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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Raskin, Blumenthal, Lawmakers Push White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Trump Administration Corruption

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    March 17, 2025
    Given Concerns, Warren, Blumenthal, Van Hollen Also Push for Investigations of Elon Musk’s Potential Ethics Violations and VA Secretary Doug Collins Also Serving as Acting Director of Federal Ethics Office
    “Despite President Trump’s promises to fight for working families, he has appointed a string of corporate billionaires and industry insiders, putting them in positions to enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary Americans.”
    Text of Letter to Wiles (PDF) | Text of Letters to Investigators (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), sent White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles a 10-page letter sounding the alarm on the overwhelming corruption and vast conflicts of interest throughout the Trump administration. 
    This comes just days after President Donald Trump joined Elon Musk to make what appeared to be a sales pitch for Teslas on the White House lawn. 
    This letter was sent along with two additional letters from Senators Warren, Blumenthal, and Van Hollen urging 1) the Department of Justice and Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General to determine whether Elon Musk has broken ethics rules through his possible involvement in the Federal Aviation Administration’s work with Starlink, despite his financial interest in the work, and 2) the Government Accountability Office to determine whether Doug Collins’s competing responsibilities as both Acting Director of the Office of Government Ethics and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is undermining the work of either OGE or the VA.
    “One month into President Trump’s second term, his new administration is already beating his earlier record of corruption,” wrote the lawmakers.
    Within the first 50 days of his second term, President Trump has:

    Appointed former lobbyists, billionaire chief executive officers (CEOs), and stockholders with a direct financial stake in their own policy work. 

    Ceded power to the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

    Maintained his network of foreign real estate ventures and refused to divest from his maze of business interests.

    Attempted to fire at least 17 Inspectors General who were working to root out corruption in federal agencies and fired the head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).

    Become the first president in history to fire the director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the primary office responsible for mitigating conflicts of interest in the executive branch.

    At the start of his last term, he released an executive order requiring appointees to agree to an ethics pledge. Now, Trump has still not issued any such pledge — though the past three presidential administrations did so.
    “Even now, it is not too late for President Trump to reverse course and put our national interests ahead of his personal dealings,” continued the lawmakers.
    The members of Congress urged President Trump to take the following steps to not just pay lip service to “draining the swamp” and to remediate the Administration’s worst signs of corruption: 

    Reinstate the government watchdogs who President Trump purportedly fired, including all Inspectors General, the OGE Director, and the OSC Director, and commit to protecting those offices from further political interference.

    Thoroughly vet potential nominees for all conflicts of interest and refuse to appoint anyone who would enter with clear conflicts that existing recusal and divestment rules alone cannot resolve. 

    Promptly issue an ethics pledge that is at least as robust as the Biden ethics pledge or President Trump’s own pledge from 2017, and ensure robust enforcement.

    Divest from his business holdings, in this case by either liquidating the Trump Organization assets or placing them in a truly blind trust operated by an independent trustee who is instructed to divest the assets and reinvest the proceeds in other holdings so that the President does not know what the trust contains. He should also disclose his tax returns from the past three years.

    Revoke Mr. Musk’s power to profit from his efforts to manipulate the executive branch for his own benefit. Mr. Musk should also be required to promptly release his financial disclosure form so that the public can understand his potential conflicts of interest.

    “The American people deserve a presidential administration that governs exclusively in the public’s interest,” concluded the lawmakers. 
    The lawmakers requested that the White House respond regarding its intention to take action on these concerns by March 31, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As NOAA & National Weather Service Brace for More Job Cuts, Reed Says Trump Admin. is Recklessly Putting Public Safety At Risk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – After a series of powerful tornadoes swept through the South and Midwest this weekend, killing at least 34 Americans, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is expressing condolences to the victims; urging swift emergency federal assistance for impacted communities; and urging the Trump Administration to immediately reverse arbitrary staff cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service, a component of NOAA that issues early warnings and predictive modeling to help people prepare for weather emergencies.
    The so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by shadow president Elon Musk, recently forced NOAA and the NationalWeather Service to layoff about 10 percent of its workforce.  The mass-firing included some of America’s top meteorologists and researchers who are charged with providing the public with accurate, life-saving weather reports and data. 
    And last week it was reported by the Associated Press that the Trump Administration is readying another mass-firing of NOAA employees which would make Americans even more vulnerable to hazardous weather.  If plans for these latest cuts move forward, nearly 20 percent of NOAA’s 13,000-person workforce would be terminated.
    “We mourn the lives lost and stand with those impacted by these storms.  The federal government must do its part to help communities recover and rebuild.  The Trump Administration should speed aid to the hardest hit areas, cease the NOAA cutbacks, and immediately rehire the NOAA employees it arbitrarily fired.  The mass-culling of America’s top meterolgists and researchers at NOAA was an ill-conceived, short-sighted, cost-cutting move that undermines public safety.  The Trump Administration doesn’t seem to respect the important work these scientists and researchers do, otherwise, it wouldn’t try to hollow out and understaff these critical posts,” said Reed.
    The staffing shortages caused by the Trump Administration’s arbitrary cuts have already halted and delayed several NOAA balloon launches that collect weather data.
    “The Trump Administration should stop decimating government services and destabilizing the process of forecasting and tracking storm intensity.  The Trump Administrating is undermining public safety and hindering the nation’s ability to forecast and respond to sudden, severe weather events.  NOAA helps people prepare and avoid disaster.  The devastation of these tornados and storm systems should be a wakeup call and the Trump Administration needs to recalibrate and swiftly change course to help prevent future tragedies,” said Reed.  “Investing in real-time storm tracking and predictive modeling saves lives.”
    NOAA is a critical federal agency charged with monitoring and forecasting weather across the U.S. and tracking climate trends.  NOAA also researches ocean systems, marine life, and maps the seas; among other critical tasks.  The federal agency has its own fleet of research and survey vessels and specialized aircraft, operated by a combination of NOAA Corps officers and civilians.  NOAA oversees the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, maintaining a network of radar systems, satellites and weather balloons to help predict and track extreme weather events.
    Last fall, Senator Reed sounded the alarm about Project 2025’s extremist plan to dismantle NOAA, which it labelled “one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry.”  Reed warned plans to gut the National Weather Service and emergency management would be a major disaster.
    The Trump Administration’s devastating cuts to key federal agencies are leaving state and local emergency managers to question whether they can count on the federal government in times of need.  Victims of the California wildfires are still waiting for emergency recovery assistance from the Trump Administration, and President Trump has called the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) a “disaster” and suggested it might “go away” leaving states in need further isolated after future catastrophes.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Delivers Justice to Terrorists, Security for Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    This weekend, the Trump Administration deported ruthless terrorist gang members — illegal immigrants who invaded our country and brought unspeakable devastation to our communities — as part of President Donald J. Trump’s utilization of every possible tool to protect the safety and security of the American people and reverse the damage done by years of feckless Democrat leadership. This bold, necessary action was immediately heralded by administration officials, members of Congress, and the American people: Vice President JD Vance: “There were violent criminals and rapists in our country. Democrats fought to keep them here. President Trump deported them.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “We have sent 2 dangerous top MS-13 leaders plus 21 of its most wanted back to face justice in El Salvador. Also, as promised by @POTUS, we sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars. President @nayibbukele is not only the strongest security leader in our region, he’s also a great friend of the U.S. Thank you!” Border Czar Tom Homan: “The Biden Administration released thousands of Venezuelan Tren de Aragua criminals into the US.  They have committed armed robberies, sex trafficked young girls, attacked US citizens, assaulted our police and raped and murdered young women and children. But now, thanks to the American people, we have President Trump!  Last night, 238 Tren de Aragua members along with 21 MS13 gang members, were deported from this country adding to the thousands of criminal aliens already deported. Under President Trump’s leadership, this country is becoming safer every day.  With each criminal illegal alien being deported, neighborhoods are becoming safer.   Criminal illegal aliens, gang members and national security threats can try to hide with the help of sanctuary cities, however, know this, ICE will not stop until they are found and deported. This important work, that ICE is doing will continue while Attorney General Pam Bondi takes the sanctuary jurisdictions to court.  We have much more to do AND IT WILL BE DONE!!!” Sen. John Barrasso: “Deporting violent criminals, rapists, terrorists, and drug dealers who came to America illegally is commonsense. Thank you President Trump for making America safer.” Sen. Tom Cotton: “President Trump campaigned and won on making Americans safer. The deportation of depraved Tren de Aragua savages is the first step towards repairing our country after years of open border policies.” Sen. Chuck Grassley: “Another day, another judge unilaterally deciding policy for the whole country. This time to benefit foreign gang members If the Supreme Court or Congress doesn’t fix, we’re headed towards a constitutional crisis. Senate Judiciary Cmte taking action” Sen. Mike Lee: “Do you miss the foreign terrorists now that Trump has deported them? I don’t” Sen. Markwayne Mullin: “You’d think everyone would believe this, but we’re facing another 80/20 issue… I 100% support the Trump admin’s effort to deport violent illegal aliens from the United States of America. This includes Venezuelan gang members.” Sen. Eric Schmitt: “While you slept, your government sent three planes full of Tren de Aragua and MS-13 thugs to the beautiful prisons of El Salvador. Thanks to the leadership of this administration—and our friend @nayibbukele—America is safer today than it was yesterday.” Rep. Brian Babin: “Judge Boasberg is endangering Americans! He blocked the deportation of violent Tren de Aragua gang members—rapists, murderers, and thugs. No judge should have the power to override @POTUS’ national security decisions.” Rep. Lauren Boebert: “Democrats in Colorado called the threat of Tren De Aragua a ‘figment of imagination.’ Thank you @POTUS and President @NayibBukele for doing what’s necessary to keep Americans safe!” Rep. Andrew Clyde: “Let me get this straight… Joe Biden could blatantly violate our immigration laws to flood our country with criminal illegal aliens—but President Trump can’t deport them?” Rep. Mike Collins: “It’s ridiculous that a Democratic president can import violent gang members, but a Republican president can’t deport them.” Rep. Eli Crane: “The activist judges were suspiciously quiet when Joe Biden enacted all the policies that led to gang members ENTERING America. How’s that work? Only vocal when President Trump DEPORTS them?” Rep. Byron Donalds: “These are criminal aliens to our nation. These are gang members, murderers, and rapists. Under President Trump, they are rightly being arrested and deported, but the left wants them to stay. We are Making America Safe Again” Rep. Lance Gooden: “Democrats gave illegal criminals luxury hotels. President Trump gave illegal gang members a one-way ticket to the world’s most feared prison. Thank you, President @nayibbukele and El Salvador!” Rep. Wesley Hunt: “It is incredible to see Democrats defend Tren De Aragua and MS-13 members. Tom Homan says these flights will continue. The Trump administration will NOT stop until every last criminal alien is out of this country!” Rep. Darrell Issa: “The day @realDonaldTrump returned to the White House, America started sending criminal illegals out of our country.” Rep. Nick Langworthy: “Radical Left Democrats put our country in danger every single day and made every state a border state. That ended the day President Trump took his oath. He is cleaning up our country and making America safe again.” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis: “Thank you to President Trump & El Salvador President Bukele for getting these dangerous gang members removed from the United States. Shame on ACLU for working to shield these foreign gangs who have wreaked havoc & committed heinous crimes in our country from deportation.” Rep. Addison McDowell: “Yesterday, an Obama-appointed judge ruled that two flights carrying rapists and murderers from the Tren de Aragua gang be turned around & brought back to the U.S. This is flat out disgusting and I’m glad @realdonaldtrump is moving full steam ahead.” Rep. Mary Miller: “The government’s first duty is to protect its people. President Trump stands in sharp contrast to the Biden regime and the entire Democrat Clan—they’ve completely failed America. Now, they’re watching what real leadership looks like. This is how it’s done” Rep. Ralph Norman: “These are gang leaders, rapists, and murderers who thought they could find refuge in America. NOT ANYMORE!!” Rep. Scott Perry: “Why did an activist judge try to stop the deportation of illegal, criminal migrants – hardcore rapists, gang members, and cartel / drug traffickers – who not only broke laws in their own country before invading our Nation, but came here to break ours as well?” Rep. Chip Roy: “Judge Boasberg should be on a plane to Houston to sit with Alexis Nungaray & explain why we must keep TDA gang members who killed her daughter. Radical progressive Dems endangered us by fueling an invasion of our communities. Trump is right to take quick action to reverse it.” Rep. María Elvira Salazar: “BRAVO @nayibbukele and President Trump! Bukele is an expert at LOCKING UP every gang member, murderer and criminal. It’s great to see us working with our allies in the hemisphere again to get the thugs out of the USA.” Rep. Keith Self: “Incredible. All we needed was a new President.” Rep. Greg Steube: “Thank you, President Trump and President Bukele, for taking a zero-tolerance approach to criminal illegal immigrants and terrorists. The Trump administration secured a deal with El Salvador to extradite and imprison Tren de Aragua gang members who exploited Biden’s open-border disaster. No country should tolerate terrorists and criminals roaming free. This is how you lead with strength.” Rep. Marlin Stutzman: “Cartel members who engaged in kidnapping, sexual abuse of children, robbery, and aggravated assault on a police officers belong in prison. Anyone standing in the way of their deportation and jailing is no friend of our country. Glad these criminals are off of our streets.” Rep. Tom Tiffany: “First, Democrats allowed Tren de Aragua members into our country. Now, a rogue judge and Democrats are fighting to keep them here. Why are they protecting illegal gang members instead of U.S. citizens?” Rep. Derrick Van Orden: “I am not sure Americans understand how amazingly terrible this rogue judge’s ruling was. He wanted to keep violent criminal illegal aliens, including rapist, in the United States. @realDonaldTrump & @JDVance are protecting Americans.” Rep. Randy Weber: “The only words Democrats should be saying right now are: ‘Thank you, President Trump, for taking action to get terrorists out of our country.’ These are dangerous thugs who despise everything America stands for. God bless President Trump.” Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares: “Radicals want you to believe Trump is acting illegally by deporting Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang. These aren’t U.S. citizens—they’re violent criminals who exploited Biden’s border failures to terrorize Americans. I’ll always fight for the rule of law.” America First Legal: “President Trump has deported 238 criminals in the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to El Salvador to be imprisoned in CECOT, the country’s maximum-security prison. Tren de Aragua is a real and present danger, and President Trump’s decisive action will protect Americans.” Retired CIA Senior Operations Officer Rick de la Torre: “President Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to expel Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang members from U.S. soil is not only the right move—it’s a long-overdue strike against a growing national security threat.” Attorney Mike Davis: “Amen. For 4 years, Democrats pretended grandmas trespassing into the Capitol were a graver threat than foreign terrorists invading America. Robbers, rapists, and murderers. President Trump is fulfilling his constitutional duty, as commander-in-chief, to repel foreign invasion.” Commentator Joe Pagliarulo: “The Trump Administration is sending back violent gang members … Everybody in the United States, no matter which side you are on politically, should agree that they should go back.” Discovery Institute Senior Journalism Fellow Jonathan Choe: “This is what awaits violent criminal illegals in America. Look at this recent batch of Tren De Aragua gang members deported to an El Salvadoran prison.” The Conservative Caucus’s Jim Pfaff: “Trump took action. While a judge blocked the deportation of Tren de Aragua criminals to Venezuela, Nayib Bukele agreed to take them into his Salvadoran prisons which are much worse for them than anything they faced In Venezuela.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, McCormick introduce bipartisan, bicameral bill to combat the flow of fentanyl

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) introduced the Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act of 2025 to combat the flow of fentanyl coming into American communities that is killing hundreds of thousands of Americans. This legislation would improve federal coordination to?combat this crisis, with a particular focus of responding to China’s central role in producing fentanyl precursors and laundering drug money.
    In addition to Senators Coons and McCormick, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.). Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) cosponsored the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “Fentanyl?continues to claim lives every day and?devastate?communities in Delaware and across the country,” said Senator Coons. “We know China is contributing to this crisis, and I’m proud to support the introduction of this bipartisan bill to determine how agencies can best coordinate to eliminate redundancies, maintain safeguards, and make our law enforcement efforts to address China’s role as effective as possible.”
    “Fentanyl killed nearly 4,000 Pennsylvanians last year and over 200 Americans each day,” said Senator McCormick. “This legislation would empower our federal government to coordinate all the tools at its disposal to combat the trafficking of lethal fentanyl that is ruining American families. I’ve heard from too many families who have lost their loved ones to fentanyl overdoses, I refuse to allow it to continue.”
    “The CCP is the leading force behind the fentanyl crisis, and the United States is failing to respond while they profit from the loss of American lives. This Joint Task Force will pool resources across the federal government and respond to this crisis with everything from sanctions to joint drug raids to keep this deadly substance out of our communities,” said Representative Newhouse. “This task force will help President Trump and his administration accomplish his goal of stopping the flow of fentanyl from China across our northern and southern borders.”
    “The U.S. government must take decisive action at every link of the illegal synthetic narcotic supply chain, beginning with China,” said Representative Auchincloss. “This Task Force would provide a coordinated framework to hold bad actors accountable for the state-sanctioned poisoning of Americans.”
    Improving federal coordination is critical to combatting fentanyl. This legislation establishes a Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics, which will be composed of representatives from the Departments of Justice, Treasury, Homeland Security, State, Commerce, Defense, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and any other agency deemed appropriate. Together, these agencies can conduct joint operations, enforce sanctions, disrupt trafficking networks, and address the central role of the People’s Republic of China in the opioid crisis.
    As Co-Chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, Senator Coons has worked across the aisle in the Senate to address America’s fentanyl crisis. He introduced the bipartisan Fentanyl Safe Testing and Overdose Prevention Act with Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) in 2023, which aims to prevent deaths from fentanyl poisoning by increasing access to fentanyl test strips. Senator Coons also hosted a Senate Law Enforcement Caucus roundtable last year with Senator Cornyn to hear on-the-ground perspectives on the fentanyl and xylazine crises from Delaware and Texas and discuss ways to support law enforcement and public health officials. He also introduced a resolution designating May 7, 2024, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to raise awareness and educate the public regarding the dangers posed by counterfeit fentanyl pills.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Statement on Vote to Avert a Government Shutdown That Would Hurt Granite Staters, Enable President Trump and Elon Musk to do More Harm

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a top member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting to advance the continuing resolution to keep the government open:
    “Like so many Granite Staters, I’m deeply disturbed by the actions of this administration to cut programs millions of families rely on, fire civilian workers who keep us safe, disband agencies and create chaos. Let’s be very clear: playing into Republicans’ hand by allowing the government to shutdown would give Elon Musk and President Trump unchecked power to continue dismantling the federal government. I will not stand by and allow that to happen.
    “By refusing to continue bipartisan negotiations, some Republicans pushed us—yet again—to the brink of a manufactured crisis that would be a disaster for the American people. In New Hampshire, if there is a shutdown, thousands of Federal employees wouldn’t receive paychecks, veterans’ services could be jeopardized and home and business loans could be delayed. While President Trump and Elon Musk would be thrilled to furlough hundreds of thousands of workers without pay, I refuse to give them that power.
    “Americans want us to work together to solve problems and make their lives better. Partisan gamesmanship like this doesn’t help the people we serve – and it certainly doesn’t keep America safe and secure. I’m glad we’re avoiding a disastrous government shutdown, but enough is enough. These never-ending continuing resolutions create inefficiencies within government, put our national security and public safety at risk and sow uncertainty in the economy. Congress must return to our bipartisan process of working together to deliver spending packages that provide the long-term certainty our states and communities need.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Warner, Reed, Coons, and Kelly joined by Reps. Smith, Meeks, and Himes, Release Statement on Putin Rejecting Trump Administration’s 30-Day Ceasefire Agreement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON –Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, and U.S. Reps. Adam Smith (D-WA), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Jim Himes (D-CT), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement in response to Russia rejecting a joint U.S. and Ukrainian agreement for a 30-day ceasefire.
    “Make no mistake—Putin is stringing the world along but his answers amount to a no while President Zelensky responded with a clear and unambiguous yes. President Trump is making a major mistake by continuing to put all the pressure on President Zelensky and none on Putin.
    “Putin continues to push his demands to subjugate Ukraine. He has manipulated and rejected President Trump’s efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and to achieve peace. He has indicated that a monthlong ceasefire might even give Ukraine’s forces a chance to retreat, regroup, and rearm, saying, ‘Does that mean Ukraine will use those 30 days to continue forced mobilization, get weapons supplies, and prepare its mobilized units?’ This comment proves that Putin is still trying to weaken Ukraine so that he is in a better position to win the war, not achieve a just peace.
    “Remember, Putin started this war and only he can stop it. He won’t stop until it can be shown that he cannot achieve his maximalist goals. Ukraine needs security guarantees to continue defending itself and the Administration should be working to that end. This includes providing arms and intelligence support to Ukraine to deter Russia and working with allies and partners to support lasting security for Ukraine in the future.
    “We all want peace. We’re not going to get to peace unless the president starts putting pressure on Putin and demonstrates strength and support for Ukraine so that they are able to pursue a ceasefire with Russia and negotiate a just and sustainable end to Putin’s war.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following 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 U.S. 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: President Trump signs Kennedy resolution repealing rule targeting offshore energy production into law

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    MADISONVILLE, La. – President Donald Trump signed Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval to reverse the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) rule that targeted oil and gas production in the outer continental shelf into law.
    “Burdensome regulations hurt oil and gas producers’ ability to provide affordable energy and jobs to Americans. I’m thankful to President Trump for taking handcuffs off energy producers by signing my resolution into law,” said Kennedy.
    Sen. Cindy-Hyde Smith (R-Miss.) cosponsored the resolution.
    “President Trump promised to restore America’s energy might and by signing these resolutions of disapproval he helps Congress reset policy in a way that encourages offshore oil and gas production. This action also has greater staying power, as any future administration would find it more difficult to reinstate the misguided regulations imposed during the Biden years. I commend President Trump for signing this important congressional resolution of disapproval, and really appreciate the opportunity to be part of the signing ceremony,” said Hyde-Smith.
    Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) introduced the companion resolution in the House of Representatives. 
    “This is a great day for American energy independence and for the hardworking men and women who power our nation. The Biden administration’s misguided rule was a disaster for our energy producers, driving up costs for families and making us more reliant on foreign adversaries. By overturning this rule, we are unleashing American energy and ensuring a stronger, more secure future. Mississippi’s energy workers and consumers deserve policies that support economic growth and energy security—not unnecessary government overreach. I thank President Trump for his strong leadership in signing this today and reaffirming our commitment to affordable and reliable American energy,” said Ezell. 
    Background:
    On Sept. 3, 2024, the Biden administration published a rule requiring all new oil and gas leaseholders on the outer continental shelf to submit an archaeological report to the BOEM before drilling or laying pipelines. The rule burdens lessees with conducting costly surveys for marine archaeological resources, such as shipwrecks or “cultural resources.”  
    This rule replaces BOEM’s long-standing policy of requiring oil and gas operators to conduct archaeological surveys only when there was a “reason to believe” that an archaeological resource may be present.
    The Biden administration admitted that this rule would harm small oil and gas producers most, writing, “100 percent of the increased Gulf of [America] compliance cost . . . would be borne by operators that are small entities.” Small and independent operators account for one-third of all oil production in the Gulf of America.
    On Feb. 4, 2025, Kennedy introduced his CRA joint resolution of disapproval to repeal the rule. This is one of more than 225 harmful regulations that the Biden administration levied against the oil and natural gas industry.
    On Feb. 25, 2025, the Senate passed Kennedy’s resolution. On March 6, 2025, the House passed the resolution. 
    The full resolution is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Community Development Finance Caucus Co-Chairs Reaffirm Support for CDFI Fund

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Mark R. Warner (D-Virginia), co-chairs of the Senate Community Development Finance Caucus, issued the following statement:

    “When the CDFI Fund was developed 30 years ago, it was created in the form of a private-public partnership to promote access to capital in our most underserved urban and rural communities. 

    “Since 1994, the CDFI sector has grown to over 1400 institutions, located in every state and territory in the nation–and leverages at least $8 in private sector investment for every $1 in public funding received.

    “As co-chairs of the Community Development Finance Caucus, a group which has grown to 28 members, 14 Democrats and 14 Republicans, we are proud to reaffirm our bipartisan commitment to support the CDFI Fund’s mission.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo: Dr. Oz Undoubtedly Qualified to be CMS Administrator

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.—At a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to be Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) highlighted Dr. Oz’s wealth of firsthand experience as an accomplished physician and his clear vision for creating a healthier nation.  Crapo and Dr. Oz discussed how he would address the nation’s chronic disease epidemic, as well as how he might approach reforming payment programs to improve efficiency.

    Crapo concluded the hearing with, “There is no doubt you are qualified to serve as the next Administrator of [CMS], and I look forward to voting in favor of your nomination and am urging all of my colleagues to do the same.”

    View Crapo’s opening statement here, and line of questioning here or above.

    On addressing the chronic disease epidemic

    Crapo: As an accomplished physician, you have firsthand experience with not only the bureaucratic nature of federal government payment programs, but also the impact of the chronic disease epidemic on patients from all walks of life.  I’d be curious if you would expand on your vision for CMS, and how you would integrate nutrition and lifestyle-based interventions into our health care system?

    Dr. Oz: One of the points that I mentioned at the end of my opening comment was that if we gave people, in their hands, tools and resources that are useful, not information, but tactics and support teams that could work with them to improve their wellbeing, many would take advantage of it.

    One tactic that I believe will work quite effectively is that we can get real-time information from physicians and other health providers taking care of patients, and using that real-time information give feedback to people who are worried about their wellbeing.  That’s when they’re more likely to use that advice.  That tool would allow them to both call an expert if they needed that resource.  We provide them tools to do that.  We’d reimburse some of the healthy lifestyles that would be generated by these interactions, and we’d make them an active participant in their wellbeing.  I think that dramatically changes the power dynamic.  It makes the American people feel like they actually can be the world-experts on their wellbeing.

    On payment program reforms

    Crapo: I very strongly agree with your focus on lifestyle-based interventions that can actually help people help themselves to get healthier.  I’m also interested in how you might reform our payment programs to become more efficient to save both patient lives and taxpayer dollars.

    Dr. Oz: We spend about 12 percent of the CMS budget on bureaucratic processes and the administration of the program, and most of that money is taken by middlemen in ways that I don’t think need to be true in the long term.  I believe we have the power right now, with technology that didn’t exist even three or four years ago, to automate a lot of these processes, and preauthorization is a good example.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders, 37 Colleagues to Education Secretary: “We Will Not Stand By as You Attempt to Turn Back the Clock on Education in this Country”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, March 17 – As the Trump administration and Elon Musk attack public education in America by closing offices and laying off 1,300 workers at the Department of Education, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), alongside 37 Senate colleagues, today sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon expressing outrage at the administration’s reckless and illegal firing of half of the workforce at the U.S. Department of Education, which will devastate America’s public education system and impact students across the country.

    Joining Sanders on the letter are Sens. Maize Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chuck Schumer  (D-N.Y.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Mark Warner  (D-Va.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).

    “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 Sanders and the lawmakers.

    The lawmakers noted that these layoffs and closures will have devastating effects on the nation’s students, including by limiting the department’s ability to guarantee 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 Financial 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 lawmakers continue: “[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.”

    “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,” concluded Sanders and the lawmakers.

    Read the text of the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Reverse Damage from Trump Administration’s Egregious Cuts at VA

    US Senate News:

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

    March 17, 2025

    Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined Senate colleagues in introducing comprehensive legislation that would protect veterans, military spouses and VA employees in Oregon and nationwide indiscriminately targeted in the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) cuts at VA and across the federal government.

    “Veterans and the benefits they earned with their service to our country are under indiscriminate and unjust attack by Trump, Musk and their flunkies at DOGE,” Wyden said. “The Putting Veterans First Act would ensure these unduly fired employees are returned to work and ensure that service for veterans is not interrupted for one day longer.”

    “There is no making sense of the Trump Administration’s cruel, reckless plans to fire over 80,000 VA employees, many of them veterans themselves. Our veterans and military families deserve the full measure of our appreciation, not this stunning betrayal by President Trump,” Merkley said. “All my colleagues should support this bill to reinstate and protect these heroes from Trump and Republicans’ illegal and reckless cuts.”

    Veterans make up 30 percent  of the federal workforce, with about 640,000 veterans working in federal agencies. For decades, administrations of both parties have made hiring veterans and military spouses to work in the federal government a priority—including Donald Trump’s previous administration. Just this week, an internal memo leaked the Trump administration’s plans to cut more than 80,000 VA employees, which would include at least 20,000 veterans, who make up 25 percent of VA’s workforce.

    The Putting Veterans First Act would do the following:

    • Reinstate and protect members of the veteran and military community indiscriminately fired by DOGE working as federal employees
    • Protect the quality of VA care, benefits and employment
    • Increase transparency and oversight of VA staffing, claims backlog and wait times data
    • Protect veterans’ private data from DOGE and unelected billionaires
    • Determine the financial impact of DOGE’s reckless cancellation of contracts at VA
    • Provide critical mental health care for former and current civil servants
    • Provide employment assistance for members of the Veteran and military community fired from the federal government in Trump’s mass terminations

    The legislation was led by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

    A summary of the legislation is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Oregon Democrats Urge Trump Administration to Stop Undermining Pacific Northwest’s Power Grid

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    March 17, 2025
    Lawmakers’ letter to Trump: “If the administration’s goal is truly to ensure reliable, secure, and affordable energy, then why are you actively dismantling the most effective and self-sustaining power system in the country?”
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Janelle Bynum, and Maxine Dexter said today they are calling on the Trump administration to pay heed to concerns raised by Bonneville Power Administration workers that major and illegal job cuts at the agency will destabilize the power grid in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest.
    “The weight of this destabilization will bear down on the entire region, most heavily in rural areas that rely on public utilities purchasing BPA power,” the Oregon lawmakers wrote in their letter to Donald Trump. “Your administration’s directives to simultaneously buy out workers and freeze hiring has resulted in the resignation of approximately 200 employees, the rescinding of 90 new job offers, and the looming layoff of up to 400 probationary employees. We recognize that the Department of Energy has recently granted BPA’s request to reinstate 89 probationary employees. Although this action provides some needed stability, it does not fully mitigate the substantial risks introduced by prior workforce reductions.”
    “Employees on the ground are already warning that these actions will make it nearly impossible to strengthen and expand the grid as needed,” the lawmakers wrote of the Trump job cuts. “Instead, BPA will be forced into “damage control” mode, struggling just to “keep the lights on.” This is not speculation; it is the reality voiced by those who operate our energy infrastructure every day.”
    The letter from the seven Oregon Democrats follows a letter last month from Wyden and Merkley that raised similar concerns about how the deep job cuts at BPA threaten the reliability of the electrical grid that serves millions of families and businesses in the Pacific Northwest.
    “If the administration’s goal is truly to ensure reliable, secure, and affordable energy, then why are you actively dismantling the most effective and self-sustaining power system in the country,” they wrote. “Mr. President, the energy security of the Pacific Northwest — and the rural communities that depend on BPA’s services — cannot be treated as an afterthought. The decisions your administration has made in haste will have lasting consequences for millions of Americans. We urge you to reconsider these damaging cuts before we face an energy crisis of your making.”
    The entire letter is here.
    Related Files

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Collins Praise Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Combat Illicit Fentanyl Trafficking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and the Select Senate Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), and Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and member of SSCI and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today lauded the passage of bipartisan legislation that would crack down on illegal fentanyl trafficking. The Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act will permanently classify fentanyl-related substances (FRS) — any substance that is structurally related to fentanyl by one or more listed modifications — as Schedule I controlled drugs. These drugs have no current accepted medical use and have a high potential for abuse.
    A permanent scheduling classification of FRS is required to make penalties for drug-related crimes clear and enforceable under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The legislation would also streamline the process for scientists seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to research those substances. The bill passed the Senate in a 84-16 vote.
    “Opioids like fentanyl have devastated families and communities across Maine and the country for far too long,” said Senator King. “As we continue working to combat the fentanyl and overdose crisis, commonsense bills like the HALT Fentanyl Act will pave a the way toward a safer tomorrow. I am thankful to my colleagues for putting partisanship aside and recommitting to keeping our families out of harm’s way.”
    “The fentanyl epidemic has devastated lives and wreaked havoc on communities all over the United States, including here in Maine,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation will permanently classify fentanyl analogues as a Schedule I substance, ensuring law enforcement always has the tools they need to combat the scourge of fentanyl and hold cartels accountable.”  
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there were 107,543 overdose deaths in the United States in 2023. Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances accounted for nearly 75,000 of those deaths. Since 1999, the overdose crisis has increasingly been characterized by deaths involving these illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids, which are commonly sold through illicit drug markets for their fentanyl-like effect, and are often mixed with heroin or other drugs, such as cocaine, or pressed in to counterfeit prescription pills. The New England Journal of Medicine estimated that 22 teenagers died of overdoses each week in 2022.
    Since 2013, Maine has experienced tragically significant growth in total deaths from fentanyl-related overdoses. In 2021, 77% of all drug overdoses in Maine were due to fentanyl. The University of Maine estimates fentanyl to be 25 times more potent than oxycodone and 50-100 times more potent than heroin.
    However, there have recently been positive downward trends for overdose deaths in Maine and nationwide. Overall, the CDC found that drug overdose deaths in the United States decreased by three percent in 2023, the first annual decrease since 2018. Drug overdose deaths in Maine decreased by nearly 16% over this same period; this was the first year-over-year reduction in fatalities since 2018. Provisional data from the CDC also shows that overdose deaths for last year decreased 25% nationwide and 24% in Maine.
    As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Select Senate Committee on Intelligence, Senator King has previously supported legislation to combat illicit drug use and decrease overdoses. He is a cosponsor of the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act, bipartisan legislation that is designed to stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders. Senator King also cosponsored the INTERDICT Act, bipartisan legislation to help halt the flow of illicit fentanyl from Mexico, China and other nations around the world into the United States. During an open hearing of the Select Senate Intelligence Committee last year, Senator King pressed Avril Haines, the former Director of National Intelligence and Christopher Wray, the former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), about what the intelligence community is doing to halt the flow of illicit drugs — including fentanyl — from Mexico, China and other nations into the United States.
    Senator Collins has also been working to combat the fentanyl epidemic for years. Senator Collins is a cosponsor of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act , which was signed into law last year. This bill disrupts the flow of fentanyl into the United States, including by requiring the President to sanction criminal organizations and drug cartels involved in trafficking fentanyl and its precursors. Last Congress, she also introduced the Fighting Illicit Goods, Helping Trustworthy Importers, and Netting Gains (FIGHTING) for America Act to crack down on fentanyl smuggling.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Voting Against GOP’s Continuing Resolution Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    03.14.25

    Cantwell Statement on Voting Against GOP’s Continuing Resolution Bill

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate voted on a Continuing Resolution (CR) bill written by House Republicans that would fund the government through Sept. 30, while making cuts to important programs and ceding more authority over federal spending to the Trump Administration.

    U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, voted against the CR. She gave the following statement:

    “I am not going to vote for a partisan funding bill that makes deep cuts to essential government functions. This bill endangers the health of Americans by cutting $280 million from the National Institutes of Health; jeopardizes the state of Washington’s maritime economy by slashing the Army Corps of Engineers by 44 percent; and impacts our farmers by cutting $57 million from important USDA’s Agriculture Research Services account. A bipartisan congressional effort to finish all appropriations bills would have delivered better results for taxpayers.

    Congress has the authority and responsibility to direct federal spending based on the needs of their constituents. Turning that work over to the White House puts important programs like NOAA experts working on salmon recovery or creating weather forecasts at risk.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Votes to Pass HALT Fentanyl Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today voted to pass the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act, legislation she co-sponsored that would make permanent the temporary classification of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs as Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Drug overdoses, largely driven by fentanyl, are the leading cause of death among young adults 18 to 45 years old. Synthetic opioids like Fentanyl account for 66% of the total U.S. overdose deaths.

    “West Virginia has been disproportionately impacted by the drug crisis, with fentanyl being one of the deadliest drugs that has made the crisis exponentially worse. The HALT Fentanyl Act will help equip law enforcement with the resources needed to crack down on traffickers and keep these deadly substances off the streets once and for all. I was proud to co-sponsor this bill and vote to pass it, allowing us to take another important step forward in our ongoing efforts to combat the crisis and protect West Virginians from the scourge of illicit fentanyl,” Senator Capito said.

    The legislation also removes barriers that impede the ability of researchers to conduct studies on these substances and allows for exemptions if such research provides evidence that it would be beneficial for specific analogs to be classified differently than Schedule I, such as for medical purposes.

    More than 107,000 people lost their lives to a drug overdose in 2023, including nearly 1,400 in West Virginia alone. Nearly 70% of those deaths across the country were attributed to opioids, including illegal fentanyl, which are largely manufactured in Mexico from raw materials supplied by China. In 2023, there were over 80 million fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills and nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Votes to Keep the Government Open

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the below statement after voting for the continuing resolution (CR) to prevent a government shutdown.

    “Tonight, I voted to keep the government open and ensure that Americans do not suffer the consequences of Democrat dysfunction. While I’m relieved that we’ve averted a shutdown, this last minute scramble was entirely avoidable. When Senator Schumer was running the show just months ago, he refused to do his job and neglected to consider a single one of our bipartisan Appropriations bills on the Senate floor. These bills included projects I sponsored to support important West Virginia priorities. Instead, Senator Schumer and his Democrat colleagues procrastinated and prioritized non-pressing items, failing to do the basic work of governing. Their delays and inability to lead when they were in the majority put us in the position we are in now, forcing uncertainty on hardworking families and businesses in West Virginia and across our country.

    “I am hopeful that under our new Republican majority in both the Senate and House and working with President Trump, we can prevent these avoidable scenarios and provide more predictability for the American people.”

    BACKGROUND:

    The CR legislation funds the government through September 30, 2025. The bill also includes funding for our nation’s veterans, and resources that support border security, air traffic control operations, families, and our service members.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: March 14th, 2025 Heinrich, Luján Vote Against Republicans’ Effort to Hand Trump and Musk More Tools to Harm New Mexicans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following joint statement after voting against Republicans’ yearlong Continuing Resolution, which removes nearly all guardrails on federal funding and gives the Trump administration and Elon Musk unprecedented tools to harm New Mexico families:

    “Republicans’ yearlong Continuing Resolution doubles down on the chaos and uncertainty Trump and Musk have created, giving them even more tools to harm New Mexicans. We will not stand by and support Republicans’ unprecedented power grab masquerading as a spending bill.

    “As New Mexico’s senators, we want to see the federal government funded and functional, serving the families of our state. That’s why we have been fighting every day to force this administration to put the chainsaw down when it comes to the healthcare, education, and VA benefits our communities depend on.

    “Instead, Republicans are giving Trump and Musk the tools to force their petty, personal vendettas on our communities – disregarding the needs of New Mexico families. That’s revenge politics and it is not how government should function. 

    “We are in Congress to stand up for New Mexicans.  And that’s what we are doing now. For the people of New Mexico, we voted ‘no’ on Republicans’ Continuing Resolution.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: March 14th, 2025 Heinrich ‘Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act’ Passes Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Heinrich recently introduced the legislation to help law enforcement combat fentanyl trafficking

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich announced that his Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I drugs, under the Controlled Substances Act, passed the Senate. This permanent scheduling will give law enforcement added tools to help get extremely lethal and dangerous drugs off our streets to keep New Mexicans safe.

    In January, Heinrich, with U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), introduced the HALT Fentanyl Act in the Senate. In February, Heinrich announced that his HALT Fentanyl Act passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan basis. The HALT Fentanyl Act now awaits House passage.

    “I’m pleased that my HALT Fentanyl Act passed the Senate and is one step closer to becoming law,” said Heinrich. “My legislation now heads to the House and I urge my colleagues to pass it. The HALT Fentanyl Act is urgently needed to help our law enforcement crack down on illegal trafficking, get deadly fentanyl out of our communities, and save lives.”

    The HALT Fentanyl Act is endorsed by the Drug Enforcement Association of Federal Narcotics Agents, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies, the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Directors Association, the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, and the National District Attorneys Association, as well as state and local law enforcement across New Mexico.

    “Fentanyl has negatively impacted the city of Las Cruces in significant ways. In the past five years, we have experienced a substantial increase in crime, homelessness, and quality of life issues. I firmly believe fentanyl has been the biggest driver of these issues. It is time to take meaningful action to reverse the harm caused by this illicit substance,” said Jeremy Story, Chief of the Las Cruces Police Department.

    “Like any illegal substance, whether it be opioids or fentanyl use, there are no easy or quick solutions and often combatting their abuse requires a multi-layered approach. The HALT Fentanyl Act is just that, which is why I fully support it. We may be inclined to not concern ourselves with research, for example, but those trafficking in this market do concern themselves with research. Let us endorse this bigger picture approach to help combat fentanyl use in our country,” said Kim Stewart, Doña Ana County Sheriff.

    “The HALT Fentanyl Act is another tool to go after transnational gangs and help make our community safer. Legislation is key for law enforcement to do their job,” said John Allen, Bernalillo County Sheriff.

    Background:

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there were 107,543 overdose deaths in the United States in 2023. Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances accounted for nearly 75,000 of those deaths. Since 1999, the overdose crisis has increasingly been characterized by deaths involving these illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl-related substances (FRS), which are commonly sold through illicit drug markets for their fentanyl-like effect, and are often mixed with heroin or other drugs, such as cocaine, or pressed in to counterfeit prescription pills. During this same period, overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (excluding methadone) increased 103-fold. By comparison, overdose deaths involving heroin and prescription opioids increased 2.5-fold and 4.1-fold, respectively.

    Traffickers are continually altering the chemical structure of fentanyl to evade regulation and prosecution, sometimes with tragic results. Since 2013, China has been the principal source of fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances, and the precursor chemicals from which they are produced. Chinese product is commonly shipped to Mexico and smuggled into the United States’ illicit drug market via U.S. citizens. Traffickers have favored fentanyl-related substances to skirt around committing the crime of trafficking fentanyl and fentanyl analogues. In 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized nearly 12,000 pounds of illicit fentanyl, including fentanyl powder and more than 78 million pills laced with illicit fentanyl. The 2023 seizures were equivalent to more than 388.8 million lethal doses of fentanyl.

    In 2018, as an initial response to this unprecedented crisis, the DEA issued a temporary scheduling order that placed FRS in Schedule I, under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), after classifying it as an imminent hazard to public safety. Previously, Congress has only closed this loophole temporarily by designating fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. Congress has extended the FRS temporary scheduling order several times, most recently on December 21, 2024, with a measure that expires on March 31, 2025.

    Heinrich’s HALT Fentanyl Act would finally make permanent the scheduling of illicitly produced fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs and streamline the regulatory process for scientists seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to research Schedule I substances.

    Clear and Enforceable Criminal Penalties for Fentanyl Trafficking:

    A permanent scheduling of FRS is necessary to make penalties for criminals clear and enforceable under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), reducing the supply and availability of illicitly manufactured FRS. The HALT Fentanyl Act places controls and penalties on FRS that have no accepted medical use and a high abuse potential.

    Specifically, the HALT Fentanyl Act will permanently impose the following quantity-based federal trafficking penalties on FRS:

    Mandatory minimum penalties: 5 years for 10 grams or more (10 years for second offense); and 10 years for 100 grams or more (20 years for second offense).

    Discretionary maximum penalties: 40 years for 10 grams or more (life for second offense); and life for 100 grams or more.

    Expanded Scientific and Medical Research:

    More closely aligning the research and registration process for Schedule I substances, including FRS, with Schedule II substances will facilitate increased FRS research. By accommodating more medical research into fentanyl-related substances, the bill would establish a new, streamlined registration process for research funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), or under an Investigative New Drug (IND) exemption from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    Specifically, the HALT Fentanyl Act will enhance our understanding of these illicitly manufactured substances by:

    Allowing researchers in the same institution to participate in multiple scientific studies.

    Permitting researchers with ongoing studies to examine newly added Schedule I substances.

    Allowing researchers to manufacture small quantities of FRS without a separate registration.

    The text of the HALT Fentanyl Act is here.

    A section-by-section summary of the HALT Fentanyl Act is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: March 14th, 2025 Heinrich, Britt, Hirono, Hyde-Smith Resolution Honoring National Board Certified Teachers Passes Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) announced that their bipartisan resolution recognizing the importance and contributions of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) passed the Senate.

    Students taught by National Board Certified Teachers gain 1-2 months of additional instruction per year and are 11% more likely to score proficient on literacy exams.

    Nationally, there are over 141,000 teachers who have earned National Board Certification. In New Mexico, there are over 1,600 National Board Certified Teachers, including 112 teachers who became certified last year.

    “New Mexico’s robust National Board Certification program for teachers is one of the best in the country and helps all of our students accelerate their learning,” said Heinrich. “I’m proud the Senate has passed our bipartisan resolution to recognize the major difference that National Board Certified Teachers make in preparing our kids for success in the classroom and beyond.”

    “Alabama is home to so many excellent educators and National Board Certified Teachers. I’m honored to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution and celebrating the many ways our teachers empower students to reach their full potential. Education is the key to unlocking the American Dream for every child, and I couldn’t be more grateful for our educators’ continued commitment to invest in the next generation,” said Britt.

    “Our teachers are critical to the development and success of our students and National Board Certified Teachers across the country go even further to ensure they can set students up for lifetimes of success,” said Hirono. “I am glad my colleagues in the Senate voted to pass this resolution celebrating these caring and effective educators and I remain committed to ensuring that teachers have the support they need to ensure our youth receive the quality education they deserve.”

    “The National Board Certification program sets the highest standards of excellence and commitment to provide our students with top-notch educators who can play an invaluable role in strengthening our education system in Mississippi and across the nation. I am proud to join my colleagues in recognizing and honoring the dedicated educators who hold this esteemed certification,” said Hyde-Smith.

    “National Board Certification transformed me as an educator by teaching me to center my instructional decisions around my students’ abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. By constantly reflecting on my practice, through the lens of student outcomes, my students get the absolute best version of me and my lessons, leading to individual student growth. Every student deserves an accomplished teacher,” said Katie Lake, Math teacher at Los Alamos High School and President of the New Mexico National Board of Certified Teacher Network.

    The resolution was led by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.). The resolution was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and John Fetterman (D-Pa.).

    The full text of the resolution is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Statement On Continuing Resolution To Fund The Government

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement after her vote to advance the continuing resolution to fund the government through September 30, 2025:

    “President Trump and Elon Musk directed House Republicans to pass a partisan spending bill without any Democratic input. To be clear, I oppose the policies in this bill.

    The question is: do we pass a partisan bill that harms Americans but keeps the government and courts functioning? Or do we shut down government operations indefinitely, disrupting critical services that everyday people depend on, and in the process give even greater power to President Trump and Elon Musk, who have shown a lust for firing workers and dismantling government? I believe that handing President Trump this kind of unchecked power would cause even more harm to my constituents.

    Our economy is already in a tailspin due to President Trump’s reckless trade war and general instability, and a shutdown harms innocent families, children and seniors. We will fight against Republicans’ upcoming tax scam, which will slash Medicaid and other important programs in order to give tax cuts to billionaires.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Statement on Funding the Government

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    03.14.25

    Click for video and audio.

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the Senate approved legislation to fund the government while finding savings and supporting our national defense. 

    “The reason we need a CR is because Senator Schumer refused to bring any of the individual appropriations bills, which were approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, to the floor during the last Congress. This continuing resolution has already passed the House and has strong support from the President. Importantly this legislation reduces spending to get after the debt and deficit, while increasing support for our military. Now with the Republicans in control of the Senate, we’ll work to get back to regular order to pass the individual appropriations bills through the committee and bring them to the floor to get control of our fiscal house.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven, Rounds Introduce Bills Strengthening Second Amendment Rights for Military Families, Full-Time Travelers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    03.14.25
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) joined Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) in introducing a pair of bills that would strengthen Second Amendment rights for military families and full-time travelers. The Traveler’s Gun Rights Act and the Protect Our Military Families’ 2nd Amendment Rights Act would amend sections of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA) to make exceptions for Americans with unique living situations. This includes spouses of military members and full-time travelers whose permanent residence is a private mailbox or post office box.
    “We introduced these pieces of legislation to help ensure that military families and full-time travelers can exercise their Second Amendment rights without unnecessary obstacles,” said Hoeven. “These bills provide consistent protection, whether at home or on the move, strengthening the rights of those who serve and reinforcing the freedoms that benefit all Americans.”
    “As a hunter, a lawful gun owner and a supporter of the Second Amendment, I am committed to protecting the rights of lawful gun owners,” said Rounds. “The laws currently on the books do not go far enough in acknowledging the unique living situations of many Americans, including military families and full-time travelers. These bills would amend the law to remove roadblocks for law-abiding citizens trying to exercise their Second Amendment rights.”
    Joining Senators Hoeven and Rounds in cosponsoring the Traveler’s Gun Rights Act are Senators John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and James Risch (R-Idaho).
    Additionally, Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), James Risch (R-Idaho) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) join Senators Hoeven and Rounds in cosponsoring the Protect Our Military Families’ 2nd Amendment Rights Act.
                                         

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PASSED: Cortez Masto Legislation to Combat Illegal Fentanyl

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) passed their legislation to combat illegal fentanyl and keep communities safe. The HALT Fentanyl Act would permanently schedule fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs and streamline the regulatory process for scientists seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to research Schedule I substances. The drug’s Schedule I classification is set to expire on March 31, 2025.

    “Today, the Senate took a major step to crack down on fentanyl,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Far too many Nevadans have lost their lives to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Our bipartisan bill will help our law enforcement agencies bring traffickers to justice and save American lives.”

    Overdoses, largely driven by fentanyl, are the leading cause of death among young adults 18 to 45 years old. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl account for 66 percent of the total U.S. overdose deaths. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2023. This was primarily fueled by synthetic opioids, including illegal fentanyl.

    Read the full bill here.

    Senator Cortez Masto has been working to crack down on illicit drugs since she was first elected Attorney General, when she worked with Nevada’s Republican governor, law enforcement, and Mexican officials to combat the rise of methamphetamine manufacturing and cross-border drug trafficking. In the Senate, she has authored legislation to combat drug trafficking online that was signed into law, and passed critical legislation to eliminate illegal fentanyl supply chains. She has also introduced legislation to crack down on the deadly fentanyl additive xylazine. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Statement on Vote to Avert Devastating Shutdown

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement announcing she will vote to avert a government shutdown.

    “A government shutdown would be devastating for the American people. It would force tens of thousands of Nevada military personnel, union members, law enforcement agents and nurses to work without pay. Shutting down the government gives President Trump and Elon Musk even more power to cherry-pick who is an essential employee, who they want to fire, and what agencies they want to shutter. And a shutdown would force federal courts to slow work on lawsuits against this administration’s illegal actions. The last government shutdown cost the American economy $11 billion and thousands of hardworking Americans were harmed. I cannot vote for that.

    “This was not an easy decision. I’m outraged by the reckless actions of President Trump, Elon Musk, and Republicans in control of Congress, so I refuse to hand them a shutdown where they would have free reign to cause more chaos and harm. I’m focused on ensuring our veterans, seniors, and working families get their benefits and opposing Republicans’ billionaire tax cut that is going to gut Medicaid. And I’m focused on supporting the lawsuits that are already reinstating illegally fired federal workers.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Statement on Dangers of a Government Shutdown

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statement today after voting to close debate on a government funding measure in order to allow a vote to keep the federal government open:

    “There were no good options in the Senate today. The choice today was between a federal government shutdown that would hurt Granite Staters and Americans, especially our most vulnerable neighbors, or a partisan government funding bill. I have concluded that allowing the federal government to shut down with this President in charge is too dangerous to risk.

    “A federal government shutdown would allow President Trump and Elon Musk to deepen their unilateral attacks on our system of government and the critical services it delivers to our friends and neighbors. President Trump and Elon Musk, who have already taken delight in making our government more chaotic and corrupt, would revel in a federal government shutdown. They would decide which programs to keep running and which employees to furlough or fire altogether, and they would do all this with even fewer checks and balances in place than there are now, because a shutdown would weaken our federal court system. It is unclear when the federal government would fully reopen, but it is clear that countless innocent people would be hurt, and our safety and economy would be weakened.

    “Because I believe that Elon Musk and President Trump would cause even more harm to Granite Staters and Americans during a federal government shutdown than they currently are, and because keeping the federal government functioning would provide support to the people who need it most, I voted today to close debate and allow for a vote to keep the federal government open.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Urges Colleagues to Support Continuing Resolution, Avert Shutdown

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Click HERE to watch and HERE to download.

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor today to urge her colleagues to support the continuing resolution to prevent a harmful government shutdown. 

    A transcript of Senator Collins’ remarks is as follows:

    “Mr. President, I rise to urge passage of this funding measure to prevent an unnecessary, harmful, and costly government shutdown at midnight tonight.

    “Mr. President, government shutdowns are inherently a failure to govern effectively and have negative consequences all across government.  They inevitably require certain government employees, such as Border Patrol agents, members of our military and Coast Guard, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers to report to work with no certainty at all on when they will receive their next paycheck. 

    “That’s just unfair.

    “Shutdowns also put critical investments in our national defense on hold.  Training exercises would be limited, which could hurt our nation’s readiness.  New programs would be paused, delaying new capabilities from getting to our war fighters.  That’s why we have always in the past avoided CRs for the Department of Defense. 

    “At our borders, the men and women performing vital law enforcement activities would have to do so without pay and without the assistance of support staff, putting more pressure on front line operators.

    “Other harmful potential impacts include curtailed operations for the Veterans Benefits Administration, resulting in the closure of education and GI Bill call centers, and the suspension of career counseling and transition assistance for our veterans; the closure of our wonderful national parks to visitors; increased travel delays, as the onboarding of additional TSA agents would stall and some FAA employees would face furloughs; and costly delays for projects at the Army Corps of Engineers and critical water infrastructure projects.

    “That is just a very partial list of the harm that would be done from a government shutdown.

    “This unfortunate situation that we’re in with a continuing resolution, should, however, have been avoided.

    “The Senate should have finished these bills last year, and I called for that repeatedly, as did many other members.

    “Senator Murray and I worked as a team, provided leadership, consulted with the members of our Senate Appropriations Committee.  Each of us worked so hard to report 11 of the 12 bills with overwhelming bipartisan support, including six which came out of our Committee unanimously.  Unfortunately, these bipartisan bills languished on the calendar for months, never being brought to the floor for consideration.  This decision by the then-Senate majority leader denied Senators the opportunity to debate and amend our reported bills, and denied the House and the Senate the chance to go to conference and work out the differences among the bills.

    “Similarly, attempts since January, by House Chairman Tom Cole and I to reach agreement with our Democratic counterparts, regrettably, were not successful, despite my making five good faith offers.

    “Now, Madam President, that opportunity is gone.

    “A year-long CR is by no means my first choice, but our focus now, given where we are, must be on preventing a government shutdown. 

    “For the most part, this is a straightforward CR that simply continues fiscal year 2024 funding levels.

    “Now, it does include, and this is important, a number of needed anomalies that are aimed at addressing pressing needs. 

    “For example, the CR realigns funding in the appropriations accounts for the Department of Defense to meet current global threats and cover the cost of pay raises for junior enlisted personnel.

    “It provides increased funding for housing assistance, and for what is known as the WIC Program – for women, infants, and children – to maintain support for these vulnerable families.

    “Within the Department of Homeland Security, the continuing resolution includes targeted increases to support ICE operations, avoid furloughs of TSA airport screeners, and to fund much-needed pay raises for members of our Coast Guard.

    “It also includes increased funding for the FAA so that more air traffic controllers can be hired to make our nation’s airspace safer.

    “Madam President, we can delay no longer.  It is essential that the continuing resolution be adopted today in order to prevent a harmful government shutdown.  I urge its adoption.

    “And Madam President, let each and every one of us here commit to working together on the FY 2026 budget so we can enact appropriations bills prior to the start of the new fiscal year.

    “Thank you, Madam President.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on Funding for the District of Columbia

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement: 
    “The House-passed continuing resolution took a mean-spirited and gratuitous shot at the District of Columbia that would lead to huge cuts to policing, public transit, schools and more. I’m glad we were able to work with Senator Collins and others to pass a bill to fix this problem in the Senate, and now the House must act as soon as possible.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement of U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine on the Continuing Resolution

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement:

    “While the government will remain open, we are frustrated that this funding bill gives a blank check to Donald Trump and Elon Musk to continue attacking the federal workforce and dismantling the services Virginians rely on. This bill lacks the meaningful proposals we offered as amendments to rein in and defund DOGE and protect our veterans from being indiscriminately fired – because Republicans blocked them all. As Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue to seek giant tax cuts for billionaires while laying off workers, slashing services, and tanking our economy, we will keep standing up for everyday Virginians, who have had enough of this chaos and lawlessness. That means we are already gearing up for our next fight: forcing a Senate vote on our legislation to challenge Trump’s senseless trade war with Canada, which will only raise costs for Virginians.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Senate Floor, Senator Murray Urges No Vote on House Republicans’ CR

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “House Republicans are saying give Trump all this power, or we will shut down the government. But let’s be very clear: that is and always has been a false choice.”
    Murray: “Before I close, I want to say to my constituents who are frightened or scared: I understand your fears. … But your voice matters. Speaking out matters. You elected me to be your voice, and you better believe I’m going to fight for you. So, shoulders up. Keep the faith. We’re going to keep fighting for the America we love.”
    ICYMI: Murray, DeLauro Introduce Short-Term Continuing Resolution, Call on Congress to Pass Bipartisan Funding Bills
    ICYMI: Analysis of Speaker Johnson’s Yearlong CR
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor remarks***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the cloture vote on House Republicans’ partisan continuing resolution (CR).
    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
    “M. President, I have made no secret of my opposition to this bill. For weeks, I have been warning about the real dangers of a yearlong CR like the one that has come before us from House Republicans.
    “But before I talk about those dangers and why I will be voting no on cloture and on final passage, I want my colleagues to hear what I have to say. But I do hope that they join me in voting no. I want to talk for a moment about how we did get here.
    “Because I fear some members of Republican leadership may need a history lesson. The fact of the matter is: the only reason we are staring down a shutdown deadline halfway into the fiscal year is because the House Republicans decided to kick the can down the road with a major punt—and because they have repeatedly walked away from the table.
    “This is just the historical record. We were all here for it. We saw what happened.
    “But perhaps it’s worth ticking through once more, because I’ll admit it can get easy to lose track given all that’s happened over the last few months, and just how many times House Republicans have made a deal just to break it in recent years.
    “So I want to give a refresher. It’s been a while since my time as a preschool teacher, but I guess school is back in session. Because I’m not going to let anyone get away with ignoring how Republicans forced us to the edge of a shutdown.
    “Remember, last year, after a bruising FY24 process in which House Republicans made one ridiculous demand after the next and caused one delay after the other, as Appropriations Chair, I worked hard alongside my colleagues, including Senator Collins who is here today, within our Committee to write and pass serious bipartisan, spending bills for this current fiscal year.
    “It was no easy feat. We had less resources at our disposal to make use of and we had even more challenges to address—but we managed to work together—Senator Collins and I, and our committee members—and we cleared all but one of our bills overwhelmingly in Committee. Many of those bills cleared in unanimous votes.
    “Come November, after the election, I was pushing very hard to get our funding bills done and wrapped up by the end of the year. My Democratic colleagues—and even many of my Republican colleagues—wanted to get that done. But Speaker Johnson and Trump chose to kick the can down the road. They chose to.
    “Trump reportedly wanted to make sure his fingerprints were on our spending bills for this fiscal year. And the Speaker not only wanted to please Trump, he was worried about how a messy funding fight might complicate his path to being speaker again. So, the decision was made—and Johnson punted from December to March.
    “Then we negotiated a bipartisan CR to fund the government through March 14th today, along with that we passed disaster relief, and extend critical laws. We reached a bipartisan, bipartisan, bicameral deal. And then House Republicans walked away, and blew that deal up at the last minute.
    “Why? All because the richest man in the entire world sent a bunch of completely inaccurate tweets. And instead of saying “You know what? Actually Elon, you have no clue what you are talking about, these are programs that help my constituents.”
    “House Republicans said, “hmmm let’s put that guy in charge.” They killed the bipartisan agreement, rolled out an altogether different bill not long thereafter, and punted on government funding. That is what happened.
    “And that is essentially what they have been doing ever since—cheering and clapping as Trump and Elon got basic facts wrong, broke laws, blocked funding that our communities needed, dismantled entire agencies, fired veterans, shuttered our Social Security offices, and break government to enrich themselves.
    “And while Trump and Republican leadership were fixating on whether they pass one bill or two for their plan to cut health care for kids to pass more tax cuts for billionaires, a fast approaching deadline was on its way to us, one that’s here now.
    “For the last several months, I have remained at the table, ready to negotiate funding bills. My Democratic counterpart in the House, Rosa DeLauro, and I never left the table. Not once. We made an offer, after an offer, as did our Republican counterparts.
    “My top priority has been, and continues to be, doing what we do every year, which is passing full-year funding bills with the detailed directives that we include in our spending laws every year.
    “I’ve wanted to ensure we continue to provide those and make sure our constituents voices are heard in federal funding, which, I have to say this CR fails to do.
    “But instead of working with us, in good faith, to fund the government in a bipartisan way, Speaker Johnson and Republican leadership walked away and started working on a Republican funding bill—without an ounce, not an ounce, of Democratic input.
    “I remained at the table, and my counterparts on appropriations and I continued to talk to keep the ball rolling. By the end of last week, for all intents and purposes, we had an agreement on topline funding.
    “But the call had been made, the call had already been made. Johnson was in on it, Trump was in on it, Russ Vought was in on it. Johnson decided instead of talking with Democrats it would be easier to have Trump get on the phone and scream and bully House Republicans into submission.
    “He figured if outright intimidation from Trump was enough to convince every Republican to vote for a budget resolution that will cut Medicaid for seniors and kids, then it might also be enough to get them to pass a Republican CR, especially if Trump threatened dissenters with political retribution, which, of course, he did. And that is the bill they rolled out on Saturday and passed earlier this week.
    “Now, as I’ve laid out in depth, the yearlong CR House Republicans sent our way hands a blank check to Elon Musk and Donald Trump to decide how our constituents’ taxpayer dollars get spent all while they cut funding working people count on each and every day.
    “It is anything but a ‘clean CR.’
    “What Republicans are pushing here is not a continuing resolution. In this case CR stands for Complete Resignation. Because what Republicans are doing here is ceding more discretion to two billionaires to decide what does, and does not, get funded in their states.
    “It is a power grab CR.
    “But not only that, it does make serious cuts to domestic funding. It leaves working families in the dust.
    “We are talking about a nearly 50% cut to lifesaving medical research into conditions affecting our servicemembers. It is a giant shortfall in funding for NIH. It is a massive cut in funding for Army Corps projects, and $15 billion less for domestic priorities. M. President, this bill will force Social Security to cut staff and close offices, and make it harder for seniors to get the benefits they spent their careers paying into the system to earn. It creates a devastating shortfall that risks tens of thousands of Americans losing their housing.
    “So, this bill causes real pain for communities across the country. And it empowers Trump and Musk to pick winners and losers, and I guarantee you they will not only go after Democrats.
    “Inexplicably, House Republicans are saying give Trump all this power, or we will shut down the government. Well let’s be very clear: that is and always has been a false choice.
    “The reality is, there were other options House Republicans could have chosen but they chose, they chose to pull out of bipartisan negotiations and send a deeply partisan bill here to the Senate today.
    “Democrats didn’t have an ounce of input into writing this bill, and now House Republicans expect us to support it? That makes zero sense.
    “Let me be clear: in my time in Congress, never, ever has one party written partisan, full-year appropriations bills for all of government and expected the other party to go along without any input.
    “To my colleagues here who want to pass individual appropriations bills in a timely manner for next fiscal year, how are Democrats supposed to trust they will be talking to us in good faith negotiations?
    “After we did the hard work of negotiating overwhelmingly bipartisan appropriations bills last year, only for us to see this today from Republicans in the House. Only for Republicans to now say swallow this partisan House Republican CR, or it will be Democrats that are shutting down the government?
    “That is a false choice, and one we cannot accept going forward.
    “When I cast my vote today, I’m representing the nearly 8 million people in Washington state, and in this democracy, their voices count for something, so you better believe I am not handing over my vote in exchange for nothing. 
    “The choice is not a government shutdown, or passing a bill to write a blank check to Elon Musk. It is not. That is not how this works.
    “On Monday, I rolled out a clean four-week extension to prevent a shutdown and to keep government funded while giving us the time to hammer out a bipartisan agreement. We could still pass it right here, and right now. If any member has any suggestions on what they’d want to see in the CR, I am all ears.
    “House Republicans may have left town already but I am pretty sure they know how to get on a plane. That is their job. Show up and vote. 
    “The bottom line is: this bill will mean more pain and chaos for our country, I cannot support it.
    “And please let’s remember: Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. If you refuse to put forward an offer that includes any Democratic input and you don’t get Democratic votes—that’s on Republicans. If you don’t get any input from Democrats, it’s a Republican vote. A shutdown is on Republicans.
    “The American people rightly understand Republicans have pushed this country towards a shutdown. They do understand Donald Trump has created massive economic uncertainty and is putting us on track for a Republican recession with his indiscriminate layoffs, his illegal funding freeze, his incoherent trade war, and now by threatening a Republican shutdown. 
    “Democrats did not write this bill, we didn’t have any input, but if we had, we sure wouldn’t have handed over more of our power to two billionaires.
    “You can bet we wouldn’t have cut our domestic investments by billions.
    “Democrats did not write this bill, but if we did we would have protected our public schools.
    “Democrats did not write this bill, but if we did we would have put veterans first.
    “And you can bet we wouldn’t have prevented the District of Columbia from spending its own taxpayer dollars and be forced to lay off police and teachers.
    “Democrats did not have any say on this bill, but if we did we would have protected our public lands, your health care, and lifesaving cancer research.
    “So, I hope my Democratic, and yes, my Republican colleagues as well, will join me in voting no on this bill, and swiftly passing a four-week extension so we can hammer out a better, bipartisan solution instead.
    “I am voting no because my constituents should have a say in how their tax dollars are spent.
    “I am voting no because Congress, Congress, each one of us, not Elon Musk should decide which schools or hospitals get funding.
    “I am voting no, and I hope my of colleagues to join me.
    “Before I close, M. President, I want to say to my constituents who are frightened and scared: I understand your fears. Some days I share them.
    “But your voice matters. Speaking out matters. You elected me to be your voice, and you better believe I will keep fighting for you.
    “So, shoulders up. Keep the faith. We stand strong, but do not stand down. We’re going to keep fighting for the America we love.
    “Thank you.”

    MIL OSI USA News –