NewzIntel.com

Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Stops Secret Pentagon Spending

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) secured a major win for taxpayers in the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 with the inclusion of an amendment to end Pentagon bureaucrats’ game of hide and seek with tax dollars.
    The amendment is based off of her bipartisan Stop Secret Spending Act and requires all spending to be on the public website USAspending.gov. This will lift the veil of secrecy on billions of dollars of secret spending arrangements known as Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), so Americans can view who is receiving their tax dollars and for what purpose.
    OTAs are flexible spending arrangements not subject to standard federal acquisition laws and requirements. While OTAs allow DoD to streamline R&D and acquisitions, hiding the deals from taxpayers reduces accountability.
    “I am ending Pentagon bureaucrats’ game of hide and seek with your tax dollars,” said Ernst. “Americans have a right to know where their hard-earned dollars are going. I’ve long been working to make the Pentagon more transparent and accountable and will continue to work to review the hidden receipts.”
    Background:
    Earlier this year, Ernst exposed more than $18 billion in government spending was hidden from taxpayers by using OTAs and, from fiscal years 2020-2022, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that more than $40 billion was hidden from the public through OTAs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 07.16.2025 Sen. Cruz Pushes Rio Grande LNG Project with FERC

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to expeditiously reissue the appropriate authority for the Rio Grande LNG project. Sen. Cruz recently sent a letter to the agency outlining the importance of the project, which supports thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment to the Rio Grande Valley and pushing for prompt action.
    Excerpts and highlights from the letter: 
    “As you are aware, the Rio Grande LNG project has experienced a protracted and challenging permitting process, complicated by litigation and remand from the D.C. Circuit Court. While the Commission’s original authorization was properly issued, the court’s decision added unnecessary delays and uncertainty to a project that clearly serves the public interest. The Commission has since worked diligently to address the court’s directives, with that in mind, I trust the Commission will act quickly to reissue its order and allow this critical infrastructure project to move forward without further delay. 
    “In recent months, FERC has demonstrated that it is capable of acting promptly and responsibly on other LNG projects, setting an encouraging precedent. I am confident that the Commission will apply the same level of attention and urgency to the Rio Grande LNG project.”
    Click here to read the full letter.
    BACKGROUND
    Sen. Cruz has long been a leader in pushing for American energy dominance and protecting America’s energy workers.
    In March, Sens. Cruz, Cornyn, Wicker, and Tim Scott reintroduced the Protect LNG Act, which would ensure that a court cannot vacate a previously authorized LNG permit, clarifies the venue for LNG lawsuits before federal courts, and mandates that courts grant expedited decisions in relevant cases. Cruz first introduced this bill in 2024.
    Sen. Cruz led a bicameral and bipartisan amicus brief in response to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit’s decision to vacate the authorizations for the Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG Brownsville projects. His amicus brief is available here and here. Following the court’s recent decision to reinstate approvals for both projects, Sen. Cruz issued a statement welcoming the ruling.
    In 2024, Sen. Cruz sent a letter urging for an extension of time to Delfin LNG LLC’s approval to export LNG after the Biden administration’s deference to the radical climate lobby. During the nomination hearing for Sean Duffy to be Secretary of Transportation, Sen. Cruz pointed out the Biden administration’s hostility towards the oil and gas industry, citing the previous administration’s failure to approve Deepwater port licenses and asked Secretary Duffy to expedite review of Delfin’s reapplication in Texas.
    Sen. Cruz issued a statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reinstated approvals for LNG projects for Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG Brownsville. The D.C. Circuit had previously vacated the permits for both projects in an August 2024 decision.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Chu, Colleagues Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Chu, Colleagues Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    WATCH: Padilla pushes for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on the heels of another harsh heat wave across California, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections.

    Co-leads of the legislation include U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12).

    To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

    The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

    “Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

    “Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift.  The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”

    “From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.” 

    “As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

    “This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

    “As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.” 

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

    From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.

    The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Resources Defense Council, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

    “Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

    “Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”

    “For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers. 

    “Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

    “It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.”

    “Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.

    “Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.

    The bill is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    Senator Padilla has acted urgently to address the threats posed by extreme heat as the climate crisis becomes more severe. Padilla successfully called on OSHA to establish the first-ever federal safety standard to protect workers from the severe risks of excessive heat, implementing key provisions from the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Padilla and his colleagues also led 112 members of Congress in calling on the Biden Administration to implement a workplace federal heat standard as quickly as possible. The letter urged OSHA to model the standard after the provisions in the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Additionally, Padilla and Markey’s Preventing Health Emergencies and Temperature-related (HEAT) Illness and Deaths Act advanced out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation last year.

    Padilla previously joined union members and workers from UFW and the Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO in Forty Acres, California in 2023 to announce his legislation to implement an enforceable federal workplace heat standard.

    A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.

    A section-by-section of the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Rosen, Hyde-Smith, Kelly and Reps. Houlahan, Baird Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Support Workers Entering or Returning to STEM Careers

    US Senate News:

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

    Legislation Would Help Businesses Bring On Mid-Career Workers Seeking To Return To Or Transition Into STEM Jobs
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced the STEM Restoring Employment Skills through Targeted Assistance, Re-entry, and Training (RESTART) Act. This bipartisan legislation would provide funding to support mid-career internships, known as “returnships,” for workers seeking to return to or transition into the STEM workforce. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Jim Baird (R-IN) have also introduced identical bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “When we invest in STEM education and workforce development, we can open the door to successful careers in some of the most in-demand industries,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m glad to introduce this bipartisan bill to help give workers the training and tools they need to enter new STEM careers. I’ll keep working across party lines to make sure all Nevadans have the skills needed to fill good-paying jobs.” 
    “Many skilled professionals step away from the workforce, but face significant barriers when trying to return, especially in technical fields where innovation moves fast,” said Senator Hyde-Smith. “Our legislation equips small and mid-sized businesses with the tools to tap into this valuable talent pool.  This will help hardworking Americans reconnect with meaningful careers while growing the STEM workforce in states like Mississippi and beyond.”
    “Arizona’s 21st century economy depends on a strong STEM workforce, and that means making sure talented workers who’ve taken time away or are looking to transition into STEM fields have a real pathway back in,” said Senator Kelly. “This effort will help small businesses tap into an underutilized talent pool while giving Arizonans the support they need to reenter the workforce and succeed in high-paying careers.”
    “As a former Air Force engineer and chemistry teacher, I know that building a strong STEM workforce is essential not only for creating good-paying jobs, but also for safeguarding our national security,” said Representative Houlahan. “Whether it’s biotechnology, quantum computing, or clean energy, the global race for innovation is accelerating, and we can’t afford to leave talent on the sidelines. The bipartisan STEM RESTART Act will help mid-career professionals and those returning to the workforce enter high-demand STEM fields so we can strengthen our economy, compete globally, and protect America’s leadership in emerging technologies. I’m proud to reintroduce this commonsense legislation, which is a win for both businesses and workers across our Commonwealth and country.”
    “If we want to maintain our global competitive edge and continue to lead the world in innovation, we must ensure we have a well-equipped STEM workforce now and empower future generations in STEM fields,” said Congressman Baird. “A robust STEM workforce is also vital to our economic prosperity and national security, especially when up against the threat of Communist China. I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for their work on this bipartisan legislation to equip Hoosiers who want to return to the STEM workforce with the tools they need to fill job openings and build the greatest economy in history.”
    “The STEM RESTART Act is a forward-thinking investment in our nation’s workforce,” said Chris Heavey, Interim President of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “By supporting mid-career professionals reentering the STEM fields, this bill strengthens innovation, expands opportunity, and ensures that talent and experience are not left behind.”
    “The Society of Women Engineers is thrilled to see the STEM RESTART Act reintroduced in 2025. As the nation continues to rebuild a strong and inclusive STEM workforce, this legislation is more critical than ever. Hundreds of thousands of STEM professionals have stepped away from technical careers in recent years, and research shows most want to return—but face steep barriers. Grants for structured ‘returnships’ give mid-career professionals real, paid pathways back into meaningful STEM roles,” said Karen Horting, Executive Director & CEO of the Society of Women Engineers. “SWE and our 50,000 plus members fully support this bipartisan, bicameral effort to bridge talent gaps, bolster small and midsize businesses, and drive innovation. We urge lawmakers to pass the STEM RESTART Act as soon as possible and reaffirm our collective commitment to supporting women and others who pause their careers, as well as the country’s economic growth and global competitiveness.”
    The STEM RESTART Act has been endorsed by the Society of Women Engineers, STEM Education Coalition, AnitaB.org, Nevada System of Higher Education, College of Southern Nevada, Vegas Chamber, Henderson Chamber of Commerce, Nevada State University, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
    Senator Rosen has been a leader in advocating for tech innovation and improving access to STEM careers. She helped pass the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which invests $52 billion in domestic computer chip manufacturing to help address the current shortage. Additionally, Rosen helped write the broadband section of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is delivering $65 billion to make high-speed internet more available and affordable to Americans. In 2020, Senator Rosen’s bipartisan Building Blocks of STEM Act, which breaks down barriers to allow more young girls to study computer science, was signed into law.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Demand Trump Administration Release Nearly $7 Billion for K-12 Education

    US Senate News:

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

    Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) joined Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) in a letter to the U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon demanding answers over the Trump administration’s decision to withhold nearly $7 billion in federal funding for K-12 public schools, including more than $60 million for schools in Nevada. The Senators urged the Department to restore the funding and provide clarity for schools and educators. On July 1, schools across the country reported they were unable to access their federal funding after the Department of Education abruptly froze nearly $7 billion in grants, even though the funds were appropriated by Congress and already factored into school budgets. In Nevada, affected programs include after-school programs, English-learner services, professional development, and migrant education. At least fourteen percent of Nevada students are English-Language Learners.
    “These funds, which represent longstanding investments in K–12 education, support a wide range of priorities such as teacher recruitment, after-school programs, English learner instruction, school-based mental health services, and academic enrichment,” the Senators wrote. “Withholding funds for these important programs will disrupt essential services and undermine the support structures that students, families, and educators rely on every day.”
    Read the full letter HERE.
    Senator Rosen has been forcefully pushing back on Donald Trump’s attempt to dismantle public education. She spoke out against President Trump’s plan to dismantle the Department of Education, calling it “an illegal, irresponsible attack on students and families.” She also recently joined an amicus brief against the unconstitutional dismantling of the Department, warning of its harmful impact on Nevada schools. In April, Senator Rosen condemned the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate Head Start funding, calling the cuts “outrageous and cruel” and pledging to defend early childhood education programs that help Nevada families thrive.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Bill Requiring ICE, Immigration Enforcement Agents to Clearly Identify Themselves

    US Senate News:

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

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce legislation that would prohibit ICE officers and other federal immigration agents from concealing their identity during routine immigration enforcement operations. The VISIBLE Act requires these officers to clearly identify themselves with their names, badge number, or agency name, except in covert operations. This is a direct response to the Trump Administration’s widespread use of masked, plainclothes agents in immigration raids — often without badges or agency markings — who are targeting law-abiding people without accountability.
    “The Trump Administration is using immigration officers wearing masks to target law-abiding immigrants, Green Card holders, and even American citizens,” said Senator Rosen. “As with any other law enforcement official, ICE officers have a responsibility to the public to act with transparency and accountability. I’m helping introduce this commonsense bill to ensure immigration officers properly identify themselves.”
    Senator Rosen has consistently opposed the Trump Administration’s aggressive and unlawful mass deportation enforcement tactics while championing transparency and fairness in the immigration system. Earlier this year, she helped introduce legislation to protect sensitive locations—such as schools, hospitals, churches, and courthouses—from immigration raids, ensuring families can access essential services without fear. She also urged Senate leadership to pursue real, bipartisan immigration reform that balances strong border security with protections for Dreamers and immigrant families. Additionally, Senator Rosen has called on the Trump Administration to guarantee legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration custody, defending the basic rights of the most vulnerable.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Demands Answers on Emil Bove’s Involvement in DOJ Withholding the Epstein Files

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Emil Bove requesting information relating to his involvement in the Department of Justice’s review of and decision making relating to public disclosures of the Epstein Files. Emil Bove is currently a nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

    “You have held a key decision-making role at DOJ since the beginning of this Administration, first as Acting Deputy Attorney General through March 2025 and then in your current position as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, serving as a close adviser to Attorney General Pam Bondi. In light of the significant public interest in the Epstein files and the Trump DOJ and FBI’s shifting positions on transparency and public disclosure, records and information relating to your participation in this matter are relevant to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s ongoing review of your nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit,” wrote Senator Booker.

    “Your involvement in the DOJ’s review of the Epstein files is a matter of significant public importance given the contradictory statements by Attorney General Bondi concerning the existence of an Epstein “client list” and DOJ’s stated commitment to transparency. Furthermore, it warrants scrutiny whether the DOJ intentionally withheld evidence related to the trafficking and sexual abuse of minors to protect certain individuals,” Senator Booker continued.

    “As Acting Deputy Attorney General, you “advise[d] and assist[ed] the Attorney General in formulating and implementing Departmental policies and programs and [provided] overall supervision and direction to all organizational units of the Department” and were “authorized to exercise all the power and authority of the Attorney General.” By all accounts, you have continued to fulfill many of these responsibilities as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, closely advising Attorney General Pam Bondi,” Senator Booker wrote.

    “It is imperative that the Senate Judiciary Committee ascertain the scope and extent of your involvement in the handling of the Epstein files before voting on your nomination,” Senator Booker concluded.

    Senator Booker demanded answers to the following questions no later than 9:00 AM on July 17, 2025:

    1. Did you ever advise AG Bondi regarding the Epstein files?
    2. Did you participate in the review of any documents, video, or other evidence contained in the Epstein files?
    3. Did you participate in drafting or reviewing the letter Pam Bondi sent to Kash Patel on February 27, 2025 directing the FBI to produce “all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients”?
    4. Did you ever participate in discussions about what evidence from the Epstein files the DOJ should release?
    5. Did you participate in any discussions about whether to release video evidence from the Epstein files involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM)?
    6. Did you ever discuss the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Pam Bondi?
    7. Did you ever discuss the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Kash Patel?
    8. Did you ever discuss the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Dan Bongino?
    9. Did you participate in a discussion about the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino?
    10. Did you ever participate in a discussion in which Dan Bongino suggested releasing all the evidence in the Epstein files, including video, prior to July 7, 2025?
    11. Did you ever express concerns to Kash Patel or Dan Bongino about releasing video evidence from the Epstein files because it could include CSAM prior to July 7, 2025?
    12. Did you participate in any discussion in which Attorney General Bondi expressed concerns to Kash Patel or Dan Bongino about releasing video evidence from the Epstein files due to the presence of CSAM prior to July 7, 2025?
    13. Did you participate in drafting or reviewing the undated and unsigned DOJ and FBI memo issued on July 7, 2025?

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Murray Reintroduce Access to Birth Control Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Patty Murray (D-WA) led the reintroduction of the Access to Birth Control Act. The legislation would guarantee patients’ timely access to birth control at pharmacies nationwide—including by addressing pharmacies’ refusals of contraception that prevent patients from obtaining their preferred form of birth control medication. U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) introduced companion legislation in the House. 

    Contraception is an essential part of reproductive health care, and protecting access to contraception at the pharmacy is more important than ever given the relentless attacks on reproductive health care currently ongoing throughout the country. In addition to ensuring that patients have access to contraception at the pharmacy without delay, the bill would also ensure that pharmacies do not operate an environment where patients are intimidated, threatened, or harassed when seeking access to contraception or medication related to contraception. In the event that a pharmacy violates one of these requirements, the bill establishes liability for civil penalties for the pharmacy and a private cause of action for patients to seek relief. 

    “Three years ago, the Supreme Court unjustly overturned Roe v. Wade, and opened the door to attacks on contraception,” said Senator Booker. “Since then, Republicans have used every tool they can to undercut access to reproductive health care, and Congress must act to ensure everyone has the freedom to make their own decisions about contraception without fear of intimidation or threats. The Access to Birth Control Act will remove barriers to accessing birth control, and ensure Americans have full autonomy over their bodies and reproductive choices.”

    “Birth control is essential health care—there is no reason it shouldn’t be available to every woman, without exception,” said Senator Murray. “As contraception comes under attack by Republican anti-abortion extremists, it is more important than ever that women can access birth control, free from fear and intimidation. Our bill ensures no one seeking birth control experiences harassment, denials, or delays from providers. I will never stop fighting to defend reproductive health care and make it more accessible and affordable for women everywhere.” 

    “Birth control is safe, effective, and essential for healthcare,” said Representative Kelly. “No pharmacy employee or politician should weigh into such a private decision as to if or when to start a family. My bill removes barriers that obstruct a patient’s right to birth control so everyone can access birth control without intimidation, harassment, or discrimination.”

    Although Supreme Court precedent recognizes a protected right to contraception, conservatives on the Court have ignored precedent to undermine reproductive rights. In the radical Dobbs decision, the Court reversed the nearly 50-year precedent of Roe v. Wade that guaranteed a right to access abortion care. Access to contraception in the United States should not hinge on the Supreme Court’s ideological balance or the willingness of individual pharmacists to fill prescriptions. Providers, including pharmacists, play a key role in providing contraceptive services and important information about prescription and over-the-counter birth control options to people across the country.  

    According to the National Women’s Law Center, pharmacists have refused to fill prescriptions for birth control or provide emergency contraception over the counter to patients in 24 states and the District of Columbia. These refusals are based on personal beliefs and can negatively impact a patient’s health. Additionally, these refusals disproportionately affect people of color, low-income people, LGBTQ+ people, and those who live in rural and other underserved areas.   

    The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The Access to Birth Control Act is endorsed by more than 20 organizations, listed here.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar joined by Thousands of Minnesotans on AARP Telephone Town Hall

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) joined AARP Minnesota State Director Cathy McLeer on a telephone town hall with thousands of AARP members in Minnesota to discuss barriers to accessing Social Security, Medicaid, food assistance and affordable prescription drugs.

    “I just believe that when you are retired, you should be able to live with dignity. When you have a health care issue after working your whole life, you should be able to get proper health care. And of course, you should be able to get your Social Security and be able to have phones be answered when you call,” said Klobuchar.

    “AARP is in your corner, fighting for issues that matter to you, including protecting that hard earned Social Security and achieving some common sense solutions that will help Minnesota unpaid family caregivers both save time and money and, of course, protect seniors’ access to health care and long term care,” said Cathy McLeer, State Director of AARP Minnesota.

    Klobuchar noted that the passage of her Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act demonstrated how progress on these bipartisan policies is still possible, and outlined how to strengthen social security.

    “That should give you some hope that good things do happen. They happen when people stand up, regardless of political ideology. And that’s what we need to do right now on Social Security. I have supported more funding for the Social Security Administration to reduce wait times. And to ensure Social Security solvency indefinitely… I have called for allowing for the Social Security tax to be assessed on people making over $400,000 a year,” said Klobuchar. “We can do all this. It just means that the most wealthy among us – they have to pay a little more in taxes that they can afford.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Introduces Dr. Brian Christine of Mountain Brook in Senate HELP Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced Dr. Brian Christine during his nomination hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP). President Trump nominated Dr. Christine of Mountain Brook, Alabama to be Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). During their exchange, Sen. Tuberville and Dr. Christine discussed the importance of the Make America Health Again movement, along with Dr. Christine’s goals for improving rural healthcare.

    Read excerpts from their exchange below or on YouTube or Rumble.

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you very much. It’s an honor to introduce my friend and constituent, Dr. Brian Christine. Also thrilled to welcome today his wife, Helena, and sister, Kathleen. Thank you for being here.

    Dr. Christine is a board-certified urologic surgeon with nearly 30 years of clinical experience serving patients in Birmingham, Alabama. A recognized medical expert, Dr. Christine is known for teaching and demonstrating advanced surgical techniques, both nationally and internationally. Born in West Germany to a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran and the grandson of Italian immigrants, he will bring a lifelong dedication to service, resilience, and American values to this role. Dr. Christine attended college in Georgia, what’s going on here? And earned his medical degree from Emory University. He later moved to Birmingham for his residency and has since dedicated his career to caring for the men and women of Alabama. Beyond the operating room, he has supported local law enforcement by volunteering as a trauma surgeon with tactical police units. If confirmed, Dr. Christine will oversee critical public health programs, regional health offices and U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps where he has pledged to accept a commission and lead with a Main Street medicine approach. 

    His top priorities include addressing chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, pediatric obesity, mental health, and the nation’s physician shortage crisis. He is particularly focused on expanding access to primary care and improving health in rural and underserved communities.

    With deep medical expertise, leadership experience, and a clear vision for reform, he is well equipped to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health, and I hope my federal colleagues will support his nomination – Dr. Christine.”

    DR. CHRISTINE: “Senator Tuberville, thank you so much for your kind words. Thank you also for the service that you’ve rendered to our nation here in the U.S. Senate and the service you have and will render to our home state of Alabama.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Dr. Christine, in my lifetime, I’ve never seen the deterioration of an institution like we have in the trust of the American people after COVID. How are you gonna try to put that back together? Because we desperately need some help in getting a positive attitude towards our hospitals and our doctors back to the American people.”

    DR. CHRISTINE: “Yes, Senator Tuberville, number one, thank you so much for being here. Again, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for meeting with me before today’s hearing. I’m truly appreciative. The loss of trust that we have seen in our healthcare institutions and the healthcare policies emanating from this city are the worst that I’ve seen in over three decades of practice. People feel that during the pandemic particularly they were led astray, some people feel they were lied to. We have to work to restore that trust. Secretary Kennedy is 100% committed to doing that, as is President Trump.

    In my career as a surgeon, I’ve had to earn the trust of my patients, allowing me to operate on them, literally take their life within my hands. I believe I have the ability to communicate to patients and now hopefully to the American public at large and approach them and give them a sense that what I’m saying, what I’m telling is truly for the good of the country [and] comes from a position of honesty and transparency. I’ve had to do that for over 30 years as a surgeon and as a physician. I truly believe I can bring that skillset to the office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. The American people are tired of being lied to about their food, the ingredients, things that we’re now finding out that are detrimental to our health. And up here, you know, we seem to overlook all that, but we need to start looking out for the American people. How do you plan to help the Secretary with that?”

    DR. CHRISTINE: “Well, we know that Secretary Kennedy is absolutely committed to the Make America Healthy Again agenda to remove toxins from our foods, to make sure that all have access to clean water, that we focus on not just treating chronic disease, but finding out what causes chronic disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and work to not only cure those diseases, but really prevent and eliminate those diseases. Secretary Kennedy is always wanting to approach things from the foundation of science. He truly believes in that. I agree with the Secretary on all of those things. I intend to support him. I intend to work diligently if I have the privilege of being confirmed. To support him in that quest to make Americans healthier than they’ve ever been.” […]

    TUBERVILLE: “Dr. Christine, rural America. We got problems getting healthcare. Our state is 60% rural in Alabama. Most of the south is rural. How do we handle that problem?”

    DR. CHRISTINE: “Yes, Senator. [I think] one of the things you’re speaking about are healthcare deserts – those areas where men, women and their children don’t have ready access to primary care services such as pediatrics or gynecologic services or family practice. We have to find ways to bridge those gaps. I think that absolutely telehealth can help provide a bridge to these individuals. We’ll see what AI brings in the future. But again, technology can help bridge this gap. We absolutely must encourage and must increase the number of primary care physicians, family practitioners, pediatricians, gynecologists and opticians and primary care nurses […] to help bridge this gap as well. Now that takes a while to spin that up. But in the interim, we have to find ways to bridge the gaps. We do have to use technology. I believe that I, as Assistant Secretary for Health, one of the things that I intend to do, if I’m privileged to be in that position, will be to be a true evangelist to really go out and encourage young men and women who are in medical school and nursing school to serve in these areas. Young men and women getting into healthcare, they want a mission. Wanna help them understand that that mission to serve our brothers and sisters in rural America and healthcare deserts is truly noble and is worthwhile.”

    TUBERVILLE: “And one thing we need to sell to in rural hospitals is loyalty to the people in these communities to go to these rural hospitals so we can save them. It’s not just that they’re not being served. It’s just we have to have loyalty in those areas. Thank you.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Young, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Investment in Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 16, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D–IL) joined U.S. Senators Todd Young (R–IN), Ruben Gallego (D–AZ) and Jim Risch (R–ID) in reintroducing the Investing in Main Street Act to increase investment in small businesses by permitting banks to invest up to 15 percent of their capital in Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC). 

    “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy—when they grow, our economy grows,” said Duckworth. “Yet too many small business owners have trouble accessing affordable capital to grow their business and create new jobs in their communities. I am proud to join Senators Young, Risch and Gallego in introducing this bipartisan legislation to help get more dollars in the hands of small business owners in Illinois and across our nation.”

    “The Small Business Investment Company program has provided critical support to countless Hoosier small businesses,” said Young. “Our legislation will help spur further investment in innovative startups and unlock capital for existing, high-growth small businesses across America.”

    “Starting a small business gives those willing to work hard a shot at achieving the American dream. But without access to capital, it’s nearly impossible to get a small business off the ground,” said Gallego. “This commonsense, bipartisan bill helps unlock more capital for Main Street, empowering small businesses across the country to grow, innovate and create jobs. I’m proud to introduce it with my colleagues.”

    “Idaho small businesses fuel our economy, employ our friends and family and are the lifeblood of our communities,” said Risch. “The Investing in Main Street Act supports our Gem State entrepreneurs’ access to early-stage capital by allowing banks to invest more into Small Business Investment Companies.”

    In 1958, the Small Business Administration launched the SBIC program to facilitate and regulate investment from privately owned companies to U.S. small businesses. This program has successfully allowed more small businesses across America to expand their competitive edge, create more jobs and contribute to the local economy.

    Copy of the bill text is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Stresses Urgent Need to Modernize Our Air Traffic Control Systems at Summit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 15, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee—today underscored both the long-term and immediate actions the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must take to improve and modernize our air traffic control systems in order to safeguard our aviation system and the flying public. At today’s Air Traffic Control Modernization Summit hosted by aviation industry stakeholders, Duckworth also emphasized her grave concerns over the Trump Administration firing hundreds of FAA employees and appointing a new FAA Administrator with an established track record of opposing the 1,500-hour pilot training standard, which is critical to ensuring our nation’s pilots are experienced and prepared for any scenario. Photos of the event can be found on Senator Duckworth’s website.

    “The deadly DCA crash, spike in near misses and air traffic control equipment outages our nation has seen are terrifying, but they are not surprising,” said Duckworth. “I’ve been sounding the alarm about close calls and aging equipment for years because the urgent need to overhaul our air traffic control systems, which will take years, has been so clear for so long. But in addition to that long-term overhaul, FAA needs to ensure our current system remains safe—not fire hundreds of staff or reduce our nation’s pilot training gold standard.”

    For years, Duckworth has been sounding the alarm that we must make these critical aviation safety investments immediately to prevent all-too-often near-misses from becoming catastrophic tragedies. Last Congress, Duckworth chaired two CST Aviation Subcommittee hearings—one last December and the other a year prior—to address our aviation industry’s chilling surge in near-deadly close calls and underscore the urgent need to improve air traffic control systems to protect the flying public.

    Last week, Duckworth voted against the nomination of Bryan Bedford to serve as FAA Administrator after he refused to commit to upholding the 1,500-hour rule when she pressed him on the issue during his nomination hearing. Duckworth criticized Bedford for leaving the door open for him to unilaterally attempt to weaken this standard and produce less-prepared pilots despite the serious challenges our nation is facing with regard to aviation safety.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Budd, Justice, Hawley, Ricketts Introduce Bill to Increase Transparency of Foreign Funds Fueling Left-Wing Agitators

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    FRONT Act would require U.S. nonprofits to register under FARA if they accept funds from hostile nations

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) led his colleagues in introducing the Foreign Registration Obligations for Nonprofit Transparency (FRONT) Act today, which would require nonprofits in the United States that receive funding from foreign principals in countries of concern, such as China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba, to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). The bill would also require nonprofits to disclose the activities they use foreign funds to engage in to mitigate future unrest.

    “There are serious indicators recent left-wing riots, protests, and rallies resulting in violence and political unrest are funded by foreign agitators. It’s time for American nonprofit organizations to be transparent about where they are getting their funding from. No foreign country with hostile intentions should be meddling in our democratic process. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the FRONT Act to increase transparency and help put a stop to this,” said Senator Budd.

    “Let me just say this and be clear: foreign influence in our country’s nonprofits ends now. The FRONT Act ensures that any money coming from our adversaries, like China, will be fully disclosed. This bill is common-sense, provides much needed transparency, and I’m proud to join Senator Budd in this effort,” said Senator Justice.

    “I am concerned that U.S. non-profits are receiving foreign funding from our adversaries and countries of concern. Senator Budd’s FRONT Act hardens the United States’ ability to monitor potentially malign influence of non-profits from foreign adversaries. In order to stop adversaries such as Communist China, Russia, and Iran, we must have the tools to better understand their efforts to infiltrate our American system and influence our institutions,” said Senator Ricketts.

    Senators Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) joined Senator Budd in introducing the bill.

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    Background

    Recent civil unrest has raised alarms about possible foreign influence impacting U.S. nonprofits that organize and provide material support for protests.

    For example, when it comes to riots against ICE enforcement operations, FBI Director Kash Patel has publicly stated, “The FBI is investigating any and all monetary connections responsible for these riots.” Reports have also indicated that “[the] socialist group [which] promoted the chaotic anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles…is tied to a network of groups bankrolled by a pro-China millionaire.”

    But this is just the surface of a deeply troubling trend of foreign interference in our political processes. As former Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines claimed, “We have observed actors tied to Iran’s government posing as activists online, seeking to encourage protests, and even providing financial support to protesters,” following the October 7 attacks.

    What we’re witnessing is not isolated. Safeguarding our political system from continued foreign interference must be a top national security priority to protect the integrity of our democracy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz: Congress Controls Purse Strings, Not Trump

    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 urged his colleagues to reject President Donald Trump’s efforts to enact a harmful $9 billion cut to foreign aid and public broadcasting. The Republican rescissions bill would 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 would also gut lifesaving foreign aid programs that millions of people around the world rely on.
    “Being part of the Article One branch means something very specific, and it means that we’re the legislature, and we control the purse strings,” said Senator Schatz. “This bill reduces funding for Ukraine. It reduces funding for global health. It continues to reduce funding for public television and public radio. Republicans don’t actually have to do this.”
    The full text of Schatz’s remarks can be found below. Video is available here. 
    Republicans don’t actually have to do this. I understand as well as anybody wanting to go along with your party’s president, especially in the early months. But being part of an independent and co-equal branch has to mean something. Being part of the Article One branch means something very specific, and it means that we’re the legislature and we control the purse strings.
    Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that if the president wants something, you must do it. And what worries me the most about this rescissions package, if it passes it is one thing for the president’s signature accomplishment, signature policy priority to be supported by Republicans in the legislature. I understand that. I understand the inevitable political momentum behind that. But this isn’t that. And we have now gone six months. Without a single instance of Republicans and Democrats coming together and establishing that there are some limitations on this president’s power.
    And if you remember the first Trump term, there were a couple of moments when the legislature actually stood up to the president, overrode a veto of his rejected a rescissions package. They stood up for their prerogatives. And you know what happened next? Nothing. Why? Because that’s actually how the system is supposed to work. We are not a parliamentary system. We are not a monarchy where the president says by tweet, by tweet, if you don’t adopt this exactly how it’s written, you will not receive my political support. Thank you for your attention to this matter. And that set us on a course towards passing this legislation, which I know a dozen, at least a dozen Republicans hate.
    It reduces funding for Jordan. It reduces funding for Ukraine. It reduces funding for global health. It did reduce funding for PEPFAR. It continues to reduce funding for public television and public radio. By the way, public radio is not just National Public Radio. If you were on a reservation. If you were in a very rural part of your state, it’s often not just the only radio station, the only communications infrastructure that exists in a rural area. So it’s the only platform for news. That’s true. It’s also the only emergency communications infrastructure, because still many places across the United States lack internet. And so Mike Rounds got his deal so that his tribes will be taken care of and I’m glad for him. But there are 49 other states where your emergency communications infrastructure is about to be defunded. Nobody likes that. Some people are pissed off about NPR’s coverage or PBS’s coverage. But come on, you defund an agency because you disagree with their editorial choices? Which country is this? Which country is this?
    I want to tell you something a little technical, but I think it gives away the whole game. So I’m the top Democrat on the foreign ops subcommittee. What does that mean? We do funding for U.S. aid in the State Department and a few other things. When we do the appropriations process, we get letters from every other member. They’re private letters, and a lot of people sign them and they say, “could you please give more money to whatever it is, maternal and child health or malaria prevention or, the PEPFAR program, the initiative to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission.” So we get a bunch of letters saying “please plus up this, please, plus up that” bipartisan letters. And we are trying to write a bill that accommodates all these needs. A lot of people who are about to vote to cut all the stuff are on the side writing me a letter saying, “please increase these accounts.” And why does this matter? This matters because nobody’s voting – I shouldn’t say nobody – many, many people are not voting their conscience tonight. And that’s just a fact.
    There’s a there’s a characterization in poker when you know you’re beat and someone puts money in on the river and you call anyway, it’s called a crying call. You give away your money sort of crying. This is a crying call. This is a “I know I’m beat, I vote aye,” and here’s the thing: we don’t actually have to do this.
    President Trump’s attention is famously divided, and if something pops next week, he will be on that thing next week. He did not wake up every morning thinking, I want to defund UNICEF. I want to defund PEPFAR. His attention will be divided, and the moment the legislature stands up for himself, usually what he does is he understands power and he says, “okay, those guys are asserting themselves. They’re a co-equal branch of government, and I’m going to have to move on from this.” Because why do I know this? We literally did the same thing. There was a rescissions package, which nobody remembers. Why? Because we quietly with Dick Shelby and others appropriators, all said “no, we hold the purse strings here. We write the laws that determine appropriations.” We’re not going to do this thing on a bipartisan basis, enact a spending plan, and then come in on a partisan basis and say, you know, that wasn’t actually the spending plan. That was just the spending cap. And the administration is going to come in and do whatever it wants on a partisan basis. And so what happened is they rejected the rescissions package on the motion to discharge, which is happening in about an hour and five minutes. And then you know what happened? Nothing. Nothing politically. Nothing substantively, except that we kept the appropriations process alive. We kept the filibuster alive. We kept bipartisanship alive. And in this instance, it’s not just about this institution. It is literally about people being kept alive.
    For the last five months, because of the United States’ actions, tens of thousands, at least, maybe hundreds of thousands of babies have gotten HIV/AIDS from their moms because we pulled funding. Because Elon Musk had some bug in his ear about USAID. And one weekend he said, we’re going to feed this thing to the woodchipper. And because Democrats too and pundits decided, you know what, foreign aid isn’t so important to voters. I don’t care if it’s important to voters, if it ranks on the number one, number two, or number three. We’re the United States of America and one of the reasons that we have such a strong reputation is that we do things that are right because they’re right, not because our voters are going to reward us immediately, not because we get some geopolitical advantage, but because we’re the damn good guys.
    And right now, we are ratifying a bunch of decisions against our will. We don’t have to do this. Donald Trump will move on to the next thing tomorrow. And if it’s not on this thing which has low salience for the voters, is 18 months from the next election. If it’s not on this, at what point are my Republican colleagues going to stand up for this branch of government?
    I remain ready to work with anybody on anything. I have talked to Chairman Graham about the possibility of literally enacting these rescissions, or at least a portion of them in the state and foreign ops mark, and yet they choose this legislative violence. We don’t have to do this. We don’t have to operate under the assumption that this man is uniquely so powerful. He’s the most powerful president. He owns the legislature in a way that no president has ever owned the legislature. And we all act like we’re just sort of observers, like clicking on the TV and seeing how our fantasy football team is doing this Sunday.
    We have agency tonight to reestablish that. We are the Article One branch of government, and that means something.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI— Hagerty Joins Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to Discuss Rescissions Package, GENIUS Act, Trump’s Strategy on Russia

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—Yesterday, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking and Appropriations Committees and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss Senate action on the rescissions package, his stablecoin legislation to strengthen digital asset regulation, and President Donald Trump’s strategy to end the war in Ukraine through tough secondary sanctions on Russia’s trading partners.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*

    Partial Transcript

    Hagerty on the rescissions package and fiscal responsibility: “It’s amazing what we found when we looked into it, and the amount of this rescissions package is just a start. I think your interview with the Speaker [of the House Mike Johnson] was absolutely wonderful in terms of laying out the fact that we’re on a progression to bring fiscal responsibility back to America. It’s going to take several steps, but this rescissions package that’s coming before us this week is an incredibly important first step. What we’re going to see is a cutback on programs that have been wildly mismanaged. If you think about the way these programs have been allowed to grow– I mean, we’re funding lesbian programs in Canada. That’s absolutely ridiculous that U.S. taxpayers should be on the hook for these types of boondoggles. This is a major first step. I’m looking forward to getting it passed this week and continuing down the path of fiscal responsibility.”

    Hagerty on digital asset legislation and American innovation: “The most important thing to understand is the fact that the United States is turning the tide. The Biden administration did everything it could to wage war on the crypto industry in America, to shove that sort of innovation offshore. We’ve taken major steps with this legislation to bring it back, to create a regulatory framework that actually works here in America. I’m the author of the stablecoin legislation. I’ve had great assistance from our chairman Sen. Tim Scott, from Sen. Cynthia Lummis, and members of the Banking Committee. [Representative] French Hill and his team in the House have been absolutely wonderful to work with. And we’ve put together something on stablecoins that the president will be ready to sign at the end of this week. Stablecoins are a new payment system. It puts us into the digital asset arena, and it takes us off of a system that was designed in the 1970s and 80s– very clunky, sometimes taking five to 10 days to clear– and moves it onto the blockchain. It’s far more efficient, far more secure, and it sets the groundwork for the entire crypto industry to thrive here in America. That’s what the Clarity Act is about. That’s what the Anti-Central Bank Digital Currency Act is about. It’s moving this technology forward here in America and making certain we own this innovation going forward.”

    Hagerty on reinforcing the U.S. dollar and countering surveillance: “It [The GENIUS Act] will make it easier to move dollars, which again reinforces the U.S. dollar as the reserve currency. Each of these digital dollars is going to be backed one-for-one by U.S. Treasury securities. That’s going to stimulate demand for U.S. Treasurys, and the increased demand will bring rates down, which will be very positive for our borrowing cost right now at a time when we need it. There are many reasons to love this bill– the working capital it brings back into the system, the immediate access for small and mid-sized businesses. But importantly, we’re going to see this technology thrive here in America. There is a large number of my colleagues here in the Senate, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the leader of this group, who are proponents of central bank digital currencies, meaning they’d like to be able to surveil every transaction Americans make. I don’t think Americans want that at all. They’ve seen Operation Choke Point take many different forms. We do not want to empower the federal government to do that yet again.”

    Hagerty on President Trump’s Russia-Ukraine strategy: “I think it’s a very positive development. President Trump has gotten to the end of his rope dealing with Vladimir Putin and [Volodymyr] Zelensky, trying to resolve this conflict in Ukraine. And what he’s done is taken a major step forward, demonstrating his resolve, but he’s done it in a way that takes the American taxpayer off the hook. He’s putting the Europeans on the front line. He’s going to be depleting their stockpiles, not America’s, and they’re going to be paying for it. That moves us in the direction he’s been articulating for some time.”

    Hagerty on the 50-day deadline for Russia: “He’s issued a 50-day timeline. Just ask the Iranians– when President Trump issues a timeline, he expects it to be followed. And if it’s not, the consequences can be serious when he talks about sanctions at this level. I worked on imposing secondary sanctions in the first Trump administration. My job was to work on the Iranian regime and to stop countries around the world from buying Iranian crude oil. I got that done in Japan. It happened around the world. We brought Iran to its knees. And had it not been for voices like John Kerry pleading with them to wait until after the election to see if Joe Biden might win, we’d have had a very different situation in the Middle East. We’re coming back to that strategy now. President Trump has more than three years ahead of him to impose these sanctions, and they’re going to be crippling. The Russians understand this, and most importantly, they know President Trump means business.”

    Hagerty on restoring U.S. sanctions enforcement: “I can’t underscore this enough: Putin knows, and President Trump has demonstrated, that 50 days means 50 days. And if he violates that timeline, the consequences will be severe. Now, under [Treasury] Secretary Scott Bessent, we finally have the capacity to enforce our sanctions. Under Joe Biden, sanctions enforcement went away. That’s sad, because we had capable people at the U.S. Treasury who were responsible for doing this, and they were told to stand down. Now, Secretary Bessent is bringing in a team that understands exactly how to do this. We’re going to see real results.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins America Reports on Fox News to Discuss Politicization of the U.N., Hearing with U.N. Ambassador Nominee Mike Waltz

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—Yesterday, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined America Reports on Fox News to discuss concerns with the United Nations and the qualifications of President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Representative Mike Waltz.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*

    Partial Transcript

    Hagerty on the current state of the United Nations: “I think that [Representative] Mike Waltz did a good job in the hearing. He’s taking on a very challenging organization–that’s the United Nations. If you think about it, the original charter of the U.N. was about bringing peace, justice, and human rights to the world. And it’s so far divorced now from what it was originally intended to be. Today, it’s a completely politicized organization, very often working counter to the interests of the United States and our allies. Frankly, far too often, it’s been captured by authoritarian regimes to do their bidding. The United Nations has a lot of room to improve.”

    Hagerty on U.N. bias and October 7 attacks: “One of the most egregious examples that came up a couple of times during the hearing with Mike Waltz was what happened on October 7, 2023. At that point, Hamas was assisted by U.N. personnel in attacking Israelis. The United Nations has done everything to dismiss that. Yet, at every turn, their leadership seems to want to criticize Israel. There are real problems at the U.N., and I think it’s an opportunity to send a leader in to make quite a difference for the United States. We need to make certain, as stewards of taxpayer dollars, that our dollars are being spent in a way that’s effective and works well for the American people, not being abused in the way they have been up to this point by the leadership of the United Nations.”

    Hagerty on the Signal chat controversy: “As he [Waltz] said, and as many people have said, the information that was passed was not classified. Would I have done it that way? Would you have done it that way? In retrospect, perhaps not. I think there was a serious mistake made–a glitch, if you will– in how the name roster was managed and the fact that somebody was there in the wrong spot. But with all that said, there wasn’t classified information involved. I don’t believe it’s disqualifying in any respect.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor to Slam Republican Defunding of Faith-Based Organizations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO IS AVAILABLE HERE.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), spoke on the Senate floor slamming President Trump and congressional Republicans’ rescissions package, which includes massive cuts to funding for faith-based organizations that provide important services, such as implementing foreign assistance and national security programming overseas and supporting refugee resettlement in the United States. The Republican rescissions bill, which Kaine opposes, cancels $9.4 billion in federal funding previously appropriated by a bipartisan majority in Congress for public broadcasting and national security programs.

    A transcript of Kaine’s speech is below:

    Mr. President.

    I wish I could tell you my speech will be short. I don’t think it will be long, but I will try to make it interesting. I want to tell you a story, and it’s not a story about anything that’s happened in this building. It’s a story about a very humble Catholic parish in Northside Richmond, Virginia called St. Elizabeth of Hungary.  

    It’s a very humble parish. It’s a small parish. It’s slightly over 100 years old. It’s the church where my wife and I were married more than 40 years ago, where all three of our children were baptized, where we attended Mass just this last Sunday to hear the Gospel reading, the story of the Good Samaritan.

    The church was founded more than 100 years ago in an unusual way.

    There were Italian and German immigrants in Richmond who felt looked down upon because of where they had come from and because of the accents that they spoke with and that their English wasn’t so good. And in the aftermath of World War I, people looked at German Americans and Italian Americans with some suspicion. German language was being criminalized in some of our states in the aftermath.

    And these immigrant refugee Catholics decided that they wanted a place where they could feel welcomed, loved, and safe as they worshipped in accord with the American value of freedom to worship. And so they set up this little parish in the Highland Park neighborhood of Northside Richmond, Virginia, where they could go and be together and feel safe.

    They chose an interesting name: St. Elizabeth of Hungary. St. Elizabeth of Hungary lived 1,000 years ago. She was a teenager and queen in a time of great poverty, and against the wishes of her husband and other officials, she would take bread and put the bread inside of her garments and go out and distribute it to the poor.

    And once she was caught and she was made to open her garment—and when she did open her garment, the bread had turned into roses—and that’s the miracle attributed to her. She lived only a short time and died, but she was made a saint by the Catholic Church.

    And these immigrants who started my parish chose that name because they felt like that was what was needed in the world—people who would try to serve others in need.

    100 years later, we celebrated the centennial of my church, Mr. President, a couple of years ago. And I was sitting there—I’ve now been a member of the parish for 40 years—and I was looking around, and I realized times change, and they don’t.

    Catholic Relief Services, which is one of the largest agencies in the United States that helps settle refugees who are legal immigrants—refugees are legal immigrants—about 15 years ago, settled a Congolese family into my church who had been in a refugee camp after fleeing violence in the Congo. Catholic, French, and Swahili-speaking. One Congolese family came to my church.

    And then over time, Catholic Relief Services decided, ‘well, this family likes St. Elizabeth, and they feel welcomed here.’ And other families started to come to my church. And so by now, as we were celebrating our centennial and I’m looking around the parish where I go, this small, very humble parish, it is sizably a Congolese refugee population—legal immigrants to the United States who have been settled through the Catholic Relief Service—and they’ve come to a place where they feel loved and cared for and safe and welcome.

    The color of their skin, the accent that they use, the fact that they’re unfamiliar with American culture might make them feel not so welcome in other venues, but in my church, they feel welcome.

    And it made me realize, as we celebrated that centennial, that my church looks real different in some ways than when it was founded 100 years ago, but in other ways it’s exactly the same. It’s a haven for people who are legal immigrants to the United States, but need a place where they can gather with others and feel welcome.

    Why do I tell that story? How is it connected to the rescission bill that we’re going to be voting on tomorrow?

    President Trump has sent a bill to Congress, and one of the pillars of that bill is to rescind the funding for refugee resettlement programs in the United States—run by churches.

    Seven of the ten organizations that resettle refugees in the United States are faith-based organizations. The largest two are the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops operating through Catholic Relief Services and the Evangelical organization World Vision. But it’s not just them. Church World Service, Lutheran Social Services, the Episcopal Church of the United States, World Relief. Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society—founded more than 100 years ago to try to bring Jews, at that point, from Europe to the United States and make sure that as legal immigrants, yes, they would be allowed to be here legally, but they needed someone to teach them about American culture and integrate into American life.

    The practice of American religious organizations assisting in legal immigration goes back more than a century, and President Trump’s rescissions package that is before us wipes out funding to a dramatic degree for virtually all of them.

    Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society has had to lay off hundreds of staff.

    World Relief said this, ‘President Trump said he will defend persecuted Christians, but the U.S. refugee resettlement program is one of the primary ways that the U.S. government protects Christians and others fleeing persecution.

    The Episcopal Church of the United States has had to end its long standing refugee resettlement program because of President Trump’s budget cuts.

    Lutheran Social Services has … struggled to make payroll. They’ve had to lay off so many people. They’ve reduced the services that they’re able to provide, especially to Afghan allies who were in the United States because they worked with the United States military in Afghanistan to protect our troops.

    Catholic Charities has laid off all kinds of staff.

    The families at my church, they come up to me after Mass on Sunday, and they’re so frightened about what might happen because many of them have families still in refugee camps who might want to come here as legal refugees, as legal immigrants.

    I don’t know of a president who has attacked religious organizations—Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish—that have been doing this work, in many instances for more than a century, in such an orchestrated, intentional, and calculated way as President Trump.

    Matthew: I was a stranger and you welcomed me in. I was sick and you cared for me. I was hungry and you fed me.

    This is a bedrock belief of our nation’s religious organizations. That they will follow the law—legal refugee program—but they will help the person who is accessing legal refugee programs to be able to integrate into a society so they can live with some sense of dignity and have some chance of success.

    Why cut these programs? Why look in the face of these religious organizations that, out of a motivation of conscience, for decades, even a century, have decided that they will try to smooth that path, to integrate people into American life who are here lawfully. Why cut their funding? Why force them to be laid off? Why debilitate their ability to provide services?

    It’s an attack on the religious organizations so that they cannot do the work that their faith in their Creator compels them to do.

    I’m not surprised that President Trump would propose this. The language and the rhetoric and the behavior that he has exhibited toward even legal refugees, legal immigrants to this country, lead me to not be surprised that this important funding is on the chopping block in the bill that he sent to the Senate.

    But I have to admit that I am surprised that it seems to be just moving on a path to being accepted. It was accepted in the House without much drama, including by a whole lot of people who go to churches just like me and hear sermons preached about the Good Samaritan, just like I do every Sunday.

    And we’ll have an opportunity tomorrow to grapple with it here. I intend to, at least, offer an amendment to try to strip this piece of the bill out so that the bill will not be an attack on religious organizations doing what they feel compelled by their faith to do.

    And it is my prayer that the entire rescission bill fail for the reasons my colleagues have said. A deal is a deal, and we shouldn’t backtrack on it.

    But if we can’t defeat the entire rescission bill, it is my hope that we will allow organizations like Catholic Relief Services and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and the Episcopal Church and World Vision and World Relief and Lutheran Social Services. It is my hope that we will at least allow them to practice the faith they sincerely believe and do it in a way consistent with what their practices have been for decades and in some cases, even more than a century.

    And so that’s what I’m going to be praying for tonight, that there’s a bit of a an epiphany in this body, and we realize that the work that these church-based organizations are doing isn’t bad. This work isn’t something that should be slashed and cut with these valuable faith workers laid off.

    My hope is that the Senate will realize this is good work that is really at the core of who we are as Americans. And tiny little parishes like St. Elizabeth of Hungary or synagogues or other churches all over this country who pride themselves on offering a welcoming environment for people who are here lawfully and want to make a way in America will be able to continue to do just that.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Unanimously Passes Peters’ Bipartisan Bill to Advance U.S. Manufacturing Policy and Competitiveness

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters(MI) to establish a National Manufacturing Advisory Council at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Peters’ National Manufacturing Advisory Council Act would establish the National Manufacturing Advisory Council as a key component in developing federal manufacturing policy to help strengthen U.S. leadership in global manufacturing. 

    “To support manufacturers in Michigan and throughout the United States, we need our industry partners, economic developers, lawmakers, and workers reading from the same playbook,” said Senator Peters. “A National Manufacturing Advisory Council would help bring together and amplify the voices of manufacturers, workers, and industry experts to strengthen our federal manufacturing policy. In doing so, we can proactively address rising challenges in the industry and better seize opportunities that will propel American manufacturing to new heights in the coming decades.”

    Peters’ bipartisan legislation – which he introduced with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) – would establish a National Manufacturing Advisory Council made up of manufacturing, labor, and education leaders to advise both Congress and the Secretary of Commerce on how best to ensure the United States remains the top destination globally for investment in manufacturing. It would serve as a bridge between the manufacturing sector and federal government to improve communication and collaboration, and better support the industry and its workforce.

    The National Manufacturing Advisory Council would meet at least twice a year to advise the Secretary of Commerce on policies and programs that impact U.S. manufacturing. It would also propose solutions to challenges and problems facing manufacturers in the United States. The Advisory Council would be required to: 

    • IDENTIFY AND ASSESS the effects of technological developments, production capacity, skill availability, investment patterns, and emerging needs for United States manufacturing competitiveness.  
    • SOLICIT INPUT from the public and private sectors – including businesses and labor groups – as well as academia on emerging trends in manufacturing. 
    • PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS to the Secretary addressing global and domestic manufacturing trends threatening the U.S. manufacturing sector, including supply chain interruptions, logistical challenges, and technological changes. The Advisory Council would also advise the Secretary on ways to increase federal attention with respect to manufacturing – as well as matters relating to the U.S. manufacturing workforce such as the impact of new technology and worker training and education priorities.  
    • IDENTIFY REGULATORY ISSUES encountered by the domestic manufacturing sector and provide advice on how to mitigate issues through a favorable environment for manufacturers, workers, and consumers.  

    “This initiative, the National Manufacturing Advisory Council Act, is designed to improve the resources and support for our nation’s small and medium-size manufacturers, which are a truly vital driver of our economy. I applaud Senator Peters for his steadfast, unwavering commitment to American manufacturing,” said Ingrid Tighe, President of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, the Michigan representative of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).  

    “We applaud Senator Gary Peters for introducing this bill to improve the federal government’s planning and coordination of efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing,” said Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM). “Recent supply chain disruptions have made clear that it is time for the United States to shore up its critical manufacturing capabilities, which will not only better prepare us for the next crisis but also create jobs and boost the economy. This increased coordination between the many programs designed to support our manufacturers and their workers is an important step towards rebuilding our industrial base. We are grateful to Senator Peters for his efforts to bolster American manufacturing.”  

    “The Association of Equipment Manufacturers applauds Senator Gary Peters and Senator Marsha Blackburn for their continued leadership on behalf of the manufacturing sector and for introducing legislation that will prioritize a national strategy focused on ensuring American manufacturing policy can rapidly respond to changes in the global marketplace,” said Kip Eideberg, American Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations. “Our economic prosperity and national security depend on a strong manufacturing sector, and establishing a National Manufacturing Advisory Council will help unleash innovation and mobilize a comprehensive, coordinated, and competent national effort in support of the manufacturing sector and its workforce.”    

    “We commend Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) for introducing legislation to establish a National Manufacturing Advisory Council,” said Ana Meuwissen, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), The Vehicle Suppliers Association. “This council will be a forum for manufacturers and other key stakeholders to provide input to the Department of Commerce (DOC) on important long-range issues such as workforce, supply chain, technology, and defense industrial base. The NMAC legislation would also foster better coordination of federal manufacturing policy in the DOC and across the federal government. When this legislation is enacted, it will be an asset to assist in retaining U.S. competitiveness in critical manufacturing sectors like motor vehicle parts.”    

    Peters’ National Manufacturing Advisory Council for the 21st Century Act is also supported by the American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC).   

    Peters has consistently prioritized strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains. Peters helped author and pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. manufacturing of semiconductor chips, strengthen critical domestic supply chains, and create good-paying American jobs. The CHIPS and Science Act additionally increased funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which has been a priority for Peters. In May, Peters’ bipartisan Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act passed the Senate, which builds upon the Chips and Science Act to strengthen federal efforts to attract investment in U.S. semiconductor manufacturers and supply chains.

    Peters additionally supported and helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which will strengthen domestic manufacturing, onshore our supply chains, combat the climate crisis, and create millions of American jobs.  

    In May 2024, the Senate unanimously passed Peters’ bipartisan Strengthening Support for American Manufacturing Act to bolster federal efforts supporting U.S. manufacturing and American workers. Last year, the Senate also unanimously passed Peters’ bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal efforts to expand domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Moskowitz, Blumenthal, Raskin, Stansbury Introduce New Bill to Rein in Potential Corruption Through Presidential Library Donations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    July 16, 2025

    Special interests seemingly seeking favors from Donald Trump have funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into Trump’s presidential library 

    Recent Paramount settlement, $400M Qatari jet gift raise questions about potential influence-peddling

    Bill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, along with Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) unveiled the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.

    Giant corporations, at least one foreign government, and other entities have promised donations collectively worth hundreds of millions of dollars to President Donald Trump’s future library while he has the power to impact those same entities’ futures, from mega-merger approvals, to the preservation of the U.S. military base in Qatar, to Big Tech regulation, and more. The contributions, many in the form of settlements to Trump-filed lawsuits, raise serious ethics concerns about potential bribery and influence-peddling.

    “Companies like Paramount and Meta and foreign governments like Qatar may be paying off Donald Trump in plain sight — and right now, there are no rules to stop them,” said Senator Warren. “I’m leading the fight to rein in this avenue for corruption. Government should work for the American people, not just whichever giant company or foreign government can dump the most money into the president’s future library.”

    “President Trump’s acceptance of an extravagant plane from the Qatari government for eventual use in his Presidential Library is corruption plain and simple. Without any restrictions on donations to Presidential Libraries, other foreign governments can potentially extract policy favors from the White House in exchange for gifts and benefits. Our bill closes these loopholes for good so that Presidential Libraries cannot be used as backdoor tools for influence and corruption,” said Senator Blumenthal.

    “Presidential libraries are an incredible resource for American families to learn about our history and the people who shaped it—but it’s also important we know who’s funding that history. Right now, these libraries are a black box, allowing for anonymous donors and even foreign governments to give unlimited amounts of money,” said Representative Moskowitz. “This bill reforms the process so presidents of all parties are subject to commonsense ethics rules. I led this effort last Congress and am doing it again now because the American people deserve the transparency created under this bill, and all presidents should be subject to it.” 

    “I’m proud to co-lead this legislation, which would impose commonsense safeguards on fundraising for presidential libraries,” said Representative Raskin. “Our bill would ensure that presidential libraries are tools for teaching and preserving presidential history, and not just another corrupt self-enrichment scheme for the president. Our bill would ban the use of library donations for personal expenses, ensure quarterly disclosures of contributions made while the president is still in office, and prevent presidential library donations from being used as a backdoor tool by powerful corporations, lobbyists and foreign governments to influence the president and foreign and domestic policy.”

    Unlike presidential campaigns or inaugural committees, Presidential Libraries are subject to almost no restrictions on donations. Presidents can raise funds for their libraries, even while still in office, and accept donations from anyone — including foreign nationals, lobbyists, people seeking presidential pardons, and corporations with matters before federal agencies. These donations can be unlimited and donor names do not have to be disclosed. 

    Just weeks ago, Paramount settled President Trump’s seemingly meritless lawsuit for $16 million — with the money funneling straight into Trump’s future library. Paramount is currently vying for the Trump administration’s approval of its proposed mega-merger with Skydance. In May 2025, President Trump announced that he would accept a free luxury jet — worth about $400 million — from the government of Qatar, and that the jet would be donated to his Presidential Library after he leaves office. 

    Senator Warren this week published a new analysis revealing that companies seeking favorable outcomes from the Trump administration have pledged to funnel at least $63 million into Trump’s future presidential library. Other gifts and in-kind donations — including the luxury Qatari jet, expensive candlelight dinners at Mar-a-Lago, leftover inauguration donations, revenue from sales of Trump-themed merchandise, and more — bring the total value of gifts flowing into Trump’s library to roughly half a billion dollars. 

    The Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act would:

    • Ban fundraising while the President is in office, with a carveout for nonprofits: Require that Presidential Libraries wait until the President leaves office before fundraising or accepting donations, except from 501(c)(3) organizations (mirroring the standard adopted by the Obama Foundation).
    • Establish a contribution cap: For 501(c)(3) organizations that can donate while a president is still in office, limit donations to $10,000 total.
    • Impose a cooling-off period for donations from foreign nationals, lobbyists, contractors, individuals seeking pardons: For an additional 2 years after the President leaves office, prohibit donations from foreign nationals or foreign governments, registered lobbyists, federal contractors, and individuals seeking presidential pardons.
    • Ban conversion of donations to personal use: Bar the use of Library donations for personal expenses or unrelated financial obligations.
    • Mandate quarterly disclosures: During the President’s time in office and for 5 years after, require all donations of $200 or more to be disclosed to the National Archives each calendar quarter. Publish donor information (including name, employer, and date and amount of the donation) online in a searchable, downloadable format.
    • Prohibit straw donations: Make it illegal to donate in someone else’s name, or to knowingly allow your name to be used for a straw donation.

    The following senators joined as cosponsors: Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The bill is also cosponsored by Representatives Andre Carson (D-Ind.), Emmanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Dave Min (D-Calif.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.). 

    The bill is endorsed by the following: Project On Government Oversight (POGO), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Democracy Defenders Action (DDA), Campaign Legal Center (CLC), Freedom of the Press Foundation, Public Citizen, Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, Demand Progress, and American Governance Institute.

    “The Presidential Library system was created by FDR to be a gift to the people and posterity – not a grift for a greedy president or a conduit for favor-seekers and influence peddlers. The Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act turns off this firehose of corruption and restores Presidential Libraries to their original mission: to enable the American people to access presidential papers so they can learn from the past and build a better future,” said Jon Golinger, Democracy Advocate at Public Citizen.

    “For far too long, presidential libraries have operated without sufficient transparency or guardrails. Recent reporting that the Trump administration plans to accept a luxury jet from the Qatari government to be donated to President Trump’s presidential library foundation raises significant concerns regarding the use of gifts from foreign actors to curry favor with the president,” said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “Senator Warren’s Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act of 2025 would bring urgently needed reform to presidential libraries by prohibiting presidents from fundraising or accepting most donations until after they leave office and impose an additional two year ban on any donations from foreign nationals, lobbyists, contractors or individuals seeking pardons. CREW enthusiastically endorses this legislation and urges the Senate to pass it expeditiously.”

    “There are already too many ways for powerful interests to game the system, peddle influence and capture institutions,” said Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Vice-President of Policy and Government Affairs at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO). “The fact that it appears as though presidential libraries have become yet another vector of potential corruption and pay-to-play is deeply disturbing. It only makes sense to enact some commonsense guardrails and rules around how donations to presidential libraries can be made, when, in what amounts and by who, similar to campaign finance rules. Senator Warren and her colleagues should be commended for introducing this bill and leading the way on these anti-corruption reforms.” 

    “The American people deserve to know which self-interested corporations, billionaires and foreign nationals are funneling millions of dollars to the president. The Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act is a commonsense reform that brings needed transparency to the legal wild west of presidential library donations. We thank Sen. Warren for working to stop this corruption and for holding presidents of both parties accountable,” said Emily Peterson-Cassin, Corporate Power Director of Demand Progress.

    “Donations to presidential libraries are the soft belly of political corruption, providing an opportunity for foreign nations and unscrupulous actors to bribe sitting presidents with gifts of unlimited funds for their post-presidential projects. The Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act provides critical limits and accountability to reign in corrupt practices that have besmirched presidents for decades,” said Daniel Schuman, Executive Director of the American Governance Institute.

    “Campaign Legal Center (CLC) strongly supports the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act and thanks its sponsors for introducing this vital legislation,” said Erin Chlopak, Senior Director of Campaign Finance at Campaign Legal Center. “Presidential libraries are supposed to be about our nation’s history. However, donations to these institutions are increasingly being used as a loophole for wealthy special interests, corporations, and even foreign governments to seek favor with the president and gain undue influence. Because existing laws that regulate money in politics don’t extend to presidential libraries, new rules are needed to prevent them from becoming another avenue for corruption that undermines trust in our government. CLC urges Congress to pass this legislation and safeguard the integrity of our democracy without delay.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Discusses Importance of Snapback Sanctions Against Iran with U.N. Ambassador Nominee Michael Waltz

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the importance of our allies enacting snapback sanctions against Iran with Michael Waltz, nominee for Ambassador to the United Nations.
    “It’s absolutely critical that the E3 do those snapback sanctions.  Will you [Waltz] commit to working with them to push them to get that snapback in place?” said Ricketts.  “One of the things that Iran always says is that they want this program for peaceful means, yet there’s no reason they need an enrichment program.  23 other nations have nuclear power without enrichment facilities.  The only way we can ensure they don’t have a nuclear program, is if they don’t have any enrichment facilities.”
    Ricketts also discussed anti-Semitism at the United Nations.
    “You mentioned in your opening remarks the anti-Semitism that is rampant in the United Nations.  You gave the statistic that there were more resolutions targeting Israel than all other nations combined—by double,” said Ricketts.  “I have seen nothing from the U.N. calling on Hamas to surrender.  That is exactly how this conflict would end.  The people in Gaza would be able to start looking for a better way of life once that terrorist organization surrenders.”
    Click here to watch more.
    The hearing considered the nominations of John Arrigo, to be Ambassador to Portugal; Christine Toretti, to be Ambassador to Sweden; and Michael Waltz, to be Ambassador to the United Nations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Instead of Lowering Prices, Trumponomics is Increasing Inflation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC — As Trump’s irresponsible tariff taxes and reckless trade wars cause inflation to surge and continue to push up the price of many goods – including clothing, furniture, groceries, and large appliances, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:

    “President Trump is forcing Americans to pay higher costs for everyday goods.  His senseless decision to ramp up tariffs on nearly every good entering the U.S. has created a de facto national sales tax and his chaotic policy decisions are dragging down American family finances.  He should reverse course and work on a bipartisan basis to help bring down costs, lower prices, and strengthen our economy.

    “His so-called 90 deals in 90 days hasn’t materialized, but his trade war rhetoric has already driven up costs for Main Street businesses and those price hikes are passed along to consumers. 

    “I urge the president to curb his tariff taxes, senseless attacks on the independence of the Federal Reserve, and pressure campaign to lower interest rates for political expedience, which would only turbocharge inflation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Slams Republicans’ Rescissions Package on Senate Floor

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Shutter Local Public Radio, TV Stations Across America

    FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Gut Bipartisan Foreign Policy Investments

    ICYMI: Vought Refuses to Rule Out More Illegal End-Runs Around Congress & Refuses to Detail How Trump Will Execute Cuts If Rescissions Bill Passes

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor remarks***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor slamming Senate Republicans for moving forward with President Trump’s devastating rescissions package and continuing to urge a no vote on final passage:

    [LAUGHABLE CLAIMS OF “FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY”]

    “Two weeks ago, Republicans were jamming through the most expensive bill in the history of the country. And now, they say they are worried about the debt.

    “Two weeks ago, Republicans said four trillion bucks in tax cuts for the richest people in the world was nothing—literally. And now, they are saying a truly tiny fraction of that for rural radio is just too much.

    “So, I have to ask: Is this a joke? Are they really that bad at math?

    “First, Republicans were saying trillions in tax cuts were free. Get real.

    “And now, they are pretending to be fiscal hawks by shutting down local news, and letting epidemics go unchecked around the world.

    “Well, here’s another math lesson for my colleagues, Republicans could cut every dollar ever spent on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting since it was created—down to the last dime—and it still would not cover the cost of the bill Republicans just jammed through.

    “Republicans could actually cut every dollar we have spent on foreign aid since World War II—and that would still fall short compared to the cost of the Republican tax cuts.

    “Republicans could even cut the amount in this first rescissions bill—every single day for a year—and it still would not equal their tax cuts to help their rich donors.

    “So, make no mistake, if Republicans choose to do Trump’s bidding, if they push through this package to rip away funding for emergency alerts and global health programs, it is not because they take the debt seriously.

    [MORE REQUESTS COMING]

    “And that will be just as true for the next package, because let’s be clear, if Republicans go along with this package, despite the fact they clearly have issues with it, and despite the fact Russ Vought has refused to answer the most basic questions—even from the Republican Chair of the Appropriations Committee—about which programs he is going to cut.

    “If all of that is not enough to give Republicans just some pause, and they let Russ Vought steamroll them through this package, don’t be surprised when he sends more cuts down the pike.

    “It could be medical research, and after school programs, maybe heating assistance, workplace safety, road maintenance. Everything is going to be on the chopping block. And all of our time here in the Senate is going to be spent on those requests.

    [SPENDING PRIORITIES]

    “And here’s the kicker—no matter how many rescissions Russ Vought sends, no matter how many rescissions Republicans roll over and let pass, they will never offset the trillions in tax cuts they just passed without blinking an eye.

    “Because you could rescind the entire FY25 spending bill—twice over—and it still would not cover the four trillion in tax cuts Republicans just showered on the richest people in this country.

    “So, however this vote goes, expect to hear more from me on this every time Republicans try to pretend we don’t have money for child care, or medical research, or other programs that our families rely on.

    “Now, M. President. I’ve said a lot about how patently absurd it is for Republicans to pretend they are passing these cuts because they care about the debt. But I do not want to lose sight of the larger issues. It’s not just that Republicans’ play acting about the debt is absurd, the bigger problem here is that these cuts would be devastating for our communities and for American interests around the globe.

    [SHUTTING DOWN LOCAL STATIONS]

    “When it comes to local news, these cuts could force local stations that people know and trust—know and trust—off the air. This isn’t just about a program or two taking a haircut. Trump wants to slash every penny of federal funding that supports over 1,500 local TV and radio stations.

    “Those stations, and those funds, reach 98% of all Americans. And they are especially crucial for serving our rural areas and Tribal communities. Dozens of these stations rely on these investments for half of their funding, some rely on it for as much as 99 percent!

    “If these cuts go through, these stations go dark. Weather forecasters communities have turned to for years, news anchors that are trusted voices, local reporters who track down answers their communities need and hold their officials to account, will be sent packing. And those stations will go silent.

    “Do we want our farmers to have good local coverage of weather, and market conditions? Do we want our tribal communities to know what is going on at the state capitol? Do we want families to have updates about the local school board, or community events?

    “Because this package of cuts throws all of that in jeopardy.

    “To say nothing of emergency alerts. These stations can be a lifeline when disaster strikes. They are a trusted source of information, and sometimes the only source people have access to.

    “When the devastating wildfires hit southern California earlier this year, public radio broadcasts let millions of people know how to stay safe. When Hurricane Helene battered North Carolina, a local public radio station was the only source of information for many people.

    “And, in fact, many stations use their towers to actually deliver emergency alerts to people’s cell phones when cell towers go down. This funding supports stations who play an integral role in many states’ emergency planning.

    “Do you think our communities should have less warning in an emergency? Do you want to leave folks back home with less information when they are in harm’s way?

    Well, I guess you vote for this bill if that’s how you feel. Want you to know, I’m a hard no.

    [SIDE DEAL TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL]

    “And let’s not pretend a secret deal from Trump and Vought, to reallocate $10 million dollars, is somehow a serious fix to this. It is a tiny drop in the bucket compared to the massive cuts being pushed through here. In fact, it’s less than 1% of the overall funding that this package would rip away for public broadcasting and those alerts.

    [KIDS PROGRAMMING]

    “And don’t forget, these cuts are going to impact some of our kids’ and parents’ favorite educational shows. Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger, PBS Kids has a long track record of creating shows that are beloved.  

    “Not just because they keep kids entertained, but because they are thoughtfully crafted to help them learn and grow, to stoke their curiosity, to teach them caring and empathy. Any parent will tell you that is a worthwhile investment.

    “And any parent will also warn you, if you take away shows like this that gets kids engaged and gets them thinking, take that away, then there is an avalanche of brain-rot television that’s waiting to fill that void. Content that is crafted, not to get kids thinking, but to keep them watching at all costs.

    “We have to save Sesame Street. We have to tell Trump and Vought, Big Bird is not on the chopping block in this country. And we have to send this rescissions package to Oscar’s place—AKA the trash can.

    [AMERICAN INTERESTS ABROAD]

    “And M. President, I want to talk as well about the devastating cuts this package proposes to foreign assistance. I thought America’s leadership was important to Republicans?

    “But apparently, they want to penny pinch when it comes to keeping our commitments across the world, apparently, they want to save money by letting families starve, and kids die of preventable diseases. Because that is what this package will do.

    “And this isn’t some thought exercise—we have already seen how the first round of reckless DOGE cuts are working out.

    “There’s already a growing death toll and a huge leadership void that our competitors are racing to fill, people who needed health care—but Elon Musk shut down the only clinic for miles, kids contracting diseases like HIV and Malaria—because Trump totally upended our global health response, and let’s not forget, they’re going to destroy contraceptives we’ve already purchased rather than distribute them.

    “And people are starving to death while food supplies from American companies are sitting rotting in ports. That’s another part of why America’s farmers are coming out in opposition to this bill by the way.

    “This week, 500 tons of high energy biscuits expired. Food that we already paid for. Food that was meant to save lives. And because Trump and Elon Musk blasted USAID to smithereens and couldn’t be bothered to fix the mess that they caused, this food is now going to be incinerated—even as people we promised to help watch their kids starve.

    “That is outrageous, and it is infuriating.

    “Is that what Republicans think of as world leadership? Is it leadership to Republicans when Trump fires thousands of State Department workers who keep our nation safe, and make our voice heard in the world?

    “Is it leadership to Republicans when we pull investments out of international organizations, and create a void that our adversaries like China will be all too happy to fill?

    “We already know the DOGE cuts were devastating. We know that! What I don’t know is why on earth Republicans are getting ready today to double down and codify them by passing this bill. And no—‘because Trump said so’—is not a good answer.

    “Especially when it’s clear Russ Vought is the one steering this particular ship. I’m not even sure Trump knows what a rescission is! But I’m sure Republicans know better than to think these cuts will make our nation strong.

    “I know that because we passed these investments in a bipartisan way. And because I have heard them speak out about how much they hate these cuts. You can go back and watch our hearing on this, many of our colleagues across the aisle during that hearing voiced deep concern with these cuts, that they now intend to pass today.  

    “Because we all know these investments benefit American businesses who help feed the world.

    “They help stop outbreak, they stop diseases abroad before they spread and threaten us here at home. They help promote stability and avoid chaos and conflict that can put our interests—and our servicemembers—in harm’s way.

    “They help us advance America’s interests and keep our country safe and prosperous.

    “That’s the smart thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do. And of course, it is also the right thing to do.

    “So, it’s worth saying, cutting these investments is just down right wrong.

    “We should not be voting to let children starve or die from preventable diseases. We should not be voting to go back on our word to the world.

    Saving a couple pennies is not worth losing our credibility or causing millions of needless deaths across the globe.

    “It is not even close.

    [DOESN’T NEED TO BE THIS WAY]

    “And M. President. I want to impress upon one final point. And that’s this, it did not have to be this way, and it still does not have to be this way.

    “In fact, if Republicans come to their senses, and vote this thing down, we still can go a different route. We can do what we have always done and consider bipartisan rescissions as part of our annual appropriations process. That offer has always been on the table. And it still is.
    “I’ve heard Republicans say they don’t like this package, in fact they are trying to dial it back the tiniest bit. I’ve also heard that they don’t want to spend the next several months processing these requests out here on the floor, instead of focusing on our annual funding bills—or any number of other pressing priorities.

    “So: don’t vote for it!

    “Work with us to write bills that make targeted rescissions on a bipartisan basis. You don’t work for Donald Trump. You don’t work for Russ Vought. You actually work for your constituents. You can put them first. And you can vote this package down.

    “That has some real benefits compared to going down the path of this unprecedented—unprecedented— partisan rescissions.

    “I am serious—I want my Republican colleagues to think about that. And I mean really think about it.

    “For one thing, if we do things the normal, bipartisan way, you get to assert your say as a Senator about what is getting targeted, it’s not just ‘this is what Russ Vought says—take it or leave it.’ You can actually be a part of the discussion and speak out for what is important to you.

    “For another thing: If we go the bipartisan route, you don’t have to get jammed by this deadline. 

    “Instead of rushing through cuts this week without fully getting to consider and debate them, instead of being told ‘No, you can’t change this, we don’t have time.’ We can all sit down, make thoughtful decisions, and maybe even worthwhile changes as we go.

    “And here’s an important point, if we do rescissions together through our appropriations bills, instead of just letting Trump and Russ Vought jam through whatever they want, my colleagues would actually know what in the world they are voting for.

    [NO INFORMATION ON WHAT WILL BE CUT]

    “Because let’s get one thing straight, Republicans don’t actually know what programs are going to get cut if they pass this package.

    “We don’t know! It’s one of the great outrages of this package. Russ Vought is just outright refusing to tell us what programs he is going to cut if this package passes.

    “At our hearing with him, he refused to go into detail. He stonewalled us. We asked and we asked. The Chair, the Republican Chair, even asked him about this.

    “But OMB would not tell us! The question is: What will you cut? The answer has been: Pass it, we’ll see.

    “That is why the Republicans decided to protect just a handful of programs without actually reducing the funding associated with them, because they do not know the impact.

    “So, they preserve funding for Jordan, Egypt, and a few university partnerships. What about our allies in the Indo-Pacific? What about the implementers of these programs in our states?

    “None of us should accept not having those answers. And I’m sure my colleagues were told their priorities won’t be impacted, but Director Vought cannot keep that promise given the scale of these cuts. The math simply does not add up!

    “Even if you believe we should make cuts, you should be joining us to demand we actually know what is being cut. And, if we do this the right way, the bipartisan way, we would know. Because we would be writing the bill.

    “Now, doesn’t that sound a lot better, than just passing this pandora’s box, and finding out later what got cut?

    [IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SENATE]

    “Finally, I have said this before, several times, but I want to warn my colleagues once again, if you keep going down this path you are going to further undermine our bipartisan process. 

    “We have never, never before seen bipartisan investments, slashed through a partisan rescissions package. Do not start now. Not when we are working, at this very moment, in a bipartisan way to pass our spending bills.

    “As I said earlier, bipartisanship doesn’t end with any one line being crossed, it erodes, it breaks down bit by bit, until one day there is nothing left.

    Sure, a few members may be willing to stick it out and work as hard as they can to get a result.

    “But this Senate doesn’t work off a few members—it works off consensus building. And the more bridges you burn, the fewer paths you leave to get things done.

    “So, M. President, why go down this partisan path? Why vote to spend the next many weeks considering more of these packages? And why do it for a set of cuts that are so damaging? A set of cuts, many of you have serious concerns with?

    “We are at the table right now, the Appropriations Committee, writing bipartisan spending bills. And we can and absolutely discuss bipartisan rescissions.

    “Why don’t you join us and make that work easier, instead of making that work harder by passing this bill and setting a very painful new precedent.

    “I urge my colleagues to join me in voting NO.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate & House Education Leaders Statement on Trump Admin Illegally Moving Department of Education Programs to DOL as Part of Its Efforts to Dismantle the Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray, DeLauro, Scott, Baldwin Call on Department of Education to Immediately Cease Illegal Plan to Transfer Career and Technical Education Program Responsibilities to Labor Department

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee; Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education; Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce; and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), House Appropriations Committee and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, issued the following statement after the Department of Education (ED) and Department of Labor (DOL) announced plans to transfer career and technical education and adult education programs from ED to DOL. 

    “The Court’s ruling to allow the Trump administration to dismantle the Department of Education as litigation continues sets a troubling precedent. Congress authorized and appropriated funds to the Department of Education to carry out career and technical education programs. The law of the land has not changed. If this administration is able to do this, no education program that our teachers, parents, and children rely on is safe from an administration more interested in executing its extreme agenda than helping students.  

    “Let’s be clear: this is not about cutting through red tape or returning education to the states. This is about dismantling the Department of Education and attacking our public education system. This is yet another illegal action by this administration that ignores the rule of law. This comes as the Administration is already illegally withholding nearly $7 billion in education funding, including for the Adult Education programs tied up in this illegal transfer. 

    “Republicans should join Democrats to stand up for our teachers, parents, and students and prevent further destruction of our public education system.”

    The Department of Education is the agency best fit to administer these workforce development programs. The primary goal of the adult education program is to help adults achieve reading, writing, math, and English language proficiency. Many of the career and technical education (CTE) programs authorized under Perkins V are a part of secondary school curricula that help expose students to career opportunities.  Most CTE students end up enrolling in postsecondary education, not getting a job right out of high school.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Statement on Passing of Fairfield First Selectman Bill Gerber

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    July 16, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement the passing of Fairfield First Selectman Bill Gerber:

    “I am heartbroken over the news of Bill Gerber’s passing. Bill was a selfless public servant who loved his adopted hometown of the last thirty years. After a successful career in finance, he chose to give back to Fairfield through public service and his community is the better for it. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Jessica, his children, and all his friends and loved ones.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Celebrates DHS, INL Updated Cybersecurity Agreement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) celebrated an updated five-year agreement between the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to continue the INL’s important cybersecurity work.

    “INL is the flagship laboratory for cybersecurity and is central to our national security. The valuable research and innovation at INL lays the groundwork for fortifying our nation’s electric grid and control systems to mitigate emerging cybersecurity threats,” said Risch. “I am proud to have worked with Secretary Noem to ensure the critical cybersecurity efforts at INL continue at full force.”

    Senator Risch worked with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to secure the updated agreement, which supports INL’s cyber defense and national security initiatives. The INL is a global leader in cybersecurity, specializing in protecting critical infrastructure like the U.S. power grid, water systems, and manufacturing networks from emerging cyber threats.

    Earlier this year, Risch introduced the Energy Threat Analysis Program Act to improve information sharing regarding cyber security prevention across America’s energy sector.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Slam Republican Rescissions Bill Cutting National Security Funding and Making Americans less Safe

    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, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, slammed the Republican rescissions package that cancels $8.3 billion in federal funding previously appropriated by a bipartisan majority in Congress for national security programs:
    “If Republicans move forward with these massive cuts to the State Department, USAID, and other key agencies and programs, the world will become more unpredictable and unstable, which puts Americans at risk. Experts estimate that 14 million people will die, humanitarian crises will worsen, horrific diseases will spread, our Afghan partners will be faced with increased uncertainty about their futures, and China will become even more emboldened as Beijing continues to fill the leadership void left by the U.S.’s retreat. Destroying USAID and canceling critical U.S. national security programs, without any coherent strategy or rationale for doing so, sets us back when it comes to addressing the many national security challenges that we are facing. Any of our colleagues who care about the security of our great nation should vote against this rescissions package.”
    The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to approve and appropriate federal dollars. While a sitting president can propose the cancelation of appropriated funding, only Congress has the authority to revoke it, and must do so by passing a rescissions bill. The Republican rescissions package will be voted on in the Senate this week.
    The legislation cuts previously appropriated State Department and USAID funding, including for global health programs that keep Americans safe from diseases and faith-based organizations that do essential work in the U.S. and abroad. It also eliminates funding for Afghan refugee programs, United Nations peacekeeping operations, the U.S. Institute for Peace, the Inter-American Foundation, and the African Development Foundation. These cuts will impact thousands of Virginia’s federal employees and contractors who carry out important refugee and development work. A recent study found that if the current cuts to USAID continue through 2030, 14 million people could die.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/16/2025 Blackburn, Arrington Introduce Bill to Make States Pay for Federal Military Deployment Caused by Immigration Enforcement Obstruction

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Representative Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) introduced the State Accountability for Federal Deployment Costs Act, which would hold states refusing to enforce federal immigration law financially responsible when their actions force the federal government to deploy military resources to restore order:

    “As lawless states like California obstruct the federal government’s work to enforce immigration law, American taxpayers in other states have been forced to foot the bill for the military forces required to quell the chaos and protect law-abiding citizens,” said Senator Blackburn. “If a state refuses to do its job and forces the federal government to respond to unrest, they should pay for it. The State Accountability for Federal Deployment Costs Act would require states to reimburse the federal government to cover these costs and send a message that refusing to comply with federal immigration law will not be tolerated.”

    “Sanctuary policies that obstruct federal law enforcement jeopardize communities and drain valuable resources – in fact, their very existence is a violation of the law,” said Chairman Arrington. “It’s entirely unacceptable for states that refuse to enforce immigration laws to expect taxpayers in states like Texas and Tennessee to foot the bill when the consequences of their lawlessness results in federal action. I’m proud to team up with Senator Blackburn to ensure that states that break the law, pay the price.”
    BACKGROUND
    Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense was forced to spend over $130 million deploying troops to Los Angeles to respond to protests over immigration enforcement.
    The federal government bears significant financial burdens when military personnel, such as active-duty service members or federally activated National Guard troops, are deployed to respond to civil disturbances or public safety threats.
    These deployments are not discretionary military operations but necessary responses to restore public order when states refuse to cooperate with lawful federal immigration enforcement efforts.
    Sanctuary policies, refusal to honor detainers, and public interference in federal operations have increased the likelihood of unrest and forced the federal government to intervene as American taxpayers across the country are forced to foot the bill.
    THE STATE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR FEDERAL DEPLOYMENT COSTS ACT
    The State Accountability for Federal Deployment Costs Act would:
    Require states to reimburse the U.S. Department of Defense for costs associated with military deployments that are:
    Initiated by the federal government, and
    Directly caused by a state’s failure to cooperate with lawful federal immigration enforcement.
    Cover costs including travel, housing, equipment, and readiness impacts incurred by military personnel deployed under Title 10 authority.
    Direct the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the U.S. Attorney General, to issue determinations of whether a state or locality’s refusal to assist materially contributed to the need for federal deployment.
    Mandate that states remit full payment within 180 days of receiving an invoice from the U.S. Department of Defense.
    Authorize the federal government to offset unpaid reimbursement amounts from federal discretionary grants awarded to the state
    Require the U.S. Secretary of Defense to submit semiannual reports to Congress on affected deployments, reimbursement status, and readiness impacts.
    Click here for bill text.
    RELATED

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján Demand Answers on Trump Admin Re-Adding Medical Debt onto Credit Reports

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D- Mass.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and 24 other Senators in pushing the Trump administration for answers regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) decision to vacate the medical debt rule finalized in January 2025. The letter demands CFPB share any data the agency relied on in deciding to petition a court to vacate the rule and any communications it had with entities during the process that would profit from its decision.

    “On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with collection agencies that stand to profit from it,” the Senators said.

    “Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts…Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care,” they continued.

    At the conclusion of the letter, the Senators emphasize the need for transparency into the agency’s decision-making process.

    “On April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it – lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry,” the Senators closed.

    Senator Luján has long worked to support Americans facing medical debt. In March 2024, Senator Luján called on CFPB Director Rohit Chopra to eliminate reporting of all medical debt in consumers’ credit reports. In November 2024, Senator Lujánintroduced the Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act to ease the burden on Americans forced into bankruptcy because of unforeseen medical expenses. Senator Luján continues to stand up in defense of New Mexicans by holding the CFPB under President Trump accountable.

    In addition to Senators Heinrich, Lujan, Warnock, Warren, Schumer, and Merkley, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

    Read the full letter HERE, and the text is below

    Dear Acting Director Vought,

    On April 30, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) asked a court to vacate the agency’s recently released rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. We write to request the information you relied on in making that determination, including any communications with debt collection agencies that stand to profit from it.

    Medical debt collections information is often inaccurate, and studies show that it is not useful in determining a consumer’s ability to repay other debts. One major credit scoring company, VantageScore, has stopped using medical debt in its newer models entirely. Almost half of all medical bills contain at least one error, and almost half of nonprofit hospitals have routinely and mistakenly billed patients who were eligible for free or discounted care. People often receive collection notices for debts they did not owe, in the wrong amount, or that should have been covered by insurance—but still end up experiencing long-lasting damage to their credit scores.

    Listing medical debt on a person’s credit report drives down their credit score, which hurts their ability to purchase a car, buy a home or rent an apartment, get utility service, start a business, or access other banking services. This has profound effects on families that can last generations. To make matters worse, medical debt is the most common reason debt collectors contact consumers; the debt collection industry makes one-fourth of its annual revenue from health care debt. Including medical debt on credit reports makes consumers more vulnerable to predatory debt collection practices.

    Medical debt on credit reports also blocks working families from access to credit that they would be able to repay.The CFPB found that people who had all their medical debts completely removed from their credit reports experienced an average credit score increase of 20 points, in some cases elevating families into a higher credit score tier.

    In response to growing data that medical debt is not a good indicator of creditworthiness, states across the country have acted to ban the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. And on January 7, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. The rule would remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans, prohibit credit reporting companies from sharing medical debt information with lenders, and bar lenders from considering medical debt in underwriting decisions. It was designed to help the millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, by lowering costs and increasing access to affordable credit for working families without affecting the predictive value of their credit reports. The rule would also help reduce the effects of structural racism and other prejudices. People of color are disproportionately harmed by the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports. Meanwhile, adults with a disability and new moms are more than twice as likely to carry medical debt.

    Despite the critical importance of the medical debt rule, on April 30, the CFPB filed a joint motion with the industry groups that oppose the rule, petitioning the court to vacate it—lining the pockets of corporations off the backs of American consumers. Given the substantial evidence that the CFPB’s rule was well-considered and would help consumers without reducing the accuracy of their credit scores, we write to request that the CFPB make public all information relied on by the agency in its decision to drop the rule, including any communications with the debt collection industry, by July 28, 2025. We specifically request that CFPB publicly publish all data about how medical debt relates to key economic indicators, including:

    • Barriers to home and car ownership, including challenges getting loans or not being approved to rent or lease,
    • Paying higher premiums for auto, homeowner’s and other types of insurance,
    • Losing job opportunities as a result of credit reporting on background checks,
    • Obstacles to starting small businesses because of challenges with securing loans,
    • Paying more for everyday services such as household utilities or cell phone contracts

    We are particularly concerned about the outsize impact that medical debt has on the credit scores of seniors, veterans, new parents, people with disabilities, cancer patients and survivors, and small business owners.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Supports Mental Health Care for Iowa Farmers

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced the bipartisan Farmers First Act to support access to critical mental health resources for Iowa farmers. 
    Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. The legislation would build upon Ernst and Baldwin’s Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) work that connects farmers, ranchers, and agriculture workers to stress assistance programs and resources.
    “Iowa farmers work tirelessly from sunrise to sundown – rain or shine – to feed and fuel the world. Their work isn’t easy, and mental health issues, including suicide, are too common in our agriculture community, which is why I’m working to ensure farmers have better access to mental health resources,” said Senator Ernst.
    “Wisconsin’s farmers and ranchers work hard every day to keep their businesses running and our Made in Wisconsin agricultural economy moving forward. But too often, the stress, isolation, and physical demands of this job leave them with nowhere to turn when it all gets to be too much,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m working to make sure our farmers and rural communities have the resources they need because no one should have to fight these battles alone.”
    “From trade uncertainty to labor shortages and natural disasters, many stressors are weighing heavily on the minds of farmers and ranchers. Resources supported through the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network are more critical now than at any time in recent memory. Farm Bureau appreciates Representatives Craig and Feenstra, as well as Senators Baldwin and Ernst for their tireless commitment to supporting farmer and rancher mental health across the country,” said Sam Kieffer, Vice President, Public Policy, American Farm Bureau Federation.
    “Farming can be incredibly stressful, and too many rural communities still don’t have the mental health support they need,” said National Farmers Union President Rob Larew. “The Farmers First Act will help get essential resources to farmers who are struggling. We thank Senators Baldwin and Ernst and Representatives Feenstra and Craig for leading the charge and urge Congress to reauthorize FRSAN with increased funding.”
    “The Farmer Veteran Coalition strongly supports the reauthorization of the Farmers First Act. Expanding and strengthening the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network is essential to ensuring farmers, ranchers have access to the mental health resources they need to thrive. We commend Representatives Feenstra and Craig, as well as Senators Baldwin and Ernst, for their bipartisan leadership in prioritizing the well-being of those who feed our nation. This bill will provide critical support for agricultural producers facing stress, isolation, and mental health challenges, and we urge swift passage this Congress,” said Jeanette Lombardo, CEO, Farmer Veteran Coalition.
    “Farming and the financial insecurity associated with farming can be very stressful. Farmers dealing with stress-related mental health challenges often feel stigmatized if they seek help, which only compounds the problem. We applaud Representatives Feenstra (R-IA) and Craig (D-MN) and Senators Baldwin (D-WI) and Ernst (R-IA) for their bipartisan leadership in introducing the Farmers First Act to increase resources available to farmers and rural communities to address mental health challenges,” said Steve Etka, Policy Director, Midwest Dairy Coalition.
    “Ensuring sufficient access to evidence-based mental health services continues to be a challenge in many rural and agricultural communities, in many cases a challenge that has endured over generations,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the American Psychological Association Services, Inc. (APA Services). “The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network program continues to be a lifeline to many of these communities. APA Services applauds Representatives Feenstra and Craig and Senators Baldwin and Ernst for their efforts to ensure adequate mental health resources in rural communities, and we ask Congress to swiftly enact the Farmers First Act.”
    “Farming is a stressful job, even in good times, and rural residents often face unique barriers to seeking mental health care,” said Christy Seyfert, Farm Credit Council president and CEO. “FRSAN brings valuable stress assistance services and expertise to the farm and ranch communities most in need of resources. Farm Credit commends Ranking Member Craig, Representative Feenstra, and Senators Baldwin and Ernst for their leadership on the Farmers First Act.”
    Representatives Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) introduced this bill in the U.S. House.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Outlines Principles for Crafting the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

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    To watch Chairman Capito’s opening statement, click here or the image above.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing on constructing the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill with stakeholders’ perspectives. In her opening remarks, Chairman Capito reiterated her three principles for crafting this legislation, and how developing a bipartisan proposal in the Senate remains a central priority for the EPW Committee. 

    Below is the opening statement of Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.

    “Thank you for joining us this morning and welcome to our three great witnesses that we have. This hearing is second in a two-part series of hearings that we are having to help guide the development of our next Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill. 

    “Earlier this spring, we held a hearing with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, where he detailed how the Trump administration is administering the current law and described priorities for the next bill. Today, we will hear from new stakeholders on their priorities.

    “My vision for this legislation is simple, but important, we want to improve the movement of people and goods. Our roads and bridges are what connect us to the people and places that matter most in our lives.

    “They help businesses, large and small, create jobs, economic activities, and enable their competitiveness in the global marketplace. For example, my home state of West Virginia is pursuing important projects like Corridor H, to better link our communities to essential services and economic opportunity.

    “This legislation will provide the funding and establishes the policies and programs that enable the improvement of the surface transportation network that we all rely on. 

    “Since the enactment of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Committee has reviewed and conducted oversight on existing programs and policies, and we’ve learned a lot about what is working and what isn’t.

    “The IIJA met a generational level of investment in our surface transportation network, but there have been some challenges in the implementation. We know that the highway formula programs are producing results in communities across the states. We also know there have been some issues getting discretionary grant awards out the door and producing tangible improvements to that network. 

    “When Secretary Duffy appeared before the Committee, he outlined the backlog of more than 3,200 discretionary grant awards without signed grant agreements that he had inherited from the prior administration. I appreciate the Secretary’s ongoing efforts to address this backlog, and I know that the Department of Transportation is making progress on getting those agreements in place. 

    “As a matter of fact, I believe they’ve done over a thousand of those already, they have resolved those. We will apply the lessons learned from the IIJA to shape the next bill and those lessons have led me to three principles.

    “I have discussed these principles at our hearing with the Secretary, but I believe it is important that I reiterate them today.

    “Principle One: Improving the safety – and I want to emphasize safety – safety and reliability of America’s surface transportation network with impactful investments. 

    “In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in the number and scope of federal transportation programs. These programs sometimes have duplicative purposes and project eligibility. This leads to an expensive and time-intensive process to get funding out the door and lessens the impact that the legislation can make.

    “As we craft the next bill, we must prioritize investments that, instead, optimize federal funding and give state partners the confidence to invest over a longer period of time. We should focus on eliminating duplicative programs and increasing funding for the highway formula programs that our states rely on and, as I said earlier, have a proven track record of success.

    “Principle Two: Reforming and modernizing federal programs and policies to create efficiency.

    “We all know that, as currently structured, federal requirements can add red tape that increases costs and slow down the completion of projects. We all want to deliver transportation benefits faster and save money for American taxpayers. To achieve this goal, we need to take a serious look at federal requirements to determine how we can create certainty for the partners who make these projects happen and ensure that the public receives the benefits of these investments quickly.

    “Principle Three: Addressing the variety of surface transportation needs across all states. Obviously, different states have different needs, and I think we’ll hear about that today.

    “I wouldn’t expect West Virginia, with our mountainous peaks and valleys…to prioritize the same transportation projects as other states. We need to avoid top-down mandates from Washington, D.C. and give states the flexibility to address the individual improvements that their communities need.

    “It will take collaboration from my Senate colleagues, the Trump administration, and our stakeholders to complete the bill before the IIJA expires in September of 2026. We must be pragmatic, work in a bipartisan fashion to deliver a bill that sets us up for a productive conversation on this reauthorization effort with our colleagues in the House.

    “I’m really grateful, I know many of you have traveled far, to the witnesses that have joined us today. I look forward to learning about these priorities. This is an excellent opportunity ahead of us to make a pivotal impact in our surface transportation network.

    “Each of us knows how important that network is and the role that it plays in keeping our country’s economy and people on the move. I’m excited to get to work and continue the EPW Committee’s bipartisan tradition of developing legislation that delivers for the American people.”

    MIL OSI USA News –