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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Demand Trump Rescind Illegal Anti-Voter Executive Order

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    March 31, 2025
    Senators say “requirements in this illegal order would likely disenfranchise millions of American voters…places a variety of other process burdens on voters, especially married women, rural residents, and low-income voters, and communities of color.”
    Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said today they have joined Senate colleagues in calling on Donald Trump to revoke his illegal anti-voter executive order that would disenfranchise millions of Americans.
    “This unlawful directive exceeds your authority over an independent agency and would likely disenfranchise millions of eligible American voters by creating barriers to voting, while also inviting chaos into state voter registration processes – including by inappropriately sharing Americans’ data with the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),” the lawmakers wrote. “Under the Constitution and existing law, this Executive Order cannot be implemented. Sadly, we are not surprised at your continued efforts to undermine our free and fair elections. From welcoming foreign election interference in our elections, to supporting the January 6 insurrection, to promoting baseless election conspiracy theories, your dangerous rhetoric has undermined public confidence in our election system.”
    The proof of citizenship requirements in the executive order would restrict the right to vote for millions of Americans given the burden it creates to obtain these documents. Nearly half of all American citizens do not have valid passports, and millions more have a legal name that differs from other government-issued documents, including up to 69 million married women whose birth certificates no longer match their legal name. 
    The senators emphasized that the order runs counter to the constitutional foundation that elections are to be primarily administered by the states. They also sounded the alarm on the order’s attempt to empower DOGE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to review state voter registration lists, other state records, and various federal databases, with the power of subpoena. 
    “Voting by noncitizens is already a federal crime and, despite unsubstantiated claims to the contrary, is extremely rare. By interjecting DOGE into the process, this order would interfere with states’ maintenance of voter registration lists, compromising voters’ personal information,” the lawmakers continued.
    “The new federal voter registration requirements in this illegal order would likely disenfranchise millions of American voters. Millions of Americans do not have passports and many face challenges obtaining other documents that would be required by this order, if it was ever implemented,” the lawmakers concluded. “This order also places a variety of other process burdens on voters, especially married women, rural residents, and low-income voters, and communities of color.”
    The letter was led by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter is also signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and U.S. Senators Cory Booker, D-N.J., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Angus King, I-Maine, Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
    The full text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Working to Get Maine Farmers Expected Federal Investments to Sustain Operations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) joined his colleagues to introduce legislation that will direct much-needed funding to farmers in Maine. The Honor Farmer Contracts Act would release federal funding — currently being withheld by the White House — for all contracts and agreements previously agreed to by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
    Farmers, and the organizations that serve them, operate on tight margins, and right now are waiting for funding they rightfully deserve and need for essential operations. 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. If not quickly made whole, these organizations will be forced to make difficult and unnecessary financial decisions, destroying years of progress in advancing local food systems.
    “Farmers are an original building block of our state economy, providing jobs and a secure food source for thousands of people in Maine and across the northeast,” said Senator King. “The Honor Farmer Contracts Act would ensure that Maine’s farmers receive the federal funding from all signed agreements and contracts as quickly as possible to prevent any operations from having to shut down. This is a critical step to protect the Maine agricultural economy and food supply that everyone in our state rely on for their essential nutrition needs.”
    “Maine farmers produce milk, apples, beef, seafood, wild blueberries, vegetables, and more. These nutritious foods sustain the health of Americans in Maine, New England, and throughout the country, and are the lifeblood and the economy of rural communities across the state,” said Eric Venturini, President of the Agricultural Council of Maine. “Increasingly, Maine’s farmers are forced to compete within our own domestic market with cheaper imported foods. The economic sustainability of the Maine agricultural community requires constant change and innovation to remain competitive in this global marketplace. USDA staffing and funding are all essential programs that support Maine farms. We thank Senator King and others for their ongoing support to maintain these important programs for Maine farms.”
    “Farmers are struggling with a perfect storm of stressors from escalating costs of production to labor shortages to low pay prices to extreme weather events,” said Heather Spalding, the Deputy Director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. “The last thing that farmers need right now is for USDA to abandon the farmers they have pledged to support. Honoring the farmer contracts is all about putting American farmers first. It’s about building self-reliance, a strong economy, a clean environment and healthy people.”
    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 Honors Farmers Contracts is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), 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), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-Ill), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). 
    To read the full text of the bill, click here

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen, Tillis Urge U.S. Department of Agriculture to Quickly Distribute Disaster Relief to Assist Farmers, Rural Communities in Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, and Thom Tillis (R-NC) sent a letter last week urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to work with Congress to quickly distribute the more than $23 billion Congress passed in December to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. In their letter, the Senators note that the assistance is sorely needed as farmers and ranchers across the country struggle to address the fallout of several billion-dollar natural disasters. 
    The Senators wrote, in part: “These funds will benefit producers in every State—the natural disasters that struck farms and ranches in 2023 and 2024 affected a wide range of crops, livestock, and on-farm infrastructure. In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene is estimated to have caused almost $5 billion in agricultural losses, and in New Hampshire, a disastrous freeze in 2023 damaged apple and peach trees, as well as other crops, with growers seeing as high as 100 percent crop losses for the year.” 
    They continued: “As you know, this program is intended to serve both producers with and without crop insurance, and reach small, diversified operations. The supplemental provides targeted funds for small farm states, and it also specifically directs the Secretary to offer technical assistance to interested non-insured producers to help them apply for funding made available.” 
    The lawmakers concluded: “As the Department implements all of the disaster assistance programs, we stand ready to assist you in this effort to advance our shared priority of helping farmers and rural communities recover and thrive. Thank you for your attention to this matter.” 
    The full text of the letter can be found here and below. 
    Dear Secretary Rollins,  
    Congress passed an expansive emergency supplemental in December, which included more than $23 billion to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. We write to urge you to distribute these funds expeditiously and in consultation with Congress. This assistance is crucial as our Nation’s farmers and ranchers are struggling to respond to several billion-dollar natural disasters around the country while preparing for planting in a challenging farm economy.  
    These funds will benefit producers in every State—the natural disasters that struck farms and ranches in 2023 and 2024 affected a wide range of crops, livestock, and on-farm infrastructure. In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene is estimated to have caused almost $5 billion in agricultural losses, and in New Hampshire, a disastrous freeze in 2023 damaged apple and peach trees, as well as other crops, with growers seeing as high as 100 percent crop losses for the year. The department must move swiftly and thoughtfully to implement a program that will support farms of varying size and production.  
    As you know, this program is intended to serve both producers with and without crop insurance, and reach small, diversified operations. The supplemental provides targeted funds for small farm states, and it also specifically directs the Secretary to offer technical assistance to interested non-insured producers to help them apply for funding made available.  
    Rural communities are also struggling to recover from natural disasters, and we urge you to prioritize distributing the $362 million appropriated for the Rural Development Disaster Assistance Fund, the first time this fund has received a direct appropriation. While we recognize it will take some time to implement a new program, Congress chose to utilize this fund to allow Rural Development to be nimble and provide specialized assistance to assist communities where they need it most. The department should work with all Rural Development State Offices to catalogue disaster needs and develop a fair allocation of available funds.  
    As the Department implements all of the disaster assistance programs, we stand ready to assist you in this effort to advance our shared priority of helping farmers and rural communities recover and thrive. Thank you for your attention to this matter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Speaks with President Trump’s Nominee to be Air Force Secretary

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Last week, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke with President Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of the Air Force, Dr. Troy Meink, during his Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing.
    Read excerpts from their exchange below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.

    TUBERVILLE: “Dr. Meink, this question is for you here on the future of engineering in your department. […] We’re gonna have a tough time keeping good engineers and people employed because of the private companies taking our good people away out of the military. What’s your thoughts and your plan of hopefully keeping the best and the brightest in the military instead of taking the private route?” […]
    MEINK: “Thanks for the question, Senator. And just kind of to echo, I think it’s not just money. I think it is the opportunity to do advanced research, do advanced engineering that has a mission outcome. Right? That what we found in my current organization is it’s a very highly technical workforce. We’ve done very well in recruiting and retention, and it goes kinda back to the quality of service I mentioned a little bit earlier—[…] when you bring in these really skilled, talented people, regardless of what that talent is, you need to have—there needs to be an opportunity for them to be successful and to do what they love to do because it takes a lot of work to get some of these skill sets. I think in many cases, that’s even more important than just pure funding or pure salary.”
    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: Crapo Seeks Idahoans’ Input on Developing Affordable Housing Policy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.–Access to affordable housing remains one of the most pressing issues affecting both employees and employers across Idaho.  Today, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) launched a housing survey across the state of Idaho to solicit feedback from homeowners, renters, insurance brokers, bankers, realtors, government officials and general contractors.  Information provided in the survey will help inform Senator Crapo of common issues where legislation may be considered.
    “A lack of affordable housing is the number one issue Idahoans raise with my staff and me in meetings across the State,” said Crapo.  “Idaho is far from alone in this nationwide challenge, but Idahoans can be a key part in piecing together the housing puzzle as I continue to work to find collaborative solutions to this issue.  I invite any Idahoan to complete the survey and share as much detail as they are willing and able to provide.”
    The housing survey follows the model of Senator Crapo’s veterans’ surveys from 2014 and 2015 that ultimately resulted in legislation Senator Crapo introduced being signed into law.
    The survey is available on Senator Crapo’s official website at https://www.crapo.senate.gov/issues/affordable-housing-survey, or at the QR code at the bottom of this release.  Flyers with the QR code can be picked up at any of Crapo’s Idaho regional offices, listed below.  At the conclusion of the survey, data will be aggregated and released into a final report available to the public.  No personally identifiable information will be included in the final report and responses will ensure anonymity.
    The housing survey will run through May 31, 2025. 

    Boise
    251 E. Front St.
    Suite 205
    208-334-1776

    Coeur d’Alene
    610 Hubbard St.
    Suite 209
    208-664-5490

    Lewiston
    313 D St.
    Suite 105
    208-743-1492

    Twin Falls
    202 Falls Ave.
    Suite 2
    208-734-2515

    Pocatello
    275 S. 5th Ave.
    Suite 138
    208-236-6775

    Idaho Falls
    410 Memorial Dr.
    Suite 204
    208-522-9779

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration To Reverse Illegal Gutting Of U.S. Agency For Global Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined a bicameral letter urging United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) Acting CEO Victor Morales and Special Advisor Kari Lake to rescind the Trump administration’s illegal actions to dismantle the agency, terminate grants for several government-funded outlets worldwide, and place Voice of America and other federal staff on administrative leave.
    “Congress reaffirmed its commitment to your agency, its mission, and its personnel by funding the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) at $866.9 million in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025, and expects that each of the entities will continue their unique mission of broadcasting content to audiences around the world,” the lawmakers wrote. “Your decisions to terminate the grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia (RFA) (in addition to withholding funds for the BenarNews service), Middle East Broadcasting Networks, and Open Technology Fund; place on administrative leave Voice of America (VOA), Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Technology, Services, and Innovation, and other federal staff; cancel hundreds of contracts; and pull transmissions from the air violate several provisions in the appropriations bill.”
    “These actions are not just illegal and wasteful, they run counter to our interests,” they continued. “America’s authoritarian adversaries are investing billions in state-backed media, targeting the same countries USAGM entities reach. With an audience of 427 million people speaking more than 60 languages, USAGM networks are a trusted and reliable source of information in the face of state censorship, including in the People’s Republic of China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, and Afghanistan, and across Eastern Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The technology developed by the Open Technology Fund and used across grantees will leave users who are dependent on their tools to circumvent censorship stranded. Once America loses the trust of these audiences, it will be difficult to get it back.”
    “We respectfully request that you rescind the actions you have taken to date and refrain from any further downsizing or terminations, and that you ensure you are in compliance with your legal requirements, including to consult and notify Congress of any proposed changes and to meet congressional spending directives,” they concluded.
    U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), as well as U.S. Representatives Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), and Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) also signed the letter.
    The full text of the letter is available HERE and below.
    Dear Acting CEO Morales and Ms. Lake:
    You are at the helm of an agency with a critical mission to increase freedom of expression, circumvent censorship, and deliver objective, accurate, and relevant information to hundreds of millions of people worldwide. This mission directly supports U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.
    Given its importance, we write to express our concerns with the decisions you have made in response to the March 14, 2025 Executive Order titled “Executive Order on Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.”
    Congress reaffirmed its commitment to your agency, its mission, and its personnel by funding the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) at $866.9 million in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025, and expects that each of the entities will continue their unique mission of broadcasting content to audiences around the world. Your decisions to terminate the grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia (RFA) (in addition to withholding funds for the BenarNews service), Middle East Broadcasting Networks, and Open Technology Fund; place on administrative leave Voice of America (VOA), Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Technology, Services, and Innovation, and other federal staff; cancel hundreds of contracts; and pull transmissions from the air violate several provisions in the appropriations bill. This includes sections 7015 and 7063, and the provisions under the United States Agency for Global Media heading, of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, as carried forward by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025.
    Additionally, the actions you have taken to significantly downsize the agency, including termination of the new building lease and closeout costs, will cost the U.S. taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars.
    These actions are not just illegal and wasteful, they run counter to our interests. America’s authoritarian adversaries are investing billions in state-backed media, targeting the same countries USAGM entities reach. With an audience of 427 million people speaking more than 60 languages, USAGM networks are a trusted and reliable source of information in the face of state censorship, including in the People’s Republic of China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, and Afghanistan, and across Eastern Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The technology developed by the Open Technology Fund and used across grantees will leave users who are dependent on their tools to circumvent censorship stranded. Once America loses the trust of these audiences, it will be difficult to get it back.
    In 2020, when then-USAGM CEO Michael Pack instituted mass firings, then-Senator Rubio led a bipartisan effort to have such actions reversed. In the letter, Senator Rubio and colleagues stated:
    “We are at a critical moment in history where malign actors including Russia, China, and Iran, are using advanced tools and technology to undermine global democratic norms, spreading disinformation, and severely restricting their own free press to hamper access to independent news for their citizens. As these and other authoritarian regimes further crack down domestically, their citizens turn to outside media as their only trustworthy source of unbiased, accurate news.”
    This is no less true today.
    We are equally troubled that these actions put staff across all of those entities, who have faithfully served the interests of the U.S. government, at risk if they are forced to return to authoritarian countries where they may be subject to harassment, persecution, or arbitrary arrest. The agency appears to have no plan in place to address these risks. Already, 1,300 VOA staff and 75 percent of RFA U.S.-based staff have been put on leave.
    We respectfully request that you rescind the actions you have taken to date and refrain from any further downsizing or terminations, and that you ensure you are in compliance with your legal requirements, including to consult and notify Congress of any proposed changes and to meet congressional spending directives. We request that you respond to this letter no later than April 4, 2025 confirming your intent to do so.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Connecticut Delegation Reintroduce Legislation To Improve Safety Net For Small Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01),  Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02),  Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04), and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) in reintroducing the Save Our Small (SOS) Farms Act of 2025. This legislation improves the farm safety net and expands federal crop insurance by allowing small farms to better access crop insurance policies often limited to large commercial farms to protect their business. 
    Extreme weather and other disasters can cause severe losses for farms lacking crop insurance, forcing them to depend on disaster relief. This disproportionately affects small farms, which often cannot access insurance. A recent survey by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture revealed that Connecticut farmers have lost over $50 million due to weather-related events in 2023 and 2024. The SOS Farms Act aims to provide a stronger safety net by expanding the number of farms eligible to purchase crop insurance, lower coverage costs for small farms, and directing the USDA to develop more responsive coverage options for farmers during extreme weather.
    According to the nationwide 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census of Agriculture, only 5% of Connecticut farms are enrolled in crop insurance, compared to 19% of farms nationally.
    “Small farmers in Connecticut work hard to keep their businesses running, but don’t have adequate insurance programs to protect them when extreme storms and droughts wipe out their crops. This legislation would make disaster assistance and insurance more affordable and effective, so local farmers aren’t left behind when disaster hits,” said Murphy.
    “Climate change has made it abundantly clear that we need a stronger safety net for farmers when floods, drought or other natural disasters strike. Our measure makes necessary reforms to programs that simply do not work for farmers by making coverage and assistance more accessible and affordable than before. Small farms are an essential part of Connecticut’s culture, environment, and economy—they deserve the best protection and support to recover from devastating storms,” said Blumenthal.
    “After the Connecticut River Valley was devastated by severe flooding during the summer of 2023, many small farms throughout the region lost hundreds of acres of crops,” said Larson. “The Save our Small Farms Act will better tailor our nation’s crop insurance programs to the unique needs of small to midsized farmers. Our bill will make crop insurance more affordable and accessible and reduce the paperwork burdens our farmers face to access support when disaster strikes. The entire Connecticut delegation will continue to stand together with our farmers, so they get the support they deserve and are not left on their own to pick up the pieces after a natural disaster.”
    “More and more farmers across Connecticut are facing the devastating impacts of extreme weather events. Unfortunately, the broken federal crop insurance system has let smaller farms fall through gaps in coverage and left them on the hook with major losses. The Save Our Small Farms Act reforms the crop insurance system and provides small farmers with the safety net they need to access assistance programs and recover from damages that come at no fault of their own. I look forward to once again working with my colleagues from Connecticut to ensure this issue receives the attention it deserves in Congress,” said Courtney.
    “As the backbone of our food system, small farms deserve fair access to the resources they need to thrive,” said DeLauro. “Each year, as the climate crisis intensifies, unforeseen and catastrophic weather events are becoming more and more common. This makes our efforts to protect our farmers crucial, which is why I am a strong supporter of The Save Our Small Farms Act, which will guarantee that federal programs serve all farmers, not just the largest operations. This legislation is necessary to address the gaps in our current farm safety net. I am proud to support this legislation aimed at bolstering our agricultural economy, safeguarding local producers, and creating a more resilient food supply.”
    “Each year seems to bring worse storms than the last, with Connecticut’s small farmers incurring ever-steeper crop losses because of increasingly common severe weather. The Save our Small Farms Act expands crop insurance options for small farmers and improves how the federal government provides disaster aid in times of crisis. This is a commonsense bill that brings federal agricultural policy in line with the realities of climate change and the hardships our nation’s small farmers face,” said Himes.
    “In the Fifth District, small farms help feed our communities and drive our economy. Although these farmers need assistance, our crop insurance and disaster programs too often leave them behind. And as we continue to see extreme weather patterns becoming more frequent, we must find new solutions to ensure small farm operators are protected before disasters strikes,” said Hayes. “The SOS Farms Act would expand coverage and assistance, lower costs for small farmers, and direct the USDA to develop more responsive coverage options. Small farms are an essential part of our culture, environment, and economy.”
    Specifically, the SOS Farms Act:
    Creates a streamlined application process to the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), which offers farmers the opportunity to purchase coverage for losses due to natural disasters in areas where crop insurance is unavailable. The bill provides new authority to USDA to launch pilot projects to address emerging needs and to improve data collection to support the development of new crop insurance policies.
    Producers may not be able to find an insurance policy that covers any or all of their crops, or insurance premiums may be prohibitively expensive.
    Paperwork requirements, premiums, and service fees have often kept small farms from accessing NAP coverage.
    2. Directs the Farm Service Agency to create an on-ramp from NAP coverage to a true insurance policy under the Whole Farm Revenue Protection Program (WFRP), the most comprehensive crop insurance program for small and mid-sized farms. 
    3. Expands WFRP to allow smaller farms to better access crop insurance policies by:
    Reducing paperwork requirements for applicants.
    Allowing policies for farms that use crop-rotation.
    Modifies insurance plans to improve effectiveness for specialty crop and diversified farms.
    Increases response timeliness of insurance applications.
    Requires providers and the Risk Management Agency to account for different cultivation cycles for different crops when calculating premium discounts.
    Authorizing the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to study WFRP participation by small farms that sell to local or regional markets.
    Expanding the network of insurance agents selling crop insurance policies to small farms through increased compensation
    4. Directs USDA to develop an index-based insurance policy that is responsive to crop and income losses due to extreme weather events.
    A weather index-based insurance policy uses extreme weather events as a proxy for agricultural income losses.
    This approach reduces paperwork while making the policy more responsive to losses from adverse weather conditions.
    Insurance would also be based on a farm’s income instead of the price of its crops, better aligning payouts with income losses associated with crop losses.
    Since payouts are automatically triggered by a weather event, producers would not have to fill out paperwork or wait months to receive support following a natural disaster.
    The SOS Farms Act is endorsed by the California Climate and Agriculture Network, California FarmLink, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Community Farm Alliance, Dakota Rural Action, Environmental Working Group, Farm Action, Farm Aid, Farm to Table – New Mexico, Farmshare Austin, Friends of Family Farmers, HEAL (Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor) Food Alliance, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Kiss the Ground, Land for Good, Land Stewardship Project, Maine Farmland Trust, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Marbleseed, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Michigan Food and Farming Systems, Midwest Farmers of Color Collective, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), National Young Farmers Coalition, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA-NH), Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, Organic Farming Association, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network, Regenerate America, Renewing the Countryside, Rogue Farm Corps, Rural Advancement Foundation International, Rural Coalition, Sierra Club, Sustainable Food Center, and World Farmers.
    A one-pager of the legislation is available HERE, and the full bill text is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Cosponsors Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Fix World Trade Center Health Program Funding Shortfall

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) announced he is cosponsoring the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025, legislation that would extend funding that benefits 9/11 responders and survivors.

    “9/11 was one of the most horrific and painful days in American history,” said Kaine. “It is our responsibility to permanently fund the health care program that the thousands of brave souls—who risked their lives to save their fellow Americans—rely on. I am proud to uphold our promise to never forget by supporting our first responders and survivors, many of whom continue to face grave, longstanding health issues.”

    Despite recent congressional action, the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) continues to face an impending funding shortfall. As a result, by October 2028, the program will be forced to close enrollment to new 9/11 responders and survivors seeking benefits, and existing enrollees will face direct cuts to their care and be denied medical monitoring and treatment. 

    The 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025 would update the program’s outdated funding formula to ensure adequate funding until the program’s expiration in 2090. The bill would also increase funding for data collection on 9/11-related conditions and expand access to mental health care for program members. 

    This legislation is led by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and U.S. Representatives Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-2), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12). 

    Full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO RELEASE: Sen. Johnson on Sunday Morning Futures: “Now’s the Time” to Return to Pre-Pandemic Spending Levels

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
    WASHINGTON – On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures to call for a return to pre-pandemic levels of spending through a budget review process. 
    “I don’t think Trump voters expected Republicans to continue spending at Biden’s spending levels. If we want to defeat the deep state, stop funding it!” said Sen. Johnson. 
    “For any Republican who claimed that we don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem, now’s the time to insist on returning to a reasonable pre-pandemic level of spending and a process to achieve it!” he continued.

    Watch the full video here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Collins, Klobuchar Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Access to Apprenticeships

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Published: March 31, 2025

    The American Apprenticeship Act would provide states with tuition assistance funding for apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the American Apprenticeship Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide states with tuition assistance funding to support apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.
    “Small business owners have told me that one of the biggest challenges they face is finding qualified and trained workers to fill vacant positions,” said Senator Collins. “Apprenticeships help address this issue by aligning employees’ skills with employers’ needs and preparing individuals for a successful future in their chosen field.  During the ongoing workforce shortage, this bipartisan bill would help fill the gap by expanding access to and lowering the cost of apprenticeships, allowing more Americans to take advantage of these programs to gain in-demand skills and obtain good-paying jobs.”
    Specifically, the American Apprenticeship Act would:
    Award competitive grants to states that have developed effective strategies to diversify, market, and scale Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs;
    Cover costs associated with participating in Registered Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, including tuition, fees, equipment, and other educational materials; and
    Analyze the use of apprenticeships for in-demand occupations.
    In addition to this bill, last month, Senator Collins and bipartisan group of her Senate colleagues introduced the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act to help more Americans access job training programs. This legislation would allow students to use federal Pell Grants—need-based education grants for lower-income individuals— to pay for shorter-term job training programs leading to a license or certificate.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Budzinski Meet with Local Veterans and Metro East VSO Leaders to Discuss Trump’s Ongoing Attacks on the Veteran Community

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    March 30, 2025
    [BELLEVILLE, IL] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) and Armed Services (SASC)—and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13)—a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs—today met with leaders and members from local Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) in Metro East, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion. During their meeting, Duckworth and Budzinski discussed how the Trump Administration is continuing to inflict needless pain and chaos on the Veteran community through VA layoffs, illegal pauses in federal funding and cuts to Veteran care. Photos of the meeting can be found on the Senator’s website.
    “By working to destroy the VA, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are putting the wants of billionaires before the needs of our heroes,” said Duckworth. “Trump and Musk are jeopardizing life-saving care and firing more Veterans than any other Administration in history in order to carve out tax cuts for billionaires. It’s a complete betrayal of our Veterans and their life of service. Together, Congresswoman Budzinski and I will keep pushing back and advocating for our heroes here in Illinois and across the nation.”
    “I am honored to represent over 40,000 veterans in my district. Many of these brave men and women have served this nation not once, but twice—first in uniform, and now at the VA. Unfortunately, this administration has set an alarming record by firing more veterans than ever before, jeopardizing their livelihoods, and risking the essential services that so many veterans depend on,” said Budzinski. “Today, I joined Senator Duckworth to hear directly from Illinois veterans on how they are feeling and share what we are doing back in Washington. I hope this fireside chat reassured them that in both the House and Senate, Illinois’ leaders are fighting for them.”
    Earlier this month, Duckworth and Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced their Protect Veteran Jobs Act—that would reinstate Veterans who were fired from their jobs as part of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s indiscriminate purge of federal employees. Duckworth and Kim’s bill is the Senate companion to legislation introduced in the House by U.S. Representative Derek Tran (D-CA-45), H.R. 1637. In addition to reinstating Veterans impacted by Trump and Musk’s mass federal layoffs, the legislation would also require the Trump Administration to report to Congress on a quarterly basis the Veterans who have been removed from federal employment and provide justification for their removal.
    In February, Duckworth joined VoteVets for an emergency national town hall to call out Donald Trump and Elon Musk for inflicting needless pain and chaos on our nation’s Veterans. During the town hall, Veterans who have been fired by Elon Musk’s DOGE bravely came forward—for the first time—to share how Trump’s cuts and layoffs have uprooted their lives. Duckworth pledged to continue advocating for our nation’s heroes and pushing back against the Trump Administration’s harmful policies and employee purges that are leaving Veterans jobless and jeopardizing their access to critical VA care and benefits.
    Approximately two weeks ago, Senate Republicans voted against an amendment version of Duckworth and Kim’s Protect Veteran Jobs Act. Veterans make up more than 30 percent of the federal workforce and it is estimated that Trump and Musk have already fired more than 6,000 men and women who have served in uniform.
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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan, Peters, and Murkowski Introduce Resolution to Preserve Independent USPS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    03.28.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced a bipartisan resolution to support the independence and critical public service mission of the United States Postal Service, emphasizing the essential role the Postal Service has played in connecting and serving Americans, especially in rural communities. Sens. Sullivan and Peters were joined in introducing the resolution by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

    “In a state as vast as ours, with many remote communities only accessible by air or water, the USPS serves as an essential government agency that keeps postal services affordable for Alaskans,” Senator Sullivan said. “The Bypass Mail program—a lifeline for Rural Alaska that I have fought for since becoming a senator—allows the USPS to fulfill its universal service obligation to deliver goods and services to even the most remote parts of our state. I will forcefully oppose any action that threatens that program. I am glad to work with my colleagues from other rural states on this resolution to oppose the privatization of the Postal Service and ensure that this critical agency remains focused on its statutory requirement to reliably deliver mail to every household, no matter how remote.”  

    “Federal statute has long recognized that the Postal Service’s core purpose is ‘to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people.’ In Alaska, where most communities are unconnected by road and where internet connectivity—when available—is often unreliable or prohibitively expensive, we rely on the USPS to deliver vital basic necessities, whether that is food, medicine, election ballots, spare parts, store inventory, or subsistence supplies,” said Senator Murkowski. “I am proud to co-sponsor this resolution again to reaffirm the significance of the United States Postal Service as an independent establishment of the Federal Government and to reject its privatization.”

    “For more than 250 years, the Postal Service has been a cornerstone of our nation, connecting every household and business across the country,” said Senator Peters. “Any efforts to undermine the Postal Service’s independence or privatize it would jeopardize affordable, universal mail service and harm the millions of Americans—especially veterans, small business owners, and rural communities—who rely on the Postal Service every day. This resolution reaffirms our commitment to keeping the Postal Service independent and self-sustaining, ensuring it continues to serve as a vital lifeline for all Americans.”

    “The privatization of the United States Postal Service would be devastating to Alaskans not only in remote communities, but throughout the state. The Postal Service currently serves all Alaskans, regardless of where they live. It serves many areas of the state that are not profitable for other shippers. If the Postal Service is privatized, it will significantly increase shipping costs throughout the state and be devastating to Alaska’s economy. All Alaska letter carriers of the National Association of Letter Carriers stands by Senator Sullivan in his efforts to keep the Postal Service a public service to all Alaskans,” said Chris Crutchfield, Alaska State Chair for the National Association of Letter Carriers.

    The full text of the resolution can be found here.

    BACKGROUND

    Since 1775, the United States Postal Service and its dedicated postal workforce have performed the essential government function of “providing postal services to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people” and “rendering postal services to all communities” (39 USC 101). Across the nation today, 630,000 postal employees deliver the mail to more than 168 million residential and business customers, six days a week. The Postal Service is consistently the highest-rated government agency in nonpartisan opinion polls. It also plays a crucial role in our national security, protecting us from mail-borne threats.

    In support of the Postal Service, this bipartisan resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure the Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization. The resolution also recognizes:

    • The Postal Service is at the center of the $1.9 trillion mailing industry, which employs 7.9 million people in the United States.
    • The Postal Service is a self-sustaining, independent establishment that relies on revenue derived from the sale of postal services and products, not on taxpayer funds.
    • The Postal Service maintains an affordable and universal network, connecting rural, suburban, and urban communities.
    • Postal Service employees, including over 73,000 military veterans, are dedicated public servants who serve as the eyes and ears of our communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski, Bennet Urge Trump Administration to Reinstate Critical Protections for Unaccompanied Migrant Children

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    03.27.25

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) wrote to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to express bipartisan concern following EOIR’s decision to rescind the 2023 Memorandum on Children’s Cases in Immigration Court and reinstate 2017 guidelines. This decision weakens critical protections for unaccompanied migrant children, increases inefficiencies in the immigration court system, and risks higher levels of child trafficking and exploitation.

    “The 2023 memorandum established specialized juvenile dockets with dedicated judges, child-appropriate court practices, and stronger safeguards against trafficking. It also improved address verification to reduce procedural errors that often lead to removal orders for children who never received proper notice of their hearings,” wrote Murkowski and Bennet .

    In their letter, the senators express concern that reverting to the 2017 guidelines undermines important safeguards, increases case backlogs, and weakens protections. It also reintroduces a tone of suspicion toward unaccompanied minors rather than recognizing their vulnerabilities and need for fair proceedings.

    “EOIR must ensure that immigration proceedings for unaccompanied children remain fair, efficient, and protective against trafficking. This includes maintaining specialized juvenile dockets, strengthening interagency coordination, and preserving procedures that prevent unnecessary delays and due process failures,” continued the senators. 

    In 2023, Murkowski and Bennet introduced the Immigration Court Efficiency and Children’s Court Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a dedicated Children’s Court within EOIR. The legislation would combat the immigration court backlog and strengthen due process rights for unaccompanied migrant children. 

    The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

    Dear Acting Director Owen:

    We write with deep concern over the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s decision to rescind the Director’s 2023 Memorandum on Children’s Cases in Immigration Court (DM 24-01) and reinstate the 2017 Guidelines. This decision weakens critical protections for unaccompanied children, increases inefficiencies in the immigration court system, and risks greater trafficking and exploitation.

    The 2023 memorandum established specialized juvenile dockets with dedicated judges, child-appropriate court practices, and stronger safeguards against trafficking. It also improved address verification to reduce procedural errors that often lead to removal orders for children who never received proper notice of their hearings. At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security committed to training government attorneys to identify trafficking indicators and assess legal relief options for children.

    Reverting to the 2017 guidelines undermines these safeguards, increases case backlogs, and weakens protections under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008. It also reintroduces a tone of suspicion toward unaccompanied minors rather than recognizing their vulnerabilities and need for fair proceedings. EOIR must ensure that immigration proceedings for unaccompanied children remain fair, efficient, and protective against trafficking. This includes maintaining specialized juvenile dockets, strengthening interagency coordination, and preserving procedures that prevent unnecessary delays and due process failures.

    Congress has long recognized the need for reforms that balance efficiency with fairness. That’s why we introduced the Immigration Court Efficiency and Children’s Court Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a dedicated Children’s Court within EOIR. This legislation would ensure trained judges oversee these cases with the expertise and resources they require. We urge EOIR to consider these principles moving forward.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Commemorates Transgender Day of Visibility

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today released the following statement commemorating International Transgender Day of Visibility: 
    “International Transgender Day of Visibility is an essential reminder that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, always. No one should ever fear retribution for being their open and authentic selves, but that’s a reality for too many trans and non-binary people across America. The Trump Administration’s Executive Orders and hateful rhetoric are fueling violent attacks and discrimination. We have a responsibility, now more than ever, to uplift the voices and protect the rights of trans and LGBTQ+ people in Vermont and everywhere.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Statement on Trump’s EO to End Collective Bargaining for Federal Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement regarding President Trump’s Executive Order to end collective bargaining with federal labor unions across several federal agencies. The order would impact over one million federal workers, including nurses at the VA who care for veterans and public health researchers working to prevent future pandemics.
    “This executive order strips a million workers of their fundamental right to fight for better working conditions.
    It threatens U.S. national security, public health, and the economy by undermining workers across crucial federal agencies. It jeopardizes critical services that Americans depend on.”
    Hickenlooper is a strong supporter of labor unions and has frequently joined picket lines with striking workers back in Colorado. Last Sunday, Hickenlooper spoke at a National Association of Letter Carriers rally in Denver against Trump’s proposal to privatize the U.S. Postal Service.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: “California-Mexico border, once overwhelmed, now nearly empty”

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    In the latest indication of success from President Donald J. Trump’s unprecedented effort to secure the homeland, the Los Angeles Times writes that “migrant crossings have slowed to near a halt” along the California-Mexico border following years of unchecked illegal immigration.
    From the article:
    “But migrant crossings have slowed to a near halt, bringing a striking change to the landscape along the southernmost stretch of California.
    Shelters that once received migrants have closed, makeshift camps where migrants waited for processing are barren, and nonprofits have begun shifting their services to established immigrants in the U.S. who are facing deportation, or migrants stuck in southern Mexico.
    […]
    Border Patrol agents in the San Diego sector are now making about 30 to 40 arrests per day, according to the agency. That’s down from more than 1,200 per day during the height of migrant arrivals to the region in April.”
    Click here to read the full story.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Valley Medical Center Layoffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    03.30.25

    Cantwell Statement on Valley Medical Center Layoffs

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, gave the following statement regarding the 101 recent layoffs at Valley Medical Center in Renton:

    “Hospitals in Washington state rely heavily on stable Medicaid funding. I urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to quickly approve Washington state’s 2025 application for the Safety Net Assessment Program so our hospitals can continue to provide care for the most vulnerable.. The necessity of this program shows how hospitals are already struggling to keep pace with costs – and Congressional Republicans’ plan to slash up to $880 billion from Medicaid would be devastating for patients and hospitals. We should not be giving hospitals another reason to worry when they are busy providing lifesaving care.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: After Visiting Guantanamo Bay, Senators Blast Trump Admin for Wasting Taxpayer Dollars & Misusing Military Resources

    US Senate News:

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

    After Visiting Guantanamo Bay, Senators Blast Trump Admin for Wasting Taxpayer Dollars & Misusing Military Resources

    Delegation scrutinizes military role in DHS migrant relocation operations
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined a delegation of U.S. Senators in traveling to Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO) to conduct oversight of the ongoing Department of Defense activities to support the Department of Homeland Security in the unlawful relocation of migrants.
    The delegation was led by Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), and included Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a senior member of SASC.
    The Senators conducted a firsthand examination of the missions underway at GTMO. They met with military servicemembers, ICE officers, and DHS officials to fully understand the costs and military readiness impacts of these missions.
    After returning from the trip, Senators Padilla, Reed, Shaheen, King, and Peters issued the following statement:
    “We salute the outstanding American servicemembers and DHS officials who are working tirelessly at Guantanamo Bay. Our troops in Guantanamo have a uniquely difficult, demanding job that requires great sacrifices by them and their families. We know that border security and immigration enforcement are critical to our national security, and we thank these servicemembers, ICE officers, and defense civilians for their professionalism and candor with us.
    “However, after examining the migrant relocation activities at Guantanamo Bay, we are outraged by the scale and wastefulness of the Trump Administration’s misuse of our military. It is obvious that Guantanamo Bay is a likely illegal and certainly illogical location to detain immigrants. Its use is seemingly designed to undermine due process and evade legal scrutiny.
    “The staggering financial cost to fly these immigrants out of the United States and detain them at Guantanamo Bay—a mission worth tens of millions of dollars a month—is an insult to American taxpayers. President Trump could implement his immigration policies for a fraction of the cost by using existing ICE facilities in the U.S., but he is obsessed with the image of using Guantanamo, no matter the cost.
    “Worse, President Trump is undermining our military readiness at a perilous moment in the world. We met with dozens of servicemembers who were rushed to Guantanamo Bay without notice, leaving their critical day-to-day military missions behind in order to build tents that should never be filled and guard immigrants who should never be held there. Our troops will always answer the call and get the job done, but their invaluable time and resources are being carelessly wasted by the President on this mission.
    “We are also angered that we had to fly to Cuba to get answers to the questions we’ve been asking the Trump Administration for months. By steadfastly ignoring Congress, Defense Secretary Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Noem are forcing their servicemembers and officers on the ground to try to make sense of Trump’s contradictory and political orders without any guidance or support.
    “We are calling on the Trump Administration to immediately cease this misguided mission. The migrant relocation operation at Guantanamo Bay is unsustainably expensive, operating under questionable legal authority, and harmful to our military readiness.”
    Last month, Padilla denounced Trump’s relocation of immigrants from the United States to Guantánamo Bay as unlawful and demanded answers regarding these relocations. In the letter, Padilla and the other Senators emphasized that noncitizens in ICE custody are entitled to legal protections under immigration law and the Constitution, including due process.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 03/28/2025 Blackburn Statement on New Interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee

    US Senate News:

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

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statementafter President Trump named Joseph Murphy as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee: 

    “I am so pleased that we will have new leadership at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. Over the last few years, Shelby County has endured an unacceptable surge in violent crime, and Memphis is now ranked the most dangerous city in America. While crime has continued to skyrocket in the Western District, indictments brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office are at the lowest level they have been at in years. That’s precisely why we need a U.S. Attorney who will return to increased caseloads, aggressively enforce our federal criminal laws, and keep violent offenders behind bars so that Memphians can feel safe again. I have worked with President Trump to ensure that Memphis’ chief federal prosecutor is competent, tough-on-crime, and pro-law enforcement. Joe Murphy is a skilled federal prosecutor who has dedicated decades of his career to serving the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Memphis. As Interim U.S. Attorney, Mr. Murphy will crack down on violent crime, keep dangerous offenders off our streets, and fulfill President Trump’s promise to Make America Safe Again.”

    RELATED

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Shaheen in Push to Overturn Citizens United Ruling

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    March 28, 2025

    Legislation would rid American elections of dark money & excessive corporate campaign spending

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and 37 Democratic and Independent Senators to reintroduce a Constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision, which removed campaign finance restrictions and opened the door for foreign and domestic entities to spend unlimited money to influence elections. The Democracy for All Amendment would also overturn other far-reaching decisions around campaign finance that wrongfully equated money with free speech and unfairly determined that big, wealthy corporations have the same First Amendment rights as people. 

    “It is past time that we get the corrosive influence of big money out of our politics to stop billionaires and massive corporations from boxing out the voices of middle-class families,” said Duckworth. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in supporting legislation that would overturn the disastrous Citizens United ruling and restore power to the people.”

    “The Citizens United ruling opened the floodgates for dark money to directly impact our political system for the benefit of corporations and special interests,” said Durbin. “But our government was intended to be a democracy of the people, by the people, for the people. We must mend the broken campaign finance system that elevates the voices of a few wealthy donors over millions of Americans. It’s time we enshrined the Democracy for All Amendment in our Constitution.”

    The Democracy for All Amendment would empower Congress and states to set reasonable campaign finance rules and limit corporate spending. The amendment would enshrine in the Constitution the right of the American people to regulate the raising and spending of funds in public elections and curb the concentration of political influence held by the wealthiest Americans.     

    Along with Duckworth, Durbin and Shaheen, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) are also cosponsors of the Democracy for All Amendment. 

    Both Durbin and Duckworth were strong supporters of the For the People Act—a sweeping package of comprehensive reforms that would end special interest corruption of our politics and make government work for the people. The landmark legislation passed the House of Representatives in 2021 when it was under a Democratic majority, but failed to receive the 60 votes necessary in the Senate in June 2021 due to Republican opposition.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Booker to Introduce Honor Farmer Contracts Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    March 28, 2025

    The legislation would require the release of illegally withheld funding for all contracts and agreements previously entered into by USDA

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, joined U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to introduce 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 and other rural- or agricultural-related groups and companies will be paid or reimbursed for the money they invested or are owed. The federal government signed a contractual agreement and many participants have been left waiting for weeks and months without funding. This legislation would require USDA to pay all past due payments as quickly as possible.

    “Donald Trump—a failed businessman—is trying to skip out on paying our hardworking farmers what they are rightfully owed, jeopardizing critical contracts and local jobs that support families across Illinois,” Duckworth said. “Trump might say he loves our farmers, but his actions speak louder than words. Our Honor Farmer Contracts Act would put a stop to this chaos and ensure every penny that is being illegally withheld by this Administration is paid to our farmers as promised.”

    “These contracts are a big part of job creation and business development for farmers, rural residents, downstate towns, and even urban agriculture.  But Elon Musk and President Trump have decided these folks, like Trump’s former real estate subcontractors, who also waited for reimbursement for work performed, are just not worth it, and should go away.  Meanwhile, China is pursuing major rural investments to improve the lives of their rural citizens, like rural housing, health care, water, and technology infrastructure,” said Durbin.  “The Honor Farmer Contracts Act would ensure that USDA does the right thing by ensuring the U.S government keeps its word and pays these individuals what they are owed.”

    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.

    U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) will introduce companion legislation in the House.

    In addition to Duckworth, Durbin and Booker, the Honor Farmer Contracts is cosponsored by U.S. Senators 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), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). 

    To see the full list of organizations endorsing the Honor Farmer Contracts, click here.

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Statement on Andrew Boutros Being Named Interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    March 28, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee,  today released the following statement on Andrew Boutros being named the Interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois:

    “The White House has assured our offices that there will be no nomination for the permanent role of U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois until the White House Counsel’s Office has consulted with both of our offices.”

    During the Biden administration, the position of U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois remained unfilled due to then-Senator J.D. Vance’s (R-OH) hold on U.S. Attorney nominees, including April Perry, who was nominated by then-President Biden to be U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. U.S. Attorneys are empowered to prosecute all federal criminal offenses and are an integral part of our justice system. Despite these nominees’ eminent qualifications, then-Senator Vance continuously objected to Durbin’s unanimous consent requests to confirm these nominees.

    For decades, the Senate has confirmed U.S. Attorneys by voice vote or unanimous consent after they have been considered in the Judiciary Committee. Before the 117th Congress, the last time the Senate required a roll call vote on the confirmation of a U.S. Attorney nominee was in 1975. 

    That precedent changed during the Biden administration when Durbin went through this exercise twice when a Republican colleague refused to allow the Senate to confirm nearly a dozen Justice Department nominees by voice vote—the typical practice. Following a unanimous consent request, that Senator eventually lifted his objections and allowed those nominees to be confirmed.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Expresses Sympathy for Myanmar, Thailand and Southeast Asia in the Wake of Catastrophic Deadly Earthquake

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    March 28, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—issued the following statement expressing her sympathy for the people of Myanmar, Thailand and across the region after a powerful earthquake killed and injured hundreds of people, with many more missing and casualty tolls likely to rise:

    “Absolutely heartbroken watching the footage of the violent earthquake in Myanmar—a catastrophe of epic proportions. As brave first responders continue working to locate those missing and save lives, I’m sending my deepest sympathies to the victims, their loved ones and all those enduring the repercussions in Myanmar, Thailand and across the region. In the wake of this tragedy, the United States must join the international community and unequivocally support Southeast Asia however we can—with disaster assistance and more. Praying for safety and a swift recovery throughout this disaster.”

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz, Shaheen Lead Colleagues in Condemning the Permanent Elimination of USAID

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, alongside Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), 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: Senator Rosen Denounces Trump’s Appointment of Sigal Chattah as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump naming Sigal Chattah as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada:
    “Nevada needs a U.S. Attorney who will uphold and enforce the law fairly and equally. Sigal Chattah is an extremist who is deeply unfit for this role,” said Senator Rosen. “Chattah’s disturbing past statements promising to use any public office to go after her political opponents, as well as her well-documented history of racist remarks, conspiracy theories, and threats of violence, prove that she cannot be trusted with this important responsibility. If she’s ever nominated to a permanent Senate-confirmed position, I’ll do everything in my power to block her confirmation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst on Justice for Sarah Root

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON – One week ago today – after nearly a decade of work by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to bring closure for the Root family – Sarah Root’s killer, an illegal immigrant who escaped due to a loophole in the law, was delivered into U.S. custody to face justice.
    Since Sarah Root was killed in 2016, Ernst has been advocating to bring her killer to justice alongside Sarah’s parents, Michelle and Scott Root. This year, President Trump made Ernst’s Sarah’s Law the law of the land to help ensure this never happens to another family.

    Watch Senator Ernst and Michelle Root’s full interview with KCCI here.
    “‘I was in disbelief. I had come to the fact that I would probably not see justice in my lifetime for my daughter’… [Michelle] Root credits Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. ‘Senator Ernst has become like family to us.’ Earlier this year, Congress passed the Laken Riley Act, which includes Sarah’s Law. Ernst says it requires authorities to detain any undocumented immigrant who commits a crime resulting in death or serious injury. With Sarah’s Law in place and Mejia awaiting trial. Root says she’s closer to finding closure. ‘Those two things were what we had been fighting for the last nine years. We will never get closure until we meet Sarah again, of course, but it closes that chapter.’”

    KCSI | Ernst Remembers Root Family as Sarah Root’s Killer is Now in U.S. Custody
    “I know there are a ton of people to thank about this, but I need to because we’re with Senator Ernst and as you said, she has brought from the beginning to get Sarah’s Law passed. I could not have asked for a better person by our side fighting with us and for us… Even when I wanted to quit, she kept going.”

    Watch Senator Ernst’s full interview  here.
    “This has been nine years in the making. It was nine years ago, at the end of January, on her college graduation day, that young Sarah Root was killed by an illegal immigrant… Thanks to the Trump administration, thank you to Secretary Noem and Secretary Rubio. We were able to locate this illegal migrant who had killed Sarah Root, and they were able to bring him back to face justice. So it means a lot to me, but especially means a lot to her parents, Michelle Root and Scott Root of Council Bluffs, Iowa.”
     
    Watch Senator Ernst’s full Newsmax interview here.
    “President Donald Trump wanted to do something about it. He never forgot about Sarah Root. And finally, now this man is going through the U.S. judicial system, and he will be held to account for the killing of sweet Sarah Root, who was only 21 years old when she was killed nine years ago.”
    Print Coverage of Ernst’s Advocacy:
    Council Bluffs Nonpareil | Sarah Root’s alleged killer extradited from Honduras to Omaha
    “In a Friday evening press call, Sen. Joni Ernst announced she had just left Eppley Airfield in Omaha, where Eswin Mejia was taken into U.S. custody. He is being held in the Douglas County Jail in Nebraska as he awaits trial in Root’s death.”
    “Ernst called the case a long-fought battle that has spanned nearly a decade, praising the Trump administration for acting to ‘prevent this from happening to someone else’s daughter’ while rebuking the Biden administration for removing Mejia from ICE’s Most Wanted list.”
    KWQC | Alleged killer of Iowan Sarah Root extradited from Honduras
    “Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst from Iowa, who worked for nine years to pass Sarah’s Law, praised President Donald Trump for extraditing Mejia.”
    Omaha World Herald | Honduran man accused in fatal 2016 crash extradited to Omaha, held on $100 million bail
    “[Ernst is] incredibly thankful for President Trump’s strong action, his hardworking administration and steadfast partnership to right this wrong on behalf of Iowa families.”
    Radio Iowa | Honduran charged with 2016 murder of Iowan extradited to Omaha
    “The first bill Trump signed into law this year includes what’s called ‘Sarah’s Law.’ It requires authorities to detain any illegal immigrant who is accused of murdering or seriously injuring someone in the U.S. Ernst and other members of Iowa’s congressional delegation had sponsored the legislation for the past eight years.”
    KCRG| Senator Ernst applauds Trump admin following the extradition of Sarah Root’s murderer
    “Since this incident, Senator Ernst has been actively fighting for justice for the Root family. ‘For over nine years, I have called for justice on behalf of Sarah Root, and today President Trump and his administration are delivering. Sarah should still be alive today, and for too long Michelle, Scott, and the rest of her loved ones have been forced to live with the fact that her killer was running free.’”
    KETV| Man accused in Omaha motor vehicle homicide that earned national attention to be extradited to United States
    “After years of trying to get the bill passed in both chambers of Congress, ‘Sarah’s Law’ was signed by Speaker Mike Johnson and made its way to President Donald Trump’s desk. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst spearheaded the effort.”
    Breitbart | Trump Administration Secures Extradition of Illegal Alien Accused of Killing 21-Year-Old Sarah Root
    “Ernst has worked for years on Root’s case, including working with the Trump administration on Mejia’s extradition. In January, Trump signed Sarah’s Law, authored by Ernst, into federal law which will require illegal aliens who commit violent crimes to remain detained in police custody.”
    KIOW| Ernst on the Apprehension of Eswin Mejia
    “Senator Joni Ernst has continually fought for the apprehension and extradition of Mejia to the United States. She was at the airport when Mejia landed on U. S. soil and was taken into custody.”
    WOWT | $100 million bond set for man charged in 2016 Omaha street racing crash that killed Sarah Root
    “The fact that Mejia was able to bond out and subsequently flee the U.S. led Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to create ‘Sarah’s Law,’ named after Root, which requires illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes against Americans to be detained regardless of bail status.”
    KFJB | ESWIN MEJIA TO STAND TRIAL NEARLY A DECADE AFTER THE KILLING OF SARAH ROOTS
    “Trump met with Root’s mother and her father, Scott Root, in mid-2016 and Trump talked about their daughter’s death on the campaign trail. The first bill Trump signed into law this year includes what’s called ‘Sarah’s Law.’ It requires authorities to detain any illegal immigrant who is accused of murdering or seriously injuring someone in the U.S. Ernst and other members of Iowa’s congressional delegation had sponsored the legislation for the past eight years.”
    TV Coverage of Ernst’s Advocacy:

    Watch KETV’s coverage here.
    “Senator Joni Ernst has been a champion for Sarah and her family, and her efforts and leadership were crucial in Mejia’s extradition.”
    “The story gained national attention after Congress passed Sarah’s Law. It requires police to detain an undocumented immigrant who commits a crime resulting in death or injury.”

    Watch KCCI’s coverage  here.
    “He is now in jail in Omaha…finally, Edwin Mejia will face long overdue consequence after breaking our laws and taking an innocent life.”

    Watch KCRG’s coverage  here.
    “U.S. Senator Joni Ernst worked for nine years to pass Sarah’s Law. That was an amendment to the Laken Riley Act…Ernst released a statement thanking the Trump administration for the work to extradite Mejia.”

    Watch KTIV’s coverage here.
    “The case inspired lawmakers to craft Sarah’s Law, which was recently signed into law by President Trump as part of the Laken Riley Act. Tonight, one of the lawmakers who led that legislation, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, celebrated the news that Mejia will finally stand trial.”

    Watch KWQC’s coverage here.
    “Sarah’s family helped pass a law in her honor, requiring immigrants to be detained if they’re involved with the death or serious injury of another person.”
    “Iowa Senator Joni Ernst has demanded justice for Root’s death since she died in 2016. Today, she celebrated a milestone moment in her quest for justice, saying, ‘finally, Edwin Mejia will face the long overdue consequences after breaking our laws and taking an innocent life. I’m incredibly thankful for President Trump’s strong action, his hardworking administration and steadfast partnership to right this wrong on behalf of Iowa families.’”

    Watch One America News’ coverage  here.
    “Iowa Senator Joni Ernst became a leading voice in the fight for justice for Root as the family came from Iowa.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Advocates Slam Trump and DOGE Attempts to Gut Social Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Watch: Senator Markey, Advocates Demand: No Cuts to Social Security
    Boston (March 28, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, held a press conference today to discuss how the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to gut Social Security impact Massachusetts residents. The press conference comes as the Trump administration, including the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), wages an all-out assault on the Social Security Administration (SSA), firing staff, closing SSA field offices, cutting customer experience systems and SSA phone service, and requiring in-person identity checks, among other drastic changes. Senator Markey was joined by Reverend Lorraine Anderson, Betsy Connell of the Massachusetts Councils on Aging, Rosa Bentley of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, and Camillie Piñeiro and Rich Couture of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).
    “For the millions of seniors that rely almost entirely upon Social Security for their income, a missed check means missed meals, medications, or rent payments,” said Senator Markey. “By cutting staff, closing offices, and requiring people to wait in long lines for an in-person identity check, the Trump administration is forcing Social Security recipients to travel long distances and making it more difficult to receive the funds they are entitled to. We will not let Trump and DOGE pillage Americans’ rightfully earned benefits to pay for a tax break for billionaires without a fight.”
    “My husband and I chose to live among the people we serve and during that time we were trusting the government to hold onto our money,” said Reverend Lorraine Andersen, Massachusetts resident and retired American Baptist Minister from International Community Church in Allston, Massachusetts. “We cannot afford to have our social security checks to be canceled, reduced or even delayed. If we lose those checks, we will have to go back to work in our eighties. I want to thank Senator Markey and others who are fighting to preserve and protect social security.”
    “Today, tomorrow, and every day this year 11,400 people will turn 65, which means that the social security administration needs to be able to have the capacity to serve an additional 4.1 million older adults this year,” said Betsy Connell, Executive Director of Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA). “We are talking about the people that built our homes, our communities, our local businesses, they are our neighbors, our parents, and our grandparents. With so many older adults facing these daily challenges with these hard economic times, rising costs for everything, making it more difficult for them to access their social security benefits is indefensible. Our older adults deserve better.”
    “More than one million people in Massachusetts rely on social security with an average monthly income of $3,000 a month. Payment delays of social security quickly become a crisis of missed rent or no groceries,” said Rosa Bentley, Statewide President for Massachusetts Senior Action Council. “There is no widespread fraud in the social security system. The only fraud I see is from Donald Trump and his friends. We will not accept any cuts to our benefits. We will not accept cuts to social security. Together we demand hands off our social security.”
    “Social Security is under attack by half hazard pointless new policies that produce only chaos and uncertainty. This new policy exposes seniors to greater threats from scammers that take advantage of their confusion. Social security is the line in the sand. Please help us hold the line and protect the benefits we all have paid for, from the first day of our first job,” said Camillie Piñeiro, President of AFGE Local 1164.
    “Social security is a promise our country made to itself to support us at the end of our work lives or when we are unable to work, and that promise is under attack. Folks are waiting a long time to get through and waiting a long time to get any answers because offices are being closed and staff fired,” said Rich Couture, President of AFGE Council 215 and Spokesperson for the AFGE Social Security General Committee. “Every American has paid into this system and are entitled to the benefits promised. These are your benefits. You are entitled to these benefits, and they must be saved.”
    In February, Senator Markey led his colleagues in a letter to Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) urging them to provide no less than $15.402 billion for the Social Security Administration in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill, allowing for full and timely implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act, while improving customer service. Senator Markey is an original cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law by President Biden in January 2025. The Social Security Fairness Act repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, which had reduced benefits for 3.2 million public servants. As a member of the House of Representatives in 1983, Markey was one of a handful of Democrats to vote against the Social Security Reform Act, which created WEP/GPO. Senator Markey is an original cosponsor of the Social Security Expansion Act to protect and expand Social Security benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Calls on FIFA to Take Steps to Prevent Human Trafficking at the World Cup

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and 16 of his Senate colleagues sent a letter to officials at the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) urging the organization to ensure they are working to prevent human trafficking before, during, and after the 2026 World Cup and requesting that FIFA share information about the steps it is taking to keep people safe in host cities, including Dallas and Houston, and what resources they are providing to help support communities across the continent.

    “The FIFA World Cup is considered the world’s largest sporting event and is expected to bring millions of fans to the United States,” wrote the senators.

    “We respectfully request information about the comprehensive efforts FIFA is taking to support the Host City Committees in combatting human trafficking in host cities, states and across the continent, in addition to any financial commitments you are providing to Host Cities, local or national organizations and any education and training you are providing to your teams, players, and staff on the issue,” they continued.

    “We also request information about any efforts you are making with local and federal law enforcement and non-profits in advance of, during, and after the World Cup to support anti-trafficking and survivor assistance initiatives,” the lawmakers continued.

    You can read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Nadler, Scott, Stansbury, and Leger Fernandez Condemn Unlawful Dismissal of EEOC Commissioners, Demand Immediate Reinstatement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Committee on Education & Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), and Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) in leading 236 Senate and House colleagues in a letter to President Donald Trump in response to his unprecedented and unlawful dismissal of Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels.
    “We write to express our outrage at your unprecedented dismissal of Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels of the bipartisan U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” the Members wrote. “This unlawful abuse of presidential power undermines the EEOC’s historic independence, harms U.S. workers, and unduly politicizes the Commission’s work. It also impedes the Commission’s ability to fully carry out its critical mission on behalf of the American people. We urge you to swiftly reinstate Commissioners Burrows and Samuels.”
    The EEOC was established in 1964 with strong bipartisan support to serve as an independent, multi-member body tasked with preventing and addressing employment discrimination. It is the primary federal law enforcement agency responsible for ensuring that workers are protected against discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, and genetic information. Workers rely on the EEOC to be a fair and independent body—not one subject to the shifting political whims of the executive branch.
    Both Commissioner Burrows and Commissioner Samuels had been confirmed by bipartisan votes of the Senate prior to the start of their terms, with Commissioner Burrows’ term not set to expire until July 2028 and Commissioner Samuels term not set to expire until July 2026.
    The Members highlighted the massive return on investment the EEOC delivers for the American people, writing: “From 2014-2024, the EEOC recovered $5.6 billion for workers who were discriminated against under these laws, significantly more than the agency’s appropriations during that time period. For FY 2024, the EEOC secured a record $700 million for workers who experienced discrimination. The EEOC’s role in enforcing these protections is essential to ensuring that all workers have a fair chance to obtain employment, provide for their families, and contribute to our economy.”
    The Members made clear the illegal firing by President Trump is an intrusion into Congress’ constitutional authority, stating, “The Administration’s firing of Commissioner Burrows and Commissioner Samuels is unprecedented and an intrusion into Congress’ Article I constitutional authority. The appointment of EEOC Commissioners is governed by statute and is designed to ensure the agency’s independence from the executive.  The President appoints Commissioners and the Senate confirms them. That is the beginning and end of the executive’s role in determining who can sit on the Commission and for how long. The law not only expressly requires the Commission to be bipartisan, but it also sets out five-year terms, a design that ensures that Commissioners’ terms run between presidential terms, another purposeful action by Congress to ensure the Commission’s independence.”
    “Longstanding Supreme Court precedent also confirms that multi-member independent commissions such as the EEOC enjoy protection from ‘coercive influence’ of the executive. In Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, 295 U.S. 602 (1935), the Supreme Court made clear that members of independent commissions like the EEOC cannot be removed at will by the President. Prior Presidents have agreed; no Commissioner of the EEOC has ever been removed prior to the expiration of their term in the Commission’s 60-year history.”
    “Workers deserve to earn a living free from discrimination and feel confident that when they are harmed, they can count on an independent EEOC, not a politicized body, to protect their rights,” the Members concluded. “We urge you to reinstate Commissioner Burrows and Commissioner Samuels, and we look forward to your urgent response.”
    The full letter can be read HERE and the list of signatories is HERE.
    The letter is endorsed by: A Better Balance, American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Employment Law Project, National Partnership for Women & Families, and the National Women’s Law Center.
    WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:  
    “Since its establishment 60 years ago as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOC has protected the rights of workers to earn a living free from discrimination. President Trump’s illegal and unprecedented dismissal of Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels critically impairs the EEOC’s ability to ensure that individuals aren’t denied jobs and opportunities because of who they are.  We condemn the administration’s flagrant politicization of an independent, nonpartisan civil rights agency and join members of Congress calling for the reinstatement of the commissioners without delay,” said Mike Zamore, National Director of Policy and Government Affairs of the American Civil Liberties Union.
    “People rely on the EEOC to be an independent, fair body that will protect their right to be free from discrimination in their workplace,” said Gaylynn Burroughs, Vice President for Education and Workplace Justice at the National Women’s Law Center. “President Trump’s removal of EEOC Commissioners Burrows and Samuels is just another extension of his authoritarian power grab that will ultimately harm workers. His actions are a clear abuse of power intended to bend the Commission to his will, but the Commission works for all working people, not for President Trump. The EEOC was born out of the civil rights movement to help ensure equal employment opportunity for all workers. We will continue to fight to preserve the integrity of the Commission, for equal opportunity, and for the right of all workers to be free from discrimination.”
    “We condemn the administration’s unlawful attempt to fire sitting EEOC commissioners. This reckless decision is already having devastating consequences for workers waiting for the agency to take legal action against employers engaged in discrimination and severe ramifications for the agency’s ability to function effectively and enforce labor and civil rights protections,” said Jocelyn C. Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “Workers who are depending on the EEOC to do its job should not have to endure discrimination because of political stunts intended to undermine civil rights enforcement. By making it virtually impossible for the Commission to take important actions, because it lacks a quorum, the administration is effectively circumventing robust enforcement of statutory anti-discrimination protections that workers depend on every day. President Trump must reinstate the commissioners he fired to rectify this situation. We commend Congressman Jerry Nadler and Senator Patty Murray, and all the members of Congress who join us in this fight, for standing up to safeguard the rights and the freedoms of all workers so that they are treated fairly in workplaces that are free of discrimination.”
    “The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s role in ensuring equitable workplaces and enforcing our nation’s laws against discrimination is vital. It is an outrage that the Trump Administration has gutted the agency by illegally firing key EEOC Commissioners who have tirelessly championed robust enforcement of important workplace laws like the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title VII of the Civil Right Act. This is an overstep of the President’s authority that will hamstring the agency’s ability to carry out its mission. We thank Congressman Nadler, Senator Murray, Ranking Member Scott, Congresswoman Stansbury, and Congresswoman Leger Fernández for their leadership in defending the EEOC,” said Inimai Chettiar, President of A Better Balance. 
    “President Trump’s removal of Commissioners Burrows and Samuels was an outrageous attack on civil rights and the rule of law – one of many actions taken by the president in pursuit of his goal to further entrench inequality and occupational segregation. The EEOC’s independence and bipartisan structure was established by Congress in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and is essential to its mission to promote equal opportunity in the workplace. This lawlessness and disregard for our Constitution cannot stand,” said Josh Boxerman, Government Affairs Manager, National Employment Law Project.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Sounds Alarm on Chronic Staffing Shortages at Naval Hospital Bremerton, Presses for Answers from Defense Health Agency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Short-staffed Navy hospital in Washington moves more than 700 patients off base for medical care

    Senator Murray has repeatedly voiced serious concerns over staffing shortages and decline in services at Naval Hospital Bremerton, spoke with Naval leadership about the issue last May on a visit to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard — PHOTOS HERE

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, sent a letter to the Acting Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), Dr. David Smith, expressing serious concerns over chronic staffing shortages at Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB), which have forced the hospital to send hundreds of patients off base for medical care. In the letter, Murray outlined her alarm over the pattern of declining care and personnel mismanagement at one of the nation’s largest Naval bases and pressed Acting Director Smith for answers to questions including how the Military Health System and Defense Health Network plan to fill the vacancies in NHB’s Internal Medicine department.

    “Naval Base Kitsap Bremerton is the third-largest Naval base in the country with 15,000 service personnel and 18,000 family members and retirees. Ensuring access to medical care for its servicemembers, retirees, and their families is crucial to maintaining military readiness. Yet NHB continues to experience staffing shortages, and no plan has been outlined to address them,” Murray wrote in the letter sent March 26th.

    “In February, NHB spokesperson Doug Stutz confirmed that, since late November, the hospital’s internal medicine clinic has been staffed by only one physician for 2,200 patients. As a result, 700 retired military personnel and veterans have been transferred to facilities across Kitsap County. The reassignment of patients to new providers presents significant challenges, including disruptions in continuity of care which has led to gaps in treatment and potential declines in patient outcomes. It is also causing logistical and transportation barriers, particularly for older veterans or those with mobility limitations and difficulties in specialized care coordination, especially in designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). These concerns must be addressed immediately,” Murray continued.

    “The fact that DHA has struggled to resolve this issue with NHB within established military staffing systems raises serious concerns about whether DHA can address it in a timely manner. Furthermore, physician shortages have been an ongoing issue for the Kitsap County community, exacerbating NHB’s difficulties in recruiting and retaining medical personnel. Unfortunately, this downsize is part of a continuous trend in the declining quality of care at NHB,” Senator Murray wrote. “This pattern of declining care and personnel mismanagement at one of the largest Naval bases in the nation suggests a lack of attention to the healthcare needs of servicemembers, veterans, and their families in Kitsap County.”

    Murray concluded by requesting a briefing from DHA detailing its plan to resolve long-term staffing shortages at NHB and prevent similar issues at other military medical facilities, and for answers to the following questions:

    1. When will the Military Health System and Defense Health Network fill the vacancies in NHB’s Internal Medicine department?
    2. What long-term policies and procedures are being implemented to improve NHB’s trajectory and ensure better quality of care for servicemembers, veterans, and their families?
    3. How does DHA prioritize staffing of medical professionals based on base size and installation locations in high-risk and health shortage areas?

    In a Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee hearing last year, Senator Murray raised this issue with former Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, pressing him on the Navy’s efforts to ensure adequate health care services are available at NHB as the facility faces a provider shortage combined with an increase in service members seeking care. And in a visit to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard last May, Murray spoke with Naval leadership about the reduction of services at NHB. Murray also sent a letter with former U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer raising concerns about the closure of the Labor and Delivery Department at NHB, among other issues, in October 2023.

    A PDF of the full letter is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –