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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Statement on Illegal Firing of Federal Trade Commissioners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the only Democratic Senator on both the Judiciary and Commerce Committees, released the following statement on the illegal firing of Federal Trade Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya.
    “This is outrageous. President Trump’s dismissal of Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya is not only illegal but also hurts consumers by undermining an independent agency that Congress established to protect consumers from fraud, scams, and monopoly power. The Federal Trade Commission has carried out this mission in a bipartisan way for more than 110 years—including returning more than $330 million to consumers last year and taking on hidden fees—but today President Trump has threatened that critical work. Illegally gutting the Commission will empower fraudsters and monopolists, and consumers will pay the price.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Makes Stops in Morgantown and Bridgeport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    MORGANTOWN/BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, made stops in Morgantown, W.Va. and Bridgeport, W.Va. During the visits, Senator Capito met with education and city leaders to receive updates on projects that will expand educational opportunities and contribute to economic growth.
    First, Senator Capito traveled to Morgantown, W.Va. to celebrate and announce the progress made for renovations at WVU’s School of Dentistry. The renovations, which Senator Capito supported through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process, improved the educational needs and care of patients provided by WVU Medicine. About 82% of dentists practicing in the state of West Virginia are graduates from WVU’s School of Dentistry.
    “As West Virginia’s only dental school, WVU plays a critical role in training the next generation of dentists and expanding access to oral health care across our state,” Senator Capito said. “That’s why I was proud to support these renovations through the Congressionally Directed Spending process—because investing in this program means investing in the health and well-being of West Virginians. I was proud to celebrate these renovations at WVU today, and I look forward to seeing all the great work that will come from this facility in the years ahead.”
    “As the state’s flagship, land-grant university, and the only dental school in West Virginia, the WVU School of Dentistry is committed to providing excellence in student-centered education and patient-centered care. This renovation and modernization initiative will ensure we are able to meet the current and future needs of those entrusted to our care by transforming and improving access to oral healthcare across West Virginia,” Dr. Stephen Pachuta, Dean of the WVU School of Dentistry, said.
    In the afternoon, Senator Capito traveled to Bridgeport, W.Va. where she met with Bridgeport Mayor Andy Lang, as well as leadership from the Benedum Airport Authority and the City of Bridgeport, to discuss progress made on the new Airport Terminal Project at the North Central West Virginia Airport. The group also discussed the impact this project will have on both the aviation and tourism industries in the region and across the state.
    “I was glad to have the opportunity to sit down with leaders from the City of Bridgeport and the Benedum Airport Authority to discuss the exciting progress made on the new terminal at North Central West Virginia Airport. This project is a game-changer for our state’s aviation and tourism industries, improving connectivity, attracting new businesses, and making travel more efficient for residents and visitors alike. I’m proud to support investments like this that drive economic growth and open new opportunities for West Virginians,” Senator Capito said.
    Photos from today’s visits are below:

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) delivers remarks at the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Dentistry in Morgantown, W.Va. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) tours the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Dentistry in Morgantown, W.Va. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) meets with leadership from the Benedum Airport Authority and the City of Bridgeport to learn more about the progress made on a new terminal project at the North Central West Virginia Airport in Bridgeport, W.Va. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Padilla Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Find Missing Persons on Federal Land

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced the TRACE Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to include an additional category to the existing National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems (NamUs) database so the public and law enforcement partners can denote cases where the person went missing or was identified on federal land—including by providing specific location details.

    The bill also requires DOJ to submit an annual report to Congress on the number of cases of persons missing on public lands or suspected of going missing on public lands from the previous year. With this new feature, family and friends of people who have gone missing on public lands could more easily find and include this information in NamUs, while law enforcement agencies can simultaneously work to improve the national records of individuals missing on public lands.  

    “Every year, thousands of people go missing on public lands without being recorded in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System,” said Senator Tillis. “This oversight is impeding law enforcement from keeping track of those who go missing to help search and rescue efforts. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan, bicameral legislation so these cases can be added to the database and potentially save hundreds of lives in the future.”

    “Thousands of people go missing on public lands every year in the United States, but without an effective tracking system, law enforcement faces significant challenges in finding them,” said Senator Padilla. “Public lands should be safe for everyone. That’s why Senator Tillis and I are introducing bipartisan legislation to improve data accuracy and accessibility, give law enforcement better tools to resolve cases, and bring peace of mind to affected families.”

    “Our law enforcement must have the proper resources and tools to bring home missing people,” said Senator Blumenthal. “This legislation would improve oversight and search and rescue efforts—bolstering the safety and security of our country’s public spaces. By equipping our law enforcement with the necessary data to track missing individuals on public lands, the TRACE Act will help recover those individuals and potentially save countless lives in the future.”

    Background:

    According to a NamUs report, over 600,000 people go missing in the United States annually. While the majority of these cases are resolved, tens of thousands of people remain missing every year. 

    There are approximately 640 million acres of federal land which include national parks, national forests, and Bureau of Land Management lands. Estimates suggest that at least 1,600 people have gone missing on public lands, though the number is likely much higher, as isolated or rugged terrain on public lands can make it especially difficult to find or identify people who go missing. Despite this, there is no functional system to report people who have gone missing on public lands. Having accurate data on how many people go missing on our public lands every year is crucial to aid search and rescue efforts and resolve cases. 

    NamUs is the main system used by law enforcement, families and friends of missing persons, medical examiners, and coroners to report unidentified remains and missing persons, and is also used by the public.

    The TRACE Act is endorsed by the Public Lands Solution, Jewish Women’s Institute, Major County Sheriffs Association, Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), NDAA, Raven, National Association to End Sexual Violence, and the Outdoor Industry Association.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: March 18th, 2025 Heinrich Introduces Legislation to Reverse Chaos & Damage Created by Trump & Musk at the VA, Reinstate Veterans Fired by DOGE & Protect Veteran Benefits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, introduced the Putting Veteran’s First Act, legislation that reverses the chaos and damage created at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE).
    Veterans make up 30 percent of the federal workforce with approximately 640,000 veterans working in federal agencies. This week, a leaked internal memo revealed the Trump administration’s plans to cut more than 80,000 of VA employees, to include at least 20,000 veterans, who make up 25 percent of the VA’s workforce.
    The Trump administration’s recent mass terminations of VA employees, which include a substantive number of veterans and military spouses. The firings come at a time of staffing shortages and increased demand for services, such as urgently needed mental health care to reduce the veteran suicide rate.
    Last month, Heinrich demanded that VA Secretary Doug Collins immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated, including employees providing mental health support on the Veterans Crisis Line.
    The Putting Veterans First Act reinstates all veterans, military spouses, survivors, veteran caregivers, and members of the Guard and Reserves who worked in the federal government and were illegally fired, demoted, or suspended by Trump, Musk, or DOGE. The legislation protects veteran benefits, prohibits DOGE from accessing or altering veterans’ private data, and increases oversight of the VA claims backlog.
    “Veterans serve our country on the battlefield abroad and in civil service at home, making up 30 percent of our federal workforce. Their service deserves respect, not illegal terminations, demotions, and suspensions from a chainsaw-wielding, unelected billionaire. I’m proud to support this bill to show veterans, military spouses, veteran caregivers, and Guard and Reserve members the respect they are owed,” said Heinrich.
    Specifically, the Putting Veterans First Act will:
    Reinstate members of the veteran and military community indiscriminately fired by Trump, Musk, or DOGE working as federal employees;
    Protect the quality of VA care, benefits, and employment;
    Protect veterans’ data from DOGE and unelected billionaires;
    Determine the financial impact of DOGE’s reckless cancellation of contracts at the VA;
    Provide critical mental health care for former and current civil servants; and,
    Provide employment assistance for members of the veteran and military community fired from the federal government in Trump and Musk’s mass terminations.
    The Putting Veterans First Act is led by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ark.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Catherin Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
    A section by-section of the bill is here.
    Last month, Heinrich and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) demanded that VA Secretary Doug Collins immediately secure veterans’ personal information provided by the VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). This call followed Musk’s takeover of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which includes private information of veterans and their families, and reports of DOGE employees accessing VA computer systems at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
    Heinrich also demanded answers from President Trump’s administration about Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)” gaining access to veterans’ VA medical records.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $566 Million from WEP & GPO Repeal Given Back to Louisianans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced nearly 73,000 Louisianans have already received a total of $566,209,833.81 in retroactive payments after the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). This comes after Cassidy successfully secured a vote in the U.S. Senate to pass the Social Security Fairness Act to repeal WEP and GPO. After the bill was passed, Cassidy urged the Social Security Administration to implement the new law as quickly as possible. Louisiana has now received the seventh most of any state in retroactive payments.
    “$566 million has already been given back to Louisiana families, and there is more to come,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This is a great victory for every police officer, firefighter, nurse, teacher, and public servant who has waited so long. I’m grateful to the Trump administration for their quick work.”  
    SSA began depositing retroactive payments into bank accounts on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, and will complete nearly all retroactive payments by the end of March. Adjustments to ongoing monthly benefits will begin in April.
    Before the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, around 94,000 Louisianans were unfairly penalized by WEP and GPO. WEP was enacted in 1983 and reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. GPO was enacted in 1977 and reduces Social Security spousal benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers whose spouses receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government. 
    Background:
    Cassidy played a pivotal role in getting the Social Security Fairness Act signed into law on January 5, 2025. Cassidy successfully demanded a vote on the Social Security Fairness Act. In July and again in December, Cassidy spoke on the U.S. Senate floor urging Congress to repeal WEP and GPO as part of his “Big Idea” to save, strengthen, and secure America’s retirement system. In June, Cassidy entered a statement into the record urging the repeal of WEP and GPO ahead of the U.S. Senate Finance Subcommittee field hearing on Social Security. 
    Cassidy is a long-time cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act in the Senate, being an original cosponsor since he became a Member of Congress in 2009. He led the introduction of the legislation in the 117th and 116th Congress.
    Cassidy led a bipartisan working group to preserve and protect Social Security. He released the inaugural Bill on the Hill video where he asked Capitol Hill visitors from across the country their thoughts on the looming benefit cuts to Social Security and presented his “Big Idea.”
    Last March, Cassidy grilled U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on President Biden’s plan to address Social Security, to which Secretary Yellen admitted “the president doesn’t have a plan,” to save Social Security.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Cassidy: The National Debt is Crushing the American Dream

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned an op-ed in The Hill highlighting the need for Congress to address the national debt and put an end to runaway spending moving the American Dream further out of reach for many families.
    “Interest payments now consume 18 percent of federal spending. The $882 billion spent on interest exceeds the defense budget. Historian Niall Ferguson has called this a hallmark of national decline. By 2054, debt service will claim one-third of revenue, surpassing Social Security. If we don’t change course, Medicare, Social Security and debt service will eventually consume all federal revenue,” wrote Dr. Cassidy.
    “During the Biden administration, inflation and high interest rates crushed working families. Most Americans don’t have lobbyists advocating for them. Instead, they elected President Trump and a Republican Congress to bring relief. That means staying committed to fiscal conservatism. Congress must listen and act,” continued Dr. Cassidy. 
    The op-ed follows Dr. Cassidy’s vote to pass a six-month funding bill that cuts government spending.
    “Republicans don’t want to take away benefits Americans rely on. We support lower taxes. We can extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in a way maintains benefits, keeps taxes lower and keeps the American Dream alive. Let’s seize that opportunity,” Dr. Cassidy concluded.
    Read the full op-ed here or excepts below.
    The National Debt is Crushing the American Dream
    There are competing priorities in the reconciliation bill before Congress. Some want to make the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent. Others want to reduce our $36 trillion national debt and prevent it from reaching $65 trillion by 2034. The goal should be economic growth — not just measured by the S&P 500, but by middle-class families’ ability to afford groceries, buy a home, purchase a car and live the American Dream.
    To achieve that end, we must address spending and debt. Out-of-control expenditures and rising debt fuel inflation, pushing Treasury yields higher. This ripples through the economy, making loans tied to 10-year Treasuries more expensive. If debt climbs from $36 trillion to $65 trillion, as some proposals allow, it will pump more money into the economy, driving up inflation and the cost of financing that debt.
    President Trump understands this. His efforts to cut spending, increase revenue in creative ways and balance the budget show his awareness of the problem. But extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act without adjustments would make a balanced budget impossible.
    ….
    Republicans don’t want to take away benefits Americans rely on. We support lower taxes. We can extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in a way maintains benefits, keeps taxes lower and keeps the American Dream alive. Let’s seize that opportunity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Push from Senator Collins, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Exempt from Hiring Freeze

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Published: March 18, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement on the Department of Defense’s announcement exempting the shipyard workforce from the civilian hiring freeze: 
    “The men and women who work at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and shipyards across the country are critical members of our defense industrial base, without whom the ability to repair, retrofit and refuel our country’s nuclear submarines would be in jeopardy,” said Senator Collins. “I am thankful the Department of Defense has elected to exempt our nation’s shipyards from the hiring freeze, and I will continue to work with the Department and advocate for the Shipyard and our shipyard workforce to make sure their critical work is able to continue unimpeded.”  
    Last month, Senator Collins and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Department of the Navy urging an exemption for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees from the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) deferred resignation program for federal employees. In their letter to Acting Secretary Terence G. Emmert, the Senators noted that any reduction to the Shipyard’s workforce would jeopardize our nation’s security by increasing submarine maintenance timelines.  
    Senator Collins has long advocated for Maine’s shipbuilding and ship repair industry and workforce, including through appropriating funding and securing workforce development initiatives for PNSY.  Senator Collins secured $401 million for a Shipbuilding Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) project at PNSY in 2025, which will help to expand the Shipyard’s capacity to maintain America’s fast-attack submarine fleet.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Leads Seattle Doctors and Patients in Saying No to Medicaid Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    03.18.25

    Cantwell Leads Seattle Doctors and Patients in Saying No to Medicaid Cuts

    Cantwell releases second snapshot report featuring new data about Medicaid’s crucial role in keeping Seattle-area residents healthy

    SEATTLE, WA  – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, held a press conference with Seattle-area health care professionals and patients to discuss the harms that would result from proposed cuts to Medicaid.

    “This is a tsunami of cuts coming at the people of Washington and the United States of America,” said Sen. Cantwell, “And I guarantee you this is not a drill.”

    Whitney Stohr, advocate and mother of Malachi, who was born with spina bifida, spoke about Medicaid’s role in her son’s treatment: “While I was taking care of him in those early days in the hospital I knew that there was no way my family could afford the care. We couldn’t pay for it then, we couldn’t pay for it now – at least not without Medicaid.”

    “For families like mine, for kids like Malachi, Medicaid is the lifeline,” Stohr added.

    McKenzi Fish, a childhood cancer survivor and founder of Forever Fighters, who was covered by Medicaid during her fight against Hodgkin lymphoma as a teenager, said: ”Fourteen months of my treatments, scans, medications, and tests would have cost her [single mom] $500,000 … Cancer fighters endure many challenges emotionally, mentally, and physically during their fight. Financial worries and complications should not serve as an additional stress to an already exhausting struggle.”

    “Cuts of the magnitude that are being discussed are existential for Harborview,” said Sommer Kleweno-Walley, CEO of Harborview Medical Center. “We simply could not exist as we do today if the proposals being discussed were to move forward.”

    On February 25, House Republicans voted to advance President Trump’s budget resolution, which proposes up to an $880 billion cut from Medicaid.

    Also today, Sen. Cantwell released a second snapshot report with new data showing the crucial role that Medicaid – known as Apple Health in Washington state – plays in funding Seattle-area health care.

    • Medicaid funded 22.6% of inpatient care and 18.1% of outpatient care at hospitals in Western Washington in 2023. Western Washington hospitals saw 623,549 Medicaid patients in 2023.
    • In the Federal Way, Burien, SeaTac, and Kent areas, more than 70% of children are enrolled in Apple Health (Medicaid in the State of Washington).
    • Medicaid is the largest payer at Seattle Children’s, accounting for over 50% of patients. 39% of Harborview’s revenue came from Medicaid in 2024.
    • The State of Washington ranks 51st in the nation in patient-to-bed ratio, at 1.6 beds per 1,000 residents. By causing likely closures of hospitals in rural areas, Medicaid cuts would worsen our state’s patient-to-bed ratio.

    “We need everyone to call their member of Congress and the White House and say ‘this level of massive cuts to Medicaid is not what we want,’” said Sen. Cantwell.

    Last month, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the impact that slashing Medicaid to fund tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy would have on the health care system statewide.

    That snapshot included new data on the percentage of Medicaid patients in each of the State of Washington’s U.S. congressional districts, as well as by region. In the 7th Congressional District, 26% of children and 12% of adults are on Medicaid. In the 9th Congressional District, 56% of children and 21% of adults are on Medicaid.

    The other speakers at today’s event were Dr. Jason Deen, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and pediatric cardiologist at the University of Washington; Dr. Ettore Palazzo, CEO of Evergreen Health; and Yi-Hui Chi, Behavioral Health Director at Neighborcare Health. Their comments can be viewed on video.

    Video of today’s entire press conference is HERE; video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks is HERE; photos are HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Support American Families Adopting Children from China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA), joined CCA co-chairs Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), along with Reps. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) and Danny Davis (D-Ill.) in a letter urging President Trump to advocate for families impacted by China’s termination of its intercountry adoption program.
    “We write to you on behalf of hundreds of children and American families who have been devastated by the People’s Republic of China’s decision to halt its intercountry adoption program. We request that you act in the best interest of these children and engage the Chinese government to finalize these pending adoption cases,” the members wrote.
    “The sudden termination of China’s adoption program in August 2024 only exacerbated our concern for these children’s well-being. Many of these children have special health care needs, and some will soon age out of care systems without the support of a permanent family.… We urge you to elevate this engagement and press the Chinese government to finalize pending adoption cases so these children may finally be united with their adoptive families in the United States,” the members continued.
    In the Senate, the letter was signed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Curtis (R-Utah), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
    In the House, the letter was signed by Reps. Brian Babin (R-Texas), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), Mike Carey (R-Ohio), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), Julie Fedorchak (R-N.D.), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.), Charles Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), H. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Abraham Hamadeh (R-Ariz.), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Thomas Kean (R-N.J.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Julia Letlow (R-La.), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Richard McCormick (R-Ga.), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), Mark Messmer (R-Ind.), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Zachary Nunn (R-Iowa), Andrew Ogles (R-Tenn.), Bob Onder (R-Mo.), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.), Keith Self (R-Texas), Jefferson Shreve (Ind.), Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Lloyd Smucker (R-Penn.), Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), Haley Stevens (D-Wis.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), William Timmons (R-S.C.), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Daniel Webster (R-Fla.).
    Text of the letter to President Trump follows:
    Dear President Trump:
    We write to you on behalf of hundreds of children and American families who have been devastated by the People’s Republic of China’s decision to halt its intercountry adoption program. We request that you act in the best interest of these children and engage the Chinese government to finalize these pending adoption cases.
    As members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and other Members of Congress who share these concerns, the safety of adopted children and hundreds of would-be adoptees is our top priority. The sudden termination of China’s adoption program in August 2024 only exacerbated our concern for these children’s well-being. Many of these children have special health care needs, and some will soon age out of care systems without the support of a permanent family. It is particularly critical that these children have access to the care and support that they need — which hundreds of American families approved for adoption are willing to provide.
    We understand that the State Department is working on behalf of these families and seeking clarity on the Chinese government’s decision. We urge you to elevate this engagement and press the Chinese government to finalize pending adoption cases so these children may finally be united with their adoptive families in the United States.
    Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We are prepared to work closely with you to ensure these children are welcomed into safe and stable homes.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Condemn Trump Administration’s Gutting of Education Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
    Senators to Education Secretary: “We will not stand by as you attempt to turn back the clock on education in this country”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As President Trump and Elon Musk attack public education in America by closing offices and laying off 1,300 workers at the Department of Education, Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) joined 36 Democratic colleagues in expressing outrage at the Administration’s reckless and illegal firing of half of the workforce at the U.S. Department of Education, which will cripple America’s education system and impact students in California and across the country.
    California’s public education system, supported by the Department of Education, is the largest in the country. There are about 10,000 public schools in California serving over 5.8 million students. If the Department is dismantled, the nearly $8 billion in federal funding that California receives annually to support low-income students, students with disabilities, and more could be at risk. California also has the most extensive higher education system in the nation, including the largest number of Pell Grant recipients who rely on Education Department staff to help them attend college. Abolishing the Department of Education would have devastating impacts on California schools, students, faculty, communities, and the economy.
    “At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when 60 percent of people live paycheck to paycheck, millions of Americans cannot afford higher education, and 40 percent of our nation’s 4th graders and 33 percent of 8th graders read below basic proficiency, it is a national disgrace that the Trump Administration is attempting to illegally abolish the Department of Education and thus, undermine a high-quality education for our students,” wrote the Senators.
    The Senators noted that these layoffs and closures will have devastating effects on the nation’s students, including by limiting the Department’s ability to guarantee that federal funding reaches communities that rely on it, ensure students can access federal financial aid, and uphold students’ civil rights. Not even 24 hours after the staff reductions were announced, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) experienced a glitch that prevented students and families from accessing the application. Education Department workers responsible for fixing it had reportedly been fired.
    “[The layoffs] would also mean decreased enforcement of rights for children with disabilities and fewer resources for students from low-income backgrounds and children with disabilities, like the 26 million students from low-income backgrounds and over 100,000 public schools in every community across this country that rely on Title I funding; the 7.5 million students with disabilities who benefit under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the 7 million students who receive Pell grants to help access higher education,” continued the Senators.
    “We will not stand by as you attempt to turn back the clock on education in this country through gutting the Department of Education,” concluded the Senators. “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.”
    California, 19 other states, and Washington, D.C. have sued the Trump Administration for these reckless cuts and are pushing a federal judge to reinstate the 1,300 fired Education Department workers.
    The letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. In addition to Padilla, Schiff, and Sanders, the letter was also signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), 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.).
    Last month, Senator Padilla blasted President Trump’s nomination of Linda McMahon to lead the Department of Education, underscoring the enormous threat the Trump Administration poses to the education of millions of students in California and across the country. Senator Padilla joined Senator Warren and his Senate colleagues in launching a probe into reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) infiltrated the Department of Education and gained access to federal student loan data, which includes millions of borrowers’ personal information. The Senators sent a follow-up letter raising concerns about the Department of Education’s “woefully inadequate,” “misleading” response to their inquiry.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary McMahon:
    We write to express our outrage that you, President Trump, and unelected billionaire Elon Musk are taking steps to abolish the Department of Education (“the Department”) and eliminate educational opportunities for millions of students across the country, something that 61 percent of Americans oppose. This most recently includes a 50 percent cut to the workforce, resulting in the termination of over 1,300 workers at the Department of Education, as well as the abrupt, last minute closure of all Department of Education buildings beginning at 6:00 PM on the same day that these terminations were announced.
    At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when 60 percent of people live paycheck to paycheck, millions of Americans cannot afford higher education, and 40 percent of our nation’s 4th graders and 33 percent of 8th graders read below basic proficiency,3 it is a national disgrace that the Trump Administration is attempting to illegally abolish the Department of Education and thus, undermine a high-quality education for our students.
    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. 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.
    The false claims of financial savings by dismantling the Department of Education so that billionaires can receive huge tax breaks is bad public policy and morally reprehensible. The billionaires that are in charge of our federal government right now will not be harmed by these egregious attacks: wealthy families sending their children to elite, private schools will still be able to get a quality education even if every public school disappears in this country. But for working-class families, high-quality public education is an opportunity they rely on for their children to have a path to do well in life.
    Defunding federal support for public education would result in either higher property taxes or decreased funding for public schools, including in rural areas. It would also mean decreased enforcement of rights for children with disabilities and fewer resources for students from low-income backgrounds and children with disabilities, like the 26 million students from low-income backgrounds and over 100,000 public schools in every community across this country that rely on Title I funding; the 7.5 million students with disabilities who benefit under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the 7 million students who receive Pell grants to help access higher education.
    It is undeniable that terminating 50 percent of the Department of Education’s workers will have harmful effects on public education in this country. The Department of Education already has the smallest staff of the 15 Cabinet agencies despite having the third largest discretionary budget, behind only the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services. These reductions will have devastating impacts on our nation’s students and we are deeply concerned that without staff, the Department will be unable to fulfill critical functions, such as ensuring students can access federal financial aid, upholding students’ civil rights, and guaranteeing that federal funding reaches communities promptly and is well-spent. Not even 24 hours after the staff reductions were announced, the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) experienced a glitch that prevented students and families from accessing the application, but the staff normally responsible for fixing those errors had reportedly been cut. The Department has also reportedly shuttered several regional offices responsible for investigating potential violations of students’ civil rights in local schools. We are deeply alarmed that cases will go uninvestigated and that students will be left in unsafe learning environments as a result.
    The Trump Administration also says it wants to ‘return education back to the states.’ Let us be very clear—public education is already run by states and local school boards. While just 11 percent of public education is federally funded, the Department of Education has a necessary and irreplaceable responsibility to implement federal laws that ensure equal opportunity for all children in this country. These laws guarantee fundamental protections, such as ensuring that children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, that students from low-income backgrounds and students of color will not be disproportionately taught by less experienced and qualified teachers, and that parents will receive information about their child’s academic achievement.
    Without the Department of Education, there is no guarantee that states would uphold students’ civil and educational rights. Let us not forget that it was federal troops who protected the “Little Rock Nine” from a violent mob of segregationists when they integrated Central High School in the wake of the Brown v. Board U.S. Supreme Court decision. Not only was the state not going to provide this protection, but it was then-Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus who ordered the state’s National Guard to bar Black students from entering the school. Even today, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights regularly investigates and resolves complaints of student discrimination related to students’ race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability status.
    We will not stand by as you attempt to turn back the clock on education in this country through gutting the Department of Education. 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.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Cornyn Introduce Outbound Investment Legislation to Counter China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced the Foreign Investment Guardrails to Help Thwart (FIGHT) China Act, which would safeguard the United States’ national security against the growing threat posed by the communist People’s Republic of China (PRC) by prohibiting and requiring notification of U.S. investment in certain technologies in China.
    “When it comes to cutting-edge technologies – such as AI and semiconductors – the United States must remain ahead of China,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to stand with my colleagues across the aisle to introduce this bill that is critical for our national security. We can and must make sure no American investments are giving the Chinese Communist Party a leg up in developing these vitally important technologies.”
    The Foreign Investment Guardrails to Help Thwart (FIGHT) China Act would permit the Secretary of the Treasury to prohibit U.S. investments in certain technologies in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including certain Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, quantum computers, materials used in hypersonic systems, and other military technologies. It would also require U.S. entities to notify the U.S. Department of the Treasury of investments in certain AI models in the PRC. Lastly, the legislation would permit the Secretary of the Treasury to impose sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) against PRC entities that engage with the PRC military and intelligence sectors.
    Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts in Congress to strengthen our national security and supply chains.Senators Cortez Masto and Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced the PASS Act to ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near U.S. military installations or sensitive sites and the Strengthening Exports Against China Act,which would incentivize economic growth by eliminating barriers for American businesses competing directly with China in emerging industries like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. She’s also introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the domestic supply chain for rare-earth magnets, which are critical components of cell phones, computers, defense systems, and electric vehicles, but are almost exclusively made in China.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Secures $10 Million Investment in Affordable Housing in Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Reno, Nev. – For years, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto demanded the nation’s 11 Federal Home Loan Banks – and the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco which serves Nevada – use their resources to invest in housing and community development. This week, the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank-SF) provided the first investment into the Nevada Housing Division’s (NHD) single-family bond program. The $10 million dollar investment will support the Housing Finance Agency’s down payment assistance program that helps Nevadans buy homes they can afford.
    “I’ve been pushing the FHLBank of San Francisco for years to do more with all their resources, and I’m glad to see them working with the Nevada Housing Division to support families buying homes in Nevada,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The FHLBank system was created to support housing, and I expect to see much more investment in Nevada and around the nation in the future.”
    Following Senator Cortez Masto’s push, state housing finance agencies, community development financial institutions and other institutions have sought opportunities to benefit from the FHLBs’ $467 billion investment portfolio. Thanks to the Senator’s work to bring attention to this critical housing funding source, Nevada Housing Division and the FHLBank-SF were able to work together and finalize this critical investment – the first of its kind in Nevada.  
    Senator Cortez Masto has been a leader working to push the FHLBanks to help lower costs and build more housing supply. Last year she secured $9.4 million from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of San Francisco’s targeted competitive affordable housing fund — almost twice as much as Nevada received the year before — to build more middle-class homes, and she’s pushing to reform the FHLB system.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Statement on Shipyard Exemption from Hiring Freeze She Advocated For

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    **For more than a month, Shaheen has pushed the administration to exempt shipyards from the hiring freeze and layoffs**
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a top member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and Co-Chair of the U.S. Senate Navy Caucus, released the following statement on the Department of Defense’s announcement exempting the shipyard workforce from the civilian hiring freeze: 
    “I’m relieved that the administration heard our calls to protect jobs that are vital to national security at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and at shipyards across the country from ill-considered hiring freezes. While I’m glad that President Trump and Secretary Hegseth now understand our shipyard workforce to be an essential component of our national defense and preparedness, it should have never come to this in the first place – and the uncertainty that has swept through shipyards in the last two months has done real damage. 
    “I look forward to holding the Department of Defense, Secretary Hegseth and Navy Secretary Phelan accountable to ensure this exemption is properly implemented. This reversal is a step in the right direction, but we now must ensure that it is implemented properly and that the Administration reinstates the probationary employees that were wrongly laid off due to the lack of clarity from their directive.” 
    Last month, Shaheen and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) sent a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Department of the Navy urging an exemption for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees from the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) deferred resignation program for federal employees. In their letter to Acting Secretary Terence G. Emmert, the Senators noted that any reduction to the Shipyard’s workforce would jeopardize our nation’s security by increasing submarine maintenance timelines.  
    During Navy Secretary John Phelan’s confirmation hearing, Shaheen pressed for his commitment to engage with OPM to exempt shipyard employees and maintain a strong workforce should he be confirmed. 
    Recently, the New Hampshire Congressional delegation held a press conference in Portsmouth to discuss the impact the Trump Administration is having on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Opens AUKUS Industry Roundtable, Highlights Granite State Defense Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Portsmouth, NH) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) along with U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) delivered remarks to open a defense industry roundtable to increase opportunities for New Hampshire businesses as part of the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) submarine agreement. The delegation was joined by representatives from the Australian Embassy, including the Australian Consul-General and the Minister Counsellor of AUKUS. Photos from today’s event can be found here.
    “Today’s event is an important example of how the strength of our alliances can make a difference here in the Granite State and boost our local economies,” said Senator Shaheen. “The AUKUS agreement makes America and Australia stronger by allowing us to work hand-in-hand to build and maintain nuclear submarines for both of our countries—and the technology and know-how to do that starts right here in the Granite State.”
    “If America’s allies are looking for new ways to keep their submarine fleets on the cutting edge, there’s no better place to turn to than New Hampshire — it was Portsmouth that helped build and maintain some of the first ships of the United States Navy, and Portsmouth was indispensable in building the submarine fleet that helped win World War II,” said Senator Hassan. “In a dangerous and uncertain world where our new Administration seems at times to confuse America’s friends with America’s foes, I am grateful for this strong alliance between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom that has made our nations stronger, more secure, and more free.”
    “American naval superiority has long played an historic role in our nation’s strength and will play a decisive role to confront challenges alongside our allies and secure the future. New Hampshire, our manufacturers, and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard all have a critical role to play in this mission,” said Congressman Pappas. “Through the AUKUS agreement with our allies, the United Kingdom and Australia, we will bolster our naval capabilities and submarine industrial bases and strengthen our cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. New Hampshire manufacturers and workers can help lead the way, and I was glad to join this event focused on the increasing opportunities for them under the AUKUS agreement.”
    “I know first-hand from my time as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve that the alliance between the United States and Australia makes America stronger and safer,” said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander. “The hardworking women and men of New Hampshire who work every day on behalf of our national defense are critical to the future of our alliance and the AUKUS agreement. I’m proud to represent our state’s critical role in our national security on the House Armed Services Committee.”
    Senator Shaheen has long advocated for New England’s shipbuilding industry and workforce, including through authorizing funding and workforce development for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Through the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, Shaheen secured full authorization for the Shipbuilding Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) projects at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which will expand the Shipyard’s capacity to maintain America’s fast-attack submarine fleet.
    Recently, the New Hampshire Congressional delegation held a press conference to discuss the impact the Trump Administration is having on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Shaheen and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) have called on the U.S. Department of the Navy to exempt Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees from the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) deferred resignation program for federal employees. The Department of Defense recently announced that the shipyard workforce is exempt from the civilian hiring freeze
    As a founding co-chair of the Public Shipyard Caucus, Congressman Pappas is a strong supporter of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the men and women who serve there, and its work to strengthen our national and global security. Last week Representatives Pappas and Pingree led a bipartisan group of their colleagues sounding the alarm over the Trump Administration’s hiring freeze and workforce cuts, which impact American shipyards like Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner Pushes for Answers on Underperforming Taxpayer Advocate Service in Richmond

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – Ahead of tax season, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is pressing for answers from Erin Collins, the National Taxpayer Advocate at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding the underperforming Richmond TAS office, which serves the entire Commonwealth of Virginia and has been underperforming for years due to staffing shortfalls that have significantly increased caseloads and further strained the office’s ability to provide timely, effective service.
    Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) offices like the one in Richmond are tasked with helping individuals with tax problems they cannot resolve on their own. They are also tasked with helping ensure that taxpayers are treated fairly and understand their rights. This letter comes amid the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to gut the IRS and the services it provides to families.
    “In light of the current degradation of the IRS workforce, it is imperative that TAS prioritizes improvements in taxpayer service – especially in offices where staffing issues already are causing delays and disruptions to citizens seeking assistance or simply relying on a timely tax refund,” wrote Sen. Warner. “I urge you to take immediate steps to enhance the service that Richmond TAS provides my constituents.”
    “While pre-existing personnel and leadership issues at Richmond TAS have left morale among its staff low, the workplace atmosphere there likely will deteriorate further in the coming months as Trump Administration policies cause more staff to leave,” he continued. “Already quite strained with just 17 case advocates, another two advocates and a senior case advocate have accepted the Musk-Trump buyout, which will take effect on May 15. At that point, only 15 case advocates will remain to serve all of Virginia—a nearly 25 percent reduction in staff.”
    In the letter, the Senator urged Advocate Collins to push back against any harmful personnel decisions that stand to negatively impact taxpayers and pressed for answers to the following questions regarding the performance of the Richmond TAS office:
    1.      How long has Richmond TAS been performing in the bottom 50 percent of TAS offices nationwide?
    2.      What metrics does TAS use to track performance of its local offices? What specific factors have contributed to Richmond TAS’s poor performance?
    3.      What steps, if any, did TAS headquarters take to improve performance at Richmond TAS prior to January 2025?
    4.      What support does TAS headquarters plan to offer Richmond TAS’s leadership to improve performance?
    5.      How does TAS headquarters plan to address staffing shortages at Richmond TAS to ensure that Virginians receive the level of taxpayer service that they deserve?
    A copy of letter is available here and text is below.
    Dear Advocate Collins, 
    I am writing to express my longstanding concerns regarding the quality of assistance that the Richmond Taxpayer Advocate Service (“TAS”) office is providing to Virginians. In light of the current degradation of the IRS workforce, it is imperative that TAS prioritizes improvements in taxpayer service – especially in offices where staffing issues already are causing delays and disruptions to citizens seeking assistance or simply relying on a timely tax refund. I urge you to take immediate steps to enhance the service that Richmond TAS provides my constituents.
    The Richmond TAS office has struggled with underperformance for years, predating the current administration. The reasons for the office’s underwhelming service are two-fold.
    First, Richmond TAS is not fully staffed. The office should have at least 19 case advocates, but currently has 17. Each advocate handles about 150 cases per year, meaning this staffing shortfall significantly increases individual caseloads and further strains the office’s ability to provide timely, effective service.
    Second, I am concerned that TAS leadership has not done enough to foster a positive work environment and to improve morale at Richmond TAS. During challenging times, employees look to their supervisors for encouragement, reassurance, and direction. Regional and national TAS leaders must provide the support that those in offices like Richmond TAS need in order to operate effectively.
    With the knowledge of Richmond TAS’s personnel issues and leadership challenges in mind, I ask you to answer the following questions by March 25:
    1.      How long has Richmond TAS been performing in the bottom 50 percent of TAS offices nationwide?
    2.      What metrics does TAS use to track performance of its local offices? What specific factors have contributed to Richmond TAS’s poor performance?
    3.      What steps, if any, did TAS headquarters take to improve performance at Richmond TAS prior to January 2025?
    4.      What support does TAS headquarters plan to offer Richmond TAS’s leadership to improve performance?
    5.      How does TAS headquarters plan to address staffing shortages at Richmond TAS to ensure that Virginians receive the level of taxpayer service that they deserve?
    While pre-existing personnel and leadership issues at Richmond TAS have left morale among its staff low, the workplace atmosphere there likely will deteriorate further in the coming months as Trump Administration policies cause more staff to leave. Already quite strained with just 17 case advocates, another two advocates and a senior case advocate have accepted the Musk-Trump buyout, which will take effect on May 15. At that point, only 15 case advocates will remain to serve all of Virginia—a nearly 25 percent reduction in staff.
    Further, according to recent news reports, President Trump plans to cut IRS staffing by a total of 50 percent. If these cuts are applied across the board, Richmond TAS will be left with a skeleton crew of case advocates, further jeopardizing essential taxpayer services. I strongly oppose any staffing reductions that undermine TAS’s ability to serve Virginians, and I urge you to push back against harmful personnel decisions that will negatively impact taxpayers.
    Thank you for the work that you do to advocate for Virginia’s taxpayers. I look forward to your response and to working together to improve the service that TAS provides to my constituents.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Padilla, Durbin in Push to Save Task Force Combating Threats to Election Officials

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    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”
    Washington (March 18, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) yesterday 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, along with 28 Democratic 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.
    The letter was also signed by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Senate Democratic 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), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), 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:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Convenes International Business Leaders near Northern Border to Discuss Impacts of Trump’s Trade War 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Welch: “I’m very disturbed about what is happening…how it’s affecting our families here in Vermont, how it’s affecting our businesses here in Vermont, and how it’s affecting the mutual cooperation that we had the blessing of enjoying for generations—between us and Canada. I am opposed to tariffs against our Canadian allies.”
    NEWPORT, VT — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, convened Vermont and Canadian business leaders for a roundtable in Newport, Vermont —near the U.S.-Canada border—to discuss President Trump’s Trade War and how the Trump Administration’s reckless tariffs are hurting workers, families, and farmers.
    Senator Welch’s remarks from the beginning of the roundtable are included in-full below:  
    “We in Vermont really value both our friendship with Canadians, and our economic partnerships with Canada. I believe what’s happening here with the rhetoric from the Trump Administration and from these tariffs is very destructive—for you and for us.  
    “I don’t want to be a part of it. I want to be a part of doing everything we can to maintain the very cordial, friendly, economically mutually-beneficial relationships that we have. I can understand an appropriate place for a tariff, and Canada can make its own decisions about where it would be appropriate for you to have a tariff. I cannot think of why we would be having a tariff or trade war with our best neighbor. Your environmental standards — your labor standards — match or exceed ours, and that’s really important to you and it’s important to us.  
    “What I’m seeing with the tariffs is that they’re being imposed in a very arbitrary way. Not to mention that they’re on again, they’re off again.  
    “Every time I speak to any anybody in business on our side (and it’s really nice that we’re going to hear from the Canadian side of the border) one of the things that’s really essential is stability. No business, and frankly no family, can deal with, ‘yes, we’re on no, we’re off.’ Nobody can do that. And it is not, in my view, good for international relationships. It’s not good for business relationships. And it’s not even good for family, where there’s constant instability. You don’t know what the rules are—they keep changing.  
    “I’m very disturbed about what is happening from [the Trump] Administration and I’m disturbed from the perspective of how it’s affecting our families here in Vermont, how it’s affecting our businesses here in Vermont and how it’s affecting the mutual cooperation that we had the blessing of enjoying for generations, between us and Canada. I am opposed to tariffs against our Canadian allies. 
    “That’s just to set the stage of where I’m coming from, and it’s why I am so grateful that we have this joint meeting where we can talk about the real problems that are caused as a result of these tariffs. And mobilize as much support as we can to renewing that friendship, that business relationship, that economic relationship that we’ve had. So, thank you all for coming and [the Hon. Marie-Claude] Bibeau, I’m so, so delighted that you’re here. I want to turn it over to you after I expressed my gratitude for all the work you’ve done and your willingness to be here deep in the south reaches of Newport, Vermont.”
    Photos of the event are included below:
    Senator Welch was joined by the Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Member of Parliament for Compton-Stanstead, and Vermont and Canadian business owners. Attendees included representatives from Newport Downtown Development; Built By Newport; Columbia Forest Products; Kingdom Brewing; Morrison Custom Feeds, Inc.; Kingdom Trails Association; Hill Farmstead Brewery; Vermont Brewers Association; Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development; Northeastern Vermont Development Association; Caledonia Spirits; Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association; Judd’s Wayeeses Farm; Khrome Product-Transport; Weidmann Electrical Technology; TRACK, Inc.; Larue; Motrec International; UTV Internationale; Ville de Sherbrooke; and the Sherbrooke Chamber of Commerce.  
    Nearly half of all U.S. imports—more than $1.3 trillion—come from Canada, China, and Mexico. Canada is the largest trading partner for 34 U.S. states, including Vermont. In 2024 alone, trade with Canada accounted for 35% of Vermont exports, 67% of our imports, and 56% of its total trade. One in four businesses in Vermont relies on trade with Canada.  
    In many cases, Vermont manufacturers buy imports from Canada to manufacture into products. Tariffs on Canada threaten business closures and job layoffs, higher homebuilding costs, increased costs of grain for farmers, and more expensive equipment for maple producers—among other costs that will get passed on to working families. 
    Senator Welch has blasted Trump’s tariffs and trade war, and shared stories from constituents about how President Trump’s economic policies have impacted their businesses, farms, and communities. This event follows a roundtable Senator Welch held in St. Albans in January and virtually in February where he heard from businesses and state and local leaders about the President’s threats to reignite a trade war. 
    Vermonters are invited to share how these tariffs will impact their lives and businesses by sharing their story on Senator Welch’s website. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy: Congress must start putting America’s land assets to use to pay down the national debt

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    Watch Kennedy’s comments here.

    MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) explained how the federal government has failed to put America’s public land assets to use to help pay down the debt in a speech on the Senate floor.

    Key excerpts of the speech are below:

    “I have seen an estimate from the private sector—there are several of these—that our public land, our 620 million [acres], if we managed that land properly, could generate $90 million in revenue. So, $90 million could be generated by our public land. How? Through mineral harvesting, natural gas production, oil drilling, grazing for agriculture, hunting licenses, fishing licenses [and] camping permits. Do you know what our federal lands actually generate in money? We know the potential: $90 billion a year. That would help us pay down this debt.

    “In 2023, our federal lands actually lost money. They lost $13 billion. We went from a potential of $90 billion—according to land-use experts, that is what they ought to be generating—to a loss of $13 billion. It’s embarrassing.”

    . . .

    “Under President Biden . . . they banned offshore drilling for most of America’s coastlines. They prohibited mining on over a million acres of lands. They canceled leases for oil and natural gas production. They paused all new permits for [liquified natural gas] LNG, which Europe is hungry for. They restricted hunting. They restricted fishing. They restricted hiking, and they buried our federal lands in red tape. That is why we lost $13 billion instead of gaining $90 billion a year.”

    . . .

    “We need to do better. I know that the focus right now, Madam President, is on spending—and it should be—and it is on designing a tax code that looks like somebody designed it on purpose, and it should be. All those things are important, but, at some point, we need to recognize the enormous amount of assets that the American people own through their federal government and the fact that we are actually losing money by the way we are managing them instead of generating money.”

    Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: BlueHalo Partnerships Link Area’s Counter-Drone, Hypersonic Missile Testing & Space Operations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    03.18.25

    Senator Outlines Efforts to Build Project ULTRA, Grand Forks into Proving Ground for Counter-UAS Tech

    EMERADO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven and representatives from BlueHalo today announced that the company is expanding its operations to the Grand Forks region, tying into a range of operations critical to the future of the nation’s defense, like counter-drone, while laying the groundwork to also connect with the region’s growing space operations. Specifically, BlueHalo:

    • Has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GrandSKY to install its VigilantHalo system in support of Project ULTRA at the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technology park.
      • Project ULTRA is an effort to make Grand Forks the proving ground for developing the technology needed to protect U.S. military installations and service members against the malicious use of UAS.
      • VigilantHalo will significantly enhance Project ULTRA’s ability to track unmanned aircraft by providing a seamless link between the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) unfiltered radar data feed, the state’s Vantis network and other sensor systems.
    • Will provide on-site support for the Sky Range program, which is operated by the Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) at GrandSKY.
      • BlueHalo will be supporting the use of its PANTHER phased array antenna, which is the technology used to convert Grand Forks’ Global Hawks into Range Hawks, enabling them to track hypersonic missiles and other airborne and space-based threats, while communicating with satellites.
      • The company will also partner with the University of North Dakota (UND) on further development of phased array technology.
    • Continues working to adapt its phased array antenna for spaced-based platforms, including the low-Earth orbit mission at Grand Forks Air Force Base.
      • The STAPS Project is funded under the $8.3 million Hoeven secured in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 to partner BlueHalo with Bismarck State College.
      • This effort seeks to miniaturize and enhance the phase array antenna so it can be packaged and launched on satellites.
      • This would allow for additional tracking data in hypersonic missile testing, with the potential for future applications such as tracking adversary missiles.

    “Partnerships are the foundation on which North Dakota’s UAS ecosystem is built, and these initiatives being undertaken by BlueHalo are adding new capabilities and opportunities to link the many exciting operations going on in the Grand Forks region,” said Senator Hoeven. “Importantly, BlueHalo is bringing the VigilantHalo system to GrandSKY at the same time as we are establishing access to the unfiltered FAA radar data feed, giving private companies a unique advantage as they work to develop counter-UAS technologies under Project ULTRA. Combined with the company’s support for the Sky Range hypersonic missile testing and the potential to bring their phased array technology to our satellite mission, today’s announcement ties together North Dakota’s role in some of the most critical missions for the future of our nation’s defense.”

    “North Dakota is a hub for national security research, development, and operations–from drones to hypersonic missiles to total airspace command and control,” said Trip Ferguson, BlueHalo Chief Operating Officer. “The state’s unique blend of leaders like Senator Hoeven who understand these urgent priorities with organizations like GrandSKY who are leaning forward to bring solutions to the table is creating an environment of rapid innovation. BlueHalo is already hard at work here to develop and transition solutions to the frontlines. We’re excited to expand these efforts alongside partners who share the same focus and commitment to the mission.”

    “This agreement with BlueHalo allows GrandSKY to further expand its capabilities in BVLOS operations, and the integration of VigilantHalo as a ground-based sense-and-avoid system strengthens the safety and efficiency of uncrewed flights,” GrandSKY President Tom Swoyer Jr. said. “This collaboration addresses the critical challenges of integrating UAS into the national airspace system while also integrating counter-UAS capabilities which are becoming increasingly critical to national security.”

    Installing VigilantHalo at GrandSKY

    VigilantHalo is an advanced command and control system capable of combining multiple feeds from radars and sensors, enabling:

    • More robust UAS traffic management, detect and avoid capabilities and beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) unmanned flights.
    • Companies that partner with GrandSKY under Project ULTRA a unique set of capabilities as they develop UAS and counter-UAS technologies.

    The new system supports Hoeven’s efforts to increase the size and scope of Project ULTRA to develop new tools and methods for the U.S. to counter the malicious use of drone technology. To this end, the senator continues working to secured an increase contract ceiling for Project ULTRA, which would enable it to serve as a bridge between an existing Department of Defense contracting vehicle and new counter-UAS capabilities being developed in the private sector.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: USDA Releases Details on $10 Billion in Market-Based Disaster Assistance, Begins Accepting Applications March 19

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    03.18.25

    Senator Secured Funding in Year-End Legislation to Help Producers Recover from Challenging Markets

    Click for video and audio.

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun accepting applications for the $10 billion in market-based assistance that he worked to secure as part of the year-end legislation in December. Hoeven has been working with Agriculture Secretary Rollins to implement and quickly deliver the assistance, encouraging USDA to utilize a streamlined application process to help ensure an efficient and timely process. At the same time, the senator continues his efforts to secure a new farm bill that makes needed investment in the farm safety net to help prevent the need for future ad-hoc disaster assistance.

    Details of the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) are as follows:

    • USDA will send producers a pre-filled application based on 2024 acreage reporting data after program signup begins on March 19, 2025.
      • Producers who still need to submit their 2024 plant and prevent plant data may do so until the program deadline of August 15, 2025.
      • Applications may be submitted online or to local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.
    • USDA aims to start releasing initial payments to producers by March 21, which will come to 85 percent of the total, with a supplemental payment to follow in the summer.
      • ECAP assistance will be based on acreage and calculated using a flat payment rate for the eligible commodity multiplied by the eligible reported acres.
      • For acres reported as prevented plant, ECAP assistance will be calculated at 50%.
    • Eligible commodities include wheat, corn, sorghum, barley, oats, soybeans, dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, canola, flax and sunflower, among other crops. Only one application is required for all ECAP eligible commodities.

    “This $10 billion in assistance is an important step to help producers recover from the challenging markets and comes as part of our commitment to keep our farmers and ranchers in the game, whether they face natural disasters, challenging markets or trade disputes,” said Senator Hoeven. “We worked to ensure a streamlined process to provide producers with certainty and timely access to assistance. Pre-filled applications will be going out shortly, and Secretary Rollins has committed to getting the funds distributed as quickly as possible, with payments to start going out by March 21.”

    Additional information and resources are available to producers on USDA’s website here: https://fsa.usda.gov/ecap. Hoeven also continues working with USDA to advance the $21 billion in weather-related assistance for losses in 2023 and 2024, which includes $2 billion set aside for livestock producers, including those with losses due to wildfires.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Lankford Introduce Bill to Protect American Farmland from Bad Actors

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) today introduced the Security and Oversight of International Landholdings (SOIL) Act to enhance oversight and transparency over foreign purchases of American agricultural land that threaten national security.

    “America has some of the best farmland in the world, and it would be a grave mistake to allow Communist China to take ownership of this valuable resource,” said Risch. “The SOIL Act will provide strict guidance and oversight to prevent bad actors, like China and Russia, from purchasing our agricultural land—particularly land near U.S. military installations.”

    “China continues to buy up American farm land, steal our patents, and expand their authoritarian world view. America will demonstrate to the world our values and maintain our economic and military strength to assure the globe has the best opportunity for freedom. No one in China should doubt America’s resolve and commitment to liberty,” said Lankford.

    The SOIL Act deters criminal investment in US agriculture by:

    • Requiring the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review agriculture real estate purchases by certain foreign entities;

    • Banning federal assistance for certain foreign-held real estate holdings; and

    • Broadening disclosure requirements for land purchases made by foreign entities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Senate Democrats Demand USDA Reverse $1 Billion in Canceled Local Food Purchases for Schools, Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Lujan, Schiff, Klobuchar, and Shaheen spearhead effort to stop “further pain at a time of high food prices and instability within U.S. agricultural markets”
    Anthony, N.M. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, led a group of 31 Senators demanding a reversal of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s cancelation of food purchase programs across the United States, warning of the harmful impacts this move will have on both families and American farmers. 
    In a letter led with U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the lawmakers said the reported $1 billion in canceled purchases by the USDA adds further pain at a time of high food prices and instability within U.S. agricultural markets. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) also signed onto the letter.
    “We ask that you reverse the cancellation,” the Senators wrote. “We have grave concerns that the cancellation…poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country. At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products.” 
    The purchases from American farmers fund food for food banks, schools, and child care centers in all 50 states, territories, tribal governments, and the District of Columbia.  
    The letter was also signed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.M.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Angus King (I-Maine), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Jeffrey Merkley (D-Ore.),  Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Peter Welch (Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). 
    The full letter sent to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins can be found here and below: 
    Dear Secretary Rollins:  
    We write to express serious concerns regarding the cancellation of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs supporting local and regional food purchases providing assistance to those in need. These successful programs, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS), allow states, territories, and Tribes to purchase local foods from nearby farmers and ranchers to be used for emergency food providers, schools, and child care centers.  
    At a time when food insecurity remains high, providing affordable, fresh food to food banks and families while supporting American farmers is critical. Notably, LFPA and LFS have benefitted producers and consumers by providing funding for purchases through all 50 states, four territories, and 84 tribal governments. Through LFPA and LFS, USDA has prioritized the procurement and distribution of healthy, nutritious, domestic food. It has also taken an important step towards igniting rural prosperity by expanding and strengthening markets among farmers and rural economies. As of December 2024, the programs had supported over 8,000 producers, providing increased marketing opportunities.  
    Most importantly, we ask that you reverse the cancellation of LFPA and LFS. We also ask that you provide a thorough and complete update on USDA’s implementation of LFPA and LFS, including answers to the following questions:  
    1.        What is the status of reimbursements for entities that have agreements with USDA through LFPA and LFS? What is the last date for which states, territories, and Tribes received reimbursements for food purchases under LFPA and LFS?  
    2.        Has the Administration conducted any assessments of how these program cancellations will impact producers and recipient organizations (e.g., food banks, schools, child care centers)? If so, please provide a copy of any such assessments.  
    We have grave concerns that the cancellation of LFPA and LFS poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country. At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products.  
    Please provide responses to the information requested in our questions no later than Friday, April 4. Thank you for your attention to this urgent and important matter.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Padilla, Durbin, Welch, Duckworth Statement on Trump Invoking the Alien Enemies Act to Target Immigrants Without Due Process

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) in issuing the following joint statement after President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, claiming wartime power to deport noncitizens without due process:
    “Over the weekend, President Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport noncitizens without due process. This attempt to use an archaic wartime law —not used since World War II — for immigration enforcement is yet another unlawful and brazen power grab. 
    “Let’s be clear: we are not at war, and immigrants are not invading our country. Furthermore, courts determine whether people have broken the law — not a president acting alone, and not immigration agents picking and choosing who gets imprisoned or deported. It’s what our Constitution demands, and it’s the law Trump is bound by no matter how much he tries to mislead the American people otherwise. These protections are there to help ensure U.S. citizens aren’t wrongfully deported, or people who haven’t committed a crime aren’t wrongfully punished. 
    “A District Court issued a temporary restraining order to block the Administration’s use of this wartime law, and ordered deportation flights already underway to return to the US. We cannot allow Trump to flout the rules and due process. 
    “All of us, including the courts, must continue to hold this Administration accountable, and prevent the Trump Administration from taking us down a dark and dangerous road.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Bring More Doctors to Nevada

    US Senate News:

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

    Every County In Nevada Is Experiencing A Shortage Of Medical Professionals
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and John Boozman (R-AR) introduced a bipartisan bill to bring more doctors to areas currently facing severe shortages, like Nevada. The bipartisan Physicians for Underserved Areas Act would revise the graduate medical education process to increase the likelihood of areas with physician shortages getting more medical residency slots after hospital closures take place elsewhere in the country. Every county in Nevada is experiencing a shortage of medical professionals, and in 2024, Nevada was ranked 45th in the nation with regard to the availability of physicians per 100,000 residents.
    “The dire shortage of doctors in our state is hurting Nevadans’ ability to get quality medical care,” said Senator Rosen. “We know that when more doctors train in our communities, they are more likely to stay here. That’s why I’m working across the aisle to bring more doctors to Nevada by increasing medical residency slots. I’ll keep working on commonsense solutions to ensure families can access affordable, quality health care.”
    “Rural communities in Arkansas and across the country continue to face health care challenges starting with a lack of available medical providers,” said Senator Boozman. “I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan solution to ensure more medical school graduates practice in the communities that desperately need them so all Americans, no matter where they live, get the care they need.”
    “At the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, we recognize the critical need to expand Graduate Medical Education (GME) opportunities to address physician shortages in underserved areas,” said Marc J. Kahn, Dean of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “The Physicians for Underserved Areas Act is a crucial step toward ensuring that residency slots are redistributed in a way that prioritizes communities with the greatest need. By streamlining the process and expediting the timeline for GME slot reallocation, this legislation will help fill gaps in healthcare access and strengthen our medical workforce. We fully support this bipartisan effort led by Senator Rosen and Senator Boozman and appreciate their commitment to improving healthcare for all.”
    “Nevada continues to struggle with expanding residency positions to address enduring physician workforce shortages,” said Dr. John Packham, Associate Dean of the University of Nevada, Reno’s School of Medicine. “This important legislation will support efforts by medical schools and teaching hospitals across the state to expand graduate medical education opportunities to prepare and retain tomorrow’s doctors in Nevada.”
    “It is critically important for a clear and immediate pathway to exist from medical school to residency in areas with physician shortages or that are otherwise underserved,” said Dr. Renee Coffman, Co-Founder and President of Roseman University. “Without adequate GME spots, future doctors have no practical ability to stay in communities that need them most. Roseman University thanks Senators Rosen and Boozman for the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act and for their continued efforts in supporting the growth of the health care workforce.”
    “The Nevada Primary Care Association, representing the state’s Community Health Centers, is grateful to Senator Rosen for re-introducing this important legislation,” said Nancy Bowen, CEO of the Nevada Primary Care Association. “Nevada has been blessed with rapid population growth throughout its modern history, but this has come at a cost of persistent and profound health provider shortages. The Physicians for Underserved Areas Act is an important step to increasing the number of providers who are trained in the state and stay to deliver health care to our residents.”
    “The National Rural Health Association strongly supports the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act as a critical step in addressing physician shortages in rural communities,” said Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association. “By ensuring that unused residency slots are swiftly redistributed to hospitals that need them most, this bill will help strengthen the rural health workforce and expand access to care in underserved areas. We applaud Senators Rosen and Boozman for their leadership in advancing policies that prioritize rural patients and providers, and we urge Congress to move quickly on this important legislation.”
    Senator Rosen is working to address Nevada’s health care professional shortage and improve medical care access in the state. Last week, she introduced the  bipartisan REDI Act to increase the number of doctors and dentists in underserved areas by allowing them to defer student loan payments without interest until the completion of their residency or internship programs. Last month, she introduced the bipartisan Train More Nurses Act to address the nursing shortage affecting communities across the nation. Rosen’s bipartisan Maximizing Health Outcomes through Better Investments in Lifesaving Equipment for (MOBILE) Health Care Act was signed into law in 2022 to allow community health centers to use federal funds to establish new mobile health care units to increase access to health care services in rural and underserved communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Joins Colleagues in Demanding Trump Administration Reverse Major Cuts to Food Assistance for Schools

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) joined Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and 29 of their colleagues in demanding the Department of Agriculture reverse its cancellation of food purchase programs across the United States, warning of the harmful impacts this move will have on both families and American farmers. Nevada utilizes these federal funds to support the state’s food bank network and school nutrition programs by purchasing local foods from farmers and producers in Nevada, benefiting students, families, and the local economy.
    “We write to express serious concerns regarding the cancellation of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs supporting local and regional food purchases providing assistance to those in need,” wrote the Senators. “These successful programs, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS), allow states, territories, and Tribes to purchase local foods from nearby farmers and ranchers to be used for emergency food providers, schools, and child care centers.”
    “At a time when food insecurity remains high, providing affordable, fresh food to food banks and families while supporting American farmers is critical,” they continued. “We have grave concerns that the cancellation of LFPA and LFS poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country.”
    The full letter can be found HERE.
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have been vocal opponents of the Trump Administration’s efforts to cut critical programs Nevadans rely on all while trying to give further tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. The Senators have pushed multiple Departments under the Trump Administration for detailed, public information regarding the impacts of President Trump’s federal funding freeze, hiring freeze, and terminations on Nevada – including to the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and the General Services Administration. Earlier this year, Rosen and Cortez Masto urged the Department of the Interior to immediately cease its freeze of Inflation Reduction Act funding for the Lower Colorado River System Conservation and Efficiency Program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock Rebukes Deputy Treasury Secretary Nominee’s Perception of Georgians on Medicaid, Opposes Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock Rebukes Deputy Treasury Secretary Nominee’s Perception of Georgians on Medicaid, Opposes Nomination

    Following Dr. Michael Faulkender’s previous statements that Georgians on Medicaid need to be “self-sufficient,” Senator Reverend Warnock highlighted the range of Georgians who rely on Medicaid, including children, working people, seniors in nursing homes, and one in 10 veterans 

    Faulkender is nominated by the Trump Administration to be the Deputy Treasury Secretary

    Senator Reverend Warnock highlighted how Medicaid recipients receive more scrutiny than Elon Musk, who has received $38 billion in government grants, loans, and subsidies

    Earlier this year, Senator Reverend Warnock also opposed Scott Bessent’s nomination to become Treasury Secretary, due to Bessent’s steadfast commitment to protecting tax cuts for the nation’s wealthiest

    Senator Reverend Warnock during the hearing: “Who does he [Dr. Michael Faulkender] think should be self-sufficient? Should children and seniors in nursing homes, veterans? One in 10 veterans are enrolled in Medicaid. People with mental illness or substance [use] Who is he talking about?” 

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) pushed back against the misperception of Medicaid recipients during a Senate Finance Executive Session before opposing Dr. Michael Faulkender’s nomination to become the Deputy Treasury Secretary in the Trump Administration. Senator Warnock cited several issues with Faulkender’s nomination, most notably Faulkender’s perception of Americans that are on Medicaid. Last week, Faulkender suggested Georgia Medicaid recipients, including children, veterans, seniors in nursing homes, people struggling with addiction, and people working full time simply needed to become “self-sufficient.” 

    “I am disappointed that Dr. Faulkender does not seem understand or care about the concerns of hard-working Georgia families, the people I know,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “When we talked about Washington Republicans plans to cut Medicaid, and I asked the nominee his thoughts, he suggested that people just need to “Be self-sufficient” and just get better jobs with better benefits.”

    After defending the many Georgians and millions of hardworking Americans on Medicaid, Senator Warnock highlighted that Elon Musk, the leader in slashing government spending, accepted over $38 billion in government contracts, loans, subsidies and tax credits.

    “These folks have jobs and responsibilities, they are construction workers, restaurant workers, home caregivers, farmhands, and they are doing exactly want the nominee wants them to do, but he and Washington Republicans want to kick them off of Medicaid anyway,” continued Senator Warnock. “Who else does this nominee think should be self-sufficient? I wonder if he thinks Elon Musk should be self-sufficient? He has received $38 billion in government contracts, government loans, government subsidies and tax credits.”

    Earlier this year, Senator Warnock also opposed now Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s nomination. During the hearing Senator Warnock grilled Bessent on his glaring commitment to tax cuts for exclusively the nation’s wealthiest. Bessent indicated there wasn’t any high level of income which he wouldn’t continue to provide tax cuts for, including Americans making upwards to $1 billion.

    Senator Warnock has always been a champion for tax cuts, credits, and programs that support working families and fought to make sure the nation’s wealthiest pay their fair share. Senator Warnock fought to secure the Expanded Child Tax Credit as part of the American Rescue Plan and has advocated to make the Expanded CTC permanent in the effort to slash child poverty in Georgia and across America.

    Watch the Senator’s full remarks HERE.

    See below a transcript of Senator Warnock’s remarks on his vote opposing Michael Faulkender’s nomination: 

    Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): “A week like this in Washington a reminds me of why I return every week to my pulpit. Spending time with people in my church and all across my community. They are the folks who keep me grounded. These are the folk who are seeing their paychecks buy less and less, while the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. These are ordinary people who I am thinking about when I consider whether Congress should spend trillions of dollars on a huge tax cut that overwhelmingly benefits millionaires and billionaires while the entire half of working families pick up the tab through cuts to their health care. In addition to that, blow a $4.5 trillion hole in the debt.”

    “I am disappointed that Dr. Faulkender does not seem understand or care about the concerns of hard-working Georgia families, the people I know. When we talked about Washington Republicans plans to cut Medicaid, and I asked the nominee his thoughts, he suggested that people just need to “Be self-sufficient” and just get better jobs with better benefits.”

    “I was raised by a dad who poured into me a serious work ethic, so I believe in self-sufficiency. Almost all of the adults on Medicaid are either working, or in school, or they are caregivers. If they can work, they do work. These folks have jobs and responsibilities, they are construction workers, restaurant servers, home caregivers, farmhands, and they are doing exactly want this nominee wants them to do, but he and Washington Republicans want to kick them off of Medicaid anyway. Who else does this nominee think should be self-sufficient? I wonder if he thinks Elon Musk should be self-sufficient?”

    “He has received $38 billion in government contracts, government loans, government subsidies and tax credits. Who does he think should be self-sufficient? Should children? And seniors in nursing homes, veterans? One in 10 veterans are enrolled in Medicaid. People with mental illness or substance [use]? Who is he talking about?”

    “Let’s be clear. If folks want to have a serious, bipartisan conversation about reducing our debt, I am all in on the conversation. I am deeply worried about the debt that we will leave our children and our grandchildren, as the father of two young children myself. If you want to have a conversation about that, I am ready. If you want to have a conversation about lowering health care costs, I am ready to do it in a bipartisan way. But, I am unwilling to give a hand out to the wealthiest people in our country while blowing a huge hole in the debt.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Push Back on Proposed Cuts to Disaster Programs Helping Georgians Recover From Helene

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Push Back on Proposed Cuts to Disaster Programs Helping Georgians Recover From Helene

    In a new letter, Senator Reverend Warnock led 42 of his colleagues in an effort to push back against U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner’s proposed cuts to disaster recovery programs

    HUD disaster recovery programs help rebuild houses and small businesses, repair roads and bridges, restore clean drinking water service, and invest in workforce development for Georgians who’ve lost jobs

    Georgia is scheduled to receive $256 million under the HUD program for Helene and Milton recovery

    The cuts would reduce the number of employees at the HUD office responsible for getting disaster relief directly to Georgians and Americans from 936 to 150 – an 84% reduction

    The proposed cuts come as Georgia and several other states throughout the Southeast are in the midst of the recovery process following Hurricanes Helene and Milton

    Senator Reverend Warnock recently called for the Trump Administration to distribute federal disaster assistance for Georgia farmers that Congress secured after Hurricane Helene

    Senator Reverend Warnock has been outspoken on aimless cuts to key government agencies, departments, and federal programs that hardworking Americans rely on

    Senator Reverend Warnock, lawmakers: “The CDBG-DR [disaster recovery] program is critical to our states’ ability to recover from natural disasters, and it is essential that HUD distributes funding as quickly and efficiently as possible”

    Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led an effort with 42 of his Senate colleagues pushing back on U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner’s proposed cuts to crucial disaster recovery programs that are under the umbrella of HUD.

    The cuts would reduce employees at HUD’s office of Community Planning and Development, which administers the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program, a crucial pot of funding that helps impacted communities with disaster recovery following extreme weather events like hurricanes. Under this program, Georgia is scheduled to receive $256 million for Helene and Milton recovery, which would likely be in jeopardy due to the cuts.

    This disaster relief work includes rebuilding houses and small businesses, repairing roads and bridges, restoring water services, and investing in workforce development for Georgians who’ve lost jobs. The proposed employee reduction at HUD is roughly 84%, a massive drop from 936 to 150, and would likely impede the hurricane recovery process in Georgia.

    “Communities across the country experienced significant natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. States across the South—including Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia—were devastated by Hurricanes Milton and Helene,” wrote the Senators. “CDBG-DR provides states, cities, counties, and Tribes with funding to support recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters.”

    The news of the proposed cuts comes as Georgia is still in the midst of the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene. Senators Warnock and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) recently called for the Trump Administration to distribute federal disaster assistance for Georgia farmers that Congress secured after Hurricane Helene.

    “Specifically, you [Secretary Turner] stated that “one of [your] top priorities” as HUD Secretary would “be to ensure that the disaster recovery funding passed by Congress gets out to communities swiftly” and “into the hands of Americans who have been impacted by recent disasters.”  Your statements indicated a strong commitment to providing our disaster-impacted communities with the resources they need, but we are concerned that recent actions at the Department have not matched that verbal commitment,” the Senators continued.

    “We urge you to immediately stop any additional cuts to the workforce and contracts involved in disaster recovery oversight, and reinstate any recently terminated probationary staff,” the lawmakers concluded.

    In November of last year, Senator Reverend Warnock, Congressional Appropriators, and Governor Brian Kemp requested $3 billion in CDBG-DR funding for Georgia’s recovery from Hurricane Helene. Additionally, Senator Warnock has pushed back on several efforts, spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, to aimlessly cut key government agencies, departments, and federal programs that hardworking Americans rely on. Senator Warnock fought back against cuts to Medicaid in the tax bill proposed by Washington Republicans, spoke out when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was effectively closed, and most recently warned Georgians of the impact when the announcement of five Georgia Social Security Administration offices would be closed.

    Read the letter HERE and below.

    Dear Secretary Turner:

    We write today regarding our concerns that recent actions taken by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are hampering our states’ ability to access Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds, and could degrade the ability to recover from both current and future disasters. The CDBG-DR program is critical to our states’ ability to recover from natural disasters, and it is essential that HUD distributes funding as quickly and efficiently as possible. We request additional information on your plans to ensure that communities continue to receive the resources they need to rebuild.

    Communities across the country experienced significant natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. States across the South—including Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia—were devastated by Hurricanes Milton and Helene, while Alaska, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Illinois experienced severe storms. States in the Northeast— including Vermont and Massachusetts —faced life-threatening floods, while states in the West —including California, Washington State, and Hawaii—saw catastrophic wildfires.

    CDBG-DR provides states, cities, counties, and Tribes with funding to support recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters. In December 2024, Congress appropriated $12 billion in emergency supplemental CDBG-DR funding. During your confirmation process, you made clear that, if confirmed, you would prioritize getting our constituents CDBG-DR funding as quickly as possible. Specifically, you stated that “one of [your] top priorities” as HUD Secretary would “be to ensure that the disaster recovery funding passed by Congress gets out to communities swiftly” and “into the hands of Americans who have been impacted by recent disasters.”  Your statements indicated a strong commitment to providing our disaster-impacted communities with the resources they need, but we are concerned that recent actions at the Department have not matched that verbal commitment.

    For years, the HUD Office of Inspector General listed disaster recovery oversight as a top management challenge at HUD, noting the need for systems and staff to keep pace with increases in CDBG-DR funding, as well as the need to build the capacity of CDBG-DR grantees. The latest Top Management Challenges report highlighted multiple ways in which HUD has made “meaningful progress,” largely due to the investment Congress has made over the years to support staff, systems, and capacity building. Over the last week, however more than one thousand HUD employees (13% of HUD’s workforce) were fired or accepted the Administration’s deferred resignation offer – including staff supporting the CDBG-DR program. Furthermore, according to recent reports, HUD “plans to discharge 50% of its overall workforce”, and the Office of Community Planning and Development, which is responsible for supporting disaster recovery efforts, is targeted for a staggering 84% cut.  Should such cuts move forward, it is unclear how the Department will continue to ensure the efficient delivery of CDBG-DR funds so our states and communities can continue to rebuild after devastating disasters. 

    HUD has also postponed previously scheduled trainings designed to help grantees understand CDBG-DR program requirements, and it is not clear when those trainings will resume.  Moreover, continued uncertainty on whether and the extent to which HUD may change the current Universal Notice governing the latest allocations from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025 (Public Law 118-158) could cause additional delays. At least one grantee has already started accepting public comments on their draft action plan. Any major deviations from current requirements could be a huge setback for communities, adding months to recovery efforts. 

    We urge you to immediately stop any additional cuts to the workforce and contracts involved in disaster recovery oversight, and reinstate any recently terminated probationary staff.

    To help us better understand the current status of the CDBG-DR program and your plans to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of CDBG-DR funds for our states and others across the country, we request information to the following questions no later than Monday, March 24, 2025:

    1. All grantees who received allocations from Public Law 118-158 have been using the CDBG-DR Universal Notice to develop their action plans.
      1. Do you intend to make changes to the Universal Notice?
      2. If so, how will HUD do that in a way that is minimally disruptive to the grantees whose actions plans are underway and to avoid delaying assistance?
      3. What is HUD’s timeline for reissuing the second allocation notice for Public Law 118-158 funding that was posted to the Federal Register for public inspection on January 21, 2025 but withdrawn on January 22, 2025?
    1. How many HUD employees were responsible for supporting the implementation of the CDBG-DR program, including the delivery of recently appropriated supplemental funding, on January 20, 2025? Please delineate by field versus headquarters and employee status (e.g., career, conditional, term, etc.).
    1. How many HUD employees are responsible for supporting the implementation of the CDBG-DR program, including the delivery of recently appropriated supplemental funding, on[March 17, 2025]? Please delineate by field versus headquarters and employee status (e.g., career, conditional, term, etc.).
    1. What additional plans, if any, does the Department have to further reduce the number of HUD employees responsible for implementing the CDBG-DR program?
    1. What analyses, if any, has HUD conducted to assess the impact of any proposed or implemented workforce reductions on the Department’s ability to implement CDBG-DR funding? Please provide copies of any written communications, analyses, and other documentation on how workforce reductions could impact the CDBG-DR program produced between January 21, 2025, and [March 17, 2025].
    1. What services, such as trainings and the provision of technical assistance, was HUD providing to CDBG-DR grantees on January 20, 2025?
    1. What services, if any, is HUD currently providing to CDBG-DR grantees? What changes, if any, have occurred to the services provided to CDBG-DR grantees since January 20, 2025?
    1. What additional plans, if any, does the Department have to alter the available services provided to CDBG-DR grantees? 
    1. Have any contracts related to the CDBG-DR program been terminated since January 20, 2025, as a result of the ongoing review of the ongoing reviews of HUD programs?  If so, please detail which contracts, the reason for termination, and the plan for addressing the contracted work, if applicable.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, DeLauro, Baldwin Demand Detailed Answers on Trump Admin’s Sweeping Mass Firings at Department of Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Top appropriators press McMahon on how the Department will carry out requirements of federal law and its critical responsibilities despite far-reaching, illegal firings of approximately 50% of staff

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, sent a letter to the Department of Education (ED) demanding detailed answers 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.

    “We write to request your immediate response to questions we have raised about actions taken by the Department of Education and additional questions related to the massive reduction in force announced on March 11,” write the lawmakers. Citing the wide scope of responsibilities the Department is required by bipartisan laws to undertake to help students learn and thrive, the top appropriators in the Senate and House add: “Recent actions of the Department appear to undermine the Department’s obligation under these laws.”

    “The staff at the Department provide real services that impact the daily lives of students and their families from enforcing students’ civil rights and providing transparent information on how our schools are doing to processing critical aid such as Pell Grants to helping low-income students all over our nation attend college and further their careers,” Murray, DeLauro, and Baldwin write. “Firing the people that ensure states, school districts, and institutions of higher education live up to their legal obligations is neither efficient nor accountable.”

    In the letter, the lawmakers note that the Department’s staffing levels have largely remained flat in recent years despite significant growth in the programs it administers and the responsibilities it carries out. They write that the mass layoffs and other detrimental actions risk major reductions in support for and oversight of 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 the lawmakers sent alongside colleagues demanding answers about the chaotic, harmful actions taken by ED since January—which the Department has yet to respond to.

    “Given the profound change to staff, budgets, and agency operations promised by this administration, it is critical that we receive additional information on these staffing reductions and changes to agency operations,” conclude Murray, DeLauro, and Baldwin before posing a series of detailed questions. “The President’s disregard for appropriations and other laws and the need for stability and productivity in government creates an imperative for the Department to provide accurate, timely responses on its use and planned use of taxpayer resources provided by the laws passed by Congress.”

    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

    The Honorable Linda McMahon Secretary U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC  20202 Dr. Matthew Soldner Acting Director Institute of Education Sciences 550 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20024

    Dear Secretary McMahon and Acting Director Soldner:

    We write to request your immediate response to questions we have raised about actions taken by the Department of Education (“the Department”) and additional questions related to the massive reduction in force announced on March 11, 2025.  We believe the Department plays a critical role in fulfilling the purpose of our Constitution to “promote the general welfare of the United States” and strongly support the purposes Congress established for the Department to ensure equal access to educational opportunity, including by administering education programs and carrying out important functions established in law and funded each year by Congress.  However, recent actions of the Department appear to undermine the Department’s obligation under these laws, despite your statement on March 11th that “Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to ensuring efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: students, parents and teachers.”[1]

    According to the Department’s most recent Congressional justifications and prior to this administration’s personnel actions, staffing levels at the Department were largely unchanged from 2016 despite the fact that the discretionary budget for the Department’s programs increased by 16.5 percent and the federal student loan portfolio grew by more than 30 percent between 2016 and 2024.[2] Further, the Department has the smallest staff of the 15 cabinet agencies despite representing the government’s third largest discretionary budget after the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services.[3] The Department also said that it had been tasked with “addressing some of the greatest challenges facing public education today: academic acceleration, students’ well-being and mental health, chronic absenteeism, school safety, and emerging and changing pathways from high school to college and career,” and, “modernizing and improving the entire student aid process to better help students and families, as well as implementing major legislation, including the FAFSA Simplification Act and FUTURE Act.”[4] The staff at the Department provide real services that impact the daily lives of students and their families from enforcing students’ civil rights and providing transparent information on how our schools are doing to processing critical aid such as Pell Grants to helping low-income students all over our nation attend college and further their careers. Firing the people that ensure states, school districts, and institutions of higher education live up to their legal obligations is neither efficient nor accountable.

    We are very concerned that the Department’s staffing reductions will result in significant reductions in the support and oversight of critical Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requirements for state and local educational agencies (SEAs/LEAs) to provide school report cards on the achievement of students, qualifications of teachers, and per-pupil spending in understandable and uniform formats. This is critical information parents, families, and communities need to have about their public schools and public school options that might be available.  The ESEA also requires states to use a portion of Title I-A for grants to implement school support and improvement activities in the lowest performing schools and in schools with historically underserved student subgroups performing significantly lower than other subgroups of students, including through evidence-based interventions.  However, the Department’s recent elimination of federally supported assistance used by SEAs and LEAs to effectively implement these requirements and limited state capacity will likely prevent effective implementation in many states and schools .[5][6][7][8] When combined with these massive staffing reductions, we are concerned that the Department’s ability to monitor or support implementation of the law will be nearly non-existent, leaving students and families with the long-term consequences for the Department’s short-sighted actions. 

    We are concerned that students with disabilities will also be harmed by the Department’s actions.  The Department is required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to monitor and support effective implementation of IDEA requirements.  This includes the evaluation of results and outcomes for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities through the State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report processes intended to improve results and outcomes for more than seven million children with disabilities.[9] It is not clear to us how effective oversight will be conducted at the significantly lower staffing levels created by the Department’s recent actions.

    The Department is also required by law to operate federal student aid programs and conduct oversight and enforcement of colleges and universities to ensure access to postsecondary education for our nation’s students and to help make college more affordable for American families.[10] Some of these responsibilities include ensuring students can apply for Pell grants and other financial aid to go to college, ensuring colleges and universities have the information and resources they need to disburse such aid to students, ensuring colleges and universities protect students’ civil rights, certifying universities compliance with administrative and fiscal rules to ensure low-quality colleges and universities cannot participate in Title IV aid programs, overseeing and approving accreditors, and protecting students and taxpayers from fraudulent universities that leave students with worthless degrees and debt. The vast reduction in force across the office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), the Office of General Counsel (OGC), and other offices puts all of this work in jeopardy.

    However, your stated commitment to ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most rings hollow to us.  Our actions should absolutely start with supporting students, just as we have directed through our federal education laws. The guiding purpose is to direct federal resources so all students have access to a high-quality education and schools close achievement gaps.  For example, our laws include maintenance of effort requirements that generally prohibit SEAs and LEAs from reducing their support for education after receiving federal funds and only use federal funds to supplement, not supplant other funds.[11] It’s the Department’s statutorily required job to enforce these responsibilities.[12][13]  Moreover, ESEA requires school districts receiving Title I-A funds to reserve a sufficient amount of these funds to identify and meet the needs of students experiencing homelessness. The Department has taken important steps in recent years to increase oversight of this provision and planned additional monitoring and technical assistance in fiscal year (FY) 2025.[14]  Without the effective oversight and support of Department staff, we are concerned that students may not benefit from the additional federal resources Congress requires to be made available to identify and meet their needs.

    The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces the nation’s civil rights laws in federally-funded education programs.  Disability discrimination is typically the most frequent complaint received by OCR.[15] While OCR received the highest number of complaints in its history last year—and nearly three times the level in 2009—its staffing declined from 629 to 588 during this period.[16]  Reporting also indicates that a change in priorities at OCR since January 20, 2025, has stalled work on investigations of disability complaints, preventing timely consideration of such complaints and appropriate remedies.[17]  We are greatly concerned that the Department’s personnel actions will only add to delays in remedies that would provide students with disabilities the access to free appropriate education in the least restrict environment as required by federal law.

    Given the profound change to staff, budgets, and agency operations promised by this administration, it is critical that we receive additional information on these staffing reductions and changes to agency operations.[18] The President’s disregard for appropriations and other laws and the need for stability and productivity in government creates an imperative for the Department to provide accurate, timely responses on its use and planned use of taxpayer resources provided by the laws passed by Congress. Finally, we expect all of the questions below are ones the Department itself would have already considered before making significant staffing reductions. We request you provide written answers to the following questions as soon as possible, but not later than, March 21, 2025:

    1. For each program office[19] and in total by appropriation, please provide the number of staff terminated as a result of the March 11, 2025 reduction in force.
      1. What are total expected savings in salaries and benefits in FY2025? 
      2. What share of the Department’s FY2024 budget do these savings represent?
      3. How many remaining staff at the Department were assigned additional duties as a result of staffing reductions since January 20, 2025?
      4. What is the average number of new duties assigned to remaining staff?
      5. Please provide a complete list of office teams terminated as a result of the March 11, 2025 staffing reductions and other staffing reductions and the specific responsibilities of those terminated teams transferred to other office teams.
    1. Please explain how the reduction in force announced on March 11, 2025 reflects a commitment to each of the following as claimed in Secretary McMahon’s statement accompanying the announcement:
      1. How will these staff reductions ensure “that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers”?  Please provide three examples and the analysis supporting the expected changes.      
      2. How do these reductions reflect the Department’s “commitment to… accountability”?  Please provide three examples and the analysis supporting the expected changes.
      3. How do these reductions reflect the Department’s “commitment to efficiency”?  Please provide three examples and the analysis supporting the expected changes.  Further, please explain how the Department’s decisions to cancel evaluation contracts that help us understand what is working and terminate Department grants and contracts that support the development and implementation of evidence-based solutions to challenges identified by state and local education leaders promotes efficiency. 
    1. For the Office for Civil Rights, please provide the number of investigative staff on board after all of the Department’s personnel actions taken since January 20, 2025, including the March 11, 2025 reduction.
      1. Please provide the number of such staff in total and for each region for the immediately preceding pay period to the date including January 20, 2025.
      2. Please provide the average caseload for such staff for the immediately preceding pay period to the date including January 20, 2025 and after all of the Department’s personnel actions taken since January 20, 2025, including the March 11, 2025 reductions.
      3. Please provide the number of complaints pending investigation as of March 11, 2025.
      4. Please provide the number of resolution agreements requiring monitoring for implementation of corrective actions as of March 11, 2025 and September 30, 2024.  What is the average caseload for such work as of September 30, 2024 and after implementation of staffing reductions?    
      5. Please describe any changes planned to OCR’s current Case Processing Manual and explain how each change would improve civil right protections for students attending federally-funded educational institutions.
      6. Please describe any organizational changes planned and explain how each change would improve civil right protections for students attending federally-funded educational institutions. 
    1. In FY2024, the Department was directed to increase its monitoring efforts in order to ensure compliance with the ESEA. However, it appears, as of today, the Department has only completed three consolidated monitoring reports conducted in FY2024 and none in FY2025.[20]
      1. How many ESEA consolidated monitoring visits did the Department complete in FY2024?  When can we expect to see those consolidated monitoring reports made public in order to understand compliance with the law?
      2. How many ESEA consolidated monitoring visits is the Department conducting in FY2025?  When can we expect to see those consolidated monitoring reports made public in order to understand compliance with the law?
      3. How many ESEA consolidated monitoring visits is the Department planning to conduct in FY2026?  When can we expect to see those consolidated monitoring reports made public in order to understand compliance with the law?
      4. How many ESEA targeted monitoring visits is the Department conducting in FY2025?  On what specific requirements of ESEA is the Department conducting this monitoring, and in how many states?  If no such monitoring is planned, please explain why the Department is not conducting targeting monitoring necessary to understand compliance with the law?
      5. How many ESEA targeted monitoring visits is the Department planning to conduct in FY2026? On what specific requirements of ESEA is the Department planning to conduct this monitoring, and in how many states?  If no such monitoring is planned, please explain why the Department is not conducting targeting monitoring necessary to understand compliance with the law?
      6. Please update the monitoring findings in the August 29, 2024 Report to Congress on school improvement[21] to include the status of implementation of each of the actions required and recommendations in the report. 
    1. For the last five years, the Department has conducted an annual review in January of each state’s website to check whether the state has posted state and local report cards, reviewed a subset of ESEA requirements, and followed up with states on noncompliance with requirements. This information is essential to help parents and families understand the resources available at each school, the quality of the school’s educator workforce, and performance of their school.
      1. Has the Department completed this review of each state’s website this year as it has for each of the past five years?  If not, why not?  If so, which subset of requirements was the focus of its review?
      2. How many states has the Department identified the need for corrective actions and engaged states on its findings and plans to remedy noncompliance?   If none, please explain why.
      3. What is the expected timeline for redress of each instance of noncompliance?
    1. The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act requires states that receive ESEA Title I funding to participate in state National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments in reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8 every two years.  This is important information for parents, families, state and local education policymakers, and federal policymakers on performance of students. In fact, has been cited by this administration as it argues the low NAEP test results are a result of Democrats diverting attention from American students.[22]
    1. Please provide copies of all documents, electronic communications, records, and meeting notes of Department staff from January 20, 2025 through the date of this letter that relate to NAEP.
    2. Please provide an assurance that none of the Department’s actions since January 20, 2025 were inconsistent with the requirements of National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act.
    3. Please provide an assurance that no federal funds will be used in contravention of the requirements of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act.
    4. Please provide an assurance that none of the Department’s actions since January 20, 2025 will alter the validity or reliability of NAEP assessments on the currently approved schedule, including the national assessment required under section 303 of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act.
    5. Please explain the unprecedented decision made earlier this year to cancel the scheduled long-term trend assessment outside of a period of a national emergency.
    1. The Department has critical oversight, support, and technical assistance obligations under the IDEA.
      1. Please provide the number of staff on-board whose job includes responsibilities for Results Driven Accountability activities as of the pay period including January 1, 2025 and the number of such staff upon full implementation of the Department’s March 11, 2025 staffing reductions.
      2. Please identify the timeline for completion of the 2025 and 2026 determinations under IDEA.
    1. The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 ushered in critical changes about the effective use of data and timely development and use of relevant evidence in federal policymaking.  We have consistently supported the Department’s work, which has been recognized for its progress and achievement in this area.[23]
      1. Please provide the number of staff in the Grants Policy Office of the Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development as of September 30, 2024 and after the staffing reductions announced on March 11, 2025.  Please describe the specific actions supported by the revised staffing level to undertake work required to advance evidence based policy making, the inclusion of priorities for evidence in discretionary grant programs, support for the use of evidence in formula grant programs, and building of staff capacity to support a culture of evidence at the Department.
      2. Please identify any changes to the staffing, policies, and work of the Evidence Leadership Group as compared to September 30, 2024.  Please share analysis, as applicable, related to the Department’s belief that these changes will better promote the development and use of evidence in the Department’s policymaking and formula and discretionary grant programs.
    1. In 2020, Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act to modernize and streamline the FAFSA to make it easier for students and their families to apply for federal financial aid to attend postsecondary education. Initial implementation of the law was flawed and led to a chaotic launch of the 2024-2025 FAFSA. Due to a lot of hard work by dedicated Department staff, the roll out of the 2025-2026 FAFSA went more smoothly, yet more remains to be done to ensure the effective implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act and the FUTURE Act. Your staff indicated that the March 11th reduction in force would not impact the ability of students to apply for financial aid,[24] but in reality, it took very little time to show how cuts to Department staff could hurt the functionality of the FAFSA. On March 12th, the FAFSA form had an unscheduled outage of approximately five hours and fired staff had limited access to their computers or phones to help get FAFSA back online.[25] The Department stated the cause of the outage was ”Planned Maintenance,” but when the entire team responsible for systems supporting the FAFSA form[26] was subject to the reduction in force, it calls into question whether that is an accurate representation of what happened to the FAFSA on March 12. Additionally, former Department staff have noted that among those fired on March 11th was a team that worked on FAFSA completion workshops, among other responsibilities, also calling into question whether critical work to boost FAFSA completion rates under the previous administration will continue.[27]
      1. Please describe how the staff reductions will impact the ability of students to apply for financial aid or limit the full functionality of the FAFSA form, including FAFSA processing, school receipt of processed FAFSAs, processing of paper FAFSAs, and FAFSA correction functionality for applicants, institutions of higher education, and states.
      2. Given the substantial cuts to Department staff who manage vendors that implement critical parts of the FAFSA, please describe how remaining Department staff will adequately manage, coordinate across, and oversee these vendors so that functionality for the FAFSA and its data center is maintained.
      3. Please describe how the Department will continue developing the 2026-2027 FAFSA and ensure an October 1st launch as required by Congress.
      4. Please describe how the Department will engage in communication efforts with students and their families to ensure they know federal financial aid is available to them and the FAFSA form is available to fill out.
      5. Please describe how you will continue to report on important FAFSA submission and completion data and maintain monthly briefings for Congress.
      6. Given the large cuts to FSA in this week’s reduction in force, please provide a staffing plan that details which staff will be reassigned to cover the work of those employees who are departing and involved in implementation of the FAFSA to ensure that student aid will continue to be disbursed without interruption.
      7. Please describe how any changes in availability of the call center, including weekend and evening hours, will be sufficient to answer questions from FAFSA applicants and students with questions about their student loans.
      8. Please describe how the Department will meet its statutory requirements to support applicants in the most common languages spoken in the United States?
    1. In FY24, FSA oversaw the disbursement of more than $120 billion in federal financial aid to more than 9 million students across the country and managed $1.6 trillion in student loans held by approximately 45 million borrowers.[28] To help implement the FAFSA and provide student loan services, the Department contracts with vendors and is responsible for ensuring the quality of the work those contractors provide.
      1. According to public reporting, many of the Department staff who oversee these contractors were terminated through the reduction in force.[29] How does the Department plan to oversee the vendors and contractors who are providing these services to student borrowers?
      2. Please describe how the Department will work to uphold strong loan servicing standards across the agency’s vendors.
      3. Reports also indicate that Department staff have met with staff from the Treasury Department to discuss moving the student loan portfolio to the Treasury Department,[30] a change that only Congress can make.[31] Please describe organizational changes being contemplated as they relate to the student loan portfolio and how they comply with current statutory requirements.
    1. Reports indicate that the Ombudsman Group, which helps resolve discrepancies with student loans, helps students identify the right loan repayment option for them, and helps settle disputes between student loan borrowers and their servicers, among other issues,[32]  was deeply affected by the March 11th reduction in force.[33] In the last year, over 130,000 complaints[34] were submitted to FSA and the Student Loan Ombudsman.
      1. What are the Department’s plans to ensure that student loan borrowers are still able to get the support they need when with the wide variety of issues the Ombudsman Group handled?
      2. Will the Department maintain the online portal for student borrowers to submit complaints regarding their student loans and if so, which office at the Department will be tasked with responding to those complaints?
    1. The Borrower Defense to Repayment unit also appears to have been severely impacted by the March 11th reduction in force.[35] As you know, these Department staff review student loan relief applications from student borrowers who were misled or defrauded by the school. Borrower Defense to Repayment is a protection that has been authorized by Congress in the Higher Education Act[36] and provides student borrowers relief from their federal student loans that were taken out under fraudulent, misleading, or illegal acts of their schools. As of 2023, approximately 770,000 student borrowers applied for Borrower Defense to Repayment.[37]
      1. What is the Department’s plan to ensure that it will carry out the statutory requirement to adjudicate the current remaining Borrower Defense to Repayment claims?
      2. With such severe cuts to the people who worked in the Borrower Defense to Repayment unit, please describe how the Department will ensure that current and future student borrowers will be able to submit claims and have them adjudicated in a timely fashion going forward.
      3. What proportion of the remaining staff will be responsible for fulfilling the Sweet settlement, and how will the Department ensure borrowers not included in the settlement are also able to file claims and have them resolved accordingly?
    1. The Higher Education Act requires the Department to carry out numerous oversight responsibilities over the thousands of institutions of higher education that seek to participate in the Title IV program, including eligibility and certification requirements, program reviews, and enforcement of program participation agreements. These requirements help ensure institutions of higher education are on sound financial footing and abide by all requirements of Title IV.
      1. Please describe how the Department will continue to carry out the work of the School Eligibility and Oversight Service Group (SEOSG), including ensuring institutions of higher education can submit initial and updated applications, recertifications, letters of credit, and documents related to program reviews.
      2. Please describe how the reductions in the SEOSG will impact the caseloads of remaining staff at the Department conducting this important oversight work and not lead to increased waste, fraud, and abuse in the Title IV program.
      3. How many program reviews does the Department estimate remaining staff will be able to conduct in FY2025, given the staffing cuts?
    1. For the Office of Institutions of Higher Education Oversight & Enforcement, please provide the number of staff on board after all of the Department’s personnel actions taken since January 20, 2025, including the March 11, 2025 reduction.
      1. Please provide the number of such staff in total and for each work unit under the Office of Enforcement and the Office of Partner Participation and Oversight for the immediately preceding pay period to the date including January 20, 2025.
      2. Please describe any changes planned to investigations and oversight responsibilities under the Investigations Group, the Administrative Actions and Appeals Service Group, and the Resolutions and Referral Management Group, and explain how each change would protect students and taxpayers from misconduct by institutions.
    1. The Office of Student Service is responsible for administering the TRIO, GEAR UP, and other discretionary grant programs. TRIO and GEAR UP implementation takes a significant amount of work due to the large number of grantees nationwide.
      1. Please provide the number of staff on board for the Office of Student Service after all of the Department’s personnel actions taken since January 20, 2025, including the March 11, 2025 reduction.  
      2. Please provide the number of such staff in total and for each work unit under the Office of Student Service for the immediately preceding pay period to the date including January 20, 2025.
    1. The Department enforces an ESEA requirement that must be met by a State, SEA, or LEA that receives ESEA funds to prevent an SEA, LEA, school, or individual acting on behalf of one of those entities from assisting an employee, contractor, or agent who has engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor or student in violation of the law in obtaining new employment. As directed in the Department’s 2024 appropriation, the Department has taken initial steps to improve compliance with this provision of law.[38]  More must be done.
      1. How many staff are actively working on the 2024 directive after all personnel actions taken through March 11, 2025? 
      2. Please provide a description of actions planned and the associated timeline for meeting this directive and assuring compliance with section 8546 of the ESEA. 
    1. The FY2025 Major Management Challenges report issued by Education’s Office of Inspector General found the Department has “established progress” in improving monitoring and oversight of its grantees.[39]  The report further noted “the Department developed plans to address this Management Challenge that included improving its training and technical assistance and broadening consolidated monitoring efforts. These activities have been substantially implemented.”
      1. Please provide the number of staff with responsibilities for implementing grantee monitoring and oversight as of September 30, 2024 and after all personnel actions taken through March 11, 2025.

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

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Luján, Trahan Introduce Legislation to Increase Online Transparency, Simplify User Agreements

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and U.S. Representative Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) introduced the Terms-of-Service Labeling, Design and Readability (TLDR) Act to require commercial websites and mobile apps to create a simple, readable, and accessible summary of their terms-of-service agreements. The TLDR Act would increase online transparency and ensure consumers are informed about how their personal data is collected and used. Small businesses are exempt from the law.
    “Nobody is going to read pages of legal jargon. Companies should be required to provide terms of service that people without a law degree can understand,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Americans have the right to know how their data is collected and used.”
    “Americans deserve the ability to make informed decisions online without having to navigate confusing pages of legal jargon,” said Senator Luján. “Far too many companies take advantage of consumers by burying critical details about their data policies and shield themselves from legal liability in complicated terms-of-service agreements. The TLDR Act will end these harmful practices and help empower and protect consumers. Informing consumers is a bipartisan issue, and I’m proud to join my colleagues to provide real choice online.”
    “Consumers shouldn’t have to wade through pages of dense legal jargon just to use a website or app,” said Representative Trahan. “Right now, companies force users into an all-or-nothing choice: agree to everything or lose access entirely. No negotiation, no alternatives, no real choice. They exploit this imbalance by burying critical terms in confusing contracts, knowing most people don’t have the time to sift through them just to send a message or make a quick purchase. The TLDR Act puts power back in consumers’ hands by requiring companies to provide clear, transparent summaries of their terms – something the American people overwhelmingly support.”
    A 2012 study found that the average American would take 76 work days to read the agreements for the technology companies they use. The TLDR Act would require that online companies include a nutrition label-style summary table at the top of their terms of service and include machine-readable tags to make the agreements more accessible for consumers and researchers alike. This legislation will also require the summaries to inform consumers on how their data is collected and shared with third parties. Further, the legislation would authorize the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to issue guidance and enforce compliance. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Sheehy Introduce Bill to Protect Gun Owners from ATF Overreach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) introduced the Protecting Americans’ Right to Silence (PARTS) Act to cut government red tape and ensure gun owners and businesses are not unfairly targeted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The bill modernizes outdated federal regulations on firearm suppressors, providing much-needed clarity to manufacturers, retailers, and law-abiding gun owners.
    Cassidy and Sheehy were joined by U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Lee (R-UT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Ted Budd (R-NC), Jim Justice (R-WV), and John Cornyn (R-TX) in introducing the bill.
    The ATF’s vague and outdated definition of “silencer” under the Gun Control Act could allow unelected bureaucrats to classify individual silencer components as regulated silencers, leading to unnecessary restrictions on gun owners and manufacturers. In 2023, the ATF issued guidance suggesting that even simple, unassembled parts could be considered regulated silencers—an overreach that threatens Second Amendment rights and stifles industry innovation.
    The PARTS Act brings clarity to federal firearm regulations by:

    Updating the definition of ‘silencer’ to focus on complete devices and a single principal component—similar to a firearm’s frame or receiver—rather than broad, vague terms like “combination of parts” or “any part intended only for use” in a silencer.
    Ensuring gun owners can purchase replacement parts like wipes without burdensome ATF paperwork.
    Preventing ATF from using subjective interpretation to unfairly target gun owners and businesses.

    Background
    Currently, outdated federal definitions could allow the ATF to classify individual silencer components as silencers themselves, leading to unnecessary regulatory burdens on manufacturers, retailers, and law-abiding gun owners. The PARTS Act would clarify that a silencer refers to a complete device or a single principal component, rather than an assortment of parts that could be used in its construction.
    Additionally, the bill would streamline the purchase of consumable silencer parts, such as wipes, without requiring additional ATF paperwork, ensuring gun owners can properly maintain their lawfully owned suppressors.
    The PARTS Act is supported by the Silencer Shop, American Suppressor Association, National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, and Firearm Regulatory Accountability Coalition.

    MIL OSI USA News –