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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from White  House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the Visit of Prime Minister Robert Golob of the Republic of  Slovenia

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    On October 22, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will host Prime Minister Robert Golob of the Republic of Slovenia for a bilateral meeting at the White House. This will be their first meeting at the White House and follows conversations that helped pave the way for the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War. The leaders will have an in-depth discussion on a range of issues of mutual interest, including energy security and cooperation, a shared approach to the Western Balkans, continued robust support to Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, and events in the Middle East. President Biden will underscore our appreciation for Prime Minister Golob’s leadership to bring home Americans unjustly detained by Russia and our continued cooperation on a host of other global issues.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on Minority Enterprise Development Week,  2024

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Our Nation’s minority-owned businesses are the glue of our communities and the engines of our economies.  Investing in them is key to growing our economy from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down.  When minority-owned businesses do well, everyone does well.  More people get jobs, first-time business owners build generational wealth, our economy grows, and more Americans feel a sense of pride and hope in all that is possible in our Nation.  This Minority Enterprise Development Week, may we celebrate the talent and ingenuity of the innovators and entrepreneurs who run our Nation’s minority-owned businesses.  And may we recommit to ensuring that minority-owned businesses have access to the resources they need to thrive.
    Minority-owned businesses add incredible value to our economy, generating nearly $2 trillion in revenue each year.  These businesses not only provide the goods and services we need but are also sources of hope — helping people realize their American Dream, building generational wealth, and uplifting their families and communities.  That is why my Administration is ensuring that minority-owned businesses have access to capital and can grow.  The Small Business Administration (SBA) is lending tens of billions of dollars to small businesses that would otherwise struggle to access capital.  For example, since 2020, the rate of SBA-backed loans increased by about 40 percent for Asian American-owned businesses, tripled for Black-owned businesses, and more than doubled for Latino-owned businesses.  Further, my American Rescue Plan helped minority-owned small businesses keep their doors open during the COVID-19 pandemic and represents the largest-ever dedicated Federal investment to connect minority-owned small businesses to support.  That law invested $10 billion to launch and expand programs that provide critical access to capital for small businesses.  The American Rescue Plan also invested $500 million to fund over 100 awards for organizations working to connect entrepreneurs to resources to help their small businesses recover and thrive through initiatives like the SBA’s Community Navigators Program, the Department of the Treasury’s Small Business Opportunity Program, and the Minority Business Development Agency’s Capital Readiness Program. 
    My Administration has also been working to ensure that minority-owned businesses get a fair shot at success.  That is why I signed an Executive Order that would increase the share of total Federal contracts going to disadvantaged businesses from 10 percent to 15 percent by 2025 — and in the last 3 years, we have spent over $208 billion on small disadvantaged businesses.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law expanded and made permanent the Minority Business Development Agency, ensuring that minority-owned businesses have access to the resources and support they need to thrive.  And with my Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS and Science Act, we are working to make sure that minority-owned businesses are benefiting from the billions of dollars we are investing in America’s infrastructure, manufacturing, and clean energy industries here at home.  In addition, Vice President Harris launched the Economic Opportunity Coalition in 2022 to provide tens of billions of dollars in investments to underserved communities. 
    Since Vice President Harris and I entered office, our Administration has created 16 million jobs, and American entrepreneurs have filed nearly 20 million new business applications.  Wages are growing faster than prices.  Unemployment remains low.  Black- and Latino-owned businesses are being created faster today than they have been in years and Federal contracts with Native American-owned companies increased by over $8 billion from 2020 to 2023. I also take pride in my Administration’s investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions — all of which are helping launch the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and business owners.  These investments will ensure that their graduates will have every opportunity to lead the industries of the future and build generational wealth.
    Across America — from small towns to big cities — we are seeing thousands of stories of revival, renewal, optimism, and pride.  And each new business that is created is an act of hope, not just for the business owner but for the entire community.  During Minority Enterprise Development Week, may we celebrate all the minority-owned businesses making our economy stronger, our Nation more competitive, and our communities more hopeful.  And may we recommit to supporting their success and longevity.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 20 through October 26, 2024, as Minority Enterprise Development Week.  I call upon the people of the United States to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and contributions of minority business owners and enterprises and commit to promoting systemic economic equality.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
                                  JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on National Character Counts Week,  2024

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
         In the Oval Office, I sit surrounded by portraits of exceptional American Presidents and busts of inspiring American leaders.  They remind me each and every day that we are a Nation of dreamers and doers, of promise and possibilities, and of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things.  Above all, we are a Nation of good people, who show our kindness and character through small acts every single day.  This National Character Counts Week, we celebrate the core values of decency, honesty, dignity, and equality that have long defined the character of America.
         Our Nation is strong, and our future is bright — in large part because of the upstanding character that resides within all Americans.  I have witnessed it up close in educators like the First Lady, who inspire our Nation’s youth to reach for every possibility; mothers, fathers, and parental figures who raise their children with care, courage, and grit; first responders, who run toward danger to protect others; union workers, who are building America; and brave service members, who stand on the frontlines of freedom to defend our democracy.  Across the country, American workers are writing the greatest comeback story we have ever known — restoring pride in our hometowns, pride in America, and pride in knowing we can get big things done when we work together.
         Since I came into office, my Administration has taken large strides toward building an America that lives up to those values.  The American Rescue Plan helped keep child care programs open, families in their homes, and small businesses on their feet.  We set a record for Federal contract spending on small businesses.  Our historic investments across the clean energy economy are helping to combat climate change and create good-paying jobs.  Through the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we have made significant investments in reducing crime, preventing gun violence, and saving lives, and last year, we saw one of the lowest rates of violent crime in more than 50 years.  We are also ensuring that America is a Nation where everyone is respected and where we give hate no safe harbor.  That is why I signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, making it easier to report hate crimes, and hosted the United We Stand Summit to counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence.  My Administration continues to work to counter antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hate in all its forms and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
         Under my Unity Agenda, we are tackling the opioid epidemic and mental health crisis, holding Big Tech accountable, supporting our veterans and their families, and ending cancer as we know it.  We are investing more than $1 billion to help schools across the country train and hire new mental health counselors through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we have granted new disability benefits to over one million veterans and their families under the PACT Act, and we launched the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to fast-track progress on how we prevent, detect, and treat cancer and other diseases.
         My father taught me that our character is not measured by how many times or how hard we get knocked down but by how quickly we get back up.  Even in the face of challenges ahead and obstacles in our way, Americans always get back up.  It is what drives our great country forward and what makes our Nation strong.  This week and every week, let us recommit to upholding our most essential values and remember that the sacred task of perfecting our Union is not just about any one of us but about “We the People.” 
         NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 20 through October 26, 2024, as National Character Counts Week.  Now and throughout the year, I encourage all Americans to engage in efforts that honor and express the best attributes of our character, extend a hand of fellowship to their neighbors, and unite in service to their communities.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand thiseighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on National Forest Products Week,  2024

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
         Our forests are central to our country’s heritage, history, and economy.  Forests support livelihoods across Tribal Nations, rural towns, and big cities — from foresters and loggers to mill workers and carpenters — while also sustaining the health of our environment and our communities.  During National Forest Products Week, we recognize that conserving our bountiful forests is critical to sustaining our economy and ensuring that Americans can enjoy the wonder of our forests for generations to come.
         As a Nation, we rely on our forests for so much — from cleaning the air we breathe and the water we drink to providing the lumber and paper we use every day.  But the existential threat of climate change endangers our forests, putting those jobs, livelihoods, and critical products at risk.  After decades of fire suppression and ignoring climate change, wildfire seasons have become wildfire years, burning down communities, destroying forest ecosystems, and upending people’s lives.
         My first year in office, I launched the “America the Beautiful” initiative to conserve at least 30 percent of all our Nation’s lands and waters by 2030 through local, voluntary efforts across the country while empowering foresters and farmers to advance sustainable practices to keep working lands productive.  These efforts will help strengthen our economy and pass on a healthier planet to our children and grandchildren.
         When I came into office, I was determined to conserve our forests while protecting the people who rely on them for jobs.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is creating jobs managing our forests, restoring ecosystems, and preventing catastrophic fires.  It is investing in the removal of overgrown vegetation near homes and power lines, preparing evacuation routes in areas at risk of wildfires, removing invasive plant species from forests that can cause fire to spread, and planting native tree species that are more resilient to the changing climate.  And my Inflation Reduction Act made the largest climate investment ever, putting people to work planting trees, sustainably managing our forests, and working on fire prevention.  Together, these actions are producing new jobs that help us care for our forests and keep all of us safe from wildfires.
         At the same time, my Administration is working to support the American workers and rural communities producing our forest products.  We have awarded millions of dollars in grants to American businesses that support forest conservation, expand the sustainable use of American wood products, and find innovative ways to use our wood waste materials, including to build strong and sustainable buildings.  I also take pride in having raised the Federal firefighter minimum wage to $15 per hour — an important first step in ensuring the people who run into flames to keep all of us safe are paid what they deserve.
         Conserving our forests is good for our economy, the planet, and the soul of our Nation.  This week, may we recommit to responsibly stewarding our forests and the abundant resources they provide so that we may all enjoy their benefits and beauty for years to come.
         To recognize the importance of the many products generated by our Nation’s forests, the Congress, by Public Law 86–753 (36 U.S.C. 123), as amended, has designated the week beginning on the third Sunday in October of each year as “National Forest Products Week” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week.
         NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 20 through October 26, 2024, as National Forest Products Week.  I call upon the people of the United States to join me in this observance and in recognizing all Americans who are responsible for the stewardship of our Nation’s beautiful forested landscapes.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of the Meeting of President Macron of France, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Starmer of the United Kingdom, and President  Biden of the United  States

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, and President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. of the United States met today in Berlin, Germany.
    The leaders condemned Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine, discussed their plans to provide Ukraine with additional security, economic, and humanitarian assistance – including leveraging the extraordinary revenues of immobilized Russian sovereign assets, as decided at the G7 Summit –, discussed President Zelenskyy’s Victory Plan, and reiterated their resolve to continue supporting Ukraine in its efforts to secure a just and lasting peace, based on international law, including the United Nations Charter, and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
    The leaders also discussed events in the Middle East, in particular the implications of the death of Yahya Sinwar, who bears responsibility for the bloodshed of the October 7th terrorist attack, the immediate necessity to bring the hostages home to their families, ending the war in Gaza, and ensuring humanitarian aid reaches civilians. The leaders also reiterated their condemnation of Iran’s escalatory attack on Israel and coordinated on efforts to hold Iran accountable and prevent further escalation. They discussed the situation in Lebanon and agreed on the need to work towards full implementation of UNSCR 1701 and a diplomatic resolution that allows civilians on both sides of the Blue Line to return safely home.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Statement on the Passing of Former U.S. Representative Rick Nolan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the statement below following the passing of former U.S. Representative Rick Nolan. 
    “Rick Nolan was an incredible friend that dedicated his life to public service and his family. With his thunderous voice and passion for the people, Rick was a one-of-a-kind leader,” said Klobuchar. “He was the comeback kid. He went from being one of the youngest members of Congress to being one of the oldest freshmen when he was sworn in again at 69. He was the consummate outdoorsman, friend of labor, and he never forgot where he came from. John and my thoughts and prayers are with Mary and his family.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Wicker to President Biden: Make Final Push for Ukraine Before Leaving Office

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is demanding that President Biden exercise his responsibilities as commander-in-chief and give Ukraine the weapons it needs to make a “substantial difference” on the battlefield in the last 90 days of his term.
    Senator Wicker specifically called on the president to provision Ukraine with weaponry at a much faster rate, deliver more vehicles, missiles, drones and counter-drone equipment, and increase defense industrial base cooperation between the United States and Ukraine, among other recommendations. The senator sent these detailed requests, along with more than five others, as a part of a detailed plan to enable Ukrainian success prior to the next presidential term starting.
    These demands follow repeated, unsuccessful engagements with the White House since August. In the letter, Senator Wicker notes that he sent a classified letter to President Biden with suggestions on how to improve the military assistance program for Ukraine, and he later followed up with a September phone call to the president regarding the letter. Senator Wicker has also shared these ideas with senior national security officials but has yet to see them yield any significant results.
    “I am frustrated – and mystified – that your administration has accomplished so little in the last three months regarding the war in Ukraine.  You seem poised to leave the next president a weak hand,” Senator Wicker wrote.
    For two years, Senator Wicker has led Senate Republicans in pushing President Biden to implement a more effective strategy for Ukrainian victory. In September, Senator Wicker criticized President Biden’s intention to drag out his use of Presidential Drawdown Authority. Senator Wicker has also repeatedly published a detailed timeline of many instances when President Biden failed to deliver support to Ukraine at a speed where they could make a difference on the battlefield. In a 2023 floor speech, Senator Wicker laid out his first principles as it comes to supporting Ukraine: “more, better, faster.”
    Read the full October 18, 2024 letter here or below.
    October 17, 2024
    President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
    The White House
    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
    Washington, D.C. 20500
    Dear Mr. President,
    In early August, I sent you a classified letter, which identified steps you could take to support Ukraine more aggressively. The letter contained detailed recommendations, including policy changes and suggestions to improve military assistance delivery and defense industrial base cooperation. My goal was to highlight ways that your administration could use its remaining six months in office wisely – to put Ukraine in the most advantageous position possible for your successor, whomever the American people choose. I followed up with you in a phone conversation in mid-September, and I have attended meetings with senior national security officials.
     
    I am frustrated – and mystified – that your administration has accomplished so little in the last three months regarding the war in Ukraine. You seem poised to leave the next president a weak hand. Nonetheless, I maintain that a focused effort – directed by you – could make a substantial difference over your final 90 days as president.
    Toward that end, I have included a list of 10 recommendations.
    Recommendation 1: Increase the pace of weapons transfers to Ukraine. The current pace of Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) usage would drag on through calendar year 2025. This is true despite the agreement between Congress and your administration that the authority granted in the National Security Supplemental would last through calendar year 2024. That tempo led your administration to seek a $5.5 billion extension of this authority last month.
    The Secretaries of State and Defense exercised this authority to prevent its expiration, but your administration has said that the pace of deliveries will not change. Ukraine will continue to receive only about $400 million in military equipment per month for the next 14 months.
    I am troubled that your administration is using U.S. military readiness as an excuse to “manage” the conflict in Ukraine. Officials are making decisions about strategic and military risk, but they are not consulting Congress. You should direct the Secretary of Defense to provide you a plan that would deliver the remaining $5.5 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) to Ukraine immediately.
    Deliver more vehicles. Ukraine needs many more heavy vehicles, such as M1A1 Abrams tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, to form the core of combined-arms brigades. Ukraine also faces a significant shortfall of general protected vehicles (such as up-armored HMMWVs, ambulances, and MRAPs) to protect troops from Russian drones and artillery. The U.S. Army and Marine Corps possess ample stocks of these vehicles. Our industrial base can easily replace those that are transferred. Additionally, there is no near-term need for massive stockpiles of vehicles given the degraded state of Russian ground forces.
    Deliver more ATACMS. Ukraine has used U.S.-provided ATACMS responsibly and effectively, but it needs more. We have a sufficient inventory of serviceable long-range ATACMS. A significant number of these should go to Ukraine. Although there may be division within your administration on this recommendation, I urge you to push the Army and the combatant commands to aid Ukraine’s largely successful deep strike campaign.
    Deliver more drones and counter unmanned aerial systems. U.S. attack drone and counter-UAS production can increase. The industrial base is expanding rapidly and has multiple solution options in each of these areas. Ukraine is quite receptive to using unproven systems.
    Recommendation 2: Allow greater flexibility on restrictions for U.S.-provided munitions. One of Ukraine’s key asymmetric advantages against Russia is its ability to target high-value Russian military targets and to do so rapidly. Your administration has hamstrung this crucial advantage. You should immediately revise any policies that limit the use of U.S.-provided munitions, including ATACMS, to strike military targets inside Russia. Any restrictions should be placed on the types of targets, rather than on the distance from a border that Russia does not even recognize. Numerous allies and partners already allow their long-range munitions to be used for deep strikes.
    Recommendation 3: Increase the cap of U.S. government non-military personnel allowed in-country. You should direct Secretary Blinken to allow more State Department, Defense Department, and other government agency personnel inside Ukraine. The current number of personnel cannot manage a military aid effort in the tens of billions of dollars while conducting planning for future improvements in the Ukrainian industrial base and economy. As a result, anything beyond the day-to-day management is not getting done. Current staff is overworked, and more U.S. government personnel are required to manage security assistance and to conduct accountability and oversight work. Numerous allies already have a much more risk-tolerant government presence in Ukraine.
    Recommendation 4: Establish a regulated presence of U.S. military contractors inside Ukraine. You should allow a limited number of U.S. military contractors to operate in Ukraine – under strict conditions – to increase Ukraine’s ability to maintain its equipment. The current approach is too slow, as we remotely perform maintenance or move Ukrainian equipment to Poland for up-keep. The presence of U.S. contractors in-country would also help to mentor Ukrainian personnel to increase their self-sufficiency. U.S. contractors are well-prepared to execute such a mission. They have extensive experience in Iraq and Afghanistan. British, French, and Czech personnel are already in-country, or will soon be, to conduct similar missions.
    Recommendation 5: Expand training for Ukrainian land forces. The United States should maximize the use of all available training capacity located in the European Command (EUCOM) area of responsibility, and it should build up Ukrainian brigades capable of combined arms warfare. Currently, improved Ukrainian recruitment is outpacing Ukrainian and allied training. EUCOM almost certainly has the ability to train even more troops per month than it does now, which would help cover the number of troops that Ukraine does not have the capacity to train.
    Recommendation 6: Deliver more shareable, commercially-derived intelligence. The administration should use processes already in place to increase the delivery of available unclassified information to Ukraine, including disposition of Russian forces and location data. The National Reconnaissance Office has contract vehicles in place for commercial satellite services (such as RF data) that are instrumental in providing Ukraine with services for tipping and cueing (i.e., targeting) of Russian radars, air assets, defense systems, and other threats.
    Recommendation 7: Dramatically expand the Pentagon industrial base policy workforce. U.S. industrial base expansion and industrial base integration with Europe is not happening fast enough because we lack the personnel to plan and execute these activities. You should direct the Secretary of Defense, in the next 15 days, to reassign at least 100 capable and motivated DOD civil servants, moving them into these offices and asking Congress for new hiring authorities and supplemental money to pay for this expansion. The short-staffed office that runs the Defense Production Act illustrates the need. Only a handful of people staff that organization, which is tasked with finding ways to rebuild our supplier base for solid rocket motors, missile casings, and more. DOD industrial base offices can also help allies and partners expand their own production, such as the Storm Shadow and SCALP lines in the UK and France, respectively.
    These U.S. offices include:
    Joint Production Acceleration Cell
    Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy
    Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International and Industry Engagement
    Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (DPA & ICAM/IBAS)
    Recommendation 8: Rapidly accelerate contracting timelines. I understand that many large contracts for Ukraine, especially those funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, are still taking a year or more on average. This is unacceptable. Section 1244 of the Fiscal Year 2023 NDAA, as well as additional contracting authorities, grant broad flexibilities to the Department of Defense. By written instruction, you should formally direct the Secretary of Defense and the service acquisition executives to require all contracting officers to leverage – to the maximum extent possible – those contracting flexibilities. The Army has used section 1244 for the new 155mm artillery ammunition factory in Mesquite, Texas, and doing so brought it online two years faster than expected.
    Recommendation 9: Hold monthly high-level defense industrial base meetings. You should direct the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Commerce to host monthly high-level defense industrial base meetings with Ukraine, key NATO allies, and defense industry officials. You should prioritize coproduction with Ukraine so it can better meet its own needs.
    Recommendation 10: Deliver more DPICMs. In addition to ATACMS, Ukraine also has used Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICMs) effectively and responsibly. The U.S. inventory includes hundreds of thousands of serviceable 155mm DPICMs rounds. Each 155mm DPICMs round has the effect of 3–5 high explosive artillery projectiles. You possess the authority to send Ukraine $250 million of DPICMs today. There is simply no way to offset the artillery advantage of the Russians without using DPICMs.
    Sincerely,
    Roger F. Wicker
    Ranking Member

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Out: The 2024 Out100: Sen. Laphonza Butler

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for California – Laphonza Butler
    By Bernardo Sim
    “My work requires that I first and foremost represent all of California,” says U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler, the first Black lesbian to serve in the chamber. “Which means that I am listening to lots of constituents, policy experts, and advocates to deeply understand issues of importance.”
    A longtime Golden State ally of Kamala Harris, Butler served as president of EMILY’s List and California’s Service Employees International Union State Council prior to filling the late Dianne Feinstein’s seat, a 2023 appointment by Gov. Gavin Newson.
    Butler labels “the doubt that creeps” as her most persistent obstacle this year. She’s also been busy getting work done, such as “bringing resources back to California” and being able to “engage young California leaders” in the political process.
    “My message to the LGBTQ+ community would be, ‘Take a bow!’” she declares. “We’ve faced challenges, hate, and discrimination…and because we’ve stood with other communities — our allies, families, and neighbors — we have accomplished so much. While there is still much to do, every time we choose to do it together, we make progress.”
    Read the article HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz: More Than $33 Million Heading To Hawai‘i Island To Improve Wailuku River Bridge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    Published: 10.18.2024

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that Hawai‘i will receive $33 million to rehabilitate the Wailuku River Bridge on Hawai‘i Island.
    “Upgrading aging infrastructure is critical to ensuring people can get around safely for years to come,” said Senator Schatz, chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation. “Making these necessary upgrades to the Wailuku River Bridge will result in less disruptions and safer commutes for people on Hawai‘i Island.”
    The funding will help strengthen the bridge by making key improvements to reinforce its foundation. The bridge will also be widened to be in line with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards, and the bridge railings will be upgraded to meet current safety standards.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Announces Nearly $300,000 to Boost Support & Safety for RIers with Autism

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to strengthen resources, support, and services for Rhode Islanders with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced $296,673 in federal funds to support initiatives that spread awareness about challenges faced by individuals with ASD and to expand programs that provide support and resources for people with autism, their families, and the community.
    The federal funds will flow through the Department of Justice (DOJ) Kevin and Avonte Program: Reducing Injury and Death of Missing Individuals with Dementia and Developmental Disabilities. This program provides up to $150,000 per award to advance comprehensive initiatives that prevent wandering or elopement for individuals with forms of dementia or developmental disabilities and reduce associated dangers and potential injuries that stem from wandering or elopement.  
    The Autism Project (TAP) will receive $149,994 for its work to increase awareness for first responders, families, and community members through specialized education on ASD and developmental disabilities and the associated dangers of wandering and elopement, with the goal of saving lives.  Specifically, this funding will help TAP expand their educational programming and create new programs to reach underserved and Spanish-speaking communities.
    National Autism Association, Inc. (NAA) will receive $146,679 to support its core safety program, the Big Red Safety Box, which provides preventative tools and educational materials for families and caregivers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or developmental disabilities, so they are better prepared to prevent and manage crises stemming from wandering and elopement within underserved populations.
    “Elopement and other dangers associated with ASD and developmental disabilities can be frantic, harrowing experiences for children and individuals with autism as well as for their family members, loved ones, and caregivers. These federal funds will equip law enforcement and first responders, families, and community members with new tools and resources to spread awareness, help limit incidents of elopement, and save lives,” said Senator Reed, who was recently recognized by the Community Provider Network of Rhode Island for his work with TAP to increase support and strengthen resources for Rhode Islanders with ASD.  “I’m proud to help support the tremendous work being done by The Autism Project and National Autism Association in partnership with community-based organizations, first responders, and families across Rhode Island and the nation.”
    According to TAP, about 22,000 Rhode Islanders have autism.  TAP serves the entire state of Rhode Island, but much of this project will focus on assisting families and autistic people living in diverse urban areas of Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket.
    “The Autism Project (TAP) is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue our work to prevent elopement at both the local and national level. Keeping autistic people safe is our highest priority, while simultaneously educating and empowering families and first responders involved in the prevention of and response to elopement,” said Joanne Quinn, executive director of The Autism Project.  “With these new grant funds, TAP will have the ability to create a greater library of materials on safety, and to elevate the voices of autistic people and families from underserved communities. Without the generous funding from the Kevin and Avonte Program, this work would not be possible. We are resolute in our commitment to autistic people and their families, and are thrilled by the opportunity to continue our mission.” 
    Since 2011, NAA’s Big Red Safety Box program has provided free safety toolkits for nearly 75,000 families across the country in need of wandering-prevention tools. Recipients of these toolkits must be a primary caregiver of an individual with ASD. Each box includes educational materials, two door/window alarms, one identification bracelet or shoe tag, for adhesive “Stop Sign” visual prompts, one safety alert window cling for care or home windows, and one Child ID Kit from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. More information on NAA’s Big Red Safety Box program and how to request a box can be found here. 
    “The autism community has endured a harrowing summer – the most fatal on record for wandering-related emergencies.  With nearly fifty heartbreaking losses this year, primarily nonspeaking children who died due to accidental drownings, our mission has never been more urgent. The funds provided by Kevin and Avonte’s Law will help us continue to provide families across the country with critical preventative tools, free of charge,” said Krystal Higgins, Executive Director of the National Autism Association.  “We are grateful to be able to expand our programs, outreach, and partnerships with organizations such as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children so that we can continue to address the unprecedented need for safety programs, federal advocacy, and first responder trainings.  We are committed to using these funds responsibly and effectively to make the biggest impact possible furthering our work in spearheading nationwide awareness and resources to help address the dire issues of wandering and drowning.”
    Elopement refers to a common occurrence for children with ASD, who may wander away from caregivers or secure locations. According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), elopement occurs in approximately 49 percent of individuals diagnosed with ASD. Additionally, accidental harm and injury is a serious risk during elopement incidents as drowning accounts for about 71 percent of wandering-related deaths among individuals with autism and close calls with traffic were reported in 65 percent of all elopement cases. Elopement can be a traumatic experience for a person with autism and their caregivers. It is imperative for first responders to be aware of how best to assist an individual with autism in these situations.
    Senator Reed helped pass Kevin and Avonte’s Law in the 114th Congress. This law is named in honor of two boys with autism – 9 year-old Kevin Curtis Wills of Iowa and 14-year old Avonte Oquendo of New York – who perished after wandering away from supervised settings.
    In 2022, Reed voted to reauthorize Kevin and Avonte’s Law for another five years as part of the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The law has helped direct over $10 million to communities across the nation and includes an alert program to help notify communities about missing individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease, autism, and other developmental disabilities. It also enables the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants for state and local education and training programs to help prevent elopement and reunite caregivers with missing family members.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ‘We Have Created the Scarcity on Purpose’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    Donald Trump has transformed the Republican Party on all kinds of issues — trade, foreign policy, immigration. He has challenged, even upended, the old consensus by giving people a very different story about what was wrong in America, about why they were struggling.
    To be clear, I think most of Trump’s policies and many of his stories are quite different, bad and often false. But to give some credit to the Republicans, they are having these big internal policy debates, and the people coming up behind Trump are having even more of them. The world has changed, their party has changed, their voting base has changed, and so they need to change.
    On the Democratic side, you haven’t seen as much change. That would be normal for a party running an incumbent president. There wasn’t a presidential primary this year in which candidates hashed out their different visions in front of the voters. Biden has not been a strong messenger. Kamala Harris hasn’t had much time to build out an agenda of her own. The Democratic Party has been unified the past few years, but it has been unified against Trump, against MAGA. It’s not been — in its communications, in the way it runs elections — primarily about its policy vision.
    Brian Schatz is the senior senator from Hawaii and one of the Democrats doing the most work on these issues. He’s been a very influential policy voice. Over the past few years, he’s had a bit of a political evolution trying to change the party on the issues that matter most to voters — particularly affordability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey Delivers More Than $149.7 Million to Make Pennsylvania Drinking Water Safer, Improve Water Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
    Funding will support projects that help ensure clean drinking water, as well as improve water and sewage infrastructure across the Commonwealth
    Infrastructure law has delivered more than $688 million for clean drinking water in Pennsylvania
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey announced that the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) approved $149,739,802 worth of projects across the Commonwealth that will help communities access clean, safe drinking water by removing or replacing hazardous contaminated pipes and improve water and sewage infrastructure. All the selected projects are receiving full or partial funding from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA), which Casey fought to pass.
    “Pennsylvania’s Constitution guarantees the right to safe, pure water, but for too long communities across our Commonwealth have lacked the funding to ensure that commitment is honored. Thanks to the infrastructure law, we’re making investments to prevent water contamination and improve our water infrastructure,” said Senator Casey. “I will keep working to ensure that homes, schools, and businesses have access to clean, safe water.”
    Included in this round of funding is more than $65.6 million for removing and replacing hazardous contaminated lead pipes and addressing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination. The funding also supports more than $84.1 million in water infrastructure improvement projects including water main replacement, sewer system construction and repairs, and pump station upgrades.
    The funding will serve seven counties across the Commonwealth, including Bucks County, where Senator Casey has long fought to help communities clean up PFAS contamination. This year alone, PENNVEST has announced more than $396 million in IIJA-funded projects to improve drinking water and wastewater infrastructure including, July’s announcement of more than $95 million to remove lead pipes, upgrade wastewater, and reduce water contamination. Since the passage of IIJA, Pennsylvania has received more than $1 billion in funding for water infrastructure.
    See below for a list of project recipients:
    List of award recipients

    County

    Recipient

    Project Type

    Grant Amount

    Loan Amount

    Total Amount

    Allegheny

    Pennsylvania American Water Company

    Lead Service Line/Drinking Water

    $3,908,944

    $1,891,056

    $5,800,000

    Allegheny

    Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority

    Lead Service Line/Drinking Water

    $4,907,206

    $1,715,938

    $6,623,144

    Allegheny

    Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority

    Replacing water mains

    $0

    $62,672,221

    $62,672,221

    Allegheny

    West View Water Authority

    Lead Service Line/Drinking Water

    $5,635,872

    $3,144,428

    $8,780,300

    Allegheny

    Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority

    Lead Service Line/Drinking Water

    $6,798,083

    $3,101,917

    $9,900,000

    Bucks

    Telford Borough Authority

    PFAS Mitigation

    $9,815,000

    $0

    $9,815,000

    Crawford

    Saegertown Borough

    PFAS Mitigation

    $12,678,000

    $0

    $12,678,000

    Lehigh

    Lehigh County Authority

    Lead Service Line/Drinking Water

    $6,337,070

    $5,660,930

    $11,998,000

    Allegheny

    Shaler Township

    Public Sewer System Repairs

    $0

    $4,300,000

    $4,300,000

    Juniata

    Port Royal Municipal Authority

    Pump Station/WWTP Upgrades

    $1,336,925

    $2,359,032

    $3,695,957

    Mifflin

    Bratton Township

    Pump Station/WWTP Upgrades

    $5,471,726

    $943,574

    $6,415,300

    Venango

    Clintonville Borough Sewer & Water Authority

    New sewage plant

    $7,061,880

    $0

    $7,061,880

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RI Delegations Lands $13M in New Lead Poisoning Prevention Funds for Providence & Woonsocket

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    PROVIDENCE, RI – Ahead of the 25th annual National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, which starts October 20 and runs through the 26th, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo are delivering $6.5 million for Providence and $6.5 million for Woonsocket through the federal Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program (LHR) to make more homes and apartments across the state lead-safe for children and families.  Individual homeowners, renters, and landlords can apply directly through the City of Providence and City of Woonsocket, which work with local community agencies and non-profits to use the federal funds to pay specialized professionals for lead paint abatement and remediation in private residences.
    According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nearly 300,000 housing units in Rhode Island have potential lead paint hazards and associated lead-contaminated yards. Of these units, over 90,000 are low-income households.  The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program can help these households save thousands of dollars on the cost of eliminating lead-related hazards and making the properties safer and more valuable. 
    Exposure to lead-based paint is a serious health threat, especially for children under six who may touch, swallow, or breathe in lead dust.  Lead exposure can cause adverse health effects such as brain damage, slowed growth and development, and other problems affecting learning, behavior, hearing, and speech.  If a child is exposed to lead, early detection and intervention is critical to prevent adverse, long-term impacts.
    An estimated 1,300 children in Rhode Island are lead poisoned each year, according to state estimates.
    The $13 million in federal funds, which are administered at the national level by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) — and spearheaded locally by the Community Action Partnership of Providence — will help Providence and Woonsocket expand local efforts to address lead hazards in housing units, making houses and apartments healthier and safer for families, and raising public awareness about the risks associated with lead paint.
    “This is a smart investment in remediating lead hazards, making homes safer, reducing health care costs, improving educational performance, and helping more kids and families lead healthier lives,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee who led Congressional efforts to fund the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program and worked with Woonsocket to extend its deadlines to ensure it can use the funds to help more eligible families.  In 1999, Senator Reed authored a resolution (S. Res 199) establishing the first ever National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.
    “Too many older homes in Rhode Island are filled with hidden lead hazards because of the high costs of lead remediation, leaving children and families unsafe in their own homes,” said Senator Whitehouse, a former Attorney General for Rhode Island who filed the state’s first lawsuit against lead paint manufacturers. “This new funding will give Providence and Woonsocket homeowners the financial resources they need to remove these hazards and keep their little ones safe.”
    “There is no amount of lead exposure that is safe, and this federal funding will help Rhode Islanders remove lead from their homes to keep children and families safe and healthy,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner.
    “Toxic lead has no place in our drinking water and it has no place in household paint,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “I am grateful that we secured these federal funds to help remediate homes and apartments throughout Rhode Island so we can better protect the health of young children and families in our community.”
    Working together, the delegation helped make $469,655,877 in federal funding for LHR grants available nationwide.
    “We talk every day with parents, tenants, homeowners, and landlords facing lead safety challenges – and our local lead hazard reduction programs help all of them,” said Laura Brion, Executive Director of the Childhood Lead Action Project. “This new influx of funding will allow hundreds of Rhode Island families to keep their children healthy and safe from lead, potentially changing the trajectory of their whole lives.”
    To participate in the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction program, families must meet certain income requirements and have a child in the home.  If eligible, a trained contractor will assess the home for lead and eventually work to remove any hazards, which would typically cost thousands of dollars if paying out of pocket.
    In Rhode Island, LHR projects are awarded on a first-come, first served basis.  Families and landlords may apply to their local lead safe partner program:
    Providence – Lead Safe Providence Program: https://cappri.org/programs/lead-safe-providence
    Woonsocket – Woonsocket Lead Hazard Reduction Program: https://www.woonsocketri.gov/planning-development/lead-hazard-reduction-program
    Statewide – RIHousing LeadSafe Homes Program: https://www.rihousing.com/leadsafe_homes/
    Typical lead removal or remediation includes the replacement of lead-tainted windows and doors, adding exterior siding, and covering up or removing lead paint on porches.  For a 2,000-square-foot residence, the average cost of lead paint removal is about $15,000, and the entire bill may be paid using federal funds.
    According to the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), starting this month, all Ocean State landlords who rent a residential property that was built before 1978 and that is not exempt from the state’s Lead Hazard Mitigation Act must provide a valid Certificate of Lead Conformance or other lead certificate in order to comply with a new state law.
    RIDOH also reminds parents and caregivers to have children screened for lead exposure once by 18 months and a second time by 36 months. Having a child’s blood tested for lead is the only way to know if they have been exposed to lead and what actions to take. It is also the first step to finding and removing the source of lead.  Many children exposed to lead have happy and healthy lives, but early intervention is critical. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey Exposes Private Equity’s Shady Dealings at Charleroi Glass Manufacturing Plant, Urges Federal Investigation and Injunction to Protect PA Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
    Private equity owners seek to shut down Pyrex plant that has been a keystone of Charleroi, PA for 132 years
    In recent years, Wall Street has gutted companies and communities in a seemingly never-ending quest to make a quick buck off the backs of hardworking Americans
    In light of new report, Casey is pressing FTC to pursue measures to stop the plant closure pending a full investigation into private equity firm Centre Lane Partners’ potential illegal activity to acquire plant without regulatory approval
    Read Casey’s report: Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), member of the Senate Finance Committee, released a report exposing how a private equity firm is shattering Charleroi’s 132-year-old proud tradition of glass manufacturing. Closing the Charleroi Pyrex glassware factory would not only cost more than 300 Pennsylvanians their jobs but would change the fabric of this community and put an end to one of Pennsylvania’s most impressive manufacturing success stories. His report, Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind, exposed private equity firm Centre Lane Partners for questionable financial engineering and shady business deals that culminated in Centre Lane’s recent decision to close the plant, leaving its workers as collateral damage. In the report and a follow up letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan, Casey called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to take action to block the plant closure pending the outcome of a full investigation into the private equity firm for its efforts to evade regulatory rules to strip the plant bare and lay off Pennsylvania workers.
    “Private equity crushing Charleroi’s generational legacy of glass manufacturing is yet another example of Wall Street screwing over Pennsylvania workers. The plant’s closure is a slap in the face to workers, their community, and the people of Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “I am working every day to protect union jobs and hold Wall Street executives accountable for the havoc they’ve wreaked in our Commonwealth.”
    Since Anchor Hocking abruptly announced plans to close this glass manufacturing plant in September 2024, Senator Casey has been investigating the questionable practices used by Anchor Hocking’s private equity owner, Centre Lane Partners, to make a quick buck. In his report, Casey revealed how private equity firms like Centre Lane prioritized short term ownership of companies to maximize profits at the expense of companies’ long-term health. Specifically, the report showed how Centre Lane purchased two of the Nation’s largest home glassware brands, Pyrex and Anchor Hocking, even though it initially failed to receive regulatory approval to purchase Pyrex in the fall of 2023. Casey’s report exposed Centre Lane’s actions to obtain a potential monopoly in the home glassware manufacturing market and emphasized the urgent need for a federal investigation. The report also laid out a timeline detailing Centre Lane Partners’ questionable financial engineering and shady business deals that culminated in the decision to consolidate its home glassware manufacturing at a separate Anchor Hocking facility outside of Pennsylvania.
    The initial findings outlined in Senator Casey’s report only raised more alarms about Centre Lane’s potential illegal activity. In a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan, Casey laid out the perplexing and questionable practices of Centre Lane and its acquisition of several glassware companies and called for a swift and full investigation. Casey urged the FTC to block the closure of the plant while it investigates whether Centre Lane violated the law in its acquisition of the facility.  
    Casey’s report and call for investigation continue his tireless efforts to combat the Charleroi plant’s closure and save Pennsylvania jobs from the ravages of private equity. Immediately upon learning of Anchor Hocking’s plans to close the plant on September 5th, Senator Casey’s office reached out to the plant’s union leadership and Charleroi Borough officials, connecting them with federal and state authorities. Casey’s office also helped convene a task force of county commissioners, borough officials, and local economic development leaders. Casey’s staff also alerted the White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization to the situation, leading to several federal officials visiting Charleroi on September 11th. On September 19th, Senator Casey sent a letter to Anchor Hocking demanding an explanation for the closure and imploring the company to reconsider its actions. On September 20th, Senator Casey and Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Ron Wyden successfully requested a joint confidential briefing with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on questions concerning Anchor Hocking’s assumption of control of the Pyrex manufacturing operation in Charleroi.
    Read the full report “Charleroi: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind” HERE.
    Read the full letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan HERE or below:
    Dear Chair Khan:
    I write today regarding the recent decision to shut down the Pyrex glass factory in Charleroi, Pennsylvania by its private equity owners, Centre Lane Partners, and parent company, Anchor Hocking. As I have detailed in a recent report entitled, Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind, Charleroi has become the latest victim of the all-too-common abusive financial engineering that private equity owners engage in to make a quick profit at the expense of its workers and consumers.  In light of the numerous concerns that I raise in that report and this letter, I believe that Center Lane Partners’ acquisition of the Charleroi Pyrex plant deserves the fullest scrutiny by federal enforcement agencies, and I urge you to take whatever action necessary—including filing for preliminary injunctive relief—to block this plant closure pending the completion of an investigation into the matter.
    As you know, many private equity (PE) firms invest in companies and use financial engineering tactics to extract a quick profit from the company at the expense of its long-term health, its workers, and its customers. Unfortunately, few industries and companies exemplify the abusive PE playbook as much as the glass manufacturing industry and Anchor Hocking. Over the past 28 years, four major domestic glass manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy eight times among them—one bankruptcy every 3.5 years. In five of those cases, the company was owned by a PE firm —a fact that is not surprising given that PE-owned companies are far more likely to go bankrupt than non-PE-owned companies. 
    From dividend recaps and leasebacks to layoffs and cutting employee benefits, including retirees’ healthcare, PE firms have specifically abused Anchor Hocking and its workers for far too long.  However, over the course of my preliminary investigation into the recent circumstances surrounding Anchor Hocking and the Charleroi Pyrex plant, I am particularly troubled by the manner in which the PE firm, Centre Lane Partners (“Centre Lane”), came to acquire the Charleroi Pyrex plant. This acquisition set the stage for the subsequent announced closure of the plant, as well as the hundreds of lost jobs associated with the closure.
    In June 2023, the Charleroi plant’s prior parent company, Instant Brands (“Instant”), filed for bankruptcy. Instant was owned by another PE-firm, Cornell Capital, and included the popular Instant Pot and other consumers brands including Corelle, Pyrex, Snapware, CorningWare, Visions and Chicago Cutlery.  After a bankruptcy auction in September, Centre Lane received court approval to acquire Instant’s housewares and appliances businesses in two separate transactions for $228.2 million and $122.6 million, respectively.  Based on the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act, I understand that these acquisitions would have both been subject to FTC premerger review given that they were higher than the HSR filing threshold in 2023—$111.4 million.
    In November 2023, Centre Lane officially acquired Instant’s appliance division, but bankruptcy documents filed in December confirmed that Centre Lane failed to receive the required regulatory approvals to finalize the deal for Instant’s housewares division.  As a result, Instant proposed a new plan wherein Instant would emerge from bankruptcy under the ownership of its prior lenders. In February 2024, Instant’s restructuring plan was approved and the housewares division emerged from bankruptcy under the new name, Corelle Brands (“Corelle”), and under the ownership of its prior lenders, including Centre Lane, which held 33.6% of the company.
    Less than a week and a half later, Centre Lane purchased the remaining 66.4% of Corelle from the majority lenders, including another PE firm, Citadel Group (“Citadel”), for approximately $38.5 million.  The Anchor Hocking CEO informed me that this decision was made after “[t]he majority owners of Corelle, who had no operating or industrial expertise in the glass manufacturing industry broadly speaking, approached Centre Lane . . . about buying their ownership interests, as it became clear that Corelle Brands on a stand-alone basis would likely not be economically viable.”  Days later, Centre Lane transferred ownership of Corelle to a subsidiary of Anchor Hocking in exchange for common stock valued at approximately $79.8 million.  Approximately six months later, in September 2024, Anchor Hocking announced that it would be shutting down the Charleroi Pyrex plant.
    Given this timeline, it is fair to question why a PE firm—seemingly as sophisticated and savvy as Citadel—decided to acquire a company coming out of bankruptcy only to determine less than a week and a half later that it was no longer a viable investment. But it is even more perplexing that Centre Lane was able to acquire two-thirds of Corelle for merely $38.5 million in March 2024 and transfer it to Anchor Hocking days later at yet another price ($79.8 million)—all while evading FTC oversight—after it previously bid nearly $230 million for the same company and filed for regulatory approval in September 2023.
    The timeline of these financial transactions raises enough questions on its own, but the subsequent decisions of Centre Lane also justify further scrutiny. I have been informed by locals in Charleroi that despite taking ownership over Corelle, Anchor Hocking does not actually control two of Corelle’s most valuable brands—Pyrex and Snapware. It is my understanding that the licenses for these brands are in the process of being transferred or have already been transferred to another Centre Lane affiliate, 1880 Hospitality. This assertion is further supported by Anchor Hocking’s letterhead, which includes all of Corelle’s previous brands, except for Pyrex and Snapware.  It is difficult to discern a logical business reason for such a move, but even more peculiar—it further calls into question the financial details of these transactions. How did Centre Lane acquire two-thirds of Corelle, including Pyrex and Snapware, for just $38.5 million from its prior owners, and then days later, transferred it to Anchor Hocking for approximately $79.8 million without two of its biggest brands—Pyrex and Snapware?
    At the core of these questions and concerns is whether Centre Lane engaged in any illegal activity to evade FTC scrutiny in pursuit of an anticompetitive advantage in the kitchenware and glassware markets. To better understand these concerns, it is important to review Centre Lane’s recent acquisition history. As you know, “rollups” are a common PE tactic to acquire many smaller companies in a specific market to be able to better exert market power and extract economic rents in a market. For example, since at least 2018, Centre Lane has made a concerted effort to acquire numerous kitchenware and tableware brands, and its portfolio now includes Anchor Hocking, Corelle, Pyrex, Corningware, Snapware, Chicago Cutlery, Visions, Lenox, Oneida, Kate Spade New York tabletop collection, Hampton Forge, Reed & Barton, and Cambridge.  Centre Lane’s increasing market share in the kitchenware industry raise some broader antitrust questions, but none more so than the glassware market. 
    In the domestic market, “heavy” glassware products—such as bakeware, measuring cups, and food storage containers—are primarily sold under two brands—Anchor Hocking and Pyrex. A simple search on just a few retail websites is illustrative. On Target’s website, 11 of the 12 glass bakeware products sold in-store are Pyrex, and in Wal-Mart, 33 of the 45 glass bakeware products sold in-store are either Pyrex or Anchor Hocking.  On Costco’s website, a search for “glass food containers” returns nine results—five of which include Anchor Hocking or Pyrex.  When searching for “glass measuring cups” sold on Amazon.com, 11 of the first 20 products are Pyrex or Anchor Hocking.  Permitting Centre Lane to control both Anchor Hocking and Pyrex clearly increases its ability to manipulate the glassware market at the expense of both consumers and workers.
    During your time as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, your focus on the impact of PE in our markets has been laudable. As you highlighted in remarks on March 5 regarding the impact of PE in healthcare, some PE firms can provide an important source of capital for companies and aim to “take a more long-term view and focus on creating real operational improvements to generate value in ways that provide broader benefits.”  Too many, however, “take a different approach, where they load up companies with enormous amounts of debt, strip valuable assets and sell them off to enrich the private equity owners, and pursue financial engineering tactics that leave the underlying firm weaker and worse off.”  Given the history of PE abuses at Anchor Hocking and its recent decisions at the Charleroi Pyrex plant,  I am afraid that Centre Lane falls into the latter category.
    In light of my preliminary investigation and the information that I have shared in this letter, I respectfully request your response to the following questions. Additionally, recognizing the strict confidentiality requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, I ask that you answer these questions to the best of your ability as a general statement of law and agency practice, and not related to any particular individual case or company:
    In your experience, is it common for a company to be valued at nearly $230 million in a bankruptcy auction, but then be bought for only a third of that price months later?
    If a company is initially denied regulatory approval to acquire another company by the FTC, is it legal for the company to proceed with the acquisition under different terms without notifying the FTC?
    What tools does the FTC have to address anticompetitive deals that are consummated—either legally or illegally—without FTC premerger review?
    How much market share would a combined firm need to control for the FTC to consider a merger or acquisition to be anticompetitive?
    Is it lawful for a company to establish monopoly power over a market, if the company divides the market among its various subsidiaries? 
    Do antitrust laws and/or FTC guidelines and practices allow a company to divide a potential acquisition’s assets among multiple subsidiaries in order to evade FTC oversight, including HSR premerger review?
    Do antitrust laws and/or FTC guidelines and practices allow a company to evade FTC oversight, including HSR premerger review, by acquiring a company in two steps? For example, by buying only 33% of a company initially, and then later buying the remainder?
    What tools (e.g., statutory authorities, resources) does the FTC need to better address the potentially anticompetitive behaviors of PE firms?
    Over the course of my preliminary investigation into this matter, I have unfortunately been left with far more questions than answers regarding Centre Lanes’ transactions, its decision to close the Charleroi Pyrex plant, and its broader impact on competition in the glassware market. At the very least, these questions deserve the fullest scrutiny from federal enforcement agencies, but unfortunately—time is of the essence. On Thursday, October 10, Centre Lane, through Anchor Hocking, submitted its federally required Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice confirming its plans to begin laying off workers in Charleroi on December 9, 2024, and fully shutting down the plant by February 28, 2025. 
    Recognizing the time sensitive nature of this situation and to ensure a full and fair investigation into the many issues that I have raised in this letter, I urge you to consider filing for preliminary injunctive relief against Centre Lane’s acquisition of Corelle and utilizing any other tools at your disposal to block its efforts to shut down the Charleroi Pyrex plant. Knowing the resources and time necessary to pursue court action, I do not make this request lightly, but it is worth noting that there is historical precedent for the FTC to intervene in mergers regarding domestic glass manufacturing companies. In 2002, Libbey abandoned efforts to acquire Anchor Hocking due, in part, to an order issued by the FTC, and over a decade later in 2015, executives again dismissed the possibility of a merger between the two companies given the FTC’s prior concerns. 
    After years of shady business deals and financial engineering, we owe it not only to the workers of Charleroi, but to the thousands of workers across the Nation who have been repeatedly taken advantage of by Wall Street and PE firms, to ensure that we are taking every action possible to fully investigate and hold accountable any company that has engaged in wrongdoing in this situation. Wall Street should not, and cannot, act with impunity.
    Thank you for your leadership on this issue and for your and your staff’s cooperation with Senator Wyden’s and my inquires on this topic to date. I look forward to your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Secure More Than $275 Million to Improve and Expand I-80 Corridor, Reduce Congestion in Northern Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Reno, Nev. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) announced that the Nevada Department of Transportation will receive more than $275 million in federal funding to widen I-80 from Vista Boulevard to USA Parkway between the Reno-Sparks metro area and Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. The improvements funded by this award include an additional lane in each direction, shoulder widening, bridge reconstruction, new pavement, and intelligent transportation system facilities. Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen advocated specifically for this project, and the funding was made possible thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law they helped pass.

    “Interstate 80 is a critical corridor for so many Nevadans—that’s why Senator Rosen and I worked in a bipartisan way to help secure these federal dollars coming to Northern Nevada to ease congestion, drive economic growth, and save lives along the corridor,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This investment is essential for our communities, and it was made possible thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Senator Rosen and I fought to pass. I commend her steady partnership in improving transportation access for hardworking Nevadans, and we’ll keep fighting to deliver the infrastructure investments that Nevada needs.”

    “I’m proud to have worked across the aisle to secure more than $275 million in federal funding to widen I-80, which will help reduce traffic and support local economic growth,” said Senator Rosen. “This funding was made possible thanks to the landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I helped write and pass. I’ll keep working with Senator Cortez Masto and our bipartisan Congressional delegation to deliver real results for Nevadans.”

     Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen worked to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to create good-paying jobs and upgrade road infrastructure in Nevada. Both Senators have secured funding to improve pedestrian safety, expand clean energy public transit, and modernize and expand critical roadways to shorten commute times and improve driver safety. Last month, they announced $4.7 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to enhance road safety in Northern Nevada.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Announces $27 Million In Federal Funding For Delaware County Electric Cooperative As Part Of The Department Of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Funding Will Improve Grid Resiliency Against Strong Storms And Invasive Species In Rural Areas Of New York

    Today, Senator Gillibrand announced $27,681,725 in federal funding for the Delaware County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DCEC). DCEC provides electricity to over 5,000 families, farms, and local businesses in four New York counties – Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, and Schoharie. With this funding, awarded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program, DCEC will lead a partnership composed of six small electric cooperatives to increase grid resilience against outages caused by weather events and tree damage caused by invasive species. This partnership will also serve the counties of Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Orange, Schuyler, and Steuben, in addition to rural areas of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

    “Strong energy infrastructure is critical to the stability of our rural communities, especially given the threats that extreme weather and invasive species pose,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This funding will create good-paying union jobs and deploy advanced technology to support rural communities. I am proud to have voted to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and fought to secure this funding. I will continue working to make sure that New Yorkers have reliable access to strong energy infrastructure.”

    As DCEC works to improve New York’s grids, it will deploy advanced software to enable proactive grid management, as well as hardware such as grid sensors and drones to provide real-time data and monitoring capabilities. The new technology is anticipated to improve grid reliability and resilience, reducing major outage events by 50%, and help save the local economy millions of dollars per year in outage costs. DCEC will work with five other small electric cooperatives, including Oneida-Madison Electric Cooperative, Otsego Electric Cooperative, Inc., Steuben Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc., Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.

    This project will also create an estimated 20 jobs, many of which will be high-quality union positions, and will leverage a workforce career training center that is under development in collaboration with the State University of New York–Delhi.

    “The rural electric cooperatives of New York are not-for-profit distribution companies and serve some of the areas hardest hit by the impacts of extreme weather and invasive species,” said John Gasstrom, CEO of DCEC. “This grant will enable the co-ops to make resiliency improvements to ensure that we continue to deliver safe and sustainable electricity to our members who rely on it. We also appreciate the support and encouragement we have received from Senator Gillibrand in bringing this funding to the electric cooperatives as we find solutions together to meet our energy challenges and goals.”

    “At Otsego Electric Cooperative, we believe in forward-thinking solutions that safeguard our grid and enhance reliability for rural communities,” said Tim Johnson, CEO of Otsego Electric Cooperative. “This project represents a vital step toward building a resilient electric network that can withstand future challenges while supporting sustainable growth. We are especially grateful for the Beneficial Electrification League’s detailed support and expertise throughout the application process.”

    This project is part of a $2 billion U.S. Department of Energy investment in 38 projects across 42 states and the District of Columbia to protect the U.S. power grid against growing threats of extreme weather, all funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s GRIP program. The selected projects will lower costs for communities and enable additional grid capacity to meet load growth stemming from an increase in manufacturing and other strains on the electric grid. The selected projects will deploy new, innovative transmission and distribution infrastructure and technology upgrades to enable over 7.5 gigawatts (GW) of grid capacity.

    Earlier this year, Senator Gillibrand wrote to Secretary Granholm in support of DCEC’s funding application. Senator Gillibrand’s letter can be read below:

    Dear Secretary Granholm,

    I write in support of the application submitted by the Delaware County Electric Cooperative (DCEC) for funding from the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. This funding will be used to improve grid resiliency against strong storms and invasive species in rural areas of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

    Established in 1942, DCEC provides electricity to more than 5,200 families, farms, and local businesses across Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, and Schoharie Counties. For a larger project that will enhance the protection of local electric grids, DCEC plans to partner with the Oneida-Madison Electric Cooperative, Otsego Electric Cooperative, Inc., Steuben Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc., Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. These five other non-profit electric cooperatives collectively serve tens of thousands of members across Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chenango, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Orange, Otsego, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties in New York. 

    The requested funding will be used to safeguard rural electric grids from invasive species and intense storms that are causing long-lasting power outages and hurting rural economies. For instance, DCEC has experienced four multi-day power outages since December 2023 due to the proliferation of emerald ash borer–infested trees, which have toppled powerlines, coupled with the increasing threat of extreme weather conditions and other natural hazards. The six electric cooperatives’ proposed project will deliver much-needed upgrades to rural electric grids in three states and enable load growth that the region’s aging electric infrastructure has otherwise constrained. In addition, the project promises to benefit more than 43,000 customers, stimulate regional economic growth, and bring approximately 20 high-quality, clean-energy jobs to areas where the loss of coal power plant and rail jobs, along with a decline in employment opportunities for supporting industries and services, has led to the displacement of the working-age population and high levels of poverty.

    I ask that you please give this application your full consideration. If you have any questions or desire further information, please do not hesitate to contact my staff at (202) 224-4451.

    Sincerely,

    Kirsten Gillibrand

    United States Senator

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins Bicameral Amicus Brief to Overturn Unlawful Emissions Rule

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined Senator Kevin Cramer’s (R-ND) bicameral amicus brief calling on the federal courts to block Harris-Biden Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) final rule requiring state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the highway system and set declining targets. 
    In April 2024, the Senate passed a bipartisan Congressional Review Act to block the FHWA’s final rule. Additionally, 21 state attorneys general filed litigation challenging the regulation. The U.S. District Court found the Biden Administration rule to be illegal in April, but FHWA appealed the decision to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and it remains under further consideration. 
    The amicus brief led by Senators Marshall and Cramer requests that the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Court uphold the District Court decision from April, vacating the rule.
    “Congress considered, and ultimately rejected, providing [FHWA] with the authority to issue a GHG performance measure regulation, but [FHWA] contorted ancillary existing authorities to impose one anyway,” the members argued. “In doing so, [FHWA] impermissibly usurped the Legislative Branch’s authority and promulgated the GHG performance measure without statutory authority delegated by Congress.
    “Put simply, when [FHWA] established a GHG performance measure regulation, it exceeded the powers Congress authorized. And it did so both at the expense of separation of powers and in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act,” continued the members. 
    The brief argues Congress debated and rejected granting FHWA the authority to issue GHG performance measure rules and the FHWA then intentionally misconstrued Congressional intent to justify its improper exercise of authority. It also argues the rulemaking is not consistent with recent Supreme Court decisions paring back Executive Branch overreach, and FHWA is bypassing principles of federalism to further its own policy agenda.
    Click here to read the amicus brief.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Visits Associated Builders and Contractors Kansas City Chapter

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Kansas City, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. visited the Associated Builders and Contract (ABC) association training center in Kansas City, KS this past week. 
    The ABC Kansas City chapter provides workforce development and training programs to contractors and construction-related professionals to help address the construction industry’s national skilled labor shortage. Additionally, ABC Kansas City provides networking, advocacy, and educational opportunities for its members. 
    “A major limiting factor in industries across Kansas is a lack of skilled workers,” Senator Marshall said. “I’m grateful that ABC Kansas City and the meaningful work they are doing for our community and our state to address workforce shortages. They are delivering a message of what hope and hard work can do to keep boosting our Kansas City construction industry and helping our Kansas professionals.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Visits Edwardsville, KS Lineage Logistics Warehouse

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Edwardsville, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. visited Edwardsville, KS to tour Lineage Logistics’ innovative temperature-controlled warehouse. 
    Lineage Logistics has three locations in Kansas: Edwardsville, Olathe and Dodge City. The Kansas sites support regional and national supply chains with cold storage, especially important for Kansas’ significant agricultural and food processing industries. Lineage Logistics’ innovative and cutting-edge technologies have boosted Kansas’ agricultural and food processing supply chain capabilities, reducing food waste and energy consumption and streamlining operations throughout the state. 
    “Innovation is the key to the Kansas agriculture industry’s success, and remains vital to helping our farmers feed America- making more with less,” said Senator Marshall. “Lineage Logistics has reinforced Kansas’ role as a leader in agricultural innovation and logistics, and I look forward to their continued work and success.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event | Grand Rapids,  MI

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Riverside ParkGrand Rapids, Michigan
    2:38 P.M. EDT
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, Michigan!  Good afternoon.  Can we hear it for Brian?  (Applause.) 
    Good afternoon, Michigan.  It is good — (applause) — oh, it is good to be back.  It’s good to be back.  (Applause.)  Good afternoon.  Oh — (laughs) — oh, my god.  Okay.  (Applause.)  Okay.  Thank you. 
    Okay, let’s get to business.  Let’s get to business.  Thank you.  Thank you.  I am very touched.  (Applause.)  Thank you all.  Oh, it’s good to be back.  Thank you all very much.  Thank you.  Thank you. 
    Okay, let’s get to work.  Let’s get to work.  Let’s get to work.  Let’s get to work. 
    So, let me first thank all of you for taking time out of your very busy lives for us to all be here together this afternoon.  I thank you so very much for all you do, all you have done, and all you will do over these next 18 days.  Thank you all so very much.  (Applause.)  Thank you. 
    This is an incredible group of incredible leaders, and your voice matters so much right now.  And I think there is so much about our campaign that is about the spirit of reminding everyone that we’re all in this together.  We are all in this together.  (Applause.)  So, thank you. 
    And to all the governors who are here with us today — (applause) — I’m telling you, they’re riding thick.  They’re riding thick.  Oh, and they are all — each one of them — such incredible leaders, both for their state and our nation, and such dear friends.  And I thank you all, including, of course, Michigan’s own Governor Whitmer — (applause) — who we love as “Big Gretch.”  (Applause.)
    And to the governors, I want to say you’ve been traveling the country for our campaign, and I’m so deeply grateful for your support. 
    I also want to recognize Senator Stabenow — (applause) — a champion for Michigan; Representative Scholten, who we will reelect to the United States Congress.  (Applause.)  And while we’re at it, let’s send Representative Slotkin to the United States Senate.  (Applause.)
    All right, so we got work to do.  Eighteen day — eighteen days left in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime.  And as you know, everyone here knows, this election is truly about two very different visions for our nation: Ours that is focused on the future; Donald Trump’s that is focused on the past.  Ours, that is focused on bringing down the cost of living for working families, investing in small businesses, and entrepreneurs.  Ours, that is about protecting reproductive freedom.  (Applause.)  
    But none of that is what we hear from Donald Trump.  Instead, it is just the same old, tired playbook.  He has no plan for how he would address the needs of the American people, and he is, as we have seen, only focused on himself.
    And now he is ducking debates and canceling interviews.
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Come on. 
    Check this out.  His own campaign team recently said it is because of exhaustion.  (Laughter.)  Well, if you are exhausted on the campaign trail, it raises real questions about whether you are fit for the toughest job in the world.  (Applause.)  Come on.  Come on.
    So, for all these reasons and more, we are here because we know it is time to turn the page.  (Applause.)  It is time to turn the page because America is ready to chart a new way forward.  (Applause.)  America is ready for a new and optimistic generation of leadership that is all of us — (applause) — all of us, which is why Democrats, Republicans, and independents are supporting our campaign.  (Applause.) 
    In fact, earlier this week, over 100 Republican leaders from across the country joined me on the campaign trail, including some who even served in Donald Trump’s own administration — (applause) — the people who know him best, right? 
    And I believe all of this shows that the American people want a president who works for all the people.  (Applause.)  And that has been the story of my entire career.  In my career, I’ve only ever had one client: the people — the people.  (Applause.)
    As a young courtroom prosecutor, I protected women and children.  As attorney general of California, I fought for students and veterans.  As vice president, I have stood up for workers and seniors.  And as president, I will stand up for all Americans — all Americans.  (Applause.) 
    And together, we will build a brighter future for our nation.  Yes, we will.  (Applause.)  Because, by the way, we will win.  (Applause.)  We will win.  We will win.  Come on.
         AUDIENCE:  We will win!  We will win!  We will win! 
         THE VICE PRESIDENT:  (Laughs.)  Yes, we will.
         AUDIENCE:  We will win!  We will win!  We will win!
         THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We will win.  We will win.  And we will win.
    And one of the reasons that we know we are working hard toward that win is because we believe together in building a future — in what we can do together as a nation — and a nation of people who see what we have in common more than what separates us. 
     We will w- — build towards a future where we have an economy that works for all Americans.  We will build what I call an “opportunity economy” so that every American has an opportunity to own a home, buy a car, build wealth, and start a business.  (Applause.) 
     In fact, do we have any small-business owners here?  (Applause.)  I love our small businesses.  I got a plan for you.  I love our small businesses.  Our small businesses are part of the backbone of America’s economy.  Bless you all for the work you are doing. 
     So, under my plan, we will also bring down the cost of housing — (applause) — and we will help entrepreneurs start and grow small businesses. 
     My plan will expand Medicare to cover the cost of home health care for our seniors — (applause) — so that more of our seniors can live with dignity. 
    And, you know, I’ll just give you a little background i- — in terms of a personal story.  So, I took care of my mother when she was sick.  And for any of you who have taken care of an elder relative, you know what that is, right?  It’s about trying to cook something that they can eat.  It’s about trying to find clothes that they can — they can handle on their skin.  It’s about trying, from time to time, to think about something that will put a smile on their face or maybe just make them laugh.  It’s about dignity. 
    But under the current system, and especially for those in the sandwich generation who are raising young kids while you’re taking care of your parents, it’s difficult.  And under the current system, to get help for taking care of your seniors, unless you got the extra money sitting around, you’d have to leave your job or pay down all your savings to qualify for Medicaid.  That’s not right.  That’s not right. 
     So, my plan is about saying, let’s have Medicare cover the cost of home health care for our seniors — (applause) — which is a matter of understanding how real people are living and understanding the importance of everyone being entitled to dignity.  (Applause.)
    Our plan, in terms of an opportunity economy, will lower costs on everything from health care to groceries.  I’ll take on corporate price gouging, because I’ve done it before and I will do it again.  (Applause.)
    My plan will also give middle-class tax cuts to 100 million Americans, including $6,000 tax credit for the first year of a child’s life so that our young parents — (applause) — can do what they naturally want to do, which is parent their children well, but they don’t always have the resources to be able to do it.  So, let’s help them out so that they can buy a car seat, so that they can buy a crib, so that they can take care of that baby’s needs during that critical phase of their development. 
         We all benefit from it.  We all benefit from it.  (Applause.)
         Dignity.
    My plan also invests in American manufacturing and innovation, because I will make sure America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century.  (Applause.) 
         AUDIENCE:  USA!  USA!  USA!
         THE VICE PRESIDENT:  That’s right.  That’s right.
         AUDIENCE:  USA!  USA!  USA!
     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And so, to that point and with pride, we all say: We must and we will invest in the industries that built America, like steel, iron, and the great American auto industry.  (Applause.)  And we will ensure that the next generation of breakthroughs, from advanced batteries to electric vehicles, are not just invented but built right here in America by American union workers.  (Applause.)
     And, Michigan, I know I’m going to tell you what you already know, but let us be clear for folks who are watching from different parts of the country.  Contrary to what my opponent is suggesting, I will never tell you what kind of car you have to drive, but here is what I will do.  I will invest in manufacturing communities like Kent County.  (Applause.) 
    Together, we will retool existing factories, hire locally, and work with unions to create good-paying jobs — (applause) — including jobs that do not require a college degree, because here’s where I come from.  I know a college degree is not the only measure of the skills and experience of a qualified worker.  (Applause.)
    And I intend to reexamine federal jobs, when you all elect me president — (applause) — to assess those jobs that should not have that requirement, and then I intend to challenge the private sector to do the same.  (Applause.)
     Now, all of this is to say Donald Trump has a different approach.  He makes big promises — (laughs) — and he always fails to deliver.
    So, remember he said he was the only one — you know how he talks.  (Laughter.)  He — the only one who could bring back America’s manufacturing jobs.
    Then, America lost almost 200,000 manufacturing jobs when he was president.
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Facts.  Including tens of thousands of jobs right here in Michigan.  And those losses started before the pandemic, making Donald Trump one of the biggest losers — (applause) — of manufacturing jobs in American history. 
    And his track record for the auto industry was a disaster.  He promised workers in Warren that the auto industry would, and I’m going to quote, “not lose one plant” during his presidency.  Those were his words, “not one plant.” 
    Then American automakers announced the closure of six auto plants when he was president, including General Motors in Warren and Stellantis in Detroit.  Thousands of Michigan autoworkers lost their jobs.  And Donald Trump’s running mate recently suggested that if they win, they would threaten the Grand River Assembly plant in Lansing.  Okay?
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  The same plant our administration protected earlier this year, saving 650 union jobs — (applause) — 650 union jobs.  His running mate called those “table scraps.” 
    So, we fought hard for those jobs, and we believe that you deserve a president who will protect them and not insult them.  (Applause.)
    And make no mistake, Donald Trump is no friend of labor.  Let’s be really clear about that.  No matter what the noise is out there, he is no friend of labor.  Just look at the record.  Instead of his rhetoric, look at the record.  And let’s not fall for the okey-doke.  (Laughter.) 
    Seriously.  He encouraged automakers to move their plants out of Michigan so he could pay — they could pay their workers less.  Understand what that was about: so they could pay their workers less. 
    And when the UAW went on strike to demand the higher wages they deserved, Donald Trump went to a nonunion shop —
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — and attacked the UAW, and he said — he said, striking and collective bargaining don’t make, quote, “a damn bit of sense” — “a damn bit of difference” is what he said exactly.  That it doesn’t make a, quote — pardon my language — “a damn bit of difference,” is what he said. 
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  He don’t make a damn bit of sense.  (Applause.) 
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  All right, brother.  (Laughs.)
    So, Michigan, you know better.  Strong unions mean higher wages — (applause) — better health care, and greater dignity for union members and for everyone, whether or not you are part of a union.  (Applause.)  Get that straight.  Get that straight.
    Which is why, when I am president, I will sign the PRO Act into law and make it easier for workers to join a union and negotiate for better pay and working conditions.  (Applause.)
    And now Donald Trump is making the same empty promises to the people of Michigan that he did before, hoping — hoping you will forget how he let you down the last time.  But we will not be fooled, because we know how to read Project 2025.  For those who haven’t seen it, just google it. 
    You know, I just have to keep repeating, I can’t believe they put that thing in writing.  I cannot beli- — they — they put it in — they put it in writing.  They bound it.  They — they published it, and they handed it out.  (Laughter.)  And now they’re trying to run from it.  Come on. 
    And so, we’ve read it.  It’s a detailed and dangerous blueprint for what Donald Trump intends to do if he were elected president.  So, that’s why we know — not only because it’s what he did before — that’s why we know Donald Trump will give billionaires and corporations massive tax cuts, attack unions, cut Social Security and Medicare —
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — get rid of that hard-fought, hard-won $35 cap on insulin for our seniors.
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Check out what’s in it.  It will make it easier for companies to deny overtime pay for workers —
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — and impose what I call a “Trump sales tax,” which is basically — he’s talking about at least a 20 percent tax on everyday necessities, which economists have measured will cost the average family nearly $4,000 more a year.
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And on top of this, Donald Trump intends to end the Affordable Care Act — okay? — and has no plan to replace it. 
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  “Concepts”! 
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  You watched the debate.  (Laughs.)  So, you remember, he has, quote, “concepts of a plan.” 
    AUDIENCE:  “Concepts of a plan!”
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  “Concepts of a plan.”
    So, he’s going to threaten — he’s going to threaten the health insurance of 45 —
    AUDIENCE MEMBERS:  (Inaudible.)
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We need a medic over here.  We need a medic over here.  Let’s — let’s clear a path so they can come through, please.
         AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Don’t forget he’s out on bail! 
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Espionage!  (Laughter.)
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And we got jokes over here, grounded in reality.  (Laughter.)
         We okay?  Okay.  We’re okay.  Thank you all. 
         So — (applause) — we’re good.  Okay.
    So, you know, where I was going with that is many of you may have heard me say, I do believe that Donald Trump is an unserious man, and the consequences of him ever getting back into the White House are brutally serious — brutally serious. 
    So, on that point about “concepts of a plan,” it’s funny.  We thought it was ridiculously hilarious when we first heard it.  But here’s the thing about that.  He is basically going to threaten the health insurance of 45 million people based on a concept and take us back to when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions.  You remember what that was like?
    Well, we are —
    AUDIENCE:  Not going back!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — not going back.  We are not going back.  We’re not going back.
    AUDIENCE:  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We are not going back.  We’re not going back.
    AUDIENCE:  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And we are not going back because we intend to move forward — (applause) — because ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom — (applause) — like the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.  (Applause.)
    And we here remember how we got to this place, because then-President Donald Trump hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade, and they did as he intended. 
    And now, in America, one in three women lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban, many of these with no exception even for rape and incest, which means you’re telling a survivor of a violation to their body that they don’t have a right to make a decision about what happens to their body next? 
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  That’s immoral.  That’s immoral. 
    And I think we all know one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do — (applause) — not the government.  If she chooses, she will talk to her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam but not the government — not some — some people up in a state capitol — not Donald Trump.
    AUDIENCE:  No!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  No. 
    So, let me tell you, when Congress passes a bill to restore the reproductive freedoms nationwide, with your help, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law.  (Applause.)  Proudly.  Proudly.  Proudly. 
    And across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on assault on other hard-fought, hard-won freedoms and rights — fundamental freedoms and rights.  I’m traveling our country.  I mean, attacks on the freedom to vote. 
    You know, in the state of Georgia, they passed a law that makes it illegal to give people food and water for standing in line to vote.  You know, the hypocrisy abounds.  What happened to “love thy neighbor”?  Right?
    Attacks on the freedom to join a union, attacks on the freedom to be safe from gun violence, attacks on the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride.  (Applause.)
    So much is on the line in this election, and you all are spending your precious time here together because we know this is not 2016 or 2020.  The stakes are even higher this time for many reasons, including because, just months ago, the United States Supreme Court basically told the former president he is effectively immune no matter what he does in the White House.
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Right.  Because we know — just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.  Just imagine.  He who has vowed he would be a dictator on day one.  He who calls Americans who disagree with him the “enemy from within.”  You know where that language comes from?  The “enemy from within,” talking about Americans.  He who says he would use the military to go after them — American citizens.  He who has called for the, quote, “termination” of the Constitution of the United States of America. 
    AUDIENCE:  Booo —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And we are clear: Someone who suggests we should terminate the Constitution of the United States should never again have the privilege of standing behind the seal of the president of the United States.  (Applause.)  Never again.  Never again.  Never again.  Never again. 
    AUDIENCE:  Never again!  Never again!  Never again!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Never again. 
    So, Michigan, it all comes down to this.  We know why we’re here together.  We know what’s at stake.  And we are here together for one of the most important of all the reasons: We are here together because we love our country.  (Applause.)  We love our country. 
    We love our country, and we know that it is one of the highest forms of an expression of love of our country, of patriotism, to then fight for our ideals, to fight to realize the promise of America.  That’s what our campaign is about. 
    And Election Day is in 18 short days.  Okay?  And here in Michigan, early voting starts on Saturday, October 26th, which is one week from tomorrow.  (Applause.) 
    So, now is the time to make your plan to vote.  Make a plan.  Make a plan.  And if you have received your ballot in the mail, please do not wait.  Fill it out and return it today. 
    Because, folks, the election is here.  The election is here right now.  And like I know everybody here knows to do, we’ve got to energize and organize and mobilize and remind our neighbors and our friends that their vote is their voice and your voice is your power. 
    In a democracy, while we can hold on to it, our vote is the power that each of us as an individual has.  It’s an extraordinary power, and we will not give it away, and we will not let anyone suppress or silence our power.  Don’t ever let anybody take your power from you.  (Applause.)
    So, Michigan, today I ask you, then, are you ready to make your voices heard?  (Applause.)
         Do we believe in freedom?  (Applause.)
         Do we believe in opportunity?  (Applause.)
         Do we believe in the promise of America?  (Applause.)
         And are we ready to fight for it?  (Applause.)
         And when we fight —
         AUDIENCE:  We win!
         THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win.
         God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)
                                 END                3:07 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by Vice President Harris Before a Campaign Rally | Grand Rapids,  MI

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Riverside ParkGrand Rapids, Michigan
    2:03 P.M. EDT
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hi, guys. 
    Well, we’re back in Michigan, and it’s good to be back.  And again, we have a situation where the former president is insulting the people of the state — this time saying that autoworkers — that their important and good and highly skilled work could be performed by a child — which is just further evidence that Donald Trump comes from a place where he really does not appreciate or understand how most people in our country work very hard for all that they have and that there is great dignity in their work.
    In addition, I’ve — you know, I’ve been hearing reports that his team, at least, is saying he’s suffering from exhaustion.  And that’s apparently the excuse for why he’s not doing interviews and, of course, he’s not doing the CNN Town Hall.  He refuses to do another debate.
    And, you know, look, being president of the United States is probably one of the hardest jobs in the world.  And so, we really do need to ask: If he’s exhausted being on the campaign trail, is he fit to do the job?  And I think that’s a question that is an open-ended question that he needs to answer.
         Q    Madam Vice —
     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you all.
         Q    Madam Vice President, there’s a lot of —
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Oh, sure.
         Q    You’re in a state where there’s a lot of opposition to you from pro-Palestinian voters.  In light of the recent news this week in the Middle East, I mean, does your message to them change?  What’s your message to them in the final few weeks?
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, my message remains, first of all, we have got to end this war.  And I think that what has happened now with the — the killing of Sinwar creates an opportunity for us to end this war and bring the hostages home.  And I think everyone wants this war to end, and this is an opportunity to actually get there.
         Q    Madam Vice President, can you explain why it’s — sort of the race still remains incredibly tight?  I know you’ve been out campaigning.  What’s your, sort of, like, thesis of the case of why it remains so tight?
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Looks, it’s — it’s an election for president of the United States.  It’s not supposed to be a cakewalk for anyone.  There are very important issues at play.
    And I am clear and I think the people that you hear right now in the background are clear that Donald Trump is unfit for the office, he is unstable, and he, frankly, is a danger to our democracy, as has been described by his former chief of staff, secretaries of Defense, national security advisor, and former vice president.
         Q    The former president has been critical of you not attending the Al Smith dinner last night.  As you were talking about him being exhausted, do you think that that’s one reason why he chose to go to New York City rather than come out here on the campaign trail?
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, I’m beyond getting into the head of Donald Trump, but I will say it should be a concern.  If he can’t handle the rigors of the campaign trail, is he fit to do the job?  I think it’s a legitimate question.
         Thank you all.
                                 END                2:06 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: October 18th, 2024 As Wildfire Seasons Intensify, Heinrich Introduces Legislation to Study the Impacts on Home Insurance Coverage, Identify Measures to Alleviate Risks for Homeowners in New Mexico

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Economic Committee, recently introduced the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act to better understand the impacts of increasingly destructive wildfires in the West on insurance coverage for homeowners, and identify possible measures to alleviate the financial risk of wildfires.  
    “My office is fielding more and more calls from New Mexicans whose premiums are being hiked dramatically, or who have lost their insurance plans entirely. New Mexicans are trying to protect their families’ homes and financial stability. They deserve transparent and fair insurance markets that give them peace of mind,” said Heinrich. “We need to get a better handle on how exactly these more destructive wildfire seasons and other climate risks are impacting insurance companies’ decisions. More accurate data and analysis will help us create more effective solutions to this mounting challenge of insurers substantially raising the cost of premiums for homeowners and even pulling out entirely from Western and forested communities.”
    According to a report released by Heinrich as Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, the financial risks of wildfires are hard to predict because fires can start for a number of reasons and because their risk to peoples’ homes at any given time is based on a complicated combination of topography, drought conditions, wind patterns, fuel amounts, and the location of houses among many other factors. This has led many insurers to either raise premium costs substantially across the board in Western and forested communities or pull out of markets entirely — with several major insurance companies declining to provide any form of coverage.
    Heinrich’s Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act would require a federal study to assess: 
    The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act is endorsed by Public Citizen and the National Association of Counties (NACo).  
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Announces Efforts to Bring Public Accountability to the SBA’s Disaster Fund

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) announced his intent to introduce the SBA Disaster Transparency Act. The legislation would bring the Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster account into parity with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, requiring public reports on the status of the SBA’s fund.

    “Residents in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton are counting on us for urgent federal assistance,” said Senator Scott. “As we work to provide much-needed support, we must also ensure that Congress and the American people are never caught off guard by funding shortfalls. My bill will mandate that the Small Business Administration publicly report on the status of the Disaster Loan Account, similar to FEMA’s transparency with its Disaster Relief Fund. This will enhance accountability and enable Congress to provide timely assistance during disasters well before funds are depleted.”

    Earlier this week, Senator Scott joined Senate Small Business Committee Ranking Member Ernst (R-Iowa) and his Senate colleagues in penning a letter to SBA Administrator Guzman raising serious concerns with the unacceptable failures by SBA that allowed this funding shortfall to occur. Joining Senators Scott and Ernst on the letter were Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and James Risch (R-Idaho).

    “We are committed to ensuring disaster victims across our nation, including those affected by recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton, receive timely federal disaster assistance…” the Senators wrote. “We are deeply concerned about the SBA’s handling of its disaster loan account and the SBA’s failures to provide its authorizing committees statutorily required information…Unfortunately, the SBA failed to comply, or only partially complied, with several of these provisions, and is now, at the eleventh-hour, sounding alarm bells.”

    Read their full letter here.

    As of October 15th, the SBA stated that its Disaster Loan Account is exhausted, but they will continue to accept applications to be considered for loan dollars once Congress appropriates more disaster funds.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Welch, Schakowsky Push to Increase Funding for Medical Research, Require Law-Breaking Drug Companies to Reinvest in NIH and FDA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    October 18, 2024

    Bill applies to pharmaceutical companies who are found guilty or are accused of breaking the law and settle with the federal government. 

    Bill Text (PDF) | One Pager (PDF)

    Boston, MA – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), along with Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) introduced the Medical Innovation Act of 2024 to increase funding for medical innovation by requiring large pharmaceutical companies that are accused of breaking the law and settle with the federal government to reinvest a small percentage of their profits into the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

    In 2023, the NIH only had funds for 23% of the applications it received, contributing to a huge medical innovation gap. At the same time, pharmaceutical companies have been accused of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, marketing drugs for unapproved uses, illegally incentivizing doctors to prescribe drugs, lying about the safety of their drugs, and violating other criminal and civil laws. The companies have settled many of these claims with the federal government, treating the fines as a cost of doing business. Most recently, Teva Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay the Justice Department $450 million to settle a set of lawsuits alleging that the company defrauded Medicare and conspired with other drug-makers to illegally inflate the prices of two generic drugs.

    Between 2019 and October 2024, the Department of Justice pursued new actions against or settled cases with at least 40 pharmaceutical companies. 

    The Medical Innovation Act would: 

    • Require pharmaceutical companies accused of breaking the law to reinvest a small percentage of their profits in NIH and FDA. These payments would increase with the severity of the settlement penalty, and would only be required of companies that rely on federally-funded research to develop billion-dollar, “blockbuster” drugs.  
    • Invest in life-saving medical innovation through the NIH and FDA. Payments collected through this bill would be used to develop treatments and diagnostics to address unmet medical needs; support research grants for early career scientists; research diseases that disproportionately contribute to federal health care spending; and advance basic biomedical research, among other uses.
    • Promote sustained investments in biomedical research. To ensure that the Act results in a net increase in funding for medical research, money from the supplemental settlement fees would only be available in years that annual appropriations for NIH and FDA are equal to or greater than appropriations for the agencies in the prior fiscal year.    

    “Big Pharma shouldn’t be able to defraud the federal government and get away with just a slap on the wrist,” said Senator Warren. “This bill will help us save lives by ensuring giant drug companies that enter into settlement agreements with the federal government chip in to fund the next generation of medical research.”

    “The Medical Innovation Act is a commonsense way to advance more medical research by holding shady pharmaceutical companies accountable when they break the law,” said Senator Welch. “I led this bill as a member of the House and am fighting today with my colleagues Senator Warren and Representative Schakowsky to maintain America’s leadership in biomedical science.”

    “For too long, drug companies that rely on federally-funded research to develop their blockbuster drugs have gotten away with defrauding consumers and taxpayers,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “The Medical Innovation Act would make it more difficult for these drug companies to game the system by requiring them to provide a share of their profits to increase investments in biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. We can continue to be a leading force in medical innovation and this legislation will help ensure that we have the means to cure diseases and save lives.” 

    Senator Warren first introduced the Medical Innovation Act in the 114th Congress and has pushed for its passage in every Congress since. 

    The following Senators also co-sponsored the bill: Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). 

    This bill is endorsed by the following organizations: National Women’s Health Network, AIDS United, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Families USA, Public Citizen, and Massachusetts Medical Society. 

    “The Medical Innovation Act reinvests in vital research. This legislation is a crucial step toward holding the pharmaceutical industry accountable while ensuring that taxpayer-funded research leads to tangible advancements in health. With women historically underrepresented in clinical trials, it’s imperative that we close the innovation gap. The Network thanks Senator Elizabeth Warren for her leadership on this issue and we are hopeful that together, we can create a healthier future for all women,” said Denise Hyater-Lindenmuth, Executive Director, National Women’s Health Network.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The ImPORTance of Coos Bay

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    I’ll always fight to get Oregon’s ports the resources they need to improve their infrastructure, support the regional economy, and make our supply chains more efficient – which is especially important now that congested ports are in the spotlight as a key factor driving the ongoing supply chain crisis. 

    Fast forward to earlier this week when I received a welcome call from the Biden-Harris administration that the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Coos Bay more than $25 million for the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port Terminal Planning Project. I’m still smiling. 

    None of this happened by osmosis. I’ve been honored to team up with Congresswoman Hoyle and Senator Merkley as co-captains to land this project for the Port of Coos Bay, the South Coast and rural Oregon. Of course, former Congressman DeFazio also deserves huge credit.

    These fresh federal funds for environmental reviews, permitting and preliminary engineering show how much momentum this project has.

    Modernizing the port and generating the potential for thousands of good-paying jobs on the South Coast is the North Star for regional economic development. This good news shows how a “small community with big grit” can pilot its own course to a bright future. 

    We do many things well here in Oregon. And what we do best is grow things here, make things here and then ship them somewhere.

    The Port of Coos Bay’s new state-of-the-art container terminal would play a huge new role in that proven trade playbook for economic success in our state. And it could increase West Coast shipping capacity up to 10 percent all while setting the bar for modern, environmentally-friendly ship-to-rail container operations that get trucks off the road.

    The national supply chain is overdue for a West Coast port like the Port of Coos Bay to increase capacity and relieve the shipping congestion. You simply cannot find a better location for a new port anywhere on the West Coast. 

    As a bonus, the Port of Coos Bay also has access to a Class-1 railroad, which provides for the quick movement of cargo without the pollution from heavy duty trucks.

    And I’m all in to watchdog that this project cuts no corners during environmental reviews.

    There’s still more work to be done to secure additional federal investments in this modern project for this iconic port,  but we’re well on our way to complete this voyage along the Oregon Way.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Designate TPS for Guatemalans Living in the U.S.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Las Vegas, Nev. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto joined Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and more than a dozen of their Senate colleagues in calling on President Joe Biden to designate Temporary Protected Status for Guatemalan nationals living in the U.S.

    “We write to urgently request that your administration provide temporary humanitarian protections for Guatemalan nationals living in the United States by either designating the country for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or authorizing Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Guatemalan nationals,” the senators wrote. “Guatemala presently faces significant and overlapping natural disasters leading to food insecurity, corruption, and violence that impede the ability of Guatemalan nationals currently in the United States to return home safely at this time.”

    “Guatemala has long experienced significant environmental disasters, which have worsened food insecurity and displaced a sizable amount of the population,” they added. “Despite the efforts underway under the new administration, a sober assessment of conditions in the country today would support the conclusion that Guatemala is unable to adequately handle the return of the significant number of nationals currently in the United States.”

    Established by the U.S. Congress through the Immigration Act of 1990, TPS is a temporary, renewable program that provides relief from removal and access to work permits for eligible foreign nationals who are unable to return safely to their home countries due to natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions. Over 400,000 people with TPS are currently living in communities across the United States—including about 6,300 TPS holders in Nevada—where they contribute billions of dollars every year in taxes. 

    Full text of the letter is available HERE.

    The first and only Latina Senator, Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported immigrant communities in Nevada, calling on the administration to take action to protect TPS holders and other immigrants, as well as leading commonsense legislation to fix our broken immigration system. She has worked to pass meaningful immigration reform that balances critical border security measures with a path to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers, and she’s pushed legislation to allow Dreamers and TPS holders to work in Congress.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton to Mayorkas: Granting TPS to Lebanese National Endangers Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
     
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353October 18, 2024
    Cotton to Mayorkas: Granting TPS to Lebanese National Endangers Americans
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging him to rescind his decision to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Lebanese nationals currently in the United States. Senator Cotton warns Mayorkas that these unvetted Lebanese nationals pose a grave risk to our national security and to the safety of our citizens. 
    In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
    “We have seen a dramatic increase in unvetted illegal immigrants as a result of your open-border policies. Under the Biden-Harris administration, Border Patrol has encountered thousands of illegal immigrants from countries with deep ties to terrorism, including Lebanon. In fact, Border Patrol agents apprehended a Lebanese man at the southern border earlier this year who said he belonged to Hezbollah and came to America to build a bomb.”
    Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
    October 18, 2024
    The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas SecretaryDepartment of Homeland Security Washington, D.C. 20528 
    Dear Secretary Mayorkas: 
    I write regarding your dangerous decision to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Lebanese nationals currently in the United States. The presence of these Lebanese nationals in the United States regardless of whether they lawfully entered poses a grave risk to our national security. 
    We have seen a dramatic increase in unvetted illegal immigrants as a result of your open-border policies. Under the Biden-Harris administration, Border Patrol has encountered thousands of illegal immigrants from countries with deep ties to terrorism, including Lebanon. In fact, Border Patrol agents apprehended a Lebonese man at the southern border earlier this year who said he belonged to Hezbollah and came to America to build a bomb. 
    Your department estimates that granting TPS status will protect 11,000 Lebanese nationals from deportation, which undoubtedly includes many Hezbollah terrorists. This reckless policy endangers the safety of our citizens. 
    I urge you to rescind this decision before it goes into effect. For Lebanese nationals who have a legal basis to be present in the United States and who can credibly claim a risk to their lives if they return to Lebanon, your department could evaluate asylum requests on a case-by-case basis. This policy would be a far more sensible and safer course of action than a blanket TPS grant to all Lebanese nationals. 
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. 
    Sincerely,
    Tom Cotton
    United States Senator                  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 10/18/2024 Blackburn, Bennet Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Employer Child Care Tax Credit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), members of the Senate Committee on Finance, introduced the bipartisan Child Care for American Families Act to strengthen the employer-provided child care credit and expand support for small and rural businesses: 

    “Many families across Tennessee and America are struggling to find reliable and affordable child care, and we need to incentivize businesses to invest in child-care services for their employees,” said Senator Blackburn. “Our Child Care for American Families Act would help alleviate the financial burden of child-care costs by expanding and modernizing the Employer-Provided Child Care Tax Credit.”

    “Child care costs are rising nationwide, and countless families lack access to affordable, high-quality child care. This makes things that much harder for working parents, strains families’ budgets, and adds undue stress for families with young children,” said Senator Bennet. “The Child Care for American Families Act will help increase our country’s child care supply and reduce the number of Americans in child care deserts.”

    BACKGROUND
    According to the Tennessee Department of Human Services, 48 percent of Tennessee residents live in a child care desert, with disproportionate impacts felt by rural and low-income communities.
    The Bipartisan Policy Center found that 31.7 percent of children below the age of six with working parents do not have access to child care, and in rural communities, that number arises to 35.1 percent.
    THE CHILD CARE FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES ACT:
    Expands the employer-provided child care credit to cover a greater percentage of child care expenses, equal to:
    60% for businesses in eligible rural and low-income areas, up to a maximum of $1.2 million annually;
    50% for small businesses, up to a maximum of $1 million annually; and
    40% for all other businesses, up to a maximum of $800,000 annually.
    Directs the U.S. Department of the Treasury to issue guidance on multi-employer facilities.  
    ENDORSEMENTS
    The Child Care for American Families Act is endorsed by Save the Children, Colorado Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC), Kindercare, and Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC). 
     
    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 10/17/2024 Blackburn to Blinken: The State Department’s Divisive DEI Agenda Undermines America’s Interests Abroad

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter demanding transparency from U.S. Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken on the Department’s use of taxpayer dollars to pay the salaries of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) employees instead of promoting U.S. security overseas.
    Last month, reporting revealed top DEI officials at the Biden-Harris State Department make nearly $200,000 each year – nearly double the pay of average State Department employees. 
    The State Department Goes to Extreme Lengths to Prioritize Diversity Over Competence
    “I write with concern regarding the State Department’s use of hundreds of thousands of taxpayer funds to pay the salaries of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) employees. The State Department’s apparent willingness to go to extreme lengths to prioritize diversity over competence in formulating a workforce for the agency, whose stated mission, in part, is to ‘protect and promote U.S. security,’ is demonstrated by the hefty salaries of top DEI officials. According to financial disclosures, the position of Chief Diversity and Inclusion officer received an annual salary of $194,510, and the State Department’s Special Representative for Racial Justice and Equity receives $191,000 per year. Conversely, the base salary of the average State Department employee is just $97,000.”
    As Iran, China, and Russia Wage War on Democracy, the State Department’s DEI Agenda Is Offensive and Irresponsible

    “As you know, the current geopolitical landscape is dangerously volatile, and the United States is entangled in multiple diplomatic conflicts worldwide. Israel, one of our closest allies, is fighting an existential war against Iran’s proxy terrorist groups on several fronts, Communist China continues to threaten Taiwan’s sovereignty and bully nations in the Indo-Pacific into subservience, and Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine has now resulted in at least one million casualties on both sides. During this capricious period, it imprudent and offensive for your agency to allocate hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to support a DEI agenda that does not support, but in fact undermines, America’s interests abroad. The American people deserve transparency over the use of their tax dollars to advance a divisive ideological agenda, particularly when it comes at the expense of protecting and promoting U.S. security overseas.”

    Click here for the full text of the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Announce Major Federal Funding to Protect Portland’s Kids from Lead-Based Paint

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    October 16, 2024

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today $7.75 million in federal funding was awarded to the City of Portland to keep young children safe from lead-based paint hazards in older homes.

    “No Oregonian—regardless of where they live—should have to worry about whether their home is poisoning them or their children,” said Merkley. “This federal funding will help Portland address the threats posed by remnants of lead-based paint hazards. I will continue to fight for more resources to ensure that every Oregonian has a safe place to call home.”

    “All Oregonians should feel safe in their homes free of fear that lead paint threatens their health or that of their loved ones,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified these federal resources will aid Portland’s work to reduce the dangers of lead paint, and I’ll keep battling to secure similar investments for communities all across Oregon.”

    The federal funding comes from the Fiscal Year 2024 Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Grant Program under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The purpose of this program is to protect children under the age of six years from the impacts of lead-based paint poisoning, especially kids in low-income and underserved communities, who are among the most at risk. Funds can be used to fix older housing, preserve affordable housing, and enhance lead hazard control efforts by identifying and addressing other housing-related health risks to keep children and families healthy and safe.

    The City of Portland will specifically use its $7.75 million Lead Hazard Reduction and Healthy Home Supplemental grant to serve 136 Portland households over four years.

    “We are deeply honored and grateful for this vital support from HUD,” said Portland Housing Bureau Director Helmi Hisserich. “This funding allows us to do more than just repair homes—it empowers us to protect the health and well-being of our youngest and most vulnerable residents. By ensuring every child can grow up in a safe, healthy environment, we’re improving lives today and building stronger communities and a brighter future for Portland.”

    MIL OSI USA News –