NewzIntel.com

Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Committee approves Defense funding bill in a 26-3 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE

    Committee approves LHHS bill in a 26-3 vote — BILL SUMMARY HERE

    ***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee met for a full committee markup to consider its draft fiscal year 2026 Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations acts.

    “These are not the bills I would have written on my own—but they nevertheless represent serious bipartisan work to make some truly critical investments in families and our country’s future. From defense funding that supports our military and keeps our country safe to funding for health care, child care, schools, seniors, medical research, public health, workforce training and safety—and so many other programs that keep our communities strong,” said Vice Chair Patty Murray in her opening remarks. “So I’m glad this Committee was able to reach a bipartisan compromise to write bills that deliver essential funds to help people, solve problems, and reject so many of the absolutely devastating cuts and so much of the chaos that President Trump is pushing for.”

    Speaking on the path ahead for appropriations, Senator Murray said: “It remains clear as ever to me that we cannot afford to go down the path Trump and Russ Vought want to push us down. Their vision is one where this Committee becomes less bipartisan and less powerful. Where the president and the OMB director call the shots and Republicans in Congress spend their time cutting what they are told to cut, even at the expense of their own constituents. Where instead of securing new investments for folks back home through bipartisan agreements, lawmakers have to plead their case to this administration to unlock funds we’ve already delivered or secure special exceptions for spending cuts. Where biomedical research and education funding gets held up for no reason at all. Where we gut investments in working families while letting Trump’s corruption run rampant.That’s what Trump and Vought want. And we can—and must—reject it.”

    In her opening remarks, Senator Murray also discussed the importance of accountability for this administration as it ignores existing laws and betrays working families nationwide: “I am clear-eyed: the investments we make in these bills today are really only half of the equation. Because the fact of the matter is we have an administration right now that is intent on ignoring Congress, breaking the law, and doing everything it can without any transparency to dismantle programs and agencies that help families. There is no magic bullet that will change that unfortunate reality. Our bills reject devastating cuts—and reject so many of this administration’s absurd proposals—to dismantle the Department of Education, destroy HHS, and more. But I still want to see us to do much more when it comes to demanding accountability, demanding transparency, and demanding the administration actually follow our laws. …. We need more members across the aisle to not only reject these [President Trump’s proposed] cuts but to speak up and speak out against what this administration is already doing to defy our laws and hurt the folks we represent.”

    In a 26-3 vote, the Committee approved the draft fiscal year 2026 Defense appropriations bill.

    “I’m proud of this bipartisan bill. First and foremost, it takes care of our troops with pay raises and quality of life improvements. It also recognizes that we are confronting a world more dangerous today than at any time since the Cold War, and that we all need to sober up, put politics aside, and get to work. This bill focuses on deterring China, and it strengthens our allies—our asymmetric advantage worldwide—from Ukraine to the Pacific to Africa. The strong bipartisan vote is also a powerful rebuke to Trump’s idea that we can run our national security apparatus, or any other part of our nation, on full-year continuing resolutions. I am committed to completing the appropriations process and getting all 12 of these bills across the finish line,” said Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), ranking member of the Defense Subcommittee.

    “Thank you, Chair McConnell and Ranking Member Coons, for working to put together a bill that makes crucial investments in our military—and not just in weapons and infrastructure, though we do have important investments to modernize our military and strengthen our defense base, but we also have investments to support our allies and strengthen partnerships across globe,” said Vice Chair Murray in comments on the bill. “This bill makes crucial investments in the Indo-Pacific, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East—and it rejects dangerous Trump cuts to support our allies in Ukraine and the Baltics. And this legislation invests in our most important security asset: our brave men and women in uniform—from a pay increase for servicemembers to robust child care funding to new investments in preventing suicide, and sexual assault, and conducting lifesaving medical research.”

    The following amendments to the bill were considered during today’s mark up:

    • Manager’s package offered by Chair McConnell.
      • Adopted unanimously.
    • Shaheen amendment to prevent the use of taxpayer funds appropriated in this or any other act from being used to operate or modify a Boeing 747-8i from Qatar.
      • Debated; withdrawn.
    • Durbin amendment to prohibit DOD from providing support to DHS on a non-reimbursable basis to conduct immigration enforcement—ensuring that funds provided by Congress for our national defense are used for our national defense.
      • Republicans rejected the amendment in a 15-14 party line vote.
    • Murphy amendment to prevent the transfer of any presidential aircraft to a non-governmental entity—ensuring President Trump cannot take the plane gifted by Qatar with him after leaving office and the plane cannot be transferred to a future Trump presidential library.
      • Republicans rejected the amendment in a 15-14 party line vote.
    • Merkley amendment to require DOD to produce a report on the use of the chemical 6PPD in the design and production of tires procured by DOD—with a listing of any relevant DOD initiatives researching potential alternatives.
      • Adopted by voice vote.
    • Merkley amendment to prohibit funds provided in any fiscal year 2026 appropriations act from being eligible for rescissions or deferrals under the Impoundment Control Act’s fast-track procedures, ensuring they can only be considered through annual appropriations bills.
      • Republicans rejected the amendment in a 15-14 party line vote.

    A summary of the bill is available HERE.

    Final bill text, report, and adopted amendments are available HERE.

    In a 26-3 vote, the Committee approved the draft fiscal year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

    “At the end of the day, my North Star is delivering for the people of Wisconsin. While no one got everything they wanted in this bill, I’m proud to say we found common ground and are doing just that to address the challenges facing working families across the country. From investing in cancer and Alzheimer’s research, to protecting the Department of Education and early education funding, to strengthening my 988 Suicide Lifeline, we came together to deliver for our constituents. This bill not only puts Donald Trump’s budget in the trash, it also reins in this President’s efforts to dismantle and withhold funding for critical programs our constituents rely on. This bill takes on the kitchen table issues families face by addressing childcare costs, connecting more Americans with good-paying jobs, and taking on the mental health and opioid epidemics. While it is not perfect, I look forward to getting it over the finish line on behalf of Wisconsinites who want to see a Washington that works for them,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

    “This bill rejects Trump’s cuts that would devastate our work to fight substance use disorders, HIV, and pandemics, eliminate women’s health investments like Title X funding and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program and essentially saw CDC in half. It rejects backward proposals from Trump that would hurt our students and workers—like eliminating preschool grants, slashing PELL, gutting public school funding, and ending Job Corps and AmeriCorps. It rejects efforts to gut agencies that protect the rights of patients, students, and workers. And, I’m especially pleased to note it rejects Trump’s 40% cut to lifesaving medical research—and increases the NIH budget by $400 million so that we continue making progress against cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and so much more,” Vice Chair Murray said in comments on the bill. “At the end of the day, this isn’t about rejecting Trump, it is about investing in families—investing in schools, investing in medical research, investing in workforce training, and community health. In fact, this bill even increases funding for crucial programs with new investments to allow the Social Security Administration to actually help people and undo some of the damage Trump and DOGE have so recklessly caused—and increased investments in child care, something I will never stop fighting to make more progress on.”

    The following amendments to the bill were considered during today’s mark up:

    • Manager’s package offered by Chair Capito.
      • Adopted unanimously.
    • Baldwin amendment to restore funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) after Republicans single-handedly rescinded funding for CPB earlier this month.
      • Debated; withdrawn.
    • Durbin amendment to reinstate grants and other awards that have been terminated by the Trump administration at agencies—like NIH—that are funded by the bill—and to require disbursements to be made to payees within 72 hours of a request. The amendment contains an exception for cases of a finding of financial mismanagement, fraud, or malfeasance.
      • Republicans rejected the amendment in a 15-14 party line vote.
    • Hyde Smith amendment to require CMS to notify the Committee, conduct an analysis, and consult with States prior to terminating critical access hospital (CAH) status for any hospital that met certain distance requirements prior to the 2022 CMS rulemaking. Senator Durbin and Appropriations Democrats voiced support for updating the amendment to provide better support for all rural hospitals, not just those impacted by the 2022 rules.
      • Adopted in a 16-13 vote.
    • Van Hollen amendment to claw back the $100 million slush fund Republicans provided for Russ Vought’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in their reconciliation bill earlier this month and instead provide $95 million for the Social Security Administration to improve customer service for Americans seeking to access the benefits they are owed.
      • Republicans rejected the amendment in a 15-14 party line vote.
    • Murphy amendment to withhold funds from the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights until the Department’s Inspector General certifies that all enforcement actions taken against colleges since January 20 are in accordance with existing laws. Since taking office, President Trump has withheld federal funding from colleges over claims of discrimination on campuses and other infractions. Instead of following established procedures under civil rights laws to thoroughly investigate such claims, President Trump continues to withhold federal funding from certain colleges unless they submit to his administration’s demands.
      • Republicans rejected the amendment in a 15-14 party line vote.

    A summary of the bill is available HERE.

    Final bill text, report, Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects, and adopted amendments are available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Government Watchdog Finds Trump Has Illegally Impounded Funding for 4th Time in Recent Weeks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    GAO finds Trump illegally impounded funding for K-12 schools across America to make energy efficiency upgrades—lowering schools’ costs and upgrading students’ classrooms

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on another Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision announced this morning, which concludes that President Trump has—in violation of the Impoundment Control Act (ICA)—illegally impounded funding provided by Congress for the Renew America’s Schools program, which was created on a bipartisan basis in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law:

    “It’s a day that ends in y—and that means President Trump is breaking the law to block funding that helps families and communities across the country.

    “I don’t think a person in America was clamoring to cut off funding Congress provided on a bipartisan basis for schools to make upgrades to students’ classrooms—but that’s exactly what President Trump has done.

    “Denying schools funding for energy efficiency upgrades that save them money isn’t just illegal, it’s stupid and harmful—and it’s time President Trump stop blocking this funding alongside all the other key investments he’s holding up.”

    In its decision, GAO also highlighted how the Trump administration’s decision to pull down a public website detailing its spending decisions inhibited its ability to conduct its investigation—yet more evidence that claims by this administration of a commitment to radical transparency are a farce and another reminder of the importance that the website get restored, as the law requires and a court recently required the administration to do.

    In its decision today, the GAO concluded that:

    “Congress in IIJA created a grants program at DOE for energy efficiency improvements at public school facilities. …. DOE has obligated 17 percent of its FY 2025 funding and expended 0 percent. …. For FY 2026, OMB proposed canceling nearly $196 million ‘from unobligated balances made available for fiscal years 2022 through 2026 in the ‘Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’ account provided for Grants for Energy Efficiency Improvements and Renewable Improvements at Public School Facilities. …. We conclude that DOE violated the ICA by delaying the obligation of FY 2025 funds appropriated by IIJA for the Schools Program. …. The Constitution grants the President no unilateral authority to withhold funds from obligation.”

    Presidents do not wield the power to unilaterally withhold or block investments that have been enacted into law through “impoundment.” This foundational principle has been affirmed time and again. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 makes this plain and establishes limited procedures the president can and must follow to propose delaying or rescinding enacted funding. The ICA also charges GAO with the responsibility of investigating and reporting to Congress when the president illegally withholds funding.

    The GAO has now acknowledged that it has opened 46 impoundment investigations and counting.

    Today’s announcement follows:

    The ICA authorizes the Comptroller General to file suit when the president illegally impounds funding.

    Since his first hours in office, President Trump has illegally blocked funding owed to communities across the country through a variety of different means. Senate and House Appropriations Committee Democrats have been tracking Trump’s illegal funding freeze and found that, as of June 3, President Trump is blocking at least $425 billion in funding owed to the American people.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Vote Against EEOC Nominee Andrea Lucas

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Senator Murray Grills EEOC Commissioner Lucas on Dismissal of Discrimination Cases Under Trump’s Gender EO

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s questioning of Ms. Lucas at nomination hearing***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on her vote against the nomination of Andrea Lucas to serve a second term on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Ms. Lucas is a current member of the EEOC and serves as Acting Chair.

    At the HELP hearing last month on her nomination, Senator Murray grilled Ms. Lucas on the EEOC’s abrupt dismissal, since President Trump took office, of discrimination cases involving people who are nonbinary and the importance of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Senator Murray also spoke out against Trump’s illegal firings of EEOC Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels, which she forcefully condemned in January and led a letter on in March demanding their immediate reinstatement.

    The Senate confirmed Ms. Lucas to a second term at the EEOC tonight in a party-line vote of 52-45.

    “In just a few short months as Acting Chair, Andrea Lucas has warped the mission of the EEOC beyond recognition and weaponized the agency to greenlight discrimination, roll back protections for people who are sexually assaulted at work, and intimidate anyone who challenges President Trump.

    “In no world should someone who doesn’t believe in the EEOC’s existence as an independent bipartisan agency be charged with leading it. And the Senate should not be confirming any EEOC nominee until President Trump reinstates the Democratic Commissioners he illegally fired for no reason.

    “Protecting Americans from discrimination at work shouldn’t be political. Andrea Lucas wants the EEOC to stand by and do nothing when Americans are discriminated against and instead go after anyone who disagrees with President Trump—she has no place leading an independent agency that’s supposed to protect workers.”

    ___________________________________

    Throughout her career, Senator Murray has championed workers’ rights and fought to combat employment discrimination, including as the top Democrat on the Senate labor committee from 2015-2022—among other things, Senator Murray fought back against a proposed DOL rule by the Trump administration that would allow federal contractors and subcontractors to justify discrimination against women, LGBTQ+ people, and members of certain religious groups on ideological grounds. Senator Murray first introduced the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act—comprehensive labor legislation to protect workers’ right to stand together and bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces—in the 116th Congress, and also leads the Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (BE HEARD) in the Workplace Act, comprehensive legislation to prevent workplace harassment, strengthen and expand key protections for workers, and support workers in seeking accountability and justice.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Local Spotlight: Cassidy Thanks Louisiana Firefighters in Texas Following Floods

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for his monthly Local Spotlight, thanked Louisiana search and rescue personnel Samuel Haynes, Turner Gore, Gordon Seagraves, Steven Maestas, Roy Gros, Christopher Whatley, Justin Wolfe, Colby Reed, David Burden, Austin Tull, Chris Shadoin, and Craig Bynog for aiding in rescue efforts following the flooding in Texas which claimed the lives of at least 136 people. Each month, Cassidy highlights a local story that truly reflects Louisiana values of humility, respect, and resiliency.
    Read his full July 2025 Local Spotlight below:
    “Mr. President, I want to thank the twelve Louisiana firefighters who recently left their homes and families to provide critical support for people in Texas after devastating flooding earlier this month.
    I am deeply grateful for their bravery, selflessness, and strength.
    The loss of life and property—which we in Louisiana have experienced—is a tragedy that spreads beyond state borders.
    But so does our commitment to help.
    Samuel, Turner, Gordon, Steven, Roy, Christoper, Justin, Colby, David, Austin, Chris, and Craig represent the best of our state and remind us that, in times of crisis, we are stronger when we come together.
    Thanks to all of you for your courage and sacrifice. You make Louisiana proud.”
    Background
    Last month, Cassidy highlighted fellow LSU Tiger John Foster on finishing strong in the American Idol finale. John represented himself and Louisiana well on a national stage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces Contract Award to Bath Iron Works for the Navy’s Newest DDG-51 Destroyer

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    The DDG-148 will be named after Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Kyle Carpenter of the United States Marine Corps.

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that the Navy has awarded Bath Iron Works (BIW) the contract to build the next DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. This new ship, the DDG-148, will be named after Kyle Carpenter – the youngest living Medal of Honor recipient. The Secretary of the Navy John Phelan called Senator Collins to notify her of the award. The award underscores BIW’s role as an essential shipyard for the Navy and a pillar of America’s defense industry.

    The DDG-51 funding was secured by Senator Collins in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and 2025 appropriations spending packages. BIW then competed to receive this contract.

    “This award is a testament to the highly skilled and hard-working men and women of BIW and once again shows that ‘Bath Built is Best Built’” said Senator Collins. “This destroyer will enhance our national security, protect good-paying Maine jobs, and provide long-term stability for the highly skilled men and women at BIW. As global threats continue to grow, investing in a strong and capable Navy is more important than ever.”

    The announcement marks another major milestone in Senator Collins’ long-standing efforts to strengthen the Navy’s fleet and support Maine’s world-class shipbuilding workforce. It follows historic investments she championed to support long-lead procurement for an additional destroyer.

     

    Corporal Kyle Carpenter received the Medal of Honor in 2014 after heroically shielding a fellow Marine from a grenade blast in Afghanistan in 2010. Despite suffering life-threatening injuries, including the loss of his right eye and extensive surgeries, he made an extraordinary recovery. He later earned his college degree, wrote a memoir titled You Are Worth It, and became a motivational speaker. Corporal Carpenter continues to inspire others through his message of resilience, service, and sacrifice.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: More Than $13 Million for Maine’s Health Care Workforce Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $13,085,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for health care workforce training in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.

    “Maine and states across the country continue to face a shortage of trained health care workers and are struggling to meet the growing demand for medical treatments and services,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would support important programs throughout Maine that are dedicated to filling these gaps in our nation’s health care workforce. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

    This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.

    Funding advanced by Senator Collins is as follows: 

    CMCC Nursing Education Equipment Enhancement

    Recipient: Central Maine Community College (CMCC)

    Project Location: Auburn, ME

    Amount Requested: $1,000,000

    Project Purpose: To purchase nursing education equipment. 

    EMCC Nursing and Allied Health Education Simulation Expansion

    Recipient: Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC)

    Project Location: Bangor, ME

    Amount Requested: $6,510,000

    Project Purpose: To construct and equip a nursing and allied health care simulation laboratory and learning center on campus.

    Health Care Training Center Renovations

    Recipient: University of Maine Farmington

    Project Location: Farmington, ME

    Amount Requested: $1,900,000

    Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to support a new Health Care Education Center.

    Health Care Training Equipment Upgrades

    Recipient: University of Maine System

    Project Location: Presque Isle, ME

    Amount Requested: $1,500,000

    Project Purpose: To purchase equipment for the health care profession programs at the University of Maine Presque Isle.

    NMCC Nursing and Allied Health Education Simulation Expansion

    Recipient: Northern Maine Community College (NMCC)

    Project Location: Presque Isle, ME

    Amount Requested: $650,000

    Project Purpose: To purchase labor and delivery simulation equipment.

    Growing Maine’s Dental Workforce

    Recipient: Children’s Oral Health Network of Maine

    Project Location: Statewide

    Amount Requested: $525,000

    Project Purpose: To purchase equipment to train independent practice dental hygienists.

    Maine Statewide CNA Training Program

    Recipient: Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education DBA Maine Medical Education Trust

    Project Location: Statewide

    Amount Requested: $1,000,000

    Project Purpose: To support certified nursing assistant training for long-term care.

    In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Questions Treasury Nominee on Biofuels, Wind and Solar Provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today questioned Treasury Department nominee Derek Theurer on the implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

    Grassley asked whether Theurer would advise the Treasury Department to maintain its longstanding interpretation of “began construction.” Grassley requested a timeline on formal guidance for implementing the clean fuels tax credit to provide Iowa’s biofuels industry greater certainty.

    Grassley also questioned Bryan Switzer, nominee to be Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, about America’s trade balance with China. 

    [embedded content]

    VIDEO

    On Wins on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    The One Big Beautiful Bill was an historic achievement. We averted the largest tax increase in history. It made pro-growth business provisions permanent. It unlocked business investment that will create jobs. The bill also provides additional middle-class tax relief.

    Implementing the Bill as Congress Intended

    As Treasury works to implement the bill, the agency must work with members to ensure the provisions are implemented according to the statute and faithful to congressional intent.

    So, the first question is a very general one. Can we count on you to keep Congress well informed during the implementation process and consult with [relevant] members of Congress where questions arise as to what was congressional intent?

    Wind and Solar Provisions, 45Z Implementation

    There are several provisions that I’m particularly interested in, in seeing faithfully implemented. This includes the structure of the phase-out for the wind and solar credits and modifications to the Clean Fuels Production Credit. And, remember, you’re talking to the father of the Wind Energy Tax Credit.

    I worked with my colleagues to provide wind and solar an appropriate glide path for the orderly phase-out of the tax credits. Ultimately, Congress enshrined in statute a 12-month transition period based on when projects “begin construction.”

    What it means for a project to “begin construction” has been very well established by Treasury guidance for more than a decade. Moreover, Congress specifically references current Treasury guidance to set that term’s meaning in law. It seems to me, this is a case where both the law and congressional intent are very, very clear.

    So, Mr. Theurer, will you commit to advising the Department that both the law and congressional intent are clear and that the “beginning of construction” – those official words – means what it has meant for more than a decade?

    Impact of the Clean Fuels Credit on Biofuels

    The reconciliation bill includes an extension and modification of [the] Clean Fuel[s] Production Tax Credit under 45Z. Implementing this credit properly and quickly is important for the biofuels industry and its participants, especially farmers. The Biden administration failed to meaningfully address 45Z regulations, which has caused major market disruptions, including plant closures.

    When can we expect to see guidance formally implementing the clean fuels credit so the biofuels industry can confidently move forward with operations?

    America’s Trade Balance with China

    You will be handling areas of international trade, and I’m interested in China. Based on your personal history, you know how challenging this will be. Do you think that the whole United States economy needs to decouple completely from China, or only certain sectors of our economy?

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PSI Chairman Johnson Writes to Secretary Hegseth about DoD’s Efforts to Assist Service Members Wrongfully Terminated Under Biden’s COVID-19 Injection Mandate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) sent a letter to Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting a briefing on the DoD’s efforts to apologize, reinstate, and provide back pay to service members who were terminated after refusing to take the COVID-19 injection.

     In 2021, then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a COVID-19 vaccine mandate which resulted in the termination of approximately 8,700 active-duty service members who refused the injection.

    “This dismissal of thousands of brave men and women from the military was a despicable act that damaged our armed forces,” the chairman wrote.

    Tuesday’s letter follows a Daily Caller article about former service members who are reportedly still waiting to be made whole following the Biden administration’s disastrous COVID-19 vaccine mandate. 

    During the first few days of President Trump’s second term, he issued an executive order enabling these wrongfully discharged service members to revert to their former rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation. In February 2025, Sec. Hegseth announced that service members could seek reinstatements and back pay.

    “I have no doubt that you are committed to assisting our service members, which is why I want to bring to your attention a July 24, 2025 Daily Caller article that featured several former military personnel who have still not received back pay after being terminated for refusing the injection,” Chairman Johnson wrote to Secretary Hegseth. 

    Read more about Chairman Johnson’s letter in Daily Caller.

    The full text of the letter can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/31/2025 VIDEO: Blackburn Holds Hearing on Protecting Americans’ Privacy Online

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) chaired a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law hearing, where she examined how a national data privacy framework can protect Americans’ personal information across state lines, empower consumers, and promote responsible innovation: 

    Click here to download video of Senator Blackburn’s opening remarks during the Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing.

     Click here to download video of Senator Blackburn’s questions during the Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing.

    Americans Are Vulnerable without a National Data Privacy Framework

    Senator Blackburn: “The absence of a comprehensive national data privacy framework has left millions of Americans vulnerable… For years now, I have been clear we need a national privacy standard that is comprehensive and enforceable. One that empowers consumers, promotes innovation and ensures accountability. It should prioritize transparency, minimize data collection and provide meaningful consent, not just a box to check.”

    Senator Blackburn Has Led the Fight to Protect Americans in the Virtual Space

    Senator Blackburn: “It is past time for Congress to take up this issue, to take action to pass a bill and see that bill signed into law. We should also acknowledge how closely this issue is tied to the safety of our children online. Senator Blumenthal and I have worked diligently on the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require platforms to design their product for children’s well-being in mind, not just for their bottom line. We’ve seen time and again how data driven algorithms target kids with addictive content and expose them to harmful material. Business models that profit from children’s vulnerabilities must be reined in. It is absolutely disgusting that our children are the product when they are online. And through the Open App Market Act that I introduced with Senator Klobuchar, I have worked to increase competition and consumer choice in the digital marketplace. Whether it’s protecting your personal data, your right to download the apps you want, or your ability to access services, the common thread is this: users, not tech giants, should be in control of the individual user’s life.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/29/2025 Blackburn Introduces Legislation to Ban the National Education Association from Influencing Congress

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced the Terminating Education Association Congressional Handouts (TEACH) Act to ban the National Education Association (NEA) from influencing the decisions of the federal government. This follows Senator Blackburn’s legislation to revoke the congressional charter of the NEA, the nation’s largest teachers’ union and the only labor union with a federal charter.

    “The National Education Association has abandoned its mission of supporting America’s teachers and students in the name of pushing its far-left political agenda,” said Senator Blackburn. “The NEA has become nothing more than a radical-left activist group, and it has no business using its status as a congressionally chartered entity to push woke gender ideology, antisemitism, and propaganda on America’s students.”

    BACKGROUND

    • The National Education Association (NEA) voted to fight against President “Trump’s embrace of fascism,” promote LGBTQ events in public schools, and members backed severing all ties with the Anti-Defamation League. These latest examples of NEA’s blatant political bias, along with its recent promotion of hatred and antisemitism, are a clear departure from the organization’s intended purpose.
    • The NEA has a long list of egregious violations of public trust:
      • In the 2024 election cycle, 98 percent of NEA political donations went to Democrats. 
      • In 2023, the NEA partnered with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), who collaborated with the Target Corporation to promote an obscene, radical agenda in their stores.
      • In July 2021, the NEA adopted measures to support critical race theory.
      • The NEA stood in the way of reopening schools in 2020 and 2021 by threatening strikes and influencing CDC guidance process to make it harder for schools to reopen.
      • The NEA erased the word “Jewish” when referencing the Holocaust in their handbook. The NEA then erased the handbook from their website after being caught.

    THE TEACH ACT

    The TEACH Act would:

    • Ban the NEA from influencing the decisions of the federal government; and
    • Require the NEA to submit an annual certification to the Secretary of Education that the association has not engaged in any such attempts. 

    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Environmental Justice Caucus Co-Chairs Markey, Duckworth, Booker Slam Trump Administration Plan to Eliminate EPA’s Ability to Protect Public Health from Climate Change

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (July 31, 2025) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.)—co-chairs of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus—issued the following statement after Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced his proposal to rescind the 2009 endangerment finding, a landmark determination that requires the EPA to address greenhouse gas emissions and pollution because of the threat that climate change poses to public health and welfare. By rescinding the endangerment finding, the Trump administration will effectively declaw the EPA, giving big businesses a green light to pollute our air and devastate environmental justice communities.

    “Once again, the Trump administration is sacrificing our children’s future to protect polluters in the present. Trump and Zeldin are annihilating the key legal foundation that requires our government to act on climate change because it threatens the health of Americans—their repeal of the endangerment finding is ignorant, runs counter to scientific fact and will put lives at risk. Environmental justice communities are particularly threatened by this wrong-headed decision, since they are most exposed to climate impacts and have the fewest resources to protect themselves. The Trump administration must reverse this decision—it flies in the face of science, the law, and our moral responsibility to protect our future.”

    As co-chairs of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, Markey, Duckworth, and Booker have long pushed to strengthen and defend environmental justice efforts across the country. Earlier this month, the three condemned Republicans’ cuts to environmental justice grants that were included in Donald Trump’s Big, Beautiful Betrayal. Earlier this week, Markey held a press conference outside EPA headquarters to rail against the Trump administration’s plans to rescind the endangerment finding. In March, Duckworth and Booker condemned the Trump administration for shutting down all of EPA’s environmental justice offices and slashing over 30 EPA regulations that have helped protect our nation’s public health and the environment for decades.

    In February, Markey, Duckworth, and Booker—along with Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.)—urged EPA Administrator Zeldin to reopen the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), which Duckworth and Booker led the charge to create. Markey, Duckworth, and Booker also helped introduce legislation that would permanently codify the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) in response to Attorney General Bondi’s order eliminating all environmental justice efforts at the DOJ.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Builds Bipartisan Momentum with Reintroduction of His Warehouse Worker Protection Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (July 31, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, along with Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Representatives Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Mike Lawler (NY-17), and Haley Stevens (MI-11), today reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Warehouse Worker Protection Act, legislation to prohibit dangerous speed quotas and that threaten warehouse worker safety and lead to high injury rates. The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

    Major corporations often institute speed and productivity quotas for warehouse workers that force workers past their physical limits, leading to high injury rates. One in 15 Amazon warehouse workers is injured at work seriously enough to need days off or light duty to recover. Nearly 2 million Americans work in warehouses nationwide.

    The Warehouse Worker Protection Act would institute the basic standards necessary to ensure all workers experience a safe and dignified workplace. The bill would prohibit the use of dangerous speed quotas that rely on intrusive surveillance, interfere with workers’ ability to use the bathroom and take guaranteed breaks, and push workers past safe physical limits. The bill would also prohibit measures that prevent workers from exercising their right to unionize.

    “Workers deserve to clock in knowing they will return home safe and healthy at the end of their shift. The Warehouse Worker Protection Act would protect the basic health and dignity of workers from corporate bosses who time and again have prioritized unfettered greed and profit over their own people,” said Senator Markey. “I am proudly in solidarity with nearly two million warehouse workers nationwide in the fight to ensure that their rights, safety, and dignity are protected.”

    “Corporations need to prioritize their workers’ safety and well-being over profits. This bipartisan legislation will hold the warehouse industry accountable while combatting the industry’s worst practices. It’s time to put workers’ safety first and treat them with the dignity they deserve,” said Senator Hawley.

    “Corporate profits should never be placed above the safety and dignity of American workers,” said Senator Smith. “The Warehouse Worker Protection Act ends secret, aggressive productivity metrics and surveillance methods used by major companies, and instead puts power back in the hands of the workers who experience these conditions every day. Workers should never have to choose between their health and their next paycheck, and should not be harmed in service of corporate greed – this bill takes an important step in establishing safe, just workplaces for all.”

    “In 2022, three New Jersey warehouse workers tragically died on the job within weeks of each other, bringing attention to working conditions and injury rates in warehouses. Businesses can keep workers safe and earn a profit, but that’s only possible with more transparency and accountability,” said Congressman Norcross. “As a former electrician, I know firsthand what it’s like to lose a coworker on the job. The Warehouse Worker Protection Act takes necessary steps to ensure everyone can come home from work safely.”

    “Amid the vast expansion of shipping and online shopping, the warehouse workers keeping this economy moving have been left behind,” said Senator Marshall. “For too long, companies have been implementing outlandish quotas, cutting into workers’ rights and leading to injuries. That ends with this bill. I’m proud to support Senator Markey in providing proper protections for workers, ending the fear of abusive quotas.”

    “Amazon and other abusive warehouse employers are squeezing their workers for every penny of profit, leaving behind tired and broken bodies,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “These corporate criminals are destroying good jobs in an industry that once supported a strong middle class. But one thing stands in their way—that’s the Teamsters Union, along with a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers who understand what’s at stake. It’s time to pass the Warehouse Worker Protection Act and put workers’ safety over corporate profits.”

    “Everyone deserves a guarantee of safety and dignity on the job, but retail giants like Amazon are raking in record profits on the backs of their workers, subjecting them to incredibly high rates of injury, unsustainable pace pressures, and punitive surveillance systems,” said Patricia Stottlemyer, Labor Rights Policy Lead at Oxfam America. “The re-introduction of the Warehouse Worker Protection Act is a critical step toward finally securing the safeguards and protections that these workers desperately need.”

    “Every day, we face unrealistic quotas and unsafe conditions just to keep our jobs at Amazon. The Warehouse Worker Protection Act gives us hope that our lives and safety will finally matter more than productivity rates. We fought for this law — and with support from Awood Center and national coalitions like Athena, we made it happen. Now we need Amazon to comply with the law or face consequences. It’s been in effect for a year, and they’re still falling short,” said an Amazon warehouse worker, supported by Awood Center, a worker center in Minnesota that uplifts East African immigrant workers.

    “At a time when Amazon warehouse workers like me are being injured at twice the rate as workers at other warehouses, this bill is a monumental step forward to holding companies like Amazon accountable and finally getting the workplace protections we deserve,” said Ronald “Mr. Ron” Sewell, an Amazon associate at ATL6 in Georgia and leader with United for Respect. “My coworkers and I are constantly putting our safety at risk to meet Amazon’s backbreaking productivity quotas, and we’ve had enough. Our lives are not expendable – we need real change to improve safety on the job, and this bill will help make that a reality.”

    “For too long, multi-billion dollar corporations like Walmart and Amazon have gotten away with forcing warehouse workers to meet unreasonable daily quotas — leading to countless injuries on the job — just so they can grow their profits. It’s long past time for that to change,” said Terrysa Guerra, Co-Executive Director of United for Respect. “These protections for warehouse workers will usher in a new era of accountability for these companies, and most importantly, will help improve workplace safety for hundreds of thousands of low-wage warehouse workers. United for Respect is thrilled to support this legislation.”

    “We’ve seen that when workers try to meet unattainable distribution center quotas, they get hurt; when they file for workers comp for their injuries, they get denied or fired. The Warehouse Worker Protection Act will protect workers from harm and blatant violation of their rights in an industry that treats them as expendable, and lead to safer, more dignified working conditions for the people who make life easier for the rest of us. Since New York’s version of this law went into effect in June, warehouse workers have already been feeling more secure in their rights. That’s something every single worker in the country deserves to feel—and why it’s so important that we pass the federal Warehouse Worker Protection Act as soon as possible,” said Vanessa Cid, Labor Organizer at For the Many.

    “Amazon’s greed has created a nationwide worker injury crisis as they put profit over people time and time again,” said Theodore A. Moore, Executive Director of ALIGN, leader of the New Yorkers for a Fair Economy coalition. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done to regulate warehouse safety in New York, but it’s time to take federal action and ensure that one of the richest companies in the world keeps their workers safe everywhere. We applaud Senator Markey’s leadership and urge Governor Hochul to lead the way with strong enforcement of New York’s Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act.”

    “We are facing a workplace injury crisis in warehouses across America,” said Irene Tung, Senior Researcher and Policy Analyst at the National Employment Law Project. “NELP’s research has found that the digital surveillance and disciplinary practices at companies like Amazon create a climate of fear for workers and astronomically high injury rates at warehouses. We urgently need the Warehouse Worker Protection Act to rein in these abuses and support workers’ right to organize for autonomy and safety on the job.”

    The Warehouse Worker Protection Act is endorsed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the National Employment Law Project (NELP), the Athena Coalition, and Oxfam America.

    In May 2024, Senator Markey, along with Senator Smith and then Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.), first introduced the Warehouse Worker Protection Act. In September 2024, Senator Markey celebrated the bipartisan momentum growing behind the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: Interest Rates Need to Come Down

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins Fox Business to Discuss Interest Rates and Trade Deals
    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Fox Business to discuss the Federal Reserve’s refusal to lower interest rates, and how the President’s trade strategy isn’t harming Americans but will get us leverage on our geo-political rivals.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview
    On the Federal Reserve not raising interest rates:
    “Well, I wasn’t surprised, because there’s a reason that President Trump calls him Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell. Let’s go back to March of 2021, and Jerome Powell says inflation is going to be transitory. It’s 18 months later, and it’s just starting to peak, and it’s not a couple months after that before it starts coming down. So, he is indeed always too late.
    “And let me put an exclamation point behind what President Trump is saying. To that average Kansas farmer back home, they have an operation loan of a million dollars. We saw interest rates on those loans go from 2% to 9% and that’s what caused a record drop in net farm income. So, he’s right. Every point matters. And I’m not saying we should drop at two or three points, but dropping at a quarter point or a half point, come on. I think that the economy would dictate that. Now we don’t know what’s holding up Jay Powell, except he’s always too late.”
    On the real impact of the trade deals President Trump has secured:
    “Well, I’m going to trust Michelle Bowman, of course. She’s from Council Grove, Kansas, but let’s just think about this for a second. Of all the goods that Americans consume, only about 11% of them are imported. Only 11%. So, let’s just suppose there’s a 10% tariff on 11% of what we consume. Well, my little math says that’s going to be a 1.1% increase, assuming that’s all passed along to the consumer, and you know, it’s not going to. So, I think that these tariffs could cause a one-time hit of one or 2%, but I think the manufacturers are going to absorb a lot of that. The wholesalers are going to absorb a lot of that as well.
    “And meanwhile, we’re trying to balance this trillion-dollar trade deficit. So, I think President Trump is right on task. Look at what he’s doing; Cambodia and Thailand today, he’s surrounded China. He’s got Indonesia done, Japan, Australia, Vietnam, the Philippines, [and] South Korea. So, he’s going to push China. They’ve got till August. The 12th is their deadline, I believe. So, President Trump is doing a good job.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: Making America Healthy Again Starts with Cost Transparency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Questions Healthcare Experts on Solutions to Rising Healthcare Costs
    Washington – On Thursday,U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), questioned healthcare experts, Ms. Chris Deacon, Principal and Founder at VerSan Consulting, Dr. Benedic Ippolito, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Mr. Wendell Potter, President of the Center for Health and Democracy, during the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing focused on making American health care more affordable.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full exchange.
    Highlights from the hearing include:
    On Healthcare costs transparency:
    Senator Marshall: “I think that we have today before us a 90 to 10 issue. Maybe it’s 95 to 5. Americans are concerned about the cost of health care. Since I got here four years ago, eight years ago, four years ago in the Senate, I’ve talked about the pillar of transparency, more innovation and consumerism, letting patients be consumers again. So, it’s wonderful that we get an opportunity to address solutions. We’ve all described the product and the problem. Now let’s talk about solutions. I’m very proud of one of our signature legislation we’ve been working on for eight years, the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act. I appreciate Senator Hickenlooper’s support, Senator Hassan, Senator Grassley, she he and Ernst their support as well. Could you imagine walking into a grocery store, going to the meat department, and not seeing the prices on the different meats? Could you imagine going to a clothing store and not knowing what the prices are on the suits? Most of us walk up there, and we look at a suit, what’s the first thing I do? I look at the price of it. But in health care, they buried the prices. So, what our legislation attempts to do is to get price tags on health care. What a novel thought, and a couple of thoughts on what our bill does, and get your reaction. Ms. Deacon, I’ll start with you as a consumer. You have a choice of getting your hip replaced at one facility for $10,000, another one is $50,000, and that’s not unreasonable numbers to compare a hip replacement 10 versus 50. How would you, as a consumer, how would that impact the eventual cost of healthcare? If you’re in a self-insured plan and you’re running that plan, how would it impact your decisions to drive down the cost of healthcare?”
    Ms. Chris Deacon: “I mean, as a consumer, absolutely, if I had out of pocket, I would both evaluate for quality and cost to determine value, and I would likely find myself at the $10,000 clinic, but as an employer sponsor, if all of my members were to have such information, it would dramatically lower the cost of premiums every year, especially for our self-insured employers, because more consumers would be able to evaluate such terms.”
    On driving down the costs of health insurance:
    Senator Marshall: “And this is a wild guess, could it drive down the cost of health insurance for an employed, self-employed fund, 10, 20, 30, 40% perhaps. I mean, it’s a big number.”
    Ms. Chris Deacon: “Yes, we’ve absolutely seen employers that are able to do that, save 30 to 40% on premiums.”
    On group health care plans access to their own data:
    Senator Marshall: “Dr. Ippolito, another component of our bill ensures that group health care plans have access to their own claim data. Can you believe it? I have a self-insured plan, and I can’t look at my own claim data? Would that be helpful to us, specifically a self-insured plan?”
    Dr. Benedic Ippolito: “Well, sure. I mean, at a minimum, if you’re sitting there trying to think about what services are we going to use next year, what kind of plan looks good for us? If you don’t know what services you use, you can’t do that. And so, in terms of those basic tasks that your employer, who’s your agent in this world, for many of us, is tasked with providing, they need that information. So yeah, it seems like a baseline, a prerequisite.”
    On PBM price gouging:
    Senator Marshall: “So is there anyone in this panel that disagrees that price tags could not be helpful in driving down the cost of healthcare? Does anyone want to counter that argument? Okay, good. I want to turn to delinking just for a second. Of course, talking about pharmaceutical benefits. PBMs, right? Very horizontally, vertically integrated, four companies, three companies controlling 85% of the of the industry. And many of you talked about the oligo monopolies that they’re forming here, specifically Senator Kaine and I have a bill called delinking, and it delinks the money the pharmacy benefit managers make from the cost of the of the drug. So PBMs create formularies that really prevent you from using the generic drugs at less cost, they push you to the more expensive ones. So, I’ll start with Mr. Potter. Would reform such as delinking PBM compensation from the list price of medicines benefit patients in meaningful ways and drive down the cost of drugs?”
    Mr. Wendell Potter: “I absolutely agree. I think it’s very important legislation. I think there should be delinking. That game, I think, incentivizes drug companies to have a higher list price, and then the middleman that you’re showing, that they’re on that board, are sucking so much money from the pharmacy supply chain. When I was at Cigna, Cigna didn’t own a very big PBM. It bought Express grips recently, a few years ago, and now it is largely a PBM that also has insurance plans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Vote on Bipartisan CANADA Act Ahead of Trump’s  August 1 Tariff Deadline 

    US Senate News:

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

    CANADA Act would exempt U.S.-owned small businesses from tariffs imposed on Canada 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, this week pushed for a vote on his bipartisan Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments (CANADA) Act, legislation to exempt United States-owned small businesses from tariffs imposed on Canada. Senate Republicans blocked the unanimous consent request and refused to support small businesses in their states.  
    Senator Welch took to the Senate Floor to slam the Trump Administration’s plan to increase tariffs and enact new sweeping global tariffs on August 1. Senator Welch also spoke in support of his bipartisan bill, the CANADA Act: 
    “This trade war is yet another example of the Trump Administration’s chaos, cruelty, and corruption: Chaos for Vermont’s small businesses, farmers, and manufacturers who don’t know what to expect day-to-day; Cruelty for America’s working families, who will pay more because of this reckless trade policy; and Corruption by President Trump himself, who has created an access economy focused on self-dealing,” said Senator Welch in his remarks. “I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the CANADA Act, and in-turn support small businesses in their state.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    The CANADA Act is led by Senator Welch and cosponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The CANADA Act is supported by Main Street Alliance and Small Business Majority. 
    In 2024 alone, trade with Canada accounted for 35% of Vermont’s exports, 67% of its imports, and 56% of its total trade. One in four businesses in Vermont relies on trade with Canada. Vermont buys more goods from Canada than the next nine largest foreign markets combined. In 2023, Vermont exported $150 million just in food and agricultural products to Canada.  
    Vermont boasts nearly 82,000 small businesses, which represent 99% of all businesses in the state, and employ over 62% of Vermont’s overall workforce—higher than the national average. Small businesses in Vermont also employ a diverse workforce, with 43.8% of small businesses in the state owned by women and 6% owned by veterans. 
    Senator Welch has blasted Trump’s tariffs and trade war and shared stories from constituents about how President Trump’s economic policies have impacted their businesses, farms, and communities. Senator Welch is a cosponsor of a bipartisan resolution to repeal the tariffs on Canada, a bipartisan bill to restore congressional tariff authority, a bill to restrict the Executive Branch’s authority to impose tariffs through the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, and a bill to exempt small businesses from the April 2nd global tariff Executive Order. Senator Welch also led a bipartisan resolution to end President Trump’s ruinous global tariffs.      
    In May, Senator Welch joined a bipartisan delegation and traveled to Ottawa to meet with Canadian dignitaries, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, to discuss bipartisan support for a U.S.-Canada partnership and their commitment to a strong trading relationship between the United States and Canada. The Senator has hosted roundtables in Stowe, Newport, St. Albans, Manchester, and virtually to hear concerns and first-hand stories from Vermont and Canadian leaders impacted by the trade war. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On The Senate Floor, Durbin Urges The Release Of Political Prisoners In The UAE, Azerbaijan, Tunisia, & Guatemala

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 31, 2025

    WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) highlighted the plight of political prisoners in four nations and called for their immediate and unconditional release. These political prisoners have been outspoken in their support for democracy, freedom of the press, human rights, and basic freedoms.

     

    During his remarks, Durbin reflected on past American voices in the fight for democracy, including President Reagan who told the Soviets at the Brandenburg Gate to “tear down this wall,” and John McCain who joined thousands of Ukrainians aspiring for freedom on the Maidan Square.

     

    “From time to time I come to the floor to discuss political prisoners jailed by some of the world’s worst regimes. I have often been joined in efforts to secure their release by colleagues on both sides of the aisle, including then-Senator and now Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
    You see, despite periods of retreat on the global stage, the United States has been seen as a beacon of hope for those who want a more free and democratic society, and this American voice has also enjoyed broad bipartisan support,”     said Durbin.

     

    Durbin first highlighted Ahmed Mansoor who has been imprisoned for over eight years in the United Arab Emirates. Mr. Mansoor is considered one of the last major human rights voices in the Emirates—one tragically held at times in solitary confinement unable to contact his family. He was arrested under the guise that his social media posts advocating for human rights threatened social harmony.

     

    “Despite dismal conditions of his incarceration, he remains steadfast in his commitment to human rights—even conducting multiple hunger strikes in protest of his jail conditions, the same conditions he spoke out against before his detention. Recently his outrageous 15-year sentence was upheld on appeal. We have strong ties and shared interests with the UAE, but its continued involvement in the horrific Sudanese civil war and incarceration of Mr. Mansoor complicate that relationship. I appeal to the UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to show compassion and allow Mr. Mansoor’s release on humanitarian grounds,” Durbin said.

     

    Durbin then highlighted a political prisoner in Azerbaijan—Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu—who was forcibly dragged from his vehicle with his wife and severely beaten. He was taken to a prison well known fortorture, where he was denied medication and legal representation.

    “His [Dr. Ibadoghlu’s] crime? Investigating and writing on the rampant corruption stemming from Azerbaijan’s oil and gas industry. While he was eventually placed under house arrest in April 2024, he has still been denied a trial, legal representation, and access to adequate medical care, and his family continues to suffer harassment. He is one of the many wrongfully detained individuals in Azerbaijan who should be released,” said Durbin.

     

    Durbin then spoke about a political prisoner in Tunisia, originally one of the most promising nations to emerge from the Arab Spring. Sonia Dahmani, a prominent Tunisian lawyer and political commentator who was arrested in May 2024 for her radio and television commentary. She faces five separate legal proceedings and an additional 10 years pending charges. Her sister, Ramla, was also sentenced in absentia to two years in prison for advocating for her sister’s case on social media.

     

    “Ms. Dahmani has endured appalling prison conditions, including sexual assault, and denial of basic medical care. I urge President Saied: release her on humanitarian charges and drop any remaining charges, including against her sister,” Durbin continued.

     

    Lastly, Durbin spoke about two cases in Guatemala—including the troubling jailing of journalist José Rubén Zamora and legal harassment of anti-corruption prosecutor, Virginia Laparra.

     

    “Their incarceration occurred amid multiple efforts to derail the peaceful transition of power to President Arevalo last year. Both were eventually released from prison to house arrest, but Mr. Zamora has now been sent back to prison and Ms. Laparra continues to face baseless legal harassment from holdovers from the previous regime. Both deserve full release and dropping of remaining charges,” said Durbin.

     

    Durbin concluded, “What we do here matters around the world, for the large and small battles occurring for freedom and democracy. My friend and jailed Russian dissident Vladimir Kara Murza wrote the following from his Russia gulag a few years ago, ‘The prisoner’s worst nightmare is the thought of being forgotten… I always knew how true those words were — and how important were international campaigns of solidarity with prisoners of conscience. I now feel it with my own skin.’ So, let me remind Ahmed, Gubad, Sonia, José Rubén, and Virginia—you are not forgotten… Don’t give up hope. I will continue to be that voice to remind the world of the incarceration and treatment [of the political prisoners.] We need to be a beacon of hope and freedom in the United States.”

    Following the speech, Durbin met with Mr. Zamora’s son, José, and Dr. Ibadoghlu’s son, Emin. They also watched Durbin’s floor speech from the Senate gallery.

     

    Video of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s floor speech is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Introduced Legislation To Protect More Than 13,000 Acres Of Shawnee National Forest

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 31, 2025

    The Shawnee National Forest Conservation Act would create 12,700 additional acres of special management areas and 750 acres of wilderness in the Shawnee National Forest

    WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Shawnee National Forest Conservation Act, legislation that would create 12,700 additional acres of special management areas and 750 acres of wilderness in the Shawnee National Forest. Securing this designation for these acres would offer critical protections to the area.

    “The Shawnee National Forest welcomes thousands of visitors each year, who take advantage of the beautiful views and hiking trails. It’s critical that our natural areas are preserved to ensure that generations of Illinoisans can continue to enjoy all that Shawnee National Forest has to offer,” Durbin said. “I’m introducing the Shawnee National Forest Conservation Act to protect more than 13,000 acres of one of our state’s richest natural resources.”

    “Protecting these wonderful areas in the Shawnee National Forest, including the new Camp Hutchins Wilderness Area, will go a long way to preserving some of the most remarkable landscapes, biodiversity, and water resources in Southern Illinois,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “Illinois cares about Wilderness areas in the Shawnee, and we now have a great opportunity to continue protecting these special places for hiking, camping, and wildlife.”

    “These three areas are rich in biodiversity and among Illinois’ most pristine habitats, but they are not currently protected against logging or other commercial activities,” said Barbara McKasson, a leader with the Shawnee Group of the Sierra Club. “Senator Durbin’s proposal will ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy these high quality natural areas, and that they will continue to support a rich diversity of wildlife.”

     

    The 12,700 acres of special management areas will be from the following areas: 2,953 acres from Camp Hutchins; 3,445 acres from Ripple Hollow; and 6,310 acres from Burke Branch. The 750 acres of wilderness will be in Camp Hutchins.

     

    The Shawnee National Forest consists of 289,000 acres and its boundaries have been expanded three times since the U.S. Forest Service originally purchased the land in 1933. Roughly 10 percent, or about 30,000 acres, of the Shawnee National Forest is currently protected as wilderness.

     

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The One Big Beautiful Bill Protects Rural Hospitals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–Through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) makes the single largest investment in rural health care since the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.

    Rural hospitals have faced ongoing issues for many years, including low patient volumes, inadequate workforces, crumbling infrastructure, outdated technology and changing reimbursement trends. The fiscal vulnerabilities they face are multifaceted and often unique to each facility. The $50 billion rural hospital fund is intended to provide immediate relief to rural hospitals while allowing facilities to establish the tools necessary to be successful in the long term.

    “This legislation makes the largest investment in decades in rural health care, ensuring states have the resources they need to address the unique challenges facing their rural hospitals,” said Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). “This is an efficient way to ensure the sustainability of our rural health care facilities while protecting taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud and abuse.”

    Read the fact sheet about the Rural Health Transformation Program HERE.

    Key Points About the Rural Health Transformation Program:

    • The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) supplies $50 billion to stabilize and strengthen rural hospitals and providers.
    • Fifty percent of the $50 billion funding allocation will be divided equally among states that submit an application to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
    • The remaining 50 percent will be distributed to states based on a formula developed by the CMS Administrator. The law requires the CMS Administrator to consider a state’s rural population, proportion of health care facilities in rural areas and situation of hospitals that serve a high proportion of low-income patients.
    • Assuming all 50 states apply and are approved, each state will receive at least $100 million per year for five years.
    • Because rural hospitals and providers face vulnerabilities that are multifaceted and unique, the RHTP allows the states–who know the issues in their communities better than the federal government–to work with providers to determine the best use of funds. This will give rural hospitals the tools to stabilize their finances in the short term and offer states the opportunity to create a long-term plan.

    Click HERE to learn more about the Finance Committee provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Statement on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement:

    “The suffering, starvation, and atrocities happening in Gaza are unacceptable. I will continue fighting for humanitarian aid now.

    “It’s time for the conflict in Gaza to end– there must be an immediate ceasefire that stops the fighting, ends the suffering for innocent civilians caught in the crossfire, brings the hostages home, and dramatically increases humanitarian aid. These Joint Resolutions of Disapproval would restrict our country’s ability to provide future security guarantees without achieving the goal of ending this war now or increasing vital humanitarian aid.

    “Donald Trump promised to secure a ceasefire in his first week in office, yet the suffering and death in Gaza continues. It’s time for Trump to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. The Trump administration must facilitate an immediate ceasefire between the Israeli government and Hamas to end this conflict. And we all must work to bring about a just and lasting peace, one that guarantees Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state and ensures the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and a state of their own.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman McConnell Opening Statement at FY26 Defense Appropriations Markup

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, delivered an opening statement at this morning’s full Senate Appropriations Committee markup of the FY26 Defense bill. Below is the opening statement as prepared for delivery:

    I’d like to thank Ranking Member Coons, and our combined staff for their dedicated, and often exhausting, work to produce the FY26 Defense Appropriations bill.

    And I’d like to thank our fellow members of the Subcommittee, who I know share our sense of duty to provide for the common defense, year after year. Just briefly, I’ll sum up the rationale behind this year’s legislation.

    First, the Senate bill recognizes the Administration’s intention to restore peace through strength, the Department of Defense’s desire to achieve “drone dominance”, and the President’s interest in having more missiles than any other country.

    It reflects the need to build more ships for a Navy that must compete with China. It acknowledges that America’s adversaries are increasingly aligned and investing more heavily in undermining our interests… and that America must take the risk of simultaneous conflict in multiple theaters seriously.

    But ultimately, our topline allocation of $852.5 billion – which sits higher than either the President’s budget request or the House’s mark – underscores that we cannot seriously address these challenges while artificially constraining our resources.

    We can’t build a Golden Dome… or restock our munitions magazines… or bring back American shipbuilding… without sustained, increasing investments in our national defense.

    And we can’t treat reconciliation like a cure-all. I was glad to vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill. But let’s not kid ourselves – it was not the additive defense spending some of us had hoped for. Moving must-pay bills for major long-standing programs from base to reconciliation still makes little sense to me.

    And somehow, the process seems to have also allowed important programs to slip through the cracks. In fact, senior Pentagon officials have already come to me and the Ranking Member to report that they’re still billions of dollars short on programs that we were told reconciliation would address. 

    There is no substitute for robust, full-year defense appropriations. And this is a strong, bipartisan bill that proves we can do our job, and keep our commitments to the men and women of the U.S. military. They deserve no less.

    Here are a few of the items we address:

    First, recent operations in the Middle East illustrates how quickly modern warfare can exhaust our arsenal of critical munitions.

    The Administration’s request did not fully maximize production capacity for certain critical munitions, so we added $5.2 billion to buy larger quantities of air-defense interceptors, long-range fires, and other key munitions. We also added $2.1 billion to expand production capacity of munitions, and included some important initial investments in restoring America’s organic industrial base.

    Second, we’ve also added $4.6 billion to address growing demand for more extensive air and missile defenses. But developing a more layered missile defense shield that can protect the homeland and our forces abroad from growing threats is going to take years of sustained resources.

    Third, we’ve tried to help the Department meet requirements that the final reconciliation bill and the FY26 base budget request left unfunded, including advanced procurement for Virginia- and Columbia-class submarines, cost-to-compete for surface vessels, major renovations to dilapidated Marine Corps barracks, and ship operations costs for our Navy.

    We also included more funding for destroyer construction, shipyard infrastructure, and workforce development to help fix our ailing shipbuilding industry and get production back on track.

    Fourth, we invest in ally and partner militaries. We know that confronting Chinese aggression will require collective deterrence. Helping grow our friends’ capacity to defend themselves in the Indo-Pacific – as in Europe or the Middle East – enhances deterrence and helps our allies share more of the burden.

    It also means more investment in interoperable, U.S-made systems and lower risks for U.S. servicemembers. These are investments that pay dividends, and I’m not just talking about treaty allies.

    The Secretary of the Army rightly calls Ukraine “the Silicon Valley of warfare”. The Navy considers the maritime fight between Russia and Ukraine as the Black Sea Battle Lab and recognizes the need for rapid innovation. So we added $216 million on top of the Administration’s request for drone and counter-drone capabilities, consistent with the intention of achieving “drone dominance.”

    But abandoning the foremost experts of drone warfare would be strategic self-harm. Shutting off engagement with Ukraine would undermine our military’s efforts to prepare for the modern battlefield.

    So, like our friends on the Armed Services Committee, we are restoring funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and other security assistance programs that make America safer.

    Madam Chair, I’m proud of the work of the Defense Subcommittee in producing this bill for our colleagues’ consideration. And I hope it’ll earn the support of the entire Committee. But allow me to close with just one note:

    None of the challenges we’re facing today can be solved by a single bill or over the course of a single budget cycle.

    Readiness is not a box to be checked – it’s a state to achieve and maintain. In this era of major power competition, security for future generations of Americans means steady, consistent, predictable, increasing investments in the common defense… year after year after year.

    If we’re tempted to treat successful FY26 appropriations like a finish line, we’re thinking about our obligations all wrong.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Mullin to Faulkner: Zeldin “Took a Sledgehammer to the Regulatory Environment”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    ICYMI: Mullin to Faulkner: Zeldin “Took a Sledgehammer to the Regulatory Environment”

    “I ran because the regulations literally put one of our companies out of business.”

    Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined Fox News’s Harris Faulkner on The Faulkner Focus to react to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin’s decision to rescind the Obama-era endangerment finding which costs the United States $1 trillion in regulations and $54 billion each year. The senator recounted his experience with the Obama EPA as a private business owner, and shared how his frustration with excessive government overreach motivated him to run for office. Additionally, the senator commented on his colleagues’ recent chaotic behavior on the Senate floor. Highlights below.

    Sen. Mullin’s full interview can be found here.

    On how red tape drove Mullin to public service:

    “This is the reason why I ran because the regulations literally put one of our companies out of business. What Lee Zeldin just did is took a sledgehammer to the regulatory environment. This single regulation right here was the single biggest factor in cost in history when it comes to regulations, especially when you look at what Obama did. This has cost the industry $1 trillion and since the last five years, has cost an annual $54 billion…

    “What he has done here was exactly what President Trump promised was he was going to roll back regulations that wasn’t actually beneficial.”

    On consumer choice being what President Trump is all about:

    “Let consumers choose. What an idea that is, right? That’s what America is about. Let consumers choose what they want. That’s what President Trump is about. That’s not what the Democrats are [about].”

    On the irony of Democrats discussing the Constitution:

    “They can’t point to one single thing that President Trump has done that’s non constitutional…

    “They want to talk about a constitutional overreach? You think, well, who was the person signing the [President Biden’s] executive orders? But no, Cory Booker is silent on that, and all the other Democrats are silent on that because of their derangement syndrome over their hatred towards President Trump, and it’s absolutely absurd, and this is why they lost, because the American people see right through this theatric behavior that Cory Booker displayed on the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Mullin joins “The Scott Jennings Show”, Highlights Administrator Zeldin’s Bold Action to Unleash American Energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    ICYMI: Senator Mullin joins “The Scott Jennings Show”, Highlights Administrator Zeldin’s Bold Action to Unleash American Energy

    Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), joined “The Scott Jennings Show”. The Senator discussed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Zeldin’s recent action to unleash American energy as well as how Senate Republicans are pushing forward on nominees despite unprecedented obstruction from Senate Democrats. Highlights below.

    The full interview can be found here.

    On the EPA Administrator Zeldin’s bold action to rescind burdensome regulations: 

    “Well, it’s absolutely the right move, and thank goodness that President Trump put Lee Zeldin in that place. What you see with President Trump’s nominees is that they all have a backbone to do what is right. The EPA, underneath the Obama administration, grew into this agency that was the ‘see all and fix all and end all’ agency. And so, what I mean is there wasn’t any permitting that could be done for infrastructure. There wasn’t any permitting that could be done for energy. There wasn’t any permitting that could be done for manufacturing, unless the EPA signed off on it. And because of all these sue and settle cases that was being administered underneath this executive order to which President Obama had put in in 2009, it had gummed up the process. And so, this one single move by Lee Zeldin has had more permanent reform than Congress could have done in an entire bill. This is a huge, huge act for regulation, to deregulate our economy and allow America to lead from the front. Again, I can’t under state the importance of this one move by Lee Zeldin.”

    On the importance of Nuclear Energy:

    “Because of this one single act by Obama in 2009 it basically stopped our ability for infrastructure when it comes to energy… Now let’s just think about we’re going to bring a nuclear power plant on line, what this single act did was make it almost impossible for a nuclear facility to come on line, which, by the way, is probably one the cleanest and safest ability to have energy and be able to meet the demands. Meaning with nuclear, you could bring up a nuclear plant and you can bring it down. And with the demand that is called upon during peak hours, you can’t do that with solar. You can’t do that with wind, but you could do it with nuclear.

    “The only way that we were able to do that without nuclear, would be either coal fired power plants or natural gas. The issue with coal fired power plants, because of this one act, you couldn’t build them, and they were actually requiring them to come offline. The thing with natural gas-powered systems is you couldn’t build the pipelines to be able to get the gas to the power plants to be able to actually provide the energy they need to meet the demand. And so it gummed up the entire system.” 

    On making the EPA Administrator’s act permanent:

    “Now you start talking about quantum computing, or you talk about AI technology, we will not be able to stay up with the energy demands that the future is calling on, that is going to the future of development. And America is either going to lead or it’s not going to lead, unless Lee Zeldin actually did this. And so, it is a full court pressure, Lee Zeldin working with Chris Wright, working with the President and working with Congress to be able to move this. Now what Congress’ point is that we need to make this move by Lee Zeldin, we need to put this in some type of permanent reform so it becomes law and can’t be simply changed, God forbid a Democrat gets in there in three and a half years.”

    On historic obstruction from Senate Democrats:

    “The thing that is something that’s never happened to any president of United States is President Trump is the only president in history not to have one single nominee go by unanimous consent or by voice vote. The Democrats have filibustered every single nominee, except the very first one, which was Marco Rubio. So out of 110, they filibustered 109 of his nominees. But because Leader Thune made this point when he first became leader of the Republican Senators, he said, the Democrats can either do this the hard way, or we can do this the easy way. And since they chose to do it the hard way, we’ve now taken more votes than any Senate in 35 years, and we’ve been in here longer than any senate meeting consecutive days than any Senate in 15 years. So, we are pushing forward.”

    On Democrats continuing to slow down the process:

    “Now, the option that we run into for August, we have 55, as we speak right now, we have 55 nominees that has been reported out of committee, meaning to the floor for a vote that have bipartisan support and in the past before prior to Chuck Schumer becoming leader, in the past, when they come out of committee with bipartisan support, typically, they go either by UC (unanimous consent) or by a voice vote, which means they do away with the two hour debate for cloture vote. They do away with having to switch in and out of executive calendar versus legislative calendar… but because of all these procedural motions, they are able to slow down the process.”

    On the three options the Senate faces:

    “One, either they give us a package and we agree with a package of bipartisan nominees that have been voted out of committee to the floor, and we get all those done before we recess. Two, we stay in and don’t recess and get them done. Or three, we go into a forced recess, which the President United States had the ability to do, call on Congress to recess. It’s not debatable, but amenable, meaning that they would try to amend the dates, we go back and forth, have to do a vote-a-rama on it, we’d get the vote-a-rama done and then send it to the House. The House also has to vote to go into recess, because the House isn’t in recess right now, they are in pro forma, meaning that they can still be called back in at any amount of time. And we ought to recess for 10 days, and then we just clean the slate and do every one of his noms.”

    On working with the President and Leader Thune to get all the nominees through:

    “Republicans, with the exception of maybe one or two, are all willing to stay and get this done. And so, I’ll go back to what Leader Thune said from the beginning of the year, the Democrats can do this the hard way, or we can do it the easy way, but we’re going to work to get President Trump’s people put in place. And we’ve said that. I’ve talked to the President now twice in the last three days about this, and he is all aboard. He understands he’s actually making a priority list of those that he would want in a package if we did that, and he’s also working with a priority list with us, if we stay here and continue to vote on how he would want those racked and stacked.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Members of N.M. Delegation Call on Trump Administration Demanding Answers on Reported Suspension of Medical Services at Gallup Indian Medical Center

    US Senate News:

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

    Recent Reporting Indicates Trump Administration Bureaucratic Hurdles Are Causing Delays and Reductions in Patient Care at Gallup Indian Medical Center

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) called on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Indian Health Service (IHS) Acting Director Benjamin Smith demanding answers regarding recent reports that medical services at the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) have been suspended or reduced. In the letter, the lawmakers highlight how IHS bureaucratic red tape has made it harder and more expensive for GIMC to deliver timely, effective care and call on HHS and IHS to act swiftly to reverse these harmful decisions and restore critical services.

    “We write today concerned about recent reports that medical services at the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) have been suspended or reduced, including critical ultrasound services, due to a new Presidential Appointee Approver and Departmental Efficiency Review (PAA-DER) policy in place as of June 30, 2025,” wrote the lawmakers.

    “Unfortunately, these challenges at GIMC are not in isolation, but rather exemplify a disturbing pattern of care disruptions due to administrative delays across the IHS. In short, policies such as PAA-DER are resulting in the exact opposite of efficiency: wasted resources, staffing shortages, and preventable delays in care,” continued the lawmakers.

    “The current situation is unacceptable. Tribal communities deserve the same standard of care and operational efficiency afforded to all Americans. HHS and IHS must act swiftly to reverse these harmful decisions, restore critical services, and fulfill the obligations that the United States has pledged to uphold,” concluded the lawmakers.

    Read the full letter here or below:

    Dear Secretary Kennedy and Acting Director Smith:

    We write today concerned about recent reports that medical services at the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) have been suspended or reduced, including critical ultrasound services, due to a new Presidential Appointee Approver and Departmental Efficiency Review (PAA-DER) policy in place as of June 30, 2025.

    PAA-DER is reportedly effective throughout the Indian Health Service (IHS), requiring that all IHS contracts and requisitions undergo additional layers of approval. The resulting bottleneck is delaying contract renewals for essential personnel, equipment, and services while also delaying the ability of health care workers to immediately diagnose urgent conditions and putting patients at risk. At GIMC, for example, a patient presenting after hours had to be unnecessarily admitted overnight due to the facility’s inability to access diagnostic imaging. Similar delays have affected general surgery, labor and delivery care, and infectious disease testing. GIMC has faced staffing challenges for years, and these new bureaucratic hurdles imposed by PAA-DER are making it harder and more expensive for GIMC to deliver timely, effective care. Unfortunately, these challenges at GIMC are not in isolation, but rather exemplify a disturbing pattern of care disruptions due to administrative delays across the IHS. In short, policies such as PAA-DER are resulting in the exact opposite of efficiency: wasted resources, staffing shortages, and preventable delays in care.

    You have made clear commitments to Tribal Nations and Tribal citizens that you would protect their health care interests and uphold the trust and treaty obligations in your tenure as HHS Secretary. But policies such as PAA-DER do not align with those commitments; Tribal leaders and health experts have said that PAA-DER in particular has created a system that undermines the federal government’s responsibility and forces Tribes to bear the burden of failed processes they did not create. The ongoing service disruptions are not just bureaucratic missteps, but they are threats to lives and to Tribal sovereignty.

    In light of these impediments to service delivery at GIMC, we request that you answer the following questions:

    1. When did GIMC begin scaling back ultrasound services, general surgery, labor and delivery care, and other medical services? Please be specific.
    2. Prior to GIMC’s recent reductions in service, how many open positions did GIMC have in affected departments? Please include a breakdown by department, if possible.
    3. After GIMC’s recent reductions in service, how many open positions did GIMC have in affected departments? Please include a breakdown by department, if possible.
    4. Please identify any efforts IHS is taking to address longstanding staffing shortages in affected departments.
    5. Following the recent reductions in services, has IHS taken any steps to address the scaling back of ultrasound services at GIMC? If not, why not?
    6. Is IHS taking any steps to address the scaling back of general surgery, labor and delivery care, and reduction in medical-surgical beds at GIMC? If not, why not?
    7. How does IHS plan to address longstanding and new recruitment and retention challenges at GIMC? Please include any specific actions taken to address staffing challenges impacting ultrasound, surgical, and labor and delivery services.
    8. Are you aware of any other challenges faced by GIMC resulting in impacts to services? If so, please describe.

    In addition, we urge HHS to immediately reverse the decisions that have limited or cut services at GIMC and other HIS facilities. Specifically, we request that you:

    1. Ensure all pending contracts and requisitions currently held up by PAA-DER, particularly those impacting direct patient care, at GIMC are expedited.
    2. Exempt IHS from the PAA-DER process, recognizing the unique statutory and trust responsibilities the federal government holds to Tribes.

    The current situation is unacceptable. Tribal communities deserve the same standard of care and operational efficiency afforded to all Americans. HHS and IHS must act swiftly to reverse these harmful decisions, restore critical services, and fulfill the obligations that the United States has pledged to uphold.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Introduces Bill to Ban Chinese and Iranian Nationals from Studying in the United States

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is taking aggressive action to prevent students from countries that hate the U.S. from getting their foot in the door at American colleges and universities with his introduction of the Student Visa Integrity Act. Students from adversarial countries—such as China and Iran—would be prohibited from studying in the United States altogether. Senator Tuberville announced his new legislation on Mornings with Maria.

    “I was recently shocked to learn how many students from hostile countries like China and Iran are studying at our American universities—including in my home state of Alabama,” said Senator Tuberville. “We need to go on offense against countries who hate us and are desperate to try to take us down—as we saw with the violent, anti-American protests on our college campuses over the past few months. There is zero reason why we should be allowing students from countries that hate us to take the spot of a law-abiding American citizen at our elite colleges and universities. I’m proud to introduce the Student Visa Integrity Act to crack down on rampant abuse of student visas and to make our American Universities Prioritize Americans Again.”

    Complete text for the Student Visa Integrity Act can be found here. Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), Immigration Accountability Project, and Heritage Action endorsed Senator Tuberville’s legislation.

    “The Student Visa Integrity Act makes it clear: a student visa is a privilege, not a right.  Visas provide foreign nationals a special opportunity to study in the United States before returning home – not a free pass to exploit our laws or remain indefinitely in the country. FAIR is proud to support this bill and applauds Senator Tuberville for fighting to prevent student visa abuse, uphold our laws, and keep American communities safe,” said Joe Chatham, Director of Government Relations for FAIR.

    “The student visa program has been plagued with fraud and abuse for decades, and reforms are long overdue. The Student Visa Integrity Act of 2025 would help restore integrity to the program, ending open-ended ‘duration of status’ for foreign students, increasing penalties for program abuse, and closing significant national security loopholes exploited by our foreign adversaries. The Immigration Accountability Project is thankful to Senator Tuberville for introducing this vital effort,” said Grant Newman, Director of Government Relations for Immigration Accountability Project.

    “China and other adversarial countries pose a direct threat to the United States, our schools, educators, and our students. The Student Visa Integrity Act would protect American educational institutions from foreign influence. Heritage Action has worked tirelessly to promote legislation that protects our education system from destructive foreign adversaries. We are committed to this goal and applaud Senator Tuberville for introducing the Student Visa Integrity Act,” said Steve Chartan, Vice President of Government Relations for Heritage Action.

    BACKGROUND:

    Foreign students are currently tracked and monitored using the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). This system was mandated by Congress after the 1993 World Trade Center Bombing where one of the people responsible was in the United States on an expired student visa. The system was finally implemented in 2003 and has received minimal updates since.

    Recent data shows that approximately 1.5 million international students are studying in the United States using F-1 or M-1 visas, which is more than DOUBLE the amount in 2012. Data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security also showed that during Fiscal Year 2023, an estimated 50,000 student or exchange visitor visa holders overstayed the completion of their program.

    The Student Visa Integrity Act would: 

    • Prohibit citizens from adversarial countries from studying in the U.S.
    • Require schools to disclose any dealings with the Chinese government
    • Prohibit foreign students from transferring schools or changing their major/program of study
    • Increase penalties for schools and officials found engaging in visa fraud by making convicted offenders eligible for prison time or to be disqualified from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program altogether
    • Require that foreign students have a definitive end date to prevent visa overstays and also require in-person interviews for some foreign students


    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: King Cosponsors Legislation to Streamline Green Card Status for At-Risk Immigrant Youth

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring legislation to help provide an expedited pathway to green card status for young immigrants under 21 whose case of abandonment, abuse or neglect by their legal guardian has been evaluated and affirmed by a U.S. state court. The Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act, S. 1965, aims to exempt Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) children from annual employment-based visa caps. This would end years-long backlogs and allow these children to move forward with their lives as lawful, productive, permanent residents of the United States.

    “For generations, our country has been a beacon of hope for immigrants seeking a better life,” said Senator King. “However, navigating the immigration system and pathway to legal citizenship is often a lengthy, cumbersome process — especially for younger immigrants trying to escape abuse or neglect. The Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act would gently ease some of the barriers to obtaining a green card for vulnerable minors and help keep these children safe and out of harm’s way. We owe it to the young people seeking refuge in our country to provide them with the tools and support to achieve their American dream.”

    The Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) was established in 1990 to create a pathway to lawful permanent residence (a “green card”) for immigrant children who have been abandoned, abused or neglected by their parents or guardians. Children who receive SIJS have faced horrific conditions in their home countries, leaving them unable to return and often with few resources here in the U.S. Despite being a humanitarian visa, the pathway to a green card for SIJS children runs through the employment-based immigration visa system — subjecting SIJS recipients to annual worldwide and country-specific visa limits. This has resulted in thousands of children stuck in a backlog, unable to move forward with their lives.

    The Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act is cosponsored by Senators Cortez Masto (D-NV), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).

    Senator King is a strong opponent of the Trump Administration’s continued efforts to repeal protections for DACA recipients, also referred to as “Dreamers.” He has repeatedly sought a legislative solution to provide stability for DACA recipients. Most recently, he sent a letter to Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Angelica Alfonso-Royals, highlighting the popular support for providing Dreamers a pathway to citizenship and request that the Trump Administration comply with the recent Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that mandated the resumption of processing of DACA applications. Most recently, he cosponsored a bill to prohibit the sharing of personal data of DACA program applicants with immigration officials.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Senate Floor, Shaheen Leads Colleagues in Attempts to Lessen Harmful Impacts of Trump Tariff Taxes on American Families and Businesses; Republicans Block Shaheen Bill to Shield Granite Staters from Higher Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    **Shaheen’s bill would have clarified that the President does not have the authority to level sweeping tariffs through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), but it was blocked from passage by Senate Republicans**

    (Washington, DC) – Ahead of many of President Trump’s sweeping tariffs taking effect on Friday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a top member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, took to the Senate floor this evening to call for unanimous consent to pass her Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act and lead her colleagues in highlighting the devastating impacts the President’s trade war has on families, small businesses, American manufacturing and key trade partnerships across the world. If Senate Republicans had not blocked the move, Shaheen’s legislation would have clarified that the President does not have the authority to invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to level sweeping tariffs. Click HERE to watch Shaheen’s remarks in full.

    U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined Shaheen to underscore the damaging effects of the Trump tariff taxes.

    Key quotes from Senator Shaheen:

    • “Those tariffs are expected to add about $2,400 in costs for the average household per year. That’s why I introduced the Protecting Americans from Tax Hike on Imported Goods Act. This bill states clearly that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act cannot be used to place taxes on imports. If the President needs to block a dangerous product, he still can under my legislation. But if there is a real threat, I think we’d want to stop it, not just tax it. That’s what my bill does. It makes clear what a Federal Court has already found: that IEEPA, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, does not authorize tariffs. Passing my bill would give businesses and families more certainty to plan for the future, and to keep more of their hard-earned dollars in their pockets.”
    • “Now we just saw a deal announced with the EU by the President and Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, forcing 15% taxes on imports. Now compare that to what we were paying in 2024 for at the same time. That was about 1.5%. So under this “great deal” that the President negotiated with the EU, Americans are going to be paying ten times what we paid last year. And with Japan, President Trump agreed to a 15% tax. That’s also ten times what we were paying last year. So, let’s not pretend that these are some big wins. The President can announce that, but they’re only a slight improvement on a crisis that the President created himself.”
    • “At a time when people are rightly worried about the rising cost of living, Trump’s tariffs amount to a tax to make everything from clothes to housing to food even more expensive. For example, last month, home prices hit a record high. And these tariffs could add more than $10,000 to the cost of a home. Coffee prices hit a record high earlier this year, and now President Trump wants to put a 50% tariff on Brazil, our largest source of coffee. As families do their back to school shopping, they’re going to see higher prices for clothing and shoes. Those prices could go up by 35% by the end of the year. And for new parents, just for example, the price of one stroller at Walmart went up 50% in two months.”

    Full Remarks as Delivered

    On Friday, we may be facing the next escalation in the President’s trade war. The tariffs that the President announced in April on virtually every country in the world are set to go into full effect tomorrow night at 12:01 AM.

    Those tariffs are expected to add about $2,400 in costs for the average household per year.

    That’s why I introduced the Protecting Americans from Tax Hike on Imported Goods Act. This bill states clearly that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act cannot be used to place taxes on imports. If the President needs to block a dangerous product, he still can under my legislation.

    But if there is a real threat, I think we’d want to stop it, not just tax it. That’s what my bill does. It makes clear what a Federal Court has already found: That IEEPA, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, does not authorize tariffs.

    Passing my bill would give businesses and families more certainty to plan for the future, and to keep more of their hard-earned dollars in their pockets.

    Virtually every business in New Hampshire that I’ve visited since the President announced his proposed tariffs has said that, in addition to the tariffs, the uncertainty is as difficult for them as the tariffs.

    So, I’m disappointed that Senator Crapo decided to block this commonsense legislation. Sadly, I’m not surprised.

    But this bill would do so much to help families and businesses in all of our states. It would shield them from higher costs.

    And we’ve been hearing about some of these deals that Senator Crapo referred to that have been reached with the EU and Japan. But let’s be clear about what those deals mean, because even after those deals, those “agreements”, trade agreements, Americans are going to be left paying dramatically higher tariffs.

    A new analysis this week found that we will be paying the highest tariffs since the Great Depression. And we saw what those tariffs before the Great Depression contributed to.

    Now we just saw a deal announced with the EU by the President and Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, forcing 15% taxes on imports.

    Now compare that to what we were paying in 2024 for at the same time. That was about 1.5%. So under this “great deal” that the President negotiated with the EU, Americans are going to be paying ten times what we paid last year.

    And with Japan, President Trump agreed to a 15% tax. That’s also ten times what we were paying last year.

    So, let’s not pretend that these are some big wins. The President can announce that, but they’re only a slight improvement on a crisis that the President created himself.

    At a time when people are rightly worried about the rising cost of living, Trump’s tariffs amount to a tax to make everything from clothes to housing to food even more expensive.

    For example, last month, home prices hit a record high. And these tariffs could add more than $10,000 to the cost of a home.

    Coffee prices hit a record high earlier this year, and now President Trump wants to put a 50% tariff on Brazil, our largest source of coffee.

    As families do their back to school shopping, they’re going to see higher prices for clothing and shoes.

    Those prices could go up by 35% by the end of the year.

    And for new parents, just for example, the price of one stroller at Walmart went up 50% in two months.

    And there are countless more products that are facing higher prices.

    So let’s be clear: These tariffs do nothing to bring down costs. And in fact, I could add, as I said earlier in this statement, about $2,400 to the average household’s yearly expenses.

    That’s money that most families don’t have just lying around. We have all of those costs from these tariffs. And yet at this moment, 30 hours from when the tariffs are going to go into effect, we still have seen no official notice implementing any of these deals.

    And that includes, by the way, no clarity on whether prescription drugs coming from Europe will face a 15% tariff starting in two days.

    I had a chance to meet with a pharmaceutical company this week, and they were lamenting what the impact was going to be on prescription drug prices because of the tariffs from the EU.

    Last Friday, I visited the Brueckner Group in New Hampshire. They supply equipment to domestic manufacturers and import some of their specialized machines, which they make in Europe.

    The machines they bring in are sold to manufacturers here in the U.S. to make everything from IV bags to toothpaste containers. They have 80 employees in the U.S., and far more work on their machines at other companies across the country.

    They saw orders put on hold in April, and further investments in the U.S. are delayed because they can’t be certain what the tariffs are going to be that they might face.

    So they told me that even worse than the tariffs in some way, is the uncertainty that’s been created, the chaos that’s been created by President Trump’s announcements because people don’t know how to plan. Businesses don’t know what to invest in.

    I believe in supporting domestic manufacturing. It’s New Hampshire’s third largest industry, but half of all imports are raw materials and intermediate goods. The very things that domestic manufacturers rely on.

    Instead of supporting domestic manufacturing, these trade policies are making future American manufacturing more expensive. And furthermore, they’re threatening jobs.

    You know, my husband and I started out our married life owning and operating a small business. I know the hardest part of small businesses is growing and sustaining those businesses when you’re uncertain about what’s going to happen. And that’s what these tariffs create. As I heard, Brueckner Group USA, as I’ve heard of every business I’ve visited.

    When I visited Brueckner four days ago, we had a 10% tax on everything imported from the EU, and at the time, that was set to jump to 30% this Friday. Then Sunday we saw an agreement to set the tax at 15%, but with unclear exceptions to that tax. Like as I heard from the pharmaceutical company, with prescription drugs.

    I also heard from Flight Coffee Roasters in Bedford, New Hampshire. They’re worried about the President’s threat to place new tariffs on Brazil because they’ve already been paying a 10% markup on coffee because of these tariffs. Now they’re facing a 50% tax on Brazilian coffee starting on Friday, and they have no choice but to charge consumers more.

    Their most popular product comes from Brazil. So this is a big hit to their business. And they can’t be sure how this is going to impact their sales.

    And we should be clear, the U.S. has a trade surplus with Brazil.

    This threat is just because the President wants Brazil’s independent judiciary to stop the prosecution of Brazil’s former President.

    How is any business supposed to plan for that kind of rationale and for those kinds of swings?

    They need to secure financing. They need to place orders. They need to invest in order to grow in the months and years ahead.

    But building a new plant and moving production takes time. In some cases, it takes years.

    So how can companies plan when they don’t even know whether the Trump tax, his tariff, is going to be 10% or 30% or something in between or something higher?

    New Hampshire’s in a housing crisis. How can builders plan their costs when no one can tell them if there’s going to be a new 30 or even 50% tax on their materials come Friday?

    And how can a family already struggling with high costs continue to pay the rent and put food on the table if their household expenses are going up $2,400 this year?

    And now, on Friday, the administration is planning to make the good businesses and families need 10 or 30 or 40 or 50% more expensive overnight.

    This President promised to lower the price of everything: Groceries, rent, energy. What these tariffs do is just the opposite.

    And we’re hearing a lot of positive spin from the administration about the deals that they’re striking. But let me end by making two points.

    First, we heard a lot of talk about 90 deals in 90 days. Well, we’re way past that deadline. And we’ve seen six, count them, six announcements. And it’s not even clear that Vietnam has actually agreed to what the President announced.

    Second, I want to remind all of us that these deals all force Americans and American businesses to pay a tax rate that is far higher than what we saw before the President engaged in this trade war.

    I talked earlier about how for both Europe and Japan, Americans will face a tax that’s ten times higher than we paid last year. That same trend holds across every deal he’s announced.

    With Indonesia, he agreed to a 19% tax, four times what we paid last year. With the Philippines, a 20% tax, up from 1.3%. So 15 times what we paid last year. And for the UK, where we have a trade surplus, again, a trade surplus, he agreed to a 10% tariff, again ten times what we paid in 2024.

    So we should be very clear: All of these rates are an increase from what Americans have been paying since April.

    This President has raised average tariffs from 2.5% to more than 17%, the highest level since the Great Depression.

    Again and again, he is adding cost to American families and businesses. And what are these costs for? They’re to finance tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, for the biggest corporations.

    The end result of the President’s art of the deal on trade is higher costs for families, uncertainty for businesses and alienated allies who no longer view America as a reliable partner to do business with.

    Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.

    Senator Shaheen is helping lead efforts in Congress to mitigate the harmful impacts of President Trump’s tariffs. Last week, Shaheen helped introduce bipartisan legislation, Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments (CANADA) Act, that would exempt United States-owned small businesses from the sweeping tariffs imposed on Canadian products. Last month, Shaheen led 30 Senators in filing an amicus brief in a key case, Oregon v. Department of Homeland Security, challenging the Trump Administration’s abuse of emergency powers to impose tariffs. In January, Shaheen introduced the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act.

    In recent months, Shaheen has traveled across the Granite State to discuss the impact of tariffs on New Hampshire’s tourism industry and to visit businesses impacted by President Trump’s trade war including Brueckner Group USA, Colby Footwear, Chatila’s Bakery, C&J, DCI Furniture, Mount Cabot Maple, American Calan Inc. and NH Ball Bearings.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Committee Advances Multiple Bipartisan Hassan Bills, Including Bill to Strengthen Security at the Northern Border

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted yesterday to advance multiple bipartisan bills introduced and led by U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), including a bill to strengthen security at the Northern Border, a bill to improve the federal response to terrorist acts, and a bill to reduce government waste.

    “Our government’s number one job is to keep people safe. The bipartisan bills that advanced yesterday represent commonsense ways that Congress can protect our national security and safeguard taxpayer dollars,” said Senator Hassan. “I will continue to stand up for Granite Staters and measures that keep our country safe, secure, and free.”

    Measures that advanced from the Homeland Security Committee included:

    • The Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act, introduced by Senators Hassan and Cramer (R-ND), which requires the Department of Homeland Security to regularly complete a new Northern Border Threat Analysis and update its Northern Border Strategy
    • The Reporting Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism (REPORT) Act, introduced by Senators Hassan and Lee (R-UT), which requires executive branch agencies to provide a report to Congress within a year of concluding a terrorist attack investigation, including any recommendations to improve national security and prevent any future attacks
    • The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act, led by Senators Ernst (R-IA) and Hassan, which requires federal agencies to publicly report on projects that are more than five years behind schedule or cost more than $1 billion over their original estimate
    • The Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act, introduced by Senators Grassley (R-IA) and Peters (D-MI) and co-sponsored by Senator Hassan, which closes a loophole that foreign governments, including the Chinese government, have used to conceal their role in lobbying efforts
    • The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act, introduced by Senators Kennedy (R-LA) and Peters (D-MI) and co-sponsored by Senator Hassan, which requires agencies to share death certificate information across the federal government to help prevent Social Security and other payments from going to people who have passed away

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner Applauds Committee Approval of Bipartisan Bill to Extend Life-Saving Veteran Suicide Prevention Program

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today applauded the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee for advancing legislation to renew and expand the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant program – a community-based mental health initiative Warner co-authored with Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) that is set to expire this year without congressional action.

    “This program was born out of a simple but urgent idea: that we need to meet veterans where they are, in their communities, with the support and services that could save their lives,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m proud to see this grant program making a difference across the country, including here in Virginia, and glad that we’re one step closer to making sure it doesn’t lapse at the end of the year.”

    Suicide is the 12th-leading cause of death for veterans, and the 2nd-leading cause for veterans under 45. Over 131,000 veterans have died by suicide since 2001, with veterans being 72% more likely than the civilian population to die by suicide. Since its original passage in 2021, the Fox Grant Program has worked to end this crisis by distributing hundreds of millions in funding to organizations that provide critical, frontline mental health services to veterans. In 2024 alone, Virginia organizations received $4.5 million from these grants. The program honors Veteran Parker Gordon Fox, a veteran and former sniper instructor at the U.S. Army Infantry School at Ft. Benning, GA. SSG Fox died by suicide on July 21, 2020 at the age of 25. 

    The legislation advanced in committee on Wednesday would reauthorize the program before it expires on September 30 and expand its reach to ensure more veterans can access support where they live.

    “Veteran suicide is a national emergency,” Sen. Warner added. “We have a responsibility to keep pushing for solutions that work. This program is one of them, and I look forward to seeing it expanded under the law.”

    The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: On Medicaid’s 60th Anniversary, Hickenlooper Hammers Republicans’ Reckless Decision to Gut Medicaid, Strip Health Care from 15 Million Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado

    Hickenlooper: “They are making the people who suffer the most suffer more. That is not the America that I believe in.” 

    Hickenlooper helped introduce new legislation to repeal Republicans’ health cuts, protect rural hospitals, seniors’ nursing care

    WASHINGTON – Today, on Medicaid’s 60th anniversary, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper spoke on the Senate floor to call out the Republicans’ disastrous budget bill that slashes more than $1 trillion in funding for Medicaid and health care services to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. He also joined his Senate Democratic colleagues to introduce two new bills that would repeal the Republicans’ health care cuts in their “Big Beautiful Betrayal.”


    “They cut more than $1 trillion from Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and food stamps – the programs that help struggling Americans meet their most basic human need for food and health care. Again, just so they could pass the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in the history of our country,”     said Hickenlooper.

    Earlier this month, Republicans narrowly passed their extreme budget bill that will increase prices for Coloradans, lead to 15 million Americans losing their health care, increase the deficit by $4 trillion, and hand out tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans.

    Specifically, their bill slashed more than $1 trillion in Medicaid funding and failed to extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. As a result, an estimated 15 million people will lose health benefits.

    In his speech, Hickenlooper highlighted how these cuts to Medicaid will disproportionally hurt rural hospitals like Sunrise Monfort Community Health Clinic in Evans, Colorado.

    “Sunrise’s network of 14 rural health clinics serves 43,000 patients across a broad swath of Northern Colorado. [50%] of them are enrolled in either Medicaid or Medicare,” Hickenlooper continued. “They estimate that those cuts in Medicaid will force between 7,000-14,000 of their patients off of health care. That’s ¼ of their patients. Again, all because lawmakers in Washington had decided to give still bigger tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy.”

    Hickenlooper voted NO on the bill after Republicans voted down critical Democratic-led amendments to prevent cuts to Medicaid, extend the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits, and safeguard small businesses and nursing homes from Medicaid cuts. He fought against the bill in the Senate and has continued to raise alarm about its impacts after Republicans passed it.

    Hickenlooper introduces bills to reverse health care cuts

    Today, Hickenlooper joined the entire Democratic caucus to introduce two new bills that would rollback the Republicans’ disastrous health cuts in their budget bill and protect health care for millions of Americans.

    The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act would repeal all of the provisions in the health section of the Republicans’ dangerous bill. Specifically, it would prevent millions of Americans from losing their health care and rural health clinics from closure. The legislation would also extend the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax cuts which lower health care costs for millions of Americans. 

    The Restoring Essential Health Care Act would specifically repeal the provision in the Republicans’ reckless bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. The Republican provision restricts Medicaid reimbursements for organizations that offer abortion services, even though it is already illegal to use federal funding for abortion. This week a federal judge blocked the provision.

    To download a full video of Hickenlooper’s remarks, click HERE. A full transcript of his remarks is available below:

    “Mr. President,

    “The United States is the wealthiest country on earth.

    “I think it’s fair to say it’s the wealthiest country in the history of the world. Probably in the history of the solar system.

    “What we do with that wealth speaks volumes about who we are as a country.

    “And about the responsibility we feel to our fellow Americans. It defines us.

    “Earlier this month, Republicans passed, what I would call, a truly devastating budget bill that gives many of the wealthiest people in this country – many of whom don’t want a tax break – but gives many of the wealthiest people in this country and corporations a $4.5 trillion tax break.

    “That was their goal. They just needed to find a way to pay for it. Well actually, they only paid for a small part of it.

    “But in doing so they cut more than $1 trillion from Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and food stamps – the programs that help struggling Americans meet their most basic human need for food and health care.

    “Again, just so they could pass the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in the history of our country.

    “That speaks volumes about who this administration values.

    “But what does the bill mean for Americans?

    “Over time, 15 million Americans are going to lose their health care. Are likely to lose their health coverage. 241,000 of them live in Colorado. Hundreds and hundreds of hospitals around the country are at risk of closure, many of them in Colorado.

    “Take the Sunrise Monfort Community Health Clinic in Evans, Colorado.

    “We were there in May, and Sunrise’s network of 14 rural health clinics serves 43,000 patients across a broad swath of Northern Colorado. [50%] of them are enrolled in either Medicaid or Medicare.

    “And we spoke with their CEO back in May, and we were told point blank that gutting Medicaid… will force them to dramatically cut services.

    “They estimate that those cuts in Medicaid will force between 7,000-14,000 of their patients off of health care. That’s ¼ of their patients.

    “Again, all because lawmakers in Washington had decided to give still bigger tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy, and again many of whom don’t want or need tax cuts.

    “It’s nuts. 

    “The administration knew taking health care away from many Americans would be unpopular.

    “So they crafted and snuck in a provision to solve that: most of the Medicaid cuts won’t take place until 2027.

    “Why wait until 2027, you might ask? Well because it’s after the midterm elections at the end of 2026.

    “They basically gutted our social safety net system, and then they found a way to make sure that Republicans would be insulated from the immediate political costs, from their voters.

    “That’s why right now they’re building a massive public relations campaign to go out and sell the bill to Americans.

    “They, so far, completely deny that this bill is going to harm Americans in any way. Instead, they say it’s about government “efficiency” and cutting out waste, fraud, and abuse.

    “Well listen, I’m all for making government more efficient. When I was Mayor of Denver, we made the city smaller. We had a hiring freeze for 2 ½ years. We asked workers to do more with less and they did that. But we did it in increments and we worked to make sure that people knew how much they were valued, and that they could make a difference.

    “When I was Governor of Colorado, we balanced our budget every single year. We went through every board and regulation that we could find on the books – 24,500 rules and regulations. And we simplified or eliminated 11,000. We did all this without cutting services and without cutting resources that people rely on.

    “Now Republicans knew they were going way beyond “waste, fraud, and abuse” – that’s part of the reason it took 24 hours of voting and arm-twisting to pass this, what we call in my family, god-awful bill. They knew they were going to be hurting their constituents, and Americans.

    “The bill itself is a prime example of, what my grandfather used to call, a drunken spending spree –  it’s gonna cost the American people more than $4 TRILLION when you consider the interest payments on the national debt.

    “And none of the arguments that the Republicans have used have legs.

    “Ultimately, the bill isn’t just $1 trillion in cuts from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act – it really, through these rules and paperwork, creates new barriers to access. That means more paperwork, more hoops for families to jump through.

    “Under Trump’s Big Ugly Bill, government “efficiency” just means rolling out the red tape. Miles and miles of it.

    “And who pays the price?

    “Well, rural Coloradans are going to pay some price. People living in Cortez, Lamar, or Rifle will pay a price when their closest health care center closes.

    “Pregnant women who have to drive 50 miles to get to their closest hospital…

    “Kids who lose their health care because their parents had to navigate so much red tape to prove they do in fact meet the requirements will pay the cost.

    “Adult children who can’t provide sufficient “proof” that their full-time job is taking care of a disabled parent.

    “Now, listen to this. If you’re a single adult in Colorado, you don’t even qualify for Medicaid if you earn [more] than $1,735 a month. That means making less than $10.01 an hour.

    “If you make $10.02 an hour you already don’t qualify for Medicaid. So people making less than $10 an hour have to fill out reams of paperwork to demonstrate that they qualify.

    “They should be able to show their W2 and say ‘Hey, I’m making $9.50 an hour’ and that should be enough.

    “But somehow there’s a worry that people making less than $10 an hour should have to fill out all of this other paperwork. What kind of a bizarre world do we live in?

    “Bottom line: Republicans are cutting costs by punishing the poorest and most needy in our country when they can’t keep up. They are making the people who suffer the most suffer more.

    “That’s not the America that I believe in.

    “The Medicaid system isn’t perfect.

    “It exists in our country, because that country decided that no matter where you live, or how little money you make, working Americans deserve basic health care.

    “Who knows, someday we might get everyone covered. It’s a vow we need to make.

    “And certainly when we created Medicaid it was a vow we made to help take care of many of the neediest people in our country.

    “Because our country is measured not by how we treat the people at the very top, but how we treat large numbers of Americans who start at the bottom, striving for a better life.

    “That’s how our country should be measured.

    “And that’s the dream we are all chasing.

    “And ultimately, it’s the American people who will have the final word.

    “Thank you, Mr. President, I yield the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: Let’s Get Government Employees Closer to the People They Serve

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins RFD-TV to Discuss USDA Relocation & Trump Trade Deal
    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Suzanne Alexander on RFD-TV’s Market Day Report to discuss the USDA coming to Kansas City as part of their relocation efforts, President Trump’s trade deals and their significance to American agriculture, and his legislation to bring farmers more clarity, the Clear Waters Act.

    Click HERE or on the image above to listen to Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On USDA reorganization:
    “You know, the farmers and ranchers were the original conservationists, and we need to keep bragging on the USDA reorganization. Look, I’m excited to get government employees closer to the people that they serve. So, 4000 USDA employees here in DC, by the way, only 6% of them were working in the offices until January of this year, February of this year. So, we’re going to move about half of those out to the country, and one of those places is Kansas City. And what I’m excited about moving more workers to the Kansas City offices, number one, we get more Kansas City Chiefs fans. But beyond that, they’re going to be closer to my alma mater, Kansas State University, Iowa State University, Nebraska, really some of the strongest ag schools in America, and that’s going to help populate that USDA program there in Kansas City. It’s agriculture economics they focus on, as well as handing out the grants for agriculture research. So, I just think getting USDA workers closer to their customers has to be a good thing. So, I’m excited.”
    On USDA relocation pushback in Congress:
    “Look, I have a great deal of respect for Senator Klobuchar. She’s a good friend, but I we respectfully disagree. This has been well thought out. The first time I met Secretary Rollins in person, back in, goodness, it may have been November, December of last year, she talked about this reorganization. So, I think every member on that committee has had a chance to have her come in and talk about this. This isn’t half-baked. The Assistant Secretary, Steven Vaden, former Judge Vaden, international trade court judge is in charge of this plan. I think it’s well thought out. And again, I just don’t know what American is going to come up to me and say, “It’s not a good idea to move people out of Washington, DC.” I would take two-thirds of the Federal officers that are working here in DC and move them out to those flyover states. It’s just such a different culture here in Washington, DC – it is the swamp. I just think when you have USDA workers going to church, going to soccer games, going to a Kansas State football game together, that they’re going to just have a better product when it’s all said and done.”
    On the Clear Waters Act:
    “Yeah, think about Waters of the US. This has been going on since 1972. You get a Democrat president in office, and they expand what water the US has. And we get President Trump in office, and he tries to cut it back. But what our bill does is clarify this and give our farmers certainty. Look, your listeners understand that a pothole, that a pond, that is not a navigable stream. So, we clearly define what navigable streams are, that it needs to be a body of water that can continuously flow and touches one of those main navigable streams. Kansas only has three navigable streams, for instance, throughout the years. So, it just gives us some clarity. But I want to emphasize to anyone on the other side of this that farmers and ranchers are the best environmentalists. Those that are that are practicing modern precision agriculture are decreasing the drift from their fields by 90% using modern-day agriculture techniques. We’re decreasing 90% of the drip from those fields. But I just want to get the farmers, the ranchers, some certainty, our dairy farmers, people that have feed lots, we need certainty in this area. And look, we’re going to do our best to take care of the environment as well.”
    On the Dairy Pride Act:
    “Well, I think there’s a lot of fake products out there, right? And with all due respect to almond juice and some of the other juices out there, they’re not milk products. As far as I’m concerned. I don’t know why they’re in the milk portion of the grocery store, just like I don’t want plant-based protein sitting beside a hamburger born and raised and processed in Kansas. So, I think again, we just want customers to know what they’re drinking or eating. And almond juice is not milk. And by the way, we’re getting closer and closer to getting whole milk, there it is, whole milk back into schools as well.”
    On how Trump trade deals are benefiting American agriculture:
    “I’m just so ecstatic to see these chickens come home to roost, right? President Trump has used these tariffs to negotiate better trade deals, trade deals that I hope are going to let our grandchildren continue to work on our farms. Look, we’ve not sold a cheeseburger to Europe, a gallon of ethanol to England in my lifetime. So, beyond just the tariffs, what the President is doing is removing non-tariff barriers. And again, your listeners are educated. They understand what China [and] the EU does to keep American agriculture products out of those countries. So, by removing those, we’re going to sell more and more products. And I just, you know, there are lots of things we could talk about, but look at President Trump’s strategy here, how he’s boxing in China. Last night, he announced a deal with South Korea, but beyond that, the EU, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, basically, he’s boxed China in here. China was doing a lot of trans shipments. So, they would make, say, t-shirts or tennis shoes. They would send it to Vietnam and bring it into this country on Vietnam tariff levels. Well, President Trump wasn’t born yesterday, so he’s tightening up that portion, and we’ll get that China trade deal soon, hopefully before the fall. Fall crops need to be harvested.”

    MIL OSI USA News –