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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Releases Statement on the FY26 Budget Proposal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement after the White House unveiled the FY26 budget proposal outline:
    “President Trump successfully campaigned on a Peace Through Strength agenda, but his advisers at the Office of Management and Budget were apparently not listening. For the defense budget, OMB has requested a fifth year straight of Biden administration funding, leaving military spending flat, which is a cut in real terms. The Big, Beautiful Reconciliation Bill was always meant to change fundamentally the direction of the Pentagon on programs like Golden Dome, border support, and unmanned capabilities – not to paper over OMB’s intent to shred to the bone our military capabilities and our support to service members.
    “OMB is not requesting a trillion-dollar budget. It is requesting a budget of $892.6 billion, which is a cut in real terms. This budget would decrease President Trump’s military options and his negotiating leverage. We face an Axis of Aggressors led by the Chinese Communist Party, who have already started a trade war rather than negotiate in good faith. We need a real Peace Through Strength agenda to ensure Xi Jinping does not launch a military war against us in Asia, beyond his existing military support to the Russians, the Iranians, Hamas, and the Houthis.
    “I have said for months that reconciliation defense spending does not replace the need for real growth in the military’s base budget. That is what I will work to achieve in Congress with President Trump and Secretary Hegseth to implement the President’s Peace Through Strength agenda.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Wicker, Merkley Introduce Bipartisan Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Co-Chairs of the Senate Nursing Caucus, introduced the Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act. This legislation would ensure that nurses in the federal Nurse Corps do not need to pay income tax on their student loan repayments and scholarships.
    “Nurses are essential to the U.S. health care system,” said Senator Wicker. “The nationwide shortage of nurses has made clear just how vital having skilled and hardworking health care professionals is to keeping our country running, especially in rural Mississippi. The Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act would expand opportunity and affordability for America’s future nurses by removing the tax for Nurse Corps student loan repayments.”
    “As the husband of a nurse, I know frontline nurses are the backbone of our communities, helping patients and families through both joyous and challenging times,” said Senator Merkley. “Nurse Corps members build healthier communities in the areas of greatest need, but these heroes are unfairly taxed in ways other health professionals are not. The bipartisan Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act ends this unjust disparity and ensures nurses receive the fair treatment they deserve.” 
    “Every nurse who chooses to serve in an underserved community is making a powerful commitment—to patients, to equity, and to the future of health care. The reintroduction of the Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act is a meaningful step toward recognizing that commitment. Removing this unfair tax burden honors the selfless work of nurses and helps ensure that more of them can afford to answer the call to care where they are needed most. We’re grateful to lawmakers for standing with nurses and supporting a stronger, more equitable health system,” said Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, President, American Nurses Association.
    “As we strive to address our nation’s healthcare needs, particularly in critical shortage facilities, health professional shortage areas, and medically underserved regions, supporting the nursing workforce is essential,” said Dr. Deborah Trautman, President and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “This bipartisan legislation is a strong step forward and underscores the value the Nurse Corps has on meeting patient needs across the country.”
    The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and the Nurse Corps are programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) aimed at delivering critical health care services in underserved areas. Both corps programs offer scholarships and loan repayment for health care providers in exchange for service in these areas. Though the NHSC and Nurse Corps tout similar missions and programming offerings, NHSC scholarships and loan repayment programs are not subject to federal income tax, while those from Nurse Corps are.
    Click here to view the full text of the legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Markey, McGovern, Pressley Press Stop & Shop On Promise To Lower Prices Across Massachusetts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    May 02, 2025
    New investigation by the Hyde Square Task Force reveals Stop & Shop still appears to be over-charging families in inner-city neighborhoods
    “We urge Stop & Shop to lower prices…and ensure that it is charging all Massachusetts families fair prices for the food they work hard to put on the table.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), pressed Frans Muller, CEO of Ahold Delhaize — parent company of Stop & Shop — on the chain’s progress lowering grocery prices at stores across Massachusetts. A new investigation from the Hyde Square Task Force found that, following pressure from the lawmakers regarding potential price gouging at its urban store locations, Stop & Shop lowered prices in its Jamaica Plain store — but the grocer still appears to be overcharging working families at other Boston locations, including Grove Hall, South Bay, and Mission Hill.
    “It’s good news that Stop & Shop lowered prices at its Jamaica Plain store after we pushed them for relief, but we’re still seeing higher prices for families at other inner-city locations. It’s no coincidence that working-class communities are getting stuck with sky-high prices,” said Senator Warren. “We’re keeping up the pressure to make sure Stop & Shop isn’t overcharging families for the food they work hard to put on the table.”
    Following an initial Hyde Square Task Force investigation revealing price disparities between urban and suburban Stop & Shop store locations in Massachusetts, the lawmakers sent a letter to Ahold Delhaize, Stop & Shop’s parent company, raising concerns about potential price gouging at the Jamaica Plain location. Stop & Shop, in response to the letter, said it had “launched a multi-year strategy to invest in pricing and lower everyday prices” across its Massachusetts locations.
    However, a follow-up investigation last month from the same group of Boston youth volunteers at the Hyde Square Task Force found that while Stop & Shop reduced prices at its Jamaica Plain location, it continues to charge higher prices at its other Boston locations. This evidence suggests that Stop & Shop continues to profit at the expense of lower-income communities in Massachusetts by charging them higher prices for groceries.
    To better understand why Stop & Shop is still not providing fair and low prices in all communities in the Commonwealth, the lawmakers are pressing for answers as to why prices appear to be higher for groceries in low-income communities in Massachusetts; details on Stop & Shop’s “multi-year strategy”; and why Stop & Shop has closed seven stores in Massachusetts since the September 2024 letter. 
    “We urge Stop & Shop to lower prices at its grocery stores in Grove Hall, South Bay, and Mission Hill, and ensure that it is charging all Massachusetts families fair prices for the food they work hard to put on the table,” concluded the lawmakers.
    The lawmakers requested a response to their questions by May 14, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump Admin Weaponizes IRS, Warren, Schumer, Senators Demand Investigation into Potentially Criminal Activity Against Harvard

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    May 02, 2025
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), sent a letter to the Acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Heather Hill, demanding that she open an investigation into alarming reports that the Trump Administration is pressuring the IRS to consider revoking the non-profit status of Harvard University. 
    In a Truth Social post, the President stated that “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax-Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness.’” Furthermore, according to reports, the President is also targeting Harvard’s tax-exempt status because he disapproves of the university’s diversity and inclusion programs and claims that it has not sufficiently addressed antisemitism on campus. 
    “The President is targeting the non-profit status of Harvard University for blatantly political purposes,” the senators wrote. 
    It is illegal and unconstitutional for the IRS to use politically motivated reasons to revoke the tax-exempt status of schools, hospitals, churches, or any other tax-exempt entities. The senators are demanding an investigation into potential criminal activity related to this decision and into whether or not the Trump Administration is using the IRS to take other politically motivated actions.
    “The president’s call for Harvard to lose its tax-exempt status raises troubling constitutional questions, including whether the president is trying to squelch Harvard’s free speech rights and whether the revocation of its tax-exempt status will deprive the university of its due process rights,” the senators continued. 
    The lawmakers also note that while Harvard University could potentially have the resources to fight this particular legal battle, it sets a dangerous precedent for President Trump to attack his perceived political enemies. 
    “Churches and synagogues, non-profit hospitals and clinics, charter and private schools, and any others that land on the President’s target list will be forced to relinquish their free speech rights in order to remain in existence, or otherwise face this organizational death sentence,” the senators wrote. 
    The full letter can be seen here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall & Rep. Tenney Join Newsmax to Discuss Their Bill Ending Taxpayer Funding of Transgender Procedures and Reconciliation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) and U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-New York-24) joined Marc Lotter and Sharla McBride with Wake Up America on Newsmax today to discuss the No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act, bicameral legislation they have introduced to eliminate taxpayer-funded transgender procedures.
    The lawmakers also discussed the latest news on the budget reconciliation process and the importance of including their legislation in the FY2025 budget package in order to defend American values and deliver on President Trump’s promises.

    [embedded content]

    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:
    On the No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act saving American taxpayers dollars:
    Marc Lotter: “Senator, I want to start with you, I know you and the Congresswoman are working towards the No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act. This prohibits federal funds from going into gender transition procedures, but it wouldn’t consider the procedures health care under the IRS code. So why is that so important to include it in reconciliation?”
    Senator Marshall: “Look, we can save American taxpayers about $200 million a year by eliminating federal spending on transgender surgeries, transgender medications in Medicare, Medicaid, the military, the VA, and the ACA as well.
    “Why it’s important for this reconciliation bill? This is one of the few times in the Senate we can get something done with 50 votes, usually, it takes 60, but in this particular case, we can get 50. And again, we can save American taxpayers $200 million. Just to finish up, this is way more than about the money. To me, this is about the heart of America, the soul of America, these irreversible procedures that cause chronic pain.”
    On getting President Trump’s “One, Big Beautiful” bill across the finish line:
    Marc Lotter: “Senator… Speaker Johnson wants the final package to be passed by Memorial Day, Leader Thune is hoping for July 4. What do you think? Where are we with this? Do you think yesterday’s slowing GDP report on the economy might help light a fire under lawmakers to get it done sooner rather than later?”
    Senator Marshall: “Well, if anybody can pull it off, it will be our classmate, Speaker Mike Johnson. I mean, everyone’s saying they’re betting against him that he can’t get it done by Memorial Day, but we have a lot of faith in Mike and the president’s ability to bend arms as well.
    “I think we should focus on what we agree upon; we agree, I think, Claudia, that we want to make the Trump tax cuts permanent, that we want to fund the military, we want to fund the President’s border priorities as well, maybe take care of the debt limit as well, and beyond that, it’s all gravy to me. I think we can get some of this done by Memorial Day, get it to us over here in June, and maybe by July 4, it will be on the President’s desk. It’s a big task, but I think we’re up to it.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Boost American Shipbuilding, Support American Workers and Boost National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and a bipartisan group of her colleagues introduced the Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act, comprehensive legislation to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries. 
    “When it comes to shipbuilding, China has been eating our lunch. While Wisconsin workers and shipbuilding companies produce world-class vessels, we have failed to invest in this industry and set these workers up for success,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to revitalize our shipbuilding industry because this will not only keep our country safe, but it will create good paying jobs and support American workers and businesses.”
    There are currently 80 U.S.-flagged vessels in international commerce while China has 5,500. The SHIPS for America Act aims to close this gap and boost the U.S. Merchant Marine by establishing national oversight and consistent funding for U.S. maritime policy, making U.S.-flagged vessels commercially competitive in international commerce by cutting red tape, rebuilding the U.S. shipyard industrial base, and expanding and strengthening mariner and shipyard worker recruitment, training, and retention. 
    Specifically, the SHIPS for America Act would:   
    Coordinate U.S. maritime policy by establishing the position of Maritime Security Advisor within the White House, who would lead an interagency Maritime Security Board tasked with making whole-of-government strategic decisions for how to implement a National Maritime Strategy. The bill also establishes a Maritime Security Trust Fund that would reinvest duties and fees paid by the maritime industry into maritime security programs and infrastructure supporting maritime commerce.   
    Establish a national goal of expanding the U.S.-flag international fleet by 250 ships in 10 years by creating the Strategic Commercial Fleet Program, which would facilitate the development of a fleet of commercially operated, U.S.-flagged, American crewed, and domestically built merchant vessels that can operate competitively in international commerce. 
    Enhance the competitiveness of U.S.-flagged vessels in international commerce by establishing a Rulemaking Committee on Commercial Maritime Regulations and Standards to cut through the U.S. Coast Guard’s bureaucracy and red tape that limits the international competitiveness of U.S.-flagged vessels, modify duties to make cargo on U.S.-flagged vessels more competitive, requiring that government-funded cargo move aboard U.S.-flagged vessels, and requiring a portion of commercial goods imported from China to move aboard U.S.-flagged vessels starting in 2030.   
    Expand the U.S. shipyard industrial base, for both military and commercial oceangoing vessels, by establishing a 25 percent investment tax credit for shipyard investments, transforming the Title XI Federal Ship Financing Program into a revolving fund, and establishing a Shipbuilding Financial Incentives program to support innovative approaches to domestic ship building and ship repair.   
    Accelerate U.S. leadership in next-generation ship design, manufacturing processes, and ship energy systems by establishing the U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation, and supporting regional hubs for maritime innovation across the country by establishing a Maritime Prosperity Zone program.   
    Make historic investments in maritime workforce by supporting a Maritime Workforce Promotion and Recruitment Campaign, allowing mariners to retain their credentials through a newly established Merchant Marine Career Retention Program, investing in long-overdue infrastructure needs for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and supporting State Maritime Academies and Centers for Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education. The bill also makes long-overdue changes to streamline and modernize the U.S. Coast Guard’s Merchant Mariner Credentialing system.   
    Senator Baldwin has been a leading voice in revitalizing the shipbuilding industry and leveling the playing field for American workers. Last March, Senator Baldwin joined United Steelworkers and other labor leaders in support of the American shipbuilding industry and to call on the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to conduct a full investigation. In April 2024, the USTR announced they were heeding that call and launching an investigation into China, concluding in a report that China’s targeted dominance in these sectors was unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce, and is therefore “actionable” under Section 301. This report laid the groundwork for the Trump Administration to impose appropriate penalties on China to support American workers. In January, Senator Baldwin applauded this USTR report outlining China’s unfair trade practices to undercut American shipbuilding and called on the President to act. In February, Baldwin led a group of her colleagues in calling on the Trump Administration to act on the results of the investigation and take immediate action to level the playing field for American workers, businesses, and national security.
    The bill is led by Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Todd Young (R-IN) and co-sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and John Fetterman (D-PA).
    Full text of this legislation is available here.
    A section by section of this legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Veteran Disability Claims Exams

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), are introducing bipartisan legislation to permanently authorize a successful pilot program to expand access to medical disability exams for veterans filing claims for a service-connected disability. The legislation would allow any eligible health care professional with a current unrestricted license and a contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide medical disability exams to veterans across state lines. This builds off a pilot program established by Congress in 2020 that expanded requirements and allowed certain licensed medical professionals to provide contract medical disability examinations across state lines for the VA.
    “We have an obligation to our veterans to return the service they gave to us while minimizing bureaucracy and delay,” said Senator King. “By allowing veterans to visit any VA approved licensed medical professional to perform their benefits exam, we can help alleviate the patient backlogs and ensure veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned in a timely manner. This bipartisan bill is yet another way we can express our gratitude to the brave men and women who have served.”
    “Greater access to medical disability exams will enable more veterans to receive timely, high-quality care and the benefits they have earned,” said Senator Moran. “As more veterans file for VA care and benefits following their military service, this legislation will help increase the number of licensed, health care professionals who are certified to provide medical disability exams, providing quick and accurate exams for veterans.”
    Full text of the legislation can be found here.
    Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King is a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. A member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), he works to ensure American veterans receive their earned benefits and that the VA is properly implementing various programs such as the PACT Act, the State Veterans Homes Domiciliary Care Flexibility Act, and the John Scott Hannon Act. Recently, Senator King introduced bipartisan legislation to help reduce suicides among veterans by providing free secure firearm storage to veterans. In addition, he helped pass the Veterans COLA Act, which increased benefits for 30,000 Maine veterans and their families. Senator King has also introduced bipartisan legislation to improve care coordination for veterans who rely on both VA health care and Medicare. Earlier this year, he cosponsored the bipartisan Major Richard Star Act that would provide more combat-injured veterans with their full earned benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: JOBS BOOM: More Americans Working for Higher Pay

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    “This is the second month in a row where the jobs report has beat expectations. Wages are continuing to rise and labor force participation is increasing. This is exactly what we want to see. More Americans working for higher wages. More winning is on the way!” — Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
    President Donald J. Trump is revitalizing the American economy as the workforce grows and businesses onshore jobs — and today’s jobs report proves it.
    Here’s what you need to know:
    In April, the U.S. added 177,000 jobs — smashing expectations for another month as the labor market responds to President Trump’s economic vision.
    Private education and health services: +70,000
    Transportation and warehousing: +29,000
    Leisure and hospitality: +24,000
    Professional and business services: +17,000
    Financial activities: +14,000

    Labor force participation grew as more Americans enter the workforce during President Trump’s Golden Age.
    Americans’ wages continue to rise, with real average hourly wages up by nearly 4% over the past year.
    Construction employment increased for the third straight month, adding 11,000 new jobs — with no evidence of labor shortages in sight.
    The federal government cut jobs for the third straight month as President Trump implements his bold vision to right-size the bureaucracy.
    Here’s what they’re saying:
    Economist Steve Moore: “This is an amazing report. The labor force participation rate rose — so this is a really strong number.”
    Fox Business Network’s Charles Payne: “Transportation and warehousing — those are the jobs that were supposed to be hit, right? Up 29,000 … Maybe some of this manufacturing, some of these deals that the White House has announced, maybe we’re starting to see that already play out.”
    Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo: “As President Trump would say, ‘It’s going to be the best economy anybody has ever seen.’ Look, we’ve got a market that is reflecting that.”
    ERShares CEO Joel Shulman, Ph.D.: “This is very encouraging because we’re already seeing many of the companies dependent upon foreign suppliers already reshoring some of their jobs.”
    Former Toys “R” Us CEO Gerald Storch: “We’re going to be in great shape.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Joins Risch, Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Stand Up for Israel at the UN

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and a number of her Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the Stand with Israel Act, legislation to cut off U.S. funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel. 

    “The UN and its agencies have increasingly become a platform for anti-Israel forces to target the world’s only Jewish state. At the same time, countries like Iran and Russia have been free to maintain their status while launching ballistic missiles at their neighbors. If this ridiculous project to downgrade the membership of Israel—a free, democratic country and rightful member state—moves forward in the UN, the U.S. has no choice but to finally withdraw all support from a failed institution. I am proud to once again introduce this legislation that stands with one of our greatest allies, Israel,” Senator Capito said.

    BACKGROUND:

    The Stand with Israel Act would cut off U.S. funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel. The bill is modeled after the current prohibition of funding to any UN entities that elevate the status of the Palestinian Authority to a member state. 

    For bill text, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty Applauds Tennessean Whitney Hermandorfer, Trump’s Nominee to be Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    May 2, 2025

    Hermandorfer is the first major judicial nominee in President Trump’s second term

    NASHVILLE, TN—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) applauded the nomination of Whitey Hermandorfer, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

    “I am delighted that President Donald Trump has nominated Whitney Hermandorfer, a native Tennessean, to serve as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit,” said Senator Hagerty. “Few can boast equal credentials, having clerked for Justices Alito and Barrett, as well as then-Judge Kavanaugh. Whitney graduated top of her law school class at the George Washington University Law School. She also led the Strategic Litigation Unit for the Tennessee Attorney General. Whitney is principled, genuine, kind, and has a brilliant legal mind that will make all Tennesseans proud.  I will work tirelessly to ensure that Whitney is confirmed by the Senate.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Finally Ends the Madness of NPR, PBS

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Last night, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order ending the taxpayer subsidization of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) — entities that receive tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds each year to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as “news.”
    Here are some examples of the trash that has passed for “news” at NPR and PBS:
    NPR ran a story titled “Cannibalism: It’s ‘Perfectly Natural,’” in which an author described eating another human’s placenta: “It was really the prep that made it taste good. Granted, the [husband] was a chef and so he knew how to prepare it osso bucco style and used a really nice wine I had brought. It smelled great. It didn’t taste bad.”
    In 2021, NPR declared the Declaration of Independence to be a document with “flaws and deeply ingrained hypocrisies.”
    In 2022, NPR scrapped its decades-long Independence Day tradition of reading the Declaration of Independence on air to instead discuss “equality.”
    NPR subsequently issued an “editor’s note” warning the Declaration of Independence is “a document that contains offensive language.”

    NPR apologized for calling illegal immigrants “illegal.”
    NPR sounded the alarm about young men who abstain from masturbating to pornography.
    NPR featured a Valentine’s Day story centered around “queer animals,” in which it suggested the make-believe clownfish in “Finding Nemo” would’ve been better off as a female, that “banana slugs are hermaphrodites,” and that “some deer are nonbinary.”
    PBS devoted a panel to what it “mean[s] to be woke” and “white privilege.”
    NPR routinely promotes the chemical and surgical mutilation of children as so-called “gender-affirming care” without mentioning the irreversible damage caused by these procedures.
    In 2021, a PBS station aired a “children’s program” that featured a drag queen named “Lil’ Miss Hot Mess.”
    NPR educated the nation on the “whole community of genderqueer dinosaur enthusiasts” and “trans-ceratops.”
    Then-PBS White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor characterized President Trump’s patriotic 2020 Mount Rushmore speech as a love letter to “white resentment” that promoted the “myth of America.”
    NPR reported on the “cousin of diet culture” known as “healthism, which is the idea that we have to be healthy” — as if that was a bad thing.
    NPR assigned three reporters to investigate how the thumbs-up emoji is racist.
    NPR suggested doorway sizes are based on “latent fatphobia.”
    PBS produced an entire movie celebrating a transgender teenager’s so-called “changing gender identity.”
    NPR absurdly claimed “limited scientific evidence of physical advantage” exists between male and female athletes.
    NPR lamented that “animals deserve pronouns, too.”
    NPR ran a feature titled “What ‘Queer Ducks’ can teach teenagers about sexuality in the animal kingdom.”
    In 2023, PBS’s Washington Week roundtable covered up Joe Biden’s clear mental decline, with far-left “journalist” Jeffrey Goldberg claiming Biden was actually “quite acute.”
    NPR dedicated an entire segment to the “population of anthropomorphic animal enthusiasts known as ‘furries.’”
    PBS produced a documentary making the case for reparations.
    NPR disparagingly referred to pro-life Americans at the March for Life as “anti-abortion rights activists.”
    NPR explored “the racial origins of fat phobia.”
    NPR management asked its editors to avoid the term “biological sex” when discussing transgender issues.
    PBS show Sesame Street partnered with CNN on a one-sided narrative to “address racism” amid the Black Lives Matter riots.
    NPR and PBS have zero tolerance for non-leftist viewpoints:
    In 2020, NPR refused to cover the explosive Hunter Biden laptop scandal in the runup to the election, baselessly claiming its “assertions don’t amount to much” and writing they “don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions.”
    When a 25-year veteran NPR reporter and editor spoke out about the network’s obsession with liberal causes, they suspended him.
    The editor found that registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans 87 to zero in their newsroom.
    NPR prolifically reported on the Russian collusion hoax, with the editor describing “[Adam] Schiff talking points” as “the drumbeat of NPR news reports.”

    NPR CEO Katherine Maher once called President Trump “racist,” shared a photo of herself wearing a “Biden for President” campaign hat, serves on the board of a Soros-funded activist group, and described “reverence for the truth” as a “distraction.”
    In 2023, a study found that congressional Republicans saw 85% negative coverage while congressional Democrats saw 54% positive coverage on PBS’s flagship news program.
    According to a 2024 study, PBS news staff used 162 variations of the term “far-right,” but only six variations of “far-left.”
    Media bias rating agency AllBias — which surveyed nearly 24,000 readers — found NPR’s bias aligns with “liberal, progressive or left-wing thought and/or policy agendas.”
    NPR repeatedly dismissed the theory that COVID-19 originated in a lab — a conclusion now deemed likely by the FBI, CIA, and Department of Energy.
    April 2020: “Scientists Debunk Lab Accident Theory Of Pandemic Emergence”
    May 2020: “As Trump Pushes Theory Of Virus Origins, Some See Parallels In Lead-Up To Iraq War”
    May 2021: “Many Scientists Still Think The Coronavirus Came From Nature”
    March 2023: “Virologist says COVID origin report could make it harder to study dangerous diseases”
    September 2024: “New research points to raccoon dogs in Wuhan market as pandemic trigger. It’s controversial”

    A 2024 Media Research Center study found that PBS’s coverage of the Republican National Convention was 72% negative, while coverage of the Democratic National Convention was 88% positive.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ending Taxpayer Subsidization Of Biased Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Purpose.  National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funds through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).  Unlike in 1967, when the CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options.  Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence. 
    At the very least, Americans have the right to expect that if their tax dollars fund public broadcasting at all, they fund only fair, accurate, unbiased, and nonpartisan news coverage.  No media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies, and the Government is entitled to determine which categories of activities to subsidize.  The CPB’s governing statute reflects principles of impartiality:  the CPB may not “contribute to or otherwise support any political party.”  47 U.S.C. 396(f)(3); see also id. 396(e)(2). 
    The CPB fails to abide by these principles to the extent it subsidizes NPR and PBS.  Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter.  What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens. 
    I therefore instruct the CPB Board of Directors (CPB Board) and all executive departments and agencies (agencies) to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS.
    Sec. 2.  Instructions to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  (a)  The CPB Board shall cease direct funding to NPR and PBS, consistent with my Administration’s policy to ensure that Federal funding does not support biased and partisan news coverage.  The CPB Board shall cancel existing direct funding to the maximum extent allowed by law and shall decline to provide future funding.
    (b)  The CPB Board shall cease indirect funding to NPR and PBS, including by ensuring that licensees and permittees of public radio and television stations, as well as any other recipients of CPB funds, do not use Federal funds for NPR and PBS.  To effectuate this directive, the CPB Board shall, before June 30, 2025, revise the 2025 Television Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria and the 2025 Radio Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria to prohibit direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS.  To the extent permitted by the 2024 Television Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria, the 2024 Radio Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria, and applicable law, the CPB Board shall also prohibit parties subject to these provisions from funding NPR or PBS after the date of this order.  In addition, the CPB Board shall take all other necessary steps to minimize or eliminate its indirect funding of NPR and PBS.
    Sec. 3.  Instructions to Other Agencies.  (a)  The heads of all agencies shall identify and terminate, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, any direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS. 
    (b)  After taking the actions specified in subsection (a) of this section, the heads of all agencies shall identify any remaining grants, contracts, or other funding instruments entered into with NPR or PBS and shall determine whether NPR and PBS are in compliance with the terms of those instruments.  In the event of a finding of noncompliance, the head of the relevant agency shall take appropriate steps under the terms of the instrument.
    (c)  The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall determine whether “the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio (or any successor organization)” are complying with the statutory mandate that “no person shall be subjected to discrimination in employment . . . on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.”  47 U.S.C. 397(15), 398(b).  In the event of a finding of noncompliance, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall take appropriate corrective action.
    Sec. 4.  Severability.  If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any agency, person, or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other agencies, persons, or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
    Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
                                  DONALD J. TRUMP
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        May 1, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: National Day of Prayer, 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”>BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    A PROCLAMATION
    From the earliest days of our Nation’s journey, America has been guided by the grace of Almighty God.  Beginning with the opening prayer at the First Continental Congress in 1774, our faith has perpetually stood as the summit of our strength, the source of our unity, and the fount of our greatness.  This National Day of Prayer, we thank God for His endless blessings ‑- and we ask Him to grant us fortitude, wisdom, and a renewed spirit of justice as we continue the work to save our country and restore our national promise.
    Across every chapter of our grand American story — from General George Washington’s humble prayer at Valley Forge to Reverend Billy Graham’s legendary rallies in the heart of Manhattan to the somber National Prayer Service in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, our greatest leaders have always recognized the necessity of faith, prayer, and devotion to God.  As President Washington famously stated in his seminal Farewell Address, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” 
    For these reasons, my Administration is fighting to defend America’s longstanding legacy of prayer, faith, and trust in God.  As President, I proudly established Task Forces to eradicate religious bias by combatting anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, and additional forms of anti-religious bias.  They are charged with the mandate to identify and eliminate all anti‑religious policies, practices, and conduct in executive departments and agencies.  In addition, I established the White House Faith Office in order to strengthen our families and to protect our religious freedom.  I will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty and protecting God in our public square.
    Nine months ago on July 13, 2024, my faith took on new meaning.  An assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of ending my life.  In that instant, as Secret Service crowded around and knocked me to the ground, I felt what seemed to be the supernatural hand of God.  I believe that God spared my life for a reason — to save our country and restore America to greatness.  It serves as a sacred reminder of our Creator’s infinite goodness, guidance, and grace.
    Through America’s victories and defeats, triumphs and setbacks, and periods of peace and times of war, the divine force of prayer has unfailingly sustained our people, our culture, and our beloved Nation.  It was faith that guided our ancestors across turbulent waters to Plymouth Rock.  It was faith that inspired our Founding Fathers to put in writing those immortal words, “All men are created equal.”  It is faith that freed our Nation from the clutches of tyranny nearly 250 years ago, and it is faith that has rescued our freedom from forces of evil time and time again.
    This National Day of Prayer, we recognize that the true strength of the American spirit has always been found in churches, chapels, pews, parishes and synagogues, and the hearts and souls of our citizens of faith.  Today and every day, we bow our heads in prayer to thank God for His countless gifts and to ask for His divine protection.  Above all, we acknowledge that prayer is the foundation of our past, the guiding hand of our present, and the light of our future.
    In 1988, the Congress, by Public Law 100-307, as amended, called on the President to issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer, “on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.”
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2025, as a National Day of Prayer.  I encourage all Americans to observe this day, reflecting on the blessings our Nation has received and the importance of prayer, with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities in their houses of worship, communities, and places of work, schools, and homes.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”>BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    A PROCLAMATION
    Day and night, firefighters are on the front lines, rushing into danger and risking their lives to protect fellow citizens.  Tragically, not every hero makes it home.  The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, held in Emmitsburg, Maryland, commemorates the volunteer and professional firefighters who, over the past year, have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
    Thousands will gather to honor the lives and legacies of the fallen, to support the Fire Hero Families, to grieve and share memories, and to strengthen bonds between those who uniquely understand both the enduring pride and the profound loss of their loved ones.  Across the country, brave men and women demonstrate heroism each day, willingly placing themselves in harm’s way for the benefit of others.  We are indebted to every American who chooses this noble profession — this solemn calling — in spite of the inherent risks.
    There are pivotal moments in American history in which the awe-inspiring bravery and professionalism of firefighters stand forever imprinted on our memory.  On September 11, 2001, firefighters rushed into the smoke and flames of the twin towers following the horrific terrorist attacks.  In January of this year, firefighters worked tirelessly to contain the fury of the deadly and destructive wildfires that raged through southern California.  These phenomenal efforts make us proud and grateful for those who stand in the gap for our safety.  
    One firefighter will forever hold a profound place in my life — Corey Comperatore, who lost his life shielding his family from the barrage of assassin’s bullets that pierced the air during my rally last July in Butler, Pennsylvania.  His bravery and selflessness on that fateful day exemplify the dedication and courage that define America’s cadre of firefighters. 
    The First Lady and I are grateful for the devotion of all who serve their communities and our country in this extraordinary way.  Firefighters often enter our lives only when something has gone catastrophically wrong, yet they stand ready every day to protect our people and communities.  This National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, we remember the American patriots who gave their lives in service to others, and pray for the courageous families who carry on in their absence.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 3 through May 4, 2025, as National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend.  On Sunday, May 4, 2025, in accordance with Public Law 107-51, the flag of the United States will be flown at half-staff at all Federal office buildings in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. 
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ends the Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    ENDING TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZATION OF BIASED MEDIA: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order ending the taxpayer subsidization of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
    NPR and PBS receive tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds each year, primarily from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
    The Order ceases federal funding to NPR and PBS to the maximum extent allowed by law.
    It also ceases indirect funding to PBS and NPR by prohibiting local public radio and television stations and any other recipients of CPB funds from using taxpayer dollars to support these organizations.
    The Order mandates that the CPB revise its 2025 General Provisions to explicitly prohibit direct or indirect funding to NPR and PBS.
    It directs all federal agencies to terminate any direct or indirect funding to NPR and PBS and to review existing grants and contracts for compliance.
    The Order instructs the FCC and relevant agencies to investigate whether NPR and PBS have engaged in unlawful discrimination. 
    EXPOSING BIAS IN PUBLIC BROADCASTING: NPR and PBS have fueled partisanship and left-wing propaganda with taxpayer dollars, which is highly inappropriate and an improper use of taxpayers’ money, as President Trump has stated.
    Unlike in 1967, when CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options, making government funding of news media outdated, unnecessary, and corrosive to journalistic independence.
    Moreover, while the CPB is legally mandated to be “nonpolitical [in] nature” and not “contribute to or otherwise support any political party,” both NPR and PBS make significant in-kind contributions to the Democrat party and its political causes.
    An NPR editor found that registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans 87 to zero in the newsroom’s editorial positions.
    NPR’s President and CEO admitted that she regards “truth” as a harmful “distraction” from NPR’s objectives.
    To illustrate its partisan capture, NPR management asked its editors to avoid the term “biological sex” when discussing transgender issues.
    NPR has run stories defending looting and suggesting that crime fears are racist and has described its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices as “inseparable” from its content.
    NPR refused to cover the Hunter Biden laptop story, calling it a waste of time and a distraction, despite that it was highly relevant to the presidential election.
    NPR repeatedly insisted COVID-19 did not originate in a lab and refused to explore the theory.
    The FBI, CIA, and Department of Energy have all since deemed the lab-leak theory the likely cause.

    NPR ran a Valentine’s Day feature around “queer animals,” in which it suggested the make-believe clownfish in “Finding Nemo” would’ve been better off as a female, that “banana slugs are hermaphrodites,” and that “some deer are nonbinary.”
    Research shows that “congressional Republicans faced 85% negative coverage, compared to 54% positive coverage of congressional Democrats,” on PBS’s flagship news program.
    Over a six-month period, PBS News Hour used versions of the term “far-right” 162 times, but “far-left” only 6 times.
    A PBS station featured drag queen Lil Miss Hot Mess on a program meant for kids ages 3-8.
    PBS produced a movie titled “Real Boy” which celebrates a transgender teen’s transition.  
    PBS show Sesame Street partnered with CNN for a town hall aimed presenting children with a one-sided narrative to “address racism” amid the Black Lives Matter riots.
    PBS’s coverage of the 2024 Republican National Convention was 72% negative, while its coverage of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was 88% positive.
    No media outlet has a Constitutional right to taxpayer subsidized operations, and it’s highly inappropriate for taxpayers to be forced to subsidize biased, partisan content.
    SAFEGUARDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS: President Trump is working to ensure taxpayer dollars are no longer wasted on progressive pet projects, but rather used to benefit hardworking Americans.
    President Trump established the “Department of Government Efficiency” to examine how to streamline the federal government, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
    President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new rule is justified by clear benefits.
    President Trump terminated DEI discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending.
    The Trump Administration is aggressively investigating Biden-era programs that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on inefficient and politically-driven projects, including canceling unnecessary government contracts and grants that do not serve the national interest.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Loyalty Day and Law Day, U.S.A., 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”>BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    A PROCLAMATION
    The rule of law is the capstone of our constitutional order and the crown jewel of the American way of life.  Beginning with the ratification of the Constitution, people and nations near and far have looked to the United States as a guiding light of liberty and justice.  As our Nation commemorates Law Day, U.S.A., and Loyalty Day, we reaffirm our loyalty to the Constitution, and we renew our pledge to preserve and protect our glorious inheritance of fairness, equality, and freedom against all threats, foreign and domestic.
    For centuries, the world has revered America for its devotion to the timeless principle of equal justice under the law.  Tragically, in recent years, our constitutional heritage faced an existential threat from a political class that abandoned justice in favor of political retribution.  Under the previous administration, Federal law enforcement agencies outrageously allowed violent criminals to roam our streets with impunity while targeting parents, churchgoers, political opponents, and ordinary citizens.  This weaponization of our Government is a threat to our sovereignty and is antithetical to our Nation’s most sacred principles, reminiscent of evil communist regimes.
    This erosion of the American justice system ended the moment I took the oath of office.  Under my leadership, our Federal law enforcement agencies are again being guided by the cornerstone American principles of fairness and impartiality — and the constitutional rights of every American citizen are being swiftly restored.
    As we continue the work to restore justice in our courtrooms, order on our streets, and respect for our laws, we solemnly remember the more than 100 million victims of communism in the 20th century whose lives were viciously taken, and we stand in solidarity with the innumerable people across the world currently under captivity by communist leaders.
    First proclaimed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1955, Loyalty Day was inaugurated to directly counter commemorations of May Day — which was frequently celebrated by communist groups — and to serve as a beacon of hope to all those still blighted by the horrors and injustices of communism and tyranny.  To this day, America is a living reminder that the precepts of our Nation’s Founding will always transcend the evils wrought by communism and dictatorship.  As President Ronald Reagan famously remarked in his 1989 Farewell Address, our Nation stands before the entire world as a “tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace.”
    For nearly 250 years, the United States had proudly carried forth a grand tradition of legal and political thought stretching back to the earliest days of Western civilization.  Today, we acknowledge that our commitment to the constitutional rule of law is our pride, our glory, and an enduring source of American greatness.  We recognize that love of country requires loyalty to country — and that a Nation without the free and impartial rule of law is not a Nation at all.  Above all, we vow to usher in a new era of justice, integrity, and honor in our culture, in our courtrooms, and in our halls of Government.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2025, as Loyalty Day, and in accordance with Public Law 87–20, as amended, as Law Day, U.S.A.  I call on all Americans to observe this day by reflecting upon the importance of the rule of law in our Nation and displaying the flag of the United States in support of this national observance, as well as by learning more about the proud history of our Nation.  I urge all Government officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings and grounds on this day.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Markey Outlines 100 of Trump’s Disastrous Decisions from His First 100 Days

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    WATCH: Senator Markey blasts “century’s worth of damage” in Trump’s first 100 days
    Washington (May 1, 2025) – To mark President Trump’s first 100 days in office, yesterday, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) gave remarks on the Senate floor where he listed 100 different ways the Trump administration has harmed the United States, including firing thousands of federal workers, implementing reckless tariffs that are driving up costs, defunding essential programs, and deporting children who are U.S. citizens. Below is an excerpt of his remarks.
    “100 days ago, Donald Trump proclaimed, ‘the golden age of America begins now.’ But in the 100 days since Inauguration Day, King Donald has shown us that he sits on a throne of fool’s gold – one built on empty boasts, unfulfilled promises, and lie after lie after lie. In just over three months, King Donald’s reign has rained down chaos, corruption, cuts, and crisis on the American people.   
    “And he is counting on you not to pay attention. He’s hoping you don’t notice that everyday costs are rising, retirement savings are sinking, and families living paycheck to paycheck are bearing the burden. He’s relying on all of us to roll over, accept his absolute rule, and let him and his caviar cabinet enjoy the circus while they pass a massive tax cut for their billionaire buddies.”  
    The full list of Trump’s 100 disastrous decisions is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Markey, Klobuchar Reintroduce Resolution to Give Individuals a Fair Chance After Incarceration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Resolution Text (PDF)
    Washington (May 1, 2025) – Yesterday, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) reintroduced a resolution to recognize the month of April as “Fair Chance Jobs Month,” to ensure that formerly incarcerated individuals have a fair chance at securing good-paying, stable employment. The Fair Chance Jobs Month Resolution acknowledges the importance of removing barriers to employment for those affected by the criminal legal system.
    Nearly 80 million Americans, or one in three adults, have a record of arrest or conviction. In the United States, nearly 14,000 laws and regulations restrict formerly incarcerated people from securing professional licenses required for a wide range of jobs. Individuals who reenter society continue to face systemic biases and stigmas that restrict access to employment. Even when formerly incarcerated individuals get hired, they earn lower wages on average than the general population.
    “Individuals who served their sentences deserve a fair chance at rebuilding their lives when they reenter society. Formerly incarcerated individuals face significant obstacles, including systemic biases and licensing barriers, to securing a good-paying job,” said Senator Markey. “I am proud to reintroduce this resolution alongside Senator Klobuchar to help ensure those impacted by the criminal legal system get a fair shot at reentering the workforce and supporting a better life for themselves and for their families.”
    “As a former prosecutor, I have seen firsthand the employment challenges people can face when they are released after serving their sentence,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This resolution to recognize Fair Chance Jobs Month will raise awareness of the barriers formerly incarcerated people face in the job market and promote opportunities for those who are looking to reenter the workforce.”
    Cosponsors of the resolution in the Senate include Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.).
    The Fair Chance Jobs Month resolution is endorsed by JustLeadershipUSA.
    “This resolution recognizes the immense harm caused by the criminal legal system—especially its economic impact on directly affected individuals—and highlights ongoing barriers to basic needs that continue to affect families and communities. To enhance public safety and stabilize the economy, we must dismantle ineffective policies and expand access to training and enhanced support,” said Ronald Simpson-Bey, Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at JustLeadershipUSA.
    Senators Markey and Klobuchar first introduced the resolution in April 2024. In February 2024, Senator Markey sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to make good-paying clean energy jobs accessible to currently and formerly incarcerated people. In December of 2023, Senator Markey also led colleagues in introducing the End Solitary Confinement Act, legislation that would end solitary confinement in federal prisons, jails, and detention centers, with limited exceptions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Majority Leader Expedites Vote On Historic Digital Asset Legislation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    WASHINGTON—Today, Senate Majority Leader John Thune initiated a process that expedites a vote on a historic piece of legislation that establishes the first ever regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. The legislation is the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act authored by United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, and cosponsored by Tim Scott (R-SC), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY).
    “The GENIUS Act establishes a clear, pro-growth, and secure regulatory framework to modernize our payments system and cement U.S. dollar dominance. I look forward to passing the GENIUS Act in short order to keep digital asset innovation in America, protect customers, and make sure foreign companies are playing by the same rules,” Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) said.
    “Our landmark stablecoin legislation is a huge victory for the digital asset industry and a critical step in securing our nation’s financial future,” said Sen. Cynthia Lummis. “The GENIUS Act strikes the balance of establishing proper guardrails that protect consumers while preserving financial innovation and America’s dollar dominance in the global financial system. President Trump and Leader Thune’s decision to bring this important legislation to the floor demonstrates his commitment to maintaining U.S. leadership in financial services while keeping digital asset companies and jobs onshore. I want to thank Senator Hagerty and Chairman Scott for their leadership on this and look forward to getting this legislation across the finish line.”
    “The GENIUS Act is a critical first step towards delivering on President Trump and the American people’s mandate to advance a regulatory framework for digital assets – and will protect consumers and expand financial inclusion across the country,” said Chairman Tim Scott. “I look forward to voting for the bill on the floor and the Senate taking historic action to provide the industry with the clarity it deserves.”
    Background:
    Dollar-denominated payment stablecoins are digital assets pegged to the U.S. dollar. They can improve transaction efficiency, expand financial inclusion, and strengthen the dollar’s supremacy as the world reserve currency by driving demand for U.S. Treasuries. The previous Administration’s hostility toward crypto and refusal to provide clear regulatory guidelines has severely stifled stablecoin innovation. This legislation turns a new page.
    The GENIUS Act:
    Defines a payment stablecoin as a digital asset used for payment or settlement that is pegged to a fixed monetary value;
    Establishes clear procedures for institutions seeking licenses to issue stablecoins;
    Implements reserve requirements and light-touch, tailored regulatory standards for stablecoin issuers;
    For issuers of more than $10 billion of stablecoins, applies the Federal Reserve’s regulatory framework to depository institutions and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s framework for nonbank issuers;
    Allows for state regulation of issuers under $10 billion in issuance and provides a waiver process for issuers exceeding the threshold to remain state-regulated; and
    Establishes supervisory, examination, and enforcement regimes with clear limitations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst: “Make ‘Made in America’ the Norm, Instead of the Exception”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – To continue the domestic manufacturing explosion happening under the Trump administration, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) unveiled a significant new initiative to unlock a key part of the White House’s “Made in America” agenda.
    Ernst, alongside Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler and House Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams (R-Texas), touted their Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act that will unleash small businesses and lead to job growth in Iowa and across America.

    Click here to watch Ernst’s full remarks.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Pushes Air Force to Honor its Commitment to Iowa National Guard’s Runway in Sioux City

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    Published: May 1, 2025

    “Iowa’s 185th has served with honor, and they absolutely deserve infrastructure that matches their operational demands.”

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who served in the Iowa National Guard, pushed Mr. Matthew Lohmeier, nominee to be Under Secretary of Air Force, for a commitment to upgrade the Iowa National Guard’s 185th Air Refueling Wing’s runway in Sioux City and reaffirmed her resolve to continue fighting.
    During the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Ernst outlined the importance of the 185th Air Refueling Wing’s mission, which she has long advocated for. She pointed out the Air Force’s previous commitments and called on the service to honor them.

    Watch Senator Ernst’s full remarks here.
    “Iowa’s 185th has served with honor, and they absolutely deserve infrastructure that matches their operational demands. I’m going to continue to press on this, and I hope that I have resolution in the near future. We need to make sure these commitments are honored,” said Ernst.
    Background:
    Ernst is dedicated to supporting servicemembers and their families in Iowa. Since 2023, she has pushed the Air Force to honor its promises to Siouxlanders.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Votes to Repeal Biden-Era Rule Prohibiting Reclassification of Major Sources

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    To watch Chairman Capito’s floor remarks, click here or the image above.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, voted to overturn the Biden Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Review of Final Rule Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources. This rule would prohibit many industries critical to our country’s economic and national security from reclassifying as Area Sources and discourage efforts to reduce emissions. The Senate approved the Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval, which was introduced by U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-Utah) and co-sponsored by Chairman Capito, by a vote of 52-46.

    Prior to the final vote on the CRA, Chairman Capito delivered remarks on the Senate floor detailing the importance of approving this resolution and returning to the rule in place under President Trump’s first Administration that encouraged industries to reduce emissions without increasing regulatory burdens.

    Below are the floor remarks of Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.

    “I rise today in support of my friend from Utah, Senator Curtis, and his Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the Biden Environmental Protection Agency’s Review of Final Rule Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources.

    “This misguided rule would remove a major incentive for dozens of industries to reduce emissions. It would further saddle American energy producers and manufactures with regulatory costs and burdens, and simply put, operates under a premise that is purely unfair.

    “Under this rule, once you classify as a ‘Major Source’ you are always considered a ‘Major Source.’ You would even be prohibited from ever achieving an ‘Area Source’ status again, even if your emissions output decreased below the applicable threshold.

    “This tells American manufacturing and energy leaders that no matter what you do, you will always operate under the strictest regulatory standard available. We should, instead, provide incentive for industries to lower their emissions and keep alive the option of returning to an ‘Area Source’ once emissions are reduced.

    “Over the last 20 years, no other country has reduced its emissions like the United States, and we do not need overly restrictive regulations to continue this. 

    “Giving our private sector the ability to innovate in a sensible timeline is a different approach than the inflexible, top-down mandate that became accustom over the past four years.

    “The good news is, every member of this chamber now has the opportunity to right this wrong and reinstate the rule in place before that which allowed for reclassification of these sources.

    “The former rule, which was put into place by President Trump’s first Administration, encourages industries to take proactive steps to reduce emissions without increasing regulatory burdens. And the results during President Trump’s first term were overwhelmingly clear, source reclassification reduces hazardous air pollution in our communities.

    “We need to take every opportunity available to right size regulatory requirements prohibiting our ability to revitalize American manufacturing and achieve energy dominance, while taking steps that reduce emissions through innovative technologies that I have advocated alongside my colleagues across both aisles of this chamber.

    “We need to remember that our manufacturing, energy, and environmental policies do not need to be at odds with one another. A robust manufacturing sector, energy reliability, and a clean environment are not mutually exclusive. 

    “So, I’m proud to join in this effort alongside Senator Curtis, my colleague on the Environment and Public Works Committee. This is an opportunity to return to some common-sense environmental quality and policy, and I encourage my colleagues to join us in supporting this resolution.

    “With that, I yield the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Rosen Secures Commitment from National Nuclear Security Administration Nominee to Oppose Resuming Nuclear Testing in Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    Watch the full exchange HERE.
    WASHINGTON, DC – During a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) secured a commitment from the nominee to be the Principal Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, Vice Admiral Scott Pappano, that he would oppose resuming explosive nuclear testing in Nevada at the Nevada National Security Site. From 1951 to 1992, the Site was ground zero for the majority of the United States’ explosive nuclear testing, when 100 atmospheric and 828 underground tests were conducted at the Site. During this era, millions of people and acres of land across the Southwest were contaminated by radiation. In lieu of testing, the Nevada National Security Site now conducts subcritical experiments in an underground laboratory to certify the reliability, safety, and effectiveness of our nuclear stockpile without conducting explosive testing. Last month, Senator Rosen secured a similar commitment from the nominee to lead the National Nuclear Security Administration to not advocate for resuming nuclear testing in Nevada.
    Below are excerpts from the exchange:
    Senator Rosen: If President Trump sought your counsel on restarting explosive testing, would you advise the resumption of explosive nuclear testing?
    Admiral Pappano: Based on what you suggested there, Senator, thank you for the question, but if confirmed, I would not advocate for nuclear testing based on the amount of data we have from explosive testing, our extensive modeling simulation capabilities, subcritical testing capabilities, and the annual verification.
    Senator Rosen: The second question I’m going to ask you is, given that the stockpile has been annually certified as safe and effective without explosive testing, do you see any technical or strategic justification for resuming explosive testing?
    Admiral Pappano: Thank you, Senator. Again, based on the amount of explosive data we have, modeling and simulation capability, subcritical testing capabilities at the Nevada Test Site, among other places, and that annual verification, I do not see a need to return to explosive testing and would not advocate for that if confirmed.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla, Murray, Wyden, West Coast Ports Sound Alarm on Trump’s Tariffs That Are Leaving Shelves Bare, Forcing Painful Layoffs

    US Senate News:

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

    WATCH: Padilla, Murray, Wyden, West Coast Ports Sound Alarm on Trump’s Tariffs That Are Leaving Shelves Bare, Forcing Painful Layoffs

    WATCH: Padilla highlights importance of California’s ports in powering national economy
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) hosted a virtual press call alongside Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Officer Mario Cordero and other West Coast port leaders to sound the alarm on the dramatic decline of container ships making the trip to West Coast ports and the harmful consequences of Trump’s reckless tariffs across the American economy: price hikes, layoffs, empty store shelves, and more. These tariffs will devastate California’s ports, including the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach — which receive 40 percent of the nation’s imports — impacting the entire U.S. economy.
    A new forecast by Apollo Global Management contends that the U.S. economy is on the verge of a self-inflicted recession as a result of Trump’s April 2 “Liberation Day” tariff policies. Apollo predicts the slowdown of container ships will lead to a sharp decrease in trucking demand by mid-to-late May, which will subsequently result in supply shortages and lower sales for retailers. Apollo predicts layoffs will occur across trucking and retail industries and that the U.S. economy will fall into a recession by this summer.
    The West Coast Senators raised serious concerns about these warning signs for the economy and urged their Republican colleagues to join them in asserting Congressional authority over tariffs to put an end to Trump’s trade war and reverse the economic damage already inflicted by the President before it’s too late.
    “California’s Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are keystones for the success of not just our state’s economy, but our national economy. So when the San Pedro Bay ports and other West Coast ports send warning signs about the damage of Trump’s tariffs, we know they’re really warning signs for our country,” said Senator Padilla. “The drop in cargo volume caused by Trump’s tariffs will mean empty shelves when products don’t reach our stores, rising prices on everything from groceries to clothes to cars, and undoubtedly, more Americans out of work. While today, it’s Western ports — we know it will only be a matter of weeks before the ripple effect causes pain across the nation.”
    “We are already seeing the consequences of Trump’s tariffs at our ports: fewer ships from across the Pacific, means less cargo at our ports, less cargo at our ports means less goods for our truckers to transport—and that ultimately means bare shelves for our retailers and the American consumer,” said Senator Murray. “Our ports know better than anyone that supply chains do not reset in an instant. The time to reverse these Republican tariffs was the same day they were announced. Every day This Republican Congress refuses to reject these tariffs is a day they are actively enabling Trump’s pro-recession agenda and higher taxes on every American. Congress needs to take the matches away from the President who is setting fire to the economy. Democrats are going to make sure Republicans continue to feel the pressure until this Congress takes action and overrides this President.”
    “Oregon knows firsthand that Trump’s tariff chaos is already hurting small businesses and drying up markets for red-white-and-blue products,” said Senator Wyden. “Speaking with small businesses and workers all over Oregon last week, every single one warned of damage from tariffs in the near future. West Coast senators will be on the front lines pushing back against these senseless Republican tariffs.”
    “As one of America’s largest ports, Long Beach moves more than $300 billion in cargo every year to and from every congressional district, supporting 2.7 million jobs. Due to the new trade policies, we are about to see a shift from cargo surge to cargo slowdown in the supply chain, and this will have a real impact on the American economy. For workers across the country whose jobs depend on cargo moving through the Port of Long Beach – dockworkers, truckers, logistics workers, retailers, farmers, factory workers – any sort of long-term, sustained downturn in shipments caused by the tariff will be detrimental to the job market. I remain hopeful that leaders in our nation’s capital recognize the significance of the goods movement industry and will take necessary action to ensure America’s economy can thrive,” said Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach.
    “Cargo volume at the nation’s busiest port will drop by about one-third next week,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director, Gene Seroka. “That means fewer jobs along with rising prices for consumers and businesses. Additionally, counter tariffs are having a severe impact on American agricultural exporters. We need agreements quickly with our trading partners that benefit and support the U.S. economy and supply chain.”
    The Port of Los Angeles — the largest port in the United States — expects imports to drop by 35 percent in just two weeks, and the Port of Long Beach expects similar declines.
    Senator Padilla is strongly opposed to Trump’s policies that will raise costs across the board for millions of working-class families. During a speech on the Senate floor yesterday, Senator Padilla similarly criticized Trump’s cruel tariffs and their impacts on the San Pedro ports, emphasizing the devastation they will cause American families and the national economy. He supported Senator Wyden’s resolution yesterday to undo Trump’s tariffs, which received Republican support but narrowly failed 49-49 after Vice President Vance’s tiebreaking “no” vote. Padilla also recently proposed a concurrent resolution that would simply demand basic transparency by requiring that any tariff used to offset tax cuts for the wealthy be explicitly written into the Republicans’ partisan budget reconciliation bill.
    Senator Padilla has consistently fought to secure federal funding to support and protect California’s nationally leading ports. Last year, he announced that the San Pedro Ports would receive more than $112 million through the FY 2024 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan for critical construction upgrades and operations and maintenance activities. He has also consistently pushed for funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for California’s ports, including over $283 million for the Port of Long Beach in 2023, $94 million in port infrastructure grant funding in 2022, and over $57 million in 2021.
    Video of Senator Padilla’s remarks is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Advances Padilla, Murkowski Bipartisan Legislation to Reauthorize National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

    US Senate News:

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

    Senate Advances Padilla, Murkowski Bipartisan Legislation to Reauthorize National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) announced that the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously advanced their bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) through Fiscal Year 2028. The bill would provide lifesaving funding to support research, development, and implementation activities related to earthquake safety and risk reduction.

    The NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2025 would reauthorize annual funding from FY 2024-2028 across the four federal agencies responsible for long-term earthquake risk reduction under NEHRP: the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Senate unanimously passed a version of this bill late last year, but it was not taken up in the House of Representatives.

    “It is not a matter of if, but when the next major earthquake strikes, and Californians know the importance of staying prepared,” said Senator Padilla. “The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program supports crucial tools like the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System, works to advance scientific understanding of earthquakes, and strengthens earthquake resilience in communities nationwide. I am glad to see this bipartisan effort move forward, and with the safety of our communities at stake, we must reauthorize this critical program as soon as possible.”

    “Alaska is no stranger to massive earthquakes that can cause serious damage to our communities. From the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, the 7.1 earthquake in 2018, to the thousands of smaller quakes that rattle our state each year—it’s critical we invest in programs that keep us prepared and ready to respond to disaster,” said Senator Murkowski. “I am pleased to see that the Commerce Committee has advanced the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act, which will modernize earthquake safety programs in western states, reinforcing our readiness for future seismic activity. I look forward to supporting legislation on the Senate Floor.”

    “The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute applauds the Senate Commerce Committee’s bipartisan advancement of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025. This is a critical step in strengthening our nation’s long-term resilience to earthquakes. With an estimated $15 billion in losses from earthquakes in the U.S. every year, sustained support for mitigation is not only cost-effective—it is essential. We are encouraged to see momentum behind this program and look forward to continuing the vital work of reducing seismic risk in communities across the country,” said Ellen Rathje, President of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.

    “The International Code Council welcomes Senator Padilla and Murkowski’s bipartisan leadership to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP),” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer John Belcik. “We call on Congress to immediately reauthorize NEHRP to continue the advancement of model building codes that improve building safety and earthquake resilience.”

    “The American Society of Civil Engineer (ASCE) applauds Senators Alex Padilla and Lisa Murkowski for prioritizing the resilience of our nation’s infrastructure against seismic events and is pleased to support their efforts to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). Since 1977, NEHRP has provided the resources and leadership that have led to significant advances in understanding the risk earthquakes pose and the best ways to mitigate them. This reauthorization will ensure that NEHRP resources continue to improve our understanding of earthquakes and guide the ASCE standards that form the backbone of building codes that protect public health, safety, and economic vitality,” said ASCE Past President Marsia Geldert-Murphey.

    “The National Council of Structural Engineers Associations is proud to support the NERHP reauthorization bill and is grateful for the bi-partisan leadership of Senators Padilla and Murkowski.  NCSEA urges Congress to prioritize reauthorization to enable the NEHRP agencies to contribute critical science, knowledge, and other best practices toward the development of codes, standards, and other resources used by structural engineers around the country to improve the earthquake resilience of our communities,” said Alfred Spada, Executive Director of the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA).

    “SEAOC commends Senators Padilla and Murkowski for championing NEHRP reauthorization, aligning with Structural Engineers Association of California’s (SEAOC) commitment to enhanced seismic safety and community resilience. SEAOC implores Congress to act promptly in fortifying California and the entire nation against the seismic challenges ahead,” said Don Schinske, Executive Director of the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC).

    This NEHRP reauthorization includes:

    • Directing state and local entities to inventory high risk buildings and structures;
    • Expanding seismic events to include earthquake-caused tsunamis;
    • Providing more technical assistance to tribal governments; and
    • Improving mitigation for earthquake-connected hazards.

    California faces substantial earthquake risks. According to the California Department of Conservation, over 70 percent of Californians live within 30 miles of a fault that could cause high ground shaking within the next 50 years. The state averages two to three earthquakes per year at magnitude 5.5 or higher, risking moderate structural damage. Because of these major earthquake risks, California has become a leader in earthquake research, including through the California Institute of Technology Seismological Laboratory.

    The NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2025 is endorsed by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), International Code Council, National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA), and Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC).

    Senator Padilla has long been a leader in mitigating earthquake risks. As a California State Senator, Padilla authored Senate Bill 135, signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2013, which required the state to establish the nation’s first statewide early warning system. In 2021, he led five of his U.S. Senate colleagues in requesting details from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on future plans and funding needs for the West Coast Early Earthquake Warning system.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Introduces Bill to Strengthen Reservation Systems for Public Lands as Trump Administration Announces Scaled-Back Yosemite Summer Reservation System

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Introduces Bill to Strengthen Reservation Systems for Public Lands as Trump Administration Announces Scaled-Back Yosemite Summer Reservation System

    After push from Padilla, Yosemite will implement a 2025 seasonal reservation system to improve visitor access and experience; however, the system is significantly pared down from the plan Yosemite proposed

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to expand access to public lands, improve the visitor reservation process, and enhance transparency in how fees are collected for federal lands and national parks. The Review and Evaluation of Strategies for Equal Reservations for Visitor Experiences (RESERVE) Federal Land Act would direct the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study and recommend improvements to reservation systems across federal lands to ensure they are fair, user-friendly, and accessible to all Americans.

    The legislation comes after the Trump Administration, following significant delays, announced that Yosemite National Park will implement a 2025 seasonal reservation system. However, this year’s system is significantly scaled back from the plan Yosemite successfully piloted previously, which was carefully crafted based off public input and data. This year’s system requires reservations for fewer days and hours than what Yosemite proposed. Earlier this year, Padilla pushed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to allow Yosemite to implement its preferred reservation system, emphasizing its importance in managing park visitation while preserving Yosemite for future generations.

    “For months, I’ve joined with park officials in calling on the Trump Administration to extend the use of Yosemite’s successful reservation system. While the decision to open reservations at Yosemite National Park for the summer is a win for outdoor lovers, the environment, and local businesses that rely on park visitors, it shouldn’t have taken this long,” said Senator Padilla. “The needless delays by the Trump Administration in approving a reservation system, and the Administration’s scaling back of Yosemite’s carefully crafted plan, will undermine the visitor experience for the millions who come to California to view this natural wonder. Congress must continue to invest in the staffing and resources needed to protect our national parks. We can start by passing my RESERVE Act, which will launch a national study on how to improve Recreation.gov and other public land reservation systems so they are accessible, transparent, and supportive of local communities’ needs.”

    Yosemite is California’s most visited National Park, with an average of 3.3 million visitors annually. Last year, that number surged to 4.2 million visitors as Yosemite again piloted reservations during peak summer months. For decades, overcrowding, vehicle congestion, limited parking, and long lines have diminished what should ordinarily be a world-class experience, particularly for first-time visitors. Thanks to the reservation system, however, Yosemite was able to accommodate pre-pandemic visitor levels but without the excessive congestion. The reservation system helped distribute visitors more evenly throughout the day, week, and peak summer season.

    Federal land management agencies have experimented with new visitor management methods such as online reservation systems for other public lands as well; however, there has been little national research on how these systems can be improved.

    The RESERVE Act would direct NAS to study reservation systems across federal lands, including campsites, hiking permits, climbing passes, and other outdoor recreation activities. The report would be due in 18 months and would cover reservation system design, system user demographics, and data availability and accessibility. The study would also investigate the fee structure and transparency of Recreation.gov, the government’s centralized travel planning platform and reservation system for 14 federal agencies.

    Senator Padilla is a strong advocate for ensuring equitable access to outdoor spaces. Last year, President Biden signed Padilla’s bipartisan, bicameral Outdoors for All Act into law as part of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act. The Outdoors for All Act expands outdoor recreational opportunities in urban and low-income communities across the nation.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Colleagues Push to Revitalize Domestic Nuclear Shipbuilding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined his Republican colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee in urging President Trump to fully implement the Shipbuilder Accountability and Workforce Support (SAWS) proposal to accelerate domestic nuclear shipbuilding, including at Austal USA in Mobile. The Biden administration previously rejected this proposal, which would be the largest shipbuilding deal in American history.

    “SAWS consolidates over $100 billion in past and future submarine contracts into a coordinated negotiation,” the senators wrote. “This proposal will maximize your leverage, allowing you to gain concessions from industry that would be unattainable through piecemeal approaches. By redirecting unspent funds, it delivers an immediate a pay raise for 45,000 shipbuilders, accelerates nuclear submarine production, and frees $5.7 billion from the last continuing resolution to support your Office of Shipbuilding. It will also help draw innovative tech firms into the maritime industrial base. A potential repayment of $5 to $8 billion arises only decades later if nuclear shipbuilding is shut down. This historical deal—the largest defense negotiation ever—will create a stronger Navy, a thriving workforce, and support the reindustrialization of America.”

    The SAWS proposal would return attack submarine production to two per year instead of the current rate of 1.2 submarines per year and give a pay raise to 45,000 blue-collar shipbuilders. As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee and Chairman of the SASC Subcommittee on Personnel, Senator Tuberville has long advocated for bolstering our U.S. Navy, especially as China’s shipbuilding capacity continues to outpace our own.

    Complete text of the senators’ letter to President Trump can be found here. 

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Grassley Reintroduce Bill to Help Students Navigate College Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) reintroduced a bill to help students and families make informed decisions when choosing a college and taking out loans. From the initial college search, to the acceptance of financial aid, to counseling once in college, the bill would help students avoid sticker shock, find the best school for their budget and avoid taking out ill-advised and oversized loans. Senator Tuberville, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the Chairman of the Education and the American Family Subcommittee, emphasized the importance of transparency in the college decision-making process:
    “More and more of our young people are finding themselves buried in student loan debt,” said Senator Tuberville. “Too many of our young people are falling behind on their life goals because they are carrying the burden of college loans for years after completing their degrees. This bill will help young people, who are considering pursuing higher education, understand if college is right fit for them and exactly what financial assistance they may need.”
    BACKGROUND:
    The Understanding the True Cost of College Act would create a universal financial aid offer form and standardize terms used to describe financial aid to allow students to more easily compare financial aid packages between schools. This move aims to prevent troubling findings by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that over 90% of college financial aid offer letters currently understate the price students would pay. A summary of the Understanding the True Cost of College Act is available HERE. 
    MORE:
    Tuberville Introduces Legislation to Lower the Cost of Graduate School
    Tuberville: No Student Loan Bailouts for Convicted Antisemitic Protestors
    Tuberville, Marshall Request Expedited Review of Financial Aid Applications
    Tuberville Joins Legislation to Protect Taxpayers From Biden’s Latest Student Loan Scam
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Grills Armed Services Nominees on Effectiveness of Women, Peace and Security Law Hegseth is Attempting to Scrap; Nominees Affirm Program’s Importance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    **In Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing, Shaheen highlighted how senior military officials have underscored the strategic advantage WPS provides**

    (Washington, DC) – As Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempts to “end” implementation of the bipartisan Women, Peace and Security (WPS) law at the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a top member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), spoke in a SASC nomination hearing this morning about the operational value WPS provides in countering China and Russia, preventing radicalization by violent extremist organizations and disrupting the smuggling of narcotics, weapons and humans into the United States. Shaheen pressed the nominees on the effectiveness of the program – all of whom reaffirmed its importance. You can watch Senator Shaheen’s remarks and questions here. 

    Key quotes from Senator Shaheen: 

    • “Since that time, WPS has been used by the warfighters to identify victims of human trafficking, in joint exercises on noncombatant evacuations, to provide human intelligence on violent extremist groups like ISIS and Al-Shabaab and to understand the human terrain to improve kinetic and non-kinetic targeting. I’m very concerned that taking away these tools does not make us a stronger or more lethal fighting force, and in fact it takes away some of the options we have to be successful.” 
       
    • “Secretary Hegseth also claimed that warfighters hate it, and yet the newly-confirmed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs not only told this committee about WPS’s operational value, but he was very clear that this is not DEI.” 
       
    • “This is information that’s not new to this committee. Every 4-star combatant commander has told us about the strategic advantage that WPS provides to our forward deployed forces.” 

    During the hearing, Shaheen raised a memo made public in an article last night from the Joint Staff providing their best military advice to Secretary Hegseth. The memo acknowledged that China and Russia have no equivalent of WPS, and that the combatant commands’ engagements with partners over the next two years under the program “counter China by gaining access to a population China largely ignores.” 

    In 2017, Shaheen led the bipartisan Women, Peace and Security law through Congress to prioritize the promotion of women’s participation in foreign policy and national security efforts, such as conflict prevention, peace negotiations and democratic institutions. Women’s participation in peace negotiations increases the probability by 35 percent of agreements lasting at least 15 years.  

    After Shaheen’s bill passed the Republican-led Senate by unanimous consent and was approved by the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives, President Trump signed the bipartisan legislation into law in October 2017. Members of President Trump’s current cabinet were integral to its passage through Congress – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was the sponsor of the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was an original cosponsor in the Senate and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz chaired the House WPS caucus for many years.   

    In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing earlier this month on Lieutenant General John D. Caine’s nomination to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Caine told Shaheen about how WPS is a program that provides operational advantage for the U.S. military – not DEI.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan America the Beautiful Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined her colleagues, U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Angus King (I-ME), to introduce their bipartisan conservation bill, the America the Beautiful Act. This legislation builds on the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act, which Shaheen cosponsored, by strengthening and reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) and addressing the serious maintenance backlog in national parks and public lands.
    “New Hampshire’s public lands and outdoor spaces are integral to our state identity and our thriving outdoor recreation economy. We must take steps to protect these resources for future generations of Granite Staters,” said Shaheen. “I was proud to see the Great American Outdoors Act become law, and I’ll continue fighting to protect and preserve outdoor spaces by passing this legislation which will continue the progress we’ve made.” 
    Shaheen, Daines and King were joined by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in introducing the bill.
    The America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes the LRF through 2033 and increases funding to $2 billion per year to help address the maintenance backlog in national parks and public lands. Currently, the maintenance backlog for each agency is $23.26 billion for the U.S. Park Service, $8.695 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, $2.65 billion for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $5.72 billion for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and $804.5 million for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education. In New Hampshire, National Parks and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuges have approximately $13 million in outstanding deferred maintenance needs.
    Since its creation in 2020, the LRF has benefitted numerous national parks and public lands in New Hampshire. Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park has received more than $14 million from the Legacy Restoration Fund to rehabilitate four historic structures and address electrical, HVAC and alarm systems. Across the White Mountain National Forest, the Legacy Restoration Fund is supporting trail restoration work on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and Rumney Rocks Climbing Area, as well as repairs of the Tripoli Bridge. Sections of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail across New England are slated to receive $15 million in FY25 to rehabilitate and repair facilities along the trail that will address maintenance needs and improve visitor safety. 
    The America the Beautiful Act is supported by over 40 public lands, conservation and recreation groups. Click here to view the full list of statements of support and supporting groups.
    You can read the full bill text here.
    Shaheen has led efforts to safeguard our natural environment and invest in climate resiliency while boosting New Hampshire’s recreation economy. Shaheen led the bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act into law to require the federal government to measure the impact of the outdoor recreation on the economy. In November 2024, Shaheen applauded the release of an annual report showing a $1.2 trillion economic contribution by the outdoor recreation sector in 2023, including $3.9 billion in New Hampshire. Shaheen also helped reintroduce the Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development (SHRED) Act to fuel investment in outdoor recreation in national forests that benefits mountain communities.
    Shaheen has also led efforts to help secure full funding and permanent authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which has helped protect more than 2.5 million acres of land and supported tens of thousands of state and local outdoor recreation projects throughout the nation. In 2020, Shaheen helped lead the Great American Outdoors Act into law to permanently fund the LWCF and provide mandatory funding for deferred maintenance on public lands.  

    MIL OSI USA News –