NewzIntel.com

Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Leads SASC Hearing on Senior DoD Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today chaired a hearing examining several senior nominations for the Department of Defense, including those dealing with the Department of the Air Force, research and engineering, acquisition and sustainment, and health affairs.
    During his opening statement submitted for the record by Senator Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Chairman Wicker covered the waterfront of responsibilities that each nominee would be tasked with if confirmed.
    For the Department of the Air Force, the Chairman emphasized that the service needs to do more to boost space superiority and air dominance through better maintenance cycles, a focus on space control, and support for service personnel. For defense acquisition, Chairman Wicker referenced his “Freedom’s Forge” report and noted that there is much work to do in industrial base analysis and reforming defense procurement.
    In a discussion about engineering and research at the Pentagon, the Chairman emphasized maintaining a technological edge over our adversaries by stewarding the Pentagon’s innovation ecosystem. And for health affairs, Chairman Wicker highlighted the need for the DoD to ensure the military health system is adequately resourced not only to support daily peacetime operations but also to meet the potential demands of large-scale combat operations in the future.
    Dr. Troy E. Meink, nominee for Secretary of the Air Force, Mr. Michael P. Duffey nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Mr. Emil G. Michael, nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and Mr. Keith M. Bass, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Appear before the committee.
    Read Senator Wicker’s hearing opening statement as submitted for the record below.
    I welcome all of our witnesses and their families, and I thank them for being here this morning.  Their presence is timely.  We are at a crossroads in American history.  We face the most dangerous environment since World War II, and I am grateful that these individuals have stepped up to serve.
    Dr. Troy Meink has been nominated to be the Secretary of the Air Force. More than ever before, our success as a joint force rests upon our Airmen and Guardians.  We cannot deter or defeat the Chinese Communist Party without space superiority and air dominance.  I was very glad to hear that the administration is moving forward with the Next-Generation Air Dominance program.  With that announcement, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have taken the first step to maintain our mastery of the skies. 
    Today, our Air Force is suffering through a death spiral.  We have billions of dollars of unpaid aircraft maintenance bills, a shrinking combat fleet, and a munitions shortage we need to fix.
    We created the Space Force just five years ago, and it has grown rapidly.  But we have numerous opportunities to accelerate our space control efforts and support the joint force from orbit.  Dr. Meink’s experience at the National Reconnaissance Office renders him uniquely qualified to ensure the Space Force continues its growth. 
    Managing weapons programs is only one aspect of the job for which Dr. Meink has been nominated.  He will need to take care of our Airmen and Guardians.  All the aircraft and satellites in the world are pointless unless we have the right support system for the people who develop, maintain, and operate those weapons systems. 
    I look forward to hearing Dr. Meink’s plan to maintain space superiority and air dominance in the years to come. 
    Mr. Michael Duffey has been nominated to become the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.  If confirmed, he will face three major challenges.
    First, he will encounter our current acquisition system, which is slow, outdated, and ill-suited to meet the urgent demands of modern warfare.  In my Restoring Freedom’s Forge plan, I outlined a game-changing approach to overhaul this system.  We must streamline processes, embrace innovation, and deliver capabilities at the speed of relevance.  It will take bold leadership to shift the culture of the acquisition workforce.  We must encourage that workforce to leverage its authorities effectively and break free from its risk-averse habits.
    Second, the Department of Defense does not possess the capacity and capability to perform serious industrial base analysis at scale.  If confirmed, Mr. Duffey will need to expand and re-focus existing organizations.  They must improve our ability to answer fundamental questions about industrial policy, re-industrialization, and defense mobilization.
    Third, Mr. Duffey would chair the Nuclear Weapons Council.  His leadership will be critical as we modernize and adapt our long-neglected nuclear forces so they can meet the threat of the rapidly growing Chinese, Russian, and North Korean arsenals.
    I look forward to hearing Mr. Duffey’s views on these three challenges.
    Mr. Emil Michael has been nominated to serve as the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.  In other words, he would be the Chief Technology Officer for the Department of Defense.  If confirmed, Mr. Michael must ensure that the bright minds within our innovation ecosystem regain technological superiority against our adversaries, starting with China.  Mr. Michael has worked with Secretary Gates on Iraq and Afghanistan and has been a part of a very small company called Uber.  I believe his diverse experience gives him a unique appreciation for the challenges he will encounter if confirmed to this role.
    We must all ensure that the department has an aggressive vision for innovation.  That vision must resonate throughout the services and result in production at scale.  I look forward to hearing from Mr. Michael about his vision for research and development and innovation.
    Mr. Keith Bass has been tapped to become the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.  This role oversees all Department of Defense health policies and programs.  If confirmed, Mr. Bass would assume the role at a crucial time.  The military health system faces persistent challenges in its structure, staffing, and the delivery of healthcare services.  Mr. Bass has extensive leadership experience as White House Medical Director, as the Director of Medical Services at the CIA, and as the Medical Center Director at the West Texas Health Care System for the Department of Veterans Affairs.  He is well-equipped to address these challenges within the military health system.
    This system must provide routine, peacetime healthcare and simultaneously maintain a state of preparedness for large-scale combat.  The Pentagon faces considerable challenges in recruiting and retaining both civilian and military medical personnel.  This staffing problem directly affects the quality of care provided to service members and their families.   
    I am eager to learn how Mr. Bass intends to tackle these issues and how he plans to equip the military health system so it can deliver top-notch care in peace-time and in potential future conflict.
    With that, I turn to my colleague, Ranking Member Reed.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Schakowsky, Lawmakers Press Trump on Illegal FTC Firings, Demand Commissioners be Reinstated

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    March 27, 2025
    “These purported firings threaten the FTC’s existence as an independent enforcement agency and pave the way for you to use the FTC as a tool for partisan retribution.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), along with lawmakers Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.); Cory Booker (D-N.J.); Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); Ron Wyden (D-Ore.); Kathy Castor (D-Fla.); Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.); Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.); Robin Kelly (D-Ill.); Doris Matsui (D-Calif.); Robert Menendez (D-N.J.); Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.); Lori Trahan (D-Mass.); and Marc Veasey (D-Texas), sent a letter to President Donald Trump strongly opposing his illegal attempt to fire Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter, two members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). These firings could impede the FTC’s ongoing work, including efforts to lower food prices, tackle health care costs, and combat illegal business practices across the economy. 
    “This appears to be yet another decision that you have made to help Elon Musk and other billionaire supporters – and leaves middle-class families stuck with the costs,” wrote the lawmakers.
    Congress created the agency in 1914 as a bipartisan, independent commission, mandating that FTC commissioners could only be removed for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” The Supreme Court has upheld this decision for nearly one hundred years. 
    “The illegal attempt to fire Commissioners Bedoya and Slaughter is just the latest in your ongoing campaign to hobble independent agencies and watchdogs to shield you and your billionaire donors, including Elon Musk, from accountability to the law,” wrote the lawmakers.
    The lawmakers raised concerns about numerousall of the FTC actions investigations that Trump’s illegal firings could put be at risk based on these decisions, including: by challenging grocery retailer and food manufacturer mergers that raise prices for households struggling to make ends meet; suing to stop agriculture equipment and pesticide monopolists from taking advantage of American farmers; returning moneyover $1.5 billion over four years to Americans ripped off by bad actors ranging from tax preparation companies to corporate landlords; lowering costs for inhalers andfrom $500 to $35 and lowering the cost of insulin; and returning millions in refunds to defrauded servicemembers and veterans, among other actions.
    The lawmakers urge Trump to act quickly to reinstate Commissioners Bedoya and Slaughter to ensure that pending FTC actions, particularly those that help American workers and families, will not be impactedcancelled or otherwise affected by the attempted firings.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Welch Lead Colleagues in Spotlighting Devastating Trump Cuts Jeopardizing Cures for Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancers 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Witnesses, including Former NIH Director, highlight how deep cuts, staffing layoffs, and delayed funding at NIH hurt life-saving research 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) hosted a forum on Capitol Hill titled “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer’s, & Other Diseases.”
    The forum featured former Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, M.D., two Alzheimer’s disease researchers, and two patients who have benefitted from NIH clinical trials. The forum was hosted by Sens. Baldwin and Welch and attended by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and 15 Democratic Senators.
    Senator Welch and Senator Baldwin lead the Senate’s health care strike team in the Senate, which pushes back against the Trump Administration’s attacks on patients, providers, and medical research across the United States. 
    Watch a livestream of the forum here and view photos from the event below:  
    “The Trump Administration has taken a wrecking ball to the National Institutes of Health without a care about who gets hurt in the process. The first to feel the impact of these cuts will be American patients who rely on NIH’s cutting-edge research to get new therapies and cure diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer. DOGE’s mass firing spree has also left our nation’s top scientists on the chopping block, stifling American innovation and weakening our leadership in biomedical science for years to come. These cuts and layoffs mean the difference between life and death for communities in both red and blue states,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to join Senator Baldwin and our colleagues today to defend our commitment to science, research, and care across America.” 
    “I truly wish I didn’t need to host this forum but Elon Musk’s Doge and Donald Trump are quite literally on a path to rip away cures to cancer and Alzheimer’s disease – all to make room in their budget for tax breaks for the richest of the rich. Today, we heard from the people who will be paying the price – and I hope my Republican colleagues and the President were listening,” said Senator Baldwin. “Right now, we are wasting precious time that we cannot get back for American families hoping that their loved one has a chance to get better.” 
    “I resigned my post as NIH Director in January of this year. Since then, I have had no insight into how decisions are being made by our current leaders at HHS. I can speak, however, about the downstream effects of their decisions, and some irreparable damage that their policies are producing. To date more than 300 grants terminated; and about $1.5 billion in funding delays and barriers that are preventing NIH’s role of ensuring that funding is delivered to outstanding researchers across the nation,” said Dr. Bertagnolli, former Director of the NIH. “Today, we are just beginning to see progress against devastating diseases which have long been hopeless – Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, even pancreatic cancer – all because of NIH funding. And this has proven to be a great investment for American taxpayers – producing both extraordinary improvements in health, and significant profits for our nation’s economy. How can we afford to see this progress stalled? Overall, the loss to our nation on so many levels will be too great.” 
    “I’m here to emphasize the critical importance of NIH funding in the fight against Alzheimer’s—a disease that is one of our greatest public health and economic challenges. While deaths from heart disease and cancer have leveled off or declined thanks to decades of NIH investment, deaths from Alzheimer’s and related dementias have increased. Over 6.9 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s today—a number projected to double by 2050 without effective solutions,” said Dr. Sterling Johnson, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor and Associate Director of Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “Our patients who have this progressive disease don’t have the luxury of time to shoulder the unnecessary delays and uncertainty that we are currently experiencing. The clock is ticking for them and their families. Now more than ever we need the continued full resolve and commitment of the federal government to meet their need.”  
    “I am here today as a scientist who has had 2 NIH grants abruptly terminated in the past month. On February 28th my first NIH grant was terminated, which had only 6 months remaining on a 4-year award… While these terminations are devastating for me and my team, particularly junior faculty and students, my primary concern is for the patients, research participants and the families who are already being impacted by the NIH’s recent radical shift in funding priorities,” said Dr. Whitney Wharton, PhD, Emory University Associate Professor and Alzheimer’s Disease researcher. “Termination of my peer reviewed grants, and hundreds of others, which were awarded based on merit, has potentially devastating implications for all Americans. It sets a concerning precedent where scientific inquiry and peer reviewed and awarded projects are turned off and on based on a set of changing priorities. Not only can this cause confusion, but it could also impact the pipeline of new and talented young investigators, and erase entire communities of patients, who are the most impacted by diseases like Alzheimer’s, from research entirely.” 
    “I speak here today not only for myself, but for every patient who has ever held out hope that research would buy them another year — or another decade. Without robust, sustained, and predictable funding from the NIH, those bridges to the next treatment won’t be there when patients need them. The bridge that saved me was built through decades of investment, innovation, and relentless commitment from our nation’s scientific community. But those bridges don’t build themselves,” said Dr. Larry Saltzman, M.D., retired physician living with leukemia and former Executive Research Director for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. “I am living proof of what NIH research can do, and I don’t think I would be here today without the commitment that Congress has shown by prioritizing NIH funding over the past many decades. I ask you to protect this funding — so that more people can outlive their expiration dates.” 
    “The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies have been critical in funding groundbreaking research that offers hope to thousands of individuals like me, including by providing access to experimental treatments for ALS. The experimental drug I am taking could not only extend my life but could also lead to a cure. Access to this drug could mean seeing my son and grandson graduate high school and college, something I did not think was possible when I was diagnosed,” said Mr. Jessy Ybarra, veteran living with ALS and Board of Trustees member for the ALS Association. “But now funding cuts and reductions to funding at NIH and other research agencies threaten to derail decades of progress right when we are at the tipping point of finally finding a cure. But to be clear, this isn’t just about me, and everyone else impacted by ALS now and in the future. ALS costs our nation over one-billion dollars a year. Investing in finding a cure is not only fiscally responsible, but very simply, good public policy. I urge Congress to reject these harmful cuts to NIH and support the funding necessary.” 
    Joining Senators Baldwin, Welch, and Schumer at the forum were Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass).  
    Over the last two months, the Trump Administration has attacked, compromised, and gutted research at the NIH for lifesaving cures and treatments, including: 
    Cutting Funding for Research Facilities: NIH announced last month that it was planning to arbitrarily cap indirect cost rates at 15%, which would slash billions of dollars in funding that helps research institutions, like the University of Wisconsin, operate their facilities and labs, pay staff, and buy equipment needed for groundbreaking work to find cures for diseases and treatments for patients. 
    Stopping Funding for Alzheimer’s Disease: The Trump Administration is jeopardizing $65 million in funding for Alzheimer’s disease research at 14 research institutions across the country. 14 of the 35 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) have had their funding halted because the Trump Administration continues to cancel NIH Advisory Council meetings, which are the final required step in the grant approval process. 
    Terminating Grants for Lifesaving Research: The Trump Administration stopped all grant funding at NIH for ten days in February and is continuing to block funding for lifesaving disease research, like finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. This halt in funding is despite two court orders directing the Trump Administration to end its unlawful efforts to freeze all federal grants. This is in addition to Elon Musk indiscriminately terminating hundreds of active NIH grants every week, in direct defiance of federal court orders to stop NIH funding changes amid ongoing litigation. 
    Gutting Critical Staff: Mass layoffs at HHS under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s direction are impacting everything from research to clinical trials, including scientists, nurses, pharmacists, and experts tracking disease spread. Reports show the NIH is expected to cut between 3,400 and 5,000 positions from its workforce of 20,000.  
    NIH funding contributed to research for roughly 99% of drugs approved between 2010 and 2019, including heart medications, according to the Center for American Progress. The advocacy group United for Medical Research found that in fiscal year 2023, funding from the agency supported more than 410,000 jobs, with 10,000 NIH-supported jobs in some states. In that same year, NIH-funded research fueled nearly $93 billion in economic spending. Overall, the economic benefit of NIH funding is more than twice the investment made through NIH appropriations.  
    For a breakdown of how much funding each state receives from the NIH, click here. A one-pager on President Donald Trump’s actions to gut the NIH and its impacts is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Blasts Radical Leftists for Supporting Domestic Terrorists Over the Safety of Jewish Students: ‘Lying on a visa is not speech’

    US Senate News:

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

    Thursday, March 27, 2025

    Today in a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing on antisemitism, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) blasted radical Democrats for putting domestic terrorists over the safety of Jewish students on college campuses. He reminded the Committee that American law expressly empowers the Trump administration to revoke the visa of any individual that espouses or supports terrorist activity in the United States.
    He made this point to a witness defending the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil. “Lying on a visa application is not speech. Seeking to assault Columbia university employees and Jewish students is not speech,” argued Senator Hawley. “You are defending an individual who has espoused the destruction of this country, the destruction of the state of Israel, the destruction of Jews, and has taken action in furtherance of the same.”
    [embedded content]
    “I want to say for the record, I’m glad [Mahmoud Khalil] is gone, and I hope he never comes back,” said Senator Hawley, after reminding the committee that Khalil has been sued by victims of the October 7th terrorist attack in Israel.
    Senator Hawley has long pushed for the removal of any individual that targets Jewish students on college campuses by actively supporting terrorist groups.
    Watch the full exchange here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Slams Trump’s Dangerous Anti-Voter Executive Order, Calls on Hegseth to Resign Over Mishandling Sensitive National Security Information

    US Senate News:

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

    WATCH: Padilla Slams Trump’s Dangerous Anti-Voter Executive Order, Calls on Hegseth to Resign Over Mishandling Sensitive National Security Information

    “This is an Administration who can’t keep a simple text message chain straightforward…and now they’re going to dictate voter registration and elections in states across the country? I don’t think so.”

    WATCH: Padilla underscores threats of Trump’s executive order to the fundamental right to voteWASHINGTON, D.C. — During an interview today with MSNBC’s José Díaz-Balart, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, blasted President Trump for his illegal executive order attempting to disenfranchise millions of American voters. Padilla also reiterated his calls for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to resign after he demonstrated a staggering incompetence and lack of judgment by mishandling sensitive and classified information.
    In a statement earlier this week, Senator Padilla condemned Trump’s unlawful attempt at a Presidential power grab over his anti-voter executive order.
    Key Excerpts:
    On President Trump’s reckless anti-voter executive order:
    “I previously served as California’s Secretary of State, and during the first Donald Trump Administration, there were efforts on behalf of Donald Trump to try to go after personal voter information for voters all across the country under the premise of trying to root out voter fraud. The fact of the matter is, it is already unlawful for noncitizens to vote in our elections. The fact of the matter is, a voter fraud of this type is extremely, extremely rare. So the current safeguards, the current laws, are already working.”
    “Any time Democrats have proposed strengthening our democracy by strengthening voting rights, Republicans become unglued saying, ‘no, no, no, the Constitution is clear, states run elections.’ They don’t want the federalization or the federal government dictating how states run elections. But now they’re silent, when all of a sudden it’s Donald Trump trying to impose how he wants voter registration to happen in states and how people can vote in states.”
    “We all learned in high school that our democracy works best when as many eligible people participate. … In some ways, this is a ‘show me your papers’ law to be able to register to vote, and we know who is disproportionately impacted by that.”
    “Our more than sneaking suspicion here is that Donald Trump and his cronies want to make it harder for maybe younger people, maybe the elderly, maybe communities of color or lower-income communities, to either be able to register to vote to begin with, or to actually cast ballots in the election. It’s a form of voter suppression that’s unnecessary.”
    On Secretary Hegseth mishandling sensitive national security information:
    “Accountability should be [Secretary Hegseth] resigning. He’s clearly in over his head. That’s why I was a ‘no’ vote on his confirmation. We knew he wasn’t qualified. We knew he wasn’t prepared. God help us. Who knows what other Keystone Cop mistakes that they’re making with our national security.”
    “So again, to tie the two issues together, José, this is an Administration who can’t keep a simple text message chain straightforward and secure, and now they’re going to dictate voter registration and elections in states across the country? I don’t think so.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Questions Defense Nominees on Modernization, Protecting Innovators, Access to Rural Mental Health Care Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    ***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.***

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) held a hearing today to consider four nominations for key positions within the U.S. Department of Defense. During the hearing, members heard testimony from Secretary of the U.S. Air Force nominee Troy Meink, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment nominee Michael Duffey, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering nominee Emil Michael, and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs nominee Keith Bass.

    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer questioned the nominees about the importance of keeping pace with adversaries, protecting innovators, and legislation he championed and was signed into law to increase access to rural mental health care services.

    [embedded content]

    Cramer said he has been told the U.S. Air Force is considering cancelling solicitations for Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Transport satellite layers on Tranches 2 and 3, and instead using Starshield, an existing SpaceX capability.  

    He said one of the specific purposes of SDA in its founding document was to “expand our space warfighting capability and foster growth in the U.S. space industrial base.” However, cutting the bids for these transport layers means eight or more small and mid-sized companies would not be allowed to bid, he said.

    Cramer asked Dr. Meink whether he thinks cutting opportunities like this could hurt innovators in the industrial base and the potential going forward.

    “One of the things that I’ve pushed for, particularly over the last 10 years, is expand competition and expand the industry base,” said Dr. Meink. “That ends up almost always with the best result, both from a capability and cost to the government. I’m not familiar with those discussions going on within the Pentagon. If confirmed, I look forward to diving into that.”

    The founding document for SDA, written in March 2019, warned “we cannot match the pace our adversaries are setting if we remain bound by legacy methods and culture.” Cramer asked Dr. Meink if he thought the statement was needed in 2019, and whether he thinks the statement is relevant today. Dr. Meink replied he believes that sort of thinking is always required. 

    “We always have to look at how we’re operating, how we’re executing as technology changes, as different threats change, we have to be flexible and adaptable enough,” said Dr. Meink. “We have made, I believe, significant improvements in how we are acquiring systems. I would argue that at that point in time, there were probably no programs that were moving faster than the Chinese. That is not the case now, but we still have a long way to go, Senator. And I think you pointed a couple of those out.”

    The conversation then shifted towards legislation tragically inspired by the loss of two airmen at Grand Forks Air Force Base. Cramer championed the legislation in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), ensuring access to crucial mental health services for military members and their dependents in rural areas across the country.

    If access to behavioral health care in a state fails to meet current TRICARE Prime standards for more than 12 consecutive months, the Secretary is tasked with expanding accreditation standards to ensure military members and their dependents receive timely and effective care despite the ongoing shortage of behavioral health providers.

    “I’m going to switch it over to you, Mr. Bass, and talk about something that’s really near and dear to my heart, coming from a rural state, very rural area, with some really important bases in our country, in our world, and certainly to me,” said Cramer. “The reason this became important to me is because I know of two airmen, who sought mental health care at Grand Forks and were denied by TRICARE, who are no longer with us because they ultimately chose to take their own lives. All because of this one accreditation. I don’t know what would’ve happened had they been able to get the care that was available to them.”

    Cramer asked Bass if he would commit to the men and women of the military that he will take this law seriously and watch this yearlong study closely. Cramer said the last thing he wants is to follow up after 12 months to see what the outcome is and then wait another four months for the answer to his question.

    “The mental health access for our service members in our total force has to be a priority, and I will commit to working with you on that,” stated Bass.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBC Advances Pair of Commonsense Bills to Crack Down on Fraudsters, Support Rural Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

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

    Published: March 27, 2025

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, led by Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), advanced a pair of bipartisan bills to crack down on fraud and expand rural small businesses’ access to critical resources.
    “The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship continues to enact commonsense solutions to help Main Street,” said Chair Ernst.
    Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Ernst’s Assisting Small Businesses Not Fraudsters Act prevents criminals convicted of defrauding the Small Business Administration (SBA) from receiving future assistance from the agency. 
    “After the previous administration failed to pursue pandemic fraud, we are making up for lost time by holding criminals accountable,” said Chair Ernst.
    “Covid-era programs meant to support small businesses were repeatedly taken advantage of by fraudsters, depriving businesses of much-needed relief. I’m leading this effort to ensure that those convicted of defrauding the SBA will no longer be able to access future financial assistance from taxpayers,” said Young. 
    The Coordinated Support for Rural Small Businesses Act led by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and John Kennedy (R-La.) increases coordination between the SBA and U.S. Department of Agriculture to support rural small businesses.
    “In towns across Iowa, small businesses are the lifeblood of the local economies. This bipartisan measure will streamline coordination between government agencies and help ensure that these job creators have access to the resources they need to succeed,” Chair Ernst.
    “Louisiana’s small businesses provide good paying jobs to folks throughout our state and support local economic growth. I’m thankful to my colleagues for advancing this bill to improve support for job creators and I look forward to full Senate consideration,” said Kennedy. 
    Background:
    A recent Government Accountability Office report exposed jaw-dropping incompetence by the Biden SBA in pursuing fraudsters that stole more than $200 billion in pandemic relief designated for small businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Markey: “SBA Is Putting Big Billionaires Over Small Businesses”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (March 27, 2025) – Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement after today’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee business meeting.

    “President Trump and Administrator Loeffler are running the Small Business Administration (SBA) into the ground. While proposing to cut 2,700 jobs – nearly half of SBA’s workforce – they are also proposing SBA take on the country’s $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio. On top of that, Administrator Loeffler is also threatening to relocate regional offices for political reasons while Musk and DOGE cancel SBA office spaces left and right. Their agenda is clear as day: put big billionaires over small businesses.

    “While the Committee did not hold a vote on William Briggs to be SBA Deputy Administrator and Casey Mulligan to be Chief Counsel of Advocacy at SBA today, it is deeply troubling that the Committee is planning to move forward with the confirmation of these two political appointees while Trump, Loeffler, and DOGE are taking an axe to the livelihoods of small business owners across the country. And we don’t even know what they are trying to chop down until we hear the thud – from fired employees, to closures of offices, to contract and grant cancellations. The survival of our 34 million small businesses, and over 700,000 in Massachusetts, will be severely threatened if this is the way the SBA is going to be led.

    “In today’s meeting, we passed Senator Shaheen’s Coordinated Support for Rural Small Businesses Act, which will give businesses in rural Massachusetts and across the country more focused attention so they can access loans and counseling services more easily. The Committee also advanced Senator Todd Young’s Assisting Small Businesses Not Fraudsters Act. I expressed concerns with this legislation and hope my Republican colleagues will work with us on needed changes before the bill reaches the Senate floor. For the small business owners who are pursuing the American dream, and for the communities that depend on them, we must prioritize the business of the committee over the business of billionaires.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Gallego Introduce Legislation to Combat Urban Heat Islands

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill comes after record-breaking spring temperatures in Phoenix and across the West this week

    Washington (March 28, 2025) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) today introduced the Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act which would create a competitive grant program to provide funding to combat the causes and consequences of urban heat islands. Heat islands occur when urban areas experience higher temperatures due to factors such as increased population density; a lack of shading; and pavement infrastructure such as parking lots, sidewalks, and roadways. 34 million Americans currently live in areas where manmade factors are pushing up temperatures by 8 degrees Fahrenheit or more.   

    “Extreme heat has become a near universal experience for families across the country, and its effects are particularly dangerous for marginalized communities who often lack proper cooling infrastructure,” said Senator Markey. “The Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act would address years of underinvestment in these communities by directing federal resources toward life-saving solutions – such as increased tree canopy, shaded bus stops, and community cooling centers. As record-breaking heat strikes year after year, neighborhoods in every corner of America deserve to stay healthy and cool while commuting, working, and playing outside.” 

    “As summers in Arizona and across the country get longer and hotter, they also get deadlier – especially in cities where a lack of shade and miles of concrete push temperatures even higher,” said Senator Gallego. “I’ve long been a champion of doing more to address extreme heat, and I am proud to continue that effort by introducing this bill in the Senate.”

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

    “This week, Phoenix broke our own record when Sky Harbor hit 99 degrees on March 25. The climate crisis is the most pressing issue for our generation,” said Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), the House sponsor of the bill. “I came to Congress to take bold action and secure federal investments because lives are at stake. I’m proud to stand with Senator Ruben Gallego in introducing the Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act—Arizonans can’t afford to wait.”

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

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

    “New Jersey is one of the fastest-warming states in the nation, and in Newark where I live, residents experience temperatures that are 8 degrees higher because of the urban heat island effect,” said Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.). “I am proud to cosponsor this legislation that will empower our communities to combat the rise in urban heat due to climate change, both by tackling the underlying causes and by enabling communities to adapt.”

    “Extreme heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense in the face of the climate crisis, threatening the health and safety of communities in California and across the country,” said Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). “These health impacts are even more severe in lower-income, urban areas, where residents struggle to find shaded spaces in higher temperatures. Our legislation would help groups on the ground lead urban heat reduction efforts in their communities, while addressing both the long-term causes and consequences of excess urban heat.” 

    “Extreme heat is a growing public health emergency that kills more Americans every year than any other weather-related causes—and breaks down American infrastructure. Senator Ruben Gallego’s Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act offers a smart, scalable response by supporting proven landscape-based strategies like tree planting, bus and transit shelters, green roofs, and park development. The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) strongly supports this legislation, which affirms the vital role of landscape architects in building healthier, cooler, and fairer communities through design that works with nature,” said ASLA CEO Torey Carter-Conneen.

    “Extreme heat is the deadliest natural disaster, killing more people than hurricanes and tornadoes combined. Trees decrease this threat, reducing street temperatures by up to 20°F compared to neighborhoods without trees,” said Joel Pannell, American Forests Vice President of Urban Forests Policy. “Trees are life-saving infrastructure. This urgently needed legislation will give HUD a prominent role in protecting communities from the increasing threats of extreme heat while empowering local decision-making and creating jobs.”

    The Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act is also supported by Climate Mayors, Smart Surfaces Coalition, Federation of American Scientists, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Union of Concerned Scientists, GreenLatinos, Center for Biological Diversity, National Coalition for the Homeless, American Lung Association, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Climate Resolve, and TreePeople.

    The bill text is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey, Congressman McGovern Introduce Legislation to Protect Deerfield River

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (March 27, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and House Rules Committee Ranking Member Jim McGovern (MA-02) today reintroduced the Deerfield River Wild and Scenic River Study Act, legislation to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of the Deerfield River to identify portions of the river and its tributaries that could be incorporated into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The Deerfield River runs from southern Vermont through western Massachusetts to the Connecticut River and historically served as a travel route for native communities alongside the Mohawk Trail. Today, the river continues to serve as an invaluable resource for surrounding neighborhoods and the environment.

    “Deeply rooted in our Commonwealth’s history, the Deerfield River carries invaluable natural, cultural, and recreational value,” said Senator Markey. “From swimming and rafting to canoeing and fly fishing, the Deerfield River continues to serve as an important resource for Massachusetts families and visitors to the region. I am proud to join Congressman McGovern in reintroducing this legislation that will protect and preserve this natural beauty for generations to come.”

    “The Deerfield River is truly one of New England’s greatest natural treasures, with outstanding whitewater boating, scenery and fishing, and the Deerfield River Watershed Association is excited to work with Senator Markey and Ranking Member McGovern to introduce legislation to consider the Deerfield River for potential addition to the National?Wild and Scenic River System. To date, we have garnered the support of 21 watershed communities, including 14 Massachusetts communities and 7 Vermont towns, as well as 12 regional and state organizations, for this initiative, demonstrating the broad-based support for protecting this beautiful river,” said Christopher Curtis, Vice President of the Deerfield River Watershed Association.

    In February 2019, Senator Markey introduced legislation to designate portions of the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire as scenic rivers under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, which was then signed into law that year under part of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell, Murkowski Propose New Tax Credit to Promote Hydropower Facility Upgrades & Keep Energy Costs Affordable

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    03.27.25

    Cantwell, Murkowski Propose New Tax Credit to Promote Hydropower Facility Upgrades & Keep Energy Costs Affordable

    Bipartisan legislation creates new federal incentive for dam safety and fish passage improvements, as well as help fund removal of obsolete river obstructions

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Finance Committee, and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), joined Susan Collins (R-ME), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus King (I-ME), Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), in re-introducing bipartisan legislation to establish a new 30% federal tax incentive to encourage safety upgrades and improve fish passage at existing hydroelectric facilities, measures that will help ensure clean and affordable hydropower is able to continue power the Pacific Northwest economy. The bill would also create an additional complementary 30% tax credit to remove unused river barriers that do not produce electricity but are harming local ecosystems and outdoor recreation opportunities.

    “Clean and affordable hydropower is the backbone of Washington state’s economy and prosperity,” said Sen. Cantwell. “This measure will help ensure we can meet our urgent emission reduction goals while restoring miles of fish habitat.”

    “Hydropower provides clean, reliable, and affordable baseload energy around Alaska, but we’ve just begun to tap into our potential for this abundant resource,” Senator Murkowski said. “Our common sense legislation incentivizes hydropower along with innovation that will enhance grid resiliency, make our dams safer, and allow our fish habitats to thrive.”

    The Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act of 2025;

    • Establishes a 30% federal tax incentive to encourage upgrades to the safety and security of existing dams, investments that expand fish passage infrastructure, and improvements to water quality and recreational use opportunities at hydropower project sites. 
    • Establishes a first ever federal cost-share to encourage the removal of obsolete obstructions that harm river ecosystems and outdoor recreation opportunities.

    Both these tax incentives are available to be accessed by not-for-profit entities.

    The bipartisan Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act is widely supported by a number of key hydropower, utility, and conservation organizations — go HERE for a list of quotes from stakeholders

    Hydropower accounts for 5.7% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation in 2023, including approximately sixty percent of Washington state’s total and is a vital component of state and regional greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. Hydropower also has the unique ability to provide black start capabilities, grid voltage support, and integrate and balance increasing amounts of intermittent renewable energy sources.

    Many hydroelectric dams are decades old and face costly upgrades to keep them operational while providing affordable electricity. The current Investment Tax Credit (ITC) that covers hydropower only applies to investments that produce a marginal increase in power generation.

    This bipartisan legislation helps bridge the gap in current law by incentivizing upgrades that don’t result in power increases but are vitally important like adding fish-friendly turbines, fish ladders, and adding or replacing floodgates and spillways. Private, state, local, and non-profit groups can use the 30% federal tax incentive, with a direct pay option, to support efforts to demolish and remove unnecessary barriers with the owner’s consent.

    A joint proposal from the hydropower and river conservation community estimated that increased support for existing dam removal efforts could double the removal rate over the next ten years. That would result in the removal of 2,000 obsolete river obstructions and restore ecosystem functions essential for salmon recovery by opening up 20,000 miles of free-flowing river habitat.

    Sen. Cantwell has long been a consistent champion for hydropower production and pumped storage, including bipartisan legislation to reduce licensing barriers for small hydropower development, improve the FERC relicensing process to incentivize “early action” by utilities to make upgrades to dams that benefit ratepayers and the environment, maximize hydropower generation capacity where appropriate, and streamline pumped storage project approval.

    Last summer, Sen. Cantwell hosted a Pacific Northwest Energy Summit, to bring stakeholders together to discuss technological and policy solutions that will ensure NW ratepayers and our regional economy continue to benefit from abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Decries Trump Auto Tariffs Expected to Spike Vehicle Prices By $5,000 to $15,000

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    03.27.25

    Cantwell Decries Trump Auto Tariffs Expected to Spike Vehicle Prices By $5,000 to $15,000

    Trump declared today that he’ll impose a 25% tax on imported vehicles & some auto parts starting 4/2; Cantwell: “The Constitution gave Congress this power to set duties and to regulate foreign commerce… It’s time for Congress to reassert that authority”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, delivered a speech on the Senate floor excoriating President Donald Trump’s announcement that he’ll impose a 25% tariff on all imported vehicles starting on April 2.

    “We’re going to see the price of cars go up, and the fact that the American public can’t afford grocery costs, health care costs, or housing costs – we certainly don’t need to add in auto costs,” Sen. Cantwell said. “I’m pretty sure it’s a good deal for Elon Musk and Tesla. Don’t know that it’s such a good deal for everybody else.”

    “The framers of the Constitution gave Congress this power to set duties and to regulate foreign commerce. Congress. Commerce, Article One, Section Eight, could not be clearer. It’s time for Congress to reassert that authority. We need checks and balances now more than ever. We need to invest in innovation. We need to invest in skilling and training a workforce. We need to invest in modernizing infrastructure and equipment at our factories, and we need to open foreign markets for exports,” she continued. “American business does not need an endless trade war that creates chaos and raises prices on our consumers.” 

    Following Trump’s announcement today, several Wall Street analysts reported that Tesla – the company owned by Elon Musk – stood to benefit the most, with one analyst calling the company the “clear structural winner” of the new tariff. The “Detroit Big Three” – General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler) – stand to take the hardest hit.

    The tariffs could also impact West Coast ports who import automobiles, such as the Port of Vancouver, Wash., which is the largest gateway for Subaru imports in the country. In 2023, 98,000 Subarus came through the Port of Vancouver.

    Last week, Sen. Cantwell joined the Washington Council of International Trade for a Q&A session on the whiplash caused by the administration’s chaotic tariff policies – and how they particularly harm the Pacific Northwest, which is among the most trade-dependent regions in the country. Sen. Cantwell said that the current administration’s approach to trade focuses on punitive tariffs, even with America’s largest trading partners and closest allies, as opposed to innovation and alliance-building. That ethos is fundamentally at odds with how the Pacific Northwest has historically built its trade-oriented economy.

    READ MORE:

    CNBC: Wall Street analysts say Elon Musk is the clear auto tariff winner: ‘Tesla wins, Detroit bleeds’

    KOMO Seattle: Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell says Congress should intervene before a trade war expands.

    The Columbian: Record number of Subarus came through Port of Vancouver in 2023

    In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. More information on how President Trump’s tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China will affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE. Nationwide:

    • A 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico would add an estimated $144 billion a year to the cost of manufacturing in the United States.
    • Tariffs on Canada and Mexico could increase U.S. car prices by as much as $15,000.
    • According to the Yale Budget Lab, Trump’s proposed tariffs would result in the highest U.S. effective tariff rate in more than 80 years, and depending on the level of retaliation by other trading partners, will result in increased costs of between $1,600 and $2,000 per household. According to their analysis, food, clothing, cars, and electronics will all see above-average price increases.

    Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of increased trade to grow the economy and keep prices in check in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20% retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe: Apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023.  In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.

    For the past two months, President Trump has been sowing economic chaos across the country with unpredictable and ever-changing tariff announcements. His back-and-forth announcements and actions, which have whipsawed American businesses and consumers, as well as close neighbors and allies, include:

    • On January 31 — citing punishment for failing to crack down on fentanyl trafficking — the Trump administration announced plans to impose a 25% tax on many goods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tax on goods imported from China, then abruptly postponed those tariffs.
    • Last month, he doubled down, announcing an additional 25% tax on all steel and aluminum imports.
    • At 12:01 a.m. ET on March 4, President Trump’s long-promised 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariff increase on goods from China took effect, causing stock prices in the United States to plummet.
    • Then, on March 5, he announced that automobiles from Canada and Mexico would be exempt from his tariffs for one month.
    • The morning of March 6, he announced that he would suspend the tariffs for some products from Mexico. Then, later that same afternoon, he announced he was suspending most new tariffs on products from both Mexico and Canada until April 2.
    • On March 11, Trump threatened to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum – increasing them to 50% – before reversing himself later the same day.
    • On March 13, he threatened 200% tariffs on alcoholic products from the European Union, including all wine and Champagne.
    • Today, he announced plans to impose a 25% tax on all imported sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, cargo vans, and light trucks, as well as some auto parts, beginning on April 2.

    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s speech is HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Statement on Nomination of West Virginian Karen Evans to Serve in DHS Role

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, released the below statement regarding the nomination of West Virginian, Karen Evans to serve as Under Secretary for Management at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

    “Karen Evans is a dedicated public servant, a policy expert, and a visionary leader in one of the most critical areas our nation faces— cybersecurity. She is also a friend and fellow West Virginian. I congratulate her on her nomination to serve President Trump in the Department of Homeland Security. I look forward to supporting her confirmation and working with her,” Senator Capito said. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy: Republicans Apply a Different Set of Rules for Elon Musk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    March 27, 2025

    [embedded content]

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to object to a Republican request for unanimous consent to pass a resolution that claims to condemn domestic terrorism but instead gives special treatment to Elon Musk. Murphy slammed the hypocrisy of condemning violence against Musk’s businesses while excusing the January 6th rioters who brutally attacked Capitol Police officers.

    “Come on, this resolution is not about violence or domestic terrorism. It just isn’t,” said Murphy. “This is a resolution that says one thing and one thing only: Elon Musk is in charge. He matters more than anybody else. Musk is subject to a different set of rules than everybody else. The Trump administration serves him, not us. The Republican Party serves him, not us. Elon Musk right now is effectively stealing from the American people. He is combing through our government, awarding himself contracts, canceling contracts for his competitors. He is shutting down agencies that stand in the way of his business [and] his growth. He’s giving himself access to secret information about government enforcement actions against his competitors.”

    “He is also, at the same time, currently the largest funder of Republican politics in the nation,” Murphy continued. “He spent a quarter of a billion dollars backing President Trump’s campaign. He recently told the president that he would contribute another $100 million to the president’s political arm, and guess what? At that same time, the president stood on the White House lawn to give a taxpayer-funded commercial for Elon Musk’s cars. That’s corruption at a scale that we have not seen before in this country. The integration of the Trump White House and the Republican Party and the business interests of the richest man in the world. It’s wrong.”

    Murphy highlighted the resolution’s pandering to Elon Musk despite thousands of other domestic terrorism incidents: “This resolution claims to say something about domestic terrorism, but the only terrorism, the only violence it mentions, is violence carried out against – you guessed it – Elon Musk. On an annual basis, there are 11,000 reported incidents of domestic terrorism. 11,000. Only a handful of them impact Tesla dealerships, but they’re the only acts of violence mentioned in this resolution. 52% of the reported attacks were based on racial or ethnic targeting by radicalized attackers, but they aren’t mentioned in this resolution. Only Elon Musk is mentioned in this resolution. Because a different set of rules apply to him. Because he is in charge, and he deserves protection that no one else gets. He deserves a White House TV commercial for his cars. He deserves to give himself contracts and steal from his competitors. He deserves to have his own resolution.”

    Murphy proposed the Senate also agree to a resolution expressing disapproval of the pardons of January 6th rioters: “This resolution just says that the specific set of people who viciously attacked police officers – the ones that hit the police officers over the head with metal poles – that those people shouldn’t have been given a get-out-of-jail-free card. And so why don’t we just be consistent? We don’t we say that violence matters when it’s committed against Elon Musk’s dealerships, and it matters when it’s committed against the people that protect us? And so my offer is to just pass both resolutions right now. Right now, we could just agree by unanimous consent to your resolution, and we could agree as a body that you shouldn’t pardon the people who brutally beat the people who show up every day to protect us. They matter, too. Elon Musk isn’t the only person that matters.”

    A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:

    MURPHY: “Mr. President, thank you. Reserving the right to object. Come on, this resolution is not about violence or domestic terrorism. It just isn’t. This is a resolution that says one thing and one thing only: Elon Musk is in charge. He matters more than anybody else. 

    “Musk is subject to a different set of rules than everybody else. The Trump administration serves him, not us. The Republican Party serves him, not us. Elon Musk right now is effectively stealing from the American people. He is combing through our government, awarding himself contracts, canceling contracts for his competitors. He is shutting down agencies that stand in the way of his business [and] his growth. He’s giving himself access to secret information about government enforcement actions against his competitors. 

    “He is also, at the same time, currently the largest funder of Republican politics in the nation. He spent a quarter of a billion dollars backing President Trump’s campaign. He recently told the president that he would contribute another $100 million to the president’s political arm, and guess what? At that same time, the president stood on the White House lawn to give a taxpayer-funded commercial for Elon Musk’s cars. That’s corruption at a scale that we have not seen before in this country. The integration of the Trump White House and the Republican Party and the business interests of the richest man in the world. It’s wrong. 

    “This resolution claims to say something about domestic terrorism, but the only terrorism, the only violence it mentions, is violence carried out against – you guessed it – Elon Musk. 

    “On an annual basis, there are 11,000 reported incidents of domestic terrorism. 11,000. Only a handful of them impact Tesla dealerships, but they’re the only acts of violence mentioned in this resolution. 52% of the reported attacks were based on racial or ethnic targeting by radicalized attackers, but they aren’t mentioned in this resolution. Only Elon Musk is mentioned in this resolution. Because a different set of rules apply to him. Because he is in charge, and he deserves protection that no one else gets. He deserves a White House TV commercial for his cars. He deserves to give himself contracts and steal from his competitors. He deserves to have his own resolution. 

    “And people are asking why? Why does the richest man in the country get this special treatment? To most people it feels pretty fishy. It definitely feels wrong. Now I hate violence of any kind, whether it’s perpetrated against right, left, or center. I’ve spent my life on this floor fighting violence. But I also hate inconsistency. 

    “So I’m going to make my colleague a pretty reasonable offer here. At the same time that President Trump is saying that he’s going to vigorously pursue people that attack Tesla dealerships, he’s giving pardons to the people who beat the hell out of Capitol Police officers. So I don’t think we should consent to a resolution that says we care about violence but only when it is committed against the business interests of the richest man in the world. 

    “I have a way to solve that problem. Senator Murray has a really simple resolution. A resolution that expresses our disapproval of the pardons that were issued for the very specific set of individuals who on January 6th brutally attacked Capitol Police officers. Now I understand that many of my Republican colleagues think that the people who trespassed here shouldn’t have been prosecuted. Let’s set aside that disagreement. This resolution just says that the specific set of people who viciously attacked police officers – the ones that hit the police officers over the head with metal poles – that those people shouldn’t have been given a get-out-of-jail-free card. And so why don’t we just be consistent? We don’t we say that violence matters when it’s committed against Elon Musk’s dealerships, and it matters when it’s committed against the people that protect us? And so my offer is to just pass both resolutions right now. Right now, we could just agree by unanimous consent to your resolution, and we could agree as a body that you shouldn’t pardon the people who brutally beat the people who show up every day to protect us. They matter, too. Elon Musk isn’t the only person that matters. Capitol Police officers matter, too. 

    “So I’d ask the Senator to modify her request to add the following: that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 42, a resolution condemning the pardons for individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police officers, that the resolution be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. If we agree to move forward on this unanimous consent, I think we can move forward on the Senator’s request as well.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Mullin, Padilla Reintroduce Bill Strengthening Cybersecurity for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    US Senate News:

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

    RELEASE: Mullin, Padilla Reintroduce Bill Strengthening Cybersecurity for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) reintroduced the 9-8-8 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act to strengthen the cybersecurity protocols for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, also known as the 988 Lifeline, in response to previous outages that resulted in a day-long outage for those in crisis.

    “Increasing cybersecurity measures for the 988 Lifeline is imperative to suicide prevention,” said Senator Mullin. “Suicide is a heartbreaking tragedy, and every life lost is one too many. It is essential to keep the lifeline secure to ensure that those experiencing a mental health crisis have access to the resources and support they need when they need it most.”

    “People struggling with their mental health shouldn’t be met with disruptions or service outages when they call the 9-8-8 Lifeline. We can’t let cybersecurity vulnerabilities get in the way of providing lifesaving support,” said Senator Padilla. “Our bipartisan bill would better identify and prevent cyberattacks to protect safe and secure access to the Lifeline as soon as people need it.”

    The cyberattack on the 988 Lifeline in December of 2022 exposed vulnerabilities in the system and individuals who tried to call the suicide prevention hotline were instead greeted with a recorded message informing them of the service outage. Since its launch in July of 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has received 10.8 million contacts, with 1.4 million of those being within the Veteran’s Crisis Line. The lifeline’s services are critically important.

    Mullin and Padilla’s legislation requires coordination between the Lifeline and the Chief Information Security Officer at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to prevent cybersecurity attacks and eliminate known vulnerabilities. The suicide hotline’s network administrator would also be required to notify the government of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and incidents within 24 hours of discovery. Lastly, the Government Accountability Office would be required to conduct a study evaluating cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities in the 988 system.

    Any person in crisis and in need of help can dial 9-8-8 to reach free and confidential professional support 24/7 or can visit 988lifeline.org/chat/ to start a free and confidential conversation. Click HERE to learn more about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

    The 988 Lifeline Cybersecurity Responsibility Act is supported by the following groups: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Psychiatric Association, Crisis Text Line, inseparable, Mental Health America, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, National Alliance on Mental Illness, The Jed Foundation, and Vibrant Emotional Health. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Daines Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Low-Population and Rural Counties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced a bill to support rural communities. The Small County PILT Parity Act would allow counties with populations under 5,000 to receive increased Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments to create parity with larger counties where per capita funding increases as population decreases. In Nevada, five counties would qualify for increased funding under this bill: Esmeralda, Eureka, Lincoln, Mineral, and Storey.
    “This bipartisan bill ensures that our most rural counties are treated fairly when it comes to receiving PILT dollars,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “These counties rely on federal funding for critical projects and services, and I will always fight to ensure that communities in all 17 of Nevada’s counties have the resources they need to thrive.” 
    “PILT payments are essential for many of Montana’s rural counties, and they provide funding for essential services like emergency response and transportation,” said Senator Daines. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to bring parity to the PILT program and ensure our rural and low-population counties are treated fairly.”
    “Over 1,900 counties across the United States utilize PILT funding to provide essential services for our residents, including emergency services, transportation infrastructure, law enforcement and healthcare,” said Matthew Chase, National Association of Counties Executive Director. “The Small County PILT Parity Act ensures that rural counties with significant tracts of federal land but limited populations have the resources necessary to deliver services to residents and visitors alike. Counties applaud the efforts of Senators Daines and Cortez Masto and urge swift passage of this bipartisan legislation.”
    PILT funds are payments from the federal government to county governments to offset the loss of property taxes from federally owned lands in that county. The Small County PILT Party Act would create four new tiers in the PILT Formula (1,000, 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000) to allow for higher payments for eligible counties.
    The full text of the bill can be found here.
    Senator Cortez Masto is a champion for Nevada’s rural communities, working across the aisle to deliver for families. She has led legislation to support key tourism and outdoor industries in every corner of Nevada through economic development, and she has introduced a bipartisan bill to cut red tape for small businesses—including those in rural areas. She also ensured rural Nevada communities have better access to federal funds and services through the Rural Partners Network. In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, she secured funding for rural schools and over $460 million for broadband. She also made sure the law included her legislation to help rural counties with internet access at local schools and streamline federal broadband funding to improve internet access for rural areas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Klobuchar Introduce Legislation to Lower Drug Costs and Hold Big Pharma Accountable for Price Hikes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced the Lower Drug Costs for Families Act to make prescription drugs more affordable, hold Big Pharma accountable, and reduce the national deficit by billions of dollars. The Senators’ bill would do so by punishing drug companies for raising prescription drug prices in the commercial market faster than the rate of inflation. The Lower Drug Costs for Families Act will also be introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Steven Horsford (D-Nev.).
    Cortez Masto’s legislation builds on the Inflation Reduction Act’s work to lower health costs for seniors with Medicare by ensuring that all Nevadans are protected from outrageous increases in prescription drug prices – including those on private health insurance and employer-sponsored health plans like union health funds.
    “In 2022, Democrats successfully lowered drug costs for millions of American seniors on Medicare – but the job’s not done,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It’s time to hold Big Pharma accountable for raising costs on the American people. No one – no matter what health insurance they use – should ever face these ridiculous price hikes again.”
    “During the last Administration, we took significant steps towards bringing down prescription drug prices when provisions based on my bill to empower Medicare to negotiate were signed into law, but there’s still more we can do to build on that progress,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Our legislation would lower prices by further protecting consumers from price-gouging by pharmaceutical companies. I’ll keep working to ensure all Americans can reliably access the affordable, life-saving medications they need.”
    “Nevadans should never have to choose between life-saving prescriptions and making ends meet,” said Congressman Horsford. “I’m proud to partner with Sen. Cortez Masto on the Lower Drug Costs for Families Act and look forward to introducing the House companion bill. No Nevadan should ever be priced out of their own health and wellbeing.”
    “The Lower Drug Costs for Families Act will extend the drug price inflation protections that apply to seniors in Medicare to everyone who has private insurance. Research shows that billions will be saved in premiums and copayments by people who have coverage through their job, through an Affordable Care Act marketplace plan, or coverage they buy on their own. We thank Senator Cortez Masto for introducing this important legislation,” said Jody Calemine, Director of Government Affairs, AFL-CIO.
    Under current law, drug companies only have to pay back money if they raise their prices faster than inflation on drugs covered by Medicare. The Lower Drug Costs for Families Act would expand this successful program by:
    Counting the number of drugs sold to people with private insurance when calculating penalties owed to Medicare for drug price hikes, effectively ensuring that Big Pharma faces consequences for overcharging more than 180 million Americans and
    Extending Medicare solvency by returning collected fines directly to the Medicare Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.
    The Lower Drug Costs for Families Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    This legislation has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers, Patients for Affordable Drugs Now, and the United Mine Workers of America.
    Read the full bill here.
    Senator Cortez Masto has been a champion of affordable, quality health care, including mental and behavioral care. Cortez Masto has pushed pharmacy benefit managers to help lower prescription drug costs. She passed legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and cap the cost of insulin at $35-a-month for Medicare recipients through the Inflation Reduction Act. To lower health care costs for all Nevadans, Cortez Masto worked to expand health care subsidies for individuals and families getting health care through the exchange. She recently introduced bipartisan legislation to provide patients with transparent and timely access to prescription medications and treatments.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Calls on President Trump to Fully Fund the Institute of Museum and Library Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and U.S. Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) are calling on President Donald Trump, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley, and Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Director Alex Meyer to immediately reverse the President’s March 14 Executive Order dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and implement all Congressionally appropriated funds for IMLS and its entities.
    The delegation wrote, in part: “We write with dismay at your attempt to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) ‘to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.’ We urge you to immediately reverse your March 14 Executive Order regarding IMLS and implement all Congressionally appropriated funds for IMLS and its entities. No agency authorized by Congress can be dismantled without another act of Congress. IMLS was established by an act of Congress in 1996.”
    They continued: “The Granite State received more than $1.5 million from IMLS in FY2024 alone, with the money going to statewide initiatives including an interlibrary loan system, the creation of a digital library, and literacy projects like the Summer Reading Program. From the Museum of the White Mountains to the Currier Museum of Art, New Hampshire’s museums are educational assets that make world-class exhibits accessible to students and families. They also power our local economies: The American Alliance of Museums and Oxford Economics estimate that museums supported 3,574 jobs and contributed $265 million to our state’s economy in 2017.”
    They concluded: “American support for IMLS transcends party lines. We urge you to focus on supporting museums and libraries and reconsider your Executive Order that would strip educational, economic, and technical assistance opportunities from our constituents.”
    The full text of the letter can be found here.
    New Hampshire’s federal delegation has been outspoken about the devastating impact that dismantling the IMLS will have on our libraries, communities, and economy. Last week, Congresswoman Goodlander met with Granite Staters at the Colebrook Public Library and heard firsthand the important role our libraries play in our communities. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski, Cantwell Reintroduce Bill to Support Hydropower Development

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
    03.27.25
    Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today reintroduced their Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act, which supports the development of hydroelectricity infrastructure by establishing a federal tax incentive to increase security and capacity of existing dams. This comes after Murkowski recently cosponsored legislation introduced by Senator Steve Daines (R-Montana) to approve extensions for hydropower projects licensed before 2020, which will bolster projects that have been impacted by supply chain shortages and construction delays.
    “Hydropower provides clean, reliable, and affordable baseload energy around Alaska, but we’ve just begun to tap into our potential for this abundant resource,” Murkowski said. “Our common sense legislation incentivizes hydropower along with innovation that will enhance grid resiliency, make our dams safer, and allow our fish habitats to thrive.”
    “Thirty percent of Alaska’s electric energy comes from hydro and recent studies indicate significant opportunities for additional hydropower development. The Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act, introduced by Senator Maria Cantwell and Senator Lisa Murkowski, is critically important to the continued development and enhancement of hydropower in Alaska and throughout the nation,” Crystal Enkvist, Executive Director of the Alaska Power Association said. “Specifically, the ‘approved remote dam’ and the ‘interconnection property’ provisions are especially beneficial for Alaska because they allow for the construction of certain dams and the transmission necessary for those dams to be covered under a 30 percent investment tax credit (ITC). Funding support for the construction of new hydro is absolutely what we need in Alaska. In addition to funding for new hydroelectric facilities, the 30 percent ITC incentivizes environmental improvements and dam safety upgrades at existing hydropower facilities. This is must-pass legislation that moves the needle for the advancement of hydropower.”
    “The Alaska Independent Power Producers Association appreciates the hard work by our Alaska delegation to support hydropower,” Joel Groves, President of the Alaska Independent Power Producers Association said. “We are pleased and readily support Senator Murkowski’s and Senator Sullivan’s leadership on the reintroduction of the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydropower and River Restoration bill. This legislation will move our Nation and our State towards enhanced energy security by supporting responsible hydropower development and enhancement. This legislation wisely positions America toward a brighter and more robust energy future and resultant economic prosperity.”
    “Federal support is critical to assist with the initial high capital costs of developing hydropower, which becomes our most secure and affordable energy option for future generations,” said Clay Koplin, CEO of the Cordova Electric Cooperative.
    The Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act would establish:
    A 30% federal tax incentive to encourage upgrades to the safety and security of existing dams, investments that expand fish passage infrastructure, and improvements to water quality and recreational use opportunities at hydropower project sites; and 
    A first-ever federal cost-share to encourage the removal of obsolete obstructions that harm river ecosystems and outdoor recreation opportunities.
    Both incentives would be available to be accessed by not-for-profit entities.
    The bill is cosponsored by Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus King (I-ME), Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).
    To learn more about hydropower in Alaska, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams Republicans for Hypocrisy Over Refusal to Condemn Violence Championed by Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Senator Murray: “You will have to excuse me if I don’t take some Republicans seriously when they make this big show about law and order at the same time they are letting this President stab law enforcement in the back.”
    Once again, Republicans block Senator Murray’s one-line resolution condemning pardons of rioters who violently assaulted Capitol Police
    Senator Murray: “Just this week—mere days ago—President Trump speculated about compensating people who committed crimes on January 6th—about REWARDING their violence with taxpayer dollars. Where is the outrage? Where is the condemnation?”
    ***VIDEO HERE***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, took to the Senate floor to rebuke Republicans for their hypocrisy in jumping to condemn violence directed at Tesla dealerships and the richest man in the world, while refusing to condemn full and unconditional pardons for rioters who violently assaulted police officers on January 6th.  
    Murray’s speech came just after Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) attempted to pass, via unanimous consent, a resolution condemning attacks against Tesla. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) objected to Senator Blackburn’s resolution and in response, attempted to pass via unanimous consent Senator Murray’s resolution that simply condemns the full and unconditional pardons President Trump granted to individuals found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers. Senator Blackburn then blocked the January 6th resolution—marking the second time Republicans have blocked passage of the simple, one-line resolution expressing opposition to the pardons of violent rioters who attacked Capitol Police.
    Senator Murray also sharply criticized recent comments by President Trump about providing financial compensation to January 6th criminals.
    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered on the Senate floor today, are below and HERE:
    “M. President, I have been unequivocal in saying in this country we use our voices, and our votes—not violence—to advocate for change. I have said it many times. I will say it many times more. And I say it today.
    “But you are sorely mistaken if you think I am going to sit here—feet away from our Capitol police officers—and let the Senate say we stand by the richest man on the planet, before saying we stand by the men and women who keep us safe every single day.
    “Where is the solidarity for our officers here? And where—by the way—is the plaque Congress passed into law honoring their sacrifice on January 6th? Do I have to march down to Speaker Johnson’s office and put it up on my own? You can hang it on my door! You just bring the plaque, I’ll get the nails and do it myself.
    “Because I am not going to let anyone ever erase this history—and I am not going to let them paper over it with outrage on behalf of the richest man in the world.
    “I have no problem condemning violence, I will do that any day of the week. I condemn attacks on car owners, and salespeople. I condemn destroying other people’s personal property. This is not a new position for me.
    “But you will have to excuse me if I don’t take some Republicans seriously when they make this big show about law and order at the same time they are letting this President stab law enforcement in the back.
    “I am not going to let some Republicans get by selling a charade. Not weeks after they voted to freeze funding levels for law enforcement—in a bill where House Republicans slashed DC’s budget for police officers.
    “Not months after Trump tried to halt COPS grants and many Republicans didn’t breathe a word about it. Not when Trump is still in the middle of firing just about as many federal law enforcement workers as he can get away with. And certainly not when some of my Republican colleagues are still ignoring how our lawless President continues to champion the very people who attacked our Capitol Police.
    “Just this week—mere days ago—President Trump speculated about compensating people who committed crimes on January 6th—about rewarding their violence with taxpayer dollars. Where is that outrage? Where is the condemnation? What are some of you waiting for?
    “And don’t you try for a single second to say ‘oh he’s not talking about the violent ones.’ Y’all know better—we all know better.
    “Remember when you tried to say that about pardons? Remember how that worked out? Trump pardoned people who violently attacked police! They are back on the streets—except the ones who already committed new crimes.
    “I don’t know how my colleagues keep forgetting what happened on January 6th. I don’t know how on earth it is not burned into their memories.
    “But President Trump is talking about people who attacked this building, our offices, our staffs, our democracy. He’s talking about people who smashed windows in we walk by every day. People who brought bats and other weapons to the halls where we meet our constituents. People who beat the Capitol Police who keep us safe every day, the Capitol Police who are standing guard even now, who sit right outside this chamber!
    “These are violent criminals, and President Trump is talking about them like heroes. He wants us to write them a check!
    “Over my dead body, Mr. President. And I will say it again, and again, and again.
    “And unlike some of my Republican colleagues—I will say it the same for people who burn Teslas and for people who smash windows in here at the Capitol.
    “I’m tired of watching this; I know our constituents are. We need to demand that Speaker Johnson hang that plaque. It is not too much to ask. And I hope that this body recognize: violence is violence, and we should condemn the attacks on January 6th.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams Trump Continuing to Block Funding for America, Defying Spending Laws

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “All of us want a better working, more efficient government that delivers for people. But what Trump and Musk are doing has nothing to do with efficiency or with helping people. They are breaking the law, and ripping the rug out from underneath families and American businesses—all while working overtime to pass more tax breaks for billionaires like themselves.”
    *** WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor remarks***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor about how President Trump continues to defy our nation’s spending laws and rob communities across America of the resources they are owed. She also spoke about the path forward to pass full-year funding bills for fiscal year 2026.
    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
    “Thank you, M. President. Right now, we have a couple of billionaires running our country straight into the ground—who seem to have skipped American history because President Trump and Elon Musk don’t seem to care much about our Constitution.
    “Including the part that says quite clearly, ‘The Congress shall have Power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.’
    “And it continues! ‘No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.’
    “But M. President, their lack of interest in that section of the Constitution doesn’t make it any less real at all! You don’t have to take my word for it—it’s right down the street at the National Archives. You can go read it yourself. And I’d invite our billionaire co-presidents to go take a look!
    “Stand in line with the school kids who are on trips, read up on the separation of powers, and you can even explain to the students there why you are gutting the Department of Education while you’re at it!
    “And, just in case Trump and Musk struggle as much with reading comprehension as history, let me translate for you what the Constitution says:
    “Congress, that is us, everyone elected here, has the power of the purse. Presidents don’t write laws—they execute them. That has been true for every spending bill this body has ever passed, including the House Republicans’ yearlong CR.
    “And the basic fact that Congress has the power of the purse is something Republicans and Democrats agree on. And it won’t change no matter what Trump, or Russ Vought, or Elon Musk claim. Their legal theories are plain outlandish and so are their facts.
    “If you listen to them, they argue that Presidents have been impounding funds routinely—that’s wrong! The opposite is true. Presidents have traditionally followed the law and followed the legal directives in spending bills.
    “And When Nixon tried to block just a fraction of the amount of funding Trump is now blocking, Congress passed the Impoundment Control Act on a truly overwhelming bipartisan basis. In fact, it cleared the Senate unanimously.
    “So, while the Constitution may be the first word on Congress’ power of the purse, this foundational principal has been affirmed time and again by the courts and by Congress.
    “The law affirms what we’ve long known: presidents cannot pick and choose which parts of the spending laws to follow. And it lays out a clear procedure for the President to propose to Congress either delaying or rescinding funding.
    “The Impoundment Control Act is still the law of the land. The Constitution is still the foundation of this democracy. Congress still has the power of the purse.
    “And, for some of the House Republicans who seem to have forgotten—that power is a critical part of how all of us, how we fight for our constituents.
    “As lawmakers, we allocate funding to solve problems, make lives better, and make our country safer—things like new bridges to safely get to work, or affordable health care and child care, clean drinking water, a strong national defense, personnel who keep planes flying safely overhead and keep toxins out of our food supply, and so much more.
    “And when Congress passes legislation to make all of those priorities real—and the president signs it into law, it needs to be followed. That’s how it works in a democracy like ours.
    “Don’t like the law? Come win the votes in Congress to change it.
    “But I am here today on the floor because as we know all too well, this President is not doing that. He and the richest man in the world are defying our laws, hurting our constituents, and their seeking to enrich themselves in the process.
    “For over two months now, President Trump has been illegally choking off huge chunks of funding. We are talking about hundreds of billions of dollars—holding up investments in everything from new roads and bridges, to cheaper energy, to stronger national security.
    “Back in my home state of Washington, the reports keep rolling in about how President Trump is causing havoc by illegally blocking funds. Last week, I heard from a lumber company struggling to cover a loan given its federal grant for solar power has now been frozen for months. Earlier this week, my office heard about a terminated Spokane project focused on environmental restoration, stormwater management, and millions of dollars being canceled for Tribal public health efforts in my state alone.
    “And I have no doubt the fallout will continue next week—because Trump keeps freezing more funding, ripping up more contracts, and ignoring our laws.
    “It has to end. All of us want a better working, more efficient government that delivers for people.
    “But what Trump and Musk are doing has nothing to do with efficiency or with helping people. They are breaking the law and ripping the rug out from underneath families and American businesses—all while working overtime to pass more tax breaks for billionaires like themselves.
    “This lawlessness has to end.
    “Now, I am hopeful in this chamber we get back to regular order and pass actual bipartisan full-year bills. We cannot let what happened with House Republicans’ awful CR happen ever again.
    “We’ve got to ensure our constituents, each and every one of us, have their voices heard by getting full-year spending bills reflecting current needs across the finish line. And those bills need to be bipartisan. That is the bare minimum, and it is not too much to ask.
    “I have worked with Republicans for years on bipartisan spending bills. During my time as Appropriations Chair, I worked with Senator Collins, from the other side of the aisle, and our colleagues on the Committee, from both sides of the aisle, to hammer out strong, bipartisan bills—two years in a row. Bills that passed out of our Committee in overwhelming bipartisan votes—many of them unanimously.
    “So, I know well, it is absolutely possible to work together, and it is worthwhile. Is it easy? Of course not!
    “But you look at the bills we wrote together, and you look at the disaster of a bill that House Republicans wrote all on their own, and the difference is night and day.
    “And I’m not just talking about the difference in huge, painful, cuts from the House Republican bill. I’m also talking about the huge incompetence House Republicans displayed. They wrote a bill that slashed DC’s own budget by a billion dollars for no reason!
    “The Senate has now passed a bill to fix the inexcusable cut to DC’s own funds. But if the House does not act quickly, now, to pass the Senate bill and fix that mistake, House Republicans will force DC to fire teachers, fire police officers, and more—by the way without saving taxpayers a dime.
    “And that’s just one, one, of the many glaring issues with House Republican’s partisan CR, which I spoke about at length when I cast my vote against it. And I stand proudly by that vote today.
    “Republicans should not write a bill without me and expect me just to vote for it.
    “That is not how this ever works. We should not accept a false choice of accepting House Republicans’ poison pills, or facing a shutdown—otherwise that poison is only going to get more bitter each time.
    “The choice we have to talk about instead is this: will we work together in a bipartisan way to fund the government and invest in the places we represent or will House Republicans cut us out, go on their own, and cause a shutdown.
    “We have to start looking ahead to fiscal year 2026, and working on bipartisan funding bills. And I am focused on making sure that what happened earlier this month absolutely does not happen again.
    “Because let me be absolutely clear: if Republicans draft another funding bill in September with zero Democratic input and that bill fails to pass the Senate because Democrats do not vote for it? That is on Republicans. That is Republicans forcing a shutdown. Period.
    “I represent nearly 8 million people in the state of Washington: I’m not offering up my vote up in exchange for nothing. And actually, in the case of House Republicans’ CR, worse than nothing, given how it will now be used against Democrats.
    “So, I am absolutely not going to stop making this point. Democrats should not offer up our votes in exchange for exactly nothing. I will be making that argument loud and clear for everyone to hear.
    “We need to be focused on negotiating bipartisan bills that give our communities strong investments instead of devastating cuts. We need to ensure our constituents have a voice in this process.
    “Colleagues, understand this: passing full year, bipartisan spending bills—that is my top priority. Those spending bills that carry the full authority of Congress on how we spend taxpayer dollars, that carry forward the priorities our constituents tell us about, that is my top priority.
    “That is the most important guardrail we can place on an administration that looks to punish people they disagree with, and strips funding from priorities like Army Corp dam repairs, or public transportation projects, or from public schools and universities.
    “Now as we write those bills, we need transparency. We need to understand the reality on the ground of what this administration and DOGE are actually doing. Who is even calling the shots over there? What programs are functional at this point? Where do we have enough staff to even carry out the mission of specific agencies, or to faithfully follow congressional intent?
    “We need a hearing with Elon Musk—and whoever else is running DOGE. We need hearings with the Department heads. Whatever form it takes—we need answers on what has been going on, we need an end to the lawlessness that is happening, and we need transparency that is sorely lacking. I don’t know when that became controversial? Isn’t DOGE supposed to be all about accountability? Isn’t it supposed to be all about transparency?
    “So, let’s get to it—let’s show the American people exactly what Trump is doing. What is the problem with that? After all, it’s not like it’s meant to be a secret. Project 2025 was a public playbook. And it’s clear they are following it to the letter.
    “Before he returned as OMB Director, Russ Vought made clear he wanted to ignore our laws and ‘Impound baby Impound.’ That’s a direct quote from the General Counsel by the way, he said it: ‘Impound baby impound.’
    “I even asked him about this directly—will you follow our laws or just toss them in the dumpster? And he wouldn’t give a straight yes. He wouldn’t—why?—because he already laid out his plans in black and white—break the law, block funds that Congress passed, and dare the courts to stop him.
    “And—shocker!—the guy who made clear he is willing to go break laws and block funding, is breaking laws and he is blocking funding.
    “And President Trump and Musk have made their intentions just as clear—not just ignoring our laws—but ignoring court orders to uphold our laws and attacking our judges and our judicial system every time they don’t get their way.
    “Just this week we saw new, blatantly illegal acts from the Trump Administration. First, OMB removed a website that provides transparency by displaying how it directs agencies to apportion—or spend—federal funding. M. President, that website is not optional—it’s in statute and OMB was complying with a requirement passed by Congress.
    “This is a cut and dry case. OMB must publish the agency’s legally-binding budget decisions. We passed that language on a bipartisan basis because our constituents deserve transparency, and they deserve accountability for how their money is being spent. But the only thing transparent about this Administration—is how transparently illegal their actions are.
    “Because the same day they illegally shut the American people out of seeing what they are doing, they also blocked funding that House Republicans continued in their own CR and that the President himself just signed into law.
    “Trump wants to illegally cherry pick what gets funding we passed and what gets left in the dust. For one thing—that is straight up against the law. Open and shut case.
    “For another—it fundamentally erodes our democracy, the trust people, businesses, and local and state governments across the country place in the federal government, and, of course, our ability to negotiate bipartisan deals here in Congress. And let’s not lose sight of the fact that it is bad for our country, and it is bad for our constituents.
    “There is a reason we passed the emergency funds. But President Trump is choking off critical investments to combat the flow of fentanyl, he is slashing support for U.S. national security initiatives, he is weakening the competitiveness of U.S. businesses, he is setting back next-generation weather forecasting, and more.
    “And that still is not all—because the very next day, we learned he wants to illegally freeze tens of millions of dollars in Title X funding—that is a program with a long bipartisan history that helps women get cancer screenings, get birth control, pregnancy tests, prevent and treat STIs.
    “Last time, President Trump tried to do this through rulemaking—but now that he is throwing the law out the window entirely, he thinks he can do it with the stroke of a pen.
    “And—I have to underscore these are just recent examples from just this week! This is the latest in a long trail of devastation they have left behind in this ongoing parade of lawbreaking. Because, as I mentioned, President Trump is still blocking hundreds of billions of dollars in investments we secured for our constituents.
    “President Trump and Musk illegally shuttered USAID. They are illegally gutting the Department of Education. They are trying to dramatically slash medical research funding with restrictions that are in direct defiance of bipartisan language that I actually worked to negotiate with my Republican colleagues.
    “I could go on all day describing the damage caused by these moves—and the many other funds that are now illegally being blocked. But I think the pattern is clear. They said they were going to cut funding regardless of the consequences, regardless of the laws, regardless of the constitution. And that is exactly what they are doing.
    “Well M. President, we here in Congress cannot bury our heads in the sand while Trump, Musk, and Vought try to snatch away our power, our power, Democrats and Republicans, of the purse.
    “I will continue to use every tool I have as a Senator—I will use my voice, I will use my vote, and more—to stop this lawlessness, stop the cuts that hurt my constituents, and write and pass bills that actually help people.
    “So, M. President I really hope that our Republican colleagues will work with us to craft bipartisan funding bills and to conduct basic oversight to provide accountability.
    “Because it absolutely matters that we not just pass strong, bipartisan funding laws, but that the laws we pass are actually followed, that our constituents, every one of our constituents, actually have a say in how their tax dollars are spent, that Congress maintains its power of the purse.
    “And I am going to continue pressing all of my colleagues to stand with me on this.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Press Conference on HHS Cuts, Senator Murray Slams Trump Plans to Push Out Thousands of Health Workers, Gut Essential Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ICYMI: Senator Murray Statement on Trump Plans to Hollow Out HHS, Risking Americans’ Health and Safety
    ***VIDEO HERE***
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), held a press conference with Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ed Markey (D-MA) slamming the Trump administration’s plans, announced today, to push out roughly 20,000 employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and hollow out the Department, which is responsible for protecting Americans’ health and delivering essential health and social services. Senator Murray released a statement responding immediately to the news earlier today.
    Today’s announcement follows weeks of mass firings across HHS, creating chaos at the Department that has prevented it from executing its mission to protect people’s health, and an onslaught of detrimental policies that are halting lifesaving biomedical research and more. HHS announced that it plans to cut its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 (a 25 percent reduction) through a combination of mass firings and buy-outs and remake HHS without thoughtful consideration and partnership with Congress. Among others, Trump, RFK Jr., and Musk plan to cut:
    3,500 employees at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is charged with protecting Americans’ health by ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medicines, biologics (including vaccines), and medical devices–and regulating food safety, cosmetics, and tobacco products.
    2,400 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is charged with protecting the American people from health threats, including infectious diseases. 
    1,200 employees at NIH, the world’s premier medical research agency, which propels biomedical research that produces life-changing and, in many cases, lifesaving treatments and cures. These cuts come as the Trump administration has already systematically decimated ongoing work at NIH to advance new cures and treatments.
    300 employees at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which has long been understaffed and is charged with helping to ensure over 100 million Americans have access to health insurance by overseeing Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. 
    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered at today’s press conference, are below and HERE:
    “We are here today to raise the alarm—because the Measles President, and Secretary Kennedy, are trying to turn the Department of Health, into the Department of Disease. 
    “Seriously, do you know what Trump and RFK Jr. are doing about the measles outbreak? They are ripping away funding Congress already provided to respond to the outbreaks—they’re stopping public health work in its tracks, even as this outbreak is threatening to spiral out of control.
    “What are they doing about the opioid crisis, or maternal death rates, or bird flu for that matter? More cuts, and don’t forget—mass firings!
    “What are they doing about vaccine hesitancy? Unsurprisingly, these anti-vaxxers are slashing vaccine research. And at the very same time, dedicating resources to launch vaccine conspiracy investigations and resurrect debunked science.
    “And now, RFK Jr. announces he is pushing out some 20,000 workers at HHS? That is about as good for the public health as a cough in your face.
    “Looking for new ways to make government more efficient and responsive is important. But Trump and RFK Jr. are doing anything but that!
    “It does not take a genius to understand that pushing out 20,000 workers at a preeminent health agency, choking off funding for cancer research, and eliminating funding that prevents infectious diseases like measles will not make Americans healthier!
    “It will just mean fewer health services for our communities, more opportunities for disease to spread, and longer waits for lifesaving treatments and cures.
    “These cuts will not reduce the deficit in any way. Not at all! Instead, they threaten to incur massive costs down the road when we are caught flat-footed by the next health care crisis.
    “Consider how much bipartisan spending Congress had to push out the door—why? Because Trump failed to get the COVID pandemic under control when it first hit.
    “It costs something to prevent pandemics, and it costs a whole lot more when we fail to stop them. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—but Trump and RFK Jr. are picking neither. They are picking chaos, plague, and pandemonium. That may as well be their official policy—because that is what is coming down the tracks if they don’t change course.
    “And I will tell you right now, when our health agencies are unprepared for a deadly pandemic…
    “When our hospitals are overwhelmed with sick kids because our local public health officials can’t track a worsening measles outbreak…
    “When people start getting E. coli and we cannot figure out where it came from…
    “Or whooping cough starts spreading—and we can’t do basic tracing to stop it…
    “Or flu season sweeps through nursing homes like never before, because no one bothered to help people get vaccinated…
    “Or a vaccine doesn’t even exist because HHS stopped funding seasonal flu vaccine development…
    “Or our mental health centers close because federal grants were axed, and opioid deaths rise again, because prevention and treatment work was cut off…
    “The American people won’t forget it was Trump and RFK Jr. who gutted essential services and put their lives at risk.
    “Today may be a great day for snake oil, it may be a great day for conspiracies, it may be a great day for measles, but it is an incredibly alarming day for America.
    “It’s an incredibly scary time for moms and dads who just want to keep their kids healthy, and just want to know there are competent people on the job keeping us safe from diseases.
    “I have warned my colleagues from the start, this is not some political game. The work HHS does—or in this case, stops doing—has life and death consequences.
    “Well, my colleagues better get used to hearing that warning, because for as long as Trump and RFK Jr. continue down this absolutely reckless path, I will echo that warning over, and over, and over again, because it is an important one.
    “Given the stakes here, given the serious threats to our families—I don’t see how any of us can do anything less.
    “We need to speak up about how dangerous this is—we are speaking up.
    “We need to push back and fight for our families, and we need our families to stand up and fight with us.
    “I know I will be. And I am proud to be here with two of my great colleagues who feel the same.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Paul, Lee, Moreno Reintroduce Bill to Abolish the Department of Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    March 27, 2025
     Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
     
     
    Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Bernie Moreno (R-OH) reintroduced legislation to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, returning control of education policy to states, local communities, and families.
    In 2020 and 2021, Dr. Paul introduced a bill to abolish the Department of Education. Additionally, he has previously
    introduced the Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning (SCHOOL) Act as part of his broader effort to reform education. This legislation allows federal education funds to follow students, regardless of whether they are homeschooled or attend public, private, or charter schools.
    “For too long, Washington bureaucrats have imposed a uniform approach to education, stifling innovation and limiting parental choice,” said Dr. Rand Paul. “It’s time to empower families and local leaders to make the best decisions for their students, rather than relying on out-of-touch federal regulators.”
    “In the 45 years since the Department of Education was established, the quality of American public schooling has declined, the cost of college has skyrocketed, and parents and students have come second to administrators and unions,” said Senator Lee. “Congress should end this unconstitutional federal intrusion into American education and usher in a renaissance of school choice, parental rights, and academic achievement.”
    “There is no constitutional role for the federal government in education, and returning power to the states will empower parents, cut red tape, and give our students the opportunity to receive the best possible education,” said Moreno. “After over 4 decades of Republicans promising to abolish the Department of Education, President Trump and Senate Republicans are finally delivering. This was a key part of what I campaigned on, and I’m proud to join Senator Paul and my colleagues on this long-overdue legislation.”
    Dr. Paul has long been a proponent of school choice, advocating for vouchers and charter schools because educational decisions should be made locally rather than by federal agencies.
    This legislation reflects his commitment to decentralization and individual freedom, aiming for a high-quality education free from federal interference.
    You can read the legislation HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, In Response To Trump Admin Cuts To NIH: People Are Going to Die If We Don’t Fund Medical Research

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    March 27, 2025
    During a forum on the consequences of cutting federal funding to NIH, Durbin called on his Republican colleagues to stand up to Trump, Elon Musk as they slash federal funding for medical research that saves lives
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a roundtable forum, entitled “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer’s, & Other Diseases,” which was hosted by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Peter Welch (D-VT).  The forum underscored the dangerous consequences of the Trump Administration’s decision to lay off researchers and freeze funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
    Durbin began his speaking time by stressing the importance of medical research conducted at NIH and by sharing his admiration for former NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins.  Durbin recalled his conversation with Dr. Collins about working on a bipartisan basis to increase federal funding for NIH annually.
    “It was about 10 years ago when I went out to NIH and met with Francis Collins… We recalled a time… when Senator Harkin and Senator Specter and a fellow named John Porter, a congressman from Illinois, decided to set out to double the NIH budget.  And they did it,” Durbin said. 
    “I said to Dr. Collins, ‘I wish I could promise the same thing. What can I do?’” Durbin said.  “He [Dr. Collins] said, ‘Give us five percent real growth every year.’”
    Durbin continued, describing how he convinced two Republicans, former U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), as well as Democratic Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), to work with him to secure annual five percent increases in NIH funding.
    “We went from $30 billion a year to NIH, and ten years later, we were at $48 million, [a] 60 percent increase.  How did we do it?  A bipartisan team of Senators,” Durbin said.  “The four of us, two Democrats, two Republicans, put that kind of investment and made a difference in the lives of millions of people… What we’re lacking now, frankly, is support from the other side of the aisle.”
    “We need a few Republicans who will stand up and say, ‘Enough.  Enough, Mr. Musk.  Enough, DOGE,’” Durbin said.  “People are going to die if we don’t fund medical research. Period.”
    Durbin then asked Mr. Jessy Ybarra, a veteran with ALS and a board member of the ALS Association, about the future of ALS research.
    “Mr. Ybarra, thank you for your service to our country.  What do you see in terms of research for ALS?” Durbin asked.
    Mr. Ybarra replied that while progress has been made in treating the disease, funding for research must continue. If not, people with ALS will never see a new treatment or eventual cure.
    Durbin then asked Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, former NIH Director, if Dr. Collins’ challenge to Members of Congress to increase NIH funding annually made a difference in medical research.
    Dr. Bertagnolli replied, “Both Dr. Collins and I share the sentiment that everything we did at NIH was understanding how precious that support [federal funding] was.”
    Durbin concluded by remarking on how funding NIH is critical in the treatment of diseases that are impacting American families.
    “I think about that moment, which many of us have faced… when the doctor says, ‘Here’s the diagnosis.’  And you say, ‘is there anything we can do?  Is there a medicine?  Is there a surgery?  Is there a treatment?’  And you pray to God that some researcher at NIH found a breakthrough that’s going to give you or someone you love a chance,” Durbin concluded.
    Video of Durbin’s remarks is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s remarks is available here.
    This year, Durbin has twice asked for unanimous consent (UC) to pass a resolution he introduced with U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), as well as 21 other Senators, that would pledge support for NIH.  The resolution simply said that the work of NIH should not be subject to interruption, delay, or funding disruptions in violation of the law, and it reaffirmed that the NIH workforce is essential to sustaining medical progress.  The first UC request was blocked by U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and the second was blocked by U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).
    Durbin has long been a strong advocate for robust medical research.  His legislation, the American Cures Act, would provide annual budget increases of five percent plus inflation at America’s top four biomedical research agencies: NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense Health Program, and the Veterans Medical and Prosthetics Research Program.  Thanks to Durbin’s efforts to increase medical research funding, Congress has provided NIH with a 60 percent funding increase over the past decade.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Meets With Illinois Farm Bureau In Washington

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    March 27, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met with members of the Illinois Farm Bureau to discuss the state of federal agriculture policy and Illinois’ agricultural priorities.  During the meeting, Durbin heard from Farm Bureau members about the economic uncertainty they are facing with crop prices and production costs, and the financial harms caused by the Trump Administration’s tariffs.  Other topics raised included foreign trade, solutions for migrant workforce shortages, and the importance of permanent E15 markets.
    “Today, I spoke with members of the Illinois Farm Bureau and heard their concerns about the Trump Administration’s trade policies,” said Durbin.  “I will continue to be an ally to Illinois farmers and advocate for policies that support our agricultural sector.”
    Photos of the meeting are available here.
    Members from the following towns attended today’s meeting:
    Alexander, Illinois (Morgan County)
    Wheeler, Illinois (Jasper County)
    Waterman, Illinois (DeKalb County)
    Morrisonville, Illinois (Christian County)
    Delavan, Illinois (Tazewell County)
    Quincy, Illinois (Adams County)
    Victoria, Illinois (Knox County)
    Gillespie, Illinois (Macoupin County)
    Alhambra, Illinois (Madison County)
    New Berlin, Illinois (Sangamon County)
    Woodstock, Illinois (McHenry County)
    Osco, Illinois (Henry County)
    Springfield, Illinois (Sangamon County)
    Lynn Center, Illinois (Henry County)
    Carlinville, Illinois (Macoupin County)
    Williamsfield, Illinois (Knox County)
    Marshall, Illinois (Clark County)
    Earlier this month, Durbin joined 13 of his Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to President Trump warning against imposing tariffs as they threaten American farmers, ranchers, businesses, and consumers. 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet Welcome Sundance Film Festival to Boulder

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet celebrated the announcement that the Sundance Film Festival will move to Boulder, Colorado in 2027.
    “As mayor and governor, we worked to make Colorado an economic and cultural powerhouse,” said Hickenlooper. “Sundance is an iconic festival, and Boulder is the perfect backdrop for such a cultural force.”
    “I’m pleased by the news that the Sundance Film Festival is moving to Boulder,” said Bennet. “This annual film festival is the largest of its kind in the U.S. – I’m so glad it will be calling Colorado home.”
    The festival, which is the largest independent film festival in the U.S., will be centered around the Pearl Street Mall and CU campus in Boulder and will involve an array of venues in the region, potentially including the Stanley Film Center in Estes Park.
    Hickenlooper advocated for Colorado’s bid to host the Sundance Film Festival after the Sundance Institute announced last April that it was weighing a potential move to a new host city.
    For the past 40 years, Colorado has made investments designed to make Colorado the best place in the country to live and do business. As Mayor of Denver, Governor of Colorado, and now U.S. Senator, Hickenlooper has helped champion efforts to expand Colorado’s creative communities and attract recent graduates and young professionals.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch on Trump’s Rollback of Pollution Standards, Firing of EPA Scientists: “It’s not their intention to reform it or improve it—it’s their intention to destroy it.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, this week took to the Senate Floor to speak out against President Trump’s efforts to help corporations and Big Oil pollute our air and water. In his remarks, Senator Welch highlighted the Trump Administration’s rollback of more than 30 regulations that set limits on mercury pollution, toxic wastewater, soot emissions, and more. 
    “The idea that the federal government would turn a blind eye to active pollution that is produced because it results in profit to the polluters is something not a single member of this body should ever tolerate. Ever, ever, ever,” said Senator Welch. “I am completely committed to doing anything I can to make regulations practical and effective. I am absolutely and adamantly opposed to giving polluters free rein to profit at the expense and welfare of the people that I represent, and we all represent.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 
    Senator Welch’s Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the 119th Congress include:   
    Senate Committee on Finance   
    Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry  
    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit   
    Senate Committee on the Judiciary 
    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on the Constitution 
    Senate Committee on Rules & Administration  
    Learn more about the Senator’s work by visiting his website or by following him on social media. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: President Trump Outlines OSTP’s Goals and Priorities

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    In case you missed it, President Trump signed a letter to Assistant to the President and OSTP Director Michael Kratsios outlining the road ahead to the Golden Age of American Innovation. The President outlined three main goals:
    How can the United States secure its position as the unrivaled world leader in critical and emerging technologies — such as artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and nuclear technology — maintaining our advantage over potential adversaries?
    How can we revitalize America’s science and technology enterprise – pursuing truth, reducing administrative burdens, and empowering researchers to achieve groundbreaking discoveries?
    How can we ensure that scientific progress and technological innovation fuel economic growth and better the lives of all Americans?
    President Trump writes, “now, after 4 long years of weakness and complacency, we must set our sights even higher. I am calling upon you to blaze a trail to the next frontiers of science. We have the opportunity to cement America’s global technological leadership and usher in the Golden Age of American Innovation. We are not just competing with other nations; we are seeking, striving, fighting to make America greater than ever before.”
    APST and OSTP Director Kratsios said that “by accelerating U.S. tech leadership, restoring our scientific enterprise, and promoting opportunity for all Americans, we will usher in a Golden Age of innovation. When FDR gave his science advisor Vannevar Bush a mandate to chart a course for U.S. research and development, American boots soon left their mark on the moon. Today, with President Trump’s agenda for American science and technology, we will achieve future triumphs and explore new frontiers. “ Read the full letter HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Trump Admin. Should Improve Social Security Customer Service, Not Intentionally Degrade It

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Stressing the importance of efficient customer service, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says Rhode Islanders should not have to wait in long lines outside of Social Security Administration (SSA) field offices, exposed to the elements, and in some cases having to return multiple times, in order to get their needs addressed.  Nor should retirees be put on hold for hours, have their calls dropped, or have to wait endlessly to speak with an SSA representative.

    Roughly 230,000 Rhode Islanders – including senior citizens and people with disabilities — rely on the guaranteed income provided by Social Security. Senator Reed says it is essential they be able to get their questions answered online, in-person, or over the phone.  But unconscionably, the Trump Administration is slashing the Social Security Administration (SSA) workforce from 57,000 workers down to 50,000, shuttering dozens of field offices nationwide, and making it harder for Americans to get help with the Social Security benefits they earned.

    “Rhode Islanders deserve better customer service from the Social Security Administration, but the Trump Administration is intentionally making it worse.  Elon Musk falsely claimed Social Security is a ponzi scheme and President Trump intentionally spread false information about the program because they want to get rid of it.  They’ve put forth unpopular plans to run Social Security into the ground and Americans across the country are rightfully pushing back.  Trump and Musk want political cover to slash the social safety net altogether, and gutting SSA customer service and restricting benefit access is part of their plan that must be stopped,” said Reed. 

    Approximately 72.5 million Americans, including retirees, children, and individuals with disabilities, rely on Social Security benefits.  In Rhode Island, retirement beneficiaries receive an average payment of $1,972 a month, according to the latest available Social Security Administration data.

    Earlier this year, the Trump Administration announced the closure of 47 SSA field offices across 18 states.  It also says most Americans can start a benefits claim over the phone but will have to go to a field office in order to complete the claim.

    Senator Reed, who recently visited Pawtucket’s SSA field office, noted that degrading customer phone service and requiring in-person office visits would have a negative impact on vulnerable Americans with limited mobility.

    “Under the guise of DOGE and fraud prevention, the Trump Administration is creating unnecessary barriers that will deter Americans from accessing their earned retirement benefits.  Instead of cutting red tape, the Trump Administration’s strategy could force homebound seniors and people with serious medical issues to needlessly travel and fill out extra paperwork in person,” said Reed.

    While the Trump Administration originally planned to implement SSA changes starting March 31, it is now backtracking and delaying major changes until April 14.  However, SSA’s revisions do not go far enough and will still cause needless barriers for millions of Americans seeking to access their Social Security benefits, including individuals applying for Retirement, Survivors, or Auxiliary benefits (including Spousal or Child benefits).

    Rhode Island is currently home to five SSA field offices and one location for the Office of Hearings Operations (Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Woonsocket).

    The Social Security Administration help number is 1-800-772-1213.  To find the nearest SSA office and for office hours, visit the SSA field office locator at: https://www.ssa.gov/locator/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Grassley Introduce Legislation to Protect Jobs for American Citizens, Not Illegal Aliens

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) in introducing the Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act to assist employers in certifying the legal status of their workforce.
    Specifically, the legislation would permanently authorize, expand, and require employers to participate in the free, internet-based E-Verify program, which helps determine if a current or prospective employee is authorized to work in the United States. The legislation includes provisions to provide E-Verify access to businesses in rural communities or areas without internet capabilities.
    Sen. Tuberville cosponsored the legislation in the 118th Congress.
    “So many families are still struggling to make ends meet from four years of Joe Biden’s disastrous economic policies. Congress’ top priority should be strengthening American businesses and protecting good-paying jobs. Expanding the E-Verify program to every business across the country will protect jobs for American workers and give employers the tools they need to legally staff their companies. We must get serious about enforcing all of our country’s immigration laws, including those pertaining to participation in the workforce,” said Sen. Tuberville.
    “E-Verify is a proven tool for employers, including myself, to ensure our businesses are legally staffed. By reducing incentives for illegal immigration and safeguarding job opportunities for Americans and other legal workers, our bill would boost accountability in the workforce and support our nation’s small businesses,” said Sen. Grassley. 
    Sens. Tuberville and Grassley were joined by Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Joni Ernst (R-IA), James Lankford (R-OK), and Mike Lee (R-UT) in cosponsoring the legislation.
    Read full text of the legislation here.
    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 –