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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Blackburn Bipartisan Bill to Enhance 9-1-1 Emergency Response System Advances Through Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    The legislation would ensure Americans reach help when dialing 9-1-1, including during natural disasters, and make important updates to the classification of 9-1-1 dispatchers
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) announced that their bipartisan Enhancing First Response Act, which would make important updates to our 9-1-1 emergency reporting system to ensure Americans can reach help when they dial 9-1-1 during natural disasters and improve implementation of Kari’s law, has advanced out of the Commerce Committee.
    The legislation will also ensure 9-1-1 dispatchers are recognized as protective service workers to ensure their job classification appropriately recognizes the lifesaving nature of their work. This legislation is also co-sponsored by Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ted Budd (R-NC), Angus King (I-ME), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).
    “Americans need reliable communications networks, especially 9-1-1, and this is a crucial step toward ensuring that reliability,” said Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will save lives by ensuring Americans can connect to 9-1-1 during major disasters and improving the resiliency of our 9-1-1 system against outages and disruptions. It also recognizes 9-1-1 dispatchers for their critical roles during times of crisis by ensuring they are classified as the first responders that they are.”
    “Ensuring Americans can reach help when they dial 9-1-1 during natural disasters is paramount,” said Blackburn. “The Emergency Reporting Act takes necessary steps to prevent 9-1-1 service disruptions, properly recognize dispatchers for their lifesaving work, and further study how we can make improvements to the 9-1-1 emergency response system.”
    Specifically, the Enhancing First Response Act would:
    Require the FCC to issue a report after major natural disasters on the extent to which people were unable to reach 9-1-1 during the disaster and subsequent recovery efforts, and make recommendations to improve the resiliency of 9-1-1 systems to prevent future service disruptions;
    Require the FCC to study the unreported 9-1-1 outages and develop recommendations to improve outage reporting and communication between mobile carriers experiencing network outages and 9-1-1 centers;
    Update the classification of 9-1-1 dispatchers from clerical workers to protective service workers in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) to better reflect the life-saving work they perform each day. The SOC is a tool used by federal agencies to classify the workforce into useful, occupational categories;
    Require the FCC to report on the extent to which multi-line telephone system manufacturers and vendors have complied with Kari’s Law, which Senator Klobuchar worked to pass into law in 2018 and requires the manufacturers of multi-line telephone systems to create systems that allow callers to reach 9-1-1 without dialing a prefix or postfix.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan, Van Hollen Recognize U.S. Foreign Service Day

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
    05.02.25
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), co-founders of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Service Caucus, announced a resolution celebrating May 2, 2025 as “Foreign Service Day.” The day recognizes the men and women who have served, or are presently serving, in the Foreign Service of the United States and honors the members of the Foreign Service who have given their lives in the line of duty. Foreign Service Day has been celebrated on the first Friday in May for generations. Last year, the Senators celebrated the Foreign Service’s 100th anniversary on May 24, 2024. The institution, as it is organized today, was established through the Rogers Act of 1924, which consolidated and reorganized the existing Diplomatic and Consular Services into a single entity. Since then, the Foreign Service has led U.S. diplomatic efforts across the globe and is critical to securing U.S. foreign policy interests.
    “America’s Foreign Service officers are tasked with promoting America’s interests, strengthening national security, and assisting U.S. citizens in the far corners of the globe, often with little fanfare or recognition.” said Sen. Sullivan, a co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Service Caucus. “I’m glad to have worked with Senator Van Hollen once again to salute the courageous, dedicated members of the United States Foreign Service.”
    “Our Foreign Service officers and State Department officials carry out the vital functions of advancing American diplomacy, promoting our values, and assisting U.S. citizens abroad. The work they do is essential to our national security and our standing on the world stage, and we are deeply grateful for the sacrifice they and their families make,” said Sen. Van Hollen, a co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Service Caucus. “This bipartisan resolution honors the immense contributions and critical importance of the Foreign Service to our nation and underscores why we must continue working to support our diplomatic corps.” 
    “Each year on the first Friday in May, we commemorate Foreign Service Day to honor those who gave their lives in service to their nation, defending the security, prosperity, and fundamental values of the United States,” said Tom Yazdgerdi, president of the American Foreign Service Association. “Members of the Foreign Service remain ready to defend, to take necessary risks and accept the hardships that come with serving as the first line of defense for our nation. I thank our caucus co-chairs for their commemoration of this day and the resolution recognizing the important work of the Foreign Service.”
    The Foreign Service is comprised of tens of thousands of personnel who serve at hundreds of embassies and consulates overseas. They are employees of the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, and the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
    In 2017, Senators Van Hollen and Sullivan formed the Foreign Service Caucus to provide a bipartisan platform for addressing the challenges facing those who serve in the U.S. Foreign Service around the world and to develop policy solutions to support the U.S. diplomatic mission abroad. As part of their leadership of this Caucus, the Senators worked to pass their Foreign Service Families Act, which became law through the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Senators’ legislation ensures that the Foreign Service is able to attract and retain a world-class diplomatic corps by providing expanded career options and support to eligible family members – similar to those provided to military families.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Pushes Work Requirements to Reduce Government Spending

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) expressed his strong support for implementing work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents for all means-tested programs to reduce government spending. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.
    “We are now grinding out the reconciliation process to make sure that the tax cuts that expire at the end of this year do not expire and we are able to prevent the largest tax increase in American history—a multitrillion-dollar tax increase were we to be unsuccessful.”
    “Perhaps one of the most difficult parts of this process will be to identify savings to meet budget targets in order to offset the necessary costs in this one big, beautiful bill.”
    “One of the ways we can, I think, make good progress on cutting down on some of the excess spending that Washington seems to always fall into is by implementing work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents for all means-tested programs.”
    “The U.S. government spends $1 trillion on means-tested programs, and work requirements are a commonsense way to reform these programs and to save hard-earned tax dollars of American working families that are now spent on people who can work and should work, but don’t work.”
    “More than 62 percent of able-bodied adults who received Medicaid benefits do not work at all.”
    “There is dignity that comes with work: self-respect, providing for your family, and you’re contributing to your community.”
    “Opening our borders to criminals and who knows what and granting them work authorizations while able-bodied adult Americans – men sit on the sidelines has never been the answer. Yet, that seemed to be the answer that the Biden administration gave us.”
    “This policy will help us get our fiscal house in order, and it will help us address the societal ills that our country is facing by encouraging greater workforce participation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Kim Lead Members of NJ Congressional Delegation in Letter to PJM Interconnection (PJM) Raising Serious Concerns over Rate Increase Impacting New Jersey Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    NEWARK, N.J. – This afternoon, Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) led a letter alongside seven members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation to PJM Interconnection (PJM), New Jersey’s regional transmission organization (RTO). Ahead of an anticipated 17% rate increase on June 1, the legislators urged PJM to provide updates on the steps it is taking to lower rates for New Jersey families and those across the thirteen states PJM operates.
    The legislators wrote: “We write to express concerns over the expected electricity price increase in New Jersey, along with other states across the PJM Interconnection (PJM) territory, in the months ahead, and to request information regarding steps PJM is taking to mitigate these increases. As the regional transmission organization (RTO) for the electric grid across a 13-state region that includes New Jersey, PJM plays an essential role in ensuring capacity to maintain affordable rates for electricity customers.
    “The results of your most recent capacity auction in 2024 reflect the growing demand on the grid from data centers and advanced computer technology, along with an insufficient increase in new generation. As you know, there is a $14.7 billion cost to ratepayers, which is in large part driving an expected 17 percent or greater increase in electric utilityhttps://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/pjm_letter_5225final.pdf bills in New Jersey beginning June 1, 2025.”
    The legislators conclude: “We know that unlocking the interconnection queue and lowering electricity prices will require efforts from a range of entities, including federal and state partners, in concert with PJM’s ongoing work. However, given PJM’s central role in processing interconnection requests and the impact of the project backlog on the recent capacity auction price spike, we request prompt responses to the following series of questions related to lowering costs for New Jersey families:”
    The full questions the lawmakers pose can be found below:
    PJM’s 2022 interconnection reforms do not appear to be delivering the new capacity the region needs. What are the latest updates on efforts to reform and speed up interconnection processes and efficiently connect resources to PJM’s system?
    We know that PJM’s interconnection queue is increasingly made up of a higher number of smaller-capacity projects. As PJM is still required to allow open access to the grid, what steps can PJM take to speed up the processing of this changing resource mix?
    What reforms are PJM exploring related to expanding transmission capacity, including recognizing the capacity value of neighboring regions and removing barriers to importing capacity?
    Prior to the upcoming capacity auction that will impact rates for New Jerseyans in 2026 and 2027, what changes has PJM effectuated to ensure that unnecessary price spikes are avoided in the near future and in the long-term? 
    Will PJM’s FERC Order 1920 implementation fully incorporate New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan? What steps is PJM taking to ensure that New Jersey does not pay an unfair share of transmission that benefits other states?
    In addition to New Jersey, PJM Interconnection serves as the RTO across Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. 
    A full copy of the May 2 letter can be found here and below:
    Dear Mr. Takahashi and Mr. Asthana,
    We write to express concerns over the expected electricity price increase in New Jersey, along with other states across the PJM Interconnection (PJM) territory, in the months ahead, and to request information regarding steps PJM is taking to mitigate these increases. As the regional transmission organization (RTO) for the electric grid across a 13-state region that includes New Jersey, PJM plays an essential role in ensuring capacity to maintain affordable rates for electricity customers.
    The results of your most recent capacity auction in 2024 reflect the growing demand on the grid from data centers and advanced computer technology, along with an insufficient increase in new generation. As you know, there is a $14.7 billion cost to ratepayers, which is in large part driving an expected 17 percent or greater increase in electric utility bills in New Jersey beginning June 1, 2025.
    According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), data centers will account for up to 12 percent of total national electricity consumption by 2028, nearly tripling from 2023 levels. Clean energy projects and battery storage are urgently needed to meet demand, lower electricity prices, and continue to reduce our carbon emissions to combat climate change. Currently, there are 268 GW of new resources ready to be added to the PJM grid—95 percent of them clean energy resources—according to analysis conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Nuclear energy, including small modular reactors, also present significant opportunities for New Jersey to expand baseload carbon-free energy generation capacity.
    While there are a number of complex challenges facing our region as we work together to make energy more affordable for New Jersey families, one of the most pressing is the growing backlog of energy projects to boost supply and the reforms necessary to expedite grid interconnection. We know that unlocking the interconnection queue and lowering electricity prices will require efforts from a range of entities, including federal and state partners, in concert with PJM’s ongoing work. However, given PJM’s central role in processing interconnection requests and the impact of the project backlog on the recent capacity auction price spike, we request prompt responses to the following series of questions related to lowering costs for New Jersey families:
    PJM’s 2022 interconnection reforms do not appear to be delivering the new capacity the region needs. What are the latest updates on efforts to reform and speed up interconnection processes and efficiently connect resources to PJM’s system?
    We know that PJM’s interconnection queue is increasingly made up of a higher number of smaller-capacity projects. As PJM is still required to allow open access to the grid, what steps can PJM take to speed up the processing of this changing resource mix?
    What reforms are PJM exploring related to expanding transmission capacity, including recognizing the capacity value of neighboring regions and removing barriers to importing capacity?
    Prior to the upcoming capacity auction that will impact rates for New Jerseyans in 2026 and 2027, what changes has PJM effectuated to ensure that unnecessary price spikes are avoided in the near future and in the long-term? 
    Will PJM’s FERC Order 1920 implementation fully incorporate New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan? What steps is PJM taking to ensure that New Jersey does not pay an unfair share of transmission that benefits other states?
    We appreciate your attention to this letter, and we look forward to continuing to work together on these important issues.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Applauds Approval of Dry Creek Trona Mine in Sweetwater County, WY

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    May 2, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today applauded the Bureau of Land Management’s order approving the proposed Dry Creek Trona Mine in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. 
    “The Trump administration’s approval of the Dry Creek Trona Mine in Sweetwater County is welcome news and demonstrates yet again President Trump’s commitment to delivering for the people of Wyoming,” said Lummis. “This vital development will create hundreds of good-paying jobs for hardworking Wyoming families while strengthening our domestic supply chain for essential minerals that keep costs lower at the store for everyday Americans. By supporting responsible resource development right here at home instead of relying on foreign countries, President Trump and Secretary Burgum are putting America First and ensuring Wyoming continues to lead the way in powering our nation’s economic prosperity.”
    Background: 
    The Dry Creek project will extract trona, which produces soda ash – a crucial ingredient in everything from household baking soda, detergents, and glass manufacturing to chemical production and cleaning products, and even plays a role in making lithium-ion batteries. 
    This development is expected to create approximately 2,000 construction positions initially, followed by 300 permanent jobs that will sustain local families throughout the mine’s operational lifespan. Wyoming’s rich natural resources continue to provide both traditional and forward-looking opportunities for our communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Statement On President Trump’s Budget Proposal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    Published: 05.02.2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on President Donald Trump’s budget proposal.
    “The president’s budget proposal is simply that – a proposal.  It’s not going to happen. If enacted, President Trump’s proposed budget cuts would weaken our national security, end critical medical research, and have a terrible impact on Hawai‘i, but Congress holds the purse strings, not the president.  We will not cede that responsibility, and as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue fight to protect federal funding that people in Hawai‘i and across the country rely on.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 05/2/2025 Blackburn Statement on Nomination to Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement praising President Trump’s nomination of Whitney Hermandorfer to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit:
    “I am so pleased that President Trump has nominated Whitney Hermandorfer to fill the vacancy on the Sixth Circuit. Whitney’s legal career has been nothing short of outstanding, and she is a rising star in Tennessee. Her experience makes her eminently qualified to serve on the Sixth Circuit – clerking for Supreme Court Justice Alito and others before joining the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office as Director of Strategic Litigation. Throughout Whitney’s esteemed career, she has demonstrated that she will be a fair-minded, principled jurist who will apply our nation’s laws as they are written and protect the constitutional rights of all Americans. The President could not have selected a better individual to be his first judicial nomination this term, and I look forward to swiftly advancing Whitney’s nomination through the Senate Judiciary Committee and onto the Senate floor to get her confirmed.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins Senators Young and Cantwell Introducing Legislation to Address Housing Affordability

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Indiana) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) in introducing the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, which would expand and strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and provide more affordable housing options for American families.
    Over 11 million families must allocate more than 50% of their household income to rent, cutting down on other critical expenditures like medication, groceries, childcare, and transportation. The LIHTC has built or restored more than 4 million affordable housing units – benefiting nearly nine million American households, generating 6.6 million jobs, and spurring more than $746 billion in wages. In Kansas, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act has funded 33,866 housing units since 1987.
    “At a time when Americans are still recovering from the failures of the Biden-Harris Administration, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act provides much-needed relief to hardworking families and expands access to affordable housing,” said Senator Marshall. “I was proud to champion this tax policy during my time in the House of Representatives, and I am proud to continue supporting it in the Senate. The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit is a public-private partnership with a proven track record of success.”
    “Affordable housing is needed in Indiana and across the country,” said Senator Young. “The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will leverage private sector investment to increase the stock of affordable housing in both urban and rural communities.  As a result, this will help to tackle the housing affordability crisis head on to help Hoosier families, expand our workforce, and strengthen our communities.” 
    In addition to Senators Young and Cantwell, Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) led the Senate version of the bill. 
    The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act was also introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Darin LaHood (R-Illinois-16), Suzan DelBene (D-Washington-01), Claudia Tenney (R-New York-24), Don Beyer (D-Virginia-08), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa-04), and Jimmy Panetta (D-California-19).
    “Ensuring access to affordable housing is a critical component in helping Tennessee continue to grow and prosper,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act strengthens the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, an important tool that helps to drive private sector investment in affordable housing for all Americans, including our nation’s veterans and seniors.”
    “It’s time for Congress to meet the housing crisis with the bold solutions it demands and that starts with increasing housing supply,” said Senator Wyden. “Our bill will deliver some much-needed relief to families by supporting existing, successful federal housing programs and building over one million new units of affordable housing. I am all in to bring down costs and make housing more affordable for everyone no matter your zip code.” 
    The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition endorsed the bill.
    “The overwhelming bipartisan support for the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 underscores the critical need to increase the supply of affordable rental homes,” said Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition Chief Executive Officer Emily Cadik. “We thank Senator Todd Young, Senator Maria Cantwell, Senator Marsha Blackburn, and Senator Ron Wyden for their leadership and the 30 bipartisan cosponsors for supporting this commonsense solution to expand and strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a proven, pro-growth tool with a nearly 40-year record of leveraging private investment to fill a critical need.”
    The full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Rochester, Gillibrand Condemns President Trump’s Actions To Dismantle Head Start

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Trump Actions Would Deprive 50,000 Low-Income Children In New York State Of Critical Early Childhood Education 
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited an Action for a Better Community (ABC) Head Start Center in Rochester to condemn President Trump’s actions to dismantle Head Start. Federal funding allows nine Head Start centers to operate in Monroe County, serving over 1000 children. Without this funding, Head Start centers across New York and around the country will be forced to close their doors, which will deprive low-income children of critical early childhood education that gives them the tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom. President Trump has attempted to diminish Head Start through a number of executive actions that are making it harder for Head Start centers to stay up and running, including closing regional offices that help administer the program, laying off staff, and withholding already authorized funding.
    Head Start programs provide low-income children from birth to age five with comprehensive child development programs, as well as support and services for families. The services Head Start and Early Head Start offer include early education, health screenings, promoting social and emotional health, nutrition, connection to other social services, and services for children with disabilities. Head Start and Early Head Start programs serve over 50,000 children in New York State.  
    “Head Start helps make sure that every child has a chance to thrive,“ said Senator Gillibrand. “It is an investment in our kids and our future that has been proven time and time again to be highly effective at preparing children for school and improving both their social and physical health outcomes. President Trump’s actions to dismantle Head Start would hurt the kids and families most in need – including the 50,000 Head Start attendees in New York alone. I will do everything in my power to fight this effort and preserve funding for this vital program through the next fiscal year and beyond.”
    “The Trump administration’s proposed decision to eliminate the Head Start program is a cruel and shortsighted attack on working families and their children,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “For the last 60 years, Head Start has empowered generations of young people with the tools to succeed and achieve their dreams—not just in school, but in life. I’m proud to join Senator Gillibrand in continuing the fight to protect Head Start because investing in our children is morally right, economically smart, and essential to the strength of our communities.”
    “Hundreds of families throughout Monroe County depend on ABC and Head Start to provide reliable child care and critical early education, nutrition, and support services every day. It’s no secret that the city of Rochester has among the highest childhood poverty rates in the nation; slashing these programs will further jeopardize the future of hundreds of kids and working families throughout our community, while placing an additional burden on our local governments to fill the gap in service these cuts will create,” said County Executive Adam Bello. “I’m grateful to Senator Gillibrand, Senator Schumer, and Congressman Morelle for fighting back against these potential cuts by the Trump administration and hope that others will join us in standing up for the future of America’s children and families.”
    “Head Start programs are a proven method to provide much-needed services to our children and set them up for future success,” said State Senator Jeremy Cooney. “Amid threats to this vital program by the Trump Administration, it’s important now more than ever to push back and keep these services funded. I want to thank Senator Gillibrand for her leadership on this issue and for her continued commitment to our state’s children and families most in need.”
    “The attacks we’re seeing on Head Start and ABC programs aren’t just bureaucratic decisions—they are deeply harmful actions that threaten the well-being and future of countless children and families in our communities,” said New York State Assemblyman Demond Meeks. “These programs are more than just early education initiatives; they are foundational supports that help close the opportunity gap, ensure school readiness, and allow working parents to build better lives for their families. The recent federal actions, including payment delays, staff terminations, and the closure of the Region II Head Start office, are unacceptable. We must prioritize the educational needs of our children. I fully support Senator Gillibrand’s efforts to push back against these dangerous moves and to demand accountability from the Trump administration and our Republican members of Congress. This isn’t about red or blue, Republican or Democrat; this is about right and wrong. As a representative of the 137th Assembly District and a resident of Rochester, a city where so many families rely on Head Start and ABC, I am committed to doing everything in my power to protect these important, essential services. We cannot allow political decisions in Washington to jeopardize the future of our children here at home. In the words of Frederick Douglass, it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. In the days ahead, we must not consider it unpatriotic to raise certain basic questions about our national character. – Dr Martin Luther King Jr.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Buffalo, Gillibrand Condemns President Trump’s Plan To Eliminate Head Start

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Proposal Would Deprive 50,000 Low-Income Children In New York State Of Critical Early Childhood Education 
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited the Ferry Academy Head Start Program to condemn President Trump’s plan to eliminate Head Start. President Trump budget’s request for FY26 reportedly aims to eliminate all funding for Head Start. Federal funding allows 20 Head Start centers in Buffalo and Niagara Counties that serve over 1,200 children to operate. Without this funding, Head Start centers across New York and around the country will be forced to close their doors, which will deprive low-income children of critical early childhood education that gives them the tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom. President Trump has also attempted to diminish Head Start through a number of executive actions that are making it harder for Head Start centers to stay up and running, including closing regional offices that help administer the program, laying off staff, and withholding already authorized funding.
    Head Start programs provide low-income children from birth to age five with comprehensive child development programs, as well as support and services for families. The services Head Start and Early Head Start offer include early education, health screenings, promoting social and emotional health, nutrition, connection to other social services, and services for children with disabilities. Head Start and Early Head Start programs serve over 50,000 children in New York State.  
    “Head Start helps make sure that every child has a chance to thrive,“ said Senator Gillibrand. “It is an investment in our kids and our future that has been proven time and time again to be highly effective at preparing children for school and improving both their social and physical health outcomes. President Trump’s proposal to eliminate funding for Head Start would hurt the kids and families most in need – including the 50,000 Head Start attendees in New York alone. I will do everything in my power to fight this effort and preserve funding for this vital program through the next fiscal year and beyond.”
    “Children who can take advantage of Head Start programs show better health, educational, and social outcomes,” said Rep. Tim Kennedy. “As an occupational therapist, I’ve seen firsthand how early developmental support transforms lives. These programs are good for families while also strengthening our communities and the economy. Head Start works, and Donald Trump’s attacks on this proven program are inexcusable. Tens of thousands of children in New York State have a chance at a better future because of Head Start, and I will never stop fighting for this vital program.”
    “It is becoming far too common, since the new administration has taken over the White House, where I have stated, ‘this is bad policy.’ Cutting funding for or disrupting Head Start programs across the country is another example of bad policy,” said Crystal Peoples-Stokes, New York State Assembly Majority Leader. “We have already seen what a funding freeze has done to Head Start programs in the Southern Tier. Cutting funding or eliminating Head Start programs puts an undue burden on families as well as eliminates early childhood education jobs. This is an unacceptable policy and I applaud and stand with Senator Gillibrand and Head Start organizations fighting to keep these programs alive.”
    “Head Start is not just a program — it’s a critical lifeline for thousands of children and working families in Buffalo,” said Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon. “Cutting this funding would have devastating consequences for our most vulnerable residents and undermine decades of progress in early childhood education. I’m proud to stand with Senator Gillibrand in fighting to protect Head Start and ensure every child in Buffalo has the chance to grow, learn, and succeed.”
    “Head Start provides the supports and programs that young children need to succeed in school and ultimately in life, helping them grow into productive members of our community. Cutting funding to this critical program is the latest assault on children and families from a regime in Washington that is working every day to make Americans weaker, sicker, less smart and less safe,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Just as our democracy is laboring under this anti-democratic regime, children and the most vulnerable among us are being stripped of the resources they need to succeed in life all so that billionaires can get a tax cut. It’s a disgusting travesty and I urge all Americans to speak out against these cruel, vindictive and unnecessary cuts.”
    “It’s outrageous that this administration wants to take resources away from children, low-income families, and people with disabilities – the most vulnerable individuals in society – in order to pad their billionaire friends’ pockets with massive tax cuts,” said Common Councilwoman Zeneta Everhart. “For over 60 years, the Head Start program has helped millions of disadvantaged children and parents, including those facing poverty and homelessness. In our community alone, thousands depend on Head Start programs for childcare, health services, and early education – programs which make all the difference between local families struggling and thriving. I thank Senator Gillibrand for standing up for Head Start and fighting back against these reckless attacks on children and vulnerable families.”
    “Head Start matters because early childhood education matters,” said Dr. Marie Cannon, Executive Director of the Community Action Organization. “Community Action Organization’s Head Start is built on two main pillars: school readiness and parent engagement in a wholistic service delivery model.  Children are engaged in early learning opportunities to ensure school readiness and future success.  Parents are partners in their child’s education and are engaged in activities that improve their economic and social mobility. Parents set goals that include advancing their own educational attainment and employment attainment and advancement. The investment in Head Start is worth every dime.” 
    “At the Community Action Organization of WNY, we witness every day the challenges that families across Erie and Niagara County face. From access to quality early childhood education to critical services in health, nutrition, mental health, disability support, and family engagement, the barriers are real, and the need is urgent,” said Dr. Chelsea White, Chief Early Childhood Officer for the Community Action Organization. “For us, Head Start is more than just a program; it’s a vital lifeline that empowers children and families, helping to close the opportunity gap and lay the foundation for lifelong success. As the demand for Head Start grows in our community, we remain steadfast in our commitment to meeting that need with compassion, excellence, and opportunity.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Seattle, Senator Murray Highlights Consequences of Trump & Elon’s Cuts & Layoffs at NIH—Hears from Leading Researchers, Patients, and Early Career Scientists

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ICYMI: At Hearing, Senator Murray Slams Trump Administration for Threatening Biomedical Research and Jeopardizing Americans’ Health
    NIH Investments support more than $3 billion in economic activity across Washington State and more than 12,000 jobs – MORE HERE
    ***AUDIO HERE; PHOTOS and B-ROLL HERE***
    Seattle, WA— Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a roundtable discussion in Seattle highlighting why the investments the federal government makes in biomedical research are so vital, what’s at stake for patients and families as Trump takes a wrecking ball to this research, and why Congress must forcefully push back. Murray was joined by Seattle area leaders in biomedical research of national renown, patients who have benefitted directly from NIH research, and early career researchers who can speak directly to how Trump’s cuts and chaos are jeopardizing the future of biomedical research in America.
    During the roundtable, Senator Murray was joined by Dr. Jeff Sperring, Seattle Children’s Chief Executive Officer; Dr. Vittorio Gallo, Seattle Children’s Chief Scientific Officer; Dr. Mary-Claire King, American Cancer Society Professor of Medicine and Genome Sciences, UW School of Medicine; Dr. Jane Hoyt Buckner, M.D., President of Benaroya Research Institute; Kristin Weinstein, PhD candidate at UW School of Medicine; and Alisa Vitello along with her daughter, Olivia Vitello, who benefitted from medication developed through an NIH clinical trial.
    President Trump and his administration has systematically undermined NIH and the research it funds, which is having devastating impacts on biomedical research, innovation, and ultimately, the lives of millions of patients and families. The Trump administration’s actions are delaying funding and stalling research for lifesaving treatments and cures, weakening our biomedical workforce, cancelling vital ongoing studies and trials, and threatening to undo decades of hard-won progress.
    “Medical research is an economic powerhouse—it supports millions of jobs across the country, especially here in Washington state, and generates billions in economic activity. NIH funding is the cornerstone of our medical research enterprise, while medical research accounts for less than 1 percent of the federal budget, NIH has contributed to over 99 percent of drugs approved by FDA in recent years,” said Senator Murray. “But the real impact isn’t economic, it isn’t jobs, it isn’t awards, it is miracles that give people hope and more time with loved ones. That could mean a new vaccine to protect us from a disease. It could mean new treatment that saves lives. Or a breakthrough discovery that revolutionizes care and research, like Dr. King’s work showing a gene tied to breast cancer.”
    “That is all invaluable—but with President Trump—it is all on the chopping block,” continued Senator Murray. “He has already axed 800 grants, over a billion dollars in research for HIV prevention, breast cancer, pregnancy, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and more. He has also blocked $2 billion in grant funding from going out to universities and research institutions across the country.He slapped a $1 limit on NIH researchers’ payment cards—meaning labs can’t get gloves, pipettes, and vials—the basics they need to keep research going.He wants to massively cut funding for basic costs that keep labs running.And Trump is calling for at least an $18 billion cut to NIH funding. And it’s not just funding Trump has cut—it’s the workforce. Trump has pushed out nearly 5,000 people at NIH and counting.He is slashing grants to support early educators. And he is pushing out and scaring away international students. We are seeing canceled trials and delayed research. We must keep up the public pressure. People need to know what is happening. They need to know what is at stake.”
    Murray’s roundtable discussion follows a bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee hearing she co-led this week, where she invited testimony from Washington state mom and patient advocate, Emily Stenson, whose daughter Charlie was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at just three years old but who, thanks to a National Cancer Institute clinical trial at Seattle Children’s Hospital, has been cancer free since December 2024.
    “Children are our future, and we drive advances—like improving survival rates for children with brain tumors, developing new therapies for rare diseases, and transforming care for kids with complex behavioral health needs—through research,” said Dr. Vittorio Gallo, Chief Scientific Officer at Seattle Children’s. “Without sustained NIH investment, nearly 200 clinical trials at Seattle Children’s could be delayed or paused. Funding is critical for us to deliver on our mission to provide hope, care and cures.”
    “I wanted to first tell you what’s happened to me in consequence of this craziness. I am now owed—4 months later—$1.8 million of a noncompetitive renewal on a project that has been approved at all scientific levels. The Notice of Grant Award has been signed. It was to begin last January 1. It has simply not been sent. It’s not canceled. It just hasn’t come. Somehow it is frozen. No reason has been given. There is no DEI component, it’s only sequencing of DNA…There are probably thousands more like me. That estimate of the of the total cost—the total deficit into those 800 [grants]—I think is only a very small fraction of the actual amount of money that we need as researchers, that has been guaranteed for us. They will need to burn this money if they don’t send it. This money is allocated to the University of Washington. They can’t use it for anything else. They might as well take out the bills and just burn them. In addition to the research itself, it supports 4 young investigators. We’re now 4 months in with their having no salaries from that grant. I’m using my own salary, I’m using gifts that I’ve been accumulating for 50 years to pay them. So far so good, but we’ll run out pretty quickly. Grants like this need to be dislodged from the iceberg in which they are now frozen,” said Dr. Mary-Claire King, American Cancer Society Professor of Medicine and Genome Sciences at UW School of Medicine. Dr. King was the first person to show that breast cancer can be inherited due to mutations in the gene she called BRCA1. Dr. King also shared the story of a woman who participated in one of her projects, “She said, ‘My mother died of breast cancer when I was 14. She missed my high school graduation. She missed the decisions about my going to college. She missed my college graduation. She missed my marriage. She missed the birth of her granddaughter. When I learned that it was possible to have testing to learn if I was predisposed to breast cancer, I was tested right away. I have a mutation in BRCA 1, that surely is what killed her. As soon as I was old enough, I had the same surgery that Angelina Jolie had, and I am now fine. My daughter graduates from high school this June, and I will be there. Just thought, you want to know.’ We owe it to her to bring the NIH back to health. So, thanks very much for what you’re doing.”
    “We study immune diseases, particularly autoimmune diseases and allergies. [Autoimmune diseases] affect 25 to 50 million Americans. [Allergies] affect 25% of Americans, in fact two kids in every classroom. And we’re funded 70% by the National Institute of Health, and that work you know, that supports fundamentally understanding these diseases and also clinical trials to test the next new therapy. As well as ways to prevent ever getting a disease like type one diabetes. We want kids never to have to face using insulin every day…I do this because I’m also a physician and a rheumatologist, so I care for people with arthritis, and I’ve been doing that for 30 years. And for the first 10 years of my career, we didn’t have much for my patients and our waiting rooms were filled with wheelchairs. You had to reorganize furniture for our patients. And then drugs called biologics were discovered—in fact, one of the first ones came from the Seattle area—and literally, patients got out of wheelchairs and walked in a week. That research started 30 years before, and that was funded by NIH research, and it would have actually never become a product if those studies hadn’t been done. Today, I still see patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and they’re doing so much better. We don’t have wheelchairs in our waiting rooms anymore,” said Dr. Jane Hoyt Buckner, M.D., President of Benaroya Research Institute. “You may not know you need the cure that is going to be discovered through this research, but in 10 years you may, or your family member may, and by not funding the NIH, some of those cures won’t be there in 10 years. And I also think some of our young people who are trying to choose a career in science are going to be turned away. And it’s only been 100 days, but the chaos that’s been created in that 100 days is already impacting people. We see it now, people choosing not to go to graduate school, people choosing alternative careers, scientists thinking I should move out of the United States. And I can also say I’m fortunate to work very closely with many people at the NIH, particularly on clinical trials trying to cure diseases of the immune system, and they are struggling to continue to do that work. They’re understaffed, they aren’t able to get things out, and they don’t know what’s going to happen next. I know they’re really looking to Congress to help us find a way out of this.”
    “Unstable funding from the NIH for biomedical research will have long-lasting, devastating impacts. Early career scientists like myself will be forced to go abroad to continue our training, patients will unnecessarily suffer or die from the diseases that this research could cure, and the United States will cede its position as the global leader in biomedical research,” said Kristin Weinstein, PhD candidate at UW School of Medicine. “I am holding onto the hope that the American public and its leadership will recognize the vital importance of biomedical research, reinstate federal funding for this work, and support our hard-working scientists. At the end of the day, I just want to be in the lab doing what I love most: Making scientific discoveries that will lead to cures for diseases like cancer and autoimmunity.”
    Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE have terminated nearly 800 NIH grants across the country, cutting off more than $1.1 billion in essential research and trials and continue to terminate more grants every week. So far this year, he has slow walked roughly $2 billion in vital NIH funding that should be going out the door to fund the research that might discover the next treatment or cure that will change—or save—a patient’s life.  
    These grant terminations are a result of the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders against whatever it deems DEI and targeted attacks on specific academic research institutions, which are disrupting landmark diabetes research, targeting promising mRNA vaccines, and spreading vaccine hesitancy amidst a measles outbreak. A full list of HHS grant terminations can be found here. To date, NIH grant terminations include: 
    Grants that fund research on HIV prevention, breast cancer, uterine cancer, stroke risk, cardiac health, suicide prevention, smoking cessation, eating disorders, COVID-19, pain, alcohol use disorder, depression, violence prevention in children, pregnancy health disparities, diabetes and obesity, and Alzheimer’s disease; 
    More than 270 grants totaling at least $125 million for research focused on improving the health of LGBTQ Americans; 
    Stop work orders for all NIH training grants that support diverse undergraduate and graduate students and early career scientists, including the Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE), the Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC), and F31 Diversity training programs. 
    The Trump Administration’s actions, including directly terminating early career training programs funded by NIH, are devastating the pipeline of early career researchers and threatening the next generation of breakthroughs, treatments, and cures. On March 31st, an open letter signed by nearly 2,000 of the country’s top scientists including a number of Nobel Prize winners urged the Administration to stop its wholesale assault on U.S. science, which is decimating research, driving scientists to leave the country and putting America at risk of losing a generation of scientists. 
    Trump has illegally sought to cut billions in funding for universities to conduct this vital research by illegally capping the indirect cost rate in direct violation of bipartisan appropriations law—a federal judge has issued a nationwide injunction against the cap on indirect costs, but the Trump administration is appealing the ruling. The uncertainty around NIH’s indirect cost rate policy has led universities and research institutions around the country to implement hiring freezes, rescind graduate student admissions offers, and shutter entire graduate school programs. 
    President Trump has pushed out nearly 5,000 NIH employees and 4,000 FDA employees—decimating the very work responsible for discovering lifechanging treatments and cures and ensuring they can safely get to market. He also reportedly plans to propose to nearly halve NIH’s budget.
    Senator Murray has been leading the charge against the Trump administration’s efforts to gut lifesaving research at NIH and pushed out nearly 5,000 NIH skilled scientists, grants administrators, and other employees at the agency. When the Trump administration attempted to illegally cap indirect cost rates at 15 percent, Senator Murray immediately and forcefully condemned the move, led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in a letter decrying the proposed change, and introduced amendments to Senate Republicans’ budget resolution to reverse it, which Republicans blocked.
    As a longtime appropriator and former Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, Murray has led Congressional efforts to boost biomedical research. Previously, over her years as Chair of the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murray secured billions of dollars in increases for biomedical research at NIH, and during her time as Chair of the HELP Committee she established the new ARPA-H research agency as part of her PREVENT Pandemics Act to advance some of the most cutting-edge research in the field. Senator Murray was also the lead Democratic negotiator of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which delivered a major federal investment to boost NIH research, among many other investments. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NBC News: Democrats question Customs and Border Protection tactics at points of entry

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 30, 2025
    A green card holder detained on return to the United States and denied access to medications. The handcuffing and body search of an American citizen after she questioned the detention of her German travel partner. The detention for five days of an immigrant mother and her two children who became sick in custody.
    Recent reports about Customs and Border Protection actions at ports of entry are the focus of a letter signed by more than 40 Democratic members of Congress questioning the agency’s practices and demanding information about complaints of agents’ misconduct, among other things.
    The agency appears to be denying entry to noncitizens more often and subjecting travelers to “harsher questioning tactics, prolonged detention and arbitrary denials of entry,” the lawmakers said in a letter provided first to NBC News.
    They said the CBP conduct appears to be a response to President Donald Trump’s directive to the Department of Homeland Security to step up vetting of noncitizens who want to come to the United States and of those already in the country.
    …
    Read the full article here.
    By:  Suzanne GamboaSource: NBC News

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boston Globe: ‘A massive win’: After Stop & Shop lowers Jamaica Plain store prices, youth organizers rejoice

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    May 02, 2025
    The youth organizers of Hyde Square Task Force are claiming success, once again.
    Nearly two years after releasing a grassroots study on pricing differences at Boston-area Stop & Shop locations, in which the students found a grocery cart of items at their nearby Jackson Square store cost $34 more than a list of similar products in the more affluent Dedham, the prices at both stores are now roughly equal.
    During an April shopping trip to both stores, with the same shopping list they first used in 2023, the students found prices for most of the items purchased in Jackson Square and Dedham are now nearly identical. In fact, the two-pound packs of Bubba’s frozen turkey and beef burgers in Dedham were both listed at slightly higher prices.
    …
    Read the full article here.
    By:  Tiana WoodardSource: Boston Globe
    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Verge: Elizabeth Warren asks Jeff Bezos if he got any favors for his ‘subservience’ to Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 30, 2025
    Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) wants to know whether Amazon founder Jeff Bezos received any “promises or favors” from President Donald Trump in exchange for his “subservience” after dropping all plans to show customers the cost of tariffs. In a letter sent on Wednesday, Warren questions Bezos about the details of his conversation with Trump and raises concerns “about the potential for tariff-related corruption.”
    On Tuesday, Trump called Bezos to complain after a Punchbowl News report said that Amazon planned on showing the cost of tariffs right next to a product’s total price. Amazon later issued a statement saying that displaying tariff prices “was never approved and is not going to happen,” adding that the company only “considered” showing the fees on its Haul store, which ships products directly from China. Trump then told reporters that Bezos is “very nice” and “solved the problem very quickly,” as reported by The New York Times.
    Warren says Bezos’ conversation represents “another example of Big Tech working together with President Trump to seek special favors or support his policies.” She also criticizes Amazon’s move not to show the impact of tariffs on its products.
    …
    Read the full article here.
    By:  Emma RothSource: The Verge

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Senator Mullin Meets with Stop Soldier Suicide Leadership, Highlights Veteran Mental Health Support

    US Senate News:

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

    RELEASE: Senator Mullin Meets with Stop Soldier Suicide Leadership, Highlights Veteran Mental Health Support

    Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), met with members of the Stop Soldier Suicide organization and received a briefing on the Black Box Project. The Black Box Project saves lives through families temporarily loaning their loved ones’ digital devices for forensic experts to examine the data. The information helps them to gain better insight into crisis situations, which Stop Soldier Suicide then implements into suicide-specific care.
    In March, Senator Mullin emphasized his support for those in crisis by reintroducing the 9-8-8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act to strengthen the cybersecurity protocols for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

    “Our service members and veterans deserve better,” said Senator Mullin. “Suicide is a heartbreaking tragedy and I look forward to the day when suicide is no longer an expected risk of military service. Stop Soldier Suicide is doing incredibly critical work with the Black Box Project in unlocking the warning signs of military suicide.”
    “At Stop Soldier Suicide, we are committed to ending the military suicide crisis through innovative, technology-driven solutions. Our meeting with Senator Mullin underscores the importance of scalable, data-informed approaches that not only serve veterans and their families but also offer insights applicable to other high-risk groups, such as first responders and tradespeople. Together, we can create a future where every veteran, and every individual at risk, receives the support they need — before it’s too late,” Brian E. Kinsella, Co-Founder and Chairman of Stop Soldier Suicide
    Members of the organization in attendance included the following:
    Brian E. Kinsella, Co-Founder and Chairman
    Austin Grimes, Chief Product Officer
    Glenn Devitt, Vice President of Innovation
    Brian Buland, Vice President of Special Projects
    Background:
    Veterans and service members are 58% more likely to die by suicide than their civilian peers.
    More than 6,000 veterans have died by suicide each year for 20 consecutive years.
    Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for veterans under the age of 45.
    Military service members or veterans may call Stop Soldier Suicide 24/7 at 844-503-0553.
    The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 988.
    For additional information on Stop Soldier Suicide’s Black Box Project, click HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Graham Statement on President Trump’s FY26 Budget Request

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, today made this statement on President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget request.
    “I very much appreciate President Trump and his team giving our nation’s military a trillion dollar-plus budget.  The mandatory portion should help stabilize the defense budget in the future. President Trump’s budget request recognizes the value he places on our men and women in uniform and is an acknowledgement of the multiple threats we face throughout the world. It is much appreciated.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Statement on President’s Budget Request

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    Published: May 02 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after President Donald Trump released his Fiscal Year 2026 discretionary budget request to Congress:
    “The budget the President released today reflects what we’ve seen over the past 103 days—that the Trump Administration is laser-focused on taking a chainsaw to important government programs that Americans rely on so that they can cut taxes for billionaires. This cruel budget would cut critical funding for education, such as Federal Work Study; substance use disorder prevention; rural development; housing; support for small businesses; research into cancer and other diseases; cybersecurity; foreign assistance; violence prevention, including Jabara-Heyer NO Hate grants; and more. It would also roll back funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other historic legislation that we were proud to help pass in Congress. As Congress continues negotiating a budget in the coming months, we are committed to pushing back against these massive cuts that will harm Virginians and our economy and make communities less safe.”   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Highlights Concerns Over Divestment of Legacy Airborne ISR Capabilities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    BISMARCK, N.D. – Over the last couple of years, the U.S. Air Force has begun to rapidly divest legacy airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms without demonstrating how new capabilities can replace them. The rate of investment and divestment leaves the Combatant Commanders accepting greater risk and provides civilian policy makers with less input to make informed decisions or conduct effective missions.  
    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), joined by colleagues Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Tim Kaine (D-VA), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, expressing concerns with the Air Force’s escalated retirement of airborne ISR capabilities and highlighted the necessity of the platforms. Cramer led a similar letter last year to then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. 
    “In the pursuit of other modernization efforts beyond ISR, and possibly an overly-optimistic prediction of what space can quickly execute, the Air Force is aggressively retiring its current inventory of airborne ISR platforms without investing in replacement capabilities,” the senators wrote. “At the current rate of investment and divestment, the Air Force will eventually have more lethal tools, but they leave the military with fewer tools to know what they are striking and fewer tools for policy makers to know if they should be striking something at all.”
    The senators said they are concerned by the Air Force’s history of “cutting ISR in order to meet other aspirations” and how it remains “unabashedly committed to divesting its airborne ISR capabilities.”  
    The U.S. Air Force has retired the MC-12 Liberty, MQ-1 Predator, E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), the RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 20s and 30s, and the MQ-9 Block 1. Further, the Air Force has stopped procuring the MQ-9As, announced the retirement of the U-2 Dragon Lady, and has started to shut down the U-2 training pipeline. Despite these cuts to airborne ISR platforms, there has been no new procurement or announced development of new or modernized capabilities to fill the gap.
    “The importance of ISR cannot be overstated,” the senators continued. “Whether it’s getting President Kennedy the information necessary during the Cuban missile crisis, getting our allies and partners what they need to maintain the peace of the Camp David Accords, or feeding and completing the kill chain against near peer adversaries and Violent Extremist Organizations (VEO), ISR provides the information necessary for the decision makers at every level. It is no accident ISR is listed as one of the Air Force’s Core Functions.”
    “We look forward to your candid assessment of the responsibility the U.S. Air Force has to provide ISR capabilities, and we remain ready to contribute to a meaningful solution,” the senators concluded.
    Click here for the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Cramer, Rep. Fedorchak Urge Congressional Leaders to Reform Energy Tax Credits, Prioritize Grid Reliability

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND)are calling on congressional leadership to reevaluate and reform federal energy tax credits to better align with America’s goals of energy reliability, affordability, and security.
    In a letter sent to House and Senate Republican leaders and Commitee Chairs, the two former state utility regulators warn current energy tax policy distorts markets and weakens the electric grid by disproportionately subsidizing intermittent power sources like wind and solar.
    “We understand state and regional power markets and strongly believe smart, targeted federal investments in our energy sector can be in the national interest. Multiple federal statutes state the public policy of the United States is to provide a reliable and resilient grid, yet all too often our tax code subsidizes the opposite,” they write. “Regrettably, it continues to shower intermittent energy generators with incentives and resources without regard to its contribution to a rapidly degrading electrical grid.”
    The letter raises concerns about the state of the U.S. power grid, citing a recent report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) found 11 of 18 Regional Transmission Organizations face an elevated risk of resource adequacy shortfalls. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)—which serves 45 million Americans—is at high risk of not having enough electricity to meet demand, even under normal conditions.
    Cramer and Fedorchak call on Congress to critically assess energy tax credits passed in the Inflation Reduction Act using clear criteria:
    Cramer and Fedorchak are calling for a responsible phase-out of costly tax credits like 45Y and 48E, which favor only zero-emission sources while overlooking key attributes like reliability, affordability, and dispatchability. They highlight these credits send the wrong signals to the energy market and contribute to growing risks to grid stability. Instead, they support targeted incentives such as 45Q for carbon capture and 45U for existing nuclear power—tools that reduce emissions while helping maintain dependable, affordable electricity. 
    “Generators should be paid for their performance; not how good they make policymakers feel,” they conclude. “As we continue to formulate the parameters of an American energy dominance agenda, we stand ready to work with you and other Republican elected officials to deliver on the mandate the American people entrusted with us.”
    CLICK HERE to read the full letter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Cramer Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Authorize Remote Online Notarizations Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – Despite significant advancements in digital technology, remote notarization has yet to be fully deployed and accepted on an interstate basis. While nearly every state allows for remote electronic notarization, regulations and recognition vary between states.
    U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) introduced their bipartisan Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic (SECURE) Notarization Act. This bill would permit the nationwide use of Remote Online Notarizations (RON), enabling notaries and signers to complete the process from different physical locations. It authorizes every notary in the United States to perform RON and provides certainty for interstate recognition of RON. The SECURE Notarization Act requires tamper-evident technology and fraud prevention measures through the use of multifactor authentication.
    “It’s time to finally bring the notarization process into the 21st century,” said Sen. Warner. “Remote notarizations have proven to be a safe and convenient way for individuals to complete essential services such as executing wills, completing financial documents, and buying or selling a home online. This legislation would continue to modernize this system by permitting nationwide use of Remote Online Notarization to complete important documents.”
    “We’ve made a lot of progress toward much more widespread use of online notarizations in the past few years, particularly through the pandemic,” said Sen. Cramer. “But this patchwork of state regulations really leaves consumers without consistent access to some notary services. Quite honestly, I think it violates, certainly, the spirit of interstate commerce. Our bill simply makes sure online notarizations are valid across [state] lines and allow every notary to perform them, and perform them in a very secure way.”
    The SECURE Notarization Act will complement state regulations, including those in North Dakota, which already allow for remote notarizations.
    The bill is endorsed by American Land Title Association (ALTA), Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), National Association of REALTORS (NAR), and American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI).
    “Senators Cramer and Warner have been longstanding champions in recognizing the clear benefits of extending RON access to all Americans and leading this bipartisan legislation, which offers a safe and secure path to remotely close real estate and mortgage transactions,” said Diane Tomb, CEO of ALTA. “By passing the SECURE Notarization Act, Congress will embrace a proven innovation and modernize the notarization process with a secure system that meets consumer needs and expectations, including those of our military heroes overseas, the elderly, and homebuyers seeking convenience.”
    “The SECURE Notarization Act would make the mortgage closing process more convenient for consumers by creating federal minimum standards to allow notaries in all states to perform remote online notarization (RON) transactions,” said Bill Killmer, Senior Vice President of Legislative and Political Affairs at MBA. “MBA appreciates Senator Cramer and Warner’s commitment to enable nationwide use of RON technology. Their continued diligence and hard work on this critical issue will greatly simplify and improve mortgage transactions for all borrowers.”
    “The National Association of REALTORS applauds Senators Cramer and Warner for reintroducing the SECURE Notarization Act,” said Shannon McGhan, EVP & Chief Advocacy Officer for the National Association of REALTORS. “This commonsense, bipartisan bill will modernize an essential part of real estate transactions by allowing nationwide use of secure, remote online notarization. Reliable, accessible notarized records are the bedrock of real estate, and this technology ensures Americans can continue to buy, sell, and finance property with confidence in today’s digital age.”
    “Senators Cramer and Warner understand that families need practical, modern tools to plan for their financial futures,” said David Chavern, President and CEO of the ACLI. “During COVID, life insurers demonstrated how well remote online notarization works for consumers. Allowing its use nationwide is a smart, commonsense step to bring the notarization process into the 21st century.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement of U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine on President’s Budget Request

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
     WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after President Donald Trump released his Fiscal Year 2026 discretionary budget request to Congress:
    “The budget the President released today reflects what we’ve seen over the past 103 days—that the Trump Administration is laser-focused on taking a chainsaw to important government programs that Americans rely on so that they can cut taxes for billionaires. This cruel budget would cut critical funding for education, such as Federal Work Study; substance use disorder prevention; rural development; housing; support for small businesses; research into cancer and other diseases; cybersecurity; foreign assistance; violence prevention, including Jabara-Heyer NO Hate grants; and more. It would also roll back funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other historic legislation that we were proud to help pass in Congress. As Congress continues negotiating a budget in the coming months, we are committed to pushing back against these massive cuts that will harm Virginians and our economy and make communities less safe.”   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Blackburn Introduce Bill to Lower Costs and Improve Access to Care for Rural Medicare Patients

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Rural Patient Monitoring (RPM) Access Act to ensure Medicare patients in rural and underserved communities have access to remote physiologic monitoring services, which lower costs and improve access to care by using technology to collect and transmit patient health data to healthcare providers.
    “Too often, patients are struggling to receive the medical care they need because of how difficult it is to see a doctor in person,” said Sen. Warner. “Remote monitoring services offer a life-saving solution, expanding care options and allowing individuals to regularly receive the medical consultations they need, all while lowering costs and hospital admissions. I’m proud to introduce the Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act to improve health care services for our seniors.”
    “Medicare beneficiaries in rural and underserved areas often face serious barriers to health care, and they deserve better,” said Sen. Blackburn. “The Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act would ensure Tennessee Medicare patients have access to high-quality remote physiologic monitoring services to manage chronic conditions and help patients eliminate unnecessary hospital visits.”
    U.S. Reps. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), Troy Balderson (R-Ohio), and Don Davis (D-N.C.) introducing companion legislation in the House.
    Rural Medicare patients face high rates of chronic conditions like heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes. In particular, Medicare patients living in rural areas have limited access to healthcare because of roadblocks like lack of transportation. Remote Physiologic Monitoring (RPM) helps patients manage chronic conditions and eliminates unnecessary hospital visits. A recent study of over 4,000 hypertension patients found that RPM decreased patients’ total monthly cost of care by more than 50%. Current lack of adequate Medicare reimbursement leads to not implementing RPM programs in rural areas, reducing access to cost-saving and patient-centered care.
    Specifically, The Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act would ensure high-quality remote physiological monitoring services are established and maintained for Medicare beneficiaries in rural and underserved geographies; allow rural areas to provide RPM services at the national average rate; and decrease patients’ total monthly cost. Under the RPM Access Act:
    RPM providers must be capable of responding to data anomalies detected by the monitoring service;
    RPM providers must be capable of promptly transmitting captured vitals and treatment management notes to electronic health record of the supervising provider; and
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may require providers of RPM to report data to the Secretary of Health and Human Services in order to facilitate the evaluation of cost savings generated to the Medicare program through the proliferation of remote physiologic monitoring services.
    This legislation is supported by National Rural Health Association, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, HIMSS, American Telemedicine Association, Alliance for Connected Care, Ascension, LifePoint Health, Marshfield Clinic, SSM Health, the University of Virginia Center for Telehealth, and the Bipartisan Policy Center.
    “Technology-enabled care is crucial to ensuring seniors in rural areas are able to safely manage their chronic conditions. Remote physiologic monitoring allows for chronic disease complications to be captured early – saving lives, reducing health care costs, and helping to mitigate common rural barriers such as longer distances to in-person treatment,” said Alan Morgan, CEO of National Rural Health Association.
    “On behalf of HIMSS, we applaud Senators Blackburn and Warner, and Representatives Kustoff, Balderson, Pocan, and Davis for introducing the Rural Patient Monitoring (RPM) Access Act. Remote patient monitoring is a critical digital health tool that helps providers and patients work together to improve patient access and outcomes. We urge Congress to take action to advance the safe and effective use of RPM for millions of Medicare beneficiaries,” said Hal Wolf, President and CEO of HIMSS.
    “Patients in rural and underserved communities deserve the same opportunity to manage their health as those in more resourced areas. At Lifepoint, we’ve seen firsthand how high-quality remote patient monitoring can help bridge long-standing access gaps and drive meaningful clinical improvement, especially for chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. This bill is an important step forward in ensuring fair reimbursement for rural providers, empowering them to deliver high-quality, proactive care to the patients who need it most,” said Dr. Chris Frost, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer at Lifepoint Health.
    “We are proud to support the Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act, which will help to ensure rural practitioners can provide remote physiologic monitoring services. RPM supports coordinated chronic disease management and acute and chronic disease risk reduction, while improving health outcomes helping patients remain healthy at home,” said Michael Richards, System Vice President at SSM Health.
    “The Alliance for Connected Care applauds Senators Blackburn and Warner for their leadership to ensure rural patients have access to high-quality, innovative patient-centered care. Remote patient monitoring has a huge potential to empower rural seniors with technology to better take accountability for their own health,” said Chris Adamec, Executive Director of The Alliance for Connected Care.
    “This proposed legislation will incentivize healthcare systems in rural areas to establish remote monitoring programs and ensure sustainability of existing programs. We are grateful for Sen. Warner and Sen. Blackburn’s leadership on this issue. Remote monitoring has been shown to improve outcomes and ultimately lower the cost of care,” said Karen Rheuban, MD, Director of the University of Virginia Center for Telehealth.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Ban Federal Funding for Gender Transition Procedures

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act to prohibit taxpayer funded gender transition procedures under Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Affordable Care Act. The bill would also prohibit the use of the medical expense tax deduction for gender transition procedures.
    “Americans don’t want tax dollars funding sex change operations for children,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Let’s use that money for real medical treatment, not to prop up gender ideology.”
    “Americans overwhelmingly agree that hard-earned taxpayer dollars should not go toward paying for harmful gender transition procedures,” said Senator Marshall. “This legislation delivers on President Trump’s promise, eliminates taxpayer-funded transgender procedures on both minors and adults, and defends our nation’s values. As the reconciliation process continues, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation and ensure it is included in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.”
    “Trans ideology is anti-science, anti-truth, and anti-child – our government cannot make American families complicit in these controversial medical procedures, especially against young and vulnerable people in our society,” said Senator Lee. “Our necessary legislation prevents taxpayer dollars from funding the gender transition regime through reimbursements, Medicare, Medicaid, and other avenues.”
    “American tax dollars should not fund gender reassignment surgery,” said Senator Ricketts. “This bill ends the misuse of tax dollars on these procedures. It also stops federal healthcare facilities from providing these procedures.”
    U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24) introduced the companion version of this bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “Taxpayers should never be forced to fund dangerous and irreversible gender transition surgeries. The No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act sets a sweeping precedent by applying to both adults and minors and applying to as many federal funding streams as possible,” said Representative Tenney. “This will ensure that regardless of the age of the individual looking to mutilate themself, the American taxpayer will not be forced to subsidize it. We are working to ensure that not a dime of federal funds can be used to pay for gender transition procedures.”
    The legislation is supported by the American Principles Project.
    “Every year, the federal government subsidizes the transgender medical industry with our tax dollars, despite the vast majority of Americans opposing this horrific waste of taxpayer funding,” said Terry Schilling, President of American Principles Project. “The No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act would deal a serious blow to the woke trans agenda’s biological and fiscal insanity, and I am grateful for Senator Marshall’s leadership on this problem. It’s time for Congress to pass this important legislation.”
    Background
    By eliminating federal spending on transgender procedures, American taxpayers will save nearly $200 million. 25 states and D.C. have Medicaid policies that explicitly cover transgender-related health care. Over 276,000 of the 1.3 million transgender adults are enrolled in Medicaid.
    In March, Cassidy introduced the Defining Male and Female Act to codify President Trump’s executive order establishing legal definitions of male, female, and sex to ensure they are based on biological reality rather than radical, left-wing ideology.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Introduces Legislation to Increase Resiliency, Strengthen Louisiana Power Grids

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Preventing Power Outages Act to strengthen power grids resiliency across the country by reauthorizing two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant programs that help states and utilities invest in modernizing their grid infrastructure. The bill would update these programs to ensure sufficient funding goes toward states whose grids are least reliable and require the most investment, helping the power stay on in the face of extreme weather and natural disasters.
    “I was at an event this week where President Trump emphasized the need for growth and power generation to fuel our future economy. He specifically spoke of the problems with our grid,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This is one more step in addressing those problems that President Trump was speaking of.”
    Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) in introducing the legislation.
    Louisiana needs long-term, strategic investment to improve the resiliency of its grid infrastructure and deliver reliable power to households and businesses. However, without federal assistance, grid repair costs often ultimately fall to the very consumers that are being impacted by rising energy rates, poor reliability, and long service restoration times.
    The Preventing Power Outages Act would reauthorize and update DOE’s Grid Resilience State/Tribal Formula Grants Program and Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants Program, which have spurred historic investment in much-needed grid improvements in recent years but are set to expire in 2026. Funding from these programs can be used for underground electrical equipment, utility pole management, relocating power lines, and more. It can also be used to acquire innovative technologies, including weatherization equipment, fire-resistant technologies, and fire prevention systems. Without reauthorization, states that require significant grid upgrades could go without the necessary investments to address ongoing challenges. The senators’ legislation aims to protect these critical federal resources and ensure Americans across the country have access to safe, reliable, and affordable power. 
    Background
    Cassidy worked to secure increased funding for grid hardening when negotiating the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Louisiana has already received $929,157,661.00 from IIJA to improve and strengthen the state’s electric grid thanks to Cassidy’s leadership.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Ricketts, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Mark Renewable Fuels Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and a bipartisan group of senators to introduce a resolution designating May 2025 as Renewable Fuels Month.
    “With President Trump back in the White House, America is set to become energy dominant, and biofuels will make up an important part of that equation. Our resolution recognizes the power of renewable fuels and outlines the great advantages they bring to the table, including boosting the domestic market for farmers and adding jobs and economic vitality in the Heartland. With Iowa continuing to lead the nation in renewable fuels, our resolution also recognizes the importance of rural communities and thanks the hard-working men and women who get these products to market,” Grassley said.
    Additional cosponsors include Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).
    The text of the resolution can be found HERE.
    Background:
    Grassley has long-championed biofuels and year-round E15, including introducing multiple pieces of legislation to allow for the nationwide, year-round sale of E15. He led the effort to encourage the first Trump administration to approve year-round E15. He also helped establish the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and has consistently advocated for increased RFS volumes. 
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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: Nazi Ratlines

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    Q: Why did you hold a hearing in March about the rise in antisemitism?
    A: The atrocities of Oct. 7, 2023 underscored how imperative it is to learn from history. The horrific lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten. And yet, Hamas terrorists waged the deadliest attack on Jews since World War II. They butchered children and raped women, murdering more than 1,200 people. The terrorists took 250 hostages, including Americans. The gruesome details were instantly shared around the world through social media. You’d expect these evil crimes to foster a groundswell of support and solidarity for the Jewish people. Instead, an alarming cascade of events took root on college campuses across America. Support for Hamas, genocidal slogans and acts of antisemitism targeting Jewish students, shopkeepers, professors and rabbis served as a wake-up call to the world. Vandalized property, raging hatred and a radical agenda to target Jewish people here in America demanded attention to shed light on what was happening in plain sight. Before the eyes and under the noses of leaders in education and government, antisemitism was gaining foothold here in America. Yet the Democrats refused to hold a hearing on antisemitism last Congress.
    As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I invited witnesses to testify about the rising tide of antisemitism in America, exactly 80 years after U.S. and allied forces liberated survivors from Nazi concentration camps in Europe. The horrors of the Holocaust are memorialized in museums and history pages. It is incumbent upon each successive generation not to ignore the hatred or diminish the truths discovered by American troops in 1945: the “walking skeletons,” emaciated corpses and unthinkable atrocities against humanity, including medical experiments, torture and hard labor. History teaches us we can’t be neutral in the face of hatred. As Holocaust survivor Eli Wiesel said during his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
    Q: What’s new with your investigation to trace financial ties between Swiss banks and Nazi war criminals?
    A: In 2023, I received whistleblower allegations of wrongdoing by Credit Suisse during its internal review into potential Nazi-linked accounts that had not previously been disclosed during past investigations. In response, I launched an investigation to examine these allegations, including Credit Suisse’s servicing of Nazi-linked clients. With my leadership, the Senate Budget Committee issued its first subpoena since 1991 to learn more about the bank’s wrongdoing in its internal investigation. My review confirmed previously undisclosed ties with Nazi-connected Credit Suisse account holders. This work is ongoing. My focus remains to keep a bright light shining on one of the darkest chapters in modern human history in the pursuit of truth and justice. This global forensic exam spans three continents and involves countless records, including digital and paper documents originating from the 1930s and 1940s. In February, I wrote a letter to the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, requesting his assistance to provide archival records documenting the use of Nazi “ratlines” during and after World War II. These secret networks provided the monetary and logistical pathways members of the Nazi regime used to escape justice and flee to South America. President Milei’s historic decision to release these records, and make them widely accessible, in response to my request is a victory for transparency and will help advance oversight of this important issue.
    Transparency brings accountability. October 7 ushered in a new era of urgency to stop antisemitism in its tracks. Combing through these historical archives will help piece together the enablers who facilitated the escape of Nazi war criminals, honor the memories of Holocaust victims and deliver justice to the survivors. As time marches on, tenacity matters. We must never forget six million souls were stolen in the Holocaust. I’m working as hard as ever to keep history alive so current and future generations don’t sit on the sidelines when genocide and antisemitism rear their evil heads. Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal said it best, “Hope lives when people remember.”
    May is National Jewish American Heritage Month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Introduces Legislation to Expand Family Leave Protections

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Legislation would expand protections under the Family Medical Leave Act to include a wider range of caregivers
    WASHINGTON – Today, on the 32nd anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper joined nine of his Senate colleagues to introduce the Caring for All Families Act. The bill modernizes FMLA by updating the definition of family to include a broader range of caregiving relationships covered by FMLA’s protections and leave for small needs like doctor’s appointments.
    “We need to expand family medical leave to better support caregivers across the country,” said Hickenlooper. “Workers taking care of family members like siblings or grandchildren deserve the same protections as someone caring for a spouse.”  
    There are roughly 50 million unpaid family caregivers in the United States, 61 percent of which maintain a job outside of their caregiving duties. Notably, most family caregivers provide at least 20 hours of care each week, with many caregivers providing support to children as well as to aging family members. Women compose approximately 60 percent of family caregivers, and often face significant challenges including loss of retirement savings and lower potential lifetime earnings. 
    Specifically, the Caring for All Families Act would:
    Update FMLA’s definition of family to include a domestic partner, parent-in-law, aunt, uncle, sibling, adult child, grandparent, grandchild, son- or daughter-in-law, and other significant relationships
    Guarantee that parents and other family caregivers have the ability to take time off to attend a medical appointment or school function, such as a parent-teacher conference, without risk of losing their jobs.
    The Caring for All Families Act is endorsed by the following organizations:
    National Partnership for Women & Families, National Organization for Women, MomsRising, National Employment Law Project, National Women’s Law Center, Equal Rights Advocates, Center for WorkLife Law, Women Employed, Legal Aid at Work, A Better Balance, NJ Citizen Action, NJ Time to Care Coalition, The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), NC Families Care Coalition, Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, Missouri Jobs with Justice, Paid Leave for All, Family Values @ Work Action, Caring Across Generations, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, United For Respect, Family Values @ Work, Mother Forward, MANA, A National Latina Organization, Family Forward Oregon, National Council of Jewish Women, Abortion Action Missouri, Center for American Progress, The Arc of the United States, National Education Association, Main Street Alliance, National Association of Social Workers, National Alliance for Caregiving, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Reproductive Freedom for All, AFT, American Association of University Women (AAUW), Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, and Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
    Full text of the bill is available HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Statement on Executive Order Ending Federal Funding for NPR and PBS

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to end federal funding for America’s two biggest public broadcasters, NPR and PBS:

    “In the dark of night, President Trump issued an unlawful executive order that will strip New Mexicans of vital access to public programming that educates, entertains, and keeps us safe. For decades, NPR and PBS have delivered news, entertainment, and much more to New Mexicans, especially in rural and Tribal communities. Public media, like NPR, PBS, and their local affiliates, provide critical information to New Mexicans in all corners of the state — including during disasters and emergencies when our rural communities rely on public media the most.

    “This illegal executive order is an attempt by President Trump to strip New Mexicans of vital public services that thousands rely on day-to-day. The President is disregarding CPB’s authority and working to prevent New Mexicans from accessing free news, educational programming, and emergency alerts. Defunding NPR and PBS will leave New Mexicans in the dark when they need information the most.”

    Senator Luján has long supported strengthening public media. In February, Senator Luján wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Nathan Simington condemning actions taken by the FCC under the Trump administration demonstrating that the FCC is weaponizing its authority over broadcasters and public media for political purposes. In March, Senator Luján introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The White House Office of Management and Budget Releases the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Skinny Budget

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Washington, D.C.–Today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent President Trump’s topline discretionary Budget request for fiscal year 2026 to the U.S. Congress.
    The Budget, which reduces non-defense discretionary by $163 billion or 23 percent from the 2025 enacted level, guts a weaponized deep state while providing historic increases for defense and border security.  The Budget also provides support for air and rail safety as well as key infrastructure and our Nation’s veterans and law enforcement.
    This is the lowest non-defense spending level since 2017.  Savings come from eliminating radical diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory programs, Green New Scam funding, large swaths of the Federal Government weaponized against the American people, and moving programs that are better suited for States and localities to provide. 
    Defense spending would increase by 13 percent, and appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security would increase by nearly 65 percent, to ensure that our military and other agencies repelling the invasion of our border have the resources they need to complete the mission.  These increases will be made possible through the passage of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which will be enacted with a simple majority in the Congress, and not be held hostage by Democrats for wasteful spending increases that have been the status quo in Washington.
    “For decades, the biggest complaint about the Federal Budget was wasteful spending and bloated bureaucracy.  But over the last four years, Government spending aggressively turned against the American people and trillions of our dollars were used to fund cultural Marxism, radical Green New Scams, and even our own invasion.  No agency was spared in the Left’s taxpayer-funded cultural revolution.  At this critical moment, we need a historic Budget—one that ends the funding of our decline, puts Americans first, and delivers unprecedented support to our military and homeland security.  The President’s Budget does all of that,” said Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
    Highlights of the President’s key priorities include the following:
    End Weaponization and Reduce Violent Crime.  The Budget ends the previous Administration’s weaponization of the Government by eliminating programs like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s disinformation offices that targeted and censored Americans, eliminating so-called Fair Housing programs that waged war on America’s suburbs, ending the Environmental Protection Agency’s unfair harassment of citizens over “environmental justice” directives, and halting the ATF’s criminalizing of gun-owning Americans and instead, focusing on stopping illegal firearms traffickers and violent gang members.
    The Budget prioritizes Department of Justice (DOJ) key functions—restoring law and order to America’s communities, fighting crime, and supporting America’s men and women in Blue.  To that end, the Budget proposes to eliminate more than 40 DOJ grant programs that fund things like a “feminist, culturally specific nonprofit” to address “structural racism and toxic masculinities” and training Fa’afafine advocates—an organization of biological men that describes themselves as a “third-gender” in Samoa.  The Budget also reflects the President’s priority of reducing violent crime in American cities and protecting national security by getting Federal Bureau of Investigation agents into the field. 
    Defund the Harmful Woke, Marxist Agenda.  Every single agency across the Federal Government was engaged in funding and advancing DEI and other radical, harmful ideologies such as:  $315 million for grant programs to push “intersectionality,” “racial equity,” and LGBTQIA+ programming for preschoolers; housing grants that funded activities such as an “Equity Audit” to reverse “land use patterns that have roots in systemically racist policies in L.A. County; and “addressing White Supremacy in the STEM profession.”  The Budget ends all of that.
    Secure the Border.  The Budget request empowers the Department of Homeland Security to implement the President’s mass removal campaign and secure the border.  This funding is in addition to historic investments in border security the Administration proposes to provide through mandatory funding, as part of the congressional Budget reconciliation process.  The discretionary request includes an additional $500 million for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to expedite the removal of illegal aliens through the support of 50,000 detention beds, $766 million to procure cutting-edge border security technology funding, and funding to maintain 22,000 Border Patrol Agents and hire additional Customs and Border Protection officers for a total of 26,383 officers.  The Budget also cuts off the flow of taxpayer funds that have been abused to facilitate migrant caravan invasions.  Departments whose task it was to prevent those invasions allocated billions in funding to non-governmental organizations running “border aid stations” and legal services to criminal aliens—all of which will be eliminated under this new budget.
    Realign Foreign Aid.  The Budget ensures that foreign aid spending is efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda.  The Budget reorganizes the U.S. Agency for International Development into the Department of State to meet current needs and eliminates non-essential staff that were hired based on DEI and preferencing practices.  The Budget also expands the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to support U.S. national security and American interests—generating returns to the taxpayer and reducing reliance on foreign aid.  This includes $3 billion for a new revolving fund to allow DFC to recycle any realized returns from its initial investments.
    Rebuild our Nation’s Military.  The Budget request for the Department of Defense builds on the President’s promise to achieve peace through strength by providing the resources to rebuild our military, re-establish deterrence, and revive the warrior ethos of our Armed Forces.  In combination with $119 billion in mandatory funding, the Budget increases Defense spending by 13 percent, and prioritizes investments to strengthen the safety, security, and sovereignty of the homeland, deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, and revitalize our defense industrial base. 
    Achieve American Energy Dominance.  The Budget supports the President’s commitment to unleash America’s affordable and reliable energy and natural resources.  The Budget cancels over $15 billion in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Green New Scam funds provided to the Department of Energy for unreliable renewable energy, removing carbon dioxide from the air, and other costly technologies that burden ratepayers and consumers.  The Budget reorients Department of Energy funding toward research and development of technologies that could produce an abundance of domestic fossil energy and critical minerals, innovative concepts for nuclear reactors and advanced nuclear fuels, and technologies that promote firm baseload power.  The Budget also cancels an additional $5.7 billion in IIJA funding provided to the Department of Transportation for failed electric vehicle charger grant programs.
    Make America Healthy Again (MAHA).  The Budget request builds on the President’s MAHA Commission.  The Budget provides resources to the Department of Health and Human Services that would allow the Secretary to tackle issues related to nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, over-reliance on medication and treatments, the effects of new technological habits, environmental impacts, and food and drug quality and safety.  The Budget also supports the creation of MAHA food boxes, that would be filled with commodities sourced from domestic farmers and given directly to American households.  The Budget includes resources to ensure food safety nationwide, including support for increased production and demand for services.
    Support Our Veterans.  The Budget provides increased funding for healthcare services tailored to U.S. veterans’ needs, both at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and in the community.  Combined with $50 billion in mandatory funding from the Toxic Exposures Fund, the Budget ensures that the Nation’s veterans are provided with the world-class healthcare that they deserve.  In addition, veterans who qualify for access to care with local community providers would be empowered to make the choice to see them, rather than having to drive in some cases hours to access the nearest VA facility.  The Budget includes $1.1 billion in new VA funding to make a down payment on President Trump’s commitment to eradicate veterans’ homelessness, the largest funding increase in the last decade.
    Preserve Social Security.  The Budget supports the President’s promise to not touch Social Security benefits.  It also includes sufficient resources for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to improve customer service by expanding and improving online services, and reducing customer wait times in field offices and on the phone.  The Budget also includes investments in program integrity, to reduce fraud and abuse in Social Security programs, and in investments in artificial intelligence to increase employee productivity and automate routine workloads.  These efforts would help ensure that SSA delivers timely and accurate Social Security services to the public.
    Streamline K-12 Education Funding and Promote Parental Choice.  The Budget continues the process of shutting down the Department of Education.  The Budget maintains full funding for Title I, that provides Federal financial assistance to school districts for children from low-income families, and special education funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  To limit the Federal role in education, and provide States with more flexibility, the Budget creates a new K-12 Simplified Funding Program that consolidates 18 competitive and formula grant programs into a new formula grant, and a Special Education Simplified Funding Program that consolidates seven IDEA programs into a single grant.  The Budget also invests $500 million, a $60 million increase, to expand the number of high-quality charter schools, that have a proven track record of improving students’ academic achievement and giving parents more choice in the education of their children.
    Make America Skilled Again (MASA).  The Budget proposes to give States and localities the flexibility to spend Federal workforce dollars to best support their workers and economies, instead of funneling taxpayer dollars to progressive non-profits finding work for illegal immigrants or focusing on DEI.  Under this proposal, States would now have more control and flexibility to coordinate with employers and would have to spend at least 10 percent of their MASA grant on apprenticeship, a proven model that trains workers while they earn a paycheck and offers a valuable alternative to college. 
    Support Space Flight.  The Budget refocuses the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) funding on beating China back to the Moon and on putting the first human on Mars.  By allocating over $7 billion for lunar exploration and introducing $1 billion in new investments for Mars-focused programs, it ensures that America’s human space exploration efforts remain unparalleled, innovative, and efficient.  To achieve these objectives, the Budget would streamline the NASA workforce, IT services, NASA Center operations, facility maintenance, and construction and environmental compliance activities.  The Budget also eliminates “green aviation” and other climate scam programs as well as failing space propulsion projects.
    Maintain Support for Tribal Nations.  The Budget preserves Federal funding for the Indian Health Service and supports core programs at the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education, sustaining the Federal Government’s support for core programs that benefit tribal communities.  The Budget also weeds out radical woke grants and programs and streamlines other programs for tribal communities that were ineffective.
    Address Drug Abuse.  The Administration is committed to combatting the scourge of deadly drugs that have ravaged American communities.  The Budget prioritizes Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) resources on traffickers of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs that are driving America’s overdose crisis.  This includes redirecting DEA’s foreign spending to regions with criminal organizations that traffic significant quantities of deadly drugs into the United States—Mexico, Central America, South America, and China. 
    Support Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Research.  The Budget amply funds research in artificial intelligence and quantum information science at key agencies to ensure the United States remains on the cutting edge of these critical technologies’ development and responsible use.
    Improve Wildland Firefighting.  Federal wildfire responsibilities currently are split across five agencies in two departments.  The Budget would consolidate firefighting responsibilities into a new Federal Wildland Fire Service at the Department of the Interior that would coordinate with non-Federal partners to combat the wildfire crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Releases Statement Celebrating Full Restoration of Sea Grant Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins today released the following statement after the University of Maine announced it has received full funding for Maine Sea Grant.
    After a February announcement from the Department of Commerce that the program was being defunded, Senator Collins contacted Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the Trump administration to explain all that is at stake for Maine’s coastal communities with the loss of Sea Grant funding. At the urging of Senator Collins, Secretary Lutnick directed NOAA to renegotiate the terms and conditions of the work to be performed by Maine Sea Grant to ensure that it focuses on advancing Maine’s coastal economies, working waterfronts, and sustainable fisheries, and, this week, they received their funding.
    “I am thrilled that Maine Sea Grant has received its full funding so that the important work they do to conduct research, support a robust pipeline of skilled labor, and enrich our coastal economies can continue unimpeded,” said Senator Collins. “Maine Sea Grant provides valuable services for fishermen, lobstermen, hospitality workers, and so many others that rely on our coastal economy.”
    “The groundswell of support for Maine Sea Grant and the stories that have surfaced about its incredible impact on our state’s working waterfronts have been extraordinary and effective. We are deeply appreciative of Senator Collins’ leadership and relentless advocacy on behalf of Maine Sea Grant and the hard-working Mainers it has long served,” said UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce and our state’s coastal communities to promote resilient local jobs and opportunities and a globally competitive marine economy through research-informed innovation.” 
    Maine Sea Grant is a direct investment in Maine’s coastal communities, driving economic growth, creating jobs, and supporting fisheries and the seafood industry, including local businesses like Ready Seafood:
    “Maine Sea Grant has been supporting Ready Seafood since we started as a small lobster company on Hobson’s Pier in Portland in 2004, and helped propel our business to become the largest lobster processing company in the world,” said Curt Brown, lobsterman and marine biologist for Ready Seafood. “Senator Collins’ tireless leadership has once again delivered a huge victory for Maine’s coastal communities. From Kittery to Cutler, Maine’s coastal economy is stronger today, thanks to her efforts!” 
    Consistent with the original four-year agreement, the award made by the Commerce Department this week is for $1,499,374, which will be matched by $809,905 from non-federal sources, including industry and State research and development funding, over the next year. The Department will provide an additional $3,023,749 to Maine Sea Grant through Jan. 31, 2028, to be matched by $1,646,169. 
    Facts about Maine Sea Grant:
    Maine Sea Grant contributed to $23.5 million in documented economic benefits in 2023 alone. For every $1 of funding, there’s a $15 return.
    Sea Grant has more than 700 established partnerships with businesses, researchers, community organizations, and local and county governments.
    In 2023, Sea Grant created or supported 332 businesses and 565 jobs.
    Sea Grant supports American seafood competitiveness by enhancing the sustainability and profitability of Maine’s $600 million lobster industry and growing aquaculture sector, helping maintain American leadership in global seafood markets.

    MIL OSI USA News –