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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Applaud More Than $47 Million to Upgrade Nevada Water Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Las Vegas, Nev. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) applauded that the State of Nevada will receive more than $47 million from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to upgrade Nevada’s water infrastructure. The grants will fund projects in Nevada that manage wastewater, protect freshwater resources, and deliver safe drinking water to homes, schools, and businesses.

    “All Nevadans deserve access to clean, safe drinking water, and I’m proud to see these funds coming to Nevada to make critical improvements to our water infrastructure,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll continue working in the Senate to deliver essential resources to protect our water supply for generations to come.”

    “All Nevadans deserve access to clean water, which is why I’ve been working across party lines to make historic investments to improve our water infrastructure,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to announce millions of dollars to protect our water supply and deliver safe drinking water for families, communities, and Tribes in Nevada.” 

    The funding comes from two EPA grants. Nearly $26 million will support updates to Nevada’s water infrastructure secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen helped pass. More than $21 million comes through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to ensure communities across the country have access to clean water and updated water infrastructure.

    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen worked to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to create good-paying jobs and upgrade Nevada’s infrastructure, including the state’s water infrastructure. They recently announced $10 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to enhance the safety and functionality of the Marlette Lake Dam. They secured $30 million from the Bureau of Reclamation for the Truckee Meadow Water Authority to make Northern Nevada’s water supply more drought resilient. Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen also fought for the passage of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act, which will improve water infrastructure in the Tahoe Basin.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: Key AI Accomplishments in the Year Since the Biden-⁠ Harris Administration’s Landmark Executive  Order

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    One year ago, President Biden issued a landmark Executive Order to ensure that America leads the way in seizing the promise and managing the risks of artificial intelligence (AI). The Executive Order directed sweeping actions to manage AI’s safety and security risks, protect Americans’ privacy, advance equity and civil rights, stand up for consumers and workers, promote innovation and competition, advance American leadership around the world, and more.
    Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing that Federal agencies have completed on schedule each action that the Executive Order tasked for this past year—more than one hundred in all. Below are some of the Administration’s most significant accomplishments on managing AI’s risks and seizing its promise in the year since President Biden signed his Executive Order.
    Managing Risks to Safety and Security:The Executive Order directed the boldest actions ever taken to protect Americans from a broad range of AI’s safety and security risks, including risks related to dangerous biological materials, software vulnerabilities, and foreign actors’ efforts to develop AI for harmful purposes. Over the last year, to protect safety and security, agencies have:
    Used Defense Production Act authorities to require developers of the most powerful AI systems to report vital information, including results of safety and security testing, to the U.S. government. These companies have notified the Department of Commerce about the results of their red-team safety tests, their plans to train powerful models, and large computing clusters they possess capable of such training. Last month, the Department of Commerce proposed a rule to require the reporting of this information on a quarterly basis.
    Led the way on AI safety testing and evaluations to advance the science of AI safety. The U.S. AI Safety Institute (US AISI) at the Department of Commerce has begun pre-deployment testing of major new AI models through recently signed agreements with two leading AI developers. The Department of Energy (DOE) developed and expanded its AI testbeds and evaluation tools, which it has already used to test models’ risk to nuclear security.
    Developed guidance and tools for managing AI risk. The US AISI and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce published frameworks for managing risks related to generative AI and dual-use foundation models, and earlier this month, AISI released a Request for Information on the responsible development and use of AI models for chemical and biological sciences. The Department of Defense (DoD) released its Responsible AI toolkit to align AI projects with the Department’s Ethical Principles.
    Issued a first-ever National Security Memorandum (NSM) on AI. The NSM directs concrete steps by Federal agencies to ensure the United States leads the world’s development of safe, secure, and trustworthy AI; to enable agencies to harness cutting-edge AI for national security objectives, including by protecting human rights and democratic values; and to advance international consensus and governance on AI. This essential document serves as a formal charter for the AI Safety Institute, designating it as the center of the whole-of-government approach to advanced AI model testing, and will guide rapid and responsible AI adoption by the DoD and Intelligence Community. The NSM also directs the creation of a Framework to Advance AI Governance and Risk Management in National Security, which provides agile guidance to implement the NSM in accordance with democratic values, including mechanisms for risk management, evaluations, accountability, and transparency. 
    Finalized a framework for nucleic acid synthesis screening to help prevent the misuse of AI for engineering dangerous biological materials. The framework, developed by the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), encourages nucleic acid synthesis providers to identify gene sequences that could be used to pose national security risks, and to implement customer screening to mitigate the risks of misuse. Federal agencies will require that funding recipients obtain synthetic nucleic acids from vendors that adhere to the framework, starting in 2025. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has developed an initial framework with principles for evaluating the effectiveness of screening mechanisms going forward.
    Launched a new Task Force on AI Datacenter Infrastructure. The Task Force provides streamlined coordination on policies to advance datacenter development operations in line with economic, national security, and environmental goals.
    Identified measures—including approaches for labeling content and improving transparency—to reduce the risks posed by AI-generated content. The Department of Commerce submitted to the White House a final report on science-backed standards and techniques for addressing these risks, while NIST has launched a challenge to develop methods for detecting AI-generated content. President Biden has emphasized that the public has a right to know when content is AI-generated, and agencies are working to use these tools to help Americans to know that communications they receive from their government are authentic.
    Combatted AI-generated image-based sexual abuse. Image-based sexual abuse—both non-consensual intimate images of adults and child sexual abuse material—is one of the fastest growing harmful uses of AI to date and disproportionately targets women, children, and LGBTQI+ people. This year, following the Vice President’s leadership in underscoring the urgent need to address deepfake image-based sexual abuse and a White House Call to Action to reduce these risks, leading AI developers and data providers made voluntary commitments to curb the creation of AI-generated image-based sexual abuse material. Additionally, the Department of Justice (DOJ) funded the first-ever helpline to provide 24/7 support and specialized services for victims of the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, including deepfakes. The Department of Education also clarified that school responsibilities under Title IX may extend to conduct that takes place online, including AI-generated abuse.
    Established the AI Safety and Security Board (AISSB) to advise the Secretary of Homeland Security on the safe and secure use of AI in critical infrastructure. The AISSB has met thrice this year to develop a set of recommendations for entities that develop, deploy, and promote accountability for AI systems that assist in delivering essential services to millions of Americans. The work of the AISSB complements DHS’s first-ever AI safety and security guidelines for critical infrastructure owners and operators, which were informed by agencies’ assessments of AI risks across all critical infrastructure sectors. To help protect critical infrastructure further, the Department of Treasury released a report on managing security risks of AI use in the financial sector, and the Department of Energy released an assessment of potential risks to the power grid, as well as ways in which AI could potentially strengthen grid resilience and our ability to respond to threats.
    Piloted AI for protecting vital government software systems. The Department of Defense and DHS conducted AI pilots to address vulnerabilities in government networks used, respectively, for national security purposes and for civilian governmental organizations.
    Standing up for Workers, Consumers, Privacy, and Civil RightsAI is changing the products and services Americans buy, affecting jobs and workplaces, and introducing or exacerbating risks to privacy, equity, and civil rights. President Biden’s Executive Order stands up for Americans in each of these domains, and over the last year, agencies have:
    Developed bedrock principles and practices, along with guidance, to help protect and empower workers as AI is built for and used in the workplace. The Department of Labor (DOL) released AI Principles and Best Practices for employers and developers to build and use AI in ways that center the wellbeing of workers and improve the quality of jobs. DOL also published two guidance documents to assist federal contractors and employers in complying with worker protection laws as they deploy AI in the workplace. In addition, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released resources for job seekers and workers to understand how AI use could violate employment discrimination laws.
    Protected patients’ rights and safety, while encouraging innovation, as AI is developed and deployed for healthcare. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established an AI Safety Program to track harmful incidents involving AI’s use in healthcare settings and to evaluate mitigations for those harms. HHS has also developed objectives, goals, and high-level principles for the use of AI or AI-enabled tools in drug development processes and AI-enabled devices. Additionally, HHS finalized a rule that established first-of-its-kind transparency requirements for AI and other predictive algorithms that are part of certified health information technology. HHS also finalized a civil rights regulation, implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, that requires covered health care entities to take steps to identify and mitigate discrimination when they use AI and other forms of decision support tools for care.
    Published guidance and resources for the safe, secure, and trustworthy design and use of AI in education. In July, the Department of Education released guidance calling up on educational technology developers to design AI in ways that protect rights, improve transparency, and center teaching and learning. This month, the Department of Education released a toolkit to support schools and educational leaders in responsibly adopting valuable AI use cases.
    Issued guidance on AI’s nondiscriminatory use in the housing sector, which affirms that existing prohibitions against discrimination apply to AI’s use for tenant screening and housing advertisements, while explaining how to comply with these obligations. Additionally, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau approved a rule requiring that algorithms and AI used for home valuations are fair, nondiscriminatory, and free of conflicts of interest.
    Set guardrails on the responsible and equitable use of AI and algorithmic systems in administering public benefits programs. The Department of Agriculture’s guidance provides a framework for how State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments should manage risks for uses of AI and automated systems in critical benefits programs such as SNAP, while HHS released a plan with guidelines on similar topics for benefits programs it oversees.
    Affirmed commitments to prevent and address unlawful discrimination and other harms resulting from AI. DOJ’s Civil Rights Division convenes federal agency civil rights offices and senior government officials to foster AI and civil rights coordination. Five new agencies also joined a 2023 pledge to uphold America’s commitment to fairness, equality, and justice as new technologies like AI become more common in daily life.
    Advanced privacy protections to safeguard Americans from privacy risks that AI creates or exacerbates. In particular, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and DOE established a research network dedicated to advancing the development, deployment, and scaling of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), while NSF launched the $23 million initiative Privacy-preserving Data Sharing in Practice program to apply, mature, and scale PETs for specific use cases and establish testbeds to accelerate their adoption. Simultaneously, DOE launched a $68 million effort on AI for Science research, which includes efforts at multiple DOE National Laboratories and other institutions to advance PETs for scientific AI. The Department of Commerce also developed guidelines on evaluating differential privacy guarantees. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a Request for Information (RFI) on issues related to federal agency collection, processing, maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, and disposition of commercially available information containing personally identifiable information. OMB also released an RFI on how federal agencies’ privacy impact assessments may be more effective at mitigating privacy risks, including those that are further exacerbated by AI and other advances in technology and data capabilities.
    Harnessing AI for GoodOver the last year, agencies have worked to seize AI’s enormous promise, including by collaborating with the private sector, promoting development and use of valuable AI use cases, and deepening the U.S. lead in AI innovation. To harness AI for good, agencies have:
    Launched the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) pilot and awarded over 150 research teams access to computational and other AI resources. The NAIRR pilot—a national infrastructure led by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in partnership with DOE and other governmental and nongovernmental partners—makes available resources to support the nation’s AI research and education community. Supported research teams span 34 states and tackle projects covering deepfake detection, AI safety, next-generation medical diagnoses, environmental protection, and materials engineering.
    Promoted AI education and training across the United States. DOE is leveraging its network of national laboratories to train 500 new researchers by 2025 to meet demand for AI talent, while NSF has invested millions of dollars in programs to train future AI leaders and innovators. These programs include the EducateAI initiative, which helps fund educators creating high-quality, inclusive AI educational opportunities at the K-12 through undergraduate levels that support experiential learning in fields such as AI and build capacity in AI research at minority-serving institutions.
    Expanded the ability of top AI scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to come to the United States, including by clarifying O-1 and H-1B visa rules and working to streamline visa processing.
    Released a report on the potential benefits, risks, and implications of dual-use foundation models for which the model weights are widely available, including related policy recommendations. The Department of Commerce’s report draws on extensive outreach to experts and stakeholders, including hundreds of public comments submitted on this topic.
    Announced a competition for up to $100 million to support the application of AI-enabled autonomous experimentation to accelerate research into—and delivery of—targeted, industry-relevant, sustainable semiconductor materials and processes.
    Established two new National AI Research Institutes for building AI tools to advance progress across economic sectors, science, and engineering. The NSF-led AI Research Institutes launched in September will develop AI tools for astronomical sciences, with broader applications across scientific disciplines. Earlier this year, NSF also funded 10 inaugural Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines), seven of which include a focus on advancing AI.
    Announced millions of dollars in further investments to advance responsible AI development and use throughout our society. These include $13 million invested by DOE in the VoltAIc initiative for using AI to streamline permitting and accelerate clean energy deployment, as well as $68M from DOE to fund AI for scientific research to accelerate scientific programming and develop energy efficient AI models and hardware. DOE has also launched the Frontiers in AI for Science, Security, and Technology (FASST) initiative roadmap and request for information to harness AI for scientific discovery, national security, energy and electric grid resilience, and other national challenges, building on AI tools, models, and partnerships. NSF, in partnership with philanthropy, announced an inaugural investment of more than $18 million to 44 multidisciplinary, multi-sector teams across the U.S. to advance the responsible design, development, and deployment of technologies including AI, ensuring ethical, legal, community, and societal considerations are embedded in the lifecycle of technology’s creation.
    Issued a first-ever report analyzing AI’s near-term potential to support the growth of America’s clean energy economy. DOE’s National Laboratories also issued a long-term grand challenges report identifying opportunities in AI for energy over the next decade. 
    Released a vision for how AI can help us achieve our nation’s greatest aspirations. AI Aspirations sets forth goals to create a future of better health and opportunity for all, mitigate climate change and boost resilience, build robust infrastructure and manufacturing, ensure the government works for every American, and more. In furtherance of these goals, HHS launched CATALYST, a research and development program focused on the potential use of AI to better predict drug safety and efficacy before clinical trials start. In complement, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology also authored a report outlining AI’s potential to revolutionize and accelerate scientific discovery.
    Published guidance addressing vital questions at the intersection of AI and intellectual property. To advance innovation the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has released guidance documents addressing the patentability of AI-assisted inventions, on the subject matter eligibility of patent claims involving inventions related to AI technology, and on the use of AI tools in proceedings before USPTO.
    Bringing AI and AI Talent into GovernmentAI can help government deliver better results for the American people, though its use by Federal agencies can also pose risks, such as discrimination and unsafe decisions. Bringing AI and AI-enabling professionals into government, moreover, is vital for managing these risks and opportunities and advancing other critical AI missions. Over the last year, agencies have:
    Issued the first-ever government-wide policy to strengthen governance, mitigate risks, and advance innovation in federal use of AI. OMB’s historic policy, M-24-10, requires agencies to implement concrete safeguards when using AI in a way that could impact Americans’ rights or safety. These safeguards include a series of mandatory risk management practices to reliably assess, test, and monitor AI’s impacts on the public and provide greater transparency into how the government uses AI. OMB’s policy also directs agencies to designate Chief AI Officers to coordinate the use of AI across their agency, while expanding and upskilling their AI workforce and removing barriers to adopting AI for all manner of purposes—from addressing climate change to advancing public health and safety.
    Released a government-wide policy to advance responsible acquisition of AI by Federal agencies. M-24-18, published this month by OMB, helps ensure that when Federal agencies acquire AI, they have the information and tools necessary to manage risks, promote a competitive marketplace, and collaborate on strategic planning. This work directs the Federal government—the largest buyer in the U.S. economy—to advance AI innovation and risk management through responsibly exercising its purchasing power.
    Hired over 250 AI practitioners into the Federal government through the AI Talent Surge. Tech talent programs ramped up hiring for AI talent, with the Presidential Innovation Fellows bringing on their first-ever AI cohort, DHS establishing their AI Corps with over 30 members onboarded to date, and the U.S. Digital Corps providing pathways for early-career technologists to join Federal service. AI talent has been instrumental in delivering on critical AI priorities, from using AI to deliver top-tier government services, to protecting the public’s rights and safety in the use of AI.
    Established the Chief AI Officers Council to harmonize best practices and sharing of resources across the interagency to implement OMB’s guidance and coordinate the development and use of AI in agencies’ programs and operations.
    Introduced expanded reporting instructions for the federal AI use case inventory to include identifying use cases that impact rights or safety and how the agency is addressing the relevant risks in line with OMB’s policies. 
    Bolstered the public interest technology ecosystem. Building on the AI Talent Surge, the White House announced funding across government, academia, and civil society to support education and career pathways that will help ensure government has access to diverse, mission-oriented technology talent.
    Activated new hiring authorities to bring AI and AI-enabling talent into agencies. As part of the AI Talent Surge, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) granted new hiring authorities, including direct hire authorities and excepted service authorities, for agencies to rapidly bring on top-tier AI and AI-enabling talent, and released guidance on skills-based hiring and pay and leave flexibilities to best position agencies to hire and retain AI and AI-enabling talent. Additionally, OPM collaborated with partners to run three National Tech to Gov career fairs to connect the public with AI and tech jobs in government, surfacing roles from over 64 Federal, state, and local government employers to over 3,000 job seekers.
    Advancing U.S. Leadership AbroadPresident Biden’s Executive Order directed work to lead global efforts to capture AI’s promise, mitigate AI’s risks, and ensure AI’s responsible governance. To advance these goals, the Administration has:
    Sponsored and passed a landmark United Nations General Assembly resolution. The unanimously adopted resolution, with more than 100 co-sponsors (including the People’s Republic of China), lays out a common vision for countries around the world to promote the safe and secure use of AI to address global challenges.
    Engaged foreign leaders on strengthening international rules and norms for AI, including at the 2023 UK AI Safety Summit and the AI Seoul Summit in May 2024, where Vice President Harris represented the United States. In the United Kingdom, Vice President Harris unveiled a series of U.S. initiatives to advance the safe and responsible use of AI, including the establishment of AISI at the Department of Commerce.
    Announced a global network of AI Safety Institutes and other government-backed scientific offices to advance AI safety at a technical level. This network, which will formally launch in November at the inaugural network convening in San Francisco, will accelerate critical information exchange and drive toward common or compatible safety evaluations and policies.
    Expanded global support for the U.S.-led Political Declaration on the Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy. Fifty-six nations now endorse the political declaration, which outlines a set of norms for the responsible development, deployment, and use of military AI capabilities. DoD has expanded the scope of its international AI Partnership for Defense to align global Responsible AI practices with the Political Declaration’s norms.
    Developed comprehensive plans for U.S. engagement on global AI standards and AI-related critical infrastructure topics. NIST and DHS, respectively, will report on priority actions taken per these plans in 90 days.
    Signed the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on AI and Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law. This first multilateral treaty on AI represents a powerful affirmation of the relevance of existing human rights obligations to AI activities and establishes a strong baseline in international law for responsible government use of AI. The United States’ signature reflects its commitment to ensuring that AI technologies are designed, developed, used, and governed in ways that promote respect for human rights and democratic values. 
    Led the development of a Joint Statement on Responsible Government Practices for AI Technologies. The Joint Statement, to which the 41 countries of the Freedom Online Coalition committed, calls on governments to develop, use, and procure AI responsibly, including by respecting international obligations and commitments, assessing impacts of AI systems, conducting ongoing monitoring, ensuring adequate human training and assessment, communicating and responding to the public, and providing effective access to remedy. 
    Launched the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse.  The 15-country Global Partnership has advanced international policies to address online safety, and spurred new programs to prevent and respond to technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including through AI.
    The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development published resources to advance global AI research and use of AI for economic development. The AI in Global Development Playbook incorporates principles and practices from NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework to guide AI’s responsible development and deployment across international contexts, while the Global AI Research Agenda outlines priorities for advancing AI’s safe, responsible, and sustainable global development and adoption.
    The table below summarizes many of the activities that federal agencies have completed in response to the Executive Order.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: President  Biden and Vice President Harris Announce New Actions and Investments to Advance Educational and Economic Opportunity for Latino Communities Across the  Country

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, President Biden will ceremonially sign Executive Order (EO) 14124, establishing the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), alongside nearly two dozen champions for these institutions and Latino communities. President Biden and Vice President Harris will also announce nearly $19 million in transformational investments for five HSIs in Florida, Illinois, Texas, and Puerto Rico to build research infrastructure. These efforts build on the Administration’s historic investment of over $16 billion in more than 500 HSIs across 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico that educate more than 4.7 million students annually.
    Over the past three years, President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken historic actions to expand opportunity for Latino families and communities, including: creating more than 15 million jobs – with 5 million created for Latinos, helping Latino entrepreneurs start new businesses at the fastest rate in over 10 years, addressing our broken immigration system, and working to ensure equitable educational opportunity for students.
    Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing new actions to advance educational opportunities for students at HSIs and giving them a fair shot at achieving the American dream. 
    Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through HSIs
    With student enrollment that is at least one-quarter Latino, HSIs are engines of economic mobility, propelling high numbers of students from low-income backgrounds and first-generation college students into good jobs and brighter futures. Today, President Biden will ceremonially sign EO 14124 to strengthen the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing opportunity for HSIs and the students they serve.
    The EO creates a new Initiative and first-ever President’s Board of Advisors on HSIs to:
    Increase awareness of opportunities for HSIs to equally participate in Federal programs and enhance the capacity of HSIs to meet the educational needs of their students.
    Identify best practices for HSIs to scale effective strategies, programs, and initiatives to support the educational success and economic mobility of their students.
    Improve the ability of HSIs to align program offerings with the economic needs of the Nation and their local economies, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and teaching.
    Coordinate efforts to help HSIs become or remain fiscally secure institutions.
    Foster cross-sector collaboration among HSIs and philanthropic, public, and private sector organizations.
    Strengthen Federal recruitment activities at HSIs to build accessible and equal pathways into Federal career opportunities for HSI students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
    Provide tools, data, and analytics to support HSIs in improving educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity for students.
    Investing Additional $19 Million in Research Infrastructure at HSIs
    To remain the most competitive economy in the world, the Nation’s most inclusive institutions of higher education must continue to lead in research and development. Yet too many HSIs report having unmet infrastructure needs that hold back their ability to engage in research that will propel forward these institutions, their students, and the nation as a whole.
    To help address these needs, the Biden-Harris Administration established the Department of Education’s Research and Development Infrastructure Program (RDI) for the colleges and universities that play a central role in educating students from diverse backgrounds. The program provides funds to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)—including HSIs— to implement transformational investments in research infrastructure, including research productivity, faculty expertise, graduate programs, physical infrastructure, human capital development, and partnerships leading to increases in external funding.
    Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced nearly $19 million in new grants to five HSIs to build their research and physical infrastructure including—
    Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida received $1.1 million.
    National Louis University in Chicago, Illinois received $3 million.
    Sam Houston State University in Houston, Texas received $5 million.
    Texas A&M University Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas received $4.7 million.
    University of Puerto Rico on the Rio Piedras Campus received $5 million.
    The $19 million in grants to HSIs was a part of $49 million in RDI grants to 13 HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs.
    Building on Historic Investments in HSIs
    Today’s announcements build on President Biden and Vice President Harris’ historic investments of over $16 billion in direct funding to HSIs, including through COVID relief funds and the Department of Education’s federal grant program funds.
     The chart below provides a state-by-state breakdown of funding to date.
    State 
    Total Funds Received by HSIs in the State 
    AR 
    $11,356,918
    AZ 
    $739,602,657
    CA 
    $6,389,050,269
    CO 
    $290,670,467
    CT 
    $81,522,902
    DC 
    $10,396,350
    FL 
    $1,524,890,025
    GA 
    $96,526,460
    ID 
    $12,477,969
    IL 
    $664,298,648
    IN 
    $20,049,711
    KS 
    $20,869,761
    MA 
    $110,295,475
    MD 
    $68,836,836
    MN 
    $12,999,876
    NC 
    $10,750,057
    NE 
    $1,211,270
    NJ 
    $582,987,076
    NM 
    $399,198,109
    NV 
    $336,899,054
    NY 
    $327,800,182
    OH 
    $875,529
    OK 
    $9,372,922
    OR 
    $58,864,009
    PA 
    $66,357,824
    PR 
    $1,135,872,342
    RI 
    $48,066,707
    TN 
    $7,383,933
    TX 
    $3,433,719,411
    VA 
    $14,730,892
    WA 
    $124,035,244
    WI 
    $23,119,648
    Grand Total 
    $16,635,088,533

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from President Joe  Biden on Third Quarter 2024  GDP

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today’s GDP report shows how far we’ve come since I took office—from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression to the strongest economy in the world. Since I took office, the economy has grown 12.6%, we’ve had the lowest average unemployment in 50 years, nearly 16 million jobs have been created, and incomes have risen $4,000 more than inflation. While critics thought we’d need a recession to lower inflation, instead we’ve grown around 3% a year on average, while inflation has fallen to the level right before the pandemic.
    We need to keep building on this progress. Instead, Congressional Republicans are proposing across-the-board tariffs that would cost families nearly $4,000 a year, reignite inflation, and kill hundreds of thousands of jobs. The Vice President and I are fighting to lower costs on everyday goods—from housing and groceries to health care and child care—while Republicans fight for more tax breaks for the wealthy and large corporations. The best way to grow the economy is from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Icymi: Manchin Attends The Thomas Orthopedic Hospital Grand Re-Opening, Ribbon -Cutting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
    October 30, 2024
    Charleston, WV – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) attended the grand re-opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for West Virginia University Health System’s (WVU Medicine) Thomas Orthopedic Hospital in Charleston.
    “WVU Medicine continues to be a leader in high-quality patient care and cutting-edge medical research,” said Senator Manchin. “This hospital is set to be at the forefront of orthopedic medicine, focused on bone and joint issues. I am certain all West Virginians will be able to receive quality, specialized treatment from experienced professionals using the latest medical technology. I look forward to returning to the hospital soon to hear all about its positive impacts on the community and the continued great work of everyone involved.”
    Photos from the event are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Department of Commerce Heeds Senators’ Call to Establish Committee to Prepare for Major Sporting Events

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran
    WASHINGTON – Following calls from U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) – co-chairs of the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus – and 19 of their colleagues, the U.S. Department of Commerce, in partnership with Department of State, announced today that the Tourism Policy Council will establish a Subcommittee on Large Scale Sporting Events.
    This subcommittee would help ensure the safety and preparedness for major sporting events taking place in cities across the United States over the next decade, including Kansas City. Earlier this year, Sens. Moran and Klobuchar called on the Biden administration to establish a Global Sporting Task Force to help prepare and lead the coordination for upcoming sporting events in the U.S., including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2028 and 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the 2031 Rugby World Cup.
    “Kansas City and other major cities across the country are poised to host some of the world’s most renowned sporting events that will showcase our country and bolster our economy,” said Sen. Moran. “These games will require a coordinated effort at every level of government to make certain athletes and fans remain safe and have a seamless experience traveling to and from the events. I applaud the Department of Commerce for following our calls to establish a committee to provide fans and athletes with a safe, efficient and memorable experience.”
    “As hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic games, the United States has a unique opportunity to strengthen our economy and showcase America’s global leadership,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “Thank you to Secretary Blinken and Raimondo for taking action to welcome visitors to the U.S. by ensuring those traveling to the games have a seamless and safe experience.”
    Sens. Moran and Klobuchar were joined by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Alex Padilla (D-Cali.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in calling on the administration to establish this committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Works to Safeguard U.S. Elections from Illegal Immigrants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined her colleagues in criticizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) for failing to prevent illegal aliens from registering to vote and protect the integrity of American elections.
    In light of a report that uncovered that non-citizens have voted and are registering to vote in Iowa, Senator Ernst additionally criticized the White House for refusing to prosecute individuals caught illegally voting or registering to vote.“We are deeply concerned by reports of non-citizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections,” the lawmakers wrote.“Clearly, there is a non-negligible amount of voter participation by non-citizens in federal elections, which is not only a serious threat to the integrity of our elections and the democratic process they represent, but also has the potential to reduce Americans’ trust and confidence in election results,” the lawmakers continued.
    To maintain the integrity of our elections, Ernst demanded answers about the number of illegal aliens who have been charged, tried, and convicted of election related crimes, and asked what steps the DOJ is taking to work with states where there have been reports of unlawful election activity by illegal aliens.
    Click here to view the full letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, Senator Markey Urges Meta to Enable Independent Academic Research on its Impact on Election

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Letter Text (PDF)
    Washington (October 29, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, Chairman and CEO of Meta, on the company’s failure to launch an academic research initiative on its platforms’ impact on the 2024 presidential election. In 2020, two of Meta’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, launched a partnership with 17 researchers to investigate social media’s impact on the 2020 presidential election. Although that research is ongoing, it has already produced high-quality and informative studies on Facebook and Instagram’s political impact. Meta is not undertaking a similar initiative this election cycle.
    Senator Markey wrote, “Meta’s decision to enable independent researchers to study Facebook and Instagram’s impact on the 2020 election provided a critical window into the platforms’ impact on U.S. politics and the 2020 election. Thanks to this partnership, over the past few years, researchers have released important studies on Facebook and Instagram’s effect on political polarization, news knowledge, and turnout, among other measures, and the impact of different changes to Facebook and Instagram’s user experiences, such as switching certain users to a chronological feed of content, rather than an algorithmically determined feed.”
    Senator Markey continued, “Four years later, although we have learned much more about social media’s impact, many questions remain unanswered, and Meta appears to have pulled back on answering them. With the presidential election just a week away, it may be too late to conduct the exact same type of research as was done under the 2020 initiative, but Meta still has significant data that can shed light on its impact on this election. Going forward, I urge Meta to once again lead the industry in transparency and ensure independent researchers have the access necessary to develop a better picture of social media’s impact on our elections, institutions, and democracy.”
    The full text of the letter can be found HERE.
    In July 2024, Senator Markey, along with Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and their colleagues, sent a bipartisan and bicameral letter to Meta raising concerns about Meta’s decision to end access to CrowdTangle, a Meta-owned transparency tool that has allowed researchers and journalists to view and study public content on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms on a wide range of issues, including foreign influence campaigns, terrorist threats, and mental health. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Wyden, Merkley, Kaine, Van Hollen and Booker Warn U.N. Cyber Convention Could Justify Spying and Censorship By China, Russia and Other Authoritarian Regimes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    U.N. Convention Against Cybercrime Lacks Safeguards Against Abuse; Senators Urge Admin To Seek Better Balance To Protect Journalism and Human Rights
    Washington, D.C. – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in urging the Biden Administration to make clear a United Nations cyber convention should not be used to justify censorship, spying and human rights abuses by authoritarian governments like Russia and China, in a letter sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
    “We fear the Convention will legitimize efforts by authoritarian countries like Russia and China to censor and surveil internet users, furthering repression and human rights abuses around the world,” the Senators wrote. “While the Executive Branch’s efforts to steer this treaty in a less-harmful direction are commendable, more must be done to keep the Convention from being used to justify such actions.”
    The U.N. Convention Against Cybercrime was originally proposed by Russia in 2017 as an alternative to an existing treaty on cybercrime. The U.N. convention is expected to come up for a vote in the U.N. General Assembly as soon as December. 
    A broad array of advocates for journalism, human rights and national security have warned that the convention could be abused by authoritarian regimes to repress political dissent and censor independent reporting, and have urged changes to the measure.  
    The senators thanked the Biden Administration for seeking changes to improve the convention, but warned that the final document does not go far enough to protect journalists, cybersecurity researchers and human rights advocates against surveillance and censorship by authoritarian regimes. 
    “As the UNGA considers the Convention, the United States must not align itself with repressive regimes by supporting a Convention that undermines human rights and U.S. interests,” the lawmakers wrote. “Instead, the United States should lead the charge at the U.N., with allies and partners, for a more balanced and rights-respecting approach to cybercrime. Upholding the values of freedom and human rights is essential not only for U.S. global standing but also for the protection of vulnerable communities worldwide.”
    Read the full letter to the administration HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reuters: U.S. senators urge overhaul of customs program to stop fentanyl chemical smuggling

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    October 29, 2024

    Prominent U.S. Democratic senators on Tuesday called on the Biden administration to crack down on a popular duty-free customs program after Reuters reporting revealed how drug traffickers use the streamlined entry system to sneak Chinese-made fentanyl chemicals into the country virtually unchecked.

    In a letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the lawmakers urged the agencies to use their statutory authority to prohibit e-commerce shipments from entering the U.S. under the so-called de minimis rule, which allows merchandise valued under $800 to come into the U.S. duty free, and with minimal paperwork and inspections. This customs channel is widely used by retailers and online shopping platforms to ship foreign-made goods directly to U.S. consumers.

    The four lawmakers – Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, and Sherrod Brown of Ohio – wrote that they were “particularly concerned by reports that drug traffickers are abusing the de minimis exemption to smuggle illicit fentanyl and its precursor chemicals into the United States.” The letter made multiple references to a Reuters investigation of the smuggling tactic published earlier this month.

    …

    Read the full story here.

    By:  Laura Gottesdiener
    Source: Reuters

    Previous Article

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Announces Over a Billion Dollars to Decarbonize California Ports and Improve Air Quality

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Announces Over a Billion Dollars to Decarbonize California Ports and Improve Air Quality

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will award over $1 billion across seven California ports to build zero-emission (ZE) port infrastructure and implement climate and air quality management plans. This substantial investment comes from the EPA’s Clean Ports Program, which is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and aims to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality at ports across the nation.
    California ports will receive three of the largest seven grants nationwide, including over $411 million for the Port of Los Angeles, the biggest award in the country.
    California’s ports play an important role in the nation’s economy, moving hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of goods annually. These ports process about 40 percent of all containerized imports and 30 percent of all exports in the United States.
    “California’s ports move the goods that power our economy. This historic investment in our ports is a major step forward in accelerating the zero-emission infrastructure transition,” said Senator Padilla. “With more than a billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funding headed to California, we’re decarbonizing our supply chain to produce cleaner air in neighboring communities and meet our climate goals while creating green jobs.”
    “This transformative investment will be a tremendous boost to our efforts to meet our ambitious zero emission goals, improve regional air quality, and combat climate change, while accelerating the port-industry’s transition to zero emissions across the country,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “This grant will fund over 400 pieces of ZE cargo handling equipment, replacing nearly one-third of the diesel equipment currently on our docks, and eliminating over 40,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. This successful application is the culmination of a deep partnership with environmental justice groups, labor, the private sector, and stakeholders at all levels of government, and we’ll continue to work with our local communities to ensure this investment delivers benefits in their neighborhoods. We thank Senator Padilla, the EPA and the Biden-Harris Administration for their unprecedented support of our ambition and look forward to delivering on our commitment to cleaner air for future generations.”
    “Special thanks to U.S. Senator Alex Padilla for his continued advocacy on supply chain decarbonization,” said Port of Oakland Executive Director Danny Wan. “These Clean Ports grant funds will allow us to bring hundreds of additional zero emissions equipment and vehicles to our seaport resulting in more environmental and economic benefits for the region.” 
    “The funding Senator Padilla has helped to secure from the EPA will be transformational for the Port of Stockton. These funds will significantly decrease freight-related emissions in the Central Valley by transitioning more than 90 percent of our cargo-handling equipment to Zero Emissions. We have been working hard over the years to reduce emissions and replace diesel powered cargo handling equipment with Zero Emission technology and this grant will springboard our efforts. We look forward to leveraging this support to further our advancements in zero-emission equipment and foster a more sustainable future for all,” said Port of Stockton Director Kirk DeJesus.
    “The Port of San Diego is grateful to Senator Padilla for his continued advocacy of the work we are doing to get closer to our goal of becoming a zero emissions operation,” said Chairman Frank Urtasun, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “Modernizing our cargo terminals is a win for our maritime tenants, cargo trade business, and most importantly for our public health goals. Together we are delivering on our promise to those who live, work, and play on and around San Diego Bay.”
    “We are grateful for the U.S. EPA’s award to the Port of San Francisco,” said Elaine Forbes, Executive Director of the Port of San Francisco. “This major investment will allow us to complete the Mission Bay Ferry Landing and to achieve an electric fleet, with zero emissions. We look forward to working with our partners at San Francisco Bay Ferry and the SFPUC to provide Bay Area residents with the nation’s first zero-emission ferry network, and to bring ferry service to Mission Bay. These EPA funds will also support access to critical, well-paying jobs in the maritime trades.”
    “This grant represents an enormous push forward for the nation’s first high-speed zero-emission ferry network,” said Jim Wunderman, Chair of the SF Bay Ferry Board of Directors. “SF Bay Ferry will provide a critical transportation link to Mission Bay, an incredibly successful development hub in San Francisco. And because of the EPA’s decision, we’ll be able to do so with clean, reliable and efficient electric ferries. Thank you to Senator Padilla and the Bay Area Congressional Delegation for their support in winning this transformational grant.”
    “The EPA Clean Ports announcement is exciting news for the Port of Hueneme,” said Celina Zacarias, President of the Oxnard Harbor District/Port of Hueneme. “We have the funding to accelerate the Board’s policy to decarbonize the port.”
    “The $43 million EPA Clean Ports Grant is transformative for the Port of Hueneme,” said Kristin Decas, President & CEO of the Port of Hueneme. “We are grateful for the support and leadership of Senator Padilla to help secure these critical dollars for the betterment of communities adjacent to Ports throughout California.”
    “The Port of Redwood City applauds the EPA for this investment to facilitate the long-range planning and create a roadmap towards decarbonization by diversifying fueling options of Port operations,” said Kristine A. Zortman, Executive Director. “This investment represents an opportunity to create new jobs in a transformative sector of energy production furthering our environmental stewardship, workforce development, and emissions reductions.”
    California ports receiving funding from the Clean Ports Program include:
    Port of Los Angeles — $411.69 million: This project aims to accelerate the port’s transition toward ZE on-terminal operations by significantly reducing air pollution in and around the port, deploying ZE cargo handling equipment (CHE), and enhancing electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The funding will help acquire over 400 pieces of ZE CHE and 250 ZE drayage trucks and associated charging infrastructure, replace nearly 30 percent of the Port’s diesel-burning CHE fleet, and eliminate 41,500 tons of carbon dioxide and 55 tons of NOx emissions annually. The port will also install cutting-edge power management systems, innovative heavy-duty drayage truck and charging deployments, and one of the world’s first shore-power support systems for auto carrier vessels.
    Port of Oakland — $322.17 million: This project will support the vision of reducing emissions and fully decarbonizing port acti­­vities by transitioning to ZE alternatives for drayage trucks and cargo handling equipment. This includes the purchase of 762 pieces of ZE equipment (battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell) to complete a nearly 100 percent­­ conversion of all cargo handling equipment to zero emissions technologies.
    Port of Stockton — $110.47 million: This project will transform the port into the first small port with ZE terminal operations and increase the ZE workforce in Northern California. The port will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxide by acquiring electric forklifts, cranes, terminal tractors, and a mobile railcar indexer; obtaining a direct current fast charger; implementing a shore power system; and deploying rooftop solar power and battery energy storage to power new equipment.
    Port of San Diego — $58.6 million: This project will support the port’s longstanding commitment to the electrification of San Diego’s maritime cargo handling facilities and freight transportation by implementing the final electrification elements to transform San Diego’s maritime cargo terminals and the goods movement network on San Diego Bay. These funds will help construct all remaining improvements to the Port’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal’s (TAMT) legacy 12kv loop to support all future investments in electrical infrastructure and install a grid-based shore power systems to connect ocean-going vessels and support electric commercial harbor craft homeported at TAMT and deployed throughout San Diego Bay, among other improvements.
    Port of San Francisco — $55.39 million: This investment will transition ferry operations along the San Francisco waterfront to zero-emissions, removing 455,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide greenhouse gases and enhancing air quality at the Port of San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area airshed. The project will also connect disadvantaged communities with high-paying employment centers. The funding will deliver a series of projects that will complete the establishment of the first ZE fast ferry network in the country, connecting the two visitor and employment centers of Downtown San Francisco and Mission Bay with the emerging waterfront neighborhood on Treasure Island.
    Port of Hueneme — $42.29 million: The Port of Hueneme Reducing Emissions, Supporting Health (PHRESH) project consists of two components: PHRESH START (Sustainable, Thoughtful And Resilient Transformation), which includes planning activities, and PHRESH AIR (Accelerating Implementation and Results), which involves the deployment of roughly 35 pieces of ZE terminal equipment and a drayage truck incentive program.
    Port of Redwood City — $1.97 million: This project, in partnership with a private entity, includes climate and air quality planning for hydrogen-based fueling and infrastructure.
    Grants from the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition will slash mobile source emissions (criteria pollutants, air toxics, and greenhouse gases) at California ports, while grants from the Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition will fund emissions inventories, strategy analysis, community engagement, and resiliency measure identification to strengthen zero-emissions port operations and reduce air pollution.
    Senator Padilla believes decarbonizing our ports is vital for powering economic growth and protecting public health. Last year, he announced $74.5 million from the Department of Transportation Maritime Administration to decarbonize, upgrade, and rehabilitate key ports along California’s coast. He has consistently pushed for funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for California’s ports, including over $283 million for the Port of Long Beach last year, $94 million in port infrastructure grant funding in 2022, and over $57 million in 2021. Earlier this year, Padilla announced that the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (San Pedro Ports) will receive more than $112 million through the FY 2024 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan for critical construction upgrades and operations and maintenance activities.
    Last year, Senator Padilla and Representative Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44) led 16 California lawmakers in urging EPA Administrator Michael Regan to grant authorization for the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) request for its Ocean-going Vessels At-Berth Regulation, which would reduce air pollution in California and protect the health of millions of people who are impacted by emissions from diesel-powered ships. Additionally, Padilla and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) introduced the Clean Shipping Act of 2023 to reduce air pollution within the shipping industry and protect the health of port communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Announces Over $279 Million in Rail Grants for California

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded 12 grants to California rail infrastructure projects totaling over $279 million. The grants are part of the DOT’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program, which funds projects to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has nearly tripled funding for this program — with $5 billion available from 2022 to 2026.
    “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering hundreds of millions of dollars to make rail transit more efficient and safer for Californians,” said Senator Padilla. “Modernizing and building out our rail networks will help lower our carbon emissions, create good-paying jobs, and keep commuters and goods moving across the state. This announcement includes a crucial federal investment in the LOSSAN rail corridor, bolstering efficiency and climate resiliency against rising sea levels and erosion along the California coastline.”
    “CARB’s success securing a federal CRISI grant on behalf of California’s small locomotive operators is key to the future success of its GO ZERO grant program, which helps match Class III rail operators with grants to convert their fleets to cleaner operations at minimal cost. This grant will help replace 10 dirty diesel locomotives with zero-emission battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell locomotives and install four zero-emission battery chargers to provide substantial emissions reductions in communities surrounding rail operations that often endure a disproportionate public health burden,” said California Air Resources Board (CARB) Chair Liane Randolph.
    “Thank you Senator Padilla for securing this important Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for The Portal.  This commitment will complete final design for the track and rail systems connecting two recently completed federal investments: the electrification of Caltrain service and the opening of the largest multimodal transit hub on the west coast, the Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco.  Connecting Caltrain and California High-Speed Rail with BART and 8 regional bus operators will bring diverse communities closer while reducing climate change impacts and providing residents better access to jobs, housing and economic opportunity,” said Adam Van de Water, Executive Director of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority.
    CRISI grants awarded by the Department of Transportation for FY 2023-24 include:
    Orange County Transportation Authority — $100 million: The Coastal Rail Infrastructure Resiliency Project will make track improvements along Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner Corridor on infrastructure owned by the Orange County Transportation Authority. The project will bolster safety and climate resilience by stabilizing the track against the effects of sea-level rise and beach erosion, which will increase the reliability of intercity passenger rail, freight, and commuter rail service. It will also decrease delays caused by weather-related incidents in the project area.
    California Air Resources Board — $36.5 million: The Go Zero Emission Rail Operation Project includes the replacement of 10 diesel locomotives with nine zero-emission battery-electric locomotives and one hydrogen fuel cell locomotive, as well as the installation of four battery chargers throughout California. This project will substantially reduce emissions and noise and provide significant benefits to surrounding communities.
    Transbay Joint Powers Authority — $24.7 million: The Downtown Rail Extension (DTX) Final Design for Track and Rail Systems Project will help accommodate California High-Speed Rail (CHSR) and Caltrain commuter rail into the newly built, multimodal Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco. The project will support the development of the track and rail systems package and perform value engineering, constructability review, and risk management programs associated with the trackwork and rail systems scope for the DTX. This investment will reduce trip time and increase connectivity to other modes.
    Arizona & California Railroad Company — $22.7 million: The Desert Rail Infrastructure Improvement Project will replace approximately 36 miles of rail for the Arizona and California Railroad Company, which will complete the track rehabilitation program for the full 69-mile corridor. This project will enhance safety and improve system and service performance by performing state of good repair upgrades to replace deteriorating 90 lb. rail with 115 lb. rail, resulting in more resiliency, higher speeds, and reduced derailments.
    Modesto and Empire Traction Company — $20.5 million: The Central Valley Green Locomotive Initiative will repower nine existing locomotives. Each locomotive is currently powered by three internal engines, and this project would replace those with a single engine in each locomotive. This would incorporate Tier 4 technology, which is the cleanest technology for diesel locomotives.
    Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority — $20 million: The Capitol Corridor Right-of-Way Safety Improvement Program will install security fencing along the Capitol Corridor route in northern California at three identified priority locations: Oakland to Fremont, Richmond to Emeryville, and Fairfield to Suisun City. This investment will prevent pedestrians from trespassing on the railroad right-of-way and deter individuals from intentionally entering the path of oncoming trains. The project is expected to reduce unauthorized access to the right-of-way and associated incidents by 20 percent along the corridor, including in two counties listed under the National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing: Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
    California Department of Transportation — $18.7 million: This project for the San Joaquin Corridor 2nd Platforms at Modesto and Turlock-Denair Amtrak Stations includes station, track, and grade crossing improvements on the San Joaquin Corridor along infrastructure owned by BNSF Railway. The project will create a second platform at two different stations in California’s Central Valley — Modesto and Denair — and install additional track to ease congestion between passenger and freight service. This investment will enhance safety as the project will upgrade three at-grade crossings and improve congestion.
    Trona Railway Company — $13.1 million: This project includes the replacement of six uncontrolled locomotives with three Tier 4 locomotives. It will reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, benefiting the users Trona Railway Company serves and residents in northern San Bernardino County.
    Mendocino Railway — $11.4 million: This project will acquire and repower three Tier 0 diesel-electric switcher locomotives with three Tier 4 diesel-electric switcher locomotives to be put into service along the Mendocino Railway rail line, running from Fort Bragg to Willits. This cleaner technology and locomotive conversion will reduce criteria pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.
    A full list of California projects awarded CRISI grant funding is available here.
    Senator Padilla has secured hundreds of millions in federal funding to strengthen California’s rail infrastructure, bolstering modern and sustainable rail transit. Last year, he and the late Senator Dianne Feinstein announced $290 million in CRISI rail grants aimed at improving safety, efficiency, and capacity on key routes across the state. Earlier this year, Padilla announced $53.9 million in federal funding for improvements to the San Dieguito River Railway Bridge, which lies along the 351-mile Los Angeles–San Diego–San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor, the second busiest intercity passenger rail corridor in the nation. He also celebrated a historic $6 billion federal investment from the Federal Railroad Administration last year in California rail projects, including $3.1 billion for the California High-Speed Rail Authority that he pushed for alongside Feinstein, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.-11), and Representative Jim Costa (D-Calif.-21).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts, Fischer Secure $5.4 Million Grant for Nebraska Agricultural Supply Chain Efficiency Project

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    October 29, 2024
    OMAHA, NE — Today, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) announced a $5.4 million federal grant to enhance the Southeastern Nebraska Agricultural Supply Chain Efficiency Project. The grant was awarded to Manning Rail, Inc. to rehabilitate a rail line between Fairmont and Burress in Filmore County.
    “Food security is national security so enhancing Nebraska’s agricultural supply chain is an important use of these funds,” said Senator Ricketts. “Restoring the rail line will enhance the competitiveness of more than 100 local farmers. This project will not only improve grain transporting efficiency, but also enhance market access for local producers.”
    “Investing in infrastructure keeps rural Nebraska strong,” said Senator Fischer. “Rebuilding the rail line between Fairmont and Burress will connect more than 100 producers to the global marketplace and position Fillmore County for future success.”
    “We are grateful and excited to have been awarded this grant because of the tremendous opportunity it offers regional producers,” said Kent Manning, President of Manning Rail. “When we purchased the line twenty years ago, it had little chance of surviving. Since then, we have worked very hard to restore it. This grant provides the necessary funding for safe and efficient transportation of grain via rail. Once this project is completed, producers for generations to come will have access to 110-car shuttle trains on the BNSF railroad.”
    This project will focus on development, final design, and construction activities to restore the rail line. Manning Rail and Filmore County will contribute the 25 percent non-Federal match. The project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for rural area projects.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley: Port of Portland Earns $2.77 Million Federal Award

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    October 29, 2024
    U.S. EPA invests in Port of Portland through its Clean Ports Program
    Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a federal investment of $2.77 million toward the Port of Portland’s work to decarbonize as well as improve natural disaster resilience.
    “The Port of Portland plays an integral role in many Oregonians’ travel plans, and also a crucial element for small Oregon businesses who depend on the Port to ship their Oregon-grown goods around the world,” Wyden said. “Ensuring the Port of Portland has the long-term tools it needs to build a strong, resilient port Oregonians can depend on today and into the future is vital for our economy and quality of life.”“Ports are a crucial part of keeping the economies of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest flowing as they move goods throughout our region and export our amazing Oregon products around the world,” said Merkley. “This federal funding will provide crucial support to the Port of Portland’s plans to cut down on pollution and transition to zero-emission operations, a big win in our fight against climate chaos.”
    Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, the funding is through the U.S. EPA’s Clean Ports Program: Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition for the Port of Portland’s Clean Ports Energy Future Roadmap.
    “This funding is a game-changer for planning a greener future at our marine terminals, from zero-emissions equipment to new renewable power and clean fuel options for the vessels our terminals serve,” said Port of Portland Executive Director Curtis Robinhold. “We’re grateful to Senator Merkley and Senator Wyden for their environmental leadership as we create a roadmap for minimizing the carbon footprint of marine shipping operations.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schumer, Gillibrand Secure Nearly $12 Million To Replace Bridge Street Bridge Over Schoharie Creek

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Senators Say Fed $$ Will Support Critical Replacement Of 100-Year-Old Bridge Via Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Competitive “Bridge Investment Program”

    Schumer, Gillibrand: The Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law Is Helping Bridge The Gap To Build Long Overdue Projects The Capital Region!

    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $11,600,000 for Schoharie County to replace the Bridge Street bridge over Schoharie Creek as a recipient of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) highly competitive Bridge Investment Program. The federal funding, created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law championed by the senators, will help replace the aging bridge, which is a vital connector in Schoharie County.

    “The Bridge Street bridge is a vital connector in Schoharie County, but after 100 years of use, it is nearing the end of its useful life. This $11.6 million will boost efforts to replace the bridge and restore this vital connector for Schoharie County,” said Senator Schumer. “The next closest bridge over Schoharie Creek is more than 20 minutes away. When considering emergency vehicles, that 20 minutes is vital. New York State has already put a weight restriction on the bridge due to its condition, and it’s vital that we build a replacement bridge as soon as possible to keep people safe and to maximize ease of transport and economic efficiency. I fought to create the Bridge Investment Program in our Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law because I know how important boosting federal investment in bridges is to protecting travelers’ safety while creating good-paying jobs. I’m proud that the law is continuing to deliver for the Capital Region.”

    “Infrastructure like the Bridge Street bridge helps local economies thrive, plays a vital role in protecting public safety, and connects communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Bridge Street serves as a crucial overpass for emergency vehicles, farm vehicles, and citizens of Schoharie County, and its replacement is long overdue. I’m proud to have fought for the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and helped secure this funding for the Capital Region. I will continue working to deliver federal dollars to New York for the improvement of our infrastructure.”

    “We are deeply grateful to Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, Lieutenant Governor Delgado, Congresswoman Stefanik and all the bipartisan supporters for securing the $11.6 million needed for Schoharie’s new Bridge Street Bridge. This bridge is essential for our town—it boosts the safety and efficiency of our roads, ensures emergency responders can act quickly, supports our farmers who rely on it, and links our community hubs. This investment is a big win for everyone in Schoharie County, showing a strong commitment to enhancing our critical infrastructure,” said Benjamin Oevering, Supervisor, Town of Schoharie.

    The Bridge Street bridge is a vital connector in Schoharie County, but after 100 years of use, it is nearing the end of its useful life. The federal funding secured by the senators will help the county build a new bridge, increasing safety and creating jobs. New York State has put a weight restriction on the bridge due to its condition, and the County is concerned that further disrepair could eventually limit its use by emergency vehicles. The nearest bridge is approximately 10 miles away, adding 20-25 minutes in commute time. The senators also said that farm vehicles use the bridge regularly, and the bridge is vital to the County’s thriving rural agriculture economy.

    The senators explained that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included $12.5 billion appropriated annually over five years (FY 22-26) to help plan, replace, rehabilitate, protect, and preserve some of the nation’s largest bridges, ensuring that they remain operational, support local economies, strengthen supply chains, and improve safety. The Capital Region was one of the first in the nation to tap into this federal funding when Schumer and Gillibrand secured $21 million to repair and modernize the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge in April 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis to Lead Legislation to Replenish the SBA Disaster Loan Program Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), along with Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Tim Scott (R-SC), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Rick Scott (R-FL), announced plans to introduce legislation that would replenish the Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program. The Senators plan to seek passage of the legislation when Congress returns to session.

    On October 15th, the SBA announced the Disaster Loan Fund had run out of money. Senator Tillis previously wrote an op-ed in The Hill urging Congress to return and quickly pass a disaster recovery package to replenish the fund, writing in part: “…Few Helene victims have flood insurance, so the SBA’s various disaster recovery programs are key to long-term recovery. By utilizing these programs, victims can access low-interest loans to replace lost property or repair or rebuild their homes or small businesses. The loans can also be used to provide a financial cushion for small businesses that face an economic loss in the months ahead due to the storm.” 

    “The SBA Disaster Loan Program running out of funds risks delays in processing the loans of those affected by Helene and Milton and their ability to get their lives back on track,” said Senator Tillis. “That is why I am leading legislation to replenish this fund when Congress returns to Washington, and I look forward to working across the aisle to pass a long-term disaster aid package that will provide additional resources to help make the victims of these hurricanes whole again.”

    “The citizens of Western North Carolina are some of the toughest and most resilient people in this country,” said Senator Budd. “As they recover and rebuild their communities, they must be able to access disaster loans from SBA. This recovery will take many years, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to cut through the delays and provide WNC with the resources they need as quickly as possible.” 

    “Hurricane Helene brought a level of devastation to South Carolina we haven’t seen since Hugo. With a natural disaster of this magnitude, Congress should take the opportunity to show leadership and help ease the pain of those who have lost everything,” said Senator Tim Scott. “Communities back home and in surrounding states have come together to recover, but it will take every possible effort to get us back to where we were.”

    “Hurricanes Francine, Helene, and Milton hit us hard, but Louisianans and Americans are resilient,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This funding is essential to help small businesses recover from these storms and support our local economies.”

    “We cannot allow frontline federal agencies, like the SBA, to run out of disaster relief funds. This is especially important in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton which devastated Florida, North Carolina and communities across the Southeast U.S.,” said Senator Rick Scott. “I continue to call on Leader Schumer to immediately reconvene the Senate so we can fund disaster relief functions at FEMA, the SBA, USDA and other agencies to get folks what they need and deserve. I won’t stop fighting to get this done and am proud to join my colleagues to introduce a bill that funds SBA disaster loans and makes sure the federal government is a reliable partner as families continue their recovery.” 

    The Restoring an Economic Lifeline with Immediate Emergency Funding (Relief) Act would appropriate $550 million to fund the SBA Disaster Loan Program Account, which would provide $2.475B in lending capacity projected to last until the end of 2024.

    Read text of the bill HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES FIVE NEW YORK TEAMS ADVANCE TO NEXT ROUND OF NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION “INNOVATION ENGINES” PROGRAM – CREATED BY SCHUMER’S CHIPS & SCIENCE LAW – TO COMPETE FOR UP TO $160 MILLION…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Last Year, Schumer-Supported And Binghamton University-Led Battery Research Hub Won Inaugural NSF Engines Competition, And This Year Even More From NY Are Competing For Funding As The Contest Launches For Second Year

    Schumer Says 5 NY-Based Projects Were Selected – The Most Of Any State – Ranging From University At Buffalo AI Research To Rochester’s Laser Lab To Cornell’s New Technology For Upstate Dairy Farmers And More; All To Spur New Innovations And Good-Paying Jobs

    Schumer: NY Is Leading The Charge To Boost American Innovation And Economic Leadership!

    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced that five New York teams have advanced to the next round of consideration for federal investment through the National Science Foundation’s Regional “Innovation Engines” Competition (NSF Engines), which was created by his CHIPS & Science Law.

    The five teams include projects ranging from the University of Rochester’s effort to develop cutting-edge laser technology, to the University at Buffalo-led AI for Health Equity, to Cornell University leading sustainable dairy innovation, to FuzeHub strengthening Upstate NY’s microelectronics manufacturing, to CUNY bolstering the tristate region’s biotechnology sector.  Schumer said these five projects in NY, along with a total of 71 teams across the country, will now submit full proposals to compete for up to $160 million in federal investment from the CHIPS & Science Law. You can read more about this year’s competition here. 

    “I created the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program in my CHIPS & Science Law with New York’s world-renowned universities and innovation ecosystem in mind. I’m thrilled to see five NY-based teams reach the next round in the competition for major federal investment to boost American innovation, new jobs, and economic leadership,” said Senator Schumer. “From Buffalo pioneering the next generation of AI to Cornell discovering new technology to help our Upstate dairy farmers to Rochester powering the future of laser development, these projects show how NY can lead our nation in developing the technology and jobs of the future. The NSF is saying what I have long known: keeping America at the cutting edge of innovation across industries begins in New York. This major federal funding can help translate more research and development at New York’s universities into new businesses and new, good-paying jobs across the state, boosting New York to further lead the charge in powering America’s economic preeminence.”

       

    More details on the five New York-based proposals can be found below:

    • The University of Rochester’s proposal, officially named “STELLAR: Advancing Laser Technologies in the Rochester NY/Finger Lakes Region,” is focused on establishing a diverse coalition of partners in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region to accelerate laser discovery, technological advancement, education, and company creation, drive manufacturing and boost workforce development in order to help recapture U.S. national competitiveness and strengthen our security. The STELLAR Engine will foster laser-oriented workforce development, particularly in underserved communities in Rochester and rural communities in the Finger Lakes, accelerate use-inspired R&D, entrepreneurship, and regional business development that will create jobs, build a laser science and technology talent pipeline, bolster the supply chain, and grow and sustain the region’s economy.
    • The University at Buffalo’s proposal, officially named “AI for Health Equity,” will work to utilize artificial intelligence to develop cutting-edge health care solutions, further highlighting Western New York’s leadership in building an AI innovation ecosystem, something Schumer has actively pushed for. The project aims to boost new start-up companies and help partners commercialize AI technology centered on health and wellness. This new technology will aid health care providers and serve as personal assistance to community members. Eventually, the project will expand so that its technology can serve communities beyond Western NY and across the country.
    • Cornell University’s proposal, officially named “Sustainable Utilization of Scalable Technologies & Advanced Innovation for NetZero NY (SUSTAIN Dairy),” aims to reduce waste, create new dairy products, and develop new rural and workforce development opportunities. It is one of five projects in this round that is focused on agriculture and the only project focused on dairy. This proposal aims to develop a holistic, science-based framework for achieving net zero by 2050 from farm to fork through an advanced dairy innovation ecosystem. With dairy manufacturing and family farms scattered throughout rural New York, achieving place-based innovation that builds community wealth is vital for the future success of Upstate New York.
    • CUNY-ARC’s proposal, officially named “Tech-Enabled, Bioinspired & Biomanufacturing Ecosystem (Tri-State Tech-Biome),” aims to address critical regional challenges by creating an ecosystem that accelerates the innovation and commercialization of bio-inspired technologies and materials derived from renewable feedstocks. This work is being done in coordination with industry players and leading research universities in the region.
    • FuzeHub’s proposal, officially named “A Materials Innovation Engine for Manufacturing Sustainability,” will work to mitigate the negative impacts on the environment from manufacturing industries by replacing toxic or scarce components with advanced materials. FuzeHub competed last year for this award as well and was asked to resubmit.

    “I proudly supported the CHIPS and Science Act to pave the way for critical investments like the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovative Engines program,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “With the University of Rochester’s STELLAR engine advancing to the next phase, we celebrate Rochester’s legacy in optics and photonics and our designation as a Regional Tech Hub. This milestone honors our community’s pioneering spirit, and I look forward to working with the NSF to elevate Rochester’s role in shaping the future of technology.”

    “I am very pleased that our Science, Technology, and Engineering for Laser and Laser Applications Research (STELLAR) proposal will be advancing to the next stage and can continue to compete for transformative funding focused on creating and growing a diverse, workforce-focused laser ecosystem in Rochester and Upstate New York,” said Thomas Brown, the Director of the University’s Institute of Optics. “Our proposal is the only one to address declining U.S. leadership in laser manufacturing, since lasers are a fundamental enabling technology underpinning the entire internet, chip manufacturing, and a host of other technologies. I particularly thank Senator Schumer for his vision in establishing the regional innovation engines program at the National Science Foundation through his landmark CHIPS and Science Act, our many academic, industry and community partners, and the NSF for their consideration of support.”

    “The NSF Regional Innovation Engines program, created through the CHIPS and Science Act, is strengthening our nation’s manufacturing sector and boosting our global competitiveness,” said Congressman Kennedy. “At the forefront of this progress are five New York based teams that have made it to the next round of the process to receive game-changing federal funding to build on the progress Western New York has made to become a national-leader in the tech space. These teams are making our state and region a leader in innovative manufacturing while creating good-paying union jobs.”

    “As the home of Empire AI, UB is dedicated to leveraging our game-changing artificial intelligence research to alleviate health disparities in underserved populations throughout our region,” said UB President Satish K. Tripathi. “With an NSF Engines award, UB will be able to harness our AI- informed health innovations to improve the health and well-being of individuals and families across Western New York, ultimately growing participation in our region’s economy. On behalf of all of us at the University at Buffalo, I would like to thank Majority Leader Schumer for his steadfast support of UB. In championing federal research funding for institutions of higher education, Senator Schumer is helping UB fuel impactful innovations, contribute measurably to economic development and enhance health outcomes across the lifespan.”

    Last year, Schumer helped the Binghamton University-led Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine win the esteemed competition in its inaugural year, bringing $15 million in federal funding immediately, with up to $160 million total over the life of the program from the NSF to supercharge growth and cutting-edge research in battery development and manufacturing in Upstate NY. The projects selected this year will build upon the inaugural cohort’s work developing new state-of-the-art technology.

    Schumer created the NSF’s Regional Innovation Engines Program in his CHIPS & Science Law as a program that falls under the newly created NSF Directorate of Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships.  Schumer proposed the creation of this Directorate originally in his bipartisan Endless Frontier Act, with a focus on delivering investment in research, workforce training, and entrepreneurship in key technology areas like AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, climate-smart research, advanced materials, and more. The NSF Regional Innovation Engines program catalyzes and fosters innovation ecosystems across the United States to promote and stimulate economic growth, job creation, and spur regional innovation.

    Each NSF Engine can receive up to $160 million over 10 years; actual amounts will be subject to a given NSF Engine’s status and overall progress, as assessed annually. The teams selected in this recent announcement will submit full proposals to NSF by February 2025, with final awards made next year, pending appropriations.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd & Wicker Visit Fort Liberty, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

    US Senate News:

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

    Washington, D.C. — Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) member Ted Budd (R-NC) and Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS) have completed visits to Fort Liberty in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

    During the visits, they received updates on U.S. Air Force programs, special operations work, and Hurricane Helene response efforts.

    Senator Budd said in a statement:

    “I want to thank Ranking Member Wicker for taking time to visit Fort Liberty and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base this week. During our visit, we thanked troops from the 18th Airborne Corps for their rescue and relief efforts in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene, met with leaders from USASOC and JSOC, and dined with servicemembers from North Carolina and Mississippi. At Seymour Johnson, it was my honor to showcase F-15E Strike Eagles and their importance to America’s national security. The Old North State has a proud tradition of supporting our military. That’s why my top priority will always be to make sure the men and women and their families at North Carolina’s military bases have the resources necessary to keep our nation strong and safe.”

    Senator Wicker said:

    “Some of the most important national defense work is happening in North Carolina. It was an honor to meet with some of our country’s best and brightest who are helping their fellow citizens in the wake of Hurricane Helene. During our work on this year’s NDAA, Senator Budd has been a vital legislative contributor by directing the right investments to deter China’s growing aerospace threat. He has used the bill to keep his state’s role central in advancing our country’s fighting force. I am excited to continue collaborating with Senator Budd on our shared goal of restoring America’s military might and defense industrial base.”

    Photo:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Speaks with Woodstock Union High School Class at King Farm 

    US Senate News:

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

    WOODSTOCK, VT — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today met with students from Woodstock Union High School about his work in Congress and the importance of civic engagement. While at King Farm, Senator Welch also met with the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) and discussed the introduction of new legislation led by the Vermont Congressional Delegation to extend the boundary of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park to include the King Farm, which is currently owned by VLT.  
    “Our kids in Vermont are smart, thoughtful, and engaged—they’re going to go on to do incredible work in our communities and change the world in the process. I’m always encouraged when I talk with our students,” said Senator Welch. “This community-based bill our Delegation is leading will conserve our state’s history and foster new educational partnerships for students in Woodstock and across Vermont.”  
    Senator Welch was joined by Tracy Zschau, President, Vermont Land Trust; Abby White, Vice President of Engagement, Vermont Land Trust; Pieter Bohen, Cotyledon Fund; and Jason Drebitko, Green Mountain Foundation.  
    View photos from the event below:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Manchin Announces $12.3 Million From Appalachian Regional Commission For Seven West Virginia Projects

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

    October 29, 2024

    Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $12,320,520 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for seven projects in West Virginia. This statewide funding will support economic and workforce development, educational opportunities, and entrepreneurship.

    “The Appalachian Regional Commission is a longtime partner of the Mountain State and today’s announcement is proof of that. This investment of more than $12.3 million will bolster workforce and educational opportunities, healthcare, infrastructure and entrepreneurship for countless West Virginians,” said Senator Manchin. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of these projects and I remain dedicated to strengthening economic growth across Appalachia.”

    Individuals awards listed below:

    • $10,000,000 – American Association of Community Colleges
      • This funding will support creating a network for cybersecurity workforce development statewide.
    • $500,000 – Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc.
      • This funding will support developing a statewide plan for a health task force and pilot programs for mobile healthcare.
    • $500,000 – New River Conservancy
      • This funding will support developing a plan for an expansion of the New River Water Trail.
    • $500,000 – Teach for America
      • This funding will support expanding the recruitment and retention model for educators in West Virginia.
    • $418,000 – Grow Ohio Valley
      • This funding will be used to develop a plan to create a sustainable network of food and energy systems in West Virginia.
    • $212,800 – University of Pittsburgh
      • This funding will support developing a plan for biotech workforce development and engagement in West Virginia.
    • $189,720 – DRIVE (Driving Real Innovation for a Vibrant Economy)
      • This funding will support building an incubation network for small businesses and entrepreneurs in West Virginia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Manchin to Join 9th Annual Ride for Fallen Service Heroes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

    October 29, 2024

    Charleston, WV – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) will serve as the Special Guest Road Captain for the 9th Annual Ride for Fallen Service Heroes on Thursday, October 31st, 2024. This year’s ride begins at the Gold Star Monument at the WV State Capitol and ends at the Veterans Memorial Arch in Huntington. Riders will honor Fallen Service Heroes and show their support for Gold Star Families.

    “I am so honored to participate in the 9th Annual Ride for Fallen Service Heroes to memorialize those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our state and nation and extend our endless gratitude to their families,” Senator Manchin said. “This ride is such a special tribute every year to our nation’s heroes and it is a profound privilege to be a part of it. I always say West Virginia is the most patriotic state in the country and this tradition is just one way to honor the extraordinary service of those who have served. I look forward to seeing my fellow West Virginians along the route this Thursday.”

    The round-trip motorcycle ride will depart from the West Virginia State Capitol and end with a community celebration in Huntington. Ride overview below:

    11:00 am:       Opening ceremony to honor Fallen Service Heroes at the Gold Star Monument, WV State Capitol

    11:15 am:       Depart WV State Capitol along Route 60.  Kickstands up!

    12:30 pm:       Arrive at Veterans Memorial Arch in Huntington for a community celebration to honor Gold Star Families

      

    For more information about the 2024 Ride for Fallen Service Heroes, you can call Senator Manchin’s Charleston office at 304-342-5855. Visit the event’s Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/RideForFallenServiceHeroes.

    The flyer for the ride is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, and Scott Applaud $380 Million in Inflation Reduction Act Funding for the Port of Virginia

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON –  Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) announced $380,000,000 in federal funding for the Port of Virginia to accelerate its plan to become carbon-neutral by 2040. Warner, Kaine, and Scott advocated for this funding and sent a letter of support for this grant. The funding was awarded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Program, which was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act that the members helped pass. 
    “The Port of Virginia is one of the largest and busiest ports on the eastern seaboard, and it’s critical to Virginia’s economy and offshore wind industry. As the Port of Virginia continues to grow thanks to investments we’re making, we must also ensure we’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which result in negative health and environmental impacts for our communities,” said the lawmakers. “That’s why we’re thrilled that this federal funding, which was made possible by theInflation Reduction Act we supported, will accelerate the Port’s efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and further cement Virginia’s place as a leader in clean energy.”  
    The Inflation Reduction Act made historic investments to support clean energy projects. It included clean energy tax credits that have incentivized a series of corporate investments in Virginia, including:
    A $681 million investment by LS GreenLink to build a state-of-the-art facility to manufacture high-voltage subsea cables used for offshore wind farms inChesapeake, which will create over 330 jobs in Virginia.
    An investment of over $400 million by Topsoe to build a new manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County, which will create at least 150 new jobs in Virginia.
    An investment of $208 million by Mack and Volvo Trucks—in addition to a federal grant award of over $208 million for the company—to sustain 7,900 union jobs and create 295 new jobs in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Volvo Trucks is the second largest employer in the New River Valley, sustaining 3,600 jobs in Dublin, including 3,200 United Automobile Workers (UAW) jobs. In September 2024, Warner and Kaine visited Volvo’s New River Valley plant to celebrate the investment.
    Today’s announcement builds on other transformational investments made to the Port of Virginia by the Biden-Harris administration with the backing of Warner, Kaine, and Scott. That includes $225.4 million to fully fund the Norfolk Harbor Deepening and Widening Project, which will improve navigation and expand capacity by deepening and widening Norfolk Harbor’s shipping channels, allowing for two-way traffic in and out of the harbor. Of this amount, $141.7 million was made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and $83.7 million was provided through the Fiscal Year 2022 omnibus appropriations bill.
    The Port also previously received $20 million in federal funding from the Department of Transportation for improvements to Portsmouth Marine Terminal that will allow it to serve as a staging area to support the manufacturing and movement of offshore wind goods to support the 2.6 gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind commercial project and other commercial offshore wind projects up-and-down the East Coast. Warner, Kaine, and Scott led a Virginia Congressional Delegation letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in support of the Port’s application for that funding.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Field Hearing In Chicago On Reducing Prescription Drug Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    10.29.24
    CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing in Chicago, Illinois, entitled “Reducing Prescription Drug Prices:  How Competition Can Make Medications Affordable for Patients.” The hearing includes two witness panels, including Members of Congress from Illinois and advocates for prescription drug pricing reform, to examine recent legislative successes to address anti-competitive tactics that make medications unaffordable for patients.
    Key Quotes:
    “Today the Committee will examine an issue on the minds of many in Illinois and across the country: the high price of prescription drugs.  It is a scandalous situation in America.  People in the United States pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world—on average, four times more than people in similar countries pay for brand-name medications.” 
    “For example: [when] the blood thinner Eliquis entered the market in 2013, it cost $3,100 annually in the U.S.  Same drug for sale in Japan [was] $1,000.  And, over the past decade, the price in the U.S. has more than doubled, from $3,100 to $7,100.  Meanwhile, in Japan, the price has dropped… Why?  For years, Big Pharma has abused our patent system to obtain monopolies on their medications, so they can charge these sky-high prices.” 
    “At the same time, they have spent billions of dollars to fill the airwaves with ads so patients tell their doctors they need drugs like Eliquis so they can go skiing, fishing, and whitewater rafting.   By fueling demand for expensive medications that are walled-off from competition by clever patent schemes, Big Pharma has made American patients their profit engine.”
    “Thankfully, this Administration and Democrats in Congress decided to do something about it.  In 2022, Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act.  Not a single Republican voted for it.  Under this law, we have capped the price of insulin at $35 per month, saving 50,000 seniors in Illinois approximately $500 a year.  We have made vaccines under Medicare free.  When the shingles or RSV vaccines can cost up to $300 per dose, this change creates real savings for 1.4 million seniors in Illinois.  Starting in January, there will be a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for seniors—meaning, no matter how expensive your medications are, you will not pay more than $2,000 in co-pays per year.”
    “In August, the Biden-Harris Administration negotiated with Big Pharma to lower prices for 10 of the most expensive drugs under Medicare, resulting in price savings of up to 79 percent… As a result of this negotiation, nine million seniors will save a total of $1.5 billion in annual out-of-pocket costs—including nearly 300,000 seniors in Illinois who take one of these ten drugs.  Remember Eliquis?  Thanks to this new law, Medicare was able to permanently cut its price in half—taking nearly $300 off the monthly price tag—for more than 100,000 seniors in Illinois.”
    “But just as these historic savings are starting to take effect, there are real threats to our progress.  Eight pharmaceutical companies raced to federal courthouses to stop this price negotiation.  And former-President Trump and his Republican allies want to repeal this provision all together.”
    “Too often, the prices Big Pharma charges do not reflect scientific breakthroughs but, rather, manipulation by its lawyers and marketers.  In fact, the top 10 best-selling drugs in 2021 were covered by an average of 42 active patents that block competition and create windfall profits.”
    “The Judiciary Committee has taken a leading role in addressing Big Pharma’s schemes.  Last year, the Committee unanimously reported five bipartisan bills that addressed the industry’s anticompetitive tactics.  This includes my bill with Senator Tillis to improve information sharing between the FDA and Patent Office to prevent gamesmanship. Congress needs to pass these bills into law.”
    “Drugs are not effective in treating disease if a patient cannot afford to buy them.  Our hearing today will explore how legislation like the Inflation Reduction Actand the Judiciary Committee bills can help ensure every patient can access lifesaving medications.”
      
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    The United States has the highest prescription drug prices in the developed world, on average nearly four times higher than what other countries pay for some of the most common brand-name medications. Despite claims that these prices are necessary to fund research and development into the next generation of drugs, research suggests that the majority of innovation is driven by smaller companies, as well as taxpayer funding through the National Institutes of Health. The Committee has jurisdiction over competition issues and the intellectual property system, which play critical roles in incentivizing true innovation and protecting a healthy market that keeps prices for prescription drugs within reach of the patients that need them.
    Durbin, Senate Democrats, and the Biden-Harris Administration have taken numerous steps to lower the costs of prescription drugs. Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Actprovided the Administration the authority to negotiate drug prices with Big Pharma, which has already resulted in price reduction of up to 79 percent for 10 of the most expensive and frequently-dispensed prescription drugs for seniors.
    Earlier this Congress, a package of bills advanced unanimously out of the Committee to lower prescription drug prices and are awaiting a vote in the full Senate, including the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act introduced by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
    Additionally, Durbin held a full committee hearing in May that scrutinized pharmaceutical companies’ abuse of the Orange Book and examined prescription drug prices, competition, and how to ensure medications are accessible and affordable for patients.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Committee Field Hearing In Chicago On Reducing Prescription Drug Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    10.29.24
    CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during the Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing in Chicago, Illinois, entitled “Reducing Prescription Drug Prices:  How Competition Can Make Medications Affordable for Patients.” The hearing included two witness panels, including Members of Congress from Illinois and advocates for prescription drug pricing reform, to examine recent legislative successes to address anti-competitive tactics that make medications unaffordable for patients.
    Durbin first questioned Dr. Anthony D. Douglas II, General Surgery Resident at the University of Chicago, about the Medicare negotiation of Jardiance, a medication to treat people with diabetes, including his father. Jardiance’s manufacturer steadily raised the drug’s price over the last five years, from around $450 to nearly $600 for a 30-day supply.  Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare is finally able to negotiate the price it pays for certain prescription drugs, including Jardiance. And the Biden-Harris Administration was able to negotiate the price for Jardiance down to $197 per month—a 66 percent discount.
    “Tell me what that price reduction means to your patients?” Durbin asked.
    Dr. Douglas responded that having this necessary medicine reduced in price will mean “saving lives” thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration.
    Durbin then asked Dr. Douglas about direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertising.  The pharmaceutical industry spends $6 billion per year to flood the airwaves with direct-to-consumer drug ads.  Durbin and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act, a bill that would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs, in order to empower patients and reduce excess spending on medications.
    “It strikes me that there are a handful of drugs which we are bombarded with when it comes to advertising—you cannot watch a football game or anything on your television without getting an ad for a drug… The fact that we can pronounce and even spell Xarelto is proof positive that we have been trained by these ads.  I am assuming and tell me if I’m wrong, that the pharmaceutical companies basically decided if we can convince the ultimate consumer to go into the doctor’s office and say, ‘I need this’ or whatever it happens to be, that the doctor is going to prescribe it as opposed to questioning whether or not it is necessary or if there is an affordable generic.  Is that true?”  Durbin asked.
    Dr. Douglas responded that he believes that is the drug companies’ strategy when targeting consumers through DTC ads.  He continued to say, “Not only do they advertise directly to physicians to prescribe the medications but also patients to go into the clinics and hospitals to ask,” for example, Ozempic. 
      Durbin also asked Dr. Michael Sandsmark, Director of Pharmacy, Iroquois Memorial Hospital (IMH), about the long wait lines at pharmacies, including at Walgreens, and even closures. 
    Dr. Sandsmark responded that there, “is a lot of burnout” among pharmacists right now and corporations are having trouble finding staff.  Dr. Sandsmark also commented on the rigorous and expensive price of pharmacy school and training.  
    Durbin then asked Rachel Sachs, Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis, and Kwame Raoul, Attorney General, State of Illinois, about pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—middlemen that manage drug benefits for insurance plans. 
    Dr. Sachs responded, “we should think broadly about opportunities at the federal level and state level for PBM reform.”  In February 2024, Attorney General Raoul along with 38 other attorneys general, sent a letter to Congress expressing support for reforming how PBMs operate.  In June, he joined an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case addressing the states’ authority to regulate PBMs.
    Durbin then asked Dr. Sachs about claims from the pharmaceutical industry and its allies that the Inflation Reduction Act’s common-sense reform to enable Medicare to negotiate for lower prices will “freeze innovation,” and potentially prevent new drugs from coming to the market.  The cancer drug Keytruda had $25 billion in sales last year.  The revenue for this single medication is on par with what Mastercard or the McDonald’s Corporation earn per year.
    “How can it possibly be that a penny less in profit to Big Pharma will stifle innovation?” Durbin asked.
    Dr. Sachs responded, “in my view, what we really care about is the value of innovation to patients.  It is about delivering real [and] new clinical value and reforms that preserve and protect that value rather than the amount of innovation are what matters.”
    Durbin then asked Dr. Douglas about pharmaceutical companies often spending more in sales and marketing than on research and development.  Dr. Douglas responded he is aware of the uneven spending.  He continued to say we need to put profits over people.  In 2020, Johnson & Johnson spent nearly twice as much on sales and marketing—$22 billion—as it spent on R&D. 
    Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
    The United States has the highest prescription drug prices in the developed world, on average nearly four times higher than what other countries pay for some of the most common brand-name medications. Despite claims that these prices are necessary to fund research and development into the next generation of drugs, research suggests that the majority of innovation is driven by smaller companies, as well as taxpayer funding through the National Institutes of Health. The Committee has jurisdiction over competition issues and the intellectual property system, which play critical roles in incentivizing true innovation and protecting a healthy market that keeps prices for prescription drugs within reach of the patients that need them.
    Durbin, Senate Democrats, and the Biden-Harris Administration have taken numerous steps to lower the costs of prescription drugs. Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Actprovided the Administration the authority to negotiate drug prices with Big Pharma, which has already resulted in price reduction of up to 79 percent for 10 of the most expensive and frequently-dispensed prescription drugs for seniors.
    Earlier this Congress, a package of bills advanced unanimously out of the Committee to lower prescription drug prices and are awaiting a vote in the full Senate, including the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act introduced by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
    Additionally, Durbin held a full committee hearing in May that scrutinized pharmaceutical companies’ abuse of the Orange Book and examined prescription drug prices, competition, and how to ensure medications are accessible and affordable for patients.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $82M Goes to WA Ports for Clean Infrastructure Investments to Increase Capacity, Bolster Competitiveness, & Create New Jobs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    10.29.24

    $82M Goes to WA Ports for Clean Infrastructure Investments to Increase Capacity, Bolster Competitiveness, & Create New Jobs

    $63.8M to Port of Anacortes & $9.4M to Port of Port Angeles, plus planning grants for Anacortes, Seattle, Bellingham, Seaport Alliance from EPA’s new Clean Ports Program

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), and U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D, WA-06) announced six grants to help ports in the State of Washington invest in critical infrastructure upgrades. The competitive grants were awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Ports Program, one of many important infrastructure upgrades and carbon reduction initiatives that the lawmakers supported in the historic Inflation Reduction Act.

    The Port of Anacortes is receiving $63.8 million to fund a major conversion of port equipment to battery electric power and $1.3 million for additional planning work.

    “This major federal investment will enable the Port of Anacortes to electrify its operations and bring in much-needed new cargo handling equipment that will help the Port expand. Boosting the Port’s efficiency and capacity will create 50 new high-paying jobs, introduce more apprenticeships, and maintain payrolls for over 1,000 locals currently employed by the Port and its tenants,” said Sen. Cantwell.

    “The Port of Anacortes is an important part of Washington state’s maritime infrastructure and a huge mover for Skagit County’s economy—these federal resources will help ensure the Port can more quickly implement its zero-emissions strategy while creating local jobs,” said Sen. Murray. “I was proud to help pass the Inflation Reduction Act and help secure a landmark investment in building a stronger, clean energy economy—it’s good to see federal dollars come back to Anacortes. As Senate Appropriations Chair, I will continue to fight for investments that fuel our clean energy transition while strengthening our economy.”

    “You cannot have a big-league economy with little league infrastructure,” said Rep. Larsen, the lead Democrat on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. “Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, the Port of Anacortes has the funding it needs to electrify cargo handling operations on the Guemes Channel waterfront and reduce emissions. Congress must continue to make bold, long-term investments in Northwest Washington ports to create more jobs and build a cleaner and greener future.”

    With the funds, the Port of Anacortes will buy a range of new battery electric equipment including five tow tractors, 16 forklifts, six marine travel lifts/cranes, five boom/aerial lifts, two material handlers, and seven vessels. This will improve community engagement, grow workforce opportunities, and increase access to quality jobs, while lowering local air pollution. The Port is contributing $10,312,006 towards the project.

    The Port of Port Angeles is receiving $9.4 million to purchase all-electric, zero emissions cargo handling equipment and enhance shore power offerings.

    “The Port of Port Angeles links the forest products industry with customers across the globe. Investing in new shore power and electric equipment will reduce costs for the Port, its tenants, and forest products businesses that support more than 1,500 jobs on the Olympic Peninsula,” said Sen. Cantwell.

    “From replacing equipment fueled by diesel to building out new charging and grid infrastructure—this federal funding will help Port Angeles reduce emissions, create more jobs, and compete in the 21st century,” said Sen. Murray. “I was proud to help pass the Inflation Reduction Act and help secure a landmark investment in building a stronger, clean energy economy—it’s good to see federal dollars come back to the Olympic Peninsula. As Senate Appropriations Chair, I will continue to fight for investments that fuel our clean energy transition while strengthening our economy.”

    “Our ports are amazing engines of economic growth and opportunity,” said Rep. Kilmer. “That’s why this investment from the EPA is such a big deal, especially for folks on the Olympic Peninsula. Thanks to funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, we are taking major steps toward improved safety, decreased costs, and reduced emissions at the Port of Port Angeles, without the costs falling solely on the backs of local taxpayers. As a Port Angeles native, I’m proud to have supported this important project and look forward to a bright future for the port and for workers in our community.”

    With the funds, the Port of Port Angeles will buy a variety of new zero emissions equipment including a reachstacker for handling heavy cargo, a conveyor for handling bulk cargo, and clean forklifts for handling lighter cargo. This investment will replace existing diesel equipment. The Port will also enhance their shore power offerings, upgrading the electrical service cabinets and buying mobile shore power cable management units.

    In addition, the EPA awarded three planning grants under the Clean Ports Program. The Northwest Seaport Alliance received $3 million, the Port of Seattle received $2.9 million, and the Port of Bellingham received $1.5 million.

    The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 created and provided $3 billion in funding for the Clean Ports Program to jumpstart investments in zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure, as well as improve climate and air quality planning at U.S. ports. The goals of the Clean Ports Program are to:

    • Build a foundation for the port sector to transition over time to fully zero-emissions operations, positioning ports to serve as a catalyst for transformational change across the freight sector.
    • Reduce diesel pollution (criteria pollutants, GHGs, and air toxics) in near-port communities.
    • Help ensure that meaningful community engagement and emissions reduction planning are port industry standard practices.

    Sen. Cantwell advocated for creation of EPA’s Clean Ports Program as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, and has consistently championed investments in Washington’s ports. Along with securing the Water Resources Development Act in the 2023 NDAA, Sen. Cantwell also successfully fought to include the 2019 legislation that reauthorized U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which she co-authored. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Cantwell worked to include a record $2.25 billion for the PIDP in the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law. In September 2021, Sen. Cantwell led a letter calling to boost funding for the PIDP program to help address the ongoing issues with port congestion. Subsequently, in 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) awarded $71.4 million in PIDP funding to five ports in Washington state.

    As then Assistant Majority Leader, Sen. Murray helped ensure passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and worked to help establish EPA’s Clean Ports Program. As Senate Appropriations Chair, in Fiscal Year 2024, Sen. Murray secured $9.29 billion in essential funding for EPA’s critical responsibilities to protect our environment and public health. Under tough fiscal constraints, Sen. Murray provided modest increases across all EPA programs in the face of drastic cuts proposed by House Republicans—ensuring EPA could keep researchers, scientists, and other specialists on the job to safeguard our environment and make today’s awards possible.

    Sen. Murray has been a champion of Washington state’s ports, from making sure ports were eligible for the RAISE (originally TIGER) grant program she created as Chair of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee in 2009. The RAISE program Sen. Murray established marked the first time port authorities were eligible to apply for competitive federal grants. As a senior member—and now Chair—of the appropriations committee, Sen. Murray helped create and fund PIDP; the competitive grant program was established in the Fiscal Year 2019 transportation appropriations bill, which was enacted in February 2019. Since then, Sen. Murray has played a key role in securing more than $1.2 billion funding for PIDP in annual appropriations bills since its inception. Sen. Murray also fought to make sure the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $2.25 billion over five years for PIDP. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bennet, Hickenlooper, Neguse, Pettersen, Polis Welcome $129 Million for Rail Projects in Colorado

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet

    Photos from Press Conference HERE 

    Denver — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse and Brittany Pettersen, and Governor Jared Polis welcomed over $129.5 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for four Colorado rail projects. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State University (CSU) Pueblo, San Luis Central Railroad, and OmniTRAX will all receive funding as part of DOT’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvements Grant Program, funded in part through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The leaders held a press conference on Tuesday in Westminster, Colorado, to celebrate this announcement.

    “Colorado’s railways are vital to connect our communities and get resources to markets across the country. That’s why I ensured the U.S. Department of Transportation understood how critical this funding is for our state’s transportation infrastructure,” said Bennet. “I’m glad to have helped secure these investments in our railways’ safety, efficiency, and reliability across the state. ”

    “From freight in the San Luis Valley to passengers on the Front Range and beyond with CSU Pueblo’s research, rail isn’t just a part of our past, it’s a big part of our future, too,” said Hickenlooper. “That’s the case we made to Secretary Buttigieg for this funding and this is just the start.” 

    “After years of working to secure federal support for the Front Range Passenger Rail Project, I am excited to see the Department of Transportation heed our calls and commit to modernizing Colorado’s passenger rail system—not just for communities along the Front Range but for residents throughout the entire state. This is a once-in-a-generation investment in our passenger rail infrastructure, creating countless new opportunities for communities to connect, grow, and thrive—and we will continue to work together to ensure this momentum leads to lasting benefits for all Coloradans,” said Neguse.

    “Today, I am incredibly grateful to see this federal funding coming to Colorado to strengthen our railway systems, enhance safety, and modernize our infrastructure,” said Pettersen. “After a train derailment in Boulder injured workers and put our communities at risk, I supported funding to reinforce public safety and restore trust in Colorado’s rail infrastructure. I’m pleased to see these federal dollars coming to our state to help ensure we have safe, reliable infrastructure for generations to come.”

    “Today’s grant will make freight rail traffic in some of our busiest growing communities safer quickly while providing critical building blocks for Passenger Rail.  This major funding will help achieve important priorities like complying with longstanding federal standards and improving the safety of rail crossings, which can be the sites of dangerous incidents. With more than $66 million in federal support from the Biden-Harris administration, the future of Colorado’s rail network is a clear priority for the federal government, as it should be. We thank Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet, Congressman Neguse and Congresswoman Pettersen, and our communities for their support of this important project,” said Polis.

    This funding includes:

    • $66.4 million for CDOT to modernize Front Range rail. This investment will help CDOT design, install, and test train operation and safety improvements, including Positive Train Control (PTC) and railroad crossings;
    • $50.5 million for OmniTRAX transportation safety and employment. This investment will help design and construct replacement railroad ties across Omnitrax short lines;
    • $11.6 million for CSU Pueblo to research renewable energy for rail vehicles. This investment will aid research and development of alternative fuel rail transportation, including safety experiments on the use of CH2/CNG-powered rail cars at the facility; and
    • $1 million for San Luis Central Railroad to replace wooden ties. This investment will help replace deteriorated cross and switch ties to ensure safety along the SLC corridor.

    “Southern Colorado often represents a hard-working spirit leveraging the opportunity of innovation. This Department of Transportation CRISI grant emboldens that spirit, enabling CSU Pueblo, in partnership with the Southern Colorado Transportation Technology Center (SCITT), to contribute to the future of rail transportation through critical safety research in hydrogen and natural gas technologies. I am particularly proud of how this project will partner with our Engineering program at CSU Pueblo, utilizing the expertise here to create new pathways for our students and local workforce. This grant is more than research – it’s a valuable investment into Southern Colorado,” said Armando Valdez, President, CSU Pueblo.

    “TIES2 will be transformative for the communities served by Great Western Railway of Colorado and the regions served by OmniTRAX railroads in Georgia, Alabama, and Washington state,” said David Arganbright, Senior Vice President, OmniTRAX. “OmniTRAX is proud to call Colorado home, and we are tremendously appreciative of all the work that Sen. Hickenlooper has done in Congress to champion Colorado’s railways and deliver the critical infrastructure investments that strengthen our nation’s supply chains.”

    Earlier this year, Bennet, Hickenlooper, Neguse and Pettersen urged the DOT to fund CDOT’s project along the Front Range.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bennet, Hickenlooper, Colleagues Urge Federal Court to Protect Access to Emergency Abortions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet

    Denver — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, alongside 258 members of Congress, submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit calling on the court to require Medicare-funded hospitals to provide life-saving care that may include abortion care. The court is considering Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States which concern the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a federal law that requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to provide necessary “stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing medical emergencies, which can include abortion care.

    ““[T]he 99th Congress passed EMTALA to ensure that every person who visits a Medicare-funded hospital with an ‘emergency medical condition’ is offered stabilizing treatment,” wrote Bennet, Hickenlooper, and the lawmakers.

    After the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022, Idaho passed a law making it a felony for a doctor to terminate a patient’s pregnancy unless it is “necessary” to prevent the patient’s death. The U.S. Department of Justice sued Idaho, arguing that the state’s law is preempted by EMTALA in those circumstances in which abortion may not be necessary to prevent imminent death, but still constitutes the necessary stabilizing treatment for a patient’s emergency medical condition. The district court agreed; however, Idaho appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court.

    In their brief, the lawmakers ask the Ninth Circuit to uphold the district court’s ruling. They argue that the congressional intent, text, and history of EMTALA make clear that covered hospitals must provide abortion care when it’s necessary to stabilize a patient’s emergency medical condition, and that EMTALA preempts Idaho’s abortion ban in emergency situations that present a serious threat to a patient’s health.

    “Congress chose broad language for that mandate, requiring hospitals that participate in the Medicare program to provide ‘such treatment as may be required to stabilize the medical condition.’… That text—untouched by Congress for the past three decades—makes clear that in situations in which a doctor determines that abortion constitutes the ‘[n]ecessary stabilizing treatment’ for a pregnant patient, federal law requires the hospital to offer it,” continued the lawmakers.  

    In March, Bennet and 257 of his colleagues filed an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm the district court decision. In June, the Supreme Court sent the case back to the Ninth Circuit Court and reinstated the district court’s injunction.

    The full text of the amicus brief is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by President  Biden in Press Gaggle | Baltimore,  MD

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    BMORE LICKSBaltimore, Maryland
    3:02 P.M. EDT
    Q    Mr. President, will you be watching the vice president’s speech tonight?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I will.
    Q    Why are you not attending?  It’s right there on the Ellipse?
    THE PRESIDENT:  Because it’s for her.  This is her night.
    Q    What do you expect to hear out of her tonight?  What’s the closing message from the vice president?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll let you hear it first.
    Q    Mr. President, are you worried about the North Korean troops in Kursk, in Russia?
    THE PRESIDENT:  I am concerned about it, yes.
    Q    Should the Ukrainians strike — strike back?
    THE PRESIDENT:  If they cross into Ukraine, yes.
    3:03 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Announces Nearly $119 Million in Federal Funding to Improve Rail Infrastructure Across Michigan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 10.29.2024

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is investing $119 million to support five major commercial and passenger rail improvement projects across Michigan. These projects are funded by the FRA’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which was funded through the bipartisan infrastructure law Peters helped enact.   
    “Michigan communities and businesses depend on rail infrastructure for safe and efficient transportation of essential goods across the state, as well as to regional and global partners,” said Senator Peters. “These five projects will strengthen our railways and expand shipping capacity while creating jobs and spurring economic growth.”
    Below are descriptions of each project:
    Detroit RECHARGED – Realizing Environmental Changes Happening Around Railroads Generating Equitable Development: The Michigan Department of Transportation will receive $67,440,000 to improve and expand capacity of the Livernois Intermodal Facility by installing 17,200 feet of new rail track. The project will also make important site enhancements on at the Livernois Intermodal Facility, including new pavement and replacing aging diesel gantry cranes with new hybrid and fully electric models.
    Huron Subdivision Track & Service Improvement Program: The Lake State Railway Company will receive $27,130,810 to install approximately 52 miles of continuous welded rail between Pinconning and Alpena. Funding will also improve 34 highway-rail crossings and upgrade train signal devices at 13 locations along the route. 
    Leveraging Ludington: The City of Ludington will receive $16,400,000 to make improvements along a key rail route between Ludington and Grand Rapids, and enhance the Ludington Rail yard to improve efficiency and reliability of safe movement of goods throughout the area. 
    Wolverine and Blue Water Capacity Enhancement: The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) will receive $8,384,000 to restore functionality of the historic double-track on Amtrak’s Michigan Line between Glenwood Road and Niles in Wayne Township. This project will maximize performance and improve service speed.
    Enhancing Grade Crossing Safety in Rural Areas through FRA’s LiDAR Data, Machine Learning, and Collaborative Risk Assessment for Railroads and Highway Agencies: Michigan State University will receive $428,133 to conduct research aimed at improving the safety of rural rail crossings. Researchers will utilize Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data provided by the Federal Railroad Administration to analyze rural crossings and develop new approaches for identifying roadway hazards.
    The CRISI grant program invests in railroad infrastructure projects that improve safety, efficiency and support economic development in communities across the country. Peters has consistently advocated for the CRISI program and fought for Michigan applicants. Last year, he announced a $20 million CRISI grant awarded to MDOT for replacement of the Manistee River Bridge in Manton. As Chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports, Peters held a field hearing in Lansing earlier this year to highlight the importance of the bipartisan infrastructure law and grant programs like CRISI for improving Michigan’s transportation infrastructure across the state. More information about the CRISI program can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Peters and Stabenow Announce Michigan Will Receive Nearly $134 Million to Upgrade Water Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) announced Michigan will receive $133,663,000 in federal funding to upgrade Michigan’s outdated water infrastructure and keep communities safe. This funding will support local projects to improve wastewater management systems, protect freshwater resources, and deliver safe drinking water to homes, schools, and businesses. This investment comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that the senators helped enact. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made the largest investment in water infrastructure in American history.
    “This robust investment will help our state make great strides in upgrading Michigan’s outdated water infrastructure, addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS, and safeguarding our state’s unmatched freshwater resources,” said Senator Peters. “I was proud to play a role in passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made these upgrades possible, and I’m glad that this support will go to the communities in our state who need it most. We must continue working to ensure that every Michigander has access to safe drinking water.”
    “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to deliver for Michigan,” said Senator Stabenow.  “This new investment will improve our water systems, clean up pollution, keep our drinking water safe, fix old pipes, and more. Step-by-step, this law is making our state a safer, better place for families to live.”
    “Water keeps us healthy, sustains vibrant communities and dynamic ecosystems, and supports economic opportunity. When our water infrastructure fails, it threatens people’s health, peace of mind, and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s historic investment in water, EPA is working with states and local partners to upgrade infrastructure and address local challenges—from lead in drinking water, to PFAS, to water main breaks, to sewer overflows and climate resilience. Together, we are creating good-paying jobs while ensuring that all people can rely on clean and safe water.
    These Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for Michigan – specifically $106,994,000 in Clean Water General Supplemental funding, $9,236,000 in Clean Water Emerging Contaminant funding, and $17,433,000 in Drinking Water Emerging Contaminant funding – will flow through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF and DWSRF). The State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments for more than 30 years, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. These critical programs help communities minimize pollution, invest in clean infrastructure projects, address emerging contaminants like PFAS, and implement systems to provide clean drinking water to residents.

    MIL OSI USA News –