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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Markey and Capito, Reps. Cammack and Magaziner Reintroduce Legislation to Alleviate Administrative Burden for Caregivers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Family caregivers provide $600 billion in unpaid care every year
    Bill Text (PDF)
    Washington (March 31, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), and Representatives Seth Magaziner (RI-02), and Kat Cammack (FL-03) today reintroduced the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers (ABC) Act, legislation that would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Social Security Administration (SSA), and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to review their eligibility, processes, procedures, forms, and communications to reduce the administrative burden on family caregivers. The legislation would then require CMS, SSA, and CHIP to report to Congress after two years about any issues they are facing and any next steps they are taking to support family caregivers.
    Family caregivers serve as a primary source of support for seniors and people with disabilities of all ages. In the United States alone, there are more than 48 million family caregivers. More than half of family caregivers act as an advocate for their loved one with care providers, community services, or government agencies. However, one in four family caregivers say they want help with forms, paperwork, and eligibility for services. Many report competing responsibilities while experiencing serious emotional, physical, and finance challenges.
    “Caregivers, like my father was, serve on the frontlines of our nation’s health care system by giving our families and friends the care and support they need to remain in their homes and communities with their loved ones,” said Senator Markey. “But caregivers are struggling needlessly to navigate complex, burdensome, and stressful processes each and every day while also still managing day-to-day family and professional responsibilities. The Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act will help lift the weight off caregivers by clearing the red tape that so often gets in their way. I thank Senator Capito and Representatives Magaziner and Cammack for their partnership on this critical legislation.”
    “More than 1 in 4 Americans over 50 are now caregivers. I was one of these caregivers for my parents during their struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and know personally how hard it can be to balance all of the responsibilities put on individuals caring for their loved ones,” Senator Capito said. “One of the most common frustrations I hear from caregivers in West Virginia is how difficult it is to navigate federal processes and procedures. The Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act would attempt to ease this often-stressful time by requiring federal agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Social Security Administration, to review their processes, procedures, forms, and communications to reduce the administrative burden on family caregivers.”
    “Family caregivers have a lot on their plates, devoting their lives to support others,” said Representative Magaziner. “They shouldn’t have to struggle with confusing paperwork and delays on top of their essential work. The bipartisan ABC Act will make it easier for families to get the support they need so caregivers can focus on what matters most — caring for their loved ones.”
    “America’s family caregivers work around-the-clock to provide essential care for their loved ones, and over half act as advocates on behalf of their family members. The last thing these caregivers need is more red tape that distracts from their support for those in their care,” said Representative Cammack. “I’m honored to introduce this bipartisan and bicameral ABC Act with my colleagues to lower the burden around the important medical decisions caregivers must make every day. Together we can support the 48 million caregivers that make up a critical part of our health care landscape in the U.S.”
    Cosponsors in the Senate include John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.).
    Cosponsors in the House include Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Nick Langworthy (NY-23), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Rob Wittman (VA-01), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), Jared Golden (ME-02), Greg Steube (FL-17), Deborah Ross (NC-02), August Pfluger (TX-11), Ed Case (HI-01), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Darren Soto (FL-09), and Vern Buchanan (FL-16).
    The ABC Act is endorsed by: AARP, ADA Watch/Coalition for Disability Rights & Justice, Aging Life Care Association, Alliance for Aging Research, Alliance for Retired Americans, Allies for Independence, ALS Association, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, American Academy of Nursing, American Association on Health and Disability, American Heart Association, American Network of Community Organizations and Resources (ANCOR), American Psychological Association Services, American Society for Transportation and Cellular Therapy, American Society on Aging, Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks, Caregiver Action Network, Caring Across Generations, Child Neurology Foundation, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), Diverse Elders Coalition, Elder Services of Berkshire County Inc., Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Family Caregiver Alliance, National Center on Caregiving, Fight Colorectal Cancer, Gerontological Society of America, Grayce, Greater Lynn Senior Services, Hispanic Federation, Huntington’s Disease Society of America, Japanese American Citizens League, Justice in Aging, Lakeshore Foundation, LeadingAge, LifePath, Lymphoma Research Foundation, Massachusetts Councils on Aging, Medical Alley, Mystic Valley Elder Services, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, National Adult Day Services Association, National Alliance on Caregiving, National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National Council on Aging, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, National Disability Rights Network, National Down Syndrome Congress, National Federation of Filipino American Associations, National Fragile X Foundation, National Health Council, National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, National Patient Advocate Foundation, National Respite Coalition, NMDP, OCA- Asian Pacific American Advocates, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, Senior Connection, Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC), Speak Foundation, the Arc of the United States, The ERISA Industry Committee, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Third Way, USAging, Village to Village Network, and Well Spouse Association.
    “Family caregivers are the backbone of our nation’s long-term care system, and they are overwhelmed managing their loved ones’ care,” said AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond. “This bill would help alleviate bureaucratic red tape for family caregivers. AARP urges Congress to swiftly pass this important legislation.”
    “Millions of Americans struggle to care for loved ones while also navigating the red tape of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. The Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers (ABC) Act will cut through that red tape, making it easier for families to access these vital programs. This means caregivers can spend less time fighting paperwork and more time providing essential care and taking care of themselves,” said Jason Resendez, President & CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving.
    “Family caregivers provide over $600 billion in care each year, greatly benefiting the system and the person needing care, but are overburdened by navigating the health care system and all the paperwork that comes with it. Simplifying these processes improve the caregiver’s well-being, allow them more quality time with the person they care for, and could improve coordination with health and benefits systems,” said Christina Irving, Client Services Director at Family Caregiver Alliance.
    “Caregiver Action Network (CAN) strongly supports the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act. CAN’s mission is to improve the quality of life for tens of millions of family caregivers, and this Act could help reduce their stress by making it easier to access the resources and information they need while caring for their loved ones,” said Marvell Adams Jr., CEO of Caregiver Action Network.
    “USAging is proud to support the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act, a vital step in recognizing the selfless contributions of caregivers by addressing the challenges they face when providing care to their loved ones. This bill will help reduce stress and time spent helping loved ones access important benefits, supporting the overall well-being of caregivers. With the numbers of older Americans rising at a historic rate, family caregivers need more support, and they need it now,” said Sandy Markwood, CEO of USAging.
    “As an organization founded by a family caregiver, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is pleased to support the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act. Caring for a loved one with dementia is a 24/7 responsibility, and it becomes even more stressful trying to navigate the complexities of accessing benefits. Cutting administrative red tape and making it easier for caregivers to connect with programs, services, and assistance would alleviate a major stressor and expedite vital support to caregivers. AFA is grateful to Sen. Markey, Sen. Capito, Rep. Cammack, Rep. Magaziner, and all who support this legislation in Congress for working together to help family caregivers,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., President & CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
    “Caregivers of the Autism community frequently reach out to the Autism Society’s helpline, citing the complex navigation of critical services like Medicaid and Social Security as major obstacles to receiving care. The ABC Act would reduce this burden, allowing caregivers to focus on what matters most — supporting their loved ones,” said Christopher Banks, President and CEO of the Autism Society of America.
    “Helping older adults understand and complete documents for caregiver support is not only the right thing to do from a community perspective, but it is also significantly more cost-effective. Leveraging caregiver support avoids or delays more expensive long-term care options, such as nursing homes or assisted living facilities,” said Bill Zagorski, Board Chair for the National Adult Day Services Association. “Moreover, Adult Day Services play a significant role to caregivers. It assists with access to and reduces barriers to these vital programs as well as providing caregiver respite in order to allow aging adults, seniors and individuals with cognitive, physical, intellectual and/or developmental disabilities to age in place in their communities.”
    “Caregivers are the true backbone of our nation, offering unwavering support to those in need and often sacrificing their own well-being in the process. By supporting caregivers through this act, we are taking a vital step toward providing the long-overdue assistance they so desperately need. This legislation will help to alleviate the administrative burdens that many caregivers face on a daily basis, making their challenging roles more manageable. By reducing the overwhelming paperwork, navigating complex systems, and offering additional resources, we can ensure caregivers are able to focus more on the well-being of their loved ones, while receiving the support they need. This step is essential in recognizing and honoring the incredible work that caregivers do and ensuring they are equipped with the tools necessary to continue providing care with dignity and compassion,” said Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Connell, Executive Director of Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging (MCOA).
    In July 2024, Senator Markey celebrated the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passage of his caregiving and Alzheimer’s provisions in the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2024. Earlier that month, Senator Markey announced his “Caring for Caregivers” agenda, a comprehensive legislative agenda which calls for the economic security, support and resources, and protection and promotion of family caregivers and their loved ones’ health and wellbeing. In June 2024, Senator Markey introduced the Elder Pride Act, legislation to establish an Office of LGBTQI Inclusion within the Department of Health and Human Services to advocate, coordinate activities, recommend policies for, and collect data on LGBTQI+ older adults.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey and Moulton Reintroduce legislation to Redesignate the Salem Maritime National Historic Site as the Salem Maritime National Historical Park

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (March 31, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06) have reintroduced legislation that would redesignate the Salem Maritime National Historic Site as the Salem Maritime National Historical Park. 
    Salem Maritime was established in 1938 as the first National Historic Site to be included in the National Park System. As Salem approaches the 400th anniversary of its founding, redesignating the site as a National Historical Park will help to attract more visitors to Salem and increase the preservation capacity of this storied city.
    “Redesignating Salem Maritime from a National Historic Site to a National Historical Park will reflect the growth of the nearly 9-acre district and its proper place in the Commonwealth’s—and our nation’s—­ history,” said Senator Markey. “The additional support garnered as a park will help Salem Maritime continue to preserve nearly 400 years of American history, including maritime history, American slavery, and the fight for freedom and justice. This redesignation will also help bring more visitors to Salem to learn from the city’s diverse past year-round, bolstering the local and regional economy and further enriching our cultural and historical understanding. This vital work of continuing to tell Salem’s full story, including uplifting Black history as a part of New England’s—and America’s—history, is needed now more than ever.”
    “Salem Maritime contains more than a single historical feature. In fact, the stories at Salem Maritime span more than four centuries of American History, with recent scholarship uncovering connections related to slavery, emancipation, Black activism, and entrepreneurship,” said Congressman Moulton. “Increasing visitation to Salem Maritime is important for supporting Salem’s tourism economy, especially since the historical themes of Salem Maritime encourage people to visit beyond just the month of October.”
    “This legislation is important because it will highlight the historic significance of Salem beyond the 1692 Witch Trials,” said Annie Harris, CEO of Essex Heritage, the regional nonprofit that partners with the National Park Service on programs and visitor services in Salem and Saugus. “And, it will help attract more visitors to the city during its 400th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026.”
    “As a former Mayor and proud daughter of a Navy veteran, I strongly support Senator Markey and Congressman Moulton’s efforts to redesignate Salem Maritime as a National Historical Park. This would be a testament to the sacrifice made by those who served our country and the legacy of leadership that has shaped our shores,” said Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “I hope that we can reaffirm Salem’s legacy by preserving this land for future generations, and ensuring that the stories of courage, resilience and service remain etched in Massachusetts history.”
    Salem Maritime encompasses nine acres of land and twelve historic structures. Its downtown visitor center introduces thousands of visitors to Salem and to the Essex National Heritage Area. 
    The legislation would also require that the Secretary of the Interior conduct a Special Resourc Study of sites associated with maritime history, military history, and coastal defense in Salem and its vicinity. This would allow the National Park Service to assess worthy possible additions to the Historical Park.
    Last year, the bill received unanimous support from the House Natural Resources Committee, and it passed the Senate in December 2024. Unfortunately, the House didn’t have time to vote on it before the session of Congress ended.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Wyden, Merkley and Van Hollen Introduce Legislation to Protect Americans Against Musk, DOGE and Other Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Personal Information

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    The Privacy Act Modernization Act would empower Americans to sue officials for misuse of their data and federal systems
    Washington (March 31, 2025) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden, (D-Ore.), today introduced legislation to protect Americans against Elon Musk, DOGE and other officials illegally accessing stores of personal data held by the government, including social security numbers, medical history, financial data and other sensitive information. The Privacy Act Modernization Act would make it easier for Americans to sue officials for violations and would increase the penalties for such violations.
    The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Chris Van Hollen, (D-Md.).
    Since Trump took office, DOGE officials have reportedly accessed highly sensitive government databases at agencies, including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and the Internal Revenue Service, under flimsy justifications and with little oversight.
    “Over 50 years ago, Congress passed the Privacy Act to protect the public against the exploitation and misuse of their personal information held by the government,” said Senator Markey. “Today, with Elon Musk and the DOGE team recklessly seeking to access Americans’ sensitive data, it’s time to bring this law into the digital age. I’m proud to partner with Senator Wyden on the Privacy Act Modernization Act to close loopholes and increase penalties in the law. The federal government should be a steward of our privacy–not a source of surveillance.”
    “The seizure of millions of Americans’ sensitive information by Trump, Musk and other MAGA goons is plainly illegal, but current remedies are too slow and need more teeth,” said Senator Wyden. “The Privacy Act was part of our country’s response to the FBI abusing its access to revealing sensitive records on the American people. Our bill defends against new threats to Americans’ privacy and the integrity of federal systems, and ensures individuals can go after the government when officials break the law, including quickly stopping their illegal actions with a court order.”
     “Elon Musk and his minions have no business riffling through your personal data,” said Senator Merkley. “Our bill protects millions of Americans who count on the federal government to safeguard sensitive personal information included on taxes, student loans, and disaster assistance.”
    “Elon Musk and his DOGE cronies are illegally raiding federal agencies, and in the process gaining access to troves of Americans’ sensitive personal data – from Social Security numbers to medical records to bank account information,” said Senator Van Hollen. “This legislation will strengthen our ability to safeguard that private information by expanding the means of holding violators accountable, including by stiffening penalties for those who unlawfully access it. By sharpening these tools and penalties, we can better deter this abuse.”
    The Electronic Information Privacy Center and Public Citizen both endorsed the legislation.
    The Privacy Act of 1974 required agencies to disclose what personal data they collect and why, limited how officials could use or share that data, and created remedies for when the government held incorrect data about a person or otherwise broke the rules. This legislation was passed in light of the Watergate and Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO) scandals, which involved illegal government surveillance that undermined public trust and American democracy. The Privacy Act Modernization Act would make key updates to further protect government databases storing personal information against Trump and Musk’s ongoing abuses of Americans’ privacy and our democracy.
    Given the Privacy Act was created half a century ago, this bill would update the law’s coverage, close loopholes and strengthen protections to support millions of Americans who have been harmed by Trump and Musk’s recent invasion by:
    Increasing civil and criminal penalties for violations of the Privacy Act, including making it a felony to disclose records for personal gain, malicious harm, or commercial advantage, punishable by fines of up to $250,000 and ten years in prison.
    Strengthening court authority to stop programs and actions while lawsuits are pending, and allowing Americans to recover for a range of damages, including the mental and emotional distress caused by privacy violations.
    Modernizing the law to cover any information that identifies or is linked or reasonably linkable to an individual or a device that is linked or reasonably linkable to an individual.
    Limiting information sharing to the minimum necessary for a legally authorized purpose, and only if consistent with what an agency previously stated they would use records for.
    Narrowing the so-called “routine use” exception for sharing information by further requiring that “routine use” disclosures be “appropriate and reasonably necessary.”
    The full text of the bill is available here. The one-page summary is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Rep. Ansari Introduce Legislation to Help Families Pay their Heating and Cooling Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Legislation would provide urgently needed relief for families as energy prices rise 
    Bill Text (PDF) | Section-by-Section (PDF)
    Washington (March 31, 2025) — Senator Edward J. Markey, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) today reintroduced the Heating and Cooling Relief Act, bold legislation to significantly expand and modernize the severely underfunded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The bill would ensure year-round access to affordable and reliable heating and cooling for lower-income households who experience disproportionately high energy burdens.
    Despite the urgent need for relief, in 2023, only about 18 percent of income-eligible households received LIHEAP assistance, with less than 3 percent of eligible households receiving cooling assistance. Meanwhile, low-income families spend nearly three times more on energy bills than non-low-income households, and nearly one in six households are behind on their utility bills. The Heating and Cooling Relief Act would deliver critical energy assistance to millions more households, protecting families from utility shutoffs and empowering states to address the growing threat of climate-fueled extreme heat and cold.
    “No one should have to choose between turning the heat on in the winter and putting food on the table, but that’s a sacrifice more and more families are forced to make, especially as the climate crisis exacerbates extreme weather,” said Senator Markey. “Our Heating and Cooling Relief Act would significantly expand LIHEAP so that energy assistance is available to all those who need it. It would also protect consumers from predatory practices and utility shutoffs, and boost emergency energy assistance and access to life-saving cooling relief. I will keep fighting to ensure that every household can afford the energy they need to stay healthy and safe—and to support a just transition away from fossil fuels.”
    “No one should have to make sacrifices around paying for food, rent, or essential medication to keep air conditioning on in the summer and heat on in the winter,” said Rep. Yassamin Ansari. “In Arizona, this is a matter of life or death. Last year, over 600 people died from extreme heat, and Phoenix already broke our own record for the first 99-degree day of the year. Our Heating and Cooling Relief Act will expand LIHEAP so that every family can afford their energy bills – in Maricopa County, this will literally save lives.”
    The Heating and Cooling Relief Act is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representatives Nannette Barragán (CA-44), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Andre Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Summer Lee (PA-12), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Adam Smith (WA-09), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
    “On behalf of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, I applaud Senator Markey’s introduction of the Heating and Cooling Relief Act of 2025. Senator Markey was a cosponsor of LIHEAP when it began as a temporary program in 1981 and has played a key role in transforming it into the successful program that it is today. This bill will transform LIHEAP into a program that provides year-round energy assistance, recognizing that access to cooling is now as essential as heating for low-income families. No family should have to struggle between paying their home energy bill or food, clothing, and medicine, and this bill will help protect families from having to make that difficult decision,” said Mark Wolfe, Executive Director at the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.
    “This ambitious bill shines a spotlight on the energy affordability challenges faced by low-income families who urgently need access to LIHEAP,” said Olivia Wein, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. “We look forward to working with parties to refine this legislation and focus its impact on people with the greatest need.”
    “As extreme heat and climate chaos continue to intensify year after year, millions of families are grappling with the real-life, devastating consequences. These unnatural events are killing people and making them sick in their own homes. Our communities, many of whom don’t own housing and are struggling with the rising cost of living, should not have to risk their lives to avoid extremely high energy bills. In this critical moment, to save lives and strengthen climate resilience in vulnerable communities, access to essential heating and cooling relief is both a necessity and a right,” said Caleb Smith, Resiliency Coordinator at WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
    “As extreme heat becomes increasingly dangerous with longer, more frequent, and more intense heat waves every year, it is critical people can protect themselves from unhealthy and potentially deadly home temperatures. The risk of heat-related illness, injury, and death is particularly high for families and older adults who don’t have air conditioning or can’t afford to run it. The Heating and Cooling Relief Act would help people stay safe by making crucial investments in efficient and affordable home cooling strategies. Extreme heat events kill more people than any other type of severe weather or climate disaster, but Congress can prevent some of these deaths by passing the Heating and Cooling Relief Act,” said Jill Rosenthal, Director of Public Health Policy at the Center for American Progress.
    “Too many households face a terrible choice when summer temperatures soar. Feed the kids? Pay the rent? Or stay safe from deadly heat? This critical bill will alleviate that burden by helping low-income households keep their power on and make their homes more weatherproof and energy efficient. It will also refill a long-empty emergency contingency fund, giving states an important backstop in an increasingly extreme climate,” said Juanita Constible, Senior Advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
    “In the richest country in the world, no kid should have to go to bed freezing cold because their family can’t afford to keep the heat up. No one should die in their own home during heat waves because they can’t afford air conditioning. This legislation is a vital step towards lowering the cost of living for working people and ensuring every American has a safe and healthy home. It shows that tackling the climate crisis goes hand in hand with helping working people,” said Sunrise Movement Executive Director Aru Shiney-Ajay.
    “Expanding federal funding to help families afford to pay their energy bills is essential as tens of millions of American families continue to experience punishing energy burdens. President Trump’s chaotic disruption of our economy and his gutting of indispensable government programs has resulted in a crisis of energy affordability. This legislation is vitally important to ensure that American families can afford essential energy service under Trump’s disastrous economy,” said Tyson Slocum, Energy Program Director at Public Citizen.
    “No American family should have to skip heating or cooling their home to a safe and comfortable temperature just to make ends meet. The Heating and Cooling Relief Act is a commonsense update to an essential program that keeps our lights on, protects the vulnerable, and ensures we’re prepared for growing energy demand and worsening disasters. Strengthening LIHEAP is about fiscal, moral, and national responsibility. At a time of rising costs and extreme weather, this bill brings overdue reforms that put working families first, cut red tape, and modernize our response to energy emergencies. The Sierra Club is proud to support it,” said Xavier Boatright, Deputy Legislative Director at Sierra Club.
    Specifically, the Heating and Cooling Relief Act would:
    Substantially increase LIHEAP funding to ensure year-round assistance, including an additional $2 billion for emergency energy assistance and $1 billion in Just Transition Grants to help vulnerable households adapt to a changing climate;
    Broaden eligibility so that households earning up to 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Line or 80 percent of State Median Income can qualify, while ensuring lower energy burdens for lower-income households and capping household energy burdens at 3 percent of monthly income;
    Protect consumers from utility shutoffs, excessive late fees, and predatory energy practices that disproportionately impact vulnerable communities;
    Expand emergency assistance, ensuring extreme heat and cold are recognized as qualifying emergencies and that states can provide vital cooling relief;
    Increase funding for weatherization and home electrification, to help low-income households reduce energy costs, improve health and safety, and transition to clean, resilient energy systems;
    Streamline enrollment and outreach, improving coordination with other federal programs and increasing access through automatic enrollment and simplified verification; and
    Strengthen reporting requirements to better track affordability, equity, and climate resilience outcomes.
    The Heating and Cooling Relief Act is endorsed by National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), Center for Energy Poverty and Climate, Public Citizen, Sunrise Movement, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, Center for American Progress, Sierra Club, Citizens for Citizens, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), National Housing Law Project (NHLP), National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA), Citizens Action Coalition, WE ACT, The Utility Reform Network (TURN), Climate Resolve, Indiana Conservation Voters, Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), Elevate, Evergreen Action, Center for Biological Diversity, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Climate and Community Institute, Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Solar United Neighbors Action, North Carolina Justice Center, Creation Care Partners, Faith in Place Action Fund, National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy (DAACE), Energy for All Coalition, Indiana Environmental Clean Energy J40 Corporation,  Office of the People’s Counsel – District of Columbia Government, Arizona Sustainability Alliance.
    Senator Markey is a champion for energy access, affordability, and reliability. In March 2025, he hosted a roundtable with Massachusetts LIHEAP providers, consumer advocates, and national energy assistance organizations to discuss the urgent need to strengthen and expand LIHEAP. In July 2024, Senator Markey and several New England Senators sent a letter to the Department of Energy urging it to consider the disproportionate negative impacts of LNG on New England—especially on energy prices—in its underlying environmental and economic analyses for LNG export authorization decisions. In December 2023, Senator Markey led a letter urging the Federal Trade Commission to immediately intervene, investigate, and rigorously enforce consumer protection laws against certain electric supply companies. In October 2023, he celebrated the release of $130 million in LIHEAP funding for Massachusetts, helping residents afford winter heating costs. Additionally, he has pushed for greater investments in home efficiency and electrification to help low-income families reduce their energy burdens. He originally introduced the Heating and Cooling Relief Act with Representative Jamaal Bowman in January 2022.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Make the Feral Swine Eradication Program Permanent

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) today introduced the Feral Swine Eradication Act, which would extend and make permanent a pilot program to safeguard public health, agriculture, and local ecosystems against the threat of feral swine:  
    “Feral hogs can inflict serious economic and environmental damage to our agricultural communities by destroying crops, trampling farmland, and threatening other livestock,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would support our farmers, ranchers, and producers in Texas and across the country by promoting removal and restoration efforts to mitigate the risk posed by this invasive species.”
    “New Mexico’s farmers, ranchers, and producers play a vital role in supporting our state’s economy and it’s critical that their crops and livestock are protected from harm,” said Sen. Luján. “Feral hogs pose serious threats to New Mexico’s agriculture industry by disrupting their land, killing plants, and increasing the chance for unwanted weeds. That’s why I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation that safely removes feral swine and protects New Mexico’s critical agricultural communities.”
    “Feral swine are a serious threat to the livelihoods of Alabama’s farmers. Feral hogs destroy crops, land, and undo months, if not years, of work by our farmers to feed our country,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Feral swine cause an estimated $50 million in damages annually to Alabama. Despite eradication efforts, the pigs are still running rampant throughout the South. And so today, I’m standing with Alabama farmers and taking action to fight back against this threat.”
    “In Georgia, feral hogs have been responsible for over $150 million a year in economic damage for our farmers. They destroy crops, damage pastures, and devastate livestock and horticulture,” said Sen. Rev. Warnock. “As a voice for Georgia farmers on the Senate Agriculture committee, I am committed to protecting this program to provide farmers and workers on the frontlines of our agriculture industry with the tools and resources needed to combat this destruction.”
    “I remain committed to supporting Alabama’s incredible farmers, including by addressing the devastating economic and environmental impacts of feral swine.  The Feral Swine Eradication Act would establish a permanent program to eliminate this threat,” said Sen. Britt. “I’m proud to introduce federal legislation to help mitigate the estimated $50 million in agricultural damage caused in our state each year and protect the livelihoods of farmers who continue to feed and clothe our nation.”
    Background:
    There are approximately six million feral hogs across the United States, which cause more than $2.5 billion in damages each year. The Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) was established in the 2018 Farm Bill to respond to rampant feral swine outbreaks and was implemented by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS). This program included feral swine removal by APHIS, restoration efforts supported by NRCS, and assistance to producers for feral swine control through grants with non-federal partners. NRCS and APHIS successfully carried out these pilot projects in ten states.
    This legislation is endorsed by the Texas Farm Bureau, Plains Cotton Growers, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, and Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Visits Derry Bakery, Highlights Harm from Trump’s Sweeping Tariffs on Canada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Derry, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited Chatila’s Bakery & Ice Cream to discuss the harmful impact of President Trump’s sweeping tariffs on Canada—New Hampshire’s largest trading partner. Following the tariff announcement, many of the bakery’s contracts with retailers in Canada were cancelled. You can view photos from the event here.
    “What I heard today is what I’ve heard from too many small businesses across New Hampshire; these tariffs, and the threat of more tariffs, are causing real harm to the Granite State,” said Senator Shaheen. “The ongoing uncertainty creates a real challenge, particularly for small businesses who have more trouble being able to weather hard times than big business. And in New Hampshire that means higher prices, fewer jobs and a weaker economy.” 
    Mohamad Chatila has owned and operated Chatila’s Sugar Free Bakery for 38 years, with a particular focus on providing diabetic-friendly and dietary restriction-friendly baked goods. In addition to a retail store in Salem, Chatila operates a wholesale production facility in Derry. The bakery exports 85% of its wholesale products to Canadian companies; however, many of these contracts have been terminated by Canadian buyers due to recent tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration. At this time last year, Chatila’s Bakery employed 15 individuals at its wholesale facility to manage order fulfillment, but due to the economic challenges including those posed by tariffs, the bakery has reduced its workforce to just two employees. 
    Senator Shaheen is leading efforts in Congress to mitigate the harmful impacts of President Trump’s tariffs including through her Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act which would limit the President’s ability to leverage sweeping tariffs that increase costs for American consumers and families. Her effort to pass this bill by unanimous consent was blocked by Senate Republicans. In recent weeks, Shaheen has traveled across the Granite State to visit businesses including C&J, DCI Furniture, Mount Cabot Maple and American Calan Inc. to hear directly from Granite Staters impacted by the looming tariffs. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, DeLauro, Baldwin Demand Answers on RFK Jr.’s Plans to Gut HHS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Top appropriators press Trump administration for details about its vast, illegal plans to unilaterally weaken and reorganize HHS—calling for the “radical transparency” it has promised but utterly failed to deliver
    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-02), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, sent a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding answers about the plans he announced last week to gut staffing levels and reorganize the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
    In their letter, Murray, DeLauro, and Baldwin press Kennedy for more information about his plans to gut the Department—warning of how it will jeopardize Americans’ health and well-being and urging him to fulfill the administration’s promise of transparency and detail the Department’s plans. Thus far, the Trump administration has shared only the most high-level details about its massive reorganization plans and significant staffing reductions across HHS—all without so much as consulting Congress.
    “Authoritatively stating that these drastic changes will improve the health of Americans without any explanation insults the American public and defies logic,” write the lawmakers. “If these actions were actually intended to improve the Department’s ability to carry out its mission to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans, you and the Department should be eager to provide additional detail and justification for them. Instead, the Department has operated with a complete lack of transparency—far less than previous administrations of both parties—and is withholding information from Congress and the American public. The obvious conclusion is the Department is intentionally hiding information because its actions will worsen the health and well-being of Americans. We insist that you begin operating the Department under the ‘radical transparency’ you pledged you would in your sworn testimony before the Senate.”
    The top Democratic health appropriators in each chamber note that the Department’s plans fly in the face of the funding bill Congress passed and the President signed just weeks ago, writing: “Just two weeks ago, Congress passed and the President signed a full-year fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill that provided funding to specific agencies and operating divisions within the Department to carry out specific authorized activities, programs, and functions. The Department’s announced reorganization completely disregards how Congress appropriated funding. The reorganization seeks to illegally eliminate agencies Congress explicitly appropriated funding for and illegally move functions and programs for which Congress explicitly appropriated funding for one agency to carry out to other agencies it did not. The magnitude of staff reductions and reorganizations will also very likely prevent the Department from executing its responsibilities under the law.”
    They detail other sweeping actions the Department has taken that weaken HHS’ ability to protect Americans health and set back ongoing lifesaving work—and note that if the steps are truly in the American public’s interest, the administration should be eager to share more details: “The Department has taken the unprecedented step of terminating thousands of grants, including for communities to combat infectious diseases like measles and bird flu, and to discover treatments and cures for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and other devastating diseases. The Department has paused funding for grants and prevented organizations from legally drawing down already awarded funds. The Department has imposed gag orders and already delayed billions in funding for lifesaving research at NIH. The Department has attempted to illegally cap and cut funding for research institutions in obvious contravention of annual appropriations law. The Department has been unwilling to provide even basic information about these actions to Congress.”
    “The American people deserve to know what is happening to the federal workforce and agencies tasked with carrying out the Department’s tremendous responsibilities and the taxpayer dollars appropriated to carry those responsibilities out,” the lawmakers conclude, before demanding answers to a series of straightforward questions about the Department’s reorganization and staffing plans—with answers requested by April 4.
    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
    Secretary Kennedy,
    We write with extreme concerns about significant staffing reductions and reorganizations at the Department of Health and Human Services (the “Department”), amidst other unprecedented actions taken by the Department over the last several weeks, which put American’s health and well-being at risk. The stunning lack of transparency surrounding these changes leaves us deeply concerned about what the administration is hiding. Moreover, several actions taken or proposed by the Administration appear to violate federal law.
    Last week the Department announced it was implementing an unprecedented and disruptive reorganization that includes significant staffing reductions and office closures. This will degrade the Department’s capacity and expertise across a wide range of issues that will impact communities and individuals across the country. In the past, the Department has always worked closely with Congress on reorganizations, including those that were orders of magnitude smaller than what it is now being proposed. The Department has demonstrated a complete unwillingness to share even basic information with Congress (including the Committees on Appropriations) and the public about its actions or to provide any justification for them. Authoritatively stating that these drastic changes will improve the health of Americans without any explanation insults the American public and defies logic. If these actions were actually intended to improve the Department’s ability to carry out its mission to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans, you and the Department should be eager to provide additional detail and justification for them. Instead, the Department has operated with a complete lack of transparency—far less than previous administrations of both parties—and is withholding information from Congress and the American public. The obvious conclusion is the Department is intentionally hiding information because its actions will worsen the health and well-being of Americans. We insist that you begin operating the Department under the “radical transparency” you pledged you would in your sworn testimony before the Senate. 
    Congress has an obligation to assess how changes the Department is haphazardly implementing will impact our constituents and the American public. It is our duty to ensure the Department is carrying out its tremendous responsibilities under the law that touch the lives of nearly every American, and this reorganization clearly violates the law. Just two weeks ago, Congress passed and the President signed a full-year fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill that provided funding to specific agencies and operating divisions within the Department to carry out specific authorized activities, programs, and functions. The Department’s announced reorganization completely disregards how Congress appropriated funding. The reorganization seeks to illegally eliminate agencies Congress explicitly appropriated funding for and illegally move functions and programs for which Congress explicitly appropriated funding for one agency to carry out to other agencies it did not. The magnitude of staff reductions and reorganizations will also very likely prevent the Department from executing its responsibilities under the law.
    In addition to the announced reorganization and staffing reductions, the Department has taken a series of other unprecedented and harmful actions over the last several weeks that raise similarly grave concerns. Last month, the administration fired thousands of employees serving in their probationary period across the Department. The Department has offered deferred resignation benefits and voluntary retirement to virtually all of its employees. The Department has taken the unprecedented step of terminating thousands of grants, including for communities to combat infectious diseases like measles and bird flu, and to discover treatments and cures for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and other devastating diseases. The Department has paused funding for grants and prevented organizations from legally drawing down already awarded funds. The Department has imposed gag orders and already delayed billions in funding for lifesaving research at NIH. The Department has attempted to illegally cap and cut funding for research institutions in obvious contravention of annual appropriations law. The Department has been unwilling to provide even basic information about these actions to Congress.
    Earlier this month, reports emerged of significant planned reductions at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Department has now announced it plans to reorganize SAMHSA. We are deeply concerned about the impacts this will have on communities across the country trying to address substance use and mental health crises facing millions of families. After opioid overdose deaths reached a record high of nearly 112,000 from August 2022 to August 2023, we are finally making progress, and the trend of overdose deaths is shifting downward. Significant staff reductions and reorganizations will undermine SAMHSA’s ability to work with communities and make life-saving opioid-reversal drugs available. Communities across the country are also grappling with a mental health crisis, particularly among youth. Undercutting SAMHSA’s ability to work with states and communities to address this issue will only set us backward—putting mental health care further out of reach for those who need it. Additionally, we are concerned that staff firings will impact the work of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which has seen a steady increase in contact volume since it launched in 2022. If laying off staff or restructuring SAMHSA will have a positive effect on addressing the substance use and mental health crises affecting communities and families across the country, we think you would be eager to explain the steps you are taking. Despite requests by staff, we have not received any information about these planned staffing reductions and its effects on SAMHSA programs, and the Department has provided no information about planned reorganizations and how they will affect the administration of critical substance use prevention and treatment and mental health programs.
    Earlier this month, there were also reports of planned layoffs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). We are concerned about the impact these reductions will have on addressing healthcare workforce shortages, preventing and treating HIV/AIDS, supporting community health centers, and modernizing our organ donation and transplantation system. The Department has not provided the number of probationary employees that were fired who were working on these efforts or justification as to how these layoffs will best make use of the discretionary funding increases that Congress provided to HRSA in recent years. As the Department plans further staffing reductions at HRSA, we expect you would relish the opportunity to describe how staff layoffs will advance our shared goal of training more nurses and connecting the more than 100,000 Americans on organ donation waiting lists to lifesaving organ donations. Instead, questions have been met with silence, despite multiple requests for additional information. The Department is now planning to implement a reorganization of HRSA and again, has provided no information about how that will be implemented to improve the health and well-being of Americans.
    There have also been significant changes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To date, the Department has not provided any information on staffing reductions at those agencies, other than strictly the number of probationary employees who were fired. Those agencies are tasked with detecting and responding to dangerous diseases to keep Americans safe and supporting biomedical research into lifesaving treatments and cures for diseases. The Department owes it to the American public to describe how laying off scientists, researchers, fellows, and staff at CDC will keep Americans safe from infectious diseases such as measles, avian flu, and tuberculosis. The Department owes it to the American public to justify how laying off scientists, grant administrators, and other staff at NIH will provide hope to patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and other devastating diseases, including rare diseases for which NIH clinical trials offer their only hope. The Department owes it to the American public to justify how firing scientists and career staff across the Department to make room for political appointees and fringe conspiracy theorists with no scientific background is an acceptable and appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.
    We are also very concerned that the Department’s plan to dissolve the Administration for Community Living (ACL) will have a detrimental impact on the needs of some the country’s most vulnerable populations. ACL helps to ensure seniors and people with disabilities maintain their independence and participate fully in their communities. Carelessly shoving the administration of these activities into other operating divisions, already overwhelmed due to mass firings, will not help make Americans healthier; in fact, preventative programs administered by the thousands of community-based organizations that partner with ACL have significantly reduced health care costs for individuals at higher risk. These critical programs include nutrition services for older adults, which reduce hunger and encourage socialization; research and resource centers for people with disabilities and their caretakers; family caregiver support and respite care; and prevention of elder abuse and neglect. Dismantling ACL without any thought for the critical work it does shows a disregard for the needs of seniors and people with disabilities.
    The American people deserve to know what is happening to the federal workforce and agencies tasked with carrying out the Department’s tremendous responsibilities and the taxpayer dollars appropriated to carry those responsibilities out. Congress is owed the same. Finally, we remind you of your legal obligation (per section. 713 of P.L. 118-47) to ensure that no federal funds are used to prevent federal employees from communicating with members of Congress.
    To that end, we encourage you to begin operating the Department with the transparency you claim to. At the very least, that means directing your staff to provide the same level of information to Congress as previous administrations of both parties have provided – and to respond to basic inquires and requests for information and to maintain periodic briefings which you have cancelled. In addition, below we have included several questions, many of which have been submitted multiple times to the Department. This is information that should be readily available because it is surely information that was considered prior to making such significant changes at the Department.  
    We request responses to the following questions by April 4, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
    Provide the following:
    The organizational structure of the Department on 1/20/25.
    The planned organizational structure of the Department after the proposed reorganization that reflects any offices eliminated or moved relative to the structure as of 1/20/25.
    A table displaying all programs funded in fiscal year 2024 by Operational Division (as is routinely provided in annual Congressional Justifications) with a crosswalk of where they were funded in fiscal year 2024 to where they will be funded after the proposed reorganization.
    The total expected reduction in staffing at the Department relative to 1/20/25 by operational division and subcomponent (e.g. NIH institute, CDC center, HRSA bureau, etc.) including separately the number of probationary employees terminated, the number of employees who took deferred resignation or other voluntary separation, and those subject to Reductions in Force (RIF). Please also include a list of probationary employees that were fired and then rehired.

    For each impacted agency, operational division, or office in place as of 1/20/25, describe in detail how proposed reorganizations and staffing reductions will improve the ability of the Department to carry out its authorized and funded activities, and how it will enhance the health and well-being of Americans.
    For each impacted agency, operational division, or office in place as of 1/20/25, provide a justification for whether or not the proposed reorganization includes any reprogramming or transfer of funds.
    How will the Department execute fiscal year 2025 appropriations given the recently passed fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill provided funding under a different organizational structure? Specifically, for each program, activity, or function that the Department plans to administer under a different operational division than where it was funded by Congress in fiscal year 2025, describe how the Department would execute those appropriations. For new offices the Department plans to create, including a new “Administration for Healthy America,” describe which appropriations from which Department or agency plans to fund those new activities.
    Regarding probationary employees who were terminated:
    How many had a veteran’s preference?
    How many received an “Achieved Outstanding Results” performance review in their last 12 months?

    Provide a list of new political appointee positions created, or planned to be created under this reorganization, since 1/20/25.
    How many employees who were terminated, subject to RIFs, or who otherwise separated from the Department, worked on the Organ Procurement Transplantation Network modernization effort? How many worked on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline?
    For the National Institutes of Health, provide the number of probationary employees who were terminated, the number of employees who took deferred resignation or other voluntary separation, and the number expected to be subject to RIFs, by Institute, Center and Office (ICO) and job series, including:
    The number of scientists working in the Intramural Research Program, including a breakdown by ICO.
    For terminated employees, the number the Acting NIH Director requested to have reinstated.
    The number of employees who were reinstated by ICO.

    Provide a list of all grants and contracts that have been terminated since 1/20/25 by agency, Operational Division, and Office, including a justification, and any office involved in identifying it for termination.
    Provide a list of all grants and contracts that have any kind of stop payment indicator associated with them, including grantees who are unable to draw down funds.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Presses Agency Leaders on DOGE Access to Federal IT Systems and Data Repositories

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Gary Peters, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, demanded answers from 24 federal agencies on how the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and DOGE-affiliated individuals, many of whom do not possess security clearances, have accessed and used data in federal information technology systems. Peters is requesting information on how individuals accessing these systems are complying with federal cybersecurity and privacy laws to protect sensitive information.  
    “Since January 23, 2025, employees working on behalf of the U.S. Digital Service (USDS), which the Administration is referring to as DOGE, have gained access to systems and databases at multiple federal agencies,” Senator Peters wrote. “Federal agencies, as part of their authorized activities, collect, maintain, and utilize an enormous amount of sensitive data to carry out their missions. This data can include personally identifiable information (PII) collected from the public, federal and contractor employee data, law enforcement sensitive data, and confidential commercial information, including from critical infrastructure operators. Failure to appropriately control access to this data creates significant privacy and security risks and may violate federal law.” 
    Recent reports indicate that individuals claiming to be DOGE employees have allegedly threatened federal agency staff with dismissal when seeking unauthorized access to federal systems and data repositories. The Trump Administration has not yet provided information about whether DOGE personnel are following legal requirements for privacy and security, including the Privacy Act, E-Government Act, and Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA). There are also no details about how DOGE-affiliated individuals with system access are being vetted. 
    Given the sensitive nature of federal agency data, this lack of transparency raises concerns about the potential for data misuse. Moreover, reports suggest DOGE plans to apply artificial intelligence to agency systems and collected data. However, little is known about which AI tools may be used, what agency data will be processed, how data will be combined, or the cybersecurity consequences of allowing sensitive data to be processed with artificial intelligence tools.
    In the letters, Peters requested more information about the positions, employment details, security clearances, and reporting structures of all DOGE-affiliated individuals working at these federal agencies, along with details about which systems and data repositories were accessed by DOGE personnel, whether the systems contained sensitive or classified information, how data was transferred, and which security measures were in place. Finally, Peters pushed for information about any AI tools or models that DOGE-affiliated individuals have applied to agency data, including procurement details, use cases, and security and privacy assessments.
    Peters sent letters to the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of the Interior, Department of the Treasury, Environmental Protection Agency, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Personnel Management, Small Business Administration, Social Security Administration, and U.S. Agency for International Development. 
    Peters also sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting an audit of DOGE’s activities, focusing on whether they are complying with established privacy and cybersecurity laws for federal agency data and systems. 
    Text of the letter to the Department of Homeland Security can be read here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters and Durbin Issue Statement Defending Mission Critical Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Offices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 03.24.2025

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, released the following statement following reports of termination of the Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, and Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman.
    “Congress established the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) Officer position at the Department of Homeland to ensure that civil rights and civil liberties were integrated into every aspect of the Department’s work. As we noted in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Congress also required that the Officer have sufficient resources and personnel to accomplish this vital mission.”
    “The President’s Executive Order requires federal agencies to cut costs related to activities and employees whose responsibilities are not statutorily required. We are hearing that not only has the entire CRCL Office been placed on administrative leave with the intention of eliminating the office, but the same has happened at the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) and Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman.”
    “This is unacceptable and contrary to the law and Congressional intent.”
    “The CRCL Officer and office, OIDO, and CIS Ombudsman carry out critical and statutorily required missions—cutting these offices is inappropriate and, more importantly, will harm the mission of the Department and all Americans.”
    “Earlier this month, we sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, emphasizing that Congress created the CRCL Office to integrate civil rights into DHS’s work and mandated that it be adequately resourced. The CIS Ombudsman and OIDO also provides vital oversight of the immigration system. Eliminating these offices undermines DHS’s mission and violates its legal obligations.”
    “The Department has provided no explanation as to why it plans to terminate staff who help balance national security interests with individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and the rule of law.”
    “We call on the Department to reverse these cuts immediately.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hawley Addresses Students at Liberty University Convocation 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)
    By U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) | March 31, 2024 | Liberty University
    On Friday, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) delivered the Convocation Address to students at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Listen to Senator Hawley’s full remarks here. 
    Speech excerpts as delivered:
    “Is not our nation in so many ways spiritually oppressed? Are we not suffering the spiritual oppression of the forces of secularism in our society? For decades now, the forces of secularism–the false gods, if you will, of secularism–have said that Christians should be silent in the public square. That Christians should have no place in law or in business or in academia or in government. The forces of secularism would cut us off from our spiritual history, from our spiritual foundations, from what makes us who we are as a nation. Every civilization is founded on a set of religious convictions, and the United States of America I firmly believe is the greatest nation in the world because our religious convictions are the convictions of the Bible.
    […]
    “But the forces of secularism seek to cut us off from that truth. It seeks to destroy it and in so doing, to oppress our nation. Are we not oppressed by the forces of materialism? The false gods of wealth and self?
    […]
    “This is maybe the most prevalent idol of our popular culture. The idol that says, live for yourself. Put yourself first. Self-care, self-gratification. Organize your life around you.
    […]
    “And young men can I just say a word to you? Would you mind? Can I just say to you that there is a particular version of this idol that is directed specifically to you. It’s the version of this idol that says true manhood consists of doing whatever you want, whenever you want, to whomever you want, no matter the cost. I know you’ve heard it. It’s louder and louder and louder in our culture. And can I just say to you today, that is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is not manhood after the pattern of Jesus.
    […]
    “The truth is, Jesus Christ was the strongest man who ever lived and he led a life of sacrifice. This is a false idol, and you know it is because there’s no cost to it. True manhood has cost. It costs you something. It’s the denial of self. It is a war on sin. It is sacrifice for other people. That’s what it means to be a man after Jesus Christ. Tear down the idol of self in your life and look instead to the example of Jesus Christ.
    […] 
    “When God comes to us He does not come to us and say, ‘Let me see your resume.’ When God comes to us He does not come and say, ‘What can you do for me?’ When God comes to us to call us, He says, ‘I declare this is who you are in Jesus Christ.’ God’s word to Gideon in Gideon’s’ life is not a rehearsal of Gideon’s accomplishments. It is a promise of God’s work in his life. He says, ‘I will make you a mighty man of valor.’ Receive that word from the Lord for you. He says the same words over you: ‘Oh mighty man of valor. Oh mighty woman of valor.’ Let Him speak those words over you and receive them today. Catch God’s vision for your life. He has a vision to use you in powerful ways. He has a vision to use you for powerful purpose for the Kingdom of God. And it doesn’t depend on what you’ve done, on where you’ve been, on what choices you’ve made or what your past is. It depends on who God is.”
    Watch Senator Hawley’s convocation address here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Introduces Bill to Release Illegally Withheld Funding for Wisconsin Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and her colleagues introduced the Honor Farmer Contracts Act, legislation to release illegally withheld funding for all contracts and agreements previously entered into by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). President Trump’s USDA has refused to make reimbursement payments to fulfill signed contracts, without any indication of when or whether farmers will be paid the money they paid out and are owed. Farmers in Wisconsin and the organizations that serve them operate on tight margins and cannot be left waiting without funding they rightfully were awarded and planned for. 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.
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are stiffing our farmers and processors – taking away resources these folks were guaranteed, threatening small businesses’ ability to stay open and people’s livelihoods. Wisconsin farmers work hard on tight margins and drive our rural economy forward – and there is no reason they should be left high and dry by this administration just so Elon Musk and Donald Trump can pass a tax break that makes their rich friends richer,” said Senator Baldwin. “It’s wrong and I am fighting back.”
    When farmers successfully apply to USDA programs and then spend their own dollars  under contracts with the agency, they rightfully expect that they will receive reimbursement. 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. If not quickly made whole, these organizations will be forced to make agonizing decisions to lay off staff and stop helping farmers, destroying years of progress and investment in our agriculture economy.
    In March of this year, Senator Baldwin successfully pushed the USDA to restart payments already committed to Wisconsin Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiative recipients after calling on the Trump Administration the month prior to release the funding. She’s also called on the Trump Administration to reverse course on funding for a partnership between Wisconsin farmers and local food banks that was clawed back by the federal government earlier this month.
    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 bill is led by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and also co-sponsored by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse, and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) also introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    Full text of this legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Press USDA to Reinstate Food Shipments to RI Food Banks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC — As grocery prices rise and more families struggle to afford basic staples, the Trump Administration is dramatically reducing aid for local food banks across the country that are already strained by rising demand. 

    Through cuts, contract cancellations, and funding freezes, the Trump Administration is providing up to $1.5 billion less for hunger relief and nutrition assistance through programs like the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).  This will result in less produce, meat, dairy, and other staples in the coming weeks and months for food banks nationwide to distribute to Americans in need.

    TEFAP is a core USDA nutrition program that buys food from American farmers to provide food assistance to those in need. In Rhode Island, TEFAP is administered by the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Human Services. The Rhode Island Community Food Bank orders food from USDA and distributes it out to its 143 member agencies across the state.  This network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and other organizations plays a key role in connecting the food provided by the USDA directly to Rhode Islanders facing food insecurity.  TEFAP helps Rhode Islanders access balanced and nutritious meals, supporting their well-being and helping to build stronger, healthier communities across the state.

    Because of Trump’s reduction in federal food assistance, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank is looking to replace about 500,000 pounds of food worth $1.74 million in TEFAP food deliveries set for the rest of the year that have reportedly been canceled. 

    Earlier this week, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined with 24 Senate colleagues in pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reinstate these shipments of food to Rhode Island food banks.

    “A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy,” the 26 U.S. Senators wrote in a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.

    “If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance,” the Senators continued. “In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.”

    The Senators asked Secretary Rollins for answers to a half-dozen key questions on topics ranging from the reasoning behind the reported cancellation, to plans for food purchases, and the impact the changes will have on dairy farmers and poultry producers.

    In addition to Reed and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Angus King (I-ME), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT),  Adam Schiff (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

    Reed and Whitehouse also noted that in Rhode Island, the cancellation of food assistance not only takes food away from hungry people, but it also hurts local farmers who are being squeezed by Trump’s tariffs and deep cuts to domestic markets.  Further, they contend that USDA’s lack of clear communication has made it harder for food banks to plan, budget, and feed the growing numbers of people who are turning to them as unemployment and inflation rises.

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Dear Secretary Rollins:

    We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy. If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance.

    In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.

    According to recent statistics, nearly one in every seven Americans have faced food insecurity. Many of these households turn to community and emergency relief organizations such as food banks and food pantries to help them obtain sufficient nutrition. In 2023 alone, 50 million Americans turned to emergency food providers, according to a report from Feeding America, America’s largest network of food banks. While food banks rely on a variety of sources (including private) to obtain food for distribution through their networks, federally purchased commodities are a key part of how they provide nutritious meals to Americans. 

    Due to this reported change, a number of us have heard that trucks delivering American-grown foods may not arrive. These trucks represent hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals containing poultry, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. If confirmed, the cancellation of this previously announced funding also comes on top of the cancellation of Local Food for School Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program funding, which also helps farmers deliver nutritious foods to schools and food banks. These cuts will deprive Americans of food assistance, emergency food providers of necessary support to carry out their work, and American farmers of vital domestic markets.

    To help us understand USDA’s actions and their impact on communities around the country, we ask that you answer the following questions.

    1.      Has USDA cancelled previously approved purchases of food provided through TEFAP? If so, what level of funding has been cancelled thus far and when will state agencies be notified of any cancelled TEFAP purchases?

    2.      Does USDA plan to cancel additional purchases of food provided through TEFAP?

    3.      Has USDA paused any TEFAP food orders or purchases? If so, what is the current status of those orders or purchases? Does USDA intend to un-pause these funds? 

    4.      Please provide information on what types of funding, by commodity, have been cancelled and the financial impact of those cancellations on producers such as pork, chicken, turkey and dairy farmers.

    5.      Is the funding announced on October 1, 2024 and detailed in the implementation memo that the Food and Nutrition Service sent to state agencies on December 2 rescinded?

    6. Does USDA intend to use Commodity Credit Corporation funds in Fiscal Year 2025 for future purchases that will be distributed through TEFAP? 

    We ask for a prompt response to these questions by the end of the week.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RI Delegation Demands CDC Reinstate Public Health Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to restore and release $31.2 million in promised federal public health funding for Rhode Island that was terminated earlier this week by the Trump Administration, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding that the bipartisan approved funding be delivered to the state as intended by the law.

    The Trump Administration is seeking to claw back $11.4 billion in public health funding for state and local health departments across the nation.  In Rhode Island, the Trump Administration cancelled four Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants totaling $31.2 million that support the state’s post-pandemic initiatives.  

    Despite the CDC’s claim that these funds were being pulled back because the pandemic ended, the federal grants are designed to help states better respond to future public health emergencies.

    “Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) terminated this funding, leaving the State of Rhode Island without $31.2 million in promised federal funding, which will cripple its efforts to head off future disease outbreaks,” the delegation wrote. “This funding was critical to saving lives and keeping the health care system afloat in unprecedented circumstances,” the delegation continued.  “Funding was also provided to address the many systemic weaknesses in our public health infrastructure, strengthening our capacity to respond to future disease outbreaks, protect vulnerable populations, and improve communications with the public. Regrettably, CDC’s decision to terminate these funds will undermine these efforts, and Rhode Island’s public health system will be degraded.”

    Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation also called attention to the significant impacts that not restoring this critical federal funding will have on the Ocean State’s public health, public safety, and the economy, specifically around the Rhode Island Department Health’s new $82 million state-of-the-art public health laboratory.

    “The new Rhode Island State Health Laboratory will be a crucial piece of the puzzle in investigating and mitigating life-threatening diseases. It will also provide important services for State and municipal agencies to ensure the safety of drinking water and food products; monitor pollution of air and water; and aid public safety and criminal investigations through police officer training, DNA testing, and illegal drug identification,” the delegation noted. “While work on the building will continue, its ability to provide the scope of services Rhode Island needs will be limited because the CDC is cutting over $15 million in funding that will help staff the facility and equip it with the latest testing capabilities.”

    Full text of the letter follows:

    March 28, 2025

    Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

    Secretary

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

    200 Independence Ave SW

    Washington, D.C. 20201

    Dear Secretary Kennedy:

    We write to urge you to reinstate funding awarded to help Rhode Island and other states to rebuild and strengthen their public health preparedness in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) terminated this funding, leaving the State of Rhode Island without $31.2 million in promised federal funding, which will cripple its efforts to head off future disease outbreaks.

    On a bipartisan basis, Congress provided significant funding over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to help states and health care organizations provide testing, treatment, and vaccines – among other efforts. This funding was critical to saving lives and keeping the health care system afloat in unprecedented circumstances. Funding was also provided to address the many systemic weaknesses in our public health infrastructure, strengthening our capacity to respond to future disease outbreaks, protect vulnerable populations, and improve communications with the public. Regrettably, CDC’s decision to terminate these funds will undermine these efforts, and Rhode Island’s public health system will be degraded.

    Last year, the Rhode Island Department of Health, working with community and industry partners, broke ground on a new $82 million state-of-the-art public health laboratory to replace its existing dilapidated laboratory facility. The new Rhode Island State Health Laboratory will be a crucial piece of the puzzle in investigating and mitigating life-threatening diseases. It will also provide important services for State and municipal agencies to ensure the safety of drinking water and food products; monitor pollution of air and water; and aid public safety and criminal investigations through police officer training, DNA testing, and illegal drug identification. While work on the building will continue, its ability to provide the scope of services Rhode Island needs will be limited because the CDC is cutting over $15 million in funding that will help staff the facility and equip it with the latest testing capabilities.

    The CDC cuts announced this week would also cancel $13 million in funding for Rhode Island to improve the state’s vaccine infrastructure through campaigns to promote vaccine uptake, partnerships with community organizations to encourage vaccination, and ensuring safe vaccine storage. The recent measles outbreak, including one case in Rhode Island, demonstrates the need for continued vigilance in this area. Similarly, funding for programs addressing health disparities and expanding access to community health workers has been cut. Each of these efforts is an important tool in improving our public health infrastructure and better preparing us for the next public health emergency. It would be pennywise and pound-foolish to claw back the federal investment in this work.

    Again, we urge you to reverse course immediately and to restore this critical funding. Thank you for your attention to this request, and we look forward to your prompt response.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Marshall Push for Roll Back of Biden Anti-Gun Rule

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) in reintroducing the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act. This legislation would remove the unconstitutional taxation, registration, and regulation of short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons under the National Firearms Act (NFA). 
    Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation in the 118th Congress. 
    “For too long, unelected bureaucrats have misplaced their priorities by overregulating the use of firearms that Americans are legally entitled to own,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Every American has a right to bear arms to protect themselves and their families. I’m proud to join legislation that cuts red tape and protects law-abiding gun-owners.”
    “‘Shall not be infringed’ is crystal clear – and the Biden-era abuses of the Constitutionally protected rights of gun owners across the country need to be undone,” said Sen. Marshall.“The SHORT Act takes a step toward rolling back nonsensical regulations that the National Firearms Act has placed upon gun owners. I challenge my colleagues in both chambers to pass this legislation and join me in fully restoring and protecting our God-given Second Amendment rights.”
    Sens. Tuberville and Marshall were joined by Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) in cosponsoring the legislation.
    Congressman Andrew Clyde (R-GA-09) led the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    Gun owners of America and the National Association of Gun Rights endorsed the legislation.
    Read full text of the legislation here.
    BACKGROUND:
    Using the NFA, the Biden Administration argued that people who own pistols with stabilizing braces are in possession of illegal short-barreled rifles. The ATF used that argument to facilitate a ban, forcing gun owners to violate their rule or participate in an unconstitutional registry titled “Amnesty Registration of Pistol Brace Weapons,” to keep their firearms. Eliminating unconstitutional and unnecessary restrictions, taxation, and registration placed on NFA firearms will ensure that the ATF does not enact any future version of this ban.
    In addition to removing the unconstitutional taxation, registration, and regulation of firearms, this legislation would also require the ATF to destroy all records relating to the registration, transfer, or manufacture of these NFA firearms, preventing the ATF from further harassing owners or confiscating these firearms.
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Will End Price-Gouging by Middlemen in the Entertainment Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    SUPPORTING AMERICA’S LIVE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to protect fans from exploitative ticket scalping and bring commonsense reforms to America’s live entertainment ticketing industry.
    The Order directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to:
    Work with the Attorney General to ensure that competition laws are appropriately enforced in the concert and entertainment industry.
    Rigorously enforce the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act and promote its enforcement by state consumer protection authorities.
    Ensure price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchase process, including the secondary ticketing market.
    Evaluate and, if appropriate, take enforcement action to prevent unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct in the secondary ticketing market.

    The Order directs the Secretary of the Treasury and Attorney General to ensure that ticket scalpers are operating in full compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and other applicable law.
    Treasury, the Department of Justice, and the FTC will also deliver a report within 180 days summarizing actions taken to address the issue of unfair practices in the live concert and entertainment industry and recommend additional regulations or legislation needed to protect consumers in this industry.
    ADDRESSING UNFAIR PRACTICES IN THE TICKET MARKETPLACE: President Trump is committed to making arts and entertainment that enrich Americans’ lives as accessible as possible.
    America’s live concert and entertainment industry has a total nationwide economic impact of $132.6 billion and supports 913,000 jobs. But it has become blighted by unscrupulous middle-men who impose egregious fees on fans with no benefit to artists.
    Ticket scalpers use bots and other unfair means to acquire large quantities of face-value tickets, then re-sell them at an enormous markup on the secondary market, price-gouging consumers and depriving fans of the opportunity to see their favorite artists without incurring extraordinary expenses.
    By some reports, fans have paid as much as 70 times the face value of a ticket price to obtain a ticket.
    When this occurs, the artists do not receive any additional profit—it goes solely to the scalper and the ticketing agency.

    While the BOTS Act—meant to stop scalpers from using bots to purchase tickets—has been on the books for over 8 years, the FTC has only once taken action to enforce this law.
    PROTECTING AMERICAN CONSUMERS: President Trump believes that Americans shouldn’t be subjected to exploitative pricing and unfair fees.
    This Executive Order tackles an issue President Trump highlighted on the campaign trail, where he vowed to work on combating high ticket prices and described the current climate, where fans are priced out, as “very unfortunate.”
    It builds on other actions President Trump has already taken since returning to office to protect American consumers.
    He terminated New York City’s congestion pricing scheme that hurt everyday Americans such as workers and small business owners. 
    He signed an Executive Order to empower patients with clear, accurate, and actionable healthcare pricing information.  
    He formally directed the whole administration to focus on price relief for American families to defeat the cost-of-living crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    US Senate News:

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

    Despite Population Booms In Recent Decades, Cities Like Las Vegas Receive Far Fewer Affordable Housing Vouchers Than Smaller, Older Cities
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) 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.
    “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.”
    “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.”
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto are working to lower housing costs and prevent housing prices from increasing further. Earlier this month, Rosen sent a letter urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which can raise housing construction costs. Senator Rosen also recently introduced bipartisan legislation to invest in the construction workforce to be able to build more housing and help lower costs. Last year, Senator Rosen urged HUD to increase the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority’s (SNRHA) Housing Choice Vouchers allocation by 10,000 vouchers over five years.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 03.31.2025 Sen. Ted Cruz Introduces Bill to Promote On-Site Energy Generation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Facilitate Lower Atmospheric Released Emissions (FLARE) Act. By promoting on-site energy generation, the bill decentralizes electricity sources and strengthens grid resiliency during periods of high demand or extreme weather.
    Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “I am committed to making Texas the number one place for Bitcoin mining. The FLARE Act incentivizes entrepreneurs and crypto miners to use natural gas that would otherwise be stranded. This bill takes advantage of Texas’s vast energy potential, reinforces our position as the home of the Bitcoin industry, and is good for the environment. I call upon my colleagues to expeditiously take up and advance this legislation.”
    This bill is endorsed by The Digital Power Network.
    Hailey Miller, Director of Government Relations & Public Policy for The Digital Power Network said, “The Digital Power Network strongly supports the introduction of the FLARE Act by Senator Cruz. This critical legislation will help eliminate unnecessary flaring and venting of natural gas while unlocking new opportunities for energy innovation in the United States. By providing permanent full expensing for infrastructure that captures and utilizes flared gas, the bill creates strong incentives for industries, including Bitcoin mining, to turn wasted energy into productive use cases that strengthen the grid and drive economic growth.
    Bitcoin miners are uniquely positioned to help reduce emissions by harnessing stranded and wasted energy sources, and the FLARE Act ensures that American energy producers have the tools to deploy cutting-edge solutions that make our energy markets more efficient and resilient. We commend Senator Cruz for his leadership and look forward to working with Congress to advance this bill into law.”
    Read the bill text here.
    BACKGROUND
    The Facilitate Lower Atmospheric Released Emissions (FLARE) Act makes permanent the 100% bonus depreciation for equipment used to intake natural gas and transforms it into electricity, and other productive uses. Additionally, the language prohibits entities owned by China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia from utilizing this cost recovery option. The bill reduces emissions by incentivizing the conversion of otherwise stranded natural gas into usable energy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Colleagues Condemn Trump’s Decision to Permanently Eliminate USAID

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s decision to ‘transition’ USAID into the State Department: 

    “After months of empty promises to protect lifesaving assistance programs, support key national security interests, and consult with Congress about the so called ‘90-day review’ of foreign assistance, the Trump Administration has notified Congress of their plan to fold USAID into the State Department. However, this process was clearly not meant to be a thoughtful review, and this administration has failed to recognize that consulting with Congress is not a suggestion—it is required by law.

    “Trump Administration officials, including Peter Marocco and Ken Jackson, have been unable to answer basic questions about which programs have been terminated, how the waivers for ‘lifesaving assistance’ are being implemented or how these actions will impact our national security—and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has continued to ignore requests to appear before the Senate to explain and defend this review.

    “We will not stand by silently as President Trump dismantles American leadership and takes a wrecking ball to U.S. institutions. The administration’s plan to permanently dismantle USAID and fire all of its employees will not only render it impossible for any retained USAID programs to be implemented, but the burden placed on the State Department will cause significant disruption to its core mission. This proposal is illegal, dangerous, and inefficient.  The American public deserves answers, and we demand them.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy backs Grassley bill to curb judicial overreach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and colleagues in introducing the Judicial Relief Clarification Act, a bill that would address judicial overreach by prohibiting federal courts from granting relief to anyone except the parties before them. 
    “Some courts in this country have chosen to weaponize universal injunctions to stop the Trump administration from delivering on its promises to the American people. This bill will make sure that judges can only rule on the cases before them, rather than imposing their will on the entire country,” said Kennedy.
    “For a number of years, but particularly in the last few months, we’ve increasingly seen sweeping orders from individual district judges that dictate national policy. Our Founders saw an important role for the judiciary, but the Constitution limits judges to exercising power over ‘cases’ or ‘controversies.’ Judges are not policymakers, and allowing them to assume this role is very dangerous. The Judicial Relief Clarification Act clarifies the scope of judicial power and resolves illegitimate judicial infringement upon the executive branch. It’s a commonsense bill that’s needed to provide long-term constitutional clarity and curb district courts’ growing tendency to overstep by issuing sweeping, nationwide orders,” said Grassley. 
    Background: 
    A universal injunction is a court order that prohibits the government from implementing a law or policy against anyone, including those not involved in the case.
    Federal courts issued universal injunctions against the Trump administration at least 86 times during its first term in office. The current Trump administration is already facing a flood of universal injunctions—many of which originated in liberal states such as New York and California.
    By contrast, the Biden administration faced 28 universal injunctions in four years. The Obama administration only faced 12.
    In addition to dealing with universal injunctions, the bill amends the Administrative Procedure Act to prohibit courts from using the Act to grant universal relief to non-parties who are challenging an agency action—a practice that closely resembles universal injunctions. 
    Courts have also weaponized Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO), which similarly halt the federal government from implementing laws or policies. TROs are not appealable, meaning district judges can use TROs to avoid appellate review of their decisions. To address this, the bill would make TROs against federal or state governments immediately appealable. 
    By limiting the ability of district courts to grant relief to non-parties, the Judicial Relief Clarification Act would restore federal district courts to their constitutional role under Article III of deciding only the cases before them. 
    Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) also cosponsored the bill. 
    The full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER REVEALS: THIS WEEK CONGRESS WILL TAKE FINAL VOTE TO RAISE ‘JUNK’ BANK FEES—STARTING WITH OVERDRAFT FEES—FROM $5 TO $35, COSTING CONSUMERS HUNDREDS; CHAIRS OF HOUSE FINANCE & SENATE BANKING…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer Exposes Final Leg Of Quiet Plan In House Financial Services & Senate Banking To Overturn CFPB Rule Limiting Excessive Bank Fees, That Would Cost New York Households More—Because Most Upstate NY Residents Have Bank Account 
    Plan To Overturn CFPB Overdraft Fee Rule Would Allow Banks To Extract $5 Billion In Excessive Fees – But, WORSE, Would Open Door To Even More Fees Across NY; Schumer Announces Full Opposition, Urges NY House Republicans To Vote “NO” On Tuesday 
    Schumer: Quiet Plan To Side With Big Banks Over Families Could Mean A Waterfall Of Fees That Would Drown New Yorkers With More Costs
    Amidst the anti-consumer, pro-big bank effort to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed and exposed the FINAL leg of Congressional Republicans’ quiet plan to raise Americans’ bank fees, that will drive up unwanted fees for millions of Upstate New Yorkers. Schumer explained that Congressional Republicans will try to seal the deal to protect financial special interests with a vote on Tuesday when the House will vote to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) overdraft fee rule that caps most big bank overdraft fees at just $5.
    “Republicans’ quiet plan to side with big banks against the little guy and working families could mean a waterfall of fees for Upstate New Yorkers already struggling to make ends meet,” said Senator Schumer. “Working families have been ripped off by abusive bank fees and practices in the past, and the CFPB’s rule is about protecting hard-working families, not charging them more. So I urge my GOP colleagues to reverse course here and reject overturning this overdraft rule to put money back in people’s pockets and out of the hands of big predatory banks. If the Republicans let this one fee fly, a waterfall of fees will follow, and it is New Yorkers that will feel the brunt.”
    Schumer railed against this effort because it could hurt middle-class New Yorkers the hardest, given the number of consumer bank accounts in New York, which is higher than the national average. The rule would save upwards of $5 billion in excessive overdraft fees that millions of households pay. Overturning the rule, as proposed by the Republicans, would cost households an average of at least $225 each year, but MUCH more in New York, Schumer emphasized. Schumer said that some banks take billions of dollars a year from families and seniors that can least afford it. He said the banks don’t need to charge fees like this and that this effort to let fees run wild will open the door to even more excessive bank fees across Upstate New York.
    Schumer announced his opposition and is sounding the alarm on the clandestine pro-big bank GOP plan. Schumer said that the CFPB’s overdraft fee rule is designed to protect regular people from being ripped off by predatory bank fees. He urged the House Republicans to reject overturning the CFPB’s overdraft rule and to protect hard-working families instead of taking their hard-earned money to benefit big banks quietly and behind their backs.
    Last month, House Financial Service Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AR) and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) rule capping overdraft fees, and the Senate GOP green-lit it last week. 
    The rule caps most bank overdraft fees at just $5, down from the typical $35 charge per transaction, according to National Consumer Law Center (NCLC). With these fees, banks take billions of dollars a year from families that can least afford it, and the Republican chairmen are moving to give big banks this ability, Schumer explained. Banks, which are already profitable, don’t need to charge these fees and some banks, including Capitol One and Citibank, have completely eliminated overdraft fees and they continue to cover overdrafts. However, other banks take about $1 billion a year in overdraft and nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees, and Wells Fargo is one of the biggest offenders.
    The CFPB’s overdraft fee rule stops predatory practices that allow the biggest banks to earn billions in profits from the most vulnerable families and seniors. The rule doesn’t stop big banks from covering overdrafts—it caps fees for “overdraft coverage” at $5 or the bank’s costs. Banks can still offer overdraft lines of credit without any price cap, though they are required to provide the same annual percentage rate (APR) pricing disclosure that credit cards provide and to give people adequate time to repay, NCLC explained. 
    Schumer explained how the rule helps everyone—especially New York families as New York is more ‘banked’ compared to other states. Schumer explained that by lowering most big bank overdraft fees from $35 to $5, consumers save $5 billion per year, reducing manipulative practices, and increasing transparency and fair competition, according to economists.
    “Now that the word is out on Tuesday’s vote, you’ll see the banks, lobbyists, and the people that want to protect the banks’ ability to charge excessive fees start to scramble, and devise a plan to defend it. But it’s indefensible. Who is for excessive bank fees?” Schumer said. “Show me a politician that wants to run an ad on increasing all your bank fees. I am blowing the lid on this disastrous plan and so what happens next? Watch them try to run away from this issue, while siding with big banks over working families and the middle class.”
    Schumer warned that other fee increases and gaps in consumer protection could soon follow with:
    ATM fees 
    Minimum balance fees for checking and savings accounts
    Outlandish cashier’s check fees
    Notary fees 
    Account “inactivity” fees
    The removal of $8 cap on credit card late fees
    No more Fair Credit Reporting (excluding medical bills from consumers credit score)
    Selling consumer data without consent
    No regulator for consumers to report predatory products
    The New York Federal Reserve Bank’s Credit Insecurity Index may shed light on the number of people with access to mainstream financial services, such as a bank account, who will possibly be exposed to higher fees if Congressional Republicans wipe away this protection. An Upstate New York county-by-county breakdown of percentage of New Yorkers with credit and Credit Insecurity Index Scores for 2023 can be found below:

    Capital Region

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Albany County

    77.4%

    22.6%

    Columbia County

    77.9%

    22.1%

    Greene County

    74.0%

    26.0%

    Rensselaer County

    78.9%

    21.1%

    Saratoga County

    88.8%

    11.2%

    Schenectady County

    81.3%

    18.7%

    Schoharie County

    73.7%

    26.3%

    Warren County

    82.4%

    17.6%

    Washington County

    72.2%

    27.8%

    Western New York

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Cattaraugus County

    75.4%

    24.6%

    Chautauqua County

    76.2%

    23.8%

    Erie County

    80.0%

    20.0%

    Niagara County

    83.2%

    16.8%

    Rochester-Finger Lakes

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Genesee County

    82.5%

    17.5%

    Livingston County

    76.3%

    23.7%

    Monroe County

    82.1%

    17.9%

    Ontario County

    82.6%

    17.4%

    Orleans County

    70.2%

    29.8%

    Seneca County

    76.0%

    24.0%

    Wayne County

    84.4%

    15.6%

    Wyoming County

    78.6%

    21.4%

    Yates County

    69.5%

    30.5%

    Central New York

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Cayuga County

    75.5%

    24.5%

    Cortland County

    69.5%

    30.5%

    Madison County

    79.5%

    20.5%

    Onondaga County

    81.1%

    18.9%

    Oswego County

    79.1%

    20.9%

    Hudson Valley

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Dutchess County

    82.30%

    17.7%

    Orange County

    81.50%

    18.5%

    Putnam County

    90.10%

    9.9%

    Rockland County

    86.80%

    13.2%

    Sullivan County

    70.10%

    29.9%

    Ulster County

    78.40%

    21.6%

    Westchester County

    85.00%

    15.0%

    Southern Tier

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Allegany County

    65.3%

    34.7%

    Broome County

    74.0%

    26.0%

    Chemung County

    77.2%

    22.8%

    Chenango County

    78.7%

    21.3%

    Delaware County

    73.0%

    27.0%

    Otsego County

    70.85%

    29.15%

    Schuyler County

    77.95%

    22.05%

    Steuben County

    81.2%

    18.8%

    Tioga County

    83.2%

    16.8%

    Tompkins County

    69.6%

    30.4%

    North Country

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Clinton County

    74.8%

    25.2%

    Franklin County

    76.8%

    23.2%

    Hamilton County

    85.3%

    14.7%

    Jefferson County

    74.5%

    25.5%

    Lewis County

    78.3%

    21.7%

    St. Lawrence County

    70.9%

    29.1%

    Essex County

    75.05%

    24.95%

    Mohawk Valley

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Fulton County

    79.1%

    20.9%

    Herkimer County

    80.7%

    19.3%

    Montgomery County

    74.5%

    25.5%

    Oneida County

    75.4%

    24.6%

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Markey, Merkley and Van Hollen Release Bill to Protect Americans Against Musk, DOGE and Other Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Personal Information

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    March 31, 2025
    The Privacy Act Modernization Act would empower Americans to sue officials for misuse of their data and federal systems
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., today released legislation to protect Americans against Elon Musk, DOGE and other officials illegally accessing stores of personal data held by the government, including social security numbers, medical history, financial data and other sensitive information. The Privacy Act Modernization Act would make it easier for Americans to sue officials for violations and would increase the penalties for such violations.
    The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
    Since Trump took office, DOGE officials have reportedly accessed highly sensitive government databases at agencies, including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and the Internal Revenue Service, under flimsy justifications and with little oversight.
    “The seizure of millions of Americans’ sensitive information by Trump, Musk and other MAGA goons is plainly illegal, but current remedies are too slow and need more teeth,” Wyden said. “The Privacy Act was part of our country’s response to the FBI abusing its access to revealing sensitive records on the American people. Our bill defends against new threats to Americans’ privacy and the integrity of federal systems, and ensures individuals can go after the government when officials break the law, including quickly stopping their illegal actions with a court order.”
    “Over 50 years ago, Congress passed the Privacy Act to protect the public against the exploitation and misuse of their personal information held by the government,” Markey said. “Today, with Elon Musk and the DOGE team recklessly seeking to access Americans’ sensitive data, it’s time to bring this law into the digital age. I’m proud to partner with Senator Wyden on the Privacy Act Modernization Act to close loopholes and increase penalties in the law. The federal government should be a steward of our privacy–not a source of surveillance.”
    “Elon Musk and his minions have no business riffling through your personal data,” Merkley said. “Our bill protects millions of Americans who count on the federal government to safeguard sensitive personal information included on taxes, student loans, and disaster assistance.”
    “Elon Musk and his DOGE cronies are illegally raiding federal agencies, and in the process gaining access to troves of Americans’ sensitive personal data – from Social Security numbers to medical records to bank account information,” Van Hollen said. “This legislation will strengthen our ability to safeguard that private information by expanding the means of holding violators accountable, including by stiffening penalties for those who unlawfully access it. By sharpening these tools and penalties, we can better deter this abuse.”
    The Electronic Information Privacy Center and Public Citizen both endorsed the legislation.
    The Privacy Act of 1974 required agencies to disclose what personal data they collect and why, limited how officials could use or share that data, and created remedies for when the government held incorrect data about a person or otherwise broke the rules. This legislation was passed in light of the Watergate and Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO) scandals, which involved illegal government surveillance that undermined public trust and American democracy. Wyden’s legislation would make key updates to further protect government databases storing personal information against Trump and Musk’s ongoing abuses of Americans’ privacy and our democracy.
    Given the Privacy Act was created half a century ago, Wyden’s bill would update the law’s coverage, close loopholes and strengthen protections to support millions of Americans who have been harmed by Trump and Musk’s recent invasion by:
    Increasing civil and criminal penalties for violations of the Privacy Act, including making it a felony to disclose records for personal gain, malicious harm, or commercial advantage, punishable by fines of up to $250,000 and ten years in prison.
    Strengthening court authority to stop programs and actions while lawsuits are pending, and allowing Americans to recover for a range of damages, including the mental and emotional distress caused by privacy violations.
    Modernizing the law to cover any information that identifies or is linked or reasonably linkable to an individual or a device that is linked or reasonably linkable to an individual.
    Limiting information sharing to the minimum necessary for a legally authorized purpose, and only if consistent with what an agency previously stated they would use records for.
    Narrowing the so-called “routine use” exception for sharing information by further requiring that “routine use” disclosures be “appropriate and reasonably necessary.”
    Senator Wyden is a longtime champion of cybersecurity and privacy protections. In 2017, Wyden demanded the executive branch to finally reveal how many Americans have their phone calls, emails and other communications swept up – without warrants – under a surveillance program. In 2023, his legislation to stop data brokers from selling Americans’ personal data to the government passed the House, but did not advance in the Senate. In February 2025, Wyden demanded information on DOGE’s infiltration of IRS systems.
    The bill text is here. The one-page summary is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Join Legislation to Combat Urban Heat Islands

    US Senate News:

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

    March 31, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined colleagues in introducing the Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act, which would create a competitive grant program to provide funding to combat the causes and consequences of urban heat islands. 

    “In places like East Portland, where a lack of tree canopy already leaves neighborhoods dangerously exposed to extreme heat, the Trump Administration’s illegal funding freeze and grant contract cancellations will only deepen this heat crisis,” said Merkley. “The Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act provides much-needed resources for tree planting, cooling centers, and other solutions to fight climate chaos and keep our communities safe.”

    “With extreme heat driven by the climate crisis a growing threat to the well-being of Oregonians and everybody in our country, it’s a must for federal investment to help local communities respond to this life-and-death risk,” said Wyden. “This bill would provide those resources for locally driven responses that could provide relief for farmworkers, construction workers and everybody working outdoors as well as for people living indoors and lacking affordable cooling options.”

    The Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act, led by U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), would create a $30 million grant program through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for entities such as local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, Tribal governments, and nonprofits to implement efforts that prevent and offset the effects of excess urban heat including: cool pavements, cool roofs, tree planting and maintenance, green roofs, bus stop covers, cooling centers, and local heat mitigation education efforts.

    This legislation is?cosponsored by Senators Merkley, Wyden, Cory Booker (D-NJ) Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Alex Padilla (D-CA).

    Bill text can be found by clicking here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: March 28th, 2025 Heinrich Reintroduces Legislation to Leverage AI For Pandemic Preparedness and Response

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Founder and Co-Chair of the Senate Artificial Intelligence (AI) Caucus, reintroduced the MedShield Act of 2025 alongside Co-Chair of the Senate AI Caucus, Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). This legislation would implement a recommendation of the National Security Commission on AI to create a program titled MedShield to leverage AI for national pandemic preparedness and response.

    MedShield would be the United States’ “shield” to protect the nation against future pandemics. MedShield would foster collaboration between the public and private sectors as well as with global allies and partners. The program would leverage AI to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of U.S. pandemic prevention and response across five key areas:

    • Vaccine development

    • Therapeutic development

    “AI holds amazing potential to supercharge major scientific and medical advances – including our ability to anticipate and address the next public health crisis,” said Heinrich, Founder and Co-Chair of the Senate AI Caucus. “By leveraging AI’s potential, our Medshield Act will ensure we are more prepared for the emergence of new biological threats to mitigate the next pandemic.”

    “Artificial intelligence gives us the opportunity to completely revolutionize health care as we know it, including when it comes to rapid response to pandemics,” said Rounds. “The MedShield program would utilize artificial intelligence to help the U.S. identify pathogens that pose pandemic threats and work quickly to develop necessary protections. We can leverage artificial intelligence not only to improve the quality of life for Americans, but to literally save lives and taxpayer dollars. We need to take steps now to effectively respond to pandemic threats.”

    The legislation includes:

    • Findings and a Sense of Congress addressing the nation’s need to be better prepared for a pandemic, noting the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) recommendation and the need to avoid an initiative such as Operation Warp Speed for the next pandemic.

    Read the full bill text here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Leads Letter To AG Bondi On Appointment Of Kash Patel As ATF Acting Director

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    March 31, 2025
    Durbin, Senators to AG Bondi: “Mr. Patel is, quite simply, not the right person to lead the ATF.”
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led 15 Senate Democrats in a letter to U.S. Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi inquiring into what policies and procedures she will commit to implementing in her capacity as AG to ensure that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will continue to meaningfully function in its intended capacity under Kash Patel’s stewardship.
    In February, President Trump announced that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel would also serve as Acting Director of ATF, the primary federal law enforcement agency responsible foraddressing gun-related crime and violence in America. However, the Senators’ letter to AG Bondi argues that Mr. Patel threatens to undo the significant gains made in recent years to ensure Americans’ safety as he lacks the relevant experience to lead ATF and has ties to the gun industry.
    “As the primary federal law enforcement agency dedicated to curbing illegal firearm use and enforcing federal firearms laws and regulations, it is critical that ATF be led by an experienced Director who has been confirmed by the Senate for this role and is dedicated to upholding the agency’s mission. For the reasons outlined below, Mr. Patel is not that person,” the Senators wrote. “We therefore write to inquire into what policies and procedures you will implement to ensure that ATF will continue to meaningfully function in its intended capacity.”
    Gun violence in the United States is a public health crisis. In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory listing firearm violence—including homicide, suicide, nonfatal injuries, and unintentional injuries and deaths—as a “significant public health challenge[] that require[s] the nation’s immediate awareness and action.” Though under the Trump Administration, the Surgeon General has since removed the advisory, the report analyzed data from 2002 to 2022, finding that since 2020 the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in America has been gun violence, with rates higher than car crashes, poisoning, and cancer. In 2022 alone, 48,204 people died in the United States of gun-related injuries. 
    That said, following passage of the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and coordinated, nationwide efforts to curb gun violence during the Biden Administration, the United States is starting to see positive results. In 2023, provisional data indicates gun-related deaths totaled 46,728—representing a decline from 2022 by three percent or 1,476 fewer deaths. Violent crime has also declined significantly, due in part to ATF’s data collection, investigation, and enforcement efforts. 
    “While the decrease in violent crime and gun-related deaths is encouraging, 2023 still had ‘the third-highest number of gun-related deaths ever recorded in the United States,’ evidencing that significant challenges to America’s gun violence crisis remain,” the Senators wrote. “The Department of Justice must do everything within its power to sustain this downward trend, including ensuring ATF is empowered to carry out its mandate and keep firearms from falling into the hands of those who should not have them. Now is not the time to pull back on ATF leadership and practices that helped bring about this progress.”
    The Senators’ letter went on to explain why Mr. Patel is not the right person to lead ATF.
    “As an Acting Director, Patel’s appointment has not been subject to Senate confirmation, a crucial process for vetting those nominated by the President for significant leadership roles in the Executive, including ATF Director. Disturbingly, Mr. Patel would not affirm that firearm background checks—a well-established procedure for keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals—are constitutional during his confirmation hearing for FBI Director. Notably, Mr. Patel’s appointment has been applauded by extreme gun advocacy groups seeking to rollback commonsense gun regulations,” the Senators wrote. “Mr. Patel’s appointment threatens to undo the lifesaving progress ATF has made to reduce gun violence in America.”
    The Senators’ letter concludes, “Attorney General Bondi, you have served as a prosecutor for much of your career. During your Senate confirmation hearing, you testified about the importance of keeping Americans safe, prosecuting criminals and gunrunners, reducing recidivism, and enforcing existing gun laws. During one exchange, you assured the Committee: ‘I will do everything in my power to prevent illegal gunrunners in our country.’ In discussing your time as Florida Attorney General and mass shooting responses, you reiterated: ‘I am an advocate for the Second Amendment, but I will enforce the laws of the land.’” 
    To better understand how AG Bondi intends to accomplish these goals, the Senators asked that she promptly respond to a series of questions.
    Along with Durbin, today’s letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    Full text of today’s letter is available here and below:
    March 31, 2025
    Dear Attorney General Bondi:
    We write with great concern regarding President Trump’s appointment of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel as Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  As the primary federal law enforcement agency dedicated to curbing illegal firearm use and enforcing federal firearms laws and regulations, it is critical that ATF be led by an experienced Director who has been confirmed by the Senate for this role and is dedicated to upholding the agency’s mission. For the reasons outlined below, Mr. Patel is not that person. We therefore write to inquire into what policies and procedures you will implement to ensure that ATF will continue to meaningfully function in its intended capacity. 
    Gun violence in the United States is a public health crisis. In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory listing firearm violence—including homicide, suicide, nonfatal injuries, and unintentional injuries and deaths—as a “significant public health challenge[] that require[s] the nation’s immediate awareness and action.”  Analyzing data from 2002 to 2022, the Surgeon General reported that since 2020 the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in America has been gun violence, with rates higher than car crashes, poisoning, and cancer.  In 2022 alone, 48,204 people died in the United States of gun-related injuries. 
    That said, following passage of the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and coordinated, nationwide efforts to curb gun violence during the Biden Administration, we were starting to see positive results. In 2023, provisional data indicates gun-related deaths totaled 46,728—representing a decline from 2022 by three percent or 1,476 fewer deaths.  Violent crime has also declined significantly, due in part to ATF’s data collection, investigation, and enforcement efforts. 
    For example, ATF’s crime gun intelligence tools eTrace, which “is used to trace the purchase and/or use history of firearms used in violent crimes,” and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, which “is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in operation in the United States,” together “have transformed crime-solving by generating over 1.1 million investigative leads from ballistic evidence and linking suspects to major crimes within hours.”  ATF has also worked to increase DNA matches from cartridge casings and has expanded Crime Gun Intelligence Centers, which use “data-driven strategies” to foster “cross-agency collaboration.”
    ATF has also focused on eliminating firearms trafficking networks that unlawfully smuggle guns from the United States to Mexico, arming dangerous cartels which, in turn, send illicit drugs such as fentanyl into the United States.  And ATF created an Emerging Threats Center, which among other things, has focused on the proliferation of privately-made firearms, or ghost guns, and machine-gun conversion devices, or Glock switches.  These represent only some examples of ATF’s nationwide initiatives to reduce gun violence and keep Americans safe.
    While the decrease in violent crime and gun-related deaths is encouraging, 2023 still had “the third-highest number of gun-related deaths ever recorded in the United States,” evidencing that significant challenges to America’s gun violence crisis remain.  The Department of Justice must do everything within its power to sustain this downward trend, including ensuring ATF is empowered to carry out its mandate and keep firearms from falling into the hands of those who should not have them. Now is not the time to pull back on ATF leadership and practices that helped bring about this progress.
    Mr. Patel is, quite simply, not the right person to lead the ATF. As an Acting Director, Patel’s appointment has not been subject to Senate confirmation, a crucial process for vetting those nominated by the President for significant leadership roles in the Executive, including ATF Director. Disturbingly, Mr. Patel would not affirm that firearm background checks—a well-established procedure for keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals—are constitutional during his confirmation hearing for FBI Director.  Notably, Mr. Patel’s appointment has been applauded by extreme gun advocacy groups seeking to rollback commonsense gun regulations.  Last year, Mr. Patel spoke at the inaugural summit for group Gun Owners of America, a “no-compromise gun lobby” that has announced it “look[s] forward to dismantling gun control with Kash.”  Mr. Patel’s appointment threatens to undo the lifesaving progress ATF has made to reduce gun violence in America.
    Attorney General Bondi, you have served as a prosecutor for much of your career. During your Senate confirmation hearing, you testified about the importance of keeping Americans safe, prosecuting criminals and gunrunners, reducing recidivism, and enforcing existing gun laws.  During one exchange, you assured the Committee: “I will do everything in my power to prevent illegal gunrunners in our country.”  In discussing your time as Florida Attorney General and mass shooting responses, you reiterated: “I am an advocate for the Second Amendment, but I will enforce the laws of the land.”  To better understand how you intend to accomplish these goals, please promptly respond to the following questions:
    Recently, we have seen notable success in curtailing gun violence. While the United States experienced a spike in gun-related crimes and deaths during the pandemic, through bipartisan congressional action and the previous Administration’s efforts, that trend has begun to reverse. Given ATF’s central role in curbing violent crime, it is of paramount importance that the agency be staffed by experienced leaders, agents, and others who support ATF’s core mission, without the appearance of or actual conflict, in order to continue this downward trend. By contrast, firearm-industry personnel advocate for gun companies’ bottom lines by pushing for the repeal of commonsense gun regulations in order to sell more weapons and weapons accessories. Hiring such individuals for critical public-safety positions at ATF would endanger the agency’s core mission and Americans’ safety while prioritizing increases in private company profits.
    Will you place constraints on the hiring of firearm-industry personnel for ATF positions? If not, why?
    ATF must comply with all existing legal obligations. This includes exercising statutorily-required regulatory authority over the firearms industry, fully implementing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and complying with the Administrative Procedures Act if changing existing ATF regulations. However, Acting Director Patel lacks experience with ATF’s core responsibilities, including ATF’s regulatory oversight of the gun industry. Moreover, Acting Director Patel was only temporarily appointed under the Vacancies Reform Act and has not been subject to the Senate’s advice and consent process for this role. It is therefore particularly important that you exercise your authority as Attorney General to give final approval of all actions ATF takes under Acting Director Patel’s stewardship, including all policy changes.
    Will you commit to personally reviewing for approval all new or revised ATF policies and actions? If not, why?
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.
    Sincerely,
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    March 31, 2025

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (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.

    “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.”

    “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.”

    “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, Youth Guidance, and Critical Labor Coalition.

    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: Padilla, Ruiz Introduce Bill to Establish the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Park

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Ruiz Introduce Bill to Establish the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Park

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — On César Chávez Day, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25) introduced bicameral legislation to create the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park. This bill would preserve the nationally significant sites associated with César E. Chávez and the farm worker movement across California and Arizona. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is cosponsoring the legislation.

    César Chávez is a Latino icon and civil rights leader, labor leader, and community organizer whose legacy is deeply embedded in the story of California, the farm worker movement, and the push for worker and civil rights. Chávez empowered Latinos and farm workers to fight for fair wages, health care coverage, pension benefits, housing improvements, and countless other protections. His commitment to social justice has inspired generations, and fuels ongoing efforts to improve the lives of all people, regardless of their ethnicity or the color of their skin.

    “On César Chávez Day, we commemorate the work and legacy of an iconic Latino civil rights leader. His example of defending workers’ rights across the country serves as a blueprint for overcoming some of our nation’s biggest challenges, demonstrating the immense power behind organized movements fighting against injustice,” said Senator Padilla. “Establishing the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park would pay proper homage to César Chávez’s tireless work for the dignity, respect, and equal treatment of workers — priorities facing immense threats under the Trump Administration. Our National Park system should memorialize the diverse legacy and culture of all Americans and give farm workers the recognition they deserve.”

    “Having grown up as the son of farmworkers in the Coachella Valley, I remember the profound hope César Chávez instilled in our communities and farmworkers across the nation. His legacy continues to inspire me to this day,” said Representative Ruiz. “It’s vital that we amplify the voices of communities whose stories are too often left unheard. The César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park Act, aims to empower the National Park Service to honor and share these important stories, celebrating the diverse and vibrant history of our country.”

    “Today, we honor the profound legacy and sacrifices of César Chávez — a civil rights activist who expanded and defended the rights of farm workers through the power of organizing. The designation of the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park recognizes the countless contributions he made which paved the way for better wages and working conditions for millions of farm workers,” said Senator Schiff. 

    The hundreds of sites that are part of the National Park system preserve our natural, historical, and cultural heritage while offering vital spaces for teaching, learning, and outdoor recreation. While the National Park Service (NPS) embraces their role as “America’s storytellers,” too few national park units primarily focus on women, communities of color, or other historically marginalized groups. The sites preserved by this bill would ensure that the National Park system better represents the diverse history of our nation. As a farm worker himself, César Chávez maintained a strong connection to the natural environment, and this bill uplifts his story and those of others whose contributions helped build the farm worker and civil rights movements that are pillars of American history.

    Specifically, this legislation would:

    • Create the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park, which would include the existing the César E. Chávez National Monument, which includes La Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz in Keene, California.
    • Upon written agreement from the site owners, the National Historical Park would include the following sites: Forty Acres in Delano, California; the Santa Rita Center in Phoenix, Arizona; and McDonnell Hall in San Jose, California.
    • Conduct a National Historic Trail Study for the “Farmworker Peregrinación National Historic Trail,” the 300-mile march route taken by farm workers between Delano and Sacramento in 1966.

    In 2008, Congress enacted bipartisan legislation from former Arizona Senator John McCain and former California Representative Hilda Solis to direct the NPS to conduct a special resource study of sites that are significant to the life of César Chávez and the farm labor movement in the western United States. In 2012, President Obama established the César E. Chávez National Monument in Keene, California. In 2013, the NPS transmitted the Special Resource Study to Congress. The study team evaluated over 100 sites significant to César Chávez and the farm labor movement in the western United States, finding that several were nationally significant and depicted a distinct and important aspect of American history associated with civil rights and labor movements that is not adequately represented or protected elsewhere. While the NPS included five potential management alternatives to protect these sites, they ultimately recommended that Congress establish a National Historical Park that would incorporate nationally significant sites in California and Arizona related to the life of César Chávez and the farm labor movement.

    A map of the proposed park can be found here.

    A list of endorsing organizations can be found here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff, Panetta Lead California Democratic Delegation Demanding Continuation of Critical Food Programs

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Schiff, Panetta Lead California Democratic Delegation Demanding Continuation of Critical Food Programs

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), along with Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), led all members of the California Democratic Congressional delegation in demanding that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reverse harmful federal program cancellations and freezes impacting state food banks and farmers. Chair of the California Democratic Congressional delegation Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18) and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.-11) also co-led the letter.

    Despite encompassing less than 4 percent of the country’s farmland, California generates over 11 percent of the U.S. agricultural value — over a third of the country’s vegetables and over three-quarters of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California. The Trump Administration’s discontinuation of the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreements for 2025 and the Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program, along with its freeze of the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) funds, jeopardizes food assistance for more than 6 million Californians and threatens the livelihoods of more than 600 California farmers. A network of 49 food banks, serving 58 counties in California, have already seen over 300 food loads paused or canceled.

    “These programs provide critical support to farmers and food producers in California while ensuring access to nutritious, locally sourced food for families, students, and communities, which we feel are in line with this Administration’s stated goals to provide more opportunities for Americans to eat healthy, support farmers, and boost domestic demand for produce,” wrote the lawmakers.

    “We remain committed to working with USDA to find solutions that sustain and expand market access for American farmers while ensuring that families and communities continue to benefit from fresh, locally produced food. We respectfully request that you revisit these decisions in light of the millions of our constituents who would be impacted,” continued the lawmakers.

    In addition to Padilla, Schiff, Panetta, Lofgren, and Pelosi, the letter was also signed by Representatives Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.-33), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44), Ami Bera (D-Calif.-06), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.-31), Lou Correa (D-Calif.-46), Jim Costa (D-Calif.-21), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.-30), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.-42), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Adam Gray (D-Calif.-13), Josh Harder (D-Calif.-09), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.-16), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), Dave Min (D-Calif.-47), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.-29), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.-38), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.-32), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.-14), Mark Takano (D-Calif.-39), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.-04), Norma Torres (D-Calif.-35), Derek Tran (D-Calif.-45), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43), and George Whitesides (D-Calif.-27).

    Earlier this month, Senator Padilla joined a Senator Schiff-led letter demanding the reversal of the USDA’s cancellation of $1 billion in food purchase programs across the United States, warning of the harmful impacts this move will have on both families and American farmers. 

    Full text of letter is available here and below:

    Dear Madam Secretary,

    We write regarding recent decisions to discontinue the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreements for 2025, the Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program, and the freeze of the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) funds. These programs benefit producers of all sizes, expand market opportunities, and increase resilience in our local food systems, particularly as farmers continue to navigate rising input costs and economic uncertainty. With these cancellations, more than 600 California farmers will lose a vital market, and families and children will lose an important lifeline and access to healthy, locally grown food. We request and encourage you to reverse this decision and continue to fully fund and support these important initiatives.

    As Members of the California Delegation, we proudly represent the farmers and producers that contribute to California’s agricultural abundance and the nation’s food supply. Despite encompassing less than 4% of the country’s farmland, California generates over 11% of the U.S. agricultural value; over a third of the country’s vegetables and over three-quarters of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California. It is important that this Administration continues to support California producers and bolster their access to local markets.

    Given the significant role that USDA plays in bolstering local and regional agricultural supply chains in California and across the country, we urge your reconsideration of the discontinuation of the LFPA Cooperative Agreements for 2025 and LFS Cooperative Agreement Program. As you know, LFPA strengthens agricultural supply chains by facilitating the purchase of regionally grown food, while LFS helps schools and childcare facilities provide fresh, local options to students. These programs provide critical support to farmers and food producers in California while ensuring access to nutritious, locally sourced food for families, students, and communities, which we feel are in line with this Administration’s stated goals to provide more opportunities for Americans to eat healthy, support farmers, and boost domestic demand for produce.

    Additionally, both the freeze and cancellation of TEFAP funds will significantly impact our state’s food banks who partner with their network of churches, schools, and food pantries. As of the writing of this letter, we are aware that food banks across the state have had over 300 food loads paused or cancelled across the network of 49 food banks for distribution to eligible individuals and households within 58 counties. This means less food than expected for food banks who are serving more than 6 million Californians each month.

    We remain committed to working with USDA to find solutions that sustain and expand market access for American farmers while ensuring that families and communities continue to benefit from fresh, locally produced food. We respectfully request that you revisit these decisions in light of the millions of our constituents who would be impacted. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to your response.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Address Wage Discrimination, Close Gender Pay Gap

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

    WASHINGTON – Today, on Equal Pay Day, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus to reintroduce the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would combat pay discrimination and help close the gender pay gap.

    “Equal work should always mean equal pay,” said Hickenlooper. “Yet, women still earn less for the same jobs. It’s way past time we fixed that and made sure everyone is paid fairly.” 

    Congress passed the Equal Pay Act in 1963 to prohibit sex-based wage discrimination. However, the gender wage gap still exists and, for the first time in 20 years, widened in 2023. On average, women were typically paid 75 cents for every dollar paid to a man in 2023, which averaged to be more than $14,000 in actual pay difference.

    The Paycheck Fairness Act would strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to end pay secrecy policies and strengthen available resources to ensure wronged employees can challenge pay discrimination and hold employers accountable. Hickenlooper previously introduced the legislation in the last Congress.

    Specifically, the Paycheck Fairness Act would:

    • Require employers to prove that pay disparities exist for legitimate, job-related reasons and are not gender-based disparities
    • Ban retaliation against workers who discuss their wages
    • Remove obstacles in the Equal Pay Act to facilitate participation in class action lawsuits that challenge systemic pay discrimination, by allowing workers to opt-out, rather than requiring them to opt-in
    • Improve the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) and Department of Labor’s (DOL) tools for enforcing the Equal Pay Act by requiring the collection of compensation data from certain employers, including federal contractors
    • Provide assistance to all businesses to help them with their equal pay practices, recognize excellence in pay practices by businesses, and  empower women and girls by creating a negotiation skills training program
    • Prohibit employers from seeking the salary history of prospective employees

    The full text of the Paycheck Fairness Act is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Introduces SNAP Reform and Upward Mobility Act for 119th Congress

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
    Legislation establishes work requirements for able-bodied SNAP beneficiaries
    WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the SNAP Reform and Upward Mobility Act, a bold piece of legislation aimed at strengthening work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and closing loopholes that have contributed to its rapid expansion. The number of SNAP beneficiaries has exploded in recent years, while the program is rife with fraud and abuse that undermines its viability and wastes taxpayer dollars. The legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK).
    “SNAP was designed to provide temporary relief to vulnerable people facing difficult times, not a permanent subsidy for able-bodied adults,” said Sen Lee. “Work requirements are widely supported by the American public, save taxpayer dollars, and will strengthen the program for families who really need it. Our legislation tackles fraud and abuse while promoting self-sufficiency, which should be the goal of all such programs.”
    “For decades, the federal government has grossly mismanaged SNAP, loosening eligibility requirements, allowing more recipients to be totally exempt from work requirements, and overseeing massive fraud and abuse,” said Rep. Brecheen. “This has created a culture of dependency instead of opportunity. That’s why our office is introducing the SNAP Reform and Upward Mobility Act, a plan to tackle these problems by closing loopholes, expanding work requirements for able-bodied adults, enforcing federal accountability, and giving states more responsibility for program management. I’m grateful to work with Senator Lee to bring much-needed reform to SNAP. It’s time to return to commonsense policies that promote our American values of hard work and individual responsibility.” 
    Key provisions of SRUMA include:
    Establishing a temporary bipartisan commission within the Census Bureau to improve income and poverty measurement, allocating $1 million for its operation.
    Expanding general work requirements to individuals ages 16-64, and hour-based work requirements to individuals ages 18-64 with dependents over six years old.
    Closing the geographic waiver loophole and reducing the percentage of the SNAP caseload that states can exempt from work requirements from 15% to 5%.
    Allowing married individuals with dependents to fulfill hour-based work requirements jointly and mandating USDA reports on SNAP Employment and Training Program outcomes.
    Requiring a 5% state match in SNAP benefits, increasing by 5% each year until a 50% match is reached, incentivizing states to conduct greater oversight.
    Closing the “broad-based categorical eligibility” loophole in SNAP and requiring recipients to cooperate with fraud investigations.
    Instituting penalties for unauthorized uses of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards and enhancing fraud prevention measures for food retailers.
    Reinstating the publication of annual SNAP State Activity Reports and allowing states to retain 50% of funds collected from intentional program violations for fraud prevention efforts.
    You can read the one-pager HERE. 
    You can read the bill text HERE. 
    You can read the Daily Caller exclusive coverage HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Leads Colleagues in Laying Out Worker-First American Trade Policy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  As the Trump Administration plans to reshape the nation’s trade policy, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is leading her Midwest colleagues, U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), in laying out a vision to prioritize American workers in trade policy, re-establish the United States as a world leader in manufacturing, and strengthen national security. Senator Baldwin has long worked against trade deals that undermine American workers, including opposing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China, and other deals that are a race to the bottom. Since 2001, flawed trade policies have contributed to the loss of 4.3 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. 

    “For too long, the deck has been stacked against workers and has benefited trade cheats like China and the corporate fat cats in board rooms. Workers are the ones who make our economy go around and they are the ones we need to prioritize. Right now, we have a real opportunity to level the playing field for American workers and crack down on trade cheats, grow our Made in America economy, and ensure workers get the pay they deserve to live a good, middle-class life,” said Senator Baldwin.

    “We need trade policies that provide a level playing field for American workers to compete and succeed,” said Senator Peters. “For far too long, American businesses and workers have paid the price of a trade landscape that benefits countries like China who blatantly cheat the system and undercut our businesses without being held accountable. Now is the time to take a real, comprehensive look at our trade policies to ensure we are putting American workers first and preventing good-paying jobs from being shipped overseas.”

    “For 30 years we’ve been outsourcing our supply chains way too far, and too many Michigan workers have suffered because of it,” said Senator Slotkin. “Democrats, especially in the Midwest, need a vision for a 21st century trade policy. To me, that strategy isn’t rocket science. It should strengthen the Middle Class and protect American manufacturing and jobs, provide certainty for American businesses and farmers, and recognize that the U.S. has powerful economic levers to wield against our adversaries.”

    In the letter to President Trump, Baldwin and her colleagues outline the details of a trade agenda that would center workers, stand up to trade cheats like China, and grow the American manufacturing sector, including:

    • Advocating for a Complete Reimagining of Relationship with People’s Republic of China (PRC): The plan calls for revising our trade relationship with China. By allowing China to join the World Trade Organization, the United States opted to treat China like a market economy. China’s non-market practices, rampant abuses of labor and human rights, and government-sponsored trade cheating call for a complete rethinking of our economic relationship, including Permanent Normal Trade Relations.
    • Review & Revise Free Trade Agreements: Baldwin calls for reviewing and revising each of the United States’ 14 free trade agreements with 20 countries, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), to ensure the best outcomes for American workers.
    • Strengthen Trade Enforcement Mechanisms: Baldwin looks to strengthen trade enforcement mechanisms to curb cheating and manipulation by foreign countries. Baldwin identifies bipartisan legislation, such as the Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act to strengthen trade remedies, Fighting Trade Cheats Act to empower private companies to hold bad actors accountable, and efforts that can be addressed by executive action, like closing the de minimis loophole, which results in lost tariff revenue and the importing of counterfeit products and contraband drugs like fentanyl.
    • Support for Workers Who Lost Jobs Due to Short-Sighted Policies of the Past: Baldwin also calls for the strengthening and reauthorization of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) to provide critical support for American workers who lose their jobs due to the short-sighted policies of the past, so those workers can access job training benefits and quickly return to the workforce.

    Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

    Dear Mr. President:

    Your Administration has announced that it is undertaking a comprehensive review of our nation’s trade policy, an action that is welcome and long overdue. Free trade and globalization have left us with offshored manufacturing, devastated communities, workers out of a job or in jobs with lower wages, and supply chains overly dependent on our adversaries in too many areas. Our states have suffered disproportionately, and we write to share policy solutions informed by that experience and to urge you to implement a pro-American worker trade policy.

    The current global and domestic economic landscape is the result of deliberate policy choices. Now is the time to break the cycle and boldly set a new standard for how we design, implement, monitor and enforce our trade policies. Presidents of both parties have failed Americans on trade policy, and Congress has validated their mistakes—often, in close votes. Misguided decisions like granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR), which paved the way for China’s accession into the World Trade Organization (WTO), along with the passage of NAFTA and CAFTA, as well as support of the Trans Pacific Partnership, are part of a misguided narrative that free trade and liberalization would improve economic growth and living standards, which for many communities has proven false. Since 2001, flawed trade policies have contributed to the loss of 4.3 million manufacturing jobs here in the U.S. We have fought for a pro-American worker trade policy, and would strongly support reforms that are reasoned, strategic, and durable. Our goal should be a combined pro-U.S. worker trade agenda and proactive industrial policy and strategic use of tariffs that secures supply chains, revitalizes communities, creates good-paying, union jobs and re-establishes the United States as a leader in world manufacturing.

    First and foremost, we must drastically revise our trade relationship with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). By allowing China to join the WTO, the United States opted to treat the PRC like a market economy. Proponents claimed this would bring market reforms. That has proven a naïve and misguided approach. China still embraces a state-directed approach to trade and targets entire sectors and industries for global domination. China’s non-market practices, rampant abuses of labor and human rights, and government-sponsored trade cheating call for a complete rethinking of our economic relationship, including PNTR.

    Each of the United States’ 14 free trade agreements with 20 countries, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), must be reviewed and revised where necessary, in order to ensure the best outcomes for American workers. While your Administration oversaw the negotiations of the USMCA, which contained the strongest labor standards of any free trade agreement thus far, there are urgent issues to be addressed during the upcoming review. The PRC has increasingly located facilities in Mexico to take advantage of proximity to the United States and preferential treatment of goods under USMCA. It has also failed to fundamentally change a core challenge facing American workers: the continued offshoring of good manufacturing jobs because of wage suppression, union busting and weak regulations in Mexico. There are long-standing challenges to the U.S. economy that USMCA’s dispute mechanism has failed to address, such as Canada’s treatment of the United States dairy sector. Separate from USMCA, the United States is part of agreements about government procurement, through the WTO or negotiated separately, that result in a losing deal for Americans. All such agreements must be thoroughly reviewed and recalibrated to level the playing field.

    The ultimate goal of our trade enforcement mechanisms should not be to react to injury, it must be to deter and prevent cheating in the first place. Foreign entities will continue to transship, evade trade remedies, and create new ways to cheat and take advantage of the United States, and stopping problems as they come up in a “whack-a-mole” fashion is a reactive strategy. Strengthening trade enforcement mechanisms will curb cheating and manipulation by foreign countries. There are substantive bipartisan efforts in this area, such as the Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act to strengthen trade remedies and the Fighting Trade Cheats Act to empower private companies to hold bad actors accountable. Furthermore, there are some bipartisan efforts that can be addressed by executive action, like closing the de minimis loophole, which your Administration acknowledges results in lost tariff revenue and the importation of counterfeit products and contraband drugs like fentanyl. The loophole also puts American manufacturers and retailers at a disadvantage. In addition, critical support for American workers who lose their jobs due to the short-sighted policies of the past, such as Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), must be reauthorized and strengthened as we try to right the ship on trade policy, to allow those workers to access job training benefits and quickly return to the workforce.

    Tariffs are important tools for leveling the playing field when they are enacted in a strategic, deliberate, and durable way, but it can take months and years for supply chains to adjust. The positive impact of tariffs and trade policy must be bolstered by a robust industrial policy to create and sustain good-paying jobs with efforts such as investments, Buy America requirements, tax incentives, and other programs like those included in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. To be successful, we must also keep corporations in check with equitable tax rates and strong antitrust laws to prevent price gouging. Critically, we must empower workers to join unions and earn fair wages to support a middle class lifestyle and be able to save for a safe and secure retirement.

    Lastly, we want to emphasize this proposal is critical to workers and communities in our states, as well as to our national security and emergency preparedness. Re-evaluating American trade policy and securing supply chains will strengthen our national security and better position the United States to defend itself if faced with conflict. During World War II, United States automakers shifted from producing civilian passenger vehicles to producing military equipment and weapons like tanks, engines, and aircraft. More recently, global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine exposed the risks of our fragile supply chains. Now is the time to learn from these lessons and prioritize a trade policy that puts American workers first.

    Thank you for your consideration of this most important issue.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –