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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Cruz File Amicus Brief Urging SCOTUS to Hear Case Challenging Texas’ Lobbying Law

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) filed an amicus brief encouraging the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) to take up Sullivan v. Texas Ethics Commission, which is a case on appeal from the Supreme Court of Texas by petitioner Michael Quinn Sullivan to resolve concerns over potential First Amendment violations in Texas’ lobbying registration law. A copy of the brief can be found here.
    “The American people should be able to engage in protected political speech without government restrictions, unless such limits are constitutionally permissible,” wrote the Sens.
    “Does the First Amendment permit the government to require ordinary citizens to register and pay a fee to communicate with their government representatives? With the current split of authority, the answer depends on which court hears the case,” they continued.  
    “This case is an apt vehicle for the Court to clarify the level of scrutiny that should apply to lobbying restrictions that impact political speech. This clarity will ensure any restriction on political speech is constitutionally permissible,” they concluded.
    An amicus brief, or “friend of the court” brief, can be filed in order to address concerns and advise the Court on a matter of law that directly affects the case at hand.
    Background:
    The State of Texas has a lobbying registration law, which requires anyone who tries to influence legislation or administration action by communicating directly with a member of the legislative or executive branch to register and pay a fee. In 2012, the Texas Ethics Commission fined Michael Quinn Sullivan for failing to register as a lobbyist—and pay the fee—before sending emails to legislators.
    Sullivan challenged the lobbying statute on First Amendment grounds, first to the Texas Ethics Commission, which rejected his arguments and imposed the fine, then to state district court, which affirmed, and then to the state court of appeals, which also affirmed. He appealed to the Texas Supreme Court, which denied review, and is now seeking review in the Supreme Court. There is currently a circuit split about the level of scrutiny to apply to these requirements.
    In this amicus for cert, the Senators are supporting the Supreme Court taking up the question of whether or not the Texas lobbying law is unconstitutional the way it is currently written. SCOTUS hasn’t addressed lobbying laws since the tiers of scrutiny were established years ago, so it’s appropriate for the Court to revisit this question. Texas law doesn’t distinguish between concerned citizens and paid lobbyists, but other circuits have upheld lobbying laws under a strict scrutiny analysis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Padilla Bill to Safeguard U.S. Research Against Foreign Adversaries Passes House

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) released the following statements after their U.S. Research Protection Act, which would shield American research from malign foreign influence by updating language in the CHIPS and Science Act to include additional restrictions against programs sponsored by countries of concern, passed the U.S. House of Representatives:
    “In a world where competition turns into hostility all too often, we must do everything in our power to safeguard American ingenuity against bad actor nations,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation will place even more restrictions on academic programs involving countries of concern to ensure American scientific research is protected.”
    “The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act included important provisions to bolster our research security, and we must continue to build upon this progress,” said Sen. Padilla. “This legislation will provide much-needed clarity for federal agencies and academic institutions to better safeguard national security while preserving research collaboration and international partnerships crucial to the strength of America’s innovation economy. I am glad to see the House pass our bipartisan bill, and I look forward to working with Senator Cornyn and my colleagues to secure its swift passage in the Senate.”
    U.S. Representatives Mike Kennedy (UT-03) and Haley Stevens (MI-11) led the legislation in the House.
    Background:
    Malign Foreign Talent Programs are sponsored by countries of concern like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea to obtain American scientific research and technology by incentivizing or coercing American researchers to act on their behalf. The CHIPS and Science Act included provisions to prohibit the U.S. government and academic institutions from partnering with such programs.
    However, the law’s current definition of a Malign Foreign Talent Program only includes programs that “directly provide” incentives and benefits to researchers to participate, leaving out other methods to provide indirect benefits to researchers to induce their cooperation. This legislation would broaden the definition to include “indirect benefits,” ensuring foreign adversarial nations cannot exploit this loophole to evade U.S. research restrictions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty Secures Commitment from Trump’s Nominee on Ensuring Panama Cooperates to Stop Illicit Drug Trafficking to the U.S.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    WASHINGTON—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, today at a hearing received a commitment from Kevin Cabrera, nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Panama, to use all tools at his disposal to ensure Panama cooperates with the United States on reducing the flow of illicit drug trafficking into America.
    “Transnational criminal organizations, from countries like Colombia and Mexico, have long used Panama to smuggle illicit drugs, and they’ve done it to the tune of billions of dollars,” Hagerty said. “Last year alone, the State Department estimates that up to 40 percent of cocaine that was produced in Colombia had transited through the exclusive economic zones of Panama.”
    “Mr. Cabrera, do you commit to use all of the tools at your disposal to ensure that the Panamanian government continues to collaborate with the United States [in taking] strong actions against these criminal organizations and stopping the flow of illicit drugs into America?” Hagerty asked.
    “[Panama is] a great ally in this and…[I look] forward to continuing that and using all the tools that are at our disposal to continue to [make] sure that we stop as many metric tons of drugs coming through that border through the Darién Gap,” said Cabrera. “It goes hand-in-hand with migration.”

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Welch Debunks so-called “Censorship Industrial Complex” in First Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution Hearing 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Welch: “Although we agree that government should not infringe on free speech, I don’t believe that’s what has been happening here.” 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, addressed far-right false claims of a vast censorship conspiracy during a Subcommittee hearing titled “The Censorship Industrial Complex.” Instead of focusing the first Subcommittee hearing on actual and proven instances of censorship by the Trump Administration against journalists, political adversaries, and critics, the Majority focused the first Subcommittee hearing on an alleged—and unproven—censorship enterprise against conservatives.  
    “On this question of the ‘censorship industrial complex,’ the basic allegation here, as I understand it, is that there is government-facilitated interference with free speech. And we’re going to hear from the witnesses on that. But the underlying premise of this, as I understand it, is the taxpayers are essentially footing the bill for this. My view is that facts don’t support that allegation,” said Senator Welch. “Although we agree that government should not infringe on free speech—I am with you on that and with all of my colleagues here—I don’t believe that’s what has been happening here.” 
    Watch the hearing below: 
    Read Senator Welch’s opening remarks as delivered here. 
    Witnesses for the Democratic Minority included Professor Mary Anne Franks, and Gabe Rottman. Dr. Franks is the Eugene L. and Barbara A. Bernard Professor in Intellectual Property, Technology, and Civil Rights Law at George Washington University School of Law, and an expert in the First Amendment and technology. Mr. Rottman is the Vice President of Policy at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. In this role he works at the intersection of press freedom and technology.   
    Witnesses for the Majority included Mollie Hemingway, senior editor for The Federalist, Jonathan Turley, conservative legal scholar, and Benjamin Weingarten, a Senior Contributor for The Federalist.   
    Read excerpts of Senator Welch’s questioning below: 
    Sen. Welch: Mr. Rottman, you’ve got an incredible job because the press is on the front lines, and Ms. Hemingway, you know that as well. What do you see as problematic for the press right now in the current administration, if anything?  
    Mr. Rottman: So, as I touched on both in the written testimony and just a few minutes ago, one of the key concepts in First Amendment jurisprudence is this notion that the government cannot use its vast authority to pick and choose sides in public debate. And the legal term for that is viewpoint discrimination. The various examples that I’ve pointed out in my testimony involve viewpoint discrimination. The AP case at the White House, right? The White House has said explicitly it is taking these actions because of the AP’s editorial choice to continue to use the term ‘Gulf of Mexico’— 
    Sen. Welch: Let me interrupt for just a second. The government can have a viewpoint, so obviously President Trump has a significantly different viewpoint than President Biden had. Is there any reservation on their ability to express what their viewpoint is?   
    Mr. Rottman: No, until the government uses its power to try and enforce that viewpoint on others.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Reverend Warnock Leads Bipartisan Effort to Lower Housing Costs for Servicemembers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senators Reverend Warnock Leads Bipartisan Effort to Lower Housing Costs for Servicemembers

    Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Warnock (D-GA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) are introducing a bipartisan bill that will help servicemembers across Georgia, Alaska, and the country obtain sufficient and affordable housing
    A stalwart champion for Georgia’s veterans, military families, and servicemembers, Senator Reverend Warnock has actively worked in the Senate to strengthen federal support for Georgia’s military communities
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “Our bill will help ensure military families who sacrifice so much to serve our nation can access safe, dignified housing”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced bipartisan legislation to lower housing costs for servicemembers in Georgia, Alaska, and across the country. The bipartisan Basic Allowance for Housing Restoration Act will ensure servicemembers and their families receive their full housing allowance. In Fiscal Year 2015, Congress cut servicemembers’ housing allowance, decreasing Base Allowance for Housing (BAH) coverage from 100% of estimated housing costs to 95%. This cost-sharing has hurt military families, many of whom already face issues of food insecurity and other expenses. Companion legislation was also introduced in the House by Reps. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) earlier in the month.
    “Georgia is a military state, and with all that we ask from our servicemembers and their families, ensuring they have quality, affordable housing is the least we can do,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I have long been a champion for our servicemembers in Georgia and across the nation, which is why I am proud to partner with Senator Murkowski to champion the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Restoration Act. Our bill will help ensure military families who sacrifice so much to serve our nation can access safe, dignified housing, and I look forward to introducing companion legislation in the Senate.” 
    “Alaska is home to many critical military installations with serious missions, but our servicemembers and their families face some of the highest costs-of-living in the country – especially when it comes to housing.” said Senator Murkowski. “No member of our military should have to pay exorbitant out-of-pocket costs to have a roof over their head while serving our nation. It’s time for Congress to address this and take care of our servicemembers by raising the Basic Allowance for Housing back to 100 percent.”
    “Access to affordable housing is one of the top issues I hear from servicemembers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Servicemembers are priced out of options to live near their bases, putting strain on our military families,” said Rep. Strickland. “When the Department reduces the housing allowance, it exacerbates economic, food access, and readiness issues. Restoring the BAH to 100% provides servicemembers and their families with stability and shows that meeting their basic needs is a national security priority.”
    “Our service members and their families should not have to struggle to find and afford housing. When they volunteer to put their lives on the line for their country, we should be able to guarantee that they will have access to clean and comfortable housing within the allowance they are given,” said Rep. Bacon. “Restoring BAH to 100% will help improve the quality of life for those that are willing to sacrifice so much.”
    The legislation is endorsed by the Military Officers Association of America, the Military Housing Association, The American Legion, the Military Family Advisory Network, and the National Military Family Association.
    Senator Warnock has long been a leading advocate in the Senate for Georgia’s military families. In 2022, Senator Warnock helped to pass the bipartisan PACT Act, the largest expansion of veterans’ health benefits in decades. He was also successful in securing multiple important wins for military families in the Fiscal Year 2023 NDAA, including securing two of his provisions in the NDAA that will make housing more affordable for military families and ease the burden of relocation for military families. In the Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA, the Senator helped secure a 14.5% raise for junior troops, who will now earn about $3,000 to $6,000 more per year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Pushes for Commitment to Keep Georgia Social Security Offices Open After Trump Administration Takes Aim at Seniors 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Pushes for Commitment to Keep Georgia Social Security Offices Open After Trump Administration Takes Aim at Seniors 

    At Tuesday’s Senate Finance committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock questioned Frank Bisignano, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Social Security Administration (SSA)
    Senator Reverend Warnock pushed Bisignano to commit to keeping all field offices in the state open for Georgia seniors
    This month, SSA announced it was making access to benefits more difficult for seniors, no longer allowing individuals to apply for benefits or request a direct deposit change over the phone; the proposed change could lead to an increase of 7 million visits to field offices per year across the country, and an estimated 200,000 additional visits in Georgia alone
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “Retirees in Georgia who rely on Social Security deserve reliable, timely delivery of their full benefits with world class customer service. […] That’s why so many Georgians and I were alarmed looking at what’s happening last month when several news outlets reported that Elon Musk and his DOGE team announced on their own website plans to permanently close five Social Security customer service offices throughout Georgia”

    Watch Senator Reverend Warnock at Tuesday’s Senate Finance committee hearing HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, during a Senate Finance committee hearing on the nomination of Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration (SSA), U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) pushed the nominee to commit to keeping all field offices in the state open for Georgia seniors and increasing staffing at Georgia field offices. The Senator’s push comes after the SSA announced it was making access to benefits more difficult for seniors, no longer allowing individuals to apply for benefits or request a direct deposit change over the phone. These and other proposed changes at the SSA could lead to an increase of 7 million visits to field offices per year across the country, and an estimated 200,000 additional visits in Georgia alone. Senator Warnock is committed to ensuring Georgians can easily and efficiently access their benefits that they have paid into over their lifetime. 
    The line of questioning also comes after DOGE announced the closure of five Georgia SSA offices, only to walk back the announcement after the Senator brought attention to the deeply unpopular decision. 
    “Retirees in Georgia who rely on Social Security deserve reliable, timely delivery of their full benefits with world class customer service. […] That’s why so many Georgians and I were alarmed looking at what’s happening last month when several news outlets reported that Elon Musk and his DOGE team announced on their own website plans to permanently close five Social Security customer service offices throughout Georgia. These closures in Brunswick, Columbus, Gainesville, Thomasville, and Vidalia would give Georgia the highest number of planned Social Security office closures of any state. Those five cities represent five counties with over 136,000 people who rely on Social Security benefits,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. 
    The SSA, through both retirement benefits and disability insurance, provides support to 68 million Americans. Without Social Security, nearly 40 percent of people over age 65 would be living in poverty. Social Security has reduced elderly poverty to less than 12 percent according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.  
    “I just need to know, when it comes to office closures, who’s going to be making that decision, you or Elon Musk?” asked Senator Reverend Warnock. 
    “Me,” Frank Bisignano replied. 
    “That’s a good answer. The seniors in my state, those are the folks I’m concerned about. Will you commit to keeping all field offices in my state open for Georgia seniors?” Senator Reverend Warnock asked. 
    In response, Mr. Bisignano said, “You know, I was asked this question more than one time today, and what I will commit to is that there will be no decision made without you knowing about it. I have no intent to close field offices, but I’ve studied nothing on the topic. So it’s a little hard to commit to something without…”
    Senator Reverend Warnock interjected, “I think study is a good thing, and what we’ve seen so far is no study, no real knowledge about what’s going on, just an effort to close offices, to be able to announce that you’re addressing waste, fraud and abuse.”
    Watch the Senator’s full remarks HERE.
    See below a transcript of key exchanges between Senator Warnock and SSA nominee Frank Bisignano (remarks have been lightly edited for clarity):
    Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): “I want to follow up on some of the issues that we discussed in my office. When we met, I shared with you my strong view that retirees in Georgia who rely on Social Security deserve reliable, timely delivery of their full benefits with world class customer service, and you’ve got a long record of delivering that in the private sphere. That’s why so many Georgians and I were alarmed looking at what’s happening last month when several news outlets reported that Elon Musk and his DOGE team announced on their own website plans to permanently close five Social Security customer service offices throughout Georgia. These closures in Brunswick, Columbus, Gainesville, Thomasville, and Vidalia would give Georgia the highest number of planned Social Security office closures of any state. Those five cities represent five counties with over 136,000 people who rely on Social Security benefits. But since I raised the alarm, since I made some noise about this, DOGE is suddenly out on X, I guess that’s what you call the platform now, denying the closures that it posted on its own website. They posted those closures on their website, and now no one seems to know what’s true or whether or not these announced closures will affect Georgians access to their benefits or other services. So, sir, I know that you aren’t currently at the Social Security Administration, and perhaps you can’t speak to the plans hatched by Elon Musk or DOGE. But if you’re confirmed to lead the agency, Americans deserve to know who will actually be in charge of their benefits. I think we heard an answer from you a moment ago, from my colleague, but I’m going to ask you again for the record, where will the buck stop on this decision, specifically with respect to office closures? As someone who represents the state where they announced five closures–I made noise about it, it was on their website, then they withdrew them and acted like I made it up, they put it on their website–I just need to know, when it comes to office closures, who’s going to be making that decision, you or Elon Musk?”
    Frank Bisignano (FB): “Me.”
    SRW: “That’s a good answer. The seniors in my state, those are the folks I’m concerned about. Will you commit to keeping all field offices in my state open for Georgia seniors?”
    FB: “You know, I was asked this question more than one time today, and what I will commit to is that there will be no decision made without you knowing about it. I have no intent to close field offices, but I’ve studied nothing on the topic. So it’s a little hard to commit to something without…”
    SRW: “I think study is a good thing, and what we’ve seen so far is no study, no real knowledge about what’s going on, just an effort to close offices, to be able to announce that you’re addressing waste, fraud, and abuse. And we all know this is true, regardless of whether we’re Democrats or Republicans, because then they have to go back and rehire some of the people they fire. And you’re a businessman, sir, and you said earlier you wouldn’t operate in this way. And the reason I’m asking about these field offices, and these announced changes, is because it could lead to an increase of 7 million visits to field offices per year across the country, especially with the fact that they’re now not allowing you to call on the phone. An estimated 200,000 additional visits in Georgia alone, which is why, frankly, I think that it’s a terrible idea. But if confirmed, will you commit to increased staffing at Georgia field offices to account for this massive, expected increase in appointments, and to help ensure Georgians can easily and efficiently make appointments. Let me be clear about what I’m asking you: if you’re no longer able to call on the phone, which is a decision that’s already been made, and you have to go online or go to the office and actually have an in-person appointment, you’re going to have a backlog. So I want to know what’s the answer to that. How is it that I can assure the seniors in my church that their lines are not going to get longer and longer? I disagree with the Commerce Secretary who said, well, if his mother-in-law missed a check, she wouldn’t worry about it. I guess she wouldn’t. Her son-in-law is a billionaire. That is not the story of the seniors in my church. Will you make sure that they have access to find out what’s going on with the benefits that they have earned?”
    FB: “Senator, first of all, thank you very much. I’ve spent my career overseeing financial institutions, and today I serve 3,500 financial institutions in America, and that means we have community banks, rural banks, and I know what it means to have to serve neighborhoods and serve rural communities. My commitment is that it will be a fact based, rule-based organization we run, that we will ensure we have the staffing to get the best level of service for our constituents. So I’m giving you a longer answer, but we will have the talent that we need to get the job done at a service level better than today’s.”
    SRW: “I appreciate the answer. I’m just trying to get Georgia residents, senior citizens, the benefits that they have earned. No one is giving them anything, they paid into the system. Thank you.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock Votes “No” on Dr. Oz Nomination, Raises Consequences of Medicaid Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock Votes “No” on Dr. Oz Nomination, Raises Consequences of Medicaid Cuts

    Today, during a Senate Finance committee vote, Senator Reverend Warnock voted “NO” on advancing the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz for full Senate consideration to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
    If confirmed, Dr. Oz expressed no indication he would defend Medicaid from Washington Republicans who are threatening major slashes in funding for health care
    In Georgia, Medicaid covers two in five children and one in ten veterans
    Senator Reverend Warnock believes access to health care for working or low-income Georgians is too important to gamble with nominees unable to unequivocally defend Medicare and Medicaid from partisan attacks 

    Watch Senator Reverend Warnock’s remarks HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) announced he was voting “no” to advance the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to become the next Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Senator cited grave concerns that Dr. Oz would not defend Medicaid, which covers two in five Georgia children and one in ten Georgia veterans, from Washington Republicans looking to make devastating cuts to the program.
    “Let me be really clear that I’m voting against Dr. Oz. I think he is knowledgeable, certainly more knowledgeable than Secretary Kennedy about the program that he’s tasked to lead, but we’ve got to take seriously the needs of millions of Americans who will lose their health care. And so, I’m voting no for his nomination, and I urge my colleagues to do the same,”said Senator Reverend Warnock. 
    In his remarks during the committee hearing, Senator Warnock highlighted how Washington Republicans are proposing to gut almost $900 billion from Medicaid to give millionaires and billionaires an additional tax cut, potentially kicking millions of Americans off of their health care insurance.
    “Here’s the deal, Republicans need a whole lot of money to pay for their tax cuts for the wealthiest among us, and they know if you give people enough bureaucratic hoops to jump through, then enough working people will get tripped up by the red tape and lose their health care. And so that’s the plan, less money spent on a working mom’s cancer treatment because she didn’t fill out the right form every month by the right deadline, so you have more money for billionaire tax cuts. We know this because I live in Georgia. Georgia is the only state with work reporting requirements in its Medicaid program, and all this program has to show for itself five years later, is 6,500 people enrolled. We’ve got nearly 600,000 Georgians who are in the Medicaid gap. The governor’s program has enrolled a whopping 6,500 people,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.
    Interested media can read a transcript of the senator’s remarks below and watch them HERE.
    “Before entering the Senate I was fighting for my state to expand Medicaid, which would give an estimated 600,000 Georgians access to affordable health care. But here we are, 15 years almost to the day of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law, and still Georgia has not expanded Medicaid. Georgia continues to deny its citizens access to this program that’s being supported by the tax paying Georgians. To make matters worse, now, Washington Republicans have proposed to gut almost $900 billion from Medicaid to give millionaires and billionaires an additional tax cut, potentially kicking millions of Americans off of their health care insurance. Medicaid covers almost 40 million children across the country, two in five children in Georgia, one in 10 veterans, 63% of seniors in nursing homes. Medicaid also supports 1/5 of all hospital spending, especially in communities without many hospital options.”
    “Washington Republicans and Dr. Oz say they want to make Medicaid more efficient by requiring people who get their health insurance through Medicaid to fill out government paperwork each month to prove that they are working. Here are the facts: nearly all adults enrolled in Medicaid are either working, in school, or caregivers. By and large, if they can work, they do work. I know that may be hard to believe in a country that increasingly maligns poor people for being poor, but by and large, these folks already work, or their caregivers or their students. They are construction workers. They are restaurant service, and mechanics. They are doing exactly what Dr. Oz and Washington Republicans want them to do. But here’s the deal, Republicans need a whole lot of money to pay for their tax cuts for the wealthiest among us, and they know if you give people enough bureaucratic hoops to jump through, then enough working people will get tripped up by the red tape and lose their health care. And so that’s the plan, less money spent on a working mom’s cancer treatment because she didn’t fill out the right form every month by the right deadline, so you have more money for billionaire tax cuts.”
    “We know this because I live in Georgia. Georgia is the only state with work reporting requirements and its Medicaid program, and all of this program has to show for itself five years later, is 6,500 people enrolled. We’ve got nearly 600,000 Georgians who are in the Medicaid gap. The governor’s program has enrolled a whopping 6,500 people. Mr. Chair. I know I’m running out of time, but as I close, and nobody believes the Baptist preacher when he says as I close, let me be really clear that I’m voting against Dr. Oz. I think he is knowledgeable, certainly more knowledgeable than Secretary Kennedy about the program that he’s tasked to lead, but we’ve got to take seriously the needs of millions of Americans who will lose their health care. And so, I’m voting no for his nomination, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Finance Committee Advances Dr. Oz to be CMS Commissioner

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–The U.S. Senate Finance Committee today advanced the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) by a vote of 14-13.  Following the vote, Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the statement below:

    “Dr. Oz’s years of experience as an acclaimed physician and public health advocate have prepared him well to manage the intricacies of CMS.  He will work tirelessly to deliver on the promise of much-needed change at CMS that ensures Americans receive the best care possible.  I look forward to working with him as Administrator.”

    Dr. Oz’s nomination was reported out of the Committee by a vote of 14 to 13.  Executive session information can be found here.

    Chairman Crapo’s full statement at the nomination hearing can be found here, and his statement at the executive session can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Colleagues Press USDA to Not Take Food Away from Food Banks and Hungry Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) — U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee responsible for funding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and 24 of their Senate colleagues in pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to explain the reported cancellation of previously-approved funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) for food banks and other emergency food providers. This cancellation would take food away from hungry Americans already facing high grocery prices and hurt American farmers who are being squeezed by tariffs and other cuts to domestic markets. 

    In the letter, the lawmakers wrote: “We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy.”  

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

    The full letter is available here.   

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Equal Pay Day, Senator Murray Leads Entire Senate Democratic Caucus in Reintroducing Paycheck Fairness Act to End Wage Discrimination, Close Gender Pay Gap

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Murray, former HELP Chair, is a longtime leader in the fight to ensure equal pay for equal work

    Murray: “Women don’t want more discrimination. They don’t want more of their wages stolen by bosses like Elon. They just want the pay they earned. They just want to be treated decently—and paid fairly no matter who they are.”

    Washington, D.C. — Today, on Equal Pay Day, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation to combat pay discrimination and help close the gender pay gap by strengthening the Equal Pay Act of 1963, ending the practice of pay secrecy, and strengthening available remedies to ensure wronged employees can challenge pay discrimination and hold employers accountable. U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D, CT-03) led the reintroduction of the Paycheck Fairness Act in the House today.

    More than five decades after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the gender wage gap still exists—and alarmingly, for the first time in 20 years, the gender pay gap widened in 2023. Across all workers in the United States, women were typically paid 75 cents for every dollar paid to a man in 2023, adding up to a $14,170 pay difference in a year. U.S. women overall lost $1.7 trillion in earnings overall in 2023, according to a recent analysis by the National Partnership for Women & Families.  

    “When you do the same work as your colleagues, you should get the same pay, and no one should get to rip you off and pay you less because you are a woman. The principle is simple—but the problem we are talking about is far from trivial; it’s an injustice that compounds over time, robbing women of hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of their career,” Senator Murray said.

    “For anyone who is serious about fighting for women, for anyone who is serious about ensuring our economy is built on merit and not undermined by discrimination, this is basic stuff. But Trump and Elon—some of the richest men in the world—are right now eliminating a 60-year-old executive order that helped ensure federal contractors don’t discriminate against women, illegally firing commissioners at the EEOC, which enforces existing pay discrimination laws, and making it easier to rip workers off,” Senator Murray continued. “Women don’t want more discrimination. They don’t want more of their pay stolen by bosses like Elon. They just want the pay they earned. They just want to be treated decently—and paid fairly no matter who they are. Republicans can choose to stand with billionaires who cheat their workers—but by reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act today, Democrats are showing that we stand with women, we stand with workers, we stand for fairness, and we are going to keep fighting to make sure people get the pay they have rightfully earned, down to the last dime.”

    “Equal Pay Day marks how far into the current year a woman must work to catch up to what her male counterpart earned in the previous year,” said Rep. DeLauro, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Six decades after passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women working full-time or part-time still earn 75 cents for every dollar earned by men. We are in a cost of living crisis – this must end. Equal pay for equal work is a simple concept – men and women in the same job deserve the same pay. It is time we make it real it for the millions of American women who are being unfairly undervalued in the workplace. Let’s enact the Paycheck Fairness Act and empower working women by giving them the tools to ensure their contributions to the workplace are properly respected and reflected in their pay.”

    Senator Murray’s Paycheck Fairness Act would:

    • Require employers to prove that pay disparities exist for legitimate, job-related reasons. In doing so, it ensures that employers who try to justify paying a man more than a woman for the same job must show the disparity is not sex-based, but job-related and necessary.
    • Ban retaliation against workers who discuss their wages.
    • Remove obstacles in the Equal Pay Act to facilitate participation in class action lawsuits that challenge systemic pay discrimination, by allowing workers to opt-out, rather than requiring them to opt-in.
    • Improve the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) and Department of Labor’s (DOL) tools for enforcing the Equal Pay Act. To help these enforcement agencies better uncover and remedy wage discrimination, the bill will require the collection of compensation data from certain employers, including federal contractors.
    • Provide assistance to all businesses to help them with their equal pay practices, recognize excellence in pay practices by businesses, and empower women and girls by creating a negotiation skills training program.
    • Prohibit employers from relying on and seeking the salary history of prospective employees.

    Throughout her career, Senator Murray has been a leader in Congress in fighting for efforts to close the gender pay gap and ensure equal pay for equal work, and she has helped lead the fight in Congress for paid family and medical leave since she first joined Congress. Senator Murray leads the Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (BE HEARD) in the Workplace Act, comprehensive legislation to prevent workplace harassment, strengthen and expand key protections for workers, and support workers in seeking accountability and justice. Senator Murray leads the Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act, comprehensive legislation to put hard-earned wages back in workers’ pockets and crack down on employers who unfairly withhold wages from their employees. Murray also recently helped reintroduce the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act to protect workers’ right to join and form a union in order to demand better pay, benefits, and working conditions—legislation she first introduced in the 116th Congress. Murray also introduced the Children Harmed in Life-threatening or Dangerous (CHILD) Labor Act last Congress, new legislation to protect children from exploitative child labor practices and hold the companies and individuals who take advantage of them accountable.

    In recent weeks, Senator Murray raised the alarm on President Trump’s illegal firing of EEOC Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Member Gwynne Wilcox, as well as the firings of EEOC General Counsel Karla Gilbride and NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo—Murray has long championed the vital work and mission of the EEOC and the NLRB in protecting workers’ rights.

    The full text of the Paycheck Fairness Act is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Trump Plans to Freeze Tens of Millions in Title X Family Planning Funds for Planned Parenthood, Other Organizations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement in response to reports that the Trump administration plans to freeze tens of millions of dollars in federal Title X family planning grants for Planned Parenthood and other organizations in the U.S. that support critical family planning efforts and preventive health care including cancer screenings, pregnancy testing, birth control, treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and infertility services, among much else.

    “By illegally freezing tens of millions of dollars that help women get cancer screenings, birth control and pregnancy tests, prevent and treat STIs, and more, this administration is putting women’s lives at risk yet again and ripping away the ability of women with the tightest budgets to get the basic reproductive health care they need to control their lives and futures. It’s clear Trump and Elon couldn’t care less how many people suffer, whose cancer goes undetected, or if women can no longer afford birth control as a result of their deranged mission to attack anything they deem DEI—no matter the consequences to real people’s lives, and no matter the fact that this administration can’t even define DEI.

    “Fundamentally, we are talking about the Trump administration cutting off very basic and lifesaving health care. Title X has long had bipartisan support and I hope every one of my colleagues who support basic, cost-saving family planning services will speak out against this illegal hijacking of lifesaving funding women across America are counting on for health care.”

    Senator Murray has consistently fought to strengthen and preserve the Title X program, and was a vocal critic of the first Trump Administration’s Title X gag rule and countless other efforts to undermine reproductive health care. Early in 2019, Senator Murray released a memo highlighting some of the negative impacts of the rule and comments from patients, providers, city and county officials, and religious organizations submitted in opposition. Senator Murray is also a longtime leader in the fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights, and she has led Congressional efforts to fight back after the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Murray has introduced more than a dozen pieces of legislation to protect reproductive rights from further attacks, protect providers, and help ensure women get the care they need; Murray has led efforts to push for passage of these bills on the floor multiple times. Murray also led her colleagues in raising the alarm about the threat a second Trump administration poses to reproductive rights and abortion access in every state, as outlined in Project 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Pushes Frank Bisignano, Nominee to Oversee SSA, to Defend Social Security from DOGE: “Keep Musk the hell out of Social Security.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) questioned Frank Bisignano, President Trump’s nominee to be the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), a federal agency that provides program benefits to over 150,000 Vermonters and 71 million Americans. Senator Welch pushed Bisignano on how he would protect Social Security from the Trump Administration and Elon Musk’s actions to harm social security. Senator Welch also pressed Bisignano on working to increase Social Security death benefits. 
    “Here’s the dilemma that you and every other nominee is in: Musk is running roughshod. He could care less about what the function is. He wants a body count. And he, from our perspective, has way more control over every agency than the head of the agency…So, you’re going to be under the thumb of DOGE, that’s the aspect of this that worries me,” said Senator Welch. “You know what? Keep Musk the hell out of Social Security.” 
    Watch the exchange between Senator Welch and Frank Bisignano, President Trump’s pick for Commissioner of the Social Security Administration: 
    Read excerpts of Senator Welch’s questioning below: 
    Sen. Welch: Here’s my problem with DOGE—it’s not about efficiency. There’s nobody here who doesn’t want to have our committee run more efficiently, or our Congress run more efficiently…But what’s happened with DOGE—and the news is in on this—I mean, this isn’t a debatable proposition. They’re cutting first, shooting first, and aiming later. And it’s really had incredibly damaging effects on what’s going on…The question is: doesn’t it make sense for an agency, whose goal is to have its place to be more efficient, to study the function first before they start firing people? 
    Bisignano: Yeah. I think—first of all, I think that the agency needs, is a multidisciplined… 
    Sen. Welch: That’s what I’m asking. Let’s be just direct here. DOGE has sent out termination notices to people, by DOGE employees who have no idea who the people are that they’re firing. They just know they’re on a list and they need a body count in order to be able to claim they’re ‘saving money.’  But nobody took a look at what the function was before they started firing people. I mean, have you ever done that in all of the time of your successful career that’s been a hallmark of being able to make organizations run more efficiently? Would you do it that way?  
    Bisignano: Uh, no.   
    Sen. Welch: That’s the right answer…Nobody would do it that way. Here’s the dilemma that you and every other nominee is in: Musk is running roughshod. He could care less about what the function is. He wants a body count. And he, from our perspective, has way more control over every agency than the head of the agency. I’d much prefer to have somebody who, with your experience, looks carefully at what the function is and then makes determinations about how to improve the delivery of that function. So, you’re going to be under the thumb of DOGE, that’s the aspect of this that worries me.  
    Bisignano: I’m planning on running the agency, reporting to the President, and I think the President has made it clear that DOGE is there for input, but that the agency heads own their decisions.  
    Sen. Welch: You know what, keep Musk the hell out of Social Security, please—totally. One Vermonter contacted me about the death benefit—we talked about this in my office. 1955 is when the death benefit in Social Security was established—$255. It doesn’t go as far today as it did before. And I want to work to have that come up to 2025 standards. Do you support doing that in a way that’s fiscally responsible for the Social Security beneficiaries?  
    Bisignano: As I said in your office, I’m happy to work on it with you. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Opposes Dr. Oz, Trump’s Pick to Oversee Medicare and Medicaid Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the Senate Finance Committee today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) opposed advancing Dr. Mehmet Oz’s nomination to be the next Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a federal agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that provides health care to over 100 million Americans. Senator Welch released the following statement after the vote: 
    “A major responsibility of the person overseeing the Medicare and Medicaid programs–services more than 150,000 Vermonters rely on–is to fight excessive charges. We spend the most and get the least and need to be doing everything we can to get folks a fair price for their prescription drugs. It was clear after his nomination hearing that Dr. Oz is not the right person to lead CMS and will not crack down on excessive pricing in health care. He’s spent years promoting debunked health products to the public for his own gain and will enable President Trump as he rips away the health care millions of seniors, children, and families depend on.” 
    Earlier this month in the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Welch pressed Dr. Oz about how the Trump Administration plans to eliminate rip-offs for patients and excessive pricing in private equity and Medicare Advantage to lower prescription drug prices.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 03/25/2025 Blackburn, Schatz, Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Boost U.s. Cultural Trade Amid Competition From China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced the Cultural Trade Promotion Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation to strengthen America’s creative industries and expand cultural exports. By bolstering the creative economy, this legislation will help U.S. businesses—including Native-owned, small, and rural enterprises—reach new global markets, create jobs, and strengthen America’s influence abroad amidst increasing competition from China.
    “We cannot allow China to continue to outpace the United States in overall cultural exports, and Tennessee is home to countless creative entrepreneurs who need support to export their products and grow their businesses,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Cultural Trade Promotion Act would improve access to international shipping services for these small businesses to strengthen our economy and promote high-quality American goods.” 
    “America’s creative industries are a powerful force, driving jobs at home and shaping perceptions of our country abroad. Recently, China has doubled down on promoting its cultural exports, and we’ve been falling behind,” said Senator Schatz. “This bipartisan bill will help us level the playing field by expanding export opportunities for American businesses everywhere from Maui to Memphis so that our creative economy remains the global leader.”
    Over the past decade, China has aggressively expanded its cultural trade through coordinated government investments and programs. In 2014, China surpassed the United States in overall cultural exports, and it continues to leverage cultural promotion as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. Meanwhile, America’s cultural trade surplus has declined, dropping from $31.5 billion in 2019 to $17.8 billion in 2021 before rebounding slightly to $21 billion in 2022, according to the National Endowment for the Arts.
    The Cultural Trade Promotion Act would direct the Foreign Commercial Service to promote U.S. creative economy goods abroad and require the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee to include the creative economy in its annual governmentwide strategic plan. The bill would also improve access to international shipping services for small businesses by facilitating collaboration between the International Trade Administration and the U.S. Postal Service. Additionally, it would promote products from American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian-owned businesses and include a representative of the creative industries on the Department of Commerce’s Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell to SSA Nom: “The American People Are Very Bothered by Billionaires Taking a Shot at Their Social Security.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    03.25.25
    Cantwell to SSA Nom: “The American People Are Very Bothered by Billionaires Taking a Shot at Their Social Security.”
    Shortly after DOGE team entered Social Security Admin, Seattle constituent was incorrectly marked dead, halting his Social Security checks and clawing back thousands from his spouse
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, pressed Frank Bisignano, President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, on recent comments by Trump officials attacking Americans’ Social Security benefits.
    “A lot of the American people are very bothered by billionaires taking a shot at their Social Security. I just think it sounds out of touch,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Secretary Lutnick saying, ‘stop payments to find fraud,’ and then Mr. Musk — who everybody is questioning what his role is anyway — ‘the big one to eliminate,’ that’s what he was saying on Social Security.”
    Sen. Cantwell continued: “But now we have these patterns. Let’s go after the staffing. Let’s go after the office closures. A new requirement to re-register. The American people are scared to death that you’re really going after Social Security. So instead of hiring [more] people like my colleagues are suggesting to improve the service, basically you’re allowing Elon Musk’s little DOGE team to go in there and find fraud.”
    When Sen. Cantwell asked Bisignano if Social Security should be privatized or if the age requirement should be raised, Bisignano responded, when pressed, “I’ve never heard a word of it and I’ve never thought about it … I don’t believe anybody’s thinking about that,” and “I don’t believe I’m a decision maker on any of these items.”
    In the State of Washington, 1.4 million people receive Social Security. Below is a breakdown of Social Security Recipients by county:

    County

    Number of Social Security Recipients

    King Co.

    312,000+

    Spokane Co.

    115,000+

    Clark Co.

    98,000+

    Yakima Co.

    46,000+

    *County data sourced from SSA.gov*
    At the hearing, Sen. Cantwell referenced a constituent in Seattle who was incorrectly presumed dead shortly after Elon Musk sicced his DOGE team on the Social Security Administration. DOGE staffers were specifically tasked with seeking out evidence that tens of millions of dead people are receiving Social Security benefits – a false claim made by both President Trump and Musk. Subsequently, Ned Johnson was incorrectly listed as dead by SSA, which failed to issue his next Social Security check and clawed back over $5,000 in prior benefits payments from his and his wife’s joint bank account, while his Medicare insurance was also cancelled.
    Sen. Cantwell said, “And then what did he do? He had to go down to the building in Seattle, the federal building that you’re trying to close, and stand in line for hours and hours and hours to try to say he wasn’t dead and to stop taking his money.
    “He made an in-person appointment, but it was pushed back 11 days. 11 days ultimately had to wait in line, as I said, which he said, quote, ‘they are so understaffed down there. They think their office is about to be closed down, and they don’t know where they’re going to go. It feels like the agency is being gutted,’ end quote. So I have to ask you, why are we allowing these people to go in and cause havoc to our constituents instead of hiring people to do the job?”
    Sen. Cantwell has been a long-standing champion for Social Security and protecting Washingtonian’s benefits. Sen. Cantwell co-sponsored and voted in December 2024 to pass the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, which repealed two Social Security policies that unfairly limited payments for people who also receive a pension from a job that is not covered by Social Security, as well as their surviving spouses and widow(ers). In 2018, Sen. Cantwell introduced and passed the Tribal Social Security Fairness Act to correct a long-standing inequity in the Social Security Act that prevented elected tribal leaders from contributing to and accessing Social Security benefits.
    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks today with Bisignano are available HERE, audio HERE, and a full transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Tillis Introduce Legislation to Update Performing Artist Tax Deduction

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced legislation to provide much-needed tax relief to working artists. The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act would update the Qualified Performing Artist (QPA) tax deduction, an above-the-line tax deduction which allows certain performing artists to deduct the cost of expenses incurred in the course of their employment.

    The Qualified Performing Artist tax deduction has not been updated since its inception in 1986 and is currently only available to those making less than $16,000 a year, meaning that very few artists qualify. This legislation would update and increase the income ceiling to $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for married joint filers, allowing more lower- and middle-income performing artists to receive tax relief for work-related expenses. This bill also indexes the deduction for inflation so it automatically adjusts for increases in the cost of living in the future.

    “Middle class and up-and-coming artists have found their home in the Commonwealth making meaningful contributions to our rich culture,” Sen. Warner said. “This legislation levels the playing field for more artists by treating them like the small businesspeople they are, enriching our society and spurring our commerce.”

    “The arts play a vital role in North Carolina’s culture and economy, yet many artists struggle with financial burdens that make it difficult to sustain their careers,” Sen. Tillis said. “By updating this outdated tax deduction, this commonsense legislation ensures that hardworking artists can deduct necessary expenses, just like other professionals. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to provide long-overdue tax relief to the creative community.” 

    Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives on January 24, 2025, by Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Judy Chu (D-CA).

    The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act is endorsed by numerous organizations advocating for the rights of emerging artists, including the Actors’ Equity Association, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, and the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs. 

    “We commend Senators Warner and Tillis for championing tax fairness for our members and all entertainment professionals. Their bipartisan leadership ensures our members’ voices continue to be heard on this critical issue. It’s time to lower the cost of living for entertainment workers by including PATPA in tax legislation expected later this year, correcting an oversight that has taken money out of the pockets of middle-class IATSE members since 2017,” said Matthew D. Loeb, International President of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

    “With just a few weeks until Tax Day, Senator Tillis and Senator Warner could not have better timed this critically important bipartisan bill that would mean actors, stage managers and other creative professionals won’t have to pay hundreds, and sometimes thousands of dollars more in taxes simply due to common business costs like their agents and managers fees and travel to auditions. I’m grateful for the leadership of Senator Tillis and Senator Warner and look forward to working with them as we fight to make this bill law,” said Brooke Shields, President of Actors’ Equity Association.

    “Entertainment is one of the United States’ top industries, and the work of performing artists has made an immeasurable impact on our national identity. It’s time for the tax code to address the skyrocketing business costs of this highly risky profession and allow performers to deduct legitimate expenses such as agent and manager fees. This will enable working-class performers to continue supporting local economies that generate income from performers living and working in their communities. SAG-AFTRA enthusiastically supports the reintroduction of the bipartisan Performing Artist Tax Parity Act in the Senate and applauds Sens. Tillis and Warner for their work in addressing the financial challenges of those who dedicate their lives to human artistry,” said Fran Drescher, President of SAG-AFTRA.

    “The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (PATPA) is a critical step toward restoring financial fairness for performing artists across the country. For too long, we’ve been unfairly burdened by a tax system that fails to recognize the realities of our profession. This legislation paves the way for artists to be treated less like expendable contractors and more like the vital parts of an institution that we are. It’s an important step toward ensuring that performing artists are no longer penalized for the cost of doing our jobs and toward a future where we receive the same workplace protections and benefits as others who work within the companies we sustain,” said Ned Hanlon, President of the American Guild of Musical Artists.

    “Addressing the unique challenges artists and musicians face under the tax code is imperative to supporting the creative community’s impact on culture and the economy. RIAA appreciates Senators Warner and Tillis’ continued leadership driving the bipartisan, bicameral Performing Artist Tax Parity Act. This bill is designed to balance outdated burdens on performers now and enable the next generation to thrive,” said Mitch Glazier, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Chairman & CEO.

    “The Motion Picture Association thanks Sens. Thom Tillis and Mark Warner for re-introducing the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (PATPA) – an important bipartisan effort to deliver essential economic relief to a creative community that includes more than 2.3 million jobs supported by the film, television, and streaming industry. The MPA is again proud to endorse this legislation and support the American creative economy,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association.

    “The bipartisan and bicameral Performing Artist Tax Parity Act is commonsense legislation that benefits working musicians.   PATPA makes long overdue updates to restore the intention our tax code.  We are grateful to Senators Tillis and Warner for championing fairness for all performing artists and arts workers,” said Tino Gagliardi, President of the American Federation of Musicians.

    “Supporting working artists through tax relief creates ripple effects that build more vibrant communities across the country. Beyond the arts and culture sector’s $1.1 trillion economic impact, one of the largest public opinion studies ever conducted on the arts in the U.S. found that 86% of Americans believe arts and culture improve their community’s quality of life and livability. By modernizing the tax code nationally, we can support artists and strengthen every community. We applaud Senators Warner and Tillis for introducing the Senate companion to the Performing Arts Tax Parity Act, alongside the House bill championed by Representatives Buchanan and Chu, to modernize an outdated tax code that hasn’t been updated since 1986,” said Erin Harkey, CEO, Americans for the Arts.

    “Musicians nationwide are essential contributors to the U.S. workforce and the communities in which they perform,” said Simon Woods, President and CEO, League of American Orchestras. “We are grateful for the leadership of Senators Tillis and Warner in re-introducing this critical legislation to support tax fairness for performing artists.”

    “The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (PATPA) is a lifeline for the artists who bring independent stages to life. The Senate is taking an important step toward building a fairer, more sustainable live ecosystem that benefits independent stages, artists, audiences, and communities alike. We hope that Congress will move quickly to enact PATPA this year,” said Stephen Parker, Executive Director of the National Independent Venue Association.

    “Virginians for the Arts is grateful to Senator Warner for his unwavering support of the arts and artists here in Virginia and nationally.  We are also grateful to the Senator for sponsoring the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act. This legislation modernizes the qualified performing artist tax deduction and is an important recognition of the value the arts play in our communities and the economy,” said Brett Bonda, President of Virginians for the Arts.

    “Aligned with its mission to advance the performing arts in the Richmond region through programs and resources that support the artists of today, nurture the artists of tomorrow, and provide spaces for the arts to thrive, Richmond Performing Arts Alliance (RPAA) fully endorses the bipartisan Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (PATPA). This legislation is critical for RPAA’s vision to create a vibrant community where the performing arts flourish and strengthen Richmond’s cultural, social, and economic vitality. We strongly believe that for this to happen artists from all backgrounds must have the capacity and resources to grow their programs and reach new audiences. We thank Senators Warner and Tillis for introducing this legislation and realizing the tremendous investment that artists make in their work and the incredible contributions they make to our lives,” said Abbi Haggerty, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance.

    A copy of the bill text can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Respond to Financial Threats from Community Party of China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), joined by U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), introduced the China Financial Threat Mitigation Act, legislation aimed at shoring up America’s response to financial threats stemming from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

    The China Financial Threat Mitigation Act would require deeper analysis of potential financial threats from the CCP that may have substantial impacts on the U.S. economy.

    “We continue to see increased aggression from the Chinese Communist Party towards the United States, including in the financial sector. This increased action requires us to take meaningful steps to protect U.S. institutions and interests. That’s why I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will help to shore up our financial systems and ensure that the U.S. is prepared to counter the CCP’s attacks,” said Sen. Warner.

    “The Chinese Communist Party has the ability to intervene in China’s banking system to achieve outcomes that benefit them the most, which has potential to harm American businesses,” said Sen. Rounds. “We must gain a clearer understanding of how China’s financial sector affects the U.S. economy and other global financial systems. Our legislation tasks the Treasury Department, working with other federal agencies, to assess and report on U.S. exposure to China’s financial activities, providing a clearer picture of the threat.”

    “The Chinese Communist Party is a serious threat to our national and economic security,” said Sen. Lummis. “I am partnering with my colleagues to protect U.S. financial interests and hold the CCP accountable, and I look forward to getting this bipartisan legislation across the finish line.”

    The legislation would also require the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the Federal Reserve, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and State Department, to issue a report on the exposure of the United States to the threats posed by China’s financial sector. Specifically, the required report must include:

    • Effects the reforms to China’s financial sector have on U.S. and global financial systems;
    • Description of the policies the United States is adopting to protect U.S. interests;
    • Description and analysis of any risks presented by China to the financial stability of the United States and the global economy; and
    • Recommendations for additional actions to strengthen international cooperation to mitigate risks and protect U.S. interests.

    As Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Sen. Warner has worked to ensure the U.S. is prepared to counter threats posed by foreign adversaries including the CCP across various sectors. Sen. Warner spearheaded the push to force CCP-based Bytedance to divest from TikTok in order to allow the app to continue operations in the United States. Last year, Sen. Warner introduced the Countering CCP Drones and Supporting Drones for Law Enforcement Act, legislation to cut off dangerous CCP drone companies from the U.S. telecommunication infrastructure. Sen. Warner also introduced bipartisan and bicameral legislation to improve information sharing between private companies and the Intelligence Community in order to mitigate the threat that foreign adversaries including the CCP pose to United States companies in foreign jurisdictions on projects relating to energy generation and storage, including in the critical minerals industry. This legislation is the latest step in his efforts to safeguard American interests.

    The legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Roger Williams (R-TX).

    Full text of the legislation is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Introduces Nutritious SNAP Act to Restore Personal Responsibility, and State Flexibility to Federal Food Assistance Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    March 25, 2025
    Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Nutritious SNAP Act to confront an uncomfortable truth: while the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was created to fight hunger, it is now fueling a new public health crisis—obesity and chronic disease—by subsidizing the purchase of junk food with taxpayer dollars.

    “SNAP was designed to fight hunger and improve nutrition—not to subsidize soda and junk food,” said Dr. Paul. “It makes no sense that taxpayer dollars are being used to fund an epidemic of obesity and diet-related illness in low-income communities. My bill ensures that this assistance program actually supports health and wellness, not chronic disease.”

    SNAP currently provides food-purchasing assistance to more than 42 million individuals. While it successfully addresses food insecurity, studies show that nearly one-quarter of SNAP benefits are spent on junk food—sodas, chips, snack cakes, and desserts—contributing to worse diets and higher obesity rates among SNAP recipients than the general population. Despite these health concerns, previous efforts by states—like Minnesota, California, and New York—to limit SNAP junk food purchases have been rejected by the USDA.

    The Nutritious SNAP Act represents a common-sense step toward improving public health, protecting taxpayer dollars, and respecting the decisions made by states to combat chronic disease.

    BACKGROUND

    Senator Paul’s legislation will:

    Prohibit SNAP funds from being used to purchase sodas, snack foods, and dessert items, including potato chips, snack cakes, and brownie mixes.

    Limits beverage purchases to water, cow’s milk, healthy dairy alternatives, and 100% fruit or vegetable juice.

    Empowers states to restrict additional foods they deem unhealthy, restoring local control and removing federal barriers to innovation in public health policy.

    With nearly a quarter of SNAP benefits currently spent on sugar-laden, nutrient-poor products, the bill seeks to realign the program with its original mission: to improve the nutrition of low-income households.

    You can read Dr. Paul’s bill HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    March 24, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement following reports of termination of the Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, and Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman.

    “Congress established the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) Officer position at the Department of Homeland to ensure that civil rights and civil liberties were integrated into every aspect of the Department’s work. As we noted in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Congress also required that the Officer have sufficient resources and personnel to accomplish this vital mission.

    “The President’s Executive Order requires federal agencies to cut costs related to activities and employees whose responsibilities are not statutorily required. We are hearing that not only has the entire CRCL Office been placed on administrative leave with the intention of eliminating the office, but the same has happened at the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) and Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman.

    “This is unacceptable and contrary to the law and Congressional intent.

    “The CRCL Officer and office, OIDO, and CIS Ombudsman carry out critical and statutorily required missions—cutting these offices is inappropriate and, more importantly, will harm the mission of the Department and all Americans.


    “Earlier this month, we sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, emphasizing that Congress created the CRCL Office to integrate civil rights into DHS’s work and mandated that it be adequately resourced. The CIS Ombudsman and OIDO also provides vital oversight of the immigration system. Eliminating these offices undermines DHS’s mission and violates its legal obligations.

    “The Department has provided no explanation as to why it plans to terminate staff who help balance national security interests with individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and the rule of law.

    “We call on the Department to reverse these cuts immediately.”

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Tillis Introduce Legislation To Improve Coordination Between USPOT and FDA On Pharma Patents

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    March 24, 2025

    The Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act would establish a task force between agencies to share information, foster good governance in activities related to prescription drug patents

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), along with U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chris Coons (D-DE), and Peter Welch (D-VT) today introduced bipartisan legislation, the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act, which would establish a task force between the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to improve communication and coordination in implementing each agency’s activities related to pharmaceutical patents. Currently, there is limited collaboration between USPTO and FDA, despite both agencies playing a role related to patents and competition involving prescription drugs.  Numerous concerns have been raised about gamesmanship, abuses, or lack of clarity that can harm prescription drug affordability by limiting generic competition. This legislation was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 118th Congress by voice vote.

    “Establishing clear avenues for collaboration between USPTO and FDA is essential for both agencies to oversee patent laws that protect innovation and promote competition,” said Durbin. “By incentivizing coordination through the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act, we can address gamesmanship and abuses with pharmaceutical patents that keep prescription drug prices too high for American patients.”  

    “Enhancing coordination between the USPTO and FDA will ensure that patent examiners have the necessary information to make well-informed decisions regarding patentability,” said Tillis.“This bill is a straightforward, commonsense measure that strengthens the patent system, improves patent quality, and reduces unnecessary bureaucracy.”

    Given the shared interaction and overlapping jurisdiction between USPTO and FDA, this legislation promotes efficiency and good governance by fostering communication between the two agencies, while respecting their distinct purviews. Specifically, the task force created by this legislation would: enhance information sharing on each agency’s processes, standards, and methods; improve dialogue on new technologies and scientific trends; enable confidential reciprocal access to information, if requested and only as needed, related to prior art; ensure accurate representations by companies between the two agencies; and ensure accuracy of patent listings.  This enhanced coordination will help bolster innovation while preventing inappropriate tactics to delay access to affordable generic medications.

    This bipartisan legislation is endorsed by AARP and Patients For Affordable Drugs Now.

    “AARP, which advocates for the more than 100 million Americans age 50 and over, is pleased to endorse the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act of 2025,” said Bill Sweeney, AARP’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs.  “We value Senators Durbin and Tillis’s bipartisan efforts to increase transparency and access to affordable prescription drugs and look forward to continuing to work with them on these and other measures to lower drug prices for all Americans.”

    “This bill improves coordination between the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to close loopholes that brand-name drug corporations exploit to block competition – helping to stop patent abuse before it starts. Boosting competition is one of the most powerful tools we have to lower drug prices for Americans of all ages, in every state, who are struggling to afford the medications they need. Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is proud to support this legislation,” said Merith Basey, Executive Director of Patients for Affordable Drugs Now.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Introduces Legislation Restraining Rogue Judges’ Nationwide Injunctions

    US Senate News:

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

    Monday, March 24, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced legislation to end liberal judges’ serial abuse of power by banning nationwide injunctions.

    “Unelected district judges are usurping the authority of a duly-elected president and dictating national policy for 330 million Americans,” Senator Hawley said. “Congress must stop this unconstitutional weaponization of the judiciary. My bill would be a critical step toward doing just that.” 

    Liberal judges slapped the Trump Administration with an unprecedented 15 nationwide injunctions in February alone. In blatant defiance of the Constitution’s separation of powers, these judges are throttling President Trump’s efforts to implement commonsense reforms like improving border security; removing waste, fraud, and abuse; and protecting children from life-altering medical procedures. 

    The Nationwide Injunction Abuse Prevent Act of 2025 would:

    • Ban nationwide injunctions by district court judges.
    • Clarify that a district judge’s order only applies to the parties in the case, or within the local judicial district—not to the entire nation.
    • Empower the Executive Branch to effectively pursue a national policy agenda without unreasonable obstruction.

    Read the full bill text here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Applauds Trump Admin’s $20B Investment to Make New Fighter Jets in St. Louis

    US Senate News:

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

    Tuesday, March 25, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) applauded President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement that the Air Force would award Boeing with a $20 billion contract to develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter jet, the F-47, in the St. Louis region. 

    “Once again, St. Louis is leading the way in our nation’s defense. I’m proud that President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have decided that the next generation of our nation’s air power will be made in Missouri, supporting thousands of jobs. Since I arrived in the Senate, I have pushed for funding to develop these next generation aircraft, and I will continue to work to deliver critical military investments in our state,” Senator Hawley said. 

    Senator Hawley first pushed for funding of these next generation fighter jets in the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

    The Air Force intends for the F-47 to deter China from threatening American influence in the Indo-Pacific.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins, Bipartisan Group Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Northern Border Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen security at the Northern border by requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to regularly complete a new Northern Border Threat Analysis and update its Northern Border Strategy. Even though criminal activity continues to evolve along the Northern border, there has not been a Northern Border Threat Analysis conducted since 2017, and the Northern Border Strategy has not been updated since 2018. 

    “Our border security policies must address the unique challenges along the U.S.-Canada border, where vast, remote areas make enforcement difficult,” said Senator Collins. “By improving data collection and oversight of threats and enforcement efforts, this bipartisan bill would strengthen security, improve coordination, and help to ensure we have the resources needed to protect our northern border effectively.”

    Last year, Senators Collins and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced the bipartisan Northern Border Coordination Act. The bill would require DHS to establish the Northern Border Coordination Center, to be collocated with existing DHS components at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan. The center would serve as a coordination mechanism for implementing, evaluating, and updating the Northern Border Strategy, and any successor strategy. The bill passed the Senate unanimously.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces Nearly $500,000 for Public Housing Authorities in Bangor, Presque Isle

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that public housing agencies in Bangor and Presque Isle have been awarded a total of $494,592 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) Grant program.

    “The dedicated staff at housing authorities throughout Maine work hard to link seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income individuals and families with an array of programs to improve living conditions and achieve economic independence,” said Senator Collins. “This funding will allow the Bangor and Presque Isle Housing Authorities to retain service coordinators who connect residents of public housing with supportive services and training.”

    The grant funding is allocated as follows:

    1. Presque Isle Housing Authority – $249,150
    2. Bangor Housing Authority – $245,442

    HUD’s ROSS program provides funding to hire and maintain service coordinators who assess the needs of residents of conventional public housing and coordinate available resources in communities to meet those needs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands Answers Over Trump Admin Illegally Cancelling Grants to Train and Retain Quality Teachers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a group of her colleagues in demanding detailed answers from the Department of Education (DOE) about the cancellation of over $600 million in federal funding for teacher training grants — and warning about the detrimental impacts the illegal cancellation is already having for communities across the country, including a program designed to bring more special education teachers to Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS).

    “We write to raise serious objections and call for the immediate reinstatement of federal funding provided in the Department of Education’s appropriations laws intended to help strengthen our educator workforce in at least 34 states and improve teaching and learning for our nation’s students,” wrote Baldwin and the Senators. “It is shocking to us that the Department would take such disruptive action to take away funding from schools as they work to implement their approved plans to improve outcomes for our nation’s students.

    The grants were already awarded, in use, and in many cases, already spent down when terminated by the Trump administration—and local budgets are counting on these resources. Schools and institutions of higher education have deployed the grants, provided by Congress on a bipartisan basis, to address educator shortages and improve the quality of the teaching workforce.

    This included an over $3 million grant for a partnership between the University of Wisconsin-Madison and MPS to help students receive a special education master’s degree program while getting on-the-job training through a teaching residency program in schools. In exchange, students signed on to work at MPS for three years after graduation, helping address the dire need for special education teachers at Wisconsin schools.

    In the letter, the Senators note these grant cancellations come as students have not yet recovered from the devastating effects of the pandemic, and the country is facing dire teacher shortages with 49 states this school year reporting to the Department critical shortages in math, science, or special education teachers.

    “With teachers and principals being the most important in-school factors to student learning, these grant cancellations will hinder pandemic learning recovery and break President Trump’s promises of ‘great principals and great teachers,’” Baldwin and the Senators continued.

    In addition to Senator Baldwin, the letter was led by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and co-signed by 20 of their Senate colleagues.

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

    Dear Secretary McMahon:

    We write to raise serious objections and call for the immediate reinstatement of federal funding provided in the Department of Education’s (“Department”) appropriations laws intended to help strengthen our educator workforce in at least 34 states and improve teaching and learning for our nation’s students. Approximately two weeks ago, the Department announced that it terminated “over $600 million in divisive teacher training grants” and created confusion for schools and institutions of higher education around our nation. The amount of reported savings is misleading since many of the terminated grants had already been partially spent and were in active use. Further, it appears that terminated grantees received no information from Department staff in response to their requests for additional information, even for grants with obligated and spent funds. It is shocking to us that the Department would take such disruptive action to take away funding from schools as they work to implement their approved plans to improve outcomes for our nation’s students. Thankfully, a federal judge ordered the administration to temporarily restore these grants in eight states and just yesterday, another federal judge ordered the reinstatement of more than 100 of these grants, but every impacted grantee deserves immediate action.

    U.S. students have not recovered from the devastating effects of the pandemic. National scores are below pre-pandemic levels in all tested grades and subjects, and gaps continue to grow between higher-performing and lower-performing students. A February 2025 analysis found that our students are approximately half a grade level behind pre-pandemic achievement in math and reading. With teachers and principals being the most important in-school factors to student learning, these grant cancellations will hinder pandemic learning recovery and break President Trump’s promises of “great principals and great teachers.”

    The cancellation of these grants comes at a time when our country faces dire teacher shortages. A recent analysis of state-identified teacher shortages found that in recent school years, nationally, 1 in 8 of all teaching positions — or over 400,000 positions — are vacant or filled by a teacher who is not fully certified for their position. This school year, 49 states reported to the Department critical shortages in math, science, or special education teachers. In rural America, to attract and retain teachers in many places, including in states like Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, and Texas, districts were forced to move to 4-day school weeks, despite the unknown impact on student achievement. Research shows that principals are the second most important in-school factor to student learning and also impact teacher retention. Yet, about one in ten principals leave the field every year.

    Congress created and funded the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP), Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED), and Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive Fund programs in a bipartisan manner to ensure that all students have access to an effective educator workforce. The Department’s decision to terminate locally-driven grants previously awarded to schools, institutions of higher education, and other partners to address educator shortages and improve the quality of the teaching workforce will have long-term consequences on student outcomes. These terminations create confusion for dozens of local communities supported by now unavailable grant funds. Cutting off grant funds already adopted and in use in local budgets shows utter disregard to local officials who are now faced with a lengthy process for challenging the terminations and are required to adjust their adopted budgets and plans. These local communities may also face difficult decisions to curtail activities paid for by these terminated grant funds, such as recruiting teachers in rural communities, improving literacy, and mentoring early-career teachers to improve retention. Ultimately, the Department’s decision to terminate these grant funds simply passes necessary expenses onto local and state taxpayers, who may have to sustain costs previously supported by federal funds that have been taken away by the Trump administration.

    We are deeply disappointed that despite claims of radical transparency from President Trump and other administration officials, the Department has not provided any transparency to Congress or the public about its teacher training grant terminations. Instead, the President’s disregard for the law and his desire to find savings to pay for his tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations seems to be driving these terminations. Given the need for actual transparency, stability, and productivity in government, as well as the bipartisan support these critical education training programs have received for many years, it is critical for the Department to provide accurate, timely responses on its use of taxpayer resources provided by the laws passed by Congress. We request you provide written answers to the following questions as soon as possible but not later than March 26, 2025:

    1. Please describe the policy and procedure established for the review of grants terminated on or after January 20, 2025.
      1. Are they the same as any grant terminations prior to this date? If not, how and why were they different, including in the use of any program or technology not previously employed?
      2. Please identify the offices and titles of staff involved in the review.
      3. How many employees involved in the review were onboarded at the Department on or after January 20, 2025?  Please describe each of such employee’s role in the review.
      4. Please provide the total costs, including all personnel and non-personnel costs, of the review.
      5. Please identify any other program currently undergoing or planned for the same or similar review and the associated timeline for each such review.
      6. Please specifically identify each program undergoing a different review and explain each difference and the reason for each such difference for such program.
    2. Please explain the policy and procedure for offering grantees the opportunity to clarify, explain or modify any element of their approved application prior to termination to avoid the disruption to grant activities that the Department’s termination has caused. Please explain why an opportunity was not offered in each case of it not being offered.
    3. Please explain the policy and procedure for offering grantees the opportunity to appeal their grant termination. When will appeals be reviewed, and when will grantees receive a decision on their appeal?
    4. For each program that includes a terminated grant, please provide the following about all such terminated grants:
      1. The total number of grants terminated by fiscal year of initial funding,
      2. The total amount of funding expected under the approved budgets of terminated grants on official documentation as of January 1, 2025 for each fiscal year,
      3. The total amount of funding outlaid as of the date of response to this letter for each fiscal year, and
      4. The total amount of funding deobligated by fiscal year as of the date of termination.
    5. For each program that includes a terminated grant, please provide the following about all such terminated grants:
      1. The total number of educators expected to participate in professional development activities,
      2. The total number of new educators expected to be prepared,
      3. The expected number of years of service that were expected from participants under each grant,
      4. The number of years of service that had already been completed,
      5. The total number of schools expected to benefit from any grant activities, and
      6. The total number of states in which any grant activities were expected to take place.
    6. For each program that includes a terminated grant, please provide the following:
      1. The name of each recipient of a grant not terminated by program and fiscal year of initial funding,
      2. An assurance that each non-terminated grant was subject to the same policy and procedure described in response to the first question, and as applicable, the reason for not doing so, and
      3. Please provide the most recent annual performance report submitted by each non-terminated grantee prior to January 1, 2025.
    7. For each terminated grant, please provide the most recent annual performance report submitted by such grantee prior to January 1, 2025, if applicable.
    8. For each terminated grant, please provide the following:
      1. The Department’s definition of divisive ideology,
      2. The Department’s definition of inappropriate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and
      3. The specific evidence demonstrating how the grantee’s approved grant activities are inconsistent with such definitions of divisive ideology and DEI.
    9. Please explain how and when you will comply with the temporary restraining orders issued by federal judges on March 10, 2025 and March 17, 2025.
    10. Please provide a detailed plan on how the Department will prioritize training and preparing educators for the classroom.

    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to your prompt response.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Statement on Senate Advancing Dr. Oz’s Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    March 25, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Following Senate Finance Republicans’ vote to advance Dr. Mehmet Oz’s nomination for head of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement: 

    “Dr. Oz’s plans to privatize Medicare would deliver worse care to 66 million Americans and waste billions of taxpayer dollars – all while giving giant insurance companies a fat paycheck. Donald Trump and Elon Musk are already gutting Social Security. The Trump administration does not care about America’s seniors.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Grills Intelligence Officials Over Signal Chain Potential Security Breach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a Senate Select Intelligence Committee (SSCI) hearing, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) pressed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on whether or not classified information was shared in a Signal chain made up of top national security and intelligence officials discussing plans of a military attack on Houthi militants — and, inadvertently, Jeffery Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. The hearing comes the day after The Atlantic published a story revealing that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz accidentally added Goldberg to the chain where potentially classified information was discussed — including plans about strategic strikes in Yemen that were later carried out.

    “According to open source reporting, at 11:44 on the morning of March 15th, Secretary Hegseth put into this group text a detailed operation plan including targets, the weapons we were going to be using, attack sequences and timing. Yet you have testified that nothing in that text chain was classified. Wouldn’t that be classified? What if that had been made public that morning before the attack took place,” asked Senator King.

    “Senator, I can attest to the fact that there were no classified or intelligence equities that were included in that chat at any time,” replied Director Gabbard.

    “So the attack sequencing and timing and weapons, you do not consider should have been classified, or were classified,” Senator King asked again.

    “I defer to Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council on that question,” responded Director Gabbard.

    “Well you’re the head of the Intelligence Community and you’re supposed to know about classifications so your testimony very clearly today was that nothing in that set of texts that was classified. If that is the case, please release the whole text stream so that the public can have a view of what actually transpired on this discussion. It is hard for me to believe that targets and timing and weapons would not have been classified,” said Senator King.

    Later in the hearing, Senator King, co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), questioned Director Gabbard about the sweepings cuts being made at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Specifically, he asked her about the dismantling of federal efforts to monitor election interreference from foreign adversaries like Russia and China, and whether or not that posed a risk to the nation’s cybersecurity defenses.

    “It is in the report repeatedly about cyber danger from China, Russia and Iran. Why then is the administration deconstructing CISA? 130 people fired. [U.S. CyberCom Commander] General Haugh talked about the importance of public-private cooperation. That section of CISA seems to have been disestablished. What possible policy reason is there for undermining CISA’s relationship to the states with regard to elections and to private sector with regard to cybersecurity when the cybersecurity threat is only growing? Anybody want to tackle that,” questioned Senator King.

    “I will not speak for all of my colleagues here but I don’t believe any of us have any insight into those specific staffing decisions that have been made,” said Director Gabbard.

    “Well let me ask you this question: The report has found explicitly growing cyber threats — including to elections — from Russia, China, and Iran. Do you believe it is in our national interest to diminish our capacity to deal with those cyber issues, yes or no,” Senator King asked.

    “President Trump is focused on effects and making sure that the people and the resources that we have are focused on our national security. He and his team recognized that more people does not necessarily always mean better effects. Those are some of the things that are driving the changes we are seeing across the administration, is getting all of our agencies back and focused on their core mission,” replied Director Gabbard.

    Senator King has been consistently sounding the alarm on President Donald Trump’s existential threat to the Constitution, as well as the reckless actions taken by the President and his Administration. He previously gave a speech on the Senate floor sharing that this administration is doing ‘exactly what the Framers [of the Constitution] most feared.” Senator King also previously declared that the proposal to halt all federal grant and loan disbursement was illegal and a direct assault on the Constitution. He also joined fellow Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) colleagues in writing a letter to the White House about the risks to national security by allowing unvetted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staff and representatives to access classified and sensitive government materials. Most recently, he sounded the alarm on the Senate floor on the “thoughtless and dangerous” firings and freezes being implemented by Elon Musks’ DOGE.

    King is recognized as one of Congress’ leading experts on cyberdefense and as a strong advocate for a forward-thinking cyberstrategy that emphasizes layered cyberdeterrence. Since it officially launched in April 2019, dozens of CSC recommendations have been enacted into law, including the creation of a National Cyber Director.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville to Lead First Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee Hearing with Service Academy Superintendents

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    Tuberville to focus on making sure our service academies are educating and training future military leaders, not indoctrinating them
    WASHINGTON – As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) will lead a hearing tomorrow, Wednesday, March 26, with the superintendents of the U.S. military academies. This is the first time in over 30 years that the service academy superintendents have testified before Congress. In his role as Personnel Chairman, Senator Tuberville is laser-focused on ensuring that military academies are aligned with President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s vision of focusing on lethality, not woke politics.
    Last week, President Trump announced he was appointing Senator Tuberville to serve on the Board of Visitors for the U.S. Air Force Academy.
    Senator Tuberville released the following statement ahead of the hearing:
    “Our Service Academies are responsible for educating and training the next generation of military leaders who will protect our interests at home and abroad. Unfortunately, under the Biden administration, woke propaganda made its way into our military, including our service academies. The American people overwhelmingly rejected Democrats’ divisive DEI ideology on November 5th. Now with President Trump and Secretary Hegseth at the helm, our military is shifting its focus back to lethality and merit, not woke politics.  
    Tomorrow’s hearing is an opportunity for superintendents to show American taxpayers what they are doing to implement President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s plan for our service academies. At the end of the day, these institutions are taxpayer-funded and should be 100% focused on educating and training war fighters, not pushing a political agenda. I look forward to tomorrow’s hearing.”
    Witnesses include:
    Lieutenant General Steven Gilland, Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy
    Vice Admiral Yvette Davids, Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy
    Lieutenant General Tony Bauernfeind, Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy
    Livestream the hearing here at 2:30pm ET/1:30pm CT.
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts, Schiff Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Sanction Gaza Terrorist Group Responsible for Attacks Against Americans and Israelis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introducedthe Accountability for Terrorist Perpetrators of October 7th Act. The bipartisan, bicameral bill wouldsanction the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), which is the third-largest terror group in Gaza. The PRC has claimed responsibility for over 100 terror attacks against Americans and Israelis. PRC members joined Hamas in murdering Americans and Israelis on October 7, 2023. U.S. Representatives David Kustoff (R-TN-08) and Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) lead companion legislation in the House.
    “The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) is the third-largest terrorist organization in Gaza and another puppet of Iran,” said Senator Ricketts. “Despite decades of attacks against Americans and Israelis, including on October 7th, the PRC has yet to be properly sanctioned for its barbarism. This bill will help hold accountable every terrorist that participated in the October 7th attacks.”
    “For years, the Popular Resistance Committees have carried out terrorist attacks against Israelis, Americans, and Palestinians,” said Senator Schiff. “They were willing and cruel participants with Hamas during the horrific October 7th massacre, killing innocent Israelis and taking and holding hostages after that terrible attack. Any organization engaging in this level of violence should be sanctioned under U.S. law and officially designated as a terrorist group. The United States stands with Israel, and this is an important step to holding those responsible for October 7th accountable.” 
    “The terrorists responsible for the barbaric October 7th attack on Israel must be held accountable for their abhorrent actions against innocent men, women, and children,” said Representative Kustoff.“For years now, the Popular Resistance Committees, the third largest terror group in the Gaza strip, have terrorized Israelis and Americans in the region. Enough is enough. I am pleased to join Rep. Sherman to introduce this crucial legislation that will sanction the PRC.”
    “Every day that we fail to sanction the terrorist Popular Resistance Committees – which have murdered Americans and Israelis for decades, and participated in the barbaric October 7th massacre including by taking hostages – is another day that we fail to secure justice for their victims,” said Representative Sherman. “It is long overdue that the Popular Resistance Committees are designated as a terrorist organization and sanctioned, alongside Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. I’m proud to reintroduce my legislation to finally hold these monsters accountable for the terror they have wreaked on innocents in the region.”
    Bill text can be found here.
    BACKGROUND:
    The two largest terrorist groups in Gaza are Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which have long been sanctioned. Despite its record of terror, the PRC is not currently a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. It is past time that the PRC, whose ranks include former operatives from Hamas and PIJ, join them on the U.S.’s list of designated terrorist groups.
    The Popular Resistance Committees participated in Hamas’s horrific October 7th massacre, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis, Americans, and others, as well as widespread torture and sexual violence as well as the abduction of some 250 hostages. The PRC proudly boasted about their involvement on their social media channels, issuing a statement on October 7th claiming joint responsibility for the massacre. The PRC’s posts stated that the PRC killed and captured IDF soldiers; the posts shared photos of items taken from their victims.
    The Popular Resistance Committees have a long history of carrying out terror attacks across Israel and the Palestinian territories. In 2003, the PRC bombed a United States diplomatic convoy which injured a U.S. diplomat and killed 3 American security guards. In 2004, PRC terrorists murdered pregnant Israeli woman Tali Hatuel and her 4 daughters, 11-year-old Hila, 9-year-old Hadar, 7-year-old Roni, and baby Meirav who was only 2 years old. The PRC has also targeted Palestinians in terror attacks, including the 2005 assassination of Palestinian Security Services chief Moussa Arafat.
    Despite multiple State Department reports identifying terror attacks committed by the Popular Resistance Committees, the group has never faced U.S. sanctions. This legislation would finally hold the PRC accountable for its long history of heinous terror attacks by applying long-overdue sanctions on the group.
    Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
    Designates the PRC as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) organization;
    Places financial asset-blocking sanctions on the PRC and its members, preventing them from accessing the U.S. financial system;
    Places visa-blocking sanctions on the PRC and its members.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Purpose.  The continued use of paper-based payments by the Federal Government, including checks and money orders, flowing into and out of the United States General Fund, which might be thought of as America’s bank account, imposes unnecessary costs; delays; and risks of fraud, lost payments, theft, and inefficiencies.  Mail theft complaints have increased substantially since the COVID-19 pandemic.  Historically, Department of the Treasury checks are 16 times more likely to be reported lost or stolen, returned undeliverable, or altered than an electronic funds transfer (EFT).  Maintaining the physical infrastructure and specialized technology for digitizing paper records cost the American taxpayer over $657 million in Fiscal Year 2024 alone.
    This order promotes operational efficiency by mandating the transition to electronic payments for all Federal disbursements and receipts by digitizing payments to the extent permissible under applicable law (but not, for avoidance of doubt, to establish a Central Bank Digital Currency).  
    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to defend against financial fraud and improper payments, increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the security of Federal payments.
    Sec. 3.  Phase Out of Paper Check Disbursements and Receipts.  (a)  Effective September 30, 2025, and to the extent permitted by law, the Secretary of the Treasury shall cease issuing paper checks for all Federal disbursements inclusive of intragovernmental payments, benefits payments, vendor payments, and tax refunds, except as specified in section 4 of this order.
    (b)  All executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall comply with this directive by transitioning to EFT methods, including direct deposit, prepaid card accounts, and other digital payment options, and take all steps necessary to enroll recipients in EFT payments, except as specified in section 4 of this order.
    (c)  As soon as practicable, and to the extent permitted by law, all payments made to the Federal Government shall be processed electronically, except as specified in section 4 of this order.
    (d)  The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take appropriate action to eliminate the need for the Department of the Treasury’s physical lockbox services and expedite requirements to receive the payment of Federal receipts, including fees, fines, loans, and taxes, through electronic means except as specified in section 4 of this order.
    (e)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall support agencies’ transition to digital payment methods, including by providing access through the Department of the Treasury’s centralized payment systems to:
    (i)    direct deposits;
    (ii)   debit and credit card payments;
    (iii)  digital wallets and real-time payment systems; and
    (iv)   other modern electronic payment options.
    Sec. 4.  Exceptions and Accommodations for the Phase Out of Paper Check Disbursements and Receipts.  (a)  The Secretary of the Treasury, shall review and, as appropriate, revise procedures for granting limited exceptions where electronic payment and collection methods are not feasible, including exceptions for:
    (i)    individuals who do not have access to banking services or electronic payment systems;
    (ii)   certain emergency payments where electronic disbursement would cause undue hardship, as contemplated in 31 C.F.R. Part 208;
    (iii)  national security- or law enforcement-related activities where non-EFT transactions are necessary or desirable; and
    (iv)   other circumstances as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, as reflected in regulations or other guidance.
    (b)  Individuals or entities qualifying for an exception under this section or other applicable law shall be provided alternative payment options.
    Sec. 5.  Implementation and Compliance of Electronic Transactions.  (a)  The Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the heads of agencies, shall develop and implement a comprehensive public awareness campaign to inform Federal payment recipients of the transition to electronic payments, including guidance on accessing and setting up digital payment options.
    (b)  Agencies shall coordinate with the Department of the Treasury to facilitate a smooth transition to digital payments, ensuring that affected individuals and entities receive adequate support.
    (c)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall work with financial institutions, consumer groups, and other stakeholders to address financial access for unbanked and underbanked populations.
    (d)  The Secretary of the Treasury and the heads of agencies shall take all necessary steps to protect classified information and systems, as well as personally identifiable information and tax return information, through the implementation of this order.
    Sec. 6.  Reporting Requirements.  (a)  The heads of agencies shall submit a compliance plan to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget within 90 days of the date of this order detailing their strategy for eliminating paper-based transactions.
    (b)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall submit an implementation report to the President through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy within 180 days of the date of this order detailing progress on the matters set forth in this order.
    Sec. 7.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    DONALD J. TRUMP
    THE WHITE HOUSE,    March 25, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –