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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Votes Yes on Zeldin to be EPA Administrator, Nomination Passes EPW Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today voted to advance the nomination of Lee Zeldin to be the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Zeldin’s nomination was favorably reported by the EPW Committee with a bipartisan vote of 11-8, and now heads to the full U.S. Senate for consideration.

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

    “Last week we heard from Congressman Zeldin on his plans for the Agency and his views on the EPA’s role in protecting public health and the environment, and how the Agency’s actions intersect with our economy.

    “Congressman Zeldin, I think, was an excellent witness. He described his intent to take a collaborative approach both as Administrator, and demonstrated also through his work with Congress, and this Committee, and all its members to address the pressing issues of environmental needs that our nation faces in this moment.

    “In particular, I deeply appreciated Congressman Zeldin’s efforts to meet with all members of the Committee prior to his hearing and his commitment to work with all of us to address the issues we have raised that impact our constituents, states, and our country.

    “If he said it once, he said it probably a dozen times that transparency is going to be one of the hallmarks of his service.

    “I believe he is well qualified for the position of Administrator and will be an excellent addition to the President’s Cabinet.

    “His past experience as the Congressman representing New York’s 1st Congressional District gives him a unique understanding of how Congress makes laws, oversees the Executive Branch, and what is expected when it gives a mandate to federal agencies. 

    “As a Representative from a northeastern state and a district with a diverse set of political views, he understands what it means to build consensus to achieve durable results.

    “He also has the necessary experience and integrity as a veteran of the war of terrorism, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army reserve, an attorney, and a former Congressman to implement the President’s agenda at the Agency pursuant to congressionally provided authority. 

    “Finally, I was very pleased during his testimony to see how he intends to run the Agency in line with the laws that Congress has passed, with the goal of prioritizing EPA’s actions on the core responsibilities of the Agency that are essential to protecting health and our land, air, and water.

    “As we have seen over the past 25 years, the policies of the EPA can have a significant impact on not just the environment, but our economy.

    “The EPA should support policies and set rules that improve the environment while allowing innovators to grow the economy and protecting the pocketbook of American families. I believe that’s a win-win.

    “Unfortunately, too often the EPA has strayed from its mission, instead smothered small businesses and communities, I can speak from experience – my state of West Virginia, with red tape and forced higher costs on our constituents, a lose-lose. 

    “My home state of West Virginia, as I stated, has felt the negative impacts of EPA’s regulatory overreach in [recent] years, devastating portions of the State’s economy and putting my constituents out of work.

    “Congressman Zeldin has shown that he understands the importance of striking the right balance to improve the lives of Americans across the country and to protect the environment, while also uplifting communities and cities across the nation.

    “I urge our colleagues to support Congressman Zeldin’s nomination so we can get the EPA back to the basics of improving the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land that we use.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Celebrates Trump’s Historic Digital Asset Executive Order

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    January 23, 2025

    Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released the following statement in response to President Trump’s historic digital asset executive order.
    “President Trump has promised to make this administration the most pro-digital asset in U.S. history, and within these first days, he is already fulfilling that promise with this executive order,” said Lummis. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the United States will be the global leader in financial innovation and digital asset advancement. I look forward to working with President Trump and my colleagues to pass bipartisan bitcoin and digital asset legislation in the coming months, and ensuring regulatory overreach like SAB 121, Operation Chokepoint 2.0 and lawsuits against digital asset companies are resolved.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 01.23.2025 Sen. Cruz Introduces MEDAL Act to Decrease Financial Burden on Medal of Honor Recipients

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today introduced the Monetary Enhancement for Distinguished Active Legends (MEDAL) Act. The legislation increases the monthly pension for living Medal of Honor recipients to $100,000 annually. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration bestowed by the United States. There are only 61 living Medal of Honor recipients.
    Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “Our Medal of Honor recipients are heroes who embody the highest ideals of courage, sacrifice, and selflessness. They continue to serve our nation by sharing their stories, inspiring generations, and encouraging the next wave of America’s heroes. Yet, they often lack the resources for these activities. The MEDAL Act addresses those shortfalls. Congress should act swiftly to advance and pass this badly needed fix.”
    Sen. Cruz was joined by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) in introducing the legislation.
    Reps. Troy Nehls (R-Texas-22) and Chris Pappas (D-N.H.-01) introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    Read the MEDAL Act here.
    BACKGROUND
    Medal of Honor recipients are often neither formerly nor medically retired from the United States Military, and cannot be compensated for the financial burdens of public engagements. In these engagements, they share stories of their heroism, which directly and significantly influence military recruiting and retention, as well as more broadly enhancing American life and public memory. Increasing the monthly pensions for living Medal of Honor recipients is essential to reducing the financial burden on their families.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Senate Floor, Shaheen Raises National Security Concerns with Nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense, Announces She Will Vote Against His Confirmation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), took to the Senate floor to outline her concerns for our national security ahead of the possible confirmation of Pete Hegseth as the next U.S. Secretary of Defense. Specifically, Shaheen addressed Hegseth’s inconsistencies on various foreign policy issues, including respect for the norms of armed conflict, support for our alliances like NATO and Putin’s war on Ukraine. At the conclusion of her remarks, Senator Shaheen announced she will vote against the Secretary of Defense nominee—the first time she’s done so since joining the U.S. Senate. You can watch the Senator’s full remarks here.

    Key quotes from Senator Shaheen:

    • “The almost three million men and women who serve our nation in uniform deserve a Secretary of Defense who will not needlessly throw them in harm’s way or seek to divide them with partisan politics.”
    • “Just as America’s national security interests are not to be trifled with, neither is our commitment to defending democracy and the international world order. And any inconsistency in our commitment to support our allies and partners, to support democracy around the world, to support the international world order is going to be seen and exploited by our adversaries.”
    • “And again, I think it’s very important that we stand by our ally Ukraine, because of the message it sends not just to the Russians and Vladimir Putin, but because of the message it sends to Xi in China, to the Iranians, to the North Koreans, to anyone who is an adversary of the United States. If they think we’re going to walk away from our allies, they’re going to do everything they can to divide us.”
    • “He [Mr. Hegseth] has a documented history of supporting individuals who have violated military and international law by committing war crimes […] I don’t think we can afford to entrust the safety and success of our men and women in uniform to a man who would himself disregard the laws of armed conflict and leave American credibility and moral authority in tatters on the world stage.”  
    • “I am very concerned that Mr. Hegseth lacks the consistency and the moral clarity to lead the most combat-credible military in the world […] Our men and women in uniform deserve better. And therefore, the first time since I was elected to represent the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate, I plan to vote against this nominee for Secretary of Defense.”   

    Remarks as delivered can be found below:

    Mr. President, I come to the floor today to address some of my concerns about the qualifications of the President’s nominee to lead the Department of Defense, Mr. Pete Hegseth. 

    Like many of my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee, I left Mr. Hegseth’s hearing last week with a number of unanswered questions and some real concerns about his qualifications and abilities to serve in the role of Secretary of Defense. 

    Now, every single nominee for Secretary of Defense—from both Democrat and Republican administrations—have met with me and other members from both sides of the aisle on the committee before their confirmation hearings.  

    And I voted for every one of those nominees from both Democrat and Republican administrations: Secretaries Panetta, Hagel, Carter, Mattis, Esper and Austin.  

    I didn’t always agree with their views or their policies, but I felt that they had the qualifications and the temperament to be Secretary of Defense, so I supported their confirmations. 

    But Mr. Hegseth chose not to meet with me or any other Senate Democrats, except the Ranking Member, Jack Reed. And he broke with strong, longstanding tradition to ensure that our work on national security remains free from partisanship.

    And I think that’s the important point: we are stronger as Senators, as Congress, as a nation if we are acting together.

    The Committee unfortunately was not afforded the opportunity to ask a number of rounds of questions, and so there were a number of questions about his views, particularly regarding foreign policy and military policy that we did not get an answer to.

    I’ve become the Ranking Member on the Foreign Relations Committee, and so I’m very concerned about the role of the United States in the world.

    I think the American people expect transparency regarding Mr. Hegseth’s ability to stand by our allies and partners, to uphold international agreements, to abide by rules of engagement and the bottom line—support the men and women in the military in a way that not only keeps us safe, but protects them as well.

    The almost three million men and women who serve our nation in uniform deserve a Secretary of Defense who will not needlessly throw them in harm’s way or seek to divide them with partisan politics. 

    So, I’d like to address a few issues now that we were not able to get to at the hearing, because we were not able to ask more than one round of questions. And I want to start with the role alliances and that our allies and partners play in our own national security.

    I believe – and we’ve seen it many times since the start of this nation – that we are stronger and safer when we lead together with our allies. 

    And we’re fortunate, because we have strong allies and partners. We don’t see that coming from Vladimir Putin, from Xi in China, we don’t see it from the North Koreans or the Iranians, but the United States has strong allies who can stand with us.

    The most important security agreement we’ve had, I think any time in our nation’s history, is NATO.

    It is a critical, indispensable part of our national security, and yet, the President’s nominee for Secretary of Defense wrote in his book, American Crusade, that NATO is quote “a relic” and quote that it “should be scrapped.”

    Now since his nomination, Mr. Hegseth has tried to walk back his opposition to one of our key international alliances, to NATO. 

    In advance policy questions for the Committee, he calls NATO a quote, “vital U.S. interest” in defending Europe and American interests from Russia and Vladimir Putin. 

    This sudden reversal is welcome, because I think it’s very important that our Secretary of Defense understand how critical NATO is, and that it’s stronger now than it was any time since it was formed, probably. We now have 32 members of NATO.

    But Mr. Hegseth’s 11th hour conversion to understanding the importance of our allies and partners raises questions about what he really believes.

    We asked on our questions for the record about NATO, and we didn’t get much of a response.

    Now, if I had had the opportunity, I would have brought up Ukraine and Mr. Hegseth’s head-spinning contradictions on this matter.

    Just as America’s national security interests are not to be trifled with, neither is our commitment to defending democracy and the international world order. 

    And any inconsistency in our commitment to support our allies and partners, to support democracy around the world, to support the international world order, that is going to be seen and exploited by our adversaries. 

    So again, I’m puzzled about how we should think about Mr. Hegseth’s contradictory positions on a variety of national security and foreign policy issues.

    For example, he was critical of the Biden administration—as have many of us on both sides of the aisle been in this chamber—for not moving fast enough to aid Ukraine. But then question the wisdom of sending any U.S. assistance to Ukraine at all. 

    In 2022, Mr. Hegseth called Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” and called for faster U.S. aid to Ukraine. Now, he says the idea of Russia launching a nuclear war is “over-inflated” and plays down the severity of the conflict as merely Putin’s “give-me-my-shit-back war.”

    Well, I don’t think that our NATO allies, those in the Baltics and Poland and Eastern Europe, think Vladmir Putin’s nuclear ambitions are “over inflated.”

    They know the threat he poses to their countries and the world.

    And to be flippant about the threat of nuclear war, I think is beneath the office of the Secretary of Defense, who will have to engage with those partners on a regular basis. 

    Now, I agree with President Trump that the American people want to see a resolution to this years-long war. I’m sure that’s true of the Ukrainians as well.

    But Mr. Hegseth has not, either in his hearing nor in response to the questions that we submitted to him for the record, expanded on what the Department of Defense’s role should be with respect to Ukraine, even though we have already invested $66 billion in military assistance.

    And again, I think it’s very important that we stand by our ally Ukraine, because of the message it sends not just to the Russians and Vladimir Putin, but because of the message it sends to Xi in China, to the Iranians, to the North Koreans, to anyone who is an adversary of the United States.

    If they think we’re going to walk away from our allies, they’re going to do everything they can to divide us.

    Now, on Afghanistan, Mr. Hegseth has also been inconsistent on his views of the President’s foreign policy.

    Actually, he’s been inconsistent in general on the President’s foreign policies.

    In the lead up to the 2016 election, Mr. Hegseth was highly critical of then-candidate Trump’s foreign policy stances, particularly on Iraq and Afghanistan. 

    Mr. Hegseth called Mr. Trump, who was a candidate at the time, and I quote “all bluster, very little substance” and again quoting, “an armchair tough guy.” 

    He criticized then-candidate Trump in 2015 for advocating for the withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan, but then he took the criticism back. 

    He sharply criticized the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, as did I, but he’s failed to publicly comment on President Trump’s 2020 deal with the Taliban, which is what set the date certain for withdrawal in 2021 that then the Biden administration was actually tied to.

    Now, I agree. I agree that that withdrawal was not what I wanted to see. I didn’t support it.

    But they were terms that President Trump, in his first term, set with the Taliban. 

    Terms that I thought gave away the store to the Taliban. Because there were no concessions from them, on what we were to get from the United States. The Government of Afghanistan was not at the table and now we’re seeing the fallout from that.  

    And I know that no one is watching for gaps in U.S. national security policy more closely than President Xi and the People’s Republic of China. 

    Now Mr. Hegseth identifies China as our peer competitor, something that I think all of us on the Armed Services Committee and probably everyone this chamber agree with.

    But if Mr. Hegseth is so concerned about China, then he should realize that nothing will encourage President Xi’s aggression more than seeing America abandon our allies and partners. 

    Mr. Hegseth sees China’s ambitions as, quote, “a fait accompli,” and yet, he does not seem to recognize that his own inconsistencies on all these foreign policy positions could contribute to this.

    A question I would like Mr. Hegseth to attempt to answer is: What message would it send to our adversaries if the U.S. ceases its support not just for Ukraine, but for the international rules and norms that underpin the global order?

    Now, I’m also concerned about that with respect to the conduct of conflict. In his book “The War on Warriors,” Mr. Hegseth argued, and again I’m quoting, “our boys should not fight by rules written by dignified men in mahogany rooms eighty years ago. America should fight by its own rules.”  

    Well, the rules that he’s talking about are the Geneva Conventions—which established bare minimum protections against violence, torture and inhumane treatments.

    And they don’t just protect those people we’re fighting on the battlefield, they protect American soldiers.

    During his hearing, he even doubled down to say, quote, “restrictive rules of engagement” have “made it more difficult to defeat our enemies,” and that it would be his priority, quote, “that lawyers aren’t getting in the way.”

    Unfortunately—and dangerously—this appears to be the few issues that Mr. Hegseth is consistent on. 

    He has a documented history of supporting individuals who have violated military and international law by committing war crimes.  

    These are individuals who were turned in not by our enemies, but by members of their own units who were convicted of crimes by military juries. Individuals for whom Mr. Hegseth lobbied to get pardons.  

    I don’t think we can afford to entrust the safety and success of our men and women in uniform to a man who would himself disregard the laws of armed conflict and leave American credibility and moral authority in tatters on the world stage.  

    Now, while embracing officers convicted of war crimes, Mr. Hegseth has stated it is his intent to review all general officers currently serving in the Department of Defense. 

    And when asked if he would remove the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mr. Hegseth responded, on the record, that, quote, “all senior officers will be reviewed.”

    So, let’s just think about what that means – subjecting our general officers, in our military that is not politicized, to a political litmus test is not only unprecedented, it is dangerous. 

    It will convey to the American public that their leadership is political. 

    One of the most important roles of the Secretary of Defense is to seek out and consider open, honest and direct military advice from the senior officers in charge of our forces.  

    I don’t know how Mr. Hegseth expects to receive open and honest advice from his commanders when he is advocating for a purge of anyone who disagrees with him. 

      

    And I am also deeply troubled by the idea that Mr. Hegseth would act as a “yes man” himself, putting his own personal political interests above the wellbeing of our military men and women.

    At Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, when asked what he would do if he received orders from President Trump that he knew to be illegal or unconstitutional, Mr. Hegseth wouldn’t give a straight answer. All he could do was deny that President Trump was capable of giving an illegal order.

    And just for the record, to be clear: in his first term, President Trump did give an illegal order that then-Secretary Esper refused to follow. 

    And for that, Secretary Esper was fired by the President. 

    So, Mr. President, I am very concerned that Mr. Hegseth lacks the consistency and the moral clarity to lead the most combat-credible military in the world. 

    And I’m very disappointed that this body would put a nominee on the floor without the due process of advise-and-consent that the position of the Secretary of Defense deserves. 

    Our men and women in uniform deserve better. 

    And therefore, the first time since I was elected to represent the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate, I plan to vote against this nominee for Secretary of Defense.  

    Thank you, I yield the floor.

    As the second-ranking Democrat on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Shaheen is instrumental in helping to accomplish top national security objectives and enhancing New Hampshire’s role in support of America’s national defense. A member of the Committee since 2011, Shaheen has voted to confirm multiple nominees from both parties under multiple administrations. During his confirmation hearing, Shaheen questioned Hegseth about his support for women service members and the Shaheen-led Women, Peace and Security law. The bipartisan Women, Peace and Security Act, was signed into law by President Donald Trump, which Shaheen leads with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), was signed into law in 2017 and requires the U.S. Government to strengthen the meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention and peace negotiations. 

    Senator Shaheen is the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and also serves on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs and Defense. In 2018, Shaheen re-established the bipartisan U.S. Senate NATO Observer Group with U.S. Senator Tillis (R-NC). Senator Shaheen believes that a strong and active United States is fundamental to securing our national interests at home and abroad. She also believes that U.S. global leadership is directly tied to the strength of our ideals, our alliances and our diplomacy, and she is constantly working to ensure our national security policies reflect our broader democratic values. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Hassan Join Senate Colleagues Urging Republican Leadership to Pursue Bipartisan Solutions on Border and Immigration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – This week, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined 11 of their Senate colleagues, led by U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in sending a letter to Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune stressing the importance of working together on pressing border security and immigration needs. Along with Shaheen, Hassan and Kelly, U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mark Warner (D-VA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Chris Coons (D-DE) signed this letter.

    In part, the Senators wrote: “As we have shown, Democrats and Republicans can work together on real bipartisan solutions. We can solve big challenges when we work together, and there is much work to do to improve border security, protect Dreamers and farmworkers, and fix our immigration system to better reflect the needs of our country and our modern economy.”

    In the letter, the lawmakers stress that bipartisan cooperation is necessary to craft and advance meaningful and long-lasting solutions.

    They continued, “We understand that Senate Republicans have discussed using the budget reconciliation process to advance border security budget measures without any Democratic input. While that’s your right, in working together on a bipartisan basis, we can achieve the best outcome for the American people. There are also limitations to what can be done under budget reconciliation, and as we’ve seen time and time again, no party has all the solutions on this or any issue.”

    At the conclusion of the letter, the Democratic senators emphasize their willingness to work with their Republican counterparts on legislation that can pass the Senate: “We remain ready to work with you in good faith to craft legislation that can achieve bipartisan support and 60 votes in the Senate. While there will be challenges, addressing the pressing needs of our nations’ borders and finding bipartisan solutions to our outdated immigration system are too important to ignore in the 119th Congress.” 

    Click here to read the full letter.

    Last year, Shaheen and Hassan twice voted in favor of the bipartisan border security agreement – which would have supplied the border with critical resources that are necessary to increase security, stop the flow of illicit drugs and better protect all Americans – negotiated by Senate Republicans and Democrats. This week, Shaheen and Hassan voted to pass the bipartisan Laken Riley Act and called for comprehensive reform.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer, Tenney Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation Allowing Pregnant Mothers to Receive Child Support

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    ***Click here for audio.***
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pro-life members of Congress like U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) have long recognized the importance of providing additional support for pregnant mothers. In recent sessions of Congress, Cramer has co-sponsored legislation to expand child support payments for expectant mothers, implement tax credits, and create a clearinghouse for pregnancy and post-partum resources.
    In honor of the annual March for Life in Washington, Cramer and U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24) reintroduced the Unborn Child Support Act in support of mothers-to-be and their children. Cramer is a co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and received an A+ rating from Susan B. Anthony List for voting “consistently to defend the lives of the unborn and infants.”
    The Unborn Child Support Act allows pregnant women to receive child support payments. It recognizes the needs of mothers and allows them to opt-in to receive prenatal payments, should they choose to pursue them via the court system. Specifically, the judges would be required to consult with mothers on payment plans and give mothers discretion as to whether or not child support payments will be awarded retroactively. The bill also directs all paternity tests be at the discretion of the mother and not be conducted if the test puts the child at risk.
    “I believe life begins at conception and therefore, our duty to care for mothers also begins at conception,” said Cramer. “What our bill does, is empowers moms to simply seek prenatal child support and rightly puts the financial obligation on fathers to help provide for their unborn children. We should encourage motherhood and fully support them along the way.”
    “By enabling child support to begin at conception, we empower mothers with financial assistance while respecting their freedom to make the best choices for themselves and their unborn children,” said Tenney. “The Unborn Child Support Act emphasizes the value of life from the very beginning of pregnancy and provides vital support to mothers. If a mother chooses to seek prenatal child support, we must ensure she and her unborn child receive the resources and assistance they deserve.”
    Additional cosponsors of the legislation include U.S. Senators Jim Banks (R-IN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
    The Unborn Child Support Act is endorsed by several organizations, including Concerned Women for America, March for Life Action, Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, Students for Life Action, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), CatholicVote, Family Policy Alliance, Family Research Council, Americans United for Life, National Right to Life, Christians Engaged, and National Association of Pro-Life Nurses.
    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Bags Bureaucrat Swag

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – After a recent report estimated that Washington spends more than $1.8 billion annually on “advertising” and millions more on mascots, trinkets, and trash, U.S. Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is introducing the Stop Wasteful Advertising by the Government (SWAG) Act to end unnecessary spending on government propaganda, taxpayer-funded trinkets, and mascots.
    Senator Ernst found taxpayer funds being spent on creepy bug mascots for the Department of Agriculture, graphic novels for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coloring books featuring bird-watching ICE agents at DHS, and much more.
    “You might mistake Washington for a very expensive kid’s birthday party, with federal employees playing dress up, appearing as mascots, and making coloring books,” said Ernst. “I am going to crash the party and bag this costly swag. Misbehaving bureaucrats need to stop wasting tax dollars trying to refurbish their bad reputation, and focus on serving the American people.”
    Congressman Michael Cloud (R-Texas) is introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    “The American people demand a better return on their investment from the federal government than frivolous spending on self-promotion and propaganda,” said Cloud. “They expect transparency, fiscal responsibility, and a government focused on delivering results.  Especially as so many families are working to make ends meet, DC agencies should not squander the People’s money on mascots, trinkets, and giveaways. The SWAG Act will ensure taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on these wasteful gimmicks.”
    Click here to view the bill.
    Background:
    As chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, Senator Ernst unveiled a $2 trillion plan, featuring the SWAG Act, to cut down federal spending, save taxpayer dollars, and downsize the government – in addition to her telework reportthat exposed an absent federal workforce.
    Her playbook has already racked up a win with the announcement of the sale of the Wilbur J. Cohen building, a 1.2 million square foot monument to waste, where just 72 of 3,341 workers were showing up to work.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Blumenthal, Senate Democrats Demand Trump Exempt All VA Employees from Hiring Freeze

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) joined a group of 24 Democratic Senators led by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to call on President Trump to put veterans first and immediately exempt all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees from the hiring freeze he issued on Monday. In a letter to Trump, the Senators stressed concerns about the negative impact the hiring freeze will have on the delivery of veterans’ health care and benefits nationwide – if not quickly reversed.
    “As written, this Memorandum could dramatically impair the ability of veterans across the country to get the care and benefits they desperately need,” wrote the Senators. “It could also delay or deny various other services across VA – from burial services to job training to assistance for homeless veterans to life-saving assistance from the Veterans Crisis Line. That is why it is imperative for you to provide an immediate, clear, and full exemption to this hiring freeze for VA so it can continue to deliver on its sacred mission for veterans.”
    The group of Democratic Senators also underscored that despite assurances of exemptions, they have heard from employees on the ground that the hiring freeze will extend to certain positions promised to be exempt: “In your Memorandum, little detail is provided to understand the scope of its exemptions. And despite assurances that VA benefits would be exempt, we have become aware the hiring freeze will extend to the Veterans Benefits Administration – a decision that will dramatically impact the processing of disability claims, growing the backlog and making it more difficult for veterans to access their earned benefits, including those promised in the PACT Act.”
    The Senators pressed Trump for scaling back on VA employees, rather than continuing efforts to address chronic workforce shortages Congress has implemented over the last few years: “Instead of building upon those efforts, one of your first actions was to stop them entirely, and to issue new directives to VA personnel across the country to not only leave vacancies unaddressed, but to revoke job offers that have already been made. That is a betrayal of trust to veterans on day one of your Administration, and it is a betrayal of trust to prospective VA employees intent on serving veterans – an action that will undoubtedly have long-term impacts on VA’s ability to effectively recruit and retain the physicians, nurses, and other critical positions that make VA the preferred option for care for veterans.”
    The letter was cosigned by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Peter Welch (D-VT).
    In addition to the Senate Democrats’ letter to Trump, a group of House Democrats led by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA) are sending a letter today calling on Acting VA Secretary Todd Hunter to also exempt all VA employees from the hiring freeze.
    The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Kim Statement on Newark ICE Raid

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) issued the following statement:
    “We are deeply concerned about the news of an ICE raid in Newark today. Our offices have reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to demand answers.
    “Actions like this one sow fear in all of our communities — and our broken immigration system requires solutions, not fear tactics.
    “We will continue to work with Mayor Baraka and other local officials to gather more information to ensure all New Jerseyans are safe and their dignity and rights are protected.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Votes to Advance Rep. Collins’ Nomination as Secretary of Veterans Affairs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – Today in the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan voted to advance the nomination of Representative Doug Collins to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

    “I had a good conversation with Representative Collins at his confirmation hearing about the challenges facing our veterans and was glad to vote to advance his nomination today,” Senator Hassan said. “In particular, I appreciated his willingness to visit the Manchester VA Medical Center and to support efforts to modernize VA infrastructure, like Manchester’s VA Medical Center. I am also grateful for his service to our country in uniform and look forward to working with him to find more ways to support and honor the heroes who have kept America safe, secure, and free.”

    During Representative Collins’ confirmation hearing, Senator Hassan raised the importance of modernizing Manchester’s VA Medical Center and building a full-service veterans hospital in New Hampshire, and Representative Collins committed to visiting the Manchester facility. Senator Hassan and New Hampshire’s Congressional Delegation had previously successfully pushed the VA to prioritize improvements to the Manchester VA Medical Center.

    Click here to watch Senator Hassan’s questioning at Representative Collins’ confirmation hearing.  

    “[President] Trump supported a full-service VA hospital for New Hampshire when he was on the campaign trail. I’ve supported a full-service hospital in our state for years and will gladly work with you and the President to make that happen,” said Senator Hassan at Representative Collins’ confirmation hearing. “In the meantime, though, the current Manchester VA Medical Center is almost 75 years old and it needs significant upgrades…So following a push from the New Hampshire delegation to prioritize improvements to the Medical Center, the VA has begun implementing a multiyear upgrade plan. Will you commit to continuing these upgrades to make sure that Granite State veterans have the best possible medical facility to receive their care at? And will you come up to New Hampshire to visit the facility and meet our veterans?”

    “I’ll tell you the last one first, yes,” Representative Collins responded, committing to visiting the Manchester VA Medical Center and meeting with Granite State veterans.

    “But I will show you not only Granite State veterans but all across the country, they will be taken care of… The infrastructure needs – I’m glad we’re talking about them today – because it’s not just the new facility. It’s not just the new [Community Based Outpatient Clinics], it’s taking these older facilities that as you said once they’re shut down – and then the bureaucratic process to get it fixed,” continued Representative Collins. “So that is it, but also with President Trump’s commitment, look I’m going to support the President, we’re going to look to that hospital. But look you’ve brought up a bigger issue that I hope all the committee members will understand. I wish, as we said before have this rose colored, all pixie dust, it’ll just fix itself, but construction issues are going to be one of our hardest because of aging facilities.”

    Senator Hassan also discussed her bipartisan legislation to make it easier for veterans to schedule medical appointments through one phone call or online, which can be particularly helpful for reducing the number of the often-lengthy trips that rural veterans must make to receive their care. Representative Collins expressed interest in the bill and added, “from a conceptual standpoint, the better question for me is why haven’t we almost got there anyway?” Representative Collins also committed to Senator Hassan that he would effectively implement the Senator Elizabeth Dole Act, bipartisan legislation that Senator Hassan helped introduce which, among other measures, expands home care services for veterans.

    As a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Senator Hassan has led bipartisan efforts to support service members, veterans, and their families. In addition to the Dole Act, Senator Hassan helped develop and pass the bipartisan PACT Act into law to help veterans secure the benefits and care that they have earned. Senator Hassan also helped create and fund the 9-8-8 national suicide hotline, which has a specified veterans crisis line, as well as helped pass into law bipartisan legislation to strengthen the Solid Start program, which contacts every veteran three times by phone in the first year after they leave active duty service to check in and help connect them to VA programs and benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Advocates for Farmers With ‘Dirt Under Their Fingernails’ During Exchange with Agriculture Secretary Nominee Brooke Rollins

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong farmer, highlighted the needs and priorities of family farmers during a hearing to consider Brooke Rollins’ nomination to be Secretary of Agriculture. Grassley discussed the importance of payment limits, reining in federal spending and enforcing the Packers and Stockyards Act. He also drove home the importance of answering congressional requests for oversight and protecting agency whistleblowers.

    Video and excerpts follow.

    [embedded content]

    VIDEO

    Payment Limits

    “The legal term, ‘actively engaged in farming’ is not being enforced. We have too many people on Wall Street getting farm payments that shouldn’t be getting them… You ought to have dirt under your fingernails if you’re going to get payments from the taxpayers for your farming operation. I expect the term ‘actively engaged’ to be fully enforced.

    “There can be tremendous savings to the taxpayers… if you put a cap on what one farmer can get from the farm program, so we aren’t subsidizing big farmers to get even bigger.”

    Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Spending

    “The first Trump administration and the Biden administration used money from the Commodity Credit Corporation that I don’t think should have been used. The power of the purse rests with Congress under Article I of the Constitution. Money can’t be spent without the authority of Congress, and billions have been wasted that way.”

    Enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act

    “I think the Packers and Stockyards Act is stronger than anything the Justice Department can do under antitrust laws to protect the welfare of farmers and make sure the marketplace is working… The Packers and Stockyards Act is the most effective tool to make sure the marketplace works for the American farmer.”

    Whistleblower Protections

    “You’ll have tens-of-thousands of people working under you, and you can’t know everything they do. You ought to listen to whistleblowers. It’s not just you yourself listening to whistleblowers, it’s you establishing a culture within your agency that middle management is going to listen to whistleblowers.”

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Ossoff Reintroduce Justice for Murder Victims Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) today reintroduced the Justice for Murder Victims Act. The bipartisan bill would strike down the “year-and-a-day” rule, a 13th century legal precedent that prohibits a defendant from being prosecuted for murder if their victim dies more than a year-and-a-day after the date of their assault. The bill passed the Senate unanimously in the 118th Congress.

    “Murderous criminals shouldn’t get off the hook because modern medicine prolonged the lifespan of their victim. Our bipartisan bill will eliminate the medieval “year-and-a-day” rule to ensure justice is served, violent criminals are held accountable and families get the closure they deserve,” Grassley said.

    “Murderers and violent criminals must be held accountable,” Ossoff said.?“Senator Grassley and I are introducing bipartisan legislation to help secure justice for homicide victims and their families.”

    The Justice for Murder Victims Act is endorsed by the National District Attorney’s Association, the Iowa County Attorney’s Association, the National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the Murder Accountability Project, the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

    “NDAA is proud to support Senator Grassley and Senator Ossoff as they introduce the Justice for Murder Victims Act. This legislation updates an archaic rule that limits the ability of federal prosecutors to hold offenders accountable and provide justice for victims and their families. We look forward to moving this bipartisan proposal through Congress at a time when violent crime is plaguing communities across the country,” said Nelson Bunn, Executive Director of the National District Attorneys Association.

    “The MCCA proudly endorses the Justice for Murder Victims Act. The updates made by this legislation will help increase accountability throughout the criminal justice system by helping ensure violent offenders can be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The MCCA thanks Sen. Grassley and Sen. Ossoff for introducing this bill,” said Chief Mike Brown, Chairman of the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

    “The timing of a victim’s death should never stand in the way of justice. Families who have watched their loved ones fight courageously for survival should not have to endure the pain of losing them only to discover their attacker cannot be prosecuted. Advances in modern medicine now allow victims to survive longer, but outdated legal rules unintentionally penalize those who fight to stay alive. The Justice for Murder Victims Act ensures that justice is possible, regardless of when a victim succumbs to their injuries. FLEOA fully supports this critical legislation and commends Senator Grassley for his leadership in addressing this injustice,” said Mathew Silverman, National President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

    Find bill text HERE.

    Background:

    The “year-and-a-day” rule is a legal principle that bars prosecution for homicide in cases where the victim dies more than 366 days after the attack. However, modern medicine and advances in life support technology have helped more victims of homicide live past the set 366-day mark. Many states have already abolished the antiquated rule due to modern developments. The Justice for Murder Victims Act would amend existing federal law to ensure there’s no maximum prosecutorial time period between the assault and death of a victim.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of President Donald J. Trump’s Call with His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, President Donald J. Trump held a call with His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain. King Hamad congratulated President Trump on his inauguration and the two leaders discussed their support for regional peace and security, including building upon their work to promote peace through the Abraham Accords.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1.  Purpose and Policy.  The Federal responses to Hurricane Helene and other recent disasters demonstrate the need to drastically improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (“FEMA’s) efficacy, priorities, and competence, including evaluating whether FEMA’s bureaucracy in disaster response ultimately harms the agency’s ability to successfully respond.  Despite obligating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each of the past three years, FEMA has managed to leave vulnerable Americans without the resources or support they need when they need it most.
    There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA.  Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President.  And it has lost mission focus, diverting limited staff and resources to support missions beyond its scope and authority, spending well over a billion dollars to welcome illegal aliens.
    Americans deserve an immediate, effective, and impartial response to and recovery from disasters.  FEMA therefore requires a full-scale review, by individuals highly experienced at effective disaster response and recovery, who shall recommend to the President improvements or structural changes to promote the national interest and enable national resilience.
    Sec. 2.  Establishment.  (a)  There is hereby established the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council (“Council”).
    (b)  The Council shall be composed of not more than 20 members.  The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense shall be members of the Council.  The remaining members shall include relevant agency heads and distinguished individuals and representatives from sectors outside of the Federal Government appointed by the President.  These non-Federal members shall have diverse perspectives and expertise in disaster relief and assistance, emergency preparedness, natural disasters, Federal-State relationships, and budget management.
    (c)  The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense shall serve as Co-Chairs of the Council.  The Co-Chairs may designate up to two Vice Chairs of the Council from among the non-Federal members of the Council, to support the Co-Chairs in the leadership and organization of the Council.
    Sec. 3.  Functions.  (a)  The Council shall advise the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, on the existing ability of FEMA to capably and impartially address disasters occurring within the United States and shall advise the President on all recommended changes related to FEMA to best serve the national interest.
    (b)  The Council shall meet regularly and shall:
    (i)   respond to requests from the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Affairs, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, or the Co-Chairs for information, analysis, evaluation, or advice;
    (ii)  solicit information and ideas from a broad range of stakeholders, including Americans affected by natural disasters; the research community; the private sector; State, local, and Tribal governments; foundations; and nonprofit organizations;
    (c)  The Council shall produce a report for the President that includes the following:
    (i)     An assessment of the adequacy of FEMA’s response to disasters during the previous 4 years, including sufficiency of staffing;
    (ii)    A comparison of the FEMA responses with State, local, and private sector responses — including timeliness of response, supplies provided, efficacy, and services (including communications and electricity) provided — during the same period;
    (iii)   An account of the commentary and debate about the role and operation of FEMA in our Federal system and about the functioning of disaster relief, assistance, and preparedness in the United States;
    (iv)    The historical background of other periods in the Nation’s history both before FEMA was part of DHS and before FEMA existed and methods by which disaster aid and relief were then provided;
    (v)     The traditional role of States and their coordination with the Federal Government in securing the life, liberty, and property of their citizens in preparation for, during, and after disasters;
    (vi)    An evaluation of whether FEMA can serve its functions as a support agency, providing supplemental Federal assistance, to the States rather than supplanting State control of disaster relief;
    (vii)   Other recommended improvements to FEMA in the current statutory structure; and
    (viii)  An analysis of the principal arguments in the public debate for and against FEMA reform, including an appraisal of the merits and legality of particular reform proposals.
    (d)  The Council shall solicit public comment, including other expert views, to ensure that its work is informed by a broad spectrum of ideas.
    (e)  The Council shall hold its first public meeting within 90 days of the date of this order and submit its report to the President within 180 days of the date of the Council’s first public meeting.
    Sec. 4.  Administration.  (a)  The heads of executive departments and agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the Council with information concerning disaster preparedness and relief matters when requested by the Council Co-Chairs and as required for the purpose of carrying out the Council’s functions.
    (b)  In consultation with the Co-Chairs, the Council is authorized to create standing subcommittees and ad hoc groups, including technical advisory groups, to assist the Council and provide preliminary information directly to the Council.
    (c)  The Department of Homeland Security shall provide such funding and administrative and technical support as the Council may require, to the extent permitted by law and as authorized by existing appropriations.
    (d)  Members of the Council shall serve without any compensation for their work on the Council, but may receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).
    (e)  Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), may apply to the Council, any functions of the President under that Act, except that of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in accordance with the guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services.
    Sec. 5.  Termination.  The Council shall terminate 1 year from the date of this order unless extended by the President.
    Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        January 24, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California and Improve Disaster Response in Certain Areas

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Policy.  For weeks, residents of the Los Angeles area have watched raging fires consume their homes, belongings, beloved pets, and childhood memories.  Almost immediately, firefighters were unable to fight the blaze due to dry hydrants, empty reservoirs, and inadequate water infrastructure.  Today, at least 28 people have lost their lives and thousands more have lost everything else, with some damage estimates calculating hundreds of billions of dollars in damage.
    This tragedy affects the entire Nation, so it is in the Nation’s interest to ensure that California has what it needs to prevent and fight these fires and others in the future.  Therefore, it is the policy of the United States to provide Southern California with necessary water resources, notwithstanding actively harmful State or local policies.  And it is the policy of the United States to assist Americans in disaster areas through responsive policies that more effectively empower them to rebuild and regain their livelihoods.
    Sec. 2.  Overriding Disastrous California Policies.  (a)  The Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall expeditiously take all measures, consistent with all applicable authorities, to ensure adequate water resources in Southern California.  Each shall report to me within 15 days on all authorities, including emergency authorities, available to ensure, require, maintain, or use infrastructure necessary to fight and prevent massive wildfires in Southern California. 
    (b)  In particular, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall immediately take actions to override existing activities that unduly burden efforts to maximize water deliveries.  The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall consider actions including those consistent with the “No Action Alternative” in the Final Environmental Impact Statement issued November 15, 2024, by the Bureau of Reclamation on Long-term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project.
    (c)  The Secretary of the Interior, including through the Bureau of Reclamation, shall utilize his discretion to operate the CVP to deliver more water and produce additional hydropower, including by increasing storage and conveyance, and jointly operating federal and state facilities, to high-need communities, notwithstanding any contrary State or local laws.  The Bureau of Reclamation shall take all available measures to ensure that State agencies — including the California Department of Water Resources — do not interfere with the Bureau of Reclamation’s operation of the project to maximize water delivery to high-need communities or otherwise, including but not limited to the issuance of a new Record of Decision maximizing water deliveries and consistent with the 2020 Record of Decision.
    (d)  In accordance with section 6 of the Executive Order of January 20, 2025 (Declaring a National Energy Emergency), the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, and in accordance with section 1536 of title 16 United States Code, shall expedite action related to any exemption under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., for the Long-Term Operation of the CVP and the State Water Project for all applicable threatened and endangered species.
    (e)  The Secretary of the Interior shall promptly review, revise, or rescind any regulations or procedures specific to implementation of section 1536 of title 16 United States Code, as needed and consistent with applicable law, to conform with the plain meaning of the statute.
    (f)  The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall identify all ongoing or potential major water-supply and storage projects within the State of California for which they have joint responsibility under the ESA or individual responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.
    (g)  For each such project identified under subsection (f), the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall each designate one federal official to coordinate each agency’s respective NEPA and ESA compliance responsibilities. Within 30 days from the date of this order, each designated official shall identify any regulatory hurdles that unduly burden each respective water project, identify any recent changes in state or Federal law that may impact such projects from a regulatory perspective (including Public Law 118-5), and shall develop a proposed plan, for review by the Secretaries, to appropriately suspend, revise, or rescind any regulations or procedures that unduly burden such projects and are not necessary to protect the public interest or otherwise comply with the law.  In so doing, each designated federal official will coordinate and share all appropriate information that will enable improved efficiencies.  For the purposes of this order, “unduly burden” means to unnecessarily obstruct, delay, curtail, impede or otherwise impose significant costs on the permitting, utilization, transmission, delivery, or supply of water resources and water infrastructure.
    Sec. 3.  Ending the Subsidization of California’s Mismanagement.  (a) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall review all Federal programs, projects, and activities for all relevant agencies that impact land management, water availability, water supply, water storage and delivery, water infrastructure, and disaster preparedness and response.
    (b)  Within 30 days of the date of this order, to ensure that State and local jurisdictions promote sensible land management practices and reliable water supply for all Americans, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Commerce shall jointly report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, regarding California State and local policies or practices inconsistent with sound disaster prevention and response.
    (c)  The Director of OMB, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, shall recommend appropriate action to the President, regarding:
    (i)   any lack of compliance by California with the terms of existing Federal grants, contracts, or other financial assistance to States or localities; and
    (ii)  beneficial additional terms that may be added with respect to any future Federal programs, projects, or activities to ensure sound disaster prevention and response.
    Sec. 4.  Additional Actions to Help Los Angeles Families.  (a)  Housing Displaced Families.  The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of FEMA, shall expeditiously provide an Integrated Federal Housing Strategy and Implementation Plan to the Director of OMB and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs that expedites options for housing relief to survivors displaced by wildfires in California. 
    (b)  Expediting Waste Removal.  Within 5 days from the date of this order, to accelerate the rebuilding of areas devastated by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of FEMA, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall develop and execute a plan to expedite the bulk removal of contaminated and general debris.
    (c)  Effectively Using Grants to Improve Fire Preparedness.  The Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of FEMA, shall immediately implement a plan to enable the timely and appropriate use of Federal preparedness grants for the City of Los Angeles.  As of the date of this order, the city has yet to use the majority of its $213 million allotment that has accrued since fiscal year 2021.  These Federal preparedness grants shall not be used to support illegal aliens.  The Attorney General, in coordination with the FEMA Administrator, shall investigate the misuse of these grants by the City of Los Angeles and take appropriate action to address such misuse.
    Sec. 5.  Additional Actions to Help North Carolina Families.  (a)  Clearing Roads.  To accelerate rebuilding and community recovery, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Administrator of FEMA, and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall immediately take all necessary and appropriate measures, including through direct assistance, loans, and other available means, to expedite roadway clearance or rebuilding, including the section of Interstate 40 in North Carolina that remains closed, and the repair or rebuilding of roads and bridges on private property in areas of North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene.
    (b)  Housing Displaced Families.  The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall immediately provide an Integrated Federal Housing Strategy and Implementation Plan to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs that expedites options for housing relief to survivors displaced by Hurricane Helene.
    Sec. 6. General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        January 24, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: White House Statement on Agreement Extension Between Lebanon and Israel

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    The arrangement between Lebanon and Israel, monitored by the United States, will continue to be in effect until February 18, 2025. The Government of Lebanon, the Government of Israel, and the Government of the United States will also begin negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after October 7, 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of President Donald J. Trump’s Call with Prime Minister Starmer of the United Kingdom

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, President Donald J. Trump held a call with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom. President Trump offered his condolences for the recent loss of the Prime Minister’s brother and expressed his well wishes for the British Royal Family. The two leaders also discussed the recent release of Israeli-British national Emily Damari from Hamas captivity and how both countries can promote a fair bilateral economic relationship.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for the Seminole Tribe of  Florida

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists for the Seminole Tribe of Florida and ordered Federal aid to supplement the Tribal Nation’s efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Milton beginning on October 5, 2024, and continuing.
    The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
    Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
    Federal funding is also available to the Seminole Tribe of Florida and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Milton.  For a period of 90 days of the Tribal Nation’s choosing within the first 120 days from the start of the incident period, assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program is authorized at 100 percent of the total eligible costs.
    Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
    Ms. Leda M. Khoury of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. 
    Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Tribal Nation and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
    Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. 
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Statement on the New Conservative Senate Majority

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement in response to election returns indicating that Republicans have won the majority in the Senate:

    “Tonight, the American people have roundly rejected Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrat majority’s years of disastrous border policies, reckless spending, and failed management that has caused the Senate to lurch from one avoidable crisis to the next. Chuck Schumer has broken the Senate, but I’m confident our new conservative majority can restore our institution to the essential role it serves in our constitutional republic.

    “From my experience both as Whip advancing President Trump’s agenda through the Senate to serving as a rank-and-file member now, I have learned what works and what does not. We will restore the important role of Senate committees and reestablish the regular appropriations process. We will improve communication, increase transparency, and tap into the wealth of talent in the conference to include everyone’s expertise and opinions. And we will return power back to the members; there will be no more backroom deals or forced votes on bills without adequate time for review, debate, and amendment.

    “As I’ve said, this election is not about us but rather what is best for the conference and the nation. I look forward to working with President Trump and our new conservative majority to make America great again by making the Senate work again.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Case You Missed It: Editorial: Investigate the ICC Before It Escalates

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
    In Case You Missed It

    Editorial: Investigate the ICC Before It Escalates
    A bipartisan group of Senators put The Hague on notice for its lawless campaign against Israel.
    Investigate the ICC Before It Escalates
    By The Editorial Board
    The Wall Street Journal
    November 1, 2024
    https://www.wsj.com/opinion/senators-letter-international-criminal-court-karim-ahmad-khan-israel-gaza-26990e35
    The International Criminal Court has been warned. In a letter on Friday, six U.S. Senators—three Republicans and three Democrats—implored the ICC’s overseer “to investigate the highly irregular and potentially illegal actions by the Prosecutor” in targeting Israel’s leaders.
    Sens. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), Ben Cardin (D., Md.), John Thune (R., S.D.), Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.), Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) and John Fetterman (D., Pa.) wrote to the Assembly of States Parties with “two grave concerns.”
    First, prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan didn’t comply with the law in applying for arrest warrants. The Senators relate how Mr. Khan misled them that he would “meaningfully engage with the State of Israel,” as required by the court’s Rome Statute, “before any action was taken.” Instead he stiffed the Israelis and announced his application for arrest warrants on CNN.
    Second, “there is a cloud hanging over the Prosecutor and his office” from sexual-harassment allegations, suppressed shortly before Mr. Khan requested the arrest warrants and thereafter. We’ve reported on those allegations, which have since gained steam from an Associated Press investigation.
    Mr. Khan has implied in response that this is all an Israeli conspiracy, which doesn’t put to rest questions of bias. The ICC staff union doesn’t trust the court’s internal watchdog to investigate and has called for “a prompt, independent and thorough investigation led by an external panel.”
    The Senators write, “Any action by the Court regarding arrest warrants for Israeli officials without the benefit of a completed investigation into the serious allegations hanging over Prosecutor Khan would cast doubt on the Court’s actions, and jeopardize the credibility of the ICC more broadly.” That’s sensible, but the ICC faces pressure from anti-Israel groups and states to tar Israel with the arrest warrants, probably soon after the U.S. election.
    All of this is a danger to America. Today the court is after Israel, which doesn’t belong to the ICC, for actions in Gaza, which isn’t a state, in a defensive war against terrorists. Tomorrow the ICC could do the same to the U.S., another nonmember. The ICC still hasn’t closed its investigation of the Afghanistan war, and Hamas isn’t the only group to violate all laws of war and seek to win via international pressure.
    The question is why President Biden rescinded President Trump’s sanctions on the ICC in 2021, and why he and Sen. Chuck Schumer are currently blocking new, bipartisan sanctions from getting a vote on the Senate floor. Mr. Schumer, who loves telling Jewish audiences he’s their shomer, or guardian, is protecting enemies who would put Israel and America in the dock.
    Appeared in the November 2, 2024, print edition as ‘Investigate the ICC Before It Escalates’.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 11.04.2024 Sen. Cruz, Colleagues Send Letter Opposing Palestinian Effort to Suspend Israel from U.N. General Assembly

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Linda Thomas-Greenfield regarding Palestinian moves to suspend Israel from participation in the UN General Assembly. The letter outlined steps that would be taken in response, including limiting American funding and participation across the UN and comprehensively downgrading the U.S.-Palestinian relationship. 
    In the letter, the senators wrote, “Regarding the U.S.-UN relationship, America’s participation in international organizations is predicated on that participation advancing American national security interests. America’s global security architecture is at the core of those interests and Israel is America’s closest ally in the Middle East, a geopolitically critical region. The effort to diplomatically isolate Israel is aimed at ultimately destroying the Jewish state, which is both obscene and antithetical to American national security interests. If Israel is suspended from the UN General Assembly, we will move to limit American participation and funding across the UN, including UN Programmes, Funds, and Other Entities and Bodies, as well as its Specialized Agencies and Related Organizations, both those in which the PLO participates and generally.
    “Regarding the U.S.-Palestinian relationship, it is grounded in and structured by agreements going back to the Oslo Accords. Those agreements committed the Palestinians not to internationalize their conflict with Israel outside the contours of bilateral negotiations, which the United States has traditionally mediated. The proposal by President Abbas to suspend Israel from the UN General Assembly would straightforwardly violate and fundamentally abrogate those commitments, in turn requiring a comprehensive reevaluation of the U.S.-Palestinian
    relationship. We would pursue such a reevaluation, which will minimally include downgrading cooperation with the PA, ending assistance to the West Bank and Gaza, terminating all Palestinian-related offices across the U.S. government including the Palestinian-facing consulate and the Office of Palestinian Affairs, and broadly curtailing diplomatic, economic, and security engagements between American and Palestinian officials.”
    Sen. Cruz was joined by Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.) Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) in signing the letter.
    Read the full letter here or below:
    Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield:
    In the coming months, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) will formally move to suspend Israel from full participation in the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, according to statements made by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas at the opening of
    the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in September. We write to describe what the consequences of such an action are likely to be, especially for America’s relationships with the UN and the Palestinians, and to urge you to use all available resources to deter the PLO from
    taking that action.
    Regarding the U.S.-UN relationship, America’s participation in international organizations is predicated on that participation advancing American national security interests. America’s global security architecture is at the core of those interests and Israel is America’s closest ally in the Middle East, a geopolitically critical region. The effort to diplomatically isolate Israel is aimed at ultimately destroying the Jewish state, which is both obscene and antithetical to American national security interests. If Israel is suspended from the UN General Assembly, we will move to limit American participation and funding across the UN, including UN Programmes, Funds, and Other Entities and Bodies, as well as its Specialized Agencies and Related Organizations, both those in which the PLO participates and generally.
    Regarding the U.S.-Palestinian relationship, it is grounded in and structured by agreements going back to the Oslo Accords. Those agreements committed the Palestinians not to internationalize their conflict with Israel outside the contours of bilateral negotiations, which the United States has traditionally mediated. The proposal by President Abbas to suspend Israel from the UN General Assembly would straightforwardly violate and fundamentally abrogate those commitments, in turn requiring a comprehensive reevaluation of the U.S.-Palestinian relationship. We would pursue such a reevaluation, which will minimally include downgrading cooperation with the PA, ending assistance to the West Bank and Gaza, terminating all Palestinian-related offices across the U.S. government including the Palestinian-facing consulate and the Office of Palestinian Affairs, and broadly curtailing diplomatic, economic, and security engagements between American and Palestinian officials.
    Additionally, the PLO and PA are both already subject to American antiterrorism sanctions, though those sanctions are vitiated by licenses and waivers, and are primarily limited to Americans’ ability to assist those groups. Should the PLO move to suspend Israel from the UN General Assembly, we will seek to ensure that those licenses and waivers are ended, and to expand American antiterrorism sanctions to include third parties. More specifically, in 1987 Congress determined “that the PLO and its affiliates are a terrorist organization and a threat to the interests of the United States, its allies, and to international law” (P.L. 100-204, 101 Stat. 1406), and Americans are in general prohibited from conducting transactions on their behalf or issuing diplomatic visas to PLO officials. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury has determined “pursuant to OFAC’s terrorism sanctions programs, U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with the Palestinian Authority unless authorized” as a result of elections held in 2006, in which Hamas was empowered to form the majority party within the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and hold high-level offices within PA. OFAC has issued a series of general licenses authorizing a wide range of such transactions, and special licenses are routinely granted for provisioning visas to PLO officials. Beyond the termination of those licenses, we would seek to impose binding restrictions on the movement of Palestinian officials operating under diplomatic visas related to UN activities, to freeze transactions related to funds controlled by the PA and PLO when they come within U.S. jurisdiction including those related to the Palestine Investment Fund, to designate the PA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and to implement and enforce primary and secondary antiterrorism sanctions against individual PLO and PA officials.
    As always, we stand ready to provide you and the Department with any resources you need to advance the national security interests of the United States.
    Sincerely,
    /X/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Announce Over $375 Million for Recreation, Conservation Projects Across Nevada

    US Senate News:

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

    LAS VEGAS, NV – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) announced more than $375 million is coming to Nevada to fund 36 different projects aimed at enhancing recreational opportunities, protecting public lands, conserving wildlife habitat, and more. The funding comes through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA), which ensures that revenues from public lands sales in Clark County return to Nevada to support conservation and recreation projects throughout local communities. Both senators have been long-time supporters of SNPLMA funding and the work it does to help  support and conserve Nevada’s lands and outdoor spaces.
    “Nevada is one of the states with the most public land, and it’s our responsibility to safeguard those outdoor spaces for future generations,” said Senator Rosen. “This funding will help enhance conservation efforts, expand recreational opportunities, and improve wildfire mitigation efforts. I’ll continue working across the aisle to preserve Nevada’s natural beauty.”
    “The SNPLMA program delivers critical support to Nevada, and this funding will boost our outdoor recreation economy, conserve our water, and prevent wildfires,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “These investments will reach every corner of the state, including our rural communities, and I’ll keep working to deliver more resources for Nevada.”
    The projects include acquiring land to protect endangered species; helping increase recreational access in Strawberry Creek at Great Basin National Park; and investing in outdoor recreation facilities in Churchill County, Lincoln County, and the City of Las Vegas. Additionally, five percent of the revenue generated by SNPLMA land sales goes to the State of Nevada General Education Fund and 10 percent goes to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have been champions for Nevada’s outdoor spaces. As part of the Great American Outdoors Act, which the Senators helped pass, they secured permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which protects public lands in Nevada and across the country.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Casey’s Push for Injunction, Court Temporarily Halts Charleroi Plant Closure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
    Earlier this month, Casey released a report exposing how private equity machinations have culminated in decision to close Charleroi Pyrex plant
    Casey called for federal investigation into the shady business dealings and injunction to protect PA workers
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey released the following statement after a federal district court issued a temporary restraining order against Anchor Hocking at the request of Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, temporarily blocking the closure of the Charleroi Pyrex plant pending a formal hearing. Last month, Casey released a report exposing how questionable financial engineering and shady business deals by a private equity firm had culminated in the decision to close the plant, and urged officials to block the plant closure pending a full investigation into the matter.
    “Charleroi has a generational legacy of glass manufacturing, and the plant’s closure would be a slap in the face to the workers, their community, and the people of Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “It’s clear that enforcement agencies must continue to investigate the shady business dealings and private equity machinations that have culminated in this attempted closure. This is a temporary measure, but it is an important first step and I’m thankful to the Attorney General’s office for taking this action. I will continue working every day to protect union jobs and hold Wall Street executives accountable for the havoc they are wreaking in our Commonwealth.”
    Immediately upon learning of Anchor Hocking’s plans to close the plant on September 5th, Senator Casey’s office reached out to the plant’s union leadership and Charleroi Borough officials, connecting them with federal and state authorities. Casey’s office also helped convene a task force of county commissioners, borough officials, and local economic development leaders. Casey’s staff also alerted the White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization to the situation, leading to several federal officials visiting Charleroi on September 11th. On September 19th, Senator Casey sent a letter to Anchor Hocking demanding an explanation for the closure and imploring the company to reconsider its actions. On September 20th, Senator Casey and Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Ron Wyden successfully requested a joint confidential briefing with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on questions concerning Anchor Hocking’s assumption of control of the Pyrex manufacturing operation in Charleroi.
    On October 18, Casey released a report, Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind, which exposed the questionable financial engineering and shady business deals that culminated in Centre Lane’s recent decision to close the plant, leaving its workers as collateral damage. In the report and a follow up letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan, Casey called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to take action to block the plant closure pending the outcome of a full investigation into the private equity firm for its efforts to potentially evade regulatory rules, strip the plant bare, and lay off Pennsylvania workers. In addition to his efforts at the federal level, Senator Casey has also been in touch with state officials in Pennsylvania to advocate for state action that could prevent the plant closure pending a full investigation into these concerns.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Denounces Trump’s Dark Suggestion That Political Rival Should Have “Guns Trained on Her Face”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    PROVIDENCE, RI — After former President Donald Trump suggested last night that former U.S. Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) should have guns “trained on her face,” U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) condemned Trump’s increasingly violent and unhinged rhetoric and warned that Trump could try to purge the U.S. military, U.S Intelligence, and U.S. Department of Justice of professionals and stock them with extremists who swear an oath to Trump instead of the Constitution.  Today, Senator Reed stated:
    “Unlike Liz Cheney or Donald Trump, I actually opposed the war in Iraq and voted against it.  But there is no excuse for Trump’s vile, violent, and unhinged suggestion that a former member of Congress should be targeted like this and have guns trained on her face. 
    “People, including myself, may not agree with Liz Cheney on policy, but she respects the Constitution and the rule of law.  Donald Trump has shown through word and deed that he puts himself above the law.  
    “Trump has made it clear that he wants to get rid of dedicated, career public servants who have sworn an oath to the Constitution in order to replace them with extremists who will not hesitate to act, without question, on his strange and disturbing statements.  His attitude and rhetoric point to him firing competent officers and replacing them with people who swear allegiance to him, not the Constitution.
    “That is very disturbing, completely unprecedented, and should be widely condemned.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Duckworth Announce $87 Million In Federal Funding For Illinois Rail System Improvements

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    11.01.24
    CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $87,078,200 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program for four rail infrastructure improvement projects across Illinois.
    “Illinois holds a unique position as the converging point for railroads that cross our nation,” said Durbin. “This significant federal investment will ensure our state remains not just a crossroads, but a thriving nexus that efficiently connects people, goods, and ideas. I’m proud to have helped bring local officials, the State, and other stakeholders together to improve our rail network for passengers in Illinois and throughout the Midwest.”
    “Illinois is a national epicenter of passenger, commuter and freight rail, and improving rail service and reliability across the Midwest is critically important,” Duckworth said. “I’m proud to see these significant federal investments coming to our region to help make it easier, faster, safer and more efficient for people and goods to get where they need to go. I’ll keep working with Senator Durbin to ensure that our state and region are receiving the federal resources they deserve to remain a national leader in the transportation sector.”
    Recipients of CRISI funding include:
    OmniTRAX Holdings Combined, Inc. – Yard Area Rail Decongestion and Safety Project ($40,955,000)
    Iowa Interstate Railroad, LLC – Bridge Replacements in Iowa and Illinois to Develop Green Energy and Safety ($29,883,200)
    Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission – Invest Midwest: The Future of Midwest Passenger Rail-Phase 1 ($1,840,000)
    National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) – Mechanical Craft Workforce Development Apprenticeship Training Program ($14,400,000)
    CRISI grants are funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to expand and improve passenger rail. Last week, Durbin and Duckworth announced that the Springfield Rail Improvements Project would receive $157,126,494 in CRISI grant funding for its final segment.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Awarded American Farm Bureau Federation’s “Friend of the Farm Bureau” Award 

    US Senate News:

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

    Welch Joins Vermont Farmers and Agriculture Leaders in Fairlee 
    FAIRLEE, VT – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, was awarded the American Farm Bureau Federation’s “Friend of the Farm Bureau” Award for the 118th Congress for his leadership and commitment to Vermont’s farmers and rural communities. Senator Welch accepted the award at the Vermont Farm Bureau’s annual dinner in Fairlee. 
    “Agriculture is at the heart of what makes Vermont special— our sense of community, our working lands, and neighbors feeding neighbors. But this important part of our State’s culture has been threatened by market pressures and back-to-back floods, which have made it tough for rural families to make ends meet and farmers to stay in business. I’m fighting in Washington to help and will keep working to support Vermont farmers, farmworkers, and families,” said Senator Welch. 
    View photos from the event below: 

    Senator Welch earned the “Friend of the Farm Bureau” award for his dedication and commitment to Vermont’s farmers, agricultural industry, and rural communities. He was nominated by the Vermont Farm Bureau.  
    At the event, Senator Welch highlighted the urgent need to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill to help farmers keep farming and put food on the table for families across America. The Senate’s draft Farm Bill, the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, includes several priorities championed by Sen. Welch that will strengthen Vermont’s farms, rural communities, and families, including: 

    The Farmland Access Act, legislation to improve Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) entity certification and buy-protect-sell provisions to help protect American farmland for its intended use and expand access to farming for the next generation. 

    The Future Farmers and Ranchers of Tomorrow Act, bicameral legislation to increase access to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs for young and new farmers by revising USDA’s “qualified beginning farmer or rancher” definition to allow non-related beginning farmers and ranchers in joint entities to be eligible for FSA loans. 

    The O DAIRY Act, legislation to improve collection of organic dairy market data. 

    The ReConnecting Rural America Act, bipartisan legislation that would codify and clarify components of USDA’s ReConnect Loan and Grant Program and, in so doing, reduce red tape, and speed broadband deployment. 

    The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act contains more than 100 pieces of legislation that aim to support our farms, create jobs, improve rural infrastructure, expand access to childcare and health care, support rural education and skills training, build out high-speed rural broadband, help build more affordable housing in rural America, assist homeowners and farms transition to greener energy and lower their utility bills, clean up our drinking water, conserve our land, and more.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event | Scranton,  PA

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Montage Mountain ResortScranton, Pennsylvania
    1:52 P.M. EST
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Scranton!  (Applause.)  Hey, everybody! 
    Can we hear it for Glen?  (Applause.)  Let’s hear it for Glen.
    Hi, Scranton.  Good afternoon, everyone.  Good afternoon.  It is so good to be with everyone.  (Applause.)  Thank you. 
    Are we ready to do this? 
         AUDIENCE:  Yes!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT: We- — we’re ready to get out the vote? 
         AUDIENCE:  Yes!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We’re ready to win?
         AUDIENCE:  Yes!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  All right.  Okay.  So, first, let me thank Glen.  I was — I was telling him when we were just hanging out backstage, so when I — my first office that I ran for was district attorney, and the Carpenters were the first union to endorse me.  (Applause.)  And — and I — and I’ve always — I mean, even before, but always — I will always and always have stood with labor. 
    And so, I’m very proud to stand with you, Glen, with your members, with all the members of labor, as we do this together.  (Applause.) 
    And as he pointed out, there’s a huge difference between me and the other guy, which everybody here knows, which is why you are here to help us get out the vote.  (Applause.) 
    But I thought I would share with you — so, I was — when I was coming in, someone reminded me of — of a story I’ve shared, which is when I first ran for office as DA.  So, I — I started out at six points in the polls, right?  So, you kn- — for anyone who knows, that’s 6 out of 100.  (Laughter.)  No one thought we could win.  And I used to campaign with my ironing board.  (Laughter.)  Okay.  You are wondering, “Now, what is she talking about?”  (Laughter.)
    So, I would grab my ironing board, a roll of duct tape, my pois- — my posters and my flyers, and I’d put them all in my car, and I’d drive to the local grocery stores.  And I’d pull out my ironing board and my duct tape and my posters and my flyers, and I’d walk to the front of the grocery store outside, and I’d stand up my ironing board, because, you see, an ironing board makes a really great standing desk.  (Laughter.)
    And I’d use the duct tape to tape my posters on the outside of the thing, and I’d put my flyers on top of the ironing board.  And I would require people to talk to me as they walked in and out of the grocery store.  (Laughter.)
    And I will tell you, that is how I love to campaign.  I don’t do it as much anymore, obviously.  But what you all are signing up to do today and what you’ve been doing, like, let’s enjoy it.  You know, and I know you do.  I can feel the mood in here.  Because it’s the best of who we are as a democracy. 
    And I think we’ve kind of — (applause) — right?
    And that’s what our campaign has been about.  We are a people-driven campaign, and we love the people.  And we see, in the face of a stranger, a neighbor — right? — and that’s the spirit of what we are doing. 
    And over these last — you know, this whole era of this other guy, you know, it —  but it — what it’s done with all that talk that’s been about trying to have us point fingers at each other and divide each other, it makes people feel alone.  It makes them feel like there’s nobody standing with them. 
    And so, the way I have always been thinking about our campaign and these next 24 hours is as we are getting out the vote, as we are canvassing, let’s be intentional about building community — about building community, about building coalitions, about reminding people we all have so much more in common than what separates us.  There is power in that.  There is power in that.  (Applause.)  And there’s lasting power in that, right?
    It’s about the win, and it is about more.  It is about more.  It is about just strengthening our country and reminding each other we are all in this together.  We rise and fall together.  And that is the strength of who we are and everyone here. 
    That’s the strength of Bob Casey.  We’ve got to get him back in the United States Senate.  (Applause.) 
    That’s the strength of Mayor Cognetti and all that she has been doing.  Right?  (Applause.)
    It’s about leadership that is the kind of leadership that we want.  Right?  They are leaders, we are leaders who understand that the measure of our strength is not based on who we beat down.  It’s based on who we lift up.  Right?  (Applause.)  And so, that’s what we’re going to do.  
    And so, over these next 24 hours, I know everyone is here, including our youngest leaders — I see you over there.  I know you’re not ready to vote because you look like you’re about eight, but — (laughs) — but you tell the adults in your life why it’s important they vote.  Okay?  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)
    But over these next 24 hours, let’s — let’s enjoy this moment to knock on a neighbor’s door and in their face, even if we’ve not met them, know that we have a lot that we care about in common and that we are optimistic about the future of our country, that we love our country, and that that’s what this fight is about, and about the promise of America — and the promise of America being represented by everybody who is here.  
    So, I thank you all for the time that you have taken out of your busy lives.  There are a number of things that each one of you could be doing right now and — but you’re here, and we’re all here together, under this one roof, as a community of people who care and who are dedicated to the hard work that it requires.  
    You know, I — I like to say that you — you know, when you love something, you fight for it.  (Applause.)  And that’s what we’re doing.  And that’s what we’re doing.  We love our country, and we are fighting for the best of who we are.  And —
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And I love you.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  I love you.
    So —
    AUDIENCE:  Kamala!  Kamala!  Kamala!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.
    AUDIENCE:  Kamala!  Kamala!  Kamala!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Let’s vote.  Let’s get out the vote.  Let’s get out the vote.  Let’s get out the vote. 
    AUDIENCE:  Let’s get out the vote!  Let’s get out the vote!  Let’s get out the vote!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Let’s get out the vote.  Let’s get out the vote.  Let’s get out the vote.   Let’s win. (Laughs.)  (Applause.)
    All right, let’s get to work.  Twenty-four hours to go.  And I — I so — I — I’m so grateful for everyone here.  I — I just — I’ll end with this point.  You know, I have the — I have the privilege, I have the blessing of being able to travel around our country.  And I’m telling you guys, we’re good.  We’re good.  We’re good.  (Applause.)  We really are.  
    I mean, every — I s- — I go into rooms with people who s- — again, seemingly have nothing in common and have everything in common — rooms of people of all kinds of different backgrounds, of ages coming together in this sense of just the — the collective.  We’re good.
    And so, we’re going to keep doing this work with the optimism that it requires to be strong.  Everyone here knows, in the context of your family, in your life, when you believe something is possible, you put in the hard work, and you know it’s good work — hard work is good work, it’s joyful work — and we get the job done.  
    Let’s get this done.  Thank you all.  (Applause.)
    END                 2:00 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Warren Urge Fed to Cut Interest Rates Even Further

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

    Seventh letter from Hickenlooper to the Fed warns that high interest rates are still raising costs for American families

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Elizabeth Warren urged the Federal Reserve to cut the federal interest rate by a further 50 basis points ahead of its November Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

    “Given the Fed’s confidence in inflation moving towards its target of 2 percent, now is the time to lift its restrictive policies and proceed with additional rate cuts,” Hickenlooper and Warren wrote. “If the Fed moves forward with more rate cuts, housing prices and mortgage rates would thus also likely drop, allowing more families to achieve the American dream.”

    After months of Hickenlooper and Warren calling on the Fed to cut the federal funds rate, the Fed finally lowered it by 50 basis points in September, the first cut since 2020. The Fed explained: “[t]he Committee has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent, and judges that the risks to achieving its employment and inflation goals are roughly in balance.” Recent economic data shows that inflation has fallen to 2.1 percent, the lowest since February 2021. 

    However, even as the economy remains strong, housing costs are too high and the demand for workers may be waning due to high federal interest rates.

    “As we tackle the housing affordability crisis across the United States, it is critical that we build more housing. Lowering interest rates is key to unlocking more supply: rate cuts will lower of the cost of capital, helping to tackle inflation by spurring more housing construction and consequently lowering housing prices,” the senators continued.

    This most recent letter comes after Hickenlooper called on the Fed multiple times to consider the negative impacts of its continued interest rate hikes on American families:

    • In September 2024, Hickenlooper and his colleagues sent a letter urging the Fed to cut the federal interest rate to help lower costs for working families, ahead of its September Federal Open Market Committee meeting which led to a 50 basis point cut
    • In August 2024, Hickenlooper and his colleagues sent a letter to the Fed asking them to cut interest rates to stop undermining working class Americans.
    • In June 2024, Hickenlooper and his colleagues sent a letter to the Fed, urging them to cut the federal interest rates that have increased housing and insurance costs for working families.
    • In January 2024, Hickenlooper and his colleagues sent a letter to the Fed calling on them to cut interest rates and address the affordable housing crisis
    • In January 2023, Hickenlooper sent a letter to the Fed cautioning against another interest rate increase in the face of rising layoffs and reduced employment
    • In October 2022, Hickenlooper called on the Fed to pause rate hikes in a letter to Chair Powell

    For full text of the letter, click HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins Mornings with Maria to Discuss Failed Economic and Foreign Policies of Biden-Harris Administration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    NASHVILLE, TN—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking and Foreign Relations Committees, today joined Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss the failed economic and foreign policies of the Biden-Harris Administration and their sharp contrast with the successful policies of the Trump Administration. 

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*
    Partial TranscriptHagerty on the failed economic policies of the Biden-Harris Administration: “Well, the economic policies of this Administration under Kamala Harris have been an absolute disaster for America. If you look at it, 72 percent of American people think that this country is on the wrong track, and the number one issue, Maria, is the fact that real wages have gone down. Inflation has destroyed and devastated families here in America, and I think the only thing keeping the market up right now is the anticipation, and frankly, the sheer hope that President Trump gets reelected on Tuesday.”
    Hagerty on the failed foreign policies of the Biden-Harris Administration: “Well, if you look at the foreign policy of this Administration, it’s absolutely pathetic. Under President Trump, we had no wars. Under [Joe] Biden and [Kamala] Harris, this has been a complete disaster. It goes back to the failed withdrawal from Afghanistan where Kamala Harris was the quote, ‘last voice in the room.’ That was an absolute disgrace and a disaster that embarrassed our nation like nothing in our lifetimes, Maria. And that invited and precipitated, I think, and emboldened our adversaries around the world. You look at what happened with Iran: the day that this Administration came into office, they stopped enforcing sanctions against Iran. I worked very closely with President Trump and in his Administration to impose maximum sanctions on Iran, to put maximum pressures on them, to get our allies to stop buying oil from Iran. It worked. What we did was we made Iran basically broke. We stopped the funding of Hamas, stopped the funding of Hezbollah, the Houthis had no funds. We saw peace break out in the Middle East. President Trump was able to move our embassy to Jerusalem. He was able to take out Soleimani and Al-Baghdadi. He even did the Abraham Accords, which was the foundation, I think, of peace and prosperity in the Middle East. Iran could do nothing about it. As soon as [Joe] Biden comes into office, as soon as [Kamala] Harris comes into office, they start allowing the funds to flow, and we have terrible wars outbreaking in the Middle East.”
    Hagerty on Kamala Harris running conflicting advertisements on Israel stance: “Well, she wants to [have it both ways]. It’s a complete lack of integrity. And if you talk about having it both ways, we have seen her flip-flop on every major policy. It’s like an avatar, Maria. The media have helped support this. Again, the partisan media, not yourself, have helped support creation of a candidate that’s nowhere close to where Kamala Harris from San Francisco, the most liberal Senator in the United States Senate, has been for her entire political career. Now they’re trying to create something entirely different, entirely false. They send one message into Michigan. They’ll send a completely different message into Pennsylvania to try to appeal to Jewish voters. I think the American public can see right through this.”
    Hagerty on Iran changing its nuclear policy to produce nuclear weapons: “Well, I remind you, we wouldn’t be in a position for Iran to respond at all were President Trump in office because we brought Iran to its knees. That’s got to happen again. If Kamala Harris gets into office, I think Iran’s going to have free range to do whatever they want to do, because they’re going to continue to allow Iran to bring billions of dollars in. They’re going to continue to allow them to pump [oil]. They’re going to continue to allow Iran to sell weapons to Russia. Iran has had free reign under Kamala Harris, and at the same time, you see her bringing in people like Liz Cheney, others that all want to see war breakout in the Middle East. I think what we’ve got to do is look directly at what the past has shown us. We’ve got a track record with President Trump That has delivered peace and prosperity. We’ve got a track record with Kamala Harris that has delivered nothing but agony and war in the Middle East and around the world.”
    Hagerty on the top priority of a second Trump Administration: “Well, for me, Maria, our foreign policy is derived directly from the strength of our economy. We have the most amazing, the most prosperous economy in the world. Access to that economy is absolutely critical. President Trump understands that. Let’s get our economy moving again. That’s what the people of America need to see. We need to see security at our southern border. We have a national security risk like we’ve never seen before. No one’s better than you in reporting on this. But then we’ve got to turn around and deal with strength and credibility with our adversaries. No one in the world believes that Kamala Harris can deal with Vladimir Putin, can deal with Xi Jinping, can deal with the Ayatollah. She has no credibility whatsoever. President Trump has and will.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Announces Town Hall in Multnomah County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    November 04, 2024
    Friday, Nov. 8 town hall at David Douglas High School will be No. 1,101 in fulfilling the Senator’s pledge to hold at least one annual town hall in each of Oregon’s 36 counties
    Portland – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold an open-to-all town hall on Friday, Nov. 8 in Multnomah County.
    This 10 am town hall at David Douglas High School’s Howard F. Horner Performing Arts Center (1400 SE 130th Ave, Portland) will be Wyden’s 1,101st overall — honoring his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of our state’s 36 counties. 
    “Town halls that provide Americans the opportunity to have face-to-face conversations with their elected representatives are just as vital to a vibrant democracy as elections,” Wyden said. “I’m honored that Oregonians have turned out 1,100 times in every county every year to voice their opinions in an open-to-all setting. And I very much look forward to this Friday’s town hall in Multnomah County to work on common-ground and common-sense solutions that make our state an even better place to live and work. That’s the Oregon Way.”
    Parking is limited due to construction on campus, so public transit or carpooling is encouraged. Attendees who want to park should use street parking or use the high school’s South Lot, 1500 SE 130th Ave, Portland. ADA parking and attendee drop-off only can be done in the Howard F. Horner Performing Arts Center Lot.

    MIL OSI USA News –