NewzIntel.com

Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Intelligence Committee Colleagues Introduce Bill to Streamline Intelligence Community Acquisition Processes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), and Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) today introduced the Intelligence Community Technology Bridge Act, which would enable the Intelligence Community (IC) to streamline acquisition processes and prioritize small business and nontraditional defense contractor solutions: 

    “There are important advancements in intelligence products being made in the private sector, but our intelligence agencies and private sector partners must fight bureaucratic delays throughout the acquisition process,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would give our Intelligence Community the flexibility and agility it needs to speed up the acquisition of cutting-edge technologies and leverage American innovation across the country to get the most capable tools into the hands of our intelligence collectors and analysts.”

    “Our nation is not lacking in innovation or entrepreneurship – it’s lacking in the ability to quickly put these cutting-edge technologies in the hands of the intelligence agencies that keep us safe,” said Sen. Warner. “As our adversaries ramp up their tech capabilities, I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to provide the funding needed to level up smart products and services beyond the research and development stage and streamline the process through which our Intelligence Community acquires them.” 

    “Our Intelligence Community works hard every day to protect our nation without any recognition or glory, but they are also fighting our own government with the amount of time it takes to process newer technology,” said Sen. Lankford.“The bad actors and foreign adversaries who are coming after us every day are not going to wait around while our Intelligence Community waits on bureaucratic delays. Our nation must have the ability to stop whatever new technology is being used against us without unnecessary delays.”

    “Bridging the gap between research and real-world use is critical to ensuring our intelligence community has timely access to the most advanced tools and technologies,” said Sen. Kelly. “By cutting unnecessary red tape and accelerating innovation, we can better support small businesses and innovators, get cutting-edge technologies into the hands of the intelligence community faster, and strengthen our national security advantage.”

    Background:

     In light of global threats to national security, acquisition leaders in the Intelligence Community (IC) must be able to secure technological advantages through the identification, development, and transfer of promising technologies to full-scale programs capable of meeting IC requirements.

    This legislation would create a fund to assist in transitioning useful IC products from the research and development phase to the contracting and production phase, with priority given to small business concerns and nontraditional defense contractors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Senate GOP Colleagues Introduce Resolution Supporting Operation Midnight Hammer

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) led Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Katie Britt (R-AL), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Jim Justice (R-WV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Deb Fischer (R-NE) in introducing a Senate resolution in support of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, including Operation Midnight Hammer, and praising President Trump’s efforts to reestablish deterrence and achieve lasting peace in the region as deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize. Text is below, and you can view the full resolution here.

    “Whereas, in August 2002, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s secret nuclear program was revealed, including the existence of a fuel enrichment plant in Natanz, Iran, and the heavy-water plant in Arak, Iran;

    Whereas, on April 11, 2006, the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that it had enriched uranium for the first time to a level close to 3.5 percent at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz, Iran;

    Whereas, in 2018, during a raid on a warehouse in Tehran’s Turquzabad district, Israel’s Mossad seized a vast nuclear archive of approximately 100,000 documents (commonly known as ‘‘Iran’s Atomic Archive’’), which revealed Iran’s AMAD Plan, a structured nuclear weapons program aimed at producing 5 nuclear warheads, including detailed designs, high explosive tests, detonator development, and integration of a warhead into the Shahab 3 ballistic missile;

    Whereas, on May 31, 2021, it was reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran failed to provide any explanation for the uranium remnants found at undeclared sites in Iran, and such an explanation had not been provided as of the date of the enactment of this resolution;

    Whereas, on May 30, 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘IAEA’’) reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran had achieved a stockpile of 43.3 kilograms (95.5 pounds) of 60 percent highly enriched uranium, which is roughly enough material to construct a nuclear weapon;

    Whereas, on February 27, 2023, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran had enriched uranium to 83.7 percent, which is just short of the 90 percent threshold for weapons-grade fissile material;

    Whereas, on September 16, 2023, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran banned the activities of nearly one-third of the IAEA’s most experienced nuclear inspectors in Iran, a decision that, according to IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, harmed the IAEA’s ability to monitor Iran’s nuclear program;

    Whereas, on December 28, 2023, the Governments of the United States, of France, of Germany, and of the United Kingdom jointly declared, ‘‘The production of high-enriched uranium by Iran has no credible civilian justification;”

    Whereas, on July 23, 2024, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence published an assessment, in accordance with the Iran Nuclear Weapons Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act of 2022 (22 U.S.C. 8701 note; section 5593 of Public Law 117–263), stating that the Islamic Republic of Iran has ‘‘undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so;”

    Whereas, on November 15, 2024, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran has continued to expand its enrichment facilities and install additional advanced centrifuges, including at the Natanz Nuclear Facility, where there are 15 cascades of advanced centrifuges, and the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, where there are advanced preparations for the expansion of the facility;

    Whereas, on February 26, 2025, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran has between 5 and 7 metric tons of enriched uranium and had increased its total stockpile of 60 percent highly enriched uranium to 274.8 kilograms (605.83 pounds), which, if further enriched, could be sufficient to produce 6 nuclear weapons;

    Whereas, on May 31, 2025, the IAEA released a comprehensive report detailing Iran’s noncompliance with its Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons safeguards obligations, noting that Iran—

    (1) increased its stockpile of 60 percent highly enriched uranium to 408.6 kilograms as of May 17, 2025, which constitutes a 50 percent increase compared to its February 2025 report, a stockpile sufficient for approximately 9 nuclear weapons (if further enriched);

    (2) conducted undeclared nuclear activities at 4 sites—Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, Marivan, and Turquzabad—involving nuclear material and equipment; and

    (3) provided inaccurate or contradictory explanations, which severely obstructed IAEA verification efforts and raises serious concerns about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program;

    Whereas, on April 7, 2025, President Donald Trump stated, “You know, it’s not a complicated formula. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That’s all there is;”

    Whereas, on April 8, 2025, a senior official of the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected the dismantlement of its nuclear program by stating, “Trump wants a new deal: end Iran’s regional influence, dismantle its nuclear program, and halt its missile work. These are unacceptable to Tehran. Our nuclear program cannot be dismantled;”

    Whereas, on April 15, 2025, in an ultimatum issued to the Islamic Republic of Iran, President Trump—

    (1) demanded that a new nuclear deal be signed within 60 days to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program; and

    (2) warned that failure to comply with this demand would result in military action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons;

    Whereas, on April 16, 2025, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected United States demands and asserted its right to maintain its nuclear program and missile capabilities, escalating tensions and setting the stage for subsequent military operations by Israel and the United States;

    Whereas, on June 13, 2025, Israel began Operation Rising Lion with strikes against the Iranian nuclear program, key Iranian military leaders, and other strategic targets; and

    Whereas, on June 21, 2025, the United States launched Operation Midnight Hammer, conducting targeted strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, which significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear program;

    Whereas Iran has developed advanced ballistic missile systems, including the Shahab-3, Ghadr, and Khorramshahr missiles, with ranges of up to 2,000 kilometers and payloads capable of carrying nuclear warheads, which poses a significant threat as delivery systems for nuclear weapons to targets in the Middle East and parts of Europe;

    Whereas Iran, currently the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of United States citizens, including more than 600 United States servicemembers in Iraq through Iranian-backed militias, and other terrorist activities: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate—

    1. supports the United States’ decisive military strikes under Operation Midnight Hammer to degrade Iran’s nuclear program;
    2. affirms that the Islamic Republic of Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, which would threaten the security of the United States and its allies and partners;
    3. commends the Trump administration for taking resolute military action and praises the bravery of United States servicemembers who participated in Operation Midnight Hammer;
    4. concurs that President Trump’s efforts to reestablish deterrence are aimed at achieving lasting peace in the Middle East and worthy of consideration for the Nobel Peace Prize;
    5. reaffirms the right of the United States Government to take any necessary measures to prevent the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons;
    6. commends Israel for its targeted strikes under Operation Rising Lion against Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile infrastructure, and regime targets, including the Natanz enrichment facility and missile launchers, and recognizes these actions are critical to neutralizing existential threats to Israel and its allies; and
    7. condemns the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for launching missiles at United States forces in Qatar and Iraq, and for launching 21 missile attacks that indiscriminately target Israeli civilians.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: “Adaptation of New Technology is What Wins Wars” King Stresses in Armed Services Hearings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), spoke with Michael Dodd, the nominee to serve as the Assistance Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, about the importance of developing and deploying new defense technologies. During his discussion with Dobb, Senator King highlighted that previously the United States has significantly underfunded the development of advanced weapon technologies like directed energy— the class of weapons systems that use electromagnetic energy, such as high-energy lasers. At the end of the exchange, he received commitment from Dodd, that if confirmed, he will aggressively work to advance directed energy platforms.
    Senator King began, “Mr. Dodd, you have, I think, one of the most important jobs in the Pentagon, which is technology. The adaptation of new technology is what wins wars. Genghis Khan was able to conquer the world because of his utilization of the stirrup, which enabled his archers to shoot from horseback. It was that technology that enabled him, the longbow. In the battle of Agincourt, enabled 6,000 British troops to defeat an army of 20,000 French. You mentioned several technologies in your testimony, but we have been basically slow on several technologies. We’ve been slow on drones, hypersonics, and particularly on directed energy, which you didn’t mention. In the age of drones, directed energy can be more important than ever. The prior administration woefully underfunded the development of directed energy. I hope that is something you will pursue in your new position. “
    “Thank you for raising that important issue. If confirmed, directed energy would be a technology area in the critical technologies portfolio. I am a staunch advocate and believer, as you referenced, in a one to many response, in utilizing many faster, cheaper platforms. Certainly, in the counter U.S. Domain, directed energy will play a role in that. High-performance microwaves are making some significant advances. Those platforms have been protyped and are being tested currently. We are excited, it confirmed, to see the growth and scaling of energy platforms,” responded Dodd.
    “Well in the red sea today, we are shooting down $20,000 Yemeni and Iranian drones with $4 million missiles. That is unsustainable. A shot from a directed energy is about $.75. This is urgent. I hope it is pursued not only systematically but also with some urgency,” said Senator King.
    Dodd replied, “Senator I’m fully committed to pursuing directed energy platforms if confirmed.”
    “Thank you,” finished Senator King.
    As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator King is recognized as an authoritative voice on national security and foreign policy issues. Senator King has previously spoken up about the emerging threats of Russia and China’s development of “nightmare weapon” hypersonic missiles. He previously urged the Department of Defense (DoD) to take advantage of private sector technologies or risk losing access to innovative defense technologies and encouraged the (DoD) to reevaluate its acquisition process of defense technologies. Additionally, Senator King has been a steady voice on the need to address the growing nuclear capacity of our adversaries. In a recent Armed Services hearing, he received commitment from Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to advocate for an increase in the directed energy budget.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Maine Delegation Presses Labor Secretary to Reopen Job Corps Centers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Maine’s Congressional delegation opposed the agency’s attempt to bypass Congress and close Job Corps centers nationwide. The move, which DOL calls a “phased pause in operations,” comes just months after officials froze enrollment at the Loring and Penobscot Job Corps Centers —  exacerbating rural workforce shortages in central and northern Maine.

    “By calling this plan a pause, the DOL is closing Job Corps centers without Congressional approval…” the lawmakers wrote. “The agency’s decision, which has been temporarily paused by the courts, to dismantle a widely popular, successful program has put hundreds of low-income Mainers at risk.” 

    The lawmakers also wrote that as Job Corps staff in Maine have tried to meet the DOL’s timeline to close the Penobscot and Loring facilities, “complications are impacting students and staff alike. Some students at both Job Corps Centers in Maine are not able to return home and are facing a risk of homelessness, and while organizations around these communities are helping, their resources are limited.”

    Maine’s Job Corps is among the agency’s most successful and productive programs, with the Penobscot Center ranking fourth in the most recent national Job Corps Report Card. This report measures how efficiently students at each center attain trade credentials and improve other skills like math and reading. 

    Loring’s Job Corps Center currently has 129 staff members and is one of the largest employers in rural northern Maine. It currently enrolls 228 students and opened in 1997 — just a few years after the closure of the Loring Air Force Base devastated the region.

    The Penobscot Job Corps has 223 students enrolled, and 65 students have graduated since July 2024. Of those graduates, 58 students have been verified as placements into employment, the military, or higher education, and five have transferred to other centers for advanced training opportunities. Penobscot is home to the only Advanced Marine Pipefitting training program in Job Corps, which is a feeder program for future BIW and PNSY employees.

    Yesterday, a federal judge temporarily extended a block on the administration’s Job Corps plan while a lawsuit over the move remains ongoing. 

    A copy of the delegation’s letter can be found here, and is included in full below:

    +++

    June 26, 2025

    The Honorable Lori Chavez-DeRemer

    Secretary

    Department of Labor

    200 Constitution Avenue, NW

    Washington, D.C. 20210

    Dear Secretary Chavez-DeRemer,

    We write to express our strong opposition to the sudden announcement by the Department of Labor (DOL) to begin a phased pause in operations at Job Corps Centers nationwide. This follows an earlier decision to halt enrollments at centers in Maine with which we also disagree. Given the immediate and significant impact these decisions will have on hundreds of young Mainers currently enrolled at or interested in the Loring Job Corps Center and the Penobscot Job Corps Center, as well as the economic repercussions to the surrounding communities that need a skilled workforce, we urge you to retract this announcement.

    Since its inception in 1964, Job Corps has been a vital program for countless young Americans across the country. In Maine, we have seen firsthand the benefits that the Job Corps has both on young students and their communities. The program has provided countless opportunities for low-income students to tap into their true potential and secure good-paying jobs. The job placement rate for the Maine centers is well above the national average, placing students in local healthcare settings, masonry, welding and beyond. Students from the Maine centers have gone on to work within Maine’s storied shipbuilding industry, join the Armed Forces, and work at Maine’s Community Colleges. Employers across the State that hire Job Corps graduates have developed long-standing relationships with the centers, finding that the students have been well-prepared to join the workforce.

    By calling this plan a pause, the DOL is closing Job Corps centers without Congressional approval. Since the DOL’s announcement, we have heard from students, parents, local employers, and community officials about the devastating consequences that closing the Maine centers will have on some of our most disadvantaged young people. It bears emphasizing that as small and rural communities in Maine and across the country struggle with labor shortages, Job Corps provides businesses with a reliable source of workers armed with the necessary skills to productively contribute to our local economy.

    The agency’s decision, which has been paused by the courts, to dismantle a widely popular, successful program has put hundreds of low-income Mainers at risk. Additionally, the Maine centers provide stable employment for residents of its closest communities. The Loring Job Corps Center is one of the largest employers in Aroostook County, employing nearly 130 Mainers. The DOL’s plan would prevent around 260 highly skilled employees from sharing their knowledge and expertise with Maine’s next generation of students living in small and rural communities.

    In Maine, while dedicated Job Corps staff at Loring Job Corps Center and the Penobscot Job Corps Center are working around the clock to comply with DOL’s decision and expedited timeline, complications are impacting students and staff alike. Some students at both Job Corps Centers in Maine are not able to return home and are facing a risk of homelessness, and while organizations around these communities are helping, their resources are limited. There are additional hurdles in securing transportation for students in these rural communities and ensuring that every student’s documents are in order.

    We urge the Department of Labor to reopen Job Corps centers in Maine and across the country, and work with Congress to seek a path that can build on the successes of the program. We appreciate your attention to this important matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Condemn Trump Administration for Rescinding Approval of High-Speed Internet Funding for Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Senators Will Delay Department of Commerce Nominees Until States Receive Funding.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and 12 Democratic Senators in a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s reckless decision to rescind approval for states to receive their share of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The BEAD program was created to connect families in the hardest-to-serve communities to high-speed internet and close the digital divide for students, families, and small businesses.

    “We write to express our deep concern with the recent guidance the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued regarding the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This guidance will add needless delay to connecting millions of Americans to high-speed internet, while going against Congressional intent and betraying unconnected Americans in the process,” wrote the Senators. “Until states receive the entire amount of BEAD funds they are owed, including nondeployment funds, we will not consent to expedited consideration of any related Commerce Department nominees on the Senate floor.”

    The Trump Administration’s new guidance rescinded the final approval of three states, including Nevada and Delaware, and forces all states to redo burdensome steps in theirprocesses, hindering states’ ability to connect communities to high-speed internet. In their letter to the Secretary of Commerce, the Senators committed to blocking all related Department of Commerce nominees until states receive their full BEAD allocation.

    “With three states fully approved and ready to put shovels in the ground and 42 other states having completed or started the process of receiving project bids and selecting BEAD subgrantees, NTIA’s new guidance upends years of work and threatens to delay the program at a critical point… Simply claiming states will be able to comply with NTIA’s new requirements within 90 days does not make it true,” the Senators’ letter continued. “With this in mind, we implore you to provide states with the maximum flexibility possible and ensure states receive the full amount of funding they are owed. Should you fail to do so, we will continue to block the expeditious advancement of all Commerce Department nominees overseeing broadband policy, along with any related nominees.”

    Read the full letter here.

    As part of her Innovation State Initiative, Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts to improve broadband access and strengthen Nevada’s economy. She successfully called for increased accountability for federal broadband programs through efforts like the FCC broadband map which helped deliver the State of Nevada additional BEAD funding through more accurate broadband accessibility data. The Senator has also pushed for greater transparency and tracking of federal broadband dollars through her bipartisan mapping tool she created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and passed her bipartisan ACCESS Broadband Act to establish a broadband oversight office in the Commerce Department, which administers the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law BEAD funding, provides technical assistance to communities, and tracks taxpayer dollars.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Collins, Kelly Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Development of Sustainable Wood Products and Support Forest Products Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) are reintroducing the Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act, bipartisan legislation that would make it easier to develop sustainable wood products and energy from biomass made from small-diameter timber left over from forest thinning projects, including projects that reduce the risk of wildfire. Repurposing wood waste is key to supporting innovation in the forest industry and creating new jobs while also helping businesses that repurpose the wood save money on energy costs and reduce emissions.  
    “The forest products industry is crucial to the stewardship of the Granite State’s forests and fuels economic opportunity in our state’s rural communities,” said Senator Shaheen. “By strengthening the vital Community Wood Energy Innovations Grant program, our bipartisan legislation would both promote innovation in the forest products industry and help spur energy efficiency upgrades that help businesses save money.” 
    “Throughout Maine’s history, the forest products industry has helped drive local economies and sustain rural communities. As our economy changes, this vital industry is evolving to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would make improvements to the Forest Service’s Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Grant Program, which helps to promote innovative uses for wood products.” 
    “Thinning Arizona’s overgrown forests is key to preventing wildfires but too often, leftover wood is just burned in piles, polluting our air, endangering our foresters, and risking new fires. By backing facilities that turn this waste into energy or sustainable products, we can cut emissions, create jobs, and build stronger rural economies—while making our forests healthier and safer,” said Senator Kelly. 
    The Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act would revise the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Grant Program by: 
    Allowing grants to be used for the construction of new facilities, in addition to making improvements to existing facilities; 
    Increasing the authorization from $25 million to $50 million; 
    Increasing the maximum grant per facilities from $1 million to $5 million; 
    Increasing the federal cost-share from 35 percent to 50 percent; 
    Increasing maximum size for community wood energy systems eligible for grant funding from 5 megawatts to 15 megawatts; 
    Change the program name to the Community Wood Facilities Grant Program to avoid confusion with the similarly named Wood Innovations Grant Program. 
    The bill would revise the U.S. Forest Service’s Wood Innovations Grant Program by: 
    Allowing grants to be used for the construction of new facilities, in addition to making improvements to existing facilities; 
    Reduce the minimum non-federal cost-share from 50 percent to 33 percent. 
    A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives in March by Representatives Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Dan Newhouse (WA-04). 
    Senator Shaheen has long advocated for America’s forests and initiatives that would survey and repurpose biomass for clean energy initiatives. The Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act builds on Shaheen and Collins’ Community Wood Energy Innovation Act which was signed into law in the 2018 Farm Bill and expanded the Community Wood Energy Program to better incentivize investments in energy-efficient wood energy systems and facilities that repurpose low-grade, low-value wood that would otherwise be sent to landfills. 
    Shaheen recently visited DCI Furniture in Lisbon, a family-owned furniture manufacturing company that is using Community Wood Grant program funding to install a new combined heat and power system that uses wood waste for fuel.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Create First-of-its-Kind Program to Make Child Care More Accessible for Military Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), senior members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, are introducing bipartisan legislation to respond to the shortage of child care availability across the country, particularly for military families. The Senators’ bill proposes a first-of-its-kind Department of Defense-led pilot program to support workforce development opportunities for child care providers and to add capacity to the child care sector by increasing recruitment, retention and training of child care staff.

    “Too many parents are put in difficult situations when they don’t have access to the quality, affordable care they need for their kids—a problem that is especially acute for military families who face even higher barriers to finding child care,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s why I’m proud to join with my colleague, Senator Ernst, to introduce bipartisan legislation that would create a first-of-its-kind Department of Defense-led pilot program to strengthen workforce development opportunities for providers with the goal of increasing the amount of available child care slots in a local communities.”

    “As a mom and a grandma, I know how important our next generation is, and our military servicemembers deserve high-quality, affordable child care,” said Senator Ernst. “The Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act will bolster the Department of Defense’s partnership with local organizations to provide care and education for military kids while their parents train and prepare to protect our great nation.”

    Specifically, the Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act would:

    • Enable the Department of Defense (DoD) to enter into partnerships with both private and public child care providers on or near DoD installations.
    • Require the Department to provide certification and training opportunities and to participate in recruitment and retention programs for participating child care providers.
    • Give the DoD the authority to enter into a partnership agreement with AmeriCorps to allow AmeriCorps volunteers to be placed at child care providers participating in the DoD pilot program.
    • Assess current administrative resources available to families to identify areas of improvement for child care enrollment procedures.
    • Encourage DoD to recruit and offer training and certification to eligible military spouses.
    • Identify areas with high unmet need for child care and increase access to child care in these areas.

    Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care, including by delivering more than $77 million to New Hampshire through the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief laws to the Granite State. Since then, Shaheen had urged state and local officials to distribute those federal funds, especially in communities that lack access to child care. Shaheen recently helped introduced the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act which would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC). She also introduced the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation that together form a bold proposal to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. The bill includes language from Shaheen’s Right Start Child Care and Education Act legislation. In April, Shaheen visited the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch to highlight the Granite State’s shortage of child care providers and to discuss her recent legislative efforts to address the child care affordability crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Create First-of-its-Kind Program to Make Child Care More Accessible for Military Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), senior members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, are introducing bipartisan legislation to respond to the shortage of child care availability across the country, particularly for military families. The Senators’ bill proposes a first-of-its-kind Department of Defense-led pilot program to support workforce development opportunities for child care providers and to add capacity to the child care sector by increasing recruitment, retention and training of child care staff.

    “Too many parents are put in difficult situations when they don’t have access to the quality, affordable care they need for their kids—a problem that is especially acute for military families who face even higher barriers to finding child care,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s why I’m proud to join with my colleague, Senator Ernst, to introduce bipartisan legislation that would create a first-of-its-kind Department of Defense-led pilot program to strengthen workforce development opportunities for providers with the goal of increasing the amount of available child care slots in a local communities.”

    “As a mom and a grandma, I know how important our next generation is, and our military servicemembers deserve high-quality, affordable child care,” said Senator Ernst. “The Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act will bolster the Department of Defense’s partnership with local organizations to provide care and education for military kids while their parents train and prepare to protect our great nation.”

    Specifically, the Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act would:

    • Enable the Department of Defense (DoD) to enter into partnerships with both private and public child care providers on or near DoD installations.
    • Require the Department to provide certification and training opportunities and to participate in recruitment and retention programs for participating child care providers.
    • Give the DoD the authority to enter into a partnership agreement with AmeriCorps to allow AmeriCorps volunteers to be placed at child care providers participating in the DoD pilot program.
    • Assess current administrative resources available to families to identify areas of improvement for child care enrollment procedures.
    • Encourage DoD to recruit and offer training and certification to eligible military spouses.
    • Identify areas with high unmet need for child care and increase access to child care in these areas.

    Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care, including by delivering more than $77 million to New Hampshire through the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief laws to the Granite State. Since then, Shaheen had urged state and local officials to distribute those federal funds, especially in communities that lack access to child care. Shaheen recently helped introduced the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act which would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC). She also introduced the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation that together form a bold proposal to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. The bill includes language from Shaheen’s Right Start Child Care and Education Act legislation. In April, Shaheen visited the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch to highlight the Granite State’s shortage of child care providers and to discuss her recent legislative efforts to address the child care affordability crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Recognizes Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Lynette founded The Pass Along Project, which provides clothing to children in foster care.

    Ten years ago, Lynette and her husband became foster parents for children in emergency cases. The children, who often had little time to pack a bag with personal items or clothes, would show up to their new foster home with nothing of their own. She realized that if an organization could have every size of clothing ready ahead of time, every child in a foster home could have the clothes that they need.

    Lynette started assembling kits with over a full week’s worth of clothing and shoes in every size in her kitchen. Over the past eight years The Pass Along Project has grown and now serves more than 500 children across the state every year. Lynette’s goal is to be able to provide kits for all children in New Hampshire foster care and also those who have entered the care of their relatives under similar circumstances.

    Lynette’s dedication to supporting children that are going through a difficult time is an outstanding example of the Granite State spirit of stepping up to help those in need. Her compassion and attentiveness to children entering foster care is why Senator Hassan named her June’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.

    To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below.

    I am honored to recognize Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Lynette founded an organization that provides clothing to children being placed in emergency foster care.

    Ten years ago, Lynette and her husband became foster parents for children in emergency cases. In an emergency removal, kids going into foster care have little time to pack a bag with personal items or clothes, which means that most kids show up to their foster home with nothing of their own. Lynette was frustrated by the lack of support for these children, who are already going through a traumatic experience and have often lost everything, and by the fact that they have to move into a new and unfamiliar situation without any possessions. She knew that emergency foster parents would likely have some toiletries and toys or books ready, but the main problem that she ran into was not being able to plan ahead and have the correct size of clothing on hand. Lynette realized that if an organization could have every size of clothing ready ahead of time, every child in a foster home could have the clothes that they need.

    Lynette decided to take action. She started The Pass Along Project from her kitchen table, putting together kits full of over a week’s worth of clothing and shoes in every possible size from newborn to adult, ready to be delivered on short notice to a foster parent giving a child a home. Over the past eight years the organization has grown to include a warehouse in Pembroke, and The Pass Along Project now serves more than 500 children across New Hampshire each year. Lynette’s goal is to be able to provide kits for all children in our state in foster care and also those who have entered the care of their relatives under similar circumstances.

    Lynette’s dedication to supporting children that are going through a difficult time is an outstanding example of the Granite State spirit of stepping up to help those in need. Her compassion and attentiveness to children entering foster care is why I am proud to name her June’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Recognizes Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Lynette founded The Pass Along Project, which provides clothing to children in foster care.

    Ten years ago, Lynette and her husband became foster parents for children in emergency cases. The children, who often had little time to pack a bag with personal items or clothes, would show up to their new foster home with nothing of their own. She realized that if an organization could have every size of clothing ready ahead of time, every child in a foster home could have the clothes that they need.

    Lynette started assembling kits with over a full week’s worth of clothing and shoes in every size in her kitchen. Over the past eight years The Pass Along Project has grown and now serves more than 500 children across the state every year. Lynette’s goal is to be able to provide kits for all children in New Hampshire foster care and also those who have entered the care of their relatives under similar circumstances.

    Lynette’s dedication to supporting children that are going through a difficult time is an outstanding example of the Granite State spirit of stepping up to help those in need. Her compassion and attentiveness to children entering foster care is why Senator Hassan named her June’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.

    To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below.

    I am honored to recognize Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Lynette founded an organization that provides clothing to children being placed in emergency foster care.

    Ten years ago, Lynette and her husband became foster parents for children in emergency cases. In an emergency removal, kids going into foster care have little time to pack a bag with personal items or clothes, which means that most kids show up to their foster home with nothing of their own. Lynette was frustrated by the lack of support for these children, who are already going through a traumatic experience and have often lost everything, and by the fact that they have to move into a new and unfamiliar situation without any possessions. She knew that emergency foster parents would likely have some toiletries and toys or books ready, but the main problem that she ran into was not being able to plan ahead and have the correct size of clothing on hand. Lynette realized that if an organization could have every size of clothing ready ahead of time, every child in a foster home could have the clothes that they need.

    Lynette decided to take action. She started The Pass Along Project from her kitchen table, putting together kits full of over a week’s worth of clothing and shoes in every possible size from newborn to adult, ready to be delivered on short notice to a foster parent giving a child a home. Over the past eight years the organization has grown to include a warehouse in Pembroke, and The Pass Along Project now serves more than 500 children across New Hampshire each year. Lynette’s goal is to be able to provide kits for all children in our state in foster care and also those who have entered the care of their relatives under similar circumstances.

    Lynette’s dedication to supporting children that are going through a difficult time is an outstanding example of the Granite State spirit of stepping up to help those in need. Her compassion and attentiveness to children entering foster care is why I am proud to name her June’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Welcomes HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to Louisiana Ahead of MAHA Bill Signing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released a welcome message to the U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. ahead of his visit to Baton Rouge for a Make America Healthy Again bill-signing event. Cassidy and Kennedy worked together to eliminate harmful ingredients and artificial dyes, safeguard children from sex change operations, and, most recently, increase patients’ access to life-saving treatment through prior authorization reform.
    “I want to welcome the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy, to Louisiana. I thank you for coming, Bobby. And thank you particularly for going to the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, an LSU institution studying nutrition. And I know how passionate you are—and I am—about having good nutrition to Make America Healthy Again,” said Dr. Cassidy.
    Cassidy could not be in Louisiana to greet Secretary Kennedy due to the U.S. Senate’s consideration of President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Casten Reintroduce Legislation Banning Inequitable Calculations of Civil Damages

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) reintroduced the Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act, legislation to prohibit the consideration of race, ethnicity, gender, or actual or perceived sexual orientation when calculating damages in civil lawsuits.
    “Nobody should be granted lower civil damages because of their gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation,” said Senator Booker. “However, studies show that women and people of color often receive less in damages in comparison to their white, male counterparts. The Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act will work to ensure equal justice under the law by banning discriminatory practices that prevent victims in civil cases from receiving fair compensation.”
    “It is unacceptable that our courts often award less in damages to women and people of color than white men in comparable civil cases,” said Congressman Casten. “In doing so, our courts are declaring that some Americans’ lives are worth less based on lifetime earning potential statistics borne of racism and sexism. I’m proud to join Senator Booker in introducing the Fair Calculations Act to outlaw discriminatory damage calculations in federal courts. This bill takes a major step in ensuring justice and equity in our civil courts.”
    Concerning studies and news reports have shown that state and federal courtrooms across the country consider race, ethnicity, and gender when calculating damages. Courts often award women and people of color significantly less than white men, even in comparable civil cases. In these instances, a person of color may, for example, be presumed to have less lifetime earning potential than a similarly situated white counterpart, leading to the low and unfair appraisal of damages. 
    The Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act makes our legal system more just and equal by outlawing discriminatory damage calculations in federal courts and preventing courts from determining that victims in civil cases should be awarded less in damages on the basis of their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. 
    This bill is endorsed by the American Association for Justice and Equal Justice Under Law.
    This bill is cosponsored by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).
    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Goldman Reintroduce Legislation to Address Vulnerabilities Within Federal Gun Background Check System

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (D-NY-10) reintroduced the Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act, legislation that would address flaws in the background check process and keep firearms out of the hands of individuals that courts determine pose a risk of harm to others. 
    Current federal law requires licensed gun dealers to conduct a background check using the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) before completing a sale to ensure a buyer is not a prohibited purchaser. Yet, because state and federal background check processes can vary, jurisdictions cannot effectively and accurately report individuals who have been prohibited by a court from purchasing or possessing a firearm as a condition of their pretrial release.
    “We must close the existing loopholes in the background check system, especially when individuals who are known risks to public safety are still able to buy a firearm,” said Senator Booker. “This legislation will ensure that individuals subject to a pretrial release court order cannot walk into a gun store and buy one. We must act to close the dangerous gaps in our background check system so we can save lives and keep our communities safe.”
    “Improving our background check system and closing loopholes that allow unfit individuals to access firearms is one of the most effective steps we can take to address America’s tragic gun violence crisis,” said Congressman Goldman. “I am proud to jointly reintroduce the ‘Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act’ with Senator Booker, which will close a dangerous loophole in our background check system by flagging individuals on pretrial release who are legally barred from purchasing firearms as a condition of their release. Congress must stop twiddling our thumbs and start taking decisive steps to close these deadly loopholes and prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands.”
    “Background checks have proven to be an effective way to prevent gun deaths and keep our communities safe,” said Senator Padilla. “This bill is a commonsense step to ensure dangerous individuals cannot legally buy a gun while awaiting trial. I will keep fighting to strengthen background checks and protect families from the devastating toll of gun violence.”
    “Support for universal background checks is nearly unanimous among Americans, but when background checks have misguided loopholes, firearms can still fall into the hands of someone dangerous to themselves or others,” said Senator Durbin. “I’m joining Senator Booker to introduce the Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act, which is much needed, commonsense legislation to strengthen background checks.”
    The Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act would:
    Amend federal law to deny firearm sales to any person subject to a pretrial release court order that prohibits the person from purchasing, possessing, or receiving guns while awaiting trial.
    Prohibit any person from knowingly selling or disposing of a gun to individuals who fall in this category.
    Authorize $25 million in additional funding to be made available to states to pay for timely and accurate reporting of pretrial orders involving firearms restrictions to NICS
    The Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act has been endorsed by the following organizations: Everytown for Gun Safety, Newtown Action Alliance, Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
    This legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL). 
    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Leads SASC Hearing to Consider Five Senior Pentagon Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    Watch Video Here
     
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today led a hearing to consider the qualifications of five senior nominees to serve within the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, and the Department of the Navy.
    Mr. Hung Cao, nominated to serve as Under Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Michael F. Dodd, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, Mr. Jules W. Hurst III, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Mr. Brent G. Ingraham, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, and Mr. William J. Gillis, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment all appeared before the committee.
    In his opening remarks, Chairman Wicker praised the extensive experience and expertise of the nominees and emphasized the need for quality leadership in today’s threat environment.
    Read Chairman Wicker’s hearing opening statement as delivered.
    I welcome our nominees and their families, and I am grateful for their willingness to serve our nation. The United States faces a very dangerous threat environment, and we need people like this to step up, now more than ever.
    Mr. Hung Cao has been nominated to serve as Under Secretary of the Navy. He is a 25-year Navy veteran with industry experience. As Under Secretary, he would play a critical role in the daily management of the Navy and Marine Corps. And there will be plenty to keep him busy: revitalizing shipbuilding, improving maintenance to meet 80 percent surge readiness, and enhancing the welfare of our sailors and marines. His leadership and willingness to partner with Congress will be essential for a mission-ready Navy.
    Mr. Michael Dodd has been nominated for the position of Assistant Secretary of the Defense for Critical Technologies. If confirmed, Mr. Dodd will be the first individual to hold this position officially. Mr. Dodd brings experience at the Defense Innovation Unit and in thought leadership, particularly in microelectronics. I am interested to hear what actions Mr. Dodd believes we should take to make progress in delivering our most critical technologies to the battlefield.
    Mr. Jay Hurst has been nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Recent transformations in the Army will leave him to manage a workforce that is leaner, more agile, and more effective, while also ensuring soldiers and their families receive the support they need. Mr. Hurst is a seasoned Army Reserve officer with experience as a government contractor, in civil service at the DOD, and in national security roles on Capitol Hill. I look forward to hearing his plans for strengthening the force and supporting those who serve.
    Mr. Brent Ingraham has been nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology. He has devoted nearly two decades of service to the Department of Defense, including in his current role as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Platform and Weapons Portfolio Management. I look forward to hearing Mr. Ingraham’s plan in his new role to ensure the Army stays on track.
    And finally, Mr. Jordan Gillis has been nominated to be the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy, Installations, and Environment. As a former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, his experience will be crucial to ensuring the Department of the Army follows the law in implementing minimum Plant Replacement Value of 4 percent starting in 2030. I hope to hear today from Mr. Gillis on this issue, along with many other facility sustainment concerns.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Secure Michigan’s Propane Supply

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 06.26.2025
    Peters’ Bill Aims to Lower Energy Costs, Help Ensure Michiganders Can Heat Their Homes & Stay Safe During the Winter

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) introduced bipartisan legislation to better secure our nation’s propane supply. Peters’ Securing Our Propane Supply Act – which he introduced with U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) – would direct the Department of Energy (DOE), in consultation with the Energy Information Administration (EIA), to study and address the harm that propane shortages have on communities in Michigan and across the country. In particular, the bill would direct DOE to evaluate the effectiveness of establishing a National Strategic Propane Reserve to prevent future shortages. Michigan residents use more propane for home heating than any other state in the country, leaving our communities uniquely vulnerable to supply shortages. Peters’ legislation aims to strengthen the national propane supply, lower energy costs, and ensure Michiganders can heat their homes during the winter.
    “Hundreds of thousands of Michigan households rely on propane to heat their homes in the dead of winter, but supply shortages have led to higher prices and put folks’ safety at risk,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan bill would help ensure that families can reliably and affordably heat their homes when temperatures drop.”
    Michigan uses more propane in the residential sector than any other state in the country. An estimated 320,000 Michigan households use propane as their primary heating fuel. In the Upper Peninsula, that number is disproportionately higher, where roughly 18 percent of households primarily heat with propane. In fact, if the Upper Peninsula were its own state, it alone would lead the nation in the share of households that heat with propane. In 2014 and 2021, Michigan declared a state of emergency in the face of propane shortages during the height of winter. Peters’ legislation aims to prevent future shortages and ensure Americans can access affordable, reliable heat during the cold winter months.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Senators Urge Trump Admin to Protect Workers, Expand Access to Overtime Pay

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    June 26, 2025
    Biden-era rule would have made 4.3 million more workers eligible for overtime pay
    “Repealing this rule would be a huge blow to working families across the country and is another way in which Republicans continue to run on working-class values but govern according to billionaires’ wishes.” 
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in writing to the Secretary of the Department of Labor (DoL), Lori Chavez-DeRemer, urging the department to preserve President Biden’s expansion of the overtime threshold. 
    Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) joined in signing the letter. 
    Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, certain hourly, non-salaried workers who work more than 40 hours a week get paid 1.5 times their regular pay rate for the extra hours they work. But these overtime protections do not cover “bona fide executive, administrative or professional employees,” as “defined and delimited” by regulations promulgated by DOL. Under the current regulation, only those workers making a salary less than $35,568 automatically qualify for overtime. Above that salary, workers are subject to the opaque and very employer-friendly duties test to determine if their work qualifies for exemption.
    In 2024, President Biden’s DoL updated the rule, which would have raised the salary cap to $43,888 and again in January 2025 to $58,656, instituted an automatic increase every three years, and provided clearer guidance and definitions to prevent employers from misclassifying employees. 
    The changes would have made 4.3 million more workers eligible for overtime pay and put $1.5 billion into workers’ pockets annually. 
    Unfortunately, in November 2024, a Trump-appointed District Court judge in the Fifth Circuit blocked this rule from going into effect. The Biden Administration immediately appealed this ruling. But on April 24, 2025, the Trump administration indicated it would abandon its efforts to appeal the ruling and revive the 2024 rule, robbing millions of Americans of overtime protections and the thousands of dollars the rule would have earned them.
    “This refusal to defend the overtime rule in court flies in the face of President Trump’s campaign promises to help workers. It is particularly cruel as President Trump and Congressional Republicans work to force through their ‘big beautiful bill,’ which would be the biggest wealth transfer in a single bill from working class Americans to billionaires this country has ever seen,” wrote the senators. 
    Senator Warren urged Secretary DeRemer to continue fighting to preserve the rule and provide an analysis or justification for why the Department decided to stop the appeals process to defend the rule by July 5, 2025. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Schumer, Wyden, Whitehouse Demand Explanation from Big Oil Corporations Lobbying for Giveaways at Expense of American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    June 26, 2025
    Senate Republicans have included a $1 trillion loophole for Big Oil in “big, beautiful bill” that would allow massive corporations to avoid paying federal taxes despite earning billions. 
    “Congress should not raise energy prices for working families to deliver handouts to Big Oil.”
    Text of Letters to Big Oil Companies (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environmental Public Works Committee, and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader, pushed Big Oil companies ConocoPhillips and Ovintiv Inc. (Ovintiv) on their companies’ lobbying efforts to win a $1.1 billion tax loophole in President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” leaving middle-class families stuck with higher energy costs. 
    The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 imposed a corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT) on the nation’s wealthiest companies, requiring companies reporting over $1 billion in annual profits to pay at least 15% of those profits in taxes. Section 70523 of the Senate Republicans’ reconciliation bill would add a loophole to CAMT for Big Oil. If enacted, this provision would reduce or even eliminate tax liabilities for oil and gas companies under CAMT, allowing some to pay no federal income taxes whatsoever.
    “Even after the IRA’s passage, corporations lobbied furiously to weaken CAMT as much as possible, and Senate Republicans are now close to delivering on one of Big Oil’s key requests by granting the industry a huge loophole,” wrote the senators.
    Senate Republicans are paying for this handout by cutting clean energy tax credits and vital energy programs. Experts have said the Republican bill would contribute to “higher electricity costs for consumers,” adding to already too-high utility bills. Households are at risk of losing over $2,200 in savings per year on utility bills.
    “Adding this tax break for Big Oil to the reconciliation package is especially insulting since Senate Republicans are trying to pay for this handout with cuts to other programs that would end up raising energy prices for everyday Americans,” wrote the senators. “Congress should not raise energy prices for working families to deliver handouts to Big Oil.”
    The senators are pushing ConocoPhillips and Ovintiv Inc. for answers on their involvement in lobbying for this handout, with responses due by July 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Honors World War II Army Rangers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – Following her bipartisan bill to honor World War II Army Rangers, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran, recognized their distinguished service and sacrifice as Rangers Joseph Drake and John Wardell were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
    During her remarks, Ernst noted that she embarked on this effort initially because of Iowan Lester Cook, a member of the original 1st Ranger Battalion Darby Rangers.
    Watch Ernst’s full remarks here.
    Download more pictures here.
    “I was blessed to become part of the Ranger family in the early 90s…Rangers came together to celebrate the past, the present and those future warriors. What I experienced during those hot summers in Georgia and the time spent with Rangers is the young rangers of the three remaining battalions would sit in awe and listen to the stories of the Rangers that had gone before them – those Rangers of World War II.”
    “I thank you so much for your strength and your courage in leading the way through the deserts of Africa, the Far East, liberating camps of prisoners of war, and the actions that you took on D-Day, leading the way off the beach. This has been a personal endeavor for many of us for many years, and I want to thank our bill sponsors as well. It has taken seven long years to be able to present these medals to you. Gentlemen, thank you for all that you have given to your country,” said Ernst.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Colleagues Introduce Resolution Recognizing Tunisia’s Leadership in the Arab Spring, Calling Out Troubling Democratic Backsliding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 26, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today joined four of his Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution recognizing Tunisia’s leadership in the Arab Spring and expressing support for upholding its democratic principles and norms. Under the country’s current President Kais Saied, Tunisia has seen a recent backslide of the democratic gains made in the years following the Arab Spring. This includes a notable increase in arrests of political opponents and critics of his Administration. 
    Specifically, the resolution:
    1.      Recognizes Tunisia as the symbolic birthplace of the historic Arab Spring movement and the country’s notable democratic reforms that emerged during that period;
    2.      Commends the Tunisian people for their courage and democratic achievements made in the immediate years following the Arab Spring;
    3.      Expresses deep concern for more recent reversals of such democratic gains, including the erosion of judicial independence; political repression and arrests; and the undemocratic consolidation of power;
    4.      Urges the Government of Tunisia to release all political prisoners – including a United States citizen; to respect the rights of the people to free exercise of peaceful assembly, expression, and the press; to restore and respect the independence of electoral, judicial, and anti-corruption institutions;  
    5.      Urges the Trump Administration to sanction those Tunisian officials primarily involved in repression of peaceful democratic activity.
    U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) also cosponsored the bill.
    Full text of the resolution is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 06/26/2025 Blackburn Introduces Legislation to Ensure U.S. Foreign Aid Recipients Cannot Undermine America’s Interests

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced legislation to ensure United States foreign aid does not squander taxpayer dollars by propping up governments represented in the United Nations (U.N.) that undermine U.S. interests:

    “No more should American taxpayers have to question the value of foreign assistance to countries that oppose our values and interests,” said Senator Blackburn. “The United States must be a good steward of taxpayer dollars, ensuring every dollar that we send to foreign nations drives global stability and advances American interests. The United Nations Voting Accountability Act would ensure that taxpayers are not forced to fund countries that undermine and vote against the U.S. in the United Nations.”

    The United Nations Voting Accountability Act is sponsored by U.S. Representative Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) in the House of Representatives.

    BACKGROUND

    • Every year, the U.S. spends tens of billions of dollars on foreign aid for countries around the world. The U.S. also contributes more to the United Nations than any other country, and many recipient countries of U.S. foreign aid often vote against America’s interests at the U.N., leaving American taxpayers questioning the value of continued assistance.
    • After the U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Russia, China, and Pakistan began circulating a U.N. resolution calling for an unconditional ceasefire, which ignores Iran’s support for terrorism and shields the Iranian regime from accountability.
    • While the resolution does not name the U.S. or Israel, its intent is obvious. It is unacceptable for U.S. aid recipients to use international platforms to undermine America and protect adversaries like Iran. 

    THE UNITED NATIONS VOTING ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

    The United Nations Voting Accountability Act would block U.S. foreign aid to any country that opposes the U.S. at the U.N. or sponsors or leads resolutions that target the U.S. or its allies.

    The U.S. Secretary of State may exempt a country if it is determined that:

    • There has been a fundamental change in the leadership and policies of the government of the country to which the prohibition applies; and
    • As a result of such change, the government will no longer oppose the position of the U.S. in the U.N.

    Click here for bill text.

    RELATED

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Blunt Rochester Lead Coalition of Senators in Condemning Trump Administration For Rescinding Approval of High-Speed Internet Funding for Nevada

    US Senate News:

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

    Senators Will Delay Department Of Commerce Nominees Until States Receive Funding.
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) led over a dozen of their Senate colleagues in a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s reckless decision to rescind approval for states to receive their share of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program funding. The BEAD program was created to connect families in the hardest-to-serve communities to high-speed internet and close the digital divide. The Trump Administration’s new guidance rescinded the final approval of three states, including Nevada and Delaware, and forces all states to redo burdensome steps in their processes, hindering states’ ability to connect communities to high-speed internet. In their letter, the Senators committed to blocking all related Department of Commerce nominees until states receive their full BEAD allocation.
    Senators Rosen and Blunt Rochester were joined by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Mark Warner (D-VA).
    “We write to express our deep concern with the recent guidance the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued regarding the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This guidance will add needless delay to connecting millions of Americans to high-speed internet, while going against Congressional intent and betraying unconnected Americans in the process,” wrote the Senators. “Until states receive the entire amount of BEAD funds they are owed, including nondeployment funds, we will not consent to expedited consideration of any related Commerce Department nominees on the Senate floor.”
    “With three states fully approved and ready to put shovels in the ground and 42 other states having completed or started the process of receiving project bids and selecting BEAD subgrantees, NTIA’s new guidance upends years of work and threatens to delay the program at a critical point… Simply claiming states will be able to comply with NTIA’s new requirements within 90 days does not make it true,” the Senators’ letter continued. “With this in mind, we implore you to provide states with the maximum flexibility possible and ensure states receive the full amount of funding they are owed. Should you fail to do so, we will continue to block the expeditious advancement of all Commerce Department nominees overseeing broadband policy, along with any related nominees.”
    The full text of the letter can be found HERE.
    Senator Rosen has been a strong advocate for expanding high-speed internet access in Nevada and nationwide. Senator Rosen worked across party lines to help create the BEAD program, having helped write the broadband section of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which secured $65 billion in nationwide investments to make high-speed internet affordable for Americans. She also successfully pushed the Federal Communications Commission to update its deeply flawed National Broadband Map and ensure Nevada receives its fair share of BEAD funding. After reports that the Trump Administration was rescinding the approval of BEAD funding, Senator Rosen blasted the Trump Administration for its wrongheaded decision and announced that she would block nominees to the Department of Commerce.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Statement on Supreme Court Ruling Paving the Way for States to Ban Planned Parenthood from Seeing Medicaid Patients

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement on the Supreme Court ruling that paves the way for states to ban Medicaid recipients from getting health care at a Planned Parenthood clinic.
    “Women in Nevada and across the nation rely on Planned Parenthood for lifesaving health care – including cancer screenings, pregnancy testing, and other reproductive care services,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m outraged that at a time when Congressional Republicans are looking to kick people off of Medicaid, the Supreme Court is opening the floodgates for anti-choice extremists to ban Medicaid recipients from accessing care at Planned Parenthood. This terrible decision will put women at risk, and it’s why I’ll keep fighting to fully restore women’s reproductive freedom.”
    Senator Rosen has been a fighter for women’s reproductive rights, taking action to safeguard access to essential health care for women. This week, she helped introduce the Women’s Health Protection Act to enshrine Roe protections in federal law and restore women’s reproductive freedom. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen joined Senate colleagues in introducing the Right to Contraception Act, aimed at federally guaranteeing the right to obtain and use contraceptives and shielding providers who prescribe and offer them.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins’ Statement on U.S. Strike on Iranian Nuclear Sites

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement on the strike by U.S. forces on nuclear sites in Iran:

    “The precision strike that the President ordered was a necessary response to Iran’s aggressive pursuit of nuclear weapons. This limited and decisive action is far preferable to the much broader conflict that would be all but inevitable if Iran were to obtain nuclear weapons.

    “A nuclear-armed Iran poses an existential threat to our ally Israel. Ultimately, as Iran continues to develop the capacity of its ballistic missiles, our country is also in danger.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin, Congresswoman DelBene Lead Resolution Marking June 26 as “Equality Day”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01) introduced a resolution to designate June 26 as “Equality Day.” The resolution commemorates the anniversary of three historic Supreme Court victories that have played a pivotal role in advancing LGBTQ+ equality.

    “Today, we honor the giants who came before us in the fight for a more equal country and celebrate the progress we have made. But, we cannot mistake our progress for victory,” said Senator Baldwin. “Still, too many LGBTQ+ Americans face violence, harassment, and discrimination simply because of who they are and who they love. I will never stop fighting for a future where everyone has the freedom to live their true, authentic self and has an equal opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

    “In the face of active attacks and restrictive Supreme Court judgements, we must commemorate the monumental rulings that advanced LGBTQ+ equality over the past twenty-two years,” said Congresswoman DelBene. “By honoring our past victories, we remember why we fight for freedom and justice in the first place. There is much more work to be done. The violence and discrimination that LGBTQ+ Americans still face are why I continue fighting for the rights everyone deserves.”

    Over the past two decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued three landmark rulings on June 26 that helped eliminate LGBTQ+ discrimination, affirm the dignity of same-sex couples and move our country toward a more perfect union:

    • Lawrence v. Texas (June 26, 2003). Twenty-two years ago, the Court ruled on June 26, that states could no longer criminalize the private intimate conduct of same-sex couples, invalidating hateful and discriminatory laws in more than a dozen states.
    • United States v. Windsor (June 26, 2013). Twelve years ago, the Court overturned Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on June 26 and ruled that legally married same-sex couples deserve all of the rights, benefits and protections provided by marriage under federal law.
    • Obergefell v. Hodges (June 26, 2015). Ten years ago, the Court ruled on June 26, that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, putting the United States on the right side of history and ending marriage discrimination once and for all.

    Senator Baldwin and Congresswoman DelBene’s resolution is supported by the Congressional Equality Caucus and the Human Rights Campaign.

    Full text of this resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Applauds Judiciary Committee for Approving Missouri District Judge Nominees

    US Senate News:

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

    Thursday, June 26, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) applauded the Judiciary Committee approving the nominations of four Missourians President Trump has tapped to serve as district judges for Missouri. 
    “This morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee sent four outstanding Missourians—whom President Trump tapped as his first judicial nominees—to the Senate floor for a final vote. My state has waited four long years for these judges, and I look forward to them serving Missouri with the highest distinction. To Josh Divine, Maria Lanahan, Zachary Bluestone, and Cris Stevens—congratulations are in order,” said Senator Hawley.
    The nominees are:
    Joshua M. Divine, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri
    Maria A. Lanahan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri
    Zachary M. Bluestone, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri
    Cristian M. Stevens, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri
    These judicial positions had been vacant throughout the Biden Administration. Senator Hawley worked with President Trump and the White House to make sure the Missouri appointments were prioritized.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vermont Congressional Delegation Announces $5.8 Million Investment to Modernize Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), announced a $5.8 million grant from the Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which will assist with expansion and modernization improvements to the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV). The funds are made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The award will support the reconstruction of the airport’s second-floor corridor and the replacement of four jet bridges to increase accessibility and safety for passengers. 
    “This federal investment in infrastructure enhances the travel experience for both Vermonters and visitors alike and is vital to supporting our state’s economy and vibrant tourism industry. This funding will provide important modernization improvements at the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport to improve the traveler experience and safety for everyone traveling to and from the Green Mountain State,” said the Vermont Congressional Delegation. “We’re proud that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to boost economic growth and generate good-paying jobs in Vermont.” 
    “Thanks to the continued support of our federal delegation, we are able to meet the moment for our passengers and our region. As we approach potential record-breaking passenger numbers, the most direct flights in our history, and growing demand for safe, modern airport travel experiences, these federal investments are absolutely critical to the continued success of Leahy BTV. This funding ensures we can keep pace with that demand and deliver the world-class airport experience Vermonters and visitors deserve,” said Nic Longo, C.M., Director of Aviation, Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Raskin Introduce Bicameral Bill to Cut Off Federal Contracts to Gun Dealers Whose Firearms Are Consistently Linked to Violent Crime

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Raskin Introduce Bicameral Bill to Cut Off Federal Contracts to Gun Dealers Whose Firearms Are Consistently Linked to Violent Crime

    Legislation would bar government contracts with bad-apple dealers whose guns are overrepresented in violent crime data
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced a bicameral bill to prevent the federal government from contracting with federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) that have a documented history of selling guns that are frequently used to commit violent crimes.
    Existing federal law requires FFLs that have sold 25 or more guns over the course of a single year that are subsequently traced to violent crimes within three years of their sale to report additional information on their sales practices under ATF’s Demand 2 program to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The Clean Hands Firearm Procurement Act would leverage this ATF data to identify the small number of FFLs that are consistently and dramatically overrepresented in criminal activity and render them ineligible for federal contracts.
    “Far too often, lucrative federal contracts are inexplicably awarded to firearm dealers who have been linked to dangerous crime,” said Senator Padilla. “The federal government should not be doing business with repeat offenders who are fueling our national gun violence epidemic. Our commonsense legislation aims to combat senseless and preventable gun violence by ensuring that gun dealers keep guns from falling into the wrong hands.”
    “The federal government should not be rewarding gun dealers whose inventory keeps ending up at crime scenes,” said Ranking Member Raskin. “The Clean Hands Firearm Procurement Act prevents federal agencies from contracting with firearm dealers who have a documented history of selling guns that are used in violent crimes. I’m proud to team up with Senator Padilla on this bicameral, commonsense bill to ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t supporting bad-apple gun dealers.”
    “Year after year, a small percentage of firearms dealers are the source of the vast majority of guns quickly diverted to crimes, yet some are awarded federal contracts. The Clean Hands Firearm Procurement Act will ensure that dealers that supply large numbers of crime guns do not have the privilege of doing business with the federal government, and that only responsible actors in the gun industry receive coveted federal procurement contracts. Brady thanks Representative Raskin and Senator Padilla for introducing this important legislation and for their continued commitment to ending the American gun violence epidemic,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy for Brady.
    The ATF established the Demand 2 Program over two decades ago to improve its clearance rate for tracing firearms used in crimes. Crime gun tracing, administered by the National Tracing Center, establishes the chain of custody of firearms recovered by law enforcement agencies in criminal investigations, from their importer or manufacturer to their first retail purchase at an FFL, creating critical investigative links between a suspect and a recovered firearm.
    The Clean Hands Firearm Procurement Act is endorsed by the following groups: Brady, Community Justice Action Fund, Everytown, GIFFORDS, Jewish Democratic Council of America, and the National Council of Jewish Women.
    The bill is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
    Senator Padilla is a strong advocate for commonsense, lifesaving gun safety reforms. Earlier this year, Padilla co-led the bicameral reintroduction of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025, legislation to reinstate a nationwide ban on military-style assault weapons. He also led 18 Senators in introducing the Age 21 Act, legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines from 18 to 21, the same age requirement that already applies to purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers. In June 2022, Padilla voted to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun safety legislation in almost 30 years. In 2023, Padilla joined 27 of his Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Keep Americans Safe Act, renewing efforts to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer, or possession of gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Colleagues Slam Republicans Over Gutting Tribal Energy Program and Energy Tax Credits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    June 26, 2025
    More than 100 tribes have signed onto letters calling for the Senate to protect the tribal energy programs and clean energy tax credits
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. and Brian Schatz, D-Hawai’i, today released the following statement on Republicans’ reconciliation bill that harms Tribal communities in Oregon and nationwide:
    “As extreme heat strains the grid and leaves thousands without power, Senate Republicans are pushing a bill that would hike costs and worsen energy shortages. Their plan slashes investments in the new energy sources we need to meet demand and keep prices down.”
    “The bill is particularly harmful to Tribal Nations, pulling the rug out from under projects that would strengthen their energy sovereignty and power local communities. Together, the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program and our Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits have cleared pathways and removed significant barriers for Tribes to finance and build their own resilient energy infrastructure. More than 100 Tribes have advocated to protect these programs, which are already creating high-quality jobs, increasing energy security, and building economic opportunity in Indian Country and across the nation. We are also committed to taking additional steps to level the playing field for Tribal communities and cut the red tape that has limited their access to these energy programs.”
    “The Big, Beautiful Betrayal isn’t about energy dominance or making life affordable for working families. It’s about cutting essential programs that benefit people from all walks of life to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.”
    More than 100 Tribes have signed onto letters to Wyden, Heinrich, and Schatz expressing the importance of the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program and the clean energy provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act to continue empoweringTribal energy development.
    The Tribal letters are here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murkowski Presses OMB Director Vought on Importance of Public Broadcasting for Alaska

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
    06.26.25
    Washington, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), senior member of the Appropriations Committee, spoke with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Russell Vought. The Director appeared before the committee that was tasked with considering the rescissions package championed by President Trump, which rescinds $9.4 billion in funding previously appropriated by Congress. Senator Murkowski pressed Vought on the importance of public broadcasting in rural Alaska.
    Watch the Senator’s full remarks here.
    The full transcript of the interaction is below.
    TRANSCRIPT
    Murkowski: Thank you for appearing today to answer our questions, whether it’s on the specifics of this rescission package, to where this all might be headed with the Impoundment Control Act.
    I think probably to a number, every one of us is supportive of PEPFAR and the intent of that program. I think we all recognize that most of everything we do around here isn’t entirely perfect, and we try to do as good as we can and improve it every single opportunity that we have.
    I’m going to ask you some questions with regards to Corporation for Public Broadcasting, but just kind of from a more general perspective, it is absolutely the administration’s right to send us rescissions. It’s our right as a Congress to then figure out whether or not we’re going to support them.
    But, I am going to strongly, strongly push back against my colleague here on this side of the aisle, Senator Kennedy in his comments, basically saying that all we have anymore when it comes to appropriations are CRs (Continuing Resolutions), which are a miserable option, and rescissions. I refuse that. I reject that. And I think that not only we as appropriators on this committee should reject that, but we as members of the Senate, members of the Congress, should reject that.
    It’s pretty clear in Article One (of the U.S. Constitution) what it is that we’re supposed to be doing when it comes to the power of the purse, appropriations. We have a responsibility. And administrator, you have aptly pointed out that maybe in some of these areas, we have failed, because I think many of the initiatives that you have specifically cited to our constituents would probably say that’s not what was intended. But, this is our role here in the Congress and as appropriators, to again, assert our role and our responsibility.
    I don’t object to the fact that you have come to this hearing today to present your review. That’s absolutely fair and legitimate. But I want us as senators, I want us as members of the Legislative Branch to make sure that we are being faithful and have fidelity to our requirements under the Constitution as well.
    So, I want to ask about public broadcasting in the time that I have here. You have said that, and it’s more specific to NPR, I think, but you said that basically it’s all political. I am going to give you a little bit of a bird’s eye view of what I consider to be not political when it comes to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the role that they play in my state. I’ve got kind of a memo here from CoastAlaska, which is our Alaska Public Media, outlining the various public media stations around the state of Alaska. I would like for permission that they be included as part of the record.
    Chair Collins: Without objection.
    Murkowski: But there’s 22 different stations that are listed here, and they’re everywhere from 24% of their annual budget to 70% in Sand Point, in communities that are relatively small but have extraordinary reach. In Barrow, the station up there covers some 95,000 miles when the fiber optic cable was severed by ice about six or seven months ago. That has still not been repaired. It’s public broadcasting that is beaming out to the communities out there to keep those people connected. Right now, we’ve got wildfires that are raging in the Interior part of the state, and so at Fort Yukon and McGrath, it is just our public radio stations that are providing the updates to get people into safe areas.
    Senator Rounds mentioned the very important role that we see with regards to our Tribes. We have more than 60 Tribal stations that [are] served out of KNBA that would be disproportionately impacted, where they offer emergency alerts, vital community connections.
    So I’m going through their concerns because, almost to a number, they’re saying that they will go under if [Corporation of] Public Broadcasting funds are no longer available to them. And you’ve indicated that, well, they’re going to have time to readjust their budget, because it’s not going to be this fiscal year, that’s going to be impacted. When you have a community like Sand Point out in the Aleutian Islands, where 70% of their budget comes from [Corporation of] Public Broadcasting, or in, let’s just say, Wrangell, because I’m going to be going there in a few days, 50% of their budget comes from [Corporation of] Public Broadcasting. There’s no way to recalibrate, there is no safety valve for them.
    So, Administrator, I’ve run out of time to ask my question, but I hope you feel the urgency that I’m trying to express on the on behalf of the people in rural Alaska, and I think in many parts of rural America, where this is their lifeline. This is where they get the updates on that landslide, this is where they get the updates on the wildfires that are coming their way. And so, how they will be able to not only get the emergency alerts that they need, but also the weather reporting to make sure that that fisherman out in Unalaska can go out safely, so that these communities can be connected when the deadly landslide has come through.
    I know Senator Rounds has asked for specific help with regards to the Tribes, but mine is much bigger, and I think we’re not necessarily alone, we’re just a little more extreme in the ask.
    Vought: Senator, thanks for the comment, and we’ll definitely work with you throughout the process if it’s not in Fiscal Year [20]26. I think we’re to the point for decades we’ve had concerns with the extent to which [Corporation of] Public Broadcasting was funding content that was run contrary to the American people, and we’ve got to get to the point where we can finally deal with that. And we believe we put forward a proposal that gives a run rate to be able to deal with that. But I certainly want to work with you throughout the various opportunities that we have moving forward.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Calls on White House to Reverse Reported Hiring of Anti-Vax Conspiracy Theorist Lyn Redwood to CDC

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ICYMI: Murray Calls for Kennedy to Reinstate Fired ACIP Members or Delay Meeting Until New Members Appropriately Vetted; Calls Out Elevation of Conspiracy Theorist like Redwood
    ICYMI: At HELP Hearing, Senator Murray Presses CDC Nominee on Commitment to Scientific Integrity, Vaccine Access, as RFK Jr. Fires ACIP Members, Pushes Vaccine Conspiracies
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior Member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement in response to news reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) planned to hired notorious anti-vaccine extremist Lyn Redwood, former longtime President of RFK Jr.’s Children’s Health Defense, to help oversee vaccine safety.
    “Republicans and Democrats should both be deeply disturbed by the news that our government plans to appoint another anti-vax extremist to allegedly help oversee vaccine safety at our nation’s premier public health agency. This is as disturbing as it gets, and we cannot become numb to it. I’m calling on the White House to immediately reverse this decision. This White House must not give more conspiracy theorists like Redwood a platform to disseminate even more dangerous lies about vaccines—she’s going to get kids killed because their parents will be too afraid to protect their children against preventable diseases like Measles.
    “Vaccines work—they are safe, effective, and lifesaving. We cannot allow a few truly deranged individuals to distort the plain truth and facts around vaccines so badly. I know that my Republican colleagues know this is wrong—now is not the time to be silent. Kids’ lives are on the line. Anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Lyn Redwood has no place serving as a health advisor at CDC—or anywhere in the Department.” 
    Senator Murray forcefully opposed the nomination of notorious anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. to be Secretary of HHS, and she has long worked to combat vaccine skepticism and highlight the importance of scientific research and vaccines. Murray was also a leading voice against the nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to lead CDC, repeatedly speaking up about her serious concerns with the nominee immediately after their meeting. In 2019, Senator Murray co-led a bipartisan hearing in the HELP Committee on vaccine hesitancy and spoke about the importance of addressing vaccine skepticism and getting people the facts they need to keep their families and communities safe and healthy. Ahead of the 2019 hearing, as multiple states were facing measles outbreaks in under-vaccinated areas, Murray sent a bipartisan letter with former HELP Committee Chair Lamar Alexander pressing Trump’s CDC Director and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health on their efforts to promote vaccination and vaccine confidence.
    Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress against RFK Jr.’s dismantling of HHS and attacks on America’s public health infrastructure, raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans’ health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.

    MIL OSI USA News –