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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand And Hawley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Establish A Mental Health Hotline For First Responders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Josh Hawley introduced the bipartisan First Responders Wellness Act, legislation to establish a national mental health hotline for first responders. The bill would also expand mental health services for first responders during major disasters.
    “Police officers, firefighters, and EMTs face unique stressors, and as a result, they are at high risk of developing PTSD and other mental health problems,” said Senator Gillibrand. “We owe it to our first responders to do more to help. I am introducing bipartisan legislation to establish a mental health hotline specifically tailored to the needs of first responders and staffed by peer specialists and counselors who have an understanding of the occupational stressors experienced by first responders and have completed trauma-informed training. The bill would also expand professional mental health services for first responders during times of major disasters. I am proud to be introducing this legislation with Senator Hawley and hope to get it passed soon.”
    “Congress should prioritize the wellbeing of those first on the scene of life’s crises. That starts with investing in the health and safety of our police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. This bipartisan legislation would provide first responders with the mental health tools they need to cope with past trauma and the resources necessary to support them in their jobs,” said Senator Hawley.
    According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), first responders face higher rates of behavioral health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, compared to civilians. Furthermore, a study from the Ruderman Family Foundation found that law enforcement officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. EMS providers are 1.39 times more likely to die by suicide than the general public, and up to a quarter of all public safety telecommunicators have symptoms of PTSD or depression.
    Although first responders are trained to respond to challenging situations, the post-response mental health needs of these professionals often go unaddressed. There is a clear and distinct need for mental health professionals and services that account for the occupational culture and hazards of first responders. 
    The First Responders Wellness Act would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a national mental health hotline for first responders. Specifically, this bill would:
    Establish a first responders mental health hotline to provide peer and emotional support, information, brief intervention, and mental or behavioral health and substance use disorder resources.
    Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit an annual report to Congress on the hotline and its implementation.
    Ensure first responders can receive professional counseling and other mental health services offered through the FEMA Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program.
    Direct HHS to issue a report on best practices and recommendations to establish a new mobile health care delivery site to provide short-term crisis services to first responders during a major disaster.
    This legislation is endorsed by the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association, National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Port Authority Lieutenants Benevolent Association, Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics, & Fire Inspectors FDNY – Local 2507, NYPD Detectives’ Endowment Association (DEA), and the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association.
    “Federal, state, and local law enforcement officers are often exposed to more on-the-job trauma and traumatic events in a week than most people will experience in an entire lifetime,” said NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association President Vincent Vallelong.  “By supporting efforts to expand access to mental health and wellness services, this legislation will provide the NYPD and other police departments with new resources to support the well-being of those who keep our communities safe. That is why we are grateful for Sen. Gillibrand and Hawley’s continued strong leadership on the ‘First Responders Wellness Act’ and working with us to ensure our nation’s police officers have access to the services they need when they need them most.” 
    “Law enforcement officers routinely encounter highly volatile, chaotic, and dangerous situations which put them in physical jeopardy. There is also overwhelming evidence that the cumulative and corrosive effects of the mental stresses suffered by officers in the line of duty inflict ‘invisible injuries’ which can be just as disabling—or as deadly—as any physical injury,” said Fraternal Order of Police National President, Patrick Yoes. “Too often, this unseen damage goes unaddressed. Our officers need greater access to mental health professionals and services that are culturally competent in the occupational culture and hazards of law enforcement. This legislation, the First Responders Wellness Act, would establish a grant program for law enforcement mental health and wellness professionals and establish a national mental health hotline specifically for law enforcement and other public safety officers. We look forward to working with Senators Gillibrand and Hawley in getting this bill through the Senate.” 
    “State and local law enforcement officers are our nation’s first responders. They respond to our country’s greatest tragedies, violent crimes, and horrible accidents that are occurring more frequently in our communities. They have seen and experienced horrors that they cannot forget, yet we still expect them each day to protect and serve our communities,” said National Association of Police Organizations Executive Director Bill Johnson. “The least we can do is ensure they have the culturally competent and accessible mental health and wellness services necessary for their wellbeing and that of their families, which is why we support the First Responders Wellness Act.  NAPO thanks Senators Gillibrand and Hawley for their leadership and we look forward to working with them to pass this important bill.” 
    “The First Responders Wellness Act is a significant step toward addressing the mental health needs of federal law enforcement officers and other first responders,” said President Mathew Silverman of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA).  “Senators Gillibrand and Hawley have led this initiative, working alongside FLEOA, to ensure that first responders have access to a crisis hotline staffed by professionals who truly understand their unique challenges. This effort underscores a growing recognition of the psychological toll faced by first responders and their need for tailored support systems.” 
    “Supporting our nation’s law enforcement means supporting them in all aspects of their wellness and health care,” said Major Cities Chief Association Executive Director Laura Cooper. “MCCA is proud to support this important bipartisan legislation that will help accomplish that critical goal.” 
    “The Detectives’ Endowment Association of the NYPD applauds the efforts of the sponsors of this bill to care for the mental health and safety of those, like ourselves, who are daily on the stressful and dangerous front lines of our nation’s emergency situations,” said Detectives’ Endowment Association President Scott Munro.  
    “First Responders see things daily that are not normal.  Most of our work is dealing with crisis and negativity.  We need assistance processing and dealing with the mental health issues that our jobs create,” said Nassau County Police Benevolent Association President Tommy Shevlin. “I am honored to support this bill and thankful for Senator Gillibrand and Hawley’s dedication and support to our mental health and wellness.” 
    “The Port Authority Police Lieutenant’s Benevolent Association proudly supports the efforts of Senator Kristen Gillibrand for her sponsorship of the First Responders Wellness Act,” said Port Authority Police Department Lieutenants Benevolent Association President James Griglio. “Her collaborative efforts with Senator Josh Hawley demonstrate their selfless actions, putting the needs of first responders ahead of political agenda. Senator Gillibrand’s tireless efforts in support of this legislation will have significant impact on the health and well-being of our nation’s first responders for years to come. We sincerely thank Senators Gillibrand and Hawley for all their efforts. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: “President Trump is making America expensive again,” Senator Coons warns Fox News readers in new op-ed

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) wrote an op-ed for Fox News today telling readers how President Trump’s harmful economic policies are increasing inflation and raising the price of everyday goods.
    Despite claiming repeatedly last year that he’d address inflation “on day one,” inflation is rising on Trump’s watch, back over 3% for the first time in over half a year and expected to continue going up. Nearly two-thirds of voters say Trump isn’t doing enough to reduce costs.
    President Trump’s coming policies certainly won’t help matters. As Senator Coons writes, Trump’s tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada will make groceries and housing more expensive. His mass deportation efforts will also wipe out huge chunks of the workforce in sensitive industries. President Trump is already one of the least popular presidents after one month in office in modern history, Senator Coons tells Fox News readers, and his economic ideas seem unlikely to help matters.
    Fox News: Sen. Chris Coons: Trump’s inflationary policies making America expensive again
    One month into his term, President Trump is making America expensive again, and everyone is feeling the pain.
    Last year, President Donald Trump ran against inflation, saying when he accepted the Republican presidential nomination last July and throughout his campaign that “starting on day one, we will drive down prices and make America affordable again.” 
    …
    After one month, we’re beginning to see the direction Trump is taking our economy, and it’s not pretty. Groceries are more expensive than ever. The price of eggs is setting new records every day. Inflation is back over 3% for the first time in eight months. The nonpartisan experts at the Federal Reserve expect inflation to keep rising. 
    It’s no wonder that there’s only been one president in modern history who has been less popular with the American people after one month in office than Donald Trump is right now: Trump again, back in 2017. 
    …
    Over the coming months, Trump’s policies will continue to push prices higher, none more than his aggressive tariff proposals. He has already imposed an additional 10% tariff on everything we import from China – one of our three largest trading partners. In less than two weeks, he has promised to implement additional 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada – our other two largest trading partners – followed soon after by 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum, automobiles, pharmaceuticals and microchips. 
    Tariffs are simply a tax that gets passed down to consumers. If a retailer pays an additional 10% or 25% to import a refrigerator or a car, the company is simply going to increase the sticker price at the store. As more of Trump’s tariffs go into effect, costs will rise on everything from the Canadian lumber we use to build our houses to Mexican tomatoes and lemons we buy at the supermarket. 
    READ MORE HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Joins Risch to Introduce Bill to End Taxpayer Funded Handouts to Illegal Immigrants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) in introducing the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act, which would block federal funding to sanctuary cities intended to benefit illegal immigrants.
    The bill aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,” which blocks federal agencies and programs from providing taxpayer-funded services to illegal immigrants.
    “Not a single taxpayer dollar should be used to provide unwarranted hand-outs to non-citizen migrants or to cities giving them any unearned financial advantages,” said Crapo.  “Federal resources should be used to secure the borders, not invite and encourage illegal immigration.”
    “Sanctuary cities abuse taxpayer dollars and fuel the illegal immigration crisis,” said Risch.  “My No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act stops these jurisdictions from using federal funding to directly give handouts to illegal immigrants.” 
    Additional co-sponsors of the legislation include Senators Steve Daines (R-Montana), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Jim Banks (R-Indiana) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi).  Representative Nick LaLota (R-New York) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    The No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act would:
    Define “sanctuary jurisdiction” as any local or state government entity that withholds information regarding an individual’s citizenship status from federal, state or other local authorities; and
    Prevent sanctuary jurisdictions from receiving federal funds for the specific benefit of illegal immigrants.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Sounds Alarm on Drastic Cuts to Veterans Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a joint hearing before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) and the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC), Senator Angus King (I-Maine) raised concerns over how mass layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that closely resemble provisions in Project 2025 will negatively affect veteran benefits and care with Daniel Contreras, the National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans — who echoed the Senator’s worries. The hearing comes the day after the VA announced plans to cut more than 1,400 probationary federal employees in a second round of layoffs. Earlier this month, the VA dismissed more than 1,000 employees; however, some workers have since been reinstated. In addition, job cuts across all government agencies are disproportionally impacting veterans who make up approximately 30% of the federal workforce.
    “Thank, Mr. Chairman. I would call to the attention of the DAV a very troubling paragraph in something called Project 2025 which I suspect you have heard of, which seems to be the template for this administration’s approach. Here is the sentence that I hope you will attend to, ‘The next administration should explore how veterans’ reviews should be accelerated with clearance from OMB to target significant cost savings from revising disability rating awards for future claimants.’ And listen to this, ‘while preserving them fully or partially for existing claims.’ Mr. Leader, how do you feel about that idea,” asked Senator King.
    “Anything that will take away from veterans’ benefits, we do not support that. We are aware of Project 2025’s initiatives not only to reduce Category 7 and 8, also to tax veterans’ benefits or to look at unemployment benefits as far as social security age. I would say that we would not be in favor of that. One of our critical policy goals outlines that we need to protect those benefits. There will be great opposition to that. We had the Secretary visit at the conference recently and he stated — and we are going to hold him to it — that he is putting veterans first. That would not be putting veterans first,” replied National Commander Contreras.  
    “I appreciate that. We’ve been talking a lot about the layoffs. In fact, combining the hiring freeze with the normal attrition, we are really down about 5000 people at the VA in the last month. Now, the secretary, when he released his statement last night, said that in fact, veterans will notice a change for the better. My question to you and to the veterans is, tell us if that is what you notice. The power is with the veterans, and you need to use your voice,” said Senator King. “It is hard for me to believe that these cuts which have been made in the last 20 days, as near as I can tell, pretty indiscriminately, are going to change things for the better for the veterans. By the way, talking about bureaucracy, in my view, the person who answers the phone can be as important as the person that delivers the care. If a veteran calls for a health care appointment and there was no one there to answer the phone, that is a denial of benefits, just as sure as if they cannot see the doctor. I hope that the people in this room will hold us accountable and thereby the agency, the department, the new secretary to truly putting veterans first. That is an easy phrase to say, but I look at what is actually being done. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the work you are doing.”
    Tonight, Senator King will be 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.”
    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. This past week, 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.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Challenges Nominee to Outline, Justify Looming Firings at Defense Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    A full clip of the exchange can be downloaded here
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) challenged a Trump Administration nominee to outline and justify looming, arbitrary firings that at the Department of Defense that could wreak havoc on national security functions. In a tense exchange during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), King pressed Stephen Feinberg, nominee to become the Deputy Secretary of Defense, on whether he would support and institute the continued arbitrary firings of officials across the Department of Defense (DoD) without coming up with a rational process that wouldn’t diminish America’s national security programs.
    The hearing comes as the DoD announced a reevaluation of the probationary workforce which seeks to reduce the civilian workforce by 5-8%, including 5,400 probationary workers released just this week. However, probationary employees can also include those recently promoted or transferred from other departments, and not necessarily those that are in “redundant” positions.
    Senator King began, “I know there has been a great deal of discussion about potential cuts in the workforce. I am interested in the discussion of 8%, that’s 70,000 people. What I’m interested in of you as a manager, how do you intend to go about that? The cuts that have been occurring throughout the federal government so far have not been very thoughtful. All probationary people, for example, that is not a terribly rational way to make these decisions. There may be great people who are probationary. What will the process be whereby you reduce the Department of Defense workforce by 70,000 people?…I am asking you if that approach is a rational way to reduce a workforce. Fire everyone who has been hired in the last couple of years. Is that a good management practice? Is that what you would have done at [Feinberg’s company]Cerberus?”
    “I will say we have over 900,000 civilian employees. While every person counts and is very important, there will be some change,” Mr. Feinberg replied.
    Senator King responded, “That is not my question. There has been a stated goal of reducing the workforce by 8%, 70,000 people. You are the chief operating officer. Presumably you will be in charge of the process of reducing the workforce by 70,000 people. I want to know how you will do it and are you going to use the arbitrary yardstick of probationary employees, yes or no?”
    “I don’t know the considerations or the detail before that cut. What I can tell you, if I am in there, we will carefully look at the cuts, balance and weigh what we need and what we don’t, and do it in a granular person by person way,” Mr. Feinberg answered.
    “Does that answer mean you will not cut all probationary employees arbitrarily? Is that a no? It sounded like it. It is a straightforward question. Are you going to fire all probationary employees first to get to the 70,000, yes or no?” Senator King asked again.
    Mr. Feinberg continued to not respond, “I have to look at the detail. I don’t know yet. I don’t know the considerations that were thought through before those cuts were made.”
    “You are a smart guy. I don’t understand why you cannot tell me yes or no whether this will be one of the tools you use to reduce the workforce,” Senator King concluded.
    Senator King has been consistently sounding the alarm on President Donald Trump’s existential threat to the Constitution and critical functions of government. He most recently gave a speech on the Senate Floor acknowledging the “thoughtless and dangerous” approach to the administration’s arbitrary firings and hiring freezes. He also previously gave a speech on the Senate floor sharing that this administration is doing ‘exactly what the Framers [of the Constitution] most feared” in removing the checks and balances each branch of the government has on each other.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner Sponsors Bipartisan Legislation to End Government Payments to Deceased Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) has joined Sens. John Kennedy (R-LA) and Gary Peters (D-MI) in sponsoring the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act to save billions of federal dollars by curbing erroneous payments to individuals who have passed away. The legislation would make permanent the provisions from the Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act, a law previously sponsored by Warner, Kennedy and Peters to stop unlawful payments to the deceased by allowing the Social Security Administration to share the Death Master File, a record of deceased individuals, with the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay system, for a period of three years. 
    The Treasury Department announced last month that it recovered $31 million in fraud and improper payments during the first five months of the bill’s implementation. The new bill would make the temporary provisions permanent, reining in the government’s ability to make improper payments to deceased people in the future. 
    “Despite the antics we’ve seen from Elon Musk in recent weeks, there are real, serious ways to improve government efficiency. And where issues are actually identified, Congress should step in and act. That’s the right way to actually stop waste, fraud and abuse of government resources – not with chaotic firings and illegal spending cuts,” said Sen. Warner. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this commonsense measure passed into law.”
    The bill would also allow Treasury’s Do Not Pay working system to compare death information from the Social Security Administration with personal information from other federal entities and to share this information with any paying or administering agency that is authorized to use the Do Not Pay system.
    A former business executive, Warner has a long and successful record of working in Congress to improve government efficiency, accountability and transparency. The DATA Act, which required the government to standardize federal spending data and post it on a single website so Americans can track how their tax dollars are being spent, established usaspending.gov. It was hailed as the single most significant open-government initiative since the Freedom of Information Act of 1966. Warner also passed into law the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act, which requires federal agencies to report results quarterly on their highest priority programs, and to designate a performance improvement officer for each agency.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Joins Bipartisan Resolution Supporting Ukraine as Conflict Enters its Third Year

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    Download audio here
    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and bipartisan Senate colleagues to introduce a resolution acknowledging the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
    The resolution expresses the Senate’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and condemns Russia’s illegal aggression and attempts to seize Ukrainian territory. It also commends NATO, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and the international community for their continued efforts to support Ukraine’s defense and the protection of human rights on its territory.
    “Putin’s inhumane and unprovoked attack on Ukraine started the largest war in Europe since World War II. He has kidnapped children to brainwash them, and he has tortured and killed civilians. As we commemorate three years since Russia’s brutal invasion, Americans stand with the Ukrainian people in the pursuit of peace and an end to the bloodshed,” Grassley said.
    Additional cosponsors are Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Il.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
    Find resolution text HERE.
    Click HERE to download audio of Grassley discussing the resolution.
    Background:
    Grassley is an outspoken critic of Russia’s threats and aggression. In a speech on the Senate floor yesterday marking the third anniversary of the invasion, Grassley reaffirmed his support for the people of Ukraine.
    After Putin’s 2022 invasion, Grassley immediately condemned Russia’s assault on Ukraine, calling it “inhumane” and pointing out that Putin is tragically “killing innocent people like Stalin did in the 1930s.”
    Grassley spoke on the Senate floor to call for victory in Ukraine noting, “Anything short of a Ukrainian victory is an invitation for future Russian aggression.”
    After Russia began indiscriminately bombing Ukraine and murdering innocent civilians, Grassley joined his colleagues in introducing a resolution to hold Putin and his allies accountable for war crimes. This resolution passed the Senate unanimously.
    Read more about Grassley’s efforts to support Ukraine and hold Russia accountable HERE.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Johnson Call for Investigation into Potentially Criminal Leaks, Violations of FBI Information Sharing Policies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) are requesting Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel investigate potential criminal leaks to the media of sensitive and classified information ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The senators are also requesting Bondi and Patel investigate former Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault and his associates’ potential breach of FBI information sharing policies, in light of legally protected whistleblower disclosures revealing Thibault shared sensitive, non-public investigative information from his FBI email account with a private citizen with whom he was romantically involved.
    “The FBI repeatedly lectures Congress, without any legitimate basis, that it can’t share information with Congress because the matter is an ongoing investigation. The FBI has asserted to Congress that [For Official Use Only] information and FBI email accounts and personnel names should remain non-public. Yet, here, Thibault sent all of that type of information to a private citizen while the FBI stiff-arms Congress and the American people,” the senators wrote.
    “Thibault’s conduct exemplifies the FBI’s ‘do as I say, not as I do’ hypocrisy and why its repeated complaints to Congress when it makes government information public should fall on deaf ears,” the senators concluded. 
    Grassley and Johnson pointed to news reporting released shortly before the November 2024 election containing potentially “classified U.S. intelligence” as a further example of DOJ and FBI officials sharing non-public investigative information while ignoring congressional requests for the same. Accordingly, the senators are requesting DOJ and FBI open a criminal media leak investigation to hold accountable those responsible for sharing potentially classified and other sensitive information to the press.
    The senators also made public an award given to Special Agent Walter Giardina, an FBI employee who worked on aspects of the Mueller and Jack Smith investigations, which he received for investigating Trump.

    Read the full letter and attached legally protected whistleblower disclosures HERE. 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Collins, Reed Lead Bipartisan Celebration of Public Schools Week

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to strengthen public education and support students, teachers, families and communities nationwide, U.S. Senator Jack Reed joined U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) to officially recognize Public Schools Week this week, from February 24-28, 2025.  Public schools are open to every child and supporting public school systems strengthens our nation.

    To kick things off, Senators Collins and Reed offered a bipartisan resolution celebrating the achievements of our public schools and honoring the significant contributions and accomplishments of students, parents, educators, and education advocates.

    There are nearly 100,000 public schools in the U.S. that provide free instruction to the public, operated by a public school district. These public schools serve students in K-12, as well as provide career and technical education and adult education.  Overall, public schools make up about 85 percent of all American schools and 87 percent of all children attend a public school.

    “Public schools are the foundation of our democracy, where kids are put on a path towards reaching their full potential and are prepared to shape America’s future.  They are unifying places of opportunity where kids with different backgrounds, beliefs, and abilities come together for the common purpose of learning and getting a healthy start.  Every child deserves a great education.  That means we must invest in public schools and reject proposals to cut funding for our public schools.  We need to stand strong in support of public education that is for everyone and teaches everyone to think critically, engage in the world around them, and value their community and country,” said Senator Reed, whose father served as a custodian for the Cranston Public School system.

    Rolling out nationwide, Public Schools Week is an opportunity to honor the history and impact of publicly funded education.  Many national education groups representing teachers, principals, superintendents, parents, civil rights and disability advocates, and religious organizations join in highlighting the importance of U.S. public schools and the positive difference they make in shaping the future of our nation.

    There are a host of ways to join the celebration, such as:

    • Sharing your public school success story on social media.  #PublicSchoolsWeek
    • Wearing your local public school gear with pride.
    • Thanking a teacher, principal, or public school staff member. 

    The Collins-Reed Senate resolution states:

    Designating the week of February 24 through February 28, 2025, as ‘‘Public Schools Week’’.

    Whereas public education is a significant institution in a 21st-century democracy;

    Whereas public schools in the United States educate students about the values and beliefs that hold the individuals of the United States together as a nation;

    Whereas public schools prepare young individuals of the United States to contribute to the society, economy, and citizenry of the country;

    Whereas 87 percent of children in the United States attend public schools;

    Whereas Federal, State, and local lawmakers should—

    (1) prioritize support for strengthening the public schools of the United States;

    (2) empower superintendents, principals, and other school leaders to implement, manage, and lead school districts and schools in partnership with educators, parents, and other local education stakeholders; and

    (3) support services and programs that are critical to helping students engage in learning, including counseling, extracurricular activities, and mental health support;

    Whereas public schools should foster inclusive, safe, and high-quality environments in which children can learn to think critically, problem solve, and build relationships;

    Whereas public schools should provide environments in which all students have the opportunity to succeed beginning in their earliest years, regardless of who a student is or where a student lives;

    Whereas Congress should support—

    (1) efforts to advance equal opportunity and excellence in public education;

    (2) efforts to implement evidence-based practices in public education; and

    (3) continuous improvements to public education;

    Whereas every child should—

    (1) receive an education that helps the child reach the full potential of the child; and

    (2) attend a school that offers a high-quality educational experience;

    Whereas Federal funding, in addition to State and local funds, supports the access of students to inviting classrooms, well-prepared educators, and services to support healthy students, including nutrition and afterschool programs;

    Whereas teachers, paraprofessionals, and principals should provide students with a well-rounded education and strive to create joy in learning;

    Whereas superintendents, principals, other school leaders, teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents make public schools vital components of communities and are working hard to improve educational outcomes for children across the country; and

    Whereas the week of February 24 through February 28, 2025, is an appropriate period to designate as ‘‘Public Schools Week’’: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate designates the week of February 24 through February 28, 2025 as ‘‘Public Schools Week’’.

    A companion Public Schools Week resolution is being introduced in the U.S. House of Representative by Reps. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Kelly Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Access to Plasma-Based Medicines

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced the bipartisan Preserving Life-saving Access to Specialty Medicines in America (PLASMA) Act, legislation to ensure individuals with rare diseases and immunodeficiencies have access to necessary plasma-based medicines. 

    “It is critical patients with rare diseases and immunodeficiencies have uninterrupted access to the life-saving plasma-based medicines they need,” said Senator Tillis. “This commonsense legislation increases access to these innovative medications and ensures they remain affordable for the thousands of Americas who rely on them.” 

    “Patients with rare diseases and immune disorders rely on plasma-based medicines to stay healthy, but right now, too many are facing rising costs and supply challenges,” said Senator Kelly. “By protecting access to these lifesaving medicines, we’re making sure patients can get the treatments they need affordably and without disruption.” 

    “The Alpha-1 Foundation is proud to endorse The PLASMA Act in support of patients with rare diseases, like Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and immunodeficiencies to have access to necessary plasma-based medicines,” said Scott Santarella, President & CEO, Alpha-1 Foundation. “It is vital for our community to have continued access to this life-saving plasma therapy that they receive on a weekly basis.” 

    Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

    “All Americans impacted by rare diseases deserve to have innovative, high-quality health care,” said Representative Hudson. “My legislation will increase access to plasma medicines for our nation’s most vulnerable patients and help save lives.”

    Background:

    North Carolina is home to one of the world’s largest plasma production facilities and more than 30 plasma donor centers across the state, which provide life-saving measures for thousands of Americans. 

    The PLASMA Act would include plasma-derived medicines in a phase-in process for the Part D redesign the Inflation Reduction Act already has in place for other drugs Congress recognized as unique. Beginning in 2031, manufacturers would pay the full rebate amount following annual rebate increases, protecting vulnerable beneficiaries’ supply of plasma-derived medicines and avoiding skyrocketing costs for patients. 

    In the United States, over 125,000 patients living with rare and life-threatening diseases rely on sustained access to plasma derived medicinal products to treat their lifelong health conditions. These rare and chronic diseases include Primary Immunodeficiencies, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency; for most patients there are no effective, alternative therapies available. 

    The PLASMA Act is endorsed by top national and international health organizations, including the Immune Deficiency Foundation, Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association, Alpha-1 Foundation, and GBS | CIDP Foundation International.

    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven, Shaheen & Moran Introduce Legislation to Bolster Air Traffic Control Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    02.25.25

    Bipartisan Legislation Would Strengthen Enhanced AT-CTI Program, Improve ATC Recruitment, Training & Retention

    WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Workforce Development Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation to address ATC staffing shortages, improve working conditions and ensure the safe transportation of people and goods within U.S. airspace. Among other priorities, the legislation would:

    • Expand the ATC workforce training pipeline by codifying and strengthening the Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program.
      • The bill authorizes $20 million per year for grants to AT-CTI schools to invest in curriculum, high-fidelity simulators, faculty and classroom supplies.
      • The legislation also removes disincentives that discourage retired air traffic controllers from working as instructors at AT-CTI schools.
      • Currently, four schools, including the University of North Dakota (UND), have been selected for the Enhanced AT-CTI program, under which graduates are immediately eligible for hire by the FAA and to begin localized training at an air traffic facility.
    • Authorize the procurement and placement of Tower Simulator Systems at ATC facilities nationwide, supporting more efficient certification of ATC trainees.
    • Require the FAA to develop Air Traffic Controller recruitment and retention incentive programs.
    • Support the development of mental health services equipped to address the particular stressors faced by the ATC workforce.

    “Without an adequate workforce of qualified air traffic controllers, air travel cannot function in a safe and efficient manner, a reality made clear by recent aviation tragedies and accidents,” said Senator Hoeven. “Despite efforts to boost recruitment, our nation has been unable to overcome attrition in the ATC workforce, and more needs to be done. Accordingly, our legislation expands the capacity of schools like UND to get more controllers into FAA towers and radar facilities, while providing better benefits to support workers and boost recruitment and retention. We worked hard to secure UND as a leader in the Enhanced AT-CTI program, and now we’re working to provide more resources to accelerate training, reduce the strain on our existing workforce and ensure the American public can trust in the safety of our air transportation system.”

    “Increasingly frequent near-misses and close calls over the last several years—coupled with recent aviation tragedies like the one last month in D.C.—are sobering reminders that we must do more to keep our skies safe,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation with Senator Hoeven to expand the air traffic controller workforce pipeline, enhance training facilities and equipment, improve recruitment and retention efforts and more. I hope this bill moves quickly so we can address the shortage of air traffic controllers and strengthen aviation safety.”

    “Our national air space system relies on technology and individuals working in tandem to keep our skies safe and operating efficiently, and air traffic controllers are essential to that system,” said Senator Moran. “The training, hiring and retention of this critical workforce ought to be a continued priority of Congress, and I am pleased to join my colleagues in introducing legislation to support the current and future air traffic control industry. Continued investments in the programs and infrastructure supporting air traffic controllers will help to address workforce needs and keep our flying public safe.”

    “The National Air Traffic Controllers Association thanks Senators Hoeven and Shaheen for their leadership on the important issues of training, recruiting, and retaining air traffic controllers and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Congress and the Administration on these critical matters.” – The National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

    “The University of North Dakota is proud to support the ATC Workforce Development Act. As the demand for air traffic controllers continues to rise, this bill represents a significant step forward in advancing their education and training through innovative technologies. By fostering a skilled workforce, this legislation will enhance the security of our airspace and uphold the reputation of air travel as the safest mode of transportation.” –Robert J. Kraus, Dean, John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, University of North Dakota.

    A summary of the legislation and the full bill text can be found here and here, respectively. The legislation builds upon several years of work between Senators Hoeven and Shaheen to support the Air Traffic Control workforce and address ATC understaffing. Most recently, they sent a lettercalling on the FAA to urgently work with Congress to address ATC staffing shortages, in light of the tragic aviation accident at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C. Previously, Senators Hoeven and Shaheen:

    • Worked to include provisions in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 that require the FAA to use a more accurate staffing model developed by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO).
      • The bill also sets an updated minimum hiring target for new air traffic controllers.
    • Authored the Air Traffic Controller Hiring Reform Act, which was signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and required the FAA to prioritize the hiring of veterans and graduates of FAA Certified Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) schools, like the University of North Dakota, as Air Traffic Controllers.

    The legislation is supported by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA), Airlines for America (A4A), American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), and Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell-Led Fusion Energy Commercialization Commission Releases Roadmap to Secure American Leadership in Fusion Energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    02.25.25
    Cantwell-Led Fusion Energy Commercialization Commission Releases Roadmap to Secure American Leadership in Fusion Energy
    Cantwell: Expanding fusion can help “meet our growing electricity demand, lower emissions, & increase export opportunities”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy, which is co-chaired by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee; Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and Ylli Bajraktari, President, Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), released a preliminary report titled “Fusion Power: Enabling 21st Century American Dominance.”
    “Fusion could provide vast amounts of the type of power we need to keep electricity prices down and increase America’s economic competitiveness,” said Sen. Cantwell. “This preliminary report provides a roadmap for how the United States could lead the world in fusion commercialization in order to meet our growing electricity demand, lower emissions, and increase export opportunities.”
    Fusion, the same process that powers the sun, typically utilizes an inexhaustible supply of water as its fuel, and produces negligible atmospheric emissions and zero greenhouse gas emissions. Fusion reactors cannot melt down, and do not generate the high-level, long-lasting radioactive waste associated with nuclear fission reactors.
    The Commission’s recommendations are organized into three categories:
    Declare Fusion a National Security Priority: The United States should prioritize fusion energy development. A presidential executive order should articulate a National Fusion Goal and establish a national fusion strategy led by the Department of Energy (DOE), with a 90-day action plan to streamline regulations, organize public and private stakeholders, and align the necessary resources. This will ensure U.S. leadership in fusion energy, which is vital for national prosperity and security.
    Establish Fusion Leadership and Drive Commercialization: A political appointee at the DOE should be appointed as the national “Fusion Lead” and be empowered to implement the Fusion Executive Order (EO). This senior leader should report to the Secretary and oversee existing DOE fusion commercialization programs, develop the 90-day action plan, and dismantle bureaucratic obstacles.
    Strategic Investment to Win the Fusion Race: The United States will not be able to achieve fusion power unless it invests in the fundamental building blocks of commercial fusion: infrastructure, supply chain, and talent. To outpace China, the United States should make a one-time investment towards these strategic assets, de-risk multiple commercial fusion pathways, and sustain basic research to cultivate the next generation of fusion science.
    The 13-member Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy, first announced in Fall 2023 at SCSP’s Global Emerging Technology Summit, aims to position the United States not only as the leader in fusion science but also in its scaling as the technology matures. The Commission will hold sessions throughout 2025, culminating in its final report later this year.
    This effort represents a step towards ensuring U.S. leadership in a transformative technology, with implications for national security, economic prosperity, and energy independence. The Commission’s work will lay the foundation for a future where fusion energy could be the key pillar of global energy infrastructure.
    Sen. Cantwell is a leading Senate champion for the development and deployment of fusion energy.
    In July 2024, Sen. Cantwell hosted a Pacific Northwest Energy Summit, joining U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and regional energy stakeholders to discuss technological and policy solutions that will ensure NW ratepayers and our regional economy continue to benefit from abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy. More than 200 business, government, and non-profit energy professionals attended the event.
    In May 2023, Sen. Cantwell applauded Everett-based Helion Energy’s announcement that they plan to be the first company in the world to generate and sell electricity from a fusion reactor.
    Thanks to leading fusion companies like Helion, as well as Everett-based Zap and Seattle-based Avalanche, many consider the Puget Sound region to be the world’s biggest fusion energy hub.
    During a Senate hearing in April 2023, Sen. Cantwell pressed Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about plans to expand federal support for fusion research.
    At an Energy Committee hearing in September 2022, Sen. Cantwell asked fusion experts like Dr. Scott Hsu, Lead Fusion Coordinator for the Department of Energy, and Professor Steven Cowley, Director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, about what more we can be doing to boost fusion R&D and make sure we can manufacture fusion components domestically.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Hassan, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Ensure Veterans’ Access to High-Quality Mental Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Gary Peters (D–MI) today introduced the Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act, which would require an independent organization outside of the government to conduct a study to assess the quality of care veterans receive for mental and addiction health treatment from providers within and outside the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

    “The brave men and women who served our nation should never be denied access to the high-quality care they deserve,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation recognizes the unique mental health challenges our veterans face and aims to improve the VA system by providing an independent evaluation of the quality of life we’re providing for our nation’s bravest.”

    “Veterans deserve the health care that they have earned, and that includes mental health care,” said Sen. Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will help veterans make informed choices about whether to seek mental health care through the VA or community providers, and will help identify potential areas of improvement for mental health care for veterans. I will continue to work to ensure that New Hampshire’s veterans who have sacrificed so much to keep our communities safe, secure, and free are able to access high-quality care.”

    “Our veterans have sacrificed so much to keep us safe, and we must do everything we can to ensure they have the care and resources they’ve earned,” said Sen. Bennet. “Our bipartisan bill is an important step toward understanding the barriers veterans face and improving their access to high-quality substance abuse and mental health services.”

    “Every veteran must receive the care and services they need to address the risk of suicide and addiction,” said Sen. Cassidy. “There is no room for failure.”

    “Our veterans made the honorable decision to serve our country, and we have a responsibility to ensure they receive the best possible health care during and after their service,” said Sen. Collins. “Too many veterans face serious mental health struggles, including PTSD and addiction, yet they often encounter barriers to getting the care they need. By reviewing the quality of mental health and addiction treatment available to them—both within and outside the VA—this bipartisan legislation would help improve access to higher-quality care, so that fewer veterans are left without the support they deserve.”

    “We must do everything we can to ensure veterans have access to the quality and affordable health care they need,” said Sen. Peters. “I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan bill that would assess the current state of mental health and addiction services available to veterans to determine any potential changes that are needed to deliver first-rate care for our nation’s heroes.”

    This legislation was also cosponsored by Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).

    Background:

    The Department of Veterans Affairs is home to the nation’s largest integrated health care system that provides comprehensive health services to U.S. military veterans who are enrolled. However, recent estimates indicate that as many as 70% of VA-eligible veterans received their care from external providers. Given the high rate of veteran suicide due to mental and addiction health conditions, a study is needed to better understand if current practices provide our veterans with the best mental and addiction quality of care.

    The Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act would require an independent and objective organization outside of the VA to conduct a study to:

    • Analyze the results of comparable instances of addiction and mental health care between inside and outside providers using objective criteria such as symptom scores and suicide risk;
    • Ascertain to what extent outside providers are using evidence-based practices in the treatment of addiction and mental health issues;
    • Identify potential gaps in coordination between internal and external providers in responding to individuals seeking addiction or mental health care;
    • Evaluate the availability of coordinated care for veterans who have separate or related conditions which may be impacting their mental health;
    • Assess providers’ military cultural competency;
    • Gauge the ease and flexibility of sharing medical records with a veteran’s health care team;
    • Consider to what extent providers are conducting outcome monitoring throughout a veteran’s treatment to track progress or lack thereof;
    • And measure overall patient satisfaction.

    The legislation is supported by the Disabled American Veterans Association, the American Psychological Association, and the Veteran Health Care Policy Initiative.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden to FTC: Stop Companies from Offering Bait-and-Switch Sales of Digital TV, E-Book, Music, and Video Game Purchases

    US Senate News:

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

    February 25, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., pressed the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to stop companies from misleadingly offering people the ability to “buy” online content, including TV, e-books, movies, music, and video games, when the reality is consumers do not have total control over their purchases. Far too often, consumers “buy” digital goods only to learn they cannot own, sell, or transfer the items, and may even have them deleted with no recourse— a legal loophole that many companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Sony only explain in the finely printed terms of service.

    In the letter to FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, Wyden said, “This information should be presented before and at the point of sale in a way that is clear and understandable for consumers, so that they can use all the information at hand to determine if they want to purchase or rent the product at the offered price. To put it simply, prior to agreeing to any transaction, consumers should understand what they are paying for and what is guaranteed after the sale.”

    Over the past several years, many companies have shifted from producing and selling physical copies of books, music, TV, video games, and other content to online versions. As people increasingly buy their products online, this shift has raised concerns about companies failing to be transparent about what consumers are actually buying. Online purchasers are left vulnerable and susceptible to getting less than what they paid for.

    Companies may be able to change or remove people’s online content at any time. In 2023, Sony announced users could no longer watch previously purchased Discovery content, including shows such as Cake Boss, MythBusters, and Deadliest Catch, until the companies reached a deal. Amazon also recently announced that consumers would no longer be able to download or back up their e-books, making it more difficult for them to access and keep their purchases.

    Wyden concluded, “The shift from physical to digital goods presents some complex legal questions. One thing is clear, however: consumers deserve transparency about their ownership rights in digital goods. Guidance from the FTC on this issue will help ensure that digital goods sellers are aware of best practices and that American consumers can make informed buying decisions.”

    Wyden is a longtime champion in the Senate of protecting consumers while holding companies accountable in today’s digital environment. In 2019, Wyden introduced a bill to hold corporations accountable for abusing their use of Americans’ information. Also, in 2019, Wyden and his colleagues introduced a bill requiring companies to target flawed algorithms that have resulted in biased or discriminatory decisions harming Americans. In 2023, Wyden and then-Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, wrote a letter to stakeholders requesting their policy clarifications on taxing digital assets.

    The text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Question HUD Secretary on Alarming Consequences of New DOGE Task Force on Housing for America’s Families

    US Senate News:

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

    February 25, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined an effort to press U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner about the alarming consequences of a recently announced “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) Task Force that threatens to seriously hinder HUD’s ability to support vulnerable communities.

    Reportedly, the DOGE Task Force plans to lay off 50 percent of its workforce, eliminate half of HUD’s field offices serving local communities across the country, and gut programs that protect families and people with disabilities from discrimination, address our homelessness crisis, and provide resources to communities to tackle our housing shortage and recover from disasters. There are also reports that HUD is terminating the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, which was created by Congress to help repair and improve efficiency in homes for families, seniors, and people with disabilities. These funds have already been awarded and obligated to nonprofits and other housing providers to improve more than 30,000 homes all across the country – but now DOGE at HUD is trying to illegally claw these funds back.

    “HUD engages in critical work supporting communities in expanding their housing supply, providing rental assistance, and preventing homelessness—work that is urgently important for millions of Americans looking to purchase a home to build generational wealth or find an affordable place to rent,” wrote the Senators in their letter. “Axing these offices will handicap the Department’s ability to serve the American public and exacerbate the housing crisis we currently find ourselves in.”

    The Senators are also seeking clarity on the DOGE Task Force’s overall objectives and how it is defining waste.

    “In addition to personnel cuts, you also announced that HUD and DOGE have identified $260 million in savings on wasteful contracts.  If this represents legitimate waste, we are happy to work with you to wipe it out,” wrote the Senators. “But to date, there has been no transparency about DOGE’s involvement, or what exactly it is finding. We ask that you provide additional information on the allegedly wasteful spending identified by DOGE, and a clear accounting of how these funds have been misused.”

    The Senators have requested detailed information from Secretary Turner by February 26, 2025, urging immediate transparency to protect the interests of American families.

    The letter was led by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and was signed by Merkley, Wyden, Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Warner, Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Johnson, Grassley to the National Archives: The American People Deserve a Full Accounting of Joe Biden’s Activities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) highlighting multiple requests — some dating back to June 2021 — for records relating to Joe Biden and his family business dealings. For years, NARA failed to provide the requested records, but now that both Sens. Johnson and Grassley hold gavels, they are reiterating their previous requests. 

    “Since 2021, we have conducted oversight of Joe Biden’s use of multiple pseudonyms and personal email addresses for official government business when he served as Vice President. Despite our multiple requests for information, the Biden White House failed to respond. Our offices have also sent five letters to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), requesting documents in NARA’s possession that are vital to our oversight. Unfortunately, as we will explain, NARA has also failed to provide all the information that we have sought involving Joe Biden,”the senators wrote. 

    “Although former President Biden is no longer in office and he pardoned his son Hunter and other family members, we believe it is of importance to review these records so the American people have a full accounting of Joe Biden and his family’s activities while Joe Biden was in government,”the senators continued.

    Read more about Chairman Johnson’s letter on Fox News.

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman, Kennedy Push to Block Unnecessary Collection of Small Business Data

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
    WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced the 1071 Repeal to Protect Small Business Lending Act, legislation to reverse a Biden-era Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule requiring banks to collect and report personal information, such as a business owners’ race, ethnicity and sex, or if a business was minority or LGBT-owned, when seeking a small business loan.
    This reversal will increase access to credit for small businesses, save millions in compliance costs for lenders and remove disproportionately high regulatory burdens on community banks and credit unions. Further, the legislation prevents the CPFB from publishing certain personal information required under Section 1071 on its website, which threatened to compromise borrower privacy.
    “Overzealous data collection and any requirement to publish small businesses owners’ personal information online creates unnecessary risk while burying smallbusiness lenders under costly layers of bureaucratic red tape,” said Boozman. “I am pleased to work with my colleagues to reverse further erosion of Americans’ privacy and ease the regulatory burden on banks that provide loans to entrepreneurs and job creators.”
    “President Biden’s woke CFPB put small business owners’ information at risk by requiring their personal details to be exposed online. My bill would repeal the last administration’s misguided regulation so that job creators’ private information isn’t public, and government doesn’t stand in the way of Main Street’s access toloans,” Kennedy said. 
    This legislation is also co-sponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Ted Cruz (R-TX). 
    Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX-25) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    Read the text of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Senator Mullin Slams Democrat Falsely Blaming Trump for Biden’s Disastrous Withdrawal from Afghanistan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    RELEASE: Senator Mullin Slams Democrat Falsely Blaming Trump for Biden’s Disastrous Withdrawal from Afghanistan

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), a member of the Senate Armed Service Committee, responded to Democrat Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) comments falsely blaming President Trump for former President Joe Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan during the confirmation hearing for Deputy Defense Secretary Nominee Stephen A. Feinberg. During his remarks, the Senator also debunked false claims on the administration’s effort to shrink the federal government, and the U.S. posture towards Russia amid peace negotiations.
    “The disastrous withdrawal came 100% from the Biden administration. And American lives were left behind, and are still dying because of it,” said Senator Mullin. “And you’re going to sit there with a straight face and try to say that it was President Trump’s fault?”

    Watch the senator’s full remarks here.
    Highlights below:
    “And then, as the Senator that just asked questions wanted to bring up the Afghanistan withdrawal. Brother, that’s very, very close to me. That hits home. And you’re going to lay the withdrawal on President Trump, and say it was his fault?”
    “The Biden administration threw out the entire withdrawal plan that the Trump administration had and decided to go their own way. And man, wasn’t that great?” 
    “And then we’re going to start talking about President Trump not calling a bully out, like Putin. Do we forget what happened in 2017 when Trump 100% told Russia to stay out of Syria, not to be involved, especially with the bombing of Assad’s own people? And when they did, President Trump, within 30 minutes, took out the airfield that they operated out of, destroyed it, and then took back the airspace, and we had the airspace in Syria all the way up until Biden took office and we gave it back to Putin.”
    “Do we want to go back to Israel and Hamas and discuss the way the Biden administration handled that? And the way they refused to call Hamas a terrorist organization, and the Houthis a terrorist organization, and Iran a terrorist organization. And you’re going to sit there with a straight face and actually say that about President Trump?”
    “Are we serious saying that President Trump isn’t willing to stand up to a bully when underneath his administration, was the only time that Russia didn’t advance into Ukraine, because [Putin] did it underneath Obama, when they took Crimea and they did it underneath Biden, because they didn’t respect him, because of the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. And every expert will tell you that.”
    “The President is bringing back hostages. He also brought back the hostage that Biden left behind, and he didn’t give up one thing to Russia, including a guy that was highly, highly considered a threat to the world… Doctor death, that we that we decided to trade for. And I’m sure you guys thought that was a good trade.” 
    “Guys, give me a break. We’re trying to advance America’s agenda and do what’s best for this country, and the American people agree with the direction we’re going.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, 17 Colleagues Lead Bipartisan Resolution Supporting Ukraine on Third Anniversary of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 24, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, on Monday joined 17 of his Senate colleagues in supporting a bipartisan resolution acknowledging the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The resolution expresses the U.S. Senate’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while condemning Russia’s illegal aggression and attempts to seize Ukrainian territory. It also commends NATO, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, and the international community for their continued efforts to support Ukraine’s defense and the protection of human rights on its territory; recognizes Ukraine’s democratic progress during wartime; and emphasizes Ukraine’s right to be included in any discussions with Russia about its future.
    U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) also cosponsored the resolution.
    Full text of the resolution can be found HERE and below:
    RESOLUTION acknowledging the third anniversary of Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine and expressing support for the people of Ukraine.
    Whereas, on February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale, unprovoked, and illegal invasion of Ukraine, which followed Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its illegal occupation of parts of the Donbas region in 2014;
    Whereas the international community recognizes the sovereignty and full territorial integrity of Ukraine within the 1991 borders; and
    Whereas the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the people of Ukraine have demonstrated a determined resistance that has prevented Russia from taking control of their country: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate—(1) expresses continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condolences for the loss of tens of thousands of Ukrainian people to Russian aggression;
    (2) rejects Russia’s attempts to militarily seize sovereign territory in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe;
    (3) reaffirms the support of the United States for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine;
    (4) commends NATO, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, and the international community for their continued efforts to support Ukraine’s defense and the protection of human rights on its territory;
    (5) supports Ukraine’s aspirations to integrate into Euro-Atlantic structures;
    (6) recognizes Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen its democracy during wartime;
    (7) encourages the transatlantic community to continue to denounce Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war in Ukraine and counter Russian aggression; and
    (8) emphasizes that Ukraine must be a partici2 pant in discussions with the Russian Federation 3 about Ukraine’s future.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Colleagues Denounce President Trump’s Unlawful Transfer Of Immigrants To Guantánamo

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, joined Democratic leaders of the Senate Judiciary and Appropriations Committees in sending a letter to President Trump denouncing his transfer of immigrants from the United States to the detention center at Guantánamo Bay as unlawful and asking for answers to basic questions yet to be provided to Congress.
    “We write to object to your illegal and unjustified transfers of immigrants from the United States to the detention center at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, which follows your directive to the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to prepare the base to hold tens of thousands of noncitizens. These actions are unprecedented, unlawful, and harmful to American national security, values, and interests,” the senators wrote. “The United States has never sent anyone from the United States to be detained at Guantánamo before now.”
    On the unlawful and unjustified nature of the directive, the senators wrote: “There is no basis in U.S. immigration law for transferring noncitizens arrested inside the United States to a location outside of the United States for detention prior to or for the purposes of conducting removal proceedings. Noncitizens inside the United States are entitled to numerous protections under U.S. immigration law and the U.S. Constitution. For example, removal processes under our immigration laws afford noncitizens due process and an opportunity to seek protection from removal to a place where they could face persecution or torture. These rights cannot be extinguished by transfer to a location outside the United States. Simply put, if the processes for obtaining a lawful removal order have not been followed, the forcible removal of a noncitizen to Guantánamo violates U.S. immigration law.”
    They continued: “Individuals in civil immigration detention have a right to access counsel under ICE detention standards, and immigration laws governing removal proceedings. Impeding access to counsel for detained immigrants also may violate the Constitution in some circumstances. In addition, individuals in immigration detention may have appeal or other review rights  and cannot be held indefinitely,  and the only effective means by which a detained individual could assert these rights would be through access to counsel.”
    On the Trump Administration’s false claim that only high-risk immigrants are detained, the senators wrote: “While no noncitizen should be sent from the United States to Guantánamo, it also appears that your Administration’s claims that it was sending ‘worst of the worst’ there are misleading. Public reporting indicates that noncitizens who DHS deemed low risk were sent to Guantánamo. In response to inquiries from Judiciary Committee staff, your Administration has even left open the possibility that families, including children, will be detained at Guantánamo, stating that future decisions regarding detention would be made on a ‘case-by-case basis.’”
    The senators concluded: “Your efforts to house or detain noncitizens forcibly removed from the United States at the MOC and the Camp 6 law of war detention facilities at Guantánamo are cruel, unlawful, and unprecedented. Such hasty and unlawful actions will cause harms to the United States for years to come. As those familiar with the long history of operations at Guantánamo can tell you, detaining individuals there is not a quick fix. Congress has not appropriated funds for such purposes for good reason. Given the isolated location of the base, its controversial history, and the lack of legal authority to detain noncitizens there, continuing down this path will invite more litigation, drain resources, place undue strain on our servicemembers, diminish military readiness, undermine support from our allies, and harm our standing in the world.”
    U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) also signed the letter.
    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
    Dear President Trump: We write to object to your illegal and unjustified transfers of noncitizens from the United States to the detention center at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, which follows your directive to the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to prepare the base to hold tens of thousands of noncitizens. These actions are unprecedented, unlawful, and harmful to American national security, values, and interests.
    The United States has never sent anyone from the United States to be detained at Guantánamo before now. More than three decades ago, the base was used temporarily to house sudden influxes of migrants from Haiti and Cuba who were interdicted at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard. Since then, the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have jointly provided housing and other services for a small number of migrants interdicted at sea at the Migrant Operations Center (MOC). Operations supporting even this limited number of migrants have proven challenging and there have been serious concerns regarding the living conditions of the MOC and insufficient access to basic legal rights and services.
    There is no basis in U.S. immigration law for transferring noncitizens arrested inside the United States to a location outside of the United States for detention prior to or for the purposes of conducting removal proceedings. Noncitizens inside the United States are entitled to numerous protections under U.S. immigration law and the U.S. Constitution. For example, removal processes under our immigration laws afford noncitizens due process and an opportunity to seek protection from removal to a place where they could face persecution or torture. These rights cannot be extinguished by transfer to a location outside the United States. Simply put, if the processes for obtaining a lawful removal order have not been followed, the forcible removal of a noncitizen to Guantánamo violates U.S. immigration law.
    Moreover, U.S. immigration law does not provide authority to detain noncitizens after their removal from the United States following a final order of removal. Immigration custody authority is based on immigration enforcement powers to seek and execute a removal order. Once an individual with a removal order departs the United States and arrives in a location outside the United States, the removal order has been executed. After that point, there is no basis under immigration law to retain custody of the individual. In addition, individuals in civil immigration detention have a right to access counsel under ICE detention standards, and immigration laws governing removal proceedings. Impeding access to counsel for detained noncitizens also may violate the Constitution in some circumstances. In addition, individuals in immigration detention may have appeal or other review rights and cannot be held indefinitely, and the only effective means by which a detained individual could assert these rights would be through access to counsel.
    Based on information provided to the Judiciary Committee and in court filings, we are concerned that your Administration did not consider these serious legal concerns or have any plan to address them prior to transferring noncitizens from the United States to Guantánamo. In response to the Judiciary Committee’s inquiry regarding how noncitizens will access counsel once on the base, DHS stated, “Removable aliens housed will be those with final orders pending removal.” This suggests that noncitizens with final orders of removal do not need access to counsel, which is inaccurate. After individuals and legal organizations filed suit seeking access to the noncitizens, the Department of Justice filed a brief arguing that these noncitizens’ constitutional rights were not violated, because, though they did not have a right to meet with attorneys in person under the circumstances, other means of communicating with counsel, such as by telephone, were available. Yet just the day before, when the Judiciary Committee requested details regarding how noncitizens being held at Guantánamo could contact counsel when granted access to a phone, DHS did not know what, if any, procedures were in place to notify them of their rights or provide them with contact information for legal services. Your Administration’s actions and these responses raise serious legal concerns and call into question what effort, if any, was put into ensuring that the transfer of noncitizens complied with applicable laws and regulations.
    While such clarification should be unnecessary, we must also emphasize that there is no colorable argument that noncitizens, including those convicted, accused, or suspected of crimes or criminal associations, can be held in law of war detention or in Department of Defense custody, whether at Guantánamo or anywhere else. The law of war detention facility at Guantánamo has been used to hold alleged members of al Qaeda and “associated forces” in connection with the armed conflict between the United States and these groups following the 9/11 attacks. While these detention operations have been the subject of significant controversy and criticism, these detainees have all been captured abroad and detained pursuant to the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force and Section 1021 of the FY 2012 National Defense Authorization Act.
    While no noncitizen should be sent from the United States to Guantánamo, it also appears that your Administration’s claims that it was sending “worst of the worst” there are misleading. Public reporting indicates that noncitizens who DHS deemed low risk were sent to Guantánamo. In response to inquiries from Judiciary Committee staff, your Administration has even left open the possibility that families, including children, will be detained at Guantánamo, stating that future decisions regarding detention would be made on a “case-by-case basis.”
    Your efforts to house or detain noncitizens forcibly removed from the United States at the MOC and the Camp 6 law of war detention facilities at Guantánamo are cruel, unlawful, and unprecedented. Such hasty and unlawful actions will cause harms to the United States for years to come. As those familiar with the long history of operations at Guantánamo can tell you, detaining individuals there is not a quick fix. Congress has not appropriated funds for such purposes for good reason. Given the isolated location of the base, its controversial history, and the lack of legal authority to detain noncitizens there, continuing down this path will invite more litigation, drain resources, place undue strain on our servicemembers, diminish military readiness, undermine support from our allies, and harm our standing in the world.
    We urge you to heed these lessons, follow the law, refrain from any further expansion of facilities, and cease transferring noncitizens to Guantánamo. To inform our oversight of this situation, please answer the following questions by March 10, 2025:
    What is your Administration’s claimed legal authority for transporting noncitizens from the United States to the Naval Station at Guantánamo Bay? Relatedly, what is your claimed legal basis for detaining noncitizens there, whether at the MOC, JTF-GTMO, or other facilities?
    What are your Administration’s criteria for determining which noncitizens would be sent to Guantánamo?
    Will you definitively state that families and children will not be sent to Guantánamo?
    For what crimes, if any, were the individuals previously sent to Guantánamo convicted? Were individuals provided with representation in their criminal proceedings?
    To what legal processes and rights does your Administration consider individuals sent to Guantánamo to be entitled, including relative to individuals in immigration detention inside the United States and individuals currently housed at the MOC?
    How will your Administration ensure that these rights, such as access to counsel and administrative and judicial review, are upheld given the restricted access to Naval Station Guantánamo Bay?
    How many ICE personnel are stationed at the MOC? How many are stationed at Camp 6?
    What are the projected costs of expanding the MOC and any other operations or actions associated with the transfer of noncitizens to or from Naval Station Guantánamo Bay? How much have the actions already taken cost U.S. taxpayers and how does that compare to the cost of detaining immigrants inside the U.S.? What is the source of funding for these efforts?
    What impact will these operations and expenditures have on military readiness and availability of funds for immigration detention and enforcement inside the United States?
    How does your Administration plan to ensure the facilities meet required standards of care for housing, food, medical care, security, sanitation, education, employment, and the like for both detained noncitizens and U.S. military personnel at the base, given the already deteriorated state of facilities at the base? What contingency plans do you have in place for weather conditions or other emergency situations?
    How does your Administration plan to ensure that Congress and the American people, including the press and civil society, have access to information regarding these operations, including who is, was, or will be detained there and under what conditions and authorities?
    What is your long-term objective and strategy for these detentions, including your plan for individuals for whom repatriation or resettlement may not be feasible?
    Reporting indicates that in one case, you have brought a noncitizen you had transferred to Guantánamo back to the United States. Is this true? If so, why, and under what authorities?
    We look forward to your prompt response.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Barragán Introduce Bicameral Bill to Codify DOJ’s Office of Environmental Justice

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Barragán Introduce Bicameral Bill to Codify DOJ’s Office of Environmental Justice

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.-44) introduced bicameral legislation to permanently codify the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act follows Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent order eliminating all environmental justice efforts at the DOJ on her first day as Attorney General.
    Bondi’s directive followed President Trump’s executive order dismantling all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives across federal agencies. As a result, programs designed to combat pollution in communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income areas were effectively shut down. The Trump Administration also terminated several ENRD attorneys responsible for prosecuting environmental violations, including cases like the Volkswagen emissions scandal and the East Palestine train derailment.
    “The Trump Administration’s systematic elimination of environmental justice efforts completely abandons millions of Americans whose communities have suffered from toxic pollution for decades,” said Senator Padilla. “Every federal agency has a responsibility to provide justice to these communities, and I remain committed to guaranteeing clean air and water for all. Our legislation would ensure that the Department of Justice holds polluters accountable for environmental crimes and works directly with communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis to rectify longstanding environmental harms.”
    “The Trump Administration’s elimination of environmental justice safeguards at DOJ is a gift to corporate polluters. It has left communities of color and low-income communities vulnerable to disproportionate pollution and harm, with no protection,” said Congresswoman Barragán. “Our bill reestablishes and permanently codifies the Office of Environmental Justice to protect impacted communities and ensure polluters face accountability. No community should bear the health consequences of environmental injustice.”
    The legislation will strengthen efforts at the Department of Justice to enforce environmental laws, hold polluters accountable, and support state and local environmental enforcement capacity. The Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act would also authorize $50 million in annual grant funding to assist state and local governments with their own environmental enforcement efforts.
    During the Biden Administration, Padilla and Barragán introduced a version of this bill, which led to the DOJ establishing the Office of Environmental Justice. This office undertook the responsibilities that the lawmakers outlined in their original bill. Padilla has since led an appropriations push to provide $1.4 million annually to this office.
    The Main Functions of the Environmental Justice Office include:
    Developing and updating the environmental justice strategy for the DOJ
    Promoting the right of the public to participate in DOJ’s environmental justice work and mission
    Providing support to state and local governments on how to address environmental justice issues
    Funding $50 million in annual grants to boost local and state agency capacity to hold polluters accountable
    Managing a Senior Advisory Council made up of different components at DOJ to advise the Natural Resource Division’s Assistant Attorney General on matters of environmental justice
    In the Senate, the Empowering and Enforcing Environmental Justice Act is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). In the House, the legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.-03), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas-30), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.-01), Tim Kennedy (D-N.Y.-26), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.-08), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12).
    Senator Padilla is a champion for ensuring all communities can breathe clean air and drink clean water in California and across the country, including through improved enforcement on environmental violations. In addition to calling for the establishment of the Office of Environmental Justice, Padilla outlined recommendations to former Attorney General Merrick Garland to strengthen its environmental justice program to advance the nation’s environmental justice goals. Padilla has also called on the Department of Justice to improve enforcement of environmental laws in the Central District of California and explain their policy regarding the use of non-prosecution agreements that spare corporate polluters of criminal liability, specifically in communities in the Los Angeles area, which are severely impacted by multiple sources of pollution.
    Last year, Senator Padilla helped secure $216.5 million the Inflation Reduction Act for 15 California projects to advance local, on-the-ground projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and strengthen workforce development. Following multiple pushes from Padilla, the EPA proposed to add the Exide Technologies – Vernon site, located in Vernon, California, to the Superfund National Priorities List last year. Padilla also applauded the EPA’s release of the strongest national greenhouse gas standards in history for heavy-duty vehicle emissions to begin in model year 2027, protecting environmental justice communities following a series of efforts he led.
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Make Federally Funded Broadband Projects Tax-Free

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation that would allow broadband developers to maximize the impact of federal funding in Maine’s underserved communities. The Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act would exclude broadband deployment grants awarded through certain federal programs from an organization’s taxable income. If passed, this would ensure the entirety of federal dollars awarded to companies for the purpose of deploying broadband around the country can be used for that purpose, rather than making their way back to the government through taxes.
    According to the Maine Connectivity Authority, the majority of Maine locations (89%) now have access to broadband internet — a 3% increase from 2023, due in large part to federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act’s Capitol Projects Fund and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, championed by Senator King. The remainder of Maine people with unreliable internet access — or no internet access at all — is particularly high in rural communities.
    “In today’s digital age, access to high-speed, affordable broadband is critical for Maine people to live, work and stay connected with one another,” said Senator King. “Every single dollar that is invested in broadband deployment is vital, and shouldn’t be clawed back by the government at the cost of connecting an extra community street or neighborhood that needs it. I want to thank my colleagues for coming together to help close the digital divide in rural and urban communities in Maine and across the nation.”
    “The Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act will help ensure that necessary federal investments in broadband infrastructure are deployed as efficiently and effectively as possible, providing relief to small businesses, communities and consumers,” said Andrew Butcher, President of Maine Connectivity Authority. “Connectivity to high speed internet is a modern necessity and the BGTTA will help stretch critical funding as far as possible, accelerating deployment and reducing costs.” 
    In addition to Senator King, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mark Warner (D-VA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Deb Fischer (R-NE).
    Senator King is a longstanding advocate for the expansion of broadband access; his first op-ed as a Senate candidate in 2012 was to tout the social and economic potential of statewide connectivity. He has continued to push Maine in the direction of full statewide connectivity throughout his time in the Senate. Most recently, Senator King helped secure a $24.8 million investment in broadband infrastructure and digital literacy. He also introduced the Digital Equity Act of 2021, creating new federal investments toward programs promoting digital equity, and went on to be a key negotiator in securing $65 billion toward broadband infrastructure as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary Of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion Of Ukraine, Durbin Reiterates Bipartisan Congressional Support For Ukraine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 24, 2025
    Durbin: We should make sure Ukraine’s sovereignty and future are secure and not given away in appeasement to Putin—a move that could cost us dearly in the future
    WASHINGTON – On the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, spoke on the Senate floor in support of Ukraine. During his speech, Durbin condemned President Trump’s appeasement to Russian President Vladimir Putin—where Trump announced key concessions to Putin regarding Ukraine, while apparently ignoring Ukraine’s key demands.  Durbin began his speech by reflecting on President Reagan’s powerful speech at the Berlin Wall where he told the Soviets to “tear down this wall.”
    “Ronald Reagan understood all too well what the Soviet regime was all about—it was a regime that had seized eastern Europe and condemned millions of individuals to live under a cruel and repressive communist dictatorship. My mother’s family originally came from Lithuania—once an independent country then a republic of the Soviet Union. Now an independent, democratic country again. That country meant a lot and still does to my family. I certainly recall the stories of my grandparents leaving the Russian domination and coming to America. Until recently, Americans across the political spectrum—including Republican presidents and members of Congress—also saw such Russian tyranny for what it was—until now,” said Durbin.
    “Today, we see President Trump doing the bidding of Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin,” Durbin continued. “That’s right—the President of the United States of America is using talking points that sound like they were whispered in his ear by the Kremlin—all while denigrating and bullying our true allies in the region.”
    Durbin detailed how President Trump has spewed outrageous comments when talking about Ukraine. He claimed, Ukraine started the war with Russia. He then attacked the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—who was democratically elected in a free and fair election. Trump called Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections.” Both comments are similar to lies said by Putin. 
    Durbin said, “But it gets worse, with Donald Trump having negotiated away in public key concessions to Russia to end the war including appeasement of Ukraine’s sovereign borders or possible future NATO membership. Trump, with one phone call, gave those away without even negotiating and certainly didn’t involve the Ukrainians who have lost 46,000 brave Ukrainians who have died because of Putin’s invasion. Today, in a stunning, shameful move, the United States voted with Russia, North Korea, Belarus, and a handful of dictatorships at the United Nations against a resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine.”
    Former Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said of this tragic and unbelievable state of affairs, that it sounded like there was a handout prepared by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov from which the Trump Administration is now reading. He warned if President Trump continues to back Russia, then, “threats to European security will grow immensely. Putin will get braver, meaning more war in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and beyond.”
    “President Trump’s affinity for autocrats like Putin and selling out or bullying our allies will not make America stronger or our world safer. Nor will his petulant and bumbling weekend gutting of our top military officers—a troubling act that raises serious questions about the politicization of our proud, professional fighting force in America. Let me be clear: We cannot let President Trump rewrite history or upend proven alliances with decades of bipartisan support… And ultimately, only the Ukrainian people can decide Ukraine’s future. Doing the bidding of foreign dictators and playing politics with our military only undermines America’s [safety],” Durbin said.
    Today, Durbin joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and others in leading a simple resolution that expresses continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condolences for the loss of thousands of lives to Russian aggression; rejects Russia’s attempts to militarily seize sovereign Ukrainian territory; reaffirms U.S. support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine; and states unequivocally that Ukraine must be at the table for negotiations over its future.
    Durbin also introduced the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act, legislation that would provide temporary guest status to Ukrainians and their immediate family members who are already in the United States through the “Uniting for Ukraine” parole process. The bill allows Ukrainians to stay and work in the U.S. until the Secretary of State determines that hostilities in Ukraine have ceased and it is safe for them to return.
    “When the war started, Republicans across the country opened their hearts and communities to desperately fleeing Ukrainians, even actively petitioning President Biden to protect them from deportation. So far, not a single Republican has cosponsored my bill [the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act]. But I urge them to join this simple act of American compassion. Standing up to dictators and speaking out for victims of war should never be a partisan issue,” Durbin said.
    Durbin concluded his speech by showing a photo of himself and the late Senator John McCain (R-AZ) on a bipartisan delegation CODEL to Ukraine in 2014. At the time, Russia had begun its attempts to seize Crimea and capture additional territory in the eastern part of the country.
    “We should show no less courage here, today on a bipartisan basis, in making sure Ukraine’s sovereignty and future are secure and not given away in appeasement to Putin—a move that could cost us all dearly in the future,” Durbin concluded.
    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Crapo Celebrate Senate Passage of Bipartisan Resolution To Designate February As American Heart Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 24, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Caucus, today celebrated Senate passage of their bipartisan resolution to designate February 2025 as American Heart Month.  The resolution reaffirms the government’s commitment to fighting cardiovascular disease by supporting research and improving access to affordable, quality care to reduce long-term disability and mortality.
    “As the leading cause of death in the U.S., heart disease has touched nearly every American family.  It’s critical that we advance clinical research and treatments to support those suffering from cardiovascular diseases,” said Durbin.  “I’m encouraged that my Senate colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, saw the value in raising awareness around the damaging impacts of cardiovascular disease by passing my resolution with Senator Crapo.  I hope together we can use American Heart Month to build support for our efforts.”
    “Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in Idaho and in the United States.  We can all make changes to our lifestyle that will decrease our risk of heart disease, as well as the risk to our family members.  This month, the Senate reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to fighting cardiovascular disease,” said Crapo.
    In 2022, cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of more than 940,000 Americans, making it the leading cause of death in the United States.  Cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects women and communities of color.  Increased awareness of cardiovascular disease can lead to prevention or treatment, ultimately saving thousands of lives annually.  
    Durbin is a strong advocate for advancing research and treatments for cardiovascular diseases, particularly through his work on the Senate Committee on Appropriations to secure increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  In November 2024, Durbin’s bipartisan Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act of 2024 was signed into law, extending funding for public health efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve childhood survival rates, prevent premature death and disability, and increase quality of life for the 2.5 million Americans living with congenital heart disease (CHD).  Specifically, this funding supports data collection, research, and awareness efforts at the CDC for congenital heart defects, the most common and deadliest birth defect.  Since 2018, Durbin has increased appropriations for the cause from $4 million to $8.25 million. 
    A copy of the resolution can be found here.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Case You Missed It: Capito Op-Ed: West Virginia on my mind as EPW Committee Chairman

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an op-ed published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail and the Wheeling Intelligencer, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, wrote about her priorities as Chairman of the EPW Committee for the 119th Congress, and how they relate to initiatives important to West Virginians.
    “Now, as Chairman of the EPW Committee, I will continue to make certain West Virginia always has a seat at the table. That has been a central motivation of mine since I first came to Congress,” Chairman Capito writes.
    “For West Virginia, this means unleashing the restraints that have delayed our ability to manufacture, build, and capitalize on economic development opportunities that create good-paying jobs. This means continuing to invest in our roads and bridges, improving the quality of our water infrastructure systems, and moving closer to final completion of vital projects like Corridor H. This means restructuring the regulations that stopped necessary investments to develop pipelines and build out reliable energy and electric infrastructure. West Virginia must continue to be an energy leader while still protecting the environment of the communities we live in,” Chairman Capito continues. 
    The full op-ed is available here and below.
    West Virginia on my mind as Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman
    By: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
    The Charleston Gazette-Mail, The Wheeling Intelligencer
    February 18, 2025
    After the American people made their voices heard in November, President Trump is now back in the White House with a Republican majority in both chambers of Congress. In this new Congress, my role has expanded. For the first time, I will serve as the senior-senator from West Virginia, the Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, and importantly, the Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
    The Environment and Public Works Committee, or the EPW Committee as it is typically called, is tasked with developing policies to address the infrastructure, economic development, energy, and environment challenges that our country faces. Those are matters that West Virginians know deeply, and my West Virginian roots will serve me well as I take on this role. I have served on the EPW Committee since I was first sworn into the U.S. Senate in 2015, and I understand what it takes to get things done through this panel. 
    Over the last four years as the EPW Committee’s Ranking Member, I worked hard to enact effective solutions for our state while in the minority, which was certainly a challenge. But through these efforts, I was able to achieve important successes. Now, as Chairman of the EPW Committee, I will continue to make certain West Virginia always has a seat at the table. That has been a central motivation of mine since I first came to Congress.
    For West Virginia, this means unleashing the restraints that have delayed our ability to manufacture, build, and capitalize on economic development opportunities that create good-paying jobs. This means continuing to invest in our roads and bridges, improving the quality of our water infrastructure systems, and moving closer to final completion of vital projects like Corridor H. This means restructuring the regulations that stopped necessary investments to develop pipelines and build out reliable energy and electric infrastructure. West Virginia must continue to be an energy leader while still protecting the environment of the communities we live in.
    One of my main priorities as Chairman is to unshackle American energy, including West Virginia’s natural resources like coal and natural gas. To do this, we must address unnecessary barriers under our environmental laws, which will also help us get back to building the manufacturing, farming, housing, and other projects that will drive our economy forward while still protecting public health and the environment. I will also work with President Trump to address the broad and, in some cases outright illegal, regulations from the Biden administration that harmed our communities and stifled innovation. We must work in tandem with the Trump administration to halt the endless regulatory costs imposed on Main Street America.
    Additionally, I will work to repair and modernize our transportation and water infrastructure. The authorization for federal roads and bridges programs and funding, as well as the authorization for the drinking water and wastewater programs, expires in 2026. Reauthorizing these programs, which are critical to West Virginia and the nation, is a top priority for me as the Chairman of the EPW Committee.
    Finally, the EPW Committee has an important role in approving the Trump administration’s nominees for key positions at federal agencies, and impacting the policies these agencies pursue. I will work to swiftly confirm high quality nominees within the EPW Committee’s jurisdiction, so they can get to work undoing the regulatory damage against the American economy created by the Biden administration.
    If you know me, you know that West Virginia is always in the front of my mind. I am a proud, lifelong native of the Mountain State, and it is the honor of my life to represent our people in the U.S. Senate. I look forward to addressing the challenges ahead with my brand of eternal optimism, and to delivering solutions on the issues that matter most to the people of our great state.
    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito is the Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and also serves on the Appropriations, Commerce, and Rules Committees. She is the Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, making her the fourth highest ranked Senate Republican.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Collins, Reed Celebrate Passage of Resolution Recognizing Importance of Public Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Published: February 25, 2025

    Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Jack Reed (D-RI) led a bipartisan group of 22 Senators in celebrating the critical role of public school teachers, administrators, parents, and students by designating February 24 through February 28 as “Public Schools Week.” Their resolution passed the Senate unanimously.
    “This week, we celebrate the more than 100,000 public schools across the country that play an essential role in nurturing our nation’s youth, inspiring students, and equipping them with the tools needed to succeed as adults,” said Senator Collins. “I’ve had the privilege of visiting more than 200 schools in Maine throughout my Senate service, and I have seen the abiding commitment shared by educators and staff to provide students with a strong foundation for lifelong learning.”
    “Public schools are the foundation of our democracy, where kids are put on a path towards reaching their full potential and are prepared to shape America’s future.  They are unifying places of opportunity where kids with different backgrounds, beliefs, and abilities come together for the common purpose of learning and getting a healthy start.  Every child deserves a great education.  That means we must invest in public schools,” said Senator Reed.
    The Senators’ resolution encourages state, local, and federal lawmakers to prioritize efforts to strengthen public education and bolster services that provide critical support for students, including counseling, extracurricular activities, and mental health resources. The resolution also urges Congress to support efforts to advance equal opportunities for students of all backgrounds, so that every child can receive a high-quality education, no matter who they are or where they live.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Proud to Confirm Driscoll as Army Secretary

    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 Dan Driscoll as United States Secretary of the Army:
    “Dan Driscoll steps into the role of Army Secretary at a pivotal moment. Today, we face an axis of aggressors in Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, and we owe it to our servicemembers and the American people to plan accordingly. The Secretary must take on the essential task of building up and maintaining the backbone of American hard power, work on which I intend to partner closely from the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. He must support our men and women in uniform and strengthen our Amy installations, such as the three premier installations in Kentucky. And importantly, Secretary Driscoll must bring a sea change to the way we plan for the future – preserving our peace not through one-time injections and half-measures, but by getting serious about strengthening our hand and sustaining America’s military edge long term.”

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  • MIL-OSI USA: In Framingham Town Hall, Warren Lays Out Plan to Fight Back Against Trump Policies That Hurt Massachusetts Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    February 22, 2025
    “[U]ltimately, the power is not actually in the White House. The power is not actually in the Congress. The power lies with the people, and that’s what I’m counting on.”
    “[Billionaires like Elon Musk] believe that the rich can get even more squeezed out of this country and they can do it on the backs of everyone else in this nation, and they hope you won’t see that, and they are wrong. We see it, and we will stop it.” 
    “This is not just Republican versus Democrat. Not anymore. This is a whole lot bigger than that.”
    Video of Remarks (YouTube)
    Boston, MA – At a town hall in Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) shared her thoughts on President Trump and Elon Musk’s work to “bring down our government from the inside,” and laid out her plan to fight back against the Trump administration’s policies that hurt Massachusetts families. 
    February 22, 2025 As Delivered
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Hello Framingham! Hello Massachusetts! Oh, sit down, sit down. Damn, it is good to be here with you all. Not that it’s not fun to be in Washington. But thank you all for being here. 
    This is such an extraordinary moment. I know there’s a lot you could be out doing, but you’re in here because you care. And I’m so glad we have this chance to be together, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s a hard time out there. 
    It is a hard time when our federal government is firing the people who are trying to do cancer research. It is a hard time when our federal government, under co-presidents Elon Musk and Donald Trump, is laying off the people who keep our nuclear materials safe. It is a hard time when our co-presidents are firing veterans. It is a hard time when they are trying to bring down our government from the inside. It is a hard time when President Elon Musk is out there mowing through every federal database that has all your personal financial information, and in some cases, medical information, all of the ways that you can be identified. It is a hard time when that little consumer agency—can we hear it for the CFPB? Yeah. When the cop on the beat that has discovered more than 20 billion dollars of scams over the last dozen years shut them down and made the scammers give the money back to the people they cheated, and now co-president Musk wants to shut that down—not on my watch. You bet. Yeah. Yeah. Not here. And it is a hard time when co-president Trump thinks that he’s going to rule by bullying people, whether those people are immigrants, whether those people identify differently he does, whether or not those people are the governor of Maine. It’s not going to work. 
    Here’s the deal. Yes, it is a hard time. I acknowledge that, and we came together to talk about it. We don’t have all the tools we want. I get it. Boy, can I count to exactly 47 Democrats in the United States Senate and 53 Republicans. I can do that math. I understand that. But the fact that we don’t have as many tools as we want does not mean that we have no tools at all. We are in this fight. You bet. So, I want to do something today. I want to tell you, just as our topper, we’re going to ask some questions in a minute, but I want to tell you what I’m working on and what we’re all trying to do right now. 
    So part one: what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing in large parts of government is flatly illegal. It’s just illegal. It’s not like, “Well on the one hand, on the other.’ A big part of what they’re doing is illegal, and we are in the courts. We are in the courts, and we’re going to fight this out in the courts. That’s part one. 
    Part two: right in the United States Senate, we are the ones who are supposed to do advice and consent. Now, like I said, we’re in a 47-53. These nominees are horrible. It’s a term of art here. Right. They are terrible. We now have someone who’s going to be in charge of our Health and Human Services. Yep. Yep. Yep. Someone who’s in charge of the Department of Defense. The Director of National Intelligence. So, I see you’ve been reading, right? You’re staying up, you get who these people are. 
    The Republicans are going forward in the Senate with these people, Donald Trump has nominated them, going forward. Here’s the deal. We’re not giving it away for free. They can name horrible people, and maybe we don’t have the votes to stop them, but we are not giving it away for free. When RFK gets nominated—you bet—I tried to make clear with my questions: not only does he traffic in antiscience, traffic in antivaxx, but he’s making millions of dollars to do it, and that’s not right. When our Secretary of Defense is credibly accused of sexual assault, I managed to pry out the information: he paid $50,000 to hush that woman up. When he’s falling down drunk at work events and when he drove not one, but two nonprofits straight into the ground financially. We couldn’t stop him, but we didn’t give it away for free. 
    Here’s how I look at it, with all of these nominees. We’re putting a stink on them, and making sure the American people see it, and that every damn Republican who voted for him is going to feel a part of that stink now, and into the future. So, that’s part two. And part three is to try to raise a movement. To do it all across this country. Yep. If you’ve seen me on TV, if you’ve seen me on podcasts, if you’ve seen me out in the streets or sidewalks, you understand that’s what I’m trying to do and it’s what others are trying to do. Because ultimately, the power is not actually in the White House. The power is not actually in the Congress. The power lies with the people, and that’s what I’m counting on. 
    So, with that in mind, I know what we need. We’ve got people in this room. I don’t have to tell you not to give up. You don’t give up. You’re in this room because you were ready for this fight. So, I wanted to be here today to ask for three things. You know I always come with an ask. I mean everybody, anybody wants to meet me, “Oh, Elizabeth, what do you want now?” because that’s my job. So ask number one; tell the stories of what this means. Ask number one, that’s it. 
    Tell the stories of what it means if cancer research is halted. 
    Tell the stories about what it means if we’re going to shut down our national parks. 
    Tell the stories of what it’s going to mean if someone who has dedicated 22 years working in public service just gets laid off. 
    Tell the stories of what it means if you’re going to terrorize an immigrant community so that little business owners have to close their doors because people are afraid to be out on the sidewalks. 
    Tell the story about what it means when children are afraid to go to school. 
    Tell those stories. 
    And the reason for that is: we are at the moment of developing the national narrative for what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing. It is bad, and we need to tell that story, and I need you to tell it. So that’s part one, and by the way, when I say tell it, tell it everywhere. Tell it online, do it on your Facebook, do it on Insta, do it texting, but also the group you went to school with, your group that you work on, anybody, anywhere around the country. Go on these chats and tell the stories, because this is how, as a nation, we make the voice of people heard. So that’s part one. Part two: do not underestimate the value of organizing. Indivisible. God bless them. Some of you, we have some Indivisible members. And other organizations. I’m all in. One voice is powerful. Two voices is more than twice as powerful. Organizing and getting energy behind it—we keep each other going. So please, organize, get in a group that’s organized. Work with others, build your own, bring in your neighbors, but come. 
    And then, part three, you’ve got to take care. These are hard times, and remember how they say on the airplane, ‘Adjust your own mask before helping the person sitting next to you.’ You actually do have to take a deep breath. This is a time when Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to undermine our confidence and our ability to be with each other, to make our voices heard, to make this government work. And we have to take care of ourselves. 
    And that’s going to be a lot of different things for different people. I have my own. We can talk about that. But with your friends, with yourself, you got to take care, because we’re not in this just until tonight. We’re not in this just until the end of this month. We are in this for the long haul to save our country. 
    I know it’s hard right now. It’s hard to maintain focus. There’s so much going on. I sometimes think of this as feeling like you’re in a sandstorm, right, and it’s just buffeting, and things are coming from every direction. Understand that is intentional. They are doing this because they don’t want people to be able to get focused and respond. Why is that? Why all this noise? Why are they doing all these pieces at once? Because they want you to not see the driving force behind it. There is a driving force here, and the driving force is that billionaires like Elon Musk and a handful of the other cronies, they want giant tax cuts so that they can be even richer and so they can run this country. And they want regular folks, people who depend on a little help from the federal government, to be able to stay in a nursing home. People who need, a little kid down the street from you who has a severe disability and he needs an aide to be able to be in a public school. They believe that the rich can get even more squeezed out of this country and they can do it on the backs of everyone else in this nation, and they hope you won’t see that, and they are wrong. We see it, and we will stop it. You bet. Yup. I think of this as what we fight for. 
    This is not just Republican versus Democrat. Not anymore. This is a whole lot bigger than that. This is truly what we think our government is for. Why we organize and get out there, why we vote, why we show up. The Republicans right now have completely caved in. It’s Elon Musk and whatever he wants to do, and Donald Trump wants to name himself King. That’s where they’re headed. 
    We are the people who actually believe that we can build an America that doesn’t just work for a handful at the top. We believe in an America where everybody gets a fighting chance, and what that ultimately means is that we make those investments so people can get them. We make the investment, damn it, in public education—can we hear it for our teachers? You bet. We make those investments in healthcare because healthcare is a basic human right. And we’re in the fight to make those investments in housing so everyone has an opportunity to buy a home and build some security. 
    I’m here because I’m an optimist. And yeah, this is, this is, this tests me. I get it. But I’m still an optimist. I’m an optimist because I truly see up close and personal what happens when we work together. I see the things we build, and I see the people right now here in Framingham, here in Massachusetts, who show up to say investing in our government is worth it. So we’re going to stay in this fight. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Statement on Trump and Musk’s Continued Attacks on USAID

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement on the Trump Administration and Elon Musk’s continued attacks on the U.S. Agency for International Development:  
    “USAID supports programs that serve U.S. national interests overseas, but it is farmers here in America who grow the corn, wheat, beans, and peanuts. It is dairy farmers in Vermont who produce the powdered milk that USAID uses to feed millions of hungry children in Africa, Central America, and Asia. American companies manufacture the generators, water pumps, trucks, and computers for USAID’s programs, and American workers—in blue states and red states—implement those programs. Thanks to Elon Musk—an unelected billionaire—those American farmers and companies have lost their business with USAID, and workers are losing their jobs.  
    “If Donald Trump and Elon Musk were serious about rooting out wasteful spending, they would not have stopped programs in countries like Somalia where USAID is a key partner in counterterrorism efforts with the U.S. military. They would not have shut down the Famine Early Warning System, risking medicines and American-grown food aid to spoil in the supply chain. They would not have put more than a half dozen USAID lawyers on leave, including its ethics lawyers. They would not delay payment of invoices for work already completed on behalf of the U.S. government, incurring needless fees for violating the Prompt Payment Act. And they would not be incurring interest on late payments owed, penalties for early contract terminations, and legal fees. 
    “If this were truly about preventing waste, if this were truly about rooting out corruption, they would not empty U.S. embassies, leaving virtually no one trained in financial management and oversight. 
    “If there was any truth to their hyperbolic claims of corruption, for which DOGE has offered no credible evidence, they should have asked the USAID Inspector General to investigate rather than fire him without cause. And if they actually did discover programs they don’t support, they could have reprogramed the funds consistent with Congressional requirements and past practice. They also could have asked Congress to change the law. 
    “What is taking place right now is not about conducting a review, policy realignment, or addressing waste, fraud, and abuse. The Trump Administration’s own actions have made every one of those goals impossible to achieve.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Statement on Confirmation of Dan Driscoll to be U.S. Secretary of the Army

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    February 25, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), issued the following statement after voting to confirm Dan Driscoll as U.S. Secretary of the Army:
    “Dan Driscoll understands we must streamline the Army’s processes to increase munitions production and ensure our warfighters have what they need. He will drive innovation and modernization. I also appreciate his service in Iraq as a Cavalry Scout Platoon Leader.”

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