NewzIntel.com

Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Ricketts Fights to Protect America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, during his weekly press call with Nebraska media, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the One Big Beautiful Bill and his work to protect America.
    Watch the video here.
    “Lasting prosperity depends on lasting security,” said Ricketts.  “No nation can thrive without secure borders and a strong military.  The One Big Beautiful Bill is the strongest national security and border security package in American history.  This bill protects the good life in Nebraska.”
    TRANSCRIPT:
    Senator Ricketts: “Thank you for joining our press call today. 
    “Lasting prosperity depends on lasting security.
    “No nation can thrive without secure borders and a strong military.  
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill is the strongest national security and border security package in American history.  
    “This bill protects the good life in Nebraska.
    “Under the Biden Administration every state was a border state. 
    “Illegal immigration has real consequences for every state, including Nebraska.  
    “We have seen the flow of fentanyl, the rise of human trafficking, and its terrible consequences on Nebraskans.
    “We have lost young lives like Taryn Lee Griffith.
    “This bill gives law enforcement the tools to fight back and protect our communities while restoring the rule of law.   
    “Nebraska families deserve a federal government that secures our border and enforces the law.  
    “President Biden oversaw 10.5 million illegal border encounters.  
    “We are still seeing the effects of the Biden Border Crisis in Nebraska.  
    “Just last week, authorities arrested two members of the violent MS-13 gang in Omaha.  
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill responds with a historic investment in border security.  
    “It includes $46.5 billion to complete the border wall system, including roads, fiber, sensors, and cameras.  
    “It provides $10 billion in grants to reimburse states for the costs of Biden’s federal failure.  
    “Another $6.1 billion goes to cutting-edge surveillance tools that will give Border Patrol agents better eyes on the ground.  
    “The bill also creates jobs by providing funding for the hiring of 16,000 new immigration and customs agents while expanding detention capacity to end catch-and-release.
    “The security threats we face do not stop at our borders, we must also deter foreign adversaries and threats.
    “Nebraska’s airmen, missile programs, and military bases help defend our country every day.  
    “We are proud to host key parts of America’s defense infrastructure, and we understand the importance of peace through strength.
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill includes over a $150 billion dollar in investment in America’s defense, making it clear to Communist China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea that we will meet any threats with force and resolve.   
    “It strengthens the Defense Production Act, so our military supply chains remain resilient and ready for any challenge. 
    “It includes $25 billion for the Golden Dome, a layered missile defense shield that will protect Americans from evolving threats.  
    “It provides $29 billion for shipbuilding and expanding the maritime industrial base, that includes funds for a Virginia-class submarine, two destroyers, new oilers, and unmanned surface vehicles.
    “Our Coast Guard will be bolstered, to be able to counter drug and human trafficking as well as deter adversaries in the Arctic.
    “This is through funding for 17 new icebreakers, 21 new cutters, and more than 40 helicopters and 6 new planes.
    “There’s funding for the advanced X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, developing the B-21 bomber fleet, ramping up munitions production, and applying artificial intelligence to the battlefield.
    “Through these investments, we are demonstrating peace through strength. 
    “The bill also helps reverse dangerous recruitment trends in our military.  
    “Under President Trump, we are seeing record-breaking recruitment numbers.  
    “We are renewing the warrior spirit.  
    “That is good news for America’s readiness and morale.  
    “It’s bad news for America’s adversaries.
    “For Nebraska, the bill brings real investment.  
    “It includes $2.5 billion for risk reduction activities tied to the Sentinel ICBM program, which will be partly based in Western Nebraska.  
    “It also includes $168 million to accelerate production of the Survivable Airborne Operations Center, also known as SAOC, at Offutt Air Force Base.  
    “These investments will mean more jobs, more innovation, and a stronger defense posture right here in Nebraska.
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill keeps America secure and protects Nebraskans.  
    “It honors the brave women and men who serve in uniform, defend our borders, and operate from bases across the state.  
    “As President Trump responds to rising global threats and reverses Biden’s open border policies, this bill gives our nation the resources to act.  
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill protects Nebraska and protects America.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Statement On the Killing of Sayfollah Mussallet In the West Bank

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    July 17, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement on the violent killing of Sayfollah Mussallet, an American citizen, in the West Bank:  
    “The brutal killing of Sayfollah Mussallet, an American citizen visiting his family in the West Bank, is an appalling crime. The Netanyahu government must thoroughly investigate and hold accountable the settlers responsible for allegedly beating this young man to death. The incident occurred amid an almost complete breakdown of law and order in the territory, allowing extremist settler groups to drive Palestinians off their land at an alarming rate as part of an organized strategy to remake the territorial map by force. My heart breaks for Sayfollah’s family and friends as they mourn this horrible loss, and I urge the Netanyahu government to take action to stop this illegal activity and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Statement on Republicans Passing Bill to Gut Bipartisan Funding Congress Approved to Support Local Public Media, U.S. National Security Interests

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    Ahead of Final Passage, Peters Delivered Speech on Senate Floor to Voice His Opposition to the Bill

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after Senate Republicans passed a bill to cut more than $9 billion in funding Congress previously approved on a bipartisan basis to support local public media and U.S. security interests around the globe: 

    “Republicans just gutted funding for local public TV and radio stations across our country that provide invaluable services to the American people, including emergency alerts that help keep folks safe and informed during disasters. When catastrophic ice storms swept through Northern Michigan earlier this year, local radio stations literally saved lives by broadcasting emergency warnings after commercial towers went down. Those services and more are now at risk.      

    “The bill Republicans just passed also guts funding for programs that play a key role in maintaining U.S. leadership and protecting our national security interests around the globe. These initiatives also help stimulate local businesses and economies here at home. Much of that support is now gone. 

    “But the real issue at hand is that Republicans just showed how quickly they will roll over for President Trump, and bypass the bipartisan funding laws that many of them voted for, even if it harms their constituents. I voted against these reckless cuts because Congress, not the President, passes the laws to determine where our federal resources go.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump’s Chaos Jeopardizes America’s Farmers, Duckworth Discusses Agriculture Priorities with Illinois Corn Growers and Illinois Soybean Association

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 17, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) yesterday met with leaders and members from the Illinois Corn Growers and the Illinois Soybean Producers to discuss their shared priorities to grow Illinois’s agriculture industry and support our farmers. Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald Trump continues to threaten critical federal agricultural programs. Photos from yesterday’s meeting with the Illinois Corn Growers can be found on the Senator’s website. Photos from yesterday’s meeting with the Illinois Soybean Producers can be found on the Senator’s website.

    “America has always depended on our nation’s farmers to grow the food and fuel we need, and I’m proud to advocate for them on both the national and international stage,” Duckworth said. “The work of Illinois’s farmers is so important to the strength of our state and our nation, and I will continue to do everything I can to support the Illinois Corn Growers, the Illinois Soybean Association and our farmers across the state at the federal level.”

    In the Senate, Duckworth has been a leader in supporting biofuels, including expansion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and permanent authority to use E15 fuel year-round. Duckworth, the founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel Caucus, helped introduce the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025, the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act and the bipartisan Next Generations Fuel Act to allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent. Duckworth additionally helped introduce the bipartisan Home Front Energy Independence Act to ban Russian oil and expand use and production of biofuel that’s grown in the American heartland, while providing American families with a less expensive option to fuel their vehicles. Previously, she introduced the SAF Accuracy Act and helped introduce the Farm to Fly Act and to help accelerate the production and development of SAF.

    As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has been an advocate for Illinois agriculture across the globe and helped secure significant wins for Illinois and American agriculture. After Duckworth’s visit in 2023, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy, and following a prior trip to Taiwan in 2022, she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of our Illinois’s corn and soybeans.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump’s Chaos Jeopardizes America’s Farmers, Duckworth Discusses Agriculture Priorities with Illinois Corn Growers and Illinois Soybean Association

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 17, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) yesterday met with leaders and members from the Illinois Corn Growers and the Illinois Soybean Producers to discuss their shared priorities to grow Illinois’s agriculture industry and support our farmers. Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald Trump continues to threaten critical federal agricultural programs. Photos from yesterday’s meeting with the Illinois Corn Growers can be found on the Senator’s website. Photos from yesterday’s meeting with the Illinois Soybean Producers can be found on the Senator’s website.

    “America has always depended on our nation’s farmers to grow the food and fuel we need, and I’m proud to advocate for them on both the national and international stage,” Duckworth said. “The work of Illinois’s farmers is so important to the strength of our state and our nation, and I will continue to do everything I can to support the Illinois Corn Growers, the Illinois Soybean Association and our farmers across the state at the federal level.”

    In the Senate, Duckworth has been a leader in supporting biofuels, including expansion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and permanent authority to use E15 fuel year-round. Duckworth, the founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel Caucus, helped introduce the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025, the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act and the bipartisan Next Generations Fuel Act to allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent. Duckworth additionally helped introduce the bipartisan Home Front Energy Independence Act to ban Russian oil and expand use and production of biofuel that’s grown in the American heartland, while providing American families with a less expensive option to fuel their vehicles. Previously, she introduced the SAF Accuracy Act and helped introduce the Farm to Fly Act and to help accelerate the production and development of SAF.

    As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has been an advocate for Illinois agriculture across the globe and helped secure significant wins for Illinois and American agriculture. After Duckworth’s visit in 2023, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy, and following a prior trip to Taiwan in 2022, she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of our Illinois’s corn and soybeans.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Statement on Passage of President Trump Spending Cuts in Rescission Package

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) released the following statement today on the Senate’s passage of nearly $10 billion in federal spending cuts through President Trump’s rescission package.

    “U.S. tax dollars should not subsidize radical programs and organizations that undermine American values. This $9 billion rescissions package cuts woke and excessive funding to ensure the responsible use of Americans’ tax dollars,” said Risch. “The fight to root out waste is not over. Congress must take a close look at our bloated federal spending habits, and like hardworking Idahoans, learn to live within its means.”

    Senator Risch has repeatedly introduced legislation to rein in federal spending and require Congress to pass a balanced budget.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons statement on Senate passage of recissions package

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after the Senate passed a rescissions package that cut roughly $9 billion from federal spending. The bill passed 51-48, with every Democrat opposing the bill: 

    “Tonight, Republicans in the Senate voted to further weaken our nation’s reputation as a good and reliable partner.

    “This is not about tackling our national debt. After all, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the trillions of dollars in tax breaks for the wealthy and increased debt that these same Republican senators passed just days ago. Cutting foreign aid and disaster assistance leaves people in dire situations across the world to fend for themselves or walk into the arms of China, Russia, and terrorists who seek to exploit them.

    “For decades, when the world cried out in pain America answered, because it was right, and because it made us safer. These cuts fly in the face of Jesus’ call to love our neighbors as ourselves. They fly in the face of national security experts who say that these investments make us a more respected and stronger country. They fly in the face of human decency.

    “As I said on the floor of the Senate earlier, the passage of this bill and its cruel cuts to foreign assistance would make Jesus weep.”

    Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Demands Answers on Shadowy, Mass Collection of DNA from Immigrants by DHS

    US Senate News:

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

    July 17, 2025

    Agents Often Take DNA Without Explanation, Including from Thousands of Children; DNA Surveillance Targets Immigrant Communities and Resembles Authoritarian Government Practices

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., slammed the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice for massively expanding the DNA collection of immigrant children and adults to permanently store in a national criminal database that could be weaponized by the Trump administration. 

    Wyden demanded answers from the Trump administration, which has failed to explain why it has vastly expanded DNA collection from immigrants by 5000%. Department of Homeland Security agents fail to clearly notify immigrants their DNA is being taken, fail to follow the department’s own policies, and often threaten individuals with arrest or criminal charges if they refuse to give their DNA, according to reports.  

    “Governments exercising such broad discretion to involuntarily collect and retain DNA are repressive authoritarian regimes also engaging in gross human rights violations, such as genocide, ethnic cleansing, torture, and more,” Wyden wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. “In fact, the U.S. Government has condemned the involuntary collection of DNA by the People’s Republic of China and has sanctioned entities engaged in this practice, yet this practice appears to be ongoing on our own soil.”

    The collection of samples includes more than 133,000 children as young as four years old, whose DNA will be used by law enforcement for every potential future investigation. 

    Legal experts have warned that the Administration’s secret, mass-collection of immigrant DNA may also violate constitutional due process rights. The Trump administration has green lighted DHS agents’ ability to detain and collect samples from immigrants without prior judicial authorization. 

    In order for Congress and the American people to understand the Trump administration’s collection of DNA from immigrants, Wyden requested answers to the following questions by August 1, 2025:

    1. What is the United States Government’s interest in collecting and retaining DNA from noncitizens in the course of immigration detention and enforcement?

    2. Which agencies, including DHS subcomponent agencies, has the Attorney General authorized to participate in the collection of DNA from noncitizens?

    3. Please describe in detail how DHS is able to access and utilize DNA samples and related information collected in the course of immigration detention and enforcement once the samples and information are retained in CODIS and any other databases.

    4. Please describe in detail how DOJ is able to access and utilize DNA samples and related information collected in the course of immigration detention and enforcement once the samples and information are retained in CODIS and any other databases.

    5. When DHS or subcomponent agencies collect DNA material from individuals in immigration detention and enforcement, where are DNA samples stored following collection?

    6. To date, how many adult noncitizens have DHS officials collected DNA from during immigration detention and enforcement activities? Further, how many DNA samples from adult noncitizens have been collected by DHS since January 2025?

    7. To date, how many minors (18 years old and younger) have DHS officials collected DNA from during immigration detention and enforcement activities in the last five years?

    8. Further, how many DNA samples from minors have been collected by DHS since January 2025?

    9. What Department-wide guidance and/or agency-specific guidance is provided to DHS officials regarding the collection of DNA from noncitizens?

    10. How often is DNA collected by DHS, without judicial authorization, being used in criminal investigations and prosecutions?

    11. Does DHS policy prohibit intimidation, coercion, or the threat of criminal prosecution to compel a noncitizen to provide a DNA sample?

    12. Does DHS or any subcomponent currently have a process in place to expunge DNA and related information stored in CODIS that were collected in the course of a noncitizen’s detention?

    13. Does DHS by practice or policy notify individuals whose DNA and related information have been collected during immigration detention?

    14. What information are DOJ and DHS, respectively, able to extract from the DNA they retain? Is DNA accessed to determine any ethnographic or racial information about the individual?

    Wyden has consistently advocated in the Senate for humane immigration reform.  In July, he criticized the Trump administration’s hostile immigration policies and joined colleagues to introduce a bill to require immigration enforcement agents to display clear identification. In March, he slammed the Trump administration for its resurrection of a draconian immigration order that requires immigrants to register with the federal government and carry proof of their registration at all times. In April, he reintroduced legislation to guarantee legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration court. In June, he reintroduced legislation to protect TPS and DED recipients from Trump’s attacks on immigrants.

    The text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Capito Reintroduce Methane Reduction and Economic Growth Act

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reintroduced legislation to create a tax credit that will incentivize the capture and repurposing of methane emissions from active and abandoned mines. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and coal mines are the country’s fifth-largest source of methane emissions. Leveraging methane capture technology would not only prevent harmful emissions from entering our atmosphere, but also allow the gas to be converted or reused for productive use, providing an additional supply of lower-emission energy that has numerous industrial and commercial applications.

    “This legislation takes a critical step in boosting Virginia’s efforts to address the harmful impact of methane when emitted into the atmosphere while simultaneously creating good-paying jobs and supporting economic growth,” said Sen. Warner. “By incentivizing the reduction of methane emissions, we’re not only protecting the environment but also strengthening our energy independence, I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation.”

    “I’m proud to help reintroduce the Methane Reduction and Economic Growth Act, which will help capture and utilize mine methane emissions as a fuel source from coal mines. This legislation will result in positive environmental and economic impacts, and create another step for West Virginia to continue to lead the nation in an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy approach,” Sen. Capito said.

    The Methane Reduction and Economic Growth Act would amend Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code – which houses an existing tax credit for carbon capture and sequestration – to create a Mine Methane Capture Incentive Credit. The new credit would be attributed to taxpayers based on the amount of qualified methane that is captured and injected into a pipeline or is otherwise used for producing heat or energy. Qualified methane includes methane which:

    • Is captured from mining activities, including underground mines, abandoned or closed mines, or surface mines;
    • Would otherwise be released into the atmosphere as industrial greenhouse gas emission; and
    • Is measured at the source of capture and verified at the point of injection or utilization.

    Sen. Warner has been a leader on efforts to clean up and reclaim abandoned mine lands (AML) in Virginia, including by securing funding for this process through the bipartisan infrastructure law he helped to negotiate. Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Carol Miller (R-WV) and Terri Sewell (D-AL), along with Reps. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), and Darin LaHood (R-IL).

    “Finding ways to incentivize the capture of mine methane will have a positive impact here in Virginia,” Jonathan Belcher, Executive Director of the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, said. “Encouraging beneficial use of methane, which would otherwise be wasted and emitted into the atmosphere, stimulates our economy by creating jobs in our local communities and improves our tax base, while reducing emissions both at a local and global level. Captured methane can be sold into existing marketplaces to help drive down costs for consumers and can be used as both a fuel source and a manufacturing feedstock, which will assist our existing industry and encourage new economic development in the region. We applaud Senator Warner for his leadership on this issue and his focus on the economic health of Southwest Virginia.”

    “This is a perfect example of how Washington ought to work,” said Cecil Roberts, International President of the United Mine Workers of America. “This is strong bi-partisan legislation that will grow coalfield jobs, support coalfield communities and help reduce methane emissions. It is a win-win for workers and communities in Virginia and across Appalachia and I thank Senators Warner and Capito for taking the lead. The UMWA wholeheartedly supports this legislation and will work to secure its passage.” 

    A copy of the bill text can be found here.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Votes To Protect Life-Saving Foreign Aid, Save Local Public Radio And TV

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, today voted against a Republican bill that cuts $9 billion to foreign aid and public broadcasting. The Republican rescissions bill will devastate public TV and radio stations across the country, making it more difficult for people – especially those in Native communities and rural areas – to get news and critical emergency alerts. The bill will also gut life-saving foreign aid programs that millions of people around the world rely on. The legislation was passed without any bipartisan support and heads back to the House of Representatives for consideration.

    “We used to be the indispensable nation that people around the world counted on for help. But not anymore. With these cuts, we will cause death, spread disease, and deepen starvation across the planet,” said Senator Schatz.

    Schatz continued, “Public TV and radio stations deliver news, emergency alerts, weather forecasts, health information, public safety announcements, and election coverage. Stations like HPR tell local stories that no one else does. To gut all of that overnight, in the name of finding savings or to punish certain outlets that Donald Trump doesn’t like is unacceptable.”

    Earlier today, Schatz spoke out against the Trump administration’s illegal dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the catastrophic consequences the elimination of aid has had on vulnerable people around the world.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Mullin, Army Secretary Driscoll Emphasize Readiness and Highlight Oklahoma Excellence in Fort Sill Tour

    US Senate News:

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

    RELEASE: Mullin, Army Secretary Driscoll Emphasize Readiness and Highlight Oklahoma Excellence in Fort Sill Tour

    Washington, D.C. – On Monday, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll joined U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) on a tour of Fort Sill. Included in the tour was a visit to Joint C-sUAS University where Senator Mullin showcased how Ft. Sill and Lawton are leading the way in equipping our warfighters with cutting edge technology and training.

    “The Lawton-Fort Sill community is critical to our mission of being the most prepared and lethal fighting force in the world,” said Senator Mullin. “It was an honor to have the Army Secretary in Oklahoma to be able to show him how we are leading the way in supporting our warfighters.”

    In a rapidly changing technological environment, Senator Mullin and the Secretary also discussed the importance of defending against drones and other modern threats. Readiness was also a key point of the visit as it is critical our warfighters have the most recent technology to protect and advance our interests.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Senate Approves $9 Billion in DOGE Cut Savings for Taxpayers

    US Senate News:

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

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) released the following statement on this morning’s passage of S.Amdt.2853 to H.R.4, Rescissions Act of 2025. The package targets $9 billion in taxpayer-funded public broadcasting and wasteful foreign aid:

    “This is the first step in the right direction to claw back wasteful spending and programs identified by DOGE. Oklahomans sent me to Washington to fight for them and ensure their hard-earned tax dollars are being used responsibly,” said Senator Mullin. “We have a lot of work left to do and we’re just getting started. President Trump and Senate Republicans will continue to work tirelessly to deliver for the American people.”

    Below are just 10 of the cuts made by President Trump’s 2025 Rescissions Act:

    1. $1.1 Billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
    2. $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda
    3. $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico
    4. $8,000 for promoting vegan food in Zambia
    5. $3.3 million for civic engagement in Zimbabwe
    6. $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street
    7. $1 million for Voter ID in Haiti
    8. $18 million to improve gender diversity in the Mexican street lighting industry
    9. $21 million on wind farms in Ukraine
    10. $882,000 to fund social media mentorship in Serbia and Belarus 

    NOTE: This first recissions package targeted one tenth of one percent of the federal budget. For additional information on S.Amdt.2853 to H.R.4, click here.

    Senator Mullin provided timely updates throughout the rescissions process in a series of social media posts, including here and here. If you missed Senator Mullin’s behind-the-scenes tours of the U.S. Capitol which he recorded last night between votes on the floor, follow @SenMullin on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy votes for rescissions package to eliminate $9 billion in wasteful spending

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate approved the Trump administration’s rescissions request to cut $9 billion in wasteful spending from the federal budget identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This package, H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act, which accounts for one-tenth of one percent of the federal budget, returns to the U.S. House of Representatives for final consideration. 

    “President Trump ran on a platform of reducing the size of government and cutting unnecessary, wasteful spending. Thanks to his bold leadership and the support of the DOGE team, your hard-earned taxpayer dollars will no longer be wasted on this outrageous spending porn. American taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill to fund woke foreign aid or activist media. Their taxpayer money should be spent on initiatives that improve their lives, put more money in their pockets, and protect our great country. I’m eager for the House to pass this bill and send it to President Trump’s desk for his signature,” said Kennedy. 

    Background:

    • The Trump administration’s initial rescissions package totals more than $9 billion in unnecessary spending.
    • This package codifies spending cuts identified by DOGE, including $1.1 billion of cuts from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides funding to NPR and PBS, both politically biased and activist media systems, at taxpayers’ expense and $7.9 billion in radical and wasteful foreign aid spending at the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), among other programs. 

    Some examples of the wasteful spending porn that the Rescissions Act will cut:

    • $18 million to improve gender diversity in the Mexican street lighting industry. 
    • $6 million for media organizations and civic life for Palestinians.
    • $3.9 million for LGBTQI+ populations in the Western Balkans.
    • $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street.
    • $2.5 million to teach children how to make environmentally friendly “reproductive health” decisions.
    • $2.4 million to make aid more considerate of “sexual orientation and gender identity.” 
    • $1 million for voter ID in Haiti.
    • $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda.
    • $500,000 for biodiversity in Peru.

    Legislative Process:

    • The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 requires the Executive Branch to spend the money Congress allocates each year, even though Congress allocated that money when President Biden was in office and Democrats controlled the Senate.
    • Under the Impoundment Control Act, a new administration can attempt to permanently halt previously appropriated spending by submitting a rescissions request for congressional approval. 
    • President Trump did just that. In his initial rescission request, made in May 2025, he asked Congress to rescind roughly $8.3 billion from wasteful foreign aid programs and $1.1 billion from public broadcasting.
    • The U.S. House of Representatives approved these initial cuts on June 12, 2025. The Impoundment Control Act only gives Congress 45 days to approve a rescissions request.

    The full text of H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act, is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Statement On Senate Passage Of The Rescissions Package

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement following Senate passage of a rescissions package that claws back funding for public broadcasting that has already been allocated by Congress.
    “I’m appalled that Senate Republicans voted to slash funding for the programs that our rural communities rely on. Our public broadcasting system is one of the few remaining institutions committed to providing free, fact-based programming to every American–regardless of zip code. By rescinding funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), this legislation threatens to gut funding for the local radio and television stations that millions of families rely on for trusted news, high-quality educational content, and lifesaving emergency alerts.
    These cuts will have a particularly devastating impact in rural communities, where stations rely heavily on CPB funding to stay afloat and where sources of local news are already limited. Public broadcasters often serve as the only source of information about natural disasters, transportation accidents, national security threats, and public safety matters in areas that face limited connectivity. In emergency situations, the closure of stations and reduction of this programming due to budget cuts could cost lives. On the education front, public television’s early childhood education services help ensure that every family has access to high-quality, non-commercial educational content, regardless of their ability to pay for such services. At a time when misinformation is rampant, taking away this content is dangerous and irresponsible.
    Make no mistake; this legislation is not about saving money. Just weeks ago, the same Republicans who now call for cost-cutting at the expense of rural communities voted to give massive tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and add over $3 trillion to the national debt by supporting President Trump’s so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’ It’s outrageous, and the American people deserve better.
    I will keep fighting to protect public broadcasting, support rural communities, and make sure that hardworking families have access to the resources they deserve.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján: GOP Vote to Rip Away Public Broadcasting Funds Endangers Rural and Tribal Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    1500+ Local Public Radio and TV Stations At Risk of Losing Funding

    WATCH: Luján Offers Motion to Recissions Package to Protect AMBER & Emergency Alerts

    WATCH: Luján Sounds Alarm on Dangerous GOP Plan to Gut Public Broadcasting

    WATCH: Luján Joins Democratic Leadership Press Conference on Cuts Package

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans voted for President Trump’s reckless plan to steal funding from public broadcasting and foreign assistance:

    “On the heels of the devastating GOP Budget Betrayal that threatens to strip health care and nutrition assistance from millions of Americans, Senate Republicans have now passed a reckless spending cuts package that slashes funding for public broadcasting, threatens public safety, and undermines our national security. This is a dangerous rubber stamp for Trump’s unchecked power.

    “In rural and Tribal areas, when disaster strikes, public broadcasting is often the only source of evacuation notices, shelter locations, and updates from first responders and law enforcement. Yet Senate Republicans voted to steal millions from public broadcasting that help keep our communities informed and safe.

    “Even Republican leadership has acknowledged that the Trump administration has no real plan for how these cuts would be implemented. Without fully understanding the consequences, Senate Republicans blindly voted to strip away bipartisan funding and turn their backs on the constituents they were elected to serve.”

    Senator Luján offered a motion to the Republican recissions package to protect public broadcasting and the lifesaving emergency alerts it provides. Last week, Senator Luján took to the Senate floor to call out the Trump administration’s plan to defund public radio and television stations nationwide following deadly flooding in New Mexico and Texas. This week, Senator Luján joined Senate Democrats in continuing to sound the alarm on the dangers of cutting previously allocated federal funding for public broadcasting.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Johnson, Baldwin Recommend Judges for U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) sent a letter to President Trump to recommend five individuals to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The recommendations came as part of their bipartisan Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission to provide recommendations for nominations during the 119th Congress for U.S. Attorneys, U.S. District Courts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

    “I want to thank those on the Commission for the considerable time and effort they volunteer to ensure the Wisconsin federal courts and chambers do not become attractive forum shopping venues for partisan activists seeking a judicial bench open to constitutional overreach. I look forward to the President nominating one of these candidates to the Seventh Circuit,” said Sen. Johnson.

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Statement on Republican Rescissions Bill Defunding Public Broadcasting and National Security Programs

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to rescind federal funding for public broadcasting and national security programs, which had previously been appropriated by a bipartisan majority in Congress:

    “It’s outrageous that enough Republicans caved to President Trump and OMB Director Vought’s pressure to go back on appropriations deals that a bipartisan majority of Congress had previously agreed to. A deal should be a deal. These cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the State Department, and USAID will make it harder for communities to access critical emergency alerts during disasters, and create more instability around the world by defunding initiatives that protect our national security. Republican efforts to defund faith-based charity organizations are particularly sickening. The Trump Administration and our Republican colleagues are not going to stop here, and we urge every American to continue to speak out against these attacks on the interests of the American people. We will continue to fight against further efforts by the Administration and Republicans to defund critical programs that Virginians rely on.”

    The Republican rescissions package cancels funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, including $100 million for Virginia. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was authorized by Congress in 1967 and supports more than 1,500 locally owned public radio and TV stations, nearly half of which serve rural communities. It also cancels funding for the State Department and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), including for global health programs, faith-based organizations, Afghan refugee programs, United Nations peacekeeping operations, the U.S. Institute for Peace, the Inter-American Foundation, and the African Development Foundation. The legislation will impact thousands of Virginia’s federal employees and contractors. A recent study found that if the current cuts to USAID continue through 2030, 14 million people could die.

    Sens. Warner and Kaine filed a series of amendments in an attempt to improve the legislation, but none of them were added to the final legislation.

    Sen. Warner’s amendment would have reduced cuts to assistance for African nations and helped strengthen trade, counter the malign influence of adversaries, and pursue economic development. The amendment would have helped ensure that China could not capitalize on the sudden vacuum of influence that will ensue if America withdraws its economic development initiatives on the continent.

    Sen. Kaine’s amendments included eliminating cuts in funding for the Migration and Refugee Assistance and International Disaster Assistance programs, including funding for faith-based organizations; protecting funding for USAID and the Inter-American Foundation; preserving funding to defend against cyberattacks by Russia and Iran and keep fentanyl out of the United States; and eliminating cuts in funding for CPB for pre-K educational programming and any broadcasts and media stations that disseminate information during natural disasters and national emergencies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Statement on Republican Rescissions Bill Defunding Public Broadcasting and National Security Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to rescind federal funding for public broadcasting and national security programs, which had previously been appropriated by a bipartisan majority in Congress:
    “It’s outrageous that enough Republicans caved to President Trump and OMB Director Vought’s pressure to go back on appropriations deals that a bipartisan majority of Congress had previously agreed to. A deal should be a deal. These cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the State Department, and USAID will make it harder for communities to access critical emergency alerts during disasters, and create more instability around the world by defunding initiatives that protect our national security. Republican efforts to defund faith-based charity organizations are particularly sickening. The Trump Administration and our Republican colleagues are not going to stop here, and we urge every American to continue to speak out against these attacks on the interests of the American people. We will continue to fight against further efforts by the Administration and Republicans to defund critical programs that Virginians rely on.”
    The Republican rescissions package cancels funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, including $100 million for Virginia. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was authorized by Congress in 1967 and supports more than 1,500 locally owned public radio and TV stations, nearly half of which serve rural communities. It also cancels funding for the State Department and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), including for global health programs, faith-based organizations, Afghan refugee programs, United Nations peacekeeping operations, the U.S. Institute for Peace, the Inter-American Foundation, and the African Development Foundation. The legislation will impact thousands of Virginia’s federal employees and contractors. A recent study found that if the current cuts to USAID continue through 2030, 14 million people could die.
    Sens. Warner and Kaine filed a series of amendments in an attempt to improve the legislation, but none of them were added to the final legislation.
    Sen. Warner’s amendment would have reduced cuts to assistance for African nations and helped strengthen trade, counter the malign influence of adversaries, and pursue economic development. The amendment would have helped ensure that China could not capitalize on the sudden vacuum of influence that will ensue if America withdraws its economic development initiatives on the continent.
    Sen. Kaine’s amendments included eliminating cuts in funding for the Migration and Refugee Assistance and International Disaster Assistance programs, including funding for faith-based organizations; protecting funding for USAID and the Inter-American Foundation; preserving funding to defend against cyberattacks by Russia and Iran and keep fentanyl out of the United States; and eliminating cuts in funding for CPB for pre-K educational programming and any broadcasts and media stations that disseminate information during natural disasters and national emergencies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Statement on Rescissions Package

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) issued the following statement on her vote to pass the rescissions package submitted by the Trump administration:
    “Senate Republicans have listened to the American people who want us to rein in spending,” Senator Capito said. “Senate Republicans responded by passing a rescissions package that eliminates wasteful spending, an important step towards getting America’s fiscal house back in order. The last four years saw example after example of misused taxpayer dollars. I am proud to support this legislation that takes a small but necessary step to rein in federal spending and save taxpayer dollars.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Statement on Senate Passage of Trump Rescissions Package

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), founding member of the Senate DOGE Caucus, released the following statement after the Senate passed President Trump’s rescissions package, which will codify the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) cuts to rein in frivolous spending and root out fraud and abuse throughout the federal government:
    “With this rescissions package, President Trump has offered Congress a historic opportunity to rein in frivolous spending identified through the good work of DOGE and ensure Texans’ taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly,” said Sen. Cornyn. “These rescissions exemplify key priorities of the Trump agenda – rooting out wokeism, eliminating fraud, and putting the fiscal interests of hardworking Americans back at the forefront of our policymaking – and I was glad to vote in favor of them.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions Witnesses In Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On The Way AI Interacts With Copyrights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 16, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing entitled “Too Big to Prosecute?: Examining the AI Industry’s Mass Ingestion of Copyrighted Works for AI Training.” Today’s hearing examined the way AI interacts with intellectual property rights, particularly copyrights.

    Durbin asked Edward Lee, a Law Professor at the Santa Clara University School of Law, about Section 230 in relation to AI.

    “You’re suggesting this is the age of innovation—deep learning deserves special treatment. We’ve been through this argument in Congress before—Section 230—[which] is a good illustration of that. We decided this fledgling industry called the internet just may not have a future [and] we better be careful, so we exempted them from liability. Is that what you’re suggesting?” Durbin asked.

    Professor Lee responded, “not at all,” and continued to highlight the existing Supreme Court precedent on “fair use.” AI companies argue that training their models on copyrighted works does not constitute infringement because that activity falls under the doctrine of “fair use,” which allows limited use of copyrighted works without the permission of the author for purposes such as commentary, parody, teaching, research, and news reporting. Courts determine whether use of a work is fair use on a case-by-case basis. He continued to say there is a fair balance between protecting copyrighted works, authors, and innovation.

    “It looks to me like you’re shifting the burden to the author of the creative work when there’s an assertion of ‘fair use’ here. So, Meta or others can virtually steal this creative product of Mr. Baldacci [an author witness at the hearing] and others, and then he has the responsibility of proving there’s been an economic loss to him as a result?” Durbin asked.

    Professor Lee responded that the initial burden of “fair use” is on the defendant.

    “Why do we have AI? Why are we interested in AI? Clearly it is for a commercial purpose, is it not?” Durbin asked.

    Professor Lee responded, “entirely, for the AI companies.”

    “So, the companies are ultimately the winners in the approach you are taking. Assume we’re in the world of new innovation here and there is a use of someone else’s creative work—the burden is on them to prove they lost money because of that piracy… they can use Mr. Baldacci’s product and make money off of it,” said Durbin.

    Professor Lee responded that if using copyrighted works like Mr. Baldacci’s is considered “fair use,” the direct benefit would be to the AI companies. He continued to say that the United States has a priority in AI development and if we are in an arms race with China, winning the AI race is important.

    “And Mr. Baldacci should be prepared to pay the price for that?” Durbin asked.

    Professor Lee responded, “I would suggest that if it is so easy to generate copies of Mr. Baldacci novels, that should go in the complaint in these lawsuits… we should not throw out the window the established Supreme Court precedent on how to apply ‘fair use.’”

    Video of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

    Durbin then asked Maxwell Pritt, a Partner at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, who represents plaintiffs in Kadrey v. Meta Platforms. In this case, authors, including Richard Kadrey and Sarah Silverman, sued Meta, alleging copyright infringement related to the training of Meta’s LLaMA AI model using copyrighted books. Durbin asked Mr. Pritt about Meta’s use of pirated databases to obtain copyrighted works to train its GenAI model. 

    “Did Meta compensate any of the copyright owners for the use of their works?” Durbin asked.

    Mr. Pritt responded, “No, but Meta did spend money on contributing its processing power to pirate from illicit websites and also to pay Amazon to host pirated data.”

    “How does the downloading and uploading of pirated copyrighted material impact the analysis of whether a copyright infringement could meet the mens rea requirement of willfulness necessary for criminal infringement?” Durbin asked.

    Mr. Pritt responded, “As to willfulness in the civil copyright context, the documents Senator Hawley showed—I think the answer is clear the piracy committed by Meta was knowing and intentional.”

    Video of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions Witnesses In Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On The Way AI Interacts With Copyrights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 16, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing entitled “Too Big to Prosecute?: Examining the AI Industry’s Mass Ingestion of Copyrighted Works for AI Training.” Today’s hearing examined the way AI interacts with intellectual property rights, particularly copyrights.

    Durbin asked Edward Lee, a Law Professor at the Santa Clara University School of Law, about Section 230 in relation to AI.

    “You’re suggesting this is the age of innovation—deep learning deserves special treatment. We’ve been through this argument in Congress before—Section 230—[which] is a good illustration of that. We decided this fledgling industry called the internet just may not have a future [and] we better be careful, so we exempted them from liability. Is that what you’re suggesting?” Durbin asked.

    Professor Lee responded, “not at all,” and continued to highlight the existing Supreme Court precedent on “fair use.” AI companies argue that training their models on copyrighted works does not constitute infringement because that activity falls under the doctrine of “fair use,” which allows limited use of copyrighted works without the permission of the author for purposes such as commentary, parody, teaching, research, and news reporting. Courts determine whether use of a work is fair use on a case-by-case basis. He continued to say there is a fair balance between protecting copyrighted works, authors, and innovation.

    “It looks to me like you’re shifting the burden to the author of the creative work when there’s an assertion of ‘fair use’ here. So, Meta or others can virtually steal this creative product of Mr. Baldacci [an author witness at the hearing] and others, and then he has the responsibility of proving there’s been an economic loss to him as a result?” Durbin asked.

    Professor Lee responded that the initial burden of “fair use” is on the defendant.

    “Why do we have AI? Why are we interested in AI? Clearly it is for a commercial purpose, is it not?” Durbin asked.

    Professor Lee responded, “entirely, for the AI companies.”

    “So, the companies are ultimately the winners in the approach you are taking. Assume we’re in the world of new innovation here and there is a use of someone else’s creative work—the burden is on them to prove they lost money because of that piracy… they can use Mr. Baldacci’s product and make money off of it,” said Durbin.

    Professor Lee responded that if using copyrighted works like Mr. Baldacci’s is considered “fair use,” the direct benefit would be to the AI companies. He continued to say that the United States has a priority in AI development and if we are in an arms race with China, winning the AI race is important.

    “And Mr. Baldacci should be prepared to pay the price for that?” Durbin asked.

    Professor Lee responded, “I would suggest that if it is so easy to generate copies of Mr. Baldacci novels, that should go in the complaint in these lawsuits… we should not throw out the window the established Supreme Court precedent on how to apply ‘fair use.’”

    Video of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

    Durbin then asked Maxwell Pritt, a Partner at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, who represents plaintiffs in Kadrey v. Meta Platforms. In this case, authors, including Richard Kadrey and Sarah Silverman, sued Meta, alleging copyright infringement related to the training of Meta’s LLaMA AI model using copyrighted books. Durbin asked Mr. Pritt about Meta’s use of pirated databases to obtain copyrighted works to train its GenAI model. 

    “Did Meta compensate any of the copyright owners for the use of their works?” Durbin asked.

    Mr. Pritt responded, “No, but Meta did spend money on contributing its processing power to pirate from illicit websites and also to pay Amazon to host pirated data.”

    “How does the downloading and uploading of pirated copyrighted material impact the analysis of whether a copyright infringement could meet the mens rea requirement of willfulness necessary for criminal infringement?” Durbin asked.

    Mr. Pritt responded, “As to willfulness in the civil copyright context, the documents Senator Hawley showed—I think the answer is clear the piracy committed by Meta was knowing and intentional.”

    Video of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Meets With Jeanine Pirro To Discuss U.S. Attorney Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    July 16, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after meeting with Jeanine Pirro, nominated to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia:
    “I met with Ms. Pirro as I do many nominees when extended a courtesy meeting ahead of potential committee action on their nomination.
    “Ms. Pirro’s record deeply troubles me as she’s considered to be a top law enforcement official. She’s a January 6 apologist, siding with violent insurrectionists over law enforcement by supporting criminal charges against line prosecutors handling insurrection-related cases. She’s an election denialist, recklessly peddling President Trump’s Big Lie despite even her own Fox News producers and executives warning her to reel it in. And ultimately, she’s a Donald Trump loyalist, vengefully attacking his perceived political opponents and showing no willingness to put the rule of law ahead of the President’s wishes.
    “I’m unconvinced she learned the lessons of her failed predecessor Ed Martin. I implore my Republican colleagues to hold a high bar for the top law enforcement officer in our nation’s capital—and reject this nomination.”
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: After Supreme Court Greenlights Mass Layoffs at ED, New Warren Report Reveals Impact of Trump Administration’s Attacks On Public Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 17, 2025
    11 national organizations warn of dangers from dismantling the Department of Education. 
    Warren: “If President Trump succeeds in completely eliminating the Department of Education, millions of students, teachers, and families will pay the price.”
    Text of Report (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a new 23-page report, “Education At Risk: Frontline Impacts of Trump’s War on Students,” highlighting warnings from 11 major national education and civil rights organizations on the impact of the Trump administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education (ED), slashing support to millions of American students, primary and secondary school teachers, administrators, parents, and student loan borrowers. Since the Trump Administration took office, President Trump, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and ED Secretary Linda McMahon have:
    Eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for ED programs that serve America’s students, families, and educators. 
    Fired nearly half of the department’s employees, severely limiting its ability to support public education around the country.
    Attempted to further dismantle ED by illegally transferring core ED functions to other agencies. 
    In April 2025, Senator Warren asked leading national organizations representing teachers, parents, students, student loan borrowers, and administrators to collect firsthand accounts of the impacts of the administration’s policies. 
    Key findings of Senator Warren’s report include:
    Cuts to the Office of Federal Student Aid staff and student loan programs will limit college attendance and delay borrower access to loans and debt relief.
    According to the American Council on Education, “delayed funding, especially in the instances of student financial aid, can result in the inability of students to enroll for classes and persist through to completion in a timely fashion, causing them to take on more student loan debt to complete their degrees.”

    Dismantling the Office of Civil Rights will impede ED’s ability to ensure that students receive an education free from discrimination.
    According to the National Parents Union, this “leaves 46.413 million students in 27 states and territories without dedicated civil rights investigators in regional offices.”

    Cuts to the Institute of Education Sciences threaten the collection and dissemination of critical federal data.
    ED collects data that helps students and parents get a comprehensive evaluation of the quality and financial cost of colleges and secondary schools. Without this data, the Institute for Higher Education Policy says, “Families would be left without the only reliable federal resource to help them make informed choices about one of the most significant financial and personal decisions of their lives.”

    Plans to transfer responsibilities to other agencies are wasteful and will increase the cost and complexity of performing essential department functions that America’s students and families rely on.
    For example, the National Center for Youth Law notes that President Trump’s proposal to move special education services into the Department of Health and Human Services risks “stripping away decades of hard-won progress for students with disabilities, returning to an outdated medical model that treats disabilities as pathologies to be contained rather than differences to be accommodated.”

    The report reveals that this damage will continue to worsen if the Department of Education is further defunded and dismantled, harming over 62 million students across the country. 
    The organizations that were cited in this report include the American Council on Education (ACE), National Parents Union (NPU), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC), Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), National Center for Youth Law (NCYL), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), and the Association for Institutional Research (AIR).
    Senator Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:
    On July 15, 2025, Senators Warren and Sanders, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, urging her to reverse the interest hike on student loan borrowers in the SAVE forbearance. 
    On July 14, 2025, Senator Warren joined a letter to the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, and Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, demanding that the Department of Education stop blocking nearly $7 billion in funds for K-12 schools, including for afterschool programs.
    On July 3, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in submitting an amicus brief for NAACP v. US, arguing to the United States District Court District of Maryland that President Trump’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education violate separation of powers and lack constitutional authority.
    On June 10, 2025, Senator Warren met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and delivered over 1,000 letters to McMahon that the senator had received from people in all 50 states who were worried about the Secretary’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.
    On June 9, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of Department of Education to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office, revealing that DOGE may have gained access to two FSA internal systems, in addition to sensitive borrower data.
    On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.
    On May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled “Stealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,” highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education and President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.
    On May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration’s attacks on education are hurting American families.
    On May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.
    On April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.
    On April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.
    On April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.
    On April 2, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign to fight back against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education and highlight the consequences for every student and public school in America.
    On March 27, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a letter to Acting Department of Education Inspector General René Rocque requesting they conduct an investigation of the Trump Administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.
    On March 20, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders led a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to slash the capacity of Federal Student Aid to handle student aid complaints.
    On February 24, 2025, in a response to Senator Warren, Secretary McMahon gave her first public admission that she “wholeheartedly” agreed with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education.
    On February 11, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim sent Linda McMahon, Secretary-Designate for the U.S. Department of Education, a 12-page letter with 65 questions on McMahon’s policy views in advance of her nomination hearing.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Introduces Pensions for All Act to Guarantee Retirement Security for Every American

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, July 17 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today introduced the Pensions for All Act, sweeping legislation that would provide comprehensive retirement coverage to the more than 56 million working-class Americans who currently have no retirement plan through their employer.  
    “We can no longer tolerate a rigged retirement system that allows the CEOs of large corporations to receive massive golden parachutes for themselves, while denying workers a pension after a lifetime of work,” Sanders said. “If we are serious about addressing the retirement crisis in America, corporations must be required to offer all of their workers a traditional pension plan that guarantees a monthly income in retirement. And if corporations refuse to offer a decent retirement plan, their workers must be allowed to receive the same type of pension that every member of Congress receives. If we can guarantee a defined benefit pension plan for members of Congress, we can and we must provide that same level of retirement security to every worker in America.” 
    In our country today, nearly half of older workers between the ages of 55 and 64 have no retirement savings at all and no idea how they will be able to retire with any shred of dignity or respect. 
    “If Congress can provide over $1 trillion in tax breaks for the top 1% and over $900 billion in tax breaks for large corporations, please do not tell me that we cannot afford to make sure that every worker in America can retire with the dignity and the respect they deserve,” Sanders continued.
    Today, more than 22.8% of seniors in the United States live in poverty — compared to just 5.1% in Denmark, 5.8% in France, 12.6% in Germany and 14.8% in Canada. Unacceptably, nearly 22% of seniors in America are trying to survive on less than $15,000 a year while half of our nation’s elderly population makes less than $30,000 a year. 
    The Pensions for All Act would reverse this trend by requiring corporations to either: 
    Provide a traditional pension plan for their workers that is at least equivalent to the plan provided to new members of Congress under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), or
    Pay into the federal retirement system at a level that ensures all of their workers receive the same amount of retirement benefits as Members of Congress.
    Importantly, this legislation would also offer reduced contribution requirements for self-employed workers and small businesses.  
    The bill builds on Sanders’ Social Security Expansion Act, which would increase Social Security benefits by $2,400 a year and fully fund the program for the next 75 years by applying the Social Security payroll tax on all income above $250,000. Together, these bills would finally ensure retirement security for all. 
    The legislation is endorsed by United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW); Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA); Alliance for Retired Americans; Just Solutions; Equal Rights Advocates; Popular Democracy in Action; and NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice.
    “Fifty years ago, nearly 50% of American workers had a pension. Today, less than 10% do, and nearly half of older workers have no retirement savings at all. That isn’t a flaw in the system—it’s the system working exactly as the wealthy designed it. We’ve gone from being a country that promised security and dignity in old age to being a country that forces people to work until they’re in the grave. After a lifetime of hard work, every American deserves the promise of a secure, dignified retirement—not a future filled with fear, uncertainty, and poverty. Pensions have long been the bedrock of retirement for working-class people, but corporate greed has eroded that foundation. The billionaire class gutted pensions in pursuit of profit, and Washington let it happen. CEOs walk away with golden parachutes while working people walk into retirement with nothing. Meanwhile, every Member of Congress has a guaranteed pension—for life. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for the people who build this country. The retirement crisis is real, and it’s time for Congress to act. Thank you to Senator Bernie Sanders—a leader who knows which side he’s on—for standing up for the working-class,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. 
    Read the bill text here. 
    Read a summary of the bill here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vermont Delegation Secures $22.7 Million Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Award for Winooski River Bridge  

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WINOOSKI, VT – The Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representative Becca Balint (VT-At-Large) today announced a $22.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help replace the Winooski River Bridge in Chittenden County. The federal funding, provided through DOT’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program and made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will replace and upgrade travel lanes and incorporate shared-use paths to improve safety on the bridge for cars, bikes, and pedestrians. 
    “Bolstering Vermont’s infrastructure is crucial to ensuring the safety, security, and success of families, workers, and everyone traveling through the Green Mountain State. We’re proud to see this investment of more than $22 million that will make our roads and communities safer,” said the Vermont Congressional Delegation. “The replacement of the Winooski River Bridge will boost northern Vermont’s critical infrastructure, improve safety and accessibility, and make Winooski more resilient to extreme weather.” 
    “Maintaining safe and reliable public transportation infrastructure one of the most important responsibilities of any government,” said Vermont Governor Phil Scott. “I’m appreciative to our congressional delegation for bringing this much needed funding back home to Vermont.” 
    “This announcement is crucial toward the successful funding package necessary to deliver this complex bridge project,” said Vermont Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “The effort from Vermont’ congressional delegation is greatly appreciated.” 
    The Vermont Congressional Delegation nominated the project for $8 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). 
    The existing Winooski River Bridge, built in 1929, is in poor condition and needs to be replaced. The improved bridge will use durable materials to upgrade the existing infrastructure and create a wider sidewalk for pedestrians to cross safely. The new bridge will also feature improved drainage systems to better withstand extreme weather events driven by climate change—including the flooding that has impacted Vermont for the last three years. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Slams Senate Republicans for Voting to Gut Foreign Aid, Defund Public News Stations Millions Depend On

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 17, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) voted against Republican spending cuts that would cancel $9 billion in federal funding that supports foreign assistance and public news stations that millions of Americans depend on. Senate Republicans passed the rescissions package by a vote of 51-48.

    “Whether it’s his illegal funding freeze or empowering unelected bureaucrats to take a chainsaw to basic needs programs, Donald Trump has been on a mission to cut critical government services and lifelines that millions depend on from day one.

    “Not only does this rescission package make DOGE and other cuts permanent, it puts everything—from our national security to global health and public radio and television stations—on the chopping block. Public broadcasting is critically important for Illinoisans across our state, especially in our rural communities, it’s a lifeline of information and engagement. Cutting funding isn’t a cost-saving measure, it’s an attack on the free press and our communities.

    “There’s nothing off limits in Republicans’ scheme to carve out tax cuts for Trump and their billionaire buddies—and despite claims about how much money they’re saving, American taxpayers will pay the price for these cuts.”

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Votes Against Republicans’ Bill to Claw Back Billions in Bipartisan Government Funding, Silence Rural Radio Stations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement after he voted against the Republicans’ package to rescind bipartisan government funding for local radio stations and foreign assistance that helps millions each year.
    “Earlier this month, Republicans ripped health care away from 17 million Americans and hiked the price of groceries and electricity on working families. Today, they’re pulling the plug on rural radio stations and public TV programming Coloradans count on.
    “This isn’t ‘government efficiency’. It’s throwing away America’s future piece by piece.”
    Hickenlooper voted NO on the Republicans’ $9 billion rescission package after Republicans voted against Democratic-led amendments to protect public broadcasting and preserve America’s global leadership.
    Hickenlooper introduced and joined four amendments to the Republicans’ rescission package, including amendments to:
    Save Public TV and Radio: Hickenlooper co-sponsored an amendment to remove the $1.1 billion in funding cuts for local radio and tv stations that are vital for millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Coloradans living in rural areas.
    Protect Efforts to Boost Economic Stability in the Western Hemisphere: Hickenlooper-led amendment to strike cuts to the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), which boosts economic development across Latin America and the Caribbean to help reduce push factors for migration.
    Safeguard Clean Energy Investments: Hickenlooper-led amendment to preserve U.S. investments in clean energy projects in developing countries through the Clean Technology Fund (CTF).
    Preserve U.S. Leadership Abroad: Hickenlooper-led amendment to strike cuts to the Economic Support Fund (ESF), which gives development and economic assistance to countries of strategic importance to help counter Chinese influence around the world.
    Hickenlooper raised the alarm about the Republicans’ reckless effort to silence rural radio stations and what it would mean for millions of Americans who live in rural areas and depend on public broadcasting for emergency alerts, transportation accidents, national security threats or public safety matters. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Condemns Republicans’ Rescission of Billions in Public Broadcast and Foreign Aid Funding

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Condemns Republicans’ Rescission of Billions in Public Broadcast and Foreign Aid Funding

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) issued the following statement slamming Republicans’ narrow passage of President Trump’s $9 billion rescissions package to revoke Congressionally appropriated funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid:
    “On the heels of giving away $4.5 trillion in tax breaks to corporations and billionaires, Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are now claiming we can’t afford essential public broadcasting services and important foreign aid programs. 
    “Republicans’ cuts to public broadcasting will put lives at risk by undermining the last line for lifesaving emergency alerts in so many communities across the country, just days after the devastating floods in Texas. At the same time, their cuts to foreign aid will end low-cost, high-impact programs while undermining U.S. national security, creating a vacuum in global leadership that China and Russia are more than happy to fill.  
    “All these funds were negotiated and approved in a good-faith and bipartisan manner. By breaking those commitments, Republicans have made it exponentially harder for themselves to seek and secure the support they’ll need from Democrats to fund the government later this year.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Rips Republicans for Gutting Public Broadcasting, Global Public Health Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (July 17, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today issued the following statement after Senate Republicans passed a rescissions package that claws back more than $9 billion in congressionally appropriated funding, including over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $500 million from global public health programs. Senator Markey spoke on the Senate floor in support of his amendment that would have protected children’s educational programming from GOP cuts. Republicans defeated the amendment.
    “In the middle of the night, Republicans once again bent the knee to their wannabe King Donald, rubberstamping his cruel and callous cuts while robbing kids and communities of free, high quality public programming.
    “Republicans are making a Clifford-sized mistake by choosing Donald Trump and multi-billionaires over Daniel Tiger and Masterpiece Theater. By eliminating public media funding, Republicans are silencing rural broadcasters. They are stripping communities of essential emergency alert infrastructure. They are taking away trusted educational programming from millions of children. And by gutting global public health programs, they’re abandoning vulnerable populations around the world.
    “The consequences of this reckless package will be felt for years to come. But I am committed to ensuring that characters like Arthur and Molly of Denali can continue to educate our children, and that public radio and television stations can continue to connect and protect people in every community across America.”

    MIL OSI USA News –