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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces $1.1 million for generators in Red River Parish

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $1,055,556 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for generators in Red River Parish, La.

    “When disaster strikes, Louisianians rely on back-up power to stay safe. This $1.1 million will help Red River Parish cover these costs and prepare for the next storm,” said Kennedy.

    The FEMA aid will fund the following:

    • $1,000,000 for the purchase and installation of 21 permanent generators, switches, foundation pads and security fencing in Red River Parish.
    • $55,556 for management costs associated with generator purchase and installation in Red River Parish.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Statement on South Carolina Workers’ Key Role in Economic Growth

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) issued the statement below emphasizing the crucial role South Carolina’s dedicated workers play in driving the state’s and the nation’s positive economic growth:

    “I’m committed to supporting President Trump’s America First agenda and ensuring our trading partners aren’t taking advantage of us. The truth is simple: the men and women of South Carolina are some of the smartest and hardest working people in the world. This is why BMW has chosen to invest billions of dollars in the Upstate, which has a significant positive economic impact on the state of South Carolina and our nation. Any suggestions to the contrary are ridiculous.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Delegation Welcomes $25 Million FAA Investment in Alaska Aviation Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    04.09.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, and Congressman Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today welcomed a $25 million investment in Alaska aviation safety by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of the FAA’s Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative (DYAASI). This investment is a result of a Sullivan provision in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 authorizing $25 million annually for DYAASI from FY 2025 through 2028. The initiative was established by the FAA in response to a 2020 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on Alaska’s high rates of aviation accidents and fatalities, and focuses on prioritizing funding for the most safety critical systems.

    Additionally, in accordance with the requirements of the FAA legislation, the FAA recently announced it will be expanding the FAA’s use of satellites in Alaska—growing from four testing sites to 16—to help support connectivity at weather monitoring sites, particularly in the more remote parts of the state.

    “In Alaska, aviation is absolutely essential. Yet many of our rural communities either have poorly maintained safety and telecommunications infrastructure, or lack it altogether, leaving them without vital weather data,” said Sen. Sullivan. “This amplifies the risks in a state that already has unacceptably high rates of aviation accidents and fatalities. As a member of the Commerce Committee overseeing the FAA, I worked hard to secure many provisions in the recent FAA reauthorization requiring the agency to focus on and robustly invest in Alaska aviation safety. That work is paying off today with this significant down payment on new technologies and updates to the vital systems we need to make flying in Alaska safer and more reliable. In the absence of Congress executing a full year’s appropriations bill, this is an example of how long-term strategy and working with the administration can produce positive, sustainable results. I very much appreciate Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau for recognizing the unique challenges our state faces and for their strong commitment to Alaska.”

    “Don Young spent his 49-year career fighting to make aviation safer for Alaskans – and we continue to build on that legacy,” said Sen. Murkowski. “Last summer, I convened a summit of government agencies and companies responsible for maintaining the Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) in Yakutat to collaborate on better practices to reduce flight delays and bolster safety for travelers. The $25 million that I fought to include in appropriations for the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative will pave the way for significant progress towards that goal by investing in critical upgrades to our aviation weather reporting systems. I commend the FAA for following through on this objective and partnering with the delegation to make this investment a reality, and I appreciate that Secretary Duffy has made this an early priority. Our state has an all-too tragic history of fatal air crashes, and I’m committed to doing everything in my power to ensure that we are able to confidently, and safely, take off and land at any airport in Alaska. This announcement today helps make aviation safer for all.”

    “Alaska must be the gold standard in aviation safety. It is critically important to ensure that every flight is backed by the technology, data, and the resources needed to make aviation safer in Alaska and throughout our nation. That is what we owe the people of Alaska,” said Congressman Begich. “This $25 million investment through the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative is an important step toward modernizing the infrastructure that so many Alaskans rely on every day, and I commend the FAA for their continued efforts to make aviation safety a priority for Alaska. As a member of the House Aviation Subcommittee, I will continue to work with President Trump and Secretary Duffy on the Administration’s broader vision to modernize our national airspace system.”

    Background on DYAASI

    A February 2020 NTSB report identified a recent 10-year period during which the total accident rate in Alaska was 2.35 times higher than the rest of the United States. During the same period, the fatal accident rate in Alaska was 1.34 times higher. One critical aspect of safety, as referenced in the 2020 report, is access to reliable weather data.

    The FAA’s DYAASI is an effort to respond to the February 2020 NTSB report and the Alaska Aviation Safety Summit. DYAASI identifies safety improvements and investments for the Alaska Region, and aims to make progress on the effort and for the FAA and Department of Transportation (DOT) to take a holistic view of DOT programs. This effort was codified and strengthened in the 2024 FAA reauthorization.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Introduces Bill to Strengthen Taxpayer Protections Against IRS Abuses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced the Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act, which would strengthen taxpayer protections against improper targeting and abuse by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS):

    “Each year, Tax Day reminds us that small business owners must spend thousands of hours conforming to IRS requirements instead of boosting the economy and creating jobs,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bill lowers the compliance burden, strengthens taxpayer protections, and ensures small businesses are not targeted for additional scrutiny based on their politics.”

    U.S. Congressman David Kustoff (TN-08) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

    Background:

    The Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act would strengthen taxpayer protections by:

    • Prohibiting secret conversations between IRS employees and the IRS Independent Office of Appeals when discussing a taxpayer’s case and makes a violation of this prohibition a fireable offense;
    • Prohibiting the IRS Independent Office of Appeals from raising new issues or theories during a conference with taxpayers and the IRS, ensuring Appeals will be a neutral party;
    • Requiring taxpayers’ consent before allowing IRS Counsel or compliance officials to participate in Appeals conference;
    • Increasing the penalty on rogue IRS agents who commit extortion, fraud, or bribery;
    • And adding additional protection against unnecessary lien foreclosures on a taxpayer’s home.

    The legislation would protect taxpayers from improper IRS targeting by:

    • Making it a fireable offense for the development or use by an IRS employee of any methodology that applies disproportionate scrutiny to any applicant who is applying for tax-exempt status based on the ideology expressed in the name or purpose of the organization;
    • Requiring the Inspector General to review and consult with the IRS on any criteria it uses to select tax returns for audit, assessment, or any heightened scrutiny or review, to ensure that the criteria does not discriminate against taxpayers on the basis of race, religion, or political ideology;
    • And requiring the IRS Commissioner to fire any IRS employee who violates taxpayers’ Constitutional rights, including their First Amendment rights.

    The legislation would compensate taxpayers for IRS abuses by: 

    • Allowing more small businesses to petition for attorney’s fees when a court determines the IRS’s legal actions are not substantially justified;
    • Increasing the amount of civil damages and providing more time that small businesses can be awarded when the IRS recklessly or intentionally disregards the law or its own regulations;   
    • Increasing the amount of civil damages a taxpayer can be awarded when their tax return information is unlawfully disclosed by the IRS;
    • And compensating individuals for burdensome “No Change” National Research Program (NPP) audits.

    Lastly, the legislation would lower the compliance burden for taxpayers by:

    • Creating a new alternative dispute resolution procedure program that would allow taxpayers to request mediation by an independent, neutral party not employed by the IRS, allowing for a speedier and less costly resolution of audits;
    • Giving small businesses the opportunity to become compliant without going out of business or firing workers because of the economic hardship faced by paying a harsh levy;
    • And improving taxpayer access to the Offer-in-Compromise program by repealing partial payment requirement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Peters, Fallon, Khanna Introduce Bill to Bolster Defense Cybersecurity, U.S. Supply Chains

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Gary Peters (D-MI) and Representatives Pat Fallon (TX-04) and Ro Khanna (CA-17) today introduced their Securing America’s Federal Equipment (SAFE) in Supply Chains Act, which would protect America’s cybersecurity by ensuring the Department of Defense (DoD) does not unintentionally acquire counterfeit electronics or those from unauthorized sellers:

    “As the world grows increasingly reliant on technology, we must take steps to defend against a potential cyberattack by shoring up our vulnerable domestic supply chains,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would prevent the Department of Defense from unintentionally purchasing counterfeit electronics to strengthen national security and ensure the integrity of our military’s digital infrastructure.”

    “Securing the Department of Defense’s information technology supply chains is a critical step to protecting against cybersecurity threats that endanger our national security,” said Sen. Peters. “Our nation’s adversaries are increasingly targeting vulnerabilities across technologies, which can disrupt operations and steal sensitive data. This bipartisan legislation helps strengthen our national defense by ensuring that the Department of Defense is purchasing reliable technologies like software and cloud computing services from trusted sellers.”

    “The proliferation of artificial intelligence has allowed US adversaries to conduct offensive cyber-operations with alarming speed and impact, creating the possibility of a devastating attack on our nation’s most sensitive networks,” said Rep. Fallon. “Simultaneously, our adversaries have been targeting our hardware and software systems by selling the US government counterfeit products through what are known as ‘grey market’ sellers. These products, although marketed as genuine hardware, allow our adversaries to gain access to US government systems, making it far easier to conduct subsequent cyber-attacks. This is unacceptable.”

    “It is vital we work to protect American data from collection by our adversaries Russia, China, and Iran,” said Rep. Khanna. “Our bill will require the federal government to purchase technology hardware exclusively from trusted sources — guarding access to our telecommunications network and preventing the exploitation of American data.”

    Background:

    Due to increased cyberattacks on vulnerable supply chains and federal agencies, including the Department of Defense (DoD), it is vital that when purchasing information technology products, the DoD only purchase these electronics from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or their authorized resellers. Under the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARs), in order for businesses to contract with the U.S. military, they are required to only acquire electronic products from these OEMs or authorized sellers. However, there are still many cases of federal government employees purchasing technology from grey-market sellers rather than authorized sellers. Grey-market sellers may circumvent trusted supply chains and provide counterfeit technology that could harm security networks within the DoD. These counterfeit devices are often older and may contain unsafe and unreliable components, causing technology to malfunction or completely fail, leading to significant damage to networks and operations.

    The Securing America’s Federal Equipment (SAFE) in Supply Chains Act would:

    • Prohibit the DoD from using a covered product from an entity other than an original equipment manufacturer or authorized seller;
    • Allow the Secretary of Defense to waive the prohibition of a covered product, upon written notice to the Congressional Defense Committees, if they determine the waiver is necessary in the interest of national security;
    • Require written notice on justification for waivers and any security mitigations that have been implemented and a plan of action to avoid future waivers for similar future purchases; and
    • Require the DoD to submit a report to Congress that lists the number and types of covered products for which a waiver was granted and why.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Requests Full Retroactive Payments for Texans Under Social Security Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter with a group of his Senate colleagues to Social Security Administrator (SSA) Leland Dudek requesting that SSA review agency policy and grant maximum retroactive payments to all qualified spouses under the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA). The SSFA, which Sen. Cornyn voted for, restores earned Social Security benefits for millions of employees and their spouses by repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. The SSFA also provided for retroactive payments to January 2024.

    The Senators wrote: “Over the past few weeks, several constituents have contacted our offices regarding the retroactivity of their spousal benefits under the Social Security Fairness Act. The law provides for retroactivity to the year the bill was introduced, first being applied to the January 2024 payment.”

    “We ask SSA to review the agency’s policy and grant maximum retroactivity payments to all spouses who were protected on prior applications and wrongly advised by employees of SSA not to apply for spousal benefits when they first inquired.” 

    “We appreciate your swift implementation of the law and SSA’s progress in adjusting more than 2 million records to date. We look forward to continuing to work together on behalf of those who have been affected by this error.”

    The full text of the letter is available here and below. The letter was led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and also signed by Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and John Fetterman (D-PA).

    April 1, 2025

    The Honorable Leland Dudek

    Acting Commissioner

    Social Security Administration

    6401 Security Boulevard

    Baltimore, MD 21235

    Dear Acting Commissioner Dudek,

    We write to you concerning an issue related to the Social Security Fairness Act (Public Law No:118-273). Over the past few weeks, several constituents have contacted our offices regarding the retroactivity of their spousal benefits under the Social Security Fairness Act. The law provides for retroactivity to the year the bill was introduced, first being applied to the January 2024 payment. These spouses, including widows and widowers, have shared with me that when they contacted the Social Security Administration (SSA) years ago inquiring into spousal benefits, they were told by SSA employees that their spousal benefits would be reduced to $0 due to the Government Pension Offset; and therefore, there was no need to file an application for spousal benefits. Now, these same spouses are being told to file a claim for spousal benefits yet are only being granted a maximum of six months retroactivity from their most recent date of contact with the SSA. According to SSA policy, GN00204.010A5 if the spouse was protected on the worker’s application and never properly closed out, the protective filing remains open indefinitely. Subsequently, per GN00204.025B1, the claimant should be given the opportunity to elect the earlier filing date to allow for maximum retroactivity.

    As noted, we have assisted spouses who have contacted our offices questioning the retroactivity. They have shared that even if they question the retroactivity with the SSA employees during their recent appointment to apply for benefits, the applicants are only granted six-months retroactivity from the most recent contact date. We ask SSA to review the agency’s policy and grant maximum retroactivity payments to all spouses who were protected on prior applications and wrongly advised by employees of SSA not to apply for spousal benefits when they first inquired.

    Thank you for taking the time to address this important matter. We appreciate your swift implementation of the law and SSA’s progress in adjusting more than 2 million records to date. We look forward to continuing to work together on behalf of those who have been affected by this error.

    Sincerely,

    /s/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Banks Continue Push to Protect American Institutions from Foreign Control

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) in cosponsoring the Safeguarding American Education From Foreign Control Act. This bill requires universities to disclose gifts they receive from foreign adversaries, regardless of the amount of the gift or contract. This bill aligns with President Trump’s America First agenda by preventing foreign money and influence from infiltrating our higher education institutions.

    Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation in the 118th Congress.

    “The Chinese Communist Party wants to brainwash our kids and destroy our country — not on my watch,” said Sen. Tuberville. “The CCP has made it clear their plan of action is to infiltrate our education system and indoctrinate our kids. It is astounding that we have allowed universities to get away with taking money from a country that hates us. I was glad to see Troy University in Alabama close its CCP-backed Confucius Institute, and hope other universities will follow their lead. Transparency about how China is funding our schools is not only vital to our national security — our kids’ futures depend on it.”

    “Americans deserve to know if universities are accepting money from our enemies like China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea. This bill delivers that transparency and stops hostile nations from hiding their influence on our campuses,” said Sen. Banks.

    Sens. Tuberville and Banks were joined by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) in cosponsoring the legislation.

    Representative Erin Houchin (R-IN-09) is leading the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    Read full text of the legislation here. 

    BACKGROUND:

    Key Provisions of the Safeguarding American Education from Foreign Control Act are:

    • Requiring Disclosures – Universities Must Report:
      • All gift disclosures from foreign sources associated with a covered nation (Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea)
      • Reports from Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965
      • Investigations enacted by the Department of Education
    • Guaranteeing transparency by ensuring the Department of Education transmits disclosure reports to the FBI, ODNI, and Department of State
    • Enforcing accountability by allowing the FBI and the ODNI to request the DOJ bring forward action for inability to comply with disclosure requirements

    According to the Americans for Public Trust, China donated more than $175 million to American universities last year. 

    In August 2023, Sen. Tuberville joined 19 of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden Administration’s Department of Education (ED) expressing outrage for allowing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to infiltrate U.S. classrooms through Confucius programming. Confucius programming establishes a partnership between schools, universities, or nonprofits and a Chinese government entity. Expansion of Confucius Classrooms in the United States is a top priority for the Chinese government. A report released in July 2023 shows over 143 United States schools across 34 states and the District of Columbia have received CCP-related funding. Additionally, the report shows the CCP has ties to 20 school districts near United States military bases. Read the letter here. 

    In February 2023, Sen. Tuberville let Troy University know that future funding opportunities would be in jeopardy if they did not end their Confucius Institute program. He was pleased when Troy announced they were closing the program.

    Since assuming office in the U.S. Senate in 2021, Sen. Tuberville has led and supported numerous efforts to protect American resources, farmland, investments, intellectual property, and national security from the growing threat of Communist China.


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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins 12 Colleagues in Demanding Trump Administration Reverse Course on Tariffs, Provide Relief for Small Businesses 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Senators called on Trump to reverse course hours before he paused certain tariffs 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today joined Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and 11 of their Senate colleagues in demanding that Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and President Trump immediately reverse course on the sweeping tariffs that are devastating small businesses in Vermont and across the nation. In Vermont, over 99% of businesses that operate in the state are small businesses and employ over 60% of the state’s workforce. 
    In their letter, the Senators emphasized how these new taxes on imported goods are raising prices for hardworking Americans and creating additional challenges for small businesses at a time when high costs are already making it difficult for them to operate.  
    “At a time when our nation is experiencing an unprecedented affordability crisis, President Trump’s decision to impose sweeping tariffs on goods from virtually every country in the world will send a chill through small businesses across the country,” wrote the Senators. “Given this, we urge you to work with the President to immediately reverse course on these broad-based tariffs to end the needless suffering this administration has imposed on small businesses across the country.” 
    “With small businesses already being crushed under the weight of high costs and interest rates, we must do all we can to cut red tape and help them thrive – not create additional affordability challenges and uncertainty,” the Senators continued. “To that end, we respectfully ask that you work with the President to reverse course on the 10% tariffs on all countries, as well as the exorbitantly high reciprocal tariffs placed on others. Failure to do so will raise costs, rob our small businesses of the certainty they rely on and undermine the economic security of small businesses across the country.” 
    In addition to Senators Welch and Rosen, the letter was signed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). 
    Senator Welch has been outspoken in opposing President Trump’s destructive trade war. Last month, Senator Welch convened Vermont and Canadian business leaders for a roundtable near the U.S.-Canada border to discuss President Trump’s Trade War and how the Trump Administration’s reckless tariffs are hurting workers, families, and farmers. In January and February, Senator Welch convened Vermont businesses for roundtables to hear from Vermont businesses and state and local leaders about how the President’s actions reigniting a trade war have impacted their lives and livelihoods. 
    On Tuesday, Senator Welch joined bipartisan colleagues in releasing a resolution to repeal Donald Trump’s chaotic global tariffs. The Senators’ resolution would terminate the emergency that Trump declared in order to slap tariffs of up to 49% on products Americans buy from other countries. Senator Welch has also supported legislation pushing back against Trump’s tariffs, including: 
    The Trade Review Act, bipartisan legislation to reaffirm Congress’ key role in setting and approving U.S. trade policy and reestablish limits on the President’s ability to impose unilateral tariffs without the approval of Congress. 
    The Tariff Transparency Act of 2025, legislation to require the United States International Trade Commission to conduct an investigation and submit a report on the impact on businesses in the United States of duties, and the threat of duties, on imports from Mexico and Canada. 
    A Joint Resolution of Disapproval terminating national emergency related to Canadian energy tariffs, passed by the Senate last week on a bipartisan basis. 
    Read the full text of the letter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Bills to Cut Taxes for Hardworking Nevadans

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce legislation, alongside Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and their Senate colleagues, to give hardworking Nevadans a much-needed tax cut. The Tax Cut for Workers Act will give millions of working Americans a much-needed tax break by permanently expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The American Families Act will permanently expand the Child Tax Credit.
    “Nevada families are struggling with rising costs made worse by the Trump Administration’s reckless tariff threats and program cuts,” said Senator Rosen. “While Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are working to give billionaires more tax breaks, I’m proud to help introduce bills to cut taxes for hardworking Nevada families and provide them with real financial relief. I’ll keep fighting to bring down costs for Nevadans.” 
    Senator Rosen has consistently supported efforts to cut taxes and lower costs for hardworking Nevadans while making sure billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share. Earlier this year, she introduced bipartisan legislation to exempt tipped wages from federal income tax. Last year, Senator Rosen sent a letter urging Senate leaders to put a bipartisan tax cut package on the Senate floor for a vote. Senator Rosen also strongly supports raising the federal minimum wage and eliminating the minimum wage gap for tipped workers nationally. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Reintroduce Bill to Protect the Ruby Mountains from Oil and Gas Drilling Pushed by the Trump Administration

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) in reintroducing legislation to expand protections for and prohibit oil and gas development in Nevada’s beautiful and pristine Ruby Mountains. Their reintroduction of the Ruby Mountains Protection Act follows the Trump Administration’s reckless decision to reopen the Rubies to speculative oil and gas drilling. Last Congress, this bill advanced out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support.
    “Instead of taking meaningful action to bolster American energy independence, the Trump Administration is taking reckless and unproductive steps that endanger Nevada lands with low likelihood of oil and gas production,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m introducing this bill with Senator Cortez Masto to fight back against President Trump’s efforts and protect the Ruby Mountains from drilling. I’ll keep pushing back against this wrongheaded approach that threatens the Ruby Mountains and other beautiful parts of our state.”
    “The natural beauty of the Ruby Mountains, Nevada’s Swiss Alps, is beloved by locals and draws tourists from across the country,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Unproductive oil and gas drilling would only harm Northern Nevada’s tourism economy and keep this natural treasure from generations of future Nevadans. There’s bipartisan support for my legislation, and there is no reason not to pass it into law.”
    The Ruby Mountains Protection Act would withdraw approximately 450,000 acres of National Forest land, comprising the Ruby Mountain Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, from any eligibility for oil and gas leasing. The bill will also expand protection to the 39,926-acre Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, which is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The Ruby Mountains Protection Act would not affect any recreational use of these pristine lands, including for hunting, hiking, and fishing.
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto are champions for Nevada’s great outdoor spaces and public lands. They recently joined Nevada’s Congressional delegation in urging the Trump Administration to preserve national monument designations in Nevada. The Senators passed critical legislation to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which protects public lands in Nevada and across the U.S. They also passed bipartisan, bicameral legislation to reauthorize the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, and they delivered critical funding to protect Lake Tahoe in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Last year, Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto announced over $375 million for recreation and conservation projects across Nevada.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Leads Senators Demanding Answers from Trump Admin on Cuts to Partnership that Boosts American Manufacturing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) are demanding answers from the Trump Administration on its decision to take away funding that has long helped boost domestic manufacturing and created thousands of jobs. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program is a public-private partnership that helps small and medium-sized manufacturers grow, make operational improvements, and create jobs. The administration announced that it would be cutting off future funding for 10 MEP Centers across the country, with others, including Wisconsin, waiting in the lurch. In Wisconsin, the MEP has helped create more than $2.5 billion in economic impact and created or retained nearly 4,000 jobs in just the past two years.

    “Small manufacturers rely on MEP Centers for essential support in adopting the latest advanced technologies, updating their cybersecurity, navigating supply chain challenges, and accessing workforce training—resources that are often out of reach for small businesses without this dedicated assistance,” wrote Baldwin and the Senators in a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “These centers drive innovation, boost productivity, and create high-quality jobs, strengthening both local economies and America’s global competitiveness.”

    The Senators continued, “Eliminating federal support for MEP Centers would hamper American small and medium-sized manufacturers. We urge you to take immediate action to protect the MEP program and the manufacturers that rely on it.”

    A report by Summit Consulting and the Upjohn Institute found that the MEP program generated a substantial economic and financial return ratio of more than 17:1 for the $175 million funding invested by the federal government in FY2023. The study also determined that MEP Center projects contributed to an overall increase of nearly 309,000 jobs nationwide.

    Centers in Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming will be immediately affected. The national network of 51 MEPs, including the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership, has helped boost the productivity and competitiveness of thousands of small American manufacturers across the country for decades.

    Since 1988, the MEP has worked to strengthen and empower U.S. manufacturing through a nationwide network of MEP Centers. The MEP National Network is comprised of 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico and over 1,450 trusted advisors and experts at more than 430 MEP service locations that provide any U.S. manufacturer with access to resources they need to succeed.

    Senator Baldwin has long championed investing in the manufacturing sector. In addition to helping pass the CHIPS and Science Act, Senator Baldwin worked to secure significant investments to support the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Baldwin is Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee charged with oversight of MEP at the Department of Commerce.

    This letter was co-signed by 13 other Senate colleagues.

    A full version of this letter is available here and below.

    Dear Secretary Lutnick,

    We write to express our deep concern regarding the Department of Commerce’s recent decision to cancel future funding for ten National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers in Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming. This decision has raised widespread concern across the entire national network of MEP Centers, prompting fears about whether these initial cancellations are the first step in a broader effort to dismantle the program and eliminate federal funding for all 51 centers, with centers in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin expected to be notified about their status shortly. Given the MEP program’s long-standing, bipartisan support in strengthening small and medium-sized American manufacturers, we share these concerns and urge you to provide clarity and certainty on your plans for the future of the MEP program.

    According to the National Association of Manufacturers, 93% of manufacturers have fewer than 100 employees, while 75% have fewer than 20 employees. Small manufacturers rely on MEP Centers for essential support in adopting the latest advanced technologies, updating their cybersecurity, navigating supply chain challenges, and accessing workforce training—resources that are often out of reach for small businesses without this dedicated assistance. These centers drive innovation, boost productivity, and create high-quality jobs, strengthening both local economies and America’s global competitiveness. Without this critical federal support, MEP Centers—especially those with the fewest resources, and those serving rural and underserved communities—will be at the greatest risk of closure.

    Dismantling this program would not only disrupt benefits for small businesses but also undermine decades of federal investment in domestic manufacturing resilience, which Congress prioritized in the MEP program in the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988. Congress also reauthorized the MEP program in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. NIST was provided $175 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 to fund the MEP Centers. In FY2024 alone, the MEP National Network resulted in $2.6 billion in cost savings, $15 billion in new and retained sales, $5 billion in new client investments, and over 108,000 jobs created or retained. Additionally, a report by Summit Consulting and the Upjohn Institute found that the MEP program generated a substantial economic and financial return ratio of more than 17:1 for the $175 million funding invested by the federal government in FY2023. The study also determined that MEP Center projects contributed to an overall increase of nearly 309,000 jobs across the United States.

    Given these benefits and the funding in the FY 2025 Continuing Resolution, we request a full explanation of the rationale behind this funding decision and ask that you promptly reconsider. Additionally, we urge the Department of Commerce to provide Congress with an impact assessment detailing how this decision will affect manufacturers in the affected states and regions. This action has caused tremendous uncertainty for all MEP Centers and the thousands of American manufacturing companies and their workers.  Therefore, to better understand your plans for renewals across other states in the future, we request a briefing on the way ahead for the overall MEP program prior to making any final non-renewal decisions by April 30, 2025. 

    Eliminating federal support for MEP Centers would hamper American small and medium-sized manufacturers. We urge you to take immediate action to protect the MEP program and the manufacturers that rely on it. We look forward to your response no later than April 30, 2025, and are ready to work with you to find solutions that maintain and enhance the MEP program’s ability to serve America’s manufacturing sector.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 04/9/2025 Blackburn, Coons, Salazar, Dean, Colleagues Introduce “NO FAKES Act” to Protect Individuals and Creators from Digital Replicas

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), along with U.S. Representatives Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.), introduced the bipartisan Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act to protect the voice and visual likenesses of individuals and creators from the proliferation of digital replicas created without their consent:
    “While AI has opened the door to countless innovations, it has also exposed creators and other vulnerable individuals to online harms,” said Senator Blackburn. “Tennessee’s creative community is recognized around the globe, and the NO FAKES Act would help protect these individuals from the misuse and abuse of generative AI by holding those responsible for deepfake content to account.”
    “Nobody—whether they’re Tom Hanks or an 8th grader just trying to be a kid—should worry about someone stealing their voice and likeness,” said Senator Coons. “Incredible technology like AI can help us push the limits of human creativity, but only if we protect Americans from those who would use it to harm our communities. I am grateful for the bipartisan partnership of Senators Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis, the support of colleagues in the House, and the endorsements of leaders in the entertainment industry, the labor community, and firms at the cutting edge of AI technology.”
    “While AI presents extraordinary opportunities for technological advancement, it also poses some new problems, including the unauthorized replication of the voice and visual likeness of individuals, such as artists,” said Senator Tillis. “We must protect against such misuse, and I’m proud to co-introduce this bipartisan legislation to create safeguards from AI, which will result in greater protections for individuals and that which defines them.”
    “Americans from all walks of life are increasingly seeing AI being used to create deepfakes in ads, images, music, and videos without their consent,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We need our laws to be as sophisticated as this quickly advancing technology. The bipartisan NO FAKES Act will establish rules of the road to protect people from having their voice and likeness replicated through AI without their permission.”
    “In this new era of AI, we need real laws to protect real people,” said Representative Salazar. “The NO FAKES Act is simple and sacred: you own your identity—not Big Tech, not scammers, not algorithms. Deepfakes are digital lies that ruin real lives, and it’s time to fight back.”
    “As AI’s prevalence grows, federal law must catch up—we must support technological innovation while preserving the privacy, safety, and dignity of all Americans,” said Representative Dean. “By granting everyone a clear, federal right to control digital replicas of their own voice and likeness, the NO FAKES Act will empower victims of deep fakes; safeguard human creativity and artistic expression; and defend against sexually explicit deepfakes. I’m grateful to work with a bipartisan group of colleagues on common sense, common ground regulations of this new frontier of AI.”
    BACKGROUND
    With the rapid advance of generative artificial intelligence (AI), artists and creators have already begun to see their voices and likenesses used without their consent in videos and songs created as nearly indistinguishable replicas.
    In one high-profile example, AI-generated replicas of the voices of pop stars Drake and The Weeknd were used to produce a viral song titled “Heart on My Sleeve,” generating hundreds of thousands of listens on YouTube, Spotify, and other streaming platforms before it was flagged as a fake and removed from the platforms. 
    The harmful effects of unauthorized AI-generated content go far beyond celebrities. For example, in Maryland, a Baltimore high school athletic director was arrested and charged after using AI to create a deepfake voice recording of the school’s principal that included racist and derogatory comments about students and staff – statements the principal never actually made.
    NO FAKES ACT
    The NO FAKES Act would address the use of non-consensual digital replications in audiovisual works or sound recordings by:
    Holding individuals or companies liable if they distribute an unauthorized digital replica of an individual’s voice or visual likeness;
    Holding platforms liable for hosting an unauthorized digital replica if the platform has knowledge of the fact that the replica was not authorized by the individual depicted;
    Excluding certain digital replicas from coverage based on recognized First Amendment protections; and
    Preempting future state laws regulating digital replicas.
    Click here to read the bill text.
    ENDORSEMENTS
    This legislation is endorsed by the Recording Industry Association of America; Motion Picture Association; SAG-AFTRA; YouTube; Recording Academy; OpenAI; Warner Music Group; Universal Music Group; Sony Music; The Walt Disney Company; IBM; Vermillio; Hive; Independent Film & Television Alliance; WME; Creative Artists Agency; Human Artistry Campaign; National Association of Broadcasters; the Model Alliance; ASCAP; Nashville Songwriters Association International; the Authors Guild; the National Center on Sexual Exploitation; Television Academy; Enough is Enough; American Association of Independent Music; and more.
    “This bill proves that we can prioritize the growth of AI and protecting American creativity at the same time. We applaud the Senate and House sponsors driving this legislation that provides balanced and effective protections for all individuals against exploitative uses of their voice and likeness while supporting free speech, reducing litigation and achieving the promise of AI technology,” said Mitch Glazier, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Chairman & CEO.
    “The NO FAKES Act thoughtfully establishes federal protections for performers from generative AI abuse while also respecting creators’ First Amendment rights and freedoms,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). “The MPA thanks Senators Blackburn, Coons, Klobuchar, and Tillis for re-introducing this bill. Specifically, we appreciate the inclusion of safeguards intended to prevent the chilling of constitutionally protected speech such as biopics, docudramas, parody, and satire. This is necessary for any new law to be durable. The MPA will continue to work closely with the bill’s sponsors as the NO FAKES Act makes its way into law.”
    “In the age of digital clones, deepfakes can be devastating,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, SAG-AFTRA. “We all deserve the right to demand platforms remove illegal voice and image clones, and to seek damages from those who intentionally cause harm. Thank you Senators Blackburn, Coons, Klobuchar, and Tillis for reintroducing the NO FAKES Act. As innovation continues to rapidly evolve, it’s time for commonsense legislation that defends individual rights.”
    “For nearly two decades, YouTube has been at the forefront of handling rights management at scale, and we understand the importance of collaborating with partners to tackle these issues proactively. Now, we’re applying that expertise and dedication to partnership to ensure the responsible deployment of innovative AI tools. We thank Senators Coons and Blackburn, and Representatives Salazar and Dean, for their leadership on the NO FAKES Act, which is consistent with our ongoing efforts to protect creators and viewers, and reflects our commitment to shaping a future where AI is used responsibly,” said Leslie Miller, VP of Public Policy, YouTube. 
    “The Academy is proud to represent and serve creators, and for decades, GRAMMYs on the Hill has brought music makers to our nation’s capital to elevate the policy issues affecting our industry. Today’s reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act underscores our members’ commitment to advocating for the music community, and as we enter a new era of technology, we must create guardrails around AI and ensure it enhances – not replaces – human creativity. We thank Senators Blackburn and Coons, and Representatives Dean and Salazar for their unwavering support on this issue, and we look forward to working alongside them to pass the NO FAKES Act this Congress,” said Harvey Mason jr., CEO, Recording Academy.
    “OpenAI is happy to once again support the NO FAKES Act, which supports creators and artists. We applaud Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership, and we look forward to working with the sponsors and fellow supporters as this legislation moves forward,”said OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane. 
    “I applaud Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar and Dean for their leadership in introducing the NO FAKES Act. This bill reflects what can happen when tech and creative industries come together – foster cutting edge innovation while protecting human identity and artistry. We look forward to working with key members of the US Senate and House to help pass the NO FAKES Act this year,” said Robert Kyncl, Warner Music Group CEO.
    “Universal Music Group applauds the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act – landmark, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to address ‘deepfakes’ and other threats to individuals’ rights to control their own voice and visual likeness,” said Universal Music Group. “At once, this legislation secures First Amendment protections and takes a critical step to ensure all Americans can protect and control their own persona. We are grateful to the bill’s sponsors for their thoughtful leadership on this important issue.”
    “Sony Music is proud to support the No FAKES Act to promote the ethical use of AI and give artists more control over their identity and creative expression,” said Sony Music. “Thank you to the Senate and House sponsors for continuing to champion this bipartisan legislation, which will provide meaningful protections against the unauthorized use of an artist’s voice and image. We look forward to working towards passage of this legislation allowing AI innovation and creativity to flourish.”
    “Disney is pleased to support the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act. We look forward to working with the sponsors to see this legislation enacted to ensure important and meaningful protections for individuals against misuse of their image and voice through AI while maintaining critical speech protections for legitimate storytelling rooted in the First Amendment,” said the Walt Disney Company.
    “AI is now widely used across sectors, and as advancements continue, it’s vital to protect creators and individuals from potential deepfake risks,” said Mike Harney, Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs, IBM. “IBM supports the NO FAKES Act, which safeguards individuals from unauthorized AI replication of their images, voices, or likenesses. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership on this important bipartisan legislation.”
    “The NO FAKES Act makes a critical stride towards establishing NIL protections that deliver consent, credit, compensation, and control to all Americans,” said Dan Neely, Co-Founder and CEO, Vermillio. “With deepfakes representing only one piece of a much larger battle against unauthorized content, the entertainment industry must implement robust AI safeguards to protect American creativity, one of our most valuable assets. We appreciate the leadership of Senators Coons, Blackburn, Tillis, and Klobuchar, who recognize the essential role of cutting-edge technologies in delivering national security, protecting all citizens, and closing vulnerabilities that allow bad actors to misuse AI.”
    “The development of AI-generated media and AI detection technologies must evolve in parallel,” said Kevin Guo, CEO and cofounder of Hive. “We envision a future where AI-generated media is created with permission, clearly identified, and appropriately credited. We stand firmly behind the NO FAKES Act as a fundamental step in establishing oversight while keeping pace with advancements in artificial intelligence to protect public trust and creative industries alike.”
    “The Independent Film & Television Alliance® supports the NO FAKES Act and thanks lead sponsors Senators Coons and Blackburn, and sponsors Senators Klobuchar and Tillis, for their ongoing efforts to enact this bill,” said Jean Prewitt, President and CEO, IFTA. “This essential legislation establishes a standardized federal solution to prevent the unauthorized exploitation of an individual’s voice, image and likeness, upholds crucial First Amendment safeguards to protect free speech, and includes an important preemption clause.”
    “We view technology as a complement, not a substitute, for human artistry,” said Christian Muirhead, Co-Chairman, WME. “Guardrails must be put into place that ensure continued innovation while protecting our clients’ name, image, likeness, and voice. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Tillis, and Klobuchar for recognizing the urgency of this issue, and will continue to work with them to ensure all artists and our clients remain at the center of this vital legislation.”
    “As advancements in AI continue to move at an unprecedented pace, so too must our legal frameworks. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for creating this legislation that ensures artists maintain control over how their name, image, likenesses, voice, and IP are used. These forward-thinking policies are an essential first step to navigating this new digital era, striking a critical balance between innovation and strong protections,” said Bryan Lourd, CEO and Co-Chairman, Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
    “The Human Artistry Campaign stands for preserving essential qualities of all individuals – beginning with a right to your own voice and image. The NO FAKES Act is an important step towards necessary protections that also support free speech and AI development. The Human Artistry Campaign commends Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar, Dean, Moran, and Balint for shepherding bipartisan support for this landmark legislation, a necessity for every American to have a right to their own identity as highly realistic voice clones and deepfakes become more pervasive,” said Dr. Moiya McTier, Human Artistry Campaign Senior Advisor.
    “NAB applauds Senators Blackburn and Coons for reintroducing the NO FAKES Act, which takes an important step toward protecting trusted broadcast journalists, local radio hosts and other on-air personalities from the unauthorized use of their voice, image or likeness. Broadcasters play a vital role in keeping communities informed, and the spread of deceptive deepfakes undermines both individual rights and public trust. This bipartisan bill offers meaningful safeguards while respecting First Amendment protections, and we look forward to working with Congress to advance it,” said the National Association of Broadcasters. 
    “As AI adoption grows, workers whose livelihoods depend on their image face a new frontier of exploitation: their digital replica being used without consent. That’s why the Model Alliance is proud to endorse the NO FAKES Act, which will empower individuals to control their digital likeness,” said Sara Ziff, Founding Director of Model Alliance. “As image-based workers who lack union protection, models are the canary in the coal mine. Federal standards for AI use are urgently needed to protect all individuals, particularly those whose image is their livelihood.”
    “American songwriters and other music creators need Congress to put human beings first and pass laws that ensure transparency, consent, compensation, credit, and global consistency when it comes to generative AI. ASCAP commends this bipartisan group of leaders for introducing legislation that recognizes the value of human creativity to AI development,” said Elizabeth Matthews, CEO of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
    “NMPA is proud to support the reintroduction of the No Fakes Act. In an era where artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the creative landscape, it is critical that we protect the rights of creators from exploitation, fraud, and misuse. We commend Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership in protecting songwriters and artists from illicit theft of their work. By establishing new protections against the harmful use of digital replicas, the No Fakes Act will provide the necessary framework to ensure that AI serves as a tool to enhance creativity rather than undermine the rights of those who create it. We urge the Senate to move swiftly in passing this critical legislation and securing the protections the creative community deserves,” said David Israelite, President and CEO, The National Music Publishers Association.
    “The NO FAKES Act is an extremely important part of the puzzle in protecting human creators in the age of generative Artificial Intelligence. We applaud Senators Blackburn and Coons for introducing this bill in recognition that it should be a person’s right to protect their own voice and likeness and use it in only the ways they see fit. The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) strongly supports the NO FAKES Act and urges Congress to pass and enact this legislation expeditiously in the interest of protecting our creators,” said Jennifer Purdon Turnbow, COO of Nashville Songwriters Association International.
    “The Authors Guild thanks Senators Chris Coons, Marsha Blackburn, Thom Tillis, and Amy Klobuchar for introducing the NO FAKES Act,” said Mary Rasenberger, CEO, Authors Guild. “It marks a significant step in protecting creators’ rights to their own persona. By prohibiting the unauthorized use of AI-generated replicas in audiovisual and sound recordings and establishing clear legal guidelines and liability for misuse, this bill helps safeguard creators from unauthorized and unpaid uses of their images and voices.”
    “Imagine waking up one morning to find your face or the face of someone you love manipulated into sexually explicit imagery—distributed online for the world to see. This is now the reality we face. The proliferation of nonconsensual digital depictions has exploded online: 98% of deepfake videos online today are pornographic, and 99% of these deepfakes explicitly target women. The NO FAKES Act offers vital relief for victims by providing a path to seek justice through civil remedies,” said Haley McNamara, Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Programs, National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
    “Representing nearly 30,000 members across all disciplines of the television industry, the Television Academy supports the NO FAKES Act and applauds Senators Coons and Blackburn for working on this important bill. Television is built on the talent, creativity, and hard work of real people – writers, producers, and TV executives to camera operators and cinematographers who bring stories to life. As artificial intelligence and digital replication technologies evolve, it is essential to put in place meaningful protections that prevent the unauthorized and exploitative use of performers’ voices, likenesses, and creative expressions. The Television Academy supports the NO FAKES Act to establish clear federal protections that uphold the rights of television professionals and the creative foundation of the television industry,” said the Television Academy.
    “Senator Blackburn (R) has long been a champion of protecting children and families from the harms of online exploitation and abuse and we proudly support her efforts, as well as her co-sponsor Senator Coons (D) in introducing the bi-partisan NO FAKES Act. As technology evolves exponentially, so do those who exploit these technologies at the expense of others. While artificial intelligence is increasingly relied upon to educate, inform, and create, it can also be used by bad actors to harm through the growing problem of ‘deepfakes’ and fraudulent unauthorized computer generated recreations of an individual’s voice or visual likeness. The NO FAKES Act would protect against such nonconsensual digital replications by providing harmed individuals with the ability to hold civilly liable those responsible for producing and distributing such content as well as the platforms who knowingly host such unauthorized content. AI can be a wonderful tool with vast benefits, but we must guard against its misuse to produce nonconsensual voice or visual replicas! No one is immune and we encourage Congress to move thoughtfully and aggressively forward to pass bi-partisan laws that prioritize the safety of both children and adults in the digital world,” said Donna Rice Hughes, CEO/President of Enough Is Enough.
    “GenerativeAI development is moving at lightning speed, without the guardrails needed to make sure that artists who spend lifetimes developing their art don’t see their livelihoods eaten along with untold harm to the America’s creative culture. The NO FAKES Act would arm our community of over 550 independent labels with a new tool to combat the egregious theft of artists’ professional identities by big tech behemoths intent on winning at all costs. We are so thankful to our champions in the House and Senate for introducing the NO FAKES Act today,”said Dr. Richard James Burgess, President and CEO of the American Association of Independent Music. 
    RELATED

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Blasts Trump’s Tariff Tax Hike, Which Will Raise Inflation, Slow Economic Growth, And Increase Cost Of Living For New York Families; Pushes Legislation To Reassert Congress’ Power Over Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Trump’s Tariffs Could Cost New York Households Almost $4,000 Extra Per Year For Gas, Groceries, And Other Everyday Goods
    Tax Hike Will Also Devastate Small Businesses, Lower Life Savings, And Kill Good-Paying Jobs Across New York
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference slamming President Trump’s tariff tax hike, which is already wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy and raising prices for consumers. In response to the tariffs, Gillibrand signed on to the bipartisan Trade Review Act, which would require congressional oversight over the president’s implementation of tariffs. She also signed on to a letter demanding that the Trump administration immediately repeal the tariffs.
    Last week, President Trump announced far-reaching tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners, sending the stock market tumbling and drawing criticism from allies across the globe. These destructive policies include a 10 percent baseline tariff on all countries, a 20 percent tariff on the European Union, and a 54 percent tariff on imports from China, on top of a previously announced 25 percent tariff on a broad range of imports from Mexico and Canada. Experts say that these tariffs represent the largest tax hike since 1951.
    Trump’s tariffs will drastically increase the cost of living for American consumers, as prices will rise for a range of products including food, clothing, gas, cars, electronics, and construction materials. If the tariffs remain unchanged, they will cost the average New York household roughly $3,800 extra per year. They will also devastate small businesses, lower life savings, and kill good-paying jobs across New York.
    “By instigating a global trade war, President Trump is playing games with the American economy, driving up costs for hardworking families, and fueling inflation,” said Senator Gillibrand.“I refuse to stand idly by as President Trump destroys our economy. That’s why I joined a bipartisan bill to reestablish limits on the president’s ability to unilaterally impose tariffs, and it’s why I’m demanding that the Trump administration repeal these ill-conceived tariffs immediately. I am committed to doing everything in my power to shield New Yorkers from these horrific tax hikes and hold the president accountable for the harm he’s causing.”
    If passed, the Trade Review Act would impose congressional oversight over the president’s implementation of tariffs. Specifically, it would do the following:
    Require the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of imposing or increasing a tariff on imported goods. The congressional notification would be required to include the reasoning behind the tariff and an analysis of the potential economic impact on American businesses and consumers.
    Mandate that any new tariff will expire after 60 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution of approval.
    Give Congress the power to terminate any imposed tariffs through a joint resolution of disapproval.
    The text of the letter calling on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to immediately repeal Trump’s tariffs can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Meeting with Chicago Head Start Provider, Duckworth Underscores How Trump and Elon Musk are Exploding Costs for Illinois Children and Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 09, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with leadership from Chicago Commons Association, Chicago’s second-largest Early Head Start and Head Start provider to discuss how recent cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will massively increase the cost of living for hardworking Illinois families, while harming the development of children. After unleashing Elon Musk—an unelected, unaccountable and unstable billionaire—to dismantle investments that help middle-class families get ahead, the Trump Administration last week announced the closure and termination of all staff at the Office of Head Start’s Region 5 office in Chicago, which providers like Chicago Commons rely on for training, technical assistance and help in approval to access funding. Chicago Commons operates four early education centers and provides Early Head Start and Head Start services in 15 additional Chicagoland neighborhoods. A photo from today’s meeting can be found on the Senator’s website.
    “Despite running on the promise that he would lower costs for middle-class Americans, Donald Trump’s extreme cuts to federal services and funding hurt the same families he swore he’d protect,” said Duckworth. “Donald Trump’s agenda is out of touch and harmful to our kids, which is why I’m working closely with Governor Pritzker, Senator Durbin, Illinois Head Start Executive Director Lauri Morrison-Frichtl and local leaders and providers like Chicago Commons to repair the damage he’s already done and support this important program that helps middle-class families across Illinois.”
    Today, Duckworth called on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., for answers about the closure of five regional Head Start offices across the country, including the Region 5 office in Chicago. Last week, Duckworth joined 27 of her Senate Democratic colleagues in condemning the Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal employees at the Office of Head Start and the Office of Child Care, demanding Kennedy immediately reinstate these employees. The sweeping firings of staff from these critical HHS offices will severely restrict access to child care for working families and limit the federal government’s ability to administer and conduct oversight of nearly $25 billion in federal investments in early childhood programs.
    Duckworth has been outspoken in pushing back against Trump’s illegal funding freeze that continues to inflict needless chaos, confusion and financial pain on Head Start programs and the middle-class families they serve throughout Illinois. Last month she hosted Illinois Head Start Association Lauri Morrison-Frichtl will be her guest to President Donald Trump’s Joint Address to Congress. Earlier this year she joined Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, parents, teachers and staff at Two Rivers Head Start in Elgin to highlight the financial setbacks for Head Start programs in Illinois.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues in Demanding HHS Restore Title X Family Planning Funding Immediately to Protect Health Care Services for Millions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 09, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and other Senate Democratic colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately reinstate Title X family planning funding in 23 states after the agency began withholding grants that support basic health care for approximately one million people.
    “We are alarmed at the Trump administration’s attacks against providers that enable access to health care for low-income and uninsured people,” the Senators wrote in a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We urge you to swiftly reinstate funding to avoid extended gaps in service for vulnerable communities who rely on Title X funded health centers and programs.”
    Title X is the nation’s only dedicated source of federal funding for family planning. In 2023, the program supported health care services for 2.8 million people at nearly 4,000 clinics across all 50 states and U.S. territories. These clinics provide cancer screenings, sexually transmitted infections testing and treatment, contraception and pregnancy-related care—regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. On April 1, the Trump Administration began withholding all, most, or a substantial portion of Title X funds across 23 states, including Illinois. The move threatens 23 percent of the entire Title X network.
    “These interruptions will be widely felt in our communities and exacerbate the country’s maternal health crisis,” the Senators wrote. “By withholding critical appropriated funds, you are impeding access to essential health care services in rural and underserved areas, risking providers closing their doors, and jeopardizing working families’ lives and livelihoods.”
    The Senators demanded the administration reverse course before more irreparable harm is done.
    California, Hawai‘i, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana and Utah are currently receiving no family planning dollars. Meanwhile, Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia are experiencing reduced access to Title X-funded services.
    Along with Duckworth, Durbin, Schatz, Smith, Schiff and Hirono, the letter was also co-signed by U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).
    Full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:
    Dear Secretary Kennedy:
    We write with great concern regarding the withholding of Title X family planning funding, impacting approximately one million patients in 23 states. We are alarmed at the Trump administration’s attacks against providers that enable access to health care for low-income and uninsured people. We urge you to swiftly reinstate funding to avoid extended gaps in service for vulnerable communities who rely on Title X funded health centers and programs.
    For the past 55 years, Title X has served as the nation’s only dedicated, federally-funded family planning program. It provides lifelines to essential health care, including cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, contraceptive services and supplies, pregnancy testing, and more. Importantly, Title X providers offer care to all people, regardless of their ability to pay. In fact, 60 percent of patients seeking care at Title X funded health centers have incomes below 101 percent of the federal poverty level and receive care at no cost. Altogether, in 2023, Title X supported health care services for 2.8 million patients at 3,853 health centers across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Freezing Title X funds puts millions at risk of losing basic health services and screenings.  A 2024 report from the HHS Office of Population Affairs determined that there “remains a significant need for publicly funded programs to provide free or subsidized sexual and reproductive health [SRH] services.”
    Despite its vast impact, on April 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began withholding all, most, or a substantial portion of Title X funding in 23 states, and all other grantees received partial awards. These states span from coast to coast and the non-contiguous states, covering nearly a quarter of the nation’s Title X network. You have entirely cut access to Title X family planning services for California, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, and Utah; and your agency is making significant cuts to Title-X funded services in Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. All other grantees have received partial funding which significantly constrains planned staffing and service delivery this performance year.
    The notifications were premised on specious arguments and contain unreasonable deadlines given the hundreds of health centers that must be surveyed in order to respond to this politically motivated inquiry. Though the administration has explicitly targeted specific providers like Planned Parenthood affiliates, it also included a varied group of nonprofit state and regional grantees.
    These interruptions will be widely felt in our communities and exacerbate the country’s maternal health crisis, particularly in the context of health center closures and restrictive state policies that impact access to reproductive care. By withholding critical appropriated funds, you are impeding access to essential health care services in rural and underserved areas, risking providers closing their doors, and jeopardizing working families’ lives and livelihoods. We request that you expeditiously release funding to Title X grantees in the 23 impacted states before you cause irreparable harm.
    Sincerely,
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth on Tariff Pause: Trump Can’t Erase Damage He’s Already Done to Middle-Class Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 09, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth issued the following statement after President Donald Trump—a failed and bankrupt businessman—announced he is pausing most of his tariffs, except for tariffs on China, for 90 days:
    “Let’s call this what it is: Donald Trump is caving on his signature tariffs—just hours after they went into effect—after his billionaire tax cheat friends finally broke through to him about the devastating impacts these tariffs were having on our economy, Americans’ retirement savings, grocery bills and more. The same impacts so many of us who actually care about middle-class families warned would happen.
    “Trump might’ve walked this back, but he can’t erase the damage he’s done. Middle-class families and small businesses will continue paying the price for his needless chaos—and there’s no reason to believe things will get better before this ‘90-day pause’ expires.
    “It’s time for Congress to take the steering wheel back from this failed and bankrupt businessman. Instead of cutting our manufacturing assistance programs and pushing our closest trading partners away, which is exactly what Trump did, it’s time to invest in our manufacturing base, work with our allies and stop handing out tax benefits to corporations that ship jobs overseas.”
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Hirono in Introducing Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 09, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) in reintroducing the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. This comes at a critical time, after President Trump’s recent executive order ended collective bargaining for more than one million federal workers.
    “Our public sector workers deserve the same right to organize as private sector workers, work in a safe job that pays a livable wage and be able to save for a secure retirement,” said Duckworth. “As Donald Trump works to hollow out the backbone of our public sector, I’m proud to help Senator Hirono and my colleagues introduce this legislation that would protect these hardworking Americans by finally enshrining their right to unionize into law and enabling them to advocate for the wages and working conditions they rightfully deserve.”
    “Public sector workers – our teachers, firefighters, nurses – keep our communities safe, healthy, and educated.  They deserve the same freedom to organize and collectively bargain as those who work in the private sector,” said Durbin. “I am cosponsoring the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act to ensure that those who serve our communities are not denied basic labor rights.”
    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 provides public service workers with 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. 
    Along with Duckworth, Durbin and Hirono, this legislation is also cosponsored 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), 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), Patty Murray (D-WA), 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 full text of the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is available on Senator Duckworth’s website. 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Van Hollen, Shaheen, SFRC Democrats to Rubio: Plan for USAID Illegal, Unconstitutional; Broader Restructuring Threatens National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 09, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—joined her fellow Democratic SFRC colleagues, including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the State Department’s recently announced plans to restructure the Department and fold USAID into the Department of State. In their letter, the SFRC Democrats emphasize that the State Department’s proposal for USAID is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers, and that broader efforts to restructure, including the closure of U.S. embassies and consulates, are illegal without Congressional action and would be an unjustified seismic shift in the U.S foreign policy enterprise. 
    “The proposal, if implemented, and action taken to date to gut USAID, are clearly an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers,” the Senators wrote. “The executive branch may not eliminate a congressionally created and funded agency without congressional authorization. Such action would be incompatible with the express will of Congress. The administration’s plan to permanently dismantle USAID and fire all of its employees will not only render it impossible for any retained USAID programs to be implemented, but will also cause significant disruption to the State Department’s core mission. The actions outlined in this proposal are unconstitutional, illegal, unjustified, damaging, and inefficient.”
    “In addition, we have seen reports on additional restructuring that would include dozens of U.S. embassies and consulates being closed, a fifth of the State Department’s workforce slashed, career positions being reclassified into political ‘Schedule P/C’ positions, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) being absorbed into separate divisions under the DFC,” the Senators continued. “This reorganization would have dramatic U.S. national security implications, constitutes an unjustified seismic shift in the U.S. foreign policy enterprise, and includes many proposed measures that would be illegal without congressional action.  We demand that you follow the law and engage with the relevant committees before the State Department begins to execute any such plans, including you testifying before the relevant committees to explain and defend these plans to restructure the country’s premier diplomatic agencies.”
    “Given the gravity of these potential consequences, we expect that the administration will immediately engage with Congress before taking any further steps toward implementing these plans, as required by law,” the Senators close.
    Along with Duckworth, Van Hollen and Shaheen, the letter was also co-signed by every Democratic member of SFRC: U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
    Full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:
    Secretary Rubio,
    On March 28, 2025, the State Department sent a Congressional Notification indicating its intent to fold USAID into the Department of State. The proposal, if implemented, and action taken to date to gut USAID, are clearly an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers. The executive branch may not eliminate a congressionally created and funded agency without congressional authorization. Such action would be incompatible with the express will of Congress. The administration’s plan to permanently dismantle USAID and fire all of its employees will not only render it impossible for any retained USAID programs to be implemented, but will also cause significant disruption to the State Department’s core mission. The actions outlined in this proposal are unconstitutional, illegal, unjustified, damaging, and inefficient.
    In addition, we have seen reports on additional restructuring that would include dozens of U.S. embassies and consulates being closed, a fifth of the State Department’s workforce slashed, career positions being reclassified into political “Schedule P/C” positions, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) being absorbed into separate divisions under the DFC. This reorganization would have dramatic U.S. national security implications, constitutes an unjustified seismic shift in the U.S. foreign policy enterprise, and includes many proposed measures that would be illegal without congressional action. We demand that you follow the law and engage with the relevant committees before the State Department begins to execute any such plans, including you testifying before the relevant committees to explain and defend these plans to restructure the country’s premier diplomatic agencies.
    According to the congressional notification we received, the administration would eliminate USAID’s status as an independent establishment in the executive branch, abolish multiple USAID bureaus and offices, as well as “realigning certain USAID functions to the Department.” As you know, Congress mandated that USAID be established in statute. Some reporting about the State Department’s plans also suggest an attempt to dissolve certain State Department bureaus that focus on functional and bilateral assistance, which could potentially result in the dissolution of multiple bureaus already authorized in law. Any attempt to dissolve those bureaus requires congressional action to modify or repeal the relevant authorizing statutes.
    It is also our understanding that the State Department is considering substantially shrinking its workforce and diplomatic footprint around the world. This includes a potential major cut in staffing and the closure of multiple embassies and consulates abroad. If carried out, these plans would undermine our ability to conduct diplomacy abroad at a time when China is increasing its presence globally and outpacing the U.S. presence in multiple regions.
    Beyond the immediate structural and personnel changes, these proposed reforms could have a severe deleterious impact for U.S. global leadership and influence. The State Department, USAID, and its diplomatic corps are the backbone of American foreign policy, advancing U.S. interests, strengthening alliances, and responding to global crises. Slashing their workforces, closing embassies, consulates, and missions, and dismantling key bureaus would severely weaken America’s ability to conduct diplomacy, support democracy, and counter the growing influence of strategic competitors like China and Russia. At a time when global challenges are increasing, from conflicts and humanitarian crises, such as the recent earthquakes in Myanmar, to economic instability, the United States cannot afford to undermine its own diplomatic capacity.
    Given the gravity of these potential consequences, we expect that the administration will immediately engage with Congress before taking any further steps toward implementing these plans, as required by law.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Bill to Protect Critical Mineral Mining Passes Energy Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
    Committee also advances President Trump’s nominees
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jim Risch’s (R-Idaho) legislation to bolster critical mineral production passed the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
    Senator Risch also voted to support President Trump’s nominees for the Deputy Secretary of Interior, Katherine MacGregor, and Deputy Secretary of Energy, James Danly.
    “The United States, and particularly the Gem State, is home to many critical minerals essential for our national defense, food security, and energy independence. For too long, these resources have been tied up in litigation and red tape, impeding our ability to become self-sufficient,” said Risch. “I am pleased to see the Energy and Natural Resources Committee advance legislation and nominees that will prioritize the production and supply of domestic critical minerals.”
    The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act would prevent significant impediments to critical mineral production on public lands across the West. The legislation, S.544, was introduced by Senator Risch and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, Blackburn, Reps. Salazar, Dean, colleagues reintroduce NO FAKES Act to protect individuals and creators from digital replicas

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), along with U.S. Representatives Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), introduced the bipartisan Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act today to protect the voice and visual likenesses of individuals and creators from the proliferation of digital replicas created without their consent.
    “Nobody—whether they’re Tom Hanks or an 8th grader just trying to be a kid—should worry about someone stealing their voice and likeness,” said Senator Coons. “Incredible technology like AI can help us push the limits of human creativity, but only if we protect Americans from those who would use it to harm our communities. I am grateful for the bipartisan partnership of Senators Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis, the support of colleagues in the House, and the endorsements of leaders in the entertainment industry, the labor community, and firms at the cutting edge of AI technology.”
    “While AI has opened the door to countless innovations, it has also exposed creators and other vulnerable individuals to online harms,” said Senator Blackburn. “Tennessee’s creative community is recognized around the globe, and the NO FAKES Act would help protect these individuals from the misuse and abuse of generative AI by holding those responsible for deepfake content to account.”
    “While AI presents extraordinary opportunities for technological advancement, it also poses some new problems, including the unauthorized replication of the voice and visual likeness of individuals, such as artists,” said Senator Tillis. “We must protect against such misuse, and I’m proud to co-introduce this bipartisan legislation to create safeguards from AI, which will result in greater protections for individuals and that which defines them.”
    “Americans from all walks of life are increasingly seeing AI being used to create deepfakes in ads, images, music, and videos without their consent,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We need our laws to be as sophisticated as this quickly advancing technology. The bipartisan NO FAKES Act will establish rules of the road to protect people from having their voice and likeness replicated through AI without their permission.”
    “In this new era of AI, we need real laws to protect real people,” said Representative Salazar. “The NO FAKES Act is simple and sacred: you own your identity—not Big Tech, not scammers, not algorithms. Deepfakes are digital lies that ruin real lives, and it’s time to fight back.”
    “As AI’s prevalence grows, federal law must catch up—we must support technological innovation while preserving the privacy, safety, and dignity of all Americans,” said Representative Dean. “By granting everyone a clear, federal right to control digital replicas of their own voice and likeness, the NO FAKES Act will empower victims of deep fakes; safeguard human creativity and artistic expression; and defend against sexually explicit deepfakes. I’m grateful to work with a bipartisan group of colleagues on common sense, common ground regulations of this new frontier of AI.”
    With the rapid advance of generative artificial intelligence, artists and creators have already begun to see their voices and likenesses used without their consent in videos and songs created as nearly indistinguishable replicas. In one high-profile example, AI-generated replicas of the voices of pop stars Drake and The Weeknd were used to produce a viral song titled “Heart on My Sleeve,” generating hundreds of thousands of listens on YouTube, Spotify, and other streaming platforms before it was flagged as a fake and removed from the platforms.
    The harmful effects of unauthorized AI-generated content go far beyond celebrities. For example, in Maryland, a Baltimore high school athletic director was arrested and charged after using AI to create a deepfake voice recording of the school’s principal that included racist and derogatory comments about students and staff – statements the principal never actually made.
    The NO FAKES Act would address the use of non-consensual digital replications in audiovisual works or sound recordings by:
    Holding individuals or companies liable if they distribute an unauthorized digital replica of an individual’s voice or visual likeness
    Holding platforms liable for hosting an unauthorized digital replica if the platform has knowledge of the fact that the replica was not authorized by the individual depicted
    Excluding certain digital replicas from coverage based on recognized First Amendment protections
    Preempting future state laws regulating digital replicas.
    This legislation is endorsed by the Recording Industry Association of America; Motion Picture Association; SAG-AFTRA; YouTube; Recording Academy; OpenAI; Warner Music Group; Universal Music Group; Sony Music; The Walt Disney Company; IBM; Vermillio; Hive; Independent Film & Television Alliance; American Bar Association; WME; Creative Artists Agency; Human Artistry Campaign; National Association of Broadcasters; Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); the Model Alliance; ASCAP; Nashville Songwriters Association International; the Authors Guild; the National Center on Sexual Exploitation; Television Academy; Enough is Enough; American Association of Independent Music; and more.
    “This bill proves that we can prioritize the growth of AI and protecting American creativity at the same time. We applaud the Senate and House sponsors driving this legislation that provides balanced and effective protections for all individuals against exploitative uses of their voice and likeness while supporting free speech, reducing litigation and achieving the promise of AI technology,” said Mitch Glazier, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Chairman & CEO.
    “The NO FAKES Act thoughtfully establishes federal protections for performers from generative AI abuse while also respecting creators’ First Amendment rights and freedoms,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). “The MPA thanks Senators Blackburn, Coons, Klobuchar, and Tillis for re-introducing this bill. Specifically, we appreciate the inclusion of safeguards intended to prevent the chilling of constitutionally protected speech such as biopics, docudramas, parody, and satire. This is necessary for any new law to be durable. The MPA will continue to work closely with the bill’s sponsors as the NO FAKES Act makes its way into law.”
    “In the age of digital clones, deepfakes can be devastating,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, SAG-AFTRA. “We all deserve the right to demand platforms remove illegal voice and image clones, and to seek damages from those who intentionally cause harm. Thank you Senators Blackburn, Coons, Klobuchar, and Tillis for reintroducing the NO FAKES Act. As innovation continues to rapidly evolve, it’s time for commonsense legislation that defends individual rights.”
    “For nearly two decades, YouTube has been at the forefront of handling rights management at scale, and we understand the importance of collaborating with partners to tackle these issues proactively. Now, we’re applying that expertise and dedication to partnership to ensure the responsible deployment of innovative AI tools. We thank Senators Coons and Blackburn, and Representatives Salazar and Dean, for their leadership on the NO FAKES Act, which is consistent with our ongoing efforts to protect creators and viewers, and reflects our commitment to shaping a future where AI is used responsibly,” said Leslie Miller, VP of Public Policy, YouTube.
    “The Academy is proud to represent and serve creators, and for decades, GRAMMYs on the Hill has brought music makers to our nation’s capital to elevate the policy issues affecting our industry. Today’s reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act underscores our members’ commitment to advocating for the music community, and as we enter a new era of technology, we must create guardrails around AI and ensure it enhances – not replaces – human creativity. We thank Senators Blackburn and Coons, and Representatives Dean and Salazar for their unwavering support on this issue, and we look forward to working alongside them to pass the NO FAKES Act this Congress,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO, Recording Academy.
    “OpenAI is happy to once again support the NO FAKES Act, which supports creators and artists. We applaud Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership, and we look forward to working with the sponsors and fellow supporters as this legislation moves forward,” said OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane.
    “I applaud Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar and Dean for their leadership in introducing the NO FAKES Act. This bill reflects what can happen when tech and creative industries come together – foster cutting edge innovation while protecting human identity and artistry. We look forward to working with key members of the US Senate and House to help pass the NO FAKES Act this year,” said Robert Kyncl, Warner Music Group CEO.
    “Universal Music Group applauds the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act – landmark, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to address ‘deepfakes’ and other threats to individuals’ rights to control their own voice and visual likeness,” said Universal Music Group. “At once, this legislation secures First Amendment protections and takes a critical step to ensure all Americans can protect and control their own persona. We are grateful to the bill’s sponsors for their thoughtful leadership on this important issue.”
    “Sony Music is proud to support the No FAKES Act to promote the ethical use of AI and give artists more control over their identity and creative expression,” said Sony Music. “Thank you to the Senate and House sponsors for continuing to champion this bipartisan legislation, which will provide meaningful protections against the unauthorized use of an artist’s voice and image. We look forward to working towards passage of this legislation allowing AI innovation and creativity to flourish.”
    “Disney is pleased to support the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act. We look forward to working with the sponsors to see this legislation enacted to ensure important and meaningful protections for individuals against misuse of their image and voice through AI while maintaining critical speech protections for legitimate storytelling rooted in the First Amendment,” said the Walt Disney Company.
    “AI is now widely used across sectors, and as advancements continue, it’s vital to protect creators and individuals from potential deepfake risks,” said Mike Harney, Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs, IBM. “IBM supports the NO FAKES Act, which safeguards individuals from unauthorized AI replication of their images, voices, or likenesses. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership on this important bipartisan legislation.”
    “The NO FAKES Act makes a critical stride towards establishing NIL protections that deliver consent, credit, compensation, and control to all Americans,” said Dan Neely, Co-Founder and CEO, Vermillio. “With deepfakes representing only one piece of a much larger battle against unauthorized content, the entertainment industry must implement robust AI safeguards to protect American creativity, one of our most valuable assets. We appreciate the leadership of Senators Coons, Blackburn, Tillis, and Klobuchar, who recognize the essential role of cutting-edge technologies in delivering national security, protecting all citizens, and closing vulnerabilities that allow bad actors to misuse AI.”
    “The development of AI-generated media and AI detection technologies must evolve in parallel,” said Kevin Guo, CEO and cofounder of Hive. “We envision a future where AI-generated media is created with permission, clearly identified, and appropriately credited. We stand firmly behind the NO FAKES Act as a fundamental step in establishing oversight while keeping pace with advancements in artificial intelligence to protect public trust and creative industries alike.”
    “The Independent Film & Television Alliance® supports the NO FAKES Act and thanks lead sponsors Senators Coons and Blackburn, and sponsors Senators Klobuchar and Tillis, for their ongoing efforts to enact this bill,” said Jean Prewitt, President and CEO, IFTA. “This essential legislation establishes a standardized federal solution to prevent the unauthorized exploitation of an individual’s voice, image and likeness, upholds crucial First Amendment safeguards to protect free speech, and includes an important preemption clause.”
    “The ABA applauds Senator Coons and Senator Blackburn for their bipartisan leadership on the NO FAKES legislation to fight the scourge of unauthorized Generative AI digital replicas,” said ABA President William R. Bay.
    “We view technology as a complement, not a substitute, for human artistry,” said Christian Muirhead, Co-Chairman, WME. “Guardrails must be put into place that ensure continued innovation while protecting our clients’ name, image, likeness, and voice. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Tillis, and Klobuchar for recognizing the urgency of this issue, and will continue to work with them to ensure all artists and our clients remain at the center of this vital legislation.”
    “As advancements in AI continue to move at an unprecedented pace, so too must our legal frameworks. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for creating this legislation that ensures artists maintain control over how their name, image, likenesses, voice, and IP are used. These forward-thinking policies are an essential first step to navigating this new digital era, striking a critical balance between innovation and strong protections,” said Bryan Lourd, CEO and Co-Chairman, Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
    “The Human Artistry Campaign stands for preserving essential qualities of all individuals – beginning with a right to your own voice and image. The NO FAKES Act is an important step towards necessary protections that also support free speech and AI development. The Human Artistry Campaign commends Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar, Dean, Moran, and Balint for shepherding bipartisan support for this landmark legislation, a necessity for every American to have a right to their own identity as highly realistic voice clones and deepfakes become more pervasive,” said Dr. Moiya McTier, Human Artistry Campaign Senior Advisor.
    “NAB applauds Senators Blackburn and Coons for reintroducing the NO FAKES Act, which takes an important step toward protecting trusted broadcast journalists, local radio hosts and other on-air personalities from the unauthorized use of their voice, image or likeness. Broadcasters play a vital role in keeping communities informed, and the spread of deceptive deepfakes undermines both individual rights and public trust. This bipartisan bill offers meaningful safeguards while respecting First Amendment protections, and we look forward to working with Congress to advance it,” said the National Association of Broadcasters.
    “Unauthorized digital replicas threaten the livelihoods of members of DPE unions who earn a living through their voices and likenesses,” said Jennifer Dorning, President, Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE). “The NO FAKES Act will establish important federal protections to ensure that middle-class creative professionals have the ability to hold responsible those who misuse digital replicas. I applaud Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for re-introducing this critical legislation.”
    “As AI adoption grows, workers whose livelihoods depend on their image face a new frontier of exploitation: their digital replica being used without consent. That’s why the Model Alliance is proud to endorse the NO FAKES Act, which will empower individuals to control their digital likeness,” said Sara Ziff, Founding Director of Model Alliance. “As image-based workers who lack union protection, models are the canary in the coal mine. Federal standards for AI use are urgently needed to protect all individuals, particularly those whose image is their livelihood.”
    “American songwriters and other music creators need Congress to put human beings first and pass laws that ensure transparency, consent, compensation, credit, and global consistency when it comes to generative AI. ASCAP commends this bipartisan group of leaders for introducing legislation that recognizes the value of human creativity to AI development,” said Elizabeth Matthews, CEO of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
    “NMPA is proud to support the reintroduction of the No Fakes Act. In an era where artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the creative landscape, it is critical that we protect the rights of creators from exploitation, fraud, and misuse. We commend Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership in protecting songwriters and artists from illicit theft of their work. By establishing new protections against the harmful use of digital replicas, the No Fakes Act will provide the necessary framework to ensure that AI serves as a tool to enhance creativity rather than undermine the rights of those who create it. We urge the Senate to move swiftly in passing this critical legislation and securing the protections the creative community deserves,” said David Israelite, President and CEO, The National Music Publishers Association.
    “The NO FAKES Act is an extremely important part of the puzzle in protecting human creators in the age of generative Artificial Intelligence. We applaud Senators Blackburn and Coons for introducing this bill in recognition that it should be a person’s right to protect their own voice and likeness and use it in only the ways they see fit. The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) strongly supports the NO FAKES Act and urges Congress to pass and enact this legislation expeditiously in the interest of protecting our creators,” said Jennifer Purdon Turnbow, COO of Nashville Songwriters Association International.
    “The Authors Guild thanks Senators Chris Coons, Marsha Blackburn, Thom Tillis, and Amy Klobuchar for introducing the NO FAKES Act,” said Mary Rasenberger, CEO, Authors Guild. “It marks a significant step in protecting creators’ rights to their own persona. By prohibiting the unauthorized use of AI-generated replicas in audiovisual and sound recordings and establishing clear legal guidelines and liability for misuse, this bill helps safeguard creators from unauthorized and unpaid uses of their images and voices.”
    “Imagine waking up one morning to find your face or the face of someone you love manipulated into sexually explicit imagery—distributed online for the world to see. This is now the reality we face. The proliferation of nonconsensual digital depictions has exploded online: 98% of deepfake videos online today are pornographic, and 99% of these deepfakes explicitly target women. The NO FAKES Act offers vital relief for victims by providing a path to seek justice through civil remedies,” said Haley McNamara, Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Programs, National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
    “Representing nearly 30,000 members across all disciplines of the television industry, the Television Academy supports the NO FAKES Act and applauds Senators Coons and Blackburn for working on this important bill. Television is built on the talent, creativity, and hard work of real people – writers, producers, and TV executives to camera operators and cinematographers who bring stories to life. As artificial intelligence and digital replication technologies evolve, it is essential to put in place meaningful protections that prevent the unauthorized and exploitative use of performers’ voices, likenesses, and creative expressions. The Television Academy supports the NO FAKES Act to establish clear federal protections that uphold the rights of television professionals and the creative foundation of the television industry,” said the Television Academy.
    “Senator Blackburn (R) has long been a champion of protecting children and families from the harms of online exploitation and abuse and we proudly support her efforts, as well as her co-sponsor Senator Coons (D) in introducing the bi-partisan NO FAKES Act. As technology evolves exponentially, so do those who exploit these technologies at the expense of others. While artificial intelligence is increasingly relied upon to educate, inform, and create, it can also be used by bad actors to harm through the growing problem of ‘deepfakes’ and fraudulent unauthorized computer generated recreations of an individual’s voice or visual likeness. The NO FAKES Act would protect against such nonconsensual digital replications by providing harmed individuals with the ability to hold civilly liable those responsible for producing and distributing such content as well as the platforms who knowingly host such unauthorized content. AI can be a wonderful tool with vast benefits, but we must guard against its misuse to produce nonconsensual voice or visual replicas! No one is immune and we encourage Congress to move thoughtfully and aggressively forward to pass bi-partisan laws that prioritize the safety of both children and adults in the digital world,” said Donna Rice Hughes, CEO/President of Enough Is Enough.
    “Generative AI development is moving at lightning speed, without the guardrails needed to make sure that artists who spend lifetimes developing their art don’t see their livelihoods eaten along with untold harm to the America’s creative culture. The NO FAKES Act would arm our community of over 550 independent labels with a new tool to combat the egregious theft of artists’ professional identities by big tech behemoths intent on winning at all costs. We are so thankful to our champions in the House and Senate for introducing the NO FAKES Act today,” said Dr. Richard James Burgess, President and CEO of the American Association of Independent Music. 
    This bill was initially introduced last Congress. A one-pager can be found here. You can read the full text of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons, colleagues send letter demanding answers, return of Maryland father wrongfully deported to El Salvador

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and 23 other senators wrote to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons urging them to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States. Abrego Garcia, a father who was living under protected status in Maryland with his family, was wrongfully deported without due process by the Trump Administration last month to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. The administration has admitted that Abrego Garcia’s deportation was the result of an “administrative error.”
    In their letter, the senators call on the Trump administration to comply with the court order requiring that they facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return. They also ask for responses to a series of questions regarding ICE’s enforcement policies that may have led to this grave error and what measures they will take to ensure such an incident does not occur again.
    In addition to Senators Coons and Van Hollen, this letter was signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    The senators wrote, “We write to express our concerns regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, an action which the administration admitted in a recent court filing was an “administrative error.” It is unacceptable that anyone would be deported without proper due process, especially where an immigration judge has granted the individual protected status that explicitly prohibits his return to El Salvador. We demand that the Administration bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home immediately.”
    “Per court filings, Mr. Abrego Garcia came to the United States in 2011 as a teenager fleeing gang threats in his home country of El Salvador. In 2019, ICE arrested Mr. Abrego Garcia over an unfounded and anonymous allegation that he was involved with MS-13, which placed him in deportation proceedings. The U.S. immigration judge in the case ultimately found that it was in fact Mr. Abrego Garcia who was at risk of being the victim of gang violence,” the senators wrote. “This ruling was made under the Trump Administration in 2019 and was in fact required by law under section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act once the immigration judge made the factual determination that Mr. Abrego Garcia faced a likelihood of torture in El Salvador. At the time, the Trump Administration made no effort to appeal the judge’s ruling or pursue Mr. Abrego Garcia’s deportation further. Court filings attest that Mr. Abrego Garcia has complied with regular ICE check-ins, has no criminal charges, and has had no contact with any other law-enforcement agency since his release in 2019.”
    “Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently being held at CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses, after being deported in violation of the law to the very country where his return was impermissible,” they continued. “And when the administration makes a mistake as severe as sending an individual with protected status to a foreign prison, it cannot simply shrug off responsibility and allege that there is nothing it can do to reunite him with his wife and child, who are American citizens.”
    “On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in the District of Maryland ordered the government to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to the United States, and on Monday the Fourth Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay the order. The administration should promptly comply with the district court’s order,” the senators urged.
    The senators closed the letter with a series of questions to Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons, requesting a response by April 22:
    The standard and legal course for the government to take to deport someone with protected status would be to reopen the case, introduce evidence that grounds for terminating the protected status exist, and then allow an immigration judge to make a determination as to their status. Why was that course of action not taken in this case? 
    In the past, DHS and ICE worked to quickly return people to the U.S. who were erroneously deported. Why is DHS and ICE no longer following these well-established procedures and practices?   
    Vice President J.D. Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have both claimed that Mr. Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, but the government was unable or unwilling to provide any evidence to substantiate that claim to the court. Please provide any evidence of Mr. Abrego Garcia’s membership in MS-13.
    Given that the Administration is reportedly paying $6 million to El Salvador to detain deported immigrants at CECOT, why does it believe that there is nothing it can do to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to his family in the United States? Please provide a copy of the agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador on the detention of people deported from the U.S. in CECOT.
    Are there any other cases that the administration is aware of in which an immigrant with protected status was illegally deported without due process? If so, identify those cases and explain what, if anything the government is doing to rectify those errors.
    Will the administration commit to reviewing all of the cases of its deportees to ensure that it has appropriately identified all of the errors?
    What actions will the administration take in the future to ensure that immigrants with protected status are afforded their appropriate due process?
    You can read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, Blunt Rochester join in introducing bill to fully fund special education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester (both D-Del.) joined in introducing the IDEA Full Funding Act, legislation to ensure Congress finally fulfills its commitment to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Fifty years ago, Congress passed IDEA to ensure that every child with a disability has access to educational opportunity. This law was an historic step forward, but since its passage Congress has failed to provide the funding it promised. The legislation is cosponsored by over 30 members in the Senate and more than 60 members in the House of Representatives and is endorsed by 60 organizations.
    Under IDEA, the federal government committed to pay 40 percent of the average per student expenditure for special education; however, that pledge has never been met. According to the Congressional Research Service, current funding is at less than 12 percent, and the IDEA shortfall in the 2024-2025 school year nationwide was $38.66 billion. Under full funding, Maryland alone would have received $671.6 million. The IDEA Full Funding Act would require regular, mandatory increases in IDEA spending to finally meet our obligation to America’s children and schools.
    “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act made a promise to children with disabilities and their families that they would be provided a free, public, and individualized education––but our government has never fulfilled this promise,” said Senator Coons. “While Trump and DOGE are taking illegal steps to dismantle the Department of Education and slashing billions of dollars in education-related research and programs, we must not retreat and forget our promise to Delaware’s kids.”
    “Every student deserves to have access to a high-quality education, regardless of their disability status,” said Senator Blunt Rochester, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. “At a time when the Trump administration is doing all they can to make it harder for people to get the resources and services they need, I am proud to support this legislation on behalf of students with disabilities and their families in Delaware and across the nation. I look forward to working with Senator Van Hollen and our colleagues to finally honor our commitment and fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.”
    “Fifty years ago, Congress passed the IDEA Act, and with it, made a promise to children with disabilities and their families – but we have fallen short of that promise every year since. While Donald Trump and Elon Musk are illegally gutting public education in America, we are fighting to strengthen it. Our bill will ensure that Congress finally meets its commitment to fully fund IDEA, putting us closer to delivering equal access to high-quality education for every student in this country,” said Senator Van Hollen.
    “Our government works best when it serves its people – especially our most vulnerable communities. 50 years ago, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to support our children with disabilities and ensure they had access to an appropriate education – we built up our children, gave them protections and supports. Yet for years, IDEA has been underfunded, creating burdens for districts and threatening access to services for students and families. This President and his callous Administration is intent on tearing things down instead of building them up. Now, more than ever, we need to fully fund IDEA,” said Senator Alsobrooks.
    “Our legislation makes necessary investments in programs that students with disabilities across the country depend on to access high-quality education that meets their individual needs. President Trump’s destruction of the Department of Education has made it all the more clear: we must fully and permanently fund special education services so that every student—no matter where they live—has the opportunity to succeed,” said Senator Blumenthal.
    “Decades after the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act became law, the federal government has still not fully funded the law to help ensure children with disabilities have equal opportunities to succeed in the classroom,” said Senator Duckworth. “Our legislation would help make long overdue investments in special education that would help support children with disabilities, their families and the educators who serve them.”
    “Our nation’s children are our future, and we must ensure that every child has access to high-quality education that meets their individual needs. It is critical that we honor our commitment to properly fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,” said Senator Durbin. “That is why I am joining my colleagues in introducing the IDEA Full Funding Act to ensure students with disabilities are receiving access to high-quality services and education, which they are entitled to under law.”
    “I am proud to cosponsor the IDEA Full Funding Act, which will ensure that our government upholds its responsibility to give every child with disabilities access to educational opportunities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “All students deserve a high-quality education and school systems with the resources to support them. This bill will help Congress fulfill its promise to fund special education programs, making sure that we meet our obligation to give every child the best chance at success.”
    “We promised families we’d have their backs, and for decades, we’ve fallen short on that promise. Because IDEA hasn’t been fully funded, parents and teachers have been working overtime to make up for the missing resources their students desperately need,” said Senator Fetterman. “Making IDEA whole is how we guarantee students with disabilities get the support they need to thrive in school. I’m proud to join my colleagues in championing this legislation amid continued threats to public school students and educators.”
    “As Donald Trump continues working to illegally dismantle the Department of Education, securing funding for crucial resources like IDEA is more important than ever,” said Senator Hirono. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation so Congress can finally fulfill its commitment to fully fund the IDEA for the first time since its passage in 1975. This investment in IDEA will help ensure that every student with disabilities in this country can receive the quality education they deserve.”
    “Students with disabilities, like any student, deserve access to a high-quality public education,” said Senator Kaine. “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a crucial component of making that ideal a reality, but the IDEA is underfunded, leaving Congress’ promise of equal opportunity to students with disabilities unfulfilled—and as a former Mayor and Governor, I’m acutely aware of how federal underfunding of the IDEA puts tremendous pressure on local and state budgets. It’s imperative that we fully fund the IDEA to help schools offer the education, services, and supports that help students thrive.”
    “As Trump and Musk continue their assault on public education, Congress must act to ensure every student has equal access to learning across our country,” said Senator Kim. “Educators and parents across my state of New Jersey are terrified about what comes next for essential programs like IDEA while Trump dismantles the Department of Education. This legislation is critical to help secure schools the resources they need to support students with disabilities’ education and futures.”
    “A half a century ago, Congress enshrined into law the right of students with disabilities to access free and quality public education. Yet, every year, Congress fails to appropriate the funding necessary to fulfill that promise and guarantee that all students are not only integrated into our education system, but thrive in it. And now, President Trump and Secretary McMahon are attacking federal education funding and our entire public school system,” said Senator Markey. “Congress must fully fund the IDEA so that disabled students can thrive, families can be assured their children will receive world class education, educators have the resources they need to provide that education, and communities aren’t left scrambling to fill federal funding gaps.”
    “Across Nevada, I have heard from the parents of children with disabilities, and all they want is for their children to have the same opportunities as any other child,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The government has already committed to fund the IDEA program, yet it has consistently failed to do so. This legislation fulfills the government’s promise and provides essential funding for schools across the Silver State.”
    “All students, regardless of ability, deserve access to a quality education. Yet, President Trump’s cruel dismantling of the Department of Education is putting millions of students with disabilities at risk of losing essential IDEA funding. The IDEA Full Funding Act upholds our commitment to offer every student a chance at the American dream by working to close longstanding opportunity gaps in our education system. This investment serves our students, supports our educators, and strengthens our economic future,” said Senator Padilla.
    “Every student in Nevada deserves equal access to high quality public education, but the Trump Administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education is taking away resources and protections for children with disabilities,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m helping to introduce this bill to make sure Congress fully funds the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and provides equal opportunity for every child to have a shot at accessing quality education. I’ll keep fighting back against all attempts to cut funding from our children’s education.”
    “Every child across America deserves access to quality education and a chance to succeed,” said Senator Shaheen. “For too long, Congress has fallen short of its promise to students with disabilities by failing to provide adequate funding through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Our legislation will right that wrong and help ensure schools have adequate resources to give students in New Hampshire and across the nation the education they deserve.”
    “A good education has the power to transform lives, and Congress needs to fully fund the educational resources that support children with disabilities and their families. Every child deserves a quality education and the chance to meet their full potential in life. At a time when support for special education is threatened, I join my colleagues in insisting that Congress deliver on its promise to fund these vital services so that every student has access to a quality education,” said Senator Schiff.
    “It’s time for Congress to finally fulfill our promise to deliver quality public education to every student across the country. As Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue their senseless attacks on public education, it’s more important than ever to stand up for all students no matter their disability or zip code,” said Senator Warner.
    “As a former special education teacher, I’ve seen first-hand how this funding is transformational for students with disabilities. It means our schools have elevators to help with mobility, provides aides that help students communicate, and tailored programs to best meet their learning needs,” said Senator Warren. “With public education under attack, I am deeply grateful for Senator Van Hollen’s leadership in the fight to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).”
    “While we’ve made substantial progress to fund special education services in recent years, we still have important work left to do to live up to the original commitment Congress made,” said Rep. Jared Huffman. “All children – no matter their zip code, race, disability, or any other factor – should be able to access a full, exceptional education, and this legislation will help school districts provide the necessary resources to make this vision a reality. The current chronic underfunding leaves an unfair burden on students, teachers, schools, and families. Our bill holds up the federal government’s end of the bargain to fully fund special education services on a permanent basis and set all students up for long-term success.”
    The legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The legislation is co-led in the House by Representatives G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.-15), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.-02), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.-01), Angie Craig (D-Minn.-02), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.-08), Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.-05), Don Bacon (R-Neb.-02), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.-14), and Mike Bost (R-Ill.-12), and cosponsored by over 60 additional members of the House.
    This legislation is supported by a broad and diverse group of over 50 national organizations, including The School Superintendent Association (AASA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT),American Occupational Therapy Association, Assistive Technology Industry Association, Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), Autism Society of America, Center for Learner Equity, Council for Exceptional Children, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Down Syndrome Congress, National Education Association, and The Arc of the United States.
    The bill is also supported by: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Psychological Association, Association of Educational Service Agencies, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators, Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), Autism Speaks, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, CAST, Coalition for Adequate Funding for Special Education, Coalition for Community Schools, Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA), Council for Learning Disabilities, Council of Administrators of Special Education, EDGE Consulting Partners, EdTrust, Education Reform Now, First Focus Campaign for Children, Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, Institute for Educational Leadership, Learning Disabilities Association of America, NAESPA (National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators), National Association for Music Education, National Association for Pupil Transportation, National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS), National Association of Private Special Education Centers, National Association of School Psychologists, National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Down Syndrome Society, National PTA, National Rural Education Association, National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children, Teach For America, The Advocacy Institute, and The New Teacher Project (TNTP).
    You can read the full text of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst, Blumenthal Target Russian Ghost Ships Evading U.S. Sanctions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    Published: April 9, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are introducing the bipartisan Global Hunt for Offshore Smuggling and Trafficking (GHOST) Act to strengthen enforcement of U.S. sanctions against Russia.
    Currently, Russia is using a “ghost fleet” of unmarked ships to transport 70% of its seaborn oil exports and illicitly fund its economy. Iran has worked through similar actions to smuggle Russian and its own sanctioned oil throughout the world, including to China. This bipartisan action would expand U.S. efforts to disrupt illicit trade networks that are allowing Russia and Iran to evade sanctions.
    “Russia is continuing its malign actions by operating a ‘ghost fleet’ to evade U.S. sanctions, enrich its own war machine, and even aid Iranian oil smuggling,” said Ernst. “By enhancing intelligence sharing and equipping law enforcement with the tools needed to go after illicit trade networks, I am working to halt the Axis of Evil in its tracks. In addition to disrupting Moscow’s efforts to undermine U.S. law, this bill will also arm our nation to utilize the seized assets and pay down our own debt.”
    “Urgent action is imperative to crack down on Russia’s ghost fleet—a Putin tool financing his bloody assault on Ukraine,” said Blumenthal. “Our bipartisan legislation aims to help halt Putin’s illicit networks—unmarked shadow ships carrying Russia’s oil and other products—that evade sanctions and support his war. This measure will give our export controls real bite.”
    Specifically, the GHOST Act:
    Equips law enforcement with the means to seize and forfeit Russian assets,
    Targets merchant ships violating U.S. sanctions,
    Enhances intelligence sharing to counter illicit Russian trade networks,
    Ensures interagency coordination by codifying the Export Enforcement Coordination Center, and
    Redirects seized Russian assets toward reducing U.S. debt.
    Click here to view the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Places Hold on Top Cybersecurity Nominee to Force Release of Important Details on Security Threats to US Phone Networks

    US Senate News:

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

    April 09, 2025

    CISA Has Ignored Multiple Requests to Release Vital Information; Following China’s Salt Typhoon Hack of US Networks, Americans Deserve To See Unclassified Report

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today placed a hold on the nomination of Sean Plankey to serve as director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), to force the release of an unclassified report containing important details about U.S. telephone network security. 

    Federal inaction on telephone network security has enabled foreign governments to repeatedly spy on Americans, threatening U.S. national security. Most notably the 2024 hack of several U.S. communications companies, including Verizon and AT&T, by a Chinese hacker group dubbed Salt Typhoon, which tapped the calls of President Trump, Vice President Vance, and scores of other federal officials, tracked the locations of millions of Americans, and reportedly stole phone call records about a vast number of Americans.

    “CISA’s multi-year cover up of the phone companies’ negligent cybersecurity has real consequences,” Wyden wrote, citing the Salt Typhoon hack in a statement announcing the hold. “This espionage incident, and the harm to U.S. national security caused by it, were the direct result of U.S. phone carriers’ failure to follow cybersecurity best practices, such as installing security updates and using multi-factor authentication, and federal agencies failing to hold these companies accountable.”

    Wyden argued that increased transparency about U.S. telephone network security will increase pressure on the government and phone companies to take action. 

    “The federal government still does not require U.S. phone companies to meet minimum cybersecurity standards,” Wyden wrote. “While it is too late to prevent the Salt Typhoon hack, there is still time to prevent the next incident.”

    Wyden has repeatedly asked CISA to release the unclassified report, titled “U.S. Telecommunications Insecurity 2022,” but was stonewalled by the agency.

    A Senate hold blocks unanimous consent to speed up consideration of a nomination, and forces the body to spend time debating and voting on the nominee. In 2018 the Department of Homeland Security released details about cell phone surveillance devices, known as cell-site simulators or Stingrays, that had been detected near sensitive locations in and around Washington, D.C., after Wyden placed a hold on a DHS nominee. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 9th, 2025 VIDEO: Heinrich Statement on Vote to Advance Nominations of James Danly for Energy Deputy Secretary and Katherine MacGregor for Interior Deputy Secretary

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement on his votes to advance the nominations of James Danly for the U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), and Katharine MacGregor for the U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI).

    “While I vehemently disagree with many of the policies being pursued by this administration, I do believe the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior both need tested and qualified leaders who are familiar with the Departments and understand the work that they do.

    “Too many decisions are currently being made DOGE personnel who frankly don’t know the first thing about public land, about Western water, about tribal nations, or energy policy, and yet have been put in charge of critically important programs and agencies, to disastrous effect.

    “I am sure that I will disagree with many of the decisions that Mr. Danly and Ms. MacGregor make, I have worked with them before. But they are knowledgeable about these agencies and they will help lead. They have been responsive to me and they are qualified for the positions for which they have been nominated.

    “I also want to say that I very much appreciate Secretary Burgum’s responsiveness on the issue of national monuments and his assurances to me in particular regarding recommendations to the boundaries of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, Tent Rocks, and Rio Grande del Norte National Monuments. 

    “For that reason, I voted to advance their nominations.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Urge Attorney General to Address Impact of Fired Immigration Judges

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado

    The administration fired key immigration judges who oversee courts that address the 3.6 million backlogged immigration cases

    An estimated 700 additional judges are needed just to clear current backlog by 2032 


    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet joined 65 other members of Congress to urge Attorney General Pam Bondi to address the impact of Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) alarming decision to fire key judges as the immigration system faces a staggering backlog of cases.

    “We write with great concern regarding the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) decision to fire numerous immigration judges as the immigration courts face a staggering backlog of cases and a likely influx of new cases pursuant to President Trump’s mass-deportation agenda,” wrote the lawmakers. “These changes will lessen the quality of immigration case decisions and the speed at which immigration cases are adjudicated.”

    Recently, EOIR abruptly fired twenty immigration judges, removed all nine Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) judges appointed during the previous administration, and terminated four individuals in senior EOIR leadership positions. However, a recent analysis found that 700 additional immigration judges would be needed to clear the existing case backlog by 2032.

    In their letter, the lawmakers highlighted how the firings will cause further strain and backlog for the immigration system. They also demanded answers to how the administration plans to address the existing backlog of immigration cases.

    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

    Dear Attorney General Bondi:

    We write with great concern regarding the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) decision to fire numerous immigration judges as the immigration courts face a staggering backlog of cases and a likely influx of new cases pursuant to President Trump’s mass-deportation agenda.

    On February 14, 2025, EOIR abruptly terminated 20 immigration judges via email without prior notice or stated cause, including 13 judges who had not yet been sworn in and seven of EOIR’s approximately 40 assistant chief immigration judges (ACIJs). Additionally, EOIR removed nine Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) members, all of whom were appointed during the Biden Administration. These removals followed the termination of four individuals in senior EOIR leadership positions.

    The termination of the ACIJs left roughly 25 percent of immigration courts without appropriate or established leadership or additional judges to preside over immigration matters. The fired ACIJs oversaw 18 of the 71 immigration courts and supervised 135 of approximately 700 immigration judges and over 400 staff members. They played key roles in ensuring immigration judges under their supervision adjudicated cases properly and efficiently. These changes will lessen the quality of immigration case decisions and the speed at which immigration cases are adjudicated.

    There have been valid criticisms in the past regarding the politicized hiring of immigration judges. Under President George W. Bush’s Administration, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales improperly considered political affiliations when selecting immigration judges. In addition, under the first Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions changed the hiring process to quickly add six new BIA members who were immigration judges with among the highest asylum denial rates in the country. There is no indication, however, that the hiring process for the recently fired immigration judges and ACIJs was politicized. The immigration judges and ACIJs had varied backgrounds and had previously worked as ICE attorneys, prosecutors, DHS officials, and members of the private immigration bar.8 In addition, two of the fired ACIJs are veterans; one is a disabled veteran, and the other is a combat veteran with a pending disability claim.

    The decision to terminate these experienced ACIJs is particularly baffling, given the immense pressure the immigration courts are under to adjudicate roughly 3.6 million immigration cases. A recent analysis found that 700 additional immigration judges would be needed to clear the case backlog by FY2032. The absence of experienced ACIJs will impact immigration court dockets, in particular by further contributing to backlogs at courts with priority dockets, such as the detained dockets, juvenile dockets, Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) dockets, and credible fear dockets. The firings also will directly impact the Migration Protection Protocols (MPP) docket, a purported priority of the Trump Administration, which has commenced at the San Diego and El Paso courts. The two ACIJs with the most experience managing the MPP docket were among those fired.

    EOIR terminated the ACIJs with no warning, and in at least one case, an ACIJ received the termination email during an asylum hearing and had to abruptly depart the hearing, leaving  the status of the case unclear. The termination emails did not cite any legal provision or basis for the removals, stating only that the ACIJs’ “employment was no longer in the best interest of the agency.” Like the EOIR leadership terminated shortly after President Trump took office, the ACIJs who were fired apparently had no conduct or performance issues prior to their termination.

    EOIR also forced out every BIA member appointed during the Biden Administration through threats of demotion or reduction in force notices. This occurred despite the governing regulation stating the BIA shall consist of 28 members. Reducing the size of the BIA from 28 to 15 members will have practical repercussions on the Board’s caseload and quality of decisions.

    Further jeopardizing the immigration courts’ ability to address the case backlog are EOIR’s efforts to reduce the overall size of the EOIR workforce. According to the union representing immigration judges, about 85 immigration court professionals, including 18 judges, accepted the Trump Administration’s deferred resignation offer or early retirement.

    Despite the impact on adjudications and court efficiency, it appears EOIR leadership may continue to fire immigration judges. Acting Director Owen recently issued a memo stating that EOIR may decline in the future to recognize restrictions for removing “inferior officers,” including the director, deputy director, all immigration judges, all appellate immigration judges, all administrative law judges, the chief administrative hearing officer, the general counsel, and the assistant director for policy. Another memo indicated that EOIR could not be “confident” that judges hired during the Biden Administration were hired in a “merit-based” and “appropriate” manner. Alarmingly, the Trump Administration also has not indicated any plans to replace the recently fired judges—a process that requires intensive training that can take upwards of one year.

    We call on you to respond to the following questions at your earliest possible convenience, and no later than April 11, 2025.

    1. Between January 20, 2025 and the date of the Department’s response to this letter, please provide the number of people in the following positions that have been dismissed, fired, reassigned, or otherwise let go, including by resignation or accepting an early retirement:
      1.  Immigration judges;
      2. ACIJs;
      3. BIA members; and
      4. Immigration court staff, including legal assistants, attorneys, and administrative staff.
    2. What are the locations of the immigration courts where the departed personnel, including immigration judges, ACIJs, and immigration court staff, were located?
    3. Please provide the individual justifications, including indications of bias or impropriety, for the removal of immigration judges, ACIJs, and BIA members between January 21, 2025 and the date of the Department’s response to this letter?
    4. What is your plan to hire immigration court staff, immigration judges, and ACIJs by the end of FY 2025 and by the end of FY 2026?
    5. What is your plan to reduce the immigration court backlog? As part of that plan, have you conducted any assessment regarding how reducing immigration court staff and immigration judges will impact the backlog of cases?
    6. What is your plan to apply expedited removal to people currently in removal proceedings under section 240 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)? Have you provided any related instructions to immigration judges to block terminations of cases where the individual has demonstrated prima facie eligibility for a benefit and has an application pending for relief under the INA?
    7. How do you plan to reduce the number of BIA members through regulation?
    8. What, if any, plans do you have to convert IJs and/or ACIJs to “Special Inquiry Officers”?

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

     Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Get Behind Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively

    US Senate News:

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

    April 09, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined colleagues to reintroduce the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. This comes at a critical time after President Trump’s recent executive order?ended collective bargaining?for over a million federal workers.

    “As the son of a union mechanic, I know unions?make a difference in standing up for workers and their families by ensuring they?have a safe workplace and good pay?for their work,” Merkley said. “While the Trump Administration threatens the rights of America’s public sector workers to organize and receive fair treatment in the workplace, we’re pushing to make sure these workers receive just treatment and fair pay for a hard day’s work.”?

    “The right to organize and bargain collectively for better pay and benefits stands out as a hallmark achievement for American unions, and public sector workers deserve the same opportunity to advocate for those rights in Oregon and nationwide,” Wyden said. “This legislation is especially timely given the latest chapter of Donald Trump’s long history of assaulting worker rights from both the White House and before that from his penthouse.”

    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 collective bargaining standard for public sector workers, including specifically the ability 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.?   

    Senators Merkley and Wyden also joined Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter urging President Trump to rescind his recent executive order terminating collective bargaining agreements between public employee unions and dozens of federal agencies, calling the action a sweeping and unjustified intervention that threatens the stability, fairness, and effectiveness of the federal workforce.?

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is led by U.S. Senator Mazie K Hirono (D-HI). In addition to Merkley and Wyden, this legislation is cosponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), 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), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), 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), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    The full text of the legislation is available?here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reforming Foreign Defense Sales to Improve Speed and Accountability

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Purpose.  Federal regulations should not predetermine economic winners and losers.  Yet some regulations operate to exclude new market entrants.  Regulations that reduce competition, entrepreneurship, and innovation — as well as the benefits they create for American consumers — should be eliminated.  This order commences the process for eliminating anti-competitive regulations to revitalize the American economy.
    Sec. 2.  Definitions.  (a)  “Agency” has the meaning given to it in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code, except that it does not include the Executive Office of the President or any components thereof.(b)  “Agency head” means the highest-ranking official of an agency, such as the Secretary, Administrator, Chairman, or Director, unless otherwise specified in this order.
    Sec. 3.  Rescinding Anti-Competitive Regulations.  (a)  Agency heads shall, in consultation with the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (Chairman) and the Attorney General, complete a review of all regulations subject to their rulemaking authority and identify those that:(i)    create, or facilitate the creation of, de facto or de jure monopolies;(ii)   create unnecessary barriers to entry for new market participants;(iii)  limit competition between competing entities or have the effect of limiting competition between competing entities;(iv)   create or facilitate licensure or accreditation requirements that unduly limit competition;(v)    unnecessarily burden the agency’s procurement processes, thereby limiting companies’ ability to compete for procurements; or(vi)   otherwise impose anti-competitive restraints or distortions on the operation of the free market.(b)  Within 70 days of the date of this order, agency heads shall each provide to the Chairman and the Attorney General a list of regulations identified by the categories specified in subsection (a) of this section.  Agency heads shall also include a recommendation as to whether each of the listed regulations warrants rescission or modification in light of its anti-competitive effects.  For recommended modifications, agency heads shall briefly specify what modification is appropriate.  For regulations that are anti-competitive by design, agency heads shall provide a justification for their anti-competitive effects if the agency head is not proposing rescission or modification.(c)  In conducting the review required by subsection (a) of this section, agency heads shall prioritize review of those rules that satisfy the definition of “significant regulatory action” in Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 1993 (Regulatory Planning and Review), as amended.(d)  Within 10 days of the date of this order, the Chairman shall issue a request for information (RFI) that seeks public input on the identification of regulations that fall within the categories specified in subsection (a) of this section, as well as comments explaining the proposed classifications.  The request shall remain open for 40 days.  Upon the close of the RFI period, the Chairman shall convey any relevant responses to the agency with rulemaking authority over the identified regulation.(e)  Within 90 days of receipt of the agency lists specified in subsection (b) of this section, the Chairman, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the relevant agency heads, shall provide to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Director) a consolidated list of regulations that warrant rescission or modification in light of their anti-competitive effects, along with recommended modifications.  The Chairman may include on the consolidated list regulations not originally included on an agency list if such regulations fall within at least one of the categories outlined in subsections (a)(i)-(vi) of this section.(f)  Upon receipt of the consolidated list described in subsection (e) of this section, the OMB Director, through the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, shall consult with the Chairman, the Attorney General, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the relevant agency heads to decide whether to incorporate the proposed rescissions or modifications into the Unified Regulatory Agenda developed pursuant to Executive Order 14219 of February 19, 2025 (Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Deregulatory Initiative).
    Sec. 4.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    THE WHITE HOUSE,    April 9, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reducing Anti-Competitive Regulatory Barriers

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Purpose.  Federal regulations should not predetermine economic winners and losers.  Yet some regulations operate to exclude new market entrants.  Regulations that reduce competition, entrepreneurship, and innovation — as well as the benefits they create for American consumers — should be eliminated.  This order commences the process for eliminating anti-competitive regulations to revitalize the American economy.
    Sec. 2.  Definitions.  (a)  “Agency” has the meaning given to it in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code, except that it does not include the Executive Office of the President or any components thereof.
    (b)  “Agency head” means the highest-ranking official of an agency, such as the Secretary, Administrator, Chairman, or Director, unless otherwise specified in this order.
    Sec. 3.  Rescinding Anti-Competitive Regulations.  (a)  Agency heads shall, in consultation with the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (Chairman) and the Attorney General, complete a review of all regulations subject to their rulemaking authority and identify those that:
    (i)    create, or facilitate the creation of, de facto or de jure monopolies;
    (ii)   create unnecessary barriers to entry for new market participants;
    (iii)  limit competition between competing entities or have the effect of limiting competition between competing entities;
    (iv)   create or facilitate licensure or accreditation requirements that unduly limit competition;
    (v)    unnecessarily burden the agency’s procurement processes, thereby limiting companies’ ability to compete for procurements; or
    (vi)   otherwise impose anti-competitive restraints or distortions on the operation of the free market.
    (b)  Within 70 days of the date of this order, agency heads shall each provide to the Chairman and the Attorney General a list of regulations identified by the categories specified in subsection (a) of this section.  Agency heads shall also include a recommendation as to whether each of the listed regulations warrants rescission or modification in light of its anti-competitive effects.  For recommended modifications, agency heads shall briefly specify what modification is appropriate.  For regulations that are anti-competitive by design, agency heads shall provide a justification for their anti-competitive effects if the agency head is not proposing rescission or modification.
    (c)  In conducting the review required by subsection (a) of this section, agency heads shall prioritize review of those rules that satisfy the definition of “significant regulatory action” in Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 1993 (Regulatory Planning and Review), as amended.
    (d)  Within 10 days of the date of this order, the Chairman shall issue a request for information (RFI) that seeks public input on the identification of regulations that fall within the categories specified in subsection (a) of this section, as well as comments explaining the proposed classifications.  The request shall remain open for 40 days.  Upon the close of the RFI period, the Chairman shall convey any relevant responses to the agency with rulemaking authority over the identified regulation.
    (e)  Within 90 days of receipt of the agency lists specified in subsection (b) of this section, the Chairman, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the relevant agency heads, shall provide to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Director) a consolidated list of regulations that warrant rescission or modification in light of their anti-competitive effects, along with recommended modifications.  The Chairman may include on the consolidated list regulations not originally included on an agency list if such regulations fall within at least one of the categories outlined in subsections (a)(i)-(vi) of this section.
    (f)  Upon receipt of the consolidated list described in subsection (e) of this section, the OMB Director, through the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, shall consult with the Chairman, the Attorney General, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the relevant agency heads to decide whether to incorporate the proposed rescissions or modifications into the Unified Regulatory Agenda developed pursuant to Executive Order 14219 of February 19, 2025 (Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Deregulatory Initiative).
    Sec. 4.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Purpose.  In our country, laws are supposed to provide the certainty and order necessary to foster liberty and innovation.  Instead, our vast regulatory structure often serves to constrict ordered liberty, not promote it.  The United States Code itself is more than 60,000 pages.  But unelected agency officials write most of the complex, legally binding rules on top of that, often stretching these statutory provisions beyond what the Congress enacted. 
    In particular, the previous administration added more pages to the Federal Register than any other in history, with the result that the Code of Federal Regulations now approaches a staggering 200,000 pages.  These regulations linger in such volume that serious reexamination seldom occurs.This regime of governance-by-regulator has imposed particularly severe costs on energy production, where innovation is critical.  The net result is an energy landscape perpetually trapped in the 1970s.  By rescinding outdated regulations that serve as a drag on progress, we can stimulate innovation and deliver prosperity to everyday Americans. 
    This order directs certain agencies to incorporate a sunset provision into their regulations governing energy production to the extent permitted by law, thus compelling those agencies to reexamine their regulations periodically to ensure that those rules serve the public good. 
    Sec. 2.  Definitions.  For the purposes of this order:(a)  “Conditional Sunset Date” means the date a regulation will cease to be effective and be removed from the Code of Federal Regulations, if the agency does not extend the Sunset Date pursuant to section 4(d) of this order.(b)  “Covered Agency” means one of the agencies listed in section 3(a) of this order.(c)  “Covered Regulation” means a regulation issued in whole or in part pursuant to a statutory authority listed in sections 3(b)-(j) of this order. (d)  “DOGE Team Lead” means the leader of the DOGE Team at each agency as described in Executive Order 14158.(e)  “Regulation” means each part, subpart, or individual provision of the Code of Federal Regulations promulgated under an agency rule as defined in 5 U.S.C. 551(4).
    Sec. 3.  Covered Agencies and Regulations.  (a)  This order applies to the following agencies and their subcomponents:  the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Department of Energy (DoE); the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).  It further applies to the following agency subcomponents:  the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), all within the Department of the Interior; and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (ACE), within the United States Army.(b)  For the DoE, this order applies to all regulations issued pursuant to the following statutes and any amendments thereto:(i)    the Atomic Energy Act of 1954;(ii)   the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987;(iii)  the Energy Policy Act of 1992;(iv)   the Energy Policy Act of 2005; and(v)    the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.(c)  For FERC, this order applies to all regulations issued pursuant to the following statutes and any amendments thereto:(i)    the Federal Power Act of 1935; (ii)   the Natural Gas Act of 1938; and(iii)  the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978.(d)  For the NRC, this order applies to all regulations issued pursuant to the following statutes and any amendments thereto:(i)    the Atomic Energy Act of 1954;(ii)   the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974; and(iii)  the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982.(e)  For the OSMRE, this order applies to all regulations issued pursuant to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and any amendments thereto.(f)  For the BLM, this order applies to all regulations issued pursuant to the following statutes and any amendments thereto:(i)    the Mining Act of 1872; (ii)   the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976; and (iii)  the Energy Policy Act of 2005.(g)  For the BOEM, this order applies to all regulations issued pursuant to the following statutes and any amendments thereto:(i)   the Outer Continental Shelf Act of 1953; and(ii)  the Energy Policy Act of 2005.(h)  For the BSEE, this order applies to all regulations issued pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Act of 1953 and any amendments thereto.(i)  For the FWS, this order applies to all regulations issued pursuant to the following statutes and any amendments thereto:(i)     the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act;(ii)    the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918;(iii)   the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1934;(iv)    the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act of 1965;    (v)     the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972;(vi)    the Endangered Species Act of 1973;(vii)   the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976; and(viii)  the Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982.(j)  For the EPA and ACE, within 30 days of the date of this order, the Administrator of the EPA and Secretary of the Army shall provide to the President, through the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Director), a list of statutes vesting EPA and ACE with regulatory authority that shall be subject to this order.   
    Sec. 4.  Zero-Based Regulating.  (a)  To the extent consistent with applicable law, each of the Covered Agencies shall issue a sunset rule, effective not later than September 30, 2025, that inserts a Conditional Sunset Date into each of their Covered Regulations.(b)  The sunset rule shall provide that each Covered Regulation in effect on the date of this order shall have a Conditional Sunset Date of 1 year after the effective date of the sunset rule, subject to the process set forth in subsection (d) of this section.  Unless the extension condition specified in subsection (d) of this section is satisfied, agencies will treat Covered Regulations as ceasing to be effective on that date for all purposes.  An agency shall not take any action to enforce such an ineffective regulation and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, shall remove it from the Code of Federal Regulations. (c)  In any new Covered Regulation, to the maximum extent consistent with law, the relevant Covered Agency shall include a Conditional Sunset Date that is not more than 5 years in the future.  Amendments to any Covered Regulation shall provide that they do not reset that regulation’s Conditional Sunset Date and shall be subject to the same Conditional Sunset Date as the amended regulation.  The OMB Director may exempt a new regulation or amendment from the requirements of this paragraph if he determines that the new regulation or amendment has a net deregulatory effect.(d)  The sunset provision added to existing and new Covered Regulations shall provide that the agency will offer the public an opportunity to comment on the costs and benefits of each regulation, such as through a request for information, prior to a rule’s expiration, and following such opportunity the Conditional Sunset Date for that Covered Regulation may be extended if the agency finds an extension is warranted.  A request for information shall not automatically extend the Conditional Sunset Date.  A Covered Agency may extend the Conditional Sunset Date for a particular Covered Regulation as many times as is appropriate, but never to a date more than 5 years in the future.
    Sec. 5.  Implementation.  (a)  Neither a determination to extend the Conditional Sunset Date of a particular regulation, nor a regulation that expires as a result this order, shall count towards the ten-for-one regulatory requirement in Executive Order 14192 of January 31, 2025 (Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation).(b)  Agency heads shall coordinate with their DOGE Team Leads and the Office of Management and Budget to implement this order.(c)  This order shall not apply to regulatory permitting regimes authorized by statute.
    Sec. 6.  Severability.  If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any agency, person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other agencies, persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
    Sec. 7.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or(ii)  the functions of the OMB Director relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    THE WHITE HOUSE,    April 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –