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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Demands Answers on Politicization of Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Senators request oversight hearing to investigate Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine DOJ 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, led Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Subcommittee on the Constitution colleagues Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in demanding answers from the Department of Justice (DOJ) concerning the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Senators separately called for Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, to immediately hold an oversight hearing with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon on the politicization of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. 
    In the Senators’ letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, the lawmakers expressed deep concerns about several directives issued by the Trump Administration that could jeopardize the Division’s work to enforce and protect the Constitutional and statutory civil rights of the American people. The Senators also requested an immediate briefing for the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on the Constitution regarding changes to the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division since January 20, 2025. 
    “According to public reporting, at least five of the Division’s sections have received directives via email to employees which change long-standing Division enforcement objectives. The five sections are meant to protect voting rights, prevent discrimination by federal funding recipients, investigate illegal bias in housing, prohibit discrimination in education, and defend the rights of those with disabilities. The directives have not been shared publicly,” wrote the Senators. “Based on the reporting, these directives may well be inconsistent with Congress’s intent in enacting the landmark civil rights legislation that is enforced by the Division.”  
    The Senators continued: “We have also heard alarming reports that no career officials remain in the Division’s leadership. Our understanding is that the enforcement oversight responsibilities normally handled by career Deputy Assistant Attorneys General will instead be transferred to political appointees. Reportedly, career supervisors in various sections have also been reassigned, while others have left. These losses mirror a similar pattern across the Department of Justice, including the removal of career officials from the Office of Professional Responsibility and the firing of the Pardon Attorney. The Division relies on the abilities and knowledge of its career staff to carry out the great responsibility of enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws without regard to politics.” 
    “Finally, we have also heard alarming reports that you authorized a second voluntary buyout for Division employees immediately before issuing the previously mentioned directives. Taken together, these measures appear to be an attempt to cajole career officials at the Division to leave voluntarily in order to fundamentally transform its work,” the Senators concluded. 
    Read and download the full letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. 
    Read and download the full letter to Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution Chairman Schmitt. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Report to the President on Protecting Children from Surgical and Chemical Mutilation Executive Summary

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Background
    Under President Biden, the Federal government promoted a grotesque social and scientific experiment on American children. During the first three years of his administration alone, more than 7,000 children were administered puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. Over 4,000 were subjected to sex-trait modification surgical interventions, such as mastectomies. These interventions were marketed to children on the basis of ideologically driven and financially motivated junk-science.
    On January 28, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14187, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.” EO 14187 prohibits Federal departments from funding, sponsoring, assisting, or facilitating the chemical and surgical mutilation of minors and directs them to stop these immoral, unjust, and disproven practices more broadly to the greatest extent possible. The following sections summarize initial steps taken to implement this Order.
    Restoring Scientific Integrity
    Section 3(i) directs agencies to rescind or amend all policies that rely on the “Standards of Care Version 8” developed by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). These standards were not drafted based on scientific evidence, but on political considerations. During the drafting process, then-Assistant Secretary for Health, Admiral Levine, lobbied WPATH to drop its proposed age limits for surgical mutilation. Levine then issued Federal guidance titled “Gender-affirming Care and Young People,” which promoted the chemical sterilization and surgical mutilation of minors.
    After President Trump took office in January, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) immediately removed this document, along with other pseudo-scientific information, from its webpages. On February 14, a court order compelled HHS to display this document and other pseudoscientific webpages. HHS followed the court order, but provided a notice that it disavows Levine’s document – and all materials that cite WPATH – in the strongest possible terms.
    Section 3(ii) directs HHS to publish an evidence-based review of the literature on best-practices to promote the health of children who assert gender dysphoria. HHS has coordinated with a team of eight distinguished scholars, and will publish this review by the 90-day deadline.
    Promoting Accurate Information
    Section 3(b) directs HHS to use “all available methods” to increase data quality to improve practices “for improving the health of minors with gender dysphoria.”
    The lead researcher of one notable study, funded by the National Institute for Health (NIH), withheld its results from the public for political reasons. The NIH has taken, and will continue to take, all necessary and proper steps to ensure accountability and transparency for all taxpayer-funded studies.
    HHS is reviewing data tools to ensure that Federal data collection reflects biological reality and provides medically useful information.
    Stopping Taxpayer-Funded Child Experimentation and Mutilation
    Section 4 directs HHS to “immediately take appropriate steps to ensure that [medical] institutions receiving federal research or education grants end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”
    HHS has eliminated 215 such grants, saving taxpayers over $477 million. Two examples include: a $1,319,024 grant to the Center for Innovative Public Health research for “#TranscendantHealth – Adapting an LGB+ inclusive teen pregnancy prevention program for transgender boys;” and a $5,955,310 grant to Boston Children’s Hospital for “TransHealthGUIDE: Transforming Health for Gender-Diverse Young Adults Using Intervention to Drive Equity.”
    Ensuring Proper Medical Treatment
    Section 5 directs HHS to take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children. On March 5, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Quality and Safety Special Alert Memo entitled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” which alerted providers to the dangers of chemical mutilation as well as the lack of medical evidence supporting their use. Among other provisions, the letter stated that:
    it is of utmost importance that all providers follow the highest standards of care and adhere closely to the foundational principles of medicine, especially as it comes to America’s children. This CMS alert to providers on the dangerous chemical and surgical mutilation of children, including interventions that cause sterilization, is informed by a growing body of evidence and protective policies across the world.
    Within days, similar letters were sent by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.
    This administration is preparing other actions in accordance with Section 5. HHS, through CMS, is also exploring every avenue to increase access to detransition care.
    Pursuant to Section 6, the Department of Defense has required its health services contractors to discontinue child mutilation as a covered benefit. Pursuant to Section 7, the Office of Personnel Management has excluded coverage for the mutilation of the children of the Federal civilian workforce beginning in Plan Year 2026.
    Ensuring Equal Protection and Rule of Law
    Pursuant to Section 8, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has prepared guidance regarding enforcement of 18 U.S.C. § 116, prioritizing protection against female genital mutilation, and will convene State Attorneys General to coordinate enforcement. It has also initiated investigations of multiple entities that have misled the public about the long-term side effects of chemical and surgical mutilation under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
    DOJ has drafted and submitted legislation creating a private right of action, with a long statute of limitations, for children whose bodies have been chemically and surgically damaged and their parents, for additional review. DOJ will also establish a “Parental Rights Task Force” to vindicate the rights of parents in states like California, where parental refusal to consent to the mutilation of their children can enable the state to remove children from parental custody, and to further uphold parents’ recognized constitutional rights.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: World Intellectual Property Day, 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”>BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION
           More than 200 years ago, our Founding Fathers recognized the profound importance of intellectual property, enshrining government-granted legal protections in the Constitution to safeguard American innovation.  On World Intellectual Property Day, we renew our resolve to protect and secure the creative triumphs of American inventors and artists as they work to pull the future into the present and turn their dreams into our reality.     Americans have always been leaders in the realms of technology and ideas — and under my Administration, we are driving innovation in every sector, including emerging digital technologies like artificial intelligence.  I recently signed an Executive Order on Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence to slash red tape and ensure our continued leadership in this and other critical industries like automation, blockchain, data analytics, and cybersecurity.     For this reason, I established the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which is bringing together the best and brightest to shape the United States’ innovation policy and ensure our continued technological leadership.  My Administration will not waver in protecting and securing emerging, next-generation technologies that will drive progress and growth in the 21st century.     My Administration is taking strong action to protect the promise of American innovation.  For too long, our adversaries and allies alike have sapped our strength and exploited American advancements.  Through the strategic use of tariffs, we are recentering our trade policy and securing stronger intellectual property protections in new and existing trade deals.  Just as we protect our physical property, we will not tolerate the theft of our intellectual property, and we will defend our businesses and people from those who are seeking to steal American jobs and wealth.     As President Calvin Coolidge once said in an immortal maxim that remains true to this day, “The business of America is business.”  Our economy is the greatest in the world because we, more than any other country, incentivize individuals to dream big, take risks, and make the impossible possible.  Through our promotion and protection of intellectual property, we are empowering musicians, writers, authors, scientists, and inventors to focus on what they do best.     The future of our great Nation depends on the continued safeguarding of our intellectual property, which fuels economic growth, technological progress, and global competitiveness.  This World Intellectual Property Day, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to protecting and promoting the innovative spirit that continues to make America great.     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 April 26, 2025, as World Intellectual Property Day.  I encourage Americans to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our creators and inventors and the contributions they have made and will continue making to our country.     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of April, 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: Ricketts Hosts Town Halls Across Nebraska

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) hosted three town halls across Nebraska. The town halls took place in Kearney, Valentine, and Scottsbluff. Senator Ricketts gave an update on his work in Washington, D.C. He also answered questions directly from Nebraskans.
    “As Governor and now as Senator, I’ve made it a priority to be accessible to Nebraskans,” said Ricketts. “These town halls are one of many ways I stay connected to the priorities and values of my constituents. I’ll continue fighting every day to make sure Nebraskans’ voices are heard in Washington.”
    The events drew strong attendance from community members. During each stop, Ricketts highlighted his ongoing efforts to secure the southern border, deliver meaningful tax relief, and support Nebraska agriculture. Constituents raised questions on a range of issues, including taxes, foreign affairs, and serving Nebraska.
    Ricketts also presented a legislative update to the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce luncheon, and took questions, this week. 
    In 2024, Ricketts held 87 public events in Nebraska. His constituent services team held Mobile Office Hours in all 93 Nebraska counties – twice. These events were part of nearly 700 outreach events held in 2024. In addition, Ricketts’ team helped nearly 800 Nebraskans access federal services.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SENATOR: TRUMP TARIFFS ARE COSTING LI-ERS $5,000 MORE A YEAR; SENATOR REVEALS ICONIC LONG ISLAND FASHION BUSINESS COSTS HAVE JUMPED 30%—WITH NO END IN SIGHT; SENATOR STANDS WITH OWNER—WHO VOTED FOR…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer Stands With Long Island Trump Voters Who Love “MAGA” – But Hate Tariffs & Want White House To Get The Message That They Are Killing LI Economy, Consumers & Small Biz
    Senator Says If Trump Tariff War Continues Nassau Could Lose 10,900 Jobs & Suffolk Could Lose 24,400; LI Fashion Staple, TandyWear, Just Expanded Last Year But All This Success Could Be Snuffed Out & LI Could Suffer
    Schumer: Trump Tariffs Are Unraveling LI Fashion Company – And Things Could Get Worse If GOP Refuses To Put Big Boy/Girl Pants On & Help Dems End Tariffs
    Alongside self-described Trump voters at an iconic Long Island fashion brand company, TandyWear, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer addressed the issue of Trump tariffs that are costing Long Islanders nearly $5,000 a year, while squeezing small businesses and slashing local profits. Schumer and the owner of the company, who voted for President Trump, said the trade war is bad for business and consumers on Long Island. Schumer also revealed that TandyWear’s costs have jumped 30% since the trade war began, and this needless increase in costs comes at the same exact time the Long Island company was planning to expand and hire more employees.
    “TandyWear’s story, a Long Island company that was bouncing back from COVID, on the up, even expanding, but now is facing dramatically higher costs and overall uncertainty, is not their story alone—this is now the story of so many businesses across New York and the nation, and it is a needless harbinger of what might come if the President’s tariff war wages on,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “This trade war will cost Long Islanders $5,000 more a year, and right here on Long Island, more than 35,000 jobs are at risk. For business owners like Tandy, costs are up 30% with no end in sight, so we have to try and fix this, not in the name of politics, but in the name of logic.”   
    Schumer detailed that more than 35,000 jobs across Long Island are at risk, and said this one story is part of a bigger narrative threatening the nation’s and New York’s economy. The owner of TandyWear said she is not passing her 30% increase in costs onto her consumers, but, instead, is absorbing them for the moment, because the Long Island economy is feeling ‘shaky’ already. She said her customers cannot afford to pay 30% more.
    Schumer also announced that next week he will force a vote in the Senate to end the Trump trade war. Schumer said the House must also act and that Long Island’s Republican members of Congress have real sway to pressure the GOP—and that they should use their voice. Schumer stood with Trump voters, the owner of TandyWear, her employees and an economics professor from Hofstra as he made the case to help improve the Long Island economy, not stifle it.  
    “Next week, I will force a vote in the Senate to end this trade war, because what’s happening right now is just bad business. No matter what your vantage: the business, the consumer, the industry—it is one giant mess, and my vote to try and fix this problem will likely get Republican support,” Schumer added. “If this trade war just goes on and on, Nassau could lose more than 10,000 jobs, and Suffolk could lose more than 24,000. This is not winning. It’s losing. But worse, it is Long Island suffering. We cannot sit back and do nothing while Trump’s tariffs unravel this Long Island fashion company, or any company for that matter.”  
    Schumer said in the early days of the trade war news, the fashion and garment industry was facing price increases of at least 10 to 17%.  Now, Schumer says, that number is much higher, much closer to the 30% being faced by TandyWear. Schumer also said NYC is a fashion and garment hub, from leathers to other textiles, and that the current tariff ‘plan’ will rip the threads out of the NYC and Long Island’s fashion and commerce economy.
    When the Senate returns, Schumer says he will force a vote on a bipartisan resolution that would terminate the emergency declared by Trump to authorize his global tariffs. If the resolution is enacted into law, the tariffs would be rescinded. The Senate also previously passed a bipartisan resolution terminating Trump’s national emergency that is justifying his destructive tariffs, which Schumer said the House needs to vote on and that Long Island Republicans have real sway over. Schumer has been a vocal supporter of both resolutions.
    Schumer explained how New York, Long Island and its metro area is especially vulnerable to the President’s needless tariff war because it is one of the world’s largest trade hubs. Schumer explained that the New York port and area import and export hubs hum with activity that pumps billions of dollars into the New York/Long Island economy each year.  
    Specifically, Schumer said that the President’s tariffs also put over 260,000 New York jobs tied to exports at, what he calls, a “direct hit” economic risk. Schumer explained that JP Morgan recently released data showing the nation’s chances of a recession are now at 60%—but Schumer says, in New York, the number is much higher.   
    Schumer also pointed to Barclays, and brokerages HSBC, Deutsche Bank and BofA warned last Thursday that the U.S. economy faces a higher risk of slipping into a recession this year if the President’s tariffs remain in place.
    Financial reports say that if the tariffs are sustained, “recession risks will likely rise materially,” Deutsche Bank said in a note, while BofA noted the economy could be pushed to “the precipice of recession,” according to reports. Both Deutsche Bank and BofA predicted tariffs could ‘potentially shave 1-1.5 percentage points from U.S. economic growth this year.’

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Commemorates the 110th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Boston (April 25, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement to mark the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
    “We join the Armenian community in remembrance of the 1.5 million Armenians who were systematically murdered by the Ottoman Empire in the first genocide of the 20th century. On this 110th anniversary, we gather to honor their memory and reaffirm our shared commitments to truth, justice, and the enduring resilience of the Armenian people.
    “For years, I have stood alongside the strong Armenian American community to demand that the United States recognize the Armenian Genocide. Together, we achieved that milestone in 2021, ensuring that our nation stands firmly on the right side of history.
    “But as we mark this solemn anniversary, we must also confront the present situation in Armenia. The horrors of history echo today in the forced displacement of 150,000 Armenians from Artsakh, the ongoing illegal detentions, and the war crimes committed against civilians. These acts are a continuation of the violence we gather to remember.
    “As we reflect on the past, we must renew our resolve to ensure accountability, seek justice, and protect the future of Armenia and Artsakh. The memory of those lost compels us to act—not only to remember, but to ensure that never again means never again.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, 40 Colleagues Blast Trump Administration’s Attacks On Head Start, Demand RFK Jr. Release Funding And Reverse Firings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 40 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding answers on the administration’s actions undermining Head Start. The senators emphasized HHS’s legal obligation to administer the program and called on Kennedy to immediately release Head Start funding. They also urged HHS to reverse both the mass firing of Head Start staff and the gutting of offices that help ensure high-quality services are available for thousands of children and families across the country.
    “We write to express our strong opposition to the actions you have taken to directly attack and undermine the federal Head Start program,” the senators wrote. “Since day one, this Administration has taken unacceptable actions to withhold and delay funding, fire Head Start staff, and gut high-quality services for children. Already this year, this Administration has withheld almost $1 billion in federal grant funding from Head Start programs, a 37 percent decrease compared to the amount of funding awarded during the same period last year. It is abundantly clear that these actions are part of a broader effort to ultimately eliminate the program altogether, as the Administration reportedly plans to do in its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.”
    The senators highlighted Head Start’s vital role in supporting kids and families: “Head Start provides early childhood education and comprehensive health and social services to nearly 800,000 young children every year in communities across this country, and employs about 250,000 dedicated staff. Head Start is a critical source of child care for working families, particularly in rural and Tribal communities, where Head Start programs are often the only option for high-quality child care services. Head Start programs ensure children receive appropriate health and dental care, nutrition support, and referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support.”
    The senators condemned the Administration’s assault on the program, detailing office closures and funds that were frozen for Head Start grants across the country: “Since the very start of this Administration, Head Start programs have been under attack. At one point, the National Head Start Association reported 37 programs serving nearly 15,000 children across the country could not access their federal funding. Head Start programs operate with thin margins and on short-term budgets from HHS, and without any communication from the Administration about the status of funding, programs were forced to temporarily close or to lay off staff.”
    “On April 1st, you abruptly closed five of the ten regional offices that help local grantees administer Head Start programs in 22 states,” they continued. “This left hundreds of programs without dedicated points of contact to address mission critical issues like approving grant renewals and modifications, investigating child health and safety incidents, and providing training and technical assistance to ensure high-quality services for children. While some grantees were assigned a new program specialist, we understand many have not been receiving responses to their inquiries. This is on top of the estimated 97 Office of Head Start central office staff that were terminated due to their probationary status and the recent reduction in force. You promised ‘radical transparency’ as Secretary, yet it is unclear how these actions will improve Head Start programs, and you and your staff refuse to respond to basic inquiries and requests for information.”
    The senators concluded: “The Administration has a legal and moral obligation to disburse Head Start funds to programs and to uphold the program’s promise to provide high-quality early education services to low income children and families across this country. There is no justifiable reason for the delay in funding we have seen over the last two months, and you have refused to offer any kind of explanation. […] “[W]e urge you to immediately reinstate fired staff across all Offices of Head Start, and cease all actions to delay the awarding and disbursement of funding to Head Start programs across this country.”
    U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Angus King (I-Maine), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) also signed the letter.
    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
    Dear Secretary Kennedy:
    We write to express our strong opposition to the actions you have taken to directly attack and undermine the federal Head Start program. Since day one, this Administration has taken unacceptable actions to withhold and delay funding, fire Head Start staff, and gut high-quality services for children. Already this year, this Administration has withheld almost $1 billion in federal grant funding from Head Start programs, a 37 percent decrease compared to the amount of funding awarded during the same period last year. It is abundantly clear that these actions are part of a broader effort to ultimately eliminate the program altogether, as the Administration reportedly plans to do in its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.
    Head Start provides early childhood education and comprehensive health and social services to nearly 800,000 young children every year in communities across this country, and employs about 250,000 dedicated staff. Head Start is a critical source of child care for working families, particularly in rural and Tribal communities, where Head Start programs are often the only option for high-quality child care services. Head Start programs ensure children receive appropriate health and dental care, nutrition support, and referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support.
    You even acknowledged the value of Head Start following a recent visit to a Virginia Head Start center, where you said, “I had a very inspiring tour. I saw a devoted staff and a lot of happy children. They are getting the kind of education and socialization they need, and they are also getting a couple of meals a day.”
    However, as a result of your actions to withhold and delay funding and undermine the administration of this vital program, Head Start centers are in serious jeopardy and have already had their day to day operations impacted. Programs are increasingly worried that they will not be able to make payroll, pay rent, and remain open to serve the hundreds of thousands of children and families who depend on their services in communities across the nation.
    Since the very start of this Administration, Head Start programs have been under attack. On January 27th, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget issued a memo (M-25-13) that suddenly froze the disbursement of grant funding for federal programs and services government-wide, including Head Start. Despite the Administration’s clarification that Head Start programs would not be the target of the funding freeze, many Head Start programs across the country were unable to draw down their grant funds through the Payment Management System (PMS) for weeks. At one point, the National Head Start Association reported 37 programs serving nearly 15,000 children across the country could not access their federal funding. Head Start programs operate with thin margins and on short-term budgets from HHS, and without any communication from the Administration about the status of funding, programs were forced to temporarily close or to lay off staff. In Wisconsin, the National Centers for Learning Excellence, which serves more than 200 children and their families, shut down for a week and laid off staff due to the funding freeze.
    On April 1st, you abruptly closed five of the ten regional offices that help local grantees administer Head Start programs in 22 states. This left hundreds of programs without dedicated points of contact to address mission critical issues like approving grant renewals and modifications, investigating child health and safety incidents, and providing training and technical assistance to ensure high-quality services for children. While some grantees were assigned a new program specialist, we understand many have not been receiving responses to their inquiries. This is on top of the estimated 97 Office of Head Start central office staff that were terminated due to their probationary status and the recent reduction in force. You promised “radical transparency” as Secretary, yet it is unclear how these actions will improve Head Start programs, and you and your staff refuse to respond to basic inquiries and requests for information.
    On March 14th, 2025, the Office of Head Start (OHS) notified all Head Start programs that “the use of federal funding for any training and technical assistance or other program expenditures that promote or take part in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives” will not be approved and that any questions should be directed to regional offices. Programs have not received any guidance for what would be considered “DEI” but this policy is potentially in direct conflict with statutory and regulatory program requirements, such as providing culturally and linguistically appropriate instructional services for English learners. Many programs cannot direct questions to regional staff, as half of regional offices were abruptly closed, and as unprecedented actions are being taken to delay and withhold funding, Head Start programs have been intentionally left with little to no guidance.
    Head Start programs are now arbitrarily required to provide justifications for each draw down of funds that is necessary to operate their programs, despite already receiving a federal grant award for these purposes. As of April 14th, Head Start programs have reportedly received correspondence from an email address “defendthespend@hhs.gov” requiring programs to submit a “specific description of why the funds are necessary and why they are aligned to the award” before programs can have funding disbursed. It has been reported that political appointees must sign off on every draw down of funds. This creates an illusion of improving oversight but only serves to add unnecessary red tape by requiring the manual sign off on hundreds of thousands of individual actions annually across the Department based on two to three sentence justifications. Already some grantees have reported delays in receiving funds, and have reported that furloughs or closures are imminent if funds are not released. For an administration that purports to value local autonomy and efficiency in federally funded programs, your actions have achieved the exact opposite.
    Finally, Head Start grantees are still waiting on payments and grant renewals from the Office of Head Start, including programs whose grants end on April 30th, 2025. These notices should have gone out by now, yet we are concerned to hear programs report they have received little to no correspondence regarding their grant renewals. Additionally, because we started fiscal year 2025 under a short-term continuing resolution, as is usual, some grantees have only received partial funding for the first few months of the year. But with a full year funding bill in place, these grantees should have received full funding by now, yet some are reporting that they have not received the full amount of their grants and will run out of funds this month or next. On Wednesday, April 16th, the delays in Head Start funding led to the closure of Head Start centers serving more than 400 children in Sunnyside, Washington.
    The Administration has a legal and moral obligation to disburse Head Start funds to programs and to uphold the program’s promise to provide high-quality early education services to low income children and families across this country. The fiscal year 2025 appropriations act provided $12.3 billion for Head Start, the same as the fiscal year 2024 level. The Head Start Act includes an explicit formula for how appropriated funds should be allocated. There is no justifiable reason for the delay in funding we have seen over the last two months, and you have refused to offer any kind of explanation. However, this week leaked fiscal year 2026 budget documents indicated the Office of Management and Budget was directing the Department, consistent with the Administration’s proposal to eliminate Head Start in fiscal year 2026, to “ensure to the extent allowable FY2025 funds are available to close out the program.” If this explains any of the delay in awarding fiscal year 2025 funding, we want to be clear, no funds were provided in fiscal year 2025 to “close out the program,” and it would be wholly unacceptable and likely illegal if the Department tries to carry out this directive.
    Finally, the leaked budget documents provided a justification, albeit brief, for eliminating Head Start in fiscal year 2026 that makes this Administration’s priorities clear and puts the Department’s actions over the last several months in context. The Administration argues that eliminating Head Start, “is consistent with the Administration’s goals of returning education to the States and increasing parental choice.” It is shocking to see an argument that eliminating a program that provides comprehensive early childhood care and education to 800,000 children and their families would increase parental choice. It is particularly concerning to see that argument in the context of the significant delay in awarding fiscal year 2025 appropriated funds and what that indicates about the intent behind the Department’s actions. We believe it is obvious that eliminating Head Start would be detrimental to hundreds of thousands of children and families. Similarly, we believe it is obvious that delaying funding like we have seen over the last two months, forcing Head Start programs to close, and leaving families to scramble to find quality, affordable alternatives puts the education and well-being of some of the most vulnerable young children in America at risk. In our view, that is unacceptable.
    Therefore, we urge you to immediately reinstate fired staff across all Offices of Head Start, and cease all actions to delay the awarding and disbursement of funding to Head Start programs across this country.
    Please provide us with a written response to the questions below no later than 10 days from receipt:
    1. Will you reinstate the staff who administer Head Start programs and reopen the closed regional offices responsible for overseeing Head Start programs in 22 states?
    a) When is HHS going to share information on the reorganization plan for the consolidation of the regional offices?
    b) Please provide the contact information for each program specialist designated to the 22 states who lost their regional office.
    c) Who is responsible for ensuring there are no delays or lapses in funding, nor any disruptions to Head Start program operations now that these states do not have a regional office?
    2. How many employees at the Offices of Head Start have been terminated, including the five regional offices and the central office?
    a) Which officials at HHS were involved in the staffing reduction decisions for OHS and what planning, if any, was undertaken prior to these reductions? Please describe the events that unfolded and name each office that was involved in the decision. Further, please name the official(s) who approved the staffing reductions.
    3. Can you confirm that the Administration will distribute all Head Start funds appropriated by Congress to Head Start programs in FY 25, as required by the Head Start Act?
    4. Please provide a list of all grantees with 5-year Head Start grant renewals that start between now and the end of the fiscal year: May 1st, June 1st, July 1st, August 1st, and September 1st.
    a) Will any funding be delayed for grantees that are due to receive their annual funding on May 1st or beyond?
    5. Why are funding awards delayed for grantees that received partial awards during the first continuing resolution for FY25?
    a) When can HHS guarantee that all funds will be awarded for partially funded Head Start programs?
    6. What is the “Tier 2” department for review that is delaying drawn down for Head Start programs in the Payment Management System?
    a) When should programs expect to receive their funds?
    b) Please provide all communication that went to Head Start grantees on the new review process.
    7. What guidance and clarifications have been provided to Head Start grantees on DEI expenditures?
    a) How is HHS evaluating Head Start programs’ expenditures and grant awards for DEI?
    b) What justifications are being used to prohibit DEI?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 24th, 2025 Heinrich, Colleagues Demand Social Security Head Keep New Mexico’s Offices Open

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined over 100 congressional Democrats in sending a letter to Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) Leland Dudek to demand that he keep New Mexico’s Social Security field offices open. 

    Multiple reports have revealed that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) directed SSA to close field offices across the country — only to reverse course after public backlash and deny the plans altogether. Given the lack of transparency surrounding the status of field office operations nationwide, the lawmakers pressed Dudek to ensure that DOGE does not close the offices that so many Social Security beneficiaries rely on for services and assistance.

    Approximately 170,000 Americans visit a Social Security field office for assistance with Social Security benefits each day. In New Mexico, there are 10 Social Security field offices: Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Gallup, Clovis, Las Cruces, Farmington, Hobbs, and Las Vegas. Musk’s DOGE has threatened to close dozens of these offices across the country as part of its attack on the SSA.

    “[B]eneficiaries need the opportunity to seek assistance from SSA in person…Closing any of these field offices will make it harder for individuals to access their benefits,” wrote the lawmakers.

    The lawmakers include a list of every SSA field office across the country and press Dudek to commit to keeping every single one of them open. 

    The full text of the letter can be read here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Blasts Trump Administration’s Attacks on Head Start, Demands RFK Jr. Immediately Release Funding and Reverse Firings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined 41 of her colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calling out the Trump administration’s direct attacks on Head Start and demanding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) immediately release Head Start funding and reverse the mass firing of Head Start staff and gutting of the offices that help ensure high-quality services are available for thousands of children and families across the country. The letter to RFK Jr. follows Shaheen’s visit to Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties’ (CAPHR) Opportunity Center in Manchester where she highlighted the importance of Head Start to Granite State working families.

    The Senators wrote, in part: “We write to express our strong opposition to the actions you have taken to directly attack and undermine the federal Head Start program. Since day one, this Administration has taken unacceptable actions to withhold and delay funding, fire Head Start staff, and gut high-quality services for children. Already this year, this Administration has withheld almost $1 billion in federal grant funding from Head Start programs, a 37 percent decrease compared to the amount of funding awarded during the same period last year. It is abundantly clear that these actions are part of a broader effort to ultimately eliminate the program altogether, as the Administration reportedly plans to do in its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.”

    They continued: “Head Start provides early childhood education and comprehensive health and social services to nearly 800,000 young children every year in communities across this country, and employs about 250,000 dedicated staff. Head Start is a critical source of child care for working families, particularly in rural and Tribal communities, where Head Start programs are often the only option for high-quality child care services. Head Start programs ensure children receive appropriate health and dental care, nutrition support, and referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support.”

    They concluded: “We believe it is obvious that eliminating Head Start would be detrimental to hundreds of thousands of children and families. Similarly, we believe it is obvious that delaying funding like we have seen over the last two months, forcing Head Start programs to close, and leaving families to scramble to find quality, affordable alternatives puts the education and well-being of some of the most vulnerable young children in America at risk. In our view, that is unacceptable. Therefore, we urge you to immediately reinstate fired staff across all Offices of Head Start, and cease all actions to delay the awarding and disbursement of funding to Head Start programs across this country.”

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care. This week, she also visited the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch to discuss New Hampshire’s child care crisis and provider shortage. Shaheen recently introduced the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act that would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC). In March, Shaheen introduced the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation that together form a bold proposal to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. The bill includes language from Shaheen’s Right Start Child Care and Education Act legislation. She also joined the introduction of the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, which would increase federal investments in child care. She has also joined in the introduction of the bipartisan Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act to address the national shortage of affordable, quality child care, especially in rural communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen Discusses Impact of Tariffs on Businesses and Supply Chains at NH Ball Bearings, Visits New LaValley Family Community Center Made Possible by Funds She Helped Secure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Newport, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a top member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, on Wednesday visited New Hampshire Ball Bearings (NHBB) – a Granite State manufacturer of parts that are integral to global aerospace and defense machinery – to discuss how the administration’s tariffs raise costs for businesses like theirs and exhaust supply chains they rely on. Later, Shaheen visited the newly opened LaValley Family Community Center in Newport to tour the state-of-the-art facility that was constructed using Congressionally Directed Spending funds the Senator helped secure. Photos from the events can be found here. 

    In Peterborough, Shaheen toured the New Hampshire Ball Bearings (NHBB) factory with NHBB President Dan Lemieux and members of the leadership team. Afterwards, the Senator heard from NHBB about how the expansion of U.S. tariffs increases costs for their business and further exacerbates existing shortages of aerospace raw materials.  

    “NH Ball Bearings supports local jobs, contributes to our national defense and strengthens America’s military readiness – and still, they’re facing higher costs and uncertainty due to the administration’s reckless trade war and harmful tariffs,” said Senator Shaheen. “With the increasing globalization of supply chains, President Trump’s unnecessary trade war with many of America’s allies weaken an already strained defense supply chain and forces our small businesses to pay. I intend to take what I heard back to Washington to make clear the administration must reverse course.” 

    In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth last week, Shaheen raised concerns about how the President’s trade war harms defense supply chains and ultimately weakens America’s military readiness. The Senator expressed how tariffs on imports from virtually every country in the world will increase prices for the Department of Defense’s defense acquisitions – harming its purchasing power and further raising costs on small businesses. 

    Senator Shaheen is helping lead efforts in Congress to mitigate the harmful impacts of President Trump’s tariffs. Earlier this month, Shaheen took to the Senate floor to highlight the devastating impacts that President Trump’s tariffs and trade war will have on American families and the economy. In January, Shaheen introduced the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act which would limit the president’s ability to leverage sweeping tariffs that increase costs for American consumers and families. Her effort to pass this bill by unanimous consent was blocked by Senate Republicans. In recent months, Shaheen has traveled across the Granite State to visit businesses including Chatila’s Bakery, C&J, DCI Furniture, Mount Cabot Maple and American Calan Inc. to hear directly from Granite Staters impacted by the administration’s tariffs.     

    Shaheen then visited the LaValley Family Community Center in Newport, which opened its doors last month and serves as a hub for youth programs, recreational sports, health and wellness activities and community events. Shaheen helped secure $4,785,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending in Fiscal Year 2023 that was crucial to the community center’s construction. 

    “I was incredibly pleased to see firsthand how the vibrant new center fosters a sense of community and boosts quality of life for the entire Newport region,” said Shaheen. “I’m proud to have worked with local leaders and advocates to secure critical funding to bring the LaValley Family Community Center to life – and I look forward to seeing how the center will help Newport thrive for years to come.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 04/22/2025 Blackburn, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Make Adoption Tax Credit Refundable

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) released the following statements after introducing the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act to restore the refundable portion of the Adoption Tax Credit, which allows adoptive families to deduct up to $16,810 in qualified expenses By allowing the tax credit to be refundable, families will be able to access the full amount as a refund, even if the credit exceeds a family’s tax burden. The credit was previously refundable in 2010 and 2011.
    “Offering permanent homes to adoptive children strengthens families and is a blessing,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act would reduce the financial burden of adoption and make adoption more accessible.”
    Adoption is a true joy for families, but it is not without significant financial cost,” said Senator Cramer. “Our bill will make the credit refundable to help all adoptive families access the full amount of the adoption tax credit, regardless of their tax burden. Support for adoptive families is essential to ensure more children find the stable, loving home they deserve.”
    “Minnesotans have a long and proud tradition of adoption to welcome children into safe and loving homes,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will allow more families to access the full adoption tax credit, helping ensure a smooth and successful transition for children and families. As co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I’ll keep working to improve the adoption process and help every child find the permanent home they deserve.”
    “For families across the country, adoption is a blessing that provides children with a loving, stable home,” said Senator Luján. “Families should not face steep financial costs for opening their arms and offering a permanent home to adoptive children. That is why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act to lower the financial cost of adoption and help more children find loving homes.”

    CO-SPONSORS
    Senate co-sponsors include U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). 
    The legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), Blake Moore (R-Utah), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), Don Bacon (R-Nev.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), and Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.).
    This legislation is endorsed by the Adoption Tax Credit Working Group Executive Committee and 100 national, state, and local groups.
    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 04/25/2025 VIDEO: Blackburn Celebrates Economic Investments in Tennessee Secured by President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following video and statement celebrating the economic investments President Trump has secured in Tennessee so far during his second term:

    Click here to download this video.
    “President Trump has already accomplished countless victories for the American people, and he is hard at work to secure economic investments that are reinvigorating America’s dominance in manufacturing – including those right here in Tennessee,” said Senator Blackburn. “So far, President Trump has secured major economic investments in Covington, Mount Juliet, Selmer, and Lewisburg, and this is only the beginning of his efforts to unleash economic prosperity across the country. We look forward to seeing the exciting impact of these investments in Tennessee.”
    BACKGROUND
    Blow Pops Manufacturer announced a $97 million investment to expand its production plant and distribution center in Covington and create 62 new jobs.
    Schneider Electric announced a $700 million investment in its U.S. operations through 2027 to create jobs and boost U.S. energy infrastructure, including in Mount Juliet. This investment will bolster “smart factory transformation” in Tennessee.
    ABB announced a $120 million investment to expand domestic manufacturing, including $80 million that will create 50 new jobs at a new advanced manufacturing facility in Selmer.
    Cra-Z-Art, the biggest toy maker in the U.S., announced new investments to expand its factories in Lewisburg.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Scott, Secretary Kennedy Lead Healthcare Roundtable

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
    CHARLESTON, S.C. — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Committee on Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, led a healthcare roundtable in Charleston, South Carolina. The roundtable centered on addressing critical challenges facing the American healthcare system, most notably sickle cell gene therapies in Medicaid. Attendees included Lt. Governor Pamela Evette, elected state legislators from across the country, healthcare professionals, community leaders, and policy experts. 
    The conversation focused on the recent approval of groundbreaking gene therapies for sickle cell disease and the new federal initiative to support state Medicaid programs in making these therapies more affordable and accessible. South Carolina’s early engagement in this effort reflects its commitment to improving care for those who need it most. Senator Scott has long prioritized improving outcomes for patients living with sickle cell disease and ensuring that federal health programs support cutting-edge care across all communities. 
    “Today’s roundtable in Charleston underscores our commitment to tackling the critical challenges within our healthcare system, particularly for those living with sickle cell disease,” said Senator Scott. “The recent approval of groundbreaking gene therapies represents a significant advancement in care, and it is our responsibility to ensure these innovations are accessible and affordable for all. Together with our partners in the state and healthcare community, we are taking meaningful steps to enhance the lives of those who need it most.”
    The roundtable is part of a broader initiative led by Senator Scott and Secretary Kennedy as they work to modernize and strengthen the nation’s healthcare system.

    Click here or on the image above to view the media gallery.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Markey To Attend Late Pope Francis’ Funeral On Saturday

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    April 25, 2025

    ROME – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) announced today that they will attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday. The bipartisan Senate delegation is being led by Durbin and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). Along with Markey, Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) are also attending.

    Following his death, Durbin wrote, “We have lost the messenger, but we must hold fast to the message of Pope Francis to love and respect one another. In a world of hate and fear, Pope Francis’ message of peace and understanding is needed now more than ever.

    “We should honor the Pope with a ‘Francis Day’ of world peace: stop the bombing in Ukraine and Gaza; feed the dying in Sudan and around the globe; and show kindness to one another.”

    “It is a great honor to join mourners from around the world in St. Peter’s Square to pay our respects to the People’s Pope, His Holiness Pope Francis. In his words and in his deeds, Pope Francis taught us to fight for a better world – one that meets the needs of the most vulnerable among us, and one that grants dignity to all,” said Markey.“Pope Francis held a unique power in convening people, instilling in them a moral obligation to act boldly on the world’s most pressing issues, and guiding them through dark and difficult times with his wisdom, humility, and compassion. When we met, we discussed the necessity to act on climate change and the challenges it poses to the planet we call our home. I carry his mandate forward with me to be in service of life and to embrace the moments and opportunities to be part of a global movement that protects our people and our planet.”

    Durbin also attended the funeral mass of Pope John Paul II in 2005.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On The Arrest Of A Wisconsin Judge By The FBI For Allegedly Obstructing An Immigration Operation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    April 25, 2025

    ROME – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan, a Milwaukee County circuit judge, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on charges of obstruction and concealing a person from arrest over allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant “evade arrest,” according to FBI Director Kash Patel:

    “The Trump Administration continues to test the limits of our Constitution—this time by arresting a sitting judge for allegedly obstructing an immigration operation at the courthouse.

    “When immigration enforcement officials interfere with our criminal justice system, it undermines public safety, prevents victims and witnesses from coming forward, and often prevents those who committed crimes from facing justice in the United States. How does this make America any safer? How does arresting a sitting judge make America any safer? It is imperative that Judge Dugan is afforded due process and the presumption of innocence, as required by our Constitution and her fundamental rights as an American.”

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Colleagues Blast Trump Admin’s Attacks on Head Start, Demand RFK Jr. Immediately Release Funding and Reverse Firings

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Colleagues Blast Trump Admin’s Attacks on Head Start, Demand RFK Jr. Immediately Release Funding and Reverse Firings

    42 Senators write to RFK Jr. demanding answers on Trump Admin’s actions undermining Head Start as Trump reportedly plans to eliminate the program
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined 41 Senators in calling out the Trump Administration’s direct attacks on the Head Start program. In a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Padilla and his colleagues reminded Secretary Kennedy of his legal obligation to administer the program, demanded HHS immediately release Head Start funding, and pushed HHS to immediately reverse the mass firing of Head Start staff and gutting of essential offices that help ensure high-quality services are available for thousands of children and families across the country.
    The Head Start program currently serves nearly 800,000 children, providing comprehensive services to help children receive health care and insurance, while offering parents job training, education, housing support, and nutrition services. California’s Head Start program is the largest in the nation, serving over 82,300 California children in 2021 — accounting for 10 percent of all children served — and employing over 26,800 staff.
    Senator Padilla has been a leading advocate in condemning the Trump Administration’s attacks on Head Start and child care. Earlier this month, Padilla and Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led 25 Senators in slamming the Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal employees at the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Child Care (OCC) and demanding Secretary Kennedy immediately reinstate these employees. The sweeping firings of staff from these critical HHS offices — including San Francisco’s office — will severely restrict access to child care for working-class families and limit the federal government’s ability to administer and conduct oversight of nearly $25 billion in federal investments in early childhood programs.
    “We write to express our strong opposition to the actions you have taken to directly attack and undermine the federal Head Start program. Since day one, this Administration has taken unacceptable actions to withhold and delay funding, fire Head Start staff, and gut high-quality services for children. Already this year, this Administration has withheld almost $1 billion in federal grant funding from Head Start programs, a 37 percent decrease compared to the amount of funding awarded during the same period last year,” wrote the Senators. “It is abundantly clear that these actions are part of a broader effort to ultimately eliminate the program altogether, as the Administration reportedly plans to do in its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.”
    The Senators detailed how the program plays an instrumental role in supporting kids and working families across the country, noting that Head Start is particularly impactful in rural and tribal communities, where high-quality child care services can be scarce. These programs provide children with essential services like health and dental care and nutrition support while helping parents receive job training, education, housing support, and nutrition services.
    “As a result of your actions to withhold and delay funding and undermine the administration of this vital program, Head Start centers are in serious jeopardy and have already had their day to day operations impacted. Programs are increasingly worried that they will not be able to make payroll, pay rent, and remain open to serve the hundreds of thousands of children and families who depend on their services in communities across the nation,” continued the Senators.
    The National Head Start Association reported that at one point, 37 grant recipient programs serving nearly 15,000 children across the United States lost access to their federal funding, forcing many programs to temporarily close down or to conduct layoffs.
    The Senators underscored how the gutting of Head Start offices and the firing of staff who keep the federal program running puts the entire program in jeopardy: “On April 1st, you abruptly closed five of the ten regional offices that help local grantees administer Head Start programs in 22 states. This left hundreds of programs without dedicated points of contact to address mission critical issues like approving grant renewals and modifications, investigating child health and safety incidents, and providing training and technical assistance to ensure high-quality services for children. … You promised ‘radical transparency’ as Secretary, yet it is unclear how these actions will improve Head Start programs, and you and your staff refuse to respond to basic inquiries and requests for information.”
    The Senators noted that without funding that still has not gone out the door, many more programs could be forced to close. This includes programs whose grants end on April 30 but are still waiting on payments and grant renewals from OHS. Many are also still waiting on basic correspondence from OHS or notice for the path forward for grant funding. 
    “The Administration has a legal and moral obligation to disburse Head Start funds to programs and to uphold the program’s promise to provide high-quality early education services to low income children and families across this country,” added the Senators. “There is no justifiable reason for the delay in funding we have seen over the last two months, and you have refused to offer any kind of explanation.”
    The letter was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. In addition to Senator Padilla, the letter was also signed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Luján, Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Warnock, Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    Earlier this year, Senator Padilla joined Senator Kaine in expressing concerns about the threats to Head Start programs across the country as a result of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) memo that imposed a government-wide funding freeze. As Republicans act on their plan to eliminate child care for 40,000 children to pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires, Padilla also joined his colleagues in introducing bicameral legislation to help American families get access to the quality, affordable child care they need.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary Kennedy:
    We write to express our strong opposition to the actions you have taken to directly attack and undermine the federal Head Start program. Since day one, this Administration has taken unacceptable actions to withhold and delay funding, fire Head Start staff, and gut high-quality services for children. Already this year, this Administration has withheld almost $1 billion in federal grant funding from Head Start programs, a 37 percent decrease compared to the amount of funding awarded during the same period last year. It is abundantly clear that these actions are part of a broader effort to ultimately eliminate the program altogether, as the Administration reportedly plans to do in its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.
    Head Start provides early childhood education and comprehensive health and social services to nearly 800,000 young children every year in communities across this country, and employs about 250,000 dedicated staff. Head Start is a critical source of child care for working families, particularly in rural and Tribal communities, where Head Start programs are often the only option for high-quality child care services. Head Start programs ensure children receive appropriate health and dental care, nutrition support, and referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support.
    You even acknowledged the value of Head Start following a recent visit to a Virginia Head Start center, where you said, “I had a very inspiring tour. I saw a devoted staff and a lot of happy children. They are getting the kind of education and socialization they need, and they are also getting a couple of meals a day.”
    However, as a result of your actions to withhold and delay funding and undermine the administration of this vital program, Head Start centers are in serious jeopardy and have already had their day to day operations impacted. Programs are increasingly worried that they will not be able to make payroll, pay rent, and remain open to serve the hundreds of thousands of children and families who depend on their services in communities across the nation.
    Since the very start of this Administration, Head Start programs have been under attack. On January 27th, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget issued a memo (M-25-13) that suddenly froze the disbursement of grant funding for federal programs and services government-wide, including Head Start. Despite the Administration’s clarification that Head Start programs would not be the target of the funding freeze, many Head Start programs across the country were unable to draw down their grant funds through the Payment Management System (PMS) for weeks. At one point, the National Head Start Association reported 37 programs serving nearly 15,000 children across the country could not access their federal funding. Head Start programs operate with thin margins and on short-term budgets from HHS, and without any communication from the Administration about the status of funding, programs were forced to temporarily close or to lay off staff. In Wisconsin, the National Centers for Learning Excellence, which serves more than 200 children and their families, shut down for a week and laid off staff due to the funding freeze.
    On April 1st, you abruptly closed five of the ten regional offices that help local grantees administer Head Start programs in 22 states. This left hundreds of programs without dedicated points of contact to address mission critical issues like approving grant renewals and modifications, investigating child health and safety incidents, and providing training and technical assistance to ensure high-quality services for children. While some grantees were assigned a new program specialist, we understand many have not been receiving responses to their inquiries. This is on top of the estimated 97 Office of Head Start central office staff that were terminated due to their probationary status and the recent reduction in force. You promised “radical transparency” as Secretary, yet it is unclear how these actions will improve Head Start programs, and you and your staff refuse to respond to basic inquiries and requests for information.
    On March 14th, 2025, the Office of Head Start (OHS) notified all Head Start programs that “the use of federal funding for any training and technical assistance or other program expenditures that promote or take part in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives” will not be approved and that any questions should be directed to regional offices. Programs have not received any guidance for what would be considered “DEI” but this policy is potentially in direct conflict with statutory and regulatory program requirements, such as providing culturally and linguistically appropriate instructional services for English learners. Many programs cannot direct questions to regional staff, as half of regional offices were abruptly closed, and as unprecedented actions are being taken to delay and withhold funding, Head Start programs have been intentionally left with little to no guidance.
    Head Start programs are now arbitrarily required to provide justifications for each draw down of funds that is necessary to operate their programs, despite already receiving a federal grant award for these purposes. As of April 14th, Head Start programs have reportedly received correspondence from an email address “defendthespend@hhs.gov” requiring programs to submit a “specific description of why the funds are necessary and why they are aligned to the award” before programs can have funding disbursed. It has been reported that political appointees must sign off on every draw down of funds. This creates an illusion of improving oversight but only serves to add unnecessary red tape by requiring the manual sign off on hundreds of thousands of individual actions annually across the Department based on two to three sentence justifications. Already some grantees have reported delays in receiving funds, and have reported that furloughs or closures are imminent if funds are not released. For an administration that purports to value local autonomy and efficiency in federally funded programs, your actions have achieved the exact opposite.
    Finally, Head Start grantees are still waiting on payments and grant renewals from the Office of Head Start, including programs whose grants end on April 30th, 2025. These notices should have gone out by now, yet we are concerned to hear programs report they have received little to no correspondence regarding their grant renewals. Additionally, because we started fiscal year 2025 under a short-term continuing resolution, as is usual, some grantees have only received partial funding for the first few months of the year. But with a full year funding bill in place, these grantees should have received full funding by now, yet some are reporting that they have not received the full amount of their grants and will run out of funds this month or next. On Wednesday, April 16th, the delays in Head Start funding led to the closure of Head Start centers serving more than 400 children in Sunnyside, Washington.
    The Administration has a legal and moral obligation to disburse Head Start funds to programs and to uphold the program’s promise to provide high-quality early education services to low income children and families across this country. The fiscal year 2025 appropriations act provided $12.3 billion for Head Start, the same as the fiscal year 2024 level. The Head Start Act includes an explicit formula for how appropriated funds should be allocated. There is no justifiable reason for the delay in funding we have seen over the last two months, and you have refused to offer any kind of explanation. However, this week leaked fiscal year 2026 budget documents indicated the Office of Management and Budget was directing the Department, consistent with the Administration’s proposal to eliminate Head Start in fiscal year 2026, to “ensure to the extent allowable FY2025 funds are available to close out the program.” If this explains any of the delay in awarding fiscal year 2025 funding, we want to be clear, no funds were provided in fiscal year 2025 to “close out the program,” and it would be wholly unacceptable and likely illegal if the Department tries to carry out this directive.
    Finally, the leaked budget documents provided a justification, albeit brief, for eliminating Head Start in fiscal year 2026 that makes this Administration’s priorities clear and puts the Department’s actions over the last several months in context. The Administration argues that eliminating Head Start, “is consistent with the Administration’s goals of returning education to the States and increasing parental choice.” It is shocking to see an argument that eliminating a program that provides comprehensive early childhood care and education to 800,000 children and their families would increase parental choice. It is particularly concerning to see that argument in the context of the significant delay in awarding fiscal year 2025 appropriated funds and what that indicates about the intent behind the Department’s actions. We believe it is obvious that eliminating Head Start would be detrimental to hundreds of thousands of children and families. Similarly, we believe it is obvious that delaying funding like we have seen over the last two months, forcing Head Start programs to close, and leaving families to scramble to find quality, affordable alternatives puts the education and well-being of some of the most vulnerable young children in America at risk. In our view, that is unacceptable.
    Therefore, we urge you to immediately reinstate fired staff across all Offices of Head Start, and cease all actions to delay the awarding and disbursement of funding to Head Start programs across this country.
    Please provide us with a written response to the questions below no later than 10 days from receipt:
    1. Will you reinstate the staff who administer Head Start programs and reopen the closed regional offices responsible for overseeing Head Start programs in 22 states?
    a) When is HHS going to share information on the reorganization plan for the consolidation of the regional offices?
    b) Please provide the contact information for each program specialist designated to the 22 states who lost their regional office.
    c) Who is responsible for ensuring there are no delays or lapses in funding, nor any disruptions to Head Start program operations now that these states do not have a regional office?
    2. How many employees at the Offices of Head Start have been terminated, including the five regional offices and the central office?
    a) Which officials at HHS were involved in the staffing reduction decisions for OHS and what planning, if any, was undertaken prior to these reductions? Please describe the events that unfolded and name each office that was involved in the decision. Further, please name the official(s) who approved the staffing reductions.
    3. Can you confirm that the Administration will distribute all Head Start funds appropriated by Congress to Head Start programs in FY 25, as required by the Head Start Act?
    4. Please provide a list of all grantees with 5-year Head Start grant renewals that start between now and the end of the fiscal year: May 1st, June 1st, July 1st, August 1st, and September 1st.
    a) Will any funding be delayed for grantees that are due to receive their annual funding on May 1st or beyond?
    5. Why are funding awards delayed for grantees that received partial awards during the first continuing resolution for FY25?
    a) When can HHS guarantee that all funds will be awarded for partially funded Head Start programs?
    6. What is the “Tier 2” department for review that is delaying drawn down for Head Start programs in the Payment Management System?
    a) When should programs expect to receive their funds?
    b) Please provide all communication that went to Head Start grantees on the new review process.
    7. What guidance and clarifications have been provided to Head Start grantees on DEI expenditures?
    a) How is HHS evaluating Head Start programs’ expenditures and grant awards for DEI?
    b) What justifications are being used to prohibit DEI?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Joins Colleagues in Calling Out Trump Admin’s Attacks on Head Start & Demanding It Release Funding and Reverse Firings

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in a letter calling out the Trump Administration’s direct attacks on Head Start, reminding Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of his legal obligation to administer the program, and demanding the Department of Health and Human Services immediately release Head Start funding and reverse the mass firing of Head Start staff and gutting of its offices.
    Head Start is a federally funded early education program that provides no-cost educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services to more than half a million children, including thousands of Nevada children. Last week, Senator Rosen visited a local Head Start classroom in Carson City, Nevada – where she reaffirmed her commitment to this early childhood education program. 
    “We write to express our strong opposition to the actions you have taken to directly attack and undermine the federal Head Start program. Since day one, this Administration has taken unacceptable actions to withhold and delay funding, fire Head Start staff, and gut high-quality services for children,” wrote the Senators. “Already this year, this Administration has withheld almost $1 billion in federal grant funding from Head Start programs, a 37 percent decrease compared to the amount of funding awarded during the same period last year. It is abundantly clear that these actions are part of a broader effort to ultimately eliminate the program altogether, as the Administration reportedly plans to do in its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.”
    “The Administration has a legal and moral obligation to disburse Head Start funds to programs and to uphold the program’s promise to provide high-quality early education services to low income children and families across this country. There is no justifiable reason for the delay in funding we have seen over the last two months, and you have refused to offer any kind of explanation,” the Senators’ letter continued. “[W]e urge you to immediately reinstate fired staff across all Offices of Head Start, and cease all actions to delay the awarding and disbursement of funding to Head Start programs across this country.”
    The full letter can be found HERE.
    Studies have shown that high-quality early childhood education programs, like Head Start, contribute to success later in life. According to the National Head Start Association, children who participate in the Head Start program are more likely to meet key educational benchmarks, have been shown to perform considerably better on cognitive and social-emotional measures, exhibit fewer attention problems, and display fewer negative behaviors. Head Start children also have a higher likelihood of graduating from high school, attending college, and receiving a post-secondary degree, license, or certification.
    Senator Rosen has been a strong advocate for the Head Start program, repeatedly pushing for additional funding to ensure that early education programs can continue serving Nevada families. Earlier this week, she criticized the Trump Administration’s budget proposal, which would eliminate all funding for Head Start. Senator Rosen has also actively worked to reduce costs and expand access to child care for Nevadans. Earlier this year, she introduced the bipartisan Small Business Child Care Investment Act, which allows non-profit child care providers that otherwise qualify as small businesses to access larger and more flexible loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, and it passed out of committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Demands Trump Administration Restore Travelers’ Rights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    April 25, 2025

    Mistreatment of travelers to U.S. has generated international travel safety warnings and may hurt upcoming global sporting events hosted in our country like the World Cup, Summer Olympics and the Paralympics

    Washington D.C. –U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today demanded the Trump Administration restore the rights of the one million travelers who routinely enter the U.S each day, taking note of major upcoming global sporting events like the World Cup, Summer Olympics and Paralympics to be hosted in our country

    In today’s letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Wyden noted, “Over the past couple months, there have been numerous troubling reports of due process violations, mistreatment, prolonged questioning and detention, lengthy visa interview wait times, visa revocations, and arbitrary denials of entry of visitors and returning residents of the United States. This has turned ordinary travel into a needlessly grueling ordeal for tourists, business travelers, lawfully permanent residents, and U.S. citizens.” 

    Wyden pointed out that this administration’s approach to international travelers has prompted many countries around the world–including our allies–to issue warnings to their citizens against travel to the U.S. Additionally, law-abiding noncitizens are expressing concerns with travel to and within the U.S. and have either canceled travel plans or refrained from making them. This is leading to a noticeable decline in travel to the United States, resulting in a loss of revenue for businesses and American job losses. 

    Wyden went on to warn, “The United States is slated to host three major international sporting events in the coming years. These events should be a boon for local economies and the broader U.S. economy, but your actions toward travelers will jeopardize their success. The 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup is expected to be the largest sporting event in U.S. history, likely bringing five million international visitors and generating $5 billion in expected economic activity. Similarly, the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic games are expected to generate an additional $5 billion in economic activity for the United States. 

    Wyden expressed concern for the travelers seeking entry to the U.S. for these events, including the “extraordinary athletes, support staff, government officials, journalists, business owners and spectators,” who may be hesitant, or unable, to travel here because of this administration’s harsh and chaotic treatment of incoming travelers, including foreign-born athletes who proudly and lawfully represent U.S. teams.   

    “The United States has been preparing for these sporting events for years — billions of dollars are being spent — and your Departments should be working to ensure their success. Your Departments’ policies and practices must uphold travelers’ rights and maintain the security interests of the United States — these are not mutually exclusive. I therefore ask that you immediately cease activities that harm the constitutional rights of travelers, which in turn harm the U.S. economy, and rectify your practices to support the needs of those traveling to and from our country,” Wyden concluded.

    Full text of the letter is here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Op-Ed: I’ve Worked Hand-In-Glove With Pres. Trump to Accomplish His Agenda During His First 100 Days

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    AUSTIN – Ahead of President Trump’s 100th day in office next week, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) authored the following op-ed in the Houston Chronicle highlighting Congress and President Trump’s accomplishments during his second term so far, including swiftly confirming his Cabinet and passing a budget that unlocks the process to extend the Trump tax cuts for Texans and all Americans.
    I’ve worked hand-in-glove with President Trump to accomplish his agenda during his first 100 days
    Senator Cornyn
    Houston Chronicle
    April 24, 2025
    https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/john-cornyn-donald-trump-first-100-days-20287545.php
    On Nov. 5, Americans went to the polls to elect President Donald Trump for a second term by a decisive margin. The message was clear: Americans were ready to turn the page on the last four years of failed policies under Democratic leadership.
    The question then became: could the new Republican majority hit the ground running, deliver on his ambitious agenda, and put the Senate back to work? As we near the end of President Trump’s first 100 days, the answer is a resounding yes. 
    The first step in delivering on this mandate was giving President Trump his team by confirming his Cabinet. The Senate provides an important role in giving advice and consent to the President’s nominees for important positions across the executive branch. So this was the first major hurdle to clear, and an opportunity to deliver the president an early win.
    President Trump selected many eminently qualified nominees for his Cabinet, including several Texans: John Ratcliffe, Scott Turner, and Brooke Rollins. I was proud to help shepherd all three of these impressive Texans through their respective committee hearings.
    While Republicans had secured a clear majority of 53 seats in the Senate, getting 50 members on the same page is never an easy task. Maneuvering in united government is sometimes even harder than in divided government. But on top of this inherent difficulty, Democrats insisted on pulling out all of the stops. They tried everything from exaggerated smear campaigns to all-night grandstanding. Some even demanded that their colleagues, “blow [the Senate] up.”
    Despite the doubts of our critics, Senate Republicans set a new standard for speed. I was proud to vote for every single one of the President’s Cabinet picks, and in just 10 weeks, the Republican-led Senate completed our first task at the fastest pace in a generation. By the end of February, the Senate had confirmed 13 of the President’s nominees, whereas only six were confirmed at that point during Biden’s presidency.
    Senate Republicans’ effectiveness is particularly impressive in comparison to last year’s Senate under failed Democrat leadership. In 2024, the Senate spent only 112 days in session. There were nine Mondays on regular in-session weeks when the Senate flat-out wasn’t working. Compared to the average Texan working five days per week and 260 days annually, this was nothing but a sheer insult to the taxpayer. The inevitable result of Chuck Schumer’s skeleton of a schedule was failure. He failed to pass government funding on-time, failed to renew a farm bill, and only barely passed the annual defense authorization bill that ensures our troops get paid. 
    Senate Republicans have dramatically improved upon this lackluster performance. We have stayed in session and voting for the longest continuous period in 15 years to complete critical pieces of the America First agenda. After we confirmed the president’s Cabinet, we passed a budget that will unlock the process to extend the Trump tax cuts, which will prevent an average $3,000 tax increase on Texas families.
    I’m not new to working hand-in-glove with President Trump to accomplish his goals. During President Trump’s first term, I served as majority whip, or as I like to call it, “chief vote counter.” In this role, I was responsible for ensuring he had the votes to confirm his Cabinet, Supreme Court nominees like Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, and a record number among recent presidents of judicial nominees to district and appeals courts across the nation. We partnered on key pieces of landmark legislation like the Trump Tax Cuts, the first comprehensive tax reform legislation in years, which contributed to the fastest wage growth in close to a decade and the lowest unemployment rate in nearly half a century.
    Suffice it to say, elected Republicans are delivering on the mandate we received from the American people in an historic way, and I’m excited to be a part of what’s to come. I’ve voted for every single nominee in both his first term and his second thus far. I’ve helped the president deliver historic wins for Texans and Americans around the country.
    We’ve accomplished so much in his first 100 days, and together, we’re just getting started.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Statement on Trump’s Arrest of a Milwaukee Judge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    BURLINGTON, Vt., April 25 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement on the Trump administration’s arrest of a Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, circuit judge:
    This morning, President Trump directed the FBI to arrest trial court judge Hannah Dugan in Milwaukee. She is being charged with obstructing law enforcement, a federal crime.
    Let’s be clear. Trump‘s arrest of Judge Dugan in Milwaukee has nothing to do with immigration. It has everything to do with his moving this country toward authoritarianism. He is illegally usurping Congressional powers. He is suing media that he dislikes. He is attacking universities whose policies he disagrees with. He is intimidating major law firms who have opposed him. He is ignoring a 9-0 Supreme Court decision to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back from El Salvador, where he was illegally sent. He is threatening to impeach judges who rule against him.
    Trump’s latest attack on the judiciary and Judge Dugan is about one thing – unchecked power. He will attack and undermine any institution that stands in his way. Trump continues to demonstrate that he does not believe in the Constitution, the separation of powers, or the rule of law. He simply wants more and more power for himself. It is time for my colleagues in the Republican Party who believe in the Constitution to stand up to his growing authoritarianism.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Announces Winners of 2025 High School Art Competition

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    A virtual gallery of 67 works of art from students across Rhode Island can be found here
    WARWICK, RI – U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced the winners of his 2025 High School Art Competition to celebrate student artists across the Ocean State. Cosponsored by the Rhode Island Art Education Association (RIAEA), the contest features artwork from students hailing from 28 schools across the state. Each school submitted up to three works of art from three different students.
    The works of art are presently on exhibit in the Center Court of the Warwick Mall through Sunday, April 27. This year’s winners were chosen by a panel of local judges that included Marta V. Martinez of Rhode Island Latino Arts; Paul DePetrillo, a Warwick-based artist; and Berge Zobian from Gallery Z, Inc.
    Maeve Johnson, a sophomore from Narragansett High School, won this year’s top prize with her work, “Untitled,” a painting depicting a familiar scene for many Rhode Islanders on the iconic Narragansett Town Beach.  
    Beginning this year, the first-place prize is named in memory of David DePetrillo – former State of Rhode Island Tourism Director and a longtime member and former president of the Providence Art Club who generously donated his time as a judge, mentor, supporter, and emcee of Senator Reed’s art competition and reception for more than a decade. Mr. DePetrillo passed away earlier this year.
    Alara Kokturk, a sophomore from Rocky Hill Country Day School, earned recognition as this year’s second place winner with “Poseidon.” Luke Daniel, a senior from Mount Hope High School, and Hazel Schofield, a junior from Rocky Hill Country Day School, each earned third place awards for their works, “Burnside” and “Profile Print” respectively. 
    All four winners will receive a ribbon and custom framing of their work by Providence Picture Frame & Dryden Gallery of North Providence.
    “I want to congratulate Maeve, Alara, Luke, Hazel, and all of these talented students for their outstanding work.  This year’s submissions were truly spectacular, thought-provoking, and creative.  I’m proud to showcase the talents of these young artists and thank the teachers, parents, and guardians who inspire, encourage, and uplift young artists – cheering them on and encouraging them to express themselves through art and appreciate the work of others.  I am so grateful to all the educators and volunteers who make this annual celebration of aspiring artists possible,” said Senator Reed.
    Senator Reed will host a special reception for all participating students, art teachers, school officials, and judges at the Warwick Mall on Sunday, April 27th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The reception is open to the media. All guests are asked to utilize the mall entrance located by JC Penney.
    Honorable Mention awards were given to six students: Finn Leary, a junior from Cranston High School East; Lovely Pamphile, a sophomore from Cranston High School West; Melany Ortiz, a senior from The Met High School; Ella Thompson, a senior from Cranston High School West; Willow Hauver, a senior from North Kingstown High School; and Logan Brown, a senior from the Rhode Island School for the Deaf.
    Senator Reed is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and sits on the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed, Smith Lead National Security Lawmakers in Denouncing Trump Ultimatum for Ukraine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-WA), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee led a joint statement in response to the ultimatum that President Donald Trump and his Administration are forcing on Ukraine, noting that the President puts pressure only on Ukraine while giving “Putin exactly what he wants.”
    Smith and Reed were joined in issuing the joint statement by U.S. Representatives Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Jim Himes (D-CT), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party; and U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee; and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a member of both the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees. 
    The lawmakers expressed deep concern about the Trump Administration’s one-sided approach to negotiating an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine, stating:
    “President Trump’s ultimatum to Ukraine would give Putin exactly what he wants and force Ukraine to accept a Russian-dictated plan that would leave them vulnerable to future attack. If the president follows through, his peace plan would fail and he would be abandoning Ukraine.
    “Ukraine has already agreed to an unconditional general ceasefire. Putin has not. During this conflict, Ukraine has continually exceeded expectations on the battlefield and has continued to inflict huge losses on Russia. They have bent over backward to accommodate the administration’s focus on a minerals deal. It makes no sense to force Ukraine to cede land illegally seized in Russian invasions now and remove economic sanctions against Russia. Rather than seeking concessions from Russia, the administration is shifting the pain to Ukraine. This ultimatum would reward Putin’s aggression and only allow Russia time to rearm and attack Ukraine again, undoing the work of American service members and taxpayers, partners and allies, and valiant Ukrainian fighters defending their sovereignty.
    “It also grants Putin’s war aims something no other American president has done—legitimacy. This plan risks widening the conflict and threatening even more catastrophic fallout. It would be a sign that America can no longer be trusted to stand with allies and partners. It would undermine the strength and stability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the coalition of over 50 countries that have come together to defend Ukraine, and the rules-based order that has held that no country should be allowed to take another country’s territory through sheer force. The ramifications would be felt worldwide and for generations to come. You can be sure that China, Iran, North Korea, and global extremists are watching closely.
    “For the sake of U.S. national security and global stability, we urge the president to withdraw this demand and shift pressure from Ukraine to Russia to conclude a durable and just peace.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, Colleagues Blast Trump Administration’s Attacks on Head Start, Demand RFK, Jr. Release Funding and Reverse Firings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (both D-VA) joined 40 of their congressional colleagues in a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. calling out the Trump Administration’s direct attacks on Head Start and highlighting the secretary’s legal obligation to administer the program. In the letter, the lawmakers also demand that HHS immediately release Head Start funding and reverse the mass firing of Head Start staff to ensure high-quality services are available for Americans across the country, including thousands of children and families in Virginia.
    Between January 1 and April 15 in 2024, Virginia Head Start centers received over $16 million in federal funding. During the same period this year, Virginia Head Start centers have received less than $12 million in federal funding—signaling a slow-walking of funds by the Trump Administration that is costing Virginia.
    The senators wrote, “Since day one, this Administration has taken unacceptable actions to withhold and delay funding, fire Head Start staff, and gut high-quality services for children. Already this year, this Administration has withheld almost $1 billion in federal grant funding from Head Start programs, a 37 percent decrease compared to the amount of funding awarded during the same period last year. It is abundantly clear that these actions are part of a broader effort to ultimately eliminate the program altogether, as the Administration reportedly plans to do in its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.”
    “Head Start provides early childhood education and comprehensive health and social services to nearly 800,000 young children every year in communities across this country, and employs about 250,000 dedicated staff,” the senators continued. “Head Start is a critical source of child care for working families, particularly in rural and Tribal communities, where Head Start programs are often the only option for high-quality child care services. Head Start programs ensure children receive appropriate health and dental care, nutrition support, and referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support.”
    “You even acknowledged the value of Head Start following a recent visit to a Virginia Head Start center,” the senators wrote, contrasting that statement of support with the Trump Administration’s actions. “However, as a result of your actions to withhold and delay funding and undermine the administration of this vital program, Head Start centers are in serious jeopardy and have already had their day to day operations impacted. Programs are increasingly worried that they will not be able to make payroll, pay rent, and remain open to serve the hundreds of thousands of children and families who depend on their services in communities across the nation.”
    Importantly, the senators noted that without funding that has so far not gone out the door, many programs could be forced to close: “Head Start grantees are still waiting on payments and grant renewals from the Office of Head Start, including programs whose grants end on April 30th, 2025. These notices should have gone out by now, yet we are concerned to hear programs report they have received little to no correspondence regarding their grant renewals… Additionally, because we started fiscal year 2025 under a short-term continuing resolution, as is usual, some grantees have only received partial funding for the first few months of the year. But with a full year funding bill in place, these grantees should have received full funding by now, yet some are reporting that they have not received the full amount of their grants and will run out of funds this month or next.”
    “The Administration has a legal and moral obligation to disburse Head Start funds to programs and to uphold the program’s promise to provide high-quality early education services to low income children and families across this country. There is no justifiable reason for the delay in funding we have seen over the last two months, and you have refused to offer any kind of explanation,” the senators concluded. “[W]e urge you to immediately reinstate fired staff across all Offices of Head Start, and cease all actions to delay the awarding and disbursement of funding to Head Start programs across this country.”
    In February, Kaine and Warner sent a letter to then-Acting HHS Secretary Dorothy A. Fink, M.D., urging the administration to protect Head Start from the government-wide hiring freeze.
    In addition to Warner and Kaine, the letter was led by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Peter Welch (D-VT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tina Smith (D-MN), John Fetterman (D-PA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Gov. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Edward Markey (D-MA), Angus King (I-ME), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).
    A copy of letter is available here and text is below.
    Dear Secretary Kennedy:
    We write to express our strong opposition to the actions you have taken to directly attack and undermine the federal Head Start program. Since day one, this Administration has taken unacceptable actions to withhold and delay funding, fire Head Start staff, and gut high-quality services for children. Already this year, this Administration has withheld almost $1 billion in federal grant funding from Head Start programs, a 37 percent decrease compared to the amount of funding awarded during the same period last year. It is abundantly clear that these actions are part of a broader effort to ultimately eliminate the program altogether, as the Administration reportedly plans to do in its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.
    Head Start provides early childhood education and comprehensive health and social services to nearly 800,000 young children every year in communities across this country, and employs about 250,000 dedicated staff. Head Start is a critical source of child care for working families, particularly in rural and Tribal communities, where Head Start programs are often the only option for high-quality child care services. Head Start programs ensure children receive appropriate health and dental care, nutrition support, and referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support.
    You even acknowledged the value of Head Start following a recent visit to a Virginia Head Start center, where you said, “I had a very inspiring tour. I saw a devoted staff and a lot of happy children. They are getting the kind of education and socialization they need, and they are also getting a couple of meals a day.”
    However, as a result of your actions to withhold and delay funding and undermine the administration of this vital program, Head Start centers are in serious jeopardy and have already had their day to day operations impacted. Programs are increasingly worried that they will not be able to make payroll, pay rent, and remain open to serve the hundreds of thousands of children and families who depend on their services in communities across the nation.
    Since the very start of this Administration, Head Start programs have been under attack. On January 27th, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget issued a memo (M-25-13) that suddenly froze the disbursement of grant funding for federal programs and services government-wide, including Head Start. Despite the Administration’s clarification that Head Start programs would not be the target of the funding freeze, many Head Start programs across the country were unable to draw down their grant funds through the Payment Management System (PMS) for weeks. At one point, the National Head Start Association reported 37 programs serving nearly 15,000 children across the country could not access their federal funding. Head Start programs operate with thin margins and on short-term budgets from HHS, and without any communication from the Administration about the status of funding, programs were forced to temporarily close or to lay off staff. In Wisconsin, the National Centers for Learning Excellence, which serves more than 200 children and their families, shut down for a week and laid off staff due to the funding freeze.
    On April 1st, you abruptly closed five of the ten regional offices that help local grantees administer Head Start programs in 22 states. This left hundreds of programs without dedicated points of contact to address mission critical issues like approving grant renewals and modifications, investigating child health and safety incidents, and providing training and technical assistance to ensure high-quality services for children. While some grantees were assigned a new program specialist, we understand many have not been receiving responses to their inquiries. This is on top of the estimated 97 Office of Head Start central office staff that were terminated due to their probationary status and the recent reduction in force. You promised “radical transparency” as Secretary, yet it is unclear how these actions will improve Head Start programs, and you and your staff refuse to respond to basic inquiries and requests for information.
    On March 14th, 2025, the Office of Head Start (OHS) notified all Head Start programs that “the use of federal funding for any training and technical assistance or other program expenditures that promote or take part in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives” will not be approved and that any questions should be directed to regional offices. Programs have not received any guidance for what would be considered “DEI” but this policy is potentially in direct conflict with statutory and regulatory program requirements, such as providing culturally and linguistically appropriate instructional services for English learners. Many programs cannot direct questions to regional staff, as half of regional offices were abruptly closed, and as unprecedented actions are being taken to delay and withhold funding, Head Start programs have been intentionally left with little to no guidance.
    Head Start programs are now arbitrarily required to provide justifications for each draw down of funds that is necessary to operate their programs, despite already receiving a federal grant award for these purposes. As of April 14th, Head Start programs have reportedly received correspondence from an email address “defendthespend@hhs.gov” requiring programs to submit a “specific description of why the funds are necessary and why they are aligned to the award” before programs can have funding disbursed. It has been reported that political appointees must sign off on every draw down of funds. This creates an illusion of improving oversight but only serves to add unnecessary red tape by requiring the manual sign off on hundreds of thousands of individual actions annually across the Department based on two to three sentence justifications. Already some grantees have reported delays in receiving funds, and have reported that furloughs or closures are imminent if funds are not released. For an administration that purports to value local autonomy and efficiency in federally funded programs, your actions have achieved the exact opposite.
    Finally, Head Start grantees are still waiting on payments and grant renewals from the Office of Head Start, including programs whose grants end on April 30th, 2025. These notices should have gone out by now, yet we are concerned to hear programs report they have received little to no correspondence regarding their grant renewals. Additionally, because we started fiscal year 2025 under a short-term continuing resolution, as is usual, some grantees have only received partial funding for the first few months of the year. But with a full year funding bill in place, these grantees should have received full funding by now, yet some are reporting that they have not received the full amount of their grants and will run out of funds this month or next. On Wednesday, April 16th, the delays in Head Start funding led to the closure of Head Start centers serving more than 400 children in Sunnyside, Washington.
    The Administration has a legal and moral obligation to disburse Head Start funds to programs and to uphold the program’s promise to provide high-quality early education services to low income children and families across this country. The fiscal year 2025 appropriations act provided $12.3 billion for Head Start, the same as the fiscal year 2024 level. The Head Start Act includes an explicit formula for how appropriated funds should be allocated. There is no justifiable reason for the delay in funding we have seen over the last two months, and you have refused to offer any kind of explanation. However, this week leaked fiscal year 2026 budget documents indicated the Office of Management and Budget was directing the Department, consistent with the Administration’s proposal to eliminate Head Start in fiscal year 2026, to “ensure to the extent allowable FY2025 funds are available to close out the program.” If this explains any of the delay in awarding fiscal year 2025 funding, we want to be clear, no funds were provided in fiscal year 2025 to “close out the program,” and it would be wholly unacceptable and likely illegal if the Department tries to carry out this directive.
    Finally, the leaked budget documents provided a justification, albeit brief, for eliminating Head Start in fiscal year 2026 that makes this Administration’s priorities clear and puts the Department’s actions over the last several months in context. The Administration argues that eliminating Head Start, “is consistent with the Administration’s goals of returning education to the States and increasing parental choice.” It is shocking to see an argument that eliminating a program that provides comprehensive early childhood care and education to 800,000 children and their families would increase parental choice. It is particularly concerning to see that argument in the context of the significant delay in awarding fiscal year 2025 appropriated funds and what that indicates about the intent behind the Department’s actions. We believe it is obvious that eliminating Head Start would be detrimental to hundreds of thousands of children and families. Similarly, we believe it is obvious that delaying funding like we have seen over the last two months, forcing Head Start programs to close, and leaving families to scramble to find quality, affordable alternatives puts the education and well-being of some of the most vulnerable young children in America at risk. In our view, that is unacceptable.
    Therefore, we urge you to immediately reinstate fired staff across all Offices of Head Start, and cease all actions to delay the awarding and disbursement of funding to Head Start programs across this country.
    Please provide us with a written response to the questions below no later than 10 days from receipt: 
    Will you reinstate the staff who administer Head Start programs and reopen the closed regional offices responsible for overseeing Head Start programs in 22 states?
    When is HHS going to share information on the reorganization plan for the consolidation of the regional offices?
    Please provide the contact information for each program specialist designated to the 22 states who lost their regional office. 
    Who is responsible for ensuring there are no delays or lapses in funding, nor any disruptions to Head Start program operations now that these states do not have a regional office?

    How many employees at the Offices of Head Start have been terminated, including the five regional offices and the central office? 
    Which officials at HHS were involved in the staffing reduction decisions for OHS and what planning, if any, was undertaken prior to these reductions? Please describe the events that unfolded and name each office that was involved in the decision. Further, please name the official(s) who approved the staffing reductions.

    Can you confirm that the Administration will distribute all Head Start funds appropriated by Congress to Head Start programs in FY 25, as required by the Head Start Act?
    Please provide a list of all grantees with 5-year Head Start grant renewals that start between now and the end of the fiscal year: May 1st, June 1st, July 1st, August 1st, and September 1st.
    Will any funding be delayed for grantees that are due to receive their annual funding on May 1st or beyond?

    Why are funding awards delayed for grantees that received partial awards during the first continuing resolution for FY25?
    When can HHS guarantee that all funds will be awarded for partially funded Head Start programs?

    What is the “Tier 2” department for review that is delaying drawn down for Head Start programs in the Payment Management System?
    When should programs expect to receive their funds?
    Please provide all communication that went to Head Start grantees on the new review process.

    What guidance and clarifications have been provided to Head Start grantees on DEI expenditures?
    How is HHS evaluating Head Start programs’ expenditures and grant awards for DEI?
    What justifications are being used to prohibit DEI?

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Van Hollen, Warren, Kaine Press Hegseth on High Civilian Casualties in Yemen Strikes and Trump Administration’s Dismantling of Safeguards Against Civilian Harm

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) wrote to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, expressing concerns with reports that U.S. strikes against the Houthis at the Ras Isa fuel terminal in Yemen last week killed dozens of civilians as the Trump Administration has rolled back measures and procedures designed to minimize the risk of harm to civilians from U.S. military operations. In their letter, the Senators ask for responses to a series of questions regarding the mitigation measures taken prior to the strikes conducted in Yemen in the past month and the current status of civilian harm mitigation procedures, among others.
    “We write to you concerning reports that U.S. strikes against the Houthis at the Ras Isa fuel terminal in Yemen last week killed dozens of civilians, potentially more than 70. If these reports of civilian casualties are accurate, they should come as no surprise. Using explosive weapons in populated areas – as these intense strikes appear to do – always carries a high risk of civilian harm,” the Senators began.
    “Further, reports suggest that the Trump Administration plans to dismantle civilian harm mitigation policies and procedures at the Pentagon designed to reduce civilian casualties in U.S. operations,” they continued, going on to highlight that the Administration has already taken steps that raise the risk of civilian harm during military operations, such as their dismissal of senior Judge Advocates (JAG) officers and loosening of rules of engagement. “Taken altogether, these moves suggest that the Trump Administration is abandoning the measures necessary to meet its obligations to reducing civilian harm.
    “President Trump has called himself a ‘peacemaker,’ but that claim rings hollow when U.S. military operations kill scores of civilians. The reported high civilian casualty numbers from U.S. strikes in Yemen demonstrate a serious disregard for civilian life, and call into question this Administration’s ability to conduct military operations in accordance with U.S. best practices for civilian harm mitigation and international law,” they stressed.
    “The U.S. military has spent many years working to improve its ability to prevent and mitigate civilian harm without sacrificing lethality. Military leaders agree that ingraining civilian harm mitigation practices within U.S operations leads to better outcomes and that civilian casualties ‘actually undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do.’ […] Now, we understand that the Administration is considering dismantling these efforts, many of which are congressionally authorized and funded through congressional appropriations, undermining years of hard lessons learned after more than two decades of U.S. wars. We are now seeing the real-life impact of the Administration’s disregard for civilian harm mitigation and international law,” they wrote, going on to list a series of questions for the Administration’s response.
    A copy of the letter, including the questions the Senators ask Secretary Hegseth, is available here and below.
    Dear Secretary Hegseth, 
    We write to you concerning reports that U.S. strikes against the Houthis at the Ras Isa fuel terminal in Yemen last week killed dozens of civilians, potentially more than 70. If these reports of civilian casualties are accurate, they should come as no surprise. Using explosive weapons in populated areas – as these intense strikes appear to do – always carries a high risk of civilian harm. Further, reports suggest that the Trump Administration plans to dismantle civilian harm mitigation policies and procedures at the Pentagon designed to reduce civilian casualties in U.S. operations. And the Trump Administration has already dismissed senior, non-partisan Judge Advocates, or JAG officers, who provide critical legal counsel to U.S. warfighters, especially when it comes to the laws of war and adherence to U.S. civilian harm mitigation policies. The Defense Department also recently loosened the rules of engagement to allow CENTCOM and other combatant commands to conduct strikes without requiring White House sign-off, removing necessary checks and balances on crucial life-and-death decisions. Taken altogether, these moves suggest that the Trump Administration is abandoning the measures necessary to meet its obligations to reducing civilian harm.
    President Trump has called himself a “peacemaker,” but that claim rings hollow when U.S. military operations kill scores of civilians. The reported high civilian casualty numbers from U.S. strikes in Yemen demonstrate a serious disregard for civilian life, and call into question this Administration’s ability to conduct military operations in accordance with U.S. best practices for civilian harm mitigation and international law. 
    On April 17, 2025, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the strikes against the Houthis’ fuel supplies located at a Yemeni port in the Hodeida governorate, stating that “the objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis, who continue to exploit and bring great pain upon their fellow countrymen,” and that “this strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen.” Despite these claims, reports from news organizations and organizations that track civilian harm suggest that U.S. strikes since March 15 have killed more than a hundred civilians. The United Nations Protection Cluster’s Civilian Impact Monitoring Project has also assessed that March 2025 marked the highest monthly casualty count in Yemen in almost two years, tripling the previous month, with a total of 162 civilian casualties.  
    In addition, the strikes have moved beyond targeting Houthi missile launch sites to hitting urban areas. This expansion of target sites, to include civilian infrastructure like ports, exacerbates the risk of civilian harm, all while internal U.S. government assessments suggest that the military campaign against the Houthis has “had limited impact on destroying” the Houthis capabilities.
    The U.S. military has spent many years working to improve its ability to prevent and mitigate civilian harm without sacrificing lethality. Military leaders agree that ingraining civilian harm mitigation practices within U.S operations leads to better outcomes and that civilian casualties “actually undermine the mission that the military has been sent in to do.” This was a lesson the first Trump Administration took to heart, including through the development of the first DoD Instruction on Civilian Harm. These efforts, among others, that started during the first Trump Administration set in motion policies that led to additional civilian harm mitigation policies under the Biden Administration, known as the Civilian Harm Mitigation Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP). Now, we understand that the Administration is considering dismantling these efforts, many of which are congressionally authorized and funded through congressional appropriations, undermining years of hard lessons learned after more than two decades of U.S. wars. We are now seeing the real-life impact of the Administration’s disregard for civilian harm mitigation and international law.
    We request answers to the following questions on the U.S. military campaign in Yemen since March 15, 2025, no later than May 8, 2025:  
    Has the Department of Defense (DoD) assessed the number of noncombatant and combatant casualties in each of its strikes inside Yemen since March 15, 2025? Please provide available data, and if the Department is not making efforts to evaluate these effects of its strikes, please explain why. If any civilian casualty credibility assessment reports have been made, please provide them. 
    What has DoD’s process been for assessing the acceptable civilian casualties for individual strikes inside Yemen, and assessing estimated levels of civilian harm and collateral damage, since March 15, 2025? What steps, if any, were taken to prevent or mitigate anticipated civilian harm?  
    What role have legal advisers, including JAG officers, played in reviewing the legality of U.S. strikes in Yemen since March 15, 2025? What assessment and determination did legal advisers, including JAG officers, make, if any, with regard to the status of the Ras Isa fuel port as a civilian versus a military object prior to its targeting last week? 
    What DoD instructions or orders currently govern Department civilian harm mitigation and response actions? 
    Were the civilian harm mitigation and response experts at CENTCOM and/or at the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence consulted in planning for these strikes?  
    How does the Department plan to engage with the families or communities affected by these strikes, including acknowledging civilian harm and exploring avenues for potential redress? 
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Helps Lead Legislation to Aid Michigan Small Businesses Impacted by Unseasonably Warm Winters, Low Snowfall

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped lead bipartisan legislation to provide financial relief to Michigan small businesses who are economically impacted by unseasonably warm winters and low snowfall totals. The Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act – which he introduced with U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) – would allow businesses to qualify for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which aids businesses that have been impacted by extreme weather situations.   
    “Mild winters can be devastating for the businesses and communities across Michigan that depend on winter tourism and recreation to drive their local economies,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan legislation would ensure small businesses are eligible for assistance when unseasonably warm winters impact our state.” 
    “Senator Peters continues to be a true champion for Michigan’s outdoor recreation economy. His support and introduction of the Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act recognizes that ski areas are not just businesses—they’re community hubs, job creators, and engines of winter tourism. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, it’s a relief to know we’ve got someone in Washington who understands the stakes and is working to ensure the industry can bounce back stronger,” said Mike Panich, Executive Director, Michigan Snowsports Industries Association.
    “The people and businesses of the Upper Peninsula are used to tough winters – in fact, with our SISU spirit, we embrace them. But as we learned last year, there are times no matter how resilient we may be that Mother Nature offers us a hard lesson on who is really in charge,” said Marty Fittante, CEO of InvestUP. “I join with U.P. businesses and institutions in expressing gratitude to Senator Peters for taking to heart the lessons that we learned from the unseasonably warm Winter of 2023 with this legislation so that we are better positioned next time we face such an extreme weather crisis to manage it and mitigate the adverse hardships that U.P. small businesses and our regional economy experienced.”
    “The option for small businesses to access SBA and EIDL support is a vital tool, especially as we face increasingly unpredictable winter weather,” said Susan Estler, CEO of Travel Marquette. “As we have seen in Marquette County, mild winters can impact local businesses, particularly those in the tourism sector. I recently spoke with a small business owner who is struggling to recover from financial shortfalls caused by the past few winters. This bill is a critical resource for businesses, helping them manage weather-related setbacks and remain resilient, ensuring they are ready to serve both locals and visitors.”
    “The UP200 Sled Dog Race draws thousands of tourists to the Upper Peninsula, injecting more than $2 million into our local economy. The increasing instability of winter events, due to weather, has taken a toll on small business in our area that depend on these tourism dollars generated,” said Ross Anthony, Treasurer of the Upper Peninsula Sled Dog Association. “We were proud to bring the race back to Marquette in 2025, but it was nowhere near enough to erase the loss of tourism from 2023 and 2024. This bill would ensure Marquette businesses can access the financial relief needed to offset those losses in the unfortunate event we have to cancel our event in the future.”
    Currently, EIDLs can only be awarded to businesses impacted by disaster situations currently defined by the Small Business Act – which only includes floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, and landslides. This bill seeks to broaden the definition to make businesses impacted by low snowfall eligible to apply for financial assistance through the SBA.  
    This bill is introduced as Michigan communities have faced record-high temperatures and below average snowfall during recent winter seasons, leading to significant decreases in winter tourism and opportunities for winter recreation. According to the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association, data from 30 ski hills across Michigan shows a combined $41 million loss in revenue during the 2024 season. Unseasonably warm weather also contributed to more than 3,400 layoffs for employees that work in ski operations. 
    Mild winters have also led to the cancellation of events that are integral to Michigan’s communities and our local economies – including the UP200 Sled Dog Race in Marquette, which had to be cancelled for two years in a row due to low snowfall throughout the Upper Peninsula.  
    Weather data shows that winter is the fastest warming season for most of the United States, and the number of days below freezing is only expected to decline. To help address this warming trend, the bill would also direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study and make recommendations on how winter weather-dependent businesses can adapt their business model and become more resilient against changing weather patterns.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Statement on FBI’s Arrest of a Judge in Wisconsin 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    BURLINGTON, VT—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, issued the following statement in reaction to the FBI’s arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan, a Milwaukee county circuit court judge: 
    “The FBI cannot be allowed to arrest a judge because she won’t assist President Trump in carrying out his illegal deportation agenda. This is a gross violation of the power of the executive. President Trump is using the once-independent Justice Department to run roughshod over the Judiciary. Every one of my colleagues must stand up against this assault on the rule of law, and call this what it is: a constitutional crisis.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WEEK 14 WINS: President Trump Drives Economic Growth and Strengthens National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    This week, President Donald J. Trump and his administration delivered another series of bold victories for the American people, advancing economic prosperity, enhancing national security, and restoring common sense to government. From unleashing American energy dominance to cracking down on illicit foreign activities, the Trump Administration continues its relentless pursuit of policies that prioritize American workers, families, and communities.
    Here is a non-comprehensive list of wins in week 14:
    President Trump’s unrelenting commitment to revitalizing American manufacturing delivered more results, driving job creation and economic growth nationwide.
    Roche, a Swiss drug and diagnostics company, announced a $50 billion investment in its U.S.-based manufacturing and R&D, which is expected to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs.
    Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced a $3 billion agreement with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies to produce drugs at its North Carolina manufacturing facility.
    NorthMark Strategies, a multi-strategy investment firm, announced a $2.8 billion investment to build a supercomputing facility in South Carolina.
    Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., announced a $2 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and innovation.
    Chobani announced a $1.2 billion investment to build its third U.S. dairy processing plant in New York, which is expected to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs.
    Fiserv, Inc. announced a $175 million investment to open a new strategic fintech hub in Kansas, which is expected to create 2,000 new high-paying jobs.
    Toyota Motor Corporation announced an $88 million investment to boost hybrid vehicle production at its West Virginia factory, securing employment for the factory’s 2,000 workers.
    Hyundai Motor Group secured an equity investment and agreement from Posco Holdings, South Korea’s top steel maker, for the automaker’s planned steel plant in Louisiana.
    Hitachi Energy announced a $22.5 million investment to expand its facilities in Virginia, which is expected to add 120 new jobs.
    Cyclic Materials, a Canadian advanced recycling company for rare earth elements, announced a $20 million investment in its first U.S.-based commercial facility, located in Mesa, Arizona.
    GM announced it will increase production at its Ohio transmission facility.
    Coinbase announced plans to add more than 130 new jobs and open a new office in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    President Trump continued to secure our border and rid our communities of illegal immigrant criminals.
    The Swanton sector of the U.S.-Canada border — previously overrun by illegal immigrants — saw illegal border crossings decline from 1,109 in March 2024 to just 54 in March 2025.
    New York Post: Northern border sector previously overrun by illegal migrants sees dramatic drop in crossings: ‘We haven’t seen anyone since November’

    The Washington Times: Under Trump, border catch-and-release has dropped 99.99% from worst Biden month
    CBS: ICE partnerships with local law enforcement triple as Trump continues deportation crackdown
    The Federal Bureau of Investigation apprehended Harpreet Singh, an alleged member of a foreign terrorist gang who was planning multiple attacks on law enforcement in the U.S. and India.
    Five suspected Tren de Aragua gang members were arrested in Fresno County, California.

    President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
    The Trump Administration has directed attacks that have killed at least 74 terrorists seeking to attack the U.S. so far.

    The Trump Administration forged ahead on its unprecedented effort to secure American energy dominance.
    The Department of the Interior announced it will accelerate the onerous permitting process for energy and critical minerals, slashing approval times from years to just 28 days, at most.
    Chevron announced a massive oil and natural gas project in the Gulf of America, with 75,000 gross barrels of oil expected to be produced daily.

    The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced a series of new measures to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from medications and the nation’s food supply by the end of 2026.
    President Trump took a series of executive actions to enhance educational and workforce opportunities for the American people.
    President Trump signed an executive order modernizing American workforce programs to prepare citizens for the high-paying skilled trade jobs of the future.
    Association of Equipment Manufacturers: “Our industry faces a persistent and growing shortage of skilled workers, and this action reflects the leadership needed to build a strong pipeline of talent for the jobs of the future. By aligning workforce programs with the realities of today’s labor market, the administration is taking a smart, strategic step to bolster U.S. manufacturing. We support the President’s continued focus on reshoring American manufacturing and ensuring our workforce is filled with the brightest and best talent in the world.”

    President Trump signed an executive order creating new educational and workforce development opportunities in artificial intelligence technology for America’s youth.
    President Trump signed an executive order revoking flawed Obama-Biden guidance that pressured schools to impose discipline based on “racial equity” and gives teachers the ability to ensure order in their classrooms.

    President Trump took action to further reform and enhance higher education in America.
    President Trump signed an executive order overhauling the nation’s higher education accreditation system to ensure colleges and universities deliver high-quality, high-value education free from unlawful discrimination and ideological bias.
    President Trump signed an executive order enhancing the capacity of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities to deliver high-quality education and innovation.
    President Trump signed an executive order requiring higher education institutions to promptly disclose foreign gifts and funding.

    President Trump signed a landmark executive order eliminating the use of so-called “disparate-impact liability,” which undermines civil rights by mandating discrimination to achieve predetermined, race-oriented outcomes.
    President Trump ordered an investigation into illegal “straw donor” and foreign contributions in American elections.
    President Trump signed an executive order strengthening probationary periods in the federal service — ensuring a merit-based federal workforce that serves the American people.
    President Trump signed an executive order to develop domestic capabilities for exploration, characterization, collection, and processing of critical deep seabed minerals.
    President Trump announced he will personally fund the installation of two beautiful 100-foot flagpoles flying the American flag on the North Lawn of the White House.
    Small business sentiment remained near its historic high in March, according to a new survey from the Job Creators Network Foundation.
    The Department of State launched an unprecedented reorganization to reverse decades of bloat and bureaucracy that rendered it unable to perform its essential diplomatic mission.
    The Department of Justice launched the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias as part of President Trump’s directive to end unlawful anti-Christian discrimination by the federal government.
    The Department of Education announced it will resume collections on defaulted federal student loans after a five-year pause, ending the Biden-era practice of zero-interest, zero-accountability student borrowing.
    The Department of the Interior officially unveiled the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge, honoring the memory of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was savagely murdered by illegal immigrants in Texas.
    Secretary of the Navy John Phelan rescinded the Biden-era Navy Climate Action 2030 program, which prioritized ideologically motivated regulations over the Navy’s core mission of warfighting.
    The Department of Education returned oversight of higher education foreign funding disclosures to the Office of General Counsel, making clear that the Trump Administration will prioritize enforcement of federal law.
    The Department of Education initiated an investigation and records request into University of California, Berkeley, after a review of the university’s foreign funding disclosures found they may be incomplete or inaccurate.
    The Department of the Treasury sanctioned an Iranian liquefied petroleum gas magnate and his network as part of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign.
    The Department of Agriculture announced $340.6 million in disaster assistance for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities impacted by natural disasters across the country.
    The Department of the Interior disbursed $13 million to revitalize coal communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: American Businesses Rally Behind President Trump’s Tariffs to Save Manufacturing

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    President Donald J. Trump’s decisive trade policies are igniting a resurgence in American manufacturing — earning fervent support from family-owned businesses and others nationwide who have suffered from decades of unfair trade practices. From steel forges to moldmakers, their voices echo a powerful truth: these policies aren’t just protecting jobs — they’re reviving the heart of American industry.
    Here’s what they’re saying:
    Walker Forge, a third-generation family-owned business in Clintonville, Wisconsin, manufactures forgings out of steel for a variety of industries, including the defense industry.
    Will Walker (President): “This is the first time in generations that we have a President who puts American manufacturing first. That’s what these tariffs do — put America first. The tariffs send a clear message that companies cannot undercut our U.S. industrial base anymore.”
    Franchino Mold & Engineering, based in Lansing, Michigan, designs, engineers, builds, maintains, and repairs plastic injection molds.
    Mike Hetherington (President): “I represent Franchino Mold & Engineering, and we are proud to be celebrating 70 years as a U.S. moldmaker this year. I find it extremely unfair that I can buy a complete injection mold from China for less than it costs me to purchase the raw materials to build it here in the United States. We are held to a high standard for labor, safety, quality, and environmental standards, which we proudly meet while competing against companies in China that don’t play by the same rules. They benefit from heavy government subsidies, lax labor standards, and artificially low prices that make it impossible for U.S. moldmakers to compete with China on price. Tariffs help level the playing field for U.S. moldmakers and force companies to look to U.S. moldmakers to supply them with products that meet their cost, quality and delivery needs. We are not asking for protection — we are asking for fairness!”
    ELLWOOD, a 115-year-old family-owned business in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, manufactures quality metals and custom engineered components for the world’s most demanding applications ranging from our nation’s defense to aerospace.
    Ben Huffman (President and CEO): “ELLWOOD supports President Trump’s efforts to reshape the global trading system to a fair system. The current unbalanced system puts U.S. manufacturing at a significant disadvantage. Unfair, country-subsidized trading practices that are occurring all over the globe continue to do significant harm to ELLWOOD and the historically damaging trade practices must be reversed.”
    Dyersville Die Cast, based in Dyersville, Iowa, specializes in custom aluminum and zinc die cast manufacturing and secondary services, such as CNC machining and powder coat paint.
    Robert Willits (President): “I have been in my role for over 24 years — and during that time, I have witnessed many events that have convinced me that President Trump is 100% correct on tariffs. I fully support his fight to protect American manufacturers. God bless President Trump for keeping his promises.”
    TK Mold & Engineering, Inc., based in Romeo, Michigan, builds prototype and production molds for the consumer goods and automotive industries.
    Tom Barr (President): “TK Mold & Engineering, Inc., is proud to be situated in the heart of America’s automotive sector. Thanks to recent tariff policies, we’re seeing a renewed interest in U.S.-based manufacturing. In just the past three days, we’ve received three requests for quotes specifically aimed at reshoring mold and molding production back to the United States. These tariffs are creating real opportunities for American businesses like ours by encouraging companies to bring work back home. We’re grateful for policies that support Main Street and help revitalize essential trades like moldmaking.”
    Industrial Molds, Inc., a family-owned business in Rockford, Illinois, is a tool and die shop with 52 employees.
    Andy Peterson (CEO): “The implementation of tariffs has caused our customers to completely rethink their supply chains and source more work domestically. This has completely changed our forecast for the year to the better and we are looking to add more employees quickly.”
    Legacy Precision Molds, Inc., based in Grandville, Michigan, specializes in the design and manufacturing of tight-tolerance plastic injection molds.  
    Tyler VanRee (Vice President): “The recent tariffs have had a noticeable and positive impact on our business. We’ve seen a significant increase in quote activity, have been awarded new work, and are seeing growing interest from companies exploring reshoring opportunities. At their current levels, the tariffs are driving real momentum toward U.S.-based manufacturing. We appreciate the administration’s commitment to strengthening American industry and we encourage them to continue to explore long-term solutions to help strengthen and rebuild American manufacturing again.”
    Campbell Press Repair, based in Lansing, Michigan, is a second-generation family business servicing the metal forging and stamping industries with repair, rebuilding work on heavy machinery, modernization, automation, and new equipment, with 28 highly-talented employees.
    Pete Campbell (President): “Who knew about the tariff imbalances before President Trump brought them to light? As a small businessman competing in a world market, these things matter.”
    Westminster Tool, Inc., based in Plainfield, Connecticut, is a plastic injection mold manufacturer that specializes in complex medical and surgical devices.
    Hillary Thomas (Vice President): “The manufacturing tariffs imposed by President Trump and his administration have benefited our business, similar to the wide-scale tariff effort in 2018. Following the recent announcement, our quote requests rose 25% in one month. These tariffs, particularly against China and other international competitors, help level the global manufacturing playing field for the moldmaking industry. We strongly support and encourage maintaining international tariffs that promote manufacturing here in the country.”
    Metallus, Inc., based in Canton, Ohio, is a leading U.S. manufacturer of high-performance specialty metals made from recycled scrap metal for the industrial, automotive, aerospace, and defense and energy markets.
    Michael S. Williams (President and CEO): “We support the enforcement and expansion of 232 tariffs on steel products, as they align with our long-standing commitment to fair trade and addressing market imbalances. As a domestic steel producer, we view tariffs as a victory for both Metallus and the broader American steel industry.”
    Twin Cities Die Casting, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a 106-year-old, employee-owned die casting company with three locations in the Midwest and 175 employees.
    Todd Olson (CEO): “Our industry — and our company, specifically — has been greatly impacted by the increase in foreign competition, much of it with unfair support of other countries, over the last ten years. While the U.S. die casting market has grown over that time period, the U.S. industry has shrunk and production in low-cost countries has grown immensely.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Discusses New Hampshire’s Child Care Crisis in Merrimack; Highlights Trump’s Dangerous Staffing Cuts at Head Start and Fuel Assistance Programs; Concludes “Medicaid Impact Tour,” Holds Roundtable on Trump’s HHS Cuts at NAMI in Concord

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Concord, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch to discuss New Hampshire’s child care crisis. She then toured Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties’ (CAPHR) Opportunity Center in Manchester to highlight the Trump administration’s dangerous staffing cuts at Head Start and the Low Income Home Energy Program (LIHEAP). Later, Shaheen concluded her weeklong “Medicaid Impact Tour” and underscored the negative impact of $80 million in federal funding cuts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by holding a roundtable at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Concord. Photos from today’s events can be found here.

    At the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch, Shaheen highlighted the Granite State’s child care crisis and shortage of providers. She also toured the YMCA’s child care facility and heard firsthand from providers and leadership about the challenges they face and efforts to expand their reach in the community and to local businesses.

    “Affordable, reliable child care is simply out of reach for far too many Granite State parents – options are limited at best and nonexistent at worst for countless families across the state – and this squeezes already tight family budgets,” said Senator Shaheen. “I was pleased to see firsthand the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch’s hard work to provide affordable child care services and to discuss some of the legislation I’ve championed that would help them and other New Hampshire child care providers expand their reach and address staffing shortages. I’m focused in the Senate on concrete ways that we can bring down the cost of living and give working families more breathing room.”

    Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care. At the YMCA, Shaheen highlighted her recent legislative efforts, including introducing the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation that together form a bold proposal to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. She also discussed the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act that would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC).

    In Manchester, Shaheen visited and toured CAPHR’s new Opportunity Center. CAPHR provides Granite Staters and their families with access to services and programs like LIHEAP and Head Start. Shaheen also led a discussion with CAPHR leadership on the negative impact of the Trump administration’s recent cuts to staff that manage these two programs.

    “I’m alarmed by Trump’s mass firings of federal employees who administer Head Start as well as staff who manage LIHEAP, and I’m worried about what that might mean for the Granite Staters who CAPHR serves,” said Senator Shaheen. “CAPHR relies on support from federal staff to keep programs that bring child care within reach for working families and those that help folks access critical fuel assistance—eliminating these programs isn’t an option. Why are Trump and Congressional Republicans trying to pass a massive tax cut for the wealthy even as they target these vital services for children and working families?”

    Shaheen’s visit came as the Trump administration considers eliminating funding for Head Start and LIHEAP altogether—a move that would be devastating for the more than 30,000 Granite Staters who rely on LIHEAP for heating assistance and the many New Hampshire families who benefit from Head Start. Shaheen has been vocal in her calls for the Trump administration to reverse course on mass firings of federal employees responsible for administering both Head Start and LIHEAP.

    Then in Concord, Shaheen led a roundtable discussion at NAMI to hear from health care leaders about the harmful consequences of the Trump administration’s decision to cut more than $80 million in federal funding from HHS that New Hampshire relies on to help communities address the substance use disorder and mental health crises.

    “NAMI does tremendous work to help Granite Staters struggling with mental illness and substance use disorder– and still, they’re being affected by President Trump’s reckless, haphazard cuts to life-saving health services,” said Senator Shaheen. “Medicaid is the single largest payer for treatment of opioid and substance use disorders, so in addition to being hurt by Trump’s $80 million cut in HHS funding, folks who NAMI serve now also have to worry about their Medicaid benefits being cut down to nothing. We won’t stand for it.”

    Senator Shaheen has led efforts to address the substance use and mental health crises. Earlier this month, Shaheen led the New Hampshire Congressional delegation in calling on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to immediately restore these funds to the Granite State. Shaheen has also been vocal in her disapproval of the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS Secretary, including delivering remarks in opposition to his nomination on the Senate floor. Shaheen recently called on the Secretary to reverse drastic funding cuts to the Affordable Care Act Navigator program, which helps Americans access quality, affordable health insurance coverage, including for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

    The roundtable was also the conclusion of Shaheen’s weeklong “Medicaid Impact Tour.” Medicaid is the single largest payer for treatment of opioid and substance use disorder and many of the Granite Staters served by NAMI would face benefit cuts if Republicans were to make drastic cuts to Medicaid. Shaheen’s “Medicaid Impact Tour” included a roundtable on rural health in Berlin, a roundtable at the Public Partnership for Health in Laconia and a visit to Valley Regional Hospital in Claremont.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Demands Answers on Reports of Secretary Bessent’s Early Leaks of Tariff Policy Decisions to Wall Street

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 25, 2025
    Reports Indicate Secretary Bessent and Other White House Officials Appear To Have Provided Exclusive, Advance Tips About the Trump Administration’s Trade Policy
    “You owe Congress and the public an explanation for why you and other White House officials appear to be providing Wall Street insiders secret information on the tariffs, while withholding that information from the public.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent following reports that, earlier this week, he provided a room full of Wall Street executives and wealthy investors exclusive, advance tips about the Administration’s trade policy. The letter seeks information on whether Bessent shared nonpublic trade policy tips hours before President Trump’s broader announcement backing down on escalating tariffs against China. The exclusive details may have created the opportunity for insider trading or other financial profiteering by well-connected friends of the Administration. 
    According to reporting by Bloomberg, Secretary Bessent had “told a closed-door investor summit Tuesday that the tariff standoff with China cannot be sustained by both sides and that the world’s two largest economies will have to find ways to de-escalate [and] [t]hat de-escalation will come in the very near future.” These remarks were made at a closed private investor event hosted by JP Morgan not open to the media or the public. A few hours later, President Trump publicly echoed Secretary Bessent’s private remarks, causing the stock market to jump.
    Another report yesterday indicated that White House officials also gave Wall Street executives non-public information about a potential trade agreement with India.
    “It is unclear why these executives would be receiving this information ahead of the public,” wrote the senator.
    “Chaos, confusion, economic damage, and opportunities for corruption have become the hallmark of President Trump’s rollout of his tariff policies,” continued the senator. “President Trump’s opaque decision-making on tariffs and frequent, seemingly random changes of course have created a scenario where wealthy investors and well-connected corporations can get special treatment, receiving inside information they can use to time the market, or obtaining tariff exemptions that are worth billions of dollars—while Main Street, small businesses, and America’s families are left to clean up the damage.”
    To better understand what information was potentially provided to wealthy investors and Wall Street executives, Senator Warren demanded Secretary Bessent answer the following questions: 

    Which individuals attended the JP Morgan event at which you provided remarks on April 22, 2025?

    Were your remarks prepared in advance? If so, please provide a copy of any written remarks or notes.

    What time did you make your remarks at this conference? How long was the gap between your private comments and the public reports from Bloomberg about their content?

    Why was this event closed to the public and the press?

    Did the Treasury Department take any actions or make any agreements to prevent individuals in attendance from making trades or other investment decisions based on these private remarks?

    When you made your remarks at this conference, were you aware that the President would, later that day, announce that tariffs would “come down substantially”? 

    Did Treasury or White House officials provide non-public information to Wall Street executives on a potential trade deal with India?

    If so, which individuals provided this information, and to whom did they provide it?  Why was this information not provided to the public?

    Have Treasury Department or White House officials provided any other insiders with non-public information about the status of potential tariff decisions or trade agreements? 

    Due to the serious nature of these allegations, Senator Warren requested a response to her questions by May 8, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –