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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW: Baldwin, Welch Announce Forum on Devastating Trump Cuts at NIH Jeopardizing Cures for Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) announced that on Wednesday, March 26, at 2:30pm EST they will host a forum: “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer’s, & Other Diseases.” The forum will highlight how President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s gutting of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will have generational impacts on finding cures and treatments for serious illnesses that impact millions of Americans each year. The panel will feature former NIH leadership, impacted researchers, and patients of NIH clinical studies. From slashing funding that supports research and clinical trials at universities and research institutions, to cutting funding for Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers and for a nationwide diabetes study, to gutting the workforce at the NIH, the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is actively putting cures and treatments for Americans out of reach.
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk aren’t just gutting research, they are putting cures and treatments further out of reach for Americans, all to rig the system and pay for tax cuts for their rich friends. We cannot get back the time we are losing for Americans who are holding out hope that their loved one has a fighting chance at getting better,” said Senator Baldwin. “We’re bringing together patients and researchers to show this administration who is impacted by their reckless cuts. Their actions rob patients of a cure, families of hope, and our nation of its competitive edge when it comes to pioneering breakthroughs that have the potential to cure cancer, slow Alzheimer’s disease, and actually make Americans healthier every day.”
    “The Trump Administration’s reckless cuts to the National Institutes of Health’s medical research and staff is reckless, illegal, and above all—cruel. Secretary Kennedy, President Trump, and Elon Musk have made it clear they have no interest in advancing cures for the diseases that impact millions of Americans and people globally; they only care about passing on a tax break for their billionaire friends. I’m proud to partner with my friend and colleague Senator Baldwin to reveal in a concrete way the damage this Administration has already done for the physical and economic health of our communities,” said Senator Welch.
    Over the last two months, the Trump Administration has attacked, compromised, and gutted research at the NIH for lifesaving cures and treatments, including:
    Cutting Funding for Research Facilities: NIH announced last month that it was planning to arbitrarily cap indirect cost rates at 15%, which would slash billions of dollars in funding that helps research institutions, like the University of Wisconsin, operate their facilities and labs, pay staff, and buy equipment needed for groundbreaking work to find cures for diseases and treatments for patients.
    Stopping Funding for Alzheimer’s Disease: The Trump Administration is jeopardizing $65 million in funding for Alzheimer’s disease research at 14 research institutions across the country. 14 of the 35 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) have had their funding halted because the Trump Administration continues to cancel NIH Advisory Council meetings, which are the final required step in the grant approval process.
    Terminating Grants for Lifesaving Research: The Trump Administration stopped all grant funding at NIH for ten days in February and is continuing to block funding for lifesaving disease research, like finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. This halt in funding is despite two court orders directing the Trump Administration to end its unlawful efforts to freeze all federal grants. This is in addition to Elon Musk indiscriminately terminating hundreds of active NIH grants every week, in direct defiance of federal court orders to stop NIH funding changes amid ongoing litigation.
    Gutting Critical Staff: Mass layoffs at HHS under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s direction are impacting everything from research to clinical trials, including scientists, nurses, pharmacists, and experts tracking disease spread. Reports show the NIH is expected to cut between 3,400 and 5,000 positions from its workforce of 20,000.
    NIH funding contributed to research for roughly 99 percent of drugs approved between 2010 and 2019, including heart medications, according to the Center for American Progress. The advocacy group United for Medical Research found that in fiscal year 2023, funding from the agency supported more than 410,000 jobs, with 10,000 NIH-supported jobs in some states. In that same year, NIH-funded research fueled nearly $93 billion in economic spending. Overall, the economic benefit of NIH funding is more than twice the investment made through NIH appropriations. For a breakdown of how much funding each state receives from the NIH, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Welch Announce Forum on Devastating Trump Cuts at NIH Jeopardizing Cures for Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer’s, & Other Diseases” will spotlight patients, universities, and researchers impacted by cuts
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) announced that on Wednesday, March 26, at 2:30pm EST they will host a forum: “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer’s, & Other Diseases.” The forum will highlight how President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s gutting of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will have generational impacts on finding cures and treatments for serious illnesses that impact millions of Americans each year. The panel will feature former NIH leadership, impacted researchers, and patients of NIH clinical studies. From slashing funding that supports research and clinical trials at universities and research institutions, to cutting funding for Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers and for a nationwide diabetes study, to gutting the workforce at the NIH, the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is actively putting cures and treatments for Americans out of reach.
    “The Trump Administration’s reckless cuts to the National Institutes of Health’s medical research and staff is reckless, illegal, and above all—cruel. Secretary Kennedy, President Trump, and Elon Musk have made it clear they have no interest in advancing cures for the diseases that impact millions of Americans and people globally; they only care about passing on a tax break for their billionaire friends. I’m proud to partner with my friend and colleague Senator Baldwin to reveal in a concrete way the damage this Administration has already done for the physical and economic health of our communities,” said Senator Welch.
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk aren’t just gutting research, they are putting cures and treatments further out of reach for Americans, all to rig the system and pay for tax cuts for their rich friends. We cannot get back the time we are losing for Americans who are holding out hope that their loved one has a fighting chance at getting better,” said Senator Baldwin. “We’re bringing together patients and researchers to show this administration who is impacted by their reckless cuts. Their actions rob patients of a cure, families of hope, and our nation of its competitive edge when it comes to pioneering breakthroughs that have the potential to cure cancer, slow Alzheimer’s disease, and actually make Americans healthier every day.”
    Over the last two months, the Trump Administration has attacked, compromised, and gutted research at the NIH for lifesaving cures and treatments, including:
    Cutting Funding for Research Facilities: NIH announced last month that it was planning to arbitrarily cap indirect cost rates at 15%, which would slash billions of dollars in funding that helps research institutions, like the University of Wisconsin, operate their facilities and labs, pay staff, and buy equipment needed for groundbreaking work to find cures for diseases and treatments for patients.
    Stopping Funding for Alzheimer’s Disease: The Trump Administration is jeopardizing $65 million in funding for Alzheimer’s disease research at 14 research institutions across the country. 14 of the 35 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) have had their funding halted because the Trump Administration continues to cancel NIH Advisory Council meetings, which are the final required step in the grant approval process.
    Terminating Grants for Lifesaving Research: The Trump Administration stopped all grant funding at NIH for ten days in February and is continuing to block funding for lifesaving disease research, like finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. This halt in funding is despite two court orders directing the Trump Administration to end its unlawful efforts to freeze all federal grants. This is in addition to Elon Musk indiscriminately terminating hundreds of active NIH grants every week, in direct defiance of federal court orders to stop NIH funding changes amid ongoing litigation.
    Gutting Critical Staff: Mass layoffs at HHS under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s direction are impacting everything from research to clinical trials, including scientists, nurses, pharmacists, and experts tracking disease spread. Reports show the NIH is expected to cut between 3,400 and 5,000 positions from its workforce of 20,000.
    NIH funding contributed to research for roughly 99 percent of drugs approved between 2010 and 2019, including heart medications, according to the Center for American Progress. The advocacy group United for Medical Research found that in fiscal year 2023, funding from the agency supported more than 410,000 jobs, with 10,000 NIH-supported jobs in some states. In that same year, NIH-funded research fueled nearly $93 billion in economic spending. Overall, the economic benefit of NIH funding is more than twice the investment made through NIH appropriations. For a breakdown of how much funding each state receives from the NIH, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Push to Protect Students from Bullying and Harassment

    US Senate News:

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

    March 19, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined colleagues in introducing the Safe Schools Improvement Act, legislation that would provide protections against bullying and harassment in schools, especially for vulnerable students.

    “Every student deserves a school environment where they feel safe, welcomed, and supported, without fear of bullying or harassment,” said Merkley. “The Safe Schools Improvement Act takes steps to ensure schools implement strong, evidence-based policies to prevent and address bullying, especially for marginalized students who face harassment at alarming rates. This legislation will help create safe and secure learning environments where every student can thrive.”

    “Ensuring our children have a safe place to learn should not be a partisan issue,” said Wyden. “Implementing policies grounded in research that would address every stage of bullying—from prevention to problem-solving—will foster positive learning environments for everyone, with the added benefit of teaching children how to treat others. That adds up to an A+ in my book.”  

    The Safe Schools Improvement Act would require states to direct schools to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, and religion. States that receive federal funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) would be required to ensure that local education agencies (LEAs) adopt evidence-based practices to prevent and effectively respond to bullying and harassment.

    While there are federal laws on the books that deal with school safety, the Safe Schools Improvement Act would specifically address bullying and harassment. One out of every five K–12 students face bullying or harassment in school—demonstrably harming academic performance, attendance, and graduation rates. Students from marginalized communities face even higher rates of bullying and harassment. Of students who face bullying, one in four are bullied based on their identity, including race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender expression. 

    This legislation was led by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and?cosponsored by Senators Merkley, Wyden, Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT). 

    Bill text can be found by clicking here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salinas Leads Oregon Delegation in Calling on Trump Administration to Protect American Manufacturing

    US Senate News:

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

    March 20, 2025

    Salinas Leads Oregon Delegation in Calling on Trump Administration to Protect American Manufacturing

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) led the Oregon delegation – including U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05) – in a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, expressing concern about the Trump Administration’s decision to fire dozens of workers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST provides guidance, training, and assistance to American manufacturers to help them grow and stay competitive on the global stage.

    “We write with deep concern regarding reports of significant ongoing and planned layoffs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST plays a critical role supporting Oregon businesses and workers. Widespread and indiscriminate terminations of hard-working public servants at the agency would undermine our domestic manufacturing industrial base and threaten technological innovation that drives future economic progress,” wrote the members.

    Oregon manufacturers contribute nearly $40 billion to our state’s economic output and support over 175,000 good paying jobs in a wide variety of industries, including wood products, aerospace components, and microelectronics. NIST-supported programs like the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) help drive innovation and deliver critical resources that local businesses need to succeed. In their letter, the members stress how mass layoffs will undermine NIST’s work and jeopardize manufacturing in Oregon and across America.

    “President Trump has consistently promised Americans that he will support domestic manufacturing – and the good jobs that come with it,” the lawmakers continued.

    “That is why it is so concerning to see that, instead of doubling down on what works, the President is attacking the federal programs manufacturers rely on, calling to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act, and imposing punishing tariffs that will harm American businesses while making everyday goods more expensive for consumers.”

    Read the full letter below or click here.

    The Honorable Howard Lutnick

    Secretary of Commerce

    U.S. Department of Commerce

    1401 Constitution Avenue N.W.

    Washington, D.C. 20230

    Dear Secretary Lutnick,

    We write with deep concern regarding reports of significant ongoing and planned layoffs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST plays a critical role supporting Oregon businesses and workers. Widespread and indiscriminate terminations of hard-working public servants at the agency would undermine our domestic manufacturing industrial base and threaten technological innovation that drives future economic progress.

    Oregon manufacturers contribute nearly $40 billion to our state’s economic output and support over 175,000 good paying jobs. These represent a wide variety of industries, producing everything from innovative wood products to aerospace components, to the microelectronics development and manufacturing at the heart of Oregon’s Silicon Forest. NIST is responsible for implementing some of our nation’s most effective and cost-efficient programs to help these manufacturers succeed:

    • Across the United States, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) leveraged just $175 million in federal investment to deliver more than $5 billion in new investments and over 108,000 jobs created or retained in fiscal year 2024. In Oregon, the return was even greater. Just $2.2. million in federal funding led to $165.6 million in private investments – a remarkable $75 of economic output for every dollar of taxpayer support.
    • The CHIPS Program Office is responsible for stewarding over $2 billion of public investment in Oregon companies, which is catalyzing tens of billions of dollars of corporate investment in Oregon’s high-tech economy – while ensuring America’s self-sufficiency in this critical technology.
    • ManufacturingUSA fosters collaboration between industry and researchers to develop and deploy next-generation manufacturing methods and technologies. These partnerships support and benefit from partnerships with Oregon businesses and universities.
      • Examples include Oregon State University’s contributions to the RAPID institute, semiconductor companies like Analog Devices and Microchip working with PowerAmerica to accelerate the adoption of advanced semiconductors, and businesses such as Twist Bioscience partnering with BioMADE to enable the expansion of bioindustrial manufacturing.

    All these activities build on NIST’s core measurement science and standards work that provides tools manufacturers rely on every day. Mass layoffs at the agency will undermine the work NIST has carried out over years to ensure American businesses have the tools they need to compete on the world stage.

    President Trump has consistently promised Americans that he will support domestic manufacturing – and the good jobs that come with it. During his inaugural address, he asserted that “America will be a manufacturing nation once again” and you recently echoed the President’s rhetoric, telling reporters that “We want factory production in America. We want employment to blossom in America. We’re going to bring factories back to America.”

    We agree.

    That is why it is so concerning to see that, instead of doubling down on what works, the President is attacking the federal programs manufacturers rely on, calling to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act, and imposing punishing tariffs that will harm American businesses while making everyday goods more expensive for consumers.

    We are seriously worried that any attacks on NIST will undermine its capacity to support Oregon’s manufacturers and request that you respond to the following inquiries no later that March 31, 2025:

    1. How many NIST employees accepted the “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation offer, including those who departed the agency [at that time] without having signed the paperwork required by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? Please provide a breakdown of which offices were affected and to what extent.
    2. Recent reports indicate over 70 probationary employees were terminated. Please confirm the accuracy of this reporting and provide a breakdown of which offices were affected and to what extent.
    3. CHIPS Incentives awards rely on complex contracts to ensure that industry partners successfully and responsibly invest taxpayer dollars. How will you ensure that any layoffs, deferred resignations, or future reductions in force do not impede the CHIPS Program Office’s ability to conduct robust oversight of and effective support for these awards, including in Oregon?
    4. How will you ensure that any layoffs, deferred resignations, or future reductions in force do not limit the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program’s capacity to offer services to small- and medium-sized domestic manufacturers, including in Oregon?
    5. NIST has decades of experience serving as a trusted partner to industry, providing some of the United States’ strongest tools to support and expand domestic manufacturing. How do you plan to leverage this experience to achieve your stated goal of bring manufacturing jobs back to America, including in our home state of Oregon?

    Thank you for your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Join Bipartisan Legislation to Protect TSA’s Frontline Workforce

    US Senate News:

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

    March 20, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined their colleagues to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to ensure that over 65,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees—including frontline Transportation Security Officers (TSOs)—are afforded the same worker rights, protections, and pay system afforded to most other federal workers. The Rights for the TSA Workforce Act comes on the heels of the Trump Administration’s move to cancel TSA workers’ current collective bargaining agreement this month.

    “TSA workers work tirelessly to keep us safe when we fly, but right now, the TSA is hellbent on gutting the very few protections this frontline workforce has,” said Merkley. “From rolling back these workers’ collective bargaining agreement to paving the way to automating their jobs through facial recognition technology, the TSA needs to be reined in, and this bipartisan bill is a simple way to support and improve the rights of these critical workers.”

    “TSA staff are Americans’ frontline workforce ensuring we are safe in the air and in our airports,” said Wyden. “Protecting the rights of these vital workers is paramount to our nation’s security. The only logical thing for any member of Congress who flies, or has constituents who fly, is to support this legislation that would allow TSA professionals to focus on what really matters: Americans’ personal safety and security when traveling.”

    U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representative Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.) led the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act, which would provide TSA employees full federal employee collective bargaining rights, access to an independent third party for dispute resolution, and compensation under the General Services wage system. The Rights for the TSA Workforce Act is co-sponsored by 27 U.S. Senators and 61 U.S. Representatives, including both Democrats and Republicans in the House.

    “The Transportation Security Administration is in crisis. DHS’s reckless decision to rescind TSA workers’ collective bargaining agreement is blatant union-busting. If allowed to stand, it will silence 47,000 frontline officers who protect millions daily, clearing a path for Project 2025’s dangerous privatization scheme, prioritizing profits over national security and reviving the failed, profit-driven model from before the terrorist attacks of September 11. The Rights for the TSA Workforce Act, introduced by Representative Bennie Thompson and Senator Brian Schatz, is essential to restoring dignity, protecting workers’ rights, and ensuring aviation security isn’t outsourced to the lowest bidder. Congress must pass this bill immediately,” said American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley.

    Merkley has been an outspoken and longtime leader in sounding the alarm on TSA’s use of facial recognition technology. He led a bipartisan group of Senators in a letter urging U.S. Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari to launch an investigation into the TSA’s use of facial recognition technology. Previously, he introduced the Traveler Privacy Protection Act to restrict the use of facial recognition technology by the TSA at airports across the United States. Merkley also documented his own experience “opting-out” of this optional program, traveling from D.C. to Portland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Joins Push to Save Task Force Combating Threats to Election Officials

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
    Senators to Attorney General: “In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on [DOJ] to uphold the law”
    Santa Fe, N.M. — U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and more than two dozenDemocratic Senators in urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to continue the essential work of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Election Threats Task Force, which directs the Department’s efforts to protect election officials from rising threats and acts of violence.
    The Senators’ letter comes as the Trump Administration has significantly rolled back the federal government’s capacity to fight against foreign and domestic election security threats. On Attorney General Bondi’s first day in office, she disbanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Foreign Influence Task Force, hindering efforts to address secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries. Additionally, the Administration has fired or put on leave dozens of officials responsible for combating foreign election interference at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and has reportedly frozen all of CISA’s ongoing election security work. The Administration has also defunded CISA’s nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
    “Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections,” wrote the Senators.
    “Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law,” continued the Senators.
    In addition to Senators Luján, Padilla, and Durbin, the letter was also signed by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    Full text of the letter is available here and below: 
    Dear Attorney General Bondi:
    We write to strongly urge you to continue the critical law enforcement work of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force, which protects election officials from ongoing threats and acts of violence. Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections.
    The Task Force was established in the wake of the 2020 election cycle when election officials across the political spectrum began facing unprecedented threats of violence intended to thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is the hallmark of our democracy. In close collaboration with state and local law enforcement, the Task Force has assessed thousands of complaints of suspected threats of violence and investigated and prosecuted violent offenders. Over the years, these threats have not only continued but escalated.  The Task Force has investigated fentanyl-laced letters, bomb threats, and swatting incidents—serving as a legacy of the 2020 election and impacting the ways election officials interact with voters in their communities.
    Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law.
    Moreover, the federal government’s ability to fight election interference has been greatly hampered in the early weeks of this Administration. Dozens of officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who are responsible for combatting foreign election interference, have been fired or put on leave. CISA has also reportedly frozen all of its ongoing election security work, including defunding its nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the “Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.” Additionally, on your first day in office, you signed a directive disbanding the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which was aimed at responding to secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries.
    We request a response on the status and future plans of the Election Threats Task Force, the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to its work, and how it plans to incorporate related work previously led by CISA and the Foreign Influence Task Force by March 31, 2025.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Talks Economic Development, Broadband in Grant and Hardy Counties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    PETERSBURG/MOOREFIELD, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, made stops in Petersburg, W.Va. and Moorefield, W.Va. to meet with community leaders and business professionals to discuss economic development opportunities and efforts to expand broadband access across West Virginia.

    First, Senator Capito traveled to Petersburg, W.Va. to meet with county commissioners, community leaders, and other business professionals to discuss Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) awards Senator Capito secured for the area and how they will benefit Grant County. Specifically, Senator Capito secured two Fiscal Year (FY) 24 CDS awards that will support a new Ambulance Headquarters and a trail.

    “When I began the process of congressionally directed spending, I did so in consultation with leaders like those on the county commission and local businesses here in Grant County. That’s because those on the ground know better than anyone else the needs of their communities,” Senator Capito said. “I was proud to secure the resources needed to construct a new Ambulance headquarters in Mt. Storm, which will help save lives, while serving the citizens of northern Grant County. I was just as proud to secure funding needed to expand a trail in the area that will enhance outdoor recreation, boost tourism, and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Both of these projects will go a long way in enhancing the quality of life for residents in the area, and I look forward to seeing them come to fruition.”

    “We are honored to assist Grant County in bringing reliable emergency response services closer to the Mount Storm area,” Callie Dayton, Clearway’s West Virginia-based External Affairs Manager, said. “This partnership was made possible thanks to the tremendous and insightful feedback that we received from area residents, landowners, and public service officials on the community’s most pressing needs. Clearway has been invested in West Virginia for more than a decade and we could not be more grateful for the support that we have received from the people of Grant and Mineral counties. We are eager to extend that investment and help keep West Virginia on the forefront of American-made power.”

    In the afternoon, Senator Capito traveled to Moorefield, W.Va. where she visited Hardy Telecommunications to discuss efforts to expand broadband accessibility across West Virginia.

    “Expanding broadband access is critical to West Virginia’s growth, and I appreciate the opportunity to meet with Hardy Telecommunications to discuss their efforts to better connect our communities,” Senator Capito said. “Reliable internet is essential for education, healthcare, and economic development, and I remain committed to supporting the investments needed to close the digital divide and ensure every West Virginian has access to high-speed broadband.”

    Photos from today’s visits are below:

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) attends a press conference about funding projects in Grant County, W.Va. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) attends a press conference about funding projects in Grant County, W.Va. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Jacobs Highlight Importance of Protecting Medi-Cal

    US Senate News:

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

    WATCH: Padilla pushes back against Republican threats to cut MedicaidSAN DIEGO, CA — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51) joined health care providers and community leaders in San Diego to highlight the dangerous impacts of President Trump and Republicans’ proposals to dismantle Medicaid, emphasizing the importance of California’s Medi-Cal program. Padilla and Jacobs heard from health care leaders, families, and pediatricians on how massive federal cuts to Medicaid’s budget would strain services and raise health care costs for millions of Californians.
    The lawmakers underscored the harmful impacts of Trump and Republicans’ partisan plan to cut $880 billion across the federal government, which would mean hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans — leaving millions of seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities without health care. Last year, nearly 80 million Americans relied on Medicaid, making it the largest public health insurance program in the United States. That includes nearly 15 million people enrolled in Medi-Cal, which covers almost 40 percent of the state, including half of all kids in California. One in five California workers rely on Medi-Cal to access care every single day.
    “Republicans are laying the groundwork to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid in order to pay for President Trump’s tax cuts for billionaires,” said Senator Padilla. “They’ve put Medicaid on the chopping block, threatening access to health care for almost 15 million Californians — including 5 million children — enrolled in Medi-Cal. California leads the nation in innovative approaches to health care and expanding access to care for our most vulnerable communities, and any cut to Medi-Cal will have a ripple effect on our entire health care system, especially for our kids. Families are more than just line items on President Trump’s expense sheet; they rely on Medi-Cal to survive, and I will never back down from protecting their access to lifesaving care.”
    “Medicaid is a lifeline for 1 in 6 people in San Diego County. Yet, Republicans in Congress are pushing to cut at least $880 billion from Medicaid – sacrificing people’s lives and our economic security in the process – all to pay for big tax cuts for corporations and the 1%. That’s why Senator Padilla and I went to Rady Children’s Hospital today to hear the heartbreaking truth of how Medicaid cuts will impact their patients, their ability to deliver essential care, and their operations. We won’t give up and we will keep fighting to protect Medicaid,” said Representative Jacobs. 
    Padilla and Jacobs visited Rady Children’s Hospital and spoke alongside the hospital’s Co-President and CEO, Dr. Patrick Frias, Executive Vice President of Operations for San Ysidro Health Veronica Dela Rosa, health care providers, and impacted families. Over half of Rady Children’s Health’s patients are covered by Medi-Cal, and Medi-Cal recipients represent 65 percent of San Ysidro’s patient population.
    Senator Padilla joined his colleagues in sending a letter last month urging the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to refrain from making cuts to Medicaid and Medicare to pay for tax cuts for billionaires after Elon Musk and DOGE officials gained access to key payment and contracting systems at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In the House, Representative Jacobs joined her colleagues in sending a similar letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, urging him to reject the devastating proposed cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, and to reverse course on any legislation that deprives Americans of their health care.
    Video of Senator Padilla’s opening remarks is available here, and his closing remarks are available here. Footage of his remarks can be downloaded here.
    Additional photos from the event are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Invite EPA Head Zeldin to South Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), along with Representatives Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50) and Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), invited Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to visit San Diego’s South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBITWP) to see firsthand the ongoing environmental and public health consequences of the cross-border Tijuana River sewage crisis on local communities.
    Administrator Zeldin recently expressed concern about the flow of sewage flowing across the border, posting about a briefing he received on the crisis and pushing Mexico to “honor its commitments to control this pollution and sewage.” The lawmakers wrote to ensure new EPA leadership fully understands the scope of this environmental catastrophe and their role in addressing the environmental and public health harms it causes.
    “As you know, decades of underinvestment in cross-border wastewater infrastructure have led to the flow of untreated sewage into San Diego,” wrote the lawmakers. “EPA served as an important advocate for this issue in the last Trump Administration and we hope the agency will continue to do so once again.”
    “Researchers have recently discovered that toxins and bacteria from the Tijuana River can be aerosolized, unveiling additional potential risks to the air quality in our communities. EPA, working with the International Boundary and Water Commission, will play a critical role in addressing these issues and helping the region recover from decades of pollution and environmental degradation,” continued the lawmakers.
    Since 2018, more than 100 billion gallons of toxic sewage, trash, and unmanaged stormwater have flowed across the United States-Mexico border into the Tijuana River Valley and neighboring communities, forcing long-lasting beach closures and causing harmful impacts on public health, the environment, and water quality. U.S. military personnel, border patrol agents, and the local economy have also suffered harmful impacts from airborne and waterborne transboundary sewage flows. In 2023, sewage flowed across the border at the highest volume in a quarter century, exceeding 44 billion gallons.
    The SBIWTP project broke ground in October 2024, and over the next five years, the SBIWTP will double in capacity, reducing transboundary flows by 90 percent. Importantly, Mexico’s rehabilitated San Antonio de los Buenos wastewater treatment plant is expected to be fully operational by Spring 2025, further reducing flows to California communities. 
    Senator Padilla has prioritized addressing the Tijuana River pollution crisis since he first came to the Senate. In response to a request from Padilla and the San Diego Congressional delegation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) opened an investigation into the public health impacts of air pollution caused by the ongoing Tijuana River transboundary pollution crisis. Senator Padilla and the delegation also recently secured a $200 million authorization for the Tijuana River Valley Watershed and San Diego County through the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 to help address the ongoing transboundary sewage crisis through stormwater conveyance, environmental and ecosystem restoration, and water quality protection projects. They also delivered over $103 million in additional funding for the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) in the bipartisan FY 2024 appropriations package. Padilla previously successfully secured language in the FY 2023 appropriations package to allow the EPA to unlock $300 million previously secured in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to the IBWC for water infrastructure projects. Last year, Padilla and Representatives Peters and Vargas announced bicameral legislation to help combat the Tijuana River sewage pollution crisis.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Administrator Zeldin,
    We would like to invite you to visit the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) in the Tijuana River Valley and appreciate your interest in addressing the cross-border sewage crisis.
    As you know, decades of underinvestment in cross-border wastewater infrastructure have led to the flow of untreated sewage into San Diego. Since 2018, more than 100 billion gallons of toxic sewage, trash, and unmanaged stormwater have flowed across the United States-Mexico border into the Tijuana River Valley and neighboring communities, forcing long-lasting beach closures and negatively impacting the local economy, environment, and health of U.S. military and Homeland Security personnel. EPA served as an important advocate for this issue in the last Trump Administration and we hope the agency will continue to do so once again.
    While this wastewater pollution crisis is not new, it has intensified over the past two years. Researchers have recently discovered that toxins and bacteria from the Tijuana River can be aerosolized, unveiling additional potential risks to the air quality in our communities. EPA, working with the International Boundary and Water Commission, will play a critical role in addressing these issues and helping the region recover from decades of pollution and environmental degradation.
    We look forward to working with you on this important issue, and we hope to host you at SBIWTP so you can see first-hand the challenges confronting our region. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of Expected Executive Order Abolishing Department of Education, Senator Murray, Seattle School Board President, Parents, Advocates Raise Alarm Over Trump Dismantling Ed, Spell Out Harms to WA Students

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    WA STATE FACT SHEET on how Department of Education supports WA students and schools

    ICYMI: Murray, Top Appropriators Demand Detailed Answers on Trump Admin’s Sweeping Mass Firings at Department of Education

    ***PHOTOS, B-ROLL HERE***

    ***WATCH HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, as reporting indicates President Trump will sign an Executive Order aimed at eliminating the Department of Education tomorrow, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, held a roundtable discussion with Seattle School Board President Gina Topp and parents and educators laying out how President Trump’s moves to dismantle the Department of Education are a serious threat to students, educators, and public schools throughout Washington state.

    Last week, the Department of Education announced that it was firing more than 1,300 workers as part of Trump and Elon Musk’s indiscriminate mass layoffs across the federal workforce. This and other administration actions to date will cut the Department’s workforce in half and effectively gut the agency. While outright abolishing the Department would require an act of Congress, President Trump has said repeatedly that he intends to do everything possible to achieve that goal and is expected to issue an executive order tomorrow that seeks to eliminate the Department and move its functions to other agencies. On Monday, Senator Murray led a letter demanding detailed answers from the Department about the mass firings it has conducted and how it is carrying out requirements of federal law and its critical responsibilities despite the sweeping reductions in force.

    “Trump and Musk are taking a wrecking ball to the U.S. Department of Education and firing half its staff—we’re talking about the people who make sure federal funds get to our kids and schools, help students fill out the FAFSA and get Pell Grants and financial aid, protect students from predatory for-profit colleges, enforce our civil rights laws, and so much more. What’s the end goal here? Destroying public education in America—and robbing our students and families of critical funding while Trump and Musk enrich themselves,” said Senator Murray. “The effects of Trump and Musk’s slash and burn campaign will be felt across our state—by students and families who suffer from the loss of Department staff working to ensure their rights under federal law, school districts who have to lay off teachers, students who can’t get the help they need to get financial aid, and families who get ripped off because the watchdogs were fired. This issue is personal for me, and for every single family. We cannot relent in this fight—and we should never underestimate the power of our own voices.”

    The Department of Education provides critical funding and support to students, teachers, and schools in Washington state, including providing $301 million annually in IDEA funding for 152,000 students with disabilities—15 percent of Washington’s student population—and $307 million annually in Title I funding for schools enrolling 511,000 from low-income backgrounds—reflecting 46 percent of Washington’s student population, among so much else. Another central responsibility of the Department is to identify, investigate, and resolve school violations of civil rights laws. A record number of civil rights complaints (22,687) were filed in Fiscal Year 2024; 35 percent of cases were based on disability discrimination. Trump’s plans for the Department of Education are extremely unpopular; 58 percent of voters across the political spectrum oppose eliminating the Department.

    “Seattle Public Schools, like districts across the country, depends on federal funding to ensure every student has access to a high-quality education. These funds aren’t extras—they provide essential support for students from low-income families, English learners, and students with disabilities, breaking down barriers that stand in the way of opportunity. Cutting these programs doesn’t just hurt students today—it weakens our entire community and our future. Any cuts to these programs would undercut our collective future,” said Gina Topp, Seattle Public Schools Board President.

    “ED enforces civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in the educational environment. These three main laws are Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination; Title VI, which prohibits racial discrimination; and Section 504, which prohibits disability discrimination. These laws help students in Washington State and across the county every single day…I help represent the Office for Civil Rights when offices are sued for how they’ve handled a discrimination complaint or when the office is sued over a new regulation or piece of guidance that OCR has published. I work with incredible, dedicated, hard-working public servants. Many of them have spent decades, or for some their entire careers, working for ED. The level of experience and knowledge that they bring to their work is simply irreplaceable,” said Rebecca Yates, an attorney for the Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, participating in the discussion in her personal capacity. “Last Tuesday night, like hundreds of ED employees across the country, I received an email informing me that my entire division was being abolished, and my position was being eliminated. I’m upset about losing my job, but I’m devastated about what’s happening to the Department of Education, and deeply concerned about the future of the Department—and the future of public education in this country.”

    “Because my children received appropriate early intervention, IEP services, and accommodations, my oldest son was able to graduate from college and secure his first job. That success would not have been possible without federally funded programs that helped level the playing field for students like him. I once believed I could provide all the necessary support on my own—I even earned a PhD in my effort to do so—but I quickly learned that specialized services, trained professionals, and a strong federal commitment to disability education are essential,” said Lanya McKittrick, PhD, a special education researcher and family support professional, and the parent of four kids with special needs. “As a family support professional working with parents of children with low-incidence disabilities, I see the impact of these programs every day. Families are already struggling with devastating budget cuts that have stripped away services. If we allow this to continue, we risk undoing over 30 years of progress in disability rights and education.”

    “I am deeply concerned about the administration’s recent staffing cuts and plans to dismantle the Education Department,” said Heather Schwindt, an advocate for kids with special needs and parent of two kids with disabilities, one of whom relies on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) plan to succeed in school. “This decision will set back public education and harm students with disabilities. A primary concern is the potential loss of funding for essential services and programs supporting students with disabilities. These services, mandated by federal laws such as the IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, are crucial for ensuring that students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education. Reduced staffing, larger special education caseloads, and reduced capacity for delivering specialized services will result in a reduction of federal funding for Special Education… 60 years ago, children with disabilities were often denied the right to attend school. We’ve made progress with Section 504, IDEA, and the Department of Education and there is more progress to be made. The Department of Education is vital with the investments it makes in providing research to practice models, providing data on student outcomes nationally, and helping our state and others continue to push to do better for all children.”

    A senior member and former chair of the HELP Committee, Senator Murray has championed students and families at every stage of her career—fighting to help ensure every child in America can get a high-quality public education. Among other things, Senator Murray negotiated the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), landmark legislation that she got signed into law, replacing the broken No Child Left Behind Act. As a longtime appropriator, she has successfully fought to boost funding to support students and invest in our nation’s K-12 schools, and she has secured significant increases to the Pell Grant so that it goes further for students pursuing a higher education. Senator Murray also successfully negotiated the FAFSA Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the financial aid application process, simplify the FAFSA form for students and parents, and significantly expand eligibility for federal aid.

    On Monday, Senator Murray led a letter demanding detailed answers from the Department of Education about the mass firings and other detrimental actions which risk major reductions in support for and oversight of federal investments in our nation’s K-12 schools and institutions of higher education and threaten vital support for students with disabilities, access to Pell Grants and other financial aid, oversight of student loan servicers, scrutiny of for-profit colleges, and more. The letter follows an earlier March 6 letter Senator Murray sent alongside colleagues demanding answers about the chaotic, harmful actions taken by ED since January—which the Department has yet to respond to. During Secretary Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing, Senator Murray pressed McMahon on whether she will ensure approved funding gets out to serve students as the law requires and whether she would protect students’ data from DOGE. She also asked McMahon to name a single requirement of ESSA—and McMahon couldn’t name any. Ahead of McMahon’s confirmation, Senator Murray spoke out on the Senate floor against her nomination and sounded the alarm over President Trump and Elon Musk’s plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

    A fact sheet outlining how the Department of Education supports students in Washington state is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Colleagues Push to Save Task Force Combating Threats to Election Officials

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 28 Democratic colleagues in urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to continue the essential work of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Election Threats Task Force, which directs the Department’s efforts to protect election officials from rising threats and acts of violence.
    The senators’ letter comes as the Trump administration has significantly rolled back the federal government’s capacity to fight against foreign and domestic election security threats. On Attorney General Bondi’s first day in office, she disbanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Foreign Influence Task Force, hindering efforts to address secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries. Additionally, the administration has fired or put on leave dozens of officials responsible for combating foreign election interference at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and has reportedly frozen all of CISA’s ongoing election security work. The administration has also defunded CISA’s nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
    “Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections,” wrote the senators.
    “Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law,” they continued.
    In addition to Sens. Warner, Padilla, and Durbin, the letter was also signed by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    In 2023, Sen. Warner joined his colleagues in sponsoring the Election Worker Protection Act, legislation that would provide states with proper resources to ensure the safety of these workers. Leading up to the 2024 elections, Sen. Warner also repeatedly raised the alarm about the elevated threat environment. As Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, he hosted open hearings to call on representatives from both the U.S. government and large tech companies to testify about their knowledge of and efforts to crack down on foreign malign influence online. He also warned of Russia and Iran’s attempts to influence the 2024 election. Sen. Warner sent a letter to CISA to push for more robust efforts to get ahead of these threats.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Attorney General Bondi:
    We write to strongly urge you to continue the critical law enforcement work of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force, which protects election officials from ongoing threats and acts of violence. Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections.
    The Task Force was established in the wake of the 2020 election cycle when election officials across the political spectrum began facing unprecedented threats of violence intended to thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is the hallmark of our democracy. In close collaboration with state and local law enforcement, the Task Force has assessed thousands of complaints of suspected threats of violence and investigated and prosecuted violent offenders. Over the years, these threats have not only continued but escalated.  The Task Force has investigated fentanyl-laced letters, bomb threats, and swatting incidents—serving as a legacy of the 2020 election and impacting the ways election officials interact with voters in their communities.
    Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law.
    Moreover, the federal government’s ability to fight election interference has been greatly hampered in the early weeks of this Administration. Dozens of officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who are responsible for combatting foreign election interference, have been fired or put on leave. CISA has also reportedly frozen all of its ongoing election security work, including defunding its nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the “Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.” Additionally, on your first day in office, you signed a directive disbanding the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which was aimed at responding to secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries.
    We request a response on the status and future plans of the Election Threats Task Force, the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to its work, and how it plans to incorporate related work previously led by CISA and the Foreign Influence Task Force by March 31, 2025.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Johnson Fight for Unredacted Crossfire Hurricane Interview Transcripts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) are requesting Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel take immediate action to remove all redactions from interview transcripts relating to the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General’s (DOJ OIG) examination of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
    The senators first requested these unredacted transcripts from the DOJ OIG in April 2023. At the time, the DOJ OIG informed the senators that the redactions in those transcripts were made by other government agencies, such as the FBI and DOJ, and the DOJ OIG lacked the authority to release the information.
    The senators are now calling on DOJ and FBI to work with the DOJ OIG to produce these unredacted versions of the transcripts as soon as possible.
    The full text of their letter can be found HERE.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Seeks Transparency and Accountability for DOJ Officials Attempting to Evade Public Scrutiny

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is shining a light on misconduct by Department of Justice (DOJ) officials and their efforts to evade public scrutiny.
    In a letter to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Grassley requested unredacted copies of Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reports that outline specific, substantiated allegations of misconduct by DOJ officials – but previously did not publicize the names of these senior officials.
    “There’s a significant need for public transparency into the names of these and other senior Justice Department officials found to have committed misconduct. In many instances, these senior officials leave public service before the investigation is finalized and appropriate corrective action can be filed and made against them,” Grassley wrote. “Accordingly, there’s no public record identifying these individuals who committed the wrongdoing, and they can continue their patterns of workplace harassment and misconduct in a new line of work free from scrutiny.” 
    Text of Grassley’s letter to Inspector General Horowitz follows:
    March 18, 2025
    VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
    The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz
    Inspector General
    Department of Justice
    Dear Inspector General Horowitz:
    I write to you requesting fully unredacted copies of the following Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) reports:
    Findings of Misconduct by a Federal Bureau of Investigation Program Analysis Officer for Sexual Harassment, Unprofessional Conduct, and Lack of Candor to the OIG, and by a then FBI Unit Chief for Failure to Report an Allegation of Sexual Harassment, Investigative Summary 23-081.[1]
    Findings of Misconduct by a Community Relations Service Manager for Misuse of Public Office for Private Gain, Misuse of Government Property, and Lack of Candor to the OIG, Investigative Summary 23-048.[2]
    Findings of Misconduct by a Federal Bureau of Investigation Supervisory Special Agent for Sexual Harassment of a Colleague and Failing to Timely Report an Intimate or Romantic Relationship with Two Subordinates, Investigative Summary 24-069.[3]
    Finding of Misconduct by an Immigration Judge in the Executive Office for Immigration Review for Making Inappropriate, Sexually Oriented Comments to a Department of Justice Employee During an After-hours Social Gathering, Investigative Summary 23-114.[4]
    Findings of Misconduct by a then Bureau of Prisons Warden for Operating a Prohibited Vehicle on Bureau of Prison Grounds and Endangering Others, Making Sexist, Racist, and Obscene Comments to Staff, and False Statements and Lack of Candor to the OIG, Investigative Summary 24-006.[5]
    Findings of Misconduct by a then Federal Bureau of Investigation Senior Level Employee for Solicitation of Prostitutes and Failure to Self-Report Close or Continuous Contacts with a Foreign National, Investigative Summary 24-001.[6]
    Findings of Misconduct by a then FBI Special Agent in Charge and two then FBI Assistant Special Agents in Charge for Their Roles in an Unauthorized $2 Million Purchase of Intellectual Property Related to a Classified Undercover Operation and Related Misconduct, Investigative Summary 21-090.[7]
    In all of these investigations the DOJ OIG substantiated the allegations that the Justice Department officials engaged in misconduct.[8]  However, the DOJ OIG did not include the names of these senior officials in the investigative summary.[9]  
    There’s a significant need for public transparency into the names of these and other senior Justice Department officials found to have committed misconduct.  In many instances these senior officials leave public service before the investigation is finalized and appropriate corrective action can be filed and made against them.[10]  Accordingly, there’s no public record identifying these individuals who committed the wrongdoing, and they can continue their patterns of workplace harassment and misconduct in a new line of work free from scrutiny. 
    I request that you provide the investigative reports referenced above in fully unredacted form no later than March 21, 2025.  Thank you for your attention to this request.  
    Sincerely,Charles E. GrassleyChairmanCommittee on the Judiciary
    -30-

    [1]DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a Federal Bureau of Investigation Program Analysis Officer for Sexual Harassment, Unprofessional Conduct, and Lack of Candor to the OIG, and by a then FBI Unit Chief for Failure to Report an Allegation of Sexual Harassment, Investigative Summary 23-081 (June 20, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-081.pdf.
    [2] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a Community Relations Service Manager for Misuse of Public Office for Private Gain, Misuse of Government Property, and Lack of Candor to the OIG, Investigative Summary 23-048 (Mar. 14, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-048.pdf
    [3] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a Federal Bureau of Investigation Supervisory Special Agent for Sexual Harassment of a Colleague and Failing to Timely Report an Intimate or Romantic Relationship with Two Subordinates, Investigative Summary 24-069 (May 22, 2024) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/24-069.pdf.
    [4] DOJ OIG, Finding of Misconduct by an Immigration Judge in the Executive Office for Immigration Review for Making Inappropriate, Sexually Oriented Comments to a Department Of Justice Employee During an After-hours Social Gathering, Investigative Summary 23-114 (Sept. 27, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-114.pdf.
    [5] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a then Bureau of Prisons Warden for Operating a Prohibited Vehicle on Bureau of Prison Grounds and Endangering Others, Making Sexist, Racist, and Obscene Comments to Staff, and False Statements and Lack of Candor to the OIG, Investigative Summary 24-006 (Nov. 7, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/24-006.pdf.
    [6] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a then Federal Bureau of Investigation Senior Level Employee for Solicitation of Prostitutes and Failure to Self-Report Close or Continuous Contacts with a Foreign National, Investigative Summary 24-001 (Oct. 11, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/24-001.pdf.
    [7] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a then FBI Special Agent in Charge and two then FBI Assistant Special Agents in Charge for Their Roles in an Unauthorized $2 Million Purchase of Intellectual Property Related to a Classified Undercover Operation and Related Misconduct, Investigative Summary 21-090 (Jul. 6, 2021) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/21-090.pdf.
    [8] Id.
    [9] Id.
    [10] See letter from Senator Charles E. Grassley to AG Garland and FBI Director Wray, (Oct. 10, 2025) https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/grassley_to_fbi_and_doj_-_sexual_abuse_data.pdf.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker, Chairman Rogers Joint Statement on Reports of Potential Combatant Command Changes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Representative Mike Rogers, R-Ala., Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, today responded to press reports suggesting that the United States might soon change its entire combatant command structure, withdraw from NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) command structure, and cancel modernization plans for U.S. Forces Japan:
    “U.S. combatant commands are the tip of the American warfighting spear. Therefore, we are very concerned about reports that claim DoD is considering unilateral changes on major strategic issues, including significant reductions to U.S. forces stationed abroad, absent coordination with the White House and Congress. We support President Trump’s efforts to ensure our allies and partners increase their contributions to strengthen our alliance structure, and we support continuing America’s leadership abroad. As such, we will not accept significant changes to our warfighting structure that are made without a rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders and the Joint Staff, and collaboration with Congress. Such moves risk undermining American deterrence around the globe and detracting from our negotiating positions with America’s adversaries.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Commerce Committee Passes Two Bipartisan Bills Led by Peters to Bolster Domestic Semiconductor Supply Chains and Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing Policy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    WASHINGTON, DC – The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee passed two bipartisan bills authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) that aim to bolster domestic semiconductor supply chains and strengthen U.S. manufacturing policy.    
    “To support manufacturers in Michigan and throughout the United States, we need our industry partners, economic developers, and lawmakers reading from the same playbook,” said Senator Peters. “These bipartisan bills would help build a coordinated effort to attract new investments in our manufacturing sector, create good-paying jobs, and reduce our reliance on foreign adversaries for the semiconductor technologies that help power our economy.” 
    Peters’ Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act – which he introduced with U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rick Scott (R-FL) – would help to strengthen federal efforts to expand domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips. The bill would direct the U.S. Department of Commerce’s SelectUSA program, in collaboration with other federal agencies and state economic development organizations, to develop strategies that would attract investment in U.S. semiconductor manufacturers and supply chains. Peters’ bill – which previously passed the Senate with unanimous support – would help address the ongoing global shortage of semiconductor technologies that has disrupted a range of industries in recent years including manufacturers and automakers in Michigan.    
    “We appreciate Senator Peters’ continued commitment to strengthening our national security and economic resilience by building up the semiconductor industry and supply chain here in America,” said Quentin Messer, Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “As technology evolves and integrates further into every aspect of our lives, this industry remains poised for growth. Senator Peters’ understands that it is imperative we continue to collaborate in a bipartisan manner at the state, regional, and federal level on behalf of American workers, and especially future generations of innovative Michiganders.”  
    “American Automakers are grateful to Senator Peters for his leadership on this bipartisan legislation, which will boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing and strengthen our nation’s supply chains,” said Governor Matt Blunt, President of the American Automotive Policy Council. “This legislation is vital for U.S. automakers and their supplier partners, helping to foster economic growth throughout the U.S. auto sector.”    
    The committee also passed Peters’ National Manufacturing Advisory Council for the 21st Century Act, which would establish a National Manufacturing Advisory Council within the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Advisory Council would bring together leaders in manufacturing, labor, and education to advise both Congress and the Secretary of Commerce on how best to ensure the United States remains the top destination globally for investment in manufacturing. It would serve as a bridge between the manufacturing sector and federal government to improve communication and collaboration, and better support the industry and its workforce. The bill – which he introduced with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) – passed the Senate with unanimous support last Congress.    
    “This initiative, the National Manufacturing Advisory Council Act, is designed to improve the resources and support for our nation’s small and medium-size manufacturers, which are a truly vital driver of our economy. I applaud Senator Peters for his steadfast, unwavering commitment to American manufacturing,” said Ingrid Tighe, President of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, the Michigan representative of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).   
    “We applaud Senator Gary Peters for introducing this bill to improve the federal government’s planning and coordination of efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing,” said Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. “Recent supply chain disruptions have made clear that it is time for the United States to shore up its critical manufacturing capabilities, which will not only better prepare us for the next crisis but also create jobs and boost the economy. This increased coordination between the many programs designed to support our manufacturers and their workers is an important step towards rebuilding our industrial base. We are grateful to Senator Peters for his efforts to bolster American manufacturing.”   
    “The Association of Equipment Manufacturers applauds Senator Gary Peters and Senator Marsha Blackburn for their continued leadership on behalf of the manufacturing sector and for introducing legislation that will prioritize a national strategy focused on ensuring American manufacturing policy can rapidly respond to changes in the global marketplace,” said Kip Eideberg, AEM Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations. “Our economic prosperity and national security depend on a strong manufacturing sector, and establishing a National Manufacturing Advisory Council will help unleash innovation and mobilize a comprehensive, coordinated, and competent national effort in support of the manufacturing sector and its workforce.”     
    “We commend Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) for introducing legislation to establish a National Manufacturing Advisory Council,” said Ana Meuwissen, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for MEMA, The Vehicle Suppliers Association. “This council will be a forum for manufacturers and other key stakeholders to provide input to the Department of Commerce (DOC) on important long-range issues such as workforce, supply chain, technology, and defense industrial base. The NMAC legislation would also foster better coordination of federal manufacturing policy in the DOC and across the federal government. When this legislation is enacted, it will be an asset to assist in retaining U.S. competitiveness in critical manufacturing sectors like motor vehicle parts.”     
    Peters has made expanding domestic manufacturing and strengthening U.S. supply chains a top priority. Peters helped craft and pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act, which includes a provision Peters secured funding to support the domestic production of mature semiconductor technologies and ensure that projects supporting critical manufacturing industries, such as the auto industry, are given priority status. This funding was in addition to $50 billion already in the bill to incentivize the production of semiconductors of all kinds in the U.S. – for a total of $52 billion.   
    The CHIPS and Science Act also included Peters’ bipartisan Investing in Domestic Semiconductor Manufacturing Act, which ensures federal incentives to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing include U.S. suppliers that produce the materials and manufacturing equipment that enable semiconductor manufacturing. Peters’ provision directly supports Michigan manufacturers like Hemlock Semiconductor (HSC) in Hemlock, Michigan which was recently awarded up to $325 million in CHIPS and Science Act funding to build a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. The project will allow the company to expand production of hyper-pure polysilicon needed to manufacture semiconductor chips and is expected to create 180 good-paying manufacturing jobs, as well as thousands of construction jobs, in Michigan.        
    Peters additionally supported and helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which will strengthen domestic manufacturing, onshore our supply chains, combat the climate crisis and create millions of American jobs.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Reservation DOI Funding Restored

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Published: March 19, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Following a meeting with Chief Pos Bassett of the Passamaquoddy Reservation at Pleasant Point and further consultation with the Administration, today, Senator Collins announced that her office has received notice from the Department of the Interior (DOI) that previously paused federal funding for the Tribe has resumed.
    “This critical grant funding was awarded by the DOI to support the rehabilitation of the Tribe’s wastewater treatment system that is at imminent risk of flooding,” said Senator Collins. “I am pleased that after our discussions with the Department of the Interior, this funding has been restored, but the Tribe should not have faced this disruption, and I will continue working to ensure that federal commitments to Maine’s Tribes are upheld.”
    The Passamaquoddy Reservation at Pleasant Point was previously awarded $4 million through the DOI Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Tribal Community Resilience program in Fiscal Year 2024 to raise the reactor walls at their current wastewater treatment facility to prevent flooding, develop engineering plans and purchase equipment to build a new, relocated facility at a higher elevation, and install hurricane-resistant roofs on Tribal homes.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Trump’s Move to Shutter Voice of America is a Victory for Russia & China That Runs Counter to U.S. Interests

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Noting that the U.S. cannot maintain its global interests through military might alone, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today rebuked President Donald Trump’s order to eliminate major components of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which manages Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks, and more.

    Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, says the Trump-Musk retreat from diplomacy and American leadership on the world stage is a gift to Russia and China and makes America less secure.  Senator Reed argues that investing in the ‘soft power’ of fact-based news organizations like Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks, and more helps counter authoritarian propaganda, spreads facts, and advances peace, freedom, and American interests worldwide.

    Primarily a radio broadcaster, VOA was founded in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, and reaches 360 million people a week – including Russians and other countries where Vladimir Putin’s state run propaganda machine has heavy influence.  Like other USAGM entities, it offers objective and accurate reporting and American viewpoints to overseas audiences in dozens of languages.

    Today, Senator Reed issued the following statement:

    “The Trump Administration’s move to shutter these pro-democracy, free speech media organizations is a self-inflicted wound and a severe blow to American interests worldwide.  It is a gift to Putin and Xi.  Instead of surrendering the information war to authoritarian regimes, the U.S. should work with our allies to ensure a free and unbiased press can continue to reach and inform audiences who have no viable alternative to state-run propaganda.

    “Journalists from Voice of America and Radio Free Europe not only bring fair-minded news to people in closed societies, but they help increase our understanding of these places.  Pulling the plug on their mission undercuts America’s vital interests around the globe.  It diminishes our capacity to combat disinformation and promote freedom and democracy.  Repressive regimes aren’t pulling back here, they are increasing their investments in international media activities.  China alone spends billions on international media and influence activities, dwarfing the legitimate efforts of VOA to inform international audiences. State-run Chinese propaganda outlets are racing to influence and grow their audiences in Africa and other regions that Trump is abandoning.

    “Instead of weakening America’s diplomatic infrastructure, the Trump Administration should promote fact-based, multi-language media that counters propaganda and advances freedom and democracy. 

    “True to their mission, Voice of America and Radio Free Europe have a measure of editorial independence from presidential administrations.  Therefore, their reporting may criticize various aspects of U.S. policy.  That seems to be what President Trump really can’t abide.  He routinely calls members of the press “the enemy of the people.”  His Administration strips away reporters’ access when they report facts he doesn’t like. There is a reason the Kremlin and repressive regimes are celebrating Trump’s move and that should make more Americans question it.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Tours Furniture Manufacturer in Lisbon to Discuss Energy Efficiency Upgrades, Visits Mount Cabot Maple in Lancaster During Maple Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Lancaster, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, toured DCI Furniture in Lisbon to learn more about how the business is using federal funding to make energy efficiency upgrades. Later, Shaheen visited Mount Cabot Maple in Lancaster to celebrate Maple Month and hear about the challenges facing the Granite State’s maple industry. Photos from today’s events can be found here.

    In Lisbon, Shaheen visited DCI Furniture, a family-owned furniture manufacturing company, to learn more about how the business is using federal funding to install a new combined heat and power system that uses wood waste for fuel. The project will improve energy efficiency, decrease costs and reduce emissions at the facility.

    “Efficiency is the cheapest, fastest way to meet our energy needs, and DCI Furniture is a poster child for thinking about energy in a smart way,” said Senator Shaheen. “I was pleased to see firsthand how DCI is using federal funding that I’ve championed to make energy efficiency upgrades that will save money, reduce emissions and benefit the local forest-based economy—it’s just the kind of made-in-New Hampshire project we need to see more of.”

    The project has been awarded funding through programs Shaheen champions, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program, the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Wood Grant program and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. Shaheen was a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made huge investments in energy efficiency, including $550 million for Industrial Research and Assessment Centers and assistance for small- and medium-sized manufacturers to implement efficiency upgrades based upon her longstanding bipartisan legislation with former U.S. Senator Rob Portman. Shaheen also helped introduce legislation to enhance the Forest Service’s Community Wood  Grant program that is providing funding for this project. 

    Later in Lancaster, Shaheen visited Mount Cabot Maple to hear more about how the farm has benefitted from federal funding from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and underscore the challenges facing the Granite State’s maple industry in the wake of the Trump Administration’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico and federal funding freeze.

    “Our maple syrup producers are an integral and delicious part of New Hampshire’s identity,” said Senator Shaheen. “It was great to visit Mount Cabot Maple today during Maple Month to tour the farm and learn more about how this North Country staple is weathering the impacts of Trump’s funding chaos and tariffs on Canada.”

    Shaheen co-leads the Market Access, Promotion and Landowner Education Support for Your Regionally Underserved Producers (MAPLE SYRUP) Act with Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) to extend and expand the federal maple support program, which supports the U.S. maple syrup industry through research and education, natural resource sustainability and the marketing of maple syrup and maple-sap products.

    Shaheen has also been outspoken against the Trump Administration’s reckless tariffs on Canada and Mexico and chaotic funding freeze and cuts. Recently, Shaheen forced a vote in the Senate on her Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act to limit the President’s ability to levy sweeping tariffs that increase costs for American consumers and families. Shaheen has also hosted a series of roundtables and discussions with Granite Staters to better understand and highlight the direct consequences of the Trump administration’s funding chaos and uncertainty. Following the Trump administration’s decision to freeze grants and loans disbursed by the federal government in January, Shaheen immediately condemned the move and spoke on the Senate floor against the decision to freeze federal grants and loans that families, seniors and small businesses rely on for critical, often life-saving services. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Talks Economic Development, Broadband in Grant and Hampshire Counties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    PETERSBURG/MOOREFIELD, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, made stops in Petersburg, W.Va. and Moorefield, W.Va. to meet with community leaders and business professionals to discuss economic development opportunities and efforts to expand broadband access across West Virginia.

    First, Senator Capito traveled to Petersburg, W.Va. to meet with county commissioners, community leaders, and other business professionals to discuss Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) awards Senator Capito secured for the area and how they will benefit Grant County. Specifically, Senator Capito secured two Fiscal Year (FY) 24 CDS awards that will support a new Ambulance Headquarters and a trail.

    “When I began the process of congressionally directed spending, I did so in consultation with leaders like those on the county commission and local businesses here in Grant County. That’s because those on the ground know better than anyone else the needs of their communities,” Senator Capito said. “I was proud to secure the resources needed to construct a new Ambulance headquarters in Mt. Storm, which will help save lives, while serving the citizens of northern Grant County. I was just as proud to secure funding needed to expand a trail in the area that will enhance outdoor recreation, boost tourism, and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Both of these projects will go a long way in enhancing the quality of life for residents in the area, and I look forward to seeing them come to fruition.”

    “We are honored to assist Grant County in bringing reliable emergency response services closer to the Mount Storm area,” Callie Dayton, Clearway’s West Virginia-based External Affairs Manager, said. “This partnership was made possible thanks to the tremendous and insightful feedback that we received from area residents, landowners, and public service officials on the community’s most pressing needs. Clearway has been invested in West Virginia for more than a decade and we could not be more grateful for the support that we have received from the people of Grant and Mineral counties. We are eager to extend that investment and help keep West Virginia on the forefront of American-made power.”

    In the afternoon, Senator Capito traveled to Moorefield, W.Va. where she visited Hardy Telecommunications to discuss efforts to expand broadband accessibility across West Virginia.

    “Expanding broadband access is critical to West Virginia’s growth, and I appreciate the opportunity to meet with Hardy Telecommunications to discuss their efforts to better connect our communities,” Senator Capito said. “Reliable internet is essential for education, healthcare, and economic development, and I remain committed to supporting the investments needed to close the digital divide and ensure every West Virginian has access to high-speed broadband.”

    Photos from today’s visits are below:

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) attends a press conference about funding projects in Grant County, W.Va. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) attends a press conference about funding projects in Grant County, W.Va. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Lowell Town Hall, Warren Lays Out Three Ways She’s Fighting Back Against Trump, Musk’s Dangerous Government Takeover

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    March 19, 2025
    Video of Remarks (YouTube)
    Boston, MA – At a town hall in Lowell, MA on Tuesday, March 18th, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) laid out her strategy to fight Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s dangerous government takeover hurting Massachusetts families and invited neighbors from Lowell to join her in the fight. 
    Transcript: Senator Warren’s Opening Remarks Town Hall in Lowell, MAMarch 18, 2025 
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: It is so good to see all of you. So, look, I’ve got to start out in a pretty hard place. And that is: our country is under assault right now, assault from within.   
    Donald Trump ran for office, promising on Day One to lower costs for American families. He repeated that over and over and over — ran ads on it, talked about it at every rally, said that one thing he could promise: on Day One, he’d lower costs for American families. 
    After he got elected, the very first interview he gave, he said that was why he won, because he made that promise to lower costs for American families. Are your costs any lower? 
    Audience: No! 
    Senator Warren: No, in fact, look at what Donald Trump has been doing since he was sworn in. Here we are going into the third month. Oh, Lord. Going into the third month and what is he doing? He’s trying to end entire agencies in government. 
    We’ve got the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – woohoo! The cop on the beat so you don’t get cheated on your credit card, on your mortgage, on your car loan, just tried to sweep that completely off the books. Elon Musk tried to kill the CFPB — just take them out. Take them out. 
    The Department of Education, there for our little children, there for people trying to get a college diploma, there to make sure that a good public education is available for all of our kids — and they’re trying to take them out.  
    And as co-president Musk comes through with his chainsaw, he’s getting rid of the “fat” that we don’t need in government. You know, like the nuclear scientists that take care of fissionable material. Getting rid of air traffic controllers, who keep us safe while we’re on airplanes. Getting rid of the people who do the testing to make sure that we can drink the water and breathe the air. Getting rid of the people who inspect food that comes from foreign countries to make sure that we can safely eat it. That’s what he thinks is cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. 
    And understand, they don’t stop there. They also were out trying to cut off our future – end the money that goes into medical research, into scientific research. End the money that goes into higher education. End the money that goes into building the very foundations of our future. That’s what they’re trying to do and they’re throwing it up. They’re throwing up tons of it, every minute.  
    People say to me, “I can’t keep up. I can’t keep up with the headlines. There’s too much going on every day.” Understand this: that is exactly the plan. That is the plan. Because their hope is if you feel overwhelmed, if you can’t keep up with every piece of it, that you will simply cover up your head, give up, and let them do whatever they want. Well, I have to say to them: Not on my watch. Not on my watch. 
    So you look at the list of things they’ve done, and it may feel random to you. It’s like what? And they’re over here doing what? I didn’t even know that thing existed and they did what? There’s a whole lot of that going on, but again, that’s the hope. When you’ve got a really ugly plan that nobody much likes – Democrats don’t like it, Independents don’t like it, and the majority of Republicans don’t like it, you’ve got to find a way to ram it through, with nobody seeing it until it’s too late. 
    So what are they really doing with all those cuts? What is that chainsaw really about? Why shut down these departments? Why take down money that we invest in pediatric cancer research? I’ll tell you what it’s really for. What the Republicans in Congress and Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to do is they want to have a $4.7 trillion giveaway to a handful of billionaires and billionaire corporations, paid for on the backs of seniors, veterans, public workers, little kids, and we are here to say no to them. No.  
    So this is really important: the next time you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, the next time you’re thinking, “I’m not sure I’m following this next piece,” stop and say to yourself, “Oh wait, that is the plan. That is the plan. And we are the people who are fighting back.”  
    Here’s why I’m here tonight: I want to tell you three things I’m doing – and you know I come with an ask – I’m going to ask you to do three things, and then we’re going to do some questions, I want to hear from you, and want to talk about other things going on.  
    So what are we doing? What am I trying to do? I’ll tell you what I’m doing. I’m doubling down on the Constitution of the United States of America. 
    I’m putting my chips on the table and let’s just remember — Constitutional Law 101, three parts to government. It is the job of Congress to write the laws and enact the laws. That’s our job. It is the job of the administration to administer those laws, to carry them out faithfully. And it is the job of the courts to go after the administration and hold them accountable if they fail to follow the law.  
    So, Part One for me right now, for a whole lot of folks, is we’re taking Donald Trump and Elon Musk to court. Not once, not twice, we are in over a hundred lawsuits now. And they’re not through, because understand this: what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing is illegal. They are violating the law. We’ve just got to say it right out loud. 
    And listen, for any of you who run into your buddies who may have voted for Donald Trump because they thought he was going to lower prices – they say, “Well, he got elected.” Yeah, he got elected, and Republicans control the House and the Senate. If they want to change the law, the Constitution tells us how to do it. You start in Congress, you write new laws, then the administration can administer those laws. But no unelected guy with a chainsaw gets to come out here and shut down agencies and fire people that are working on behalf of the American people. 
    So that’s Part One. We are in court. And the early decisions – look, they’re not all perfect, not every case is going to line up the right way, but it’s looking hopeful. The courts are doing what they should be doing. They’re calling people out who are not following the law. And the latest sign is it’s moving all the way up to Elon Musk by name. So Part One. 
    Alright, Part Two: job in Congress. Go back to what I was talking about earlier. All the noise, all the sand in the gears, all the terrible things they’re trying to do, underlying all that is trying to hand over our government to the billionaires, to a handful of billionaires and billionaire corporations. This is going to be the fight over taxes, and that may sound boring – it is not. It is fundamentally who this government works for. Donald Trump, Elon Musk, a handful of billionaires who stood up there on the podium when Donald Trump was sworn in, they say that the United States’ people, the people of this country, should give them $4.7 trillion in giveaways and make everyone else pay for it. Because that is their vision of America. An America that works even better for the billionaires and even worse for everyone else.  
    I am a Democrat, and what it means to be a Democrat is every one of those guys needs to pay their fair share and we need to invest in Americans. So this fight is the big fight, and this is the fight in front of us. This is the one coming up right away. So that’s going to be the second thing. We’re going to be in this fight everywhere we possibly can.      
    Part Three is I’m doing everything I can, along with others, to help raise a movement. Ultimately, we’ve got the courts, we’ve got Congress, but real power in this nation is the American people. Real power is here, right here in Lowell, Massachusetts. Real power are the people who continue to pay attention, the people who continue to reach out, the people who continue to make their voices heard. 
    That’s why so much of this fight is trying to get people just to give up. Trying to overwhelm them so they’ll just cover up their heads. Trying to say it’s all too complicated, trying to do it all with the emojis, and let’s do this, make fun of people, let’s try to take them down. Because they want you to give up. Because you are the true source of power. 
    So last week, I was not here in Massachusetts, I was in Texas. Bernie is in Iowa. Where was Tim Walz — we’ve got a bunch of people out — Wisconsin, that’s exactly right. But that’s the idea, we’ve got to raise it, we’ve got to raise it together. So those are three things that I’m working on, trying to get all of my friends in the Senate and friends everywhere to work on.
    But I’m here to ask you to be part of this as well. And here are my three asks for you: the first one is tell the stories. We build a grassroots movement one blade of grass at a time. And you can say cut federal employees and it may sound like cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. But when you talk about that you have a child in a pediatric cancer trial that is supported by federal dollars, and taking those federal dollars away can threaten that child’s life, that’s a story that everybody else in America needs to hear. 
    When you’re ready to talk about your neighbor down the street who is trying hard to be able to live independently — serious accident has got to have some home health care — and Elon Musk, the richest man on this planet, thinks that the way we save money is we tell that person, “You don’t get a home health aide, you have to move into a nursing home. That’s all that’s going to be available for you.” And then turns around it says to people who are in nursing homes, there’s not going to be enough support for you. I don’t know what the plan is there. We’re just going to set people out on the corners? Tell those stories. Tell them real. Tell them from your family, tell them from your neighbors, tell them from your cousins, but tell those stories. That’s number one. It is the best possible way to meet people where they are and get them to understand the importance of this fight. 
    Second part: do not underestimate the power of organization. Have I got some Indivisibles here? Power of organization. Any other groups that we’ve got in here? How about unions? Have we got anybody that works with unions? I don’t have to persuade you about the power of organization, right? 
    Organization, but I mean this in every way you can magnify your voice. You got a Facebook group? That’s organization. You got a bunch of friends you went to school with 22 years ago and you still keep in touch? That’s organization. And if some of them don’t live in Massachusetts, that’s even better organization, because this is how we keep moving these stories out. We’re going to push these stories out the door. And organizing keeps us going. So that’s the second part. One voice is loud, but two voices are more than twice as loud, so lots of organization. 
    Third point: take care of yourself. We’ve got to do some self-care and some care for each other. So there’s a reason on the airplane that they always do the little thing about adjust your own mask before trying to help anyone else. You’ve got to keep breathing oxygen.
    You’ve got to stay in this fight. And there are a lot of ways that we can do this, each of us will find our own. I have a very large golden retriever. He might be a little too large. Bruce, however, always just describes him as he’s large-boned. He does like spaghetti, though. Patting a Golden Retriever is part of health. 
    I do a lot of self care in this, and I want to say this for all of you, it also fits with the point about telling stories and organization. If you’ve got more people in the fight with you. You’ve got more people to keep you going when you’re kind of in the down part of this to remind you of the good parts. 
    We have a rule in our office, and that is when anything good happens – and I get it, kind of few and far between sometimes – but when something good happens, when we get a good court decision that comes down, when we see an agency where somebody stands up and says, “Well, I’m just going to have to fire me then, because I’m not leaving without you.” We pass that around and we all stop and feel good about it for a minute, reminding each other that we are in this fight together. 
    So three things I’m working on, three things I’m asking you to work on, because now we get down to the bottom part of this, and that is: this is hard. I never thought our nation would face something like this. An unelected billionaire with a chainsaw is making decisions to get rid of thousands of people that we count on every day to keep this country going.
    I never thought I would be at a time when a President of the United States would be saying, “Yeah, recession, it worked out fine.” I never thought I would be in a place where the Republicans in Congress would be so spineless. But despite all of that, despite what we are up against, despite it all, I am fundamentally optimistic and I am optimistic for this reason. I know what it means to fight a righteous fight.
    This is a righteous fight, and we are in this together. There is no one I would rather fight alongside, but the good people of Lowell, Massachusetts, of all of Massachusetts, and of the United States of America.
    Thank you. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and John Cornyn, along with Mark Warner, Todd Young, Angus King, and James Lankford, introduced the bipartisan Critical Minerals Security Act to help secure U.S. critical mineral supply chains and counter China’s dominance in the industry.
    “The U.S. can’t lead the world in AI, quantum computing, and clean energy with China holding all the cards,” said Hickenlooper. “We can secure our future by working hand in glove with our allies to build a stable supply of critical minerals.”
    “Despite the important role critical minerals play in everything from consumer electronics to military defense, we need more information to secure a reliable, long-term supply of these minerals,” said Cornyn. “This legislation would ensure the U.S. and our allies understand how critical minerals are controlled around the world so we can counter foreign countries of concern.”
    Specifically, it would direct the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to evaluate the global supply and ownership of critical minerals, establish a process to help U.S. companies divest critical minerals operations in foreign countries, and develop a method for sharing intellectual property for clean mining and processing technologies with U.S. allies and partners.
    In the 119th Congress, Hickenlooper has led and co-sponsored multiple other critical minerals related legislation, including:
    The bipartisan STRATEGIC Minerals Act to foster critical minerals trade with our international allies, led by Senator Young.
    His bipartisan Unearth Innovation Act to establish a DOE program for sustainable critical mineral research innovation and recycling.
    His bipartisan Critical Materials Future Act to establish a pilot program for the Department of Energy to financially support domestic critical material processing projects.
    Full text is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Idaho Congressional Delegation to Host Service Academy Days

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
    IDAHO – U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and U.S. Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher (all R-Idaho) announced three events for young Idahoans and their families to learn about U.S. service academies. 
    Students, parents, and counselors are invited to attend and speak with service academy representatives and learn how to receive a nomination from a member of the Idaho Congressional Delegation.   
    Four service academies in attendance:
    U.S. Military Academy at West Point 
    U.S. Naval Academy
    U.S. Air Force Academy
    U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
    Details:
    Central Idaho 
    March 26, 6 – 8 p.m. PST
    Lewiston High School Library
    3201 Cecil Andrus Way in Lewiston
    North Idaho 
    April 3, 6 – 8 p.m. PST
    North Idaho College Student Union Building
    495 N. College Drive in Coeur d’Alene
    South Idaho  
    In-person and Zoom options are available. RSVP is required. Please contact Amy Sorensen with Congressman Mike Simpson’s Office at (208) 523-6701 for more information.
    April 12, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 
    Gowen Field Readiness Building #440
    4087 W. Harvard St in Boise
    For more information on service academy nominations, click HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Colleagues Condemn Trump Administration’s Gutting of the Department of Education

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon condemning the administration’s reckless and illegal firing of half of the workforce at the U.S. Department of Education, which is tasked with providing funding and support to critical programs that help students succeed. By dismantling the Department of Education while fighting to give more tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy, the Trump Administration is putting at risk federal funding that helps pay teachers’ salaries, support veterans accessing higher education, and protect student’s civil and educational rights.  
    For Nevada, this means threatening the federal agency that provides over 16 percent of the state’s funding for public K-12 education to meet the needs of nearly 700 schools and over 534,000 students. It has also distributed $264 million in Pell Grants to help 57,000 students in Nevada access higher education.
    “As Secretary of Education, you are the foremost public servant responsible for carrying out the Department of Education’s mission to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access,” wrote the Senators. “Despite that responsibility, your first act as Secretary was announcing it was your ‘final mission’ to dismantle the Department of Education, fire the public servants who keep it running, and terminate opportunities for students in public schools, colleges, and universities across the country.”
    “We will not stand by as you attempt to turn back the clock on education in this country through gutting the Department of Education,” they continued. “Our nation’s public schools, colleges, and universities are preparing the next generation of America’s leaders—we must take steps to strengthen education in this country, not take a wrecking ball to the agency that exists to do so.”
    The full letter can be found HERE.
    Senator Rosen has been a strong critic of the Trump Administration’s efforts to cut programs Nevadans rely on in order to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. Last week, she voted against Republicans’ partisan continuing resolution that gives President Trump and Elon Musk unprecedented power to withhold funding for critical programs supporting veterans, seniors, and families in Nevada and across the country. Last month, Rosen took to the Senate floor to call out Congressional Republicans for this extreme budget plan that cuts Medicaid to give more tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Re-Directs Biden-era EV Fund to Support Critical Wyoming Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the Highway Funding Flexibility Act which frees up money stuck in accounts intended to fund Biden’s radical EV charger initiative and directs those funds to pay for projects critical for travel and commerce throughout Wyoming.

    “For far too long, the people of Wyoming were forced to endure Biden’s radical EV mandates that dedicated their hard-earned tax dollars toward Green New Deal initiatives that do not effectively serve the state of Wyoming,” said Lummis. “My legislation frees up these funds to address Wyoming’s actual transportation needs without adding to the national debt, rather than forcing Biden-era EV mandates on the Cowboy State.”

    Under the Biden administration, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program ($1 billion annually from FY22-FY26), and $2.5 billion from FY22-FY26 for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program, totaling $7.5 billion.

    In February, President Trump paused this ill-conceived program, giving Congress the ability to redirect appropriated funds stuck in the accounts.

    Despite the hefty price tag and the Biden administration’s desire to force its ill-fitting EV mandate on Wyoming, the funds remain virtually untouched in Wyoming and other states. The Highway Funding Flexibility Act ensures the state of Wyoming can use these existing funds to pay for Wyoming’s highway infrastructure needs, including roads, bridges, truck parking, and wildlife crossings. The bill’s scope for eligible activities includes engineering, design, construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation.

    Text for the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Chesapeake Bay State Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Help Farmers Cut Costs, Enhance Bay Health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), alongside Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Mark Warner (D-VA), announced the introduction of the Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act. This legislation would incentivize agricultural conservation practices by providing federal resources to help cut costs for the region’s farmers while improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay. As approximately one-third of the Chesapeake Bay’s 64,000-square-mile watershed is agricultural land, enabling more farmers to implement conservation and environmental resilience measures will help reduce nutrient runoff into the Bay and its tributaries – a significant cause of harm to the health of the Bay’s fisheries and ecosystem. Companion legislation was introduced in the House on a bipartisan basis by U.S. Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), and Bobby Scott (D-VA-03).

    “Responsible stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem is crucial to protecting tourism jobs, farmers, and our local seafood industries,” said Kaine. “This legislation will help give Virginia’s agricultural producers—who are especially vulnerable to a changing climate—the support they need to implement smart conservation measures that will reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay and ensure the watershed is healthy for generations to come.”

    “The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure and a regional economic engine – it puts food on our tables, supports the livelihoods of thousands of Marylanders, and serves as a critical habitat for wildlife. This bipartisan legislation will help us both support our farmers and agricultural communities, while providing greater resources to protect the Bay and reducing harmful runoff,” said Van Hollen.

    “The Chesapeake Bay is the heart of Maryland – our state treasure,” said Alsobrooks. “We must do all we can to conserve it. The Bay is one of Maryland’s key economic drivers – supporting the tourism industry, our watermen, and farmers all across the state. And this legislation won’t just support Maryland – it will help Americans across our region access clean drinking water. Let’s get this done.”

    “The Chesapeake Bay is synonymous with Virginia, and it’s crucial that we take meaningful steps to help protect it. I’m proud to introduce this legislation that will boost conservation efforts by providing direct support to the farmers on the ground who are vital to the health and safety of the bay,” said Warner.

    The full text of the bill is available here.

    The Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act is endorsed by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Choose Clean Water Coalition, and Chesapeake Bay Commission.

    Background on Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act

    As extreme weather events and flooding occur with increasing frequency, the Chesapeake Bay region’s farmers are contending with crop damage and runoff of soil and fertilizers, which also carries pollution into waterways. Agricultural conservation practices are one of the most cost-effective solutions to address these urgent problems and they provide multiple benefits. Practices that focus on building healthy soils and maintaining permanent vegetation such as forest buffers can reduce runoff, remove carbon from the atmosphere, and improve the land’s ability to withstand floods, drought, and other extreme conditions. In addition, many practices help producers cut costs and make their farms more resilient to economic shocks by increasing yields.

    The Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act focuses federal resources on the approximately 83,000 farms in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to boost voluntary conservation efforts that help achieve water quality goals, increase soil health, and provide economic benefits. Additionally, the legislation provides solutions for developing a more robust agriculture workforce to get more technical assistance on the ground, and it would simplify harvesting invasive blue catfish from the Bay.

    Specifically, this legislation: 

    • Authorizes the Chesapeake Bay States’ Partnership Initiative (CPSI). In May 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an additional $22.5 million in conservation assistance in fiscal year 2022 to help farmers boost water quality improvements and conservation in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This administrative action was a significant step toward closing the estimated $737 million investment gap needed to meet agriculture sector nutrient reduction goals. USDA also announced a new task force, jointly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to better quantify the voluntary conservation efforts of farmers in the Bay watershed. This legislation codifies these administrative actions, empowering USDA to provide targeted support to Chesapeake Bay watershed farmers.
    • Reforms the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to boost participation. CREP was once the dominant source of financial and technical assistance for riparian forest buffers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. However, enrollment has slowed in recent years, despite the cost effectiveness of buffers to address water quality concerns. This bill removes administrative barriers to implementation and allows states to more easily take advantage of legislative improvements to the program.
    • Creates a Chesapeake Bay Watershed Turnkey Pilot Program. This legislation establishes a pilot “turnkey” program for the installation, management, and maintenance of riparian forest buffers (RFB) to be implemented by a third party, where the landowner assigns the cost-share and practice incentive payments to the third party but continues to receive the annual rental payment. This program offers a simple process for landowners who wish to install RFB buffers to apply.
    • Strengthens Chesapeake Bay Watershed Workforce Development. This bill expands the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Higher Education Challenge Grant Program to include community college and post-secondary vocational programs, as well as paid work-based learning opportunities. Additional capacity is needed to support the implementation of conservation technical assistance. This legislation will increase the workforce pipeline for trained professionals that work with producers to inform, design, engineer, and install agricultural best management practices in a way that maximizes the benefits for both the producer and the environment. Promoting agricultural conservation courses at institutions that offer one- and two-year programs will help bring students to the workforce more quickly and with a lower student loan debt burden, making these jobs more attractive.
    • Provides Invasive Blue Catfish Inspection Relief. This legislation transfers primary regulatory oversight of domestic wild-caught catfish invasive to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem from the Department of Agriculture to the Food and Drug Administration. In 2017, all catfish were placed under the regulatory jurisdiction of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, including wild-caught, domestic blue catfish. The establishment of this inspection program has placed constraints on catfish processing in the Bay region.

    “Across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, producers are doing their part to protect the health of their soils and local streams by installing conservation practices. To keep faith with our farmers, we need a strong Farm Bill that enhances the technical and financial support producers need for success,” said Anna Killius, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. “We applaud Senator Van Hollen and all of the original cosponsors of the Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act for their forward-thinking approach for the Farm Bill, for our region’s farmers, and for the Chesapeake Bay. “

    “Farmers are essential to restoring the Bay and its waterways. The Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act would encourage more farmers to adopt conservation practices that reduce fertilizer and sediment runoff, the largest source of water pollution to the Bay. The bill would also enable more watermen to improve their bottom line by harvesting invasive blue catfish. This would help protect native Bay species and the seafood industry from this voracious predator while supporting the region’s economy. With the staffing turmoil at USDA, the proposals for increasing the number of trained professionals on the ground helping farmers improve water and soil quality are more important than ever,” said Keisha Sedlacek, Federal Director at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “The Chesapeake Bay Foundation thanks Reps. Wittman, Scott, Elfreth, and Kiggans and Sens. Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, Fetterman, Kaine, and Warner for reintroducing this bipartisan legislation. We urge Congress to quickly pass a new, more Bay-friendly Farm Bill that includes the smart policy changes outlined in this bill.”

    “With farmers as the original conservationists, we applaud the Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act, which will help farmers implement more conservation projects on their land. These projects will not only help local waterways, but also support local economies,” said Kristin Reilly, Director of the Choose Clean Water Coalition. “We thank Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) for their leadership in this effort.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock’s Statement on Trump Administration Removing Seniors’ Ability to Access Social Security Services via Phone

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock’s Statement on Trump Administration Removing Seniors’ Ability to Access Social Security Services via Phone

    The statement follows the Trump Administration’s announcement that Georgia seniors will have to apply or make changes to their Social Security benefits online or in person

    Earlier in the month, the Trump Administration announced it was shutting down five Georgia Social Security offices that serve rural parts of the state

    According to the New York Times, it takes over a month to make an in-person appointment at a local Social Security office

    15% of Georgians lack access to reliable broadband

    ICYMI: Social Security Administration Will No Longer Allow Changes Made by Phone

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) issued the following statement after the Trump Administration’s announcement that seniors could no longer contact the Social Security Administration by phone to file for benefits or change the bank where their payments are deposited.

    “This announcement is one more example of the Trump Administration’s war on seniors and their social security benefits. The leaders of this administration appear to know a lot of billionaires, but not many ordinary people. Many Georgia seniors are unable to drive and can’t access transportation, so I know how difficult it is for seniors to make in-person appointments. Forcing seniors to choose between navigating a complicated government bureaucracy online or waiting over a month for an in-person appointment will only lead to more confusion and cause some Georgia seniors to lose out on their benefits. This announcement is especially thoughtless considering the Trump Administration just closed five Georgia Social Security offices and 15% of Georgians lack access to reliable broadband.”

    “I am all for cutting government waste and abuse, and if my colleagues in Washington want to have a bipartisan conversation about how to reduce our debt, my door is open. But efforts to limit government spending should never be at the expense of services our retired seniors rely on to live healthy, fulfilling lives. This is wrong, this is dangerous, and I will fight cuts to Social Security services with every tool I have.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Urges President Trump to Abandon Use of Family Detention

    US Senate News:

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

    Senators to Trump: “There is simply no basis for reinstating this cruel, ineffective, and costly practice, particularly when there are effective solutions that, unlike family detention, do not permanently damage children’s health and well-being”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined a group of 21 other Senate Democrats in condemning President Donald Trump’s revival of family detention policies and urging him to reject the harmful practice.

    The Senators strongly objected to the Trump Administration’s reinstatement of these policies, citing multiple studies published on family detention’s harm to children. Family detention, even in the short term, risks serious harm to the physical and mental well-being of children, violating basic child welfare standards and leading to lasting trauma. Medical and child welfare experts, including Department of Homeland Security’s own medical consultants, have found that family detention creates a “high risk of harm to children and families.”

    “We strongly object to the failed and inhumane practice of detaining migrant families. We are deeply disturbed by reports that your Administration intends to revive this cruel policy, which has proven to be ineffective, costly, and devastating for children and families,” wrote the Senators.

    The Senators also cited multiple studies finding family detention to be costly and ineffective, and demanded the Trump Administration abandon plans to reinstate family detention.

    “Family detention is not just damaging to children and families; it is also costly and ineffective,” continued the Senators. “It does not deter migration. It simply inflicts suffering while draining taxpayer funds at an exorbitant cost.”

    “There is simply no basis for reinstating this cruel, ineffective, and costly practice, particularly when there are effective solutions that, unlike family detention, do not permanently damage children’s health and well-being. For these reasons, we strongly urge you to abandon the use of family detention and instead pursue humane, evidence-based alternatives that prioritize the well-being of children and families while ensuring an orderly and lawful immigration system,” concluded the Senators.

    Padilla signed the letter, led by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, alongside Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. Earlier this week, Senators Padilla, Durbin, Booker, and Welch issued a joint statement slamming President Trump for his attempted invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, wartime law, to deport noncitizens without due process. Last week, Padilla joined other Democratic immigration leaders in challenging the constitutional basis of President Trump’s sham “invasion” proclamation, which the President believes would allow his Administration to circumvent federal immigration law and due process.

    Padilla sharply criticized Trump’s harmful executive orders targeting immigrants at the start of his second Administration. Last month, Padilla denounced Trump’s transfer of immigrants from the United States to Guantánamo Bay as unlawful and demanded answers regarding these transfers. He also condemned the Trump Administration’s intended use of Bureau of Prisons facilities to detain immigrants as part of President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Additionally, Padilla cosponsored the Born in the USA Act to effectively block the implementation of Trump’s unconstitutional Executive Order attempting to end birthright citizenship for certain children born in the United States, or a similar subsequent Executive Order. Padilla also recently blasted the Trump Administration’s stop work order to organizations that provide legal services for unaccompanied children and demanded they protect Congressionally mandated legal representation for these children in the immigration system. Last year, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

    Full text of the letter to President Trump is available here and below:

    Dear President Trump:

    We strongly object to the failed and inhumane practice of detaining migrant families. We are deeply disturbed by reports that your Administration has revived this cruel policy, which has proven to be ineffective, costly, and devastating for children and families.

    There is a widespread consensus in the United States that family detention poses serious risks to the physical and mental well-being of children. Medical and child welfare experts—including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association—have consistently condemned this practice, warning that even short-term detention fails to meet basic child welfare standards and exposes children to lasting trauma. Even the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) own medical consultants have concluded that family detention presents a “high risk of harm to children and families.” The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Advisory Committee on Family Residential Centers also determined that family detention should be discontinued.

    Family detention is not just damaging to children and families; it is also costly and ineffective. It does not deter migration. It simply inflicts suffering while draining taxpayer funds at an exorbitant cost. DHS previously spent more than $866 million over a three-year period to maintain space to detain just over 2,500 families. Detaining a mother and her children in an ICE facility costs an astonishing $319 per day. In contrast, Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs —such as community-based case management—cost as little as $5 per person per day and have ensured high compliance rates with immigration proceedings.

    There is simply no basis for reinstating this cruel, ineffective, and costly practice, particularly when there are effective solutions that, unlike family detention, do not permanently damage children’s health and well-being. For these reasons, we strongly urge you to abandon the use of family detention and instead pursue humane, evidence-based alternatives that prioritize the well-being of children and families while ensuring an orderly and lawful immigration system.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Celebrates Completion of Critical Water Infrastructure Projects in Rural Doña Ana County, Recognizes New Mexico Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Anthony, N.M. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) visited the Anthony Water Treatment Plant to celebrate the completion of two federally funded water infrastructure projects that he helped to fund in rural Doña Ana County. Senator Luján secured funding for the Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF), which allowed for the completion of these water infrastructure projects that have now connected rural homes to essential wastewater treatment services.

    “It was a privilege to celebrate the completion of two vital water infrastructure projects in Doña Ana County. I’m proud to have secured funding for these projects through the Environmental Protection Agency and its Border Environment Infrastructure Fund,”said Senator Luján. “Projects like these don’t happen without workers making them happen, and workers don’t work without projects like these.”

    “The new wastewater collection system in Sleepy Farms provides cleaner water, safer sanitation, and reduces the risk of groundwater contamination. In Anthony, the replacement of 23,000 feet of aging water lines ensures consistent, safe drinking water for 1,795 residents by preventing leaks, improving pressure, and reducing water loss,”continued Senator Luján. “Water is life in New Mexico, and we cannot afford to waste a single drop.”

    Project 1: Wastewater Collection System Extension and Improvements for Doña Ana County, New Mexico 

    The Project constructed a new wastewater collection system in an unincorporated area commonly known as Sleepy Farms, and rehabilitated a nearby Lift Station. Both components are near Vado in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. 

    The project will prevent groundwater contamination and reduce the risks of waterborne diseases by providing first-time wastewater collection services to 31 homes in the Sleepy Farms area and eliminating substandard and failing septic systems. The new system will collect an estimated 9,400 gallons per day (GPD) of wastewater for treatment and improve service for an additional 2,050 existing connections by increasing the reliability and efficiency of lift station #7, as well as preventing the risk of up to approximately 400,000 GPD of wastewater spills. 
     
    Project 2: Water Distribution System Improvements for Anthony, New Mexico 
     
    The project rehabilitated nearly 23,000 linear feet of deteriorated water distribution lines in Anthony, NM, to ensure reliable drinking water services for approximately 560 existing residential connections by reducing risks of leaks and line breaks.  An estimated 1,795 residents in Anthony will benefit from the project. 

    Anthony Water and Sanitation District (AWSD) provides water and wastewater services to the community of Anthony NM. AWSD currently provides services to approximately 2,900 residential connections or a population of approximately 9,950. Parts of the utility’s water distribution system date back to the mid-1900’s, have reached the end of their service life, and create maintenance issues for AWSD. 

    This project rehabilitated AWSD’s water lines in the Kaylar and Timbers Subdivisions, which had outdated pipes from the 1950s prone to frequent breaks and water losses. The area had issues with inadequate water flow, lack of fire suppression, and limited access to lines. Upgrades to the system will provide reliable drinking water for around 1,795 people, reduce water losses to under 20%, and improve overall water management, ensuring safer, more sustainable water services.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Joins Bipartisan Push to Deliver Combat-Injured Veterans Full Military Benefits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Major Richard Star Act would provide combat-injured veterans with full earned disability compensation and retirement pay

    Española, N.M. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Rick Scott (R-FL) to introduce S. 1032, the Major Richard Star Act—bipartisan legislation to provide combat-injured veteran retirees their full benefits.

    Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of their Department of Defense (DOD) retirement and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability payments—leaving behind more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees. The Senators’ Major Richard Star Act will fix this unjust policy for retired combat veterans—providing them their full VA disability and DOD retirement payments.

    “The men and women who risked their lives for our country and were injured in combat deserve the full benefits they have earned. Too many veterans have been left behind, and it’s far past time we correct this grave injustice,” said Senator Luján. “That’s why I am proud to stand with my colleagues working to fix the unjust veterans’ disability system.”

    “This measure corrects one of the deepest injustices in our present veterans’ disability system,” said Senator Blumenthal. “It is unacceptable that tens of thousands of combat-injured veterans are denied the full military benefits they earned. Our bipartisan bill will right this longstanding injustice and finally provide these military retirees who have already sacrificed so much their full VA disability and Defense Department retirement payments.”

    “The Major Richard Star Act corrects a severe injustice for combat-wounded veterans,” said Senator Crapo. “The support for this correction is clear.  Though the namesake of our legislation is no longer with us, I continue to press for its passage on behalf of the more than 50,000 veterans, including hundreds in Idaho, who stand to benefit.”  

    “Our veterans put their lives on the line for this country and it’s time our government gives them the full benefits they’ve earned,” said Senator Warren. “The Major Richard Star Act will ensure the federal government keeps its promise to our veterans by allowing them to collect both disability and retirement benefits they earned, even if combat injuries forced them to retire early.”

    “I am a proud veteran and the son of a World War II veteran, and I have immense respect for anyone who puts on the uniform to defend our nation,” said Senator Scott. “Our veterans are American heroes who have made countless sacrifices. The Major Richard Star Act ensures our veterans receive the full benefits they’ve earned through their service and sacrifice protecting our nation regardless of length of service. This legislation makes a critical change to treat our veterans fairly and support our nation’s heroes. I urge my colleagues to support its quick passage.”

    This bipartisan legislation is named in honor of Major Richard A. Star, a decorated war veteran who was forced to medically retire due to his combat-related injuries. Major Star sadly lost his battle with cancer on February 13, 2021. The legislation has 43 bipartisan cosponsors.

    The House companion version of this bill was introduced by Congressmen Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA), with 185 bipartisan cosponsors.

    The Senators’ bipartisan effort to provide combat-injured veterans their due benefits is supported by the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), Air & Space Forces Association (AFA), American GI Forum, The American Legion,American Military Society,American Veterans (AMVETS), Armed Forces Retiree Association, Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA), Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Association of the United States Navy (AUSN), Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Burn Pits 360, Chief Warrant Officers Association of the US Coast Guard (CWOA), Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, Inc. (COA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), Heroes Athletic Association, Gold Star Wives of America (GSW), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV), K9s for Warriors, Marine Corps League (MCL), Marine Corps Reserve Association (MCRA), Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America (MCA), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Mission Roll Call, National Defense Committee, National Military Family Association (NMFA), Naval Enlisted Reserve Association (NERA), Non-Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA), Operation First Response, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA),Quality of Life Foundation, Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Stronghold Freedom Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), The Independence Fund (TIF), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (USAWOA), USCG Chief Petty Officers Association (CPOA), VetsFirst/United Spinal Association, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Wounded Paw Project, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Deimco Finishing Equipment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Deimco Finishing Equipment of Tama County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
    “Since 1983, Deimco Finishing Equipment has specialized in American-made high-quality finishing systems that cater to the automotive, military, medical industries, and more,” said Chair Ernst. “With 99% on-time delivery on over 2,800 completed projects, Deimco Finishing Equipment sure knows how to engineer a smooth finish.”
    In 1983, Tom Deimerly established Deimco Finishing Equipment and grew it steadily until 2002 when Kirk and Cindy Shirar bought the business. Their vision to provide high-quality finishing systems and automation solutions steered the company to Tama, Iowa in 2003 to accommodate their expansion. In 2024, the Shirars passed the family business to their son and daughter-in-law, Jacob and Kyrsten, who manage the business today. This year, Deimco Finishing Equipment will celebrate its 42nd anniversary in Iowa. 
    Stay tuned as Chair Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.

    MIL OSI USA News –