the absolutely paltry level Trump put forward, as well as the House Republican level. It also prevents our national parks from being sold off. It ensures federal firefighters will not face a pay cut, and it fully funds wild fire prevention and suppression. When it comes to our obligations to our Tribes, we were able to provide $12 billion across Tribal programs—rejecting Trump efforts to cut Tribal safety, Tribal schools, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and advanced appropriations for the Indian Health Service,” said Vice Chair Murray in comments on the bill. “This bill also protects clean water and air programs and continues vital, cutting-edge research that protects families’ health and wellbeing which is under threat from this administration. No doubt, there is more I’d like to do here but this is a solid bipartisan bill to sustain critical programs that protect our environment and families’ health in the face of Trump cuts.”

    The following amendments to the bill were considered during today’s mark up:

    • Manager’s package offered by Chair Murkowski.
      • Adopted unanimously.
    • Reed amendment to prevent the Trump administration from redirecting funding Congress provided for the National Endowment of the Humanities to fund its plans to create a sculpture garden of notable Americans at its discretion.
      • Debated; withdrawn.
    • Heinrich amendment to require the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Department of the Interior to maintain at least the same number of full-time equivalents as they had in September 2020 to ensure adequate staffing at our national parks and for wildfire prevention and response.
      • Republicans rejected the amendment in a 15-14 party-line vote.

    A summary of the bill is available HERE.

    Final bill text, report, Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects, and adopted amendments will be available HERE later today.

    In a 27-1 vote, the Committee approved the draft fiscal year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

    “I would like to thank Chair Collins, Vice Chair Murray, and Chair Hyde-Smith for their leadership and support of this bipartisan bill. As ranking member of the Transportation and Housing Subcommittee, I am committed to working with Democrats and Republicans alike to find bipartisan solutions to meet the needs of my constituents. This bill provides safe and efficient travel by fully funding the FAA and by making investments in Amtrak and transit projects critical to New York. It also protects families, seniors, and people with disabilities who rely on HUD rental and homeless assistance programs, while also investing in affordable housing. The bill soundly rejects the harmful proposals from the Trump administration and will help lower costs for all Americans,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

    “While I still want to do more to address the housing crisis—and I am not going to stop pushing on that—I’m glad to say this bill rejects President Trump’s proposed cuts to rental assistance that would have put 10 million people at risk of eviction—mostly kids, seniors, and people with disabilities. This bill delivers funding to help ensure no one is kicked out of their home, and keep families stably housed,” Vice Chair Murray said in comments on the bill. “When it comes to transportation, this bill includes a much-needed increase for FAA to hire air traffic controllers, modernize equipment, and more. It also invests in highway safety, rail safety, and pipeline safety—not to mention investments in our ports and shipyards. It rejects Trump’s cuts to the essential air services that would have cut off so many small and rural communities. It rejects House Republicans’ proposal to slash Capital Investment Grants by 98%. And of course, it rejects Trump’s plan to eliminate BUILD grants. This is a program I helped launch that supports major construction projects across the country.”

    The following amendments to the bill were considered during today’s mark up:

    • Manager’s package offered by Chair Hyde-Smith.
      • Adopted unanimously.
    • Merkley amendment to prohibit funds provided in any fiscal year 2026 appropriations act from being eligible for rescissions or deferrals under the Impoundment Control Act’s fast-track procedures, ensuring they can only be considered through annual appropriations bills.
      • Republicans rejected the amendment in a 15-14 party line vote.

    A summary of the bill is available HERE.

    Final bill text, report, Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects, and adopted amendments will be available HERE later today.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AARP Endorses Cassidy Bill to Eliminate Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Medicare Advantage Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) endorsed the No Unreasonable Payments, Coding, or Diagnoses for the Elderly (No UPCODE) Act. The landmark legislation introduced earlier this year by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) improves the way Medicare Advantage plans assess patients’ health risks and reduce overpayments for care. Medicare Advantage is a program that millions of seniors rely on to deliver high-quality care.
    “AARP believes that the No UPCODE Act is a commonsense solution that protects older Americans, strengthens oversight, and helps to ensure the long-term sustainability of Medicare,” said Bill Sweeney, AARP’s senior vice president for government affairs.
    “This bill addresses a problem both Republicans and Democrats have labeled as waste, fraud, and abuse. AARP agrees the No UPCODE Act protects seniors by preserving benefits and eliminating waste,” said Dr. Cassidy. “When companies upcode, taxpayers foot the bill and patients get nothing. That’s wrong.”
    Traditional Medicare plans reimburse providers for the cost of treatments rendered, while Medicare Advantage is paid a standard rate based on the health of an individual patient. Because of this, Medicare Advantage plans have a financial incentive to make beneficiaries appear sicker than they may be to receive a higher Medicare reimbursement. This bill will save $200 billion to $270 billion over 10 years.
    The No UPCODE Act would eliminate those incentives by:

    Developing a risk-adjustment model that uses two years of diagnostic data instead of just one year.
    Limiting the ability to use old or unrelated medical conditions when determining the cost of care. 
    Ensuring Medicare is only charged for treatment related to relevant medical conditions.
    Closing the gap between how a patient is assessed under traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

    Background
    Earlier this year, Cassidy discussed his No UPCODE Act during U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Director nominee Mehmet Oz’s confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Chairs First HELP Subcommittee Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) led his first hearing as Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Education and the American Family with lead advocates for reform in the nation’s educational system. During the hearing, entitled “Empowering Families for Better Educational Results,” witnesses underscored places where the current education system falls short, such as declining literacy rates and the lack of charter schools. Sen. Tuberville emphasized the importance of allowing parents to make choices when it comes to their children’s education and the legislation that will benefit teachers, parents, and children.
    In effort to understand how to improve literacy across the nation, Sen. Tuberville and his Republican colleagues asked the witnesses what policies they believe should be implemented. The witnesses also discussed the preparation and professional development that would empower teachers in the classroom. Finally, Sen. Tuberville asked witnesses about the positive effects that charter schools can have on communities.
    Witnesses included:
    Mr. Tyler Barnett, CEO of New Schools for Alabama
    Ms. Anne Wicks, Don Evans Family Managing Director Opportunity and Democracy George W. Bush Institute
    Ms. Ginny Gentles, Director of Education Freedom and Parental Rights Defense of Freedom Institute
    Mr. Richard Barrera, Board Vice President of San Diego Unified School District
    Read excerpts of the transcript below or watch clips of the hearing on YouTube or Rumble. 
    OPENING STATEMENT:
    TUBERVILLE: “Good afternoon. The Senate Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Education and the American Family will come to order. Thanks for being here. As you can tell, we’re running a little late. It’s a little hectic on the hill today, but we will survive. This afternoon, we’re having a hearing on empowering families for better educational results. Ranking member Blunt Rochester and I will each have an opening statement. The witnesses will have five minutes for their opening statements, and senators will each have five minutes for questions.
    We will obviously have senators coming in and out because [there are] many, many votes today. So, thank you to all the witnesses for being here today. It’s always nice to see a fellow Alabamian here today up here in the swamp. Thanks to Mr. Barnett for coming to visit today. We’ve called this hearing to discuss something very near and dear to my heart. One of the reasons I’m here. I was an educator for decades before I decided to come up here, and over those years, I saw the state of our education system decline. The federal government just kept spending more money and more money in K-12 education, and the more they spent, the worse outcomes became. It was just amazing me to watch it in real time, and it made no sense. It’s the main reason I chose to run for this office.
    I didn’t want to see our kids fail year after year, then I got here and realized that we can fix it, but a lot of things are broken. Four years I’ve been serving here on the HELP Committee, and this year, I finally got this gavel to make sure we could have something like this to where we could bring these things to light. I wanted to focus on our kids’ educational outcomes and figure out where we were failing, and also, where we’re doing good things. That leads us to today.
    That’s why we’re having this hearing.
    We need to take a good, hard look at our K-12 education system and figure out [what we can do] to fix it, to make it better, because the status quo in a lot of areas is not cutting it. That means we need to think outside the box. Since COVID, parents have gotten a lot more engaged and that’s where all the necessary change can start, right at home, family. And, since parents have started paying more attention, they’ve started calling for more and more options.
    Parents across our country are calling for their states to offer more options for their kids outside of failing school systems. States represented by folks on both sides of this dice are working on school choice options in their state legislature. We’ll hear about that issue from our witnesses today. Parents want these options, and we ought to listen to them. In my home state of Alabama last year, we passed the Choose Act, which created an income tax credit for families who choose to enroll their children in private schools or homeschooling.
    Virginia, Florida, Alaska, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Indiana, and Washington are just a few states to name that have implemented or have pending state legislation to create these income tax credits promoting school choice. It’s simple. When we give our parents and students choice, we yield better educational results. We owe our kids this investment. But it doesn’t end there.
    Right now, our kids in a lot of areas can’t read. We have kids entering middle school and high school who aren’t at a third grade reading level. I used to recruit kids. I’d bring them in with 3.5 GPAs. The next thing I know after testing them, they wouldn’t be [at a] sixth grade reading level. Something has got to change with that. States and governors across our country have taken up the literacy challenge and enacted legislation at the state level, where it should be. Ranking member Blunt Rochester’s home state of Delaware passed House Bill 304 that implemented reading assessments three times a school year for kids K-3, and my state passed the Alabama Literacy Act, which does the same thing. And we’re trying. No matter the state, this is a widespread effort, and we will discuss today the methods that are working.
    We’ll talk about the science of reading and how best to implement. In our classrooms, we’ll hear about how we can invest in our teachers, invest to prepare them to tackle this crisis head-on. They need to be set up for success just as much as our students do. I want today to be an opportunity for this committee to have a conversation about what our states are doing, and what [we can] do to support them from here, from the federal level. Our children are the best resource this country has, the best thing we’ve got going.
    And above all, we owe them one thing, an opportunity to succeed. And I look forward to working with all of you towards this common goal. Now, I yield to my ranking member, Senator Blunt Rochester, for her opening statement.”
    […]
    ON HOW THE SUCCESS OF CHARTER SCHOOLS IMPACTS DISTRICT SCHOOLS:
    TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Barnett, we’ve had tremendous growth in the number of students across American enrolling in charter schools. Over four million students to be exact. How does that success of charter schools impact our district public school system?”
    BARNETT: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, there are really two large national studies that speak to this. One comes out of the Progressive Policy Institute, and another comes out of the Forum Institute. Both actually show that the presence of charter schools has, in some way, improved outcomes within district schools. There’s a certain threshold that the Progressive Policy Institute’s study showed somewhere around 30%. So, the presence of charter schools that give up to 30% of students in a given market, the opportunity to enroll has [a] positive net impact on not only charter school performance, but also district performance.”
    […]
    ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PREPARING OUR EDUCATORS TO TEACH THE SCIENCE OF READING METHOD:
    TUBERVILLE: “Ms. Wicks, you talked about teacher preparedness and professional development in your testimony. How important is preparing our educators to teach the science of reading method?”
    WICKS: “Senator, thank you for that important question. It’s critical that we give educators the right preparedness to understand this issue and be able to deploy it in their classrooms. I referenced in my opening remarks that only 25% of educator prep programs are currently teaching the science of reading to their aspiring teachers. And even worse, about 40% of them are teaching the wrong stuff. So, they’re teaching these brand-new teachers the wrong way to teach reading.
    If they’re interested in more—the National Council on Teacher Quality put out that report. They’re the best at studying Teacher Prep programs. And I think this comes down to a matter of state leadership and accreditation.
    They make some recommendations about the importance of setting state standards for what these programs need to be teaching. [We need to] have some way to measure that if it’s through accreditation or others.
    And then to tie the state licensure exams to those standards, to ensure that those candidates have actually learned this and can do it in their classroom. And you see the same thing for sitting teachers who maybe never got this in their training and need that professional development.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Ms. Gentles, you know, on both sides of the argument whether President Trump and the Department of Education [is] undermining public school. And because of the work done to expand school choice, do you think there’s a truth to that argument?”
    GENTLES: “Consistently studies show that when states have implemented school choice programs, the nearby public schools have benefited. So increasing competition inspires innovation, and a rising tide lifts all boats. So, we were pleased to see the Executive Order from the President supporting expanding school choice [and] educational freedom, and we’re also pleased to see the Executive Order ordering the Secretary of Education to look into dismantling the Department of Education within […] federal law and with the understanding that the Secretary will be working with Congress on that. Because we do think that […] freeing up states from federal regulations from monitoring, from compliance—all the time that all those bureaucrats at the state and district level are spending on federal paperwork is going to benefit public education. It’s going to benefit public school students. It’s going to benefit public school educators.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Do you think we should give more power back to the states when it [comes to] education?”
    GENTLES: “Absolutely. We need to give power to the states. I think we’ve heard such great news today on what strong state leaders—sensible state leaders—implementing common sense policies are doing. It’s very encouraging to see what’s happening.
    We didn’t mention Louisiana, but Louisiana is a bright spot amidst the 2024 NAEP scores, the only state where fourth grade reading scores exceeded pre-COVID [grades].”
    CASSIDY: “More so than Alabama?”
    GENTLES: “Alabama’s pretty awesome too. It’s been referred to as the southern surge. There’s really good news coming out of the states and encouraging that, fostering that is absolutely the right direction. […] Education policies [are] set at the state level and let’s foster that and let’s get the federal government out of the way.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Speaks to DOD Chief of Naval Operations Nominee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) participated in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today to consider the nomination of Admiral Daryl Caudle to be Chief of Naval Operations. During the hearing, Sen. Tuberville and Admiral Caudle discussed the need to work with our allies as we work to improve our U.S. Naval capabilities, as well as the advantages of using unmanned vessels at sea.
    Excerpts from the interview can be found below and the full interview can be viewed on YouTube or Rumble.
    ON SHIPBUILDING WITH OUR ALLIES:
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Admiral, congratulations. You’ve earned this. Looking forward to working with you. You know, we talk about shipbuilding, and we do a lot of that in my state of Alabama.
    Now, we’re in the submarine business. But I was also in the education business. We’re 500,000 electricians short in this country. In mine and your lifetime, we can’t catch up. We’re gonna have to use our allies to help build some things.
    What’s your thoughts about that? And, for instance, [South] Korea, they build 5 to our 1 keels. [What] are your thoughts on helping and working with our allies to help build ships in the future?”
    CAUDLE: “Well, Senator, thanks for meeting with me. I enjoyed our time in your office. I wanna work with the Secretary of the Navy and the Department of Defense on looking at this hard. Again, I’ve said this is an all hands on deck [effort]. I don’t know how we do what we need to do without bringing international partners into the capacity problem that we have, while we build up our capacity because we need ships today.
    And, so, there are no magic beans to that. There’s nothing that’s just gonna make that happen. So, the solution space has got to open up. And I think part of that has to look at international partnerships to give us a little bit of a relief valve while we work on our own organic industrial capacity.”
    TUBERVILLE: “As you said, we need them yesterday. And again, this education problem is not going away. Our workforce problem is not going away. We gotta use the best that we know how. And we gotta build ships and we gotta build them fast. But they gotta be good ships, and I think working with our allies is gonna be one way for us to address this problem.”
    ON SAIL DRONES:
    TUBERVILLE: “What’s your thoughts on unmanned vessels like sail drones that we make in our state of Alabama. Are you familiar with those?”
    CAUDLE: “Senator, I am familiar with them. Those are type of technologies that are crucial. Sail drones are part of the fabric of how we improve our Maritime Domain Awareness. You’ve, I’m sure, heard of the instantiations we’ve had with our Task Force 59 in the Arabian Gulf using those type of technologies. We’ve had them in the Gulf of America with our southern border watch. We’re using them there with [U.S.] Fourth Fleet and other places. So, yes, that’s a part of exactly what we need to network persistent capabilities where I don’t want manned vessels spending time just collecting things that unmanned can do much more affordably and effectively.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. Those have been used well down in the Caribbean on the war on drugs. And we’re proud of how they worked, and we need to continue to expand that there. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. A lot of eyes out there that we don’t have to man [with] people and train people, but it’s good that you go along with it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Introduces Huntsville’s Bill Roark During HELP Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)introduced Mr. Bill Roark of Huntsville, Alabama, as a witness appearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The hearing was about empowering workers by expanding employee ownership.
    Read excerpts from the hearing below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.
    INTRODUCTION:
    TUBERVILLE: “I’m proud to introduce an Auburn man and a constituent, Mr. Bill Roark. Mr. Roark is the Co-founder of Torch Technologies Inc., Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board of Starfish Holdings, Inc., and Founder and Chair of the Board of Freedom Real Estate and Capital LLC, so he stays pretty busy. He’s a champion for employee ownership, and he has led multiple companies to national recognition [thanks] to his core values.
    As CEO of Torch Technologies, Mr. Rourke implemented an employee-owned ownership program from the company’s inception with the goal of becoming a 100% S corp employee stock ownership plan. His company achieved that goal in just under 10 years. Torch and Mr. Roark gained national attention for being named on the inaugural list of best of America’s best small companies by Forbes. During his tenure, Torch received multiple business awards and was named the number one fastest-growing, privately-held defense contractor in the southeast region. Torch Technologies provides superior research development and engineering services to the Department of Defense. Mr. Roark recently led Torch to become a certified evergreen company, achieving its long-term commitment to 100% employee ownership and its pledge to remain privately held to ensure enduring stability and opportunity for its workforce. This milestone came as Torch celebrated its 20th anniversary. 
    A true believer in company culture and employee well-being, Mr. Rourke has prioritized top-tier benefits and working conditions throughout his career. Mr. Rourke also founded Starfish Holdings Incorporated, a holding company that provides beneficial ownerships to employees across all its portfolios through an ESOP structure. Starfish Holdings companies now include Torch Technologies Inc., Freedom Real Estate and Capital LLC, and SIMVANA [LLC]. Mr. Roark has a proven track record with a common denominator of building companies where employees can thrive, retire with dignity, and find lasting purpose in their work.
    Thank you for being here today, Mr. Roark.”
    ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKPLACE DIGNITY:
    TUBERVILLE: “Important topic. Mister Roark, it’s got to be pretty mind calming to know if you work in an ESOP and you have some of the owners exit the company that everybody’s not gonna lose their job. So, what kind of security does an ESOP structure have for all employees? What that you’ve seen? Some examples.”
    ROARK: “Well, you know, we work real hard to build a succession plan in that it prepares our employees as people retire to step forward. You know, that is a challenge. One of the biggest challenges we’ve had is the success of the ESOP has led to people retiring early, so we have to work that problem a little harder and be training people ready to step into the role. The departure of employees that are retiring actually creates lots of opportunities for the other employees to accelerate in their careers quicker. So, a successful ESOP actually creates a lot of successful careers.
    It also creates the ability for employees to retire with dignity. In fact, the announcement of this hearing went out on our social media last night and one of the posts this morning, I’ll quote for you. […] Jim Deal, one of our retiring employees seven or eight years ago, he says, ‘Tell them how much you helped us retire with dignity.’ That is to me the essence of why I wanted to do this. You know, some 25 years ago, a company bought the company I worked for. And a few months after it was bought, I’d had a successful career. I went from being an entry level person to an executive. I was president of an operating segment. In that time, I’d had one of the most successful careers of anyone at that company. As that acquisition evolved and I was there, I was shortly thereafter, walked to the door and asked, told as I was handed my severance check that ‘We’ll pack your office and send your stuff home.’
    When I started this company, at the core of what I wanted is I wanted people to retire with dignity. When I walked out and stood on that corner, I didn’t feel very dignified. When I meet an employee in the grocery store, I want them to come hug me, not run from me. With the ESOP, I get lots of hugs. Every year when the ESOP statements come out, I get lots of hugs.This is a different way of doing business. I never wanna see an employee walk through the door in such an undignified manner. I put my whole life into that company. Several times, I worked 24 hours straight to get a delivery out on time.Was that respected? No. My stuff showed up in boxes with a bunch of crap that I didn’t really want, was not dignified at all. I hope that answers your question, Coach.”
    TUBERVILLE: “So, how can we help on the federal level to make ESOP structure more viable for that?”
    ROARK: “No. I think there’s lots of ideas being proposed here in in several of these bills, you know, making this easier, making it clearer in what we’re supposed to do. There’s a lot of murkiness in the bills, you know, one of the things for us in the last few years, we’ve been in a position where we could contribute more than the maximum allowable to our employees, and that creates an issue with the ESOP itself. Rf the limit is at 25%, I can only give 25%. If it were higher, we in some cases would have given higher, including this year. So, there are some pieces there where we could just fine tune some things. The ESOP is a wonderful tool and it provides stability for the employees and provides a retirement path for them as well. So, I think the more that we can refine the regulations around it to encourage people to be able to do this, clear up the rules on how the evaluations are done so that it’s clear what needs to be done. I think those would be great helps.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey and Warnock Demand Answers from Secretaries Rubio and Noem on Contradictory U.S. Foreign and Immigration Policies Toward Haiti and Potential Illegal Arms Exports to Port-au-Prince

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Letter Text (PDF)
    Washington (July 24, 2025) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) today led their colleagues in writing to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, requesting clarification on the contradictory U.S. foreign and immigration policies toward Haiti. The senators also demand answers on the involvement of a U.S. private military contractor (PMC)—led by Blackwater Worldwide founder Erik Prince— conducting armed operations in Haiti.
    In the letter, the lawmakers write, “According to recent reports, a U.S. private military contractor (PMC) is conducting armed operations in Haiti under a formal contract with the country’s transitional government. These reports raise urgent questions about compliance with U.S. arms export laws, the risk of U.S. complicity in gross violations of human rights, and fundamental contradictions in current U.S. foreign and immigration policy toward Haiti. In light of these concerns, and in view of the Trump administration’s recent decision to both terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and include Haiti in its newly announced travel ban, we request that you immediately clarify how these decisions are being coordinated and justified across the Executive Branch.”
    The lawmakers continued, “Weaponized drone operations, arms shipments, and deployments of U.S. mercenaries unquestionably constitute activities requiring export licenses. If those licenses were granted, their approval would appear inconsistent with NSPM-10’s human rights criteria. If no licenses were granted, then these activities may be proceeding in violation of U.S. law. At a time when U.S. foreign policy towards Haiti is increasingly inconsistent, by undermining multilateral efforts, ignoring human rights concerns, and pursuing deportations despite escalating violence, the unchecked deployment of a U.S. private military contractor with a troubling history of human rights abuses represents an urgent threat to U.S. legal obligations, credibility, and responsibilities to protect vulnerable populations.”
    The lawmakers request the following information by August 15, 2025:
    Has any U.S. private military contractor applied for or received export licenses for defense articles or military services provided in Haiti? If so, please identify them and provide copies of the export licenses.
    Have any such licenses been reviewed under NSPM-10, Section 3(d) regarding the risks to international peace and human rights? If so, please provide the results of any such review. If not, why not?
    Has any interagency review assessed whether such U.S. private military contractor activity could undermine the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission? If so, please provide the results of any such review. If not, why not? Has the Department of State assessed whether these activities are consistent with, duplicative of, or in conflict with the UN MSS mission? If so, please provide the results of any such assessment. If not, why not?
    Have the Haitian National Police units that are reportedly receiving U.S. security assistance been vetted under the Leahy Law? If so, please provide the results of that vetting. If not, why not?
    What accounts for the contradiction between State’s support for armed stabilization operations in Haiti and DHS’s determination that TPS protections should end?
    How does the Administration reconcile the security justification for Haiti’s inclusion in the travel ban with its simultaneous assessment that Haiti’s TPS status should be terminated because it is safe for Haitians to return home?
    The letter was co-signed by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Reps. Tonko, Fitzpatrick, Bacon, Introduce Community Mental Wellness & Resilience Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Bipartisan legislation bolsters mental wellness & resilience to traumas caused by climate disasters
    Washington (July 24, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and co-Chair of the Environmental Justice Caucus, along with Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Don Bacon (R-NE), today introduced the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act, a bipartisan bill that tackles the nation’s mental health crisis by addressing the extensive community trauma caused by climate disasters. This innovative legislation will empower communities through a new federal grant program to craft their own locally specific responses to the mental health problems caused by disasters and toxic stresses.
    “Communities are struggling to meet the current need for mental health services, and as the climate crisis worsens, unprecedented disasters will only cause more unprecedented harm to our physical and mental health,” said Senator Markey. “Heat waves, flash floods, wildfires, and droughts leave devastation and trauma in their wake. My Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act would give communities the help they need to protect residents’ mental health, especially those in rural and underserved communities that are getting hit first and worst by disasters and have the fewest resources to deal with them.”
    “Extreme weather disasters don’t just wreak havoc on our homes, economies, and infrastructure — they inflict lasting trauma and mental harm for those both directly impacted and far beyond the affected area,” Congressman Tonko said. “We need to provide compassionate, evidence-informed solutions to support our communities. That’s why I’m leading this bipartisan legislation in partnership with my colleagues. We’ll continue working to further mental wellness and equip our communities with the resources they need to meet and overcome these traumas.”
    “For too long, our disaster response has focused solely on physical recovery, while the mental and emotional toll has gone unaddressed. This bipartisan legislation corrects that imbalance by treating mental health as a core component of our public health and emergency preparedness strategy. By investing in evidence-based, community-driven solutions, we’re not just helping communities rebuild—we’re helping them heal,” said Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick.
    “The mental health crisis affecting our communities is one of the most serious challenges of our time. We need comprehensive, community-driven solutions that empower local leaders to develop and implement programs that work for their specific needs,”?said Congressman Don Bacon.?“The bipartisan Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act puts the power back in the hands of our communities to create meaningful, lasting change in mental health care.”
    In 2024, Mental Health America reported that nearly 23 percent of U.S. adults (~60 million people) experienced a diagnosed mental illness, with more than 5 percent facing severe conditions. Climate disasters only exacerbate the problem. Consequently, the number of people who experience a mental health problem as a result of a natural disaster often outweigh those with physical injuries by 40 to 1.
    The Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act will:
    Establish a competitive grant program at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create, operate, or expand community-based programs that use a public health approach to build mental wellness and resilience
    Utilize these programs to enhance the capacity of all residents for mental wellness and resilience to prevent and heal mental health problems generated by disasters and toxic stresses
    Incorporating a set-aside to help address rural mental health disparities
    Help community initiatives build their own strategies to enhance and sustain population-level mental wellness and resilience, with specific attention to high-risk individuals
    More than 110 organizations support the legislation, including: Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Lung Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Public Health Association, International Transformational Resilience Coalition, Mental Health America, Moms Clean Air Force, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association of Social Workers, National League for Nursing, Rural Opportunity Institute, The Kennedy Forum, and YMCA of the USA.
    A fact sheet on the legislation can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Introduces Legislation to Increase Wages Nationwide for Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Bill Text (PDF)
    Washington (July 24, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today introduced the Pay Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Act, legislation that would set a minimum wage for school staff of $45,000 per year, or $30 per hour.
    “Paraprofessionals and education support staff make our schools safe, healthy places where all students can learn, grow, and thrive. They are a critical part of our education infrastructure, and we must invest in them the way they invest in our students, their families, and their communities,” said Senator Markey, who earlier today participated in a town hall at the U.S. Capitol with more than 100 educators and educational leaders to discuss the educator pay crisis. “As Trump and Republicans work to cut public education and attack educators across the country, I am proud to introduce this legislation, which will uplift paraprofessionals and education support staff and give them the support and resources they need to succeed.”
    Several educational leaders voiced their support for the Pay Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Act. 
    “Every day, we fight for our paraprofessionals and school-related personnel who are not paid enough; they work under tough conditions, and many are subject to violence during the workday. Too many must work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Given the crucial role that PSRPs play in classrooms and the invaluable support they give to the students they serve, securing commensurate compensation and respect is critical. We are grateful to Sen. Markey for his commitment to paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodians, school office staff, school food service workers and all the school staff who make our schools run. Do you think teachers and principals could do their jobs without PSRPs? The answer is ‘no.’ Sen. Markey’s bill, the Pay Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Act, would guarantee that the more than 370,000 members who make up the AFT’s PSRP division would have access to a family-sustaining wage. We look forward to moving this bill forward in Congress,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers.
    “Paraprofessionals play an invaluable role in our classrooms and are at the heart of our public school — helping students learn, grow, and meet their basic needs,” said Jessica Tang, President of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts. “Outside of the classroom, they’re important members of the community, many have kids and grandkids in the schools and live in the communities they serve. For far too long, paraprofessionals have been forced to work multiple jobs, or rely on public assistance, just to make ends meet. One job should be enough. It’s time our paraprofessionals receive the fair wages, benefits, and respect that reflects the important work they do every day.”
    “Education Support Professionals strengthen our schools and communities by making sure our students are safe, healthy and ready to learn every day. But too many of these educators are forced to work two or three jobs to support their families, when one job should be enough. By passing the Pay Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Act, Congress will show they recognize and appreciate the invaluable contributions of our ESPs – both inside and outside the classroom. We want to thank Senator Ed Markey for introducing this legislation, and we urge Congress to act swiftly in passing it to demonstrate to our Education Support Professionals that, as a nation, we respect and value all they do for our students,” said Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association. “As the Trump administration continues to take a wrecking ball to public education and the futures of the 50 million students in rural, suburban, and urban communities across America, this legislation is more important than ever to ensure our students get the support they need.”
    “An Education Support Professional told us how one of her students had an after-school job at a fast-food restaurant that paid more per hour than this district was paying veteran ESPs. This is shameful. ESPs play an increasingly vital role in our public schools, yet in too many districts across Massachusetts they do not earn a living wage. We have heard countless stories from ESPs who love working with their students but cannot afford to keep their school jobs. Senator Markey’s bill is a sensible and responsible approach to correcting a serious injustice in our public schools. By establishing a floor upon which to build a real living wage, this legislation will improve learning conditions – especially for our most vulnerable students – by stabilizing the education workforce,” said Max Page, President, and Deb McCarthy, Vice President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
    The bill is cosponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
    The bill is endorsed by the National Education Association, SEIU, American Federation of Teachers, AFSCME, Council for Exceptional Children, EdTrust, and National Women’s Law Center.
    On July 17, 2025, Senator Markey reintroduced the Preparing and Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act, legislation that would establish higher wages, career pipelines, and professional development opportunities for school paraeducators. In April 2025, Senator Markey and Representative Jahana Hayes (CT-05) introduced the Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights.
    On March 20, Senator Markey slammed Trump’s Executive Order to dismantle the Department of Education. On March 11, Senator Markey delivered remarks on the Senate Floor to spotlight Trump’s plan to gut the Department. On February 27, Senator Markey introduced the No Cuts to Public Schools Act, which would prevent any cuts to federal education formula funding during the Trump administration. On February 10, Senator Markey held a press conference in Boston with Massachusetts educators and teachers’ unions on Trump’s vow to dismantle the Department, and the impact on Massachusetts students, educators, and communities.
    On February 6, 2025, Senator Markey, members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, along with the Massachusetts Teachers Association, American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, Massachusetts Association of School Committees, and Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, released a joint statement after President Trump vowed to dismantle the Department of Education.
    In September 2023, Senator Markey introduced the Green New Deal for Public Schools Act, legislation that would invest $1.6 trillion over the next decade in public and Bureau of Indian Education schools to upgrade every public school building in the country; reduce hazardous pollution; give schools the resources to hire hundreds of thousands of educators, paraprofessionals, and counselors; invest in schools serving low-income students; and fully fund education for students with disabilities.
    Senator Markey first introduced the Paraprofessional and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights in November 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Graham Call for Special Counsel to Investigate Obama Administration’s Role in Russia Collusion Hoax

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), both senior members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to appoint a special counsel to investigate the Obama administration’s involvement in the Russia collusion hoax:
    “For the good of the country, we urge Attorney General Bondi to appoint a special counsel to investigate the extent to which former President Obama, his staff, and administration officials manipulated the U.S. national security apparatus for a political outcome.
    “As we have supported in the past, appointing an independent special counsel would do the country a tremendous service in this case. 
    “With every piece of information that gets released, it becomes more evident that the entire Russia collusion hoax was created by the Obama Administration to subvert the will of the American people.
    “Democrats and the liberal media have been out to get President Trump since 2016. There must be an immediate investigation of what we believe to be an unprecedented and clear abuse of power by a U.S. presidential administration.”
    Background:
    Last week, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard released evidence demonstrating that former President Barack Obama and his national security staff manipulated information from the intelligence community in order to insinuate that Russia was attempting to help then-candidate Donald Trump win the 2016 presidential election, including:
    In the months leading up to the November 2016 election, the Intelligence Community (IC) assessed that Russia is “probably not trying … to influence the election by using cyber means.”
    On December 7, 2016, after the election, talking points were prepared for DNI James Clapper stating, “Foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the US Presidential election outcome.”
    A declassified copy of the Presidential Daily Brief, which was prepared using intelligence from the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, FBI, National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, State Department, and open sources, for Obama on December 8, 2016, assessed that “Russian and criminal actors did not impact recent US election results by conducting malicious cyber activities against election infrastructure.”
    That Presidential Daily Brief was scheduled to be published on December 9, 2016, but communications revealed that DNI Clapper’s office stopped its publication “based on some new guidance.”
    On December 9, 2016, Obama gathered top National Security Council Principals for a meeting in the Situation Room that included James Clapper, John Brennan, Susan Rice, John Kerry, Loretta Lynch, Andrew McCabe and others, to discuss Russia.
    After the meeting, DNI Clapper’s Executive Assistant sent an email to IC leaders tasking them with creating a new IC assessment “per the President’s request” that details the “tools Moscow used and actions it took to influence the 2016 election.” It went on to say, “ODNI will lead this effort with participation from CIA, FBI, NSA, and DHS.”
    Obama officials leaked false statements to media outlets, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, claiming, “Russia has attempted through cyber means to interfere in, if not actively influence, the outcome of an election.”
    On January 6, 2017, a new Intelligence Community Assessment was released.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Mullin Calls for Immediate Release of all Information Related to Epstein Case, Blasts Dem Absence Last Four Years

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    RELEASE: Mullin Calls for Immediate Release of all Information Related to Epstein Case, Blasts Dem Absence Last Four Years

    Washington, D.C. – Today,U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), introduced a resolution calling on federal and state courts to immediately unseal all materials related to any criminal investigation or prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein or Ms. Ghislaine Maxwell—subject only to redactions to protect victims.
    In his remarks, Senator Mullin previewed his resolution, addressed the Democrats’ absence on this issue for the last four years, and the need for transparency. Highlights below.

    Sen. Mullin’s full remarks can be found here.
    On the Democrats’ political theater performance:
    “As we hear my colleague from Arizona use very liberal truths to what he was saying by not giving all the facts. I’d also propose a question, where was all this outrage over the last four years when Director Wray was over the FBI and Attorney General Garland was over the DOJ? He knows, I know, and all the Democrats know that if there was anything to do with President Trump, they would have happily released it.”
    “My Lord, you went after him for everything else you could possibly think of, why wouldn’t you possibly go after this? Well, it’s because this is nothing but political theater. We know that… All of us want transparency… Why now? Is it because of their hatred towards President Trump? Because they want to do anything they can possibly do to distract what they might be hiding. Why wasn’t this done the previous four years? What happened? They had the same files. This case wasn’t new.”
    On Sen. Mullin’s resolution calling for the immediate release of the Epstein files:
    “We all want transparency and for credible information on the Epstein case to be made public so that the American people can decide. The Trump administration has already said they are committed to releasing all available files. Last week, President Trump directed AG Bondi to produce any and all pertinent grand jury testimony in the Epstein case.
    “My resolution would echo the seriousness of the directive from the President and the DOJ to the courts and calls to immediately unseal all materials. When combined with what our House colleagues have done, this resolution moves forward providing justice to the victims and transparency to the American people. Mr. President, as I said before, we want transparency.”
    On Sen. Gallego objecting to Sen. Mullin’s Resolution:
    “It’s interesting that my colleague wants to continue talking about the elites, but the elites were the ones that actually covered up the last four years of the Biden administration. I mean, think about what happened during the Biden administration. They covered up one, for his cognitive behavior. Two, they covered up the Hunter Biden laptop. Three, they covered up the Russian gate, and continue to cover up the Russian gate. And four, they covered up the fact that an autopen signed every, well, every one of his papers except one.”
    On the silence from the Democrats the last four years:
    “But yet, my colleague from Arizona is saying that we’re covering up for the elites? Let’s be honest. We know these files have been out there forever. I don’t remember a single time the Biden Administration called on these things to be released. And I definitely don’t remember my colleague from Arizona calling on these files to be released.
    Full text of Senator Mullin’s resolution can be found here.
    To read more about Senator Mullin’s resolution in Fox News, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins The Bottom Line on Fox Business to Discuss Trump’s Policy Agenda, Nominee Confirmations, Market Structure Legislation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    WASHINGTON—Yesterday, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Appropriations and Banking Committees and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined The Bottom Line on Fox Businessto discuss the Senate’s work on President Donald Trump’s legislative priorities, efforts to confirm key nominees, and the next phase of cryptocurrency market structure legislation following the passage of the GENIUS Act.
    *Click the photo above or here to watch*Partial Transcript
    Hagerty on the August recess and public support for the Big Beautiful Bill: “I’m certainly here ready to work through the weekends, ready to work into the recess that we have scheduled. We do have a communication challenge ahead because the Democrats and their liberal media partisan allies have been out telling a story that’s not true about this bill. The elements of this bill are very popular with the United States of America– extending the tax cuts, no tax on tips, and no tax on overtime. If you think about beefing up the military and securing our border, these are all things that the American public not only wants, but they voted for. There’s a lot of good to talk about, and we need to get back to talk about it. But I appreciate the opportunity to do that here. And right now, the American public is already seeing the benefit. The stock market is at an all-time high. We’re seeing great concessions being made by countries all over the world to do more business with America, more investments taking place in America, and blue-collar wages are back on the rise again. On a real and inflation-adjusted basis, blue-collar wages are up again, like they were back when President Trump was in office before. That certainly was not the case when Joe Biden was in office. We have a lot of good news to sell.”
    Hagerty on staying in Washington to work on nominee confirmations: “I think we’re going to stay here and work. That’s what the President wants us to do. This would not be necessary— and I want to be clear about this— were it not for the maximum resistance campaign that the Democrats have put in place. This is unprecedented in terms of the number of procedural hoops they have forced us to step through, because their overarching objective is to keep President Trump from seeding his cabinet, from putting his team on the ground. Despite all of their efforts, President Trump keeps winning time and time again. Our border is secure, our economy is moving in the right direction, trade deals are coming in— we’re still winning. It would be even better if we could get our team on the ground. The Democrats are trying to stop us, and we’re just going to have to keep plowing right through. So I’m here to work, through the weekends, whatever it takes to get the team on the field.”
    Hagerty on his market structure bill: “I take a great deal of pride in my legislation, the GENIUS Act. The stablecoin bill will actually open the market for digital currencies here in the United States. It puts us and our payment system into the 21st century. It brings dollar dominance into the digital arena, so that the dollar will dominate. That’s what we have to do to make certain that we stay ahead as a nation. That opens the door then for market structure, which broadens the web and allows us to reach into this innovative market. Innovation needs to take place here in the United States, and additional market structure legislation is necessary. We put a discussion draft out this week that gives a broad outline of how we want to approach it, how we’re going to define the various types of cryptocurrencies, and whether securities and or commodities should be regulated by banks, the SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission], or the CFTC [Commodity Futures Trading Commission].”
    Hagerty on efficiency and market benefits of blockchain: “We’re requesting more input from the industry, and I expect to get a tremendous amount of input here. We’re looking to move this along as quickly as possible. I’m looking at the end of September as a target deadline to get this done. This creates the opportunity to drive down costs and improve efficiency. When thinking about the speed of transactions on the blockchain, the efficiency here is enormous. It takes out counterparty risk, reduces float in the system, removes friction, and delivers great economies of scale as it unfolds.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Lee, McIver Introduce Bill to Expand Legal Representation for Tenants Facing Eviction

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with U.S. Representatives Summer L. Lee (D-PA-12) and LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), reintroduced the Eviction Right to Counsel Act, a bold effort to combat the growing eviction crisis by ensuring that low-income tenants facing eviction have access to free legal representation.
    The Eviction Right to Counsel Act would establish a federal grant program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support state, local, and Tribal governments that pass legislation guaranteeing a right to counsel in eviction proceedings. The bill prioritizes funding for jurisdictions that also implement additional tenant protections like just cause eviction laws, longer notice periods, emergency rental assistance, and eviction diversion programs—creating a comprehensive strategy to prevent displacement and housing instability.
    “Millions of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck while facing rapidly increasing rent prices,” said Senator Booker. “Renters facing eviction are often left defenseless without an attorney to represent them. By creating a grant program to support communities that offer a right to counsel for those facing eviction, we will make our housing system more equitable and provide substantial cost savings to both local governments and overburdened housing services across the country.”
    “Right now, in eviction courtrooms across America, 90% of landlords have lawyers while most tenants have none. And it’s no coincidence that Black families, women, and parents are bearing the brunt of it. No one should lose their home simply because they couldn’t afford a lawyer,” said Representative Lee. “In Western Pennsylvania and across PA-12, families are being crushed by rising rents, stagnant wages, and eviction threats. This bill is about supporting working people and ensuring they have a fighting chance—and that starts with legal representation. I am proud to partner with Senator Booker and Rep. McIver on this bill to help keep people in their homes.”
    “No one should lose their home because they can’t afford to hire a lawyer to take on their case,” said Representative McIver. “The Eviction Right to Counsel Act gives people a fair shot—a chance to fight their cases in court and keep families from falling into the spiral of poverty. Housing is a human right, and this bill takes a critical step toward making sure that right is a reality that people feel.”
    “Not only is housing a basic human need, but loss of housing can lead to a cascade of harms to other needs such as health, safety, and liberty. This bill would support states and cities enacting a right to counsel for tenants facing eviction, an evidence-based approach to increasing housing stability and reducing homelessness that has been adopted by cities and states across the country,” said John Pollock, Coordinator of the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel.
    “For years, NLIHC has called for a national right to counsel fund to help renters stay in their homes and mitigate harm when eviction is avoidable,” said Renee Willis, NLIHC president and CEO. “I applaud Senator Booker for introducing the Eviction Right to Counsel Act to ensure low-income tenants have legal representation when their housing is most at risk. Eviction defense attorneys can make the difference between a renter staying in safe, stable housing or homelessness, and the right to counsel helps tenants know their rights and find support in navigating the complicated eviction process.”
    “We applaud Senator Booker’s leadership on this issue and very glad to see this legislation introduced today. Eviction is a policy failure and the federal government must support mechanisms that keep people safely and stably housed. We look forward to working with the Senator to see this legislation enacted,” said Arnold Cohen, Senior Policy Advisor, Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey.
    The legislation comes amid skyrocketing rents and surging eviction filings. Nearly half of all renters in America are considered cost-burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent. Since the pandemic, rents have risen over 12 percent year-over-year, while the protections that temporarily shielded tenants from eviction have largely expired. The imbalance of legal power in eviction proceedings leaves many tenants—particularly Black renters and families with children—vulnerable to homelessness, economic instability, and trauma.
    Studies show that providing tenants with legal representation dramatically improves outcomes, often preventing eviction altogether and saving local governments millions in emergency shelter, health care, and social services costs. Cities that have invested in right to counsel programs have seen estimated cost savings of more than three times their annual investment.
    The Eviction Right to Counsel Act of 2025:
    Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to create a grant program for state, local, and Tribal governments that enact right to counsel legislation.
    Defines “covered individuals” as tenants with income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line.
    Covers civil legal actions in court or administrative forums related to:
    Eviction: Forcible removal from a tenant’s primary residence.
    Termination of Housing Subsidy: Loss of subsidies that help tenants afford their homes, which often functions as a de facto eviction.
    Requires jurisdictions receiving funding to provide full legal representation at no cost to covered individuals in these proceedings.
    Prioritizes funding for jurisdictions that have enacted additional tenant protections, including just cause eviction laws, extended notice periods, and eviction diversion programs.
    Allows grantees to use funds for implementation costs such as attorney training and legal resources.
    Authorizes $100 million in federal funding annually for five years.
    The bill is endorsed by: the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, National Housing Law Project, and the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey.
    The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Hosts Virtual Town Hall with African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey Members, Discusses Trump’s Disastrous Effects on Local Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    Washington, D.C.– This afternoon, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) hosted a virtual town hall event with members of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ). Among the top concerns from business leaders were the Trump administration and congressional Republicans’ damaging effects on local and Black businesses.
    “Seeking to placate the Trump administration at every turn, congressional Republicans–even those in our own delegation–have undermined New Jersey’s local businesses. That’s especially true for Black small business owners across the state,” said Senator Booker. “Throughout this afternoon’s town hall with AACCNJ members, it was made clear that the economic environment under Trump is one of great uncertainty for our state’s Black business community. It’s stifling innovation, hindering opportunities for our entrepreneurs and workers, and constricting local economies up and down New Jersey. I will continue to fight alongside AACCNJ to ensure New Jersey remains a place where Black businesses can flourish.”
    Under President Trump, local businesses have struggled to navigate the severe and unpredictable nature of the administration’s trade policy. These challenges are particularly acute for small businesses which largely rely on imports, leaving them especially vulnerable to Trump’s tariff disputes. At the same time, President Trump has completely undermined the Small Business Administration and the federal government’s efforts to foster more diverse and equitable practices, including in its contract and service procurement processes.
    “The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) thanks Senator Booker for the opportunity to discuss the current landscape of Black businesses in New Jersey and the broader U.S. economy. We believe this conversation to be particularly timely given the recent policy changes and the upcoming gubernatorial election in New Jersey,” said Dr. John E. Harmon, Sr., Founder, President & CEO, AACCNJ.
    During the town hall, AACCNJ members asked the Senator about federal initiatives and legislation to support state and local businesses and outlined the issues specifically affecting Black businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Praises President Trump’s Selection of Paducah as Future Home of AI Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today praised the Trump Administration’s selection of the Department of Energy’s Paducah Site, home of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), as one of four locations for cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and energy generation projects: 
    “This is great news for the Paducah community, and I want to thank President Trump for selecting the Paducah Site to host new AI infrastructure. The site at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant has long held a critical role in advancing U.S. national security, and is poised, yet again, to be a national leader in an emerging and important technology. I am proud of the Paducah community and its workforce and know they are prepared to continue working closely with the Department of Energy to further instill PGDP’s role in national security while helping facilitate greater U.S. leadership in AI.” 
    NOTE: Earlier this year, Senator McConnell contacted U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright on behalf of the community in support of Paducah’s submission for the nationwide search for the highly competitive Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure on DOE Lands program. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Introduces Legislation to Address America’s Teacher Pay Crisis, Holds Town Hall with Public School Educators

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, July 24 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today introduced the Pay Teachers Act after hearing from more than 200 teachers and educational leaders from across the country during a town hall at the U.S. Capitol. At a time when school districts nationwide report serious staffing shortages — largely due to unprecedented levels of stress, burnout and low pay — this legislation begins to address the teacher pay crisis in America and ensure that all public school teachers earn a livable and competitive wage that is at least $60,000 a year and increases over the course of their career.
    In addition to Sanders, Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) also cosponsored this legislation. Joining Sanders at the town hall today were Markey; Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Princess Moss, vice president of the National Education Association (NEA); and educators from across the country.
    “If we are serious about the need for a bright and hopeful future for America, we must understand that there is no more important job in our country than educating our young people. And yet, public school teachers in America have one of the toughest, one of the most demanding and one of the most under-appreciated jobs in America,” Sanders said. “The situation has become so absurd that just four hedge fund managers on Wall Street make more money in a single year than every kindergarten teacher in America combined – over 120,000 teachers. Far too many of our nation’s public schools are under-funded, under-resourced and in major need of repair. Far too many of our public school teachers are under-paid, under-appreciated and overwhelmed. And, as a result of the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ that Trump signed into law a few weeks ago, a bad situation is about to get even worse. If we are going to have the best public school system in the world, we have got to radically change our attitude toward education and make sure that every teacher in America receives the compensation that they deserve for the enormously important and difficult work that they do. No public school teacher in America should make less than $60,000 a year.”
    Today in America, nearly one in eight teaching jobs is vacant or filled by a teacher who is not fully certified. Approximately one-third of all public school teachers make less than $60,000 a year — including more than 90% of starting teachers. Hundreds of thousands of teachers have to work two or three jobs during the school year to make ends meet. Meanwhile, the average weekly wage for public school teachers has decreased by 5% over the past 30 years, adjusted for inflation. Today, 44% of public school teachers quit the profession within five years.
    The pandemic only made things worse for educators, with the historic staffing shortages disproportionately affecting schools primarily serving students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. Recent studies show that, of all workers, K-12 public school teachers were the most likely to report higher levels of anxiety, stress and burnout during the pandemic. Further, as badly as public school teachers are paid, our school custodians, food service workers and paraprofessionals earn even less. In America today, nearly 35% of paraprofessionals and school staff earn less than $25,000 a year.
    Unacceptably, the Republican reconciliation bill recently signed into law is disastrous for public education and for public school teachers. While it provides a $900 billion tax cut to large, profitable corporations and a $1 trillion tax cut to the top 1%, it cuts over $300 billion in education funding for millions of students and educators throughout America and provides over $50 billion a year for private school vouchers.
    “If we are going to attract the best and brightest young people into teaching, if we are going to encourage teachers to teach in underserved communities, if we are going to improve teacher retention and morale, and if we are going to improve student academic outcomes, then we need to pay teachers in America decent wages and decent benefits,” Sanders continued. “We need to make it clear that high-quality public education is a major priority. That is why I am introducing the Pay Teachers Act. Because if we can provide over a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the top 1% and large corporations, please don’t tell me that we cannot afford to make sure that every teacher in America is paid at least $60,000 a year. I look forward to working with teachers and schools all across the country — some of whom I had the pleasure of hearing from today — to make that happen.”
    The bill would also provide all teachers with at least $1,000 annually for classroom supply expenses and help schools create well-paid career ladders that allow teachers to advance without leaving the classroom. Additionally, it includes Markey’s Pay Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Act, which would raise pay for paraprofessionals and education support personnel to at least $45,000 a year or $30 an hour. In addition to requiring that states establish a minimum teacher’s salary of $60,000 a year and pay all teachers a livable and competitive salary that increases as experience and responsibilities grow, the Pay Teachers Act would significantly increase federal investments in teachers and public schools, including tripling Title I-A funding and funding for rural education programs, diversifying and expanding the teacher pipeline, and strengthening leadership and advancement opportunities for educators.
    “Sen. Sanders’s bill, the Pay Teachers Act, will help close the pay gap by significantly increasing federal investments in public schools and raising annual teacher salaries to at least $60,000—as well as providing increases throughout teachers’ careers—to help ensure they are paid a livable and competitive salary,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “It would also invest in the teacher pipeline and leadership opportunities. This is a crucial federal investment to help sustain the teaching profession, which will directly help us provide greater opportunities to our students. At a time when others are abandoning public schools and our students, Sen. Sanders is proposing a necessary strategic remedy that will help attract teachers to the profession and retain them.”
    “Across the country, most of us across race, place and background want the same thing – strong public schools where every student can thrive and strong communities that support them. In order to attract and retain the passionate, qualified educators that inspire our students, give them the one-on-one support, and do everything in their power to help each student succeed, we need to pay teachers like the professionals they are. America’s educators applaud Sen. Bernie Sanders for introducing the Pay Teachers Act, which takes steps to ensure that our nation’s committed public school educators and educator support personnel receive professional recognition, including appropriate pay while also augmenting the current federal programs that support the educator pipeline. We urge Senators to support educators and cosponsor this common-sense legislation that invests in our students, educators, and public schools,” said NEA Vice President Princess Moss.
    The reintroduction of the Pay Teachers Act comes as the Trump administration continues to illegally withhold nearly $5.5 billion in critical funding for public education that was appropriated by Congress, including funds that states use to provide professional development for teachers and to pay teacher salaries. Sanders and his colleagues have repeatedly pushed for the administration to immediately release these funds.
    More than 30 organizations endorsed the Teacher Pay Act, including American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, National PTA and The Education Trust.
    Read the bill text here.
    Read a summary of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Ricketts Preserves the Good Life

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, during his weekly press call with Nebraska media, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the One Big Beautiful Bill and his work to deliver results that matter for Nebraska families.
    Watch the video here.
    “Nebraska is what America is supposed to be,” said Ricketts.  “We believe in hard work.  We provide for our families and take care of our communities.  We defend our freedom.  The One Big Beautiful Bill reflects those values and delivers results where they matter most.”
    TRANSCRIPT:
    Senator Ricketts: “Nebraska is what America is supposed to be. 
    “We believe in hard work. 
    “We provide for our families and take care of our communities. 
    “We defend our freedom. 
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill reflects those values and delivers results where they matter most.  
    “Nebraska workers were under pressure after years of inflation, overregulation, and rising costs as a result of the Biden administration. 
    “This bill fights back with historic tax relief and educational opportunities. 
    “It helps Nebraskans keep more of what they earn and protects Nebraska values.   
    “President Trump and Congressional Republicans are determined to put money back into Americans’ pockets. 
    “The most essential relief helps workers making less than $50,000 a year. 
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill eliminates federal tax on tips up to $25,000 per year. 
    “The no tax on overtime provision provides a deduction of up to $12,500. 
    “Just last week, I was flying out from Nebraska to D.C. when a TSA officer stopped me and thanked me for no tax on overtime.
    “In fact, he even asked if we could make that permanent. 
    “But the no tax on overtime isn’t just for the TSA—it’s for nurses, factory workers, police officers, and servers. 
    “It’s for all of the jobs that keep Nebraska and this country safe and running.   
    “This tax cut is for all jobs that sometimes require workers to give a little more and work a little harder.  
    “We are rewarding their sacrifice. 
    “Without this bill, the average Nebraska family would have seen a hike of $2,400 in taxes.
    “That’s $2,400 that Nebraskans can continue to spend on groceries, utilities, or saving toward a family vacation. 
    “The Biden administration punished hard-working Americans with inflation and wasted taxpayer dollars. 
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill helps Americans save taxes and lays the groundwork for decades of economic growth. 
    “It preserves the good life.  
    “The bill is a win for Nebraska families. 
    “The Child Tax Credit was increased to $2,200. 
    “The child and dependent care tax credit increases the maximum credit rate from 35% to 50%.
    “It’s combined with enhancement of the dependent care assistance program, which excludes up to $7,500 of dependent care assistance expenses from income each year.   
    “That is up from a previous limit of $5,000. 
    “Finding affordable and reliable childcare can be a challenge all across our state for working parents. 
    “With this bill, employers can now offer families more support without raising their workers’ costs. 
    “The employer-provided childcare credit was expanded from $150,000 to $500,000 and a new $600,000 childcare credit was created for small businesses. 
    “This will encourage more businesses to invest in childcare for their workers. 
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill gives families educational freedom and fixes how students are paying for higher education. 
    “American families now have the opportunity to choose the education that fits their children best. 
    “The bill creates a new tax credit of up to $1,700 for donations to scholarship-granting organizations that help K through 12 students access better educational opportunities. 
    “One of my priorities in this bill is the extension of Pell Grant eligibility to short-term, high-quality job training programs. 
    “This is a proven Nebraska solution I led when I was Governor. 
    “When I was Governor, we supported programs like the Nebraska Youth Registered Apprenticeship Program. 
    “We encouraged students to join the Registered Apprenticeship program and increased participation. 
    “We also started the Developing Youth Talent Initiative to connect young Nebraskans with learning opportunities in their schools about what careers they may want to choose in the future.
    “These give young people the opportunity to combine academic and technical experience with work experience.  
    “This gave Nebraska youth the foundation to choose from several pathways—to enroll in college, begin full-time employment, or combine work with training.   
    “Now, a young Nebraskan in Scottsbluff interested in welding or mechanics can qualify for federal financial aid and go to work, for example, at Aulick Industries. 
    “The bill also provides exemptions for agriculture-related assets, like farmland and combines, from FAFSA calculations. 
    “This means that farm families across the state, from Dawson to Dawes counties, aren’t going to be penalized when seeking financial aid for higher education. 
    “The bill simplifies repayment plans and caps runaway borrowing. 
    “It holds colleges accountable for leaving students with burdensome debt. 
    “Federal loans can no longer fund programs where graduates are earning less than someone with a high school diploma. 
    “Now that is common sense education policy.    
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill defends Nebraska’s values. 
    “It supports families. 
    “It encourages hard work and smart education. 
    “These are wins we promised and wins we delivered. 
    “This is how we fight for Nebraska. 
    “This is how we preserve the good life.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Statement on Governor Evers’ Retirement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement on Governor Tony Evers’ announcement that he will not seek reelection in 2026:

    “Wisconsin is lucky to have had Tony Evers leading our state. He has always put Wisconsin – and Wisconsin’s children – first, and we will continue to see those benefits for generations to come. The Governor’s commitment to every kid’s education, our teachers, and public schools will undoubtedly shape our future for the better and be a cornerstone of his legacy. His steady hand led us through a once-in-a-generation pandemic, and Wisconsin came out the other side with a strong economy, record low unemployment, and a strong sense of community that bonds us all.

    “Tony embodies the best of the Wisconsin way – he knows what is right and is willing to fight for it, but is level-headed, Midwestern nice, and always willing to bridge divides if it’s right for our state. The Governor faced tough headwinds to progress, but it never stopped him. I am grateful to call Tony a friend and am ‘jazzed as hell’ to see what comes next for him and Kathy. Thank you for all you have done for Wisconsin, Tony.”
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Rejects Lifetime Judicial Appointment of Unfit Trump Loyalist Emil Bove

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after voting against advancing the nomination of Third Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Emil Bove, one of Trump’s personal lawyers with an extensive track record of spreading misinformation and enacting political retribution:

    “With their votes today, Republicans turned a blind eye to Emil Bove’s lies, vindictiveness, and abuse of power to rubber-stamp one of President Trump’s most dangerous judicial nominees.

    “This is a man who dropped the charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams in exchange for his cooperation with the President’s cruel anti-immigrant agenda. A man who fired the investigators and prosecutors uncovering the truth about the January 6 insurrection. A man who has vowed to ignore courts’ lawful orders when they keep the President from doing what he wants.

    “President Trump’s litmus test for selecting his nominees is not experience or dedication to our country, or commitment to the truth or the rule of law — it’s only loyalty to him and his extreme agenda. Bove has made it clear that he won’t let the law prevent him from satisfying the President’s whims. My colleagues have one last chance to uphold their advice and consent responsibilities and reject Bove’s final confirmation.”

    Last week, Padilla and Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats boycotted Bove’s markup vote in response to Republicans’ flagrant violation of Committee rules to jam the nominees through without debate. Padilla also joined CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” to speak out against Bove’s extensive track record of unethical and unprofessional conduct and political retaliation.

    During Bove’s Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing, Padilla slammed him for his role in firing dozens of Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors who worked on January 6 cases and the DOJ’s decision to drop the corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams in exchange for assistance with President Trump’s mass deportations. Last week, Padilla joined Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in calling for Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to schedule a hearing to collect testimony from Mr. Erez Reuveni, former Acting Deputy Director for the Office of Immigration Litigation at the Department of Justice, who disclosed allegations of misconduct and documentation regarding Bove. Previously, Padilla joined Senate Judiciary Democrats in requesting personnel records relevant to Bove from Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton. Padilla and Senate Judiciary Democrats also filed a professional misconduct complaint against Bove with the New York State Bar, citing reported misconduct in moving to dismiss charges against Mayor Adams.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Gallego, Salinas, Barragán Introduce Mental Health for Latinos Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the nation observes Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), along with Representatives Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-02) and Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44), introduced the Mental Health for Latinos Act, legislation to improve mental health outcomes among Latino and Hispanic communities. 

    Barriers to mental health care within Latino communities cause far too many individuals to suffer in silence. Only 47.4 percent of Hispanic adults ages 18 or older with any mental illness received services in 2023. Between 2010 and 2020, the suicide rate among male Hispanic adults (ages 20 to 64) increased by 35.7 percent, and the rate among women specifically increased by 40.6 percent. Even those who can access services rarely receive the effective, culturally competent care they need.

    “No one should suffer in silence,” said Senator Padilla. “We need to break down the barriers that keep Latinos from getting the mental health care they need, when stigma and language access can make it even harder to ask for help. The Mental Health for Latinos Act would improve mental health outcomes by reducing stigma in the Latino community and encouraging people to reach out for help. As we tackle the rise in mental health challenges, it’s critical that we acknowledge the distinct needs of our diverse communities and develop solutions that meet people where they are.”

    “Too many Latinos, especially men, shy away from seeking help because they’re afraid of being judged, and that only makes the problem worse. This issue is personal to me. This bill would help break the stigma around mental health and make it easier to get care from people who actually understand our community. I want everyone to know that they’re not alone and that getting help is not a weakness,” said Senator Gallego.

    “As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus and a proud Latina, I know how crucial it is to end the stigma around mental health care and improve outcomes and access to care among Latino communities,” said Representative Salinas. “I’ve been on the other end of a phone call with someone who is having a mental health crisis. I see how important it is for people not only to have access to mental health care, but also to be able to get the culturally competent care that meets them where they are.”

    “This legislation is a first step to breaking down the unique barriers that prevent our Latino communities from receiving the help they need. Mental health is a challenge that many Americans bear silently — but they shouldn’t have to,” said Representative Barragán. “Ensuring that our communities in need receive specialized resources and outreach will help break down cultural stigmas and language barriers that prevent Americans from accessing mental health care that is essential to their overall health and well-being.”

    Informed and culturally competent resources, education materials, and outreach programs are vital to addressing the mental health crisis. The Mental Health for Latinos Act recognizes the unique mental health challenges of the Latino community, aiming to reduce cultural stigma and rectify health care disparities that prevent people from receiving lifesaving mental health services. As our nation confronts a worsening mental health crisis, this critical legislation reinforces the message that there is zero shame in asking for help and that seeking support is a sign of strength.

    Specifically, the bill would:

    • Require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to develop and implement an outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health among the Latino and Hispanic populations that:
      • Meets diverse cultural and language needs and is developmentally and age-appropriate,
      • Increases awareness of symptoms of mental illnesses,
      • Provides information on evidence-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate adapted interventions and treatments,
      • Ensures full participation of community members, and
      • Uses a comprehensive public health approach to promoting behavioral health by focusing on the intersection between behavioral and physical health.
    • Require SAMHSA to report annually to Congress on the extent to which the strategy improved behavioral and mental health outcomes among these populations.

    The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

    The Mental Health for Latinos Act is endorsed by organizations including American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Alliance on Mental Illness, UnidosUS, American Mental Health Counselors Association, Inseparable, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN), Global Alliance for Behavioral Health & Social Justice, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), American Group Psychotherapy Association, Epilepsy Foundation of America, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the International Society for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN), the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), and Fountain House.

    Senator Padilla is a leading advocate for expanding mental health care access, especially for underserved communities. In 2023, Padilla launched the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus to serve as a forum for Senators to collaborate on and promote bipartisan legislation and solutions, hold events to raise awareness of critical mental health issues, and destigmatize mental health. Earlier this year, Padilla condemned the Trump Administration’s proposed dissolution of SAMHSA as part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) restructuring plan and the White House Office of Management and Budget’s HHS budget proposal. Padilla also led 12 Democratic Senators in warning HHS Secretary Kennedy that additional staffing cuts at SAMHSA would have disastrous ramifications for millions of Americans struggling with mental and behavioral health challenges. Previously, Padilla applauded the Federal Communications Commission for making critical improvements to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by adopting the main provisions of his Local 9-8-8 Response Act of 2023. Additionally, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation earlier this year to combat the growing youth mental health crisis in America through early intervention and prevention services. Padilla previously introduced bills to address the unique mental health needs of military children and farm workers.

    A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall & Risch Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Local Partnerships with Federal Immigration Authorities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) in introducing the 287(g) Program Protection Act to streamline partnerships between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refused to process new 287(g) program applications during the Biden-Harris Administration, resulting in a significant backlog. In January 2025, President Trump issued an executive order to approve hundreds of 287(g) agreements, allowing local law enforcement officers to enforce immigration laws.
    “On Inauguration Day, President Trump vowed to secure the southern border and empower local law enforcement. With border encounters at nearly zero, he has fulfilled his first promise,” said Senator Marshall. “Now, it’s time to act on the second promise. The 287(g) Program Protection Act delivers tools to our local Kansas law enforcement agencies to undo the damage caused by the Biden-Harris Administration. I am proud to stand alongside Senator Risch and introduce this important legislation.”
    “President Trump’s enforcement of our immigration laws has brought encounters at the southern border to a screeching halt,” said Senator Risch. “To finish cleaning up the Biden administration’s mess, we must empower our local law enforcement to assist ICE in identifying and detaining the illegal immigrants in our communities.”
    The bill is also cosponsored by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), and Rick Scott (R-Florida).
    Click here to read the bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: The Obama White House Was the True Threat to Democracy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins Newsmax Live to Discuss The DNI Report and August Recess
    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Marc Lotter and Emma Rechenberg on Newmax’s National Report to discuss the revelations from Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard’s report that indicate President Obama knew that the Russian misinformation story was a hoax, and how the Senator believes the Senate should stay through August to confirm President Trump’s nominees.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On the contents of the new DNI report on the Obama White House:
    “Well, this is the true threat to Democracy. The smoking gun is very evident right here, where in the Oval Office, Barack Obama switched what the intelligence community had told him. He dreamed up this story, and why did he do it? Number one is, he wanted to delegitimize the election. Number two, he wanted to cripple the President’s [Trump] legacy going forward as well. When I look at something like this, I want to think about a little bit of logic here. You know, what was their motivation? I just described that…
    “And this is the new report, okay, Congress had never seen this report from the Oval Office. It’s consistent with the rest of the story. You all have reported on the FISA abuse, Russia, Russia, Russia. This is the next chapter. And then here’s the evidence, here’s the evidence, here’s the smoking gun. Here is a report from the Oval Office itself, saying Barack Obama, in the room with Joe Biden and all of his cronies, saying: ‘Let’s switch the narrative of the story, let’s say that Russia interfered with the election, let’s delegitimize the election and the will of the people.’”
    On why the media wants to bury this story:
    “Yeah, I’m reminded of that Jack Nicholson saying, ‘mister, you can’t [handle] the truth…’ but look here’s the truth, yeah, look at the evidence. Here’s a report from the Oval Office: Barack Obama is given a report from the Intelligence Agency saying that Russia had minimal impact on the election.
    “And Barack says, ‘Oh no, let’s change that narrative, let’s go out there and delegitimize the election and tell the American people that Russia interfered with the election.’ Otherwise, how in the world could Hillary Clinton be beaten? Never mind that she was on tranquilizers at the time and to her wits’ end, and was craving for all the power she can get.
    “Look, again, this is the threat to Democracy. This is the true threat to Democracy when the President of the United States weaponizes the entire Intelligence Agency and the legacy media against the future President of the United States, the duly elected future President of the United States.”
    On whether the Senate will remain in DC during the August recess period:
    “Well, look, I certainly am out there publicly saying I want to stay. We have lunch together as Republican Senators every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I’ve been very consistent with our message. We need to stay here to fulfill the will of the American people, the 78 million people who voted for President Trump.
    “Look, the political appointees right now that he has in those agencies are drowning. They need their junior members, their colonels, so to speak, to push back on the swamp. I had no idea how deep and wide this swamp is up here.
    “So, we need more of those political appointees in there to push back and then go through and fulfill the President’s agenda, which is the will of the people. So, I’m absolutely committed to staying here, whatever it takes. We need to get these appointees across the finish line.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Applauds USDA Workforce Reorganization from DC to Kansas City

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) applauded the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcement from Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins that, as part of its planned reorganization, Kansas City will become the second largest beneficiary of the restructuring.
    This reorganization is part of a larger, government-wide process being undertaken by the Trump administration to return federal agencies to their primary functions, eliminate redundancy and waste, and preserve the critical services these agencies provide to taxpayers.
    “There are no stronger champions for American farmers and ranchers than Secretary Rollins and President Trump,” said Senator Marshall. “Today’s announcements build on President Trump’s efforts in his first Administration to move those who work closest with our farmers and ranchers to our nation’s heartland. This is putting Farmer’s First.”
    “American agriculture feeds, clothes, and fuels this nation and the world, and it is long past time the Department better serve the great and patriotic farmers, ranchers, and producers we are mandated to support. President Trump was elected to make real change in Washington, and we are doing just that by moving our key services outside the beltway and into great American cities across the country,” said Secretary Rollins. “We will do so through a transparent and common-sense process that preserves USDA’s critical health and public safety services the American public relies on. We will do right by the great American people who we serve and with respect to the thousands of hardworking USDA employees who so nobly serve their country.”
    In the case of the USDA, today’s announcement will:

    Ensure the size of the USDA’s workforce aligns with available financial resources and agricultural priorities
    Bring USDA closer to its customers
    Eliminate management layers and bureaucracy
    Consolidate redundant support functions

    Click here to read the full Secretary Memorandum.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Increase Housing Supply, Reduce Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tim Scott (R-SC), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Katie Britt (R-AL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) recently introduced the bipartisan Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025, legislation that modernizes the federal definition of “manufactured housing” to include modular or prefabricated homes built without a permanent chassis. By allowing off-chassis manufactured homes, the bill expands consumer access to more efficient and cost-effective designs, providing greater architectural flexibility to better integrate into existing neighborhoods.

    “I’m proud to support this commonsense legislation that expands housing options for hardworking families in North Carolina and across the country,” said Senator Tillis. “By modernizing the definition of manufactured homes, we can encourage innovative and affordable designs and help more Americans achieve the dream of homeownership.”

    “Manufactured housing plays an important role in helping more Americans access homeownership, but we need to make sure outdated regulations aren’t preventing newer, potentially more innovative models from coming to market,” said Chairman Scott. “This legislation will remove red tape and lower the costs of building these types of homes, increasing access to affordable housing opportunities for Americans across the country.” 

    “Manufactured homes are some of the most affordable housing solutions on the market, but outdated laws are preventing newer, safer models from becoming widely available,” said Senator Gallego. “Our bipartisan bill makes a simple update to allow for greater design flexibility and bring down the cost of manufactured homes.”

    “We need to build as many homes as we can to address our national shortage, and we can’t let outdated rules needlessly constrain supply,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bill will unlock manufactured homes in both urban and rural areas around the country, making manufactured homes and all housing more accessible and affordable.”

    “We must find new, innovative ways to expand affordable housing venues so more individuals can achieve the American Dream of owning their home,” said Senator Crapo. “It is time to throw out established norms and cut bureaucratic hurdles that stand in the way of innovative designs to increasing affordable housing.” 

    “With this small adjustment, our legislation would help increase the production of affordable housing in California during a historic housing crisis,” said Senator Padilla. “Simply modifying the definition of manufactured houses would cost the government nothing and could unlock greater design flexibility while increasing the desperately needed affordable housing supply.” 

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Applauds USDA Shift from Washington to Utah

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement in response to this morning’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the agency will be shifting its focus and staffing away from Washington D.C. and toward agricultural hub locations across the country, including one in Salt Lake City, Utah:

    “The people making decisions about how our forests are managed and our food is grown shouldn’t be distant bureaucrats,” said Senator Mike Lee. “I congratulate the Department of Agriculture for decentralizing from Washington and relocating staff to Salt Lake City and other regional hubs. Not only is this a big win for Utah’s farmers and ranchers, but also for our land managers as the department moves closer to the people who live, work, and rely upon these lands. I will continue to fight for the Utahns who raise livestock, grow the best food on Earth, and sustain our National Forests.”

    USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins made the following statement:

    “American agriculture feeds, clothes, and fuels this nation and the world, and it is long past time the Department better serve the great and patriotic farmers, ranchers, and producers we are mandated to support. President Trump was elected to make real change in Washington, and we are doing just that by moving our key services outside the beltway and into great American cities across the country,” said Secretary Rollins. “We will do so through a transparent and common-sense process that preserves USDA’s critical health and public safety services the American public relies on. We will do right by the great American people who we serve and with respect to the thousands of hardworking USDA employees who so nobly serve their country.”

    About the USDA Reorganization plan

    The reorganization consists of four pillars:

    1. Ensure the size of USDA’s workforce aligns with available financial resources and agricultural priorities
    2. Bring USDA closer to its customers
    3. Eliminate management layers and bureaucracy
    4. Consolidate redundant support functions

    To bring USDA closer to the people it serves while also providing a more affordable cost of living for USDA employees, USDA has developed a phased plan to relocate much of its Agency headquarters and NCR staff out of the Washington, D.C. area to five hub locations. The Department currently has approximately 4,600 employees within the National Capital Region (NCR). This Region has one of the highest costs of living in the country, with a federal salary locality rate of 33.94%. In selecting its hub locations, USDA considered where existing concentrations of USDA employees are located and factored in the cost of living. Washington, D.C. will still hold functions for every mission area of USDA at the conclusion of this reorganization, but USDA expects no more than 2,000 employees will remain in the NCR.

    USDA will vacate and return to the General Services Administration the South Building, Braddock Place, and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, and revisit utilization and functions in the USDA Whitten Building, Yates Building, and the National Agricultural Library. The George Washington Carver Center will also be utilized until space optimization activities are completed. These buildings have a backlog of costly deferred maintenance and currently are occupied below the minimum set by law. For example, the South Building has approximately $1.3 billion in deferred maintenance and has an average daily occupancy of less than 1,900 individuals for a building that can house over 6,000 employees.

    USDA’s five hub locations and current Federal locality rates are:

    1. Raleigh, North Carolina (22.24%)
    2. Kansas City, Missouri (18.97%)
    3. Indianapolis, Indiana (18.15%)
    4. Fort Collins, Colorado (30.52%)
    5. Salt Lake City, Utah (17.06%)

    Read the full reorganization memo from Secretary Rollins here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/24/2025 VIDEO: Blackburn Slams Democrats for Obstructing President Trump’s Agenda and Will of the American People

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor slamming Democrats for obstructing the voting process on President Trump’s nominees, his efforts to enforce our immigration laws and secure the border, and his America First policies in the courts:

    Click here to download Senator Blackburn’s remarks on the Senate floor. 

    REMARKS AS PREPARED

    While Republicans Work to Deliver Wins for the American People, Democrats Are Obstructing President Trump’s Agenda

    In November, President Trump and Republicans received a powerful mandate from the American people to secure our border, strengthen our economy, rein in wasteful spending, and Make America Great Again.

    By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill, we delivered on this mandate by securing…

    The largest tax cut in U.S. history—including reduced taxes on tips and overtime, a $6,000 bonus deduction for seniors, and the permanent extension of President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts;

    It also reduces the burden of the death tax for millions, providing critical relief for family-owned businesses and farmers;

    It bolsters our Armed Forces with a $150 billion increase in military spending;

    It provides the largest-ever investment in border security so that we can complete the border wall and hire thousands of new Border Patrol Agents;

    It strengthens Medicaid by rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the program;

    It restores fiscal sanity by eliminating hundreds of billions of dollars in far-left spending;

    And it accomplishes so much more.

    These are huge wins for the American people. But our work is far from finished.

    Democrats Are Hurting Americans by Obstructing President Trump’s Nominees

    At the top of the list: confirming President Trump’s nominees.

    The President deserves to have his team in place to enact his America First agenda.

    But instead of working with us to carry out the will of the American people, our colleagues across the aisle have chosen to obstruct at any cost.

    Right now, we have 135 pending nominations in the Senate.

    There is absolutely zero reason we should have this backlog—especially with such important nominations:

    U.S. ambassadorships to the Vatican, the Netherlands, Chile, Greece, and the European Union;

    Seven federal judgeships;

    U.S. Attorneys;

    Under Secretaries for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and the Navy;

    The Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission;

    And much more.

    Democrats, however, are trying to slow down the voting process on these qualified nominees as much as possible.

    They’re losing at the ballot box, in the halls of Congress, and in the courts—so stalling is all they have left to spite the President.

    They might think that they are hurting Republicans. In reality, they are hurting the American people.

    Every single day that goes by with stalled nomination votes is another day that these qualified nominees are unable to get to work on behalf of our country.

    Democrats’ Obstruction Is Nothing New – Recent Disclosures Show Obama Manufactured Russia Collusion Hoax to Derail President Trump

    Unfortunately, this obstruction is nothing new.

    With the recent disclosures from Director of National Intelligence Gabbard, we are learning even more about how President Obama and Democrats manufactured the Russia Hoax to try to derail President Trump’s first term.

    Activist Judges Have Blocked Lawful Orders from President Trump in Attempts to Obstruct His Agenda

    For months, far-left activist judges undermined our Constitution by blocking lawful orders from the Trump administration in a brazen effort to decide nationwide policy.

    Their abuse of power only came to an end when the Supreme Court reined in the use of nationwide injunctions.

    Democrats Have Obstructed ICE Agents from Enforcing Immigration Law

    And more recently, we’ve seen Democrats try their best to obstruct a core part of the America First agenda: Securing our border.

    Americans want our border to be secure. And they want criminal illegal aliens removed from their communities. 

    Across the country, ICE and Border Patrol agents have been hard at work carrying out this mandate and arresting criminals who have no right to be in our country.

    Yet Democrats are working to vilify and undermine our brave federal law enforcement.

    We’ve seen congressional Democrats try to storm ICE facilities—including a House member who faces federal charges for assaulting an ICE officer.

    They’ve smeared ICE agents who are risking their lives to protect our country, comparing them to “secret police” and the Nazis.

    They’ve pushed legislation that would prohibit officers from wearing masks, exposing them and their families to targeted harassment.

    This is all happening as ICE officers face an 830 percent surge in assaults.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER: TARIFFS UP, TOURISM DOWN – AND UPSTATE NY IS PAYING THE PRICE; NEW DATA SHOWS CANADIAN BORDER CROSSINGS CONTINUE TO PLUMMET AS TRUMP THREATENS TO FURTHER INCREASE TARIFFS NEXT WEEK, CROSSINGS…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Trump Is Threatening AGAIN To Raise Tariffs On Canada Up To 35% Next Week, And New Data Shows It Is Upstate New Yorkers’ Wallets & Small Businesses Paying The Price For These Threats & Insulting Comments To Our Neighbors To The North

    Schumer Reveals New Data That Shows 376,000 Fewer Canadian Border Crossings Last Month Compared To Last Year’s Summer Tourism Season, Putting Billions For NY’s Main Streets And Local Jobs At Risk – Says We Must End This Ill-Conceived Trade War And Demands NY House Republicans Stand Up For Upstate NY

    Schumer: Trump’s Tariff War Is Cratering Upstate NY’s Summer Tourism Economy, This Must Stop 

    As Trump proposes increasing tariffs on Canadian goods up to 35% next week, with the chaos from his ill-conceived and irregularly implemented trade war continuing, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed new data showing border crossings continue to plummet at all major land ports of entry in New York. New data shows approximately 376,000 fewer travelers crossed the Upstate NY-Canada border via land in June 2025 compared to June 2024, according to CBP, a more than 21% decrease.

    “Across Upstate NY, tariffs are up and raising prices for families, and tourism is way down thanks to Trump’s impulsive, ill-conceived trade war. This new data shows how Trump’s tariffs and insults are driving our closest ally and key trading partner Canada away. Hurting Upstate NY’s summer tourism industry and leaving emptier Main Streets and stores paying the price,” said Senator Schumer. “Meanwhile, Trump is threatening to throw even more fuel on this fire, threatening to raise tariffs on Canada to a whopping 35% next week, which could burn Upstate NY’s tourism industry to the ground. From Buffalo to the Thousand Islands to Plattsburgh, and everywhere in between, Upstate NY can’t afford for Trump’s tariff chaos to continue. I am fighting back to give Upstate NY businesses the relief they need, and NY House Republicans should get off the sidelines and stand up for our Main Street shops, restaurants, and small businesses before it’s too late.”

    According to new data from CBP, Upstate NY and Canada saw approximately 1.4 million border crossings in June 2025, compared to 1.75 million during the same month in 2024, a 21.5% decrease across land (both road and bridge) crossings frequented by tourists. This follows a months-long trend since Trump took office of Canadian border crossings plummeting, meaning fewer tourists at NY’s hotels, shops, & restaurants. Nationally, border crossings have decreased from approximately 5 million to 3.9 million over the same period.

    A breakdown bridge-by-bridge from the Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association of June 2025 crossings shows just how steeply tourism is declining across all the major bridge ports of entry between Upstate NY and Canada:

    NY-Canada Bridge

    Region

    June 2024 Auto Crossings

    June 2025 Auto Crossings

    Percentage Decline

    Peace Bridge

    Western NY

    450,836

    382,448

    -15.17%

    Rainbow Bridge

    Western NY

    222,654

    165,135

    -25.83%

    Lewiston-Queenstown Bridge

    Western NY

    254,200

    238,694

    -6.10%

    Whirlpool Rapids Bridge

    Western NY

    38,378

    27,252

    -28.99%

    Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge

    North Country

    51,083

    37,378

    -26.83%

    Thousand Islands Bridge

    North Country

    192,476

    165,057

    -14.25%

    Seaway Bridge

    North Country

    226,409

    224,655

    -0.77%

    Since taking office in January, Trump has damaged the United States’ relationship with Canada by threatening to annex Canada and levying 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, and is now threatening even higher tariffs at 35%. Schumer said Canadians are canceling trips to the United States because of Trump’s tariff war and threats to annex Canada as the 51st state, hurting Main Street businesses that rely on a busy summer tourism season and are already slammed by higher prices.

    Trump’s tariffs are raising costs for families, with households with lower incomes hit hardest because they tend to buy more goods in industries being tariffed. According to the Budget Lab at Yale, Trump’s tariffs are expected to cost families more than $2,700 every year. Americans are already seeing higher prices; In June 2025, prices increased by 2.7% compared to the previous year. With Trump’s threats of even higher tariffs, that means even higher costs for Upstate NY families and small businesses. In addition, with the threat of costs increasing even more, many families feel pressure to make big purchases this year, when prices are lower, but they are less financially prepared, and in some cases, taking on debt to do so.

    Schumer continues to be one of the leading advocates in Congress to end this unnecessary, damaging trade war with Canada that is decimating Upstate NY’s economy, tourism, small businesses, and local jobs.

    • Earlier this year, the Senate passed a bipartisan resolution to end tariffs on Canada, and Schumer said now more than ever, this new data should be a wake-up call to House Republicans and show the urgency to take up and pass it as well.
    • Schumer and Senate Democrats have introduced legislation exempting small businesses from tariffs.
    • Schumer has co-led amicus briefs in a lawsuit challenging Trump’s authority to levy tariffs.

    Schumer said ending this costly trade war is key to protecting American families from price increases and job losses as a result of tariffs on Canada.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd Votes to Advance Senate’s Intelligence Authorization, Highlights Wins for Privacy and National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence,released the following statement after the release of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (IAA).

    “I was proud to support the Intelligence Authorization Act, my first since joining the Intelligence Committee earlier this year,” said Sen. Budd. “This important legislation ensures our Intelligence Community has the resources and flexibility needed to keep Americans safe from foreign threats. I am especially proud of the reforms made to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to improve the agency’s efficiency by reducing its increasingly bloated bureaucracy. The Intelligence Authorization Act also supports policy priorities in my work on the Commerce and Armed Services Committees, including preserving key spectrum bands used by the Intelligence Community, improving access to artificial intelligence, protecting Americans’ privacy, and ensuring key facilities are protected from emerging technological threats.”

    The Intelligence Authorization Act includes several policy priorities Sen. Budd has championed in his new role on the Intelligence Committee, including:

    • Reducing bureaucratic red tape to return the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to its original size, scope, and mission.
    • Improving the Intelligence Community’s AI capabilities by establishing new guidelines for procuring and using AI.
    • Preserving spectrum bands used by the Intelligence Community by clarifying agencies’ eligibility under the Spectrum Relocation Fund.
    • Protecting Americans’ personal privacy by requiring new procedures for sharing information about U.S. identities and preventing the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis from collecting intelligence on American citizens.
    • Creating additional review processes for foreign purchases of U.S. land near facilities used by Intelligence Communities to protect against potential hostile drone attacks.

    Learn more about the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Presses Navy Nominee for Certainty on Shipbuilding, Defense Contracts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today pressed the U.S. Navy for a firmer commitment to long-term shipbuilding plans at shipyards like Bath Iron Works and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard – plans that would give Maine communities and defense contractors greater predictability. In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), King pressed Admiral Daryl Caudle, the nominee for Chief of Naval Operations, about his desire to maintain these long-term plans to allow the shipyards hire and maintain their workforces.

    Senator King began, “We talked about industrial base. It was touched upon. One of the things that has been missing, isn’t on your watch, is a 30-year shipbuilding plan. We always talk about the industrial base. One of the things the industrial base needs is a consistent demand signal. Part of that is a 30-year ship building plan that says to the private sector, here are the ships we are planning to build, here’s the schedule, here’s is what we are looking for in terms of the modern Navy. I hope that can be one of the things you attend to on your watch, producing that overdue 30-year shipbuilding plan.

    “Well Senator, I often joke at my office that you cannot change a 30-year ship building plan every year. That is called a one-year ship building plan,” Admiral Caudle jokingly replied.

    Senator King promptly responded, “And that’s what we have had.”

    “Yes sir. Changing year 31 is okay, but not year 1. You have my commitment on that, and I am a big fan of multiyear procurement, incremental funding, multi-ship buy, anything that can stabilize our precious private and public workforce with clear planning demand signal I am an advocate for,” Admiral Caudle said.

    “That is absolutely a very important observation. As you say, the consistent demand signal allows the ship building community to hire and maintain their workforce. We cannot have troughs in terms of the demand,” Senator King concluded.

    As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Senator King has championed funding for both Bath Iron Works (BIW) and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). Recently, Senator King and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, discussed the importance of utilizing lessons from the private sector to maintain best practices for ship designing, building, and maintenance. Last year, he strongly urged Mr. Frederick J. Stefany, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition to prioritize long-term investments in the defense industrial base – including Bath Iron Works—to avoid a ‘trough’ between contracted work, resulting in a likely loss of workers and threatening American national security.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –