NewzIntel.com

Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Probes Lutnick for Ties to Crypto Firm with Long Record of Financing Terrorists, Illicit Activity

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    January 28, 2025
    Ahead of hearing, Sen. Warren wrote to Lutnick about deep ties to Tether, known as “outlaws’ favorite cryptocurrency”
    “Your record of support for and financial involvement with Tether…raise significant questions about your own personal judgment and the conflicts of interest that you will have if you are confirmed as Commerce Secretary.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Department of Commerce, ahead of his Wednesday confirmation hearing, probing his serious financial conflicts and personal and professional ties to the scandal-ridden cryptocurrency Tether. 
    “In particular, your deep involvement with and support for Tether, a known facilitator of criminal activity that has been described as ‘outlaws’ favorite cryptocurrency’ raises concerns about your judgment and ability to put the interests of the American people ahead of your own financial interests,” wrote Senator Warren.
    Senator Warren requested information about Lutnick’s financial stake in Tether, any conversations with Trump administration officials about Tether, and whether his firm performed due diligence to confirm that Tether is in compliance with “Know Your Customer” rules in the Bank Secrecy Act, international sanctions, and anti-money laundering laws.
    As CEO of Tether’s asset manager, Cantor Fitzgerald, which also reportedly holds a 5 percent stake in the cryptocurrency company, Lutnick played a significant role in Tether’s rise. Despite Tether’s clear ties to criminal activity — including financing North Korean nuclear weapons programs, Mexican drug cartels, Russian arms companies, Middle Eastern terrorist groups, and Chinese manufacturers of chemicals used to make fentanyl — Lutnick “‘vouched’ for Tether when ‘few others would.’”
    Even after Trump’s election win and subsequent decision to nominate Lutnick as Commerce Secretary, Cantor Fitzgerald continued to deepen its ties to Tether, reportedly agreeing to serve as the backbone of Tether’s multi-billion dollar Bitcoin lending program. Lutnick seemingly used his role as Trump Transition co-chair to advance his own interests, including bringing Cantor Fitzgerald lobbyist Jeff Miller to Congressional meetings related to the transition. As Senator Warren noted, “even aides in the Trump administration were questioning [Lutnick’s] continued efforts to mix [his] business interests with [his] duties on the Trump transition team.”
    “You cannot serve as a booster for Tether while impartially fulfilling the Department of Commerce’s mission to ‘create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities’ as ‘economic growth has taken on increased importance for national security,’” Senator Warren concluded.
    After President Trump announced his decision to nominate Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary in November, Senator Warren said: “Donald Trump’s pick of a Wall Street CEO for Commerce Secretary is a win for the billionaire class at the expense of working people. The across-the-board tariff plan is a distraction from the MAGA scam to extend tax giveaways for giant corporations and billionaires like Howard Lutnick.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Questions Defense Secretary Hegseth on Trump’s Purported Military Action to “Turn On” California Water

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Questions Defense Secretary Hegseth on Trump’s Purported Military Action to “Turn On” California Water

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) requested Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth clarify President Trump’s January 27th Truth Social post, which claimed that the U.S. military “entered” California and “turned on the water” flowing from Northern California to other parts of the state.
    Even though California is delivering as much water to farms and cities as during the previous Trump Administration, the President claimed that he used his “Emergency Powers” as Commander-in-Chief to send the military to California to turn on the water. Contrary to misinformation circulated by President Trump, Southern California has record water storage on hand. Senator Padilla has pushed back against dangerous misinformation about the state’s water supply, which Trump is attempting to leverage to withhold disaster aid.
    After President Trump was sworn in, federal pumping of water was briefly reduced due to outages for maintenance, which have since been restored to prior pumping levels.   
    “Clarity and transparency on these matters are crucial to ensure that the public is properly informed and that any actions comply with federal laws governing the use of the U.S. military within the United States,” wrote Senator Padilla.
    Padilla asked Secretary Hegseth the following five clarifying questions in response to Trump’s post:
    1. Which units of the U.S. Armed Forces have been assigned to this mission?
    2. Specifically, where in California were they deployed? Please name the specific cities that were “entered” by U.S. Armed Forces, and the names and ownership of any facilities where troops were assigned.
    3. When the President says members of the military “TURNED ON THE WATER,” what specific actions did U.S. servicemembers undertake to accomplish this mission?
    4. To which specific “Emergency Powers” is the President referring to justify this mission?
    5. Compared to the week of January 13, 2025, how much more water is now flowing through the federal pumps?
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary Hegseth,
    I write regarding President Trump’s January 27th post on Truth Social in which he wrote, “The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!”
    Given this statement from the President and Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces, I ask that you respond in writing to the following questions:
    1. Which units of the U.S. Armed Forces have been assigned to this mission?
    2. Specifically, where in California were they deployed? Please name the specific cities that were “entered” by U.S. Armed Forces, and the names and ownership of any facilities where troops were assigned.
    3. When the President says members of the military “TURNED ON THE WATER,” what specific actions did U.S. servicemembers undertake to accomplish this mission?
    4. To which specific “Emergency Powers” is the President referring to justify this mission?
    5. Compared to the week of January 13, 2025, how much more water is now flowing through the federal pumps?
    Clarity and transparency on these matters are crucial to ensure that the public is properly informed and that any actions comply with federal laws governing the use of the U.S. military within the United States.
    I look forward to your prompt response to these questions.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Raises Alarm on Trump Administration Illegally Blocking Hundreds of Billions in Federal Support

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Raises Alarm on Trump Administration Illegally Blocking Hundreds of Billions in Federal Support

    Urges Budget Committee to Delay OMB Nominee
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement after President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) ordered federal agencies to freeze all congressionally approved federal grants and loans, including disaster relief for Californians:
    “Donald Trump is illegally blocking hundreds of billions of dollars for essential federal programs to support families recovering after catastrophic fires, law enforcement agencies we rely on to keep our communities safe, and children and families who depend on federal child care and nutrition programs. All in his effort to pay for his tax cuts for large corporations and billionaires, like the ones he surrounded himself with during his inauguration. This overreach is unconstitutional and hurts the thousands of Californians who have been devastated by the recent fires. When Congress approves federal funds for programs to help communities, they are not optional: they are legal mandates.
    “Americans in every corner of the country will feel the impact of Donald Trump’s unlawful directives. I am calling on my Republican colleagues to not confirm Russell Vought to be OMB Director until Trump reverses this reckless order.”
    The sweeping directives in the Trump Administration’s memorandum are set to go into effect at 5 p.m. ET this evening. If implemented as written, the directives could block funding for California and national priorities including:
    Disaster Relief: Public assistance and hazard mitigation grants from the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments and non-profits to help communities quickly respond to, recover from, and prepare for major disasters will be halted — right as so many Southern California communities are struggling amid the recent fires.
    Firefighting: Grants to support firefighters across the country will be halted. This includes grants that help states and localities purchase essential firefighting equipment.
    Public Safety: Grants for law enforcement and homeland security activities will cease to go out the door, undermining public safety in every state and territory.
    Infrastructure Projects: All federally-funded transportation projects — roads, bridges, public transit, and more — will be halted, including projects already under construction.
    Homelessness/Housing: In the midst of a homelessness and housing crisis, the Trump Administration is freezing housing and homelessness funding, which will exacerbate our housing crisis.
    988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline that Senator Padilla significantly improved, as well as grants for mental health services, will be cut off.
    Nutrition Assistance: Millions of American citizens who rely on nutrition assistance programs like school lunch programs will be left hungry as funding is cut off and non-profits who provide additional assistance lose federal funding.
    Combating the Fentanyl Crisis: Funding for communities to address the substance use disorder crisis and combat the fentanyl crisis will be cut off.
    Emergency Preparedness: Critical preparedness and response capability funding used to prepare for disasters, public health emergencies, and chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear events will be frozen.
    Child Care: Child care programs across the country will not be able to access the funding they rely on to keep their doors open.
    K-12 Schools: Federal funding for K-12 schools will be halted. School districts may not be able to access key formula grant funding including Title I, IDEA, Impact Aid, and Career and Technical Education, which would pose tremendous financial burdens on schools in the middle of the school year.
    Biomedical Research: There will be immediate pauses on all funding for critical health research, including research on cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes, as well as clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center and all across the country — disrupting lifesaving and often time-sensitive research.
    Higher Education and Job Training: Millions of students relying on federal student loans and federal work study will have their plans to pursue postsecondary education and further their careers thrown into chaos as federal financial aid disbursements are paused.
    Health Services: Federal funding for community health centers that provide health care for over 30 million Americans will be immediately frozen, creating chaos for patients trying get their prescriptions, a regular checkup, and more.
    Small Businesses: The Small Business Administration will have to halt loans to small businesses — including those in disaster-ravaged California communities. 
    Veterans Care: Federal grants to help veterans in rural areas access health care and grants to help veterans get other critical services, including suicide prevention resources, transition assistance, and housing for homeless veterans, will be cut off.
    Tribes: Funding to tribes for basic government services like health care, public safety, programs, tribal schools, and food assistance will be halted.
    Preventing Violence Against Women: All Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grants, as well as funding for victims assistance and state and local police, will be cut off.
    U.S. Competitiveness: Existing grants to support research for Artificial Intelligence and quantum computing will be halted and any new grant funding would be paused — undermining U.S. innovation and competitiveness with China and putting California jobs at risk.
    Energy Jobs: Grants for critical energy projects nationwide will be cut off — halting billions of dollars in investment nationwide and jeopardizing good-paying American jobs. The Department of Energy Loan Program Office will halt loans in 28 states, impacting hundreds of thousands of construction and operations jobs.
    Food Inspections: Some states will have to take on the full financial burden of ensuring the nation’s meat supply is safe if federal cooperative agreements for meat inspection are halted.
    Support for Servicemembers: Support for a host of Department of Defense financial assistance and grant programs supporting servicemembers and their families will be halted, including the Fisher House, Impact Aid, community noise mitigation, ROTC language training, STEM programs, and the USO.
    Military Readiness: Grants and other assistance appropriated to strengthen military effectiveness and defense capacity will be halted, including Defense Production Act support for the defense industrial base, basic research grants necessary to advance key technologies, and small business support to strengthen supply chains.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski Releases Statement on Suspension of Federal Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
    01.28.25
    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released the following statement on federal funding: 
    “Alaskans have understandably been reaching out to my office all day, asking for clarity about what OMB’s memo ordering a pause in grants, loans, and other federal financial assistance means for them. At this point, we don’t have any more direction than what has been reported. My staff is actively tracking impacted projects and services in Alaska, and working to identify those that most urgently need to be brought to the administration’s attention. Please pass along any information you can to my office directly about projects and services that are being affected, and thank you for your patience as we work alongside you to navigate next steps.”
    On Tuesday afternoon, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released guidance and a Q&A that can be referenced for assistance as the situation evolves. Alaskans can contact Senator Murkowski’s office using this link to report additional concerns. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Decries Trump Pardons for Violent January 6 Insurrectionists

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (January 28, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today on President Trump’s pardons for violent January 6 insurrectionists. Yesterday, Senator Markey joined the Senate Democratic caucus in introducing a resolution condemning the pardons of individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers. 

    “On January 6, 2021, dedicated officers of the U.S. Capitol Police were forced to protect members of Congress in medieval-style combat as a vicious mob armed with firearms, bear spray, and metal barricades forced its way into the U.S. Capitol. Officers died as a result of the insurrection, and many more were left beaten and bruised. Donald Trump pardoned the January 6 insurrectionists, including violent felons, in one swoop—a disgraceful insult not only to our democracy, but to the law enforcement officers who show up every day to protect and serve us,” said Senator Markey. “I’m astounded by the silence among my Republican colleagues. They claim to ‘back the blue’ but now they laud the violent criminals who left our officers black and blue on January 6. We now know that the Republican party is no longer the party of ‘law and order,’ but the party of ‘chaos and disorder.’ Donald Trump’s pardons are a dangerous and shameful abuse of presidential power. We should all be united in denouncing them.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan Statement on Federal Funding Pause and Review

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    01.28.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) released the following statement regarding the temporary pause on the distribution of some federal funds, pending a review by the Trump administration:

    “My office has heard from many Alaskans concerned about the Trump administration’s pause on the distribution of federal funds. My team and I are digging into the details of how this pause impacts Alaska and closely monitoring the situation.

    “The pause is more limited in scope than some initial media reports suggested, but I still have concerns on how it can negatively impact Alaskans. The pause is being conducted to review compliance with several of the President’s executive orders, particularly those related to foreign aid, illegal immigration and DEI initiatives. According to the White House, the pause does not affect direct benefits to Americans and Alaskans—including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, Pell grants, Head Start, veterans’ benefits, rental assistance and similar programs.

    “We will continue to work closely with Alaskans who may be impacted and share any additional guidance provided by the Office of Management and Budget. My team and I will continue to weigh in with the Trump administration on behalf of impacted Alaskans and our communities. If any individual Alaskan or Alaska organization is concerned about a particular grant or funding source, I encourage them to reach out to my office at 202.224.3004.”

    The Office of Management and Budget released an initial guidance document which can be viewed here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: One Month Away: Submission Deadline Approaches for Senator Sullivan’s Student Fentanyl Awareness Competition

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    01.28.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) reminded Alaskans today of the approaching February 28th deadline for high school students across Alaska to participate in a public awareness campaign about the dangers of fentanyl in their community. The competition is part of the statewide “One Pill Can Kill – Alaska” public awareness campaign that Senator Sullivan launched in May of 2024. Since the campaign began, Senator Sullivan has highlighted the One Pill Can Kill campaign in community visits, roundtables and student listening sessions across the state, including in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Wasilla, Ketchikan, Cordova, Valdez, Glenallen, Kotzebue and Utqiagvik. More information on the competition can be found below and by clicking here.

    “Fighting the deadly fentanyl crisis in our state means enlisting the help of all Alaskans,” Senator Sullivan said. “After hearing from youth across our state, it became clear that in order for this campaign to succeed, young Alaskans in particular would need to play a big role. Young Alaskans are impacted by this crisis—and they’re motivated to action. By harnessing the creative and bright minds of Alaska’s next generation of leaders, we can finally turn the tide against this horrendous plague on our communities.”

    Competition Details:

    What: We are asking students to launch a “One Pill Can Kill” media campaign to reach high school students.  The campaign can reach students in a variety of ways: posters in hallways, advertisements in student newspapers, or videos on social media are a few examples. Creativity is key.

    The campaigns should use the “One Pill Can Kill” messaging and highlight the dangers of fentanyl, the risks of non-prescription drug use, and the importance of staying informed and seeking help.

    Who: This competition is open to groups of high school students in Alaska. Schools are encouraged to submit one campaign per school but may submit more. Each entry must include at least two students’ participation. Home schooled students may also participate by launching a media campaign that reaches youth in locations other than school, including online.

    How: After launching the campaign, contestants must submit a report to Senator Sullivan’s communications team explaining their campaign, how it was executed and what they learned. Final submissions can be sent to helen_martin@sullivan.senate.gov. Keep in mind the judging criteria below. Examples of the campaign’s media materials must be included or linked to in the report.

    Judging Criteria:

    1. Effectiveness – Is the campaign effective?
    2. Targeted Audience – Does the campaign reach the intended audience?
    3. Messaging – Does the campaign incorporate the theme of “One Pill Can Kill – Alaska?”
    4. Creativity – Is the campaign innovative?
    5. Accuracy – Are the facts about fentanyl and its risks correct and well-researched?
    6. Lessons Learned – Does the report explain what they learned from the experience?

    Prize:

    While all campaigns will be featured on Senator Sullivan’s website, the winning campaign will work with Senator Sullivan’s communications team to design public service announcements featured as part of the statewide “One Pill Can Kill – Alaska” campaign. It will be shared on Senator Sullivan’s social media channels and offered for distribution to local television, radio, and print media across Alaska.

    Timeline:

    • Report Submission Deadline: February 28, 2025
    • Winners Announced: March 14, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Peters champion bipartisan bill to end government payments to deceased Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act to save billions of federal dollars by curbing erroneous payments to individuals who have passed away.

    Kennedy’s original bipartisan legislation set up provisions to save federal taxpayer dollars by curbing erroneous government payments to deceased individuals for a temporary three-year period, and the new bill would make the temporary provisions permanent.

    “In 2023 alone, the federal government sent $1.3 billion to dead people. The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act would permanently correct bureaucratic errors so that Americans’ tax dollars don’t get wasted or stolen,” said Kennedy.

    “This bill would help save millions of taxpayer dollars by ensuring that the Social Security Administration can permanently share important data with the Treasury’s Do Not Pay system, preventing wrongful payments to deceased individuals. I have long supported this legislation because I believe it is a vital step in safeguarding taxpayer dollars and ensuring the integrity of our payment systems,” said Peters. 

    Earlier this month, the Treasury Department announced that it recovered $31 million in fraud and improper payments during the first five months of the implementation of Senator Kennedy’s Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act in which the Social Security Administration shared it’s Death Master File with the Treasury Department in order to avoid erroneous payments on a temporary basis. 

    The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act would permanently amend the Social Security Act to allow the Social Security Administration to share the Death Master File—a record of deceased individuals—with the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay system. This change would rein in the government’s ability to make improper payments to deceased people into the future.

    The bill would also allow Treasury’s Do Not Pay working system to compare death information from the Social Security Administration with personal information from other federal entities and to share this information with any paying or administering agency that is authorized to use the Do Not Pay system.

    Background:

    • In Dec. 2024, Kennedy urged his colleagues to save taxpayer dollars and support the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased Americans Act on the Senate floor.
    • In May 2024, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs unanimously passed Kennedy’s Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act. 
    • Kennedy’s Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act became law in December 2020. The bill mandates the sharing of the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File with the Department of the Treasury’s Do Not Pay working system within three years after enactment. The three-year exchange runs from December 27, 2023 to December 27, 2026.  
    • In 2021, Kennedy wrote this op-ed sounding the alarm on the government’s sending more than $1 billion to deceased Americans.
    • In 2019, Kennedy questioned U.S. Government Accountability Office Comptroller General Hon. Gene L. Dodaro about improper payments sent to deceased people.

    Full bill text is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy On Trump Freezing All Federal Grants: This Is What A King Does

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    January 28, 2025

    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined Senate Democrats at a press conference on Tuesday raising the alarm about the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo directing agencies to freeze federal funding.
    Full transcript of Murphy’s remarks:
    “This is an attempt by Donald Trump to seize power. It sounds like a provocative thing to say, but how else do you describe what we have watched happen over the last week? The broad immunization of political violence, the illegal firing of inspectors general there to make sure that the money of the taxpayers isn’t stolen, and today, the illegal and unconstitutional decision to put the President of the United States, and no one else, in charge of who gets federal money and who doesn’t.
    “What President Trump is doing is seizing control of the federal budget and deciding by himself who gets money and who doesn’t for two reasons. One, he wants to bank money so that he can afford his massive tax cut for billionaires and corporations, but second, so that he can hand out money to his friends, to the companies that are run by his billionaire donors, to states that voted for him, to congressional districts with members of Congress who are loyal to him, and so that he can deny money to any organization run by Democrats, to companies that are competitors to his billionaire friends, to congressional districts represented by his political opponents.
    “This what a king does. This is not how a democracy works. One man does not decide how taxpayers’ money is spent so that it only gets sent to the President’s political friends, and it gets used to punish his political enemies.
    “The scope of the damage that will be done is enormous to poor kids who rely on Head Start programs, to families who desperately need that cancer research done, to veterans who, if they miss one or two appointments, their life falls apart suddenly overnight.
    “We have to understand what is happening in context. The President wants you to be distracted by the day-to-day announcements, but put together, the pardoning of the violent rioters, the firing of the inspectors general, and today, the stoppage of federal funding, leaving the decision only to the political whims of President Trump, represents the gravest, most serious constitutional crisis of our lifetime, and one that threatens to undermine the very premise of American democracy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Statement On ICC Sanctions Procedural Vote

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement regarding her decision to vote against ICC sanctions:
    “I strongly support legislation sanctioning the International Criminal Court, an antisemitic organization that has twisted the law to target Israel. Not only has the ICC consistently undermined its credibility and the principles of justice by unfairly targeting Israel’s leadership, but its actions have politicized its mission of holding actual war criminals accountable. Unfortunately, the bill put forth by our Republican colleagues was overly broad and could have harmed American allies and businesses. Democrats were willing to negotiate to address these concerns and strengthen the bill, but our offer was rebuffed. I believe the most effective way to hold the ICC accountable is through a bipartisan effort, and I urge our Republican colleagues to work with us on this important bill.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: After President Trump Pauses Critical Federal Funding to Nevada, Cortez Masto Votes Against Sean Duffy to Lead Department of Transportation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after she voted against confirming Sean Duffy to be Secretary of Transportation. On Monday, Cortez Masto voted in support of proceeding to Sean Duffy’s confirmation, but changed her vote in response to the outrageous, illegal directive by President Trump to pause the disbursement of all federal grants and loans – many of which flow through the Department of Transportation.
    “I was ready to confirm Sean Duffy to lead the Department of Transportation, but I cannot vote for him after the chaos President Trump has unleashed with his order to pause critical federal funding to Nevada. The funding being held up by President Trump includes support for Nevada’s seniors, veterans, and families – not to mention grants for job-creating transportation projects statewide. Working families deserve real answers from the Trump Administration about how they are going to fix the mess they’ve created.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Questions Industry Executives on Defense Innovation and Acquisition Reform

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    ***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Defense (DOD) has faced criticism for its slow and cumbersome acquisition system, which has hampered the timely delivery of advanced technologies to the warfighters. The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) held a hearing to discuss the use of defense innovation and acquisition reform to address longstanding challenges in the DOD’s procurement processes.
    Members of the committee heard testimony from three witnesses: former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition James Geurts; Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Palantir Technologies Shyam Sankar; and Chief Executive Officer of Divergent Technologies Nathan Diller.
    [embedded content]
    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), co-chair of the Senate Defense Modernization Caucus, highlighted the need for implementing the right technology and acquisition reforms to move at the speed of China and other adversaries.
    Cramer said when he first joined SASC, DOD was considering bids for a cloud computing contract known as Jedi. In early 2019, the department selected Microsoft and Amazon to compete for the contract, which was ultimately awarded to Microsoft. Unfortunately, but predictably this led to an immediate protest. This back and forth resulted in a delayed award for a critically important product DOD needed.
    “Five years later, we finally have multiple companies doing cloud computing,” said Cramer. “I was very frustrated by the ability of a company who didn’t win the contract, […] to protest the company who did and then hold up modernization by five years. […] But then we fast forward to today, where we read about now what I believe to be the most innovative agency within the DOD, the Space Development Agency, which has been under attack since the day we stood it up by swamp creatures, legacy space operators, and legacy acquisition and procurement officials, and a protest that I almost guarantee will slow [down] the proliferated warfighter space architecture, which is the worst thing that could happen.”
    Cramer asked the witnesses for their comments or opinions about the protest regime and whether more can be done. He explained while competition requires the ability to challenge, “it shouldn’t provide the opportunity to make the country less safe.”
    Geurts agreed with Cramer and emphasized the need for an avenue, though it has been abused over time.
    “One thing I suggested early on was you get one bite at the apple,” said Geurts. “You could protest to the [Government Accountability Office] or Court of Federal Claims. You couldn’t protest twice. I also think there should be some look at behavior over time and some disincentive for what I would call chronic protesting, particularly by incumbents.”
    Sankar agreed with the notion the avenue had been abused. He said one way they could buy this down is by “doing more bake-offs, more things in parallel, getting more things fielded, because anyone can win a fiction writing contest, you know, it has no correlation to your ability to perform, but when we have the satellites in space, we’ll be able to tell one way or another.”
    Diller emphasized the need to build trust:
    “When we look at these protests, if we take this approach, our Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff uses this phrase, ‘acquire to require.’ It’s exactly what Shyam was saying. How do we slowly build trust? Because at the core, it’s a trust issue. If we actually work together at the beginning in ways that [Other Transactions] allow us to, trust can be built.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Statement on Funding Freeze

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement on the federal funding freeze. 
    “This unprecedented and unconstitutional move is causing chaos and jeopardizing critical support for everything from pediatric cancer research to equipment for our first responders. Much of this funding passed Congress with strong bipartisan support and Americans count on these services every day. The Administration must reverse course and stop playing games with the American people.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Leads Senate Armed Services Committee in Defense Innovation Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today led his committee colleagues and a panel of three subject matter experts in a hearing examining the future of defense innovation and acquisition reform.
    In his opening remarks, Chairman Wicker touted his “Restoring Freedom’s Forge” plan, which would fundamentally change the way the Pentagon does business by cutting red tape and increasing competition. Chairman Wicker observed that as China undertakes a historic military modernization, DOD needs game-changing reform to embrace commercial innovation and build next-generation American manufacturing techniques.
    “The past few years have been marked by some success in innovation improvements, but we have much more work to do. Most of our work is actually ahead of us in this regard. I believe we’re poised to go faster and further than we have thus far,” Chairman Wicker said. “I’m optimistic that many of my colleagues’ ideas for improvements and reform will have an enthusiastic reception in this new Pentagon team…we need a game changer in this regard, and we need it now, because the United States is entering the most dangerous period we’ve faced since World War II. Our adversaries are rapidly innovating and leveraging commercial technologies. In response, we must expand our capacity to produce and sustain high-end weapons, like ships, aircraft, and missiles.”
    Earlier this month, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth endorsed Chairman Wicker’s “Freedom’s Forge,” saying that “Those are precisely the kinds of ideas that need to be pursued, and I look forward to working with this committee to ensure we cut the red tape, we incentivize innovation, we rebuild the defense industrial base, cut out the bureaucracy, all the things that are preventing the platforms and the tools from getting rapidly from our great defense companies here that should and those that want to compete into the hands of warfighters.”
    Shyam Sankar, Chief Technical Officer/Executive Vice President at Palantir Technologies; Nathan P. Diller, CEO of Divergent Technologies; and Hon. James “Hondo” Geurts, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, appeared before the committee.
    Read the remarks as delivered below or watch them here.
    This hearing will come to order. Thank you all for coming. The committee meets this morning to discuss the topic that is of great interest to every member of this panel: we’re here to talk about defense innovation.
    We must change the way the Pentagon does business. Otherwise, there’s no way we can maintain deterrence, particularly against China. Today, day we’ll hear from three experts: Shyam Sankar serves as the Chief Technology Officer at Palantir, which has done important work for the military. Mr. Sankar has published widely on innovation, and we look forward to hearing his ideas today.
    We’ll also hear from Nate Diller, who has worked at both the Department of Defense and the House Appropriations Committee – where I previously worked in another life. Today, Mr. Diller is the CEO of Divergent Technologies, which is seeking to make revolutionary changes in manufacturing, and we need revolutionary changes in DoD.
    And finally, James Geurts is with us today. In addition to having one of the coolest nicknames around – “Hondo” – he has ably and successfully served this country as the acquisition executive for both SOCOM and the Navy.
    So, thank you all for being here to talk about innovation.
    The past few years have been marked by some success in innovation improvements, but we have much more work to do. Most of our work is actually ahead of us in this regard. I believe we’re poised to go faster and further than we have thus far. I’m optimistic that many of my colleagues’ ideas for improvements and reform will have an enthusiastic reception in this new Pentagon team.
    I appreciate my friend Ranking Member Reed for holding a hearing in the previous Congress on the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Reform Commission. I expect we can continue to make progress in this new Congress. As a matter of fact, Mr. Reed and my colleagues: we need a game changer, and we need it right now.
    The committee took steps last year to remove unnecessary steps from the acquisition process, and get defense innovators more powerful hiring authorities. We can and should continue on that positive trajectory. I recently released the FORGED Act, and published this white paper, entitled “Restoring Freedom’s Forge: American Innovation Unleashed,” and I must say, I appreciate the positive comments and response that we’ve heard from industry and from government officials.
    The white paper lays out in specific detail my plan to implement smart spending practices at DoD. The FORGED Act proposes the most comprehensive set of budgeting and acquisition reforms in decades. It focuses on five areas.
    First, we must cut the red tape that burdens our defense workforce. Our regulations are full of outdated and excessive compliance requirements. Addressing this is exactly the type of work that DOGE is contemplating, and I hope we can make progress in this area. Contracting regulations total more than 6,000 pages. Financial regulations add up to more than 7,000 pages. I’m interested to hear our witnesses address how this committee can reduce the statutory and regulatory burdens, even as we retain the core elements of good policy.
    Second, we should harness one of our nation’s core advantages: our world-class tech sector, which is built by American entrepreneurial spirit. Government-unique requirements have made it nearly impossible for commercial companies and startups to do business with the Department of Defense. We need to reward commercial innovation by making it possible for innovative companies to work with the Pentagon.
    Third, we must create competitive pressure by rapidly qualifying new suppliers to help build our weapon systems. More than 20,000 suppliers have exited the Navy’s ship building industrial base in the past 20 years – and that’s just the Navy’s industrial base – 20,000 suppliers gone. I hope our witnesses will address how we can lower barriers to second sources and how we can adopt technologies like 3D printing, which can dramatically reduce cost and expedite production schedules.
    Fourth, we must enable senior officials to manage programs by reducing the bureaucracy’s ability to veto their decisions. A typical acquisition must satisfy nearly 50 documentation requirements and get 50 external signoffs. We need to be careful about the taxpayers’ money, but that is excessive. We need to give program managers all of the tools they need for success, while retaining an appropriate level of checks and balances.
    Finally, we should modernize the defense budget process by allowing money to move as fast as technologies and threats change. It currently takes at least two years to request and receive funding. Meanwhile, the commercial sector deploys new generations of technologies in less than two years, and the Pentagon is continually lagging behind. We cannot keep conducting business as usual.
    I repeat: we need a game changer in this regard, and we need it now, because the United States is entering the most dangerous period we’ve faced since World War II. Our adversaries are rapidly innovating and leveraging commercial technologies. In response, we must expand our capacity to produce and sustain high-end weapons, like ships, aircraft, and missiles. At the same time, we must adopt autonomous, adaptive, and networked or swarming systems.
    This is not an either-or effort. We must produce traditional and innovative systems quickly and at the scale of relevance. Doing so will ensure that we can deter our adversaries from taking action against us and our interests. In other words: peace through strength.
    I look forward to discussing those initiatives and more with our witnesses, and again, I welcome all three of them to our hearing. And I recognize my friend, Ranking Member Reed, for his remarks.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Chairman Wicker Joins Fox’s Brian Kilmeade to Talk Defense Reform, Trump Administration Priorities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger F. Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, appeared on Fox’s “One Nation with Brian Kilmeade” on Saturday to discuss his urgent priorities on defense reform and bringing back peace through strength under President-elect Trump.
    In his interview, Chairman Wicker stressed the importance of acting on major reforms at the Pentagon, including through his “Freedom’s Forge” plan, to strengthen the defense industrial base under President-elect Trump. Chairman Wicker also discussed the window of opportunity that the President has early in his term to rebuild deterrence and the United States military to send a signal to China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.
    Following last week’s hearing, Chairman Wicker additionally noted that nominee for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is well on his way to Senate confirmation, and that Hegseth will prove a vital partner for returning peace through strength to the Pentagon. In Hegseth’s hearing, he endorsed Chairman Wicker’s Freedom’s Forge plan, saying that “those are precisely the kinds of ideas that need to be pursued.”
    Read more about “Freedom’s Forge” here, “Peace Through Strength” here, and the FORGED Act here. Key excerpts of the interview are below.
    On Pete Hegseth:
     
    [Pete is] definitely on his way [to confirmation], and I’ll tell you what, we’re going to have a hearing at 5:00 on Inauguration Day, and I think he’ll be reported to the full Senate the very first day…I’d say by the first week, Pete Hegseth will be in place at the Pentagon. And we need somebody right away at the Pentagon. This the most dangerous situation the United States has faced since World War II we’re facing not only Russia and China, but North Korea, and the Ayatollahs, and Iran – they’re and they’re all in it together like they never have been before. So, we need leadership, we need a change, and we need somebody in charge, and I’m really looking forward to working with Pete Hegseth, and also, the team that he’s putting in place.
     
    On defense reform:
     
    Well, we need to act more like a business when it comes to buying things [at the Pentagon]. Well for one thing we need to encourage startup companies. We have been in the Pentagon too comfortable with the old way of doing things. New folks with startup ideas like Elon Musk had a couple of decades ago – we need to encourage them to come forward and make suggestions. And so the point is, we can get to 5% of our gross domestic product on defense, but we can save a lot of money by bringing efficiencies at the same time…as a matter of fact, my report came out before I ever heard of DOGE, so the fact that you’ve got two people really trying to find the same efficiencies that we’ve outlined is music to my ears. This is going to work very well with Elon Musk.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Wicker, Colleagues Reintroduce TORNADO Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., Todd Young, R-Ind., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., reintroduced the bipartisan Tornado Observation Research Notification and Deployment to Operations (TORNADO) Act, which would improve the forecasting of tornadoes and other hazardous weather. The TORNADO Act would also encourage the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to update its methods for predicting and communicating weather alerts to residents.
    “With the quality of modern forecasting systems, we should be delivering faster warnings for severe weather. The TORNADO Act would update alerts and communication systems with the latest best practices and scientific insights. Advanced warnings will ensure Mississippians can better protect their families, homes, and businesses,” Senator Wicker said.
    “Storms and natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe. We need to make sure our communities have the tools to accurately predict and quickly respond to dangerous weather events like tornadoes and flash floods,” said Senator Peters. “I’m proud to again help lead this bipartisan bill to improve our nation’s forecasting and warning systems for hazardous weather to protect the lives and livelihoods of folks across our state.”
    “From tornadoes to flooding, Iowans have seen more than our fair share of severe weather,” Grassley said. “This bipartisan bill would help update and streamline NOAA’s severe weather alerts and communications systems so that precious seconds aren’t lost when notifying communities about dangerous weather events.”
    “Tornado alley runs right through Mississippi and too many people have been lost due, in part, to inadequate emergency notifications. We want the TORNADO Act to become law so that federal agencies and their partners can better harness technology to greatly improve how we let people know that a tornado is headed their way and to take cover,” Senator Hyde-Smith said.
    “When a tornado strikes, the most important action we can take is to ensure residents receive ample warning of the incoming storm so they can get to safety. The TORNADO Act is a simple yet crucial piece of legislation that will improve forecasts and communicate the risks of impending tornadoes to help keep those in the path of these devastating storms out of danger,” Senator Cruz said.
    “While we can’t prevent storms from occurring, the TORNADO Act will improve severe weather forecasting, notifying the public faster and allowing Hoosiers to find safety more quickly,” said Senator Young. “This bill will better protect communities in Indiana and across the nation when severe weather comes.”
    “We saw the devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to several communities throughout Georgia last year, many of them are still in the throes of the long recovery process. As Georgians continue to be impacted by increasingly severe weather, we must use every tool in our arsenal to protect our communities,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “That is why the TORNADO Act is so important. It will help improve our ability to inform Georgians about how these dangerous weather events are expected to impact them and allow them to better prepare and protect themselves. I’m proud to work with Senator Wicker to introduce this crucial bipartisan legislation.”
    The TORNADO Act would require NOAA to implement new technology and procedures for severe weather alerts. The updates could help increase the warning lead times provided to the public before storms strike.
    Among other provisions, the TORNADO Act would:
    Require NOAA to prepare and submit an action plan for the national implementation of high-resolution probabilistic guidance for tornado forecasting and prediction.
    Encourage NOAA to evaluate the current tornado rating system and make updates.
    Require NOAA to coordinate with appropriate entities when conducting post-storm assessments to optimize data collection, sharing, and integration.
    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 01.28.2025 Sens. Cruz, Durbin, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Rename Cuban Embassy Street After Murdered Dissident Oswaldo Payá

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and colleagues introduced bipartisan legislation to rename the street outside of the Cuban embassy in Washington, D.C. as “Oswaldo Payá Way” after the Cuban dissident leader who was assassinated by Cuba’s communist regime. Yesterday, Sen. Cruz met with Rosa María Payá, Oswaldo Payá’s daughter, to discuss the reintroduction of this bill.

    Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “I am honored to be leading legislation to pay tribute to the heroism of Oswaldo Payá, who was a fearless defender of freedom and democracy for the Cuban people. His unwavering courage in standing against Castro’s oppressive communist regime cost him his life but not his legacy. Renaming the street in front of the Cuban embassy in his honor will serve as a reminder of the regime’s brutality and the ongoing struggle for freedom in Cuba. This legislation is bipartisan and should be uncontroversial, and I urge my colleagues to expeditiously advance and pass it.”
    Sen. Durbin said, “The legacy of Cuban dissident Oswaldo Payá and the fight for justice and democracy in Cuba will live on. With this bill, we would designate the street outside the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C., ‘Oswaldo Payá Way’—a symbolic effort to recognize internationally respected Oswaldo Payá, who was the embodiment of Cuban hope to a peaceful path to freedom. We stand with the Payá family and the people of Cuba in urging peaceful democratic reform and the release of all political prisoners.”
    The legislation is also co-sponsored by Sens. John Curtis (R-Utah), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).
    Read the bill text here.
    BACKGROUND
    Oswaldo Paya was a Cuban dissident who was murdered by the Cuban regime on July 22, 2012. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights formally determined and confirmed that the regime was directly responsible for the murder.
    Sen. Cruz has long fought to honor the legacy of Oswaldo Payá and hold the Cuban regime accountable for his murder. Sen. Cruz has led this bipartisan effort to rename the street in front of the Cuban Embassy since 2015. Sen. Cruz has also previously introduced this legislation in 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Joins 46 Lawmakers in Urging Supreme Court to Stop Flow of American Firearms to Mexican Drug Cartels

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    January 28, 2025
    Smith & Wesson will be a critical case for victims and survivors of gun violence hoping to hold the gun industry accountable for its actions
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today he has joined 46 lawmakers in an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court concerning a legal case that would hold gun manufacturers accountable for their role in the illegal trafficking of firearms to Mexico.
    “As the American firearm industry continues to rake in more profit from selling firearms to Mexican drug cartels, people continue to suffer at the hands of gun violence every day in Oregon and in our country,” Wyden said. “Gun manufacturers must be held accountable for their reckless business practices that have torn apart our families, neighborhoods, and schools. I thank my colleagues for their effort to ensure that the American firearm industry stops putting a weapon of mass destruction in dangerous hands again, and supporting the voices of gun violence survivors.”
    In the ongoing Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. et al., v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Mexico is suing U.S. gun manufacturers and a distributor for allegedly aiding and abetting illegal arms trafficking. The lawmakers argue that the gun industry should not be insulated from liability for its own unlawful conduct, as their constituents have been harmed by gun violence or the threat of it.
    In addition to Wyden, the amicus brief was led by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and U.S. Representatives Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., and Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and was joined by U.S. Senators Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawai’i., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Adam B. Schiff, D-Calif., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and U.S. Representatives Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Conn., Gabe Amo, D-R.I., Becca Balint, D-Vt., Julia Brownley, D-Calif., André Carson, D-Ind., Sean Casten D-Ill., Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas., Danny K. Davis, D-Ill., Bill Foster, D-Ill., Valerie P. Foushee, D-N.C., Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., Glenn Ivey, D-Md., Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., D-Ga., Ted Lieu, D-Calif., Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., Betty McCollum, D-Minn., James P. McGovern, D-Md., Seth Moulton, D-Mass., Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Mark Pocan, D-Wis., Mike Quigly, D-Ill., Delia C. Ramirez, D-Ill., Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., Mike Thompson, D-Calif., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Jill Tokuda, D-Hawai’i, Paul D. Tonko, D-N.Y., and Maxine Waters, D-Calif.
    The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments in this case on March 4, 2025.
    The text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Introduces Legislation to Protect Idahoans’ Right to Privacy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced legislation today to defend Americans’ fundamental right to privacy. The Freedom from Government Surveys Act would make the American Community Survey (ACS) voluntary and remove unwarranted fines inflicted on non-respondents. 
    “It is unacceptable for the federal government to punish Idahoans for protecting their personal, private details from intrusive surveys,” said Risch. “My Freedom from Government Surveys Act abolishes burdensome and unnecessary fines on Idahoans who exercise their right to privacy.” 
    Risch is joined by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) in introducing the Freedom from Government Surveys Act. 
    “As U.S. citizens, we have a fundamental right to privacy,” said Daines. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation that will remove fines for Americans who exercise their right to not be subjected to prying ACS surveys.”
    “The people of Wyoming have a right to privacy and should not be bombarded by excessive government surveys,” said Lummis. “I’m proud to join Senator Risch and my colleagues in protecting Americans from facing fines for choosing not to complete intrusive and lengthy surveys.”
    The ACS is administered annually by the U.S. Census Bureau to a random selection of 3.5 million American households. Respondents must divulge sweeping demographic information and sensitive, private, and personal details about their home, work, and health. 
    Under current law, Americans who neglect or fail to respond to the ACS are subject to harassment by the Census Bureau and monetary fines. The Freedom from Government Surveys Act would put an end to these punitive actions.
    Some of the most invasive ACS questions include: 
    Does [the respondent] have difficulty dressing or bathing?
    What time [does the respondent’s] trip to work usually begin, and how many minutes [does] it usually take [the respondent] to get from home to work?
    In the past 12 months, what were the actual sales of all agricultural products from this property?
    About how much do you think this house and lot, apartment, or mobile home (and lot, if owned) would sell for if it were for sale?
    Which fuel is used most for heating this house, apartment, or mobile home?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Cruz Introduce Legislation to Protect American Fishermen from Cartels

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in reintroducing legislation to target illegally caught red snapper and tuna imports. The senators introduced similar legislation last Congress.
    The Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of red snapper or tuna imported into the United States. Snapper poaching continues to be an issue across the Gulf of America, as Mexican fishermen illegally catch red snapper, smuggle it into their country, and then confuse American consumers by selling our fish back to us. 
    “Alabama lands 34 percent of all recreationally caught Red Snapper in the Gulf,” said Senator Tuberville. “Unfortunately, our domestic Red Snapper industry is being undermined by Mexican fishermen who are illegally catching American snapper in the Gulf, smuggling them into Mexico, and then reselling the same fish back to American consumers. In addition to taking business away from Alabama’s fishermen, many of the profits from these illegal fishing operations are funding the cartels. I’m proud to join Senator Cruz in introducing the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act to stop illegal Red Snapper from flooding our markets and bankrupting our great fishermen.”
    U.S. Senators Tuberville and Cruz were joined by U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Brian Schatz (D-HI).
    Full text of the legislation can be found here.
    BACKGROUND:
    Mexican fishermen cross the maritime border between Texas and Mexico on small boats called “lanchas” to illegally catch red snapper in U.S. waters and return to Mexico. The fish are sold in Mexico or mixed in with legally-caught red snapper then exported back into the United States across land borders. Red snapper is one of the most well-managed and profitable fish in the Gulf of Mexico, but illegal fishing by Mexican lanchas puts law-abiding U.S. fishermen and seafood producers at a competitive disadvantage. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities violate both national and international fishing regulations.
    Cartels engaged in drug smuggling and human trafficking also engage in the profitable illegal fishing of red snapper. The same fishing boats and fishermen who catch red snapper also smuggle drugs and humans for the cartels, and these profits support the organization.
    Technology exists to chemically test and find the geographic origin of many foods, but not for red snapper or tuna. The Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act would develop a field test kit the Coast Guard could use to accurately ascertain whether fish were caught in Mexico or U.S. waters, thus allowing federal and state law enforcement officers to identify the origin of the fish and confiscate illegally caught red snapper or tuna before it is imported back into the U.S.
    With the help of machine learning, NIST scientists are currently able to chemically determine the geographic origin of foods, including strawberries, apples, cherries, ginseng, ginkgo, beef, honey, and rice. Using those same methodologies, these scientists believe it would be possible to determine the geographic origin of red snapper. This would allow law enforcement to have a better understanding of the networks that support illegal fishing. It would also reduce the financial incentives for the crime, since the fish could no longer be sold back into the United States. If successful, this method could be expanded to identify other IUU fish.
    MORE:
    Tuberville Takes Aim At Cartels Engaged in Illegal Red Snapper Fishing
    Tuberville Voices Concerns About New Federal Red Snapper Limits
    Tuberville, Colleagues Advocate for Management Flexibility to Preserve Red Snapper Season
    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: “It is Blatantly Unconstitutional,” King Declares in Response to Proposed Federal Grant, Loan Freeze

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    Watch or download the full remarks here
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a press conference on Capitol Hill today, Senator Angus King (I-ME), declared that President Donald Trump’s proposal to halt all federal grant and loan disbursement is unconstitutional. He cited Article 2 of the Constitution which clearly lays out the role of the President as an enforcer of the law. The “power of the purse” is included in Article 1 of the Constitution which declares that Congress – and in particular the House of Representatives—is responsible with the role of federal appropriations as a check on the Executive Branch. Therefore, the President does not have the ability to reappropriate federal spending without Congressional approval.
    “This is a profound constitutional issue. What happened last night is the most direct assault on the authority of Congress, I believe, in the history of the United States. It is blatantly unconstitutional. Article Two does not give the executive the power to determine budgets or expenditures. That power is vested in [Article One] – in the Congress. And if this stands, then Congress may as well adjourn, because the implications of this is the executive can pick and choose which congressional enactments they will execute.
    “The President took an oath the other day to faithfully execute the presidency of the United States. That means to execute the laws that are passed by Congress, not edicts passed by the Office of Management and Budget. So I hope and believe that our colleagues on all sides of the aisle will realize that this is not a political discussion. This is not a programmatic discussion. This is an institutional discussion that goes to the viability, authority, expertise and work that’s based upon Article Three of the Constitution.
    “This is just a usurpation of authority. As I say, I believe I’ve never seen anything quite like this in American history. Richard Nixon tried to do it. The Congress passed a specific statute which has been the concept, the basis of which has been upheld by the Supreme Court in Train versus New York, and to assert this power really renders the power of Congress a nullity. And as I say, I hope members of both sides of the aisle will realize this and stand up for the institution. James Madison said ‘the interests of the individuals will enable them or empower them to stand up for the interests of the institution.’
    “And if this stands, this will redound to the detriment of both parties, whichever party is in charge. Imagine for a moment if Joe Biden did this or there was a Republican Senate, Republican Congress, and they passed a statute saying we want to fund Head Start and Joe Biden said, ‘No, I don’t like Head Start. I’d rather put the money over here.’ We’d be hearing a lot of reaction, and the reaction should come from both sides.
    “So as someone who has worked in the law and worked with the constitution for many, many years, I was stunned last night to see this order. I thought first it was a production of the Onion, because it’s so grossly, blatantly unconstitutional and threatening to the foundation of the separation of powers under the Constitution.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Veterans Affairs Hearing, King Argues VA Hiring Freeze, Lack of Health Care Data Essentially a “Denial of Benefits”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King today argued that a lack of health care data and the current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hiring freeze are denying veterans the benefits they rightly deserve. In a hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), King questioned Naomi Mathis, the Assistant National Legislative Director for Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and John Eaton, the Vice President for the Complex Care Wounded Warrior Project, about the lack of health care data comparing the VA direct care and non-VA community care providers. He also made clear that hiring freezes will make it more difficult for VA staff to carry out their duties, resulting in a decrease in quality care for veterans.
    “This electronic medical records problem started with a no bid contract about five years ago, six years ago, that was extended by the last administration. I still don’t understand why we don’t go out to the market. I’m sorry you mentioned Epic Senator, because Epic is a successful medical record system that I observed in my system. Well, okay, in any case, it seems to me, in order to analyze the issue of the relationship between VA direct care and community care, we need more data. We know exactly the VA wait times and all those kinds of things. We don’t have that kind of data in terms of the private sector. I know in the private sector, in Maine, it is pretty hard to get a get an appointment, and particularly with a specialist. So, I think in order to make policy here, Mr. Chairman, we need some information. We need to have cost comparisons. We need to have time comparisons, wait times. So everybody’s nodding, but that won’t show up in the record. Could somebody say yes,” asked Senator King.
    “Yes. Senator, I wholeheartedly agree. There is no data coming back out of the community back into VA and there is no sort of accountability either when the records don’t show up back to VA. So, you have a provider, a primary care provider, say at VA, that may have sent a patient out to the community for specialized care and the information when the patient comes back to VA, the information is not coming back, therefore that provider is not able to provide an accurate treatment plan for that patient,” replied Mathis.
    “So we don’t have a handle on cost, quality or time. Is that correct,” questioned Senator King.
    “Correct, Senator,” said Mathis.
    “And, by the way, when we’re talking about the time of VAs responsibility and backlogs, a staff freeze isn’t going to help that problem. If there are fewer people to answer the phone, fewer people to process claims, that’s only going to exacerbate the problem, not make it any better. And I note that the that the administration the other day appeared to walk back part of the hiring freeze with regard to direct care providers, but to deny, but to leave a hiring freeze in effect that has fewer people responding, processing claims and those kinds of things. That’s in effect, a denial of benefits itself. Is it not, Mr. Eaton,” Senator King asked again.
    “Yes,” responded Eaton.
    Representing one of the states with the highest rates of veterans per capita, Senator King is a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, he has been among the Senate’s most prominent voices on the need to address veterans suicide, and has repeatedly pressed for action from top Department of Defense officials on this issue. An advocate for amplifying veteran voices, Senator King held a field hearing focusing on long-term care in Maine. Additionally, last spring led a letter urging further investments in traumatic brain injury research, the signature wound of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and introduced legislation to provide safe firearm storage for veterans. In 2024, Congress passed Senator King’s bipartisan legislation to improve veterans’ access to health care and benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Grassley Seek Presidential Explanation For IG Dismissals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    January 28, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, requested President Donald Trump provide the lawfully-required substantive rationale behind his recent decision to dismiss Inspectors General (IGs) from 18 offices. The Senators additionally asked President Trump to share the names of each official who will serve in an acting IG capacity and urged the President to quickly nominate qualified and nonpartisan individuals to permanently fill the current IG vacancies. This weekend, Durbin released a statement after President Trump unlawfully fired independent inspectors general across multiple federal agencies.
    IGs are nonpartisan watchdogs responsible for identifying and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse at federal agencies. IGs serve at the President’s disposal. However, a Grassley-authored amendment signed into law as part of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires the President to provide written, detailed communication informing Congress of the President’s decision to dismiss or transfer an Inspector General at least 30 days before taking action to do so.  
    “While IGs aren’t immune from committing acts requiring their removal, and they can be removed by the president, the law must be followed. The communication to Congress must contain more than just broad and vague statements; rather, it must include sufficient facts and details to assure Congress and the public that the termination is due to real concerns about the Inspector General’s ability to carry out their mission,” the Senators wrote. 
    “This is a matter of public and congressional accountability and ensuring the public’s confidence in the Inspector General community, a sentiment shared more broadly by other Members of Congress,” the Senators continued. “IGs are critical to rooting out waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct within the Executive Branch bureaucracy, which you have publicly made clear you are also intent on doing.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    January 28, 2025
    Dear President Trump:
    We write to you today concerning the reported firing of Inspectors General (IGs) from 18 offices.[1] Congress was not provided the legally required 30-day notice and case-specific reasons for removal, as required by law.[2] Accordingly, we request that you provide that information immediately.
    On December 23, 2022, the “James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023” was signed into law and included provisions from the Securing Inspector General Independence Act, which was introduced by a bipartisan group of members.[3]  Those provisions require that the President “shall” communicate to Congress in writing 30 days before removing or transferring an IG from office the “substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for the removal or transfer.[4]  The law also prohibits an IG from being placed on non-duty status during the 30-day period preceding the date of removal or transfer unless the continued presence of the Inspector General in the workplace poses a threat as described by requirements in the Administrative Leave Act and the President submits a report to Congress.[5]  
    While IGs aren’t immune from committing acts requiring their removal, and they can be removed by the president, the law must be followed.[6]  The communication to Congress must contain more than just broad and vague statements, rather it must include sufficient facts and details to assure Congress and the public that the termination is due to real concerns about the Inspector General’s ability to carry out their mission.[7]
    This is a matter of public and congressional accountability and ensuring the public’s confidence in the Inspector General community, a sentiment shared more broadly by other Members of Congress.  IGs are critical to rooting out waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct within the Executive Branch bureaucracy, which you have publicly made clear you are also intent on doing.
    Accordingly, we request that you provide Congress with a written communication that contains the “substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for each of the IG’s removed.  Further, we request the name of each official that will serve in an acting capacity and that you work quickly to nominate qualified and non-partisan individuals to serve in these open positions.
    -30-

    [1] Yamiche Alcindor, Vaughn Hillyard and Laura Strickler, Trump fires 18 inspectors general overnight in legally murky move, NBC News (Jan. 25, 2025) https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-fires-multiple-inspectors-general-legally-murky-overnight-move-rcna189261.  
    [2] Id.; see Pub. L. 117-263.
    [3] See S. 587, Securing Inspector General Independence Act of 2021, 117th Congress (introduced Mar. 4, 2021) https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/587/text.
    [4] Pub. L. 117–263.
    [5] Id.; see 5 U.S.C. § 6329b(b)(2)(A)(i)-(iv) (2) Requirements.-An agency may place an employee in leave under paragraph (1) only if the agency has-(A) made a determination with respect to the employee that the continued presence of the employee in the workplace during an investigation of the employee or while the employee is in a notice period, as applicable, may- (i) pose a threat to the employee or others; (ii) result in the destruction of evidence relevant to an investigation; (iii) result in loss of or damage to Government property; or (iv) otherwise jeopardize legitimate Government interests.
    [6] Pub. L. 117–263.
    [7] Pub. L. 117–263.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Secures Key Subcommittee Chairmanship to Champion Wyoming Energy 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    January 28, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) announced she will chair the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, Nuclear Innovation and Safety for the 119th Congress:
    “Thanks to my position on the Environment and Public Works committee, I can deliver crucial results for the people of Wyoming,” said Lummis. “I am honored to chair this subcommittee, which oversees the EPA Office of Air and Radiation and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.  Wyoming continues to develop its traditional energy sector while investing in new and exciting nuclear technology.  I look forward to advancing policies that benefit an all-of-the-above energy approach and spur development across the Cowboy State. ”
    Senator Lummis will also serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure and the Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife subcommittees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty Stands with Small Businesses, Supports Repeal of Misnamed Corporate Transparency Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    January 28, 2025

    WASHINGTON—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, has joined Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and his colleagues in introducing legislation that would repeal the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and its onerous small business reporting requirements.
    Background
    The CTA was passed into law as part of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. While the bill intended to target shell companies that facilitate illicit activities, in practice, it created substantial compliance burdens for approximately 32.6 million law-abiding small businesses and associations that operate as corporations or limited liability companies. Penalties for noncompliance can result in up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The Biden Administration’s botched implementation of the CTA only worsened the situation; according to a survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), 83 percent of their members were unfamiliar with the reporting requirements.
    The legislation co-sponsored by Hagerty, the Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act, would repeal the CTA.
    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox News to Discuss Trump’s Foreign Policy Wins, Cabinet Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    WASHINGTON—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Appropriations, Banking, and Foreign Relations Committees and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, today joined America’s Newsroom on Fox News to discuss President Donald Trump’s foreign policy wins during his first week in office, along with the need to confirm his cabinet nominees.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*
    Partial Transcript
    Hagerty on the need for reciprocity in tariff deals: “If you think about the tariff situation worldwide, the United States has been treated unfairly for years. President Trump has constantly and consistently talked about reciprocity. This goes all the way back to World War II. We created very favorable terms of trade for nations in Europe, nations like Japan, whose economies have been devastated. We should have time limited [the trade deals]. We should have put some sort of GDP-per-capita limit on that. Because right now, the United States has the lowest tariffs, on a trade weighted basis, of any major economy. Other countries have been taking advantage of us. President Trump sees this, and access to our economy is a privilege, not a right. You saw what happened in Colombia; he knows how to use leverage. He knows how to, essentially, let them know that he’s not going to tolerate bad behavior. And if countries like Colombia don’t want to cooperate with us, they’re not going to have access to our markets.”
    Hagerty on pausing funding to other nations within the State Department: “These are all very legitimate and reasonable questions to ask, Martha. There’s a lot of pearl clutching going on in Washington right now. But I can tell you back in 2016, 2017, the State Department acted as quickly as they could to shovel money out the door to NGOs, to the UN, to agencies that didn’t have the U.S.’ best interest at heart. I think it’s entirely appropriate that Secretary [Marco] Rubio put a pause on all of this. I sent a letter to every agency head in the United States government, letting them know, line and verse, how they would violate U.S. law if they were to ‘reprogram funds’ at the very end. We’re going to get a report on all of that here in the next couple of weeks. So, I think this is something that’s entirely legitimate. It’s something that should happen, and we need to make certain that taxpayer [dollars] are being used for things that advance America’s interest.”
    Hagerty on the state of Trump’s cabinet nominees: “I actually feel very good about how the nominees are moving through the process. You think about Senator [John] Thune, he’s been extremely diligent, in terms of setting up a process that will get our nominees confirmed as rapidly as possible. The Democrats have done everything they can to slow us down, but Senator Thune, our leader, has done a terrific job of making sure that we’re moving a pace. I feel good about our nominees. [Secretary] Pete Hegseth certainly had everything, including the kitchen sink, thrown at him, and he navigated the process very well. And I think as people got to know him, got to hear from him, they got to realize they had a very smart individual there who is very capable. I expect the same from the other nominees, and that process continues to pace here this week.”
    Hagerty on the need to confirm Trump’s cabinet nominees: “President Trump is entitled to his nominees. I think you’ve got a tremendous number of challenges that our nation is facing right now. President Trump opened a very large tent as he came into office, and he selected people that he thinks will help him achieve his goals, achieve the promises that he made to the American public. So, I think, on the balance, Republicans should, certainly, defer to President Trump. Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion—obviously, you’ve seen people vote in different ways from me—but, on the whole, I think people should give President Trump the benefit of the doubt.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Young, Reed & Marshall Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Mental Health Resources for Health Care Providers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Todd Young (R-IN), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a comprehensive law Kaine, Young, Reed and Marshall successfully passed in 2022 to help prevent suicide, burnout, and mental and behavioral health conditions among health care professionals. The law has already provided $100 million in funding for mental health care for providers across the country, including $5.6 million in federal funding for Virginia providers at UVA Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, and George Mason University. But provisions of the law that made this funding possible expired last year. The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act would reauthorize these grant programs for five years.
    “Dr. Lorna Breen was a physician from Charlottesville who tragically died by suicide after working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kaine. “In 2022, I was honored to work with her family and Senators Young, Reed and Marshall to pass legislation in her honor to help ensure health care workers have access to the mental health support they need. I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us in standing with our health care heroes by reauthorizing that law, so it can continue to support our healers.”
    “Our frontline workers put their own health on the line every day to serve our communities in Indiana and across the country,” said Young. “Congress must act to reauthorize this important program to provide our health care workforce with needed support to prevent suicide and promote mental and behavioral health.” 
    “Doctors, nurses, and health aids take care of patients who need them.  The federal government must do its part to ensure the mental and physical health needs of our health care workforce are taken care of too,” said Reed.
    “Our health care providers dedicate their lives to taking care of patients, sometimes, this comes at their own expense,” said Marshall. “We must ensure we’re giving them the support they need when it comes to their mental health. I’m proud to join Senators Kaine and Young in leading the reauthorization of this very important program which helps provide access to mental and behavioral health resources to our health care professionals.”
    “Health workers are at the heart of every life saved and ever patient cared for, yet the U.S. health care system is straining our workforce and perpetuating the alarming levels of burnout and poor mental health they are experiencing,” said Corey Feist, JD, MBA, co-founder and CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, which leads the ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare coalition. “We are immensely grateful to Senators Kaine, Young, Reed, and Marshall for their steadfast commitment to reauthorize and fund the landmark Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act and build upon it to address the primary driver of health workers’ burnout—administrative burden.”
    Specifically, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act would:
    Reauthorize a grant program for health care organizations and professional associations for employee education on strategies to reduce burnout, peer-support programming, and mental and behavioral health treatment for five years. Communities with a shortage of health care workers, rural communities, and those experiencing burnout due to administrative burdens, such as lengthy paperwork, will be prioritized.
    Reauthorize a grant program for health profession schools or other institutions to train health care workers and students in strategies to prevent suicide, burnout, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders for five years.
    Reauthorize a national evidence-based education and awareness campaign. Currently, the campaign provides hospital and health system leaders with evidence-informed solutions to reduce health care worker burnout. Reauthorization will provide resources for the campaign to continue and expand beyond its current scope.
    In addition to Kaine, Young, Reed and Marshall, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Mark R. Warner (D-VA).
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Hearing, Defense Contractor Agrees with Warren: Legal Loopholes Should Not Lead to Price-Gouging the Military

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    January 28, 2025
    Warren: “The Pentagon is spending $440 billion this year on contracts. It’s important for us to get better procedures in place to get some eyes on what they’re doing.”
    Defense contractor agrees legal loopholes should not lead to price-gouging the military
    Video of Hearing
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned Shyam Sankar, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Palantir Technologies, about defense contractors exploiting loopholes to price gouge the military. 
    Senator Warren highlighted an enormous loophole in military acquisition rules that allows defense contractors to market a product as “commercial” even when the product is only made for and sold to our military. As the only customer, the Department of Defense (DoD) has no way to negotiate a fair market price without cost or pricing data, resulting in the department often overpaying for products and services. 
    In one example, defense contractor Honeywell successfully lobbied Congress to get its engines treated as commercial items and subsequently doubled the price of the engine. 
    “I completely agree that if you have a fake commercial item that doesn’t actually have commercial applicability, if the company is not able to leverage a diversified R&D base that goes beyond the government, that is the promise that should lead to price performance improvements for the government, then you’re not getting the value of the commercial item,” Mr. Shankar said.
    Last year, DoD’s Inspector General released a report that found Boeing paid the Air Force 80 times the available commercial price for a soap dispenser and recommended companies be required to alert the government when prices go up 25% or more. 
    “I’m sure it is not your intent to team up with another organization in order to price gouge the military,” Senator Warren said to Mr. Sankar. As a result, she asked him to commit to the Pentagon watchdog’s recommendation that bid contractors should provide notice when the price of a good or service goes up by 25%. Mr. Sankar refused to commit Palantir to that recommendation but said he would get back to the committee. 
    Senator Warren’s bipartisan Stop Price Gouging the Military Act would close loopholes in current acquisition laws, tie financial incentives for contractors to performance, and provide the Department of Defense (DoD) the information necessary to prevent future rip-offs.
    Transcript: Hearings to examine defense innovation and acquisition reform.Senate Armed Services CommitteeJanuary 28, 2025
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you for holding this hearing. So, DoD buys a lot of stuff from defense contractors, and to protect the military and taxpayers, it’s long been the law that defense contractors must give DoD contracting officers certified cost and pricing data to help verify that a price that’s being charged is fair and reasonable. 
    One of the big exceptions to this, though, is for, “commercial goods and services,” based on the principle that the market will make sure it’s a fair price. If you could buy it on Amazon, that’s a fair price. You don’t have to go into all the background on how you got there. I get that, and I am all for commercial buying. But the fact is, this is turned into a massive loophole where big defense contractors withhold data, even though there’s no market, and DoD, effectively the only customer, doesn’t have this information so that these giant companies can price gouge the military. 
    I want to give you an example here. For years, the army was buying Chinook helicopter engines from Honeywell, and Honeywell successfully lobbied Congress so its engines would be treated as commercial, and Honeywell wouldn’t have to turn over the certified cost and pricing data. Now, Mr. Sankar, you’re the CTO of Palantir, a billion-dollar tech company that contracts with DoD once Honeywell got the engine moved to a commercial engine. 
    What do you think happened to the price?
    Mr. Shyam Sankar, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, Palantir Technologies: I’m not familiar, Senator. 
    Senator Warren: Well, it went up, not down, by 100%, and that’s the problem we’ve got here too often. DOD is outgunned when it is negotiating with these giant defense contractors, which is exactly why it needs the cost and pricing data to avoid being ripped off. Now, Mr. Sankar, your company, Palantir, is looking to create a consortium with another defense tech company, Anduril, is that right? Yeah. To jointly bid for something called “other transactions agreements,” or since we have to give everything initial OTAs, where the government also waives taxpayer protections on how to get pricing information. And I’m sure it is not your intent to team up with another organization in order to price gouge the military. This next question should probably be easy here. DoD’s inspector general recommended requiring bid contractors to alert military contracting offices when the price of a good or service goes up by 25%. In other words, move it up so other people know, and can get eyes on it. Mr. Sankar, do you agree with the IGs recommendation?
    Mr. Sankar: I do agree. I think the price signal is part of the competitive market and encouraging more entrants and capital to efficiently be allocated to improve things.
    Senator Warren: Excellent. And will Palantir agree to do that voluntarily?
    Mr. Sankar: I would defer to my team here, but I don’t think we would have any conceptual disagreement with that. 
    Senator Warren: Okay, so can I treat that as a yes? 
    Mr. Sankar: I would defer to my team. 
    Senator Warren: Well, I want to be clear here because the—
    Mr. Sankar: As the CTO, I don’t speak on the business side. 
    Senator Warren: Fair enough. Look, we only know about most of these overcharges because of the work that the Department of Defense’s Inspector General has done. This is the person who President Trump just illegally fired on Friday night, along with at least 16 other IGs. I am deeply concerned that this administration is removing exactly the cops on the beat that we need to identify waste and to prevent these kinds of increases. 
    So, Mr. Sankar, do you think it helps or hurts national security to have Senate-confirmed watchdogs, who can be there on pricing questions, like this, to call balls and strikes?
    Mr. Sankar: As a technologist, what I can speak to is, when you look at Intel in the late 60s, 96% of the market for integrated circuits was the Apollo program and the DOD. But Bob Noyce, says, the co-founder of Intel, the CO inventor the transistor, always envisioned a bigger commercial market, our ability to deliver a salt breaker and ultimately have an asymmetric threat against the Soviets—
    Senator Warren: Can you relate that to the question?
    Mr. Sankar: Yeah. I promise it will get there. Ability to deliver a salt breaker was because, actually he could, he could create integrated circuits that were 1000s of times cheaper than when we were building Apollo. That was only possible because he had an eye towards the commercial market. So I completely agree that if you have a fake commercial item that doesn’t actually have commercial applicability, if the company is not able to leverage a diversified R&D base that goes beyond the government, that is the promise that should lead to price performance improvements for the government, then you’re not getting the value of the commercial item. But when we look at space, for example, I grew up in the shadow of the Space Coast, the cost to get a kilogram into orbit for the shuttle, was $50,000 a kilogram, the cost with starship heavy reuse will be 10 bucks.
    Senator Warren: Mr. Sankar, I very much appreciate that you’re trying to push here on cost. I am too. The question I had asked you is whether or not we need IGs—who are the whistleblowers who say people are cheating on the cost, for example, on the definition of commercial—or somebody who can help us bring these costs down. The Pentagon is spending $440 billion this year on contracts. It’s important for us to get better procedures in place to get some eyes on what they’re doing. And IGs help us do that. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MEMO: How Trump’s Federal Funding Freeze Affects Colorado

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Head Start programs, Meals on Wheels, Veterans’ suicide prevention programs, COPS grants to police departments all affected
    In a chaotic late-night, two-page memo, President Trump immediately froze federal grants and loans. While the order is blatantly illegal, below is a memo outlining what programs are being affected by this sudden, ill-thought out freeze of funding. 
    “What does this mean for Colorado? Funding to our police departments, our hospitals, programs for homeless veterans. Nearly 9,000 kids in Colorado Head Start programs may be locked out. Trump is sacrificing working Americans,” said U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper.
    TO: Interested Parties
    FROM: Office of U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper
    SUBJECT: Effects of Trump Executive Order Freezing Federal Funds 
    DATE: January 28, 2025 
    OMB Memo to Pause Spending: On Monday night, the acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget sent a two-page memorandum to all federal agency heads directing them to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligations or disbursement of Federal financial assistance.” The order is set to take effect at 3pm MT today. The memo also requires that agencies review all financial assistance programs to ensure activities are “consistent with the President’s policies and requirements,” citing several executive orders directed to pause all spending on foreign aid, the green new deal, “woke gender ideology,” and DEI programs. Agencies must provide OMB detailed information on program spending by February 10th, and assign “responsibility and oversight” to a senior political appointee. Below you can find priority programs and projects in Colorado that may be impacted by this pause. 
    COLORADO IMPACTS
    The order is expected to impact tens of billions of dollars in payments for Colorado. Federal funds make up approximately 25 percent of  Colorado’s total budget.
    The latest Biden administration data lists total IRA/BIL/CHIPS public investment in Colorado at $10.586 billion
    IRA/BIL climate-focused programs: Estimated $600M-$900M 
    Halts programs at Colorado’s rural hospitals: Pauses funding to increase health care access, support community health centers, treat substance abuse issues, and improve care quality for small rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals across the state. 
    For example, some of the programs and areas that will be affected:
    $1,420,601 for rural hospital improvements and Medicare flexibility in Arapahoe County
    $1,250,000 to battle the opioid crisis and increase access to substance abuse programs in Moffat County
    $784,031 to help screen patients suffering from black lung disease Denver County
    $499,847 to battle the opioid crisis and increase access to substance abuse programs in Adams County 
    $200,000 to improve access to health care providers in San Miguel County 
    $100,000 to expand rural health care development in Archuleta County 
    $100,000 to expand rural health care development in Mesa County
    Additional programs paused include cancer research, rural telehealth options, and infectious disease preparation.
    Medicaid portal down nationwide: Our office has heard from Colorado hospitals that the Medicaid payment system has been turned off. With Medicaid portals down, doctors and hospitals in Colorado are unable to receive funds through the system. Reports have circulated that other states are running into the same issue and have been shut off from Medicaid. 
    Takes food away from 40 percent of Colorado school kids: Halts federal payments for school breakfast and lunch programs. 40% of Colorado kids rely on these programs to stay fed and healthy. 
    Cuts off 83,000+ low-income families from heating their homes in the dead of winter: Halts funding disbursements for low-income Colorado families who rely on LIHEAP funding to keep their home warm this winter. In FY24, 83,800+ households depended on LIHEAP. 
    25,000+ Colorado seniors will be unsure where their next meal will come from: Local Meals on Wheels providers are unsure whether they will be able to serve meals. 25,000+ Colorado seniors utilize Meals on Wheels to access food. 
    Strips $182 million from the budgets of our local public schools: Will strip Colorado public schools of $182 million in federal funding, straining the budget of our local public schools even further.
    19,000+ kids unable to attend child care or Head Start programs: Facilities will not be able to access reimbursements that help provide low-income kids with the early childhood education, health, and nutrition that they need. In FY23, nearly 9,000 kids were enrolled in Head Start in Colorado. Head Start programs around the country are already reporting being locked out of the portal to access reimbursements.
    Federal funding to provide child care assistance to low-income families will also be paused, with over 10,000 kids in Colorado between the ages of 0-5 were supported by Child Care and Development Block Grant funding last year. 
    Hits our farmers and producers where it hurts when food prices are already too high for working families: This threatens funding to programs that benefit producers and consumers alike, including the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). Since 2022, LFPA has contributed over $2M to local ag in Colorado, and enabled food banks to distribute over 1.2 million pounds of nutritious food to Coloradans in need. The order also pauses funding to agriculture research and meat, poultry, and egg product inspection.  
    Pauses critical loans for thousands of Colorado small businesses: All SBA loans, including disaster relief, will be paused. This will cripple local small businesses as they will be unable to make payroll, their leasing payment, or more. Over 5,000 Colorado small businesses have been approved for SBA loans in the past three years. 
    Deny Colorado communities funding to fight opioid misuse: Last year, Colorado received $20.8 million to fund addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services across the state.
    Weakens our public safety and undermines our law enforcement: Pauses crucial funding used to prevent terrorism, hire more police officers, prevent school violence, and crack down on drug trafficking. 
    For example, some of grants that boost public safety in Colorado that will be impacted include: 
    $12.2 million to the Colorado Department of Public Safety to prevent terrorism 
    $9 million in Office of Violence Against Women grants in FY24 for Colorado organizations for victims assistance as well as state and local police  
    $680,798 awarded to Colorado Springs to reduce drug trafficking and drug production
    $336,629 for the Colorado Department of Public Safety to crack down on drug trafficking 
    Strips Colorado’s 365,000+ veterans of the support and resources they’ve earned: Halts funding for community-based suicide prevention efforts, organizations that provide care for veterans experiencing homelessness, and services for veterans living with disabilities or struggling with mental health crises. Health care programs that support family members of disabled veterans as well as educational programs, such as the Montgomery GI Bill and post-9/11 education benefits, will be paused. Funds will also be frozen for the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, which supports surviving family members. Federal funding that helps veterans secure good-paying jobs through job training and support services is also threatened. 
    For example, organizations, such as the Colorado Coalition for Homeless, won’t be able to access their regular funding to help support veterans pay their monthly rent.  
    Cuts off 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Pauses funding for the suicide and life crisis hotline that offers real-time support for those struggling with a mental health crisis, emotional distress, and alcohol or durg use.  
    After our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has already invested $5.3 billion in Colorado, all DOT grant programs will be paused and reviewed. Many Colorado projects are at risk, including all major programs impacting highways, aviation, safety, rail, and more.
    Appeases China by allowing them to continue having a hold in our rural communication networks: Hickenlooper successfully secured $3.08 billion for the Federal Communications’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, or the Rip and Replace program for short. Colorado was awarded the highest outstanding amount. That funding is now paused, leaving our rural small businesses in the dust and our telecommunications networks at risk.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Supporting Elimination of DEI, Restoration of Lethality in Armed Forces

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) issued a statement in support of President Donald Trump’s latest executive orders restoring lethality to the United States Armed Forces.
    “For the past four years, I have sounded the alarm about Joe Biden and the far-left, progressive Democrats politicizing our military,” said Senator Tuberville. “As a result, recruitment has fallen to the lowest levels since before World War II. We need our military to be a fighting machine, not a playground for Democrats’ culture war. Thankfully, change is here. Yesterday’s executive orders from President Donald Trump eliminate DEI in the military, reinstate service members discharged for refusing the COVID vaccine, and ensure military standards are updated to prioritize readiness, restore lethality, and build confidence in our Armed Forces. With President Trump and Secretary Hegseth at the helm, our military will be 100% focused on protecting our country and putting America First on the world stage.”
    MORE:
    Tuberville: “We need a military that is 100% focused on protecting our country and enhancing national security.”
    ICYMI: Tuberville op-ed: “Biden is Infecting Our Military With Woke Politics While the World Implodes”
    Tuberville Questioned Army Officials on Lasting Effects of Vaccine Policy on the Military
    Tuberville, Colleagues Help Secure Provision To Protect Servicemembers From COVID Vaccine Mandate In 2023 NDAA
    Tuberville Questions Pentagon about COVID Vaccine Military Discharge
    Tuberville Demands Answers on Military’s Vaccine Mandate
    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.

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