NewzIntel.com

Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Votes to Confirm Scott Turner as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    February 5, 2025

    February 5, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, issued the following statement after voting to confirm Scott Turner as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

    “Scott Turner led the White House initiative on Opportunity Zones which expanded economic opportunity for people across the country. He understands how targeted reforms can make housing more affordable and available for Americans. He’s committed to cutting red tape and delivering the solutions we need to address homelessness and restore the American dream.”

    Print 

    Share 

    Like 

    Tweet 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Support More Wisconsin Dairy Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that will strengthen the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBII) to help more American dairy farmers and processors add value to their businesses, including creating new products, expanding their markets, and modernizing their production facilities. To date, the Baldwin-backed program has supported over 250 dairy farmers and processors in the Midwest, including 109 in Wisconsin.

    “My Dairy Business Innovation Initiative has helped Wisconsin dairy farmers, producers, and cheesemakers grow their operations, tap into new markets, and innovate new products,” said Senator Baldwin. “From expanding facilities and growing their operations to improving packaging and lowering their shipping costs, this program has helped Wisconsin businesses grow their bottom lines and create jobs in our rural communities. I’m fighting to expand this vital program so more farmers, cheesemakers, and dairy processors have the tools to innovate and drive our rural economy forward.”

    “The dairy industry is an essential part of the American economy. It is crucial that we provide the resources that dairies in Tennessee need to expand and create new products,” said Senator Blackburn. “With many small Tennessee dairies struggling to remain open, this bill will allow these businesses to diversify and expand their market competitiveness.”

    After Senator Baldwin successfully created the DBII program in the 2018 Farm Bill, multiple dairy business and innovation centers were established to serve producers across the country. These centers, in partnership with dairy farmers and processors, are spurring innovation in dairy businesses, fostering the development of new dairy products and modernizing existing dairy plants. As a result, the program has gone on to add value to the milk produced by American farmers and expand their market access.

    Each regional initiative is tasked with providing technical assistance and grants to farmers and processors, including:

    • Supporting new and expanding dairy businesses—Centers provide assistance with business plan development, accounting, market evaluation, and strategic planning.
    • Promoting innovation in dairy products—Dairy businesses receive assistance with product innovation, marketing and branding, packaging, distribution, supply chain innovation, food safety training and consultation, and dairy product production training.
    • Assisting with dairy plant modernization and process improvement—Dairy businesses receive assistance with processing facility improvement, including assistance with plant upgrades, food safety modernization, energy and water efficiency, byproduct reprocessing and use maximization, and waste treatment.

    The Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2025 builds on the support for regional dairy research and innovation centers across the country by raising the program’s annual authorization from $20 million to $36 million.

    The legislation is endorsed by the International Dairy Foods Association, Midwest Dairy Coalition, National Milk Producers Federation, Organic Valley, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.

    “Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives have spurred both farm and processor business growth over the past five years, strengthening rural economies and creating career opportunities, but our work is far from done. Increased program funding is critical now as the dairy industry faces new market volatility, labor challenges, and inflation,” said Rebekah Sweeney, senior director of programs and policy for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, serving nearly 900 dairy industry companies and cooperatives nationwide.  “We’re deeply grateful for Sen. Baldwin’s championship of Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives and for the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers working hard to see this program continue.”

    “We thank Senators Baldwin and Blackburn for their continued bipartisan leadership in strengthening the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives program. Dairy has a storied history of pioneering effective new products and practices as dairy farmers and their cooperatives work to supply the U.S. and the world with nutritious, sustainably produced food. This program helps support researchers and their industry partners working to drive this innovation forward,” said Gregg Doud, President and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation. 

    “Senator Tammy Baldwin and Senator Marsha Blackburn should be commended for a bill that enhances the assets and investments in the U.S. the dairy industry,” said Adam Warthesen, Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs at Organic Valley. “Dairy is an economic engine in rural communities – we at Organic Valley know dairy processors who are doing more with support from this initiative and American farmers who are better positioned to bring milk to market because of it.”

    “Wisconsin dairy farmers are a mainstay of our state’s rural economy and its essential we continue to support innovation in an effort to keep it relevant,” said Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Brad Olson. “The Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2025 will increase the funding available to dairy farmers and processors to maintain Wisconsin’s place as a national and global leader. Wisconsin Farm Bureau appreciate Sen. Baldwin’s commitment to providing the necessary funding needed to help Wisconsin’s dairy industry develop new products and access emerging markets with the introduction of the Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2025.”

    “The Midwest Dairy Coalition applauds Senators Baldwin and Blackburn for their continued leadership in providing dairy farmers and dairy businesses with the resources to innovate and diversify their operations for a more economically sustainable future,” said Steve Etka, Policy Director, Midwest Dairy Coalition. 

    “IDFA applauds Senators Baldwin and Blackburn for introducing the Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2025.  The bill promotes innovation in the dairy processing sector and will help industry members work together to address common challenges and create new market opportunities for healthy and nutritious dairy products,” said International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) President and CEO Michael Dykes, D.V.M.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER REVEALS: AFTER TRUMP’S FUNDING FREEZE FIASCO, HEAD START PROGRAMS ACROSS UPSTATE NY & U.S. STILL MISSING MILLIONS IN VITAL FUNDING TO KEEP CHILDCARE RUNNING — EVEN LEADING TO CLOSURES,…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Last Week Amid Trump’s Illegal Funding Freeze The Head Start Online Payment System Shut Down Across The Country, Despite The Admin Saying It Was Exempt From The Freeze And Has Provided No Explanation Why This Occurred

    Now A Week Later, Head Start Providers In NY And Across America Have Been Missing Payments They Rely On From Feds, Forcing Some Upstate Childcare Providers To Even Layoff Staff And Temporarily Shut Down Services Impacting Hundreds Of Families; Schumer Says This Cannot Continue And Is Demanding Immediate Action And Oversight

    Schumer: We Can’t Let NY’s Head Start Providers Be Left In Limbo, We Need This System Fixed & Answers NOW

    After Head Start providers in New York and across America were locked out of federal funding amid Trump’s federal funding freeze, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today revealed that a week later Head Start providers are now missing payments, facing delays and enduring severe technical issues with no end or clarity in sight. Schumer said after the payment management shutdown, despite the White House saying Head Start programs should be exempt, there have been continued reports of childcare programs in NY and across the country missing payments from the feds creating a growing problem, and even leading to some Head Start programs in NY temporarily closing or laying off staff, impacting hundreds of families in need of childcare.

    Schumer is now demanding HHS immediately address this problem, fix the payment system, and provide answers to give Head Start programs the assurances and funding they need to continue their essential childcare in rural and underserved communities. 

    “Trump’s illegal funding freeze created chaos for childcare programs across the country, and we still have no answer on why the payment system shut down. Now a week later Head Start programs still are missing federal payments, forcing some to shutter or even lay off staff, impacting hundreds of families here in Upstate NY. Enough is enough. Head Start providers cannot pay their teachers, staff or provide childcare without the assurances of payment,” said Senator Schumer. “I’m calling on HHS to take immediate action to ensure Head Start providers receive the funds and clarity they deserve. Right now Head Start providers and parents are worried sick this funding will continue to be delayed and they can be left high and dry when it comes to childcare. We can’t leave our children and families in limbo due to a chaotic and incompetent policy decision by this new administration. We need answers and this problem fixed now. Our parents, teachers, and children who rely on Head Start deserve nothing less.”

    Schumer explained after the Head Start programs across the country – including in Michigan, Connecticut, and Wisconsin – are still unable to access funding leading to major issues, and New York is now seeing these impacts as well. Head Start programs across Upstate NY and NYC have reported trouble getting paid, putting their cash flow at further risk and jeopardizing their ability to make payroll consistently for staff. For example, the Cattaraugus & Wyoming Counties Project Head Start, which serves 200+ children and employs 80+ staff across both counties, has said they are still unable to access funds. Without federal funding, the program has been unable to reopen and was forced to temporarily lay off all staff until this problem can be addressed.

    “As of Tuesday, January 28, 2025, all Head Start employees were sent home and program was closed due to the Executive Order to pause all federal grants and loans. Though this EO was rescinded, the pause has caused a back log of draw downs through the federal payment system. As of Tuesday, February 4, 2025, we still do not have answers. It seems the Department of HHS and the federal payment system are unable to agree where the problem is originating. We have almost 200 families without services and 84 employees without a job. To say it’s frustrating is an understatement,” said Cattaraugus & Wyoming Counties Project Head Start Board of Directors Chairperson, Andrea Aldinger. “I thank Senator Schumer for recognizing the importance of Head Start programs in local communities and for taking action to support affected families, children, and employees.” 

    “The New York State Head Start Association (NYSHSA) Board of Directors is concerned that the recent pause in funding had significant consequences for the thousands of children and families attending Head Start preschools and Early Head Start in NY,” said NYSHSA President Carolyn Wiggins. “We have heard from Head Start programs from across the state, from Western New York, to the Southern Tier and New York City, have experienced funding delays that rendered them unable to make payroll and, in some cases, temporarily close. We thank Senator Schumer for fighting to get answers and address this problem so we can continue our essential work to help children and families across NY.”

    Schumer is now leading Senate Democrats in demanding immediate action from the Trump administration and said HHS must fix this problem now and promptly disburse delayed funds to Head Start programs. The senators said programs and families deserve an explanation for why the funding freeze has continued and what the feds plan to do to ensure it never happens again. The lawmakers said families across America depend on this federal funding for childcare and their peace of mind.

    Schumer said Head Start programs cannot afford to continue normal operations without the assurances of payment processing and notices of grant renewals and that the feds must deliver the funding needed to resume operations and Head Start programs in New York and across the country need immediate answers about why this happening.

    “Despite reports of an end to a federal funding freeze, settlement house Head Start providers have still reported challenges and delays with payment since last week. Disrupting payments on contracted programs is devastating for child care providers who want to carry out their mission of caring for children and helping working parents get through their day to day. An interruption in cash flow, even for a few weeks, can have devastating consequences and puts providers in serious financial jeopardy to continue their operations. The Office of Head Start and the Department of Health and Human Services must prioritize the immediate payment of these vital child care services. Jeopardizing child care is no way to help working families,” said Susan Stamler, Executive Director of United Neighborhood Houses.

    A copy of Schumer’s letter he is leading with Senator Kaine and 27 of their colleagues in the Senate to Acting U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dorothy Fink and Acting Director of the Office of Head Start Captain Tala Hooban can be found below:

    Dear Acting Secretary Dr. Fink and Acting Director Captain Hooban:

    We are writing today to raise ongoing, urgent concerns experienced by Head Start programs in our states and across the country. These concerns include (1) a lack of clarity on the status of renewals and notice of awards in the February 1st grant cycle, (2) delays in processing reimbursements through the Payment Management System (PMS), and (3) a lack of clear communication with grantees throughout this confusing time.

    We request your immediate action and assurance on the following:

    1. All requests for disbursements of funds submitted through PMS to be promptly processed to allow all Head Start programs to draw down federal funds;
    2. Programs on the February 1st grant cycle will be notified of their renewal or notice of award before the deadline to ensure no lapse in funding or program operations; and
    3. Transparent and consistent communication with Head Start programs to address the ongoing challenges.

    Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has provided critical early childhood education and comprehensive services to nearly 40 million low-income young children and their families in communities across the nation. Today, Head Start programs are supported by 250,000 staff to serve nearly 800,000 children across the nation. Head Start’s comprehensive services ensure children receive age-appropriate health care, dental care, immunizations, and health insurance, and they provide referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support. For the last several years, Congress has worked in a bipartisan manner to recognize this longstanding federal program’s important work by providing increased appropriations.

    Since the morning of Tuesday, January 28th, the Head Start community has faced immense uncertainty and disruptions by the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) memo (M-2513), directing federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance.” While the Trump Administration later clarified that Head Start would not be the target of the funding freeze, many Head Start programs across the country were unable to access the PMS to draw down federal funds. PMS was reinstated, but programs across the country have not had funding disbursed in a timely manner.

    Head Start programs cannot pay their teachers and staff and continue normal operations without the assurances of payment processing and notices of grant renewals and awards. This will impact children, families, and communities across the country, particularly the rural communities where these programs represent a large share of the childcare options.

    Even if this issue extends beyond the Office of Head Start, we urge you to do everything in your power to ensure these programs receive transparent and frequent communication on the progress of their funds being released. Head Start programs operate on razor-thin margins and cannot survive without timely intervention. Children, families, employees, and educators all depend on these critical federal funds.

    Once these issues are resolved, we request you provide responses to the following questions:

    1. What factors contributed to delayed disbursements to Head Start programs through the Payment Management System? What steps will be taken to ensure such delays will not occur in the future?
    2. How many Head Start programs were impacted by this delay and what were the immediate consequences on operations and services for children and families?
    3. What factors led to the lack of communication about grant renewals and awards for the February 1st cycle? What steps will be taken to ensure timely notices in the future?

    We thank you for your quick attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Statement On Trump’s Comments On Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after President Donald Trump said the United States will “take over the Gaza Strip.”

    “A two-state solution, which Democratic and Republican administrations have supported for decades, must continue to be U.S. policy. Palestinians, including those in Gaza, deserve a chance at a better future, one where they can live with dignity and security. Israelis and Palestinians each deserve distinct, inalienable, and mutually-recognized states that coexist side-by-side in peace.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Leads Judiciary Committee Colleagues In Speaking Out Against Pam Bondi’s Nomination To Be Attorney General

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    February 04, 2025

    Durbin’s and Judiciary Democrats’ floor speeches come ahead of Bondi’s confirmation vote and after the Trump Administration forced out dozens of DOJ and FBI officials this weekend and is now threatening additional action against thousands of employees across the country who worked on investigations related to January 6 and President Trump

    WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke out against Pam Bondi, President Trump’s Attorney General nominee, ahead of her confirmation vote. In his remarks, Durbin cited concerns over Ms. Bondi’s ability to act as an independent Attorney General. These concerns are especially pertinent as the Trump Administration purges dozens of senior career civil servants at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—including longtime nonpartisan leaders of the government’s counterterrorism and counterespionage efforts—further exemplifying the need for an independent DOJ.

    Durbin was joined on the Senate floor by Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to speak out against Ms. Bondi’s nomination before the Senate proceeds to her confirmation vote.

    “Shortly, Senate Republicans will confirm the nomination of Pam Bondi to serve as Attorney General and lead the Department of Justice in the new Administration. Yesterday, I came to the Senate floor to discuss the Trump Administration’s decision to purge Justice Department officials and warn that Ms. Bondi’s record suggests that she will aid in this effort to pack the Department of Justice with loyalists seeking retribution against President Trump’s political rivals,” Durbin said. “Since the Watergate era, there has been bipartisan support for the principle that the Department of Justice investigations and prosecutions must be independent from the White House. Over the years, both Republicans and Democrats have asked many individuals seeking the office of Attorney General one basic question—would you be willing to tell the President ‘no?’ Given that Ms. Bondi—when speaking about President Trump’s criminal indictments—threatened ‘the prosecutors will be prosecuted’ and ‘the investigators will be investigated,’ I have serious doubts about her willingness to really say ‘no’ to this President.”

    Durbin went on to outline that his concerns are even more pressing because, over the last 16 days, the Trump Administration has purged dozens of senior career law enforcement officials at the Department of Justice and FBI. This purge has been particularly focused on dedicated, nonpartisan prosecutors and investigators working in the National Security Division and the FBI.

    “On its first day, the Trump Administration removed or reassigned as many as 20 experienced professionals with invaluable national security expertise without any comparable replacements, including the veteran career deputy assistant attorneys general in the National Security Division… Those who have been reassigned are reportedly being put in roles concerning immigration enforcement, for which they have little expertise… Since then, dozens more senior officials have been removed,” Durbin said. “This shameless partisan retribution is only the beginning. It has been reported that the future FBI Director will be guided by an advisory committee composed of solely partisan political operators, including an associate of Elon Musk… These actions will cripple FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country by increasing the caseload for the remaining agents, dramatically slowing down critical investigations and prosecutions.”

    Durbin continued, “As America faces a heightened threat landscape, these shocking removals and reassignments of hundreds of employees deprive the Department of Justice and the FBI of experienced leadership and decades of experience fighting violent crime, espionage, and terrorism.”

    Durbin concluded, “For years, my Republican colleagues have claimed they ‘Back the Blue,’ and accused Democrats of being ‘soft on crime.’ We’ve heard it over and over and over. But now, as President Trump is gutting our nation’s law enforcement agencies and putting our national security at risk, my Republican colleagues do not complain—they are nowhere to be found. Instead of condemning these actions, they will likely come to the Senate floor tonight and confirm an individual to lead the Department of Justice who is in lockstep with this policy of President Trump—and was chosen for the role specifically because she’s loyal. I urge my colleagues to consider what a danger President Trump and Pam Bondi present to this nation. I will oppose her confirmation and hope my colleagues will do the same.”

    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Votes Against Pam Bondi To Be Attorney General

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    February 04, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today voted against President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States, Pam Bondi. The Senate voted to confirm her nomination by a vote of 54-46.

    “Given the massive upheaval that President Trump has caused at the Justice Department in just his first few days in office—including purging dozens of senior career law enforcement officials at DOJ and FBI and the potentially unlawful targeting of thousands more—the next Attorney General will have her work cut out for her. As I said during Ms. Bondi’s hearing, it is absolutely critical that any nominee for Attorney General be committed first and foremost to the Constitution and the American people—not the President and his political agenda. Unfortunately, I am unconvinced that Ms. Bondi shares my belief. She is one of four personal lawyers of President Trump that he has already selected for top positions at the Department of Justice, has echoed President Trump’s calls for exacting revenge on his political opponents, and has undermined our democracy by joining in President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

    “In light of the Trump Administration’s actions over the course of the past week, the question of whether Ms. Bondi will be able to tell the President ‘no’ is even more critical. I did not receive a satisfactory answer from Ms. Bondi during her confirmation hearing. Since Watergate, there has been bipartisan support for the idea that the Justice Department must be independent from the White House. President Trump’s conduct during his first term underscored the need for this independence. I do not believe that Ms. Bondi will provide it. Today I voted ‘no’ on her nomination.”

    To view Durbin’s questions to Ms. Bondi in her confirmation hearing, click here and here.

    Yesterday, Durbin led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in letters to Ms. Bondi; nominee to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel; nominee to be Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche; as well as the Acting Attorney General, James McHenry; and Acting FBI Director, Brian Driscoll, about the removal or reassignment across DOJ and FBI of career law enforcement officials. Last week, the Trump Administration reportedly purged dozens of DOJ and FBI officials involved in prosecuting Donald Trump and the January 6 rioters and is now threatening additional action against thousands of employees across the country who worked on investigations related to the attack on the Capitol.

    Durbin also outlined concerns regarding her nomination in a speech on the Senate floor yesterday.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Joins Kaine, 36 Senators in Raising Alarm Over Trump Administration Chaos at Critical National Security Agencies

    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 Foreign Relations Committee, joined a group of 37 Senators led by Tim Kaine (D-VA), in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing their deep concern regarding the growing chaos and dysfunction at the U.S. Department of State and the Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID is a critical pillar of U.S. national security strategy, providing lifesaving aid and development support around the world to help ensure stability. Yesterday, personnel at USAID were not permitted to enter the agency’s headquarters, and Elon Musk announced that President Donald Trump agreed to close the agency and move it under the State Department – which Trump has no legal authority to do. The Trump Administration, led by Musk, has also furloughed thousands of senior career civil servants, including two top security officials who denied Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency access to classified documents and systems.

    “…We are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners,” wrote the Senators.

    The Senators continued, “The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.”

    “Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat,” wrote the Senators.

    They continued, “Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.”

    The letter is signed by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Angus S. King (I-ME), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA).

    The full text of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Votes to Confirm Pam Bondi for Attorney General

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after Pam Bondi was confirmed as Attorney General of the United States:
    “The Biden-Harris administration weaponized the rule of law and allowed cartels and fentanyl to devastate our communities. Throughout her confirmation process, Pam Bondi has demonstrated a clear commitment to restoring trust and integrity in institutions like the Department of Justice and the FBI, and to ending the Biden-Harris administration’s failed border policies. I have full confidence she will do just that.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Fetterman Introduce Bill to Help Strengthen At-Risk Homes Against Natural Disasters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and John Fetterman (D-PA) today introduced the Promoting Resilient Buildings Act, which would improve the resilience of homes at risk of being impacted by natural disasters by allowing more states and local communities to be eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program:

    “Natural disasters can wreak havoc on homes and cause devastating and costly hardships for Texans in their aftermath,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would help homeowners update at-risk homes in a cost-efficient way and help more families in Texas and across the country prepare for future storms.”

    “Too many American families have seen their homes damaged or destroyed by extreme weather and other disasters,” said Sen. Fetterman. “We can’t afford to keep rebuilding the same way and expecting different results. Just look at the devastation from Hurricane Debby—thousands of Pennsylvania families lost everything last summer and are still struggling to recover. This bill is a practical solution that will help make it easier for people to secure their homes before disaster strikes. I’m proud to team up with Senator Cornyn to get this done.”

    Background:

    This legislation would improve resilience of homes by allowing more states and local communities to be eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program.  It would ensure state and local governments retain control over the building code adoption process while advancing housing resilience through a practical, targeted approach. A key component of this legislation is the Residential Retrofit and Resilience Pilot Program, which provides a cost-effective way to strengthen older and at-risk homes against natural disasters without imposing unnecessary mandates on new construction and limits funding to 10% of Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program’s annual budget. 

    The Promoting Resilient Buildings Act would:

    • Strengthen at-risk homes by providing funding for elevations, flood-proofing, tornado-safe rooms, seismic retrofits, wildfire mitigation, and wind-resistant construction;
    • Preserve local authority and prevents unfunded mandates by restoring the definition of “latest published editions” of building codes for FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program to include the two most recent editions, allowing states to adopt the most appropriate codes for their communities;
    • Improve access to FEMA mitigation funding and prioritize financial need;
    • And establish a pilot program under Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program to provide grants for residential resilience retrofits in a fiscally responsible way and prioritize the homes most vulnerable to disasters.

    This legislation is endorsed by the National Association of Homebuilders.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch: “We need an Attorney General who will share my shock in a President acting in such a lawless way.”

    US Senate News:

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

    Before voting NO on Bondi’s nomination for Attorney General, Welch took to the Senate Floor to urge his colleagues to stand up against Trump’s illegal power grab
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, took to the Senate Floor late last night before voting against Pam Bondi’s nomination for Attorney General of the United States. Senator Welch cited President Trump’s lawlessness, and Ms. Bondi’s unwillingness to stand up against President Trump and preserve an independent Department of Justice. He called on his colleagues to  stop enabling Trump’s illegal and cruel overreach of his authority.  
    Watch more here:  

    Senator Welch’s Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the 119th Congress include:   
    Senate Committee on Finance 
    Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry   

    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit   

    Senate Committee on the Judiciary   

    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on the Constitution   

    Senate Committee on Rules & Administration  
    Senator Peter Welch has spent the bulk of his life working to improve the lives of folks who too often get left behind. After fighting housing discrimination in Chicago, he enrolled in law school at the UC-Berkeley, and later settled in White River Junction, Vermont, where he worked as a public defender before founding a small law practice. He was first elected to represent Windsor County in the Vermont Senate in 1980. Senator Welch was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served for 16 years before being elected to the Senate in 2022. In the Senate, he’s focused on lowering costs for Vermonters, making Washington work better for Vermont, and protecting civil rights and democracy in America and abroad.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Votes to Confirm Bondi as Attorney General

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) issued the following statement after voting to confirm Pam Bondi to serve as the next Attorney General of the United States:

    “Pam Bondi has an accomplished legal career as both a state prosecutor for nearly two decades and a two-term Florida Attorney General and has consistently demonstrated her respect for the law. She has experience with tackling our shared priorities of the drug crisis, violent crime and human trafficking, and recidivism rates. As Attorney General, Bondi will focus on the rule of law and restoring trust and respect back to the Department of Justice. I was proud to vote for her confirmation on the Senate floor,” Senator Capito said.

    Senator Capito previously met with Bondi in January 2025 to discuss her nomination and learn more about her vision to lead the department.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Kaine Issues Open Letter to Federal Workers Urging Strength, Promising Support

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) spoke on the Senate floor today to share an open letter to federal workers in Virginia and across the country, urging them to keep serving everyday Americans and to resist President Trump’s sham buyout offer, and promising to do everything in his power to prevent the Trump Administration from gutting the nonpartisan civil service—including by collecting stories from federal workers through his website, which will continue to be updated with FAQs and other helpful resources.

    Broadcast-quality video of Kaine’s speech is available here.

    “The Trump Administration has made plain that it wants to kick you around—by blocking your ability to administer federal resources, censuring your free speech, locking you out of your work buildings, demonizing you in the press, and sending you ominous, and at times threatening, messages,” wrote Kaine in the letter. “These actions are shameful and harmful not only to you, but to Americans across the country that you serve.”

    “America needs you—that has never been clearer than in the wake of Trump’s federal funding freeze last week. I heard from folks in every corner of Virginia about the invaluable support they receive from federal workers like you,” Kaine continued.

    “I know it has been—and will continue to be—tough. Donald Trump and his cronies are determined to do anything they can to knock you off course. They’ve even dangled a phony buyout in your face. But make no mistake: that buyout is a trap,” Kaine cautioned. “Donald Trump has no authority to offer you a resignation buyout. Don’t trust a guy with a long history of stiffing contractors by taking him up on a sham deal that he won’t follow through on.”

    Kaine has been a staunch advocate for America’s nonpartisan, merit-based civil service, and has vigorously opposed Trump’s efforts to gut the federal workforce. He has introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation, titled the Saving the Civil Service Act, to prevent federal workers from being frivolously reclassified and fired en masse for political reasons. On February 4, 2025, Kaine took to the Senate floor to highlight the real-world ramifications of the Trump Administration’s assault on the civil service and federal agencies, from making it harder for Virginia veterans to set up doctor’s appointments to ceding international influence to adversaries like Russia and China.

    “You aren’t alone,” said Kaine in the letter. “I’m going to be here with you, every day, working alongside you in service.”

    The full text of the letter is available below.

    Dear Federal Workers:

    As you are all too aware, we are in a dark time. The Trump Administration has made plain that it wants to kick you around—by blocking your ability to administer federal resources, censuring your free speech, locking you out of your work buildings, demonizing you in the press, and sending you ominous, and at times threatening, messages. These actions are shameful and harmful not only to you, but to Americans across the country that you serve.

    But especially in the darkest of times, we must stay focused on finding our guiding lights. I hope you will let the call to service that you answered when you first swore your oaths as federal employees serve as that light.

    My advice to you today is simple, even if it’s not easy: Don’t give up. Keep serving everyday folks.

    You are here because of your expertise. You are here because of your patriotism. You are here because you know the value in dedicating your life to serving your fellow Americans.

    America needs you—that has never been clearer than in the wake of Trump’s federal funding freeze last week. I heard from folks in every corner of Virginia about the invaluable support they receive from federal workers like you.

    Across the country, Americans are counting on you to deliver crucial services—from inspecting our food to make sure it’s safe, to protecting our national security. From administering Social Security benefits, to supporting our allies around the world and keeping the influence of China, Iran, and Russia at bay.

    I know it has been—and will continue to be—tough. Donald Trump and his cronies are determined to do anything they can to knock you off course. They’ve even dangled a phony buyout in your face. But make no mistake: that buyout is a trap. Donald Trump has no authority to offer you a resignation buyout. Don’t trust a guy with a long history of stiffing contractors by taking him up on a sham deal that he won’t follow through on.

    But you aren’t alone. I’m going to be here with you, every day, working alongside you in service.

    I want to share with you some specific ways in which I want to be a resource to you. On my website, kaine.senate.gov, I am collecting stories from federal workers about what you are experiencing. Under no circumstances will I share publicly any information you send me without your consent. You can also choose to submit your stories anonymously if you prefer.

    I will also be updating my webpage with information that may be helpful to you, including summarizes of your rights, recourse you can seek if you believe you are being illegally terminated, and answers to other frequently asked questions my office is receiving.

    Please know, that I’m going to do everything I can to stand up for you—just like you’re standing up for the American people. Thank you for your service.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Blasts Trump’s Vow to Dismantle the Department of Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (February 4, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement today after President Trump vowed to dismantle the Department of Education at a White House press conference. In Massachusetts, the U.S. Department of Education last year provided more than $720 million to support 1,800 K-12 schools and more than 926,000 students.

    “Investment in our children is an investment in our future. Dismantling the Department of Education would do the opposite by making it harder for children to achieve and for parents, caregivers, and communities to thrive. President Trump wants to lock the promise of public education — of equal opportunity and hope for all — behind an ivory tower accessible only to his billionaire donors at a time when a third of children in America cannot read proficiently. It is callous and cynical.

    “This attack on educators, families, and students will not go unanswered. I will not stop fighting for our future.”

    President Trump’s nominee to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Education, Linda McMahon, is expected to appear before the HELP Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Proud to Confirm Bondi as Attorney General

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today regarding the confirmation of Pam Bondi as U.S. Attorney General:

    “Pam Bondi’s no-nonsense, pro-law enforcement approach is what our country needs at the Department of Justice. Throughout her career in government service, she’s demonstrated her devotion to the rule of law, fighting on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic and defending the rights of American citizens. I’m glad she’ll put her skills as a prosecutor to work on behalf of the American people as our next Attorney General.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall on Fox News: We Need to Get President Trump’s Nominees Across the Finish Line

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined The Story with Martha MacCallum on Fox News to discuss President Trump’s Cabinet nominees. Secretary nominee for Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and nominee for Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard both advanced out of their respective committees this week and will proceed to the Senate floor for a vote. 
    Additionally, Senator Marshall discussed improving government efficiency by rooting out billions of taxpayer dollars’ worth of fraudulent payments at various federal agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). 
    [embedded content]
    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:
    On President Trump’s nominees, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, advancing out of committee this week: 
    “This feels like I’m in a barroom brawl right now with President Trump and these Democrats – and guess who’s really good at barroom brawls? That’s President Trump. We’ve got them on the run.”
    “Big news is we did get out of committee Tulsi as well as Bobby Kennedy Junior. There was a couple of Republicans we were kind of worried about, appreciate them coming through. The Democrats are going to do everything they can to slow this down. That’s why we’re working weekends.”
    “They can try to slow us down, but we’re still ahead of Joe Biden’s pace to get his nominees, and right there at pace with what Barack Obama got done. So we know how to fight, we know how to play these games. We need to get these people across the finish line, bring these disruptors to the forefront, and help President Trump fulfill his agenda. 
    On the millions of taxpayer dollars wasted by fraud and abuse at USAID:
    “Last year alone, the federal government spent $250 billion of improper payments – $250 billion of improper payments. The people of America elected President Trump to come in there to be a disrupter, to get rid of this waste and fraud.”
    “USAID is a great example. We’ll pause it. We’ll figure out where the fraud is going on, the waste and abuse, maybe bring it into under Marco Rubio’s control, and make that a better department as well.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PSI Chairman Johnson, House Judiciary Chairman Jordan, and Rep. Loudermilk Sent Letters to AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and the FBI About the Unsolved January 6, 2021 Pipe Bomb Investigation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) sent letters to AT&T Inc., T-Mobile USA, Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seeking answers about the FBI’s use of cellular data in the investigation into the pipe bombs that were discovered on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

    The letter noted that according to a former FBI official who led the investigation, some of the cellular data that the FBI relied on during its investigation was corrupted, potentially frustrating law enforcement’s efforts to locate the individual(s) responsible for planting the pipe bombs.

    However, according to a Jan. 2, 2025 House Subcommittee report, the major cellular carriers stated that they neither provided “corrupted” data to the FBI nor received any notification from the FBI of any issues accessing the cellular data.

    The bicameral letters requested the cellular carriers and the FBI provide the actual data that was analyzed for the Senate Subcommittee and House Committee to review and all communications between the FBI and the cellular carriers regarding the FBI’s request and analysis of the data.

    Read more about the lawmakers’ oversight letters in the New York Post.

    Chairman Johnson, Chairman Jordan, and Representative Loudermilk’s letters are linked below:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 4th, 2025 Senator Martin Heinrich on CNN: “My Constituents Did Not Vote for This Chaos”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Watch the full video here

    WASHINGTON — In an interview with Jim Sciutto on CNN’s The Situation Room, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) slammed Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s actions that are wreaking havoc on New Mexicans and throwing the government into chaos.

    During the interview, Heinrich vocalized the concerns of his constituents who continue to write-in and call his office, opposing Trump’s harmful actions and raising the impacts of those actions on their livelihoods and financial security. 

    “No one voted to have Elon Musk in charge of their personal data. No one voted to have him ransacking federal agencies that many of my constituents rely on for various things. That is where I think we need to really draw a contrast that, at least for my constituents, they voted for lower gas prices, they voted for cheaper eggs. They did not vote for this chaos,” Heinrich said.

    VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) on CNN’s The Situation Room, February 4, 2025.

    On Tulsi Gabbard’s Nomination:

    Sciutto asked, “You voted against her, calling her ‘a national security risk.’ Why?”

    Heinrich said, “One, there’s the issue of whether she’s qualified, but much more weighing on my mind than that is the issue of judgment. And if you look at some of her actions, especially her travel in the Middle East — with her background — when we travel to places like that, as members of Congress, we go with the State Department. Every meeting is carefully vetted. That is not what this was.”

    Heinrich continued, “She met with the Grand Mufti of Syria who had threatened suicide bombers against the United States. She met with Bashar al-Assad. My goodness, I can’t imagine a more off script foreign policy trip. And if that’s how you roll, and you’re going to be in charge of coordinating all of these intelligence agencies, and you don’t accept the information that comes from those agencies on a regular basis, it just makes no sense.”

    On Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Nomination:

    Heinrich stated, “I’m actually kind of a health food person and some of the things that RFK Jr. has said in the past, on the front of high-quality food, I can relate to. But the science of this vaccination denial is not only unscientific and irresponsible, it makes every mother who’s got an autistic kid question everything she ever did. It’s deeply irresponsible.”

    On the Israel-Gaza Conflict:

    Sciutto asked, “Earlier today, Trump said that he would like to see the Palestinian people leave Gaza and go to Jordan or Egypt. We should note, the leaders of Jordan and Egypt said they have no interest in doing so. What would that mean to you? Does that sound to you like the forced migration of people away from their home? Is that something that American presidents should be advocating for?”

    Heinrich said, “I don’t think it’s our role to take people from land that they’ve inhabited and tell them what their future should be. I think our role should be trying to encourage a future for the Israelis that creates security for them, for the Palestinians that create some sovereignty and reconstruction and a life that’s not under a terrorist organization. You know, this is a President who says outrageous things because he thinks it always will result in the deal. I’m not sure that works as well in the Middle East.”

    On President Trump Breaking Constitutional Norms and the Law:

    Heinrich said, “I think the thing that bothers me the most is that when you are willing to break the fundamentals of the Constitution, the fundamentals of law, like the Impoundment Act of 1974 and say that Congress doesn’t matter, and go into USAID or Treasury and start turning off the switches to individual programs, then you can do that to American citizens. If you can get away with that, if you can say, I’m going to turn off this USAID program. You can say this person is not going to get their Social Security.”

    On Republican Colleagues Failing to Stand Up to President Trump and Elon Musk:

    Heinrich said, “They’re not willing. They’re scared. The amount of pressure that this administration has been able to put on members of Congress, and up till now, we’re just not seeing a lot of profiles in courage.”

    Heinrich continued, “Our constitutional principles are being tested. There’s going to be a role for the courts in that battle. There’s going to be a role for Congress in that battle, and there’s going to be a role for the American people.”

    “No one voted to have Elon Musk in charge of their personal data. No one voted to have him ransacking federal agencies that many of my constituents rely on for various things. That is where I think we need to really draw a contrast that, at least for my constituents, they voted for lower gas prices, they voted for cheaper eggs. They did not vote for this chaos,” Heinrich concluded.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Promotes Access to High-Quality Job Training through Pell Grants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined his colleagues in introducing the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, legislation to help more Americans get good-paying jobs by allowing students to use federal Pell Grants—needs-based education grants for lower-income individuals—to pay for shorter-term job training programs for the first time. Currently, students can only use Pell Grants for two- and four-year colleges and universities. By expanding Pell Grant eligibility, the JOBS Act would help close the skill gap by allowing people to access job training they might otherwise be unable to afford but need for careers in high-demand fields.

    “A college degree isn’t the one-size-fits-all solution to achieving the American dream,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Since I got to Congress, I’ve been focused on expanding workforce training and skills-based learning programs. Students should not be discouraged from entering the labor industry because they cannot afford the mandatory training. Alabama relies on these skilled workers, and Congress should be making it easier for them to pursue necessary training, not harder. This bill will open up more career opportunities for students in an evolving job market. I’m proud to join my colleagues in cosponsoring the JOBS Act.”

    Joining U.S. Senator Tuberville in cosponsoring the legislation are U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The JOBS Actis supported by Advance CTE, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Business Roundtable, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA), Higher Learning Advocates (HLA), HP Inc., the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), Jobs for the Future (JFF), the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, NAF, the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB), the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), the National Skills Coalition (NSC), the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), Rebuilding America’s Middle Class (RAMC), and the Virginia Community College System.

    Read full text of the legislation here. 

    BACKGROUND:

    The JOBS Act would allow Pell Grants to be used for high-quality job training programs that are at least eight weeks in length and lead to industry-recognized credentials or certificates. Under current law, Pell Grants can only be applied toward programs that are over 600 clock hours or at least 15 weeks in length, rendering students in shorter-term high-quality job training programs ineligible for crucial assistance.

    Specifically, the JOBS Act would amend the Higher Education Act by:

    • Expanding Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in rigorous and high-quality, short-term skills and job training programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials and certificates and ultimately employment in high-wage, high-skill industry sectors or careers.
    • Ensuring students who receive Pell Grants are earning high-quality postsecondary credentials by requiring that the credentials:
      • Meet the standards under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), such as meaningful career counseling and aligning programs to in-demand career pathways or registered apprenticeship programs,
      • Are recognized by employers, industry, or sector partnerships,
      • Align with the skill needs of industries in the state or local economy,
      • Are approved by the state workforce board in addition to the U.S. Department of Education.
    • Defining eligible job training programs as those providing career and technical education instruction at an institution of higher education, such as a community or technical college that provides:
      • At least 150 clock hours of instruction time over a period of at least eight weeks,
      • Training that meets the needs of the local or regional workforce and industry partnerships,
      • Streamlined ability to transfer credits so students can continue to pursue further education in their careers,
      • Students with licenses, certifications, or credentials that meet the hiring requirements of multiple employers in the field for which the job training is offered.

    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: Crapo, Risch, Daines Lead Bill to Defend Firearm Businesses and the Second Amendment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Montana) introduced the Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination (FIND) Act to prohibit the federal government from entering into contracts with groups that discriminate unfairly against firearm associations or businesses.

    “Taxpayer dollars should not support businesses that unfairly target law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights. Full stop,” said Crapo.

    “We cannot allow businesses with anti-Second Amendment policies and rhetoric to benefit from taxpayer-funded government contracts,” said Risch.  “The FIND Act ensures the federal government doesn’t line the pockets of businesses working against Idahoans’ right to keep and bear arms.”

    “Democrats and woke corporations have proven over and over again that they want to carry out an unconstitutional, overreaching gun-grabbing agenda, and under no circumstances should our federal government use taxpayer dollars for these efforts.  Doing business with anti-Second Amendment corporations erodes Americans’ trust and infringes on law-abiding citizens’ Constitutional rights. It must stop,” said Daines.

    The legislation was co-sponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Katie Britt (R-Alabama).

    ?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement on Meeting With CMS Administrator Nominee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Published: February 04, 2025

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) released the following statement after meeting with Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Trump’s nominee to be Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator:
    “I had a constructive meeting with Dr. Oz, where we discussed his approach to health care policy and vision for CMS.  I value his advocacy for consumer choice and his commitment to expanding Americans’ access to affordable, high-quality health care.  I look forward to considering his nomination before the Finance Committee.”

    Save image here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement on Pam Bondi Confirmation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the following statement after the Senate confirmed, by a vote of 54-46, Pam Bondi to be the United States Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ):

    “Under the previous Administration, the DOJ weaponized the justice system against the Left’s perceived political enemies.  Notably, it targeted pro-life individuals and President Donald Trump in frivolous, politically-motivated lawsuits.  Pam Bondi has promised to return our federal law enforcement to its rightful job of prosecuting crimes and carrying out justice without regard to political identity.  She will restore order to an agency facing significant bureaucratic backlogs and she will uphold the rule of law.  I congratulate Attorney General Bondi on her confirmation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy At Treasury: The Senate Should Not Vote For A Single Nominee That Will Participate In This Fraud

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 04, 2025

    [embedded content]

    WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, on Tuesday joined Democratic members of Congress outside the U.S. Treasury Department to call out Elon Musk’s alleged illegal takeover of the Treasury’s payment systems. Murphy blasted Musk for conspiring with Donald Trump and his billionaire cronies to hijack the federal government for the ultra-rich—putting Social Security, tax refunds, and other essential programs millions of Americans depend on at risk.

    A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:

    MURPHY: “So it feels like the people of America have woken up. We are wide awake to the fraud that is being perpetuated on this country inside this building, and we are not going to stand for it. And I don’t know about you, but I think the United States Senate shouldn’t vote for a single nominee that’s going to participate in this fraud. 

    “When we open up the Senate every single morning, we don’t pledge allegiance to the billionaires. We don’t pledge allegiance to Elon Musk. We don’t pledge allegiance to the creepy twenty-two-year-olds working for Elon Musk. We pledge allegiance to the United States of America. I want to make sure that my mother gets her Social Security check, not because she pledges allegiance to Elon, but because she pledges allegiance to the United States of America. I want to make sure your neighbor gets their tax refund, not because they pledge allegiance to the billionaire class, but because they pledge allegiance to the United States of America. 

    “And so we have work to do right now. Every single one of us has a responsibility to stand up to this fraud. And it is true, we have to reach out to everyone in this country –conservatives, liberals, Republicans, Democrats – and tell them that we have not months, we have not weeks, but we have days to stop the destruction of our democracy. We have work to do. 

    “And so we will fight. We will fight with you to make sure that in this country, it is the people that rule. It is the people that rule, not the billionaires. We are taking back this country from Elon Musk. Thank you, everybody.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, 35 Colleagues Raise Alarm Over Trump Administration Chaos At Critical National Security Agencies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 04, 2025

    WASHINGTON–U.S Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 35 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing their deep concern regarding the growing chaos and dysfunction at the U.S. Department of State and the Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID is a critical pillar of U.S. national security strategy, providing lifesaving aid and development support around the world to help ensure stability.
    Yesterday, personnel at USAID were not permitted to enter the agency’s headquarters, and Elon Musk announced that President Donald Trump agreed to close the agency and move it under the State Department – which Trump has no legal authority to do. The Trump Administration, led by Musk, has also furloughed thousands of senior career civil servants, including two top security officials who denied Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency access to classified documents and systems.
    “…We are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners,” the senators wrote.
    The senators continued, “The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.”
    “Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat,” the senators added.
    They continued, “Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.”
    U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Angus S. King (I-Maine), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) also signed the letters.
    Full text of the letter is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Welcomes Pam Bondi’s Confirmation as U.S. Attorney General

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released the following statement regarding the Senate’s confirmation of Pam Bondi to be Attorney General of the United States. Bondi was confirmed by a vote of 54-46.

    “Pam Bondi’s confirmation is a victory for the rule of law and a promise that safer days are ahead. Ms. Bondi is a career prosecutor who’s dedicated her professional career to pursuing justice. As Florida’s Attorney General, she didn’t shy away from hard work or complicated problems. I expect her to take the same tough, unbiased approach as U.S. Attorney General.

    “Bondi is committed to upholding the constitutionality of the False Claims Act – which has rescued over $78 billion from the hands of government fraudsters – and vowed to enthusiastically support government transparency. You can be sure my congressional oversight of the Department of Justice will continue. Under Ms. Bondi’s leadership, I look forward to seeing enhanced accountability at the DOJ and improved responsiveness to Congress and the American people.”

    Grassley spoke on the Senate floor earlier today in support of Bondi’s nomination. See his full remarks HERE.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley: The Senate Judiciary Committee is Moving Forward with Kash Patel’s Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released the following statement regarding the Minority’s request to hold a second hearing on Kash Patel’s nomination to be FBI Director:

    “Kash Patel testified before the Committee for more than five hours, disclosed thousands of pages of records and media appearances, and provided 147 pages of responses to written questions. Further hearings on his nomination are unnecessary. 

    “No one was convinced by the Minority’s baseless efforts to mischaracterize and malign Kash Patel. It’s additionally outrageous to assert that a nominee should come before the Senate to answer for government actions that occurred prior to their time at an agency.

    “The Senate Judiciary Committee will not fall for Democrats’ delay tactics. I intend to hold a final committee vote on Patel’s nomination as soon as next week.”

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley, Sanders Introduce Bill to Curb Exploitative Credit Card Interest Rates, Provide Relief to Working Americans

    US Senate News:

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

    Tuesday, February 04, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced bipartisan legislation to immediately cap credit card interest rates at ten percent for five years. The legislation follows President Trump’s campaign promise of a ten percent interest rate cap.

    “Working Americans are drowning in record credit card debt while the biggest credit card issuers get richer and richer by hiking their interest rates to the moon. It’s not just wrong, it’s exploitative. And it needs to end,” Senator Hawley said. “Capping credit card interest rates at 10%, just like President Trump campaigned on, is a simple way to provide meaningful relief to working people. Let’s do it.”

    “During the campaign, President Trump pledged to cap credit card interest rates at ten percent,” Senator Sanders said. “Today, I am proud to be introducing bipartisan legislation with Senator Hawley to do just that. When large financial institutions charge over 25 percent interest on credit cards, they are not engaged in the business of making credit available. They are engaged in extortion and loan sharking. We cannot continue to allow big banks to make huge profits ripping off the American people. This legislation will provide working families struggling to pay their bills with desperately needed financial relief.”

    The Sanders-Hawley bill comes after a recent Forbes report found that the average credit card interest rate is 28.6%, despite banks’ ability to borrow money from the Federal Reserve at less than 4.5%. Exorbitant interest rates and sky-high fees have allowed credit card companies to make enormous profits, supplying their executives with generous compensation at the expense of hard-working Americans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Joins Hoeven, Pfluger in Efforts to Block Biden’s Natural Gas Tax, Alleviate Burden on U.S. Domestic Energy Production

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) and Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX) today in reintroducing a bicameral Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval to block implementation of the Biden administration’s Natural Gas Tax, which was passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spend legislation in 2022.

    “This onerous natural gas tax was a key component of President Biden’s crusade to cripple western energy production,” said Senator Lummis. “I’m proud to work with Senator Hoeven and Congressman Pfluger to block this shortsighted, anti-energy legislation and start the process of undoing these failed Biden-era attacks on American and Wyoming energy.”

    “When it comes to bringing down prices and making America energy secure again, we have our work cut out for us. The Biden-Harris administration imposed countless policies like the Natural Gas Tax that drive up the cost of production and limit the ability to fully utilize our nation’s abundant energy resources, and it will take real time and effort to undo the effects of their Green New Deal agenda,” said Senator Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Through efforts like this CRA resolution, we are working to get our nation back on the right track, providing needed regulatory and tax relief to deliver real cost savings to American energy producers and consumers.”

    “As part of his war on energy, former President Biden took radical steps to end fossil fuels during his administration which hurt the hardworking energy producers in my district who have worked diligently to increase production while fueling our allies abroad,” said Rep. Pfluger, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “Biden’s burdensome natural gas tax has handicapped technological innovation, reduced supplies of affordable energy, and increased both costs and emissions. With President Trump back in office, it is time to restore American energy dominance – which is why I am proud to lead this CRA to rescind this ill-conceived natural gas tax.”

    The Hoeven-Pfluger bill is cosponsored by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Ricketts (R-Neb.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). The full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis, Hagerty, Gillibrand, Scott Introduce Bipartisan Stablecoin Regulatory Framework

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    Washington, D.C.—  Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senate Banking Committee Chair Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) in introducing the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act to establish a clear regulatory framework for payment stablecoins.

    “Creating a bipartisan regulatory framework for stablecoins is critical to maintaining the U.S.’s dollar dominance and promoting responsible financial innovation,” said Lummis. “I’m proud to support Sen. Hagerty’s important legislation, which goes a long way towards protecting Wyoming’s regulatory framework for digital assets, and ensures stablecoin issuers have a real choice when it comes to a state or national charter.”

    “From enhancing transaction efficiency to driving demand for U.S. Treasuries, the potential benefits of strong stablecoin innovation are immense,” said Hagerty. “My legislation establishes a safe and pro-growth regulatory framework that will unleash innovation and advance the President’s mission to make America the world capital of crypto.”

    “Stablecoins enable faster, cheaper, and competitive transactions in our digital world and facilitate seamless cross-border payments,” said Scott. “This legislation will expand financial inclusion and provide much-needed clarity to ensure the industry can innovate and grow here in the United States, while protecting consumers and promoting the U.S. dollar’s global position. I look forward to working with our colleagues – including House Financial Services Chairman French Hill – to advance this legislation to President Trump’s desk.”

    “Passing clear and sensible regulations for stablecoins is critical to maintaining U.S. dollar dominance, promoting responsible innovation, and protecting consumers,” said Gillibrand. “The bipartisan Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act protects consumers by requiring stablecoin issuers to maintain one-to-one reserves; prohibiting algorithmic stablecoins; and requiring issuers to comply with U.S. anti-money-laundering and sanctions rules. Importantly, it will empower responsible innovation, maintain U.S. leadership in digital assets and blockchain technology, and keep crypto companies and jobs onshore. The future of stablecoins and cryptocurrency has strong bipartisan support—I’m proud to introduce this bill with Senators Hagerty, Lummis and Scott, and look forward to working together to pass this important legislation.”

    The GENIUS Act:

    • Defines a payment stablecoin as a digital asset used for payment or settlement that is pegged to a fixed monetary value;
    • Establishes clear procedures for institutions seeking charters or licenses to issue stablecoins;
    • Implements reserve requirements and tailored regulatory standards for stablecoin issuers;
    • For State issuers of more than $10 billion in stablecoins, establishes the Federal Reserve Board as the joint supervisor of depository institutions and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) as the joint supervisor of State nonbank issuers above $10 billion; 
    • Establishes supervisory, examination, and enforcement regimes with clear limitations.

    Full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty Leads Legislation to Establish a Stablecoin Regulatory Framework

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—United States Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Tim Scott (R-SC), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today introduced the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, legislation to establish a clear regulatory framework for payment stablecoins.

    Based on a public discussion draft released by Hagerty in October 2024, the legislation has benefited from extensive consultation with industry participants, academic experts, and federal government stakeholders.

    “From enhancing transaction efficiency to driving demand for U.S. Treasuries, the potential benefits of strong stablecoin innovation are immense,” said Senator Hagerty. “My legislation establishes a safe and pro-growth regulatory framework that will unleash innovation and advance the President’s mission to make America the world capital of crypto. I look forward to working with Chairman French Hill and the House Financial Services Committee to get it to the President’s desk and signed into law.”

    “Stablecoins enable faster, cheaper, and competitive transactions in our digital world and facilitate seamless cross-border payments,” said Chairman Scott. “This legislation will expand financial inclusion and provide much-needed clarity to ensure the industry can innovate and grow here in the United States, while protecting consumers and promoting the U.S. dollar’s global position. I look forward to working with our colleagues – including House Financial Services Chairman French Hill – to advance this legislation to President Trump’s desk.”

    “Passing clear and sensible regulations for stablecoins is critical to maintaining U.S. dollar dominance, promoting responsible innovation, and protecting consumers,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “The bipartisan Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act protects consumers by requiring stablecoin issuers to maintain one-to-one reserves; prohibiting algorithmic stablecoins; and requiring issuers to comply with U.S. anti-money-laundering and sanctions rules. Importantly, it will empower responsible innovation, maintain U.S. leadership in digital assets and blockchain technology, and keep crypto companies and jobs onshore. The future of stablecoins and cryptocurrency has strong bipartisan support—I’m proud to introduce this bill with Senators Hagerty, Lummis and Scott, and look forward to working together to pass this important legislation.”

    “Creating a bipartisan regulatory framework for stablecoins is critical to maintaining the U.S.’s dollar dominance and promoting responsible financial innovation,” said Senator Lummis. “I’m proud to support Sen. Hagerty’s important legislation, which goes a long way towards protecting Wyoming’s regulatory framework for digital assets, and ensures stablecoin issuers have a real choice when it comes to a state or national charter.”

    Background:

    Dollar-denominated payment stablecoins are digital assets pegged to the U.S. dollar. They can improve transaction efficiency, expand financial inclusion, and strengthen the dollar’s supremacy as the world reserve currency by driving demand for U.S. Treasuries. The previous Administration’s hostility toward crypto and refusal to provide clear regulatory guidelines has severely stifled stablecoin innovation. This legislation turns a new page.

    The GENIUS Act:

    • Defines a payment stablecoin as a digital asset used for payment or settlement that is pegged to a fixed monetary value;
    • Establishes clear procedures for institutions seeking licenses to issue stablecoins;
    • Implements reserve requirements and light-touch, tailored regulatory standards for stablecoin issuers;
    • For issuers of more than $10 billion of stablecoins, applies the Federal Reserve’s regulatory framework to depository institutions and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s framework for nonbank issuers;
    • Allows for state regulation of issuers under $10 billion in market capitalization and provides a waiver process for issuers exceeding the threshold to remain state-regulated; and
    • Establishes supervisory, examination, and enforcement regimes with clear limitations.

    Full text of the GENIUS Act can be found here.

    A one-page overview of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As FBI Purges Reportedly Continue, Booker Urges Chairman Grassley to Schedule New Judiciary Hearing to Hear Further Testimony from Kash Patel

    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, issued the following statement:

    “On Thursday of last week, FBI director nominee Kash Patel appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Throughout the hearing, Mr. Patel downplayed and minimized his well-documented record of calling for retribution against members of the media and government officials and glorifying insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, including those who violently assaulted law enforcement officers. Although there is no legal prohibition barring Mr. Patel from doing so, he refused to answer questions posed by Committee members relating to his grand jury testimony and the circumstances that led him to assert his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in connection with the federal investigation of President Trump’s mishandling of classified national security documents.

    “Based on reports of imminent mass firings, I directly asked Mr. Patel whether he was aware of plans to punish FBI agents or personnel who worked on investigations of President Trump. Despite claiming, under oath, not to know anything about planned retribution against FBI employees, and only minutes after Mr. Patel’s hearing concluded, political appointees at the Department of Justice ousted several members of FBI leadership and demanded a list of thousands of employees who worked on investigations relating to the January 6th insurrection. These employees worked to keep us safe from counterterrorism, cybercrimes, transnational organized crime, and countless other threats that pose a danger to our nation. Their abrupt terminations and the threat of more firings create chaos within the FBI and jeopardize our domestic and national security. Mr. Patel claimed during his hearing that all FBI employees would be protected against political retribution, but these actions are plainly retributive against law enforcement officials who have dedicated their lives to protecting this country. 

    “The Committee must call Mr. Patel back to answer for these acts. Chairman Grassley must schedule an additional hearing for Mr. Patel to truthfully answer questions about the ongoing purge at the FBI and retaliation against FBI employees and about his involvement in the retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Anyone who misleads Congress is unfit to serve as the director of the nation’s preeminent law enforcement agency with control over and access to our county’s most sensitive classified information.

    “The Senate Judiciary Committee simply cannot discharge its constitutional duty to advise and consent on nominees unless we have a full and accurate understanding of Mr. Patel’s record and participation in gutting the FBI. The Committee must fulfill its responsibility to the American people and the 38,000 employees of the FBI nationwide to ensure that a director confirmed by the Senate can be trusted to run the Bureau.”

    MIL OSI USA News –