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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Introduces the Saving Privacy Act for 119th Congress

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Saving Privacy Act, a bill to end government abuse of Americans’ financial information. For years, federal agencies have been overreaching in their surveillance, collecting vast amounts of personal financial data from law-abiding citizens without just cause. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is an original co-sponsor of the bill.

    “The federal government has no business surveilling the financial activities of millions of innocent Americans,” said Senator Lee. “The current system erodes the privacy rights of citizens, while doing little to effectively catch true financial criminals. My Saving Privacy Act ensures that Americans’ personal information is protected and that government agencies operate within the bounds of the Constitution.” 

    “Big government has no place in law-abiding Americans’ personal finances. It is a massive overreach of the government and a gross violation of their privacy,” said Senator Rick Scott. “That is why I am teaming up with Senator Lee so that we can protect Americans’ personal financials for good. Our Saving Privacy Act will allow federal agencies to go after criminals while also protecting innocent Americans’ data. This is commonsense legislation, and I am urging my colleagues to support its immediate passage.”   

    “For decades, outdated banking regulations have subjected citizens to excessive financial surveillance, compelling institutions to enforce intrusive measures that directly led to the debanking of innocent Americans spending their own money. The Saving Privacy Act offers comprehensive reforms, striking a balance that restores consumer rights, establishes sensible standards for innovators while curbing illicit activities, and reinvigorates the commitment to sound consumer financial privacy. –Yaël Ossowski, Deputy Director at the Consumer Choice Center.

    “Senator Lee has been an indefatigable leader in the effort to end the federal government’s mass surveillance of Americans financial lives. A precondition of liberty is the ability to go about your business without the government tracking your every move, and the Saving Privacy Act is an important step in the right direction. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance thanks Senator Lee for his hard work and commitment to preserving liberty and privacy.” –David Williams, Taxpayers Protection Alliance President 

    “This kind of reform restores the proper balance—as provided by the Fourth Amendment—between Americans’ privacy rights and law enforcement’s ability to gather evidence to enforce laws. It would protect individuals’ financial privacy and improve federal agencies’ abilities to prosecute criminal activity rather than sift through millions of low-value reports. This kind of reform is long overdue.” – Norbert Michel, Jennifer Schulp, and Nicholas Anthony of the Cato Institute

    Government surveillance efforts have been largely ineffective, as demonstrated by the dismal success rate of suspicious activity reports (SARs) submitted to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). In FY2023, financial institutions submitted 25.4 million SARs and currency transaction reports (CTRs), yet less than 0.3% of these reports resulted in relevant IRS-CI and FBI cases.

    In recent years, FinCEN and the FBI surveilled the financial transactions of individuals and solicited banks for information on purchases related to “Trump,” “MAGA,” firearms, and even religious texts. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has quietly been constructing a centralized database, the Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT), designed to track every single stock market transaction and the personal information of millions of Americans without any congressional approval.

    Senator Lee’s bill, the Saving Privacy Act, seeks to curb these abuses and restore Fourth Amendment protections for all Americans.

    Key Provisions of the Saving Privacy Act:

    • Repeals the Bank Secrecy Act’s SAR and CTR reporting requirements while maintaining recordkeeping provisions.
    • Repeals the Corporate Transparency Act.
    • Strengthens Fourth Amendment protections, bolstering warrant requirements in the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978.
    • Repeals the SEC’s Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) database.
    • Requires congressional approval for any new databases that collect personally identifiable information of U.S. citizens.
    • Prohibits the creation of a Central Bank Digital Currency.
    • Requires congressional authorization for financial regulations deemed major rules.
    • Institutes penalties for federal employees who illegally seek constitutionally protected financial information.
    • Establishes a private right of action for Americans and financial institutions harmed by illicit government activity.

    For bill text, click HERE.
    For a two-pager, click HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Applauds Trump Administration’s Effort to Streamline Environmental Review Process 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    February 27, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today applauded the Trump administration’s move to revise and streamline outdated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures. This Interim Final Rule rescinds the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations for NEPA compliance.

    “For too long, western communities have waited for critical energy and infrastructure projects while paperwork piled up in Washington,” said Lummis. “I appreciate the Trump administration’s effort to initiate permitting reform. His balanced approach will ensure that environmental reviews focus on meaningful analysis rather than on endless and costly procedural hurdles.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis, Crapo, Risch Release Statements Praising New USFS Chief

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), along with Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Jim Risch (R-ID) released the following statements today regarding the announcement that Tom Schultz will serve as the 21st chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 

    “President Trump and Secretary Rollins have made a great choice in naming Tom Schultz to lead the U.S. Forest Service,” said Lummis. “Tom is a University of Wyoming graduate and I’m confident that he is the leader who will bring balance back to the Forest Service and return the agency to responsible logging and management. I look forward to working with Tom to restore and protect our country’s great national forests.”

    “Congratulations to Idaho’s own Tom Schultz for being named the 21st Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Tom is a forester’s forester. With over 27 years of natural resource management experience, he is the no-nonsense leader our Western states urgently need to rein in the wildfire crisis and reinforce forest health,” said Risch. “Tom’s selection to lead the U.S. Forest Service underscores President Trump and Secretary Rollins’ recognition of the immense value that Idahoans bring to restoring American greatness. I look forward to the good work Tom will accomplish for our nation and the West.”

    “Tom Schultz’s deep on-the-ground experience and skills, including his long-time service in Idaho, will be critically useful as he manages our federal forests,” said Crapo. “He intimately understands how federal decision-making impacts our great state, and I look forward to working with him in this capacity.”

    Background:

    Schultz previously served as vice president of resources and government affairs at Idaho Forest Group, where he led timber procurement operations and managed relationships with government officials at all levels. A former U.S. Air Force officer, Schultz also served as director of the Idaho Department of Lands, overseeing the management of several million surface acres of endowment lands and minerals. He held leadership roles in Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, managing the Trust Lands and Water Resources Divisions.

    Schultz holds a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in political science from the University of Wyoming, and a master’s degree in forestry from the University of Montana.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins The Story With Martha MacCallum on Fox News to Discuss Trump’s Peace Negotiations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, today joined The Story With Martha MacCallum on Fox News to discuss President Donald Trump’s peace negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*

    Partial Transcript

    Hagerty on Trump’s peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine: “I think what President Trump has done in many ways is completely shift the dynamic, Martha. He’s finding a new place and frankly, giving [President] Vladimir Putin more room to negotiate, to get to a place where President Trump wants him to be […] One thing I’d point out, Martha, is that Trump’s relationship with Putin has been quite different. You recall during Trump’s first Administration; Putin did not take aggressive actions like this. It was under [Former President Barack] Obama that Putin came in and took Crimea. It was under [Former President Joe] Biden when he came in and had the most recent invasion and launched the war in Ukraine. Things will be very different with President Trump, and I think he’s setting up the circumstances so that they will be. So, I won’t be surprised at all to see President Trump and President Putin talk. I’ve been with the two of them before, and I can say this, Martha: there’s a great deal of respect from President Putin toward President Trump. And I think President Trump is going to leverage that respect to get to a deal that’s going to be better off for all concerned. He’s been clear at the outset; he wants this carnage to come to an end in Ukraine. Ukrainian people have died. Their country has been decimated. He wants it to end. He wants it to end under terms that are more favorable to the U.S. taxpayer. I think that’s going to come clear tomorrow, and by having more U.S. investment in Ukraine, Ukraine will be more secure and in a better place going forward.”

    Hagerty on U.S. competitive advantage with a strong economic foundation: “It certainly is a way that I look at it, and I think President Trump has a similar view. A strong economic foundation is at the core of our diplomacy, a strong military presence to top that. And [when] we have [a] strong economic relationship, a strong military posture, then diplomacy is effective and it’s possible. That’s the approach that President Trump is taking. In terms of comparing it to the [Chinese Communist Party] and their Belt and Road initiative, I might take a different tack there. The CCP uses what they call Debt-trap diplomacy. They come in making very strategic investments, often ones that countries can’t handle. They often use corruption as a tool, as a weapon. I think when you look at the United States and particularly conversations President Trump and I have had directly, what we look at is providing, for example, clean U.S. LNG to other parts of the world. That is a geostrategic tool that we can use that makes everyone better off economically and also aligns our economic interests, our energy interests, and our national security interests at the same time.”

    Hagerty on economic opportunities in a deal that could benefit the U.S.: “President Trump, if anything, is a world-class negotiator. And as I said, he tries to find a position to get on different footing. He’s been trying to get President [Volodymyr] Zelensky to the table on this critical minerals deal. We had him very close, then suddenly he wasn’t there. Now we’re back where we need him to be again. And on Friday, I look forward to [seeing] this deal come forward. It may be even more than just a critical minerals deal, but President Trump has been negotiating in his own style to get Zelensky back here in the United States, signing up to a deal that’s going to be better for all parties.”

    Hagerty on the importance of U.S. production of aluminum: “Aluminum is a critical national security interest for the United States. We have aluminum interest in my home state of Tennessee. I want to see the industry stronger here. And from a national security standpoint, I’m very focused on maintaining U.S. production of aluminum.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Questions John Phelan at Confirmation Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned John Phelan at the confirmation hearing on his nomination to be Secretary of the Navy.

    During the hearing, Senator Fischer asked Phelan about his commitment to ensure that the Department of Defense complies with existing statutory requirements to continue funding the development of the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N). She also asked about his plans to increase munitions production and address longstanding challenges with the shipbuilding industrial base.

    Click the image above to watch a video of Senator Fischer’s questioning

    Click here to download audio

    Click here to download video

    Fischer Questions Phelan:

    Senator Fischer: I appreciate you putting yourself forward to serve your country in this capacity. Mr. Phelan, in your advanced policy questions to the committee, you stated: “If confirmed, I will ensure that the Department complies with existing statutory requirements to continue funding development of the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile.” Do you stand by that statement? Yes, or no?

    John Phelan: Senator, I think the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile is a very important program. I have not been read in on the briefings on that, but I know it is a critical component to our defense.

    Senator Fischer:     And will you follow those statutory requirements?

    John Phelan: Yes, I will.

    Senator Fischer: Thank you, sir. To follow up on the shipbuilding part that’s been discussed by the chairman, the Strategic Posture Commission recommended the establishment of additional shipyards dedicated to nuclear-powered ships and submarines. If confirmed, would you be open to exploring that option?

    John Phelan: Yes, I would, Senator. I think it’s a very important part of our strategic focus.

    Senator Fischer: What we’ve learned from the war in Ukraine is that the United States’ defense industrial base was not equipped to scale up production rates of munitions for these modern conflicts. Is it your view that the United States must further increase munition production capacity?

    John Phelan: Yes, Senator, I think we’re at a critical shortage, and we have far too much dependence on one facility.

    Senator Fischer: Do you have any initial thoughts that you can share with us about steps that maybe you would be taking to ensure that the Navy has the munitions stockpiles that are required to meet the needs of the combatant commanders?

    John Phelan: Yes, Senator. I think, as you know, we are short munitions, as we’ve seen. I think we need to create more of a manufacturing base and incentivize more munitions plants in order to supplement what we already have. So, if confirmed, I intend to focus on this very quickly and get that resolved because I think we’re at a dangerously low level from a stockpile perspective, and as well as new.

    So I will use the skills that I had in the business world in terms of incenting. I think a lot of that also comes with working with you and the committee and Congress because we do need to send signals to the private sector to incentivize them to build these plants to get going. So, ordering and giving them a contract to build I think will be critical. And I’d like to believe we should be able to create a win-win between the private sector and for the taxpayer of the United States.

    Senator Fischer: You mentioned contracts with shipbuilding too: to be able to do a review of those contracts to make sure that there are incentives, so that private companies can make profits with that. You mentioned contracts again now. Would you look at that as well – look in depth on current contracts that we have with regards to our munitions? And if maybe what we’re looking at here are roadblocks in being able to move ahead with being able to provide these munitions?

    John Phelan: Thank you for the question, Senator. Yes, I intend to sit down – day one – and we are going to go through every contract that we have and understand what exactly they say; what flexibility they do or do not give us; what contract needs to change or not change and why. I intend to do the same thing as it relates to an audit.

    I need to understand why the Navy cannot pass an audit. The Marine Corps has done it two years running now. They deserve a lot of credit for that. I think that’s a great thing. We are going to change and create much more accountability and understanding, because all of these things affect readiness. And as I said in my statement, readiness is critical, and I think we are at a very critical inflection point, particularly versus our peer nuclear adversaries.

    So these are all things that are a reflection of a culture, as I mentioned, in decay. We really need to have a tight focus on these things. If we don’t know where our inventory is, how can we have a training mission? You know, I’ve heard stories of training missions that have failed because the equipment wasn’t there, and so we ended up losing that money, and that’s not good.

    Senator Fischer: Thank you very much, sir.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Questions Expert Witnesses on Grand Theft Cargo

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, questioned expert witnesses on the importance of giving the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) authority to enforce penalties against unauthorized brokers engaged in freight fraud.

    During the hearing, Fischer questioned Chief Special Agent of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Police Department Will Johnson about collaboration between local authorities and federal agencies on investigations that cross state lines.

    She also asked Principal and CEO of Tanger Logistics and Double Diamond Transport Adam Blanchard and Executive Vice President of Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Lewie Pugh what additional tools and authorities could improve the enforcement of cargo freight fraud.

    Click the image above to watch a video of Senator Fischer’s questioning

    Click here to download audio

    Click here to download video

    Senator Fischer questions experts:

    Senator Fischer: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Pugh and Mr. Blanchard, for referencing my bill. I appreciate you doing that. I appreciate the support for the bill. I think it’s extremely important that we get that to move. It’s the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act that I’ve introduced with Senator Duckworth, and as you know, it would allow the FMCSA to impose those civil penalties against the unauthorized brokers, and it would require companies in the household goods sector to establish a principal place of business to prohibit fraudulent companies from skirting those existing regulations. I’d like to thank you also for bringing up suggestions on what else we can do to be able to combat this.

    It’s eye opening, the amount of money harm to companies, but also to consumers when we add all this together. So, thank you for that. Chief Johnson, in your testimony, you reference jurisdictional concerns that often arise when investigating cargo theft crimes, and I believe it’s particularly important that local and state law enforcement agencies have the support of the federal government when dealing with crimes that pertain to interstate commerce. In your experience, what is the relationship like between law enforcement and agencies like the FBI and the HSI when investigating cargo theft that crosses state lines?

    Will Johnson: Ma’am, the short answer is they are good relationships. The challenge is not necessarily with the relationships, but the capacity of organizations to be able to balance or juggle the myriad of threats that they’re faced with. Cargo theft, historically, has not risen to the same level of attention as maybe some other competing interests have for these federal entities.

    Also, it’s important to understand how those agencies prioritize the work within their AOR, or area of responsibility, and that’s largely a local decision by local executive leaderships for those agencies involved, absent some sort of national direction coming out of headquarters or the Attorney General’s office. I think for this topic, national direction either authorized by Congress for the task force that we’ve mentioned previously or prosecutorial direction coming out of the Attorney General’s Office directing all of the United States attorneys to prioritize this issue and focus resources on effective prosecutions will aid in the assistance of bringing these cases forward.

    Senator Fischer:     Thank you. You know, Mr. Blanchard, you spoke about your frustration in trying to just bring it to the attention of authorities—federal, state, I assume local as well that you were trying to work with. And when you mentioned some of your suggestions, I know Mr. Pugh wanted to chime in, so I’ll let you chime in now on what needs to be done. And it’s not, I don’t think it’s just throwing more money at being able to have more enforcement out there, necessarily. I think it’s also to be able to put some teeth in what we need to do here and just have more awareness.

    Adam Blanchard: I’d be happy to start, Senator. And again, thank you for your support of our industry and your introduction of the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act. I think that’s certainly a great first step. As I have come to understand, Senator, is currently, to piggyback off of Chief Johnson, the current threshold that’s established by the United States Sentencing Commission for the DOJ to interdict in cargo theft cases requires the instance to be at least $1.5 million in losses. So, the average loss in a cargo case is around $200,000 today. So therefore, to reach that threshold of $1.5 million is going to require law enforcement agencies to be directed to look into the continual criminal activity of these organizations to meet that threshold—or for Congress to otherwise change that and create a new directive in order for them to start pursuing these through a unified task force, which is something that we have included in the Safeguard Our Supply Chains Act, which has not been filed. But certainly, we would appreciate any member of this committee to review that bill, and the willingness to author that would be fantastic. And that would provide the coordination between agencies and law enforcement.

    And I think really, Senator, this begins with the FMCSA, and to further elaborate on Senator Young’s question earlier, in terms of the FMCSA, we have to start with them. I think to your point, Senator Fischer, throwing money at the problem, I would agree, is not the solution. I think first, we need Congress to direct FMCSA on the things that need to occur and the coordination necessary to address this very issue that we’re dealing with, they need to be able to distinguish between fraudulent businesses and legitimate businesses. DOT needs enhanced cyber capabilities and real time fraud detection tools and greater interagency collaboration with law enforcement to identify these frauds. FMCSA needs to be directed to remove fraudulent companies from the SAFER website. We rely on that heavily in order to vet companies that we work with. FMCSA needs to explicitly authorize to withhold registration from applicants who fail to provide verifications.

    Also Congress, we believe, should conduct rigorous oversight of FMCSA transition to a single USDOT number, which we believe they’re going to do in the future—or considering doing without placing undue burden on legitimate carriers. And DOT should expeditiously implement the 13 recommendations issued by the Government Accountability Office to strengthen FMCSA’s national consumer complaint database.

    And so those are things we believe that Congress could do without the necessity of additional funding in order to provide the coordinated effort necessary for law enforcement. Because we simply don’t have the tools, Senator, to be able to do the reverse IP searches to break through the cyber space in order to find who’s spoofing our emails. I have a very sophisticated IT director, and he’s great, but only law enforcement agencies have that capability.

    Lewie Pugh: I thank you, Senator Fisher, and you and Senator Duckworth on your bill. We very much appreciate that, and glad you’re trying to do something different and to help these things. It will pay dividends if we can get it across the finish line. A couple other things is this whole national consumer complaint database. It seems to be that FMCSA needs to be directed more to do something with that. From our experience and with our members—and we tell members to send these complaints, plus many other complaints that happen to them in trucking—it seems like this is where all complaints go to die at FMCSA. Usually, they hear nothing back. Or if they get anything, it’s just “Hey, thanks for letting us know.”

    Also, we’ve said for a long time, it would probably be helpful to have a different name. Most of our small business people and truckers, they don’t even realize that this is a place for them to go file a complaint because national consumer complaint database, who would think that’s a trucking complaint hotline? So that would be helpful.

    We feel FMCSA probably has enough funds to do some investigating on this. It’s just to reallocate where they’re putting, because they continually say that there’s not a safety effect to this. So that’s why they don’t have to do anything with this. But we know there is because it’s putting people out of business. It’s causing people not to be able to maintain their equipment. So there’s definitely a safety thing here. Plus, you know, who knows what happens to a trucker or something happens at gunpoint or something like that.

    And I would agree with my colleague here, FMCSA is the first line of defense on this—100 percent, they have all this information. They have everybody’s registrations and all that. And finally, I would say FMCSA needs to step back and take a long look of making the barrier of entry into being a motor carrier or a broker much harder, much stricter. We pretty much let people file for insurance, pay for it. We don’t know who these people are, have no idea if they even know what they’re doing—and maybe every 12 to 18 months, we audit them.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Leads SASC Hearing on Secretary of the Navy Nominee John Phelan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today chaired a hearing reviewing the nomination of Mr. John Phelan to be Secretary of the Navy.

    In his opening statement, Chairman Wicker described the crisis of readiness and growth within the fleet even as the Navy receives increased budgetary support. These challenges, the Chairman argued, demand bold leadership to achieve better outcomes for U.S. naval strength.

    Chairman Wicker highlighted past naval leadership failures to address amphibious ship and submarine construction, ship repair, and an overall vision for future force structure.

    Phelan, an accomplished financier and business leader, met with Chairman Wicker in January to discuss his nomination. Read more about Chairman Wicker’s vision for the Navy here and here.

    Read Senator Wicker’s opening statement as delivered below.

    The hearing will come to order. The committee on Armed Services is meeting to consider the nomination of Mr. John Phelan to be Secretary of the Navy.

    Mr. Phelan has had a distinguished career in the private sector. His background showcases his ability to manage complex business deals to drive efficiency and to deliver results. Our Navy will need someone with all three of those skills and more to get our Navy back on the right track.

    The Navy is up against significant challenges, and the nominee before us can be a crucial part of that solution. We, also, my colleagues – need to be part of that solution.

    Congress, industry, and Navy leadership have all contributed to these problems. We must all work together to solve the issues facing us. We must begin by addressing the most urgent need – getting ship building back on track. Our sailors have performed admirably in combat operations, but Navy leadership has been unable to grow the fleet even as its budget has been increased.

    The Navy remains woefully short of the statutory requirement of 355 ships – the statutory requirement. Just about every major shipbuilding program is behind schedule, over budget, or irreparably off track. For years, we’ve seen significant delays. The failures are everywhere. Ford-class carriers, Virginia-class submarines, Constellation-class frigates all are behind schedule. Every year, the Navy shipbuilding plan promises future growth. In reality, we’ve only watched as the fleet diminished.

    In December 2020, the shipbuilding plan said the Navy would grow to 315 ships by 2025. Here we are in 2025, and we have only 287 ships. It’s clear that we have not gotten the job done. We have not gotten the job done. Together, we can work to fix that.

    We must stabilize shipbuilding programs, adopt commercial best practices, and incentivize the shipyards to address workforce and productivity issues in a collaborative, rather than combative manner. And we can quickly inject innovation into naval procurement, particularly on unmanned ships.

    The story of naval maintenance is no better than the story of shipbuilding. Our maintenance performance is unimpressive across ship classes. For just one example, last year, multiple amphibious ships were unable to deploy on time. Instead, they sat in the yards waiting for repairs. Sailors have been trained on fewer than half the required maintenance tasks and only have enough time to accomplish 40% of required maintenance. The reduced quality of recruits exacerbates the situation.

    This chain of events raises cost and creates schedule challenges for ship repair yards down the line. Deployments increase and the number of older ships decreases, sending the Navy into a death spiral.

     

    I’m painting a dismal picture, but an accurate picture.

    The Navy struggles to man the fleet. The previous administration paid too much attention to demographic traits, which contributed to the Navy’s failure to meet its recruiting goals. The Navy did eventually meet last year’s recruiting targets, but only by lowering standards. Last year, nearly 20% of Navy recruits were considered category IV – they tested below the 30th percentile on the military aptitude test – below the 30th percentile.

    Recruiting has improved significantly over the last few months, but the Navy must keep up this recruiting pace for the next three years to fill the estimated 20,000 vacancies on our ships today. Consistently deploying undermanned ships exhausts sailors and creates real operational risks, as the Navy knows all too well from its own accident investigations.

    The stakes are high. We face a threat environment more complex than any since World War II. Our Naval forces must be ready to operate in highly contested environments from the Western Pacific to the Atlantic, and from the North Sea to the Red Sea and beyond.

    The Navy’s role in our national security is more important than any moment since World War II at exactly the worst time the service has been beset with poor management and a lack of vision.

    I’m pleased with the nominee’s track record. He has rescued companies in distress. Our Navy is certainly in distress and needs that same kind of leadership.

    So, I look forward to hearing Mr. Phelan’s views about how to fix shipbuilding, maintenance, and recruitment in the Navy, and I now recognize ranking member Reed for his opening remarks.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Hearing, Navy Secretary Nominee Agrees with Warren that Defense Contractors’ Greed Impacts Navy’s Readiness

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 27, 2025

    “We waste taxpayer dollars, delay missions. We actually put people at risk because we are not permitting basic right-to-repair. Technical data needs to be a “must have” in acquisition contracts for the Navy.” 

    Video of Exchange (YouTube) 

    Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, questioned Mr. John Phelan, the nominee to be Secretary of the Navy, about his views on ensuring the Navy’s right to repair its own equipment – one of Senator Warren’s priorities. 

    Mr. Phelan agreed that examples of defense contractor restrictions on crucial repairs “do not make sense,” that the resulting delays and cost are an inefficient use of taxpayer dollars, and that they risk the Navy’s readiness. However, Mr. Phelan stopped short of committing to using his tenure as Secretary of the Navy to advance the Navy’s right to repair its own equipment. 

    Mr. Phelan said military contracts, which often include restrictions on what technical data the Navy can access to maintain and repair equipment, “really need to be reviewed,” and said he intends to focus on reviewing contracts if confirmed.

    Senator Warren highlighted existing bipartisan support on the Armed Services Committee for addressing repair restrictions and called for acquisition contracts to include access to the necessary technical data that will allow servicemembers to repair military equipment faster, more easily, and more cost-effectively. 

    Transcript: Hearing to Consider the Nomination of Mr. John C. Phelan to be Secretary of the Navy
    Senate Committee on Armed Services 
    February 27, 2025 

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, congratulations on your nomination Mr. Phelan. Let’s talk about efficiency at the Defense Department. 

    Last year, the Navy asked for $260 billion to buy everything from ships to night vision goggles. One reason it costs so much? Big defense contractors slip restrictions into their contracts that deny sailors access to technical data they need to maintain or repair equipment, even equipment that the Navy owns. 

    So, I want to give you an example. The Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships are designed to operate close to shore, to hunt mines, and to sink submarines. But this ship has been bogged down with maintenance issues. And when something breaks, sailors are not allowed to make repairs themselves because Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics don’t let them have access to the necessary data and materials. So what does the Navy do? The Navy has to fly contractors out to these ships, which Pro Publica found adds “millions of dollars in travel costs and often delays missions.” 

    So, Mr. Phelan, these kinds of extra costs and delays to fly contractors to the Pacific to fix minor repairs, are they an efficient use of taxpayer dollars? 

    Mr. John C. Phelan, nominee for Secretary of the Navy: Does not sound like it to me, Senator.  

    Senator Warren: I’m glad to hear that. Let me give you another example. The Government Accountability Office found that fuel tank level indicators were improperly calibrated on the USS Fort Lauderdale built by Huntington Ingalls. Now, it seems like an easy fix, right? You just go in and recalibrate these things. Uh uh. The Navy’s technicians were denied the information they needed to do that so every time they had to recalibrate the indicators, the Navy had to fly out one of the contractor’s technicians. 

    Mr. Phelan, does not being able to maintain important ship parts put the Navy’s readiness at risk? 

    Mr. Phelan: It sounds like it, Senator. And I think, as I mentioned earlier, these contracts are something that really need to be reviewed and better understood. And I think that, if confirmed, that is something I intend to do, is focus on that. 

    Senator Warren: And I appreciate that Mr. Phelan. But I want to see more than just reviewed here. Sailors need to be able to rely on their equipment. That means being able to maintain their own equipment. But, from fiber-optic navigation lights to cranes that deploy search and rescue boats, sailors do not have the right to repair their own equipment thanks to defense contractors who want to squeeze more money out of the military. Many people on this committee, both sides, Democrats and Republicans, understand the risk here. Chairman Wicker released a report last year showing DoD “consistently underperforms in procuring data rights,” and pointed to the lack of technical data as a factor that “inevitably leads to reduced training and readiness.” 

    Mr. Phelan, can we count on you to advance the Navy’s right to repair its own equipment? 

    Mr. Phelan: Thank you for the question, Senator. I know this is an issue very important to you. As I said, it is something that I intend to study and look at. What I’d commit to you is let me come back to you and look at this and understand it because it is a complicated issue. I am in agreement with – a lot of the examples you have given do not make sense to me but I am not up to speed enough yet to give you that answer. But I will come back and see you and commit to that and look at this. 

    Senator Warren: And I appreciate that, but I just want to say right now: this makes me uneasy. Because, there is so much pressure to continue to let these defense contractors take advantage of our service members. 

    We waste taxpayer dollars, delay missions. We actually put people at risk because we are not permitting basic right to repair. Technical data needs to be a “must have” in acquisition contracts for the Navy. My Servicemembers Right to Repair Act would make sure that the Navy and every other part of our military have fair access to the data rights and to the other materials that servicemembers need to be able to repair their own equipment and keep themselves safe. Military right-to-repair has bipartisan support here in the Senate. I want to work with the administration, I want to work with my colleagues, and I want to work with you. We owe it to our taxpayers and we owe it to the men and women in the field to get this straightened out. What’s happening right now is fundamentally wrong and we can put a stop to it. I apologize for going over, Mr. Chairman. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Duckworth Raise Concerns Over Potential Quid Quo Pro between Elon Musk and Dr. Troy Meink, Trump’s Air Force Secretary Nominee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 27, 2025

    Reports Indicate Musk Pushed for Meink for Key Role after Meink Favored SpaceX Contract

    “These reports raise concerns about your ability, if confirmed as Secretary, to treat contractors fairly and prioritize the Air Force’s mission over Elon Musk’s business interests.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Dr. Troy Meink, nominee for Secretary of the Air Force, following troubling reports that Elon Musk “pushed for” and “recommended” Dr. Meink’s nomination to serve as Secretary of the Air Force after Meink favored SpaceX in a contracting deal while at the National Reconnaissance Organization.

    If Dr. Meink is confirmed to be Secretary of the Air Force, he would be responsible for key contracting, deployment, and acquisition decisions. He would also make decisions about the role of key automated technologies and space programs, mixed-use unmanned aerial vehicles, artificial intelligence, and key space programs, crucially “oversee(ing) lucrative contracts for critical space efforts where top Trump ally Elon Musk’s SpaceX dominates.” All of these decisions may have a direct impact on SpaceX, Mr. Musk’s aerospace company, and other companies owned by him.

    Reporting from Reuters suggests Dr. Meink showed favoritism towards SpaceX during his time at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Space X was reportedly able to secure $2.5 billion in federal contracts while blocking bids from competitors—through a last-minute alteration Dr. Meink made to the NRO contract. When L3Harris Technologies raised concerns about changes to the contract, Dr. Meink allegedly threatened the company, saying “future business with the agency could be hurt if it filed a formal protest.”

    “SpaceX’s monopoly over NRO contracts has created a situation where ‘SpaceX is building hundreds of the satellites for the spy agency and then putting them into orbit on its own rocket,’ wrote the senators. “This type of vertical integration can ‘culminate in a de facto monopoly, cementing a stagnant and wasteful anticompetitive paradigm.’”

    “These are incredibly serious allegations of misconduct and favoritism,” the senators continued. “These reports raise concerns about your ability, if confirmed as Secretary, to treat contractors fairly and prioritize the Air Force’s mission over Elon Musk’s business interests.”

    The senators demanded answers to their concerns about his previous contracting decisions, the nature of his relationship with Mr. Musk, and his plans to engage in future contracting decisions at the Pentagon, if confirmed, by March 6, 2025. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Leads Effort With Senators Schumer, Blumenthal, Murphy To Reintroduce $65 Million Annual Authorization For Long Island Sound Restoration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) reintroduced the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act. The Long Island Sound borders New York and Connecticut, with more than 20 million people living within 50 miles of the Sound’s beaches. Decades of high levels of pollution, dumping of dredged materials, and releases of untreated sewage have put the Sound’s wildlife population, fisheries, water quality, and surrounding communities at risk. The economic viability of the Sound, which contributes around $9.4 billion annually to the regional economy, is dependent on activities like sport and commercial fishing, boating, recreation, and tourism. This bill would reauthorize a total of $65 million annually for water quality and shore restoration programs.

    “Passage of the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act is necessary to protect one of New York’s most important natural and economic treasures,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I’m leading the charge to reauthorize $65 million annually for restoration efforts that will preserve the Sound’s long-term health for generations to come.”

    “The Long Island Sound is a natural treasure and economic engine for New York that draws families, boaters, tourists, and anglers to our shores,” said Senator Schumer. “I’ve worked hard to deliver the federal funding to protect, clean up, and improve the Sound, its habitats, and beaches, but there is more work to be done. The Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act will authorize $65 million annually for projects that will boost the Sound’s water quality, restore its shorelines and coastal wetlands, and ensure a cleaner environment for New Yorkers for generations to come.”

    “Urgent action is needed to protect and preserve Long Island Sound – an ecological treasure home to precious wildlife,” said Senator Blumenthal. “The reauthorization of $65 million annually will support efforts to restore shore programs and improve water quality, after sewage, runoffs and other contaminants have polluted the Sound for years. I’ll continue to fight to protect Long Island Sound for nearby communities, wildlife populations, and future generations to thrive.”

    “Shoreline communities in Connecticut rely on a clean, healthy Long Island Sound. We made historic investments in its restoration over the past few years, and we can’t afford to roll back that progress. I’m glad to team up with Leader Schumer and Senators Gillibrand and Blumenthal on this bill to protect the future of the Sound,” said Senator Murphy.

    Representatives Nick LaLota (R-NY) and Joe Courtney (D-CT) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. The bill is also supported by stakeholder groups in New York and Connecticut.

    “The Long Island Sound is more than just a body of water—it’s a vital part of life for communities across Suffolk County. Protecting the Sound means supporting the local economies that depend on tourism, fishing, recreation and maritime industries. That’s why I proudly introduced companion legislation to Senator Gillibrand’s bill in the House, in partnership with my colleague across the aisle and across the Sound, Congressman Courtney. This bipartisan, bicameral effort underscores our shared commitment to investing in the future of our communities, environment, and the countless people who rely on the Sound. These legislative measures will safeguard the Sound and its watershed for generations to come, reinforcing my commitment to improving the quality of life for all Long Islanders,” said Rep. Nick LaLota.

    “We are hitting the ground running in the new Congress to get the Long Island Sound Caucus’s top bipartisan priority across the finish line,” said Rep. Joe Courtney. “The Sound is a unique body of water and a powerful engine to our region’s fishing, shipbuilding, and ecotourism economies. Our bill ensures the Sound remains a valuable resource for our communities for years to come. I am confident that after the bill’s passage in the House last Congress and growing momentum in the Senate, we will once and for all send our bill to the President’s desk.”

    “In the last decade there is much progress to report in restoring Long Island Sound. Water quality has improved, the dead zone has shrunk, wetlands have been restoration,  fish passages have been created, and stormwater runoff is being filtered. We cannot stop now, we still have more to accomplish. The Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act is critically needed to continue progress and ensure a healthy Sound for future generations. The Sound is an extension of our backyards, a gem that is beloved by millions of people. Thank you to Senator Gillibrand for her continued support championing protection for the Sound,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment.  

    “With its 1,194 square miles and over 23 million people living within fifty miles of its shorelines, Long Island Sound has served as a major economic driver for our local economies, estimated to exceed $10 Billion per year. The health of the Sound is critical to our economy, to the wildlife that inhabit it, and to the people who enjoy it. Over the past 20 years, the improved health of the Sound was made possible through projects funded by the bi-state and bipartisan Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act. Since this Act expired at the end of 2024, it is critical that Congress reauthorize this bill and fund it at the authorized level of $65 million per year,” said Eric Swenson, Executive Director, Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee.

    “Communities in Connecticut and New York depend on Long Island Sound for a vibrant economy as people near and far spend time here swimming, boating, fishing, and enjoying great seafood. Sustaining the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act enables everyone to work together for clean, healthy water and natural resources, which supports jobs around the region. A clean, resilient Long Island Sound is also essential to preserving populations of local plants and wildlife in the water and along the coastline,” saidHolly Drinkuth, Director of River and Estuary Conservation, The Nature Conservancy in CT.

    “The continuation of efforts to preserve and restore the Long Island Sound depends on our youth. At Project Oceanology we raise students’ collective understanding of the vulnerability of the marine environment and what they can do to protect it. Our hands-on experiential educational programs are delivered on the waters and shorelines of the Sound. We integrate ocean literacy principles and Next Generation Science Standards into K-12 education. Since our founding in 1972 we have provided over one million participants including students, summer campers, teachers, and the public first hand opportunities to explore, learn, and take action,” said Andrew Ely, Executive Director of Project Oceanology.

    “We are grateful to Senator Gillibrand and co-sponsors Senate Democratic Leader Schumer from New York and Senators Blumenthal and Murphy from Connecticut—for prioritizing the reauthorization of critical funding for clean water and restoration programs that protect and restore the health of Long Island Sound,” said Denise Stranko, executive vice president of programs for Save the Sound. “To reintroduce this bill this early in the new session demonstrates the leadership and commitment of our legislators from the Long Island Sound region, who have continued to champion this essential legislation and the important work it supports.” 

    “Investment in Long Island Sound is critical to the health of our communities,” said the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk Director of Conservation and Policy Dr. Sarah Crosby. “At The Maritime Aquarium, this investment is directly funding research that will inform restoration strategy and increase resilience of our salt marshes–ecosystems that protect coastlines from the devastating effects of hurricanes. We are grateful to Senators Gillibrand, Schumer, Blumenthal and Murphy, as well as Representatives LaLota and Courtney, for their unwavering support of Long Island Sound’s habitats and wildlife.”

    “The Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act is absolutely critical to the health and sustainability of the Sound as well as the prosperity of our coastal communities. On Long Island, the environment is the economy, and we commend and thank Senator Gillibrand and her fellow lawmakers for leading this charge and looking out for New Yorkers,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. 

    In 1985, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in agreement with New York and Connecticut, created the Long Island Sound Study (LISS), a partnership charged with advancing efforts to restore the Sound and address low oxygen levels and excess nitrogen levels that have depleted fish and shellfish populations as well as hurt shoreline wetlands. In 1990, the Long Island Sound Improvement Act was passed, providing federal dollars to advance Sound cleanup projects, including wastewater treatment improvements.

    In 2006, Congress passed the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act, which provided federal dollars for projects to restore the coastal habitat to help revitalize the wildlife population, coastal wetlands, and plant life. In 2018, Senator Gillibrand’s Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act, which combined and reauthorized the two complementary water quality and habitat restoration programs, was enacted as a part of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. As of 2022, federal funding for the Long Island Sound had enabled programs to significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen entering the Long Island Sound from sewage treatment plants by 70.3% compared to the 1990s, reduce hypoxic conditions by 58% compared to the 1990s, restore at least 2,239 acres of coastal habitat, and fund 570 conservation projects.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley Join Bill to Codify DOJ’s Office of Environmental Justice

    US Senate News:

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

    February 27, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are joining legislation that would permanently codify the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, in the wake of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent order eliminating all environmental justice efforts at the department.

    Bondi’s directive followed Donald Trump’s executive order ending all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives across federal agencies. As a result, programs combating pollution in communities of color, indigenous people, and low-income areas were effectively shut down in Oregon and nationwide. The Trump administration also terminated several division attorneys responsible for prosecuting environmental violations. 

    “The attack on environmental justice is an attack on the millions of Americans relying on clean air and clean water across our country,” Wyden said. “Federal agencies have a responsibility to protect our communities – not tear down solutions that keep people healthy for generations. Trump and his oil-loving cronies are not just making the climate crisis worse. They are also harming the most vulnerable communities in America.” 

    “Everyone, in every corner of Oregon—and across the country—deserves clean air, clean water, and protection from climate chaos. Unfortunately, the dismantling of environmental justice efforts by the Trump Administration has left our most vulnerable communities exposed to even greater risks,” Merkley said. “The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act addresses these disparities by codifying vital protections, holding polluters accountable, and ensuring that every community, especially those most impacted by climate disasters and toxic pollution, has the necessary tools to secure a healthier, safer future.”

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

    Senator Wyden is a longtime champion of environmental justice. In 2019, Wyden and his colleagues introduced legislation to overhaul the federal energy tax code, create jobs, and combat climate change. In 2022, Wyden’s Clean Energy for America Act was enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act – significantly lowering carbon emissions while reducing energy costs. In 2024, Wyden announced a federal investment of $20 million for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to build a safe, accessible shelter for communities affected by the rising climate crisis. 

    The bill was introduced by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and in addition to Wyden and Merkley, the bill was co-sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md, and U.S. Representatives Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas., Diana DeGette, D-Colo., Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y., Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., Doris Matsui, D-Calif., LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., Dina Titus, D-Nev., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.

    The text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI — On “Morning Joe,” Senator King Warns of Unconstitutional Overstep by White House

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined Morning Joe to stress the urgency of the unprecedented, unconstitutional overstep from President Trump’s Administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). During the interview — which comes in the midst of another round of reckless federal layoffs — King made clear the dangers of Congress further ceding it’s power to the President, noting that doing so is a “fundamental misunderstanding” of what is outlined in the Constitution.

    You can watch the full clip on YouTube here

    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.

    +++

    Mika Brzezinski: “It’s been five weeks since President Trump took office for the second time, and his administration has reshaped government on everything from law and order, to the role of the free press. With that as our backdrop, our next guest took to the Senate floor last week with a message to his colleagues, ‘it’s time to wake up.’”

    Sen. King: “This isn’t just a battle between the Senate and the House and the President, and they’re fighting about powers. No, the reason the framers designed our Constitution the way they did was that they were afraid of concentrated power. The responsibility of the president is to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, not write the laws, not deny the laws, not ignore the laws, not pick which laws he or she likes, but to take care that the laws are faithfully executed. That’s the responsibility of the president. And right now, those laws are being ignored. Power was divided for a reason. There’s some criticism now in the press saying people are talking about a constitutional crisis. They’re crying wolf. No, this is a constitutional crisis. It’s the most serious assault on our Constitution in the history of this country. It is the most serious assault on the very structure of our Constitution—which is designed to protect our freedoms and our liberty — in the history of this country. It is a constitutional crisis. And I’ll tell you what makes it worse. The President and the Vice President are already hinting that they’re not going to obey decisions of the courts. What’s it going to take for us to wake up? When I say us, I mean this entire body to wake up to what’s going on here? Is it going to be too late? Is it going to be when the President has accreted all this power and the congress is an afterthought? What’s it going to take? I mean, the offenses keep piling up. The President over the weekend famously quoted Napoleon, ‘when you’re saving your country, you don’t have to obey any law’. Wow. A president of the United States, quoting Napoleon about not having to obey the law.”

    Mika Brzezinski: “Independent Senator Angus King of Maine, joins us now. It’s great to have you back on the show, Senator. Katty Kay has the first question for you, sir. Katty.”

    Katty Kay: “Senator, I’ve known you for a long time, and you are not given to making speeches lightly like that on the floor. You choose your words carefully. Who were you talking to? Who was your audience? What were you trying to achieve when you stood up there on the Senate Floor and spoke to your colleagues?” 

    Sen. King: “I was trying to capture the conscience of the Republican Senators because that’s where the power is. They have a 53 vote majority in the Senate, and they can go to the White House and tell the President, ‘slow down.’ This is not the way our system is designed. They have some influence. That’s what I’m really talking about. What’s shocking to me is that we’re not standing up for the Constitution. And when the Executive, when the President cancels a whole agency created by Congress, whether it’s AID or the Consumer Finance Board or the independent agencies that were set up almost 100 years ago to protect the public as independent agencies, the Congress is not only giving its power, but as I said in the speech, we’re violating the fundamental structure of the Constitution, which was there in order to protect us. The framers were students of human nature, and they understood a very important principle. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Therefore, they divided power. That’s what the constitution is all about. It divides power between the president, the congress, the courts, the states, and the federal government so that nobody would have all the power, because that inevitably leads to abuse.”

    Katty Kay: “You’re an independent. You vote with Democrats, by and large, but I know you have good relationships with your Republican colleagues as well. Do you think they’re open to your message? When you have your private conversations with them? And I don’t want you to disclose names, are you hearing murmurs of disquiet?”

    Sen. King: “I think, yes, I think disquiet is a good word. I think they’re uneasy. I think many of them understand what’s going on, although their public posture is, ‘well the courts will protect us, the courts will take care of us.’ Well, there are two problems with that. Number one, it’s a cop out. We’re not holding up our end of the constitutional bargain. We all take an oath when we come in to defend the Constitution, not a president or a party, but to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I think it’s fascinating that the framers had an idea there might be domestic enemies to the Constitution. So it’s our responsibility. And the other the other part about the courts is, as I mentioned in the speech, the Vice President and the President have already made noises about not obeying court orders. What happens then? That’s where I think it is our responsibility in the Congress. And again, I want to repeat this is not institutional jealousy. Although Madison in the Federalist thought institutional jealousy would protect this division of power, but he didn’t contemplate parties, that’s one of the problems. But it is not institutional jealousy. It’s the fundamental structure that keeps us free from an autocrat, from a dictator, from a monarch. These guys in 1787 had just fought a brutal seven year war against a king. They didn’t want concentrated power. They wanted it to be divided. And if Donald Trump doesn’t like AID, come to Congress and pass a bill. He’s got a majority in both houses to abolish it, but don’t do it in the middle of the night with this guy, Musk, and nobody knows who he’s working for or what his authority is. You know, we’ve got a bunch of 25 year-olds deciding to cut programs. Here’s another example from the other day. And this tells you where we are. Someone pointed out that the Ebola Prevention Program was cut in the AID cuts. Musk said, ‘oh, that was a mistake. We’re going to fix it.’ Think of the implications of that. What he’s really saying is, ‘I get to decide which programs we fund and which we don’t.’ That’s not the way our system is set up. That’s not the way this thing is supposed to work again, to protect our freedoms. People who are cheering all of this going on, boy, they’re going to have some second thoughts when the eye of Sauron turns to them.”

    Katty Kay: “As it will.”

    Willie Geist: “Senator, good morning. It’s great to have you on. In fact, Elon Musk just yesterday stood up in that cabinet meeting and sort of laughed off what happened with Ebola, saying, ‘we made a mistake and we fixed it.’ We reported this morning the Washington Post saying that actually hasn’t been fixed yet, and that money has not been put back where it needs to be to fight Ebola. Just one example. I’m just curious as to follow up on what Katty said about your fellow senators, Republicans and members of the House as well. Thinking of Speaker Mike Johnson, who is a constitutional lawyer, when they say — ”

    Sen. King:     “I wonder what constitution he’s a lawyer of”

    Willie Geist: “Well, that’s a fair question. In many cases, going back to the 2020 election, forward where he helped Donald Trump with all that. But when they say, ‘look, we’re doing this because the country elected Donald Trump with a mandate. We just have to carry out what he says to do,’ that strikes a lot of people as a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of Congress and the checks and balance of our government. So what do you make of that argument that these, these men and women view their role as a rubber stamp of what Donald Trump wants, whatever it may be, and even if it violates the Constitution?”


    Sen. King: “Well, I think the best answer to that is to go back to the oath that we all take. The oath isn’t to a president, it isn’t to a party, but to the Constitution itself. And the Constitution is very clear about the division of power. In fact, the Constitution, as I mentioned in the speech, doesn’t give the president all that much power. He is Commander in Chief, yes, but the fundamental responsibility of the president in the Constitution is to, quote, ‘take care that the laws be faithfully executed.’ I emphasize the word executed. That means carry forward. It doesn’t mean write the laws, create the laws, ignore which laws you like. And for a member of Congress to say, well, we’ve got to do whatever the president says is a fundamental misunderstanding and in my view, a violation of our of our oath and our obligation to the people of this country to keep intact the division of power, which is what keeps us safe.”

    Mika Brzezinski: “Independent Senator Angus King of Maine. Thank you very much for coming on the show this morning.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Secretary of the Navy Nominee Discuss What Shipbuilders Can Learn from Private Sector

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    To watch or download the exchange, click here

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and the nominee for Secretary of the Navy discussed utilizing lessons from the private sector to maintain best practices for ship designing, building, and maintenance. In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), King pressed the Trump Administration’s nominee, John Phelan, on his plans to benchmark Navy ships against private sector companies. To make the armed services more efficient. Later in their exchange, Senator King invited the nominee, if confirmed, to visit Maine’s shipyards – Bath Iron Works and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard – to get a better understanding of workforce needs like child care and available employee parking.

    King began, “I love your focus on maintenance. I have a half facetious, half serious suggestion. We should benchmark our availability of our ships against … cruise lines. If they had the low availability we have, they would be out of business a long time ago. You understand that when you have an enormous capital asset it should be used. Every minute that it is not used is penalizing the taxpayers and diminishing the effectiveness of the Navy. I hope that you will really focus on that and I would like to see the metrics over a period of years of time in dry dock versus availability. I take it that is going to be a significant focus of your work?”

    “Thank you for the question, Senator King. I did enjoy our time together,” Phelan responded. “I jokingly say President Trump has texted me numerous times very late at night, sometimes after 1:00 in the morning, of rusty ships, or ships in a yard, asking me what I’m doing about it. And I told him I’m not confirmed yet and have not been able to do anything about it but I will be very focused on it. I view it as a critical issue and I think your idea about benchmarking versus some of the other private sector companies is a very good idea and understanding how they keep these things running is very important. I know under a prior secretary before they used Southwest Airlines to come in to help with our planes and getting more efficient. There are a lot of best practices to be shared across the two and I am hoping with my relationships and contacts in the private sector we should be able to do that.”

    King responded, “I loved it when you said we’ve never done it before it is not a sufficient excuse. You’ve got to be looking forward and not backward.” 

    King then followed up on the conversation to invite Phelan to Maine and highlight the workforce issues affecting Maine’s shipyards.

    King continued to share, “By the way, I want to invite you to the ill-named Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and to Bath Iron Works where the DDGs are built. In our legislation, we talked about fostering a collaborative relationship between the Navy and the two major shipyards that build DDGs on the DDX design so it is buildable. One of the problems is that design is separated and then you go to build it and it is very expensive. I hope you will commit to continuing that collaborative relationship and stepping it up because I understand it has faltered to some extent.”

    “Thank you for the question. If confirmed, I look forward to visiting Maine and New Hampshire with you.  I’ve been trying to spend time understanding how the whole process works. I read a book about how the B-2 bombers were designed by 12 people and I believe when I met with Senator Ernst she mentioned that on one ship we had 800 people designing a ship. I don’t know how you build something with 800 people. It just adds to requirements,” Phelan responded.

    King concluded, “Collaboration between the Navy and ship builders would bear fruit for the taxpayers as well as the buildability of the ship. Workforce and shipbuilding I wanted to talk about. Believe it or not, parking and childcare are issues in the workforce and that doesn’t sound like it would be a Navy project to build a parking garage or a childcare center, but that is absolutely necessary in order to maintain the workforce in shipbuilding in the economy we are in today.”

    As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King has championed funding for both Bath Iron Works (BIW) and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). Last year, he strongly urged Mr. Frederick J. Stefany, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition to prioritize long-term investments in the defense industrial base – including Bath Iron Works—to avoid a ‘trough’ between contracted work, resulting in a likely loss of workers and threatening American national security. In the Senate passed FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act, Senator King secured authorization for the procurement of an addition DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that Bath Iron Works will build.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murkowski Applauds Implementation of Social Security Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    02.27.25

    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) applauded an announcement from the Social Security Administration (SSA) that the agency will immediately begin to pay retroactive Social Security benefits to those impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).  Retroactive payments will be calculated back to January 1, 2024.  Most of those impacted will receive their retroactive payments by the end of March and higher benefit payments going forward will be reflected beginning in April. 

    Some beneficiaries whose cases are more complex may need to wait for the SSA to recalculate their benefits by hand; those impacted by GPO or WEP who have not received retroactive payments or higher benefit payments should contact the SSA at the end of April with questions.

    These adjustments were guaranteed to public servants who have been impacted by WEP and GPO under the Social Security Fairness Act, which was signed into law January 5, 2025. Senator Murkowski has been a long-time proponent of the measure, co-sponsoring the legislation every Congress since 2003.

    On February 5, 2025, Senator Murkowski joined her colleagues in sending a letter to the Acting Commissioner of the SSA, Michelle King, calling for the quick implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act.

    “I applaud the Social Security Administration for moving quickly to ensure Alaska’s public servants are able to access the benefits they are entitled to,” said Senator Murkowski. “I have been working on the Social Security Fairness Act for 22 years – and Alaskans have been waiting even longer for their benefits. I’m grateful to the administration for promptly implementing this law so that Alaskans will not have to wait any longer for the benefits they’ve earned.”

    Background:

    Senator Murkowski will continue to keep Alaskans updated on this issue via her website at https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/social-security-fairness-act-information.

    The WEP, enacted in 1983, reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. The GPO, enacted in 1977, reduces Social Security spousal benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers whose spouses receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government. Together, these provisions reduce Social Security benefits for nearly 3 million Americans – including those who worked teachers, state employees, and public safety officers. Alaska is one of the most disproportionately and negatively affected states per capita by the WEP and GPO.

    The Social Security Fairness Act was endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations Alaska (AFL-CIO Alaska), Alaska Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA), Alaska Professional Fighters Association (APFA), National Education Association – Alaska (NEA-A), National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association Alaska (NARFE Alaska), Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA), Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Strengthen Medicare (NCPSSM), Social Security Works, Strengthen Social Security Coalition, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), International Union of Police Association (IUPA), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), National Education Association (NEA), and the Senior Citizens League.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Mass NOAA Layoffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    02.27.25
    Cantwell Statement on Mass NOAA Layoffs
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Trump Administration laid off at least 880 workers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement:
    “The firings jeopardize our ability to forecast and respond to extreme weather events like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods—putting communities in harm’s way. They also threaten our maritime commerce and endanger 1.7 million jobs that depend on commercial, recreational and tribal fisheries, including thousands in the State of Washington. This action is a direct hit to our economy, because NOAA’s specialized workforce provides products and services that support more than a third of the nation’s GDP.”
    Last week, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, calling on him to exempt the National Weather Service (NWS) from the federal hiring freeze, and protect all NOAA workers from firings “that would jeopardize the safety of the American public.”
    “Without NOAA’s workforce, communities will not be prepared for the next big Nor’easter, hurricane, wildfire, or drought,” wrote Sen. Cantwell. “Ships will not be able to safely navigate through our waterways. Farmers will not have the data they need to manage their crops. NOAA’s workforce keeps people alive and provides communities with the scientific support tools to protect their families and grow their businesses. I urge you to appreciate these critical government functions and reverse the hiring freeze and refrain from mass firings of these invaluable public servants—American lives depend on it.”
    Also last week, speaking in opposition to the nomination of now-Secretary Lutnick on the Senate floor, Sen. Cantwell cited his “tepid support” for NOAA as a key reason for her decision to vote against his confirmation.
    “When asked for the record, ‘Should NOAA be dismantled, as called for in Project 2025?’, Mr. Lutnick would only say he’ll figure it out once he’s confirmed,” Sen. Cantwell said. “We needed a bigger commitment to NOAA. NOAA already supplies a big, important aspect of what we deal with, with weather forecasting, tracking extreme weather, hurricanes, wildfires, managing our fisheries, operating ships that conduct important charting for national security. Mr. Lutnick gave very tepid support for NOAA.”
    Project 2025 calls for NOAA to be “dismantled and many of its functions eliminated,” calling it part of the “climate change alarm industry.” NOAA provides critical services to the nation including weather forecasts, extreme storm tracking and monitoring, tools to enable communities to adapt to sea level rise and climate change, supporting fisheries management, and conserving marine mammals and other protected species including salmon and orcas.
    Sen. Cantwell is a champion of NOAA and helped secure $3.3 billion in NOAA investments in the Inflation Reduction Act to help communities prepare for and adapt to climate change, boost science needed to understand changing weather and climate patterns, and invest in advanced computer technologies that are critical for extreme weather prediction and emergency response. Her Fire Ready Nation Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen NOAA’s ability to help forecast, prevent, and fight wildfires, passed the Commerce committee unanimously earlier this month and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton, Slotkin, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Address Cybersecurity Threats to American Agriculture

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353February 26, 2025
    Cotton, Slotkin, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Address Cybersecurity Threats to American Agriculture
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Senator Elissa Slotkin (D- Michigan) today reintroduced the Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act, legislation that would strengthen cybersecurity protections for the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sectors. The bill will identify vulnerabilities and improve protective measures of both the government and private groups against cyber threats to America’s food supply chain.
    Co-sponsoring the legislation are Senators Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Thom Tillis (R- North Carolina), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Katie Britt (R- Alabama), and Ted Budd (R- North Carolina). Congressman Brad Finstad (Minnesota-01) is introducing companion legislation in the House.
    Bill text may be found here.  
    “America’s adversaries are seeking to gain any advantage they can against us—including targeting critical industries like agriculture. Congress must work with the Department of Agriculture to identify and defeat these cybersecurity vulnerabilities. This legislation will ensure we are prepared to protect the supply chains our farmers and all Americans rely on,” said Senator Cotton.
    “Food security is national security, and the Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act is a vital step toward safeguarding Michigan’s agriculture and food sectors,” said Senator Slotkin. “Cyber attacks threaten our food supply constantly, and we must ensure both government and private industries are prepared. This bipartisan bill will require the Department of Agriculture to work closely with our national security agencies to ensure that our adversaries, like China, can’t threaten our ability to feed ourselves by ourselves.”
    “With innovation and advancement in precision ag technology, the agricultural industry has become more technologically advanced, creating new challenges and vulnerabilities for farmers across southern Minnesota and the nation,” said Congressman Finstad. “Food security is national security. The Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act will make tremendous strides to protect our nation’s food supply from the imminent cyber threats that the ag sector experiences here at home.”
    Supporting the legislation are the North American Millers Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, USA Rice, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.
    The Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act would:
    Direct the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a risk assessment every two years of the cybersecurity threat to, and vulnerabilities in, the agriculture and food sectors and submit a report to Congress.
    Direct the Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services, as well as the Director of National Intelligence, to conduct an annual cross-sector crisis simulation exercise for food-related cyber emergencies or disruptions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Virginia Delegation Blasts Trump Administration Agenda to Relocate Federal Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), and U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-3), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Don Beyer (D-VA-8), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-4), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), and Eugene Vindman (D-VA-7) released the following statement blasting the Trump Administration’s agenda to relocate offices and bureaus out of the National Capital Region:

    “We’ve already seen President Trump try to shrink the federal workforce by executing illegal mass firings, politicize the federal workforce by nominating political hacks who will side with Trump over our Constitution, and now, we’re seeing him try to relocate the federal workforce by ripping federal workers and their families from our communities. Not only do Virginia’s 140,000 federal workers dedicate their careers to serving their fellow Americans—they make countless other contributions to the Commonwealth. They worship in Virginia churches, send their kids to Virginia schools, and support Virginia businesses. They have made Virginia their home, and Virginia is better for it. We won’t stand idly by while they are kicked around and forced to uproot their lives and their families—we will do everything we can to stop that from happening, just like every leader in Virginia should.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Blumenthal, Colleagues Demand Trump Reinstate Illegally Fired Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), the Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, led a group of 19 senators in a letter calling on President Donald Trump to cease his attack on American veterans in the federal workforce and immediately reinstate all of the estimated 6,000 veterans who were fired under the Administration’s mass terminations of federal employees. The letter also demanded the veterans receive their full benefits and back pay. Veterans make up 30 percent of the federal workforce, with 640,000 veterans working in federal agencies – meaning the Trump Administration’s haphazard efforts to gut the civil service have disproportionately affected veterans.

    “We are increasingly concerned by the real-life negative impacts your Administration’s directives are having on our nation’s military and veteran community,” wrote the senators. “This includes the abrupt and indiscriminate termination of more than 30,000 employees across the federal government. Among those fired are veterans, military spouses, caregivers, survivors, and Guard and Reserve members with exemplary performance reviews … These men and women have dedicated their careers to serving veterans and their nation. In return, your Administration has upended their lives and casually discarded their service without any notice or justification – all for a statistic on a press release.”

    The senators continued, “Federal civil service has long been a preferred path for military-affiliated populations, allowing them to continue serving our country while offering competitive wages, benefits, and much-needed stability…At DOD, where you have announced the imminent firing of 5,400 employees, with plans to cut anywhere from 35,000 to 56,000 in the near future – the percentage of veterans is nearly 50 percent. And at VA, where veterans are able to do work directly impacting their fellow veterans, the percentage of veteran employees is nearly 30 percent. Each and every day, these veterans perform duties vital to the American people, our national security and our way of life.”

    The senators concluded, “Your Administration’s actions are damaging the economic security and morale of our military and veteran families, the federal government’s ability to recruit and retain high-quality talent, and ultimately, our national security. We demand that you cease your attacks on our nation’s heroes, who have already given so much in defense of our country, and immediately reinstate those who have beenjacky ros illegally fired with their full back pay and benefits.”

    In addition to Kaine and Blumenthal, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Richard Durbin (D-IL).

    A copy of the letter is available here and below.

    Dear President Trump,

    We are increasingly concerned by the real-life negative impacts your Administration’s directives are having on our nation’s military and veteran community. This includes the abrupt and indiscriminate termination of more than 30,000 employees across the federal government. Among those fired are veterans, military spouses, caregivers, survivors, and Guard and Reserve members with exemplary performance reviews – including 2,400 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and thousands of employees at the Department of Defense (DOD). These men and women have dedicated their careers to serving veterans and their nation. In return, your Administration has upended their lives and casually discarded their service without any notice or justification – all for a statistic on a press release.

    Federal civil service has long been a preferred path for military-affiliated populations, allowing them to continue serving our country while offering competitive wages, benefits, and much-needed stability. In return, every single agency in our government and every single taxpayer benefits from these experienced, talented, and dedicated employees. Across the federal government, veterans make up approximately 30 percent of the workforce – more than 640,000 veterans. At DOD, where you have announced the imminent firing of 5,400 employees, with plans to cut anywhere from 35,000 to 56,000 in the near future – the percentage of veterans is nearly 50 percent. And at VA, where veterans are able to do work directly impacting their fellow veterans, the percentage of veteran employees is nearly 30 percent. Each and every day, these veterans perform duties vital to the American people, our national security and our way of life.

    Rather than leading these employees and utilizing their talents to better serve veterans and taxpayers, you have chosen to fire them in an abrupt, inconsistent, unjustified, and unlawful way with no consultation with Congress and absolutely no transparency or accountability to the American people. Your Administration’s actions are damaging the economic security and morale of our military and veteran families, the federal government’s ability to recruit and retain high-quality talent, and ultimately, our national security. We demand that you cease your attacks on our nation’s heroes, who have already given so much in defense of our country, and immediately reinstate those who have been illegally fired with their full back pay and benefits.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Rips Trump for Firing More Veterans Than Any Other President, Uplifts Impacted Veterans’ Personal Stories During National VoteVets Town Hall

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 27, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today at an emergency national town hall hosted by VoteVets, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) who still receives her own health care services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—called out Donald Trump and Elon Musk for inflicting needless pain and chaos on our nation’s Veterans. During the town hall, Veterans who have been fired by Elon Musk’s DOGE bravely came forward—for the first time—to share how Trump’s cuts and layoffs have uprooted their lives. Duckworth pledged to continue advocating for our nation’s heroes and pushing back against the Trump Administration’s harmful policies and employee purges that are leaving Veterans jobless and jeopardizing their access to critical VA care and benefits. Full video of Duckworth’s remarks and Veterans’ testimonies during the town hall can be found on YouTube.

    “Donald Trump is firing more Veterans than any other President in recent history and jeopardizing access to the care and benefits our heroes have earned through their service,” said Duckworth. “How dare a five-time draft dodging coward turn his back on the men and women who, unlike him, actually were brave enough to serve our nation in uniform. Let’s call Trump and Musk’s DOGE cuts what they are: They’re a middle finger to our Veterans, and they’re a slap in the face to the sacrifices they’ve made. Trump and unelected billionaire Elon Musk may not know the first thing about sacrifice and service, but our Veterans sure as hell do. We will not be quiet, and I will never stop working to honor the commitment we’ve made to our nation’s heroes.”

    During the town hall, Veterans courageously came forward to share their stories and detail the real damage Trump and Musk have had on their lives:

    Dustin Conklin—a Veteran from Caseyville, Illinois—said in part: “I’m a Veteran of the United States Navy. This fall, I took a job with the Natural Resources Conservation Service for the USDA. The USDA moved me out here to Illinois. I left where I was secure, I left my support network… On February 13th in the middle of the night, I open up my email and I get a blank email with an attachment saying I was fired… I’m going to lose my health insurance that covers me and my daughter. My health insurance is important because I have regular therapy appointments and access to medication that I’m about to lose… And through this whole time, I see on the internet Elon Musk playing with chainsaws and the President posting things laughing about making people cry. It’s been defeating.”

    Frances Greenley—a Veteran from Lake Stevens, Washington—said in part: “During my time in the Coast Guard, I was a Naval Engineering Officer which meant I ran all of the maintenance contracts on the ships. It was very important for the people managing the contracts to make sure there was no waste, fraud and abuse. When I got out of my service, I went to work for the federal acquisition service—we are on the front lines of fighting waste, fraud and abuse… Like Dustin, my supervisors didn’t know I was terminated, I forwarded them my termination letter… I was fired by a political appointee in a form letter… If [Trump and Elon] want to increase the transparency and best use of the dollar, you would increase personnel who are project management specialists and contracting officers–but they terminated me instead.”

    Kyle Lewis—a Veteran from Columbia, Maryland—said in part: “I joined the Navy back in the 1990s. I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in January 2020. I was given 6 weeks to live, my doctor said if you don’t start this experimental and aggressive treatment now, you’re not going to be here much longer. I was fortunate to get into a clinical trial at Johns Hopkins, which was funded by the NIH—I say was funded because it’s not anymore. The cuts that DOGE has made to cancer research as well as other lifesaving medical research has put my cancer research at risk, as well as millions of Americans including Veterans and children who are in far worse situations than I am… I just find this absolutely disgusting as an American. This is not how we take care of our family, our friends and our communities.”

    In the wake of Trump and Musk’s mass federal layoffs, Duckworth has repeatedly expressed her outrage that many Veterans suddenly found themselves jobless. After the first VA purge laid off workers with the Veterans Crisis Line—including several Veterans—Duckworth successfully pushed the Trump Administration to reinstate these devoted public servants that work to support our Veterans in their darkest moments.

    Additionally, Duckworth joined U.S. Senator and SVAC Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and a group of 34 Democratic Senators calling on VA Secretary Collins to immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated earlier this month who serve Veterans and their families nationwide.

    Duckworth’s full remarks as prepared for the town hall can be read below:

    Hello everyone, thank you for being here today.

    I actually invited President Musk—I mean Elon Musk—to join us as well. But I’m not shocked that he didn’t have the courage necessary to show up—after all, he and Trump never actually show up for the Veterans they claim to care about.

    They never actually have our backs.

    But the good news is that my Democratic colleagues do, including Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and Baltimore County Councilmember Pat Young, who are both here with me this afternoon.

    Look, on the campaign trail, Trump promised to look out for Veterans and servicemembers. Obviously, this was a lie.

    Obviously, a man who claims to “know more” than our generals who have served honorably for decades… A man who calls our fallen servicemembers “suckers and losers”… A man who cried “bone spurs” when his nation needed him the most…

    Obviously someone as ignorant as this wouldn’t mind executing the most craven political move imaginable: Using our heroes as political pawns to get elected, then abandoning them once he takes office.

    To give a quick summary of the past few weeks:

    Trump and Musk have slashed roughly 2,400 VA jobs…A decision that won’t make things more efficient, like they claimed, but will actually lead to longer wait times, more backlog and more chaos for Veterans.

    They’ve also launched a wider purge of federal workers—firing, in total, an estimated 6,000 Veterans, including the folks behind the Veterans Crisis Line.

    The only reason they are doing this is to try to find enough loose change behind the couch cushions so that they can give even bigger tax breaks to the rich guys they pal around with on the golf course.

    Let me say that another way: They care more about making sure Mar-a-Lago billionaires can buy yet another private jet than ensuring our Veterans have access to the benefits and care they have earned.

    So let’s call this what it is: It’s a middle finger to our heroes. It’s a slap in the face to the sacrifices they’ve made. It’s BS, frankly. And every one of us who has served should feel insulted.

    Donald Trump has fired more Veterans than any other President in recent history.

    How dare a five-time draft dodging coward turn his back on the men and women who, unlike him, actually were brave enough to serve our nation in uniform?

    How dare he call himself king, and act like servicemembers are his subjects—as if they are not the reason America is already great?

    How dare he and Elon Musk sit in their ivory towers and use their power to stomp on those feeling powerless?

    Listen, I heard Secretary Collins’ lie last week that not one Veterans Crisis Line worker was fired in this purge.

    But the thing is, I’ve also heard directly from Veterans nationwide who’ve proven that this is untrue—who’ve reached out and personally shared with me their actual letters of termination.

    I fought to get these folks reinstated, and I’m grateful that after such a loud outcry, we were able to get them their jobs back.

    But there are so many others still left out in the cold, unsure how they’ll be able to put food on the table for their families next week…

    Veterans who’ve been abandoned by the VA Secretary who is supposed to have their backs.

    Secretary Collins has either been lied to about these firings or is knowingly, repeatedly lying to the American people.

    If it’s the former, then all he has to do is check his casework inbox. If it’s the latter… then, well, shame on you, Secretary. Shame. On. You.

    Think about it: The Crisis Line is where Veterans turn when they are considering suicide or self-harm.

    The public servants working there are doing some of the toughest work imaginable to support our heroes in their absolute darkest hour.

    These are the people Trump and Musk are happy to throw by the wayside. That should tell you everything you need to know about how this Administration actually feels about our Veterans. That should tell you how patriotic they really are. Trump may like to wrap himself in the flag with one hand, but with the other, he’s signing off on the orders that sell out our heroes to line his own pockets.

    There are countless tragic examples of how DOGE’s purge has already caused havoc. To name just a few: A health care appointments have been cancelled due to staffing shortages…The number of beds and operating rooms at VA facilities have been cut down… And suicide prevention training sessions have been postponed or canceled. These jobs should’ve never been threatened in the first place. 

    And for Secretary Collins to say that no damage was done here is a straight-up betrayal of the people he is supposed to be serving.

    It’s an insult to Americans like Chelsea Milburn… A Navy reservist who, after being fired from her job in the Department of Education, said, quote: “I feel like I have served my country admirably, and now it has betrayed me.”

    It’s an insult to folks like Francis Greenley, who you’ll hear from shortly: Francis is a Coast Guard Veteran whose decades-long job was quite literally putting out fires on military ships as well as fighting waste and fraud in the military budget.

    I guess Musk didn’t see the irony behind firing someone that—unlike DOGE—was actually making our government more efficient.

    And it’s an insult to people like Jacob Adam Bushno…A disabled Veteran and a constituent of mine who joined the Army his junior year, right after 9/11.

    Jacob served two tours in Iraq. Then, when he came home, despite suffering from PTSD, he dedicated his life to continuing his service, this time for the federal government—working as a wildland firefighter and forest technician among other jobs.

    Jacob was part of this month’s purge. As he told my team this week: “I’ve always served this country. In some way, shape or form, I’ve always served. I’ve either tried to protect our country from terrorism or bad guys or Mother Nature.

    “So this has been a gut-shot—a pretty bad one—and it’s taken its toll on me. If [Trump and Musk] actually cared about Veterans, they wouldn’t be treating any of us like this… They aren’t making our country better. They’re making it worse.”

    Jacob is right.

    So let me just close with this: Everyone on this call today knows how much our Veterans have done for our nation.

    Trump and Musk may not know the first thing about sacrifice and service. But our Veterans sure as hell do.

    So please know that I will never stop fighting for our heroes, no matter who’s in the White House.

    But I’m counting on each of you to be my partners in this work.

    After all, we’ve already seen proof that our collective pressure campaign is working: Trump’s VA was ready to cut hundreds of contracts that would’ve even further hurt Veterans health services from providing cancer care to assessing toxic exposure.

    But they were forced to backtrack—because we spoke out. Because we made noise. So we can’t stop there.

    Look, I get how in this moment, it’d be easy to feel defeated… to want to tune out rather than turn on the news. 

    But now more than ever, we can’t let ourselves become disengaged. We have to channel our outrage into action. Because there’s too much at stake to get discouraged.

    There will always be people in hallowed halls who try to use their power to only look out for themselves. But here’s what I know: the power of the people is always greater than the people in power.

    And if we want tomorrow to be better than yesterday, we have to come together…We have to recognize that our voices DO matter… Then we have to use those voices to speak out… even if—especially when—anyone tries to silence us.

    You have my word that I am with you. That I am listening to you. That I am one of you. And that I will never abandon you.

    It’s an absolute honor to call myself part of this team… and to have you all as my partners on the front lines of this fight.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Congratulates Idaho’s Tom Schultz on Appointment to Chief of U.S. Forest Service

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) released the following statement on the appointment of Tom Schultz to serve as the 21st chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 

    “Congratulations to Idaho’s own Tom Schultz for being named the 21st Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Tom is a forester’s forester. With over 27 years of natural resource management experience, he is the no-nonsense leader our Western states urgently need to rein in the wildfire crisis and reinforce forest health,” said Risch. “Tom’s selection to lead the U.S. Forest Service underscores President Trump and Secretary Rollins’ recognition of the immense value that Idahoans bring to restoring American greatness. I look forward to the good work Tom will accomplish for our nation and the West.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Reintroduces Bill to Strengthen Safeguards That Prevent Public Officials From Using Their Power for Political Gain, Protect Integrity of Government

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) reintroduced the Hatch Act Enforcement Transparency and Accountability Act. This legislation strengthens Congressional oversight of the Hatch Act, particularly in instances when the Office of the Special Counsel decides to forgo enforcement. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is an original cosponsor of the legislation. Congressman Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) leads companion legislation in the House of Representatives. 
    “The Hatch Act is designed to prevent public officials from using their position for political gain. Now, at this critical moment, the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk have shown the American people the importance of accountability and protecting the rule of law,” said Senator Luján. “That is why I am proud to reintroduce my legislation that increases enforcement of the Hatch Act by providing clarity and Congressional oversight for any potential abuses. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation to increase accountability of this administration and future ones, and to ensure Americans can have confidence in the public servants who work for them.”
    “With President Trump and Elon Musk hellbent on misusing the federal government for their own personal gains and vendettas, it’s never been more important that Congress strengthen the laws we have in place to improve transparency and accountability for the American people. I’m proud to support this bill to hold this administration and future administrations accountable to ensure government works for New Mexico families — not Republicans’ billionaire friends,” said Senator Heinrich. 
    “Unchecked political influence from powerful individuals like President Trump and Elon Musk poses a real threat to our democracy. When these figures and their associates are allowed to operate without consequences or when they attempt to pressure nonpartisan federal workers to serve their political interests, it puts the integrity of our government on the line,” said Congressman Garcia. “We can’t just sit back and let those in power break the rules that keep our government fair and unbiased. That is why I am proud to lead this bill in the House to make sure these individuals are held accountable and to ensure the Hatch Act is enforced.”
    “We need greater transparency at the Office of Special Counsel. This bill will better ensure the OSC can hold career official and political appointees accountable when they violate the law meant to keep partisan politics out of the federal government,” said Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Senior Government Affairs Manager, Project On Government Oversight (POGO).
    The Hatch Act was enacted in 1939 to prohibit federal employees from participating in specific political activities. The law aims to maintain nonpartisanship in the federal government’s operations, shield federal employees from political influence, and uphold merit-based promotions over political affiliations. However, the U.S Office of Special Counsel, which investigates and prosecutes violations of the Hatch Act, has at times failed to properly enforce this critical statue. 
    This legislation is endorsed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and The Project on Government Oversight (POGO).
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As tariffs loom, Republicans block Senator Coons’ bill on Senate floor that would prevent President Trump from unilaterally imposing tariffs on allies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) went to the Senate floor today to ask for unanimous consent to pass his Stopping Tariffs on Allies and Bolstering Legislative Exercise of (STABLE) Trade Policy Act. The legislation, co-led with Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), would prevent any president from imposing tariffs on U.S. allies and free trade partners without congressional approval.
    The STABLE Trade Policy Act would institute a requirement of congressional approval before a president could impose new tariffs on U.S. allies and free trade agreement partners. Currently, the president can impose tariffs on any nation using authorities that Congress created to combat national security risks and address international emergencies. President Trump has used these authorities to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, which were set to go into place on February 1 and then delayed by a month. They are now expected to be implemented this coming week.
    In addition to the tariffs on Mexico and Canada, President Trump has also claimed he will impose “reciprocal” tariffs on the European Union and additional tariffs on all imports of steel, aluminum, microchips, pharmaceuticals and automobiles. Further rounds of tariffs against Mexico and Canada are also possible. Immediate passage of the STABLE Trade Policy Act would prevent President Trump from implementing these subsequent tariffs without congressional approval.
    “These tariffs will be disastrous for our economy and our national security,” Senator Coons said on the Senate floor. “These tariffs will cost the average American household about $1,200 a year. They’ll raise costs for avocados and appliances, diesel fuel and dog toys, car parts and Christmas tree lights, tomatoes and tequila––I could go on.”
    Senator Coons said that even if Trump delays the tariffs at the last minute, the uncertainty still raises costs for businesses and consumers. He emphasized that imposing tariffs on our closest allies and free trade partners will only weaken U.S. global standing and make our allies less likely to stand with us in the future.
    “These tariffs, if imposed, will make inflation worse and hit the lowest income Americans the hardest. They will impact American businesses, American families, and American communities,” said Senator Coons. “So, I hope that working together with my friends and colleagues here in the Senate, we can find ways to lower costs on pharmaceuticals and automobiles and microchips––but sparking tariff wars in our region and around the world is not the way to do that.”
    U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) objected. 
    A video and transcript of Senator Coons’ comments are available below.
    WATCH HERE.
    Senator Coons: Mr. President, I rise today to seek unanimous consent for my STABLE Trade Policy Act with Senator Kaine––an act that would prevent any president from imposing tariffs on a U.S. ally or free trade agreement partner without congressional consent. I’ll make that motion in just a moment, but let me first just explain what this is and why I’m doing it. Next week, President Trump has announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on products coming into the United States from Mexico and Canada––our number one and number two trading partners. These tariffs will be disastrous for our economy and our national security. These tariffs will cost the average American household about $1,200 a year. They’ll raise costs for avocados and appliances, diesel fuel and dog toys, car parts and Christmas tree lights, tomatoes and tequila––I could go on. 
    Our economies are so closely integrated––the United States, Canada and Mexico–– that it will increase the cost of a GM pickup truck about $10,000, and even if these tariffs at the last minute are delayed, businesses are hurt by the uncertainty, which continues to increase costs. President Trump plans to follow those tariffs with reciprocal tariffs on the EU, which includes many of our critical NATO allies and closest partners. Imposing tariffs on our allies and partners diminishes our standing in the world and makes our neighbors less likely to help us in the future.
    It’s no surprise that Americans think this is a terrible idea. Barely a quarter of Americans think imposing tariffs on Canada are a good idea. More than double that disapprove. President Trump has already declared an economic emergency to justify imposing these tariffs on Mexico and Canada, but my bill with Senator Kaine would prevent him from abusing long established national security authorities to follow through on further tariff threats against our allies and FTA partners.
    The U.S. Constitution and the Commerce Clause – Article I, Section Eight – gives Congress jurisdiction over trade policy, and it’s time that we took ownership back, controlling the ability to impose tariffs willy-nilly on our trusted partners and allies by passing this bill and reining in President Trump’s costly and damaging ideas. And so, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Finance be discharged from further consideration of Senate Bill 348, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration, that the bill be considered [to be] read a third time and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be made and laid upon the table.
    …
    Senator Coons: Mr. President, I understand that Senator Crapo, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, a supporter of President Trump, has blocked this bill today, and I hope to find ways to work with him on improving market access and on elevating the quality and the capabilities of U.S. trade engagement with our partners. But I really don’t understand why President Trump seems so intent on harming one of his signature accomplishments––the USMCA. I’m disappointed because Congress gave the president authority to impose tariffs in the event of a national security crisis, Congress did not grant this power to pursue petty grudges against trusted neighbors. Honestly, how can anyone be angry at Canadians? They are the nicest people in the world, and yet here they are, working with us, pleading with us to not impose ruinous tariffs that would harm their economy and ours. 
    I’ll briefly then just make again a few simple points. I’m disappointed that President Trump isn’t doing more to reduce costs. He was elected in no small part because of high inflation and promised it would come down on day one. These tariffs, if imposed, will make inflation worse and hit the lowest income Americans the hardest. It will impact American business, American families, and American communities. 
    So, I hope that working together with my friends and colleagues here in the Senate, we can find ways to lower costs on pharmaceuticals and automobiles and microchips, but imposing reciprocal tariffs on trusted friends and allies,sparking tariffs wars in our region and around the world, is not the way to do that. Two-thirds of Americans already think that President Trump isn’t doing enough to lower costs. Blocking this bill will only accelerate that, if President Trump continues to act unwisely and bully and threaten our closest and most trusted partners. We must find a better way forward together.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Moran, Coons Introduce Legislation to Bolster Trade Negotiations with the United Kingdom

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) today reintroduced the Undertaking Negotiations on Investment and Trade for Economic Dynamism (UNITED) Act. Their legislation would authorize the Trump Administration to reach a trade agreement with the United Kingdom that will open export opportunities for businesses of all sizes, strengthen critical supply chains and advance economic prosperity for people in both nations. The UNITED Act also requires the administration to work closely with Congress throughout the process to make certain that any agreement advances congressional trade policy priorities. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and Jim Himes (D-Conn.).

    The bill’s reintroduction comes as U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Washington today to meet with President Trump at the White House.

    “Strengthening our economic relationship with the United Kingdom will bolster our strategic interests and create opportunities for American producers and businesses,” said Sen. Moran. “The U.K. is one of our oldest and closest allies, and creating a new free trade agreement would reduce consumer costs, increase production, and open new markets for a variety of industries, including Kansas agriculture, biofuels, and aerospace products.”

    “We should be building on the strong trade relationships and close partnership that we share with the United Kingdom. A comprehensive free trade agreement with the United Kingdom would advance both countries’ strategic and economic interests while creating new economic opportunities for Delaware workers, businesses, and consumers,” said Sen. Coons. “This bill demonstrates the strong bipartisan support in Congress for restarting negotiations with the U.K. on a trade deal that sets ambitious international standards for our shared priorities on climate, labor protections, digital trade, intellectual property rights, and many other areas.”

    “There’s no better way to strengthen ties with a historic partner like the United Kingdom than coming together to develop a comprehensive trade agreement,” said Rep. Smith. “In 2022, I had the opportunity to lead a bipartisan congressional delegation to the UK where I saw firsthand the value such an agreement holds for both our countries. In his first term, President Trump initiated trade talks with the UK and more broadly demonstrated his ability to negotiate deals of mutual benefit. Congress should do everything possible to keep pace and empower his vigorous engagement. The UNITED Act is a bipartisan effort to move into the future of rules-based trade relations by promoting expanded access to international markets eager for our products and safeguarding American innovation. I thank Representative Himes and Senators Moran and Coons for their cooperation on this legislation.”

    “Strong trade partners are critical to a prosperous economy—creating jobs, increasing opportunities for businesses, and bringing down costs for consumers,” said Rep. Himes. “The UNITED Act builds on our existing special relationship with the United Kingdom and paves the way for a new, comprehensive free trade agreement.”

    The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2020, set high standards for fair and competitive trade. The UNITED Act encourages the executive branch to build on those standards in negotiations with the U.K. in order to make certain U.S. workers and companies can compete on a level playing field.

    The text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What They Are Saying: Broadband Industry Leaders Applaud Introduction of the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) led the introduction of the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code to make certain that federal broadband deployment funding will not be considered taxable income. This legislation received support from businesses, universities and associations across Kansas and the nation. Statements in support of the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act can be found below:

    “We appreciate the leadership of Senators Moran and Warner for their efforts to eliminate the tax on broadband grants to ensure more investment can connect more of our citizens and communities. Their bill is as pro-consumer as it gets.” – Brandon Heiner, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at USTelecom – The Broadband Association

     

    “CTIA commends the bipartisan work of Senators Warner and Moran to reintroduce the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act in this Congress. Guaranteeing that grant funds can be optimally spent as intended will encourage the investments that reinforce and accelerate broadband deployment. This legislation will help ensure all Americans have access to world-leading wireless networks and that the United States is first globally in technology.” – Kelly Cole, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at CTIA

     

    “NTCA and its members greatly appreciate Congress’s commitment to funding broadband deployment programs that help further the mission of connecting all Americans. However, when these funds are taxed, providers are required to pay the federal government a portion of the same award that they received from the federal government, instead of using the funds to serve the hardest-to-reach communities. NTCA thanks Sens. Moran and Warner for their leadership in introducing this commonsense legislation to ensure that every dollar granted for broadband deployment is used effectively to further the mission of connecting all Americans.” – Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association

     

    “Grant funding has the potential to make sure that our rural and underserved communities receive connectivity through wireless and broadband services, but the impact that these grants can have is limited if those grants are taxed, undercutting the potential of federal broadband programs. Federal broadband grants should be free from taxation to ensure that every dollar goes towards connecting Americans. I applaud Sens. Moran (R-KS) and Warner (D-VA) for leading this bill in the Senate and urge its swift passage.” – Tim Donovan, President & CEO of The Competitive Carriers Association (CCA)

     

    “INCOMPAS members are building networks of the future with a mission to connect all Americans. Public-private partnerships are a critical component to help achieve this goal. This bill will ensure every single dollar allocated to deploying broadband goes to deploying broadband. INCOMPAS wholeheartedly supports this commonsense measure and urges Congress to act swiftly to ensure our members can continue to use critical grant resources to bridge the digital divide.” – Chip Pickering, CEO of INCOMPAS

    “ACA Connects thanks Senators Jerry Moran and Mark Warner for leading on the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act. This bipartisan legislation will ensure 100 percent of broadband grants are used to close the digital divide. America’s small and independent providers support this bill to make every dollar count as they invest in their communities, deploy infrastructure, and connect more people to high-speed internet.” – Grant Spellmeyer, President & CEO of ACA Connects

     

    “We applaud Senators Moran and Warner for reintroducing this bipartisan legislation to make sure the small, rural broadband providers we represent don’t get stuck with a major tax bill when they accept government grants to build broadband networks – Advocates for Rural Broadband. Congress has made an historic level of investment in broadband over the past several years and we want to see it pay dividends. Every dollar diverted to paying taxes on government grants is a dollar that is not invested in the network and connecting all Americans to broadband.” – Derrick Owens, Senior Vice President for Government and Industry Affairs for WTA – Advocates for Rural Broadband

     

    “TIA is pleased to see the reintroduction of the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act (BGTTA) by Senators Warner and Moran. This crucial legislation addresses a significant issue affecting the deployment of high-speed broadband networks across the United States. The broadband programs established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), particularly the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Affordability, and Deployment (BEAD) program, have the potential to connect all Americans to high-speed broadband. However, the current tax treatment of all federal broadband grants, including BEAD, as taxable income significantly reduces the funds available for building these networks. This unintentional tax burden significantly limits potential applicants for larger projects and could deter small service providers from seeking broadband funding. As Congress and President Trump’s administration work on streamlining BEAD requirements, it is imperative that Congress passes the BGTTA to ensure these dollars are used for their intended purpose: Connecting Americans with high speed, secure broadband.” – The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)

    “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s purpose is to spur infrastructure deployment, but short-sighted tax policy currently limits the potential reach of broadband grants, undercutting our goal of enabling connectivity everywhere.  Senators Moran and Warner’s common sense Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act will ensure we can finish the job and close the digital divide.” – The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA)

    “Since the pandemic, Congress has appropriated billions of dollars to accelerate the deployment of broadband networks in unserved areas so all Americans, no matter where they live, can get online.  Significant portions of that funding are presently taxable, and every dollar returned to Washington is one less dollar available to connect unserved communities. We therefore commend Senators Warner and Moran for introducing the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act, a pragmatic solution which eliminates the tax on broadband grants so that those funds can more ably meet Congress’ important universal service goals. Connected communities are more prosperous communities, which is the ultimate goal of Internet-for-All.” – Matt Mandel, Vice President of Government Affairs at The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA)

    “The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and our 1,000 member companies from coast to coast are proud to support the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act that was recently introduced in the 119th Congress. NATE member companies are on the front lines of deployment and will play an instrumental role in closing the digital divide. It is imperative that the entirety of federal broadband dollars allocated for these purposes go towards connectivity, rather than making their way back to the government through taxes. We thank Senators Jerry Moran and Mark Warner for bringing this legislation forward in the Senate and also applaud Representatives Mike Kelly and Jimmy Panetta for spearheading this important proposal in the House of Representatives.” – Todd Schlekeway, President & CEO of NATE – The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association

    “I would like to thank Senator Moran on his leadership in the effort to address the taxation challenge on federal broadband grants. Nex-Tech is a broadband provider committed to expanding high-speed internet access in rural Kansans, and I wholeheartedly support the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act. This legislation ensures that every dollar of federal grant funding can be fully utilized for broadband deployment, rather than being diminished by taxes. By removing this financial barrier, it will allow us to fully utilize funding for the delivery of essential internet services to underserved areas, fostering economic growth and improving quality of life for areas served by Nex-Tech.” – Jimmy Todd, CEO & General Manager of Nex-Tech

    “We are pleased to hear the about the introduction of the ‘Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act’ by Senator Moran and his colleagues. The current method of taxing grant dollars greatly limits the dollars available to build out broadband networks to these unserved parts of Kansas in need of reliable broadband. We support this legislation and appreciate the work Senator Moran has done to introduce this bill as we continue work to close the digital divide.” – Greg Reed, CEO of Wheat State Technologies

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall and Fischer Introduce the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) introduced the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025, which would allow the year-round, nationwide sale of E15, a gasoline blend that contains 15% ethanol.
    Increasing the availability of biofuels like E15 would benefit the economy by lowering fuel prices and providing certainty in fuel markets for farmers and consumers. This legislation is the only permanent, nationwide solution to fulfilling President Donald Trump’s mandate for energy independence and rolling back years of burdensome regulations.
    “America’s biofuels industry provides consumers with a carbon-reducing fuel option at the gas pump. This bipartisan legislation ensures E15 can be sold at gas stations year-round and guarantees farmers will continue to make the world cleaner, safer, and better for years to come,” said Senator Marshall. 
    “It’s time to once and for all solidify President Trump’s pledge to allow the sale of year-round E15—giving America’s producers and consumers the certainty they deserve. My bill will put an end to years of patchwork regulations and finally make nationwide, year-round E15 a reality. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and the Senate, as well as with President Trump, to get this bill signed into law,” said Senator Fischer.
    Joining Senators Marshall and Fischer are Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tina Smith (D-Minnesota), and Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota). 
    U.S. Representatives Adrian Smith (R-Nebraska-03) and Angie Craig (D-Minnesota-02) introduced the companion legislation in the House.
    This legislation is supported by American Petroleum Institute, Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmer Union, and National Association of Convenience Stores.
    Click HERE to read the bill text.
    Background:
    Under President Biden, there were restrictions on sales of E15 gasoline in summer months due to alleged environmental concerns.
    Last month, President Trump took steps to make E15 available year-round through his Executive Order Declaring a National Energy Emergency.
    This legislation would make President Trump’s executive order permanent.
    Senator Marshall has been a leader on this issue in the Senate, fighting for the U.S. Treasury Department to restrict the eligibility of the 45Z Tax Credit to renewable fuels made only from domestically sourced feedstocks, like Kansas soybean oil and corn oil.
    Read more about Senator Marshall’s leadership on this issue below:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall on Newsmax: America’s Future Is Bright

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Newsline on Newsmax today to discuss the meeting he and his Senate Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus colleagues had with Elon Musk at the White House.
    Senator Marshall also discussed his legislation to ban dangerous gain-of-function research, President Donald Trump’s recent executive order improving healthcare price transparency, and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicaid. 
    [embedded content]
    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full Newsmax interview.
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:
    On the Senate DOGE Caucus’s meeting with Elon Musk:
    “What an exciting day. I just left a meeting with Elon Musk, and he’s doing an incredible job over there. For the first time in years, I’ve got more hope in my heart. I’m bullish on America. We’re going to figure out a way to balance the budget. There’s so much waste, fraud, and abuse, and he’s doing a great job getting to the bottom of it, saving Americans’ [taxpayer dollars],I think it will be a trillion dollars when it’s all said and done.”
    “Elon started out talking about was his compassion for federal employees, that those people who have a job that matters, that’s needed, that if they care, if they’re competent, we want to keep those people around. But meanwhile, there’s so much other fraud, waste, and abuse in there. For example, the Treasury Department issuing checks without people having to fill in what budget line item this was for, so that was ignored by USAID, amongst others as well.”
    On Senate Marshall’s bill to ban gain-of-function research:
    “This bill would ban any federal funding for viral gain-of-function research, no matter how Anthony Fauci wants to describe it. Remember, this viral gain-of-function [research] was Anthony Fauci’s pet project for over 20 years. We spent, I’m going to say, $20, $50 billion on this research, helping the Chinese. They ended up developing the COVID virus, which killed 10, 20 million people across the world.” 
    “We’ve never seen any gain at all from this gain-of-function research. It’s never helped mankind. It’s way more dangerous than nuclear warheads are, so it’s time to just put an end to it. Every three or five years, we hear about a virus escaping from a laboratory, even in America. They’re very hard to contain, even in a biosecurity four-level lab, and we certainly don’t need to be teaching our enemies how to grow these viruses, which are perfect for terrorist weapons.”
    On President Trump’s Executive Order on healthcare price transparency:
    “So, transparency price tags, as I like to call them, is one of the pillars of driving down the cost of health care. In President Trump’s first term, we worked with him, requiring every hospital to list the prices on different procedures, maybe 20% of them were compliant with that. We want to make that situation much, much simpler, something that anyone could open up an app, get on the CMS website, and see what every hospital is charging.” 
    “Let’s let Americans become consumers again, even in health care. So, transparency is the first pillar of making health care affordable again. At the end of the day, it’s going to help save money for Medicare and Medicaid and preserve those great programs.”
    On waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicaid programs:
    “There’s not a federal program out there that’s more broken than Medicaid is. We’ve increased the spending by 50% over the last five years without better outcomes to show for it. Look, we Republicans want to make sure that every American has access to meaningful health care. But Medicaid is not the answer.”
    “I think the first answer is expanding community health centers… but you talk about an opportunity to Make America Healthy Again, to make a difference in people’s lives, it would be those people on Medicaid.” 
    “We want to make sure that people get the health care that they need, but at the same time, we don’t want this money being used for waste, fraud, and abuse. Medicaid will be at a trillion dollars here in the next year or two for what we’re spending on it. That’s unsustainable.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Hirono Introduce Bill to Enhance Efficiency, Quality of Health Care for Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced the VetPAC Act to enhance the efficiency and quality of health care services provided to American veterans. The legislation creates a new Veterans Health Administration Policy Advisory Commission (VetPAC) to facilitate a transparent, expert-driven review process for the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) operations.
    “American veterans deserve the best health care our nation can offer,” said Dr. Cassidy. “The VHA must be held to the highest standard, and regular reports will allow Congress to hold them to this.”
    “Veterans have made unimaginable sacrifices in service to our country and it is crucial that we continue working to ensure our veterans can access the high-quality health care they deserve,” said Senator Hirono. “I’m proud to reintroduce the VetPAC Act to create a new, independent commission to address challenges within the VHA and improve health care access, delivery, and quality for our veterans.”
    The VetPAC would:

    Establish a 17-member independent commission of medical experts and veterans.
    Ensure critical areas such as technology, staffing, and patient care are continuously improved.
    Mandate the commission to provide regular reports to Congress.
    Allow the commission to conduct special studies as requested by Congress.
    Direct the commission to assess the budget implication of proposed recommendations.

    The VetPAC is modeled after the successful MACPAC and MedPAC. Click here for a one-pager.
    Background
    As a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Cassidy is a champion of veteran affairs issues. In January, Cassidy reintroduced the Restore VA Accountability Act to strengthen accountability by unlocking expedited disciplinary processes for VA employees who fail to adequately serve veterans.
    In December 2024, the Senate passed Cassidy’s Veteran Service Organization (VSO) Equal Tax Treatment (VETT) Act, sending the bill to the president’s desk. The bill would expand the deductibility of charitable contributions to all federally chartered tax-exempt organizations serving current and former members of the Armed Forces. The Senate also unanimously passed Cassidy’s bipartisan Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act. The legislation increases access to job counseling services for spouses of members of the Armed Forces who died while on active duty through the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program at the U.S. Department of Labor.
    In August 2024, Cassidy penned an op-ed in the American Press highlighting federal resources that support American veterans’ physical and mental health. The op-ed came on the heels of the 43rd National Veteran Wheelchair Games, which was hosted in New Orleans.
    In 2022, the Senate unanimously passed Cassidy’s Solid Start Act to strengthen the VA’s Solid Start program to contact every veteran three times by phone in the first year after they leave active duty. The program helps connect veterans with VA programs and benefits, including mental health resources.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Grassley, Heinrich Applaud Senate Committee Passage of Legislation to Combat Illegal Fentanyl

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) applaud the passage of the Halt Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. The HALT Fentanyl Act makes permanent the temporary classification of fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I drug of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The drug’s Schedule I classification is set to expire on March 31, 2025. The HALT Fentanyl Act builds on the momentum of the Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues (SOFA) Act introduced by U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI).
    “Chinese fentanyl was pouring into the U.S. under President Biden’s open border. Law enforcement needs every tool possible to combat this,” said Dr. Cassidy. “I am grateful for Chairman Grassley’s quick work to move this through the Judiciary Committee. Let’s make it law.”
    “The Senate Judiciary Committee’s broad, bipartisan passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act is an important step towards ending our nation’s deadly opioid epidemic,” said Senator Grassley. “Congress has a dwindling shot clock to pass this bill before fentanyl-related substances’ Schedule I status runs out. I urge my congressional colleagues to continue moving this legislation forward, so we can make permanent scheduling of fentanyl analogs the law of the land.” 
    “The HALT Fentanyl Act incorporates the permanent scheduling of fentanyl-related substances, which I first introduced in 2017 in the Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues Act (SOFA). SOFA served as the template for the Trump administration’s temporary scheduling rule in 2018, and it recognizes the admirable devotion of Wisconsinites Dr. Tim Westlake and Lauri Badura. Ms. Badura founded Saving Others For Archie and made it her life’s mission to end the fentanyl crisis after losing her son, Archie, to fentanyl poisoning. I’m pleased SOFA will advance to the Senate floor under the HALT Fentanyl Act,”said Senator Johnson. 
    “I’m pleased that my HALT Fentanyl Act is one step closer to becoming law,” said Senator Heinrich. “My legislation now heads to the Senate floor, and I urge my colleagues to pass it. The HALT Fentanyl Act is urgently needed to help our law enforcement crack down on illegal trafficking, get deadly fentanyl out of our communities, and save lives.” 
    The bill now awaits a vote on the U.S. Senate floor. President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has confirmed that, if Congress passes the bill in its current form, the president will sign it.
    Additionally, the bill has 24 U.S. Senate cosponsors and is supported by 40 advocacy groups, including 25 State Attorneys General, 11 major law enforcement organizations, nine major medical associations and Facing Fentanyl, a coalition of over 200 impacted family groups.
    Background:
    Drug overdoses, largely driven by fentanyl, are the leading cause of death among young adults 18 to 45 years old. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl account for 66 percent of the total U.S. overdose deaths. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2023. This was primarily fueled by synthetic opioids, including illegal fentanyl, which are largely manufactured in Mexico from raw materials supplied by China. In 2022, there were over 50.6 million fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), more than doubling the amount seized in 2021.
    In 2017, Johnson introduced SOFA in the U.S. Senate following the Wisconsin legislature’s unanimous adoption of a bill that mirrors the HALT Fentanyl Act. In 2019, Cassidy became a cosponsor of SOFA. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Cortez Masto Seek to Boost Investment in Local Police Departments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today reintroduced the bipartisan Invest to Protect Act to increase local law enforcement’s access to training, mental health support, and recruitment and retention resources.

    “Law enforcement in Iowa and across the nation are struggling with low recruitment and retention rates,” Grassley said. “Our bipartisan bill would unlock access to critical resources, allowing local law enforcement to grow and strengthen their forces. As always, I’m proud to back the blue and will continue to protect and support our courageous officers.”

    “Nevada’s small police departments deserve more access to critical funding to keep communities safe,” Cortez Masto said. “I’ll always stand up for our law enforcement, and this bipartisan bill is simple – it gets our police in rural, suburban and Tribal communities the resources they need.”

    Additional cosponsors include Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

    The Invest to Protect Act is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National Association of Police Organizations, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, the National Criminal Justice Association, the National Troopers Coalition, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, the National Tactical Officers Coalition, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the United Coalition of Public Safety, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, the New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police, the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association, the New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association, the Port Authority PBA, the NJ State Troopers Non-Commissioned Officers Association and the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.

    Download bill text HERE.

    Background:

    Most police departments in the U.S. employ fewer than 200 full-time officers. In Iowa and across the country, these departments struggle to compete with larger law enforcement agencies for access to critical resources.

    The Invest to Protect Act establishes a grant program through Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), setting aside $250 million to help local law enforcement agencies invest in their officers and communities. The bill also simplifies the grant application process to boost small agencies’ access to funding.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Judiciary Committee Advances HALT Fentanyl Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today voted to advance the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act. The bipartisan legislation, led by Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), would permanently classify fentanyl-related substances before their temporary Schedule I status expires on March 31, 2025.  

    The HALT Fentanyl Act was passed out of Committee by a bipartisan vote of 16-5. Attorney General Pam Bondi has endorsed the legislation. President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget has confirmed that, if Congress passes the bill in its current form, the president will sign it. 

    “The Senate Judiciary Committee’s broad, bipartisan passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act is an important step towards ending our nation’s deadly opioid epidemic,” Grassley said. “Congress has a dwindling shot clock to pass this bill before fentanyl-related substances’ Schedule I status runs out. I urge my congressional colleagues to continue moving this legislation forward, so we can make permanent scheduling of fentanyl analogs the law of the land.” 

    “Chinese fentanyl was pouring into the U.S. under President Biden’s open border. Law enforcement needs every tool possible to combat this,” Cassidy said. “I am grateful for Chairman Grassley’s quick work to move this through the Judiciary Committee. Let’s make it law.” 

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

    The HALT Fentanyl Act is supported by over 40 major advocacy groups, including a coalition of over 200 impacted family groups. Learn more about the bill’s widespread support HERE. 

    Download bill text HERE and a fact sheet HERE. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –