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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Spotlights Importance of Local News, First Amendment Amid Threats to Free Press

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring a resolution designating April 2025 as “Preserving and Protecting Local News Month.” The resolution underscores the vital role of local journalism in American democracy, especially as the First Amendment faces mounting threats.  
    “Local news is the key to better-informed communities, public interest journalism, and responsive governance – and the men and women who believe in reporting are feeling an unprecedented squeeze from economic and political pressures,” said Senator King. “As we see job losses and shrinking newsrooms, the resulting local news deserts are bad for citizen awareness, involvement and having their priorities reflected in decision-making. That’s why we owe local journalists a debt of gratitude this month and every month.”
    Overall employment in newspaper, television, radio, and digital newsrooms in the United States fell by 26 percent, or 30,000 jobs, from 2008-2020. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, more than 360 local newsrooms have closed across the country. This resolution affirms the significance of local news in increasing civic engagement and strengthening democratic norms and practices and recognizes the invaluable contributions of local journalists in maintaining healthy and vibrant communities.
    The resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Fetterman (D-PA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).
    King is an ardent supporter of local journalism. During the pandemic, he joined a bipartisan letter urging the Office of Management and Budget to provide relief for local news outlets. He also joined Brian Stelter’s CNN Reliable Sources program to highlight the threats facing local media and the unique, vital services provided by these local outlets during the pandemic.
    The full text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski Secures Commitments from Key Interior and Energy Nominees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
    04.03.25
    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), former Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR), this week secured important commitments for Alaska from Deputy Secretary of Interior nominee Katharine MacGregor and Deputy Secretary of Energy nominee James Danly. Both committed to assist the Alaska Congressional Delegation on efforts to develop Alaska’s immense resources and to follow the law in notifying Congress of any substantial restructuring efforts at either Department.
    Click here to watch the Senator’s full line of questioning.
    The full transcript of Murkowski’s comments is below.
    TRANSCRIPT
    Murkowski: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and welcome to both of you. Ms. MacGregor, I enjoyed our conversation. I am looking forward to you being back and fixing a lot of things. Many of the issues we spoke about in my office related to federal lands, better consultation with Alaska Natives, restoring what we do with our multiple use lands, addressing natural hazards like wildfires, and producing more of our energy; there is a lot to do.
    Mr. Danly, you have been before this committee multiple times as well. I’m looking forward to working with you to help address some of Alaska’s energy challenges, everything from microgrids to geothermal to advanced nuclear. I want to follow on the comment that was made by the Senator from Arizona [Senator Gallego]. I just came from a critical minerals discussion this morning, and as I look to our opportunity to be able to access these great resources that we need, I realize that until we figure out how to deal with power in some of these remote areas, it’s going to be really hard to do. I look at the small modular reactors and the advancements that can come from here bring a real opportunity.
    I want to address a couple questions to both of you, hopefully they should be very quick and easy. I know that you are not in the building yet, I get that, but we all watched as we have seen this effort to reduce the size of government, certainly within the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior. I have been concerned, and have expressed concern about how many of these employees have been treated in this process.
    I would ask that you both commit, if you are confirmed, that you will abide by the statutory requirements to notify Congress of any plans to reorganize, restructure, or implement reductions in force. I am also the Chairman on the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee that has oversight here. We have sent letters to the Secretaries themselves with regards to the requirement in law of advance notification. And then just from my perspective as a Senator who represents a state that has a lot of public lands and a big federal presence, we have a lot of engagement and interaction with you. So, I would just ask again if I can have your commitment that you’ll be transparent with us about what is coming, and to abide by the statutory requirements to notify.
    MacGregor: Senator, I can commit to obey all federal laws when it comes to efficiency efforts that we’re working on.
    Murkowski: Thank you.
    Danly: I also commit to following the law for all of the efficiency efforts.
    Murkowski: Thank you. I have had the opportunity to talk with you Ms. MacGregor, but certainly my colleagues on the committee here know that we’re facing a situation in Alaska with declining production in Cook Inlet with regards to our natural gas, and in facing what I think is really an unforgivable direction, and that would be the prospect of liquified natural gas imports, potentially from Canada. So, I would ask that you both work with me and the delegation to advance Alaska projects and support development of our resources so we can avoid reliance on energy imports. For a state that has as much as the state of Alaska has, there is no good reason we should be relying on Canada to keep our lights on. Do I have that commitment from both of you?
    MacGregor: You sure do, and I was just as shocked when you informed me of that and I look forward to working with you on those issues.
    Murkowski: Thank you. Mr. Danly?
    Danly: It’s crazy to think that Alaska would be importing energy. I absolutely commit to working on that with you.
    Murkowski: You both know we have an awful lot to offer there.
    Ms. MacGregor, I want to take you back to some of our greatest hits from when you were in the first Trump administration. Some of the alphabet issues you worked on, ITRs, PLOs, we have got to be making progress with that. Certainly, the President’s executive order is going to help us there. But I also raised with you the issue of BIA probate, and the extraordinary backlog that we’re dealing with. It should not take five or 10 or more years to resolve these probate cases, and I would just ask that you put a priority on these issues so we can deal with something that has not only impacted us so greatly in Alaska, but so many other parts of the country as well.
    MacGregor: I am so grateful that you raised that issue. I had never even heard of it before, but the first thing I thought is if it’s impacting you and the people of Alaska, it must be impacting so many more on this committee and in other parts of the [country], so I look forward to working with you on that.
    Murkowski: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, my time has expired.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Announces Facebook Whistleblower to Testify Before His Subcommittee Next Week

    US Senate News:

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

    Wednesday, April 02, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced that Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams will testify before his Judiciary subcommittee next week on allegations that Facebook cooperated with the Communist regime in China to build censorship tools, punish dissidents, and make American users’ data available for Chinese use.

    Big News — Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams will testify NEXT WEEK in public, under oath, before my judiciary subcommittee re: her explosive evidence of Facebook’s cooperation with the Communist regime in China, including FB’s plans to build censorship tools, punish…
    — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) April 2, 2025
    Senator Hawley is the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism. More details on the hearing, entitled “A Time for Truth: Oversight of Meta’s Foreign Relations and Representations to the United States Congress,” are forthcoming.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Hawley Calls for ‘Liberty and Prosperity-Enhancing’ Future at Tech Conference 

    US Senate News:

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

    Thursday, April 03, 2025

    Yesterday U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) joined startup founders, policy experts, journalists, and other thought leaders at the Little Tech Competition Summit in Washington D.C. The Senator spoke on Big Tech’s monopolistic tendencies and the future of artificial intelligence (AI) policy.
    “We’ve got to figure out a path forward that is liberty and prosperity-enhancing,” Senator Hawley said. “Where we can say–honestly–to the middle class in this country, this is going to be good for you and your family. Where we can say–honestly–to blue collar workers, this is going to be good for you and your family. It’s going to make you more prosperous, more free, [and] we’re going to protect your rights.” 
    During Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, Senator Hawley urged his colleagues to revisit the power of private lawsuits in order to rein in Big Tech. Senator Hawley has long voiced concerns about the power of Big Tech and Americans’ right to protect themselves from unfettered AI. In 2023, he introduced legislation to deny AI companies Section 230 immunity. 
    Watch Senator Hawley’s conversation here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 04.02.2025 Cruz, Cornyn Introduce Senate Resolution Honoring Texan George Foreman

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced a Senate resolution honoring the life and legacy of Houston native and professional boxer George Foreman, who passed away on March 21, 2025.
    Read the resolution text here or below:
    “Whereas George Foreman was born on January 10, 1949, in Marshall, Texas;
    Whereas George Foreman was raised in Houston, Texas;
    Whereas George Foreman earned his general education degree and gained vocational skills through the Lyndon B. Johnson Job Corps;
    Whereas George Foreman began his boxing career in 1966 after meeting Doc Broaddus, a boxing instructor, who worked for Job Corps;
    Whereas George Foreman won his first amateur fight on January 26, 1967, in the Parks Diamond Bell Tournament;
    Whereas George Foreman won the National Boxing Championship heavyweight title in Toledo, Ohio, in 1968;
    Whereas George Foreman won a gold medal in the boxing and heavyweight division during the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games;
    Whereas George Foreman began his professional boxing career in 1969;
    Whereas George Foreman won 37 consecutive fights, of which 35 were by knockout;
    Whereas, on January 22, 1973, George Foreman won the World Heavyweight Championship title by defeating Joe Frazier;
    Whereas George Foreman maintained the title of World Heavyweight Champion until October 30, 1974, in a fierce matchup, known as the “Rumble in the Jungle”, with Muhammad Ali;
    Whereas George Foreman stepped back from his boxing career to become an ordained minister in 1978 and served the congregation at Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, which he founded in 1980, in Houston, Texas;
    Whereas, in 1984, George Foreman opened the George Foreman Youth and Community Center in Houston, Texas, to provide opportunities to youth across Harris County;
    Whereas George Foreman announced his return to boxing in 1987 and won his first fight back against Steve Zouski;
    Whereas George Foreman earned the title of World Heavyweight Champion again on November 5, 1994, against Michael Moorer, breaking multiple records, including the oldest fighter to win a world heavyweight championship after the most time between world heavyweight championships and with the largest age gap between competitors in a heavyweight boxing championship fight;
    Whereas George Foreman fought for the final time in 1997 against Shannon Briggs;
    Whereas George Foreman had a final career record of 76 to 5;
    Whereas George Foreman became a successful businessman, most notably with the George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine, of which more than 100,000,000 units have been sold globally;
    Whereas George Foreman was recognized by the American Legion in 2013 with the James V. Day “Good Guy” Award for his patriotism and service to his community;
    Whereas George Foreman remained a beloved public figure and boxing legend until his death;
    Whereas George Foreman died in Houston, Texas, on March 21, 2025;
    Whereas George Foreman was preceded in death by his daughter, Freeda; and
    Whereas George Foreman is survived by his wife of 40 years, Mary Joan, and 11 of his children and their families: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That—
                 (1) the Senate—
          (A) honors the life and legacy of George Foreman for—
    (i) his accomplishments as a boxing legend;
    (ii) the example he provides to future generations of community leaders; and
    (iii) his dedication to Houston and his support of vulnerable youth in the community;
          (B) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate—
    (i) communicate this resolution to the House of Representatives; and
    (ii) transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the family of George Foreman; and
    (2) when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of George Foreman.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Gillibrand, and Courtney Lead Colleagues in Condemning Education Department Changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and U.S. Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT-02) led a bicameral group of their colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon expressing their strong opposition to President Trump’s directive for changes that would limit eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. They also called on Secretary McMahon to ensure all eligibility criteria for the program are strictly followed under the law passed by Congress and adhere to congressional intent. The PSLF program was created by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush to encourage more people to enter public service by providing loan forgiveness after 10 years of working full-time for a federal, state, local, or Tribal government organization or certain nonprofit organizations. Since the program was created, it has provided teachers, nurses, veterans, first responders, and other public servants with needed student loan relief.
    “We write to express our strong opposition to the Department of Education’s (Department) order to initiate the formal rulemaking process to limit eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program,” wrote the members. “Since March 7, 2025, our dedicated public service workers have faced immense uncertainty and anxiety due to President Trump’s Executive Order #14235 which directed the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Treasury to redefine ’public service’ to align with the administration’s political agenda. This move contradicts the core tenets of public service and the original intent and purpose of the PSLF program.”
    “This order’s vague and arbitrary restrictions on which organizations qualify for PSLF are deeply troubling. Under the guise of national security, it unfairly targets organizations that serve marginalized communities, such as those advocating for immigrants or protecting vulnerable children, with no evidence of illegal activity,” the members wrote. “Furthermore, the broad language of the order could lead to political repression and the chilling of free speech, where organizations or individuals deemed ’non-conforming’ to the administration’s views could be stripped of the very support they rely on to carry out their public service missions.”
    The members concluded, “We request your immediate action and assurance on the following: Ensure that all eligibility criteria are strictly followed under the law passed by Congress. There should be no exceptions or compromises regarding compliance with the established statute. And prioritize processing PSLF applications that are eligible for forgiveness immediately. The severe reduction of employees at the Federal Student Aid office gives us grave concerns that these eligible borrowers will not be processed in a timely manner.”
    Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Gillibrand have long pushed for changes to improve the PSLF program. In May 2021, Kaine and Gillibrand successfully called for strengthening the PSLF program and fixing eligibility barriers and program restrictions that excluded certain first responders, teachers, public health workers, and other public servants from relief. They have previously introduced legislation to overhaul the PSLF program, including by expanding eligibility and simplifying the application and approval process.
    The letter was cosigned by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Angus S. King (I-ME), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). It was also cosigned by U.S. Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-At-Large), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL-24), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL-02), Danny K. Davis (D-NC-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-07), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Alma S. Adams (D-NC-12), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD-02), Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), Herbert C. Conaway (D-NJ-03), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), Scott Peters (D-CA-50), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS-02), Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Paul D. Tonko (D-NY-20), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA-38), Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Summer L. Lee (D-PA-12), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-10), James P. McGovern (D-MA-02), William R. Keating (D-MA-09), Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Mark Takano (D-CA-39), and Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01).
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary McMahon:
    We write to express our strong opposition to the Department of Education’s (Department) order to initiate the formal rulemaking process to limit eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Since March 7, 2025, our dedicated public service workers have faced immense uncertainty and anxiety due to President Trump’s Executive Order #14235  which directed the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Treasury to redefine “public service” to align with the administration’s political agenda. This move contradicts the core tenets of public service and the original intent and purpose of the PSLF program.
    PSLF was established under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 under President George W. Bush with bipartisan support and provides student loan forgiveness to individuals who work in qualifying public service jobs. The program aims to support those in roles such as government employees, teachers, nurses, active-duty service members, veterans, and non-profit workers by offering them loan forgiveness after they make 120 qualifying monthly payments under an eligible repayment plan. PSLF was established to encourage professionals to dedicate their careers to public service, easing their financial burden while contributing to the well-being of our communities. However, navigating the program’s requirements has proven complex, and many borrowers have encountered challenges in applying for or receiving the forgiveness they are due.
    The program has long been plagued with challenges. In 2017, less than one percent of the first cohort was eligible for forgiveness.  Under President Trump’s first term, fewer than 7,000 applicants were approved for forgiveness, less than three percent of total applicants. President Biden took steps to streamline the process, and under his administration, over one million applicants have been approved for forgiveness.  The program has over 2.4 million cumulative PSLF borrowers with eligible employment and open loans.  Under Executive Order #14235, this framework reverses the previous administration’s efforts to administer the PSLF program more effectively after years of unnecessary roadblocks.
    The PSLF program supports local, state, and federal government employees and those at tax-exempt nonprofits under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. However, certain nonprofits, like labor unions and partisan political groups, do not qualify. This order’s vague and arbitrary restrictions on which organizations qualify for PSLF are deeply troubling. Under the guise of national security, it unfairly targets organizations that serve marginalized communities, such as those advocating for immigrants or protecting vulnerable children, with no evidence of illegal activity. Furthermore, the broad language of the order could lead to political repression and the chilling of free speech, where organizations or individuals deemed “non-conforming” to the administration’s views could be stripped of the very support they rely on to carry out their public service missions. We have already seen what can happen when the President targets organizations for doing the right thing for the country. We are fearful this is yet another tool for President Trump to go after any group or organization that does not show loyalty to his political, partisan agenda.
    At your nomination hearing on February 13, 2025, you testified in front of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee that you would fully implement existing public service loan forgiveness programs because they “have been passed by Congress …  That is the law.”  Your statement reinforced a commitment to upholding the law and supporting individuals who dedicate their careers to public service. It’s time to back up your words, follow the law, and step up as a true champion of the PSLF program.
    We request your immediate action and assurance on the following: Ensure that all eligibility criteria are strictly followed under the law passed by Congress. There should be no exceptions or compromises regarding compliance with the established statute. And prioritize processing PSLF applications that are eligible for forgiveness immediately. The severe reduction of employees at the Federal Student Aid office gives us grave concerns that these eligible borrowers will not be processed in a timely manner.  Regardless of the Trump and Elon Musk administration, these borrowers have met the criteria, done the work, and are entitled to the relief they were promised.
    Revoking PSLF eligibility for public service workers who serve across communities nationwide is both reckless and harmful. We urge you to uphold the law, adhere to congressional intent, and protect PSLF from future attacks. We look forward to your response on this critical matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Ensure Wealthiest Americans Pay Their Fair Share in Taxes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and her colleagues introduced the Paying a Fair Share Act to ensure that millionaires pay higher tax rates than middle-class Americans by enacting a 30-percent minimum tax on those with incomes over $1 million.
    “Working families should not be paying more in taxes than the wealthiest Americans. Period. But right now, our system is rigged against teachers, firefighters, and nurses while letting Wall Street get massive tax breaks to pad their pockets. It’s just plain wrong,” said Senator Baldwin. “This commonsense bill will level the playing field, help close the deficit, and ensure that the wealthiest among us pay their fair share in taxes.”
    In 2022, the top .001% (or 1,538 households) earned at least $85.5 million and paid an average federal tax rate of 23.5 percent.
    The Paying a Fair Share Act would ensure that the highest-earning Americans pay at least a 30% effective tax rate. The bill would apply only to taxpayers with income over $1 million (including capital gains and dividends) – approximately 0.58% of taxpayers in 2024. The legislation includes a phase-in for additional tax liability for taxpayers earning between $1 million and $2 million and would preserve the incentive for charitable giving.
    The Paying a Fair Share Act is expected to raise nearly $120 billion in revenue over ten years and would provide a backstop to limit future tax dodging by the ultrawealthy.
    The bill is led by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and co-sponsored by twelve other Senators.
    Full text of this legislation is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Pushes Trump Environment, Energy Nominees to Protect California’s National Monuments and Hydrogen Hub

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Pushes Trump Environment, Energy Nominees to Protect California’s National Monuments and Hydrogen Hub

    WATCH: Padilla highlights importance of national monuments and ARCHES hydrogen hub for California’s clean energy goalsWASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) questioned nominees for Department of the Interior (DOI) and Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Secretary positions on their support for California’s national monuments and hydrogen hub following recent threats from the Trump Administration to eliminate them.
    California’s National Monuments
    During the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) nominations hearing, Padilla successfully pushed Katharine MacGregor, President Trump’s nominee for Deputy Secretary of the Interior, to acknowledge the broad bipartisan and local support for California’s Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments, which President Biden established earlier this year at Padilla’s urging. He also emphasized the critical importance of local and tribal involvement in public land management.
    Amid the Trump Administration’s orders aimed at elevating energy production on public lands and reviewing national monument protections, Padilla called on Interior to, as part of this review, meet with California’s Congressional delegation, California Governor Gavin Newsom, the state’s energy agencies, local officials, and crucially, the tribal leaders who spearheaded the movement behind the creation of these monuments. Padilla pointed out that these monuments had received endorsements from energy utilities and developers and were intentionally crafted to avoid including areas with energy potential.
    Padilla also pressed MacGregor on whether local and tribal leaders should have a role in public land management decisions, to which MacGregor agreed.
    PADILLA: As a matter of policy, do you believe that local communities and tribal leaders should have a say in the management of their public lands?
    MACGREGOR: I think local involvement is something that everyone on this dais agrees with.
    PADILLA: Okay, well, I’m talking just about you, not the folks on the dais, you’re the nominee before us…
    MACGREGOR: Local involvement is embedded in almost all the organic acts at the Department, so yes.
    PADILLA: Good, good faith consultation and engagement is what we’re looking for.
    California is home to some of the nation’s most pristine public lands, which not only preserve our natural heritage but also fuel California’s tourism and local economies. These protected landscapes generate billions of dollars in annual revenue, creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and enriching communities. However, Trump’s orders to prioritize energy development over all other uses of public lands pose a threat to landscapes with immense cultural, environmental, and economic value. These lands also offer vast opportunities for outdoor recreation — such as hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing — which further support local economies.
    ARCHES Hydrogen Hub
    Padilla also questioned James Danly, Trump’s nominee for Deputy Secretary of Energy, on his support for the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) hydrogen hub. The Trump Administration is reportedly considering major cuts to hydrogen hub projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Democratic-leaning states, including California, while preserving the projects in Republican-leaning states.
    Padilla highlighted the importance of the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program to “jumpstart” the national hydrogen economy and urged Danly to work with California to protect the vital funding Padilla secured for ARCHES. After initially dodging Padilla’s questions about whether he would meet with ARCHES leadership, Danly said he would have “no objection” to talking with them.
    PADILLA: California, proudly, was the first state in the nation to launch a hydrogen hub — we refer to it as ARCHES — which will facilitate a network of hydrogen production sites to catalyze the use of hydrogen throughout California and, frankly, jumpstart the hydrogen economy, not just in California, but across the country. The California hub enjoys bipartisan support from our California delegation. However, last week, the Department of Energy “cut list” reportedly included ARCHES and other hydrogen hubs to be cut. So I want to point out that ARCHES, again, is not just critical to California, but critical to our national economy.
    Senator Padilla has been a strong supporter of the development of clean hydrogen power in California. Padilla secured up to $1.2 billion for the ARCHES hydrogen hub from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and sent a letter to former Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urging the Department of Energy to support ARCHES’ proposal as part of its Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program. He celebrated the official launch of the ARCHES hydrogen hub last year at an in-person event showcasing hydrogen-powered transportation.
    Video of Padilla’s full line of questioning is available here.
    More information on the hearing is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Condemns Trump For Decimating The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Programs (LIHEAP); Cuts Threaten To Raise Cost Of Living For More Than One Million New York Households

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement on the Trump administration firing all the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) staff running the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which will render the program incapable of disbursing funding to New York and deprive low-income New Yorkers of energy assistance they rely on:

    “LIHEAP is a commonsense, bipartisan program,” said Senator Gillibrand. “In the coldest and hottest months of the year, it lowers the cost of living and saves lives. By firing everyone who disburses LIHEAP funding, President Trump and the so-called ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ are preventing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding that Congress has already allocated to LIHEAP from reaching families in need. President Trump is raising the cost of living, all to provide tax cuts for billionaires. I will be doing everything in my power to get President Trump to reverse these cuts and deliver financial assistance to New Yorkers who need it.” 

    LIHEAP helps tens of thousands of low-income households across the state afford their energy bills and make cost-effective repairs to their heating systems. During winter 2022-2023, the program helped 1.1 million New York households heat their homes.

    Gillibrand has been a longstanding advocate of the program. Every year, she secures hundreds of millions in LIHEAP funding for New York. She also cosponsors legislation to expand LIHEAP and ensure that no household pays more than three percent of its annual income on energy costs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Gillibrand And Schumer, Congressman Garbarino Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill To Establish A Memorial To Honor Individuals Who Died Of AIDS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Yesterday, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, and Congressman Andrew Garbarino reintroduced the Fire Island AIDS Memorial Establishment Act. The bipartisan bill would authorize The Pines Foundation to establish a memorial to honor Fire Island residents who died of AIDS. The memorial would also educate future generations about the AIDS epidemic and the impact that it had on the Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove communities. 

    “Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove have long been a home and safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community, and they were also at the center of the AIDS epidemic,” said Senator Gillibrand. “It is important that we remember those who we have lost, which is why I wrote the Fire Island AIDS Memorial Establishment Act. This community deserves to cement the memories of loved ones lost to one of the worst epidemics in the history of humankind and to acknowledge the caregivers and friends who mobilized to care for those in the Pines and Cherry Grove.”

    “Many New Yorkers in the Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove communities, treasured places of refuge for the LGBTQ+ community, were devastated by the AIDS epidemic,” said Senator Schumer. “I’m proud to support this bill to create a memorial on Fire Island to commemorate the people who died of AIDS, honor the impacted communities, and to educate future generations.”

    “The Fire Island AIDS Memorial Act honors the lives lost in Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove during the AIDS epidemic and helps ensure future generations understand its lasting impact on the community,” said Rep. Garbarino. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral legislation alongside Senator Gillibrand.”

    “Few communities on Earth were impacted as severely by the AIDS crisis than those on Fire Island. It is long overdue for us to memorialize the victims of this global tragedy and honor those who supported our communities during this excruciating crisis.  We are grateful to the elected officials and government agencies that are working hard to make this memorial a reality,” said Henry Robin, President, FIPPOA/The Pines Foundation.

    “The Fire Island Association is proud to support the establishment of the Fire Island AIDS Memorial as a lasting tribute to those we lost to the AIDS epidemic, and to the strength of the community that cared for them. Fire Island has long been a place of refuge, resilience, and remembrance, and this memorial will honor that legacy while educating future generations. As an organization dedicated to protecting and preserving Fire Island, we believe this initiative is a vital part of our shared history, ensuring that the stories of those affected are never forgotten. We are grateful to Senator Gillibrand and Congressman Garbarino for championing this important effort,” said Suzy Goldhirsch, president of the Fire Island Association.

    New York State was at the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic in the United States, and more than 139,000 New Yorkers diagnosed with AIDS have died as of June 2024. Members of the Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove communities began developing the proposal for the Fire Island AIDS Memorial in 2020 and have been dedicated to advancing the project ever since. Senator Gillibrand has worked with community members to help them get approval from the National Park Service (NPS) and is now championing legislation to establish the Fire Island AIDS Memorial within the Fire Island National Seashore.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin, Schumer, Democratic Senators Urge AG Bondi to Appoint a Special Counsel to Investigate Trump Administration Signal Chat National Security Breach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 03, 2025
    The Senators wrote: “These shockingly reckless breaches of security protocols for safeguarding sensitive and classified information clearly warrant an investigation into whether any of the government officials involved violated federal laws”
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC), Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) and Foreign Relations (SFRC) Committees—joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and 28 Senate Democrats in sending a letter to U.S. Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi urging her to appoint a Special Counsel to thoroughly and impartially investigate whether any of the government officials involved in the Signal chat security breach violated federal criminal law. On March 24, The Atlantic’s editor in chief reported that President Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Waltz had included him in a group text chain with several high-ranking national security officials where highly sensitive, classified or controlled information was shared and discussed over Signal—an unsecure commercial messaging app.
    “In addition to the reckless inclusion of a journalist in the chat, we are deeply concerned about this serious breach in the proper handling of such information and deliberations,” the Senators wrote. “Appointment of a Special Counsel is appropriate where the Department may have a conflict of interest or extraordinary circumstances are present, a criminal investigation is warranted and it is in the public interest to appoint an outside Special Counsel to investigate the matter. Such circumstances are clearly present here.”
    The Signal chat group started by Mr. Waltz included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, among at least 18 other high-ranking government officials. In addition to discussing the sensitive foreign policy implications of military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, these officials proceeded to discuss key operational information regarding the precise timing of the planned attacks, the types of military aircraft and munitions to be used and the targets and results of the strikes as they occurred. An unprecedented security breach of this magnitude involving top senior government officials presents the kind of extraordinary circumstances clearly contemplated by the Special Counsel regulations.
    “These officials conducted a highly sensitive discussion, including of clearly classified or controlled information, over the commercial messaging app Signal, including in some instances on personal devices and while traveling in foreign countries, rather than using the secure U.S. government channels and facilities that are designed and required for the sharing of such information. Despite subsequent claims to the contrary by you, President Trump and several of the officials involved, including in testimony before Congress, some of the information they shared and discussed over Signal would almost certainly be considered classified or, at a minimum, controlled, prior to and in the immediate aftermath of an impending strike,” the Senators wrote.
    In the letter, the Senators raised concerns if the Signal chat violated federal law. For example, gross negligence in handling national defense information may violate the Espionage Act. Importantly, other laws, including the Federal Records Act, require the preservation of certain government records. Destruction of government records or property may constitute a violation of various criminal statutes. Subsequent statements to Congress and testimony before the House and Senate Intelligence Committees by several of the officials involved raise additional concerns about potential violations of federal criminal laws that prohibit making false statements to Congress, committing perjury in testimony to Congress, inducing another person to commit perjury or conspiring to commit any of the foregoing actions.
    “During your confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, you assured the American people that everyone will be held to ‘an equal, fair system of justice’ if you were confirmed as Attorney General and that ‘no one is above the law.’ As the individuals most seriously implicated in this incident include senior officials at the highest levels, including several of your fellow cabinet members, appointment of a Special Counsel is necessary to ensure that the investigation and any ensuing prosecutions are fair, impartial, and independent and that no official, regardless of seniority or political affiliation, is above the law. The people of this country deserve the assurance that this matter will be taken seriously and addressed swiftly. To do so, we urge you to appoint a Special Counsel immediately,” the Senators concluded.
    Along with Duckworth, Durbin and Schumer, the letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Fetterman (D-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY),  Ed Markey (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Gary Peters (D-MI).
    Full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:
    March 31, 2025
    Dear Attorney General Bondi:
    On March 24, The Atlantic’s editor in chief reported that President Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Waltz had included him in a group message chain with several high-ranking national security officials where highly sensitive, classified, or controlled information was shared and discussed over Signal—an unsecure commercial messaging app. In addition to the reckless inclusion of a journalist in the chat, we are deeply concerned about this serious breach in the proper handling of such information and deliberations. Given the extraordinary circumstances of this shocking incident and the significant public interests at stake, it is imperative that you immediately appoint a Special Counsel to thoroughly and impartially investigate whether any of the government officials involved violated federal criminal law. 
    Appointment of a Special Counsel is appropriate where the Department may have a conflict of interest or extraordinary circumstances are present, a criminal investigation is warranted, and it is in the public interest to appoint an outside Special Counsel to investigate the matter. Such circumstances are clearly present here.
    The Signal chat group started by Mr. Waltz included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, among at least 18 other high-ranking government officials. In addition to discussing the sensitive foreign policy implications of military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, these officials proceeded to discuss key operational information regarding the precise timing of the planned attacks, the types of military aircraft and munitions to be used, and the targets and results of the strikes as they occurred. An unprecedented security breach of this magnitude involving top senior government officials presents the kind of extraordinary circumstances clearly contemplated by the Special Counsel regulations.
    These officials conducted a highly sensitive discussion, including of clearly classified or controlled information, over the commercial messaging app Signal, including in some instances on personal devices and while traveling in foreign countries, rather than using the secure U.S. government channels and facilities that are designed and required for the sharing of such information. Despite subsequent claims to the contrary by you, President Trump, and several of the officials involved, including in testimony before Congress, some of the information they shared and discussed over Signal would almost certainly be considered classified or, at a minimum, controlled, prior to and in the immediate aftermath of an impending strike.
    These shockingly reckless breaches of security protocols for safeguarding sensitive and classified information clearly warrant an investigation into whether any of the government officials involved violated federal laws pertaining to the proper safeguarding and preservation of such information. For example, gross negligence in handling national defense information may violate the Espionage Act. Importantly, other laws, including the Federal Records Act, require the preservation of certain government records. Signal allows users to schedule messages for deletion after certain time periods and Mr. Waltz appears to have set the chat messages to delete initially after one week and then later in the chat changed the setting to delete messages after four weeks. Destruction of government records or property may constitute a violation of various criminal statutes. Subsequent statements to Congress and testimony before the House and Senate Intelligence Committees by several of the officials involved raise additional concerns about potential violations of federal criminal laws that prohibit making false statements to Congress, committing perjury in testimony to Congress, inducing another person to commit perjury, or conspiring to commit any of the foregoing actions.
    Even prior to his first Administration, President Trump campaigned for the need to prosecute and “lock up” individuals who allegedly “bypass government security” or “sent and received classified information on an insecure server.” Further, as an avowedly loyal and zealous advocate for the President, you echoed these same sentiments prior to your confirmation. Given the extraordinary nature of this security breach by senior Trump Administration officials, the likelihood that these actions needlessly endangered American lives and our nation’s security, the importance of putting our nation’s security before partisan political interests, and the range of federal criminal laws that may have been violated, it is imperative that the Department of Justice conduct a thorough investigation to assess the extent of the damage and determine whether any criminal charges are warranted against any of the government officials involved.
    During your confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, you assured the American people that everyone will be held to “an equal, fair system of justice” if you were confirmed as Attorney General, and that “no one is above the law.” As the individuals most seriously implicated in this incident include senior officials at the highest levels, including several of your fellow cabinet members, appointment of a Special Counsel is necessary to ensure that the investigation and any ensuing prosecutions are fair, impartial, and independent and that no official, regardless of seniority or political affiliation, is above the law.
    The people of this country deserve the assurance that this matter will be taken seriously and addressed swiftly. To do so, we urge you to appoint a Special Counsel immediately.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER: IN LETTER TO HHS SECRETARY KENNEDY, DEMANDS ANSWERS FOR BROKEN PROMISES TO 9/11 FAMILIES AND SURVIVORS AFTER AGAIN SLASHING KEY STAFF WHO SUPPORT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER HEALTH PROGRAM

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Trump Admin Announced HHS-Wide Layoffs, Cutting 10,000 Staff, Including Vital Support For The 9/11 Health Care Program That Helps Sick First Responders & Survivors Get Treatment For Cancer, Respiratory Illnesses, And More
    This Is The Second Time The Trump Admin Has Slashed Support & Fired Staff Who Are Key For The World Trade Center Health Program, After Trump & Musk Also Sunk The Permanent Funding Fix Schumer Secured For Program Last Year
    Schumer To Kennedy: Twice You Have Betrayed Your Promise To Protect The 9/11 Healthcare Program, Immediately Reverse This Cruel Decision
    After the Trump administration again slashed resources for the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer yesterday demanded answers from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for his broken promises that he made to both the senator and 9/11 first responders and survivors to protect the program. WTCHP offers medical monitoring and treatment for first responders and survivors diagnosed with 9/11-related health conditions, including many types of cancers, respiratory illnesses, and more. The new cuts announced earlier this week include the dismissal of Dr. John Howard, the administrator of the WTCHP, and nearly all staff at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) who are essential to the daily work of the WTCHP, hobbling the work of the program.
    “In our meeting prior to your confirmation as Secretary, you made an unequivocal commitment to working with me to strengthen this program. In your time in office you have fired staff not once, but twice, completely betraying what you said in our conversation and betraying the thousands of survivors of 9/11 who rely on the WTCHP for services,” Senator Schumer wrote in his letter.
    This is the third time in four months President Trump has ripped away the vital resources from the program that allow it to continue serving 9/11 survivors’ health.
    Schumer added, “9/11 first responders and survivors are suffering, they’re getting cancers from the air they breathed when they ran to the towers to help protect us. Secretary Kennedy wants to cut healthcare off to these heroes? It’s un-American. These are our heroes. Secretary Kennedy and Donald Trump should not betray them and must reverse these cuts immediately.”
    In December 2024, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand negotiated the inclusion of permanent federal funding for the WTCHP in a bipartisan health package. However, the federal funding was dropped at the last minute when President Trump & Elon Musk sunk the bipartisan spending agreement. Then, in February 2025, the Trump administration slashed the workforce of the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) as part of DOGE’s senseless cuts to the federal health system. In response, the senators worked together with a bipartisan group of House members, called on the administration to reverse the cuts. The Trump administration relented and appropriately re-hired WTCHP staff. Schumer said he is deeply worried about the future of the program given the Trump Administration’s repeated indiscriminate cutting, and call on the HHS to immediately to reverse on the recent layoffs at NIOSH. The Administration is firing key employees who do the essential work to ensure 9/11 survivors receive the care they need, leaving this program in limbo as they have for months.
    Schumer’s letter to Secretary Kennedy can be found HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary,
    I am writing with extreme concern and anger about your recent decision to lay off staff at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The reduction in force announcements at HHS yesterday are reckless and dangerous, are not based on any systematic review and will have profound negative consequences for the heroic survivors and first responders of 9/11 who are in need of health care due to illness developed as a result of their work in the days, weeks and months after that horrific attack on our nation.
    I wrote to your office on February 17th, 2025 with concern about staff firings at the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP). While you ultimately and appropriately reinstated those employees, it was only after my public outcry as part of a bipartisan group of New York lawmakers. Additionally, your office did not respond to the letter I sent requesting more information, including a briefing, about the fate of the WTCHP and your plans to strengthen the program.
    In our meeting prior to your confirmation as Secretary, you made an unequivocal commitment to working with me to strengthen this program. In your time in office you have fired staff not once, but twice, completely betraying what you said in our conversation and betraying the thousands of survivors of 9/11 who rely on the WTCHP for services.
    This program is essential, providing critical screenings, services, research and medications to thousands of Americans – at zero cost – for 9/11-related health conditions and diseases. The regrettable actions that you have taken continue a pattern of callous decisions beginning in December 2024 when the incoming Trump Administration tanked the bipartisan health package that included permanent funding for the WTCHP. The repeated failure to fund this essential program and, now, the repeated firing of key employees at HHS demonstrates a lack of understanding of the importance of this program for our nation’s heroes. Worse, it demonstrates a disturbing lack of concern to take care of those who answered the nation’s call in a time of urgent need and now are suffering with illness because of it.
    I ask for a response to this letter by Friday, April 4th. I call on you to promptly rehire the NIOSH staff essential to carrying out the WTCHP mission. I am also repeating my request for a briefing on the changes that have been made to the WTCHP and what plans you will take as Secretary to ensure the program can provide lifesaving care to current and future enrollees. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Cantwell & Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reassert Congressional Trade Role

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    04.03.25

    Senators Cantwell & Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reassert Congressional Trade Role

    Legislation requires president to explain reasoning & impacts of new tariffs to Congress within 48 hours; All new tariffs would expire after 60 days unless Congress explicitly approves them

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), both senior members of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to reaffirm Congress’ key role in setting and approving U.S. trade policy. The Trade Review Act of 2025, modeled after the War Powers Resolution of 1973, would reestablish limits on the president’s ability to impose unilateral tariffs without the approval of Congress.   

    “Trade wars can be as devastating, which is why the Founding Fathers gave Congress the clear Constitutional authority over war and trade. This bill reasserts Congress’s role over trade policy to ensure rules-based trade policies are transparent, consistent, and benefit the American public. Arbitrary tariffs, particularly on our allies, damage U.S. export opportunities and raise prices for American consumers and businesses,” Sen. Cantwell said. “As representatives of the American people, Congress has a duty to stop actions that will cause them harm.”

    “For too long, Congress has delegated its clear authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce to the executive branch. Building on my previous efforts as Finance Committee Chairman, I’m joining Senator Cantwell to introduce the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025 to reassert Congress’ constitutional role and ensure Congress has a voice in trade policy,” Sen. Grassley said.

    The bill restores Congress’ authority and responsibility over tariffs as outlined in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution by placing the following limits on the president’s power to impose tariffs:

    • To enact a new tariff, the president must notify Congress of the imposition of (or increase in) the tariff within 48 hours.
      • The Congressional notification must include an explanation of the president’s reasoning for imposing or raising the tariff, and
      • Provide analysis of potential impact on American businesses and consumers.
    • Within 60 days, Congress must pass a joint resolution of approval on the new tariff, otherwise all new tariffs on imports expire after that deadline.
    • Under the bill, Congress has the ability to end tariffs at any time by passing a resolution of disapproval.
    • Anti-dumping and countervailing duties are excluded.

    The full bill text is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Co-Sponsors Legislation to Help Families Pay their Heating and Cooling Bills

    US Senate News:

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

    April 03, 2025

    Legislation would provide urgent relief for families in Oregon and nationwide as energy prices rise

    Washington D.C. —U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today announced he is co-sponsoring a bill to expand and modernize the severely underfunded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), bringing much-needed relief for Americans struggling to pay their utility bills in Oregon and nationwide. This legislation comes on the heels of reports that RFK Jr. has terminated the entire LIHEAP staff, making this bill all the more crucial.

    “No Oregonian should have to choose between putting food on their table or paying their utility bills,” Wyden said. “Unfortunately, as the climate crisis continues to wreak havoc, more and more Americans face extreme temperature shifts and rising energy costs. This bill would help provide energy assistance to everybody facing the impossible choice between food or utilities and could mean the difference between life and death for many vulnerable Oregonians.”  

    Specifically, the Heating and Cooling Relief Act would:

    • Substantially increase Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding to ensure year-round assistance, including an additional $2 billion for emergency energy assistance and $1 billion in Just Transition grants to help vulnerable households adapt to a changing climate;

    • Broaden eligibility so that households earning up to 250 percent of the federal poverty line or 80 percent of state median income can qualify, while ensuring lower energy burdens for lower-income households and capping household energy burdens at 3 percent of monthly income;

    • Protect consumers from utility shutoffs, excessive late fees, and predatory energy practices that disproportionately hurt vulnerable communities;

    • Expand emergency assistance, ensuring extreme heat and cold are recognized as qualifying emergencies and that states can provide vital cooling relief;

    • Increase funding for weatherization and home electrification, to help low-income households reduce energy costs, improve health and safety, and transition to clean, resilient energy systems;

    • Streamline enrollment and outreach, improving coordination with other federal programs and increasing access through automatic enrollment and simplified verification; and

    • Strengthen reporting requirements to better track affordability, equity, and climate resilience outcomes.

    In addition to Wyden, the Heating and Cooling Relief Act, led by Senator Edward J Markey  (D- Mass.) and Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), was co-sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I); as well as Representatives Nannette Barragán (CA-44), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Andre Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Summer Lee (PA-12), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Adam Smith (WA-09), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

    The full bill is here. A section by section breakdown of the bill is here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Co-Sponsors Resolution Underscoring Crucial Role of Local News Amid Threats to Free Press

    US Senate News:

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

    April 03, 2025

    Washington D.C. –U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today announced he is co-sponsoring a resolution designating April 2025 as “Preserving and Protecting Local News Month” to highlight local journalism’s vital role in U.S. democracy, particularly as news outlets face mounting threats and intimidation from the Trump administration.    

    “The cornerstone of democracy is a free and fair  press. Among this administration’s blatant threats, exclusions and intimidation, it’s more important than ever to protect these vital local information outlets in Oregon and nationwide,” Wyden said. “Trump has made it painfully clear he thrives best in dark, deceitful places, which is why I’ll keep spotlighting our First Amendment rights whenever they are threatened by authoritarian wanna-bes. As the son of a journalist and an elected official who knows full well the need for reliable local news, I’ll always fight for a free press and the crucial service it provides in maintaining healthy and vibrant communities.” 

    In addition to Wyden, the resolution was led by Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and co-sponsored by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

    Full text of the resolution is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Grassley Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Secret Service’s Ability to Combat Cyber Money Laundering

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to help the Secret Service better detect and deter cybercrimes. The Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act would update current law to authorize the Secret Service to investigate new forms of criminal activity involving digital assets.

    “Dangerous criminals are constantly changing their tactics and using new technology to avoid detection,” said Senator Cortez Masto.“Our law enforcement agencies need to adapt to keep communities safe. I will continue to fight to pass this bipartisan legislation that would help the Secret Service more effectively combat cybercrime.”

    “As money laundering schemes continue to evolve, so must our capacity to combat them,” said Senator Grassley. “By enhancing Secret Service’s authority to investigate criminal digital assets, our bill significantly improves law enforcement’s ability to effectively anticipate, identify and prevent cybercrime.”

    The Treasury Department, the Department of Justice, and other national security and financial crime experts have warned that digital assets like cryptocurrencies are increasingly being used for money laundering, drug trafficking, ransomware attacks, theft and fraud schemes, terrorist financing, and other crimes. The Secret Service investigates a variety of cybercrimes that could pose a threat to our national security—however, these cybercrimes can be perpetrated through unlicensed money transmitting businesses outside of the Secret Service’s jurisdiction. The Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act makes much-needed updates to U.S. law to ensure the Secret Service has full authority to investigate evolving forms of illicit finance, including countering cartels, defeating scam camps, addressing Chinese money laundering organizations, and combating North Korean theft of digital assets.

    Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported bipartisan measures to combat cybercrime. She joined a bipartisan effort asking the Biden Administration to crack down on illicit financing of international terrorism in response to reports that Hamas raised millions in crypto to fund its operations. She’s also cosponsored the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act, which would close loopholes in current law and bring cryptocurrency companies into greater compliance with the anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism frameworks that govern the traditional financial system. She has passed into law her bipartisan legislation to combat money laundering and terrorism by bolstering the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and ensuring it focuses on virtual currencies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz, Wicker Lead Bipartisan Group Of 60 Senators In Introducing Legislation To Expand Telehealth Access, Make Permanent Telehealth Flexibilities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    Current Flexibilities Set To Expire September 30 Without Congressional Action

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) led a bipartisan group of 60 senators in reintroducing the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act. The CONNECT for Health Act will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors. Current flexibilities are set to expire on September 30 unless Congress extends them.

    “While telehealth use has rapidly increased in recent years, our laws have not kept up,” said Senator Schatz. “Telehealth is helping people get the care they need, and it’s here to stay. Our comprehensive bill makes it easier for more people to see their doctors no matter where they live.”

    “We live in a digital world, and our health services should reflect that. In the past decade, telehealth has made medical care more accessible for patients across the state and country,” said Senator Wicker. “It is time to make telehealth coverage permanent for Medicare recipients so that more Americans, especially those in rural Mississippi, have access to health care.”

    In addition to Schatz, Wicker, Warner, Hyde-Smith, Welch, and Barrasso, the bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Angus King (I-Maine.), Jim Justice (R-W.V.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and John Boozman (R-Ark.).

    Telehealth provides essential access to care with nearly a quarter of Americans accessing telehealth in a month, according to the most recent available data.

    The CONNECT for Health Act would:

    • Permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to the location of the patient, including homes;
    • Permanently allow health centers and rural health clinics to provide telehealth services;
    • Allow more eligible health care professionals to utilize telehealth services;
    • Remove unnecessary in-person visit requirement for telemental health services;
    • Allow for the waiver of telehealth restrictions during public health emergencies; and
    • Require more published data to learn more about how telehealth is being used, impacts of quality of care, and how it can be improved to support patients and health care providers.

    The CONNECT for Health Act was first introduced in 2016 and is considered the most comprehensive legislation on telehealth in Congress. Since 2016, several provisions of the bill have been enacted into law or adopted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, including provisions to remove restrictions on telehealth services for mental health, stroke care, and home dialysis.

    “Telehealth services have proven to be a safe and effective form of medical care. Through the expansion of telehealth services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more patients have received quality, affordable care. I’m glad to introduce legislation that will make permanent some of these services and ensure Virginians continue to access affordable health care when they need it, and where they need it,” said Senator Warner.

    “Even before the pandemic, Mississippi recognized the vital role of telehealth. Across America, rural communities, the elderly, and those with mobility challenges have long struggled to access traditional healthcare,” said Senator Hyde-Smith. “This legislation is essential to delivering affordable, accessible, and quality care that Americans deserve, and I’m proud to continue this years-long effort to expand telehealth services.”

    “The COVID-19 pandemic proved that telehealth not only works, but is essential,” said Senator Welch. “Rural and underserved areas in Vermont and across the country desperately need solutions to address the widening gap in health care access, and increasing telehealth services must be part of the answer. This bipartisan bill takes commonsense steps to help bridge that gap and make sure that our policies adapt to the capabilities of our technology.”

    “Telehealth is a critical for rural states like Wyoming,” said Senator Barrasso. “It has given folks access to specialized care no matter where they live. This important bipartisan bill will make it easier for Medicare patients, especially those in remote areas, to continue to have access to the health care they need.”

    Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Mike Thompson (D- Calif.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), and Troy Balderson (R-Ohio).

    The CONNECT for Health Act has the support of more than 150 organizations including the American Medical Association, AARP, American Hospital Association, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Association of Rural Health Clinics, and American Telemedicine Association.

    The full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Rounds Introduce Legislation to Prevent Rural Hospital Closures

    US Senate News:

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

    Legislation would codify a USDA pilot program that provides technical assistance to hospitals
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced legislation to help rural hospitals that are at risk of being closed. The Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act would codify an existing pilot program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides technical assistance to rural hospitals to prevent closures, improve their financial and operational performance and strengthen essential healthcare services in rural communities.
    “The health and wellbeing of Vermont’s rural hospitals impacts the health and wellbeing of every Vermonter. Our rural hospitals need help to keep their doors open for our patients,” said Welch. “I’m proud to partner with Senator Rounds on this bipartisan bill, which will strengthen hospitals across the United States and help improve care and services.”  
    “Rural hospitals are a lifeline for the communities they serve, and far too many are struggling to keep their doors open,” said Senator Rounds. “Providing technical assistance to rural hospitals at risk for closure gives providers and administrators a fresh set of eyes on their operations and allows for new ideas to help stabilize their operations. The Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act would codify this pilot program and help rural hospitals continue to provide the critical care that South Dakotans need.”
    Through an agreement with USDA, the National Rural Health Association provides several types of technical assistance to include expert guidance on optimizing billing processes, addressing reimbursement delays, improving collections and maximizing available reimbursement opportunities. Any rural hospital is eligible under this program, with preference given to hospitals in persistent poverty communities of less than 20,000. Participating hospitals are provided with a contractor specializing in rural health care delivery, who then reports back on goals and next steps to get the hospitals to financial and operational stability. To date, 17 hospitals have participated in the pilot version of the program, which has been highly effective in assisting rural hospitals.
    “The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) applauds Senator Rounds for his introduction of the Rural Health Care Facility Technical Assistance Program Act to expand and codify the existing USDA pilot program,” said Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association. “This legislation will help prevent hospital closures, improve financial and operations performance for facilities, and strengthen essential healthcare services in rural communities. NRHA looks forward to working with Congress to keep hospital doors open and continue providing care for the 60 million residents living in rural America.”
    Since 2005, 186 rural hospitals have closed nationwide, and over 400 rural hospitals are currently vulnerable to closure. Many rural hospitals face significant infrastructure needs, including updates on aging facilities, implementation of electronic health records and expansion of facilities to meet the changing needs of their service area.
    Read the full text of the bill

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján Join Senate Democrats in Demanding Trump Rescind Illegal Executive Order Threatening Federal Employee Collective Bargaining Agreements

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
    Washington, D.C. – Wednesday, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in urging President Donald Trump to rescind his March 27 executive order to end collective bargaining agreements between public employee unions and dozens of federal agencies and bureaus. In their letter, the Democratic Senators blasted the move as a “gross overreach” of presidential authority, asserting that the executive order is a clear attempt to gut the federal merit-based civil service and implement a system of political cronyism. They stressed that the order poses a grave threat to the ability of over 1 million federal workers to carry out their missions and deliver important services for the American people – and thus should be rescinded immediately.
    “We write today in outrage over your recent executive order entitled Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs, a gross overreach of the authority granted in the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA). This order is an insult to the hardworking public servants who go to work on behalf of the American people,” the Senators began.
    “The executive order effectively classifies two thirds of the federal workforce as having national security missions, a blatant misuse of a limited authority intended to provide operational flexibility to address legitimate security needs,” they continued. “There is no evidence that the long-standing collective bargaining agreements at these agencies have jeopardized our nation’s security in any way; to the contrary, the protection collective bargaining has provided for employees allows them to conduct their work on behalf of the American people—including blowing the whistle on fraud or abuse—without political interference.”
    “This Administration clearly does not have even a basic understanding of the legally binding nature of federal collective bargaining agreements and is actively trying to bend the law to undermine protections for federal civil servants. We urge you to immediately rescind this illegal executive order so that our dedicated public servants can continue to work on behalf of the American public without fear for their job or political retribution,” the Senators concluded.
    The Senators’ letter is endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
    Led by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Senators Heinrich and Luján were joined on this letter by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    A copy of the letter is available here and below.
    Dear President Trump: 
    We write today in outrage over your recent executive order entitled Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs, a gross overreach of the authority granted in the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA). 
    This order is an insult to the hardworking public servants who go to work on behalf of the American people. They care for our veterans, deliver disaster assistance, prevent wildfires, help farmers improve crop yields, manage health benefits for 9/11 first responders, research treatments and cures for diseases, keep air travel safe, process tax returns, staff our national parks and much, much more. Nearly one third of these dedicated civil servants are veterans seeking to continue their service to our country out of uniform.  
    The executive order effectively classifies two thirds of the federal workforce as having national security missions, a blatant misuse of a limited authority intended to provide operational flexibility to address legitimate security needs. The national security exemption has existed for nearly 50 years and has been used only sparingly by Republican and Democratic Administrations—including during your first term—to exclude federal offices with an unquestionable core function in intelligence, counterintelligence, or national security. There is no evidence that the long-standing collective bargaining agreements at these agencies have jeopardized our nation’s security in any way; to the contrary, the protection collective bargaining has provided for employees allows them to conduct their work on behalf of the American people—including blowing the whistle on fraud or abuse—without political interference. 
    Federal employees’ collective bargaining agreements are critical to ensuring they continue to serve the American people with the peace of mind that comes with being protected from unfair labor practices. Unlike in the private sector, federal employee unions in most cases cannot negotiate pay or benefits, which are set by Congress, and they are legally prohibited from striking. The federal collective bargaining agreements do, however, protect federal employees from illegal firings, retaliation, and discrimination. They also promote resources for whistleblowers and veterans. These federal union contracts give employees in the civil service protections from retaliation so they can serve the American people fairly and effectively without partisan political interference.  
    This executive order, which ruthlessly strips collective bargaining agreements for over one million federal workers, is the most recent attack your Administration has levied against our merit-based civil service in the effort to cut the workforce and replace them with political cronies. While the CSRA does give the president the authority to limit collective bargaining agreements due to national security concerns, the executive order’s direction to terminate mass swaths of federal employee collective bargaining agreements is clearly intended to broadly dismantle the CSRA, which is specifically designed to grant federal employees the right to collective bargaining as a means to resolve workplace issues while maintaining the smooth functioning of government operations.  
    When the Secretary of Labor testified in February in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Members of Congress asked her both in-person and through questions for the record whether she and the Administration would commit to honoring all legally binding collective bargaining agreements signed by federal agencies and labor unions, and whether federal employees have the right to organize and collectively bargain without fear of retaliation. The Secretary answered, “if confirmed, I will follow the law and work with the experts at the Department to understand the collective bargaining process at the Department and the terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreements in place.” This Administration clearly does not have even a basic understanding of the legally binding nature of federal collective bargaining agreements and is actively trying to bend the law to undermine protections for federal civil servants.  
    We urge you to immediately rescind this illegal executive order so that our dedicated public servants can continue to work on behalf of the American public without fear for their job or political retribution.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Mullin Breaks Down the Leaderless Left on Hannity

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)
    “Their poll numbers show it, 21% favorability across the United States with Democrat voters, that’s about as low as it gets.”
    Washington, D.C. –On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Hannity and spoke to the collapse of the Democrat Party’s leadership. Highlights below.

    Sen. Mullin’s full interview can be found here.
    On how the left has fallen apart:
    “Since she [Nancy Pelosi] left, they have completely fell apart. I mean, Cory Booker, personally, I actually get along with him, politically, we couldn’t be more different. He spoke for 25 hours. I can’t think of a single thing he said other than what you said. He ranted against Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Well, that’s the same playbook that the Democrat Party has had. Hakeem Jeffries isn’t leading it. Chuck Schumer isn’t leading it. And their poll numbers show it, 21% favorability across the United States with Democrat voters, that’s about as low as it gets.”
    On how the Liberals have lost labor workers:
    “This is what happens when you have career politicians that’s running your party. Chuck Schumer is running their party right now. If you want to say he’s a leader, the guy is out of touch with the American people. They’ve lost the working class, as so many of my labor friends now will tell you, they didn’t leave the Democrat Party, the Democrat Party left them. That is the way that the Democrat Party has been moving since Obama was in office, and now who is left standing is just what you said, Bernie Sanders is the leader, essentially leading the Senate right now, and he’s a socialist.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams Republicans’ Blueprint to Give Billionaires More Tax Cuts—and Pretend They Are Free—While Kicking Kids Off Medicaid

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the release of Senate Republicans’ modified budget resolution.
    “Republicans blowing up our national debt to dole out massive tax cuts for billionaires is nothing new, but their attempt to use a ridiculous budget gimmick to try and evade longstanding budget rules and pretend their billionaire tax giveaways are somehow free is some next-level stuff.
    “My preschool students would understand that zero and $3.8 trillion are not the same thing —and I don’t think it’s too much to ask United States Senators to admit that same basic fact. But since Republicans are plowing ahead with budget gimmicks so they can give billionaires new, permanent tax cuts, here’s a question: does that same imaginary math work for child care and housing too? Or is the magical thinking just to help billionaires?
    “It’s worth noting that while Republicans cheer on Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s devastating cuts—insisting our country cannot afford to keep our Social Security offices staffed, or fund cancer research, or spend a single penny more to invest in working families—their number one priority in Congress is blowing up the deficit to give billionaires new tax breaks while kicking kids off Medicaid and cutting nutrition assistance families count on.”
    The budget blueprint Senate Republicans unveiled today sets Republicans up to dole out $5.3 trillion in new tax cuts that will disproportionately benefit billionaires, the ultra-rich, and largest corporations. But to help allow themselves to make the tax cuts permanent without making even more devastating cuts to, for example, Americans’ health care under the Senate’s strict budget reconciliation rules, Republicans want to use a gimmick known as “current policy baseline” to pretend that extending $3.8 billion in tax cuts won’t cost the country a cent–and to try to make them permanent in clear violation of the longstanding Byrd rule that enforces reconciliation in the Senate. The budget resolution also sets Republicans up to make massive cuts to Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and other critical domestic programs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Slams President Trump’s Newly Announced Tariffs That Will Raise Prices For Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    April 02, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after President Trump unveiled his latest round of tariffs, which will raise prices for Americans, unleash a global trade war, and harm our economy:
    “The President is risking a recession with this national sales tax he calls tariffs—while needlessly alienating our closest allies. When American families see what this does to the price of goods, such as cars, groceries, and gas, it is going to create a negative economic force across this country and cost a lot of American jobs. President Trump seems enamored with tariffs, but he’s going to have a heck of a time explaining how this is going to help reduce the cost of living for Americans.”
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Remarks On His Credit Card Competition Act At National Restaurant Association Conference

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    April 02, 2025
    Following his remarks, Durbin met with Illinois members of the National Restaurant Association
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered remarks and participated in a fireside chat at the National Restaurant Association’s annual conference.  In his remarks, Durbin spoke about his bipartisan legislation, the Credit Card Competition Act, which would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market that is currently dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly.  Building off of debit card competition reforms enacted by Congress in 2010, the bill would direct the Federal Reserve to ensure that giant credit card-issuing banks offer a choice of at least two networks over which an electronic credit transaction may be processed.  If enacted, the legislation would save merchants and consumers an estimated $15 billion each year.
    Following his remarks, Durbin met with Illinois members of the National Restaurant Association to discuss the impact of swipe fees on their businesses.  In 2023, merchants paid nearly $101 billion in Visa-Mastercard credit card fees, becoming one of the most expensive costs of operating a business.
      
    Photos of Durbin delivering his remarks and with Illinois members of the National Restaurant Association can be found here.
    Durbin’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
    U.S. Senator Dick Durbin Remarks at National Restaurant Association Conference
    April 2, 2025
    As prepared for delivery
    Thank you to all of the business owners and restaurant operators for joining us today.  It is an honor to be here.
    We are here in large part to talk about my Credit Card Competition Act—legislation that would add much-needed competition into the credit card market and reduce the excessive swipe fees that hurt businesses and consumers around the country.
    After helping lead the passage of the Durbin Amendment—legislation that capped interchange fees for debit card transactions—I heard from business owners across the country that there was still work to be done.
    The main area of reform this time?  Swipe fees for credit cards.
    Don from Alabama shared with my office that swipe fees represent approximately 10 percent of his total expenses for the gas stations he owns and operates—the number one item on his expense list.
    Another small business owner, George, owns a convenience store on the Florida Gulf Coast.  After covering the cost of goods, the swipe fees he pays often consume the entirety of his gross profit on single-item transactions—leaving him with nothing.
    Jignesh from Chattanooga, Tennessee, said that the cost of credit card fees his gas station pays is almost as much as paying for one to one-and-a-half employees.
    The same predatory practices that led to the debit card reform are happening in the credit card space and business owners like you are feeling the hurt.
    In the next few days, you’ll meet with various Senators, Congressmen and women, and staff.
    In those meetings, I challenge you to tell your stories.  Tell your representative how swipe fees take up a huge portion of your budget, how they prevent you from lowering prices, and how you are not able to hire additional employees.
    Your stories have the ability to create change, and they need to be heard.
    Because the big banks, Wall Street, the Credit Card industry, all of the people who told us that debit card reform was impossible are again paying a pretty penny to tell a false story to Americans that the Credit Card Competition Act will hurt consumers.
    But they are wrong.  The legislation will give a fighting chance to restaurants like yours, support the mom-and-pop shops that make our communities feel whole, and ultimately keep money in the pockets of hardworking Americans.
    Just like we did with debit cards, we have an opportunity to reform the credit card industry and protect Americans from being exploited by the Big Banks.
    It is an honor to be your partner in this fight.  I look forward to chatting about how we can get it done together today.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy to PM Carney: “Go to zero tariffs in Canada on American goods”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    Watch Kennedy’s comments here.

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) called on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to completely remove Canada’s tariffs on American goods in a speech on the U.S. Senate floor. Kennedy noted that Carney has said he supports free and fair trade and argued that he should drop all tariffs to let American and Canadian companies compete on a level playing field.

    Key excerpts of the speech are below: 

    “I remember after Hurricane Katrina, which hit my state. It destroyed southeast Louisiana—New Orleans, yes, but many other parts of my state as well—and Mississippi. Canada was the very first country and the people of Canada were the very first people to send disaster relief.”

    . . . 

    “Here’s my point: I don’t want to be at war with Canada. I don’t want to have a trade war with Canada. I want us to continue to be friends. I made this suggestion to the new prime minister of Canada the other day, Prime Minister Carney. I am going to make it again, and I hope, this time, he will take it more seriously. Remember, if you want to be taken seriously, you have to act seriously. If you want respect, you have to act respectfully. 

    “Prime Minister Carney, you say that President Trump is not a fair trader. I understand your point of view. I don’t agree with you, but I understand your point of view. You have got to stand up for your people.

    “Prime Minister Carney, if you believe in free trade, then here is what you do. Make this offer today: Offer to go to zero tariffs in Canada on American goods—no tariffs, none, zero, zilch, nada—and challenge America to remove all of our tariffs on Canada so the people of Canada can sell their goods to Americans without a tariff, and the people of America can sell their goods to our friends in Canada without a tariff—zero tariffs. Let Canadian businesses and American businesses compete.”

    Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Idaho Delegation Applauds Trump, Noem Work to Secure Southern Border

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher today sent a letter commending President Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on their steadfast work to secure our southern border.

    “Under your leadership, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has arrested over 14,000 convicted illegal criminals within the first 50 days, many of which were known cartel and gang members,” wrote the delegation. “Our nation is witnessing the lowest number of apprehensions at the southern border in over 15 years, sending a clear message to dangerous criminals that they are no longer welcome to come into the U.S. Your aggressive action to secure and safeguard our border has made our neighborhoods safer. As members of the Idaho delegation, we look forward to working together to provide the resources you need to maintain this historic border security.”

    Risch, Crapo, Simpson, and Fulcher highlighted Idaho Governor Brad Little’s deployment of state law enforcement personnel to the southern border to assist the States of Texas and Arizona in combatting the Biden administration’s border disaster. Idaho has taken additional steps to combat the rise in illicit drug and human trafficking tied to the southern border, including launching a dedicated drug interdiction unit, increased behavioral health services, and a fentanyl educational awareness campaign.

    Read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Moran Questions Boeing CEO about Safety Concerns, Future of Kansas Aviation Manufacturing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran

    Moran Secures Boeing’s Commitment to Keep Jobs in Kansas

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation – today questioned Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg about the steps the company is taking to ensure public safety on their aircrafts and what the future of Boeing looks like in Kansas.

    “Boeing is in the process of acquiring Spirit AeroSystems – the largest private employer in Kansas, employing about 12,000 people,” continued Sen. Moran. “We have hundreds of small businesses who do work for Boeing and work with Spirit. It’s not just one company, it’s a whole system by which Kansas aerospace and aviation – the Air Capital of the World – operates.”

    “It was indicated to me that without the acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems the new generation of any aircraft developed by Boeing would not involve work in Wichita or work in Kansas,” continued Sen. Moran. “With the acquisition, the statement was made, that the work could more likely occur in Kansas. You are going to build a new aircraft someday, what’s the plan for where that work will take place?”

    Mr. Ortberg discussed future plans for aviation development and assured Sen. Moran of Boeing’s commitment to keep jobs in Kansas.

    “Let me just assure you that Spirit AeroSystems and the work we do in Kansas is critically important,” said Mr. Ortberg. “We are spending a significant amount of our capital to acquire that company, and we are not going to do that and move work out of Kansas. The work that we are doing there is going to stay there. In fact, I am very hopeful that once we get the acquisition closed, we will find opportunities to do even more work.”

    Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Questions and Remarks

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Budd Urges Canada to Take Leading Role in Dismantling Cartel Exploitation at Northern Border

    US Senate News:

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

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) delivered a speech on the Senate floor this afternoon, urging Canada to take a leading role in efforts to dismantle criminal cartel networks from exploiting the U.S.-Canada border as a gateway for trafficking illicit fentanyl into the United States.

    Watch the full speech here.

    Click here to download complete video remarks. 

    Key Excerpts from Sen. Budd’s Speech:

    Last year alone, as my colleagues have shared with you, more than 70,000 Americans died from a fentanyl overdose, and unsurprisingly, the Biden administration failed to act. Instead, President Biden willingly chose to let the situation get worse. 

    For years, our southern border has been a major entry point for illegal drugs to pour into our country. But, under President Trump’s leadership, illegal crossings at the southern border have now dropped 94 percent. 

    That’s real progress.

    Now, however, we are seeing a dangerous shift. Drug cartels have found a new route and a new loophole to continue trafficking drugs into our communities—and it’s through the northern border with Canada. 

    Just last year, Customs and Border Patrol seized enough fentanyl at the northern border to kill 9.5 million Americans. 

    ****

    Mr. President, when I talk to the sheriffs in all 100 counties across North Carolina, I repeatedly hear the same message: every county in North Carolina is a border county. 

    The U.S.-Canada border is the world’s longest international border—at more than 5,500 miles long. But it remains extraordinarily vulnerable, as criminal cartel networks continue to take advantage of the gaps in our porous northern border.

    I think it’s important to know that 87 percent of all terror watchlist suspects that were encountered at land border ports, last year, they came across our northern border. 

    We have invested heavily in our southern border infrastructure—rightfully so—and we should continue to do so. But the northern border has been overlooked and under-resourced for way too long. Our law enforcement officers are doing everything they can, but without enough resources, they are being set up to fail. And that’s not fair to them.

    ****

    As our ally, we need Canada to step up before more lives are lost, because the truth is that behind every statistic is a grieving family. The American people deserve more than just empty words—they deserve real action. 

    The fentanyl crisis will only continue to strangle our country until we deal with the threat at our northern border like the emergency that it truly is.

    ****

    Read the complete transcript here.

    Background:

    During his floor speech, Senator Budd quoted a recent 60 Minutes interview where a self-described member of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico’s largest and most well-known operations, openly claimed that: “Canada’s border is much larger than Mexico’s. There are more entry points through Canada than through Mexico, a lot more entry points. So that won’t stop us.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MEDIA ADVISORY: Sanders to Force Senate Votes to Block Arms Sales to Israel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, April 3 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today announced Senate votes on his two Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) to block the sale of $8.8 billion in U.S. bombs and other munitions to Israel, including more than 35,000 massive 2,000-pound bombs. Floor debate on Sanders’ JRDs will begin around 1:30 p.m. ET, subject to change based on the Senate schedule.
    Details
    What: Sen. Sanders floor speech regarding Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block arms sales to Israel
    When: Thursday, April 3, around 1:30 p.m. ET
    Where: Senate floor. His remarks will also be livestreamed on Sanders’ social media.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Slams Trump, Musk for Reckless Cuts to Americans’ Services, Benefits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 03, 2025
    1.5 million Massachusetts residents could see benefits cut due to Trump admin gutting Social Security Administration
    Washington, D.C. – Following the launch of Senate Democrats’ Social Security War Room to fight back against Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s efforts to gut the Social Security Administration, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released new data showing how the cuts could impact 1.5 million Massachusetts residents. 
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are taking a chainsaw to the Social Security Administration and threatening the benefits millions of Americans have paid into their entire working lives—including 1.5 million Massachusetts residents. I’ve got a message for Trump and Elon: get your hands off our Social Security. We should be pushing to increase Social Security benefits, not dealing with these indirect cuts,” said Senator Warren. 
    Despite President Trump’s promise that he “won’t touch” Social Security benefits, his administration has already fired thousands of workers—including those responsible for processing and disbursing Social Security checks—and closed regional offices across the country. Recent reporting has indicated that SSA is considering firing up to 50 percent of its staff and shutting down at least 45 field offices. At the same time the Trump administration is slashing the agency’s workforce, it has also made it harder for Americans to access their Social Security benefits by ending vital phone services, instead forcing recipients to navigate online platforms or go in person—even as offices are increasingly short-staffed or shuttered altogether.  
    Senator Warren revealed that these reckless cuts may affect nearly 1.5 million people in Massachusetts:

    County  

    Social Security Beneficiaries Receiving Monthly Checks or SSI   

    Total in Monthly Payments

    Barnstable

    77,120

    $155,150,000

    Berkshire

    35,665

    $66,082,000

    Bristol

    125,850

    $224,281,000

    Dukes 

    4,935

    $10,020,000

    Essex 

    158,485

    $308,304,000

    Franklin

    18,925

    $33,215,000

    Hampden

    103,350

    $188,346,000

    Hampshire

    34,655

    $64,499,000

    Middlesex

    258,290

    $538,105,000

    Nantucket

    1,915

    $4,222,000

    Norfolk

    128,760

    $264,093,000

    Plymouth

    116,570

    $227,367,000

    Suffolk

    97,045

    $176,515,000

    Worcester

    162,745

    $307,974,000

    Total 

    1,489,212

    $2,568,173,000

    This information is sourced from the Social Security Administration’s data for SSI and Old Age, Survivors, and Disability benefits (traditional retirement benefits). 
    This week, Senator Warren led Senate Democrats in launching a new Social Security War Room, a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The senators announced the effort at a press conference in the U.S. Capitol. 
    The War Room will focus on coordinating messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encouraging grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educating Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to service and benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Klobuchar & Warner Issue Statement Following Passage of Their Bill to Undo Trump’s Canada Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after the Senate passed their bill in a 51-48 vote to undo President Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods, which amount to a 25 percent tax on goods imported from one of America’s top trading partners and closest allies. The tariffs are part of a broader tariff strategy that the White House has admitted will extort $6 trillion in revenue from the American people, which would be the largest tax hike in U.S. history:
    “Working Americans want costs to go down, not a tax hike in the form of nonsensical tariffs. We sent a powerful message with this vote: we will not stand idly by while President Trump launches a needless trade war with Canada that will raise costs for families, hurt American businesses, and damage our relationship with one of our closest trading partners and allies. We thank our colleagues on both sides of the aisle who voted against Trump’s deranged mission to bypass Congress to enact these new taxes, and will do all that we can to build pressure on our colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to take up this legislation.”
    The legislation was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE), Rand Paul (R-KY), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Andy Kim (D-NJ).
    The legislation was endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL-CIO, the United Steelworkers (USW), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the National Retail Federation (NRF), the North America’s Building Trades Unions, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Foreign Policy for America (FP4A), National Taxpayers Union, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and Advancing American Freedom.
    Senator Kaine would like to thank his Economic Policy Legislative Assistant Paul Lapointe.

    MIL OSI USA News –