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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Introduces the Fairness for Stay-at-Home Parents Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
    Legislation championed by Vice President Vance saves money for new moms and dads
    WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Fairness for Stay-at-Home Parents Act, which exempts new parents from paying back health insurance premiums to their employers, should they choose not to return to work after maternity or paternity leave. Under current law, employers can “claw back” premiums from new moms and dads if they stay at home following parental leave.
    The Fairness for Stay-at-Home Parents Act was previously introduced by JD Vance as Senator from Ohio, and is being lead in the House of Representatives by Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV)
    “Our legislation rectifies a problem with the Family and Medical Leave Act that unfairly impacts mothers who decide to stay home with their newborns after maternity leave,” said Senator Lee. “Each additional financial burden we can remove from growing American families is a victory, and this bill will make it easier for hundreds of thousands of new parents to care for their kids.” 
    “Being pro-life means being pro-family,” said Rep. Moore. “That means ensuring families aren’t penalized for deciding to have a parent stay home with their new baby. Our bill ensures families won’t face a huge bill for insurance premiums simply for choosing what’s best for their family.”
    “Family policy should give parents the choice to care for their young children. The Fairness for Stay-at-Home Parents Act does this, which is why I think it is a smart idea.”– Brad Wilcox, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies
    “This is a much needed update to the FMLA to protect women who decide to stay home with their newborns. Young moms should feel empowered to make the choices that work for them when caring for their babies, not get socked with surprise bills from their employers.”  -Ivana Greco, homeschooling mom of four and Senior Fellow at Capita.     
     
    You can read the bill text HERE.  
    You can read the one-pager HERE.
    You can read the Daily Wire’s exclusive coverage HERE.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Lee and Representative Davidson Introduce Aid Accountability Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
    WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH) introduced the Aid Accountability Act of 2025 which would create a “funding death penalty” for any federal employee or non-governmental organization violating the Helms Amendment which prohibits the use of any US foreign aid to perform or encourage abortion as a method of family planning. 
    Recently, the State Department has admitted that during the Biden administration, partners and grantees using funds from U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) misused funds intended for HIV/AIDS prevention to perform abortions in Mozambique. Although the State Department suspended the funding and secured reimbursements, there is, as of yet, no real penalties or consequences for co-opting foreign aid programs to push the progressive abortion agenda with taxpayer
    Unfortunately, this is just one of many instances of Helms Amendment violations by PEPFAR partners and grantees who misused over $1 million of congressionally appropriated funds to promote abortion instead of controlling the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.
    “For years, American tax dollars have gone to foreign aid efforts that promote abortion, in direct violation of the Helms amendment,” said Sen. Lee. “This is largely because there have been no real penalties for this grievous abuse—until now. Our legislation permanently cuts aid off from any organizations which violate the abortion prohibition, and permanently fires any federal employee who knowingly facilitates it.”
    “It is illegal and immoral for the U.S. government to fund abortion abroad. Federal funding for groups that promote abortion damages our credibility and hurts our ability to work with nations that share pro-life values,” said Rep. Davidson. “The Aid Accountability Act ensures real consequences for those who ignore the Helms Amendment by permanently banning non-profits caught using federal funds for abortion. Further, it would ban federal workers from civil service who knowingly violate the law. Only by restoring accountability to foreign aid can we hope to restore trust in the State Department.”
    This bill is cosponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ashley Moody (R-FL) and endorsed by the Family Research Council and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
    The Aid Accountability Act would:
    Ensure a grantee, sub-grantee, or contractor who violates abortion-related prohibitions become permanently ineligible for future US Funding
    Bar any civil servant who knowingly facilitates a violation of abortion-related prohibitions from civil service for life and make them financially liable for the violations
    Direct the Secretary of State to make the final determinations of violations and penalties
    The Secretary’s determination may only be overturned by a federal court and is subject to the Congressional Review Act

    Aid Accountability Act: One-pager | Bill Text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy: Trump Is Dismantling Our Democracy. We Must Come Together And Act Before It’s Too Late.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to sound the alarm about Trump’s coordinated effort to dismantle the pillars of American democracy. Murphy warned attacks on journalists, universities, lawyers, and the business community are eroding the institutions that hold leaders accountable—paving the way for a fake democracy where elections still happen, but only one side ever wins.
    “Most of the time, there is not a singular moment when the executive dramatically seizes power,” Murphy said. “There’s not normally a brazen attempt to burn down the Parliament building. No, instead democracies die when gradually, often quietly and methodically over time, the structures that hold the executive accountable–for corruption, for thievery, for wrongdoing–are dismantled. Dismantled so that citizens can no longer hold the executive accountable. Dismantled so that the political opposition never has enough room to maneuver meaningfully. There are still elections. The executive doesn’t try to stuff the ballot box. Occasionally, at lower levels, the opposition still wins. But what happens is that those structures of accountability are either so degraded or so completely co-opted by the regime that the truth is just buried and the political opposition loses the basic tools that it needs to win.”
    Murphy warned authoritarian regimes begin by targeting the press—and that Trump is following the same playbook: “From Hungary to Belarus to Venezuela – countries that have elections but elections where one party just keeps on winning –  these are places journalists are subject to [a] non-stop harassment campaign from the regime, such that people just stop doing journalism, or journalists stop telling the full truth. Last month, for instance, the Turkish President Erdogan locked up 11 journalists simply for covering the protests against Erdogan’s jailing of the top opposition leaders. Now Trump has not started jailing journalists, but the pace of harassment in the first 60 days of his second term is alarming. He’s denied access to government buildings, including the White House, to journalists who don’t use pre-approved language from the White House. He is preferencing credentials to partisan journalists who simply parrot his party line. His FCC has begun to deliberately harass media companies that are owned by political opponents of the President.”
    Murphy underscored the chilling similarities between autocratic regimes’ attacks on universities and Trump’s own crackdown on higher education: “Universities, over the long history of democracy, have been the place where protest – especially youth protest – begins. They are a thorn in the side of leadership. The famous Tiananmen Square protests in China were, of course, started by university students. So it’s no surprise that if you want to crush democracy, you need to crush the independence of universities. That’s why Trump’s decision to target universities that permit criticism of President Trump is so bone-chilling. He pretends like he’s standing up to anti-Semitism on campuses, but what he’s really trying to do is make clear that protest against his policies on campuses will result in federal funding being cut off. Columbia University was forced to agree to a stunning list of free speech concessions in order to gain assurances from President Trump that their federal funding would continue. They had to agree to allow campus police to arrest protestors. They had to essentially agree to receivership – federal receivership – over an academic department that houses professors who are critical of Trump and his policies. Effectively, the President of the United States got to pick the person who will oversee the Columbia department on the Middle East, South Asian and African Studies as well as the Center for Palestine Studies. That is extraordinary. That’s not what happens in a healthy democracy–the leader of the country micromanaging academic departments at major universities to assure that academic work aligns with the regime.”
    Murphy also highlighted the striking parallels between Trump’s campaign against law firms and autocrats who silence legal opposition: “Maybe there’s not a lot of love for lawyers in this country, but lawyers are the ones that bring the lawsuits to stop the thievery and illegality. Lawyers are compelled, by their oath, to stand up for the Constitution. Putin arrested Nalvalny’s lawyers right on the eve of Navalny’s trial. In Venezuela, Maduro routinely harasses and detains lawyers – human rights lawyers – because he knows those are the ones that will hold him accountable. In Tunisia, the regime stormed the offices of the Bar Administration to intimidate the legal profession into silence. Here in America, Trump is engaged in a shameless campaign of extortion against any major law firm that has taken a position against Trump or Trump’s interests. What he is doing is extraordinary, and it is mind blowing to me that it is just being ignored by my Republican colleagues. He’s going firm by firm – and not to every firm, just to the firms that have represented Democrats or brought cases against him – and he’s telling them that if they don’t fall in line and stop doing work to oppose him, their clients will lose access to federal work. That is extortion.”
    He concluded: “If journalists are constantly looking over their shoulder and unable to report on the truth; if protest is suppressed, even moderately, at universities; if lawyers start giving cover, instead of uncovering corruption and illegality in the regime. If companies start being mouthpieces for the regime, as a price of doing business. If all that happens, then we are not a real democracy anymore. We are a fake democracy. Elections still happen– like in Turkey, like Hungary, like Venezuela – but the rules are going to be tilted and dissent will be suppressed so much that the same side – Trump’s side – wins over and over and over. And this should matter not just to Democrats – not just to members of the minority party – this should matter to Republicans as well. We swear an oath to uphold the constitution and it’s time for us to see the game that is being played…Only if we come together are we going to have a chance to save ourselves from the fate that has befallen so many other countries that have slowly, too quietly, seen their countries transition from real democracy to fake democracy.”
    A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:
    MURPHY: “Thank you, Mr. President. 
    “Mr. President, I was sitting with the CEO of one of America’s biggest and most influential companies last month, and I asked him a simple question: what could President Trump do that would be a bridge too far for you? What attack on democracy or the rule of law could Trump make that would cause you to speak up?
    “His answer was pretty simple and it was pretty confident. He said that if Trump were to ignore a Supreme Court ruling, that would cross the line. He was reflecting a familiar theme. That until President Trump thumbs his nose definitively at a court ruling, then his attacks on democracy are troubling, but not lethal. It’s normal politics up until that dramatic confrontation between the executive branch and the judicial branch for which the Constitution, as we know, really has no prescribed remedy.
    “And for many Americans, they might breathe a sigh of relief that America’s most influential private sector leaders would rise up to defend democracy if this confrontation that we worry about came to pass. Combined with a massive public mobilization, we could be saved.
    “But I didn’t breathe a sigh of relief. The opposite: I’m deeply worried that we have really spent little time studying the paths that democracies take when they collapse. Most of the time, there is not a singular moment when the executive dramatically seizes power. There’s not normally a brazen attempt to burn down the Parliament building. No, instead democracies die when gradually, often quietly and methodically over time, the structures that hold the executive accountable–for corruption, for thievery, for wrongdoing–are dismantled. Dismantled so that citizens can no longer hold the executive accountable. Dismantled so that the political opposition never has enough room to maneuver meaningfully. There are still elections. The executive doesn’t try to stuff the ballot box. Occasionally, at lower levels, the opposition still wins. But what happens is that those structures of accountability are either so degraded or so completely co-opted by the regime that the truth is just buried and the political opposition loses the basic tools that it needs to win.
    “In every democracy that stops being a democracy, then, there’s a familiar story. There are four institutions that the regime attacks, and attacks relentlessly, until those structures of accountability are so disintegrated that even though elections continue to happen, the same party or the same person wins power election after election And those four institutions are the press, the legal profession, universities, and the business community. If you degrade or co-opt these four institutions, you never need a high stakes fight with the top court in your country. You don’t need to burn the Reichstag down. You can still have elections. But only one party will win.
    “So that’s why this CEO’s ‘assurance’ frankly sent a chill down my spine. Because our democracy isn’t at risk of dying. It isdying. As we speak. We are watching it die.
    “It is not too late to save it. Let me say that again – it is not too late to save our democracy. But we can’t continue to close our eyes and think that our democracy can survive a coordinated assault on those four key institutions of accountability. Democrats and Republicans need to see what is happening before our eyes, rise up, and defend the independence of journalists, of lawyers, of universities, and of the private sector.
    “So I want to spend a minute or two to walk you through what President Trump is doing, and how it frankly–chillingly–mirrors the tactics other leaders have used to transition real democracy into pretend, fake democracy.
    “It always starts with journalists. From Hungary to Belarus to Venezuela – countries that have elections but elections where one party just keeps on winning –  these are places journalists are subject to [a] non-stop harassment campaign from the regime, such that people just stop doing journalism, or journalists stop telling the full truth. Last month, for instance, the Turkish President Erdogan locked up 11 journalists simply for covering the protests against Erdogan’s jailing of the top opposition leaders. 
    “Now Trump has not started jailing journalists, but the pace of harassment in the first 60 days of his second term is alarming. He’s denied access to government buildings, including the White House, to journalists who don’t use pre-approved language from the White House. He is preferencing credentials to partisan journalists who simply parrot his party line. His FCC has begun to deliberately harass media companies that are owned by political opponents of the President.
    “But Trump’s campaign to destroy independent journalism has a darker and more menacing side. Because Trump isn’t just trying to intimidate journalists so that they’ll be afraid to tell the truth. He’s also trying to destroy the concept of truth itself. And again, this is a key facet of leaders who are elected who are trying to transition democracies away and into something very different. How do you destroy truth? Well, that’s why the Secretary of Defense looks into the camera and tells the American public that the text messages that everybody read – filled with classified information and war plans – did not include classified information and war plans. The White House wants you to believe that 1+1 does not equal 2 any longer. That you should doubt even the clear things you see with [your] eyes. That nothing is real and nothing is true. That if you’re a supporter of the regime and I tell you that one plus one equals three, then one plus one equals three. Those weren’t war plans. Those weren’t classified documents.
    “That’s also why the official position of White House on key issues – like tariffs – changes every hour. Because if the ground truth just changes constantly, then there’s no truth at all. Journalists are made to look foolish by reporting a true thing at 9am that becomes untrue at 10am. Journalism loses its credibility when the facts being distributed by the White House change all the time. Trump says the tariffs are permanent. Journalists report, ‘the president says the tariffs are permanent.’ An hour later, Trump says, ‘I never said they were permanent. They’re not permanent. I’m cutting deals.’ They write that he’s cutting deals. An hour later, they’re suspended, no more tariffs. When the truth changes constantly, it’s hard to believe that there’s anything true any longer.
    “Second, universities are always – always – the target of would-be autocrats. Again, in Turkey, the government has terminated thousands of professors, just because they criticize the government. In Hungary, one of the nation’s most prestigious universities was forced to move out of the country because President Orban attacked it so ceaselessly for fomenting protest against his government.
    “Universities, over the long history of democracy, have been the place where protest – especially youth protest – begins. They are a thorn in the side of leadership. The famous Tiananmen Square protests in China were, of course, started by university students. So it’s no surprise that if you want to crush democracy, you need to crush the independence of universities. 
    “That’s why Trump’s decision to target universities that permit criticism of President Trump is so bone-chilling. He pretends like he’s standing up to anti-Semitism on campuses, but what he’s really trying to do is make clear that protest against his policies on campuses will result in federal funding being cut off. Columbia University was forced to agree to a stunning list of free speech concessions in order to gain assurances from President Trump that their federal funding would continue. They had to agree to allow campus police to arrest protestors. They had to essentially agree to receivership – federal receivership – over an academic department that houses professors who are critical of Trump and his policies. Effectively, the President of the United States got to pick the person who will oversee the Columbia department on the Middle East, South Asian and African Studies as well as the Center for Palestine Studies. That is extraordinary. That’s not what happens in a healthy democracy–the leader of the country micromanaging academic departments at major universities to assure that academic work aligns with the regime.
    “And now, having successfully forced Columbia to bend the knee and quell dissent on their campus, Trump is targeting other universities. Some of them will sign similar agreements, giving President Trump power over those campuses. But frankly, all Trump has to do is make an example of a handful of universities, and others will simply comply and obey in advance. Why, as an academic president, when you’ve got federal dollars that employ people at your university, would you permit a major protest against a Trump policy if you know that that’s going to jeopardize federal funds? Or maybe you allow it, because you don’t want to so brazenly stand in the way of free speech, but you just make sure that it’s not too big a protest, or it’s not too critical. You police speech to be on the right side of the regime. That is what happens in all of these fake democracies, and that is what’s happening here.
    “But controlling speech on campuses is not enough. Controlling and intimidating journalists is not enough. You’ve got to go after the lawyers too. Now maybe there’s not a lot of love for lawyers in this country, but lawyers are the ones that bring the lawsuits to stop the thievery and illegality. Lawyers are compelled, by their oath, to stand up for the Constitution. Putin arrested Nalvalny’s lawyers right on the eve of Navalny’s trial. In Venezuela, Maduro routinely harasses and detains lawyers – human rights lawyers – because he knows those are the ones that will hold him accountable. In Tunisia, the regime stormed the offices of the Bar Administration to intimidate the legal profession into silence.
    “Here in America, Trump is engaged in a shameless campaign of extortion against any major law firm that has taken a position against Trump or Trump’s interests. What he is doing is extraordinary, and it is mind blowing to me that it is just being ignored by my Republican colleagues. He’s going firm by firm – and not to every firm, just to the firms that have represented Democrats or brought cases against him – and he’s telling them that if they don’t fall in line and stop doing work to oppose him, their clients will lose access to federal work.
    “That is extortion. This body, Republicans and Democrats, should stand up against it. But it is working. Several law firms have signed deals with Trump that obligate them to support – guess what? Causes aligned with Donald Trump. Paul Weiss was targeted by an executive order and struck a deal. But so did Skadden – they struck a deal with Trump before they’d even been targeted. Already, collectively, these firms have pledged – think about this – about a quarter of a billion dollars of pro bono work to file cases in coordination with the President of the United States’s political interests. 
    “And just like what happened with universities, there’s a lot of extra compliance that’s happening. I know for a fact that firms that have already signed these agreements with Trump have gone above and beyond the terms of the agreements to quiet their criticism of the government. And no doubt, every single major law firm will think twice before bringing an action against an illegal or corrupt action of the President, in fear of Trump retaliating against their business. That’s the point. The point is to try to crush dissent. The point is to try to stand in the way of anybody who is going to hold Trump accountable by using the power – the official power granted to him by the people of the United States – to try to signal retaliation against anyone who dares oppose him.
    “But collective action–it can be a powerful tool. Together, the collective might of our universities and our law firms is significant. So they could choose to band together and decide to sign no agreements with Trump; to refuse to let the President of the United States dictate the terms of their speech, their business and their defense of the rule of law. 
    “And I don’t want to make the victim the perpetrator. This is all Trump’s fault, what he is doing to extort political loyalty from universities and law firms.  
    “But instead of their being collective action on behalf of these industries, the opposite is happening. In the legal profession, when Paul Weiss was targeted, the other big firms didn’t rise to their defense, they started making calls to Paul Weiss clients and lawyers, using Trump’s assault as a means to poach business or partners. That’s shameful, acting like ravenous vultures. Putting your profits first instead of your country’s interests or the interest of the legal profession, which pledges before a court to stand up for the rule of law. 
    “Instead, these big firms are aiding and abetting the destruction of the rule of law by doing Trump’s work for him, making targeted firms even more vulnerable by working behind the scenes to strip them bare for parts. There are good, patriotic lawyers at many of these high-priced firms who know this is wrong, and they should speak up. Some of them already have. 
    “And now, finally, Trump is coming for the rest of the private sector. Listen, I have no idea what the Trump tariff policy is. The constantly shifting positions of the last week are an embarrassment. It’s complete incompetent malpractice that has jeopardized jobs and retirement savings and college funds all across this country. 
    “But the tariffs are complicated and convoluted and hard to understand likely because they aren’t actually economic or trade policy. They are a political tool– this one designed to force every major company to come before Trump to plead for tariff relief in exchange for giving Trump the company’s political loyalty, no different than what’s happening in the legal progression or in America’s universities.  A tariff can be written very easily to favor one industry over another, or one company over another, and the confusing nature of the tariff regime is a means for Trump to require every major company in the country to come on bended knee to him to get the relief they need.
    “And that loyalty pledge could be anything – the purchase of Trump crypto coin, public support for Trump’s economic policies, donations to his political campaign. But having watched what Trump has done, one by one, to universities and law firms, why would we assume the tariffs aren’t just simply a tool to do the same thing to big companies?
    So what I’m trying to say here is that you don’t need a Battle Royale between the President and the Supreme Court for democracy to die. If journalists are constantly looking over their shoulder and unable to report on the truth; if protest is suppressed, even moderately, at universities; if lawyers start giving cover, instead of uncovering corruption and illegality in the regime. If companies start being mouthpieces for the regime, as a price of doing business. If all that happens, then we are not a real democracy anymore. We are a fake democracy. Elections still happen– like in Turkey, like Hungary, like Venezuela – but the rules are going to be tilted and dissent will be suppressed so much that the same side – Trump’s side – wins over and over and over. 
    “And this should matter not just to Democrats–not just to members of the minority party–this should matter to Republicans as well. We swear an oath to uphold the constitution and it’s time for us to see the game that is being played.
    “The good news is that the rules have NOT been fully rigged yet. There is still time – not loads of it – but there’s still time for this body to set a tone that causes the kind of massive public outrage necessary to stop this campaign of destruction in its tracks.
    “But that requires those of us who believe that the threat to democracy is urgent to act like it. That means saying to our Republican colleagues that we’re not going to act like business as usual. That we’re not going to proceed to legislation unless we have agreement – Republicans and Democrats –  to stop this assault on free speech and dissent. It requires the minority party to say that right now. Only if we come together are we going to have a chance to save ourselves from the fate that has befallen so many other countries that have slowly, too quietly, seen their countries transition from real democracy to fake democracy. 
    “I yield the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley, Luján Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Car Repair Options, Increase Transparency for Vehicle Owners

    US Senate News:

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

    Friday, April 11, 2025

    U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the REPAIR Act, legislation that would expand car owners’ options for automobile repairs. The REPAIR Act ensures vehicle owners, independent repair shops, and aftermarket manufacturers have secure access to vehicle repair and maintenance data, which is critical to the independent aftermarket industry’s ability to provide safe, dependable, and affordable repairs for consumers.

    “Big corporations have a history of gatekeeping basic information that belongs to car owners, effectively forcing consumers to pay a fixed price whenever their car is in the shop,” said Senator Hawley. “The bipartisan REPAIR Act would end corporations’ control over diagnostics and service information and give consumers the right to repair their own equipment at a price most feasible for them.”

    “Vehicle owners deserve to have options when it comes to safe, dependable, and affordable auto repairs,” said Senator Luján. “Giving vehicle owners, independent repair shops, and aftermarket manufacturers access to vehicle repair and maintenance data is critical to improving repair options. I’m proud to partner with Senator Hawley on this legislation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to support car owners and repair shops.”

    As vehicle technology becomes more complex, safely repairing automobiles requires access to data, software, compatible replacement components, training, and sophisticated diagnostic tools. The REPAIR Act guarantees the rights of vehicle owners and their designated repair facilities to repair their vehicles while maintaining the same cybersecurity standards, intellectual property protections, and vehicle safety standards that the manufacturers use with their dealerships.

    To protect consumers, the REPAIR Act:

    • Prevents automakers from deploying barriers that limit the ability of a motor vehicle owner (or their designee) from accessing their vehicle’s data;
    • Prevents automakers from deploying barriers to an aftermarket parts manufacturer, a motor vehicle equipment manufacturer, a remanufacturer, a diagnostic tool manufacturer, or a motor vehicle repair facility (including their distributors and service providers), to access critical repair information, tools, and parts;
    • Requires motor vehicle manufacturers to make vehicle data available to consumers (or their designees);
    • Requires motor vehicle manufacturers to make “Critical Repair Information, Tools, and Parts” available to motor vehicle owners (and their designees), aftermarket parts manufacturers, remanufacturers, diagnostic tool manufacturers, and motor vehicle repair facilities (including their distributors and service providers);
    • Ensures that Over-the-Air (OtA) updates do not render aftermarket parts inoperable; and
    • Prohibits automakers from mandating the use of any particular brand or manufacturer of tools, parts, or other motor vehicle equipment.

    Read the full bill text here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Senate Approves Resolution Commemorating Vicksburg Bicentennial

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today celebrated Senate passage of their resolution commemorating the bicentennial and historical significance of the City of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

    The resolution celebrates Vicksburg’s rich history and honors its role in the development of Mississippi and the United States since its incorporation on January 29, 1825.  The measure, which was approved by unanimous consent early Friday morning, coincides with the city’s year-long bicentennial celebration.

    “Vicksburg’s bicentennial is a moment to reflect on and celebrate the city’s extraordinary legacy, and I’m happy the U.S. Senate has formally recognized the significance of this anniversary,” Senator Hyde-Smith said.  “From its 19th-century founding to today, Vicksburg has been a beacon of commerce, culture, and faith in Mississippi.  This resolution pays tribute to all who shaped this remarkable city, ensuring future generations will cherish its story and the people who built it.”

    “Vicksburg has played a central role in the story of Mississippi and the United States,” Senator Wicker said.  “As we commemorate the city’s history, it is important to look to the future.  With world-class historic sites, a vibrant downtown, and cutting-edge technology development, Vicksburg will continue to contribute to both the tourism and innovation ecosystem of Mississippi.  The history is rich and the future is bright for this pillar of the Magnolia State.”

    “For 200 years, Vicksburg has stood as a symbol of resilience, innovation, and community,” said Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs, Jr.  “I am honored that Senator Hyde-Smith and the U.S. Senate have recognized our city’s rich history and enduring contributions to Mississippi and the nation.  This bicentennial is not just about honoring the past—it’s about inspiring the future.”

    In addition to recounting historical events, the resolution also highlights notable citizens, industries, and cultural events that continue to influence Mississippi and the nation.  S.Res.177 culminates by stating:

    Whereas, during 2025, Vicksburg is holding a year-long bicentennial celebration in honor of the history of Vicksburg and its incorporation on January 29, 1825; and

    Whereas it is important for the people of the State of Mississippi and the United States to remember history in an inclusive way that honors contributions from all backgrounds: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate—

    (1) designates the year 2025 as the “Vicksburg Bicentennial”;

    (2) honors Vicksburg, Mississippi (referred to in this resolution as “Vicksburg”), and its rich and pivotal contributions to the history of the State of Mississippi and the United States;

    (3) encourages the people of the United States to acknowledge Vicksburg as it commences a year-long celebration of its bicentennial; and

    (4) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to Vicksburg in recognition of the respect and admiration of the Senate for Vicksburg and its residents.

    Read the full text of the commemorative resolution here.  To learn more about Vicksburg and its bicentennial celebration, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Reverend Warnock Introduces Most Ambitious Expansion of the Child Tax Credit 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    ICYMI: Senator Reverend Warnock Introduces Most Ambitious Expansion of the Child Tax Credit 

    This week, Senator Reverend Warnock introduced the American Family Act, legislation that would nearly double the Child Tax Credit (CTC)

    Senator Reverend Warnock joined several of his Senate colleagues for a press conferenceintroducing the landmark bill 

    Since entering the Senate in 2021, Senator Reverend Warnock has been a leading advocate for expanding the CTC to support working families and lift children out of poverty  

    If no action is taken and current provisions expire at the end of the year, the CTC will be slashed in half 

    ICYMI from US News & World Report: Warnock on Expanding the Child Tax Credit

    Senator Reverend Warnock: “I’m proud to stand with all of my colleagues pushing for the American Family Act. This is what family values looks like. Family values is not about rhetoric, it’s about giving every child a chance and to ensure that a child’s outcome is not based on their parent’s income”

    Senator Reverend Warnock during a press conference highlighting his CTC legislation

    Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the American Family Act, legislation that would nearly double the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and put more money back in the pockets of working and middle-class families. The bill would also provide a new “Baby Bonus”, a $2,400 one-time payment for newborns. 

    “I’m proud to stand with all of my colleagues pushing for theAmerican Family Act. This is what family values looks like. Family values is not about rhetoric, it’s about giving every child a chance and to ensure that a child’s outcome is not based on their parent’s income,” said Senator Reverend Warnock during a press conference.

    Under current law, the CTC is $2,000 per child ages 0-16. If no action is taken and current provisions expire at the end of the year, that would be cut in half to $1,000 per child. Senator Warnock’s proposal would increase this tax cut for families in Georgia and across the country by providing a $4,320 credit for children under 6 years old, and a $3,600 credit for children 6-17, as well as providing the Baby Bonus.

    Since entering the Senate in 2021, Senator Reverend Warnock has been a leading advocate for expanding the CTC to support working families and lift children out of poverty. Senator Warnock successfully pushed to include an expansion of the CTC in the American Rescue Plan, which helped cut child poverty across the country in half until Congress let the tax cut expire. In 2022, Senator Warnock called on Congress to extend the tax cuts for working families and urged the Biden Administration to secure an extension of the expanded CTC as a centerpiece of any subsequent negotiations on economic legislative priorities

    Bill text of the American Family Actcan be found HERE.

    A one-pager on the American Family Act is available HERE.

    See below coverage of Senator Reverend Warnock’s new legislation:

    US News & World Report: Warnock on Expanding the Child Tax Credit

    • Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has been making waves inside and outside the halls of Congress since being elected in 2022. […] Since being in the Senate, a key concern of his has been the child tax credit, a tax benefit offered by the federal government to assist families with the cost associated with raising children. A temporary increase to the credit is set to expire on Dec. 31, and if it does, the amount will be cut in half.
    • He, along with Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, introduced the American Family Act on April 9 to permanently expand the child tax credit, nearly doubling the amount parents can claim for newborns for newborns – $6,360 – and increasing to $4,320 for children aged one to six and $3,600 for children six to 17.

    Capitol Beat: Democrats pitch expansion of child tax credit

    • […] Most of the Democrats in the U.S. Senate, including Georgia’s Raphael Warnock, are calling not only to prevent that from happening but also to permanently expand the credit.
    • “This is about attacking poverty in our country and ensuring that the government isn’t taxing people into poverty,” said Warnock, who is among more than 40 other Senate Democrats co-sponsoring the bill.

    WSB: Senator Warnock pushes for permanent Child Tax Credit under American Family Act

    • Georgia families and parents across the nation could soon see lasting financial relief if the latest push to expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC) becomes law. U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock is co-sponsoring the American Family Act, a bill that would more than double the existing credit for young children and nearly double it for older kids.
    • Warnock emphasized that the expanded credit would also be permanent and tied to inflation, helping families keep up with the rising cost of living. “The central problem that I’m focused on is that right now there are way too many people in our state who are literally too poor to get this tax cut,” he said. “My legislation fixes that.”

    WUGA: Senator Warnock introduces bill to expand Child Tax Credit

    • Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock along with Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado are introducing legislation that would expand the Child Tax Credit.

    Senator Warnock’s remarks during the CTC press conference:

    “Hello, everybody! So, in this deeply partisan moment in our country, here is where Democrats and Republicans have something in common. Each of the parties wants to do a tax cut this year. Democrats and Republicans want to cut taxes. The difference is that they want to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires, and we want to cut taxes for hard-working moms and dads. They want to cut taxes for the wealthiest people in the country who have enough and then something to spare. We think it’s a good idea to cut taxes for folks who are just trying to make their lives work, trying to do the best that they can for their children.”

    “They think that the strength of our economy is about wealth trickling down. I’m old enough to remember when Ronald Reagan promised us that we’ve seen that experiment for 40 years. It does not work. Wealth does not trickle from the top down. The strength of our economy is when we give ordinary folks a chance. It’s from the bottom up.”

    “So I’m proud to stand with all of my colleagues pushing for the American Family Act. This is what family values looks like. Family values is not about rhetoric. It’s about giving every child a chance and to ensure that a child’s outcome is not based on their parent’s income.”

    “I’m proud of the fact that when I came to the Senate in 2021, one of the first things that we were able to do, because we flipped the Senate, Georgia had a lot to do with that, I’m proud of that. But we were able to pass the American Rescue Plan. And that plan, that piece of legislation, had a lot of great things in it, but nothing greater than the expanded Child Tax Credit, which cut child poverty nearly in half. The sad thing is, six months later, the Congress went back and doubled it by not extending it. Well, we have a chance to fix that in this Congress. This piece of legislation will about double the amount that families would get for the expanded Child Tax Credit. I’m grateful to stand here with my colleagues pushing for this and urging the Congress to get it done.”

    “We have a word for our Republican sisters and brothers: The eyes of ordinary American people are on you, America is watching, and we’re going to see who you’re fighting for? You fighting for millionaires and billionaires? Are you fighting for ordinary, hard-working people who are just trying to make their lives work?”

    “Some say it’s too risky. It doesn’t make sense to give money to ordinary people, because, when you give, when you give a few extra dollars to poor people, to working class people, you know, sometimes they do irresponsible and extravagant things. They buy things like a coat for their kid. They pay for a tutor.”

    “We will be watching, this is a defining moral moment in our country, and I’m reminded of the words of the one in whose name I preach every single Sunday, Inasmuch as you’ve done it unto one of the least of these, you’ve have done it also unto me.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Western Senators Introduce Bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act to Combat Wildfires

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Western Senators Introduce Bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act to Combat Wildfires

    Comprehensive legislation reduces wildfire risk, advances watershed restoration, improves forest health, and streamlines processes to protect communities

    A list of Fix Our Forests Act provisions particularly impactful for California is available here

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Wildfire Caucus, and Senators John Curtis (R-Utah), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the Fix Our Forests Act, bipartisan legislation to combat catastrophic wildfires, restore forest ecosystems, and make federal forest management more efficient and responsive. The comprehensive bill reflects months of bipartisan negotiations to find consensus on how to best accelerate and improve forest management practices, streamline environmental reviews, and strengthen partnerships between federal agencies, states, tribes, and private stakeholders.

    The American West has long been prone to wildfires, but climate change, prolonged drought, and the buildup of dry fuels have increasingly intensified these fires and extended fire seasons. Wildfires today are more catastrophic — growing larger, spreading faster, and burning more land than ever before. Nationwide, total acres burned rose from 2.7 million in 2023 to nearly 9 million in 2024, a 231 percent increase.

    California averages more than 7,500 wildfires a year. Not including the recent Los Angeles fires, six of the top 10 most destructive fires, three of the top five deadliest fires, and all of the state’s nine largest fires have burned since 2017. The status quo is simply unsustainable, and responding to the scale and magnitude of the crisis on the ground is essential to keeping California communities safe.

    Additionally, wildfires release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions that accelerate climate change. California’s 2020 fire season, the worst on record, emitted enough greenhouse gases to erase nearly two decades of progress on emissions reductions in California. Addressing this wildfire emergency is critical to ensuring that our climate progress is not undermined by the devastating impacts of these fires.

    “As increasingly frequent and catastrophic wildfires in California make clear, we need durable solutions to confront the growing impacts of the wildfire crisis,” said Senator Padilla. “This bill represents a strong, bipartisan step forward, not just in reducing wildfire risk in and around our national forests, but in protecting urban areas and our efforts to reduce climate emissions. It prioritizes building fire-resilient communities, accelerating the removal of hazardous fuels, and strengthening coordination across federal, state, and tribal agencies, including through the creation of the first-ever National Wildfire Intelligence Center. I look forward to continuing to advance forward-thinking, practical solutions to protect our communities from devastating wildfires — and that includes pushing for sustained funding and staffing for our federal land management agencies to ensure they have the tools to get this critical work done.”

    “Utah and the American West are on the front lines of a growing wildfire crisis—and the longer we wait, the more acres will burn, and more families will be impacted,” said Senator Curtis. “After months of bipartisan cooperation and consensus-building, my colleagues and I are introducing comprehensive legislation to support forest health, accelerate restoration, and equip local leaders—from fire chiefs to mayors—with the tools and data they need to protect lives, property, and landscapes. I’m proud of this bill and look forward to receiving additional input from my colleagues as it advances through Committee and the full Senate.”

    “The growing wildfire crisis threatens our Colorado communities,” said Senator Hickenlooper. “We need to act NOW with the speed required to mitigate wildfires and make our homes and businesses more resilient to these disasters, and to put in place protections for our communities and the environment.”

    “Better stewarding our forests is something we can all agree on, regardless of party, because it helps secure a stronger economy, more resilient, healthy forests, and safer communities. I’m proud to join my colleagues on this important legislation to support those on the frontlines protecting communities from catastrophic wildfire, better manage our forests, create more good-paying jobs, and unleash our resource economy,” said Senator Sheehy.

    “Extreme risk of catastrophic wildfires across the West demands urgent action,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “In California, we’re fast-tracking projects by streamlining state requirements and using more fuel breaks and prescribed fire. The Fix Our Forests Act is a step forward that will build on this progress — enabling good projects to happen faster on federal lands. I’m appreciative of Senator Padilla and the bipartisan team of Senators who crafted a balanced solution that will both protect communities and improve the health of our forests.”

    “About half of our lands in California are publicly owned and managed by the federal government,” explained California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “So, reducing catastrophic wildfire risk clearly relies on helping our federal lands become healthier and more resilient to fire. This bipartisan Fix our Forests Act does just this, removing barriers to get more good work done across our federal lands more quickly. This act represents an opportunity for an all-lands, all-hands approach that is urgently needed at this moment.”

    “The bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA) provides much-needed tools that will move the needle and improve our work to mitigate wildfires,” said CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler. “This bill will bring California’s use of cutting-edge technology to the rest of the country. The proposed Wildfire Intelligence Center will advance the kind of predictive services, monitoring, and early detection work already happening at California’s Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center.”

    The frequency and severity of California wildfires have surged over the past several years, with recent wildfires taking a devastating toll on California communities. Fueled by wind gusts of up to 100 miles per hour, the Los Angeles County fires earlier this year burned more than 40,000 acres — an area almost three times the size of Manhattan. The fires destroyed over 16,000 structures, forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate, and took at least 30 lives.

    Forest health challenges are also increasing in frequency and severity due to climate stressors like drought and fire, and biological threats like invasive species — all of which the West is particularly vulnerable to. From 2001 to 2019, total forest area declined by 2.3 percent, while interior forest area decreased by up to 9.5 percent. The Intermountain region had the largest area losses, and the Pacific Southwest had the highest annual loss rates.

    To address these challenges, the Fix Our Forests Act would:

    • Establish new and updated programs to reduce wildfire risks across large, high-priority “firesheds,” with an emphasis on cross-jurisdictional collaboration.
    • Streamline and expand tools for forest health projects (e.g., stewardship contracting, Good Neighbor Agreements) and provide faster processes for certain hazardous fuels treatments.
    • Create a single interagency program to help communities in the wildland-urban interface build and retrofit with wildfire-resistant measures, while simplifying and consolidating grant applications.
    • Expand research and demonstration initiatives — including biochar projects and the Community Wildfire Defense Research Program — to test and deploy cutting-edge wildfire prevention, detection, and mitigation technologies.
    • Strengthen coordination efforts across agencies through a new Wildfire Intelligence Center which would streamline the federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combating wildfires.
    • Improve reforestation, seedling supply, and nursery capacity; establish new programs for white oak restoration; and clarify policies to reduce wildfire-related litigation and expedite forest health treatments.

    A list of Fix Our Forests Act provisions particularly impactful for California is available here.

    The Senate version of the Fix Our Forests Act is endorsed by environmental groups, first responders, and wildfire organizations including: The Nature Conservancy; National Wildlife Federation; Environmental Defense Fund; National Audubon Society; Citizens’ Climate Lobby; Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership; Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition; The Stewardship Project; the Federation of American Scientists; CAL FIRE; the International Association of Fire Chiefs; Alliance for Wildfire Resilience; Megafire Action; the Association for Firetech Innovation; Climate & Wildfire Institute; Tall Timbers; Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action); and Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO).

    “TNC appreciates the serious undertaking of Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Sheehy, and Padilla to build on legislation targeted at preventing more catastrophic wildfires through improved forest and fuels management and expanded use of prescribed fire. TNC has been working to restore beneficial fire and improve the resilience of forest systems on the ground for more than 60 years. Every year, wildfires continue to grow deadlier and more devastating to communities and the environment, and we remain concerned that the significant cuts to the Forest Service workforce will impede work to protect people and nature from these wildfire risks.  We support this legislative effort aimed at improving the forest management process to better address catastrophic wildfires,” said Kameran Onley, Managing Director of North America Policy and Government Relations at The Nature Conservancy.

    “Our national forests provide essential wildlife habitat, store carbon, and supply communities across the nation with clean air and water. These vital landscapes are under threat and must be proactively stewarded if they are to survive the changing climate, rapidly intensifying wildfires, and past management missteps. The bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act will help increase the pace and scale of evidence-backed forest management, including the use of beneficial prescribed fire and the restoration of white oak forests. But we must have a robust and talented federal workforce in place for it to succeed,” said Abby Tinsley, vice president for conservation policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “We will work with Senators Hickenlooper, Padilla, Sheehy, Curtis, and Chairman Westerman in the House to strengthen and advance this important conversation.”

    “For many Americans, catastrophic wildfires are a very real and growing threat to their homes and lives,” said Environmental Defense Fund Executive Director Amanda Leland. “The U.S. Forest Service needs new tools and more resources now to prevent and control these wildfires, and with the right funding, this bipartisan proposal will help. Protecting people and nature from catastrophic wildfire requires both a robust, science-based plan of forest management and the resources to implement it.”

    “Wildfires grow more intense and destructive each year, leaving behind immense devastation for our forests, wildlife, and communities,” said Marshall Johnson, chief conservation officer at the National Audubon Society. “The bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act represents an important step in reducing wildfire risks across forested landscapes. Audubon thanks Senators Hickenlooper, Curtis, Padilla, and Sheehy for working together to craft a bill that sets the stage for improved forest management, and we urge Congress to dedicate the resources necessary to ensure federal agencies are well-equipped to reduce wildfire risks, steward our forestlands, and protect wildlife habitat.”

    “The growing frequency and severity of wildfires pose a tremendous threat to the health of our forests and the safety of countless communities. The Fix Our Forests Act takes important steps to mitigate wildfires, improve forest health, and protect local communities. We appreciate this thoughtful, bipartisan effort led by Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Sheehy, and Padilla to advance this important legislation,” said Jennifer Tyler, VP of Government Affairs at Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

    “The declining health of our National Forests and the fish and wildlife habitat that they provide is a concern for America’s hunters and anglers,” said Joel Pedersen, President and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “TRCP applauds the leadership of Senators Curtis, Sheehy, Hickenlooper, and Padilla for introducing the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act in the Senate and urges Congress to advance these important forest management provisions and to accompany them with adequate resources and capacity to carry out on-the-ground work.” 

    “As FAS continues to emphasize, failing to address the root causes of devastating wildfires is a policy choice. And it’s a choice we can no longer afford,” said Daniel Correa, Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of American Scientists. “Swift passage of the Fix Our Forests Act in the Senate would put us on track to better manage the entire wildfire lifecycle of prevention, suppression, and recovery, including through smart and systematic use of science and technology for decision support.”

    “The science is clear: tackling the wildfire crisis requires better forest management, increasing the use of prescribed fire, and investing in and deploying the next generation of wildfire technologies. The Fix Our Forests Act will get this urgently needed work done. Now is the time for the Senate to build on the bipartisan leadership demonstrated by the sponsors and pass this bill,” said James Campbell, Wildfire Policy Specialist at the Federation of American Scientists.

    “I thank Senators Hickenlooper, Padilla, Curtis, and Sheehy for introducing this bipartisan legislation,” said Fire Chief Josh Waldo, the President and Board Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. “As we saw in January’s fires in Los Angeles, the nation faces a serious and growing risk from fires in the wildland urban interface (WUI). This legislation will enact many of the recommendations of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. It also will improve coordination of federal wildland fire preparedness efforts; promote the use of prescribed fires and other preventative measures to prevent WUI fires; and promote the development of new technologies to help local fire departments. We look forward to working with the bill’s sponsors to pass this legislation.”

    “We are thrilled to see the Fix Our Forests Act introduced in the Senate through a bipartisan cooperation between Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Padilla, and Sheehy. The bill greatly expands upon the version that passed the House, adding critical details to support wildfire risk reduction in the built environment and provisions for mitigating the health impacts of smoke to communities while promoting expanded use of prescribed fire. Covering a third of the recommendations of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, this bill is a significant step forward in wildfire policy and, coupled with sufficient funding and staffing to realize the proposed tools and programs, will make a real difference in our nation’s experience with wildfire,” said Annie Schmidt and Tyson Bertone-Riggs, Managing Directors, Alliance for Wildfire Resilience.

    “As the megafire crisis grows larger and more severe with each fire season, we need policy solutions that reflect the urgency and scale of the problem. Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Padilla and Sheehy have negotiated a Senate companion to the Fix Our Forests Act that will move the federal government towards a science-based, strategic approach to addressing megafires. We look forward to working with the sponsors to advance this bill and enact the most transformative wildfire and land management law since the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003, if not the National Forest Management Act of 1976,” said Matt Weiner, CEO, Megafire Action.

    “AFI supports the Fix our Forests Act and calls on the United States Senate to pass it with the urgency the $100 billion a year wildfire crisis warrants from our elected officials,” said Bill Clerico, Founding Chair of the Association for Firetech Innovation (AFI) and Managing Partner of Convective Capital, a venture firm investing in wildfire technology. “AFI is particularly supportive of the legislation’s inclusion of a Wildfire Intelligence Center, a long-overdue step to better integrate and coordinate wildfire response efforts and invest in cutting-edge technology. Our country’s wildfire response efforts are antiquated and are leaving us ill-prepared for this growing crisis. FOFA is a critical step to refining our wildfire response efforts and protecting our communities.”

    In the aftermath of the devastating Southern California fires, Senator Padilla has introduced more than 10 bills to help prevent and respond to future disasters. In February, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. He also announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, the Wildfire Emergency Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act. In January, Padilla introduced another suite of bipartisan bills to strengthen wildfire recovery and resilience, including the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, the Fire Suppression and Response Funding Assurance Act, and the Disaster Housing Reform for American Families Act. Additionally, last week, he introduced the FEMA Independence Act, bipartisan legislation to restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency as an independent, cabinet-level agency and improve efficiency in federal emergency response efforts.

    A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    A section-by-section on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $28.6 Million for Hurricane Relief

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $28,635,578.25 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in reimbursement for emergency protective measures, including the deployment of a temporary freshwater pipeline and generators, and recovery efforts following Hurricanes Laura and Ida.
    “This funding brings Louisiana communities closer to recovery and makes us stronger for the future,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We will always be there for our neighbors after a storm.”

    Grant Awarded
    Recipient
    Project Description

    $16,470,490.39
    Jefferson Parish
    This grant will provide federal funding for a temporary freshwater pipeline to address water safety issues.

    $1,007,859.93
    Calcasieu Parish Police Jury
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs as a direct result of Hurricane Laura.

    $1,170,251.69
    City of Kenner
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.

    $1,751,665.66
    Terebonne Levee and Conservation District
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent levee repairs as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.

    $2,560,879.53
    Lafourche Parish School Board
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.

    $4,618,875.60
    Office of Risk Management
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent work as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.

    $999,999.90
    Red River Parish
    This grant will provide federal funding for the purchase and installation of 21 industrial generators, switches, foundation pads, and security fencing.

    $55,555.55
    Red River Parish
    This grant will provide federal funding for management costs associated with Red River Parish Emergency Power Generator Systems.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Wyden Seek Watchdog Investigation of Potential Trump Administration Violations of Taxpayer Privacy Laws

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote a letter to the acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration seeking an investigation into reports that the Trump administration is providing sensitive taxpayer data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and people affiliated with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

    Senator Cortez Masto has repeatedly raised the alarm about the IRS’s cruel and illegal plans to share taxpayer information with DHS.

    “Taxpayer data held by the IRS is, by design, subject to some of the strongest privacy protections under federal law, the violation of which can trigger civil and criminal sanctions, including up to five years in prison,” wrote the senators. “Congress passed these protections in the 1970s after President Nixon weaponized the IRS against his political enemies. These legal protections for taxpayer data apply to all taxpayers and are an essential foundation for our tax system, which requires the voluntary submission of information to the government. Voluntary tax compliance depends on taxpayers having faith that their confidential information will not be used for anything other than tax administration.”

    “Immediately following Bessent’s execution of the [agreement with DHS], several IRS leaders announced their resignations, including Acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause and Chief Privacy Officer Kathleen Walters, raising further questions about whether they resigned to avoid being a party to a criminal conspiracy to violate tax privacy law,” they continued.

    “The risks created by these activities cannot be overstated. [… IRS] data can be inaccurate because of identity theft, keypunch errors, obsolete address information, and a wide range of other reasons,” they asserted. “If DHS relies on the same data to deport millions of people without validating its accuracy, it is likely to end up making grave errors that impact American citizens and immigrants with valid legal status.”

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    Senator Cortez Masto has pushed multiple Departments under the Trump Administration for detailed, public information regarding the impacts of President Trump and Elon Musk’s chaotic actions on Nevada – including at the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, and General Services Administration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Demands Answers about Abrupt Termination of Nevada Mental Health Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding answers about his recent decision to cut critical state funding for mental health services. Across Nevada, the now-terminated federal funding had been supporting essential mental health services, including crisis support hotlines, community-based initiatives, peer support services, and workforce training to support individuals in crisis and ensure continuity of care.

    “Nearly 474,000 Nevadans experience mental health conditions, yet the state continues to rank among the worst in the nation for access to care,” wrote Senator Cortez Masto. “Federal mental health dollars serve as a lifeline, helping state and local agencies deliver essential services, particularly in rural and underserved areas.”

    “Without federal support, these programs face severe disruption. State agencies and nonprofit partners will be left without the resources needed to maintain critical mental health programs,  jeopardizing essential access to those who rely on them most, she continued. “Communities across Nevada and the nation deserve reliable, accessible mental health care at every level of need. HHS’ abrupt decision to end this federal mental health funding undermines that goal.”

    Senator Cortez Masto requested that HHS provide the following information about the March 24th termination of Nevada’s Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services American Rescue Plan Act Supplement:

    • The rationale for terminating Nevada’s mental health funding early;
    • Whether HHS conducted any analyses of the immediate and long-term effects of terminating the funding early;
    • What steps HHS will take to help sustain programs in Nevada that were previously supported by the terminated funding;
    • How HHS will ensure that individuals receiving services through programs previously supported by the now-terminated funding do not face gaps or delays in care;
    • And what alternative federal funding sources to support mental health services are available to states affected by this termination.

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    Senator Cortez Masto has been a leader in the Senate on mental health issues. She helped fund and implement the 988 Suicide & Crisis lifeline, and passed bipartisan legislation to expand behavioral health crisis support services. She successfully fought to include $1 billion to support mental health services in schools in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Expand Child Care Relief to Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) — U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act, legislation to help more working families cover a greater share of the high cost of child care. Shaheen was joined by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    “No matter where I go in New Hampshire, families tell me about how much they struggle to access affordable child care,” said Senator Shaheen. “The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit is a proven and effective tool for bringing quality, affordable child care within reach for more families. Expanding this credit to keep up with the rising cost of child care is the right thing to do for workers, families and our nation’s economy.”

    The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC). This bill would help ease the burden of high child care costs on working families by increasing the maximum tax credit to $4,000 per child, allowing families to receive up to $8,000 in tax credits to offset up to $16,000 in expenses. It would also make the credit refundable to ensure low-income working families can benefit. The credit would also be indexed to inflation to retain its value over time.

    Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care, including by delivering more than $77 million to New Hampshire through the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief laws to the Granite State. In March, Shaheen introduced the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation that together form a bold proposal to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. The bill includes language from Shaheen’s Right Start Child Care and Education Act legislation. In August, Shaheen visited Colebrook Community Child Care Center to discuss challenges and solutions to the child care crisis in rural communities, and in October Shaheen hosted Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su for a discussion on child care and workforce challenges in Brentwood. 

    In addition to Senators Shaheen, Smith, Warnock, Murray and Wyden, the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act is cosponsored by Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Angus King (I-ME), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    The bill is also endorsed by the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, Child Care Aware of America, Save the Children, First Focus Campaign for Children, First Five Years Fund, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Moms Rising, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Zero to Three, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Early Care and Education Consortium (ECEC).  

    Read more about the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Hirono, Norcross Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), and U.S. Representative Donald Norcross (D, NJ-01) to reintroduce the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections.

    “Unions give workers a powerful voice to demand better pay, working conditions, and benefits,” said Senator Murray. “I have always fought to protect the right to unionize—and as Trump and Elon wage an unprecedented attack on workers’ ability to bargain collectively, and indiscriminately fire tens of thousands of hardworking public servants, it is critical that we do everything we can to fight back and protect workers’ rights across the country. I’m proud to cosponsor Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, to establish baseline protections for public sector workers to be able to join together and demand the fair treatment and pay they deserve.”

    “Public sector workers teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward—they deserve the right to organize,” said Senator Hirono. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will help ensure that that millions of public sector workers across our country have the federal protections they deserve as they fight for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. Private sector workers are already guaranteed the right to organize under federal law, it should be common sense that public sector workers are afforded those same rights. As President Trump works to gut our public sector workforce, this bill is crucial to protect workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively. I’m proud to lead this important legislation with Representative Norcross to help ensure that every public employee has their voice heard in the workplace.”

    “I know the power of collective bargaining because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Norcross, a former union electrician, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “I spent decades at the negotiating table standing up for working families—fighting for fair pay, safer jobs, and better benefits like health care and retirement. This bill ensures public-sector workers across the country have that same right to a voice on the job and a seat at the table.” 

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. Unlike private sector workers, there is currently no federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions.

    Specifically, this bill would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation gives public service workers the freedom to:

    • Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees; 
    • Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment; 
    • Access dispute resolution mechanisms; 
    • Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues; 
    • Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid; 
    • Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections; and 
    • File suit in court to enforce their labor rights. 

    “Passing this legislation has never been more urgent — especially now, as federal workers face unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We believe, as most Americans do, that every worker deserves a union — no matter who they work for.  This bill is about something fundamental: respect. Respect for the public service workers who’ve devoted their careers to serving their communities. And respect means the freedom to negotiate.”

    “When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve. But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, the attacks on the fundamental freedoms of workers who keep our streets and water clean, our public transportation moving, and our children learning are increasing from the highest level of government,” said AFL-CIO President, Liz Shuler. “We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue to do the work that is so essential to our communities. We call on every member of Congress to stand with working people and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.”

    “For years now, the rights of workers like nurses, librarians, educators, and all our essential public servants who dedicate themselves to our communities have been chipped away at, despite their dedication and selfless service to their communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “That’s why the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is so vital. It protects public sector workers’ fundamental right to join together, bargain for fair pay, and stand up for decent working conditions. Congress needs to step up and pass this now and push back against efforts trying to undermine these essential rights.”

    “As education, healthcare and public service workers, our members make a difference in the lives of others every day. But too many states don’t allow the people who do the work to have a voice,” said Randi Weingarten, President of AFT. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would change that, ensuring public servants, no matter where they reside, have a means to influence their own lives. Whether it’s higher wages, safer working conditions, or a secure retirement, the ability to organize a union and bargain collectively lifts working families, students, patients, and entire communities up. That’s why we enthusiastically support this legislation and are committed to moving it forward.”

    This legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW).

    The full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Kaptur Ask GAO to Look into Whether New DOE Order Will Risk More Cost Overruns, Project Delays and Failures at National Labs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D, OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting it review whether a recent order issued by Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright that seeks to accelerate project execution might actually lead to more cost overruns, project delays and failures, and waste, fraud, and abuse at America’s national labs.

     “We write to you today to raise concerns regarding the Department of Energy’s recent Secretarial Order titled ‘Strengthening National Laboratory Efficiency and Mission Execution,’ announced by Secretary Wright on March 27, 2025. The stated purpose of the Secretarial Order is to remove ‘red tape’ and accelerate mission execution. While the objective of enhancing efficiency is a laudable one,” Murray and Kaptur write, “the approach outlined in this order, curtailing oversight and regulatory processes, presents significant risks that warrant thorough evaluation.”

    “Specifically, we are concerned that reducing oversight, rather than strengthening it, could lead to greater cost overruns and project delays, ultimately undermining the very mission objectives that this order intends to support,” they add.

    Murray and Kaptur note that DOE oversees a wide range of sensitive, complex programs that require robust oversight to protect taxpayer dollars and prevent waste, delays, and hazards: “The Department is responsible for an extensive range of activities, including managing nuclear facilities, clean energy initiatives, and critical infrastructure. Each of these areas requires detailed oversight, rigorous financial controls, and transparent decision-making processes to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively. Reducing these safeguards in the name of efficiency could expose these programs to a higher risk of financial mismanagement and project failure, as we have seen with past projects where inadequate supervision led to significant delays and budget overruns.”

    Murray and Kaptur conclude by requesting GAO review the implications of Secretary Wright’s order: “Given these concerns, we respectfully request the GAO to review the potential implications of this Secretarial Order on the Department of Energy’s major programs and projects. Specifically, we ask that your office evaluate whether the removal of key oversight measures could increase the likelihood of cost overruns that cost Americans taxpayers and whether these changes provide sufficient safeguards to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse and protect taxpayer interests.”

    The full letter is available HERE and below:

    April 11, 2025

    The Honorable Gene L. Dodaro
    Comptroller General of the United States
    Government Accountability Office
    441 G Street NW
    Washington, D.C. 20548

    Dear Mr. Dodaro,

    We write to you today to raise concerns regarding the Department of Energy’s recent Secretarial Order titled “Strengthening National Laboratory Efficiency and Mission Execution,” announced by Secretary Wright on March 27, 2025.  The stated purpose of the Secretarial Order is to remove “red tape” and accelerate mission execution.  While the objective of enhancing efficiency is a laudable one, the approach outlined in this order, curtailing oversight and regulatory processes, presents significant risks that warrant thorough evaluation. Specifically, we are concerned that reducing oversight, rather than strengthening it, could lead to greater cost overruns and project delays, ultimately undermining the very mission objectives that this order intends to support.

    This new policy seeks to expedite the Department’s ability to carry out its projects and initiatives by scaling back existing government controls, particularly those related to procurement, contracting, and oversight. While streamlining processes can indeed be beneficial in certain contexts, the absence of proper federal oversight mechanisms often leads to unintended consequences—cost overruns, inefficiencies, and failures to meet project timelines. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has consistently highlighted the importance of strong project management and oversight in federal projects, particularly in areas as complex and high-stakes as those under the purview of the Department.

    The Department is responsible for an extensive range of activities, including managing nuclear facilities, clean energy initiatives, and critical infrastructure. Each of these areas requires detailed oversight, rigorous financial controls, and transparent decision-making processes to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively. Reducing these safeguards in the name of efficiency could expose these programs to a higher risk of financial mismanagement and project failure, as we have seen with past projects where inadequate supervision led to significant delays and budget overruns.

    GAO’s body of work underscores the importance of maintaining a balance between the need for speed and the need for accountability. And the Department’s own tracking confirms the risk. For example, 53 percent – representing over $24 billion – of the Department’s total project portfolio is currently at risk or expected to breach its performance baseline. Without sufficient oversight, there is a higher likelihood that projects will not meet their cost estimates or will fail to be completed within the allocated timelines. These issues can be especially pronounced in large-scale, long-term projects, where the absence of regular evaluations and assessments creates opportunities for waste, fraud, and abuse.

    Furthermore, an “accelerated mission execution” culture risks prioritizing expediency over quality, safety, and long-term sustainability. For instance, the rush to move projects forward without adequate risk assessments or regulatory reviews could expose the Department to safety hazards, environmental risks, and long-term maintenance burdens that are costly to correct down the line. This risk is heightened given the high-hazard activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration, which involve nuclear weapons and radiation safety, and the Office of Environmental Management, which include addressing the cleanup and safe disposal of radioactive waste.

    Given these concerns, we respectfully request the GAO to review the potential implications of this Secretarial Order on the Department of Energy’s major programs and projects. Specifically, we ask that your office evaluate whether the removal of key oversight measures could increase the likelihood of cost overruns that cost Americans taxpayers and whether these changes provide sufficient safeguards to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse and protect taxpayer interests.

    We look forward to your insights on this matter and any recommendations your office might provide to mitigate these risks.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Presses Treasury Tax Policy Nominee on Commitment to Address Conflicts of Interests

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 11, 2025
    Kies refused to recuse himself from potential conflicts of interest throughout his time in office 
    Warren: “If confirmed as the top tax official at the Treasury Department, you will play a big role in handing out more tax cuts, including tax cuts to your former clients.”
    Video of Exchange (YouTube)
    Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Mr. Kenneth Kies, nominee for Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the Department of the Treasury, on his background as a tax lobbyist for large corporations and pushed him to commit to recusing himself from any matters that would impact the financial interests of his former clients while he is in office. 
    As Treasury’s top tax official, Kies would be responsible for developing and implementing tax policy and programs, negotiating tax treaties, and providing analysis for domestic and international tax policy decisions. However, as Senator Warren highlighted during the hearing, Kies’ former clients stand to gain billions under the upcoming Republican tax bill. If confirmed, Kies’ office at the Treasury Department would oversee the implementation of these tax laws and could potentially include tax loopholes that benefit these large corporations he once lobbied for. 
    So far, Kies has only committed to not working on matters that involve his former clients for one year. When asked if he would commit to recusing himself from matters that would affect the financial interests of his former clients for the duration of his employment, Kies refused to provide a straight answer. 
    This week, Senator Warren sent a letter to Kies urging him to mitigate the glaring conflicts of interest created by his background as a tax lobbyist for large corporations and his extensive investments in corporations that lobby the Treasury on tax policy.
    “Donald Trump cares about one group of people and one group of people only: himself and his billionaire friends, so it’s no surprise that he has nominated a highly paid corporate tax lobbyist to run tax policy for the American people,” said the senator. “We need a government that works for working people, not just massive corporations, their CEOs, and their lobbyists, and that’s what’s going to happen under Mr. Kies’ watch.”
    Transcript: Hearing to examine the nominations of William Kimmitt, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, and Kenneth Kies, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.Senate Finance CommitteeApril 10, 2025
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In 2017, Donald Trump gave $2 trillion in tax cuts, mostly to billionaires and billionaire corporations, and now he’s back for round two, this time a whopping $7 trillion in tax breaks for his rich donors. 
    Now, Mr. Kies, you’ve been a corporate lobbyist for nearly 30 years, successfully arranging tax breaks for Wall Street, Big Tech, Big Oil, and Big Pharma—you’ve helped them all. And if confirmed as the top tax official at the Treasury Department, you will play a big role in handing out more tax cuts, including tax cuts to your former clients. So, I just want to run through how this would work. Mr. Kies, you’ve lobbied for Microsoft for years. Microsoft and other big tech companies are now demanding tax breaks to incentivize research that they would do anyway, but the real kicker is they want those tax breaks, called R&D expensing, to be retroactive, incentivizing them to make research decisions they made years ago. And Republicans have said, ‘Sure, why not.’ 
    Mr. Kies, do you know how much your client, Microsoft, stands to gain from just this one tax break? 
    Mr. Kenneth Kies: No, Senator Warren. 
    Senator Warren: Well, if the Trump administration delivers what tech lobbyists are clamoring for, Microsoft would get $11 billion to incentivize investments it made years ago. That’s from Microsoft’s own annual reports. By the way, that is nearly as much as the federal government spends an entire year on child care for all of our babies. One company, your client, $11 billion. So, let’s try another one, Mr. Kies. 
    You’ve also lobbied on behalf of Pfizer, one of the biggest drug companies out there. President Trump has proposed slashing the tax rate for corporations even further, from 21% to 15% Mr. Kies, do you know how much your client Pfizer stands to gain from cutting the corporate tax rate to 15%?
    Mr. Kies: Okay, Senator Warren, Pfizer is not my client. I closed my business on March 14. None of those companies are my clients. My client—
    Senator Warren: I’m sorry, your former client. 
    Mr. Kies: Okay, former client. 
    Senator Warren: Pfizer, the one you lobbied for. 
    Mr. Kies: And Pfizer was a client over 10 years ago. 
    Senator Warren: Do you know how much they stand to make? 
    Mr. Kies: No. 
    Senator Warren: $4 billion from the Trump corporate tax cut. But there is more. The Republicans in Congress will set out the general rules for this tax giveaway, but your office at the Treasury Department will write the rules to implement those laws. When that happens, lobbyists will line up around the block to ask you for even more tax loopholes, which you know about firsthand, because you did exactly that after the first Trump tax giveaway. Now, you’ve committed not to work on matters involving your clients, or your former clients, for only one year. That means on day 366, while you are still in your job, you can go right back to handing out loopholes that could boost the bottom lines of Microsoft or Pfizer or any other of your former and future clients. 
    Mr. Kies, the American people would like to know that when you draw a government paycheck, you will be working just for them, not for your past and future clients. So, will you commit to recusing yourself from matters that would affect the financial interests of your former clients for the entire time that you are in office?
    Mr. Kies: So, Senator Warren, you and I had a very polite discussion about this when we met, and I advised you at that time, which is what I will tell you in public. I will comply with the terms of the ethics letter, which was written by career experts on ethics. And I would also reference you to the Bloomberg article, today, in which Scott Amey, the general counsel of the Project on Government Oversight, said the following: This is someone, me, who is taking government ethics very seriously— 
    Senator Warren: Very seriously—
    Mr. Kies: And was making attempts—
    Senator Warren: I appreciate that, but I’m running out of time here. 
    Mr. Kies: Well, I would encourage you to read the article.
    Senator Warren: I will take this as a no, and the fact that you say it’s okay with the Trump administration that on day 366, you will be handing out tax loopholes to clients that you took in millions of dollars from. And that you’ve made no pledge not to go back and make them your clients again in the future. That may be okay with the Trump administration. I don’t think it’s okay with the American people. 
    Donald Trump cares about one group of people and one group of people only: himself and his billionaire friends, so it’s no surprise that he has nominated a highly paid corporate tax lobbyist to run tax policy for the American people. We need a government that works for working people, not just massive corporations, their CEOs, and their lobbyists, and that’s what’s going to happen under Mr. Kies’ watch. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Oregon Delegation Denounces Trump Administration’s Attacks on Humanities Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    April 11, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today led his Democratic colleagues in the Oregon delegation—Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05)—in slamming federal funding cuts at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) following a majority of the agency’s entire staff being placed on paid administrative leave and cuts to more than 1,200 NEH grants across the country.
    “The NEH is a critical federal agency that supports the building blocks of American civil society, helping to examine the human condition, promote civics education, understand our cultural heritage, foster mutual respect and empathy, and develop media and information literacy across communities big and small,” the lawmakers wrote. “Without these critical resources, we fear that Americans will lose access to important cultural institutions and conversations across the country. For that reason, we implore you to reverse course and release grant funding and reinstate staff immediately.”
    Their letter to the Acting Chairman of the National Endowment of the Humanities on the impact of NEH funding cuts by the Trump Administration follows reports that a team from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had been visiting NEH offices.
    The lawmakers continued, “Since its founding in 1965, NEH has awarded over $6 billion in grants to museums, historic sites, colleges, universities, K–12 teaching, libraries, public television and radio stations, research institutions, independent scholars, and to its humanities council affiliates in each of the nation’s 56 states and jurisdictions. In Oregon, the impacts of these awards have been far- reaching across universities, museums, and our state humanities council, and yet, some of this work is already being cancelled.”
    Cancelled grants include approximately $1 million for Oregon Humanities; federal funding for the University of Oregon’s Institute for Resilient Organizations, Communities, and Environments; and more than $600,000 to the High Desert Museum in support of storytelling and educational resources, as well as museum expansion.
    The Oregon delegation pressed the Trump Administration: “We expect the Administration to implement the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025 in a manner consistent with these allocations enacted in Fiscal Year 2024. We also expect the Administration to allow the NEH to promote progress and scholarship in the humanities in the United States as Congress intended and as authorized in the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act.”
    Full text of the letter can be found by clicking here and follows below:
    Dear Mr. McDonald:
    We write to you to express deep concerns regarding cuts to previously appropriated funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and news that NEH staff have been placed on paid administrative leave. The NEH is a critical federal agency that supports the building blocks of American civil society, helping to examine the human condition, promote civics education, understand our cultural heritage, foster mutual respect and empathy, and develop media and information literacy across communities big and small. Without these critical resources, we fear that Americans will lose access to important cultural institutions and conversations across the country. For that reason, we implore you to reverse course and release grant funding and reinstate staff immediately.
    The NEH was established in 1965 alongside the National Endowment for the Arts, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act. The establishing legislation highlighted the importance of the arts and humanities, explaining that “democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens. It must therefore foster and support a form of education, and access to the arts and the humanities, designed to make people of all backgrounds and wherever located masters of their technology and not its unthinking servants.”
    Since its founding in 1965, NEH has awarded over $6 billion in grants to museums, historic sites, colleges, universities, K–12 teaching, libraries, public television and radio stations, research institutions, independent scholars, and to its humanities council affiliates in each of the nation’s 56 states and jurisdictions. In Oregon, the impacts of these awards have been far- reaching across universities, museums, and our state humanities council, and yet, some of this work is already being cancelled.
    For example, the Trump administration recently cancelled an NEH grant at the University of Oregon’s Institute for Resilient Organizations, Communities, and Environments for research to document the “cultural burning” of trees by Indigenous people in the Cascades and create a template for sustainable and resilient forest management. “Cultural burning” is a form of land management passed on by Indigenous tribes whereby Indigenous people set low-intensity fires to protect ecosystems and reduce wildfire risks. Leveraging a partnership with Oregon State University and the National Science Foundation, the project included funding for students to engage in field work on the Willamette National Forest documenting how living trees were historically modified and sustainably managed as a food source by Indigenous peoples.
    Oregon Humanities, which is Oregon’s state humanities council, was also recently notified that its standard operating grant from NEH was terminated, even though it was set to run through 2027. The loss of the grant is approximately $1 million, which is almost half of the organization’s yearly expenditure. Without these funds, Oregon Humanities will not be able to distribute federal dollars to other organizations in Oregon and do the critical work of creating conditions for people to connect and think together even when they disagree.
    In addition, museums in Oregon like the High Desert Museum have also benefitted from NEH funding and recently had all five of their NEH grants terminated, which totaled more than
    $600,000 in funding. This includes funding to increase storytelling about and educational resources for the largely rural High Desert region, and funding to expand the museum and its programming.
    For Fiscal Year 2024, Congress appropriated $207 million to NEH. We expect the Administration to implement the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025 in a manner consistent with these allocations enacted in Fiscal Year 2024. We also expect the Administration to allow the NEH to promote progress and scholarship in the humanities in the United States as Congress intended and as authorized in the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act.
    We hope you are mindful of these actions and the negative impacts this will have on Oregon’s communities, and we look forward to working with you to support NEH in fulfilling its purpose and meeting all of its statutory requirements.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Warren, Schumer, Senate Colleagues Call on SEC to Launch Investigation into Possible Trump Tariff Market Manipulation, Insider Trading

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    April 11, 2025
    Senators: “It is unconscionable that as American families are concerned about their financial security during this economic crisis entirely manufactured by the President, insiders may have actively profited from the market volatility and potentially perpetrated financial fraud on the American public.”
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today joined with five colleagues to urge the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate whether Donald Trump, any members of his cabinet, or other donors, insiders, or Administration officials engaged in insider trading, market manipulation, or other securities laws violations. 
    “We urge the SEC to investigate whether the tariff announcements, which caused the market crash and subsequent partial recovery, enriched administration insiders and friends at the expense of the American public and whether any insiders, including the President’s family, had prior knowledge of the tariff pause that they abused to make stock trades ahead of the President’s announcement,” the senators wrote in their letter to SEC Chair Paul Atkins. “Before pausing the tariffs that threw markets into disarray, President Trump appears to have previewed his plans to do so on Truth Social: at 9:37 am, he announced, “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT.” His official announcement of the tariff pause came roughly 4 hours later at 1:18 pm.”
    Others signing the letter besides Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, were Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee; Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).
    The senators also asked how Trump Administration cuts to the SEC might affect the agency’s ability to respond to large-scale market events and pursue enforcement actions. They requested answers to their questions by April 25, 2025.
    The entire letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar to Visit 19 Counties on Rural Economy Tour

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    Stops in Northwest, Central, and Southern Minnesota will focus on healthcare, small businesses, and tariffs
    MINNESOTA – This week Senator Amy Klobuchar will start a 19 county rural economy tour where she will meet with farmers, veterans, small business owners, and Minnesotans across the state. Today, she will be in Clay, Wilkin, Otter Tail, and Grant Counties.
    “This week I will visit farms, small businesses, and health care centers throughout rural Minnesota. I want to hear directly from Minnesotans about their challenges, particularly when it comes to health care access, household costs and the impact of the proposed tariffs on the rural economy. Our rural areas are critical to Minnesota’s strength.” 
    Every year Klobuchar visits all 87 Minnesota counties.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Duckworth Join Introduction Of Legislation To Increase Value Of Tax Credits That Help Working Class Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    April 10, 2025
    The American Family Act and the Tax Cut for Workers Act would expand the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit to give Americans much-needed financial relief
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined their Senate colleagues to introduce two bills, the American Family Act and the Tax Cut for Workers Act, aimed at expanding tax credits for American families. 
    “As costs have risen, wages haven’t kept up. And now Republicans want to give tax cuts to billionaires. What we need to do instead is give workers and families more tools to help make ends meet,” said Durbin. “The American Family Act and the Tax Cut for Workers Act would put money back into the pockets of hardworking Americans so they can afford to put food on the table, keep their lights on, and access high-quality child care.”
    “When Democrats expanded the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan, we lifted millions of children out of poverty with the stroke of a pen, bringing child poverty rates to the lowest recorded levels in our history,” Duckworth said. “As costs continue to rise, middle-class families are the ones that need relief, not billionaires like Elon Musk and the corporations shipping jobs overseas. I’m proud to join my colleagues in this push to put money back in the pockets of Americans.”
    The American Family Act, led by U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and cosponsored by Durbin and Duckworth, would permanently expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC) for middle-class and low-income families, one of the most effective tools to reduce poverty and put money back in the pockets of working families.  The 2021 expansion of the CTC in the American Rescue Plan Act, based on the American Family Act, led to a historic reduction in poverty in the United States, particularly for children. Research showed that child poverty fell immediately and substantially to 5.2 percent, its lowest level on record.
    Specifically, the American Family Act would:
    Increase the value of the CTC from the current level of $2,000 per child to $6,360 for newborns, $4,320 for children ages one through six, and $3,600 for children age six through 17;
    End the longstanding, discriminatory policy that reduces the value of the CTC for low-income families, ensuring that the families of 17 million low-income children left out of the CTC under current law will receive the same credit as families in the middle class;
    Provide for monthly delivery of the credit so families have access to the credit as bills arrive; and
    Index the CTC for inflation to preserve the value of the credit moving forward.
    The Tax Cut for Workers Act, led by U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and cosponsored by Durbin and Duckworth, would cut taxes for working class American without children, who currently receive a much smaller Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) than workers with children.  The bill would also extend eligibility for the tax cut to workers under the age of 25 and over the age of 64.
    The text of the American Family Act is available HERE and a summary of the bill is available HERE.
    The text of the Tax Cut for Workers Act is available HERE.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Fischer Introduce Protecting Children With Food Allergies Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    April 10, 2025
    The legislation would prepare school personnel to respond to potential food-related allergic reactions
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), who are both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today introduced the Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act.  The legislation would ensure school food personnel receive essential information about food allergies as part of their existing annual trainings, so that they are better equipped to prevent, recognize, and respond to allergic food reactions.
    Food allergies are a growing public health concern.  Over the past two decades, the number of children with food allergies in the U.S. has more than doubled.  Now, eight percent of children, about two students per classroom, have food allergies, and more than 16 percent of them will have an allergic reaction while at school.  Further, 20 percent of all epinephrine shots administered in schools are given to children who have undiagnosed food allergies—which makes it even more important for school food personnel to understand how to recognize and respond to an allergic reaction.
    “When parents drop their kids off at school, they should have the peace of mind knowing that their children are in a safe environment with personnel who are trained to look out for their child’s food allergies.  And students should be focused on their schoolwork, not if they’ll have a potentially deadly allergic reaction at lunchtime,” said Durbin.  “Today, I introduced the bipartisan Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act with Senator Fischer to ensure that school food personnel will be well-equipped when a child is experiencing an allergic reaction.”
    “America’s parents have enough on their plate—they shouldn’t have to worry about whether their kids’ schools can respond to serious allergic reactions. Nebraska has already led the way as the first state to require schools to stock epinephrine, but we need more national solutions to protect our children. Our bipartisan legislation will ensure that food personnel in schools across the country receive proper training to respond to allergic reactions,” Fischer said.
    USDA offers annual trainings to school food personnel who work under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP).  These trainings include modules in nutrition, health, and food safety standards and methodologies.  However, federal law does not require information about food allergies to be included as part of these annual trainings.  The Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act would add “food allergies” to the list of training modules to ensure that school food personnel receive essential information about food allergies as part of their existing annual trainings. 
    The Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act of 2025 has endorsements from: Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), and School Nutrition Association (SNA).
    “FARE supports this legislation that will improve protection of the nearly four million children with life-threatening food allergies, which translates to about two children in every classroom in the U.S. The risks are immediate and significant when school food service personnel lack adequate food allergy training so it’s critically important that school staff have the training needed to recognize and prevent cross-contact during meal preparation and respond effectively when life-threatening emergencies occur,” said Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, and CEO of FARE.
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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall and Bennet Introduce the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Improvement Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology, and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), the subcommittee’s Ranking Member, introduced the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Improvement Act. This bipartisan bill provides family farmers and ranchers the flexibility they need to conserve water on working lands, while fairly compensating them for retiring their water rights or limiting their water use.
    The CREP Improvement Act also explicitly directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to allow dryland farming on CREP land and ensures fairer compensation payments to producers.
    “As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology, I’m proud to partner with Ranking Member Senator Bennet in advancing a strong, bipartisan response to the water crisis we are facing out West,” said Senator Marshall. “The CREP Act is much-needed legislation that will provide Kansas farmers and ranchers the flexibility they need to preserve our water supply for generations to come and receive fair compensation in doing so.”
    “Colorado’s family farmers and ranchers face a 1,200-year drought, a changing climate, and a hotter and drier future. We must ensure that USDA’s conservation programs live up to their potential. This bipartisan bill will give farmers the flexibility they need to conserve water, protect their way of life, and pass their operations on to future generations of Coloradans,” said Senator Bennet.
    The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado).
    BACKGROUND:
    The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), leverages federal and non-federal funds to target specific state, regional, or nationally significant conservation concerns. Traditionally, it has provided farmers and ranchers with payments to remove land from production in order to address specific conservation concerns. Each CREP is unique, and in drought-prone regions in Kansas, Colorado, and across the West and the Great Plains, CREP is used primarily to voluntarily reduce water consumption on farmland.
    However, the CREP program has not always worked as intended, and producers have sought more flexibility to achieve CREP goals while allowing for alternative water conservation practices and fairer compensation for enrollment in the program. While the 2018 Farm Bill included a provision to allow dryland farming on retired irrigated acres in CREP, USDA still has not implemented this provision fully, and payments on dryland farmed acres are insufficient to encourage participation in key regions where water conservation is a top concern. As we look ahead to the next Farm Bill, adjustments to the CREP program will seek to improve flexibilities for farmers participating in the program and advance water conservation efforts.
    Specifically, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Improvement Act would improve the program by:

    Explicitly directing USDA to allow dryland agricultural uses on CREP acreage where appropriate;
    Specifically adding dryland crop production and grazing to the list of appropriate conservation practices for the CREP program;
    Allowing continuous cropping systems, like alfalfa, to be eligible for drought and water conservation CREP agreements; 
    Ensuring fairer payments to producers by stipulating that annual payments for drought and water conservation CREP agreements will be equal to the difference between the irrigated acre payment rates and the dryland acre payment rates, as determined by USDA;
    Ensuring that any drought and water conservation agreement that includes the permanent retirement of a water right receives the full irrigated acre payment rate; 
    Making the payment formula retroactive for existing drought and water conservation agreements;
    Letting producers choose their payment allocations under the program, instead of a fixed payment per year for the 10-15-year contract period; and 
    Waiving CREP payments from the $50,000 annual payment limitation under the Conservation Reserve Program.

    Click HERE to read the full bill text. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Votes to Overturn Biden-Era Rule Banning More Affordable Natural Gas Water Heaters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    04.10.25
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today voted for a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval to overturn a Biden-era Department of Energy (DOE) rule that would have effectively banned the most affordable tankless water heater options, forcing consumers to pay an extra $450 for alternatives. The Biden-era rule raised the energy efficiency standards for new tankless water heaters by 11 to 15 percent, resulting in the removal of roughly forty percent of the existing market for tankless water heaters.
    “We voted to overturn the Biden administration’s overly stringent standards for tankless water heaters that would have removed the most affordable options from the market,” said Hoeven. “Americans should be able to choose the water heater that works best for their budget and their home, not forced to use a more expensive alternative.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Votes to Confirm Major General J. Daniel Caine as Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    04.11.25

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after joining a bipartisan Senate majority in voting to confirm Major General J. Daniel Caine as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

    “General Caine has a long record of serving our nation, with more than two decades of experience as a member of the Air National Guard, including time as an F-16 pilot and important assignments related to intelligence and special operations. Given his prior combat and leadership experience, he is a strong choice to serve as chairman. Importantly, during his confirmation process, he emphasized the importance of developing and deploying new technologies to extend our nation’s strategic advantage. This aligns closely with our efforts to modernize the dual-nuclear mission in Minot and maintain an effective nuclear deterrent, as well as advance the unmanned, space and hypersonic missile testing operations in the Red River Valley. I look forward to working with him to advance these key defense priorities.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Crapo, Cassidy Introduce Bill to Protect Energy Permitting Process from Frivolous Lawsuits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced the Revising and Enhancing Project Authorizations Impacted by Review (REPAIR) Act to protect the permitting process for U.S. energy, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure projects from frivolous lawsuits.

    “Critical domestic energy, natural resource, and manufacturing projects have been blocked by activist litigation for far too long, forcing the U.S. to rely on countries like China for resources available in our own backyard,” said Risch. “The REPAIR Act would close judicial loopholes and eliminate years of unnecessary litigation that have hindered our ability to harness our own natural resources.”

    “Off-shore energy projects face stiff headwinds in America,” said Crapo. “As we move toward greater American energy independence, the REPAIR Act would reduce the threat of frivolous lawsuits during the permitting and review process for new projects that can tie up proposals for years. Advancing this bill is an important step in furthering President Trump’s domestic energy agenda.”

    “Green activist groups have a pattern. They manipulate the legal system to keep infrastructure and energy projects in legal purgatory,” said Cassidy. “Let’s end this and get the project moving again. It’s the only way to unleash American energy!”

    The REPAIR Act makes many vital changes to the judicial review of an approved permit by ensuring all laws related to permitting have the same review process, scope of adjudication, rules for standing, and statute of limitations. The bill removes the ability to file a suit based on the National Environmental Policy Act, instead focusing lawsuits on the statute for which the permit was issued. In the case of a judicial remand or other court action, the REPAIR Act establishes a mediation process that allows the project developer and the permit-issuing agency to directly address the challenge and enable the project to move forward. Additionally, the bill increases transparency in ongoing court challenges to permits to highlight the unnecessary delays caused by the judicial process.

    The legislation is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Petroleum Institute, ClearPath, the National Mining Association, and Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Colleagues Raise Concerns Regarding Closure of 35 Mine Safety and Health Administration Offices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wrote to Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer regarding the proposal from the “Department of Government Efficiency” to close 35 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) field offices. The senators request specific information regarding how the office closures will impact personnel and inspections of underground mines. They also ask about how MHSA will comply with the new silica standard that Kaine, Warner, and Fetterman pushed for.

    “This proposal will seriously undermine the progress made over the past 50 years to ensure the health and safety of our nation’s miners,” wrote the senators. “This is an agency already struggling, and the cuts will likely be detrimental to the workers who risk their lives every day to power our nation.”

    The senators continued, “Of the list released by DOGE, nearly half of the offices are located in the Appalachian coalfields. Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis, commonly referred to as black lung disease, remains most prevalent in the Central Appalachian states, including Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.”

    Warner, Kaine, Fetterman, and Sanders recently sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. pushing back on his decision to gut the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is tasked with protecting the health and safety of coal miners. Kaine and Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) also recently announced that they will introduce the Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Protection Act to close glaring loopholes in our nation’s mine safety laws that threaten miners’ lives and hold rogue mine operators accountable. 

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Secretary Chavez-DeRemer:

    We write to express our strong opposition to the self-proclaimed Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) efforts to close 35 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) field offices. This proposal will seriously undermine the progress made over the past 50 years to ensure the health and safety of our nation’s miners.

    In 1977, MSHA was established through the bipartisan passage of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, also known as the Mine Act. Mining fatalities drastically dropped following the enactment of the Mine Act, yet there were still 31 fatalities in 2024. Federal law requires MSHA to inspect each underground mine four times a year. Unfortunately, MSHA has faced challenges in carrying out its mission due to limited staff and funding resources. This effort from the Trump administration to further undermine MSHA under the guise of “efficiency” will only cause more harm to individuals in some of the most dangerous jobs.

    To illustrate the inefficiency, an analysis by the Appalachian Citizens Law Center (ACLC) found that 16,639 inspections were conducted by 33 MSHA offices slated for closure between January 2024 and February 2025. Inspectors in those offices spent over 234,000 hours on-site locations and accrued a total of 399,000 hours in conducting their inspection duties. Now, ACLC estimates that if mines have to be re-designated to the remaining MSHA offices, inspectors could spend three to four hours round-trip to inspect them. This comes at a time, when over the last decade, there has been a 27% decline in MSHA staff, including a 50% reduction in enforcement staff for coal mines. This is an agency already struggling, and the cuts will likely be detrimental to the workers who risk their lives every day to power our nation.

    Of the list released by DOGE, nearly half of the offices are located in the Appalachian coalfields. Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis, commonly referred to as black lung disease, remains most prevalent in the Central Appalachian states, including Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is reported that Central Appalachian coal miners born in 1940 or later are over eight times more likely to die from a respiratory disease like black lung than their peers elsewhere in the nation. A study was conducted between 2013 and 2017 in Southwest Virginia, where over 400 miners were identified as having progressive massive fibrosis – a more complicated form of black lung disease – representing the largest cluster ever reported in the scientific literature.

    This decision by DOGE follows decades of advocacy and efforts to ensure workplace safety and prevent black lung disease, and comes on the heels of the compliance date to the new silica standard. On April 18, 2024, MSHA issued its final rule, Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica and Improving Respiratory Protection. Conservatively, MSHA estimates that 2.3 million U.S. workers across industries, including mining and construction, are exposed to silica each year. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also estimates that it is 20 times more likely for miners to die from silicosis than it is for workers in other occupations to die from other occupational illnesses. Furthermore, central Appalachian coal mines have higher concentrations of silica dust than any other mines in the United States. That is because miners often have to cut deeper into the rocks to locate any coal.

    The new silica standard was a monumental victory, and coal mine operators were initially meant to come into compliance by April 14, 2025. However, MSHA announced a temporary enforcement pause until August 18, 2025. The pause directly results from this administration’s careless actions to gut NIOSH. Once it comes into effect, the question remains as to who will enforce the rule when there will be fewer inspections. With the 15th anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster approaching, we are deeply concerned that history may repeat itself.

    We demand answers to the following questions by May 1, 2025:

    1. Federal law requires MSHA to inspect each underground mine at least four times a year. The office closures will impact travel times and the availability of inspectors. Will inspectors be relocated to new office spaces near their existing locations? How do you plan to remain in compliance with the Mine Act?
    2. Please provide a detailed plan outlining how you intend to comply with the new silica standard despite these office closures.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell On Caine Confirmation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today on the confirmation of Lt. Gen. Dan Caine (Retired) to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

    “America’s adversaries are watching the every move of the U.S. Armed Forces and their leaders. It would be difficult to conceive of a more important moment for a Commander in Chief to have a top military advisor committed to providing him unvarnished advice. I am glad that General Dan Caine is now on the job as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

    “Growing, linked threats to U.S. national security will place immediate demands on Chairman Caine for clarity, candor, and sober counsel. Defense appropriators, in turn, will expect to work closely with him and the military services to match adequate resources to inescapable strategic obligations. I commend General Caine for his willingness to return from retirement to continue his service to our nation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders, 30 Senate Colleagues Demand Trump Reinstate Workers Providing Critical Heating Assistance to Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, April 11 – After President Donald Trump and Elon Musk arbitrarily fired every worker in the office that helps working class families with children and seniors on fixed incomes stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), alongside 30 Senate colleagues, today sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding that the administration reinstate those workers and ensure they can continue administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

    Joining Sanders on the letter are Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

    “Last year, LIHEAP provided over 6 million American households with the assistance they needed to heat their homes during extremely cold winters and to keep air conditioners running in the soaring heat. Without this bipartisan program, Americans throughout the country would be forced to make the unacceptable choice between putting food on the table, paying for prescription drugs, or heating their homes in the winter,” Sanders and the senators wrote. “In the richest country in the history of the world, no one should be forced to make that unacceptable decision.”

    For almost 45 years, LIHEAP has helped families around the nation with the costs of home energy bills. Rising energy costs have made this assistance even more important for working families, seniors and people with disabilities. According to the Census Bureau, more than 23 percent of households report that they were unable to pay their energy bills in full last year. 

    “The administration has a legal and moral obligation to disburse LIHEAP funds to states and to uphold the program’s promise to help families keep the heat and air condition on,” Sanders and the senators continued. “Therefore, we urge you to immediately reinstate all of the LIHEAP staff that were terminated, reopen the Division of Energy Assistance (DEA) that administers this program, and disburse all of the LIHEAP funds that Congress has appropriated. Being able to heat your home in the freezing cold and keep the air condition on in the extreme heat is not a luxury. It is a matter of life and death.”

    Read the text of the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Cosponsors Bipartisan Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Full Funding Act

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, this week joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), James Risch (R-Idaho), and Ted Budd (R-N.C.) to introduce the Recreational Trails Program Full Funding Act, bipartisan legislation to improve the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) by increasing the transparency accountability of its funding program. Since 1991, the Recreational Trails Program has provided funding to states to develop and maintain outdoor recreational trails, allowing millions of Americans and their families to enjoy activities such as hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and 4-wheel driving. 
    “From Vermont’s Green Mountains to Utah’s ‘Mighty Five’ National Parks, America is home to unmatched natural beauty. The Recreational Trails Program plays a vital role in helping build and maintain hiking trails across the country so folks can enjoy and explore our great outdoors,” said Senator Welch. “Our bipartisan bill will support this crucial program to ensure that future generations can experience the joy of hiking our nation’s scenic trails for many years to come.” 
    “Minnesota snowmobilers, hikers, ATV users, cyclists, and countless others who enjoy the outdoors rely on the Recreational Trails Program to explore our state’s natural wonders and support our local businesses,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will ensure states receive the resources they deserve to protect and improve these trails for generations to come.” 
    “The Recreational Trails Program provides Idahoans and visitors to our state with access to our public lands,” said Senator Risch. “This legislation ensures trail maintenance projects can continue and future generations can enjoy Idaho’s great outdoors for years to come.” 
    “From Murphy to Manteo, North Carolina’s network of recreational trails not only attracts tourism to our state, but also allows North Carolinians to enjoy the natural beauty our state has to offer. I am proud to join Senator Klobuchar in introducing this bipartisan legislation to help maintain, improve, and expand upon the natural infrastructure of our public lands,” said Senator Budd. 
    The RTP Full Funding Act—which is supported by recreational groups from snowmobilers to cyclists and hikers to off-highway power sport vehicle users—will ensure that federal funds collected for this program are maximized to support more trail projects in the future. The bipartisan bill signals strong support for bringing the Recreational Trail Program funding in line with the revenue collected from the federal gas tax already paid by off-road recreational vehicle users without impacting funding for other federal transportation programs, including the Transportation Alternatives Program.  
    The RTP Full Funding Act will increase the accuracy and transparency of RTP funding by: 

    Requiring a study to determine the total amount of funds collected; 
    Improving reporting on expenditures from the RTP to improve accountability and oversight; and 
    Streamlining RTP funding distribution to the states by reducing unnecessary paperwork. 

    In addition to Sens. Welch, Klobuchar, Risch, and Budd, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators John Curtis (R-Utah), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). 
    The bill is supported by the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC), Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT), Motorcycle Industry Council,  Safe & Responsible Use at the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, American Trails, International Mountain Bicycling Association, The Corps Network, International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, American Council of Snowmobile Associations, American Horse Council & American Horse Council Foundation, American Hiking Society, Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), PeopleForBikes, Back Country Horsemen of America, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Association, and Rails to Trails Conservancy. 
    “The Recreational Trails Program has produced tens of thousands of successes across the nation, benefiting the health, safety and enjoyment of millions of hikers and bicyclists and ATVers and snowmobilers and equestrians and more.  It has forged national and regional partnerships among those who use trails – overcoming potential competition with plans that deliver great opportunities for all.  RTP projects benefit from the sharing of best practices and from widespread volunteerism and Public-Private-Partnerships.  Because RTP offers flexibility in uses including maintenance and education, the program can improve other trail projects.  Best of all, RTP unifies the nation across our diversity – north and south, urban and rural, young and old, Red and Blue and more, and connects more Americans to their shared legacy of public lands and waters.  We thank our wonderful Congressional Champions for making this possible!” said Marianne Fowler and Derrick Crandall, Co-Chairs of the Coalition for Recreational Trails. 
    “The RTP is vitally important to trail users everywhere.  The program funds trail construction, maintenance, safety, interpretation, and other important projects. The funding for this program has remained flat for too long.  We would like to thank the bill sponsors for taking action to ensure that these important priorities will be fully funded,” said Duane Taylor, Director of Safe & Responsible Use,  Specialty Vehicle Institute of America. 
    “The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association and the American Council of Snowmobile Associations applaud the continued leadership of Senators Klobuchar and Risch and the active support of Senators Welch, Budd, Tillis, Merkley and Curtis to return to outdoor recreation the resources required to build and maintain our recreational trail infrastructure. Their persistence in pushing for this funding partially addresses the greatest inequity contained in our federal aid highway program…This legislation is a step in the right direction for the continued support of the trails system – and the rural communities across the United States! Thank you for your support and leadership!” said Jaret Smith, President of the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, and Christine Jourdain, Executive Director of the American Council of Snowmobile Associations. 
    “The Recreational Trails Program is vital for building and maintaining trails for cyclists across the country.  At PeopleForBikes, we strongly support more funding for all bicycle infrastructure programs and applaud the bipartisan leadership of this legislation for their support of recreational trails,” said Jenn Dice, CEO of PeopleForBikes. 
    “American Hiking Society and the 59 million strong hiking community praises the bipartisan leadership of Senators Klobuchar and Risch in support of the Recreational Trails Program! The RTP Full Funding Act of 2024 will ensure that the over three decades long impact of RTP can continue to provide the tens of millions of non-motorized and motorized trail users in urban and rural areas the benefits of trails including health and wellness, connectivity, and economic growth. Hikers and trail users across the country thank Senators Klobuchar, Risch, Budd, Welch, Tillis, Curtis, and Merkley for their support of our nation’s trails!” said Tyler Ray, Senior Director for Programs and Advocacy, American Hiking Society. 
    Read the full text of the bill. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford, Hassan, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Strengthen Grid Resilience for Communities Following a Major Disaster

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and colleagues introduced the Promoting Opportunities to Widen Electrical Resilience (POWER) Act of 2025, legislation that would strengthen the reliability of electrical infrastructure following natural disasters and would allow FEMA funds to be used for both restoration and resilience improvements, addressing a critical gap in current disaster recovery policies that particularly harms rural communities.
    “In Oklahoma, we know the toll that storms and natural disasters can take on our rural communities,” said Lankford. “Far too often, rural electric co-ops are forced to rebuild the same vulnerable infrastructure again and again. The POWER Act gives them the flexibility to make smarter, more resilient upgrades up front—without increasing project costs.”
    “Reliable electricity is essential for public safety, economic stability, and the lives of Granite Staters and Americans across the country,” said Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation is a common-sense solution to help public electric utilities improve resiliency after natural disasters, ultimately reducing future power outages and saving taxpayer dollars in the long run.”
    Lankford is joined in introducing the bill by Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Andy Kim (D-NJ).
    Background
    Under current law, utilities receiving FEMA funding to restore power after disasters are ineligible for additional funds to improve long-term resilience. This often leaves rural electric co-ops unable to upgrade infrastructure for future storms, requiring costly restorations. The POWER Act fixes this by allowing utilities to use FEMA funds for restoration and resilience improvements without increasing the cost of any item.
    The bill is supported by the American Public Power Association (APPA) and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Western Senators Introduce Landmark Bipartisan Wildfire Mitigation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    Hickenlooper’s Fix Our Forests Act will help reduce wildfire risk for Colorado communities and speed up mitigation projects while maintaining environmental safeguards and encouraging local involvement
    Hickenlooper, Curtis, Padilla, and Sheehy landed a bipartisan deal after months of negotiations
    Legislation is supported by: Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Alliance for Wildfire Resilience, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, and many more
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, John Curtis, Alex Padilla, and Tim Sheehy introduced the Fix Our Forests Act, bipartisan legislation to combat growing catastrophic wildfires across Colorado and the United States. The bill works to strengthen wildfire resilience by improving forest management, supporting fire-safe communities, and streamlining approvals for projects that protect communities and ecosystems from extreme wildfires. 
    The comprehensive bill reflects months of bipartisan negotiations to find consensus on how to accelerate forest management projects, promote safe and responsible prescribed fire treatments, expand public input in assessments of wildfire resilience needs, and enhance collaboration between federal agencies, states, tribes, and stakeholders.
    “The growing wildfire crisis threatens our Colorado communities,” said Hickenlooper. “We need to act NOW with the speed required to mitigate wildfires and make our homes and businesses more resilient to these disasters, and to put in place protections for our communities and the environment.”
    “Utah and the American West are on the front lines of a growing wildfire crisis—and the longer we wait, the more acres will burn, and more families will be impacted,” said Curtis. “After months of bipartisan cooperation and consensus-building, my colleagues and I are introducing comprehensive legislation to support forest health, accelerate restoration, and equip local leaders—from fire chiefs to mayors—with the tools and data they need to protect lives, property, and landscapes. I’m proud of this bill and look forward to receiving additional input from my colleagues as it advances through Committee and the full Senate.”
    “As increasingly frequent and catastrophic wildfires in California make clear, we need durable solutions to confront the growing impacts of the wildfire crisis,” said Padilla. “This bill represents a strong, bipartisan step forward, not just in reducing wildfire risk in and around our national forests, but in protecting urban areas and our efforts to reduce climate emissions. It prioritizes building fire-resilient communities, accelerating the removal of hazardous fuels, and strengthening coordination across federal, state, and tribal agencies, including through the creation of the first-ever National Wildfire Intelligence Center. I look forward to continuing to advance forward-thinking, practical solutions to protect our communities from devastating wildfires—and that includes pushing for sustained funding and staffing for our federal land management agencies to ensure they have the tools to get this critical work done.”
    “Better stewarding our forests is something we can all agree on, regardless of party, because it helps secure a stronger economy, more resilient, healthy forests, and safer communities,” said Sheehy. “I’m proud to join my colleagues on this important legislation to support those on the frontlines protecting communities from catastrophic wildfire, better manage our forests, create more good-paying jobs, and unleash our resource economy.”
    The West has long been prone to wildfires, but climate change, prolonged drought, and the buildup of dry fuels have increasingly intensified these fires and extended fire seasons. Wildfires today are more catastrophic – growing larger, spreading faster, and burning more land than ever before.
    Colorado has seen four of the five largest fires in our state’s history since 2018. The 2021 Marshall fire was Colorado’s most destructive on record, burning over 1,000 homes. The Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires in 2020 together burned more than 400,000 acres, the two largest fires in the state’s history. Nationwide, total acres burned rose from 2.7 million in 2023 to nearly 9 million in 2024, a 231% increase.
    Forest health challenges are also increasing in frequency and severity due to climate stressors like drought and fire, and biological threats like invasive species – all of which the West is particularly vulnerable to. From 2001 to 2019, total forest area declined by 2.3%, while interior forest area decreased by up to 9.5%. The Intermountain region had the largest area losses, and the Pacific Southwest had the highest annual loss rates.
    To address these challenges, the Fix Our Forests Act would:
    Establish new and updated programs to reduce wildfire risks across large, high-priority “firesheds,” with an emphasis on cross-boundary collaboration.
    Streamline and expand tools for forest health projects (e.g., stewardship contracting, Good Neighbor Agreements) and provide faster processes for certain hazardous fuels treatments.
    Create a single interagency program to help communities in the wildland-urban interface build and retrofit with wildfire-resistant measures, while simplifying and consolidating grant applications.
    Expand research and demonstration initiatives – including biochar projects and the Community Wildfire Defense Research Program – to test and deploy cutting-edge wildfire prevention, detection, and mitigation technologies.
    Enable watershed protection and restoration projects to include adjacent non-federal lands; establish new programs for white oak restoration; and clarify policies to reduce wildfire-related litigation and expedite forest health treatments.
    A one-pager can be found here, and a section-by-section can be found here.
    The Fix Our Forests Act was originally introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Bruce Westerman and Scott Peters.
    Hickenlooper has been an active supporter of wildfire resilience, including sponsorship of legislation to restore land management agency staffing and pushback on the firings of the federal employees that support wildfire resilience on our public lands. The Fix Our Forests Act provides the tools necessary to accelerate wildfire resilience, which will work alongside Hickenlooper’s sustained efforts for the funding and staffing necessary for land management efforts.
    The Fix Our Forests Act is supported by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado State Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, BPC Action, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Alliance for Wildfire Resilience, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Federation of American Scientists, Association of Firetech Innovation (AFI), Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO), Wildfire Alliance, Tall Timbers, Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition, The Stewardship Project, and Megafire Action.
    “I applaud the bipartisan work and leadership of the Senate sponsors of this bill, including Colorado’s Senator Hickenlooper, in crafting a bill that will make Colorado communities safer amidst the urgent and growing wildfire crisis in the West. From supporting responsible and expedited on-the-ground fuel reductions, to bolstering the use and development of the latest wildfire satellite monitoring technology which compliments Colorado’s national leadership in the aerospace sector, and to investing in stewardship practices for local communities to be better prepared for wildfires and reforestation efforts with the state nursery to improve our ability to recover – this bill makes major strides in addressing the country’s wildfire risk and will support Colorado’s continued leadership in wildfire preparedness, response and recovery,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
    “Extreme risk of catastrophic wildfires across the West demands urgent action,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “In California, we’re fast-tracking projects by streamlining state requirements and using more fuel breaks and prescribed fire. The Fix Our Forests Act is a step forward that will build on this progress — enabling good projects to happen faster on federal lands. I’m appreciative of Senator Padilla and the bipartisan team of Senators who crafted a balanced solution that will both protect communities and improve the health of our forests.”
    “A century of fire suppression and decades of reduced forest management have left us with overgrown, unhealthy forests that are more vulnerable to disease and catastrophic wildfire,” said Utah Governor Spencer Cox. “The Fix Our Forest Act, along with the tools provided by President Trump’s executive order, will help us actively manage our forests—protecting our watersheds, improving wildlife habitat, reducing wildfire risk, and providing the timber we need to build strong homes and neighborhoods.”
    “TNC appreciates the serious undertaking of Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Sheehy, and Padilla to build on legislation targeted at preventing more catastrophic wildfires through improved forest and fuels management and expanded use of prescribed fire. TNC has been working to restore beneficial fire and improve the resilience of forest systems on the ground for more than 60 years. Every year, wildfires continue to grow deadlier and more devastating to communities and the environment, and we remain concerned that the significant cuts to the Forest Service workforce will impede work to protect people and nature from these wildfire risks.  We support this legislative effort aimed at improving the forest management process to better address catastrophic wildfires,” said Kameran Onley, managing director of North America policy and government relations, The Nature Conservancy.
    “For many Americans, catastrophic wildfires are a very real and growing threat to their homes and lives,” said Environmental Defense Fund Executive Director Amanda Leland. “The U.S. Forest Service needs new tools and more resources now to prevent and control these wildfires, and with the right funding, this bipartisan proposal will help. Protecting people and nature from catastrophic wildfire requires both a robust, science-based plan of forest management and the resources to implement it.” 
    “As the megafire crisis grows larger and more severe with each fire season, we need policy solutions that reflect the urgency and scale of the problem. Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Padilla and Sheehy have negotiated a Senate companion to the Fix Our Forests Act that will move the federal government towards a science-based, strategic approach to addressing megafires. We look forward to working with the sponsors to advance this bill and enact the most transformative wildfire and land management law in a generation—since the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003, if not the National Forest Management Act of 1976,” said Matt Weiner, CEO of Megafire Action.
    “We are thrilled to see the Fix Our Forests Act introduced in the Senate through a bipartisan cooperation between Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Padilla, and Sheehy. The bill greatly expands upon the version that passed the House, adding critical details to support wildfire risk reduction in the built environment and provisions for mitigating the health impacts of smoke to communities while promoting expanded use of prescribed fire,”said Annie Schmidt and Tyson Bertone-Riggs, Managing Directors, Alliance for Wildfire Resilience. “Covering a third of the recommendations of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, this bill is a significant step forward in wildfire policy and, coupled with sufficient funding and staffing to realize the proposed tools and programs, will make a real difference in our nation’s experience with wildfire.”
    “I thank Senators Hickenlooper, Padilla, Curtis, and Sheehy for introducing this bipartisan legislation,” said Fire Chief Josh Waldo, President and Board Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. “As we saw in January’s fires in Los Angeles, the nation faces a serious and growing risk from fires in the wildland urban interface (WUI). This legislation will enact many of the recommendations of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. It also will improve coordination of federal wildland fire preparedness efforts; promote the use of prescribed fires and other preventative measures to prevent WUI fires; and promote the development of new technologies to help local fire departments. We look forward to working with the bill’s sponsors to pass this legislation.”
    “Our national forests provide essential wildlife habitat, store carbon, and supply communities across the nation with clean air and water. These vital landscapes are under threat and must be proactively stewarded if they are to survive the changing climate, rapidly intensifying wildfires, and past management missteps. The bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act will help increase the pace and scale of evidence-backed forest management, including the use of beneficial prescribed fire and the restoration of white oak forests. But we must have a robust and talented federal workforce in place for it to succeed,” said Abby Tinsley, vice president for conservation policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “We will work with Senators Hickenlooper, Padilla, Sheehy, Curtis, and Chairman Westerman in the House to strengthen and advance this important conversation.”
    “Wildfires grow more intense and destructive each year, leaving behind immense devastation for our forests, wildlife, and communities,” said Marshall Johnson, chief conservation officer at the National Audubon Society.“The bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act represents an important step in reducing wildfire risks across forested landscapes. Audubon thanks Senators Hickenlooper, Curtis, Padilla, and Sheehy for working together to craft a bill that sets the stage for improved forest management, and we urge Congress to dedicate the resources necessary to ensure federal agencies are well-equipped to reduce wildfire risks, steward our forestlands, and protect wildlife habitat.”
    “We applaud the efforts made by Senator Hickenlooper in the Fix Our Forests Act to provide federal, state, and local partners with the tools needed to address wildfire mitigation in the most vulnerable areas in Colorado. Wildfires do not abide by our political boundaries. But here in Colorado we have built strong coordination among federal, state, local land managers and stakeholders to help reduce the impact of wildfires on our critical infrastructure and landscapes,” said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources. “We appreciate that this legislation builds upon this important collaboration and draws on existing agreements, such as Shared Stewardship, which will help strengthen our intergovernmental partnerships as we prepare for the next Colorado mega-fire.”
    “Forests are central to our way of life in Colorado. They support world-class outdoor recreation and a vital water supply that more than 40 million Americans rely upon. I am grateful to Senator John Hickenlooper for his work on the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act,” said Matt McCombs, Colorado State Forester and Director of the Colorado State Forest Service. “This critical legislation will bolster our shared stewardship ethic in Colorado and enhance our ability as a state to improve forest health, protect lives, communities and water supplies from wildfire, and ensure that the forests that define Colorado endure for generations to come.”
    “The growing frequency and severity of wildfires pose a tremendous threat to the health of our forests and the safety of countless communities. The Fix Our Forests Act takes important steps to mitigate wildfires, improve forest health, and protect local communities. We appreciate this thoughtful, bipartisan effort led by Senators Curtis, Hickenlooper, Sheehy, and Padilla to advance this important legislation,” said Jennifer Tyler, VP of Government Affairs at Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
    “The declining health of our National Forests and the fish and wildlife habitat that they provide is a concern for America’s hunters and anglers,”said Joel Pedersen, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “TRCP applauds the leadership of Senators Curtis, Sheehy, Hickenlooper, and Padilla for introducing the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act in the Senate and urges Congress to advance these important forest management provisions and to accompany them with adequate resources and capacity to carry out on-the-ground work.”  
    “HECHO enthusiastically applauds the impressive bipartisan leadership behind the Senate’s Fix Our Forests Act. At a time when cooperation is more important than ever, these Senators are putting forward real, thoughtful solutions to reduce wildfire risk while engaging local and rural communities. This legislation is a critical step toward actively managing our forests to protect public lands, watersheds, and the communities that depend on them. By expediting emergency authorities in high-risk firesheds—and through the creation of the Wildfire Intelligence Center—this effort has the potential to significantly reduce catastrophic wildfires and strengthen prediction and response, particularly in fire-prone states like Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. It’s a shining example of the kind of balanced, forward-looking leadership we need to protect our natural landscapes and communities,” said Camilla Simon, Executive Director of Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO).
    “BPC Action applauds the bipartisan leadership of Sens. Curtis (R-UT), Hickenlooper (D-CO), Sheehy (R-MT), and Padilla (D-CA) on the introduction of the Fix Our Forests Act. By streamlining and improving forest and hazardous fuels management activities on public and Tribal lands, this legislation will help reduce wildfire risks, improve forest health, and protect communities in fire-prone areas. The Fix Our Forests Act also delivers substantial economic and environmental benefits by addressing critical needs to enhance the domestic supply chain of seeds and advance biochar commercialization,” said Michele Stockwell, President of Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Budd’s Bipartisan Resolution Honoring Gold Star Spouses Passes the Senate

    US Senate News:

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

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Ted Budd’s (R-N.C.) bipartisan resolution designating April 5, 2025, as Gold Star Wives Day passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The resolution honors the spouses of fallen service members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

    Senators Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.) joined Senator Budd in introducing the resolution.

    “The fallen members of our military have paid the ultimate sacrifice, laying down their lives in defense of our country’s freedom and security. They will never be forgotten, but the sacrifices made by their spouses are often overlooked. Today, I am proud that my bipartisan resolution honoring our nation’s Gold Star wives received unanimous support and passed the Senate. Amy Kate and I extend our deepest gratitude to the spouses of our fallen veterans in North Carolina and across the nation,” said Senator Budd.

    “As a veteran myself, I know the sacrifices our service members make—and I know their families often sacrifice even more. Gold Star spouses have faced the greatest loss, and their strength in the face of that grief is a powerful reminder of what service truly means. We owe them not just our gratitude, but our continued support,” said Senator Kelly.

    “Our fallen servicemembers’ loved ones bear a grief few can ever understand, but we must never forget their sacrifice. I am proud to join my colleagues to extend our eternal gratitude to every family member of the heroes who have laid down their lives in defense of our nation and freedoms,” said Senator Boozman.

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –