NewzIntel.com

Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Urges USDA to Quickly Distribute Disaster Relief to Assist Farmers, Rural Communities in Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis recently sent a letter urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to work with Congress to quickly distribute the more than $23 billion Congress passed in December to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. In the letter with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Senators note that the assistance is sorely needed as farmers and ranchers across the country struggle to address the fallout of several billion-dollar natural disasters.

    “These funds will benefit producers in every State—the natural disasters that struck farms and ranches in 2023 and 2024 affected a wide range of crops, livestock, and on-farm infrastructure,” the senators wrote. “In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene is estimated to have caused almost $5 billion in agricultural losses, and in New Hampshire, a disastrous freeze in 2023 damaged apple and peach trees, as well as other crops, with growers seeing as high as 100 percent crop losses for the year.”  

    “As you know, this program is intended to serve both producers with and without crop insurance, and reach small, diversified operations,” the senators continued. “The supplemental provides targeted funds for small farm states, and it also specifically directs the Secretary to offer technical assistance to interested non-insured producers to help them apply for funding made available.”

    “As the Department implements all of the disaster assistance programs, we stand ready to assist you in this effort to advance our shared priority of helping farmers and rural communities recover and thrive,” the senators concluded. “Thank you for your attention to this matter.” 

    This letter follows a bipartisan, bicameral letter sent on March 10th to Secretary Rollins, urging the immediate distribution of $23 billion in aid Congress passed in December for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. 

    Read the full letter HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman, Cotton Introduce Ambassador to U.K. Nominee Warren Stephens at Senate Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced fellow Arkansan, Warren Stephens, at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his nomination to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
    Stephens has led Stephens Inc. — the financial firm founded by his father and uncle — since 1986. The Little Rock businessman and his family have also established a legacy of civic service and philanthropy through his charitable work across central Arkansas. 

    Boozman and Cotton highlighted Stephens’ background, leadership and reputation while reiterating their support of his nomination. 
    “I have had the privilege of knowing Warren for many years and am confident he will bring his many talents, skills and relationships to bear as our ambassador to the United Kingdom, and I’m thankful to President Trump for choosing him to fill this very crucial diplomatic role,” said Boozman. “His extensive experience and expertise in the private sector, and dedication to enhancing the relationship between our two nations, will serve him well as he represents America’s interests in this critical post.”
    “Warren has spent a lifetime building and fostering strong relationships with his family, his clients, and his community,” said Cotton. “I think he is exactly the person America needs to lead our strong, special relationship with the United Kingdom as our next Ambassador of the United States to the Court of St. James’s.”
    To view Boozman and Cotton’s full remarks, click here.  
    The Foreign Relations Committee will take up his nomination at a future date. If approved, it will advance to the full Senate for consideration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MEDIA ADVISORY: Sanders to Host Youth Choral Concert and Town Meeting on the Arts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    BURLINGTON, Vt., April 1 – Sen. Bernie Sanders will host a youth choral concert and town meeting on the importance of arts education on Saturday evening at the Casella Theater in Castleton. The concert will feature performances from seven Vermont elementary, middle, high school, and college choirs.
    Last year marked the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that Vermont students participated in this once-annual event. More than 180 Vermont students joined Senator Sanders at the Dibden Center for the Arts for a town meeting and performed songs that ranged from traditional to spiritual to pop.
    “I’m so glad we were able to bring our youth choral concert back last year. It was a great night full of fantastic music. I am thrilled that we are once again hosting a concert – this year at the Casella Theater. I have no doubt this will again become an event held every spring. I look forward to hearing some beautiful choral music and speaking to the many talented young performers,” said Sanders.
    The following Vermont schools will be performing: Lothrop Elementary School, Shelburne Community School, Hartland Elementary School, Colchester Middle School, Arlington Memorial Middle High School, Thetford Academy and the VTSU Castleton Chamber Singers.
    The concert will be conducted by Dr. Sherrill Blodget, Director of Choral Activities and Music Professor at Vermont State University Castleton.
    Details:
    What: Choral Concert and Town Meeting on the Arts with Sen. Bernie Sanders
    When: Saturday, April 5, 6:00 p.m. Concert starts at 6:00 p.m.; Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
    Where: Casella Theater, Vermont State University, 45 Alumni Dr, Castleton, VT
    General Public RSVP: Please RSVP online here. RSVPs are highly encouraged, but not required to attend the event. Seating will be on a first-come-first served basis.
    Media RSVP: Media members interested in attending must RSVP by contacting press@sanders.senate.gov.
    Note: All attendees are expected to follow Vermont Department of Health guidance, monitor symptoms, and are encouraged to take a rapid COVID-19 test prior to the event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands Answers from Trump Administration on Social Security Workforce Reductions, Office Closures in Wisconsin

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) demanded answers from the Trump administration on their plan to protect Wisconsin seniors’ benefits amid office closures and staffing cuts at the Social Security Administration (SSA) that will leave beneficiaries with fewer places to turn when accessing their earned benefits.  Specifically, Baldwin called out the Trump administration cutting 1/3 of the total staff in its Wausau region, including all management in Wisconsin Rapids. 

    “Wisconsinites pay into Social Security over a lifetime of hard work. But instead of helping our seniors access their earned benefits, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are gutting the agency and putting up roadblocks for Wisconsinites who often rely on Social Security to pay rent, keep the heat on, and put food on the table,” said Senator Baldwin. “If you fire people at the Social Security Agency, who is going to help our seniors get their benefits? As far as I can tell, this is all about taking Social Security benefits away from seniors in our state – all so they can fund their tax breaks for big corporations. We need answers.”

    In February, Elon Musk announced his DOGE initiative, which continues to gut services Wisconsinites rely on, was closing dozens of local Social Security offices nationwide, including terminating the leases for two Social Security offices in Green Bay and Wausau. The office closures come as the Trump Administration announced that starting March 31 they would eliminate over-the-phone verification, instead requiring some recipients to visit a Social Security office in-person to prove their identity. Meanwhile, staffing cuts at the agency have hit 1 in 3 staff in the Wausau district – which includes Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids and Rhinelander – including all management in Wisconsin Rapids.

    In a letter today to Leland Dudek, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Senator Baldwin posed the following questions to the Trump Administration and requested a response no later than April 15, 2025:

    1. What is the current status of Social Security Administration offices and leases for these offices in Wisconsin?
    2. What are the current staffing levels at each of the Social Security Administration offices in Wisconsin? How have staffing levels changed since January 19, 2025?
    3. What additional changes in operations and leases is the Social Security Administration considering for offices in Wisconsin for the remainder of the year?
    4. What additional workforce changes is Social Security Administration considering for offices in Wisconsin for the remainder of the year?

    This letter comes on the heels of Senator Baldwin’s continued work to protect Wisconsin seniors’ benefits. Last week, Senator Baldwin called on the Trump Administration to reverse course on their plan to instate in-person verification that will put up roadblocks for seniors to access their benefits, especially in Wisconsin’s rural communities. She also spoke out against Donald Trump’s plan to slash the SSA workforce, which helps seniors access their benefits.

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

    Dear Acting Commissioner Dudek,

    I write to request information about the Social Security Administration’s offices and operations in Wisconsin, including staffing cuts and office closures announced during the first few months of the Trump Administration by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

    Last month, the Social Security Administration announced its plan to significantly reduce its workforce and close offices across the country, including offices in Green Bay and Wausau. Moreover, my staff was informed that, due to agency restructuring, the Wausau district—which includes Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids and Rhinelander—has lost 1/3 of total staff, including all management in Wisconsin Rapids. 

    This information is greatly concerning and raises questions about your misguided restructuring and reductions in workforce. It will mean longer wait times and reduced service for Social Security beneficiaries, including older and low-income Americans, people who live in rural communities, and veterans. This update further shines a light on the devastating impacts of the Trump Administration’s continued prioritization of Elon Musk’s demands over the needs of Wisconsinites.

    I ask that you respond to the following questions no later than April 15, 2025:

    1. What is the current status of Social Security Administration offices and leases for these offices in Wisconsin?
    2. What are the current staffing levels at each of the Social Security Administration offices in Wisconsin? How have staffing levels changed since January 19, 2025?
    3. What additional changes in operations and leases is the Social Security Administration considering for offices in Wisconsin for the remainder of the year?
    4. What additional workforce changes is Social Security Administration considering for offices in Wisconsin for the remainder of the year?

    I look forward to your response.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump’s Peace Through Strength Is Correcting Course, Driving Results

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    After four years of foreign policy failures, President Donald J. Trump and his administration have made tremendous progress in restoring safety and security at home and abroad by implementing Peace through Strength. All we really needed was a new president.
    After President Trump demanded action, Mexico committed 10,000 of its own troops to our southern border and Canada deployed 10,000 of its own personnel to our northern border to help stem the flow of illegal immigration and illicit fentanyl into our country.
    President Trump designated deadly drug cartels and vicious transnational gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, empowering law enforcement to make enormous progress arresting and deporting these violent terrorists.
    President Trump forced Colombia, Venezuela, and other countries to accept repatriation flights for their own citizens who were illegally in the U.S.
    President Trump’s unprecedented effort to secure the homeland has driven illegal border crossings to historic lows — down 95% over last year.
    President Trump provided key intelligence to the Pakistani government, which led to the arrest and extradition of the ISIS terrorist who orchestrated the deadly Abbey Gate bombing.
    President Trump increased U.S. counterterrorism activities and eliminated dozens of hardened terrorists — including a high-ranking ISIS attack planner in Somalia.
    President Trump reimposed maximum pressure on the Iranian regime to reign in their nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism across the Middle East.
    President Trump ordered strikes against Houthi terrorists, which have overwhelmed their leaders and networks and taken away their capabilities — not stopping “until they are no longer a threat to Freedom of Navigation.”
    President Trump’s pressure led Panama to exit China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a debt-trap diplomacy scheme the Chinese Communist Party uses to gain influence over developing nations — a massive milestone as the U.S. seeks to secure the Western Hemisphere from Chinese influence.
    President Trump’s leadership has secured the release of 39 U.S. citizens detained abroad — compared to just 80 citizens released across Biden’s four years in office.
    President Trump brokered a temporary ceasefire in Gaza to ensure the release of hostages, including an American citizen — a deal Biden was unable to secure.
    For the first time in three years, President Trump brought both Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table for serious discussions around a peaceful resolution — engagements that continue in earnest.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: 14 Hours into Long Speech, Booker Highlights the Ways President Trump is Making America Less Safe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Early this morning, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) delivered floor remarks on the Trump Administration’s national security policies that are leaving our allies abandoned, our adversaries emboldened, and Americans less safe. 

    President Trump is unlawfully dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), terminating foreign aid programs that save lives and benefit American businesses, and increasingly distancing the U.S. from our neighbors and partners while ceding ground to Russia and China.

    Booker took to the Senate floor beginning at 7pm ET last night with the intention of speaking as long as he is physically able to uplift the stories of Americans who are being harmed by the Trump Administration’s reckless actions, attempts to undermine our institutions, and disregard for the rule of law.

    WATCH HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer, Congressional Delegation Announce Military Service Academy Days Across Nebraska

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Today, U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and U.S. Representatives Mike Flood (NE-01), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Adrian Smith (NE-03) announced that their staff will hold Service Academy Days in Bellevue, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha, Grand Island, and Lincoln. 

    The events inform high school students about the process to apply for a congressional nomination to one of our nation’s military service academies. Service academy representatives will be on hand to answer questions. 

    “Home to Offutt Air Force Base and Camp Ashland, Nebraska has long been the home of our nation’s exceptional service members. To continue our state’s proud tradition of military service, I’m happy to host Academy Days for high school students and their parents to learn more about how to apply for nominations to one of our prestigious Military Service Academies,” said Senator Fischer.

    “Nebraska has a strong tradition of supporting our military. Each year, I honor that tradition by nominating outstanding young Nebraskans to attend our United States service academies. I encourage high school students from across our state to attend Academy Days and learn more about the nomination process,” said Senator Ricketts.

    “America’s Military Service Academies are training a new generation of young leaders who are stepping up to serve in our nation’s Armed Forces. Academy Days hosted by the Nebraska delegation will provide in depth briefings on how nominations work. I strongly encourage any young Nebraskan who has an interest in attending one of the academies to join our offices to learn more and get all your questions answered before diving into the application process,” said Representative Flood.

    “As a veteran who served nearly 30 years in the Air Force, I cannot share enough how much my military career meant to me and these academies help our youth get a start on their own exciting and fulfilling careers. I encourage our high school students to check out each of the academies and wish them the best as they start their application process,” said Representative Bacon.

    “Nebraska has many bright young people who are willing to serve and would make outstanding cadets at our country’s service academies. It is an honor to partner with our congressional delegation and connect our state’s leading students with a first-rate education, leadership opportunities, and training for service,” said Representative Smith.

    The event includes representatives from the Nebraska chapters of the service academy alumni associations and Nebraska service academy parent clubs.

    All high school students, parents, and guidance counselors who have an interest in the nation’s service academies are welcome and no preregistration is required. The targeted audience is freshman through juniors.

    To learn more, please contact Kevin Huebert, Senator Fischer’s Director of Military and Veterans Affairs, at (402) 391-3411.

    Please click here or see below for dates, locations, and more information:

    • April 5
      • 8:00am – 12:00pm CT
      • Bellevue University, John B. Muller Admin Bldg.
        • 812 Bruin Blvd

    Bellevue, NE 68005

    • May 3
      • 9:00am – 12:00pm CT
      • Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
        • 609 W. Norfolk Ave

    Norfolk, NE 68701

    • May 10
      • 9:00am – 12:00pm CT
      • Nebraska National Guard Armory
        • 1700 N. Jeffers St

    North Platte, NE 69101

    • May 17
      • 9:00am – 12:00pm CT
      • Omaha North High School
        • 4410 N. 36th St

    Omaha, NE 68111

    • August 9
      • 11:00am – 2:00pm CT
      • Grand Island Public Library
        • 1124 W 2nd St
          Grand Island, NE 68801
    • August 23
      • 11:00am – 2:00pm CT
      • John J. Pershing Army Reserve Center
        • 3700 West O Street
          Lincoln, NE 68528

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Statement on Burma Earthquakes and On-Going Repression

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding humanitarian aid to the Burmese people and pressure on the junta: 

    “This weekend’s earthquakes in Burma have heaped new tragedy on a people already beset by grinding hardship. For most of Burma’s independent history, its people have struggled under the jackboot of a totalitarian junta. The search for survivors of these latest disasters adds a new and bitter challenge to the task of unwinding the current military coup.

    “The people of Burma have displayed tremendous resilience and commitment to democracy since the 2021 coup. Unprecedented cooperation among Burma’s ethnic groups and pro-democracy movement have put the junta on the back foot. The Tatmadaw’s decision to drop bombs on impacted villages instead of sending urgent material assistance will go down among its most callous offenses.

    “To the extent that emergency aid from abroad is reaching the hardest-hit areas around Mandalay, the absence of robust and coordinated American participation will not go unnoticed. Neither will the major and visible role played as of now by the PRC, especially if Beijing continues to enable the Junta’s war against Burma’s people. With U.S. networks of humanitarian workers and regional experts in tatters, pledges of assistance to the people of Burma will be less efficient and less effective.

    “As I have repeatedly urged administrations of both parties for years before this weekend’s events, the United States and its allies must apply urgent and concerted pressure on the military to cease its slaughter and restore power to the people of Burma.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch’s LOCAL Foods Act Reintroduced with Bipartisan Support

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced the bipartisan Livestock Owned by Communities to Advance Local (LOCAL) Foods Act, legislation to update the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906’s (FMIA) ‘Personal-Use Exemption’ to better support small-scale meat producers in rural communities. The LOCAL Foods Act would codify current USDA guidance on Personal-Use and Custom Exemptions, allowing consumers to buy live animals from producers and designate agents to handle the slaughter and processing of their meat.  
    “Small, Vermont-sized farms have produced locally-grown produce and farm-fresh meat for their neighbors and community for years, but regulations designed for large-scale farms have made that increasingly difficult. We need to cut through red tape and help our rural producers compete in the marketplace. This bipartisan bill will help support our local producers and help local customers access fresh, locally-sourced products,” said Sen. Peter Welch. 
    “If you’re purchasing livestock for personal consumption, you shouldn’t have to jump through the same regulatory hoops present in the commercial meat market,” said Senator Lee. “This bipartisan, commonsense legislation gives freedom to farmers and ranchers of every size to feed themselves and their communities without going through unnecessary steps to please the government.” 
    The Federal Meat Inspection Act requires all meat in the United States to be inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, the small number of USDA-inspected slaughterhouses creates bottlenecks for producers, especially small-scale producers that have to compete for slaughterhouse time with much larger operations. To address this, the LOCAL Foods Act will amend Personal-Use and Custom Exemptions to allow producers to sell a live animal to a consumer. The consumer will then have the freedom to either hire someone or slaughter and process the meat themselves, helping farmers to avoid bottlenecks to continue providing their communities with locally sourced food.  
    In 2013, Vermont adopted an on-farm slaughter law similar to the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s guidelines to allow owners to slaughter their livestock on the farm where it was raised while upholding food safety standards. This law helps reduce costs and emissions from animal transport, alleviate pressure on backlogged slaughterhouses, increase farm viability, and improve animal welfare and food security. However, USDA retains the authority to eliminate Vermont’s on-farm slaughter inspection program if the state fails to meet federal standards.  
    In 2018, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service issued updated guidelines to create an avenue for producers to sell their produce locally and without an inspection. This guidance gives livestock owners the option to slaughter livestock themselves, or have an agent slaughter their livestock on the farm where it was raised. This change also allows producers to sell a live animal to a consumer, have it slaughtered on the farm, and then processed at a custom processing facility. Custom processing facilities are inspected periodically, in contrast to round-the-clock inspectors that are present at USDA-certified facilities.  
    The LOCAL Foods Act is endorsed by the Farm Action Fund, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, HOPE for Small Farm Sustainability, Kentucky Black Farmers Association, National Family Farm Coalition, and Rural Vermont.
    “This legislation will reduce financial and regulatory burdens on small farmers, thereby improving consumers’ access to local foods,” commented Judith McGeary, regenerative farmer, lawyer, and Executive Director of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance. “Many consumers want to buy from local farmers instead of massive corporations, but farmers are blocked by burdensome regulations written by and for agribusiness.”  
    “The LOCAL Foods Act protects the rights of farmers to sell directly from their farm and the rights of consumers to access the foods of their choice from the source of their choice, achieving the kind of food freedom so many desire for themselves, their families, and their communities,” said Christine Dzujna, Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund’s Policy Manager. 
    “On-farm slaughter aligns with the growing demand for locally-sourced food that respects community traditions,” said Diana Padilla, owner operator of Yahweh’s All Natural Farm and Garden and Executive Director of HOPE for Small Farm Sustainability, “Through my work with farmers in my community, and as a beef farmer myself, I’m seeing increased demand from people who want to buy their meat directly from a farmer they personally know. The LOCAL Foods Act is a straightforward solution that will put more money in farmers’ pockets while fostering meaningful connections between producers and their customers.”   
    “Modernizing the personal-use exception reflects the realities of diverse communities demanding access to local food that honor their traditions,” said Kenya Abraham, member of the Kentucky Black Farmers Association. “We are observing a growing demand to access local producers like me, but we need legislation that gives us an incentive to continue our operations.”  
    “Securing the independence of farmers and consumers is key to building a healthy food system,” commented Antonio Tovar, Senior Policy Associate at the National Family Farm Coalition. “When consumers are effectively forced to access their food from corporations, it makes us vulnerable to a weak and unreliable market. The LOCAL Foods Act offers a real opportunity to start building a food system allowing freedom of choice.” 
    “Updating the personal-use exemption to be based on ownership aligns with current USDA standards and is needed to protect the rights of livestock owners, producers, and itinerant slaughterers to practice on-farm slaughter in compliance with their state regulations,” said Caroline Sherman-Gordon, a small farmer and Rural Vermont’s Legislative Director. “The LOCAL Foods Act protects farmers from arbitrary change to regulations, offering them the stability they need to plan and grow their businesses.” 
    Learn more about the LOCAL Foods Act.  
    Read and download the full text of the bill.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Mullin Joins Meet the Press, Highlights the Return of Real Leadership

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)
    “We have terrorist organizations coming after the United States everywhere because the Biden administration has done nothing for four years.”
    Washington, D.C. –On Sunday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet the Press to discuss the Trump administration’s return to peace through strength, successful Houthi strikes, pending newsanctions on Russia, and the president’s efforts to level the playing field for American workers through reciprocal tariffs. Highlights below.

    Sen. Mullin’s full interview can be found here.
    On the success of the strikes against the Houthis:
    “There was no war plans that The Atlantic put out. What they did was have a very successful attack against the Houthis, who’s a terrorist organization, that’s been harassing our Navy since 2023. They had attacked our Navy 174 times and the Biden Administration did nothing but sit on their hands. But what the Trump administration did was take the fight directly to the Houthis. So what the conversation should be is why didn’t the Biden Administration do something in the last two years instead of us being focused on this Signal chat. Which there was no classified information given out…
    “Tell me where the location was at, what part of the region was it at, what part of the world was this at? We have a lot of conflicts, a lot of issues going on around the world, from Africa to anywhere in the Middle East, to even in Asia, or possibly in Europe. This could have been going on any place in the world. There was no specific information except that a target was gonna be hit. We have terrorist organizations coming after the United States everywhere because the Biden administration has done nothing for four years.”
    On President Trump standing up to Russia:
    “What President Trump is trying to do is negotiate an end to the deal of individuals dying in Ukraine…
    “What President Trump has said right now is, if [Putin] continues to play games, he’s going to get tough on Russia just like he did in 2017.”
    On our trade partners needing to abide by a two-way street:
    “[Canada] needs us more than we need them. The fact is we have been subsidizing their economy by the tunes of billions of dollars every single year, and they know that. What President Trump is saying is that enough is enough. If you’re gonna have a relationship with the United States, it’s gonna be an even playing field, a two-way street. We want reciprocal tariffs; we want to be treated the same. We want to have access to your economy like you have access to us.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Under Musk’s Plan for Social Security, 67,000 Americans Will Die Waiting for Disability Benefits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, April 1 – Ahead of the Senate Finance Committee’s vote to advance Trump’s nominee to be Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy, today released new findings exposing the stark reality of Elon Musk’s plans to cut the SSA by up to 50 percent. These disastrous cuts are taking place at a time when Social Security’s staff is already at a 50-year low. 
    Under Musk’s policies, the number of people who will die waiting for benefits could more than double from nearly 30,000 in 2023 to up to 67,000. Average wait times for Social Security disability benefits will nearly double from an average of 236 days in February of 2025 to 412 days. 
    “President Trump and Elon Musk have suggested that ‘millions and millions’ of dead people receive Social Security checks. That is an outrageous lie designed to undermine Americans’ faith in Social Security,” said Sanders. “Here’s the truth: 30,000 people die a year waiting for an understaffed Social Security to approve disability benefits. The Trump-Musk plan to cut Social Security’s staff by up to 50 percent will make this tragic reality even worse, and Frank Bisignano is there to see it through. We cannot let that happen.” 
    In 2023, 5,252 full time employees were responsible for making disability determinations at SSA, a workforce which has steadily decreased from previous years. Even before DOGE started making cuts to SSA, the number of people who died waiting for a benefit decision grew from 10,000 to 30,000 from 2017 to 2023. Meanwhile, Americans have had to wait longer than ever to get their benefits. During that same time, the average wait time for a decision grew exponentially – from 111 days to 217 days. In February 2025, Americans had to wait an average of 236 days for a determination. 
    Instead of making the federal government work for the American people, the Trump administration and Elon Musk want to make SSA less efficient by cutting as much as 50 percent of its staff. Using SSA data and regarding initial decisions disability benefits for 2025, Musk’s reported plans to lay off Social Security employees will result in:
    Nearly 67,000 people dying and
    A 412 day wait.
    Sanders concluded: “Instead of slashing Social Security’s staff, closing down Social Security field offices, we should be making it easier, not harder, for seniors and people with disabilities to receive the Social Security benefits that they have earned and deserve.” 
    Read the full report here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Gillibrand, Wyden Call for New Watchdog Investigation into State Oversight of Assisted Living Facilities, Quality of Care Provided to Seniors

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 01, 2025
    Federal Medicaid program covers assisted living services in many states; initial GAO investigation revealed inadequate state oversight of over 20,000 serious health and safety problems at assisted living facilities 
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), the Ranking Members of the Senate Banking, Finance, and Aging Committees,  wrote to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a new investigation into the quality of care provided at assisted living facilities, and whether the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and state Medicaid agencies have improved their ability to protect hundreds of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities in assisted living facilities that participate in Medicaid. 
    “A new GAO report could provide legislators and the American public with a stronger understanding of why assisted living facilities were so rarely held accountable for neglecting the safety of their residents,” wrote the senators. 
    In 2018, GAO reported on this issue, revealing that the majority of state Medicaid agencies did not track serious health and safety problems occurring at assisted living facilities participating in Medicaid. In the 22 states that did track these problems, over 20,000 serious health and safety problems occurred, from physical assaults to medication errors to unexplained deaths. The report also found that state agencies defined critical incidents in different ways, limiting the collection of information. GAO concluded that CMS may be unaware of widespread problems affecting Medicaid beneficiaries at assisted living facilities due to a lack of clear federal guidance on reporting issues. A separate investigation by Sen. Warren revealed that there were an estimated 7,000 deaths from COVID in assisted living facilities during the first year of the pandemic.
    Since then, reporting has highlighted the extent of threats to the safety of individuals in these facilities. In 2023, the Washington Post revealed that since 2018, thousands of assisted living residents have “wandered away…or been left unattended for hours outside,” leading to nearly 100 documented deaths and even more residents unaccounted for as a result of “failures by administrators and front-line caregivers” to prevent these incidents.
    At a January 2024 hearing before the Senate Aging Committee, experts described the necessity of strengthening national standards for assisted living facilities. Witnesses testified that a number of issues, including inadequate and inconsistent training, improper communication from operators and state agencies, and limited data collection contribute to subpar conditions and poor-quality care at the facilities. 
    In May 2024, CMS finalized rules to ensure state Medicaid programs are subject to nationwide incident management system standards requiring them to consistently monitor health and safety problems at assisted living facilities that participate in Medicaid. The new rules also include a requirement for states to submit annual critical incident reports to CMS. The new critical incident management system will take effect in 2027, at the earliest, underscoring the need to understand the state of care in these facilities before then. 
    “Given GAO’s previous findings on the need for improved oversight of assisted living facilities, and new findings about residents’ health and safety, we request that GAO provide an update on this issue,” concluded the senators. 
    The lawmakers asked for the scope of the GAO’s investigation to cover how oversight of the facilities has changed since the 2018 report, the types of deficiencies and critical incidents identified at the facilities in recent years, how CMS is implementing the updated monitoring and reporting requirements for state Medicaid programs, and the extent to which additional oversight in these facilities is necessary. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Colleagues Urge AG Bondi to Appoint A Special Counsel to Investigate Trump Administration Signal Chat National Security Breach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and 28 Senate Democrats in urging Attorney General Pam Bondi 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 Houseand 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.
    The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), 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 here and below:
    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 officialspresents 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 Committeesby 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.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Honor Farmer Contracts Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    April 01, 2025
    Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said today they have joined Senate colleagues to introduce legislation that would release funding illegally withheld by the Trump administration for all contracts and agreements previously entered into by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 
    “The unlawful freezing of federal funding has inflicted chaos on nearly every part of our lives, and this funding can make the difference between whether farms in Oregon and nationwide can stay in business or not,” Wyden said. “Agriculture plays a huge part in Oregon’s economy, and it’s absolutely essential for the federal government to fulfill its end of the deal with farmers’ promised reimbursement. The Honor Farmer Contracts Act would reverse the Trump administration’s reckless actions and ensure farmers can trust that the federal government won’t stiff them.”
    “The USDA’s failure to honor its commitments is hurting farmers and rural communities in Oregon and across the country,” said Merkley. “The Honor Farmer Contracts Act is about restoring trust and ensuring farmers get the Congressionally authorized funding they were promised. The Trump Administration’s illegal federal funding cuts violate contracts, jeopardize livelihoods, and weaken our food system. It’s time to restore critical funding and support the farmers who feed our communities.”
    Trump’s Agriculture Department has refused to make reimbursement payments to fulfill signed contracts, without any indication of when or whether farmers will be paid the money they laid out and are owed. Farmers and the organizations that serve them operate on tight margins and cannot be left waiting for weeks and months without funding they rightfully planned for and need to keep operating. Similarly, farmer-serving organizations—which farmers rely upon to connect to local markets and implement practices that make them more productive and less resource intensive—are facing imminent funding crises from not being reimbursed for completed or in-progress contracted work. This legislation would require the USDA to pay farmers all past due payments as quickly as possible to prevent them from having to shut down their operations. 
    The Honor Farmer Contracts Act would:
    Require USDA to unfreeze all signed agreements and contracts;
    Require USDA to make all past due payments as quickly as possible;
    Prohibit USDA from cancelling agreements or contracts with farmers or organizations providing assistance to farmers unless there has been a failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the agreement or contract.
    Prohibit USDA from closing any Farm Service Agency county office, Natural Resources Conservation Service field office or Rural Development Service Center without providing 60 days prior notice and justification to Congress.
    The Honor Farmer Contacts was led by U.S Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Peter Welch, D-Vt., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Angus King, I-Maine, Tina Smith, D-Minn., Ed J. Markey, D-Mass., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., will introduce companion legislation in the House.
    The full text of the bill is here.
    To see the full list of organizations endorsing the Honor Farmer Contracts Act, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Statement Ahead of Trump’s Next Round of Tariffs, a Tax Hike on American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—As President Trump reportedly prepares to enact blanket tariffs that will impact trade globally and plunge the economy into chaos, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement: 
    “It is obvious that Trump ‘couldn’t care less’ about the American people feeling the pain of his reckless tariffs. President Trump needs to get real: this half-baked trade war will only raise prices for consumers. Trump’s so-called ‘liberation day’ will throw the global economy into turmoil and leave Americans holding the bag,” said Senator Peter Welch. “I can support tariffs that demand accountability from bad actors like China, but it must be done in a multilateral, smart way. We should not impose sweeping tariffs on our allies and longtime partners in trade. America’s close economic ties with our trading partners are based on trust. These on-again, off-again tariffs are extremely destructive and totally unnecessary. President Trump is sticking it to our farmers, our businesses, and everyday working people.” 
    More than 18,600 Vermonters work in industries targeted by retaliatory tariffs, and thousands more will see higher costs for food, fuel, and energy. A new poll from AP-NORC found that a majority of voters—60% disapprove—of the president’s handling of trade negotiations, and 58% disapprove of his handling of the economy. 
    Senator Welch has blasted Trump’s tariffs and trade war and shared stories from constituents about how President Trump’s economic policies have impacted their businesses, farms, and communities. In March, Senator Welch hosted a roundtable in Newport with Vermont and Canadian business leaders to discuss President Trump’s Trade War. He has also held events in St. Albans and virtually to hear directly from impacted Vermonters.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 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 Dick Durbin
    April 01, 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 – 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 29 Senate Democrats sent 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 Durbin and Schumer, today’s letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), 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 today’s letter is available here 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: VIDEO: 5 Hours In: Booker Discusses Trump, Musk Efforts to Slash Social Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) brought the focus of his long floor speech to President Trump’s and Elon Musk’s efforts to lay off thousands of Social Security employees, strip benefits from millions of Americans, and dismantle a critical program that has served Americans for nearly a century. 73 million Americans and 1.6 million people in New Jersey rely on Social Security benefits – benefits earned through a lifetime of work and paying into the program.
    Booker took to the Senate floor beginning at 7pm ET last night with the intention of speaking as long as he is physically able to uplift the stories of Americans who are being harmed by the Trump Administration’s reckless actions, attempts to undermine our institutions, and disregard for the rule of law.
    WATCH HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: 10 Hours into Long Speech, Booker Speaks About President Trump’s Attacks on Immigrants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, 10 hours into U.S. Senator Cory Booker’s (D-NJ) long speech, Senator Booker outlined the Trump administration’s dangerous approach to immigration enforcement, emphasizing that the administration’s actions do not solve the problems at our Southern border or in our immigration system, but instead undermine public safety and Americans’ Constitutional rights. Senator Booker is using his speech to uplift the voices of Americans who have been, and will continue to be, hurt by these policies.
    Booker took to the Senate floor beginning at 7pm ET last night with the intention of speaking as long as he is physically able to uplift the stories of Americans who are being harmed by the Trump Administration’s reckless actions, attempts to undermine our institutions, and disregard for the rule of law.
    WATCH HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: 8 Hours into Long Speech, Booker Turns Focus to Attacks on America’s Education System

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – 8 hours into his long speech, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) turned his focus to the Trump Administration’s recent steps to dismantle the Department of Education and cut critical funding for teachers. Senator Booker shared testimonials from constituents in his state that are suffering the consequences of President Trump’s unlawful actions.
    Booker took to the Senate floor beginning at 7pm ET last night with the intention of speaking as long as he is physically able to uplift the stories of Americans who are being harmed by the Trump Administration’s reckless actions, attempts to undermine our institutions, and disregard for the rule of law.
    WATCH HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: 4 HOURS IN: Booker Brings Focus to President Trump’s Attacks on Medicaid, Americans’ Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) brought the focus of his floor remarks to President Trump’s attempts to slash Medicaid, defund critical medical research, and increase health care costs for Americans. This week, Republicans in the Senate plan to make Senators vote on a budget that will harm Americans who rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and vital health programs.

    Starting at 7pm Eastern Time tonight, Booker took to the Senate floor with the intention of speaking as long as he is physically capable to uplift the stories of Americans who are being harmed by the Trump Administration’s reckless actions, attempts to undermine our institutions, and disregard for the rule of law. 

    WATCH HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Booker Launches Floor Speech by Saying: “I am going to stand here until I no longer can. I am going to speak up.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) took to the Senate floor with the intention of speaking as long as he is physically capable of speaking to uplift the stories of Americans who are being harmed by the Trump Administration’s reckless actions, attempts to undermine our institutions, and disregard for the rule of law. 

    Under the rules of the Senate, Senators have the ability to speak without time limitation. 

    Booker opened his speech saying, “I rise tonight with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able… These are not normal times in our nation. And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent and we all must do more to stand against them.”

    His opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, are pasted in full below.

    WATCH HERE

    A full copy of his opening remarks as prepared for delivery can be found below:

    Mr/Madame President—

    I rise tonight with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able.

    I rise tonight because our nation is in crisis:

    Bedrock commitments are being broken;

    Unnecessary hardship is being borne by Americans of all backgrounds;

    Our institutions are being recklessly and unconstitutionally attacked and even shattered.

    In just 71 days, the President has inflicted harm after harm on Americans’ safety; financial stability; the foundations of our democracy; and any sense of common decency. 

    These are not normal times in our nation. 

    And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate.

    The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent and we all must do more to stand against them.

    Generations from now will look back at this moment and have a single question — where were you?

    When our country was in crisis and when the American people were asking for our help — did we speak up?

    When the 73 million American seniors who rely on Social Security were told that from now on, there will be no one to answer when they call for help; when our seniors were afraid and worried because of the menacing of an American president, did we speak up? 

    When prices at the grocery store were skyrocketing and the stock market was plunging and Americans were hurting and looking for help – 

    and at the same time, the President of the United States was launching a trade war on our allies; 

    firing the regulators who investigate America’s biggest banks and corporations; 

    dismantling the agency that protects consumers from fraud; 

    peddling his own meme coin; 

    and doing a car commercial for the richest man in the world in front of the White House;

    When the President tried to take health care away from people with disabilities in order to pay for tax cuts for the billionaires sitting on the dais at his inauguration and in his cabinet meetings at the White House;

    When he gutted public education; slashed funding for pediatric cancer research; and fired thousands of veterans who risked their lives for this country;

    When he abandoned our allies and our international commitments at a time when floods, fires, hurricanes, and droughts are devastating communities across the country, and outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases are still a global threat. 

    When the American press was being censored; 

    when international students were being disappeared from American communities; 

    when American universities were being silenced; 

    when American law firms were being targeted; 

    when the people who attacked the police officers defending this building and American democracy on January 6th weren’t just pardoned, but were celebrated by the man in the highest office in the land;

    When Americans from across the country were all speaking up and saying:

    this is not right; 

    this is un-American;

    this is not who we are. 

    Did we speak up?

    I rise tonight because to be silent at this moment of national crisis would be a betrayal, and because at stake in this moment is nothing less than everything that makes us who we are.

    At stake right now are the most basic American principles — 

    That if you work hard your entire life and pay into Social Security, it should be there for you when you retire, and you should not have to question if those paychecks will arrive. 

    That if you serve your nation, you will be respected and taken care of – and not forced to worry that the federal employees who provide you with care will be fired, or the benefits you rely on will be denied, or that your healthcare needs won’t be met. 

    That your children will have access to a high quality public education and return home safely from school each day;

    That the people you elect to serve in government will represent you and not try to make themselves richer; 

    That everyone’s rights will be equally protected and everyone will be held equally accountable under the law; 

    Right now, all of this – things that make our country different — are under attack. Our constituents are asking us to acknowledge that this is not normal, that this is a crisis. 

    So I am going to stand here until I no longer can.

    I am going to speak up.  

    I want to start by sharing just a few of the letters I have received from my constituents in recent weeks about what is at stake right now.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Introduce Bill to Expand Affordable Housing Access in Fast-Growing Cities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) introduced the Housing Choice Vouchers Fairness Act to update the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) decades-old Housing Choice Voucher allocation formula so fast-growing cities like Las Vegas can access more of them. The Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government’s major program that helps low-income families, elderly and disabled individuals, and veterans afford housing in the private market. 

    Currently, the federal formulas that allocate vouchers are based on outdated population calculations dating back to the 2000 census. This legislation authorizes an additional two billion dollars in funding for the Housing Choice Voucher program to make sure public housing authorities that represent the country’s 25 fastest-growing cities with a population of over 100,000 can provide enough vouchers to meet the needs of their populations.

    “Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and as our population expands, so does our need for affordable housing,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Current housing voucher programs aren’t cutting it, and this legislation would fill that gap to help working Nevada families find homes.”

    “Nevada is facing an affordable housing crisis, and it makes no sense that an outdated allocation formula is preventing us from receiving our fair share of federal housing vouchers,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m helping to introduce a bill to update the formula and provide additional funding to fast-growing cities like Las Vegas. I’ll keep pushing for solutions to lower housing costs for Nevada families.”

    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto are working to lower housing costs and prevent housing prices from increasing further. Last year, Cortez Masto secured $9.4 million from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of San Francisco’s targeted fund — almost twice as much as Nevada received the year before — to build more middle-class homes, and she’s pushing to reform the FHLB system. Cortez Masto is also leading legislation to significantly increase the amount of federal funds available for the HOME Investment Partnership Program to build more affordable housing across the country. Recently, her legislation to cut red tape to speed up federal land transactions and lower housing costs was signed into law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Urge Attorney General Bondi to Reverse Course on Unjustified Firings of Immigration Judges

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Schiff Urge Attorney General Bondi to Reverse Course on Unjustified Firings of Immigration Judges

    The unjustified firings come as immigration courts are already under immense pressure to adjudicate roughly 3.6 million backlogged cases, with further strains expected with Trump’s mass deportation agenda

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) joined 64 House and Senate Democrats in urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to reverse the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) alarming decision to fire immigration judges even as the immigration courts currently face a staggering backlog of immigration cases. In February, EOIR abruptly fired 20 immigration judges, removed all nine Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) judges appointed during the Biden Administration, and terminated four individuals in senior EOIR leadership positions, with indications they may remove even more judges.

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

    The lawmakers highlighted the resource gaps left by these unjustified firings, citing data exclusively provided to the Committees, writing: “The termination of the [Assistant Chief Immigration Judges] (ACIJs) left roughly 25 percent of immigration courts without appropriate or established leadership or additional judges to preside over immigration matters. The fired ACIJs oversaw 18 of the 71 immigration courts and supervised 135 of approximately 700 immigration judges and over 400 staff members.”

    The lawmakers emphasized that these judges helped supervise other immigration judges, and firing them will lessen the quality and slow down immigration case decisions amid preexisting large case backlogs. Immigration courts are under pressure to adjudicate roughly 3.6 million immigration cases, and a recent analysis found that 700 additional immigration judges would be needed to clear the case backlog by FY 2032.

    “The absence of experienced ACIJs will impact immigration court dockets, in particular by further contributing to backlogs at courts with priority dockets, such as the detained dockets, juvenile dockets, Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) dockets, and credible fear dockets,” continued the lawmakers. “The firings also will directly impact the Migration Protection Protocols (MPP) docket, a purported priority of the Trump Administration, which has commenced at the San Diego and El Paso courts. The two ACIJs with the most experience managing the MPP docket were among those fired.”

    The lawmakers further underscored the lack of notice or justification provided for the firings, suggesting they were politically motivated. They noted the harmful caseload impacts of the BIA judge removals, which unlawfully reduced the size of the BIA from 28 to 15 appellate immigration judges.

    The lawmakers concluded by outlining the grave consequences of continuing to threaten the EOIR workforce and making a series of information requests.

    “Further jeopardizing the immigration courts’ ability to address the case backlog are EOIR’s efforts to reduce the overall size of the EOIR workforce,” concluded the lawmakers. “Despite the impact on adjudications and court efficiency, it appears EOIR leadership may continue to fire immigration judges. … Alarmingly, the Trump Administration also has not indicated any plans to replace the recently fired judges—a process that requires intensive training that can take upwards of one year.”

    The letter was led by U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee. In addition to Padilla and Schiff, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    U.S. Representatives Yassamin Ansari (D-Ill.-01), Becca Balint (D-Vt.-AL), Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.-02), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio-11), Sean Casten (D-Ill.-06), Gerald Connolly (D-Va.-11), Lou Correa (D-Calif.-46), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas-30), Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07), Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas-07), Jesús García (D-Ill.-04), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.-10), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.-01), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Henry Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.-08), George Latimer (D-N.Y.-06), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.-04), James McGovern (D-Mass.-02), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.-06), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.-02), Deborah Ross (D-N.C.-02), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.-05), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.-01), Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.-03), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.-02), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii-02), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.-23), and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43) also signed the letter.

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. He’s led efforts to highlight the rising challenges at immigration courts including court backlogs, due process issues, and the importance of legal representation.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Attorney General Bondi:

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

    On February 14, 2025, EOIR abruptly terminated 20 immigration judges via email without prior notice or stated cause, including 13 judges who had not yet been sworn in and seven of EOIR’s approximately 40 assistant chief immigration judges (ACIJs). Additionally, EOIR removed nine Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) members, all of whom were appointed during the Biden Administration. These removals followed the termination of four individuals in senior EOIR leadership positions. The termination of the ACIJs left roughly 25 percent of immigration courts without appropriate or established leadership or additional judges to preside over immigration matters. The fired ACIJs oversaw 18 of the 71 immigration courts and supervised 135 of approximately 700 immigration judges and over 400 staff members. They played key roles in ensuring immigration judges under their supervision adjudicated cases properly and efficiently. These changes will lessen the quality of immigration case decisions and the speed at which immigration cases are adjudicated.

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

    The decision to terminate these experienced ACIJs is particularly baffling, given the immense pressure the immigration courts are under to adjudicate roughly 3.6 million immigration cases. A recent analysis found that 700 additional immigration judges would be needed to clear the case backlog by FY2032.11 The absence of experienced ACIJs will impact immigration court dockets, in particular by further contributing to backlogs at courts with priority dockets, such as the detained dockets, juvenile dockets, Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) dockets, and credible fear dockets. The firings also will directly impact the Migration Protection Protocols (MPP) docket, a purported priority of the Trump Administration, which has commenced at the San Diego and El Paso courts. The two ACIJs with the most experience managing the MPP docket were among those fired.

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

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

    Further jeopardizing the immigration courts’ ability to address the case backlog are EOIR’s efforts to reduce the overall size of the EOIR workforce. According to the union representing immigration judges, about 85 immigration court professionals, including 18 judges, accepted the Trump Administration’s deferred resignation offer or early retirement. Despite the impact on adjudications and court efficiency, it appears EOIR leadership may continue to fire immigration judges. Acting Director Owen recently issued a memo stating that EOIR may decline in the future to recognize restrictions for removing “inferior officers,” including the director, deputy director, all immigration judges, all appellate immigration judges, all administrative law judges, the chief administrative hearing officer, the general counsel, and the assistant director for policy. Another memo indicated that EOIR could not be “confident” that judges hired during the Biden Administration were hired in a “merit-based” and “appropriate” manner. Alarmingly, the Trump Administration also has not indicated any plans to replace the recently fired judges—a process that requires intensive training that can take upwards of one year.

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

    1. Between January 20, 2025 and the date of the Department’s response to this letter, please provide the number of people in the following positions that have been dismissed, fired, reassigned, or otherwise let go, including by resignation or accepting an early retirement:

    a. Immigration judges;

    b. ACIJs;

    c. BIA members; and

    d. Immigration court staff, including legal assistants, attorneys, and administrative staff.

    2. What are the locations of the immigration courts where the departed personnel, including immigration judges, ACIJs, and immigration court staff, were located?

    3. Please provide the individual justifications, including indications of bias or impropriety, for the removal of immigration judges, ACIJs, and BIA members between January 21, 2025 and the date of the Department’s response to this letter?

    4. What is your plan to hire immigration court staff, immigration judges, and ACIJs by the end of FY 2025 and by the end of FY 2026?

    5. What is your plan to reduce the immigration court backlog? As part of that plan, have you conducted any assessment regarding how reducing immigration court staff and immigration judges will impact the backlog of cases?

    6. What is your plan to apply expedited removal to people currently in removal proceedings under section 240 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)? Have you provided any related instructions to immigration judges to block terminations of cases where the individual has demonstrated prima facie eligibility for a benefit and has an application pending for relief under the INA?

    7. How do you plan to reduce the number of BIA members through regulation?

    8. What, if any, plans do you have to convert IJs and/or ACIJs to “Special Inquiry Officers”?

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: LA Times: ‘Misguided mission’: Senators blast detaining migrants at Guantanamo

    US Senate News:

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

    ICYMI: LA Times: ‘Misguided mission’: Senators blast detaining migrants at Guantanamo

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, discussed the Trump Administration’s unlawful detention of migrants at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO) following his visit to the base. Last week, Padilla joined a delegation of U.S. Senators in traveling to Guantánamo Bay to conduct oversight of the ongoing Department of Defense activities to support the Department of Homeland Security in the unlawful relocation of migrants. The Senators blasted the Trump Administration for its unlawful relocation of migrants and waste of taxpayer dollars and military resources.

    In his interview, Padilla reiterated the “enormous” costs to taxpayers of the “misguided” Guantánamo Bay mission, emphasizing the Trump Administration’s lack of preparation and lack of reasoning for detaining migrants at Guantánamo Bay as opposed to within the United States. He also stressed that there is “no clear authority” for the Administration to take these unlawful actions, and underscored that many of the migrants being detained here are considered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be “low-risk.”

    Padilla previously denounced Trump’s relocation of immigrants from the United States to Guantánamo Bay as unlawful and demanded answers earlier this year.

    Key Excerpts:

    • Senators who visited the U.S. military base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, where the Trump administration has flown hundreds of migrants for deportation, on Saturday called on the Trump administration to “immediately cease this misguided mission.”
    • “After examining the migrant relocation activities at Guantánamo Bay, we are outraged by the scale and wastefulness of the Trump Administration’s misuse of our military,” the senators wrote. “It is obvious that Guantanamo Bay is a likely illegal and certainly illogical location to detain immigrants. Its use is seemingly designed to undermine due process and evade legal scrutiny.”
    • Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said his biggest takeaways were that the administration didn’t properly prepare for the operation and that the cost to taxpayers is “enormous.” “It was sort of a ready-fire-aim approach to this whole thing,” he said.
    • In an interview with The Times, Padilla said officials could not adequately explain why the migrants had to be held at Guantanamo, not some facility in the United States. …  “We asked repeatedly, you mean to tell me that across the 48 states in the continental U.S., there’s not space for [around 40 low-level detainees]?” Padilla said, adding that he has issues with Trump’s detention and deportation operation. “But even recognizing that, there’s a much more cost-effective way of doing it than this.”
    • Among the senators’ questions Friday, Padilla said, was what authorities are doing to meet the minimum standards for detention conditions, and which set of standards they are aiming to meet, such as those pertaining to the Navy or to ICE. There was no clear response, he said. “A lot of it seemed to be still very much a work in progress because this is unique, in terms of it being an ICE mission at a foreign location,” he said. “That in and of itself is extremely concerning because there’s no clear authority for anything they are doing at Guantanamo.”
    • At times, Padilla said, officials gave contradictory information. For example, he said the answer to some questions was “it depends on their conviction.” But Padilla pointed out that some detainees haven’t been convicted of anything, and are being held based on an arrest or charge.

    Full text of the article is available here and below:

    LA Times: ‘Misguided mission’: Senators blast detaining migrants at Guantanamo

    By Andrea Castillo

    • Sen. Alex Padilla, after visiting Guantanamo, said the Trump administration didn’t properly prepare for the operation and that the cost to taxpayers is “enormous.”
    • Eighty-seven migrants from primarily Latin American countries were held at the facility as of Friday, 42 of them considered “low risk.”

    Senators who visited the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the Trump administration has flown hundreds of migrants for deportation, on Saturday called on the Trump administration to “immediately cease this misguided mission.”

    The delegation of senators — four Democrats and one Independent — said they were angered that they had to fly to Cuba on Friday for answers to questions they’ve been asking administration officials for months.

    “After examining the migrant relocation activities at Guantanamo Bay, we are outraged by the scale and wastefulness of the Trump Administration’s misuse of our military,” the senators wrote. “It is obvious that Guantanamo Bay is a likely illegal and certainly illogical location to detain immigrants. Its use is seemingly designed to undermine due process and evade legal scrutiny.”

    Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said his biggest takeaways were that the administration didn’t properly prepare for the operation and that the cost to taxpayers is “enormous.”

    “It was sort of a ready-fire-aim approach to this whole thing,” he said.

    In an interview with The Times, Padilla said officials could not adequately explain why the migrants had to be held at Guantanamo, not some facility in the United States.

    The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Guantanamo is best known for holding suspected terrorists and the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks, but some of the migrants held there are classified as “low-level” detainees.

    “We asked repeatedly, you mean to tell me that across the 48 states in the continental U.S., there’s not space for [around 40 low-level detainees]?” Padilla said, adding that he has issues with Trump’s detention and deportation operation. “But even recognizing that, there’s a much more cost-effective way of doing it than this.”

    Padilla traveled to Guantanamo with Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee; Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee; Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; and Sen. Angus King of Maine, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee.

    The delegation was led by Reed. King, an Independent, caucuses with the Democrats.

    Padilla is a member of the Judiciary Committee and chairs its immigration subcommittee.

    Upon arrival Friday, the senators were briefed by Homeland Security officials, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Navy personnel. They visited three sites: lower-level detainees, higher-level detainees and the final 15 suspected foreign terrorists held in connection to the 9/11 attacks.

    Eighty-seven migrants were held at the facility as of Friday, primarily from Latin American countries: 42 in a dormitory at the Migrant Operations Center and 45 at Camp 6, on a separate part of the base. Camp 6 is a medium-security military prison.

    On March 11, the Trump administration flew 40 migrants held at Guantanamo back to the U.S., a few days ahead of a court hearing in a pair of lawsuits challenging whether it is legal to hold detainees there for civil immigration purposes.

    A federal District Court judge in Washington, D.C., declined to block the administration from sending more migrants to Guantanamo. Afterward, the administration began sending more migrants there.

    The Trump administration has broadly portrayed migrants sent to Guantanamo as dangerous, though many had no criminal record in the U.S. Officials have claimed without evidence that some have ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

    President Trump issued an executive order in January to expand the Migrant Operations Center “to full capacity.” He suggested 30,000 migrants could be housed on the base.

    Among the senators’ questions Friday, Padilla said, was what authorities are doing to meet the minimum standards for detention conditions, and which set of standards they are aiming to meet, such as those pertaining to the Navy or to ICE. There was no clear response, he said.

    “A lot of it seemed to be still very much a work in progress because this is unique, in terms of it being an ICE mission at a foreign location,” he said. “That in and of itself is extremely concerning because there’s no clear authority for anything they are doing at Guantanamo.”

    At times, Padilla said, officials gave contradictory information. For example, he said the answer to some questions was “it depends on their conviction.” But Padilla pointed out that some detainees haven’t been convicted of anything, and are being held based on an arrest or charge.

    Padilla said officials kept using the phrase “the worst of the worst” to describe the migrants.

    “If they’re all the worst of the worst, they should all be in the high-risk or violent-offender category,” he said.

    Padilla said officials “did everything they could” to keep the visitors from speaking with detainees. He said he managed to ask a couple of detainees held in the low-level area when they had arrived, and they told him Thursday.

    Detainees have had scarce access to phone calls. Padilla said officials recognized the need and have planned for equipment to be shipped to accommodate private attorney calls. He took that as a sign of the lack of preparation.

    Padilla said he fears some detainees will be deported to their country of origin and face persecution or death because of the lack of access to counsel.

    Some of the officials expressed frustration with the continuously evolving operational instructions, Padilla said. Military personnel told him they had received short notice before being transferred to Guantanamo.

    Those moves leave critical missions short-staffed, Padilla said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin, Kelly Introduce Legislation to Increase Youth Employment Opportunities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    March 31, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today,  U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) reintroduced two bills to expand and increase access to employment opportunities for underserved youth. The Helping to Encourage Real Opportunity (HERO) for Youth Act and the Assisting in Developing (AID) Youth Employment Act will increase federal resources for communities seeking to create or grow employment programs and provide tax incentives to businesses and employers to hire and retain youth from economically distressed areas. 

    “Far too many young Americans live in neighborhoods that lack good job opportunities and struggle with all-too-commonplace violence and danger,” said Duckworth.  “It doesn’t have to be that way, but it’s not going to get better unless we work together to do something about it. I’m so proud to join Senator Durbin and Congresswoman Kelly to reintroduce these bills that would help open up new economic opportunities for every American, no matter where they live or what community they grew up in.”

    “To invest in our future, we must invest in the next generation.  Increasing youth employment opportunities can address poverty and crime across Illinois while setting up our state’s youngest residents for a brighter future,” said Durbin.  “Congresswoman Kelly, Senator Duckworth, and I are reintroducing the HERO for Youth Act and the AID Youth Employment Act to boost federal resources for youth employment programs and incentivize businesses to hire, retain, and mentor youth.”

    “Our youth is our future,” said Kelly.  “I’m proud to partner with Senators Durbin and Duckworth once again to introduce two pieces of legislation that will invest in economic opportunities for our youth.  Better job options can help break a cycle of poverty and address roadblocks that prevent young people from reaching their full potential.”

    For many young people, lack of job experience is a prohibitive disadvantage for potential employers, which perpetuates vicious cycles of unemployment and poverty in their communities, further limiting potential for further economic growth.  In 2022, 13 percent of youth between the ages of 18-24 were neither employed nor in school, and Native American, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, and Black youth, as well as youth with disabilities, were disproportionately impacted.  Barriers to employment at a young age have devastating consequences on the long-term employment prospects of opportunity youth, including lower lifetime earnings, higher rates of incarceration, and opioid addiction. 

    There is clear evidence of a correlation in communities where high rates of poverty, gun violence, and chronic unemployment among youth are prevalent.  A 2017 study found that among youth participating in Chicago’s youth summer employment program, violent crime arrests decreased by nearly 33 percent.  Providing employment opportunity to youth can have a considerable impact in lowering recidivism and violent crime among youth while improving their long-term health, and economic and educational outcomes. 

    When youth are provided a pathway to employment and the workforce, employers benefit too because they are able to train and hire skilled workers.  It is estimated that between 2022 and 2032, there will be an average of 20 skilled roles with job openings for every one new worker. 

    The HERO for Youth Act would encourage the business community to become a partner in addressing youth unemployment by hiring underserved youth who reside in communities with high rates of poverty. Specifically, the bill would provide a Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) of up to $2,400 for businesses that hire and train youth ages 16 to 24 who are out of school and out of work and youth ages 16 to 21 that are currently in foster care or have aged out of the system. The legislation would expand the summer youth program under WOTC, which provides a tax credit to businesses that hire for summer employment youth ages 16 to 17 who are enrolled in school and live in highly distressed rural and urban communities known as Empowerment Zones, by doubling the amount of the credit to $2,400 and expanding the program to include year-round employment.

    The AID Youth Employment Act will make it easier for local governments and community organizations to apply directly for federal funding to create and expand summer and year-round employment programs for young people.  The legislation would establish a five-year competitive grant program for youth summer employment that also incorporate access to trauma-informed mentorship as well as job coaches.  The program would provide planning grants of up to $250,000 for 12 months or implementation grants of up to $6 million over three years.

    The HERO for Youth Act has been endorsed by National Grocers Association, National Small Business Association, National Recreation and Park Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, National Youth Employment Coalition, Young Invincibles, Food Industry Association, and Youth Guidance.

    The AID Youth Employment Act has been endorsed by Young Invincibles, Youth Guidance, and Chicago Urban League.

    A one-pager for the HERO for Youth Act can be found here.

    A one-pager for the AID Youth Employment Act can be found here.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst, Rollins Fulfill Commitments to Expand Access to Biofuels

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins at an ethanol production facility in Atlantic, Iowa to announce the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) continued support of the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP).
    Ernst has championed HBIIP since its inception and helped it grow into an essential tool for retail store owners to purchase the infrastructure necessary to provide higher blends of biofuels at the pump.

    Click here for more photos from today’s visit.
    “Thank you, Secretary Rollins, for announcing certainty for our farmers and biofuel producers while you’re right here visiting the great state of Iowa,” Senator Ernst said.“I’ve worked hard to help develop and maintain HBIIP over the years to ensure that from Casey’s to your local mom-and-pop gas stations, retail store owners have the tools they need to deliver higher blends of biofuels at the pump, expanding access to homegrown fuels and choices for consumers. This is another example of how the Trump administration is putting our rural communities first.”
    “President Trump is honoring our commitment to America’s farmers, ranchers and small businesses, especially here in Iowa where corn and soy growers are crucial to supporting ethanol and biodiesel production,” Secretary Rollins said. “Under the President’s leadership, we are moving away from the harmful effects of misguided climate policies like the Green New Deal. Instead, USDA will deploy energy investments that prioritize the needs of our rural communities. Through HBIIP, we will expand access to domestic, homegrown fuels which will increase good paying jobs for hardworking Americans, restore rural prosperity and strengthen our nation’s energy security.”
    Today’s announcement positively impacts over 275 stores across Iowa and provides certainty for the state’s farmers and biofuel producers. Iowa leads the nation in ethanol and biodiesel production, with 42 ethanol plants capable of producing over 4.7 billion gallons annually and 10 biodiesel plants with the annual production capacity of 416 million gallons.
    Background:
    Ernst was instrumental in creating and maintaining HBIIP as part of her commitment to invest in renewable fuel infrastructure, rural job opportunities, and hardworking farmers. She introduced the Biofuel Infrastructure and Agricultural Production Market Expansion Act, which would provide resources to retailers for purchasing more compatible biofuel infrastructure.
    More broadly, Ernst has been a leading advocate for homegrown, Iowa biofuels, securing access to E15 for the summer driving months, while continuing the call for permanent, nationwide availability that would give those in the biofuel industry the certainty they deserve. She has also advocated for raising RVO obligations to match biofuel production capacity and blasted the Biden administration for leaving behind all of rural America with the incomplete, delayed 45Z guidance.
    Ernst met with Secretary Rollins multiple times during her confirmation process and secured critical commitments from her in support of Iowa farmers. Ernst has been working in tandem with Rollins and the Trump administration to deliver results for the entire Iowa agriculture community.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, J&S Farm Supply

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: J&S Farm Supply of Iowa County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
    “Founded on faith, family, and farming, J&S Farm Supply has been cultivating the next generation of Iowa growers since 1955,” said Chair Ernst. “This family-owned and operated small business remains a cornerstone of the Williamsburg community and continues to meet the evolving needs of agricultural producers across our state.”
    In 1955, Leighton Jones founded Jones Fertilizer to support local growers through various farming services. By 1972, Dick Schaefer joined the business, and J&S Farm Supply was born. After managing the business for nearly 50 years, Leighton passed away in 2004 and his son, Tim Jones Sr., took full ownership. Today, Tim and his son, Tim Jones Jr., have grown the family business into a full-service agriculture hub with the turf and fabrication divisions headed by his sons-in-law, Ryan Sauser and Luke Williams, respectively. Later this year, J&S Farm Supply will celebrate its 70th anniversary in Iowa.
    Stay tuned as Chair Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 03/31/2025 Blackburn, Cruz Urge DOJ to Reinstate Drug Searches at Airports Suspended by Biden

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) urged the U.S. Department of Justice to reverse the Biden administration’s harmful decision to suspendconsensual searches at airports and other mass transit facilities last year. These searches, which are part of the successful Transportation Interdiction Program, are critical to interdicting thousands of kilograms of narcotics at airports across the nation.

    The Success of Transportation Interdiction Program Cannot Be Disputed

     “At a time when our nation has endured the pouring of fentanyl and other narcotics into our communities, this critical program led to numerous arrests, millions of dollars of drug proceeds, and the interdiction of thousands of kilos of narcotics… This program’s success cannot be disputed. Between 2022 and 2024, under this program, DEA agents seized 33 kilos of fentanyl pills, 16 kilos of fentanyl powder, 1,547 kilos of marijuana, and dozens more kilos of other narcotics at the Nashville Airport alone. Similarly, at Chicago’s MDW during that same timeframe, DEA agents seized 225 kilos of cocaine, 9 kilos of meth, 4 kilos of heroin, and 2.8 kilos of fentanyl.”

    Reinstating the Transportation Interdiction Program Will Support President Trump’s Efforts to Rid America of Fentanyl and Other Deadly Drugs

    “Prohibiting DEA agents and task force officers from conducting these critical interdiction efforts in transit hubs will only allow for higher quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and other narcotics to come into our country through our transit hubs and onto our streets. President Trump has already taken significant action to stem the flow of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into our country by securing our southern border and empowering federal, state, and local law enforcement. Allowing for this critical interdiction program to continue at our nation’s airports and other transit hubs will continue his good work to rid America of the poison of fentanyl and other deadly narcotics. For these reasons, we strongly urge you to reinstate this successful program.”

    Click here to read the full letter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Protecting The Social Safety Net: Gillibrand And East Harlem Elected Officials Demand No Cuts To Social Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Today, Senator Gillibrand stood alongside East Harlem elected officials to urgently call on the Trump administration to protect Social Security after their repeated actions to cut back the agency and the critical services it provides. New York City is home to one of the largest senior populations living in poverty nationwide, and cuts to the agency will decimate the Social Security system and deny New Yorkers their hard-earned benefits. 

    “Social Security is a promise, not a political bargaining chip. The Trump Administration’s reckless efforts to undermine this vital program will have devastating consequences for millions of New Yorkers,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I urge the Trump Administration to safeguard this necessary lifeline and ensure Americans have access to services they rightfully deserve.”

    “Food stamps (SNAP) and EBT systems are vital tools in the fight against hunger and food insecurity, in my district, the state, and in communities around our nation,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “These programs ensure millions of individuals and families can access nutritious food, while EBT provides a secure, efficient, and dignified way to access benefits. Beyond feeding families, SNAP has strengthened local economies by supporting grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and food retailers, and every dollar spent has generated economic growth. Additionally, EBT further enhances this impact by streamlining distribution, cutting administrative costs, and preventing fraud to ensure resources reach those who need them most. Donald Trump and Elon’s attempt to cut these essential programs are an attack on working families, seniors, and future generations. We will combat these reckless cuts and fight to protect and strengthen the safety net that millions rely on. American families deserve nothing less.”

    “The assault on Social Security isn’t just a policy change; it’s a moral betrayal. It’s stealing dignity from those who earned it with decades of hard work. We won’t tolerate a system that sacrifices our elders and those with disabilities to pad bottom lines. This isn’t about numbers; it’s about human lives, about families facing impossible choices. We’re drawing a line. This is our promise: we will defend every penny, every benefit, every person who relies on Social Security, with every ounce of our strength. They will not dismantle this lifeline on our watch,” said Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs.

    “Millions of low-income households, including thousands in my district, risk losing essential food assistance under the proposed House Republican cuts to SNAP,” said Councilwoman Diana Ayala. “These harmful reductions would endanger the health and stability of our community, creating long-term social and economic challenges. With the rising cost of living, many working families are already struggling to afford basic necessities, with some forced to work multiple jobs just to get by. Seniors living on fixed incomes face even greater hardship, as rising food and housing costs make it increasingly difficult for them to afford nutritious meals. Hunger affects a child’s ability to learn, makes it harder for job seekers to find employment, and places additional strain on individuals with disabilities. Programs like SNAP have played a crucial role in reducing food insecurity and supporting families in need. Now, as inflation continues to drive up costs, we must fight to protect this vital program and ensure that no one—whether a working parent, an older adult on a fixed income, or a person with disabilities—is left without the resources they need to survive.”

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) has already announced plans to cut 7,000 staff, despite the fact that SSA staffing is already at a 50-year low, and there are historically long case backlogs. Now, the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” plans to limit phone support for seniors, forcing them to file certain claims online – a challenge for many older adults – or visit a Social Security Administration office in person, even though appointments for these visits can only be made over the phone. DOGE is simultaneously planning to shutter Social Security Administration offices across the country, including two in New York.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: REMAINING THE REVEREND: Senator Reverend Warnock Discusses Faith in Lawmaking During Speech to Seminary Alma Mater

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    REMAINING THE REVEREND: Senator Reverend Warnock Discusses Faith in Lawmaking During Speech to Seminary Alma Mater

    Senator Reverend Warnock provided inspiration and a path forward for people of faith in this trying political in a speech to students, alumni of his alma mater, Union Theological Seminary
    Senator Reverend Warnock earned two Master’s Degrees and a Doctorate from Union Theological Seminary
    Senator Reverend Warnock’s remarks were given during Union Theological Seminary’s Faith and Public Policy Event
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “In this moment that feels empty and void, I want us to trust the promise. Habakkuk said, ‘there is a time, an appointed time, but at the end, it shall speak and not lie, though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come.’ So, let’s wait and work for the vision. God bless all you”
    Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), provided guidance and inspiration to Union Theological Seminary students and alumni on navigating this political climate as a person of faith. The audience included students, religious leaders, nonprofit representatives and Reverend Dr. Serene Jones, the 16th President of the historic theological school.
    During the speech, which was given during the seminary’s Faith and Public Policy event, Senator Warnock highlighted the importance of his motto of “keeping the faith” during these unprecedented times.
    “I’m going to keep fighting the good fight, but I don’t want you to forget about your own power and the one who empowers you. Selma was about ordinary citizens creating the context for change,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I’m not waiting on the midterms to get some change. I need some folk who are going to shake it up right now, and if ever, we needed voices of faith. We need those voices right now.”
    “In this moment that feels empty and void, I want us to trust the promise. Habakkuk said ‘There is a time, an appointed time, but at the end, it shall speak and not lie, though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come. So, let’s wait and work for the vision. God bless all you,” Senator Warnock concluded.
    Read the full transcript of Senator Reverend Warnock’s remarks below:
    “It’s wonderful to be here with men and women, people of faith, particularly at a time like this, it is impossible to overstate the importance of your witness at a time like this.
    “So, I got my start in the work of trying to live out what it means to be a person of faith engaged in the work of social change at Morehouse College and at Union Seminary. Morehouse, of course, the home of Martin Luther King, Jr. If you’ve ever been on that campus, there’s a statue of Dr. King standing in front of the King Chapel where we were required to go twice a week as freshmen – when I was there in the dark ages – that statue is Dr. King pointing with his finger, resolutely pointing into the future. And every time I passed that statue, I felt like Dr. King was pointing me somewhere, that I was there to get more than just an education, that my education needed to be for something.
    “Then I went to Union Seminary, a place that takes seriously the platform of a Palestinian Jewish rabbi who said, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to center the work of the poor.’ And I had a great journey there. I went just to get an MDiv, ended up staying in New York for a decade, and the impact of that on my vision of the world, is again, difficult to overstate.
    “I had a running train between Union Seminary and Abyssinia Baptist Church, between Morningside Heights and Harlem, between Jerusalem and Athens, between ivory towers and ebony trenches, and the conversation between those two things is what I have tried to live out in all of my years and in all of my work in ministry.
    “James Cohen, who was my mentor and tormentor, would say ‘You’ve got to apply yourself. You’ve got to put your mind to the task. You’ve got to love Jesus with your mind!’ And it is that discipline that is also so deeply needed in this moment in which we are seeing a church that is allergic to critical reflection and self-awareness, which then allows it to stomach such deep contradictions to insist on putting the 10 Commandments in a church while refusing to stand up to provide lunch and breakfast to those kids in that very same school. If that’s your Christianity, you’re worshiping something other than Jesus.
    “So thank you, Union Seminary for being who you are, for doing the work that you are doing. I continue to fight for voting rights because as Serena said, democracy is a spiritual practice. It takes great faith to be a democracy, right? Because, let’s face it, the people can break your heart too. We’re fighting against despots, but it’s not like the people always get it right. But we’re on this journey because we do believe that our best chances are with each other. So, let’s stay on the journey. Let’s keep doing the work.
    “I was in Selma a few weeks ago to observe the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. I was there that Sunday morning preaching at the Tabernacle Church, one of the historic churches there that was at the center of that movement. And as I was preparing to preach and spend that day in Selma, I thought about a story that Reverend, Mayor, Ambassador, Andrew Young told me – the great thing about living in Atlanta is you literally walk among giants every day – Andy Young told me this story, he said that after they had passed the civil rights law in 1964 following that March on Washington, in ’63, Dr. King made his way to the White House to meet with President Johnson, and he said, ‘I’m glad we got that done, glad we passed civil rights law, but we need a voting rights law.’ LBJ said, ‘I agree with you, you’re right, but I can’t get that done right now. There’s no way I can get a voting rights law through the Congress. Martin, are you kidding? Do you know how much political capital I had to spend to get that civil rights law done? I had to get it through all the Dixiecrat all of the resistance. We got that done, and now you coming to me just a few months later saying, now you want a voting rights law. It’s not that I’m against it. I just don’t have the power to get that done. Certainly not right now.’
    “And so staff left feeling no doubt, all dejected. And someone turned to Dr. King and said, ‘Doc, what are we going to do now?’, – that’s how preachers talk to each other. He said, ‘Well, I guess we’re going to have to get the President some power.’
    “I love that story. A lowly Baptist preacher without office, position says regarding the most powerful man on the planet who said, I don’t have the power to do that right now, but this preacher, speaking from a different tradition and hearing the sound of a different drummer, hearing what Howard Thurman called the sound of the genuine, says ‘I guess we’re going to have to go and get the President some power’.
    “So I know that there are a lot of folk in this moment looking to those of us who are on Capitol Hill, saying, what are they going to do? I know there were frustrations around what happened with the CR, and trust me, that was a fierce debate.
    […]
    “Well, they’re looking at folks like us who are on Capitol Hill, and they’re like, ‘What are you going to do?’ And I want you to know that I’m committed. There are those of us who are committed. I’m going to keep fighting the good fight, but I don’t want you to forget about your own power and the One who empowers you. Selma was about ordinary citizens creating the context for change, and they went to Selma to give the President some power.
    “I’m not waiting on the midterms to get some change. That’s how politicians think, I need some folk who are going to shake it up right now, and if ever, we needed voices of faith. We need those voices right now.
    “They are busy trying to cut Medicaid by nearly a billion dollars. Two out of five children in Georgia count on Medicaid. I think one in 10 veterans in our country. A whole lot of people need Medicaid, and they’re looking to cut Medicaid, they’re cutting veterans, you name it, for the noble project of giving the wealthiest people in America a tax cut. And by the way, the folks will talk about the deficit and the debt and the need to deal with government waste, they’re blowing a hole in the debt! Do you understand that? Like they’re not going to even cut the debt, they’re going to add to the debt, in order to do it. If you’re going to add to the debt, you ought to at least do it to help some students, to help some workers, to help some senior citizens get health care. If you’re going to add to the debt, it ought to be for something noble and worthwhile. They’re adding to the debt to give the wealthiest people in the country a tax cut out of some theory that has long been disproven, of trickledown economics. I’ve been hearing that story since 1980 and we still waiting on it to trickle down.
    “So, we need your voice, and your voice is [needed] now more than ever. And if you make some noise in the streets, there’ll be those of us who’ll be fighting in the suites, and I’m still not above getting arrested. I moved from being agitator to being a legislator, I get the write laws. Last time they were passing their last reconciliation bill during the Trump first administration, I was out there in the rotunda of the Capitol standing up with the clergy, and they were passing the $2 trillion tax cut then, and I got arrested that day, and what they didn’t understand was that I had already been arrested. I’ve been arrested before. I got arrested, first time as a student at Union. That’s what Union teaches you, but in a real sense, my spirit and my soul has been arrested by a vision, and that was in 2017, I had no idea that four years later, the same Capitol Police that arrested me, would escort me to my office or to my next meeting.
    “So keep the faith. Let me close in this way. Nobody believes a preacher when he says, ‘As I close.’ But I woke up this morning and because I lead a prayer call every Tuesday morning at 7:14 AM, Second Chronicles 7:14. ‘Is my people who are called by my name.’ I woke up this morning and for my own time of devotion, I said, let me see what the lectionary reading is this morning. And I pulled up the lectionary reading, and it was the reading in the Gospel of Luke, where the angel Gabriel comes to tell Mary that […] she’s about to experience a holy hijacking. That God is getting ready to disrupt her life in an unimaginable way, that a baby is to be born, and that the promise is going to come through her.
    “[…] Because I didn’t grow up in high church traditions, felt a little bizarre to me to be reading that passage at this time. I grew up in Pentecostal and Baptist circles. When I’m hearing this, the reading about Gabriel coming to Mary, I’m expecting to hear some Christmas carols in the background. I’m expecting to see some lights and some trees. But you all know, you always I’m talking to clergies today. Today is the Annunciation, March 25, nine months before the birth, the angel comes and speaks to Mary about that for which there is little or no evidence.
    “And so, in this moment that feels empty and void, I want us to trust the promise. Habakkuk said ‘There is a time, an appointed time, but at the end, it shall speak and not lie, though it tarries, wait for it, because it will surely come.’ So, let’s wait and work for the vision. God bless all of you.”

    MIL OSI USA News –