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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Bill to Lower Costs for First-Time Homebuyers

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to lower costs for first-time homebuyers. The current housing affordability crisis has hit Nevada particularly hard—Las Vegas home prices are at an all-time high. The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act will create a tax credit worth up to 10 percent of a home’s purchase price, up to $15,000, for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers. This credit would be available at the point of sale to help individuals and families without sufficient funds for a down payment to afford a home.
    “The Trump Administration’s reckless policies are raising housing costs across the board and making it more difficult for hardworking Nevadans to achieve the American Dream,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to help introduce a bill to help lower costs and make it easier for first-time homebuyers to afford a down payment. I’ll keep fighting to lower housing costs for hardworking families in our state.”
    Senator Rosen has been fighting to lower housing costs for Nevadans. She recently joined a bipartisan bill to help lower housing costs and incentivize housing development in Nevada. Senator Rosen has also pushed the Trump Administration to reverse course on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico to prevent housing prices from rising even further. She also led her colleagues in a letter to Senate appropriators requesting they fund the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Veterans Affairs and Supportive Housing program. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Senator Baldwin Unveils Package of Bills to Lower Costs for Wisconsin Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – As costs for working families rise under the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced a package of bills to address the ongoing affordability crisis in Wisconsin. Baldwin’s affordability agenda will lower the cost of purchasing a home for first-time homebuyers, ensure families can find and afford high-quality child care, and crack down on big corporations’ price gouging.
    “President Trump promised to lower costs for Wisconsinites, and instead he’s launching a trade war, kicking hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites off their health insurance, and making life more expensive for hard-working families,” said Senator Baldwin. “Wisconsin families deserve some breathing room and deserve an agenda that works for them – not just for those in power, the wealthy, or well-connected. That’s why I’m pushing a package of commonsense bills that will help lower the costs of some of the biggest expenses in families’ budgets each month – housing, child care, and household goods.”
    Below are the bills that Senator Baldwin and her colleagues introduced:
    First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act
    The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act would lower the cost of purchasing a home for first-time buyers by establishing a refundable tax credit worth up to 10 percent of a home’s purchase price – up to a maximum of $15,000 – for first-time homebuyers. Under the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act, taxpayers would have the option of receiving the credit at the time of purchase by working with their mortgage issuer. Alternatively, taxpayers could elect to treat the purchase of their home as occurring in the prior taxable year to receive the credit before tax season if they are unable to qualify for the credit at the point of sale.
    The median sales price of homes in Wisconsin increased by more than half (53.3%) in just five years. During those years, the state’s median household income increased by only 19.7%. The National Association of Home Builders has estimated that the material costs to build a new home might increase by as much as $10,000 due to Trump’s tariffs.
    Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025
    The Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025 would prohibit corporate price gouging by authorizing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general to enforce a federal ban against grossly excessive price increases, regardless of a seller’s position in a supply chain. The bill would help enforcers establish when price gouging is occurring during a significant shift in the market and outline a standard of what a violation is. It would also create an affirmative defense to protect small businesses that raise prices in good faith to earn a profit, while establishing presumptions against dominant companies that brag about exploiting American consumers or exercise unfair leverage to get ahead. Additionally, the bill would strengthen requirements for public companies to disclose changes in pricing strategies during market shocks in their filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
    Child Care for Working Families Act
    The Child Care for Working Families Act would tackle the child care crisis head-on: ensuring families can afford the child care they need, expanding access to more high-quality options, stabilizing the child care sector, and helping ensure child care workers taking care of our nation’s kids are paid livable wages. The legislation will also dramatically expand access to pre-K, and support full-day, full-year Head Start programs and increased wages for Head Start workers. Under the legislation, the typical family in America will pay no more than $15 a day for child care—with many families paying nothing at all—and no eligible family will pay more than 7 percent of their income on child care. The bill would also address child care deserts by providing grants to help open new child care providers in underserved communities and to cover start-up and licensing costs to help establish new providers. Additionally, the legislation would ensure child care workers are paid a living wage and achieve parity with elementary school teachers who have similar credentials and experience. On average, Wisconsin child care for an infant costs $12,567 annually, or $1,047 per month.
    Bill text for the Price Gouging Prevention Act can be found HERE and a one-pager HERE.
    Bill text for the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act can be found HERE.
    Bill text for the Child Care for Working Families Act can be found HERE and a pager HERE.
    A full video from Senator Baldwin’s press conference is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW: Government Watchdog Finds Trump Administration Illegally Froze Funding to Head Start Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, released the following statement after a nonpartisan, independent government watchdog found that the Trump Administration illegally withheld funding from Head Start facilities nationwide earlier this year, forcing some to close:

    “This report proves what we’ve known all along: the Trump Administration broke the law and tried to take away preschool and child care services from Wisconsin’s working families because President Trump thinks the funding provided to the federal government is a slush fund for his personal use. It’s not. We have three branches of government, and when Congress approves funding, that is the law of the land that the President must follow. When funding to Head Start was frozen earlier this year, Donald Trump left families nationwide high and dry as preschool programs were forced to shutter, staff were laid off, and parents in some cases drove hours to find replacement child care,” said Senator Baldwin. “This non-partisan report shows that the Trump Administration not only turned their backs on thousands of working families, but they also think they are above the law. No one is above the law, and I’ll continue standing up and speaking out for Wisconsin families when President Trump breaks the law and tries to take away programs Wisconsin families rely on.”

    Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that found the Trump Administration and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) illegally impounded funding approved by Congress for Head Start programs. This impacted Head Start programs across the country, causing at least one Wisconsin Head Start program to shut down earlier this year.

    Senator Baldwin has been pressing the Trump Administration for months to answer for this illegal funding freeze. In April, she led a group of 41 Senators in calling out the Trump administration’s direct attacks on Head Start and demanding his Department of Health and Human Services immediately release Head Start funding, reverse the mass firing of Head Start staff, and stop gutting the offices that help ensure high-quality child care is available for thousands of children and families across the country. She also pressed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy on this frozen funding at a Senate hearing in May. She visited a Head Start facility in Waukesha, Wisconsin to talk with families, leadership, and staff about the impact of the illegal funding freeze after they were forced to close their doors earlier this year.

    Read the full report from GAO here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Baldwin, Collins Take Action to Help Provide Clean Drinking Water for Rural Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the bipartisan Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act, or the Healthy H2O Act, to provide grants for water testing and treatment technology directly to individuals and non-profits in rural communities. Wisconsin continues to identify new sources of contaminated water and soil from chemicals like PFAs, but many smaller communities lack the resources to conduct testing to identify them and mitigation to remove them.
    “All Wisconsin families, businesses, and communities should trust that the water coming out of their faucets is safe to drink, but across our state, rural communities are struggling to identify and treat chemicals like PFAs that endanger our health, especially for children,” said Senator Baldwin. “My bipartisan legislation ensures our small and rural communities aren’t left behind and makes sure they have what they need to find and get rid of dangerous chemicals and keep our families healthy.”
    “Maintaining and upgrading water and wastewater systems is vital to ensuring the economic and environmental health of our communities,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation will help reduce health-based contaminants like PFAS in drinking water, increase consumer confidence, and protect public health.”
    The Healthy H2O Act would provide grants for water quality testing and the purchase and installation of point-of-use or point-of-entry water quality improvement systems that remove or significantly reduce contaminants from drinking water. Grants would be provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture directly to individuals and to non-profits in rural areas, specifically to those in communities with a population under 10,000, to help people test their water and install a water treatment product if needed. According to the most recent census, Wisconsin has 714 towns that have populations under 10,000.
    Across the United States and in Wisconsin, communities face threats to their drinking water from a number of contaminants, including lead, arsenic, nitrates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PFOA, PFOS, hexavalent chromium-6, and others. The Healthy H2O Act will provide grants for those living in rural communities to increase access to the many technologies for testing and water treatment at the point of use.
    The Healthy H2O Act is supported by the Water Quality Association, American Supply Association, Plumbing Manufacturers International, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, National Groundwater Association, High Performance Building Coalition, NSF International, Water Systems Council, Water Well Trust, The Groundwater Foundation, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, International Code Council, DigDeep, California Ground Water Association, Eastern Water Quality Association, Florida Groundwater Association, Florida Water Quality Association, Illinois Association of Groundwater Professionals, Iowa Water Quality Association, Kentucky Groundwater Association, Michigan Ground Water Association, Michigan Water Quality Association, Minnesota Water Quality Association, Minnesota Water Well Association, Montana Water Well Drillers Association, Nebraska On-Site Wastewater Association, Nebraska State Irrigation Association, Nebraska Water Leaders Academy, Nebraska Well Drillers Association, Ohio Water Quality Association, Ohio Water Well Association, Pacific Water Quality Association, Pennsylvania Groundwater Association, Texas Water Quality Association, Virginia Water Well Association, Water Council of Milwaukee, Water Quality Association of Wisconsin, and Well Drillers Association of Wisconsin.
    Companion legislation was introduced today in the U.S. House by Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) and David Rouzer (R-NC-07).
    The full text of this legislation is available here. A one-pager on this legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Opening Statement at Hearing to Consider Scarlett, Hall Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    To watch Chairman Capito’s opening statement, click here or the image above.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing on the nominations of Katherine Scarlett to be a Member of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and Jeffrey Hall to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

    Below is the opening statement of Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.

    “At this hearing, we will consider the President’s nominations of Katherine Scarlett to serve as Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality and Jeffrey Hall to serve as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance at the Environmental Protection Agency. So, thank you both for your willingness to serve. I want to give a special welcome to Katherine’s family…her husband Brian and her parents are here today, so thank you for joining us. And I know Jeffery has his parents and his wife here with him today, so thank you all for coming and being supportive.

    “Established by the National Environmental Policy Act, also known as NEPA, the Council on Environmental Quality or CEQ as we call it, is part of the Executive Office of the President. The agency is primarily responsible for advising federal agencies on the implementation of NEPA, as well as developing and recommending environmental policies to the President.

    “Katherine is very well-qualified to lead CEQ. In her current role as CEQ’s chief of staff, Katherine has supported the efforts of federal agencies to implement the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act and ensure compliance with recent court decisions as agencies update their individual NEPA regulations and procedures.

    “She also led efforts to modernize environmental review and permitting processes through President Trump’s Permitting Technology Action Plan, recently launching the ‘CE Explorer’ which allows for easy identification of the more than 2,000 categorical exclusions established by federal agencies.

    “During the time of the first Trump Administration, Katherine served in senior roles at CEQ and also at the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. In the four years between her service in the executive branch, Katherine served on my staff here at EPW, playing a key role in shaping bipartisan provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Economic Development Reauthorization Act, and the America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act, so thank you for that.

    “As my colleagues know, Ranking Member Whitehouse and I are diligently working on bipartisan legislation to reform the environmental review and permitting processes for all projects. I am hopeful that we can get a bill to the President’s desk for his signature. And when we do, I am confident that it will be implemented faithfully under Katherine’s leadership of CEQ.

    “Today, we will also hear from Jeffrey Hall, thank you Jeffery for being here, President Trump’s nominee to lead the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. OECA works with EPA regional offices, in partnership with state governments, tribal governments, and other federal agencies to promote regulatory compliance and enforce the nation’s environmental laws and regulations.

    “The office targets the most serious water, air, and chemical pollution violations under laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, CERCLA, and the Toxic Substances Control Act. In carrying out the EPA’s statutory authority, OECA must operate within the confines of our federal environmental laws, not invent novel violations to penalize regulated entities.

    “The previous administration placed an outsized emphasis on penalizing regulated entities, rather than working with good faith actors in the regulated community to ensure compliance. Mr. Hall will be tasked with striking the right balance between the agency’s efforts to encourage compliance with our environmental laws, and targeting the entities flaunting those laws to ensure Americans have clean air, clean water, and clean land.

    “Mr. Hall’s professional experience gives him the expertise to effectively lead this office. He has worked as a litigator, prosecutor, and legal advisor representing federal agencies, corporations, and individuals in a wide variety of litigation and in both civil and criminal enforcement procedures.

    “I look forward to hearing how Mr. Hall will navigate the Agency’s enforcement and compliance priorities today.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Asks Nominees About Implementation of NEPA, Superfund Site Cleanups

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing on the nominations of Katherine Scarlett to be a Member of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and Jeffrey Hall to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In her questioning, Chairman Capito highlighted the qualifications of the nominees, and asked about implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and prioritizing the cleanup of Superfund sites.

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    NOMINEE EXPERIENCE:

    Chairman Capito:

    “You’ve held significant positions in the federal government relating to NEPA, so you know this well and permitting processes. In each of these roles, you’ve developed experience of what’s working and what isn’t. So, given your expertise, what has motivated you to take on this role, and how has your past experience prepared you for this?”

    Katherine Scarlett, nominee to be a Member of the Council on Environmental Quality:

    “Thank you for that question, Chairman Capito. I was excited to take on this role, mainly because all three branches of the federal government recently have indicated that the NEPA process is broken and needs to be reformed. As I stated my opening statement, I have spent nearly the last decade working on the interagency process and trying to get the environmental review process more efficient and more timely. So, given the directive of Congress, I wanted to return to CEQ so that I could faithfully implement those amendments to National Environmental Policy Act.”

    NEPA IMPLEMENTATION:

    Chairman Capito:

    “Will you commit to faithfully implementing, this is important, I think, to everybody, both sides of the dais here, any additional permitting and environmental review reforms passed into law, consistent with the statutory language and the intent of Congress?”

    Katherine Scarlett, nominee to be a Member of the Council on Environmental Quality:

    “Yes, Chairman, I do commit to faithfully implementing any new provisions passed by Congress.”

    SUPERFUND CLEANUPS:

    Chairman Capito:

    “Let me ask you about the Superfund cleanups, because you mentioned this in your opening statement, and how to improve. We’ve spent a lot of time trying to improve the CERCLA implementation. We have some Superfund sites…you mentioned they’re on the books for years, and never quite seem to get there. Will you have a direct role in negotiating these agreements, and how would you approach the use of these tools to accelerate our cleanups?”

    Jeffery Hall, nominee to be to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency:

    “Yes, thank you, Chairman. So, Superfund enforcement is a priority of this administration, of the administrator, of the deputy administrator, on down to me when I was the acting assistant administrator, and if confirmed would continue to be a major priority of my tenure. So, I think that we would use all the tools available. I know that this committee had a hearing not too long ago on Superfund and Superfund enforcement, where some of those tools were discussed, including various agreements, like mixed funding agreements. So, I think that we would continue to use all the tools available and push it forward.”

    Click HERE to watch Chairman Capito’s opening statement.

    Click HERE to watch Chairman Capito’s questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Combat Chinese Drone Market Dominance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    July 23, 2025

    Cotton, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Combat Chinese Drone Market Dominance

    Washington, DC — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chris Coons (D-Delaware), and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today introduced the Leading Exports of Aerial Drones Act, or LEAD Act, legislation that would make it easier for American companies to sell unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to American allies and partners.

    “The current restrictions on UAS sales to allies and partners are outdated and put American companies at a disadvantage, all while ceding the market to Communist China. This bill will spur American business and innovation while decreasing global dependence on Chinese military technology,” said Senator Cotton.

    “Drones aren’t just the future of warfare—as we’re seeing in Ukraine, they’re its present, too. Against the backdrop of increasing alignment between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, we must ensure that the United States and our allies and partner have the weapons systems and munitions we need to defend ourselves. This bill is a first step towards the objective of greater military production, integration, and deterrence for the United States and our allies in an increasingly dangerous world,” said Senator Coons.

    “This commonsense legislation would cut red tape to make drone technology more accessible and foster greater strategic defense cooperation with our allies, and I’m glad to support it,” said Senator Cornyn.

    Bill text is here.

    The LEAD Act would:

    • Direct changes to the Arms Control Act, the United States Munitions List, and the Missile Technology Control Regime to require UAS be treated as manned aircraft and separately from missile technology for the purposes of defense transfers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Provide Parental Leave and Compensation for Miscarriages and Stillbirths

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    Cotton, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Provide Parental Leave and Compensation for Miscarriages and Stillbirths

    Washington, DC — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) today introduced the Helping with Equal Access to Leave and Investing in Needs for Grieving Mothers and Fathers Act, or HEALING Mothers and Fathers Act, to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to include the spontaneous loss of an unborn child as a qualifying medical condition for FMLA leave. The bill would also establish a tax credit for a woman that suffers the loss of a child in the womb.

    “This bill will make sure families receive the resources they need to help recover from the unexpected loss of a child. No amount of money can replace such a loss, but the legislation will make sure parents have time to begin the recovery process,” said Senator Cotton.

    “It has taken policymakers too long to recognize that parents should be allowed time to heal following a miscarriage or stillbirth. The loss of a child is devastating and heartbreaking for families, and this legislation formally acknowledges their need for time following such a loss,” Senator Hyde-Smith said.

    The HEALING Mothers and Fathers Act mirrors a similar bill in Arkansas introduced by State Representative Les Eaves called Paisley’s Law, named in honor of his late granddaughter, Paisley.

    Bill text is here.

    The HEALING Mothers and Fathers Act would:

    • Amend the FMLA to include spontaneous loss of an unborn child as a qualified medical condition for FMLA leave and civil service employee leave.
      • Women and their spouses would be entitled to take up to 12 work weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for loss of an unborn child.
      • Spontaneous loss of an unborn child is defined in the bill as ‘the loss of a child in the womb that is unplanned and not resulting from a purposeful act.’
      • All requirements related to certification, notice, flexibility and leave substitution are consistent with current standards for claiming FMLA leave.
    • Establish refundable tax credit for any mother, or couple, who suffers a stillbirth.
      • Stillbirth is defined as “the delivery of a child where there was a spontaneous death, not induced by any purposeful act, before the complete delivery from the child’s mother.”
      • A family would be eligible for the tax credit if a stillbirth certificate, under applicable state law, has been issued for the child.
      • These funds could not be used for any abortion procedure

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Joins Cruz, Van Duyne to Introduce Bill to Target NGOs, Stop Radicals Funding Violent Riots

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) in introducing the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act, which would add rioting as defined by the federal anti-riot statute to the list of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act predicate offenses, allowing the Department of Justice to use the full suite of RICO tools against entities who fund or coordinate violent interstate riots:

    “Radical, left-wing groups who fund acts of violence, coordinate attacks against law enforcement, and spearhead the destruction of property must be stopped,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would add rioting to the list of racketeering offenses to crack down on this lawless behavior while ensuring the First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceful protest are protected.”

    “Every American has the right to freedom of speech and peaceful protest, but not to commit violence,” said Sen. Cruz. “Domestic NGOs and foreign adversaries fund and use riots in the United States to undermine the security and prosperity of Americans. My legislation will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to hold them accountable, and I urge colleagues to pass it expeditiously.”

    “The standard of treating violent, extremist activists as individual criminals must end. It is time we empower our law enforcement with a commonsense tool to treat these violent mobs, their funding sources, and their organizers as the criminal enterprises they are by passing the Stop FUNDERS Act,” said Rep. Van Duyne. “Since the days of the George Floyd riots, to the violence we see across American cities and college campuses today, it is obvious there are well funded, well outfitted, and highly coordinated efforts to plan and execute violent and potentially deadly missions of chaos and mayhem. This is organized crime, and we need to attack it as such.”

    Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mike Lee (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Josh Hawley (R- MO) cosponsored this legislation in the Senate.

    Background:

    During the recent riots in Los Angeles, left-wing groups openly coordinated and assisted violent rioters who destroyed property and attacked police. For example, some groups coordinated providing protective equipment to rioters so they could withstand crowd control munitions and assault police. 

    The Stop FUNDERs Act would:

    • Amend 18 U.S.C. § 1961(1) to add “rioting,” as defined in the Anti-Riot Act, to the list of racketeering predicate offenses;
    • Enable the Department of Justice to use RICO tools, including joint liability and group prosecution, conspiracy charges, asset forfeiture, and enhanced criminal penalties, against organizations and individuals who repeatedly fund or coordinate violent interstate riots;
    • And deter abuse of nonprofit status and expose hidden financial pipelines behind politically motivated violence.

    This bill is endorsed by Heritage Action and the National Right to Work Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Slams Democrats for Fearmongering About ICE Deporting Criminal Aliens

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) recapped the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration hearing he chaired yesterday entitled, “Biden’s Border Betrayal: Criminal Aliens in America” and called out Democrats for refusing to acknowledge that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is rightly moving to deport the more than 291,000 criminal aliens who are under final orders of removal. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

    “Yesterday, I chaired a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary entitled Biden’s Border Betrayal: Criminal Aliens in America.”

    “We were honored to be joined by two Angel moms whose children were murdered by criminal aliens.”

    “These families and victims would never have had to suffer such devastating loss were it not for the criminal aliens who never should have been here in the United States in the first place.”

    “Our Democratic colleagues claim to be the party of compassion when it comes to immigration, but they would rather society, and the media, and the Congress turn a blind eye to these victims of criminals who entered the country as a result of open-border policies.”

    “You would think, listening to some of my Democratic colleagues, that ICE is arresting gardeners, cooks, housekeepers, people who are basically just trying to earn a living, but the truth is there are 291,000 criminal aliens in the United States who are under final orders of removal.”

    “That means they’ve exhausted all potential legal remedies to be able to stay here and they have been found not qualified to stay, and they have been ordered removed, but they simply ignored that order by a court.”

    “This doesn’t stop our colleagues across the aisle from claiming that illegal aliens detained by ICE are not being given due process.”

    “Let me be clear about what the law actually says: Aliens who already have final orders of deportation, who are being detained for the purpose of removal, already had their due process.”

    “I would encourage my colleagues on the left to reflect on this before continuing to use the buzzwords ‘due process’ to mislead the American people as they discuss cases that appear sympathetic but where the process that these aliens were entitled to has simply been exhausted, and they lost or they refused to show up in the first place.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins Open Interest on BloombergTV to Discuss Japan Trade Deal, China Negotiations, Appropriations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined Open Interest on BloombergTVto discuss President Donald Trump’s new trade agreement with Japan, implications for China, and the Senate’s progress on appropriations and crypto legislation.
    *Click the photo above or here to watch*Partial Transcript
    Hagerty on the significance of the U.S.-Japan trade agreement: “I think this is putting us on a completely new playing field with our allies in Japan. I look forward to what we do with South Korea as well. Japan is going to become a major financier of projects that support all of our national security, our economic security, and our national security. When I was Ambassador to Japan, we negotiated two trade deals with the Japanese. These are not easy to do. And my hats off to the team– Secretary [Scott] Bessent, Secretary [Howard] Lutnick, and Ambassador [Jamieson] Greer– they have done a fantastic job and delivered a terrific deal.”
    Hagerty on access for U.S. rice: “The Japanese are difficult to negotiate with, but they keep their word once a deal is made. I know that’s not true in every place in the world, but the Japanese certainly do. I know the negotiations have been tough; I’ve been in rice negotiations with the Japanese in the past. It’s almost a sacred issue in their agricultural sector, but rice has had an incredible run in terms of its price, creating a lot of inflation and pain domestically in Japan. I think this [deal] will be welcomed by the Japanese public to see more rice imported. It will take some of the pressure off the supply constraints that they have right now in the country.”
    Hagerty on the implications the U.S.-Japan deal has on China: “This [deal] absolutely makes a huge difference with respect to China. What China can observe is that our allies are working with us, and we’re doing this in a way that maximizes economic opportunity here in the United States, making our nation stronger. A stronger America means that all of our allies benefit from this. It’s a good deal for Japan. Their stock market is up. Our stock market is up. Everybody’s loving this.”
    Hagerty on future trade benchmarks: “I’m sure people will jump to that assumption [that 15 percent will become the new benchmark tariff level], but they don’t know the specifics of the deal. That will come down to the hard tax, and we’ll see how the negotiations go. I know that Ambassador Greer, Secretary Bessent, and Secretary Lutnick have spent a tremendous amount of time on this deal. Every deal will be unique. It’s going to be hard to superimpose that, but I’m certain that that’s where the industry will sort of target now that they see this come out with Japan.”
    Hagerty on finalizing trade agreements: “Not every single agreement [will be wrapped by Aug. 1], but the ones that matter. They [the White House] have been very focused on delivering agreements with those countries with which we have significant trade deficits. And Secretary Bessent sums it up by saying there are about 18 countries that [trade agreements] matter. I talk often with Ambassador Greer. He’s got term sheets, and he’s been working through a very structured, very disciplined process. I’m optimistic that they will have terms set. I’m not saying they will have the final agreements papered, but the broad terms will be set.”
    Hagerty on Senate August recess, nominee backlog, and government funding: “I think that [recess] is up to [Senator] Chuck Schumer. We’ve had maximum resistance from the Democrat side; they have not allowed a single one of our nominees to go through without putting us through maximum procedural hoops. That’s created a backlog. Every president needs to have their team on the ground and ready to go. Chuck Schumer is going to have to ask himself if he is going to keep kowtowing to the far left, or actually stand up and say: here’s what’s good for America. Let’s get it done. I’m ready to work through the weekend. … It’s important to talk to constituents. They elected us. Many of us are in cycle right now, myself included. But at the same time, we have an obligation and a duty to our constituents to make certain the government is functioning. And this resistance movement that tries to deprive the President of the team that he needs to execute is harmful to the economy. It’s harmful to our national security, so we have to address it.”
    Hagerty on appropriations and shutdown risk: “An important thing that we never worked on when Chuck Schumer was the leader was putting appropriations bills on the floor. That’s happening this week. We’re looking at the Sept. 30 deadline responsibly. We’re trying to put our appropriation bills on the floor so we don’t wind up with an 11th-hour negotiation that winds up with the government teetering on a shutdown. I don’t think we’ll shut down. But again, that’s up to Chuck Schumer and the resistance movement. … I hope that we’ll be able to come to terms with the Democrats. They have not been willing to negotiate so far as we move on our appropriations bill. That really narrows the space that we’ve got to deal with as we come to the Sept. 30 deadline. It’s possible to get appointees taken care of. We don’t need to shut the government down, but it requires cooperation.”
    Hagerty on the GENIUS Act and crypto market structure: “We’re working very hard [on the next phase of digital asset legislation]. We just put out a discussion draft this week on market structure. I’m very proud of my legislation, the GENIUS Act, which opens the door for digital assets in America. Compared to where we were a year ago, it’s a massive change. The U.S. markets are open to digital currencies and blockchain innovation. I’m excited about where we’re going. Our goal is to have this market structure bill move through expeditiously and get it done this fall.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Senate Committee to Hold Hearing on Employee Ownership Highlighting Success of Vermont’s King Arthur Baking Company

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, July 23 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), announced that tomorrow at 10 a.m., the HELP Committee will hold a bipartisan hearing on the need to expand employee ownership in Vermont and throughout the country. Testifying at the hearing will be Brock Barton, the Chief Financial Officer of King Arthur Baking Company, a world famous employee-owned business headquartered in Norwich, Vermont, whom Sanders invited to testify.
    “I am delighted that Brock Barton with King Arthur Baking Company will be testifying in the HELP Committee to highlight the benefits of employee ownership at his company and the need to expand this concept throughout the country,” Sanders said. “King Arthur is not only an enormously successful baking company. What makes it so special is that it is directly owned by its employees, not some multi-billionaire on Wall Street. In my view, we should expand King Arthur’s worker-owned business model throughout the country. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when millions of workers are working longer hours for lower wages, we need to expand economic models that broadly benefit the working class, not just the top 1%. Employee ownership is one of those models. That is why I am proud to be introducing legislation to provide the financial resources workers need to purchase their own businesses through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and worker-owned cooperatives.”
    At the hearing, Sanders will be introducing the Employee Ownership Financing Act, a sweeping legislative proposal that would help American workers buy the companies they work for — giving them a real stake in the profits they help create and a voice in decisions that impact their lives.
    Sanders’ legislation would expand broad-based employee ownership through ESOPs and worker cooperatives that are majority-owned by employees. Studies show that these businesses provide higher wages, better benefits, stronger job retention, and a more secure retirement. They are six times less likely to lay off employees, and companies that include some level of employee ownership are 20% less likely to go out of business than their non-ESOP counterparts. They also help reduce gender and racial wealth disparities — with one recent study finding that employee ownership could quadruple the share of wealth held by the bottom 50% of Americans.
    Despite these clear benefits, growth in employee ownership has stagnated — due in large part to workers’ lack of access to capital. Sanders’ bill would address that directly by creating a $500 million loan program at the Labor Department (DOL) to help workers finance the purchase of their companies.
    The Employee Ownership Financing Act would:
    Establish a $500 million loan fund to help workers purchase companies through ESOPs or worker cooperatives that are more than 51% employee-owned.
    Create a new Office of Employee Ownership at the DOL to administer the loan program and expand education about worker ownership nationwide.
    Amend the WARN Act to give employees the right of first refusal to buy closing business facilities, preventing mass layoffs and keeping jobs in local communities.
    Establish an Employee Ownership Advisory Council to support implementation and oversight.
    Ensure workplace democracy, diversified retirement investment options, fair company valuations, and independence from private equity ownership for all loan recipients.
    Vermont has one of the highest densities of employee-owned businesses in the country, including the most worker cooperatives in America. There are currently more than 40 employee-owned companies in Vermont that employ over 5,000 workers across the state.
    Nationally, there are more than 6,500 ESOPs across the United States, employing nearly 15 million Americans. The plans hold $1.8 trillion in assets. Yet as large corporations continue to outsource jobs and shut down plants, too many workers are left behind. Under Sanders’ proposal, workers would be empowered to purchase profitable facilities slated for closure and preserve good-paying, local jobs.
    “This is not a radical idea,” Sanders said. “It’s common sense. When workers own their companies, everybody wins. Productivity goes up, morale improves, communities stay strong, and economic inequality goes down. It’s time for us to give working people the tools they need to take back some control over their economic lives.”
    The bill builds on the bipartisan WORK Act, which Sanders helped lead to educate retiring small business owners and workers on the benefits of employee ownership. By codifying and expanding that work, the Employee Ownership Financing Act would mark the most significant federal investment in worker ownership in decades.
    Read the bill text here.
    Read a summary of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Urges RFK Jr. to Reinstate Safety Regulations on Chemical Abortion Drug after Reviewing Studies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)
    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) urging him to take immediate action to reinstate safety guardrails on the chemical abortion drug mifepristone. Senator Hawley’s letter comes after he secured a pledge from RFK Jr. that he would conduct a safety review of mifepristone. 
    “I write to thank you for your expressed commitment to review the safety data on mifepristone following the publication of alarming new safety studies and to once again request swift action on this matter to protect American women. On April 28, I sent a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Dr. Marty Makary, asking for a timely review of the safety of mifepristone in response to shocking new data showing high adverse event rates for mifepristone. Dr. Makary sent me a letter in response expressing a commitment to conducting such a review. I am grateful to both you and Dr. Makary for undertaking this critical work,” Senator Hawley wrote. 
    He continued, “As I have shared with you, recent studies using insurance claims data to conduct post-market safety analyses have raised serious concerns about the chemical abortion drug. Researchers with the Foundation for the Restoration of America and Ethics and Public Policy Center found that about 11% of women who take mifepristone for an abortion experience a serious adverse health event—a rate 22 times higher than the FDA claims. Additionally, a follow-up Ethics and Public Policy Center study based on the same data shows that for pregnancy termination, mifepristone had a 5.26% failure rate, which is significantly higher than the rate listed on the FDA label.”
    Senator Hawley concluded, “I eagerly await the results of your review of mifepristone safety data… I ask that you take swift action against abortion drug providers that distribute mifepristone contrary to federal regulations. These actions would go a long way toward protecting women’s health and safety.”
    Read the full letter here or below. 
    Dear Secretary Kennedy:
    I write to thank you for your expressed commitment to review the safety data on mifepristone following the publication of alarming new safety studies and to once again request swift action on this matter to protect American women.
    On April 28, I sent a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Dr. Marty Makary, asking for a timely review of the safety of mifepristone in response to shocking new data showing high adverse event rates for mifepristone. Dr. Makary sent me a letter in response expressing a commitment to conducting such a review. I am grateful to both you and Dr. Makary for undertaking this critical work.
    As I have shared with you, recent studies using insurance claims data to conduct post-market safety analyses have raised serious concerns about the chemical abortion drug. Researchers with the Foundation for the Restoration of America and Ethics and Public Policy Center found that about 11% of women who take mifepristone for an abortion experience a serious adverse health event—a rate 22 times higher than the FDA claims. Additionally, a follow-up Ethics and Public Policy Center study based on the same data shows that for pregnancy termination, mifepristone had a 5.26% failure rate, which is significantly higher than the rate listed on the FDA label.
    Despite these documented safety risks, online providers continue to distribute mifepristone in violation of FDA guidelines and State laws. Recent investigative reporting has demonstrated that abortion drugs can be easily obtained online in a manner outside of the FDA’s approved use or without confirming a pregnancy at all. This environment poses serious and potentially life-threatening consequences for American women.
    I eagerly await the results of your review of mifepristone safety data. In the meantime, I urge you to reverse changes to the mifepristone Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) made during Democrat presidential administrations that weakened protections for women. Previous requirements such as in-person visits with a provider, follow-up visits, and adverse event reporting must be immediately reinstated to protect women against serious complications and bolster informed consent. Furthermore, I ask that you take swift action against abortion drug providers that distribute mifepristone contrary to federal regulations. These actions would go a long way toward protecting women’s health and safety.
    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
    Sincerely,
    Josh HawleyUnited States Senator

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Wins Cancelation of Grain Belt Express

    US Senate News:

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

    Wednesday, July 23, 2025

    U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) succeeded today in securing the cancelation of a Biden-era Green New Deal loan in Missouri. Following Senator Hawley’s request, the Department of Energy canceled $5 billion in taxpayer funding to the “Grain Belt Express,” a green transmission project that has taken the land of numerous Missouri farmers across eight counties while padding the corporate profits of parent company Invenergy.

    The Grain Belt Express boondoggle loan has been CANCELLED
    — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 23, 2025
    The cancelation of the federal loan guarantee comes after Senator Hawley secured a pledge from Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright to halt the project. Senator Hawley sent a letter to the DOE in March urging the department to cancel the loan, as well as a follow-up letter in June. 
    Senator Hawley worked for years to prevent federal confiscation of Missourians’ property and will continue to do so. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Collins, King Announce More Than $20.5 Million for Economic Development Projects Across Maine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King announced that 29 Maine organizations will receive a total of $20,588,173 to support important development projects. The funding comes from the Northern Border Regional Commission’s (NBRC) Fiscal Year 2025 Catalyst Program and Timber for Transit Program and will support projects aimed at strengthening economic opportunity in communities across 13 Maine counties.
    “The NBRC has long helped provide rural regions with the economic tools they need to prosper,” said Senators Collins and King. “This funding will help improve water infrastructure and roadways in communities across our state while strengthening our workforce and creating economic opportunities for Mainers.”
    The recipients of the Catalyst Program funding are as follows:
    Boothbay Region Water District – $1,000,000
    City of Gardiner – $1,000,000
    Mount Desert Island Hospital – $1,000,000
    Presque Isle Utilities District – $1,000,000
    Town of Waldoboro – $1,000,000
    Regional Medical Center at Lubec – $800,000
    Cherryfield Town Square – $500,000
    Eastern Maine Development Corporation – $500,000
    Friends of the Mountain – $500,000
    Main Street Skowhegan – $500,000
    Maine Department of Labor – $500,000
    Maine Outdoor Brands – $500,000
    Paris Utility District – $500,000
    The Harry E. Davis Partnership for Children’s Oral Health – $499,613
    Associated General Contractors of Maine – $497,961
    Town of Thomaston – $497,640
    Maine Community College System – $497,537
    Town of Beals – $482,236
    Arnold Trail Snowmobile Network – $403,409
    GrowSmart Maine – $388,700
    Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce – $303,150
    Midcoast Council of Governments – $300,000
    Bangor Children’s Home d.b.a. Hilltop School – $227,735
    Island Institute – $181,712
    Town of North Haven – $100,000
    The recipients of the Timber for Transit Program funding are as follows:
    Town of Island Falls – $2,808,000
    City of Presque Isle – $2,500,000
    University of Maine, Orono Campus – $1,000,000
    Inland Woods and Trails – $600,480
    A detailed description of all funded projects can be read here.
    The NBRC was established by Congress in 2008, with Senator Collins’ and King’s support, to fund a broad range of development projects in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York aimed at alleviating economic distress and encouraging private sector job creation. In 2023, Senator Collins introduced and Senator King co-sponsored a bill to reauthorize and strengthen the NBRC.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Calling on U.S. Senate to Ratify Global Ocean Governing Agreement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), co-chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus, has introduced a bipartisan resolution urging the U.S. Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS, which has been ratified by 170 parties, defines the rights and responsibilities of nations regarding the world’s oceans — including guidelines for businesses and the management of marine natural resources — and provides a legal framework to protect those rights while avoiding conflict.
    “America is an Arctic Nation, but as we fail to assert our rights on the global stage, we allow rival countries to seize opportunities in our maritime territory that should rightfully be ours,” said U.S. Senate Arctic Caucus Co-Chair Senator Angus King (I-ME). “Signing on to the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea would give us our rightful seat at the table for international conversations about territorial rights, navigation, environmental protections and economic opportunities — especially in the race for critical minerals that will unlock our technological future. Every military official and diplomatic appointee I have met with has said that America joining the Law of the Sea Treaty would assist in advancing America’s interests, increase our supply chain resilience, and strengthen our national security. The High North offers historical possibilities for America’s future, but we are holding ourselves back by standing still.”
    UNCLOS — sometimes referred to as the “constitution of the oceans” — is a comprehensive legal framework governing all uses of the world’s oceans and seas, and their resources. It also allows for further development of specific areas of the law of the sea. It is the globally recognized framework for dealing with all matters relating to the law of the sea, governing areas including, but not limited to, environmental control, marine scientific research, economic and commercial activities, and the settlement of disputes relating to ocean matters. Without American agreement to the treaty, the United States cannot enforce their maritime boundaries and rights against nations like China, Japan, and India investing in icebreakers and other High North hardware.
    The treaty was opened for signature on December 10, 1982, and was entered into force on November 16, 1994. The United States signed UNCLOS on July 29, 1994, but the U.S. Senate has not yet voted to ratify the treaty, despite urging from environmental, scientific, labor, and industry organizations.
    In addition to Senator King, the resolution was cosponsored by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Todd Young (R-IN). The full text of the resolution is available here.
    As Co-Chair of the U.S. Senate Arctic Caucus, Senator King is an advocate for Maine and America’s interests in the North Atlantic and Arctic region — with Maine being the first port in the contiguous 48 states that will see increased traffic via activity in northern waters. Along with Caucus co-chair Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), King introduced the Arctic Commitment Act in 2022 to improve America’s posture and opportunities in the Arctic. He has been calling for the appointment of an Arctic Ambassador since 2015, and pushed for the confirmation of the first Arctic Ambassador last year. King also laid out the challenges and opportunities of a warming arctic in an article in the Wilson Quarterly, and in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act, he successfully secured the inclusion of provisions including funding authorizations for University of Maine to increase America’s activity and opportunities in the Far North. Earlier this year, in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Senator King warned the Commander of the United States European Command of the “looming threat” of Arctic aggression.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Drones

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 22, 2025

    During his opening, Durbin called out the Trump Administration for neglecting serious threats posed by unauthorized drone use as it focuses federal law enforcement efforts on mass deportation

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Securing the Skies: Law Enforcement, Drones, and Public Safety.” During his opening remarks, Durbin criticized the Trump Administration’s unilateral focus on mass deportation at the expense of addressing serious threats posed by hostile foreign nations, cartels, and other malign actors. Further, Durbin expressed his frustration that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has failed to testify before the Committee on her agency’s unprecedented campaign of mass deportation.

     

    Key Quotes:

     

    “Thanks, Chairman Grassley, for holding this hearing to highlight the need to better combat the threat posed by unmanned aircraft systems, known as drones. As the use of drones continues to increase, these conversations are more important than ever.

    “However, I want to first note that while we have witnesses from the Trump Administration, and they are welcome, this Committee has yet to hear from Homeland Security Secretary Noem on this issue and a broad array of other critical issues. Secretary Noem is overseeing an unprecedented campaign of mass deportations. She should answer for the indiscriminate arrests of law-abiding individuals by masked officials, and even the arrest and detention of U.S. citizens, including [a] veteran.”

    “Why do I bring this up today? Because this Administration is diverting federal law enforcement away from countering threats to our nation in order to participate in its mass deportation campaign.”

    “As we will discuss today, there is a real threat posed by hostile foreign nations, cartels, and other malign actors exploiting drone technology for espionage, cyber-attacks, and drug and weapons trafficking. So, we need to hear from Secretary Noem about why she is shifting the focus of the agency she leads away from these threats to our homeland in order to arrest immigrants with no criminal record [and with] deep roots in our country.”

    “The FAA reports that over a million drones are currently registered in the United States for a broad range of commercial and recreational activities—from farming to photography to journalism. Law enforcement and government agencies also use drones for search and rescue, disasters, surveillance of criminal activity, and even traffic enforcement.”

    “But, like any technology, drones can also be dangerous. Drone operators can create safety hazards simply by flying into restricted areas, even if they do so by accident. Criminals and foreign adversaries also use drones for cyber-attacks, espionage, and transportation of drugs, weapons, or other contraband—including into prisons and across our borders.”

    “For example, if I am sitting at Wrigley Field during a ball game with my grandkids, and I see a drone in the sky, I want to know that drone is safe and is authorized to be there.”

    “Currently, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security are among four federal agencies with drone detection and mitigation authorities. These authorities allow DOJ and DHS to detect, track, monitor, seize, and even destroy drones that pose a credible threat to [places] such as federal courthouses, prisons, and mass gatherings.”

    “The challenge we face now is how to update these authorities to enable law enforcement to protect us from nefarious drone activity without endangering civilian air traffic and people or property on the ground and [while] honor[ing] our First and Fourth Amendment. Addressing the threats posed by drones will require carefully tailored authorities with strong safeguards.”

    “I hope that today’s hearing will be a step forward to reaching a bipartisan, bicameral agreement.”

    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

     

    -30-

     

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Durbin Pushes Back Against Trump Administration’s Focus On Mass Deportation While Unauthorized Drone Usage Threatens National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 22, 2025

    In today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Durbin called on the Trump Administration to focus on real threats to national security rather than mass deportation efforts

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Securing the Skies: Law Enforcement, Drones, and Public Safety.” During his questioning, Durbin made clear that the Trump Administration should utilize its resources to address the serious threat of unauthorized drone usage, including at the U.S.-Mexico border and special events, rather than unilaterally focusing on the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, many of whom do not have a criminal record.

     

    “If you determine there’s a malicious drone overhead at one of these events, what do you do to mitigate the threat?” Durbin asked Michael Torphy, Unit Chief and Supervisory Special Agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

     

    Mr. Torphy explained that FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implement flight restrictions during special events and that some drone manufacturers will provide a software barrier based on the geo-fence created by federal agencies. Mr. Torphy noted that FBI uses two forms of mitigation – ground interception in which FBI teams and law enforcement make physical contact with the unauthorized drone pilot and using technical countermeasures in which FBI uses technology to disrupt the unauthorized drone’s signal.

     

    Durbin then asked Steven Willoughby, Director of the Counter-UAS Program Management Office at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), about DHS plans to address the threat of unauthorized drones used by drug traffickers while Secretary Noem continues to put a larger emphasis on deporting undocumented immigrants without a criminal record.

    “Mr. Willoughby, part of your testimony suggests that in some ways we are fighting the last war when it comes to narcotics in this country, which is a scourge and kills so many innocent people. Of course, we are mindful that individuals transport these narcotics with the simplest forms of communication, transportation, trucks, and the like. But what you are suggesting is now they are flying these narcotics into this country. It’s an amazing number – 27,000 drones were detected in the last six months of 2024. You go through the various ways they are using to avoid detection in this situation. We just recently had a debate over a reconciliation bill, where we are investing billions, billions of dollars in detention facilities and new things that will be built at the border to deal with the human trafficking back-and-forth over the border. How much is it going to take for us to deal with the drone threat that you have outlined very specifically?” Durbin asked.

     

    Mr. Willoughby replied that transnational criminal organizations are moving operations to locations along the border where DHS operators cannot interdict drones. Mr. Willoughby noted that significant investment is needed to properly detect drones operating along the border.

     

    Durbin concluded by underscoring that DHS and FBI should be investing in resources to address unauthorized drone use rather than deport undocumented immigrants without a criminal record.

     

    “This seems like a big undertaking. I will just say for the record, now that we know of those who are being deported in the mass deportation policy of President Trump, eight percent have a criminal record, which means that 11 out of the 12 we are deporting do not have a criminal record. And yet we are going through all of the infrastructure necessary and process necessary to deport them. It seems to me that if we are going after real threats, current threats, and growing threats to the United States, we should divert some of this money from the mass deportation, which is only deporting people who overstayed a visitor visa for example, instead of focusing on what you have identified as a scary prospect, the 2,000 mile border that is vulnerable to these narcotics and other dangerous elements that are being sent into our country,” Durbin said.

     

    Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey Urges AI Companies to Reject Trump’s Unconstitutional “Anti-Woke” AI Actions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Markey says Trump’s AI Action Plan and Executive Order are “factually baseless and patently unconstitutional”

    Set of Letters (PDF)

    Washington (July 23,2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today sent letters to the chief executive officers of Alphabet, Anthropic, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, and xAI, slamming Trump’s AI Action Plan and executive order that prohibits federal agencies from contracting for any artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that is not “free from top-down ideological bias.”

    In his letters, Senator Markey pointed out the double standard of Republicans complaining about biased AI chatbots even when Grok, the chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s AI company, acknowledged that it was trained to “appeal to the right.” Senator Markey urged the AI companies to fight this unconstitutional executive order and not become pawns in Trump’s effort to eliminate dissent in the United States.

    Senator Markey writes, “In their broad claims about censorship by the tech platforms, Republicans continue to mistake fact-based outcomes for bias against conservatives. Although the right continues to lean heavily on anecdotal examples of Big Tech’s alignment with liberal viewpoints, it ignores even more egregious evidence to the contrary. For example, on May 1, 2025, Grok — the AI chatbot developed by xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company—acknowledged that ‘xAI tried to train me to appeal to the right.’ If OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini had responded that it was trained to appeal to the left, congressional Republicans would have been outraged and opened an investigation. Instead, they were silent.”

    Senator Markey continues, “Even if the claims of bias were accurate, the Republicans’ effort to use their political power — both through the executive branch and through congressional investigations — to modify the platforms’ speech is dangerous and unconstitutional. Through the AI executive order, Republicans are using state power to pressure private companies to adopt certain political viewpoints, in this case by pressuring the Big Tech companies to ensure that responses from AI chatbots meet some unspecified, vague definition of ideological neutrality. The details and implementation plan for this executive order remain unclear but it will create significant financial incentives for the Big Tech companies — many of whom have multi-million or multi-billion-dollar contracts with the federal government — to ensure their AI chatbots do not produce speech that would upset the Trump administration. This type of interference with private speech is precisely why the U.S. Constitution has a First Amendment.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of Subcommittee Hearing on Civil Rights Division, Welch Releases New Materials Showing Changing Enforcement Priorities at DOJ

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, sent his colleagues a memorandum with the new policy statements provided to career attorneys at the Civil Rights Division, which have not been made public.  
    The policy statements, transmitted to nine of the eleven sections of the Civil Rights Division by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, largely replace long-standing enforcement priorities with President Trump’s executive orders and political priorities. The memo also sheds light on Assistant Attorney General Dhillon’s efforts to oust career attorneys through reassignments and resignations. Senator Welch’s office obtained data showing that since the beginning of President Trump’s second term, more than 368 individuals have left the Civil Rights Division and only two Section chiefs remain in place.  
    The directives in the memo have not been shared publicly by DOJ, which refused to provide them in response to a request by Senator Welch along with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin, and Senators Hirono, Whitehouse, Schiff, Booker, and Padilla.  
    This afternoon, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution will hold a hearing on the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, with witnesses Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, plus Gene Hamilton, President, America First Legal, and Alabama State Senator Robert Stewart. State Senator Stewart represents Lowndes County, Alabama, where the Civil Rights Division recently withdrew from a settlement following an 18-month investigation which found that officials’ enforcement of sanitation laws threatened Lowndes County residents, who are largely rural and Black. 
    Read the Executive Summary from Senator Welch’s memo below: 
    “The new information contained in this memorandum demonstrates the extent to which the longstanding enforcement objectives of each of the Division’s sections have been narrowed, changed, and in some cases reversed under AAG Dhillon’s leadership to mirror and advance President Trump’s political agenda. As stated in multiple of the new policy directives: 

    The zealous and faithful pursuit of this section’s mission requires dedication of the section’s resources, actions, attention, and energy to the priorities and objectives of the President. 

    “Created by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, Congress charged the Civil Rights Division with enforcing federal statutes that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, national origin, and citizenship status. The Division is meant to prohibit discrimination in education, protect voting rights, prevent discrimination by federal funding recipients, investigate illegal bias in housing, and defend the rights of those with disabilities. It is common for the Division’s priorities to shift across presidential administrations, but the Division’s civil rights enforcement has always rested on this nonpartisan foundation.  
    “The new policy statements are woven together by a common thread—rather than prioritizing the enforcement of federal civil rights laws, career attorneys have been explicitly directed to faithfully and zealously dedicate their efforts to the “priorities and objectives of the President.” Most of the policy statements directly cite the President’s executive orders. Nearly half of the policy statements reference social issues President Trump has campaigned on, such as prohibiting gender-affirming care and preventing the “radical indoctrination” of elementary school students. Some policy statements fail to mention basic statutes the Division is tasked with enforcing. 
    “Also under AAG Dhillon’s leadership, career Division attorneys have been reassigned and pressured to resign. Since January 2025, more than 368 individuals have left the Division and only two Section Chiefs remain in place. There is no precedent, in the history of the Civil Rights Division, for dismantling the Division on this scale. AAG Dhillon has described her objective in leading the Division as “turning the train around and driving in the opposite direction[.]” She has done just that.” 
    Read and download the full memo here.  
    Senator Welch and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) led their colleagues on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution in demanding answers from DOJ concerning the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department’s Civil Rights Division. 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. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: N.M. Delegation Announces President’s Approval of Major Disaster Declaration for Lincoln County, Maintains Push for Major Disaster Declaration for Chaves, Otero, & Valencia Counties

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) released the following joint statement, welcoming President Donald Trump’s granting of a Major Disaster Declaration for Lincoln County, while renewing their call for President Trump to grant a Major Disaster Declaration for Chaves, Otero, and Valencia Counties and authorize Public Assistance Categories C-G in the wake of severe flooding that took the lives of three people and damaged homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure.

    “The loss of life and devastation in Ruidoso as a result of this catastrophic flooding is horrific and heartbreaking. After seeing the destruction firsthand and hearing from families who have lost everything, our thoughts remain with those mourning loved ones and the hundreds of New Mexicans forced to flee their homes or watch their businesses be destroyed. We are deeply grateful to the first responders, local leaders, medical providers, and rescue teams working tirelessly to help their communities recover.

    “This Major Disaster Declaration for Lincoln County will unlock funding needed for disaster response, and we will continue to push President Trump to grant the State’s Major Disaster Declaration request for Chaves, Otero, and Valencia Counties and authorize additional Public Assistance to make sure that all New Mexicans impacted by this disaster are provided with the federal support necessary to rebuild.”

    On July 10, the N.M. Delegation welcomed an emergency declaration for Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, and Valencia Counties. The emergency declaration opened up access to specific FEMA funds for immediate disaster response, including support for search and rescue and incident management efforts. An emergency declaration does not preclude a subsequent Major Disaster Declaration. Therefore, the N.M. Delegation pushed President Trump to approve a Major Disaster Declaration request from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

    Through a Major Disaster Declaration request, the State of New Mexico has requested Public Assistance, Category A through G, including Direct Federal Assistance for Lincoln County, Chaves County, Otero County, and Valencia County, as well as Individual Assistance, including Housing Assistance, Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance, Disaster Case Management, Transitional Sheltering Assistance, Serious Needs Assistance, Crisis Counseling, Disaster Legal Services, Disaster Unemployment, and Displacement Assistance for Lincoln County and Valencia County. The State also requested Hazard Mitigation statewide, as facilitated by New Mexico’s Natural Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plan.

    The N.M. Delegation will continue to push President Trump to authorize Public Assistance Categories C-G and approve a Major Disaster Declaration request for Chaves, Otero, and Valencia Counties from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

    Additionally, on July 15, the N.M. Delegation called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Acting Director David Richardson to disburse critical and overdue funds that would provide immediate assistance in response to the catastrophic flash flooding in and around Ruidoso.

    In a letter to OMB Director Vought and FEMA Acting Director Richardson, the Delegation urged OMB to release reimbursement funds from a project undertaken in the wake of last year’s South Fork and Salt Fires — currently stalled in “Large Project Review” — so they can be redirected to Lincoln County after recent severe flooding. The project in question was completed last year, has been fully reviewed by FEMA, and has an estimated cost of $7.7 million. These funds could be deployed immediately to assist Lincoln County and impacted residents as they continue to assess and respond to the recent severe flooding. But with no timeline provided to Lincoln County or the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) for completing the “Large Project Review” by the Administration, the Delegations is demanding answers. Read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: N.M. Delegation Announces President’s Approval of Major Disaster Declaration for Lincoln County, Maintains Push for Major Disaster Declaration for Chaves, Otero, & Valencia Counties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) released the following joint statement, welcoming President Donald Trump’s granting of a Major Disaster Declaration for Lincoln County, while renewing their call for President Trump to grant a Major Disaster Declaration for Chaves, Otero, and Valencia Counties and authorize Public Assistance Categories C-G in the wake of severe flooding that took the lives of three people and damaged homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure.
    “The loss of life and devastation in Ruidoso as a result of this catastrophic flooding is horrific and heartbreaking. After seeing the destruction firsthand and hearing from families who have lost everything, our thoughts remain with those mourning loved ones and the hundreds of New Mexicans forced to flee their homes or watch their businesses be destroyed. We are deeply grateful to the first responders, local leaders, medical providers, and rescue teams working tirelessly to help their communities recover.
    “This Major Disaster Declaration for Lincoln County will unlock funding needed for disaster response, and we will continue to push President Trump to grant the State’s Major Disaster Declaration request for Chaves, Otero, and Valencia Counties and authorize additional Public Assistance to make sure that all New Mexicans impacted by this disaster are provided with the federal support necessary to rebuild.”
    On July 10, the N.M. Delegation welcomed an emergency declaration for Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, and Valencia Counties. The emergency declaration opened up access to specific FEMA funds for immediate disaster response, including support for search and rescue and incident management efforts. An emergency declaration does not preclude a subsequent Major Disaster Declaration. Therefore, the N.M. Delegation pushed President Trump to approve a Major Disaster Declaration request from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
    Through a Major Disaster Declaration request, the State of New Mexico has requested Public Assistance, Category A through G, including Direct Federal Assistance for Lincoln County, Chaves County, Otero County, and Valencia County, as well as Individual Assistance, including Housing Assistance, Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance, Disaster Case Management, Transitional Sheltering Assistance, Serious Needs Assistance, Crisis Counseling, Disaster Legal Services, Disaster Unemployment, and Displacement Assistance for Lincoln County and Valencia County. The State also requested Hazard Mitigation statewide, as facilitated by New Mexico’s Natural Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plan.
    The N.M. Delegation will continue to push President Trump to authorize Public Assistance Categories C-G and approve a Major Disaster Declaration request for Chaves, Otero, and Valencia Counties from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
    Additionally, on July 15, the N.M. Delegation called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Acting Director David Richardson to disburse critical and overdue funds that would provide immediate assistance in response to the catastrophic flash flooding in and around Ruidoso.
    In a letter to OMB Director Vought and FEMA Acting Director Richardson, the Delegation urged OMB to release reimbursement funds from a project undertaken in the wake of last year’s South Fork and Salt Fires — currently stalled in “Large Project Review” — so they can be redirected to Lincoln County after recent severe flooding. The project in question was completed last year, has been fully reviewed by FEMA, and has an estimated cost of $7.7 million. These funds could be deployed immediately to assist Lincoln County and impacted residents as they continue to assess and respond to the recent severe flooding. But with no timeline provided to Lincoln County or the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) for completing the “Large Project Review” by the Administration, the Delegations is demanding answers. Read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Secures Commitments From Military Nominees to Prevent Civilian Harm, Study the Long-Term Effects of Blast Overpressure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    July 23, 2025

    Lieutenant General Anderson agrees that following the laws of war to protect civilians is “critical to our success and competition.”

    Vice Admiral Bradley voices support to study the long-term effects of blast overpressure exposure: “People are more important than hardware, and the critical part of those people is the intellectual capacity.”

    Video of Exchange (YouTube)

    Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Personnel Subcommittee, secured commitments from Vice Admiral Frank M. Bradley and Lieutenant General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, nominees to be Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), respectively, on integrating and protecting reforms from Republican and Democratic administrations on civilian harm prevention. Senator Warren also secured support from Vice Admiral Bradley to partner with outside experts to conduct a longitudinal study of blast overpressure.

    Senator Warren has continued to lead the charge in pushing Trump administration nominees to prioritize civilian harm prevention. In his March 2025 nomination hearing, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby agreed with Senator Warren that civilian harm prevention is crucial to national security and that commanders can make better decisions in the field when they are trained on how to avoid civilian casualties.

    During the hearing, Senator Warren highlighted that the outgoing head of SOCOM, General Fenton, confirmed that civilian harm experts have “assisted commanders and their staffs in mitigating civilian harm without compromising lethality” and that their knowledge has “enhanced precision, preserving legitimacy and enabling mission success.” Vice Admiral Bradley committed to keeping civilian harm prevention as a “focus for our command” and affirmed it is “a critical obligation” for all Department of Defense (DoD) personnel using or overseeing lethal force to protect civilians, saying, “it is critical to our success and competition.”

    Similarly, Lieutenant General Anderson said prioritizing civilian harm mitigation planning “is a critically important show of our values” and that he would carry forward efforts to work with regional partners on civilian harm prevention and investigating incidents of civilian harm.

    Senator Warren also raised her concerns about the high levels of traumatic brain injuries caused by blast overpressure and the need to address the long-term effects—an initiative that has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate versions of the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (FY26 NDAA). In response, Vice Admiral Bradley supported DoD working with outside experts and organizations to study the long-term effects of blast overpressure.

    “People are more important than hardware, and the critical part of those people are the intellectual capacity… We see them as a critical contract with our operators and our operators’ families to ensure that we keep them sustainable,” said Vice Admiral Bradley.

    Senator Warren secured key wins earlier this month during the markup of the FY26 NDAA, including bipartisan support for a provision requiring DoD to provide a congressional briefing on the feasibility of conducting a study on the long-term effects of blast overpressure exposure. In September 2024, Senator Warren led a forum in Massachusetts on the importance of addressing these issues with leading brain health personnel at DoD and experts from Home Base, a national nonprofit organization in Charlestown that treats invisible wounds of veterans, service members, military families, and families of the fallen.

    Transcript: Hearings to examine the nominations of Vice Admiral Frank M. Bradley, USN, to be admiral and Commander, United States Special Operation Command, and Lieutenant General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, USAF, to be general and Commander, United States Africa Command
    Senate Armed Services Committee
    July 22, 2025

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and congratulations to both of you on your nominations.

    So, the American military is built to defeat our enemies, not to create more of them, and that is why Republican and Democratic administrations have worked to reduce risks to innocent civilians as part of military operations. In fact, the last Trump administration issued the DoD’s first instruction to establish policies to mitigate civilian harm after concerns grew about civilian casualties in the campaign against ISIS. Now, one of the tools that commanders now have in the toolkit is working with civilian harm and mitigation response advisors, from refining war games to real attack planning in the Middle East and Africa operations, and more.

    Vice Admiral Bradley, your predecessor at Special Operations Command, recently said that these experts “assisted commanders and their staffs in mitigating civilian harm without compromising lethality.” What’s more, their knowledge “enhanced precision, preserving legitimacy, and enabling mission success.”

    So, Vice Admiral Bradley, if you are confirmed, will you commit to keeping civilian harm prevention experts at SOCOM to advise you and your team?

    Vice Admiral Frank M. Bradley: Senator, first, just to resonate, it is not only an obligation to adhere to the law of armed conflict to protect civilians. It is critical to our success and competition to represent our values. I believe that every uniform, every civilian, and every contractor that is employed or in oversight of the use of lethal force has a critical obligation to be able to do that, and I do commit to keeping that as a focus for our command if confirmed.

    Senator Warren: Thank you. That is a strong answer, and I appreciate it. You know, other tools in the toolkit here are the civilian harm mitigation and response action plan and DOD policy instruction on civilian harm, which outline DoD plans and policies to reduce civilian harm risks. AFRICOM has made progress in implementing these policies, including through training allies and partners on how to reduce risks to innocent civilians. We are serving as a model that our other partners are now beginning to adopt. In May, the Nigerian Air Force announced its own civilian harm prevention plan. These are efforts that save innocent lives.

    Lieutenant General Anderson, if you’re confirmed, will you carry forward these efforts to integrate civilian harm mitigation planning into AFRICOM operations and train allies in the region to help them do the same?

    Lieutenant General Dagvin R.M. Anderson: Senator, to echo Vice Admiral Bradley’s importance of this: this is a critically important show of our values. It’s also important that we maintain the laws of armed conflict, and, when we engage with our partners, that we help them educate and that we model this. And this has been something that when I was at Special Operations Command Africa, we did. We worked with partners, and when we saw things or heard of things that were credible, we encouraged them to investigate and to look into this, and then we gave them assistance as needed in order for them to conduct their own investigation. So I will continue, if confirmed, to take that on at AFRICOM.

    Senator Warren: I appreciate that. I want to get one other point here, because we also need to reduce harm to our own special operators. I’ve worked with Senator Ernst and others on this committee for years to address high levels of brain injury caused by blast over pressure exposed service members have reported debilitating symptoms, from seizures to depression to suicidality. And now, preliminary research is showing high rates of heart disease, chronic pain, hypertension, even links to brain cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Clearly, we have a lot more we need to learn.

    So, let me ask Vice Admiral Bradley, if confirmed, you’ll oversee tens of thousands of Special Operations personnel. Do you support DoD partnering with outside experts to study the long-term effects of blast overpressure?

    Vice Admiral Bradley: Senator, I do. I have seen great benefit from our partnerships with academia and other organizations that are studying this problem critically. Our number one soft truth is that people are more important than hardware, and the critical part of those people is the intellectual capacity. Of course, that is jeopardized by these brain health issues, and we see them as a critical contract with our operators and our operators’ families to ensure that we keep them sustainable.

    Senator Warren: I appreciate that very, very much. If you’re confirmed, I’ll be calling on you to help us with that. There’s language in both the House and the Senate NDAA that would help us get this study, and there are lots of organizations like Home Base Massachusetts who have the expertise to help us get these answers. We owe this to our service members. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, and Colleagues Press FAA on Federal Workforce Cuts and Use of AI on Aviation Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and nine of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford requesting answers on the impact of FAA workforce reductions on aviation safety, including among analytical staff who proactively identify safety risks. The senators also inquired about comments by FAA officials suggesting the agency is using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze safety data to identify risks.

    “The tragic crash of American Airlines flight 5342 highlighted serious gaps in our aviation safety system and demonstrated the need for a robust and experienced analytical workforce at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Unfortunately, over the past six months, your agency has significantly reduced its workforce. We are deeply concerned about these reductions’ impact on aviation safety,” the lawmakers wrote.

    “The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the crash of American Airlines flight 5342 has demonstrated the need for a robust FAA workforce, beyond the air traffic controllers and other FAA personnel on the front lines of our aviation system. According to the NTSB investigation, more than 15,000 ‘close proximity events’ occurred at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport over the last five years—reflecting a shockingly high trend that the FAA should have identified…It’s critical that this Administration ensures the FAA has the workforce capacity to proactively and properly analyze aviation safety data to prevent another crash like the American Airlines flight 5342 tragedy,” the senators continued.  

    “In the aftermath of the crash, the FAA should be analyzing the near miss data from events at Reagan National Airport and reviewing the sufficiency of FAA staffing. Instead, the agency has moved ahead with workforce reductions. In particular, FAA fired hundreds of probationary employees in critical support roles key to assisting air traffic controllers in doing their jobs,” the lawmakers wrote. 

    The lawmakers requested the following information by August 11, 2025:

    1. For each FAA line of business and its relevant suboffices, please provide the (a) number of employees employed as of January 1, 2025, (b) number of employees employed as of July 1, 2025, and (c) the current number of job openings. 
    2. For each FAA line of business and its relevant suboffices, please indicate whether any of its job positions are currently subject to a hiring freeze as of January 20, 2025.
    3. Please provide the analysis conducted by the Office of Airports related to the impact of workforce cuts on its safety mission.
    4. Besides the Office of Airports, please explain if any other FAA line of business has conducted an analysis of the impact of workforce cuts on its ability to deliver its mission. If so, please provide those analyses. 
    5. Please explain all relevant FAA lines of business and relevant suboffices charged with identifying aviation safety trends and possible safety risks affecting airport operations in congested airspace. 
    6. What specific AI tools is the FAA using to analyze aviation safety impacts and flight data and how is this improving FAA’s analysis? Does the FAA have adequate staff, familiar with these tools, to manage this analysis and ensure the security of the data used and generated by AI?

    In addition to Warner, Kaine, and Markey, the letter was cosigned by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT). 

    Warner and Kaine have long championed aviation safety and spoken out against federal workforce reductions at the FAA and other agencies. Following the January 29, 2025 collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Warner and Kaine demanded answers from the FAA on additional safety measures to protect the public and expressed concerns about the impact of the “Department of Government Efficiency” in addressing issues that led to the mid-air collision. The senators also introduced legislation to strengthen aviation safety. Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, successfully got a provision included in the committee-passed Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act to require that all Department of Defense aircraft that operate near commercial airports be equipped with broadcast positioning technology. Earlier this year, Kaine invited Jason King, a veteran from Fairfax who was fired from his position in the FAA’s safety division, as his guest to the State of the Union address. King was rehired after the State of the Union. 

    Full text of the letter is available here and below: 

    Dear Administrator Bedford,

    The tragic crash of American Airlines flight 5342 highlighted serious gaps in our aviation safety system and demonstrated the need for a robust and experienced analytical workforce at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Unfortunately, over the past six months, your agency has significantly reduced its workforce. We are deeply concerned about these reductions’ impact on aviation safety. We therefore write to request information on changes in the FAA workforce and their impact on aviation safety, including any analyses that the FAA has conducted on the effects of workforce reductions on the agency’s safety mission. 

    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the crash of American Airlines flight 5342 has demonstrated the need for a robust FAA workforce, beyond the air traffic controllers and other FAA personnel on the front lines of our aviation system. According to the NTSB investigation, more than 15,000 “close proximity events” occurred at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport over the last five years — reflecting a shockingly high trend that the FAA should have identified. At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing in March, the then-Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau acknowledged that the agency missed this warning sign, in part because of the sheer volume of data that FAA personnel must analyze. The Acting Administrator’s testimony illustrated the need for an FAA workforce robust and experienced enough to analyze all relevant data and identify safety risks. It’s critical that this Administration ensures the FAA has the workforce capacity to proactively and properly analyze aviation safety data to prevent another crash like the American Airlines flight 5342 tragedy.

    Despite this clear need for enhanced analytical capacity, the FAA has instead moved to reduce its workforce during this critical period. In the aftermath of the crash, the FAA should be analyzing the near miss data from events at Reagan National Airport and reviewing the sufficiency of FAA staffing. Instead, the agency has moved ahead with workforce reductions. In particular, FAA fired hundreds of probationary employees in critical support roles key to assisting air traffic controllers in doing their jobs. With the Department of Transportation (DOT) pushing personnel to leave via two rounds of the Deferred Resignation Program — under which employees could elect to resign and receive pay until September 2025 — coupled with the federal hiring freeze, federal officials are leaving their jobs and it may be difficult for the FAA to attract new, qualified employees. Although the DOT assured Senators that key FAA safety staff were exempt from firings and the Deferred Resignation Program, the FAA has still not clarified whether it has the staff it needs to ensure the safety of the American public. Estimates from the DOT suggest that between 1,000 and 3,000 employees may leave the agency once the Deferred Resignation Program offers are finalized. According to an internal presentation to FAA management: “Employees are departing the agency in mass quantities across all skill levels.” Most recently, the Department of Transportation may now be able to move ahead with a large Reduction in Force after the Supreme Court’s recent ruling allowing federal agencies to move forward with staffing cuts consistent with existing federal law. This moment — after a tragic crash highlighted critical gaps in aviation safety — seems like precisely the wrong time for the FAA to aggressively shrink its workforce.

    Moreover, the FAA’s recent announcement that it is using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze its data — without explaining whether such AI tools are reliable or effective — provides little reassurance to the public. While we support the use of technology to improve how aviation safety data is used, the decision to rely on technological fixes while simultaneously moving ahead with staffing reductions is deeply worrisome. The FAA has not been transparent with Congress about the types of technology it is now using, whether those technologies are replacing, augmenting, or otherwise impacting the FAA workforce, or whether it requires human review of AI analyses before using any analysis in a safety-related decision. This reliance on technological fixes — without a transparent analysis of the FAA’s workforce levels and capacity— raises questions about the FAA’s commitment to prioritizing safety.

    If the FAA lacks the staff to identify safety risks before future incidents occur, Congress must be informed of this as soon as possible. At a recent Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Senators questioned FAA officials from the Office of Airports, the Office of Aviation Safety, and the Air Traffic Organization about the personnel reductions at their respective offices and whether their offices had conducted any analysis on the impact of these workforce cuts on aviation safety. Only the head of the FAA Office of Airports — which is charged with planning and developing a safe and efficient national airport system — responded that his Office had conducted such an analysis. Senators urged the FAA to turn over that analysis to the Committee, along with data on any workforce reductions, but to date it has not. It is essential that Congress have sufficient information to understand the impact of recent FAA personnel changes on aviation safety.

    To better understand the impact of FAA workforce reductions on aviation safety, please provide written responses to the following questions and requests for information by August 11, 2025:

    1. For each FAA line of business and its relevant suboffices, please provide the (a) number of employees employed as of January 1, 2025, (b) number of employees employed as of July 1, 2025, and (c) the current number of job openings.
    2. For each FAA line of business and its relevant suboffices, please indicate whether any of its job positions are currently subject to a hiring freeze as of January 20, 2025.
    3. Please provide the analysis conducted by the Office of Airports related to the impact of workforce cuts on its safety mission.
    4. Besides the Office of Airports, please explain if any other FAA line of business has conducted an analysis of the impact of workforce cuts on its ability to deliver its mission. If so, please provide those analyses.
    5. Please explain all relevant FAA lines of business and relevant suboffices charged with identifying aviation safety trends and possible safety risks affecting airport operations in congested airspace.
    6. What specific AI tools is the FAA using to analyze aviation safety impacts and flight data and how is this improving FAA’s analysis?
      1. Does the FAA have adequate staff, familiar with these tools, to manage this analysis and ensure the security of the data used and generated by AI?
      2. How were these AI tools selected? Please describe the specific testing or evaluation conducted in advance of the implementation of the tools and provide a copy of any reports or conclusions produced. If no testing or evaluation occurred, please explain why not.

    Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. 

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement of Vice Chairman Warner on DNI Gabbard’s Release of Partisan HPSCI Russia Report

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on DNI Gabbard’s release of a partisan report prepared by Republicans on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence regarding Russia’s intervention in the 2016 presidential election:

    “It seems as though the Trump administration is willing to declassify anything and everything except the Epstein files. The desperate and irresponsible release of the partisan House intelligence report puts at risk some of the most sensitive sources and methods our Intelligence Community uses to spy on Russia and keep Americans safe. And in doing so, Director Gabbard is sending a chilling message to our allies and assets around the world: the United States can no longer be trusted to protect the intelligence you share with us.

    “Let’s be clear: the bipartisan, unanimous finding of the Senate Intelligence Committee, after years of painstaking investigation, more than 200 witness interviews, and millions of documents, was that Russia launched a large-scale influence campaign in the 2016 election in order to help then-candidate Donald Trump. Nothing in this partisan, previously scuttled document changes that. Releasing this so-called report is just another reckless act by a Director of National Intelligence so desperate to please Donald Trump that she is willing to risk classified sources, betray our allies, and politicize the very intelligence she has been entrusted to protect.

    “The American people are right to continue asking: What are they trying to hide?”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, & Colleagues Press FAA on Federal Workforce Cuts and Use of AI on Aviation Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and nine of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford requesting answers on the impact of FAA workforce reductions on aviation safety, including among analytical staff who proactively identify safety risks. The senators also inquired about comments by FAA officials suggesting the agency is using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze safety data to identify risks.
    “The tragic crash of American Airlines flight 5342 highlighted serious gaps in our aviation safety system and demonstrated the need for a robust and experienced analytical workforce at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Unfortunately, over the past six months, your agency has significantly reduced its workforce. We are deeply concerned about these reductions’ impact on aviation safety,” the lawmakers wrote.
    “The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the crash of American Airlines flight 5342 has demonstrated the need for a robust FAA workforce, beyond the air traffic controllers and other FAA personnel on the front lines of our aviation system. According to the NTSB investigation, more than 15,000 ‘close proximity events’ occurred at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport over the last five years—reflecting a shockingly high trend that the FAA should have identified…It’s critical that this Administration ensures the FAA has the workforce capacity to proactively and properly analyze aviation safety data to prevent another crash like the American Airlines flight 5342 tragedy,” the senators continued.
    “In the aftermath of the crash, the FAA should be analyzing the near miss data from events at Reagan National Airport and reviewing the sufficiency of FAA staffing. Instead, the agency has moved ahead with workforce reductions. In particular, FAA fired hundreds of probationary employees in critical support roles key to assisting air traffic controllers in doing their jobs,” the lawmakers wrote.
    The lawmakers requested the following information by August 11, 2025:
    For each FAA line of business and its relevant suboffices, please provide the (a) number of employees employed as of January 1, 2025, (b) number of employees employed as of July 1, 2025, and (c) the current number of job openings.
    For each FAA line of business and its relevant suboffices, please indicate whether any of its job positions are currently subject to a hiring freeze as of January 20, 2025.
    Please provide the analysis conducted by the Office of Airports related to the impact of workforce cuts on its safety mission.
    Besides the Office of Airports, please explain if any other FAA line of business has conducted an analysis of the impact of workforce cuts on its ability to deliver its mission. If so, please provide those analyses.
    Please explain all relevant FAA lines of business and relevant suboffices charged with identifying aviation safety trends and possible safety risks affecting airport operations in congested airspace.
    What specific AI tools is the FAA using to analyze aviation safety impacts and flight data and how is this improving FAA’s analysis? Does the FAA have adequate staff, familiar with these tools, to manage this analysis and ensure the security of the data used and generated by AI?
    In addition to Warner, Kaine, and Markey, the letter was cosigned by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).
    Warner and Kaine have long championed aviation safety and spoken out against federal workforce reductions at the FAA and other agencies. Following the January 29, 2025 collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Warner and Kaine demanded answers from the FAA on additional safety measures to protect the public and expressed concerns about the impact of the “Department of Government Efficiency” in addressing issues that led to the mid-air collision. The senators also introduced legislation to strengthen aviation safety. Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, successfully got a provision included in the committee-passed Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act to require that all Department of Defense aircraft that operate near commercial airports be equipped with broadcast positioning technology. Earlier this year, Kaine invited Jason King, a veteran from Fairfax who was fired from his position in the FAA’s safety division, as his guest to the State of the Union address. King was rehired after the State of the Union.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Administrator Bedford,
    The tragic crash of American Airlines flight 5342 highlighted serious gaps in our aviation safety system and demonstrated the need for a robust and experienced analytical workforce at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Unfortunately, over the past six months, your agency has significantly reduced its workforce. We are deeply concerned about these reductions’ impact on aviation safety. We therefore write to request information on changes in the FAA workforce and their impact on aviation safety, including any analyses that the FAA has conducted on the effects of workforce reductions on the agency’s safety mission.
    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the crash of American Airlines flight 5342 has demonstrated the need for a robust FAA workforce, beyond the air traffic controllers and other FAA personnel on the front lines of our aviation system. According to the NTSB investigation, more than 15,000 “close proximity events” occurred at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport over the last five years — reflecting a shockingly high trend that the FAA should have identified. At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing in March, the then-Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau acknowledged that the agency missed this warning sign, in part because of the sheer volume of data that FAA personnel must analyze. The Acting Administrator’s testimony illustrated the need for an FAA workforce robust and experienced enough to analyze all relevant data and identify safety risks. It’s critical that this Administration ensures the FAA has the workforce capacity to proactively and properly analyze aviation safety data to prevent another crash like the American Airlines flight 5342 tragedy.
    Despite this clear need for enhanced analytical capacity, the FAA has instead moved to reduce its workforce during this critical period. In the aftermath of the crash, the FAA should be analyzing the near miss data from events at Reagan National Airport and reviewing the sufficiency of FAA staffing. Instead, the agency has moved ahead with workforce reductions. In particular, FAA fired hundreds of probationary employees in critical support roles key to assisting air traffic controllers in doing their jobs. With the Department of Transportation (DOT) pushing personnel to leave via two rounds of the Deferred Resignation Program — under which employees could elect to resign and receive pay until September 2025 — coupled with the federal hiring freeze, federal officials are leaving their jobs and it may be difficult for the FAA to attract new, qualified employees. Although the DOT assured Senators that key FAA safety staff were exempt from firings and the Deferred Resignation Program, the FAA has still not clarified whether it has the staff it needs to ensure the safety of the American public. Estimates from the DOT suggest that between 1,000 and 3,000 employees may leave the agency once the Deferred Resignation Program offers are finalized. According to an internal presentation to FAA management: “Employees are departing the agency in mass quantities across all skill levels.” Most recently, the Department of Transportation may now be able to move ahead with a large Reduction in Force after the Supreme Court’s recent ruling allowing federal agencies to move forward with staffing cuts consistent with existing federal law. This moment — after a tragic crash highlighted critical gaps in aviation safety — seems like precisely the wrong time for the FAA to aggressively shrink its workforce.
    Moreover, the FAA’s recent announcement that it is using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze its data — without explaining whether such AI tools are reliable or effective — provides little reassurance to the public. While we support the use of technology to improve how aviation safety data is used, the decision to rely on technological fixes while simultaneously moving ahead with staffing reductions is deeply worrisome. The FAA has not been transparent with Congress about the types of technology it is now using, whether those technologies are replacing, augmenting, or otherwise impacting the FAA workforce, or whether it requires human review of AI analyses before using any analysis in a safety-related decision. This reliance on technological fixes — without a transparent analysis of the FAA’s workforce levels and capacity— raises questions about the FAA’s commitment to prioritizing safety.
    If the FAA lacks the staff to identify safety risks before future incidents occur, Congress must be informed of this as soon as possible. At a recent Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Senators questioned FAA officials from the Office of Airports, the Office of Aviation Safety, and the Air Traffic Organization about the personnel reductions at their respective offices and whether their offices had conducted any analysis on the impact of these workforce cuts on aviation safety. Only the head of the FAA Office of Airports — which is charged with planning and developing a safe and efficient national airport system — responded that his Office had conducted such an analysis. Senators urged the FAA to turn over that analysis to the Committee, along with data on any workforce reductions, but to date it has not. It is essential that Congress have sufficient information to understand the impact of recent FAA personnel changes on aviation safety.
    To better understand the impact of FAA workforce reductions on aviation safety, please provide written responses to the following questions and requests for information by August 11, 2025:
    For each FAA line of business and its relevant suboffices, please provide the (a) number of employees employed as of January 1, 2025, (b) number of employees employed as of July 1, 2025, and (c) the current number of job openings.
    For each FAA line of business and its relevant suboffices, please indicate whether any of its job positions are currently subject to a hiring freeze as of January 20, 2025.
    Please provide the analysis conducted by the Office of Airports related to the impact of workforce cuts on its safety mission.
    Besides the Office of Airports, please explain if any other FAA line of business has conducted an analysis of the impact of workforce cuts on its ability to deliver its mission. If so, please provide those analyses.
    Please explain all relevant FAA lines of business and relevant suboffices charged with identifying aviation safety trends and possible safety risks affecting airport operations in congested airspace.
    What specific AI tools is the FAA using to analyze aviation safety impacts and flight data and how is this improving FAA’s analysis?
    Does the FAA have adequate staff, familiar with these tools, to manage this analysis and ensure the security of the data used and generated by AI?
    How were these AI tools selected? Please describe the specific testing or evaluation conducted in advance of the implementation of the tools and provide a copy of any reports or conclusions produced. If no testing or evaluation occurred, please explain why not.

    Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts, King Introduce the CARING for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Angus King (I-ME) introduced the Coordinating and Aligning Records to Improve and Normalize Governance (CARING) for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025.  The CARING for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025 would require the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement guidelines to ensure tracking of medical documentation after a veteran receives care from a community provider, while measuring the performance of obtaining community care records.  This would enable the Office of Integrated Veteran Care to provide veterans with the standard of care they need and deserve.
    “Our veterans deserve our utmost respect and gratitude,” said Ricketts.  “In order to ensure our veterans receive the best standard of care, it is important that their medical history is shared and available for VA medical centers following care in the community. This bill will help establish guidelines and procedures for VA medical facilities to obtain medical documentation from community care providers.”
    “Veterans in Maine and across the country have sacrificed greatly in service to the nation and it is our job to now return the favor,” said Senator King. “The CARING for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025would ensure that veterans have access to the best care by improving information-sharing between community care providers and VA medical centers to reduce the chances of important details falling through the cracks. I am grateful to my colleague, Senator Ricketts, for working with me on this important legislation putting veterans first.”
    The CARING for Our Veterans Health Act of 2025 would require that the Office of Integrated Veteran Care supervised by the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs:
    Develops guidance for the efforts of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs in obtaining final medical documentation after a veteran receives services from a community care provider pursuant to a referral from that medical center;
    Establishes goals and related performance measures for medical centers of the Department in obtaining initial and final medical documentation from community care providers;
    Establishes and monitors goals and related performance measures for the completion by such providers of core trainings and ensures that such providers complete the required training course; and
    Takes steps to ensure that the Office of Integrated Veteran Care and any contractor for that Office communicate clear and accurate information to such providers regarding the core trainings recommended or required by that Office, including whether such training is recommended or required.
    This legislation is supported by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).
    BACKGROUND:
    Nearly 75% of veterans return to medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for continued care after receiving services from community providers, making the exchange of medical documentation between providers essential to ensuring continuity of care.  The Office of Integrated Veteran Care of the Veterans Health Administration currently lacks systemwide visibility into whether medical documentation from community providers is being received, jeopardizing oversight and clinical coordination.
    As reliance on community care for veterans continues to grow, establishing clear expectations for tracking final documentation and creating monitoring goals and performance measures will enable the Office of Integrated Veteran Care to identify gaps and strengthen the systemwide exchange of information.
    Bill text can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As New York Police Departments Face Staffing Shortages, Gillibrand Announces Legislation To Keep New Yorkers And Law Enforcement Families Safe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Bill would establish a pilot program to provide child care services for police officers
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference to call for the passage of the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act. This bipartisan bill would provide $24 million in federal funding for each of the next 5 fiscal years to establish a pilot program to provide child care for law enforcement families. Providing child care options for officers could help enhance recruitment, allow families to plan around abnormal work hours, and increase public safety by reducing barriers to a career in law enforcement. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) cosponsors this bill in the Senate and Representative Scott Peters (D-CA-50) leads companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    “Police officers play a vital role in keeping communities safe, and officers should not have to choose between taking care of their children and staying in the police force,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This bill would help give aspiring police officers safe, viable child care options while also providing stability to current officers struggling to find care for their kids that works with their nontraditional work schedules. Expanding child care is a win-win for officers and communities, and I’m committed to working across the aisle to get this bill passed.”
    The Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act would authorize $24 million in funding for each of the next 5 fiscal years and allows for grants of up to $3 million to individual law enforcement agencies or consortia to establish child care programs for their police personnel. In addition, to ensure parents employed by smaller police departments receive support, 20% of the total grant funding will be set aside for law enforcement agencies employing fewer than 200 officers.
    Police officers often work extended hours on a nontraditional schedule. In a recent survey, more than 70% of law enforcement agencies reported that recruitment is more difficult now than five years ago, and at one major metropolitan police department, more than half of officers reported having to leave or miss work due to child care issues. This issue disproportionately impacts women, who make up less than 14% of sworn officers and 4% of police chiefs. Senator Gillibrand’s bill would help increase public safety by reducing barriers to a career in law enforcement and by ensuring the best talent is recruited into our police departments.
    This legislation is supported by the following organizations: 30×30, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), International Union of Police Associations (IUPA), National Asian Peace Officers Association (NAPOA), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), International Association of Chiefs of Police, Central New York Association of Chiefs of Police, New York State Association of Chief of Police, AFSCME, and Third Way.
    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott Statement on Safe Return of Spartanburg Family

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) issued the following statement regarding the safe return of a Spartanburg family from Syria: 

    “I am thrilled that Desiree Gomez, her husband Mohamad Shokair, and their 18-month-old daughter Salma have been safely extracted from Syria and are returning home to the Upstate. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Grey Bull Rescue and all federal agencies and partners who worked tirelessly to bring this South Carolina family home safely. We are grateful they are home safe and our thoughts remain with them as they reunite with their loved ones.”

    Senator Scott’s office has been actively engaged with the State Department throughout the process to facilitate the family’s safe return.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott Statement on Safe Return of Spartanburg Family

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) issued the following statement regarding the safe return of a Spartanburg family from Syria: 

    “I am thrilled that Desiree Gomez, her husband Mohamad Shokair, and their 18-month-old daughter Salma have been safely extracted from Syria and are returning home to the Upstate. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Grey Bull Rescue and all federal agencies and partners who worked tirelessly to bring this South Carolina family home safely. We are grateful they are home safe and our thoughts remain with them as they reunite with their loved ones.”

    Senator Scott’s office has been actively engaged with the State Department throughout the process to facilitate the family’s safe return.

    MIL OSI USA News –