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Category: US Senate

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

    US Senate News:

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Cornyn Votes for Fentanyl Bill, Slams Dems’ Delay Tactics

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    AUSTIN – Yesterday in the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) scorched Democrats for slow-walking consideration of the Halt Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act, which would permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act. Sen. Cornyn voted for the legislation, which ultimately passed out of committee. Excerpts are below, and video can be found here.
    “Fentanyl poisoning is the leading cause of death for young people between the age of 18 and 45.”
    “The longer we dither over some of the fine points of chemistry on this bill, that it’s like watching the house burn down and suggesting maybe we need to use a different sort of hose to put out the fire.”
    “There have been 60 years of research into fentanyl-related substances, and this bill just says any substance that is related to fentanyl would be scheduled as a dangerous drug and would be prohibited from sale.”
    “The longer we delay in the permanent scheduling of these fentanyl-related substances, the more people are simply just going to die.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Kaine Introduce Bill to Combat Illicit Gold Mining

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the U.S. Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Act to require a comprehensive strategy from the U.S. Secretary of State to combat illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere:
    “Criminal organizations and authoritarian regimes will do whatever it takes to enrich themselves, and that includes illegally mining and trafficking gold throughout Latin America,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Our bill would bring together the private sector and State Department to help our partners in the Western Hemisphere disrupt illicit mining practices and prevent bad actors from using gold to finance their nefarious acts.”
    “Illicit gold mining operations in Latin America and the Caribbean are a hotbed of human rights abuses and a haven for crime and terrorism,” said Sen. Kaine. “As Ranking Member on the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, promoting security and prosperity in the region is a top priority of mine, and this bipartisan legislation will be a key step toward that goal.”
    Background:
    The illicit mining and trafficking of gold is used to finance transnational criminal organizations and authoritarian governments, particularly those in Venezuela and Nicaragua, and negatively impacts the environment and the region’s economic dynamics.
    The U.S. Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Act would:
    Direct the U.S. Secretary of State to develop a multi-year strategy in coordination with other federal agencies to combat illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere;
    Require the strategy to include elements such as interrupting links between artisanal small-scale miners (ASM) and illicit actors, bolstering the effectiveness of anti-money laundering efforts, supporting efforts to formalize ASM miners, improving supply chain due diligence, and deterring ASM mining in protected areas;
    Mandate an investigation of the illicit gold trade in Venezuela and provide a briefing to Congress on this issue;
    And create a public-private partnership in coordination with democratically-elected governments in the region to advance best practices for responsible gold value chains.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Supports Hearing Protection Act to Deregulate Firearm Suppressors

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    AUSTIN – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement in support of the Hearing Protection Act, which would remove sound suppressors from regulation under the National Firearms Act and ensure that purchasing a firearm suppressor is treated the same as purchasing a long gun:
    “For too long, firearm suppressors have been overregulated by those who want to prevent law-abiding citizens from exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This commonsense legislation would cut burdensome red tape and ensure Americans can protect their hearing when using a firearm, and I’m glad to support it once again.”
    Background:
    Suppressors are currently subject to additional regulatory burdens under the National Firearms Act (NFA). The Hearing Protection Act would remove suppressors from regulation under the NFA and replace the burdensome federal transfer process with an instantaneous National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background check.  This would make the purchasing and transfer process for suppressors equal to the process for a rifle or shotgun. The Hearing Protection Act would also put more funding into state wildlife conservation agencies by taxing suppressors under the Pittman-Robertson Act instead of the NFA.
    The legislation is led by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and is also cosponsored by Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Jim Justice (R-WV), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mike Rounds (R-ND), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Ron Johnson (R-WI).
    The Hearing Protection Act is supported by the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the American Suppressor Association (ASA), Gun Owners of America (GOA), and the National Rifle Association (NRA).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth to Host Illinois Head Start Executive Director Lauri Morrison-Frichtl at Joint Address, Underscoring How Trump’s Illegal Funding Freeze is Hurting Head Start Lifelines and the Families They Serve

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    March 03, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Executive Director of the Illinois Head Start Association Lauri Morrison-Frichtl will be her guest to President Donald Trump’s Joint Address to Congress as part of the Senator’s ongoing efforts to push back against Trump’s illegal funding freeze that continues to inflict needless chaos, confusion and financial pain on Head Start programs and the middle-class families they serve throughout Illinois. With over 37 years of experience with Head Start, Executive Director Morrison-Frichtl is a steadfast leader and advocate for the wellbeing of the thousands of children and families in our state who face the most significant barriers to achieving success in school and in life. Additionally, nearly 70% of Illinois Head Start and Early Head Start parents are in the workforce and rely on Head Start’s programs in order to go to their jobs—allowing them to support their families and contribute to our economy. An official portrait photo of Illinois Head Start Executive Director Lauri Morrison-Frichtl can be found on the Senator’s website.

    “Despite running on the promise that he would lower costs for middle-class Americans, Donald Trump’s illegal funding freeze is hurting the same families he swore he’d protect by jeopardizing the Head Start programs so many rely on,” Duckworth said. “Leaders like Lauri Morrison-Frichtl are on the frontlines of Trump’s needless chaos—which is continuing to cause irreversible damage and jeopardize Illinois Head Start’s ability to serve thousands of children and families. I’m proud to have Lauri Morrison-Frichtl as my guest to the Joint Address to remind middle-class Americans and this Administration just how critical Head Start services are—not only for working parents trying to make ends meet, but also for the next generation of students. We cannot let Trump and Republicans tear down this lifeline for families in order to fund tax cuts for billionaires—full stop.”

    “I am deeply honored to be invited as Senator Duckworth’s guest for the Joint Address to Congress,” said Morrison-Frichtl. “As the Executive Director of the Illinois Head Start Association, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of Head Start in creating safe, nurturing environments where children can thrive and in empowering parents to pursue meaningful employment across the great state of Illinois. However, recent disruptions and uncertainties around federal funding have created significant anxiety and stress among our parents, staff, and communities across Illinois. We are committed to navigating these challenges and ensuring that the bureaucratic hurdles do not undermine the trust that families, staff, and children place in our programs. The work we do is critical. I am honored to work with Senator Duckworth and other elected officials to support our children and families and champion the rights they need and deserve.”

    Earlier this month, Duckworth joined Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, parents, teachers and staff at Two Rivers Head Start in Elgin to underscore how Trump’s illegal funding freeze is continuing to cause financial setbacks for Head Start programs in Illinois. As a result, many Head Start agencies across the state remain unsure about how they’ll be able to provide food and resources to the kids in their care or whether they’ll have to shut down altogether.

    Lauri Morrison-Frichtl is the Executive Director of the Illinois Head Start Association. With a Master of Science degree in Education from Western Michigan University, Lauri brings over 37 years of experience working with Head Start, Early Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs. She has further enriched her professional expertise through participation in the UCLA Johnson & Johnson Management Fellows Program and the Nike Leadership Institute.

    In 2019, Lauri was honored with the prestigious Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award by the Illinois Head Start community. She has also developed local and national training curricula for both Head Start and child care programs. Known for her dedication and passion, Lauri is a compassionate leader who is deeply committed to the mission of Head Start and continually advocates for the success and well-being of children and families served by Illinois Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Announces Fired Federal Worker as State of the Union Guest

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    March 03, 2025

    Doug Kowalewski was recently fired from the National Science Foundation amid Trump’s and Musk’s unlawful firings, massive cuts to federal agencies

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) announced that Doug Kowalewski of Wellesley will be her guest at the 2025 State of the Union. Doug is a former National Science Foundation (NSF) employee who, after 3.5 years at the agency, was fired unexpectedly in Elon Musk’s and the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) gutting of the federal workforce. Doug shared his story at Senator Warren’s recent town hall in Framingham, Massachusetts. 

    “I’m bringing Doug to force Trump to confront the federal workers he fired – the people who make this country run,” said Senator Warren. “The National Science Foundation is the engine that powers our nation’s basic scientific research, and by taking a sledgehammer to this agency, Trump and Musk are gutting our research and innovation pipeline and our local economy in Massachusetts. That isn’t efficient — it’s cruel, short-sighted, and it’s costing American jobs and devastating millions of families.”

    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are firing dedicated civil servants and plotting to replace us with new hires who will make critical science funding decisions with a political agenda, not a scientific one. Millions of Americans who have dedicated their careers to this country are suffering because of unelected billionaires like Elon Musk. I’m in Washington with Senator Warren to fight back against these illegal firings and stand up for hardworking federal workers,” said Doug Kowalewski. 

    At Senator Warren’s town hall in Framingham, Doug shared the story of his unexpected firing from the agency along with 167 of his colleagues. At the NSF, Doug was a Program Director for Partnerships and Innovation, helping bring in millions in funding to the federal government. The NSF provides a quarter of federal support for basic research at colleges and universities across the country.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: HuffPost: Democrats Alarmed By DOGE’s Access To ‘Sensitive Databases’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 27, 2025

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and other lawmakers pressed the Education Department on Wednesday to clarify how much access Elon Musk’s team had been granted to student loan borrowers’ sensitive data and what they planned to do with it.

    In a letter to acting Education Secretary Denise Carter, Democrats said the agency had provided “woefully inadequate” information about who was using the data and to what end. They said the Education Department’s written response to their questions earlier this month raised “new concerns” about what Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency is up to.

    “The Department refused to confirm or deny whether DOGE had been granted access to the National Student Loan Data System or other databases with sensitive federal student loan data,” Warren wrote in the letter, joined by 14 other Democrats.

    DOGE’s access to the data is now the subject of a federal lawsuit brought by veterans and labor unions alleging the Trump administration violated the Privacy Act by sharing social security numbers and other sensitive information without consent.

    …

    Read the full article here.

    By:  Dave Jamieson
    Source: HuffPost

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: HuffPost: Elizabeth Warren Presses X To Find 25,000 Tweets Deleted By Trump Nominee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 27, 2025

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wants to know what happened to 25,000 tweets that a key Donald Trump nominee deleted soon after the 2024 election, and she on Wednesday wrote a letter to X CEO Linda Yaccarino requesting those records.

    Bill Pulte, an investor whose grandfather founded PulteGroup and made it a housing construction empire, is President Trump’s nominee to serve as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates trillions of dollars in the housing finance system. 

    The self-proclaimed “inventor of Twitter philanthropy” also deleted about 25,000 tweets a few days after the 2024 presidential election. 

    “My staff discovered that virtually all of Mr. Pulte’s tweets are missing and appear to have been deleted,” Warren, the ranking member of the Senate banking committee, wrote to Yaccarino, according to a copy of the letter shared with HuffPost. “Mr. Pulte’s account appears to have been purged of virtually all of his social media activity on your platform.” 

    Warren told Yaccarino that she was writing “to seek your assistance in gathering previously public information about Mr. Pulte that he appears to have deleted and is now hidden from the public.” 

    …

    Read the full article here.

    By:  Matt Shuham
    Source: HuffPost

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reuters: Exclusive: Senators ask Trump’s Air Force nominee to respond to allegations of favoring Musk’s SpaceX

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 27, 2025

    Two members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday asked President Donald Trump’s Air Force secretary nominee whether he unfairly favored Elon Musk in a classified, multibillion-dollar spy satellite contract.

    In a letter sent Thursday, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth, both Democrats, asked nominee Troy Meink how his role in the contract solicitation may have favored SpaceX, Musk’s rocket and satellite company.

    The Massachusetts and Illinois lawmakers cited a recent Reuters report that Meink, a top official at the National Reconnaissance Office, changed the contract requirements in a way that made SpaceX the company best suited to fulfill it.

    Complaints about Meink’s role, Reuters reported, prompted the inspector general of the agency, which controls the country’s spy satellite programs, to investigate whether Meink had improperly directed the transaction toward SpaceX. Musk’s space venture ultimately won the classified contract in 2021.

    It isn’t clear whether the inspector general concluded a report or if any investigation remains underway.

    Reuters was unable to reach Meink for comment on the letter.

    …

    Read the full article here.

    By:  Marisa Taylor, Alexandra Ulmer
    Source: Reuters

    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy On State Of The Union: Trump Wants Our Closest Relationships With Despots So It’s Easier For His Billionaire Pals To Steal From Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    March 03, 2025

    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Sunday joined CNN’s State of the Union with Dana Bash to discuss President Donald Trump’s meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the upcoming joint address to Congress.
    Murphy explained why President Trump appears to be aligning himself with Vladimir Putin: “The White House has become an arm of the Kremlin…It appears as if America is trying to align itself with dictators. Donald Trump wants us to have our closest relationships with despots all around the world because that makes it easier for him to transition America into a kleptocratic oligarchy where Elon Musk and Donald Trump rule and steal from the American people. If we were allied with democracies, that would be harder. But if the United States’ closest partner is Russia, then it makes it a lot easier for Donald Trump, Elon, and their billionaire pals to steal from the American people, to steal our data, to steal our Medicare, to steal our Medicaid in order to enrich themselves.”
    On the Trump-Zelensky meeting, Murphy said: “The back half of that meeting ended up just being the Kremlin literally driving the message of the White House. It is a sad day in America when we are getting closer and closer to Russia, a brutal dictatorship, and we are getting further and further away from democratic allies. Nobody in America wants that. People in America want that war to end, but they don’t want it to end by handing the entirety of Ukraine to Russia and elevating the power of a dictator in the Kremlin.”
    On President Trump’s upcoming joint address to Congress, Murphy said: “I think that State of the Union speech is going to be a farce. I think it’s going to be a MAGA pep rally, not a serious talk to the nation. I think Donald Trump is going to spew a series of lies about his alignment with Russia, about what he’s trying to do to allow Elon Musk to essentially monetize the American government to enrich Musk and his billionaire crowd. And I’m just not going to be a part of that.”
    He continued: “Listen, the case I’m making to Democrats is that we have to fight every single day. Every single day. Republicans flood the zone. Democrats have to flood the zone. They flood the zone with lies. We flood the zone with truth. We are going to stop this billionaire takeover of government. We are going to stop their destruction of democracy, which they have to do, because what they are attempting to do – gut Medicaid in order to feed another set of tax cuts to Elon Musk and his billionaire friends – it’s unpopular. We’re going to stop that billionaire takeover, that destruction of our democracy, only by fighting them every single day.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Colleagues Press for Timely Disaster Assistance for All Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, joined Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and 12 other Democratic Senators in pressing the Administration for assurances that assistance for economic challenges in 2024 and natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 will be provided to all farmers—including row crop and specialty crop farmers—as quickly as possible. The Senators emphasized the need for farmers to receive this aid as they make decisions for spring planting season.
    In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, the Senators wrote: “Farmers are making decisions right now about fertilizer usage and their crop mix and are working with their bankers to figure out if they can secure the financing they need to continue farming this year. Without the timely delivery of economic and disaster assistance, farmers face the prospect of reducing plantings or liquidating assets to remain in business as they head into another potentially difficult growing season.”
    The Senators continued, “The American Relief Act included a detailed formula for determining economic loss, which was intended in part to speed implementation. During implementation, we ask that you engage with impacted farmers and other groups, particularly regarding the implementation of the per-acre payment rates for commodities. We urge you to use the precedent of previous ad hoc programs to simplify the experience for farmers by leveraging existing loss data and to pre-fill applications for producers.”
    In addition to Senators Luján, Klobuchar, and Warnock, the letter was joined by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
    The full letter is available here and below. 
    Dear Secretary Rollins,
    As you work to establish priorities for the coming weeks and months, we urge you to move forward as quickly as possible on providing disaster relief for farmers.
    As you know, the American Relief Act provided significant natural and economic disaster assistance for row crop farmers who experienced economic losses resulting from declining prices and stagnant input costs during the 2024 crop year. Specialty crop growers have faced similar economic challenges, and USDA must complete the planned second round of assistance for them.
    The Senate Agriculture Committee recently held a hearing where we heard compelling testimony from farmers across the country who face uncertainty heading into spring planting season. Proposed tariffs on key trading partners like Canada, which could drive up input prices, and the potential for retaliatory tariffs from key export markets have only exacerbated that uncertainty.
    Farmers are making decisions right now about fertilizer usage and their crop mix and are working with their bankers to figure out if they can secure the financing they need to continue farming this year. Without the timely delivery of economic and disaster assistance, farmers face the prospect of reducing plantings or liquidating assets to remain in business as they head into another potentially difficult growing season.
    The American Relief Act included a detailed formula for determining economic loss, which was intended in part to speed implementation. During implementation, we ask that you engage with impacted farmers and other groups, particularly regarding the implementation of the per-acre payment rates for commodities. We urge you to use the precedent of previous ad hoc programs to simplify the experience for farmers by leveraging existing loss data and to pre-fill applications for producers.
    Farmers of fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops have also experienced difficult economic conditions and high input prices. Specialty crop producers have already applied for and received initial payment under the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC), and USDA should make the planned additional payments before we get into the growing season.
    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to working with you to help our farmers succeed.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hit By Trump’s Tariffs, Welch’s Guest to President’s Joint Address to Congress Will Be Head of Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Allison Hope During Welch’s Tariff Town Hall: “Our industry has grown in production almost 500% over the last 20 years, and these tariffs would go a long way towards potentially slowing that production.”
    Vermont sugar makers produce the most maple syrup in the nation.
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced Allison Hope, Executive Director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association, will join Senator Welch for President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress on Tuesday evening.  
    Vermont’s maple industry—as well as farms and businesses across Vermont—are bracing for the economic fallout of the Trump’s 25% tariff on Canada, which will go into effect tomorrow. Sugar makers expect the cost of Canadian-made sugaring equipment to dramatically increase. Bulk maple sales to major retailers like Costco, Target, and Whole Foods rely on both U.S. and Canadian producers and most of the equipment needed to produce syrup is manufactured in Canada. 
    “These tariffs are really going to hurt our economy in Vermont, and the impacts will be far-reaching. President Trump is singlehandedly raising costs for Vermonters—from the food on our table, to our energy bills, to the materials and equipment our home construction companies and manufacturers need. It’s important that the Trump Administration and my colleagues across the aisle hear directly from those who are impacted and that they drop this misguided plan,” said Senator Welch. 
    During Senator Welch’s virtual town hall on tariffs in February, Allison Hope of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association shared: “Our industry has grown in production almost 500% over the last 20 years, and these tariffs would go a long way towards potentially slowing that production.” 
    Today, Senator Welch will join Governor Phil Scott, the Solinsky Family, who are fourth-generation sugar makers from the northeast kingdom, Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts, the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association, and community members at the Governor’s annual ‘First Tapping’ event, which celebrates Vermont’s maple industry and the Green Mountain State’s sugar makers. Vermont sugar makers produce the most maple syrup in the nation, with 3.1 million gallons produced in 2024, an increase of nearly 20% from 2023. 
    Last week, Senator Welch expressed opposition to the Trump Tariffs in voting against the nomination of Jamieson Greer for United States Trade Representative. He also joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act, which would shield American businesses and consumers from rising prices imposed by tariffs on imported goods into the United States. The bill would keep costs down for imported goods by limiting the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—which allows a President to immediately place unlimited tariffs after declaring a national emergency—while preserving IEEPA’s use for sanctions and other tools.   
    In January, Welch introduced the Making Agricultural Products Locally Essential (MAPLE) Act and the Supporting All Producers (SAP) Act, two bipartisan, bicameral bills to support Vermont’s maple industry.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Announces She Will Bring Nevada Teenager Enrolled in Medicaid for Lifesaving Health Care As Guest to Trump’s Joint Address to Congress

    US Senate News:

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

    This Comes After Congressional Republicans Passed A Cruel Budget With Extreme Cuts To Medicaid As A Way To Pay For Tax Cuts For The Ultra-Wealthy
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced that she will be joined by a Las Vegas teenager and his mom who rely on Medicaid for health care coverage to attend President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress. Dominic Rampa, who will be accompanied by his mother Rebecca Ennis, has relied on Medicaid since he was a child to help cover treatments for a number of health conditions associated with nine genetic disorders – including two immunodeficiencies, a genetic blood clotting disorder, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and more. Without Medicaid coverage, Dominic would lose the health care coverage he needs to live, which at a minimum comes out to around $200,000 per year.
    Medicaid is a lifeline for Nevadans to access health care. Nearly 42 million children nationwide rely on Medicaid/CHIP for their health coverage. In Nevada, more than 350,000 children are enrolled in this critical program.
    “Since he was a young child, Dominic has relied on Medicaid to get the health care he needs to stay alive. This critical program is a lifeline for Dominic and his family, and I’m grateful to be joined by him and his mom at the Joint Address to Congress,” said Senator Rosen. “Congressional Republicans’ efforts to make cuts to Medicaid to pay for more tax giveaways for the ultra-wealthy would be a disaster for Nevadans like Rebecca and Dominic. As long as I’m representing Nevada in the U.S. Senate, I will continue to speak out against cutting funding for programs that Nevandas rely on.”
     “Having a child with multiple rare diseases is very difficult,” said Rebecca Ennis. “The cost is more than most people could afford, so losing Medicaid would cause my son to lose the treatments that keep him alive.” 
    Senator Rosen has been a vocal critic of Republicans’ budget plans that would give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy by cutting programs Nevadans rely on. Earlier this month, Senator Rosen opposed Republicans’ extreme budget resolution that will gut programs like Medicaid and SNAP to pay for more tax cuts for only the richest Americans. She also took to the Senate floor to call out Congressional Republicans for this extreme budget plan. Senator Rosen joined her Senate colleagues in urging President Donald Trump to reject Congressional Republicans’ legislative plans to increase the cost of living for Americans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 03.03.2025 Sen. Cruz at Press Conference for Inaugural SAT-DCA Direct Flight: ‘Texas Prevailed’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, delivered remarks during a press conference at San Antonio International Airport (SAT), celebrating the first direct flight from San Antonio to Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. This flight was made possible due to a provision Sen. Cruz secured in his FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

    Excerpts of Sen. Cruz’s remarks are included below:
    “Last year, we passed the FAA Reauthorization Act. At the time, I was the Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The Ranking Member was the senior Republican, not yet in the majority. And that FAA bill, I wrote alongside Maria Cantwell, the chairman of the Committee, a Democrat from Washington state. As we wrote that landmark legislation, it was $110 billion in new resources invested in aviation safety — directing the FAA to hire the maximum number of air traffic controllers to keep passengers safe as you and your family board flights to travel across America and across the world — investing in technology on runways to prevent the multiple near misses that we’ve seen on runways to enhance the ability to avert those disasters — expanding competition and investing in new technology in airports here in San Antonio and all across Texas.
    “Now, that bill was a bipartisan bill that had enormous support. And do you know what the single greatest battle on that bill was? The new flight for San Antonio to DCA. On that new flight, you had millions of dollars of lobbying trying to prevent that flight from happening. It was as bare-knuckle a fight as I’ve seen in Washington. You had the senators from Virginia and Maryland both lobbying vigorously against it. The battle ended up delaying the entire bill on the floor of the Senate for two days. Now, we ended up having, thankfully, the entire congressional delegation united.
    “In the House, you had Chip Roy, who did a phenomenal job. You had Joaquin Castro, Greg Casar, Tony Gonzales, and Henry Cuellar all working together — Republicans and Democrats, hand in hand. In San Antonio, you had the city, the elected leadership, the business community — all standing as one — united. In the Senate, John Cornyn and I worked hand in hand, whipping the votes. I have, if you come to my office, and Mayor, I’ll show you the whip sheet for the slots, which I have framed, back-to-back, with every one of the Senators because it was literally hand-to-hand combat to get the votes. At the end of the day, Texas prevailed.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Connolly Renew Push to Expand Access to IVF, Other Assisted Reproductive Technology

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 28, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—the author of the Right to IVF Act—and U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11) reintroduced legislation to expand and protect access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) that millions of Americans rely on to have children. The Family Building FEHB Fairness Act would require Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Program—the largest employer-sponsored health insurance plan in the world—carriers to cover IVF and ART and would give the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) one year to implement its requirements from the date of enactment. The bill’s reintroduction comes after President Trump’s toothless executive order, which fails to take any serious, meaningful action to protect and expand fertility services—despite him promising to do so during his presidential campaign.

    “Donald Trump promised to make IVF more affordable—but instead, he is focused on cutting vital programs and firing thousands of federal employees to fund tax cuts for billionaires while wasting time with a toothless IVF executive order that fails to deliver on his promise,” said Senator Duckworth. “The devoted public servants in our federal workforce—and all Americans—who rely on IVF to build their families deserve better. If Donald Trump is serious about protecting IVF, calling on Republicans in Congress to support our commonsense bill that would help make sure more Americans have access to IVF through the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program—the largest employer-sponsored health insurance plan in the world—would be a great start.”

    “Federal employees, like every American, should have the right to start and build a family on their own terms,” said Congressman Connolly. “If Donald Trump is serious about his support for IVF, he can take meaningful action right now to protect and expand this fundamental right for millions of Americans. The Family Building FEHB Fairness Act presents an opportunity for the federal government to lead by example by modernizing the FEHB program and embracing high-quality fertility coverage to become the employer of choice for millions of talented Americans looking to serve their country and start a family. It’s time for Donald Trump to put his money where his mouth is and support this legislation that offers real solutions, not empty promises, for American women and families.”

    Full text of the legislation is available on the Senator’s website.

    The Family Building FEHB Fairness Act is one of four bills that is included in Senator Duckworth’s Right to IVF Act—which Senate Republicans blocked not once, but twice last year. The Senator’s Right to IVF Act would both establish a right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART), expand access for hopeful parents, Veterans and federal employees, as well as lower the costs of IVF for middle-class families across the country. Overall, Senate Republicans have blocked Duckworth-led legislation four times that would protect access to IVF nationwide.

    Duckworth was the first Senator to give birth while serving in office and had both of her children with the help of IVF. In 2018, she advocated for the Senate to change its rules so she could bring her infant onto the Senate floor.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Schiff Demand Answers From NASA, FAA Over Conflict of Interest in Federal Contract Awards to Musk’s Private Companies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 28, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the CST Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation—and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) demanded answers from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Acting Administrator Janet Petro and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau on why, despite Elon Musk’s conflicts of interest, each agency has or may soon award billions of dollars in federal contracts to private companies controlled by Musk while he serves as a government employee.

    “If accurate, this presents a striking new phase in Mr. Musk’s conflicts of interest. Mr. Musk holds unprecedented leverage over you and your agencies by directing ongoing efforts to substantially influence, alter, and undercut your departments’ operations, personnel, and funding. Simultaneously awarding his private companies with billions of dollars in federal contracts raises grave questions as to whether you and your agencies are enabling corrupt favoritism to benefit Mr. Musk,” wrote the Senators.

    Full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:

    Dear Ms. Petro and Mr. Rocheleau: 

    We write with serious concerns regarding recent reports that the federal agencies you lead – the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), respectively – have awarded or may soon award billions of dollars in federal contracts to private companies controlled by Elon Musk, a Special Government Employee. If accurate, this presents a striking new phase in Mr. Musk’s conflicts of interest. Mr. Musk holds unprecedented leverage over you and your agencies by directing ongoing efforts to substantially influence, alter, and undercut your departments’ operations, personnel, and funding. Simultaneously awarding his private companies with billions of dollars in federal contracts raises grave questions as to whether you and your agencies are enabling corrupt favoritism to benefit Mr. Musk. 

    On February 21, 2025, NASA announced that it selected Mr. Musk’s company, SpaceX, to provide launch services for the Near-Earth Object Surveyor mission, which is intended to detect and observe asteroids and comets that could potentially pose an impact threat to Earth. According to NASA, the total cost of the launch service on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is approximately $100 million.

    Three days later, on February 24, 2025, the FAA announced via Mr. Musk’s platform, X, that the agency “has been considering the use of Starlink,” a subsidiary of Mr. Musk’s company, SpaceX, to increase reliable weather information for the aviation community. The same day, Mr. Musk posted on X: “The Verizon system is not working and so is putting air travelers at serious risk.” In an effort to take over a $2.4 billion federal contract with the FAA held by Verizon, Mr. Musk has reportedly approved a shipment of 4,000 Starlink terminals to the FAA to upgrade critical infrastructure. FAA officials confirmed that several Starlink terminals had been installed in New Jersey and Alaska6 and the agency is reportedly “close to canceling” Verizon’s contract and awarding the work to Mr. Musk’s company in a significant dismantling of conflict of interest protections in government contracts. Furthermore, several employees of Mr. Musk’s parent company of Starlink, SpaceX, have joined the FAA – an agency tasked with regulating SpaceX activities and one of several federal Departments that have conducted investigations and reviews of Mr. Musk’s company for violating safety rules.

    We strongly support the need to upgrade federal technological systems through public-private partnerships and contracts, but this cannot be done through corruption and graft. Mr. Musk – a man worth over $350 billion – carries significant influence over President Trump and federal government agencies, even as he faces regulatory reviews and federal investigations across almost a dozen federal departments and independent agencies, including the Department of Transportation, of which FAA is a part. Mr. Musk’s profound conflicts of interest risk fundamentally undermining public trust in your agencies at a moment in which trust in the missions of NASA and the FAA have never been more important. 

    On February 10, 2024, Senator Schiff sent letters to former Director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), David Huitema, and White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles requesting clarification regarding Mr. Musk’s compliance with federal conflicts of interest, ethics, and reporting requirements. Following President Trump’s announcement firing Mr. Huitema without cause and designating Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins as acting OGE Director, Senator Schiff sent a follow-up letter requesting that the OGE preserve all records and correspondence regarding Mr. Huitema’s removal and inquiring, yet again, about Mr. Musk’s financial reporting obligations and any conflict of interest considerations communicated with the OGE on behalf of the White House.

    To ensure that the Senate can undertake its constitutional oversight and legislative functions, including consideration of potential reforms to strengthen existing statutes, please take the following measures and respond to the questions below by March 7, 2025: 

    1. Preserve all records and correspondence since January 20, 2025, in NASA and the FAA’s possession regarding federal contract awards. 
    2. Preserve all records and correspondence in NASA and the FAA’s possession regarding any companies in which Mr. Musk retains a financial interest. 
      1. Please provide all records and correspondence in NASA and the FAA’s possession with Mr. Musk or any Department of Government Efficiency employees regarding any companies in which Mr. Musk retains a financial interest.
    3. Provide the status of any reviews or investigations underway or closed since January 20, 2025, involving companies in which Mr. Musk retains a financial interest, including an investigation by the FAA of SpaceX’s Starship rocket following a failed test flight14 and the FAA’s review of alleged safety measure violations related to SpaceX launches.15 
    4. Did any White House officials communicate with any NASA or FAA officials about Mr. Musk’s conflict of interest considerations, including whether Mr. Musk would need a waiver under 18 U.S.C. § 208, prior to Mr. Musk’s appointment as a special government employee? If so, please explain the nature of those communications. 
    5. Did any NASA or FAA employees raise concerns about awarding federal contracts to Mr. Musk’s companies, given his role as a Special Government Employee? If so, please explain the nature of those concerns and communications and preserve all records and correspondence in your possession regarding these concerns. 

    Congress has yet to receive responses from the White House or the OGE regarding Mr. Musk’s compliance with federal criminal conflicts of interest law and other ethics and reporting requirements, which reinforces concern that Mr. Musk may not be complying with his legal obligations. 

    We look forward to reviewing your responses.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Booker Join Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Codify DOJ’s Office of Environmental Justice

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 28, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ)—founding co-chairs of the Senate’s first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus—joined U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and other Senate colleagues in introducing bicameral legislation to permanently codify the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). The introduction of the Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act comes after Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent order eliminating all environmental justice efforts at the DOJ on her first day as Attorney General.

    “The Trump Administration seems determined to undermine the protections aimed at helping every American—no matter their zip code—to be able to breathe safe air, drink clean water and live, work and play on uncontaminated land,” said Senator Duckworth. “Our bill would help ensure the Justice Department holds polluters accountable and fulfills its promise to serve all Americans, including those in communities who have been hit hardest by environmental injustice and are suffering from severe health consequences.”

    The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act would strengthen efforts at the Department of Justice to enforce environmental laws, hold polluters accountable and support state and local environmental enforcement capacity. The legislation would also authorize $50 million in annual grant funding to assist state and local governments with their own environmental enforcement efforts.

    A copy of the bill text can be found on Senator Duckworth’s website.

    As co-chair and co-founder of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, Duckworth has been a strong advocate for bringing environmental justice to Illinois and across the country. Her Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA), which was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is the most significant federal investment in water infrastructure in history, including $15 billion for national lead pipe replacement. DWWIA, which focuses on disadvantaged communities, is helping rebuild our nation’s crumbling and dangerous water infrastructure and enable communities to repair and modernize their failing wastewater systems, with many of the provisions to help low-income communities designed specifically for communities like Chicago, Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis. Duckworth also led the reintroduction of the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act—the most comprehensive environmental justice legislation in history—which would help achieve health equity and climate justice for all, particularly in underserved communities and communities of color that have long been disproportionately harmed by environmental injustices and toxic pollutants.

    Duckworth has consistently worked to bring attention to the environmental injustice, calling on EPA to conduct enhanced monitoring and enforcement in the Metro East, requesting a formal public health assessment by ATSDR on the impact of decades of flooding in Cahokia Heights, as well as ATSDR health assessments for several other communities like Sauget, Southside Chicago and Lake Couty. Duckworth has frequently met with residents to discuss the persistent inland flooding and environmental justice issues the community faces, including leading a federal delegation tour of the area. In Sauget, Duckworth has made multiple requests for air monitoring in the area and secured EPA enhanced air monitoring in 2021. She has also helped secure multiple funding streams for environmental justice across the state of Illinois and the country, such as the $3 billion in Environmental Justice grants under the Biden Administration and several Congressionally-directed grants.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Collins, King, Pingree Call on Trump Administration to Avoid Trade War with Canada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, co-chair of the Senate American-Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, and U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree, are calling on the Trump Administration to avoid a catastrophic trade war with Canada that would have huge and immediate impacts on Maine’s people and economy. In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative, the Maine delegation request that the administration work collaboratively with Canada to address issues of shared concern and foster economic cooperation in order to avoid the potential for increased prices on groceries, gas and energy.
    “For over 150 years, Canada has been a trusted friend and close ally of the United States. Our countries are deeply entwined and our economies are fully integrated. This is made all the more evident by the substantial volume of trade and investment between our nations. In 2023, the U.S. and Canada traded nearly $1 trillion in goods and services. Together, we share the largest bilateral trading relationship in the world, which supports 8 million U.S. jobs. Each day, nearly $2.6 billion worth of goods and services cross the U.S.-Canada border, including critical energy resources,” the Delegation wrote.
    They continued in the letter, “Maine shares a special and interconnected relationship with Canada. According to the Maine International Trade Center, Maine and Canada exchanged over $6 billion in two-way trade last year. This trade propels manufacturing and production in the state, which in turn provides over 60,000 good-paying jobs – from the development of our high-quality products to their transportation. Further, Canada has supplied the oil that Maine people rely on to heat their homes on cold winter nights and the jet fuel and diesel that supports the Air National Guard Base in Bangor.”
    “Given the deeply integrated nature of our economies, any tariffs on imports from Canada – and any retaliatory measures by Canada in response – may raise prices on gasoline, energy, groceries, and much more,” the Delegation concluded. “We acknowledge that targeted and strategic tariffs can be an important tool to address unfair trade practices. However, small businesses and families in Maine and across the country will be caught in the middle during a time when so many are struggling to put food on the table and keep the lights on. Ultimately, it is our hope that the Trump Administration is able to work collaboratively with Canada to address issues of shared concern and foster economic cooperation, rather than engage in a tit-for-tat trade war.”
    The United States and Canada share the world’s longest international border, spanning 5,525 miles with 120 land ports-of-entry. The bilateral and international U.S.-Canada alliance is built upon shared interests in the areas of economic stability and trade, sustainability, energy and critical mineral supply chain, and national security. The two countries share a $1 trillion trade and investment relationship, supporting more than seven million jobs.
    The full text of the letter can be found here and below.
    +++
    Dear Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer:
    Over the years, we have been privileged to gain a unique view of the important economic partnership that the United States has with Canada from my border state of Maine. As you consider the implementation of tariffs on imports from Canada, we want to share our view of how these tariffs will impact families and business in Maine and across the country.
    For over 150 years, Canada has been a trusted friend and close ally of the United States. Our countries are deeply entwined and our economies are fully integrated. This is made all the more evident by the substantial volume of trade and investment between our nations. In 2023, the U.S. and Canada traded nearly $1 trillion in goods and services. Together, we share the largest bilateral trading relationship in the world, which supports 8 million U.S. jobs. Each day, nearly $2.6 billion worth of goods and services cross the U.S.-Canada border, including critical energy resources.
    Maine shares a special and interconnected relationship with Canada. According to the Maine International Trade Center, Maine and Canada exchanged over $6 billion in two-way trade last year. This trade propels manufacturing and production in the state, which in turn provides over 60,000 good-paying jobs – from the development of our high-quality products to their transportation. Further, Canada has supplied the oil that Maine people rely on to heat their homes on cold winter nights and the jet fuel and diesel that supports the Air National Guard Base in Bangor.
    Given the deeply integrated nature of our economies, any tariffs on imports from Canada – and any retaliatory measures by Canada in response – may raise prices on gasoline, energy, groceries, and much more. We acknowledge that targeted and strategic tariffs can be an important tool to address unfair trade practices. However, small businesses and families in Maine and across the country will be caught in the middle during a time when so many are struggling to put food on the table and keep the lights on. Ultimately, it is our hope that the Trump Administration is able to work collaboratively with Canada to address issues of shared concern and foster economic cooperation, rather than engage in a tit-for-tat trade war.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We stand willing and ready to work with you to ensure that the relationship between our countries continues to be mutually beneficial.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Musk’s False Claim that Social Security is a ‘Ponzi Scheme’ is a Sure Sign Trump is Willing to Cut Social Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – After multi-billionaire ‘shadow president’ Elon Musk falsely asserted that Social Security is “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time” during a Friday podcast, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) rebuked Musk’s false claim and noted it was another clear sign that the Trump Administration is destabilizing people’s retirement security and cutting away the social safety net for seniors and everyday Americans.

    Senator Reed has warned that the Trump Administration is actively decimating the Social Security Administration and making it harder for older Americans to access the benefits they earned. 

    Today, Senator Reed stated:

    “Let’s be clear: Social Security is not a Ponzi scheme, it is an effective lifeline that helps seniors avoid destitution.  It is a sound insurance program that works for wage earners who pay into the system while they are working, and when they reach retirement age they get benefits.  For nearly ninety years, it has effectively helped keep generations of seniors, survivors, and disabled Americans out of poverty.

    “Social Security is not the scam, the scam here is out of touch multi-billionaires are systemically trying to undercut working people and take away their earned benefits.

    “On the campaign trail, Donald Trump repeatedly pledged he wouldn’t touch Social Security benefits if he were re-elected.  But he’s already broken other campaign pledges.  So the American people need to be vigilant and make their voices heard. 

    “By comparing Social Security to a criminal enterprise, Musk is signaling Trump should prioritize tax breaks for billionaires and special interests over working people’s retirement.  Trump is already actively cutting the Social Security Administration.  Elon Musk is making it clear he wants to break Social Security and President Trump has given him the green light to make it harder for people to access the benefits they earned.

    “I will continue working strengthen Social Security and fight efforts to weaken it.  President Trump must abandon the MAGA crusade against Social Security.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Rapidly Expands Timber Production

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    FREEING OUR FORESTS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to immediately increase domestic timber production and streamline federal policies to enhance forest management, reduce wildfire risks, and decrease reliance on imported timber.
    The Order calls for new or updated agency guidance to facilitate increased timber production, sound forest management, reduced delivery times, and decreased timber supply uncertainty.
    It cuts red tape in order to streamline timber production and identifies measures to boost timber sales from public lands.
    It pushes for quicker approvals under the Endangered Species Act so that forestry projects are not delayed by slow reviews.
    BOOSTING DOMESTIC TIMBER PRODUCTION: President Trump is committed to creating jobs, lowering constructions costs, and making the United States more self-reliant by tapping into its abundant timber resources.
    Timber production is essential for the construction, energy, manufacturing, and shipping industries.  
    The United States has an abundance of timber resources that can more than meet domestic timber production needs, but burdensome Federal policies have prevented full utilization of these resources while the unfair trade practices of exporters into our country are depressing demand.
    Increased timber production will help reduce foreign dependency, lower costs, and enhance economic security.
    Currently, the United States imports billions of dollars’ worth of lumber annually, which could be produced domestically.

    Strong national security requires a reliable domestic wood industry for military and civilian needs.
    The wood industry is a crucial part of the U.S. manufacturing and defense industrial base, supporting 500 facilities and over 750,000 direct and indirect jobs.
    As the recent California wildfires have shown, forest management and wildfire risk reduction are essential to protecting American lives and communities.
    IMPROVING FOREST MANAGEMENT: President Trump has long been an advocate for improving forest management to protect communities and natural resources.
    In his first term, President Trump signed legislation to improve the funding process for the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior’s wildfire suppression operations.
    Before this fix, the funding structure forced firefighting agencies to take funds from prevention programs to cover the rising costs of responding to wildfires.

    President Trump took strong action to prevent and combat the spread of wildfires, focusing on strategies to reduce fire risks and improve forest conditions.
    As part of his broader America First agenda, President Trump is focused on reducing foreign dependency on foreign goods across various sectors, including steel, aluminum, and copper.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse Demand Investigation Into NOAA Layoffs, Raise Alarm About Impact on Colorado

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Laid off NOAA employees provided critical services like relaying emergency alerts in wildfires and supporting farmers’ drought mitigation efforts
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet and Representative Joe Neguse sent a letter to the Deputy Inspector General at the Department of Commerce demanding an independent investigation into the dismantling of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    “The work our scientists and civil servants do at NOAA is essential to U.S. national security, as well as the personal safety and daily lives of Americans. Dismantling NOAA or compromising its capabilities would put Americans across the country at great risk,” wrote the Colorado lawmakers.
    Their letter comes in response to recent reports that thousands of federal employees at the NOAA were laid off in the latest wave of mass firings by the Trump Administration.
    The lawmakers continued: “NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) provides essential information and resources to farmers and ranchers across the U.S. to help them better prepare for, mitigate, and respond to the effects of drought…”
    NOAA, which oversees the National Weather Service (NWS), employs scientists and experts from across the state of Colorado to ensure accurate forecasting, issue severe weather alerts, and provide the community with emergency information relating to events such as wildfires.
    NOAA also works with other federal agencies to bolster national security, improve air safety, equip American farmers with critical information on drought mitigation, and much more.
    The full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
    Dear Deputy Inspector General Anderson,
    We write to implore you to investigate the ongoing efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to dismantle the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We’re also deeply concerned about recent reports of mass terminations at NOAA facilities in our home state of Colorado.
    The work our scientists and civil servants do at NOAA is essential to U.S. national security, as well as the personal safety and daily lives of Americans. Dismantling NOAA or compromising its capabilities would put Americans across the country at great risk.
    NOAA has a long standing and important partnership with the Department of Defense, which uses NOAA’s satellites to monitor atmospheric conditions and apply imagery from those satellites for military missions. These resources are critical to the effective coordination of military resources, and they contribute to sustained military readiness. NOAA’s Global Forecast System (GFS) and High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) capabilities assist the Department of Defense in predicting battlefield weather conditions. NOAA works with the 557th Weather Wing to train military meteorologists in analyzing satellite data for operational use. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) provides critical space weather data to DoD to protect military satellites, GPS, and communication networks from solar storms and geomagnetic disruptions. These are just a few of the critical functions NOAA serves in partnership with the Department of Defense that help keep Americans safe and our warfighters effective.
    NOAA also collaborates closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), airports, and airlines to provide them with critical information on turbulence, low-level wind shear, and fog, which are factors that can complicate landing and takeoff. By providing timely data, NOAA ensures smoother and safer air travel for American citizens. In addition, during the recent Palisades and Eaton fires, the National Weather Service’s red flag warnings and fire weather forecasts assisted federal, state, and local officials in their efforts to save lives and property. This collaboration strengthens our national safety and security, demonstrating the importance of leveraging NOAA resources for the benefit of the American people.
    Further, NOAA plays a critical role in protecting American technology, including GPS systems, from threats posed by solar flares and other space weather phenomena. Using cutting-edge data from satellites like NOAA’s GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites), NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), and the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), NOAA helps protect vital infrastructure that keeps our economy and military
    strong. NOAA also works with other federal agencies to monitor and mitigate GPS signal interference by using advanced techniques to pinpoint and neutralize sources of disruption, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of these critical systems. This proactive approach is vital for maintaining the strength and security of America’s technological capabilities.
    Moreover, NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) provides essential information and resources to farmers and ranchers across the U.S. to help them better prepare for, mitigate, and respond to the effects of drought. NIDIS provides information on current drought conditions, forecasts, impacts, and risks to inform drought management and decision making. Upon direction from Congress, NIDIS is creating an early drought warning system for the nation. NOAA programs, like NIDIS, are essential to understanding and mitigating the risks to people, livelihoods, and communities that stem from complex environmental stresses, such as drought.
    Many of NOAA’s programs are authorized and funded through Congressional appropriations. The President does not have the authority to impound or otherwise withhold funds that were lawfully authorized and appropriated by the Congress. Further, the President also does not have the authority to grant unvetted individuals’ access to vital government systems at NOAA, as some reports suggest. Such actions are not only irresponsible but
    also unlawful and pose significant risks to national security and public trust.
    It is also incredibly shortsighted for DOGE to make mass terminations at NOAA facilities, as reports suggest. The scientists at NOAA facilities in Colorado and across the country have dedicated their lives and their careers to public service and innovation, and we should celebrate their contributions rather than putting our country at a disadvantage by purging the agency. The value of NOAA and its programs are clear. Any attempt to unilaterally halt them would constitute egregious overreach of executive power, jeopardizing the safety and well-being of countless Americans. For this reason, we strongly urge you to investigate the claims that suggest DOGE is seeking to dismantle NOAA or disrupt its operations and critical research through unauthorized access to IT systems and attempts to significantly reduce staffing levels. The American people deserve answers about what President Trump and DOGE have done and plan to do with this crucial agency, which has demonstrated tremendous effectiveness at saving lives and property and serving critical economic and strategic national interests.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Presidential Message on Ramadan

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, I send my warmest greetings for the holy month of Ramadan—a sacred time of fasting, prayer, and communal gathering. It is a time to draw hope, courage, and inspiration to lead lives of holiness and virtue. As millions of Muslim Americans begin their Ramadan observances, my Administration recommits to upholding religious liberty that is such an integral part of the American way of life.  Above all, we renew our resolve to building a future of peace, and to recognizing the dignity imprinted on every human soul. This Ramadan, I offer my best wishes for a season of joyous reflection on God’s endless grace and infinite love.  May God bless you and your families during this wondrous season.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Monday Morning Wins: Call It the “Trump Effect”

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    There is no better way to start the week than by celebrating more big wins for Americans under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump.
    American manufacturing surges amid President Trump’s tariffs: Automaker Honda is expected to produce its next-generation Civic hybrid model in Indiana, while Wisconsin-based Clarios, a leader in low-voltage energy storage, announced a $6 billion plan to expand its U.S.-based manufacturing.
    They’re only the latest major companies to announce such a move in alignment with President Trump’s Made in America agenda. Last week, Apple announced an historic $500 billion investment that will create 20,000 new U.S.-based jobs, while drug maker Eli Lilly announced a $27 billion investment in its U.S.-based manufacturing — bringing the total number of investments secured in President Trump’s second term to nearly $2 billion.

    Border security drives results: President Trump announced illegal border crossings in February — his first full month in office — were the lowest ever recorded, down 94% from last February and down 96% from the all-time high of the Biden Administration.
    This follows news that would-be illegal border crossers have “given up” and are returning to their own countries as ICE arrests of illegal immigrants have surged 627%.
    Mexican cartel operatives say they are “genuinely” fearful “for the first time in years” amid the Trump Administration’s crackdown.

    A victory for small businesses: The U.S. Department of the Treasury suspended enforcement of Biden-era Beneficial Ownership Information reporting requirements for U.S. citizens — a big win for small businesses faced with burdensome reporting requirements that increased costs and lowered productivity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Designates English as the Official Language of the United States

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    DESIGNATING ENGLISH AS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order designating English as the official language of the United States.
    The Order rescinds a Clinton-era mandate that required agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide extensive language assistance to non-English speakers.  
    This designation specifically allows agencies to keep current policies and provide documents and services in other languages, but encourages new Americans to adopt a national language that opens doors to greater opportunities.
    Agencies will have flexibility to decide how and when to offer services in languages other than English to best serve the American people and fulfill their agency mission.
    UNIFYING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: It is long past time English is recognized as the official language of the United States.
    Since our nation’s founding, English has been the language of our nation, with historic documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution written in English.
    A national language strengthens the fabric of our society, empowering citizens old and new.
    While over 350 languages are spoken in the United States, English remains the most widely used across the country.
    Roughly 180 countries have an official language – the United States is one of the few nations in the world to have no official language designated.
    More than 30 states and five U.S. territories have already embraced English as the official language.
    Establishing English as the official language promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement.
    This Order celebrates multilingual Americans who have learned English and passed it down, while empowering immigrants to achieve the American Dream through a common language.
    PROMISES KEPT: President Trump has long championed the idea that English should be the official language of the United States.
    With this Executive Order, President Trump affirms that a common language fosters national cohesion, helps newcomers engage in communities and traditions, and enriches our shared culture.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Addresses the Threat to National Security from Imports of Timber, Lumber, and their Derivative Products

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    SECURING AMERICA’S LUMBER SUPPLY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order launching an investigation into how imports of timber, lumber, and their derivative products threaten America’s national security and economic stability.
    The Order directs the Secretary of Commerce to initiate a Section 232 investigation under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
    This investigation will assess the national security risks arising from the United States’ increasing dependence on imported timber, lumber, and derivative products like paper, furniture, and cabinetry, and the potential need for trade remedies to safeguard domestic industry.
    The investigation will culminate in a report identifying vulnerabilities in the lumber supply chain and providing recommendations to enhance the resilience of America’s domestic wood products industry.
    ADDRESSING THE THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY: President Trump recognizes that an overreliance on foreign timber, lumber, and their derivative products could jeopardize the United States’ defense capabilities, construction industry, and economic strength.
    Timber and lumber are essential materials for national security, economic stability, and industrial resilience.
    Lumber plays a vital role in civilian construction and military infrastructure.
    The U.S. military spends over ten billion dollars annually on construction and is testing innovative wood products such as cross-laminated timber.

    The United States has been a net importer of lumber since 2016, despite having the practical production capacity to supply 95% of the United States’ 2024 softwood consumption.
    Foreign supply chains and major exporters increasingly fill U.S. demand, creating vulnerabilities to disruptions.
    America’s reliance on imported lumber is exacerbated by foreign government subsidies and predatory trade practices, which undermine the competitiveness of the U.S. wood products industry.
    STRENGTHENING AMERICAN INDUSTRY: This Executive Order builds on previous actions taken by the Trump Administration to ensure U.S. trade policy serves the nation’s long-term interests.
    On Day One, President Trump initiated his America First Trade Policy to make America’s economy great again.
    President Trump signed proclamations to close existing loopholes and exemptions in order to restore a true 25% tariff on steel and elevate the tariff to 25% on aluminum.
    President Trump implemented a 10% additional tariff on imports from China in response to China’s role in importing illegal drugs to the United States.  
    President Trump unveiled the “Fair and Reciprocal Plan” on trade to restore fairness in U.S. trade relationships and counter non-reciprocal trade agreements.   
    President Trump signed a memorandum to safeguard American innovation, including the consideration of tariffs to combat digital service taxes (DSTs), fines, practices, and policies that foreign governments levy on American companies.
    President Trump launched a Section 232 investigation into how copper imports threaten America’s national security and economic stability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King to 60 Minutes: Walking Away from Ukraine Would Be America’s “Greatest Geopolitical Mistake…Since World War Two”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — To mark the third anniversary of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined CBS’s 60 Minutes to discuss the ongoing war, as well as the threat of America possibly withdrawing its support to the democratic nation and Ukrainian people in their fight for survival. During the nationally-broadcast interview with Scott Pelley, King highlighted the will of the Ukrainian people to protect their homeland, and how America’s identity in the free world as supporting its partners would suffer greatly if it backed away from Ukraine’s defense. Given the hostile exchange between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Zelenskyy on Friday and the erosion of Republican support on Capitol Hill, King emphasized the stakes of this moment by saying “if we persist in walking away from Ukraine, it will be the greatest geopolitical mistake that this country has made since World War II.”

    You can watch the Sen. King-specific excerpt on YouTube here

    You can watch the full clip on YouTube here

    Senator King has been a vocal supporter for Ukraine, voting in support of a bipartisan aid bill last February that helps Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan defend themselves by investing in American manufacturing and the American defense industrial base. In the days prior to the vote, he spoke on the Senate floor to his colleague that Ukraine’s fight is a “battle for the soul of Democracy in the world.”  Senator King also previously travelled with Armed Services Chairmen Jack Reed (D-R) in a visit to meet Ukraine President Vladimir Zelenskyy in Kiev. In a SASC hearing, Senator King warned of the parallels between 1930s Nazi propaganda and present day Russian misinformation campaigns designed to influence U.S. support for Ukraine.

    Senator King has been consistently sounding the alarm on President Donald Trump’s existential threat to the Constitution. At the end of January, he gave a speech on the Senate floor sharing that this administration is doing ‘exactly what the Framers [of the Constitution] most feared.” A couple weeks later, he took to the floor again to respond to the hiring freezes and firings, calling them “thoughtless and dangerous.” Senator King also previously declared that the proposal to halt all federal grant and loan disbursement was illegal and a direct assault on the Constitution. Recently, he joined 36 Senators in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sharing the detrimental effects of  the Trump Administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He also joined fellow Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) colleagues in writing a letter to the White House about the risks to national security by allowing unvetted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staff and representatives to access classified and sensitive government materials.

    A full transcript of the interview is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amendment to Duties to Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs across our Northern Border

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby determine and order:
    Section 1.  Amendment.  Executive Order 14193 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties to Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border), as amended by Executive Order 14197 of February 3, 2025 (Progress on the Situation at Our Northern Border), is further amended by revising section 2(h) to read as follows:
    “(h)  Duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321 is available for otherwise eligible covered articles described in subsection (a) and subsection
    (b) of this section.  Such duty free de minimis treatment shall cease to be available for such otherwise eligible covered articles upon notification by the Secretary of Commerce to the President that adequate systems are in place to fully and expeditiously process and collect tariff revenue applicable pursuant to subsection (a) and subsection (b) of this section for covered articles otherwise eligible for de minimis treatment.”
    Sec. 2.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    THE WHITE HOUSE,    March 2, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amendment to Duties to Address the Situation at our Southern Border

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby determine and order:
    Section 1.  Amendment.  Executive Order 14194 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties to Address the Situation at Our Southern Border), as amended by Executive Order 14198 of February 3, 2025 (Progress on the Situation at Our Southern Border), is further amended by revising section 2(g) to read as follows:
    “(g)  Duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321 is available for otherwise eligible covered articles described in subsection (a) of this section.  Such duty-free de minimis treatment shall cease to be available for such otherwise eligible covered articles upon notification by the Secretary of Commerce to the President that adequate systems are in place to fully and expeditiously process and collect tariff revenue applicable pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for covered articles otherwise eligible for de minimis treatment.”
    Sec. 2.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    THE WHITE HOUSE,    March 2, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The President and First Lady’s Message on National Read Across America Day, 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, we join students, parents, teachers, librarians, and Americans all across our country in commemorating National Read Across America Day—an occasion to celebrate the importance of reading and the unparalleled power of literacy.
    Books have always been the bedrock of a great life and a great future.  The simple act of opening a new book expands our knowledge, transforms our minds, and inspires strong leaders and thoughtful citizens.  Whether we are turning through the pages of a book on ancient history, an adventure novel, or classic literature, books will always be the frontier of American imagination and the gateway to the American Dream.
    Literacy is a critical component of personal growth, success, and leading lives of happiness and fulfillment, which is why we are fully committed to promoting reading and ensuring America’s children receive the outstanding education they deserve.  The White House has taken direct action through Executive Order to end indoctrination in our classrooms and by directing the Department of Education to empower parents across America to choose the school that best suits their children’s needs and values.
    On National Read Across America Day, and every day, our Administration remains committed to instilling a profound love of reading in our youth and forming the next generation of patriotic leaders.  The next chapter of our Nation’s Golden Age begins with opening a new book—and harnessing the full potential of our youngest generation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 02/27/2025 Blackburn, Kelly Push for More Federal Resources to Combat Fentanyl Crisis in Tennessee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    “This is an example of the long-lasting solutions that Republicans and Democrats can work on together to secure our border and prevent the flow of drugs into our communities.”
    Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) introduced bipartisan legislation to more forcefully go after criminals trafficking drugs and stop fentanyl from ravaging Tennesse communities. This bill would reauthorize the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program—which brings together federal and local law enforcement to stop drug trafficking—and provide them with greater resources to cover more activities to enhance fentanyl prevention and seizures. 
    Cosponsors of the HIDTA Enhancement Act include Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Kelly, Capito, Blackburn, and Cortez Masto introduced this bill last year. 
    “Communities in Tennessee are suffering because of the increased presence of fentanyl,” said Senator Blackburn.“The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program assists law enforcement in combating fentanyl trafficking and targeting these criminals, and I fully support reauthorizing and expanding it.” 
    “Law enforcement agencies in Arizona are doing their best every single day to keep families safe from lethal drugs like fentanyl. We’re supporting them by boosting collaboration between federal and local law enforcement to crack down on drug trafficking,” said Senator Kelly. “This is an example of the long-lasting solutions that Republicans and Democrats can work on together to secure our border and prevent the flow of drugs into our communities.” 
    “Every West Virginian has been impacted by the opioid crisis, and fentanyl being trafficked into our communities has made the problem exponentially worse,” said Senator Capito. “The brave law enforcement officers of HIDTA are working every day to stop illicit fentanyl and other illegal drugs in their tracks. I am proud to introduce this legislation that will continue to support the HIDTA program’s mission, provide additional resources to stop the trafficking of fentanyl, and save lives across the country.” 
    “The HIDTA program has been an incredible tool to help law enforcement agencies nationwide to combat drug trafficking and the fentanyl crisis,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I will continue working with my colleagues across the aisle to expand funding and support for HIDTA. We must ensure our communities have the resources they need to keep drugs off our streets and protect Nevada families.”   
    “The opioid epidemic is taking lives and tearing families apart. We need to continue to provide law enforcement with the tools they need to fight drug trafficking and the violent crime that comes along with it,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan bill will increase coordination among all levels of law enforcement across the country, including in Minnesota and at the border, so they can more effectively take fentanyl and other dangerous drugs off the street.”
    Background:
    The bipartisan HIDTA Enhancement Act specifically reauthorizes the program at $333,000,000 annually through 2030; increases authorization for competitive grants to $14,224,000 and expands use of funds to include enhanced fentanyl seizure and interdiction activities; directs collaboration between the Attorney General and the Executive Boards of each designated HIDTA; and requires ONDCP to provide a report within the annual National Drug Control Strategy describing the use of HIDTA funds to investigate fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances. 
    Arizona HIDTA was established in 1990 and includes the designated counties of Cochise, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma. The program coordinates and supports the efforts of 704 full-time and 33 part-time participants from 88 federal, state, local, and tribal agencies. It also employs a balanced approach between supply reduction and demand reduction with regard to enforcement, prevention, and treatment. 
    In 2023, Arizona law enforcement agencies seized 123,666,772 fentanyl pills and 2,001 kilograms of fentanyl powder as a result of HIDTA initiatives and other counter drug efforts. 
    Cosponsors:
    Cosponsors of the HIDTA Enhancement Act include Senators Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). Kelly, Capito, Blackburn, and Cortez Masto introduced this bill last year.  
    Click here to see bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –