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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor Ahead of Vote to Terminate Trump’s Sham Energy Emergency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO OF KAINE IS AVAILABLE HERE.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the ways President Donald Trump’s war on American-made energy—including through his sham national energy emergency—will raise costs and cost Americans good-paying jobs. Later today, the Senate will vote on legislation led by Kaine and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) to terminate President Trump’s emergency declaration.

    “President Trump took a number of actions on his first day in office, and many of them got a lot of attention. One that didn’t get so much attention was his decision on day one—on day one—to declare that the United States was in an energy emergency,” said Kaine.

    “I am proud to stand here and tell you, especially as one who has supported many of the policies that has led to this growth in American energy, that America is producing more energy today than at any point in the history of this nation. America is the leader in the world in energy production, and for the last few years, we’ve been an energy surplus nation, producing more than we consume,” Kaine continued.

    Kaine said, “Donald Trump and his Administration are attacking wind projects. They’re attacking solar projects. They’re attacking clean energy projects that aren’t oil, coal, natural gas, and nuclear, and by doing so, they’re reducing supply and likely raising prices on American consumers.”

    “There are a number of projects in Virginia, as an example, that benefited from tax breaks included either in the Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy projects or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for rollout of electric vehicle charging,” Kaine said. “President Trump’s Administration has attacked those projects, has put them on hold, and the Virginians who were intending to invest billions of dollars hiring people to build these projects are now uncertain about what they can do.”

    “This would be more than a horrible policy… It would also set a horrible precedent—a precedent that a president of either party can invent a sham emergency and then grab away from Congress powers that Congress has under Article One,” Kaine concluded. “We took an oath to a Constitution that gives Congress certain powers. We should not let the President trample on those powers.”

    In the hours following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders, including the national energy emergency order, to withdraw support for renewable energy—despite its benefits to America’s economy and environment—and grant his administration new powers to promote fossil fuels at the cost of bedrock environmental laws. Specifically, the emergency will benefit Big Oil by giving his unelected Cabinet officials the power to oversee the accelerated approval of fossil fuel projects, including oil drilling rigs and pipelines, and explore the use of eminent domain to take Americans’ land for the “siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation” of non-solar and non-wind-related energy production.

    Last week, Kaine and Heinrich held a press conference with environmental leaders to urge their colleagues to support their legislation to end the emergency.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Heinrich Statement Regarding Republicans’ Rubber-Stamping of Trump’s War on Affordable, American-Made Energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement after their legislation to terminate the national energy emergency President Donald Trump declared to benefit Big Oil was blocked by Senate Republicans, thereby rubber-stamping Trump’s war on American-made energy that will raise energy costs and kill good-paying jobs:

    “The United States is producing more energy than any country in the world at any point in history. If President Trump wants to find the real emergency, he should look in the mirror. His war on American-made energy is yet another Trump mistake that will weaken our economy, raise prices, and kill new, good-paying jobs. And today’s vote goes to show, once again, that Senate Republicans refuse to do their jobs and put the American people above the wish lists of Trump’s donors and billionaire energy tycoons. To our colleagues: don’t say we didn’t warn you when your constituents’ energy bills go through the roof. To the American people: we’re going to keep fighting for you.”

    In the hours following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders, including the national energy emergency order, to withdraw support for renewable energy—despite its benefits to America’s economy and environment—and grant his administration new powers to promote fossil fuels at the cost of bedrock environmental laws. Specifically, the emergency will benefit Big Oil by giving his unelected cabinet officials the power to oversee the reckless approval of fossil fuel projects, including oil drilling rigs and pipelines, and explore the use of eminent domain to take Americans’ land for the “siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation” of non-solar and non-wind-related energy production.    

    Since August 2022, Democrat-led investments have created an American-made energy boom, spurring the highest levels of factory construction in American history, with more than 400,000 new jobs announced across the country. Trump’s war on American-made energy will kill these new jobs and raise families’ annual energy bills by up to 12 percent. That’s $32 billion more in total household energy costs over the next five years.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Defends Consumer Protections Under Threat by DOGE

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Defends Consumer Protections Under Threat by DOGE

    During a Wednesday Senate Democratic Banking Committee forum, Senator Reverend Warnock spotlighted disastrous harm for Georgia families because of the Trump Administration’s reckless attack on consumer protection, gutting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
    The special hearing followed the recent news of the dissolution of CFPB, one of many federal agencies gutted by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
    Senator Reverend Warnock is a member of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection, which he chaired last Congress, and which oversees the CFPB
    In partnership with Senator Reverend Warnock, CFPB addressed 266,560 complaints from Georgians, including 20,168 from servicemembers in the state
    Senator Reverend Warnock on DOGE: “The CFPB is the only financial regulator dedicated solely to protecting Americans’ wallets and pocketbooks from scammers and predatory financial services companies”

    Watch Senator Reverend Warnock at the special Banking hearing HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), member and former chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection, which oversees the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), highlighted the benefits and savings provided by the CFPB and the disasters consequences of this new administration’s efforts to dismantle the agency.
    The special hearing was organized by Ranking Member of the Banking Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and aimed to highlight the repercussions of dismantling the CFPB, which was ordered by the Elon Musk-led DOGE earlier this month.
    “If you want to see what government efficiency looks like, it’s a government agency that gets this kind of response [quick], often from bad actors who don’t want to respond, and has returned some $21 billion not to the Treasury, but to the American consumer,” said Senator Reverend Warnock during the special hearing.
    Some of the key witnesses included a former CFPB employee and others who had benefited from the work of the CFPB. Elon Musk was invited to the hearing, but did not attend.
    Last Congress, Senator Warnock worked extensively with CFPB Chair, Rohit Chopra, to return funds and protect Georgians from future financial hardship, including:
    Watch the Senator’s full remarks and line of questioning HERE. 
    See below transcript of the key exchange between Senator Warnock and the hearing witnesses:
    Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): “We’re here today because of an unelected billionaire – nobody elected Elon Musk – posing as co-President, is trying to delete the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), the only financial regulator dedicated solely to protecting Americans’ wallets and pocketbooks from scammers and predatory financial services companies.”
    “The CFPB, let’s be reminded why it was created. It was created in the wake of the financial crisis that Americans saw when Wall Street bankers got bailed out while millions lost their jobs, lost their homes, lost their life savings, lost their retirements.”
    “Let me get right to the questions because we all understand just how critical this issue is, but let me just point out that when you file a complaint with the bureau, the CFPB sends it directly to the company on your behalf. Americans need to know what they’re getting. Most companies respond within 15 days, it took less than that for Ms. McCall.  This is a model of government efficiency, that’s the tragic irony of this moment.”
    “If you want to see what government efficiency looks like, it’s a government agency that gets this kind of response, often from bad actors who don’t want to respond, and has returned some $21 billion not to the treasury, but to the American consumer.”
    “One predatory practice that has increased costs on consumers that Donald Trump says he wants to address are these opaque hidden fees. If you want to address consumer costs, deal with junk fees. These fees can prevent a working mom from being able to afford a routine car repair so she can get to work. They could mean a person with diabetes cannot afford their insulin or that a family may have to skip a meal during the week to make ends meet.”
    “Ms. Salas, what effects have the bureau’s policies, toward limiting junk fees had on consumers?”
    Ms. Salas (MS): “We placed a lot of emphasis on looking at junk fees across different markets for consumers, we looked at the mortgage market, we looked at banks, and other finance companies in the last two or three years. And in addition to the litigation that my colleagues in the enforcement team have brought to the courts, we have instructed, we have advised companies to refund consumers – over $350 million just in the work that supervision does, and that is money that consumers, American families don’t even know it was the bureau behind the company saying ‘You must give this money back’ because again the work is confidential.”
    (SRW): “So very efficient, very effective.”
    “What do you anticipate happening if congressional Republicans repeal the overdraft fee rule?”
    (MS): “I’m afraid we will go back to where we were a few years ago where consumers didn’t quite understand why they were paying all these fees on their bank accounts, on their savings, on their checking accounts, because of the complicated ways in which banks decided to order the different payments, and for people who are struggling to make ends meet, you cannot afford to lose $25, $30, $100 from your bank account.”
    (SRW): “One last question. Consumer or medical debt is a major problem in our country, we see it, especially in Georgia. According to the CFPB data as of June 2023, about 5% of Americans had unpaid medical bills on their credit reports down from 15% in March of 2022.”
    “From 15 percent now to 5 percent.”
    “Ms. Gillen, it is coming up on 2 years since the credit bureaus made this announcement. What changes have you seen on applicants’ mortgage applications and has this change made it easier for Americans to rightfully qualify for a mortgage?”
    Ms. Gillen (MG): “Yes, I have seen fewer medical debts being reported, but guilty as charged, if I see medical debt, I’ll have the borrower dispute the charge, and I’ll pull a new credit report.”
    (SRW): “Well, good for you, and the CFPB magnifies that many, many times over.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Votes to Confirm USTR Nominee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.–Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Jamieson Greer to be United States Trade Representative (USTR) by a bipartisan vote of 56-43.  In remarks delivered on the Floor, U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) called on his Senate colleagues to support the nomination, highlighting Mr. Greer’s extensive trade experience and commitment to advancing a robust trade agenda that prioritizes American farmers, ranchers, workers and businesses. 

    As delivered:
    “I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the confirmation of Mr. Jamieson Greer, who is nominated to serve as the United States Trade Representative.
    “I think I ought to set a couple of facts straight about President Trump’s utilization of the various policies when he was President the first time. 
    “It was said that wages went down, prices went up and people were going to face terrible, dire consequences if he’s able to follow his trade policies again in this term.
    “The reality is that under President Trump, wages went up, jobs went up, unemployment went down, benefits went up, the economy grew dramatically and we had the strongest economy in our lifetimes because of the policies President Trump pursued.
    “So I don’t think people should let these politics of fear saying that everything President Trump does is going to hurt people convince them otherwise.
    “The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, created in 1962 by Congress, develops and coordinates U.S. international trade policy and oversees trade negotiations with other countries.
    “The U.S. Trade Representative—the role for which Mr. Greer is nominated—historically and statutorily serves as the United States’ principal advisor, negotiator and spokesperson on trade issues.
    “Mr. Greer is well-suited for these roles as demonstrated during his previous tenure as USTR Chief of Staff when he worked with both sides of the aisle in negotiating and securing congressional approval of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which passed the Senate 89-10. 
    “Throughout the nomination process, Mr. Greer demonstrated his strong commitment to work with Congress in a bipartisan fashion to advance the interests of our farmers, ranchers, fishers and workers.
    “In particular, I applaud Mr. Greer’s commitment to open markets for our farmers and manufacturers by negotiating new agreements and enforcing existing ones. 
    “I fully welcome a return to a USTR that performs its statutory obligation of creating new opportunities for Americans.  And I look forward to USTR’s forthcoming reviews of foreign trade barriers that stymie U.S. investment and exports.
    “I urge my colleagues to join me, now, to advance Mr. Greer’s nomination.
    “It is critical to have a USTR at the helm of these investigations and to support the Administration’s return to an active and robust trade agenda that prioritizes American farmers, ranchers, workers and businesses.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Backs Legislation to Protect Idaho Lands from the Chinese Communist Party

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) again joined Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) to introduce the No American Land for Communist China Act, which would prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from purchasing farmland adjacent to federal lands.  This legislation would protect Idaho and other western states from the threat of the CCP buying up property next to federal lands that could harm critical mineral and energy production taking place on those lands.  It would also protect our critical U.S. military and infrastructure sites from CCP surveillance.

    “Allowing the CCP to purchase western lands poses a plethora of risks including threats to our national security and encroachment on America’s natural resources,” said Crapo.  “We must protect Idaho and our western neighbors from threats seen and unseen.” 

    “Putting America First means preventing the Chinese Communist Party from buying up western land and putting our military bases, critical energy, and mineral production at risk,” said Lummis.  “The people of Wyoming know that allowing the CCP to buy up our land compromises both our national and economic security.”

    This legislation would prohibit any agent or business affiliated with the CCP from purchasing land adjacent to federal land in the United States.  Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) co-sponsored this legislation.

    Representative Dan Newhouse (R-Washington) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.  

    Access full bill text here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Hickenlooper Speaks Out Against Trump Admin’s False “Energy Emergency”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Hickenlooper: “Let’s call this political theater [out] for what it is: an attempt to accelerate oil and gas projects while at the same time, holding back our renewable energy.”  
    U.S. energy production exceeded consumption by widest margin in U.S. history in 2023
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper spoke on the Senate floor against the Trump administration’s claim that the U.S. faces a “national energy emergency.” He highlighted that an “all of the above” approach to energy, including historic investments in renewable energy from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, have created a U.S. energy boom and lowered energy costs for working families.
    Hickenlooper’s speech comes ahead of a Senate vote on a resolution to overturn President Trump’s energy emergency declaration.

    “America’s energy economy is booming in large part because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act – bills that make historic investments in American-made energy. These bills have created more than 400,000 good-paying jobs.
    “Cutting funding from these critical pieces of legislation is going to hit our rural communities the hardest – where it could provide the greatest benefit. It’ll shrink county government revenue. It will force layoffs, and ultimately it will increase the cost of energy. 
    President Trump issued an executive order on January 20th declaring a “National Energy Emergency” claiming that “the policies of the previous administration have driven our Nation into a national emergency where a precariously inadequate and intermittent energy supply, and an increasingly unreliable grid, require swift and decisive action.”
    The president’s claim contradicts widespread evidence that U.S. energy production continues to surpass consumption. Excluding coal, the U.S. produced more energy in 2023 than any other country in the world. 
    Last week, Hickenlooper introduced an amendment to the Republican budget resolution protecting the low cost of energy by blocking Republican-led attempts to slow renewable energy development. Every Republican voted against it. Watch his speech in support of his amendment HERE. To download a full video of Hickenlooper’s remarks, click HERE. A full transcript of his remarks is available below:
    “Mr. President, 
    “The United States is in an energy boom. Our nation has never produced more electricity, oil, and gas than we are producing right now.
    “This ‘all the above’ approach to energy using everything – including solar, wind, and geothermal – is keeping energy prices as low as possible for working families – but at the same time recognizing that climate change is real – and moving towards a clean energy future. Excluding coal, the U.S. produced more energy than any other country in the history of the world in 2023.
    “It appears that some in this administration are determined to undo that progress.
    “Despite American leadership in energy, the President signed an executive order on his first day declaring a ‘national energy emergency.’
    “That sounds dramatic and almost theatrical, because it’s meant to be. Let’s call this political theater for what it is: an attempt to accelerate oil and gas projects while at the same time, holding back our renewable energy.
    “Of course, there are things that we need to be doing to keep energy cleaner, prices lower, and to cement American energy independence.
    “For starters, we need to increase energy production. We need to meet our energy future by streamlining permitting of our new energy projects – of all our energy projects – while at the same time being mindful about the environmental impacts and giving impacted communities a public forum. We need to upgrade our grid. We need to increase clean domestic critical mineral production.
    “But that’s not what his executive order will do. In fact, it won’t do a single one of these things.
    “They claim we’re in an emergency, an ‘energy emergency.’ But they continue to block federal wind and energy permits.
    “They claim we’re in an emergency, an ‘energy emergency.’ But then they ship oil and gas overseas.
    “They [claim we’re in] an ‘energy emergency,’ and yet their actions would cede complete control of what eventually will be an enormous global market in renewable energy to China.
    “The administration has also fired thousands of government workers who play vital roles in American energy – all in the name of government efficiency and giving tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy.
    “Listen, I’m all for making government more efficient. I’ve worked on that most of my public life. If you want to seriously look at how we spend money and where we can actually cut fraud, waste, and abuse – I’m game. But hastily, almost randomly firing Department of Energy employees or letting go 300 workers who maintain our nuclear security and safety, I don’t think that’s the way to do it.
    “Our office has even heard from a private company that is worried that the federal employee responsible for managing their permitting process is about to be fired, placing the entire success of their project at risk. They help bring energy to our local communities. This will stop them dead in their tracks and raise prices for households at the same time.
    “America’s energy economy is booming in large part because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act – bills that make historic investments in American-made energy. These bills have created more than 400,000 good-paying jobs.
    “And yet, there’s an effort by some in the Congress, mostly Republicans, I should say all Republicans, and the administration, but that effort is to slash and impede the progress that we’ve made. Even though an estimated 70% of the benefits – the jobs, the investments, the increased energy – are going to red states.
    “Cutting funding from these critical pieces of legislation is going to hit our rural communities the hardest – where it could provide the greatest benefit. It’ll shrink county government revenue. It will force layoffs, and ultimately it will increase the cost of energy. 
    “Clean energy isn’t just some liberal boogeyman, it’s not some notion. In fact, most of the energy that’s ready to go as we expand our capacity, that’s ready to go, is clean and affordable. Solar, wind, storage, they make up 95% of the capacity of new energy ready to connect to our grid. Wind generates 10% of our electricity now and will provide much more affordable, renewable energy if more permits were made available.
    “Withholding funds already appropriated by Congress through these laws – if these funds are withheld, energy bills can balloon by up to 12% for American families. That’s at least $240/year for working families that they’ll have to come up with one way or another. And certainly, when you’re struggling to afford eggs at the grocery store, trying to balance your checkbook at the end of the month, the last thing you need is an increase in your energy bill. 
    “Some in Congress, some Republicans have introduced their budget which strips critical services for Coloradans, while adding four trillion dollars to our national debt. All primarily so they can give tax breaks of which more than half go to the ultra-wealthy, who at least many in Colorado don’t even want. 
    “I put an amendment on the floor that would strip any provision from their budget that would raise energy costs for Americans. Now, how can people be opposed to that?
    “And yet every Republican voted against it.
    “I think they’re putting politics over people.  
    “We’re able to keep energy prices low for working families because we use everything – oil, gas, geothermal, wind. So rather than limiting energy sources, proclaiming a false emergency, or firing critical government employees, let’s meet the moment and usher in a new energy future that helps everyone. 
    “A future marked by a resilient energy grid built by American innovation that delivers low-cost, reliable energy for every Coloradan, for every American.
    “If this administration is looking for a bipartisan roadmap on this, we have one.
    “We should pass permitting reform that streamlines review for ALL energy projects, not just oil and gas. We can build a modern electric grid that will reduce energy prices – for all.
    “Let’s continue supporting emerging technologies like advanced geothermal and nuclear so that we can remain dominant in the markets that are emerging.
    “And let’s stop picking winners and losers! The vast majority of new electricity is coming from low-cost solar, wind, and energy storage. Let’s follow the law and let the investments in energy from the past few years go to the communities that need them.
    “Let’s cut the nonsense: this isn’t an energy emergency. It’s an energy opportunity.
    “This administration’s actions certainly would cause an emergency for many Colorado and American working families.
    “Mr. President, I yield back the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Ensures Relief for Iowa Poultry Farmers, Consumers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, secured critical relief for Iowa poultry farmers who have been affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) while simultaneously moving forward a strategy to drive down egg prices for consumers.
    Following an announcement from Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be implementing many of Ernst’s recommendations to enhance the agency’s response to the ongoing outbreak, Ernst continued to amplify the experiences of producers at today’s Senate Agriculture Committee hearing.
    She emphasized the impact of the outbreak on Iowa producers and asked witnesses about the importance a vaccination strategy to protect laying hens and turkeys from the virus while also maintaining export access to international markets.

    Watch her full line of questioning here.
    Download audio from Senator Ernst here.
    “In the last few months, we have seen over 7 million birds just in Iowa alone that have been impacted, and unfortunately, it is a number that continues to grow every single day — even with farmers who are adopting the heightened biosecurity protocols and states that are implementing strict movement controls,” said Ernst. “While there is a significant amount of work ahead — I am thankful that this remains a top priority for the administration — and we did see earlier today Secretary Rollins announcing several steps she is taking to mitigate the ongoing outbreak.”
    Background:
    Ernst has long been a champion of foreign animal disease prevention and preparedness efforts including the bipartisan Animal Disease and Disaster Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act and her Beagle Brigade Act, which was recently signed into law.
    Following the increase in HPAI outbreaks in both Iowa poultry flocks and dairy herds, she has also worked to hold federal agencies accountable to provide public and state agencies with coordinated, up-to-date, and accurate information on the spread of HPAI. Most recently, she has worked directly with President Trump’s USDA togive a roadmap for HPAI response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Concerned About Long-Term Viability of SBA Loan Program After Biden’s Recklessness

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – During a Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing on the long-term viability of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 7(a) loan program, Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) blasted the Biden administration for loosening the rules and recklessly expanding the program.
    Ernst warned that declining revenues and rising default rates risked forcing taxpayers to foot the bill for the loan program that had previously operated without subsidy.
    Click here to watch Chair Ernst’s remarks.
    Click here to download high-resolution photos.
    During her questioning, Ernst spoke with First National Bank Senior Vice President Timothy Fitzgibbon of West Des Moines about the threat posed by the Biden administration significantly weakening underwriting standards in the 7(a) program.
    She went on to raise concern about the long-term viability of the program after it posted four straight quarters of negative cash flow as a result of rising delinquencies and falling revenue from fees.
    Ernst concluded her questioning by asking the witnesses about the specific role of Lender Service Providers (LSPs) and how it affects SBA lenders and consequently the American taxpayers. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chair Ernst Delivers Opening Remarks at 7(a) Loan Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – Today, at the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing on the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 7(a) loan program, Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) detailed how the Biden administration’s loosening of rules and reckless expansion of the program increased the risk for American taxpayers.
    Ernst highlighted how the actions of the previous administration opened the door to rising default rates and declining revenues that threaten to force taxpayers to foot the bill for the 7(a) program that has previously operated without subsidies.

    Watch Chair Ernst’s full opening remarks here.
    Ernst’s full opening remarks:
    “Nearly two years ago, we met to discuss the reckless new rules the Small Business Administration (SBA) implemented for the 7(a) loan program.
    “They removed time-tested underwriting standards that mitigated the risk of default for American taxpayers who guarantee these loans.
    “These new rules also opened the door to foreseeable fraud by enabling a potentially unlimited number of unregulated, non-depository institutions to become permanently licensed SBA lenders as Small Business Lending Companies, or SBLCs.
    “The last administration’s 7(a) rules were the most drastic changes to the program in decades, which is why members on a bipartisan basis voiced their concerns. Unfortunately, those concerns fell on deaf ears.
    “I aggressively sought to understand how the SBA was selecting and approving these new SBLCs to participate in 7(a). 
    “The types of lenders the SBA was looking to license – fintechs – were responsible for facilitating widespread financial fraud and improper payments in the Paycheck Protection Program.
    “I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record an April 24, 2024, letter that I sent with House Small Business Committee Chairman Williams to the SBA requesting information on the SBLC selection process. Without objection, so ordered.
    “Two years later, we still have little insight. Even the recent SBA’s Inspector General (IG) report on the subject was woefully inadequate.
    “The IG report stated the SBA followed its own procedures, but they failed to evaluate whether those procedures were adequate.
    “The IG didn’t bother to investigate whether there was collusion between SBA officials and one of the largest applicants for a lending license, Funding Circle US.
    “Nor did the report answer why the SBA and the IG concluded the cash position of Funding Circle US was sufficient, despite the fact that it was losing millions.
    “The Biden SBA’s dangerous loosening of the underwriting and eligibility rules weren’t the only efforts to undermine the financial soundness of the 7(a) loan program.
    “A year before the rule, the agency started to cut the fees charged to borrowers and lenders—fees meant to protect the taxpayer from having to subsidize bad loans.
    “For three years straight, the SBA cut these fees, inexplicably allowing loans of up to one million dollars to be made without the borrower or lender having to pay for the guarantees the American taxpayer provided.
    “As I said in a letter to President Trump on January 21st, the looming 7(a) fee increases are entirely due to the previous Administration’s incompetent management of the program, which has harmed taxpayers and the small businesses saddled with debt they can’t manage, while irresponsible lenders get paid no matter what.
    “I ask unanimous consent to enter this letter into the record. Without objection, so ordered.
    “We are seeing the impacts of these rule changes, with the 12-month default rate more than doubling to roughly 3.2 percent since these rules went into effect, and defaults on loans less than 18 months old nearly tripling to almost one and a half percent over that same period.
    “While the Biden-Harris SBA tried to blame this on rising interest rates, defaults on SBA loans have been increasing faster than those in the private sector, which is evidence of poor policy decisions.
    “It should come as no surprise that for the first time in 12 years, 12 years, the 7(a) program lost money.
    “This negative cash flow must be immediately addressed by reversing the misguided decisions of the past administration.
    “This program was designed to operate with zero subsidy – and I worry we are on the cusp of forcing taxpayers to foot the bill, something we should avoid at all costs.
    “I want to commend Administrator Loeffler for her recognition of these problems in her day one memo released this week and her willingness to hit the ground running.
    “It is clear that the solvency of the SBA’s lending programs is a major priority for the Administrator, who has committed to doing what’s necessary to ensure their zero-subsidy status is secure.
    “Today’s hearing provides an opportunity for us to speak with SBA participants to understand their concerns about the 7(a) program’s financial stability.
    “It also allows the Committee to gather concrete suggestions on ways to reduce the risk faced by taxpayers while ensuring the program continues to be a resource for entrepreneurs who need assistance accessing capital.
    “I’d like to thank our witnesses for being here today and I look forward to your testimony.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Spokane Police Chief Joins Cantwell for Hearing on Fentanyl Trafficking on U.S. Transportation Networks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    02.26.25

    Spokane Police Chief Joins Cantwell for Hearing on Fentanyl Trafficking on U.S. Transportation Networks

    Cantwell bill to help law enforcement detect more fentanyl traffickers has been endorsed by Seattle, King Co., Vancouver, Spokane, and Spokane Co. Police Departments; SPD Chief: “Any tool will help us down this road, whether it’s x-ray technology, vapor technology [or] canine technology”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, invited Spokane Chief of Police Kevin Hall to participate in a Commerce Committee hearing titled, “Interdicting Illicit Drug Trafficking: A View from the Front Lines.”

    During the hearing, Sen. Cantwell discussed how her legislation, the Stop Smuggling Illicit Synthetic Drugs on U.S. Transportation Networks Act, could boost law enforcement’s ability to detect fentanyl being smuggled via commercial aircraft, railroads, vehicles, and ships.

    In his opening remarks, Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall explained how cartels utilize U.S. transportation networks to traffic fentanyl across state lines: “Recent seizures highlight the scale of trafficking along transportation routes,” said Chief Hall. “[The] Spokane supply chain follows similar patterns, moving drugs from Mexico along interstates, I-19, I-10 and I-5, before reaching Eastern Washington via I-90. Spokane officers have recently encountered bulk powder fentanyl, an emerging and highly dangerous trend.”  

    “The supply chain is clear: the Chinese Triad sells precursor chemicals to Mexican drug cartels, hidden on ships and in air cargoes, and cartels make fentanyl and smuggle it through the United States,” said Sen. Cantwell. “They hide fentanyl and personal vehicles, commercial trucks, buses, trains, planes and even on unmanned aerial vehicles. So, this is a danger to our national security and our transportation security. It is very highly toxic.”

    During the hearing, Chief Hall – who previously served 32 years for the Tucson Police Department, about an hour’s drive from the Southern border — described the elaborate methods used by cartels to smuggle fentanyl pills into the country: “The investment by the cartels — and make no mistake, this is all cartel driven — is such that they will completely disassemble a vehicle, a brand new vehicle, put as much narcotics into every single void inside that vehicle, and then assemble it again. They will go through that amount of energy, put the vehicle back together, and put it on the road and it’s off on the freeways.”

    That was the case in a pair of busts led by the Tucson Police Department in October and November of 2024, when 1.7 million pills were discovered stashed away in vehicles just north of the border: “Two nondescript sedans that had to be completely disassembled in order to recover all of those narcotics,” Chief Hall said.

    “This is why I want us to have a more collaborative effort here. . . . they’re tearing cars apart, and so, what do you think a new vapor technology could help us do?” Sen. Cantwell asked.

    “Any tool will help us down this road, whether it’s x-ray technology, vapor technology, even going to like, I call old school, canine technology. They’re all very effective in different ways,” said Chief Hall.

    In September 2024, Sen. Cantwell introduced the Stop Smuggling Illicit Synthetic Drugs on U.S. Transportation Networks Act. This bill would create first-ever inspection strategies to stop drug smuggling by commercial aircraft, railroads, vehicles, and ships. The legislation would boost local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement resources, increase inspections at ports of entry, and deploy next generation non-intrusive detection technologies – similar to handheld security wands that can detect traces of illicit substances in vehicles or on persons during inspections.

    Sen. Cantwell held a press conference with Spokane Police Chief Hall and Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels on this legislation at Spokane Fire Station 1 this past October. Photos from that press conference are available HERE.

    Sen. Cantwell’s bill aims to support law enforcement in stemming the flow of fentanyl into our communities. The bill would supply more resources to carry out actions like the major bust at SeaTac Airport and the University District neighborhood completed by the Seattle office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) last fall, or the bust led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and others that prevented more than 100 pounds of illegal drugs from being trafficked across the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in April 2023.

    At today’s hearing, Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) committed to working with Sen. Cantwell on legislation to stop illicit fentanyl smuggling in the United States.

    “Intercepting illicit drugs like fentanyl at airports is challenging, but we’re grateful to be working with partners at all levels to combat drugs being imported into our communities,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Toshiko Hasegawa. “Many of these drugs are in checked bags and go through a screening process, but the struggle lies in bridging the gap between technology and legal restrictions. The POSPD drug interdiction unit, alongside our drug detection canines, are successfully seizing large quantities of fentanyl pills and other substances and remain committed to making our communities and the airport safer.”

    Sen. Cantwell has pursued multiple paths to addressing the fentanyl crisis, including holding a statewide listening tour to hear directly from people on the front lines of the fentanyl crisis; urging committees of jurisdiction to convene hearings and consider legislative solutions; voting for new laws to provide funding and tools to confront the crisis; and securing funding specifically for Washington state to respond to the crisis.

    Among other measures to fight fentanyl trafficking, last year Sen. Cantwell voted for $1.69 billion in new federal funding to combat fentanyl and other illicit drugs coming into the United States, including an additional $385.2 million to increase security at U.S. ports of entry, with the goal of catching more illegal drugs like fentanyl before they make it across the border.  That funding included critical resources for Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology at land and seaports of entries. NII technologies—like large-scale X-ray and Gamma ray imaging systems, as well as a variety of portable and handheld technologies—allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help detect and prevent contraband from being smuggled into the country without disrupting flow at the border. 

    A background document on Sen. Cantwell’s legislative track record and advocacy to combat the fentanyl crisis is available HERE.

    Video of Chief Hall’s full opening remarks is HERE and a transcript is HERE. Video of Sen. Cantwell’s opening remarks is HERE; video of their Q&A is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA “Gutted its Civil Service Workforce Around the Country,” Writes Cantwell in Letter to Administrator Loeffler

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    02.26.25
    SBA “Gutted its Civil Service Workforce Around the Country,” Writes Cantwell in Letter to Administrator Loeffler
    Small Business Administration provides education and financial support to entrepreneurs, including disaster relief loans Sen. Cantwell joined all Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship in letter demanding that Administrator Loeffler end arbitrary firings & review their legality
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined the Democratic members of the Small Business Committee in sending a letter to Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler. The letter demands answers on the recent arbitrary mass firings by the Trump administration of SBA public servants, including loan and disaster assistance staff and veterans.
    “Over the past week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has taken unprecedented personnel actions that have gutted its civil service workforce around the country,” wrote the Senators in the letter. “This includes the firing of hundreds of SBA employees serving their probationary work period. Yet, SBA has provided us with no direct information about these terminations, including why they were undertaken, the number and identities of fired employees, or which SBA offices were impacted.”
    The Senators continued, “In order to ensure small businesses continue to receive the SBA services they need to thrive, we request the following: First, put an immediate stop to the arbitrary firings of career civil servants and reinstate them immediately, with backpay. Second, have your Deputy Inspector General conduct a thorough review of the SBA’s actions to ensure that any termination was lawful. And third, promptly brief the Committee’s minority staff on SBA’s recent personnel actions and its plan to implement the President’s deferred resignations and RIF executive order.”
    The SBA provides several key services to small business owners in Washington state, including educational programs, and financial support like disaster relief loans.
    The Senators’ letter asks the Administrator to direct the Deputy Inspector General to undertake this thorough review because President Trump recently fired the SBA Inspector General when he illegally fired at least 17 Inspectors General (IGs) in a mass Friday night firing, leaving a vacancy in that position.  Last week, Sen. Cantwell joined 26 Senate Democrats in filing an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit brought by eight of those fired IGs challenging their illegal firings by Trump.  The former SBA IG is one of the plaintiffs in that suit challenging Trump’s unlawful action.
    In a January meeting with former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), President Donald Trump’s then-nominee to lead the SBA, Sen. Cantwell emphasized the critical importance of aid to small businesses following disasters. Earlier that month, the SBA opened two Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in Washington specifically to help businesses and residents who incurred losses during the November 2024 bomb cyclone that struck Washington state.
    In June 2024, Sen. Cantwell introduced the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Training and Toolkit Act, which would authorize the Department of Commerce to work with the SBA to create and distribute artificial intelligence resources and tools to help small business leverage AI in their operations.
    The State of Washington is home to 672,472 small businesses, making up 99.5 percent of all WA businesses and employing 1.4 million workers, or 48.4% of all Washington employees. Between March 2022 and March 2023, small businesses created 61,763 new jobs, accounting for 80.5 percent of all net job creation in WA.
    The full text of the letter is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Introduces Legislation to Halt Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) today introduced the Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act, which calls for the immediate halt of dangerous gain-of-function (GOF) research. GOF research aims to genetically alter a virus or organism to gain or lose function on its transmissibility or pathogenicity. Most evidence suggests the COVID-19 virus is more than likely the product of GOF research conducted in Wuhan, China. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) is a cosponsor of the legislation. 
    Senator Marshall has repeatedly called for complete transparency and accountability from the federal government regarding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of this responsibility requires that all present and future gain-of-function research be halted immediately due to safety concerns.
    “History has proven that viruses can escape even the most secure labs, and gain-of-function research can kill more people than a nuclear weapon,” said Senator Marshall. “The Dangerous Viral Gain-of-Function Research Moratorium Act is critical to ensure the federal government immediately ceases funding for this irresponsible, high-risk work. The era of unaccountable taxpayer-funded science done in the name of ‘global health’ needs to end.”
    “If the COVID pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we cannot allow gain-of-function research to do more harm than good,” said Senator Blackburn. “This legislation would halt all federal research grants involving risky gain-of-function research on potential pandemic pathogens until oversight is improved and safety guardrails become a guarantee.”
    “This bill from Senator Dr. Roger Marshall (R-KS) to stop federal funding of dangerous gain-of-function research is a common sense solution to preventing the next laboratory-acquired infection from becoming another pandemic,” said Dr. Steven Quay, M.D., PhD., Physician-Scientist and CEO of biopharmaceutical company Atossa Therapeutics.
    Click HERE to read the bill text.
    Background:
    In 2024, Senate Democrats blocked Senator Marshall’s effort to pass similar legislation.
    In 2014, The Obama Administration ordered a pause on all gain-of-function research due to increased leaks and infectious material spills from laboratories receiving government dollars.
    In 2017 – with key cabinet appointments vacant or pending Senate confirmations – the National Institute for Health (NIH) successfully advocated for lifting the moratorium.
    Reports released from the Republican-led Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic concluded that “the Wuhan Institute of Virology used NIAID money to conduct ‘gain-of-function’ studies that modified distantly related coronaviruses,” an outcome which undoubtedly led to the global COVID-19 pandemic via a lab-leak. 
    To learn more about Senator Marshall’s oversight efforts of GOF research, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Introduces Legislation to Prevent Foreign Interference in American Agriculture

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) introduced the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act, which would permanently add the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to help prevent improper foreign interference and disruption to the U.S. agriculture industry.
    CFIUS is the governmental body that oversees the vetting process of foreign investment and acquisition of American companies. In addition to permanently adding the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS, the bill would require that the Secretary report any transaction that could threaten national security, specifically concerning purchases made by adversarial nations like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran.
    “Food Security is national security, and it’s high time that we start recognizing this before it is too late,” said Senator Marshall. “The Secretary of Agriculture needs a seat at the table when the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States is considering foreign agricultural investments. Having an agriculture presence on CFIUS helps the committee better understand the risks foreign investment can pose to farmers and ranchers, and the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act ensures that.”
    The legislation is cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska).
    “The Chinese Communist Party has proven over and over again they cannot be trusted. They are our adversary, not our ally. All Americans should be alarmed by the amount of American farmland China and other foreign entities own. Giving our adversaries any control over our agricultural resources is a direct threat to our national and food security. Senator Marshall’s legislation will help protect America’s farms and safeguard our food supply,” said Senator Barrasso.
    “Nearly two-thirds of land in Indiana – and more than half of all land in the United States – is farmland,” said Senator Young. “Recent efforts by China and other adversaries to buy agricultural land across the country could present a national security threat. Indiana is a leader in restricting these purchases, but Congress must act to ensure permanent safeguards are in place in all fifty states.”
    “Wisconsin’s farms are the backbone of our state,” said Senator Baldwin. “They’re not just about food, they’re about people’s livelihoods, our economy, and our way of life. That’s why I’m fighting to protect our family farms and agricultural communities from bad actors like China that threaten our food supply, economy, and national security. I’m proud to work with Democratic and Republican colleagues to protect our farmers and rural communities and ensure our Made in Wisconsin agricultural economy stays strong for the next generation.”
    “Allowing our adversaries to have any form of control over our food supply is a dangerous game, and one we should never play. Our commonsense legislation will protect America’s interests by ensuring that any foreign investments in the agricultural sector are thoroughly vetted,” said Senator Fischer.
    U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (R-Washington-4) also introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    “The Chinese Communist Party is our most formidable adversary, and we must act immediately to defend our food and national security interests,” said Rep. Newhouse. “Farmers, ranchers, and landowners across the country deserve the certainty offered by adding the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS to ensure they are not selling land to an entity controlled by the CCP. We must prevent the CCP from purchasing land near federal property, including military installations and national laboratories, to protect our domestic security interests. I am glad to have the support of my colleagues in the House and Senate on these critical pieces of legislation and appreciate the comments by President Trump and Secretary Rollins to keep our enemies out of our backyard.”
    Specifically, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act would:
    Add the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of CFIUS
    Protect the U.S. agriculture industry from foreign control through transactions, mergers, acquisitions, or agreements
    Designate agricultural supply chains as critical infrastructure and critical technologies
    Require a report to Congress on current and potential foreign investments in the U.S. agricultural industry from USDA and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
    Read the bill HERE.
    BACKGROUND:
    Over the past few years, the United States has experienced a rapid increase in foreign investment in the agricultural sector, particularly from China. Growing foreign investment in agriculture and other essential industries, like health care and energy, threatens our country’s national security. 
    According to USDA data from December 2023, foreign investors own approximately 45 million acres of U.S. agricultural land. This represents an increase of over 1.5 million acres in one calendar year. Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land increased modestly from 2012 to 2017 at an average increase of 0.6 million acres per year. However, since 2017, this number skyrocketed to an average of 2.6 million acres annually. Additionally, between 2010 and 2021, entities or individuals from China increased their ownership of U.S. agricultural land more than twentyfold, from 13,720 acres to 383,935 acres.
    Data from the 2023 Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) report shows that Kansas agricultural land with foreign interest totals over 1.3 million acres.
    CFIUS is authorized to oversee and review foreign investment and ownership in domestic businesses as it relates to national security. Currently, the Committee does not directly consider the needs of the agriculture industry when reviewing foreign investment and ownership in domestic businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins Newsmax to Discuss Radical Kansas Governor Kelly’s Veto and DOGE

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined National Report on Newsmax this morning to discuss the Kansas legislature overriding Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of Senate Bill 63, or the Help Not Harm Act. This legislation would protect children from genital mutilation and irreversible hormone replacement treatments. Senator Marshall also discussed the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to root out waste, fraud, and abuse.
    [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 Kansas legislature overriding Governor Kelly’s veto of the Help Not Harm Act:
    “I’m very proud of my Republican caucus back in Kansas, both on the House and Senate side, they’re standing up to the governor. Look, 90% of Kansans think that letting boys compete in girls’ sports or doing transition surgeries on minors, is wrong. So this isn’t just an 80/20 issue, it’s a 90 to 10 issue.” 
    “We have an obligation, not just as a senator, but as parents, as grandparents, as community members, to protect these children. These boys and girls deserve our love and our compassion. They’ve got other things going on. They need our support, but the last thing we need to do is give them an irreversible surgery that’s going to leave them scarred and in pain for the rest of their lives as well.” 
    On the efforts of DOGE to root out waste, fraud, and abuse within the U.S. government:
    “President Trump was elected to make change. We spend $2 trillion more every year than we take in…We think that there are hundreds of billions of dollars of waste, fraud, and abuse. I’ll start off by saying that only 6% of federal workers in DC are working in the office.” 
    “If I was Elon, I’m asking him to double down, not go slower, double down, and we’re going to correct the pieces as we go along as well. Think about what Elon did with Twitter. He fired 80% of the people when he took over Twitter, he changed the name of it, and now today, it’s worth twice as much as it was before. So Elon has proved he can do this with large organizations. He has the president’s trust. He’s working day in and day out with the president.”
    “Just yesterday, the president instituting transparency for hospitals and their procedures was something that we’ve been working on with DOGE and the president. Full speed ahead. Let’s Make America Great Again.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Hoyle, Salinas Join Legislation to Lower VA Medical Care Costs for Traveling Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    February 26, 2025
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden along with U.S. Reps. Val Hoyle (OR-04) and Andrea Salinas (OR-06) said today they are joining legislation that would make it easier for 8 million veterans in Oregon and nationwide to receive essential health care and ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs’ travel reimbursement rate keeps pace with inflation and gas prices. 
    “It’s unacceptable that the very people who chose to serve and defend our country are forced to choose between the cost of health care or the cost of their travel,” Wyden said. “ This legislation will ensure no veteran must make that impossible and unfair choice. Let’s honor these heroes for their service by cutting their costs and providing them with the medical treatment they need–no matter where they are.”
    “Our veterans have served, sacrificed and shown the ultimate commitment to our country.  In return, it is our responsibility to make sure they are taken care of and can get the healthcare they need at an affordable cost,” said Rep. Hoyle. “This legislation would reduce costs for veterans traveling to doctors’ appointments, increase reimbursement rates, and is especially beneficial for the many veterans in my district who live in rural or remote communities. We have more veterans than any other district in Oregon, and I am proud to support this legislation to deliver for them.”  
    “As the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, I am focused on bringing down the high cost of living for America’s heroes. That includes making health care more accessible and affordable, especially for veterans on fixed incomes and those in rural areas who have to travel long distances to see a doctor,” said Rep. Salinas. “The DRIVE Act would cut costs for veterans by ensuring they are fairly reimbursed for gas and other travel expenses to and from their appointments. I am proud to support this legislation because it will make life more affordable for those who have bravely served our country.”
    The Driver Reimbursement Increase for Veteran Equity (DRIVE) Act would require the VA to ensure the beneficiary travel reimbursement rate is at least aligned with the General Services Administration reimbursement rate for federal employees using their personal vehicles for official business. The bill would also ensure timely processing to ensure veterans receive their reimbursement within 90 days.  
    The bill was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senator Peter Welch, D-Vt., and in the House by U.S. Representative Julia Brownley, D-Calif. In addition to Wyden, Hoyle and Salinas, the bill was cosponsored by Senators Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai’i., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Representatives Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, Juan Vargas, D-Calif, Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., Brad Sherman, D-Calif., Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Nikki Budzinski, D-Ill., Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla, Ted Lieu, D-Calif, and Dina Titus, D-Nev.
    The text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Statement on Reckless Firings at Togus Medical Center

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today released the following statement following the termination of seven employees at Togus Medical Center; five of whom are veterans themselves:
    “I am deeply troubled by the news from Togus that seven Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Maine probationary staffers were terminated yesterday — five of whom are veterans themselves. These firings appear arbitrary and without any strategic thinking; these men and women were fired simply because of their probationary status, not because of their job performance. These employees worked as police dispatchers, managed logistics, and served in the Veterans Experience Office. All these roles play a critical part in delivering the care and support our veterans earned and deserve. Without a police dispatcher, there will not be someone to connect police and first responders as they respond to emergencies at Togus. Without logistics staff, there will not be anyone to distribute incoming supply orders; meaning medical departments across the hospital won’t have timely access to the supplies they need.
    “At a time when Maine’s veteran population needs are on the rise, now is not the time for us to ask the hard working staff of the VA to do more with less. The fact that the majority of the Togus firings are veterans themselves adds insult to injury as they work to deliver care to those who served.”
    The news comes as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has dismissed 1,000 probationary federal employees and announced plans to cut an additional 1,400 probationary employees in a second round of layoffs — all part of the current Administration’s efforts to trim the federal workforce. Additionally, job cuts across federal agencies are disproportionally impacting veterans who make up nearly 30% of the federal workforce. In back-to-back joint hearings this week of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) and the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC), Senator King sounded the alarm on the detrimental impact these reckless firings will have on veteran care and support.
    Earlier today at the joint House/Senate hearing, Senator King voiced his wider concern of the VA purge in his opening comments before laying out his policy priorities to The American Legion witness, urging veterans to report of any shortcomings that arise due to the firings:
    “We have had 2,400 firings in the last two weeks. Do not forget we had a hiring freeze and with normal attrition, we probably lost another 2,000 people, so we are talking about almost 5,000 people out of the VA Service. It bothers me when people talk about bureaucrats. They say we will protect the doctors and the direct service workers, but if nobody is in there to answer the phone when a veteran calls for an appointment, that is a denial of benefits. And so this idea that bureaucrats are not important really galls me. The Secretary said, ‘after all of these cuts, veterans will notice a change for the better.’ It reminds me of the old country song, ‘who will you believe, me or your own lying eyes.’ I want you to tell us what is actually happening.”
    Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King has been a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. A member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), he works to ensure American veterans receive their earned benefits and that the VA is properly implementing various programs such as the PACT Act, the State Veterans Homes Domiciliary Care Flexibility Act, and the John Scott Hannon Act. Earlier this month, in a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins, Senator King joined his colleagues in urging for immediate action to secure veterans’ personal information provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), a measure that would protect millions of veterans’ medical records stored in VA’s computer systems. Previously, Senator King introduced the Lethal Means Safe Storage for Veteran Suicide Prevention Act to provide firearm storage to veterans in an effort to reduce suicides among the veteran population. In addition, he helped pass the Veterans COLA Act, which increased benefits for 30,000 Maine veterans and their families. Recently, Senator King introduced bipartisan legislation alongside SVAC Chairman Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) to improve care coordination for veterans who rely on both VA health care and Medicare. This week, Senator King was honored by the Disabled American Veterans as its 2025 Legislator of the Year. Last year, he was recognized by the Wounded Warrior Project as the 2024 Legislator of the Year for his “outstanding legislative effort and achievement to improve the lives of the wounded, ill, and injured veterans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 26th, 2025 Heinrich Responds to Latest Developments on Health Care Center in Southern New Mexico Denying Medical Care to New Mexicans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    In a post published to his social media this morning, Heinrich condemned Ben Archer Health Center for turning away patients without birth certificates on-hand at their clinics
    Heinrich: “What Ben Archer was pulling at its health clinics wasn’t just wrong, it was illegal.”
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement today after constituents notified his office that Ben Archer Health Center was denying medical care to individuals unable to provide “proof of citizenship”:
    “What Ben Archer was pulling at its health clinics wasn’t just wrong, it was illegal. I am glad they reversed course, and that they did it quickly. Let this be a lesson to all health care providers that we will hold you accountable for following the law,” said Heinrich.
    “The idea that kids should have to take their birth certificate to school to get care at the school health clinic? It’s just ludicrous. We have skyrocketing grocery prices, a housing crisis, and now, a measles outbreak in New Mexico and Texas. We need our elected officials focused on fixing real issues and our health care providers focused on providing health care,” Heinrich concluded.
    Background
    Heinrich’s office was alerted by constituents to Ben Archer Health Center’s new practice of requiring “proof of citizenship” today. His office then verified that Ben Archer was employing this practice at school-based health clinics, for scheduled appointments at standalone clinics, and for same-day appointment requests. In defense of their actions, Ben Archer leadership pointed to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,”which was issued on February 19, 2025, but has no bearing on the provision of health care to non-citizens. In fact, New Mexico and federal law both require Ben Archer and other similarly funded health centers in the United States to provide health care to all residents of the area the center serves, regardless of immigration status. Relevant statutes include NMSA 24A-1-20 and 42 U.S.C.§ 254b.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Scott Introduce Resolution Celebrating Black History Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced a bipartisan resolution commemorating Black History Month and the important contributions made by Black Americans throughout United States history.

    The resolution recognizes that all Americans benefit from the rich historical legacy of Black culture and recognizes Black History Month as a chance to reflect on the complex history of the nation while also continuing to work toward a more equitable future. Furthermore, the resolution acknowledges the suffering of African Americans during enslavement and the continued racial injustices that remain evident in the United States today.

    “Every year, Black History Month offers us the opportunity to honor the invaluable contributions, struggles, and sacrifices Black Americans have made throughout our nation’s history,” said Senator Booker. “I’m proud to introduce this resolution alongside Senator Scott to uplift the stories and triumphs of Black Americans. This is a month for celebration of how far we have come, and to recognize the work left to be done.”

    “As we honor the legacies of so many Black Americans whose innovations and achievements have contributed to the success of our nation, I think it is essential to reflect on the progress we’ve made as a country,” said Senator Scott. “Through their perseverance, we are closer than we’ve ever been to a more perfect union. I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution.”

    The resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Katie Britt (R-AL), List Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mark Warner (D-VA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    To read the full text of the resolution, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Scott Move to Reauthorize Sickle Cell Treatment Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tim Scott (R-SC), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, introduced legislation to reauthorize the Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Program, which was last reauthorized in 2018.

    Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder predominantly affecting African Americans, Latinos, and other minority groups. Individuals with SCD have a significantly lower life expectancy than the overall population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell affects 100,000 individuals in the United States.

    “Since 2018, the Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Program has expanded access to care for people suffering from SCD and saved lives,” said Senator Booker. “Reauthorizing this crucial program will allow us to continue allocating resources for research and treatment of sickle cell disease. I’m proud of the progress we have made and urge my colleagues in Congress to reauthorize this program so we can continue to make advancements and improve care for SCD patients across the nation.”

    “Reauthorizing this program will allow us to expand access to research and treatment for rare blood diseases and reduce the number of people in already overwhelmed emergency rooms. I am glad to play a small role in easing the burden that SCD has on too many individuals and their families,” said Senator Scott. “This legislation will help ensure continued innovation and advancement of life-changing SCD care.” 

    The Sickle Cell Disease Treatment and Demonstration Program:

    • Increases the number of clinicians knowledgeable about SCD care;
    • Improves the quality of care provided to individuals with SCD;
    • Develops best practices for coordination of services during the pediatric to adult care transition; and
    • Improves care coordination with other providers.

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Collins Reintroduce Bipartisan CROWN Act to Ban Hair Discrimination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced legislation aimed at combating racial discrimination against natural hair and protective hairstyles traditionally worn by Black people. The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act bans discrimination based on hairstyles commonly associated with race including tightly coiled or curled hair, locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and more. U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12) introduced companion legislation on the House side.

    Although existing federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, several federal courts have narrowly construed those protections to permit schools, workplaces, and federally funded institutions to discriminate against people of color who wear certain types of natural or protective hairstyles.

    The CROWN Act provides explicit protection against racial discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles associated with African heritage.

    “Everyone, regardless of their race or background, should be able to show up every day to school or work or life and embrace their racial identity without fear of prejudice or bias,” said Senator Booker. “Numerous states have already enacted legislation to prohibit hair discrimination, and the CROWN Act is a bipartisan federal effort to ensure that Black people can wear their hair freely in a natural or protective hairstyle.”

    “It is wrong that Americans – particularly those within the Black community – continue to face discrimination based on how they choose to style their natural hair,” said Senator Collins. “This is an issue of basic fairness and equality, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill and stand against discrimination in all of its forms.”

    “We cannot control the way our hair grows out of our head any more than we can control the color of our skin,” said Representative Watson Coleman. “Discrimination against hair texture is racial discrimination, plain and simple. Nobody deserves to be denied the opportunity to thrive in the workplace, excel in school, or contribute their talents to the world simply because of their hair. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation with my House colleagues and Senator Booker. I strongly encourage House leadership to take up this bill, which has passed in 27 states, led by both Republican and Democratic governments.”

    “Grooming policies that reinforce Eurocentric standards of beauty and myopic notions of what constitute professional hair remain problematic. The statutory protection the CROWN Act provides remains critically important, perhaps even more so, in the current climate. Since 2018, I have worked tirelessly to pass the CROWN Act and shift culture to mitigate the physical, psychological, and economic harm caused by race-based hair discrimination,” said Dr. Adjoa B. Asamoah, who leads the CROWN Act Coalition and is the scholar and strategist championing the nationwide movement. “Redressing the longstanding history of racial discrimination against natural hair and protective styles requires an unwavering commitment, and I am grateful for Senator Booker who has been on this journey with me from the beginning.”

    Already, 27 states including Nebraska, Maine, and New Jersey have already enacted legislation expressly prohibiting hair discrimination, and 45 total states have either passed, pre-filed, filed, or formally stated intent to introduce legislation proposing similar classification in their state.

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Delivers Remarks on Trump’s National Energy Emergency: “The president is going all in on fossil fuels and casting aside the opportunities that come with clean energy.” 

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, today joined his colleagues on the Senate floor to slam President Trump’s Executive Order declaring a national energy emergency, which will kill jobs in the clean energy sector that are vital to producing less expensive power. In his remarks, Senator Welch highlighted how the President’s Executive Order undermines Congress’ authority and the system of checks and balances. 
    “There’s only two explanations that explain the actions of the administration. One is they just favor fossil fuels, no matter what. A lot of truth to that. The other is there’s a lack of confidence on the administration about the capacity of the American people, the American innovators, the American entrepreneurs to take full advantage of solving the issue of climate change by building out clean energy by doing efficiency. That really, really works. And you know, a confident person, a confident country, doesn’t deny problems exist. They acknowledge them, face them squarely, and then solve them. And in the process of doing that, they all end up better and you have a stronger economy as well,” said Senator Welch.  
    “So, there is no emergency. We must stand first for the separation of powers and the authority of Congress and not allow us to be stripped of that by an executive. And second, we have to have a wise policy that is going to create jobs to be sustainable for our economy and for our future.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 

    Read the Senator’s remarks as delivered here. 
    Learn more about Senator Welch’s work by visiting his website or by following him on social media. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Ossoff Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Curb Prison Contraband

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) today introduced bipartisan legislation to stem the flow of contraband in federal prisons. The Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act would enhance safety and accountability measures in federal prisons by upgrading the penalty for smuggling or possessing a contraband cellphone in federal prison from a misdemeanor to a felony.
    “Contraband cellphones are a deadly and pervasive problem in many of our nation’s federal prisons. Stiffening penalties for cellphone smuggling will go a long way to improve our prison system and keep inmates, prison staff, and the general public safe,” Grassley said.
    “My bipartisan investigations of corruption, abuse, and misconduct in the federal prison system have revealed systemic challenges that allow for the dangerous flow of contraband, which is a threat to safety and security,” Ossoff said. “Senator Grassley and I are introducing this bipartisan bill to strengthen penalties for smuggling contraband into federal prisons.”
    “[I] offer my strong support for the Lt. Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act, which you are planning to introduce into the 119th Congress. The fact that this bill now makes it a felony instead of a misdemeanor is something that is not only providing some justice for my husband’s sacrifice, but also provides just and proper consequences for a crime that clearly rises to the level of a felony,” said Helen Andujar Albarati, wife of fallen Lietenant Osvaldo Albarati.
    “Congress must act now and pass the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act before another staff member is killed in the line of duty because of contraband cellphones. The safety of our corrections officers and the security of our prisons depend on it,” said Jon Zumkehr, President of the American Federation of Government Employees 4070.
    “A cell phone in a prison is a deadly weapon. Lieutenant Albarati was a true hero, selflessly dedicated to making MDC Guaynabo and his community safer by preventing criminal activity inside the facility. I commend Senators Grassley and Ossoff for honoring his memory by sponsoring this public safety reform and for recognizing the severity of this problem,” said Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz said. 
    The legislation is cosponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee member Cory Booker (D-N.J.).
    Download bill text HERE.
    Background:
    The Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act builds on the 2010 Grassley-Feinstein Cell Phone Contraband Act, which originally designated cellphones as contraband in federal prison.
    Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati was a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officer who was murdered 12 years ago today, on February 26, 2013, after completing his shift at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Five men who later pleaded guilty to the crime admitted they targeted Albarati in retaliation for seizing their contraband, including cellphones. The inmate who placed the hit on Albarati did so using a contraband cellphone.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: APPLICATIONS OPEN: Senator Collins Forms Federal Appointments Advisory Committee to Evaluate Maine Nominees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Published: February 26, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins is accepting applications for several federal appointments. She today announced the establishment of her “Federal Appointments Advisory Committee” to evaluate candidates for Senate-confirmed positions in Maine. As the senior Republican member of Maine’s congressional delegation, Senator Collins will advise the Trump Administration as it selects candidates for federal positions in the state. The Committee’s recommendations will be an integral part of that process.
    The Committee will assess the qualifications of dozens of interested applicants for U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal for Maine, and for U.S. Circuit Judge for the First Circuit. It will also consider nominations for other current and future vacancies, including, but not limited to, U.S. District Judge for the District of Maine, USDA Farm Service Agency State Director, USDA Rural Development State Director, and Federal Co-Chair of the Northern Border Regional Commission.  
    Interested applicants for the listed vacancies should submit a resume, cover letter, and references to Adminapps@collins.senate.gov
    The Committee, chaired by Ann Robinson, is comprised of seven community leaders and experienced attorneys from across the state.
    The members of the Federal Appointments Advisory Committee are:
    Ann Robinson (Portland), Attorney, Pierce Atwood LLP
    Stephanie Anderson (Cape Elizabeth), Former Cumberland County DA
    Hon. Josh Tardy (Palmyra), Attorney, Rudman Winchell; Former Minority Leader of the Maine House of Representatives
    Sarah Newell (Winterport), Attorney, Eaton Peabody
    Rick Solman (Caribou), Attorney, Solman and Hunter
    Chris Gardner (Edmunds Township), Executive Director, Eastport Port Authority; Former County Commissioner, Washington County
    Mark Brooks (Hartland), Chief Security Officer at Cianbro and Director of the Cianbro Institute, Retired Colonel from U.S. Army Reserve and Retired Lieutenant and Troop Commander of the Maine State Police

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands Trump’s USDA Restart Payments Guaranteed to 88 Wisconsin Dairy Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) demanded the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) restart payments already committed to Wisconsin Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiative recipients. Baldwin’s call comes as bipartisan federal funding that was approved by Congress, signed into law, and already awarded to farmers has been halted at the direction of the Trump Administration – leaving 88 dairy businesses in Wisconsin waiting on a collective $6.5 million for reimbursement.
    “The uncertainty surrounding DBI funding is incredibly alarming because it threatens the future of many dairy businesses that were promised this support to grow and remain competitive,” wrote Senator Baldwin in a letter to Secretary Rollins. “Many of the farmers and processors operate with limited resources and cannot afford disruptions in funding. Therefore, this unnecessary and ill-advised disruption could have widespread economic consequences, particularly, for small dairy operations in Wisconsin that drive our rural economies”
    In addition to the 88 dairy businesses in Wisconsin waiting on a collective $6.5 million in reimbursements for funds appropriated in Fiscal Year 2023, the Wisconsin Initiative has been told they may not receive funding they were guaranteed for Fiscal Year 2024 – despite having already expended nearly $500,000.
    “Given the importance of this program to dairy businesses across the country, I urge you to provide immediate clarification on the status of DBI Initiatives funding to the program’s stakeholders, as well as ensure that funds are reimbursed expeditiously,” Baldwin concluded.
    Senator Baldwin successfully created the DBI program in the 2018 Farm Bill. To date, the Baldwin-backed program has supported over 250 dairy farmers and processors in the Midwest, including 109 in Wisconsin. Earlier this month, Senators Baldwin and Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that builds on the support for regional dairy research and innovation centers across the country by raising the program’s annual authorization from $20 million to $36 million.
    A full version of Baldwin’s letter is available here and below.
    Dear Secretary Rollins,
    I am writing to express my deep concern that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has halted payments promised to farmers and processors through the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives. This federal funding commitment to dairy businesses has been approved by Congress and signed into law. The program has bipartisan support because of the critical role it plays in supporting small- to medium-sized dairy processors and family farm operations in the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products. I urge you to restart these payments without delay, as farmers in my state wait to be repaid for investments they have already made in line with the active grant awards.
     The Dairy Business Innovation Act has become, and remains, a success story for the dairy industry since its enactment into law in the 2018 Farm bill. I have been proud to lead a bipartisan coalition to secure annual appropriations dedicated to the four DBI Initiatives that provide services across the country, including in Wisconsin. To date, the program has supported over 100 dairy farmers and processors in Wisconsin and over 250 across the Midwest.
     I understand that funding appropriated in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 for Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives has not been reimbursed to the Wisconsin Initiative at the direction of the Trump Administration. This means that 88 dairy businesses in Wisconsin are waiting on a collective $6.5 million for reimbursement. The Wisconsin Initiative has now been told they may not be reimbursed for FY2024 at all after expending nearly $500,000, even after USDA’s earlier directive for the Centers to move forward with selecting awards with those appropriated funds. This federal funding has been promised to dairy farmers who anticipated using the funds to help grow their businesses, and many have already made financial commitments based on this expected support. It is imperative that these commitments are honored to avoid undue financial hardship for these farmers and their family-owned small businesses.
     At a time when it is needed most, the DBI Initiatives have been a vital lifeline to farmers and processors because they are designed to strengthen the dairy industry by:
    Diversifying dairy product markets to reduce risk and create higher-value uses for dairy products.
    Promoting business development strategies that increase farmer income through processing and marketing innovations.
    Encouraging the use of regional milk production to strengthen local economies.
    These initiatives support dairy farmers and processors through direct farm technical assistance, business consulting, strategic planning, marketing, product development, and distribution. Additionally, a significant portion of DBI funds are dedicated as small dollar grants to small- and medium-sized, family-owned businesses.
    The uncertainty surrounding DBI funding is incredibly alarming because it threatens the future of many dairy businesses that were promised this support to grow and remain competitive. Many of the farmers and processors operate with limited resources and cannot afford disruptions in funding. Therefore, this unnecessary and ill-advised disruption could have widespread economic consequences, particularly, for small dairy operations in Wisconsin that drive our rural economies.
    Given the importance of this program to dairy businesses across the country, I urge you to provide immediate clarification on the status of DBI Initiatives funding to the program’s stakeholders, as well as ensure that funds are reimbursed expeditiously. I appreciate your urgent attention on this matter.
    Sincerely,
    An online version of this release is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Highlights Surface Transportation Successes in IIJA, Areas in Need of Improvement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    To watch Chairman Capito’s questions, click here.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing examining the implementation of surface transportation policies and funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). During the hearing, Chairman Capito questioned surface transportation stakeholders about their perspective on IIJA implementation.

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    SUCCESSES AND SHORTFALLS:

    Chairman Capito: 

    “You’ve touched on this, all of you have in your statements, but just concisely, what part of the IIJA had the greatest benefit for your experience, and which one has presented the greatest challenge?”

    Russell McMurry, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Transportation on behalf of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO):

    “The greatest benefit comes from what we consider the core formula programs, that being National Highway Priority Program, the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, which is truly the most flexible to use for the states and MPOs.”

    “Some of those challenges out of the IIJA in Georgia have been some of the new programs, again, to Mr. Carroll’s testimony, things are happening and we need to be able to be responsive.”

    Gary Johnson, Vice President, Granite Construction on behalf of the Transportation Construction Coalition:

    “Chairman, I think obviously the greatest benefit is the amount of money coming down the formula funding. It took a while to get started. It was delayed a little bit from authorization to appropriation in ‘21 and ‘22 but since then, we’ve seen a lot of money coming into the states that we work in.”

    NEVI PROGRAM EFFICIENCY: “A quick comment about the NEVI program…$1.8 billion had been released for that program. But I want to point out that $1.8 billion has resulted in 58 chargers being built in three and a half years, and in 15 states…so, I mean, if we’re – efficiencies and moving things quicker, I’m not sure that that program is a good example of the best way the federal government.”

    Click HERE to watch Chairman Capito’s opening statement.

    Click HERE to watch Chairman Capito’s questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman, Murray Unveil Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Support for Disabled Veterans and Their Families, Including Young Caregivers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Patty Murray (D-WA), senior members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, introduced the Helping Heroes Act, legislation to support the families and children of disabled veterans who take on caregiving roles.

    The Helping Heroes Act seeks to improve the assistance provided to children under the age of 18 that offer invaluable support to the veteran family members they live with. Because these dependents face unique challenges and take on responsibilities that their peers do not carry, this bill aims to bolster the accessibility and quality of mental health care and peer support services they can receive through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

    “Investing in the families of our veterans is part of the commitment we have made to those who have served,” said Boozman. “By expanding the VA’s capabilities and resources to better support the needs of caregivers, including the children of disabled veterans, they will benefit in their own lives as well as enjoy more access to comprehensive tools and networks. Better grasping and responding to the impact of caring for their loved ones is an important step to raise their quality of life.”

    “I’m proud to reintroduce my bipartisan legislation to help VA better support the families of disabled veterans—especially children who frequently take on caregiving roles in their families and could benefit from additional supportive services,” said Murray, daughter of a WWII veteran and Purple Heart recipient who was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during her childhood. “Veterans and their families have sacrificed so much for our country, and we have a responsibility to make sure the federal government is there for them and that we’re constantly working to improve the services they get through VA.”

    Specifically, the Helping Heroes Act would:

    • Establish a permanent Family Support Program to provide supportive services to eligible family members of disabled veterans;
    • Require a coordinator at each Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN) to assess the needs of veteran families in their catchment area and refer them to available local, state and federal resources; and
    • Require VA to collect data on the experiences of disabled veteran families to better identify and understand their needs.

    The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Peter Welch (D-VT).

    The Helping Heroes Act is supported by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, American Veterans and the Association of the United States Army.

    More information on supporting the healthy development of children from military and veteran caregiving homes can be found in this report commissioned by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. 

    Click here for full text of the legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Cost Efficiency Initiative

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>     By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
         Section 1.  Purpose.  This order commences a transformation in Federal spending on contracts, grants, and loans to ensure Government spending is transparent and Government employees are accountable to the American public.
         Sec. 2.  Definitions.  As used in this order:(a)  “Administrator” means the Administrator of the United States DOGE Service, as defined in Executive Order 14158 of January 20, 2025 (Establishing and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency”).(b)  “Agency” has the meaning given to that term in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code, except that such term does not include the Executive Office of the President or any components thereof.(c)  “Agency Head” means the highest-ranking official of an agency, such as the Secretary, Administrator, Chairman, or Director.  Agency Heads may select designees within their agencies to carry out the responsibilities specified in this order.(d)  “Covered contracts and grants” means discretionary spending through Federal contracts, grants, loans, and related instruments, but excludes direct assistance to individuals; expenditures related to immigration enforcement, law enforcement, the military, public safety, and the intelligence community; and other critical, acute, or emergency spending, as determined by the relevant Agency Head.  Notification shall be made to the agency’s DOGE Team Lead.(e)  “DOGE Team Lead” means the leader of the DOGE Team at each agency, as defined in Executive Order 14158.Sec. 3.  Cutting Costs to Save Taxpayers Money.  each Agency Head shall, with assistance as requested from the agency’s DOGE Team Lead, build a centralized technological system within the agency to seamlessly record every payment issued by the agency pursuant to each of the agency’s covered contracts and grants, along with a brief, written justification for each payment submitted by the agency employee who approved the payment.  This system shall include a mechanism for the Agency Head to pause and rapidly review any payment for which the approving employee has not submitted a brief, written justification within the technological system. (i)   Once the system described in subsection (a) of this section is in place, the Agency Head shall issue guidance, in consultation with the agency’s DOGE Team Lead, to require that the relevant agency employee promptly submit a brief, written justification prior to that employee’s approval of a payment under covered contracts and grants, subject to any exceptions the Agency Head deems appropriate.(ii)  To the maximum extent permitted by law, and to the maximum extent deemed practicable by the Agency Head, the payment justifications described in subsection (a)(i) of this section shall be posted publicly.(b)  Review of Covered Contracts and Grants.  Each Agency Head, in consultation with the agency’s DOGE Team Lead, shall review all existing covered contracts and grants and, where appropriate and consistent with applicable law, terminate or modify (including through renegotiation) such covered contracts and grants to reduce overall Federal spending or reallocate spending to promote efficiency and advance the policies of my Administration.  This process shall commence immediately and shall prioritize the review of funds disbursed under covered contracts and grants to educational institutions and foreign entities for waste, fraud, and abuse.  Each Agency Head shall complete this review within 30 days of the date of this order.(c)  Contract and Grant Process Review.  Each Agency Head, in consultation with the agency’s DOGE Team Lead, shall conduct a comprehensive review of each agency’s contracting policies, procedures, and personnel.  Each Agency Head shall complete this process within 30 days of the date of this order and shall not issue or approve new contracting officer warrants during the review period, unless the Agency Head determines such approval is necessary. (d)  CoveredContract and Grant Approval.  (i)   Following the review specified in subsection (c) of this section, and prior to entering into new contracts, each Agency Head shall, in consultation with the agency’s DOGE Team Lead, issue guidance on signing new contracts or modifying existing contracts to promote Government efficiency and the policies of my Administration.  The Agency Head may approve new contracts prior to the issuance of such guidance on a case-by-case basis. (ii)  Each DOGE Team Lead shall provide the Administrator with a monthly informational report on contracting activities.  As soon as an agency’s contract and grant justification process described in subsection (a) of this section is established, this report shall include all payment justifications provided pursuant to that process, to the extent consistent with law.(e)  Non-Essential Travel Justification.  Each Agency Head shall, with assistance from the agency’s DOGE Team Lead, build a technological system within each agency that centrally records approval for federally funded travel for conferences and other non-essential purposes.  Once an agency’s system is in place, the Agency Head shall prohibit agency employees from engaging in federally funded travel for conferences or other non-essential purposes unless the travel-approving official has submitted a brief, written justification for the federally funded travel within such system.  Each DOGE Team Lead shall, to the extent consistent with law, provide the Administrator with a monthly informational report listing each agency’s justifications for non-essential travel.  Such justifications shall be posted publicly unless prohibited by law or unless the Agency Head grants an exemption from this requirement.(f)  Credit Card Freeze.  To the maximum extent permitted by law, all credit cards held by agency employees shall be treated as frozen for 30 days from the date of this order, except for any credit cards held by employees engaged in, or charges related to employees utilizing such credit cards for, disaster relief or natural disaster response benefits or operations or other critical services as determined by the Agency Head, and subject to such additional individualized or categorical exceptions as the Agency Head, in consultation with the agency’s DOGE Team Lead, deems appropriate.(g)  Real Property Disposition.  Agencies shall take the following actions:(i)    Real Property Report.  Within 7 days of the date of this order, each Agency Head shall confirm to the Administrator of General Services or his designee that the Agency Head has submitted updates to the Federal Real Property Profile Management System to ensure the system reflects a complete and accurate inventory of real property subject to the agency’s administration.(ii)   Real Property Leases.  Within 30 days of the date of this order, each Agency Head shall promptly identify all termination rights the Agency Head may have under existing leases of Government-owned real property and, in consultation with agency’s DOGE Team Lead and the Administrator of General Services or his designee, determine whether to exercise such rights.(iii)  Real Property Disposition.  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Administrator of General Services shall submit a plan to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the disposition of Government-owned real property which has been deemed by the agency as no longer needed.
         Sec. 4.  General Exclusions.  This order does not apply to:(a)  Law enforcement officers, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 5541(3) and 5 C.F.R. 550.103, or covered contracts and grants directly related to the enforcement of Federal criminal or immigration law;(b)  U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Department of Homeland Security;(c)  the Uniformed Services, as defined in 20 C.F.R. 404.1330;(d)  any other covered grant or contract, agency component, or real property that the relevant Agency Head exempts in writing from all or part of this order, in consultation with the agency’s DOGE Team Lead and the Director of OMB; or(e)  classified information or classified information systems.
         Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    THE WHITE HOUSE,    February 26, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Praises Trump’s Solicitor General Pick, Urges DOJ to Correct Course on Religious Liberty

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Wednesday, February 26, 2025

    In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this morning, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley introduced fellow Missourian, John Sauer—a former colleague of the Senator—whom President Donald Trump has tapped to be the next U.S. Solicitor General, the nation’s top appellate attorney.

    Senator Hawley also questioned Harmeet Dhillon, President Trump’s choice for U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, on the need to protect Americans’ expression of faith after four years of disregard for religious liberties during the Biden Administration.

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    Watch the full video here, or click on the image above.

    Senator Hawley spoke of Sauer’s Missouri roots and described their work together at the Missouri Attorney General’s office beginning in 2017.

    “I was elected Attorney General of the state of Missouri, and the Missouri Attorney General’s office, at that time, did not have an office of the Solicitor General, and I thought it was important to create one . . . I couldn’t think of anybody better—of all the attorneys that I’d had the privilege of working with—than John,” said Senator Hawley.

    Senator Hawley went on to question Dhillon, citing the unprecedented attacks on American Catholics and pregnancy care centers under the Biden Administration.

    “Will you commit to stopping the disparate treatment of Americans on the basis of religious faith that we have seen in the last four years?” he asked.

    Dhillon assured the Senator that fighting for people of faith would be a priority for her as Assistant Attorney General, as it has been in her past litigation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Proud to Confirm Greer as U.S. Trade Representative

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today regarding the confirmation of Jamieson Greer as the U.S. Trade Representative: 

    “Millions of American jobs – including the many thousands tied to auto manufacturing and bourbon production in Kentucky – depend on policies that preserve free and fair trade. I’m glad our nation’s Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, recognizes, as I do, the central role trade with our allies plays in America’s security and prosperity. The Senate has a constitutional prerogative over international trade policy, and I look forward to working closely with Jamieson to put American workers in the best possible position as he executes the President’s trade agenda.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy renews calls to protect Diego Garcia military base ahead of UK PM Starmer’s visit to Washington

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    Watch Kennedy’s comments here.

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) urged United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to move forward with his plan to hand over the Chagos Islands, including the U.S.-U.K. military base on Diego Garcia, to Mauritius in a speech on the Senate floor. Starmer will travel to Washington this week to meet with President Trump.  

    Key excerpts of the speech are below:

    “Now, there is one other thing you need to know. Mauritius is very close to China. Mauritius has a very lucrative trade agreement with China, and you’ll not be surprised to learn that, after all of this has been developing, China all of a sudden is Mauritius’s best friend. Do you know why? Because if Prime Minister Starmer does this, Mauritius is going to own the base. They are going to own the base.”

    . . .

    “I don’t care what Prime Minister Starmer promises you. The only reason he is doing this is because he feels guilty because the United Nations has said that the United Kingdom should be ashamed of its history and ashamed that it at one time owned colonies. 

    “People of the United Kingdom can feel what they want. That is none of my business. But we have got an American military base there, and it is very important to defend the Indian Ocean against China. . . . I am sorry he feels guilty. He needs to go buy an emotional support pony, but he doesn’t need to give away an American military base.”

    Background

    • The U.K. had previously announced on Oct. 3, 2024, that it had reached a deal with Mauritius to cede the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. This deal between the U.K. and Mauritius would jeopardize the security of a key U.S.-U.K. military base on Deigo Garcia by potentially exposing the island to Chinese espionage efforts, according to a report from the Policy Exchange.
    • Negotiations between the U.K. and Mauritius followed a years-long pressure campaign from the United Nations to get England out of the Chagos Islands. The Biden administration also reportedly pressured the U.K. to enter the deal with Mauritius before the American and Mauritian elections took place—an idea Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially endorsed. 
    • On Oct. 23, 2024, Kennedy wrote to then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken seeking answers about the Biden administration’s involvement in the deal between the U.K. and Mauritius.
    • Kennedy also penned this op-ed in Oct. 2024 arguing that the Biden administration owes the American people an explanation for its decision to allow this deal between the U.K. and Mauritius to move forward.
    • On Jan. 15, 2025, Starmer announced that he wanted President Trump and his administration to weigh in on any deal struck between the U.K. and Mauritius regarding the transfer of the Chagos Islands, including the transfer of the U.S.-U.K. shared military base on the island of Diego Garcia. 
    • Kennedy published this op-ed in Jan. 2025 welcoming the U.K.’s change of heart after Starmer announced that he would include the Trump administration in the ongoing negotiations with Mauritius.
    • As a congressman, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has criticized the Oct. 2024 deal, saying, “Should the U.K. cede control of the Chagos to Mauritius, I have no doubt that China will take advantage of the resulting vacuum.” 
    • As a senator, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has similarly condemned the deal and said it “poses a serious threat to our national security interests in the Indian Ocean and threatens critical U.S. military posture in the region.”

    Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.

    MIL OSI USA News –