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Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Leads New Hampshire Delegation Letter Urging Labor Department to Reverse Decision to Close Manchester Job Corps Center

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), are urging U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to reverse the DOL’s decision to close Job Corps Centers nationwide, including the New Hampshire Job Corps Center in Manchester. The Manchester Job Corps Center, which Shaheen helped establish in 2013, serves up to 268 residential and 32 nonresidential students, providing vocational training, pathways to a high school diploma and college certifications and degrees through partnerships with Manchester Community College, Nashua Community College and the New Hampshire Technical Institute.

    In part the delegation wrote, “The New Hampshire Job Corps Center is essential to the state’s economy with an estimated economic impact of more than $21 million per year. The center’s closure would have a grave and lasting impact on the state’s economic growth and workforce pipeline.”

    The delegation continued, “Given the vital role that Job Corps plays in New Hampshire and throughout the country, we respectfully urge you to reconsider your pause of Job Corps operations and cease efforts to eliminate the program. We have a shared interest in improving outcomes for Job Corps students, prioritizing their safety, and preventing any waste that may exist in the Job Corps program, and we urge you to work with Congress to advance these goals.”

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    Last week, Shaheen joined a bipartisan group of Appropriations Committee members in sending a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, urging the DOL to reverse its decision to begin the closure of Job Corps Centers nationwide.

    Senator Shaheen has long championed funding to support the Manchester Job Corps Center. In 2013, Shaheen built on fifteen years of bipartisan work to break ground on the Manchester Job Corps Center in collaboration with federal and local officials. Job Corps students and graduates have gone on to work in high-need industries across New Hampshire, including advanced manufacturing and other businesses critical to the defense industrial base.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Hampshire Delegation Sends Letter Urging Labor Department to Reverse Decision to Close Manchester Job Corps Center

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), are urging U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to reverse the DOL’s decision to close Job Corps Centers nationwide, including the New Hampshire Job Corps Center in Manchester. The Manchester Job Corps Center, which Shaheen helped establish in 2013, serves up to 268 residential and 32 nonresidential students, providing vocational training, pathways to a high school diploma and college certifications and degrees through partnerships with Manchester Community College, Nashua Community College and the New Hampshire Technical Institute.

    In part the delegation wrote, “The New Hampshire Job Corps Center is essential to the state’s economy with an estimated economic impact of more than $21 million per year. The center’s closure would have a grave and lasting impact on the state’s economic growth and workforce pipeline.”

    The delegation continued, “Given the vital role that Job Corps plays in New Hampshire and throughout the country, we respectfully urge you to reconsider your pause of Job Corps operations and cease efforts to eliminate the program. We have a shared interest in improving outcomes for Job Corps students, prioritizing their safety, and preventing any waste that may exist in the Job Corps program, and we urge you to work with Congress to advance these goals.”

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    Last week, Shaheen joined a bipartisan group of Appropriations Committee members in sending a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, urging the DOL to reverse its decision to begin the closure of Job Corps Centers nationwide.

    Senator Shaheen has long championed funding to support the Manchester Job Corps Center. In 2013, Shaheen built on fifteen years of bipartisan work to break ground on the Manchester Job Corps Center in collaboration with federal and local officials. Job Corps students and graduates have gone on to work in high-need industries across New Hampshire, including advanced manufacturing and other businesses critical to the defense industrial base.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary of Dobbs, Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Women’s Health Protection Act comes as the Trump admin and Congressional Republicans move to restrict a woman’s right to choose, push backdoor national abortion ban
    WASHINGTON – Today, on the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus to introduce the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, which would guarantee access to abortion nationwide.
    In June of 2022, the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision revoked the national right to an abortion, overturning 50 years of legal precedent established by Roe v. Wade. The ruling stripped abortion access and essential reproductive health care from millions of Americans.
    “Three years ago, the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision shredded 50 years of precedent, erasing women’s freedom to make their own health decisions,” said Hickenlooper. “Americans overwhelmingly support Roe’s protections. Let’s return those rights back where they belong.”
    “Three years ago today, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court overturned fifty years of legal precedent,” said Bennet. “Since then, maternal mortality rates have grown consistently in states where access to abortions are restricted or banned. Passing the Women’s Health Protection Act will save lives. We must ensure that women can make their own decisions about their bodies and their futures. I will continue to fight for access to reproductive health care in Colorado and across the United States.”
    Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have implemented near-total abortion bans, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. The Trump administration and congressional Republicans have continued targeting Americans’ reproductive rights and undermining millions of women’s access to abortion care. The House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood – threatening the closure of 200 health centers nationwide and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.
    The Women’s Health Protection Act would establish federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access and create federal protections against medically unnecessary restrictions that undermine Americans’ access to health care. If passed, this legislation would restore the right to trusted, safe abortion care for all Americans.
    Full text of the bill available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Introduces Accountability Reporting for NATO Freeloaders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
    WASHINGTON – As NATO convenes today, U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation addressing inadequate burden sharing among the United States’ allies and NATO member nations.
    The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act and the NATO Burden Sharing Report Act would incentivize delinquent nations to contribute their fair share for defense measures by requiring the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to compile annual reports on allied nations’ defense contributions and their ability to fulfill commitments. U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) cosponsored both pieces of legislation.
    “America has shouldered the burden of NATO freeloaders for decades,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Year after year, our so-called allies shirk their commitments while we pay for the conflicts raging in their backyards. By imposing annual reporting requirements, my legislation will identify delinquent allies – promoting accountability and putting them on notice to pay their fair share.”
    “Our NATO allies expect the U.S. to be the sugar daddy and the world’s policeman while they sit back and let us do the heavy lifting. President Trump was right, it’s time for them to pull their own weight. Congress must stop giving blank checks to our allies and start demanding accountability. That’s why I’m pushing for the NATO Burden Sharing Report Act and the Allied Burden Sharing Report Act, to show the American people exactly who’s paying the bills and who’s shirking their share,” said Sen. Paul.
    Background:
    NATO allies committed to spending 2% of their annual GDP on defense measures over a decade ago, but many have failed to deliver – instead allowing the U.S. to carry the burden of European security. Even as conflict in Ukraine continues in their own backyards, a significant portion of NATO members remain delinquent on their defense commitments. It is unreasonable for the U.S. to continue subsidizing the security of a peripheral theater, while allies neglect to carry their fair share.
    As the alliance convenes today, President Donald Trump has rightfully demanded greater burden sharing and higher defense spending. As the Summit opens, Senator Lee is introducing two pieces of legislation to support this burden sharing agenda. The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act and NATO Burden Sharing Report Act require regular reporting on allies’ contributions to the common defense.
    These bills promote burden sharing accountability, removing any doubt as to who the delinquent allies are and equipping Congress with the information it needs to perform necessary oversight.

    The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act:
    Requires DOD to prepare an annual report on the defense spending of all 59 U.S. allies – including:
    Annual defense spending of each allied nation, both as a nominal figure and percentage of GDP
    Activities of each allied nation that contribute to military or stability operations in which the Armed Forces of the U.S. are a participant or could be called upon per the obligations of a cooperative defense agreement of which the United States is a signatory
    Any limitation placed by an allied nation on the use of such contributions
    Any actions undertaken by the U.S. or by other countries to minimize such limitations
    The NATO Burden Sharing Report Act:
    Applies only to NATO member countries and includes all of the above reporting requirements plus:
    A description of each member’s hard vs. soft power contributions for Ukraine
    Defense industrial base health and comparative advantages
    Size and structure of armed forces
    Any areas where the country would be fully reliant on allied assets
    FMS deliveries or contracts in the previous year
    Any change in defense spending over the previous year and anticipated future spending
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Welcomes Release of 14 Political Prisoners in Belarus 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today welcomed news that Belarus has freed 14 imprisoned opposition activists following a meeting between Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka. Among those freed are top opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski, husband of Belarusian political activist Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. 
    “Since the 2020 presidential elections, Belarusian authorities have arrested thousands of protestors, opposition figures, journalists, and civil society members. Hundreds remain behind bars subject to harsh conditions, including accusations of torture from credible human rights organizations. In particular, I remain concerned about the arbitrary detention of activist and opposition leader, Maryia Kolesnikova. Serious concerns have been raised about her health and treatment in a penal colony. 
    “These releases are a welcome first step. I am grateful that the Trump Administration facilitated this action and urge U.S. officials to continue to prioritize human rights in future discussions with Belarusian officials. The release of political prisoners must remain at the forefront in bilateral negotiations. I will continue to engage with the Trump Administration on the parameters of these and future discussions and urge Belarus to release all remaining political prisoners, including Maryia.” 
    Senator Welch has advocated for bipartisan cooperation to secure the release of political prisoners in Belarus and around the world. Last Congress, Senator Welch spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the story of Maryia Kalesnikava, a leading member of the Belarusian political opposition calling for free and fair elections in Belarus, who was apprehended in 2020 by officials driving an unmarked vehicle and taken to the Belarus border where they attempted to forcibly deport her to Ukraine. In November, Senator Welch met with political and human rights advocates, including Maryia’s sister, Tatsiana Khomic to discuss ways to help secure the release of Maryia and other political prisoners in Belarus.  
    Senator Welch also joined Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) to meet with Belarusian opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, to discuss efforts to push back against Belarus’s authoritarian leadership. Senator Welch also led his colleagues in urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to preserve the staff and programs administered by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) amid the Department’s proposed reorganization. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Daines, colleagues to Trump admin: New trade deals can benefit American farmers, energy producers and manufacturers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and 53 other lawmakers in sending a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick recognizing the Trump administration’s efforts to secure deals with foreign countries that level the playing field for American farmers, energy producers and manufacturers.

    The letter specifically highlights the momentum for engaging in trade negotiations that President Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on implementation of certain tariffs presents and notes the potential for agreements that lower trade barriers on American goods.

    “We write to you to express our strong support for ongoing trade negotiations to level the playing field for American producers and manufacturers. President Trump’s decision to pause the implementation of certain reciprocal tariffs creates momentum to secure meaningful and enforceable agreements for U.S. agricultural producers, energy producers, and manufacturers,” the lawmakers began.

    “International trade is fundamental to the continued success and vitality of U.S. industry, particularly agriculture. Many of the commodities grown in the U.S. are dependent on access to export markets, including grains, oilseeds, specialty crops, and livestock products,” they added.

    “Certain barriers may require long-term negotiations. However, we are confident in your ability to utilize this 90-day pause to come to agreements that can benefit all American industries while providing opportunity for continued dialogue,” the members of Congress continued.

    “We applaud the President for seeking to renew American leadership in global trade and secure meaningful market access for American industries. We look forward to working together on a trade policy agenda that strengthens American industry, agriculture, and rural communities,” they concluded. 

    Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) and 43 members of the House of Representatives also joined the letter.

    The full letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary of Overturn of Roe v. Wade, Welch Joins Senate Democrats in Introducing Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans.  
    The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a tax cut bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. Put together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.     
    “The Supreme Court’s draconian Dobbs decision is one that will live on in infamy—for the first time leaving women in this country with fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. Three years later, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are still trying to claw back access to abortion care and take away patients’ rights to make vital choices about their health. I’m proud to join Senate Democrats in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act to put choice back in the hands of patients and restore abortion rights nationwide,” said Senator Welch. 
    “First, Donald Trump and Republicans overturned Roe v Wade. Now, they are continuing their crusade for a national abortion ban, stripping away a woman’s right to choose and control her body, healthcare, and future. Republicans continue to show that they will stop at nothing in their pursuit to stop a woman from having the right to choose,” said Senator Baldwin. “In Wisconsin, we’ve seen how these attacks on women’s reproductive rights and freedoms have hurt our neighbors, friends, and families – and we won’t stand for it. The Women’s Health Protection Act is a necessary step to restore Americans’ constitutional right to choose what’s best for their families, stop Congressional and state-level Republicans from further putting themselves between a doctor and a woman, and once and for all, give women their rights and freedoms back.”  
    “This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. The foundation of the Women’s Health Protection Act is simply the right to make your own health care decisions. Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By restoring abortion access and implementing basic protections against medically unnecessary restrictions on health care, the Women’s Health Protection Act overturns the death sentence handed down by Dobbs.” 
    “Three years ago, Donald Trump and Republicans succeeded in overturning Roe, ripping away a Constitutional right for the first time in American history, and causing a full-blown health care crisis in our nation. Since then, we have seen with painful clarity how Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore the right to abortion and end the national nightmare Republicans created by overturning Roe. Democrats will never stop fighting to restore abortion access nationwide—nothing less.” 
    President Trump appointed the Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.  
    In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood – threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk. 
    The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. Specifically, the Women’s Health Protection Act would: 
    Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information. 
    Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother. 
    Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years. 
    The legislation is sponsored by the entire Democratic caucus, including Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). 
    Learn more about the Women’s Health Protection Act. 
    Read and download the full text of the bill. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vermont Delegation, Governor Scott Celebrate New Funding for Northern Border Regional Commission Awards 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    BURLINGTON, VT – Today, the Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representative Becca Balint (VT-At Large), along with Governor Phil Scott and the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) announced NBRC’s Spring 2025 Catalyst Program awardees. Eleven projects in Vermont will receive a cumulative $13.7 million in funding to support initiatives that will increase market access for Vermont food producers, renovate historic and community gathering sites, and upgrade aging infrastructure and municipal drinking water systems. 
    Established in 2008, the NBRC is a Federal-State partnership in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire collaboration to improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region. 
    “The Northern Border Regional Commission plays a crucial role in supporting rural economies and communities in Vermont. These funds will be a catalyst for economic growth in rural communities across our state–from renewing vital drinking water infrastructure to renovating historic buildings and community gathering spaces,” said the Vermont Congressional Delegation. “We’re pleased to see these projects receive funding to help communities in every corner of the Green Mountain State grow and thrive.” 
    “Investing in our communities and fixing aging infrastructure, is key to addressing many of the housing and affordability challenges we’re facing in the state,” said Governor Scott. “I want to thank the congressional delegation for their advocacy for this funding as well as the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and NBRC for their work to support these important projects.” 
    “The slate of awards approved by the Commission represent a generational investment in local economies across Northern New England and New York. This public investment in infrastructure will directly lead to the creation of new jobs and businesses, housing construction and improved economic opportunity and vitality in rural communities,” said NBRC Federal Co-Chair Chris Saunders. 
    “This grant will have a huge impact on our community, and we are so grateful that this resource exists to make these improvements possible. With these funds, the Bolton Valley community will be able to move forward with a much-needed wastewater plant upgrade and set the stage for new residential development. These funds will move the needle on these projects. We truly cannot overstate the impact,” said Lindsay Deslauriers, President, CEO of Bolton Valley Water and Community Development Co. 
    When evaluating potential projects, the Catalyst Program considers project readiness, economic impacts, impacts on Vermont’s skilled workforce, project location, regional input and priorities, and the project’s transformational nature. Awarded projects in the 2025 Catalyst Spring Competition will support essential transportation and water and wastewater infrastructure, expand access to child care, and restore vital economic and social hubs for the rural communities, and more. 
     The 2025 Catalyst Spring Competition Awardees include:  
    Bennington County Industrial Corporation (Bennington County) – $3,000,000: 
    Develop essential transportation and water/wastewater infrastructure, supporting long-term economic revitalization in the Putnam Block of downtown Bennington. 
    Bolton Valley Water and Community Development Co. (Chittenden County) – $3,000,000:  
    Upgrade the community wastewater plant and construct a new road to support housing and economic growth.  
    Rutland City (Rutland County) – $3,000,000:  
    Modernize Downtown Rutland’s infrastructure, enhancing economic growth and resilience.  
    Town of Highgate (Franklin County) – $1,000,000:  
    Construct a community wastewater system, enhancing infrastructure for residents, businesses, and public spaces in Highgate Center. 
    Town of Rochester (Windsor County) – $1,000,000:  
    Re-purpose the former Rochester High School into a multi-use community hub.  
    Town of Woodstock (Windsor County) – $868,858.52: 
    Upgrade its municipal drinking water system, increasing pressure and capacity to support new housing and business development.  
    Benson Village Trust, Inc. (Rutland County) – $500,000:  
    Rebuild the Benson Village Store, restoring a vital economic and social hub for the rural community of Benson, Vermont.  
    Food Connects (Windham County) – $499,385.50:  
    Expand its storage and distribution infrastructure, increasing market access for Vermont food producers and supporting rural economic development. 
    Canaan Naturally Connected, Inc. (Essex County) – $449,044.00:  
    Renovate a historic Episcopal Church into the Canaan Community Center, a vital hub for economic and social engagement in rural Essex County, Vermont. 
    Southeast Vermont Transit, Inc. (Windham County) – $282,078.00: 
    Convert Springfield, Vermont’s fixed-route bus system, into a free, on-demand micro transit service.  
    Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary (Orange County) – $100,000:  
    Conduct a feasibility study for expanding childcare facilities and outdoor recreation infrastructure, addressing critical service gaps in rural Vermont.  
    Read more from NBRC here. The NBRC’s grants management system will open for Fall Round pre-applications in August 2025. Learn more about how to apply here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Condemns Trump Administration’s Unlawful Withholding of Federal Funding Over Immigration Policy

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Condemns Trump Administration’s Unlawful Withholding of Federal Funding Over Immigration Policy

    WATCH: Padilla slams Trump Administration’s dangerous overreach that is harming American communitiesWASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, addressed a spotlight hearing entitled, “Defending the Rights of the People: States and Congressional Allies Fight Back Against Trump’s Constitutional Abuses,” to warn against the dangers of the Trump Administration’s unprecedented withholding of federal funding over disagreements in immigration policy, which is hurting American communities, the economy, and public safety. Padilla questioned a panel of state attorneys general who are combating the Trump Administration’s egregious and unlawful actions through litigation.
    As President Trump attacks our constitutional order to advance his own interests and fails to confront political violence, the legislative branch and state governments must play a central role in defending the rule of law and protecting the American people. Padilla spoke about the importance of the legislative branch using its power to prevent the Trump Administration’s dangerous overreach. He highlighted that California contributes about $83 billion more in funding to the federal treasury than it receives, yet the Trump Administration has repeatedly targeted the state and threatened to withhold federal funding to implement their “un-American,” radical agenda.
    Padilla called out his Republican colleagues for expressing so many concerns about states’ autonomy when it comes to issues like gun ownership and reproductive rights, only to roll over as Trump has attacked blue states over political disagreements, particularly on immigration.
    “As we sit here today, we witness a Trump Administration and a Donald Trump that is running roughshod over states that he disagrees with, and it’s been curiously quiet on the other side of the aisle right now. I wonder to myself, where’s the outrage over Donald Trump’s threat to withhold funds from states … just based on any particular item of his agenda that a state disagrees with? Where’s the outrage when the Trump Administration ignores the law about spending levels that Congress, on a bipartisan basis, authorized and acted upon? Where’s the outrage when the President seeks to make it harder for eligible citizens to register and to vote?”
    “Where’s the outrage when the President sends armed forces into a state, into communities domestically, over the objections of the governor of that state, let alone local mayors and local law enforcement, all in order to stoke tensions that have already been heightened after a series of increasingly aggressive, performative, cruel immigration raids in places like restaurants, agricultural fields, construction sites?”
    Padilla blasted the Trump Administration for trying to withhold federal funding from states like California if they do not enforce the President’s cruel immigration policies, and he clarified that immigration enforcement is the job of the federal government, not of state and local law enforcement. He heard from New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin about the dangers of the Trump Administration’s cuts to law enforcement funding and coordination, making communities less safe. Padilla detailed that President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles has also made local law enforcement’s job more challenging while inflaming tensions. He also emphasized that indiscriminate immigration enforcement and punishing sanctuary cities further threatens public safety by keeping immigrants from reporting crimes out of fear.
    “That’s been the situation, the concern, frankly, in Los Angeles these last couple of weeks between the increasingly cruel and extreme ICE raids and detention, immigration enforcement actions, et cetera, but the way the Administration has gone about it raises the tensions in Los Angeles over the objections of local leadership and local law enforcement, the federalization of National Guard troops, and deployment into our communities. … What I hear from local law enforcement is that it makes the job of local law enforcement harder because there’s no communication, no coordination. So not only is it unnecessary, it’s frankly counterproductive, and putting [the] general public and law enforcement officials in danger.”
    “I think there’s a big either misunderstanding, intentionally or unintentionally, of what sanctuary policy represents, because that’s what the Administration is holding against the state of California and so many others. All sanctuary means is a state or a local jurisdiction would not commit their state or local resources for the enforcement of federal immigration laws. It is a job of the federal government to enforce federal laws, not state and locals to do that work.”
    Video of Senator Padilla’s full remarks is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned, Padilla Joins Senate Democrats in Introducing Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide

    US Senate News:

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

    On Third Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned, Padilla Joins Senate Democrats in Introducing Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide

    Women’s Health Protection Act comes as Trump and Congressional Republicans escalate attacks on reproductive freedom and advance a national abortion ban
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion nationwide and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans continue their attacks on a woman’s right to choose, including legislation that would defund Planned Parenthood.
    Together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is effectively a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and their right to control their own bodies. The Women’s Health Protection Act is led by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
    “Reproductive health care and access to safe abortion services are fundamental rights,” said Senator Padilla. “In the three years since the Supreme Court stripped away the right to an abortion for millions of women, Republicans have repeatedly attacked women’s bodily autonomy and safety as President Trump continues his cruel assault on reproductive liberty. The Women’s Health Protection Act will safeguard reproductive freedoms and ensure that a woman’s health care decisions stay between her and her doctor. We must restore the rights of millions of Americans to access reproductive health care, regardless of where they live.”
    “First, Donald Trump and Republicans overturned Roe v Wade. Now, they are continuing their crusade for a national abortion ban, stripping away a woman’s right to choose and control her body, healthcare, and future. Republicans continue to show that they will stop at nothing in their pursuit to stop a woman from having the right to choose,” said Senator Baldwin. “In Wisconsin, we’ve seen how these attacks on women’s reproductive rights and freedoms have hurt our neighbors, friends, and families – and we won’t stand for it. The Women’s Health Protection Act is a necessary step to restore Americans’ constitutional right to choose what’s best for their families, stop Congressional and state-level Republicans from further putting themselves between a doctor and a woman, and once and for all, give women their rights and freedoms back.”
    “This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. The foundation of the Women’s Health Protection Act is simply the right to make your own health care decisions. Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By restoring abortion access and implementing basic protections against medically unnecessary restrictions on health care, the Women’s Health Protection Act overturns the death sentence handed down by Dobbs.”
    “Three years ago, Donald Trump and Republicans succeeded in overturning Roe, ripping away a Constitutional right for the first time in American history, and causing a full-blown health care crisis in our nation. Since then, we have seen with painful clarity how Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore the right to abortion and end the national nightmare Republicans created by overturning Roe. Democrats will never stop fighting to restore abortion access nationwide—nothing less.”
    President Trump appointed Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.
    In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood — threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.
    The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. Specifically, the bill would:
    Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information;
    Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother; and
    Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.
    In addition to Senators Padilla, Baldwin, Blumenthal, and Murray, the legislation is sponsored by the rest of the Democratic caucus, including Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    Senator Padilla is a staunch defender of reproductive rights. Three years ago, Padilla sharply rebuked the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. He also criticized the ongoing attacks on reproductive health care access in 2023 during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled “The Assault on Reproductive Rights in a Post-Dobbs America.” On the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs ruling, Padilla joined the Women’s March Foundation and advocates from Planned Parenthood California and Los Angeles to deliver remarks at a reproductive rights rally at Los Angeles City Hall as part of the National Walk-Out for Women.
    As a cosponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, Padilla is fighting to protect abortion access throughout the United States. In 2023, he and Senator Murray introduced legislation to protect doctors who provide abortions from attempts to restrict their practice and create uncertainty about their legal liability. While Republican-led state legislatures work to deny reproductive rights, he’s also fighting to protect patients’ rights to travel freely between states to access abortion care.
    A one-pager on the bill is available here.
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Cosponsors Accountability Reporting for NATO Freeloaders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

    As NATO convenes today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul cosponsored legislation by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) addressing inadequate burden sharing among the United States’ allies and NATO member nations.

    The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act and the NATO Burden Sharing Report Act would incentivize delinquent nations to contribute their fair share for defense measures by requiring the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to compile annual reports on allied nations’ defense contributions and their ability to fulfill commitments. U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) cosponsored both pieces of legislation.

    “Our NATO allies expect the U.S. to be the sugar daddy and the world’s policeman while they sit back and let us do the heavy lifting. President Trump was right, it’s time for them to pull their own weight. Congress must stop giving blank checks to our allies and start demanding accountability. That’s why I’m pushing for the NATO Burden Sharing Report Act and the Allied Burden Sharing Report Act, to show the American people exactly who’s paying the bills and who’s shirking their share,” said Sen. Paul.

    “America has shouldered the burden of NATO freeloaders for decades,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Year after year, our so-called allies shirk their commitments while we pay for the conflicts raging in their backyards. By imposing annual reporting requirements, my legislation will identify delinquent allies – promoting accountability and putting them on notice to pay their fair share.”

    Background:

    NATO allies committed to spending 2% of their annual GDP on defense measures over a decade ago, but many have failed to deliver – instead allowing the U.S. to carry the burden of European security. Even as conflict in Ukraine continues in their own backyards, a significant portion of NATO members remain delinquent on their defense commitments. It is unreasonable for the U.S. to continue subsidizing the security of a peripheral theater, while allies neglect to carry their fair share.

    As the alliance convenes today, President Donald Trump has rightfully demanded greater burden sharing and higher defense spending. As the Summit opens, Senator Lee is introducing two pieces of legislation to support this burden sharing agenda. The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act and NATO Burden Sharing Report Act require regular reporting on allies’ contributions to the common defense.

    These bills promote burden sharing accountability, removing any doubt as to who the delinquent allies are and equipping Congress with the information it needs to perform necessary oversight.

    The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act:

    Requires DOD to prepare an annual report on the defense spending of all 59 U.S. allies – including:

    • Annual defense spending of each allied nation, both as a nominal figure and percentage of GDP
    • Activities of each allied nation that contribute to military or stability operations in which the Armed Forces of the U.S. are a participant or could be called upon per the obligations of a cooperative defense agreement of which the United States is a signatory
    • Any limitation placed by an allied nation on the use of such contributions
    • Any actions undertaken by the U.S. or by other countries to minimize such limitations

    The NATO Burden Sharing Report Act:

    Applies only to NATO member countries and includes all of the above reporting requirements plus:

    • A description of each member’s hard vs. soft power contributions for Ukraine
    • Defense industrial base health and comparative advantages
    • Size and structure of armed forces
    • Any areas where the country would be fully reliant on allied assets
    • FMS deliveries or contracts in the previous year
    • Any change in defense spending over the previous year and anticipated future spending

    Coutesy of Sen. Mike Lee: One-Pager | Bill Text – Allies | Bill Text – NATO

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Introduces Collegiate Sports Integrity Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    June 24th, 2025

     Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-434

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Collegiate Sports Integrity Act, legislation to restore free-market principles to college athletics by exempting intercollegiate athletic conferences, associations, and participating schools from federal antitrust laws.

    Antitrust laws have empowered judges—not students, not schools—to dictate the rules of college sports. This bill puts decision-making back where it belongs: in the hands of the people directly involved. By removing these restrictions, the Collegiate Sports Integrity Act allows schools and student-athletes to voluntarily negotiate fair, flexible agreements that reflect their own values—not a federal mandate.

    “This is about economic liberty,” said Dr. Rand Paul. “College athletes and schools should be free to come to the table and make their own deals—without unelected judges micromanaging every detail. Whether it’s compensation, eligibility, or academic standards, Washington shouldn’t be calling the plays.”

    The Collegiate Sports Integrity Act explicitly exempts intercollegiate athletic conferences, interstate athletic associations, and the colleges competing in them from antitrust liability. This ensures that evolving athletic models—regardless of structure—remain protected and governed by voluntary agreement, not courtroom fiat.

    The legislation comes amid growing legal uncertainty following a wave of rulings, including a December 2024 decision striking down NCAA eligibility rules and a June 2025 settlement opening the door to direct payments to athletes. Rather than allowing a patchwork of court-imposed mandates, the bill reasserts the primacy of freedom of contract in higher education athletics.

    Read the bill HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty, Tim Scott, Lummis, Tillis Release Principles for Market Structure Legislation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, joined Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) in releasing a set of principles for the development of comprehensive market structure legislation. These principles will guide discussions and negotiations as the senators engage with industry participants, legal and academic experts, and government stakeholders on the bill text.

    “For too long, a lack of clear regulatory authority has forced digital asset innovation beyond our borders and subjected issuers, exchanges, and developers to crippling uncertainty,” said Senator Hagerty. “By working towards a reasonable, light-touch market structure framework, we can help bolster our nation’s economy and protect American consumers.”

    “Since taking over as Chairman, I’ve led a new approach to digital assets regulation, and we’ve delivered results for the industry and the American people,” said Chairman Scott. “We have more work to do, and I look forward to building on the success of the GENIUS Act and advancing market structure legislation here in the Senate. These principles will serve as an important baseline for negotiations on this bill, and I’m hopeful my colleagues will put politics aside and provide long-overdue clarity for digital asset regulation.”

    “America desperately needs digital asset legislation that promotes responsible innovation and protects consumers,” said Senator Lummis. “While the European Union and Singapore have established clear regulations, the U.S. continues to sit on the sidelines while the digital asset industry seeks greener pastures. That changes today. I am partnering with Chairman Scott to provide principles for market structure legislation to finally draw the line between a security and a commodity and ensure the U.S. remains at the helm of global financial advancement.”

    “As Congress considers a regulatory framework for digital assets, our top priority must be providing legal clarity and certainty without stifling innovation,” said Senator Tillis. “These principles strike the right balance by protecting consumers, promoting innovation, and clearly defining the roles of regulators in a rapidly evolving market.”

    The market structure principles state:

    Legislation Should Clearly Define the Legal Status of Digital Assets

    • A clear, economically rational line distinguishing digital asset securities from digital asset commodities should be fixed in statute, contemplating existing law and providing predictability, enhanced legal precision, and much-needed regulatory certainty.

    Jurisdiction Should Be Clearly Allocated Among Regulators

    • Regulatory authority should be clearly allocated in statute, preventing an all-encompassing regulator from emerging.
    • Legislation should acknowledge that not all distributed ledger technology should be regulated equally.
      • Legislation should recognize the different risks and benefits between centralized firms, decentralized finance protocols, and non-custodial software platforms.
      • For similar reasons, self-custody of digital assets should be explicitly preserved.
      • Likewise, the use of distributed ledger technology and smart contracts for other, non-financial purposes, such as to manage health data, should not be regulated like financial products.

    Regulation Should be Modernized to Foster Innovation

    • Regulations should be modernized to account for the unique nature of digital assets and distributed ledger technology.
      • A new SEC exemption for certain digital asset fundraising should be included in legislation.
      • The SEC should revisit its burdensome registration requirements for digital asset issuers, and instead provide a clear, appropriately tailored pathway to compliance for good faith, innovative actors.
      • Clear, pro-innovation principles regarding the trading of digital assets on the secondary market should be established.
    • Legislation should not apply principles designed for centralized firms to decentralized protocols.
      • Tokenization should be recognized as an evolution of financial infrastructure that enhances efficiency, transparency, and liquidity, rather than a fundamental change to the nature of the underlying asset.

    Regulation Should Protect Those Who Purchase or Trade Digital Assets

    • Centralized digital asset intermediaries should be subject to innovation-friendly registration and risk management requirements similar to that of other centralized intermediaries today.
      • Requirements could include illicit finance compliance, clear and right-sized capital, custody and segregation requirements, and appropriate enforcement authority.
    • Legislation should also ensure that customer funds are protected during bankruptcy.

    Illicit Finance Measures Should Be Targeted and Pro-Innovation

    • A small, common-sense package of measures directed at preventing money laundering and sanctions evasion with digital assets should be included.
    • Potential provisions can and should be targeted and pro-innovation. This could include requiring the adoption of examination standards and clarifying that the Bank Secrecy Act and International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) extends to entities abroad with U.S. touchpoints.
    • Reforms should also consider the ways digital assets and distributed ledger technology can improve transparency, efficiency, and the detection of illicit activity, including money laundering.

    Federal Financial Regulators Should Welcome Responsible Innovation

    • Federal financial regulators should take common-sense steps to respond to responsible innovation, including potentially through increased use of no-action guidance, sandboxes, safe harbors, coordination, and appropriate application requirements.
    • Federal financial regulators should provide clear guidance affirming that many crypto-related activities are permissible for banks and other financial institutions, provided they do not threaten the safety and soundness of the institution.
    • Clear guidance will also improve and better enforcement by establishing well-defined rules and expectations, fostering accountability, and enabling consistent application of regulations, leading to better understanding and compliance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Merkley, Schumer, Wyden Call on Congressional Leadership to Backtrack on Devastating Health Care Cuts That Will Saddle More Working Families with Medical Debt

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) called on Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to reconsider the devastating health care cuts in the House-passed “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Recent analysis published by Third Way, a centrist think tank, shows that nearly 5.4 million American people – including 2.2 million people on Medicaid and 3.2 million people with coverage through the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces – will go into medical debt. In addition, the medical debt totals for American households will increase by $50 billion—a 15% jump.

    “According to a recent Gallup survey, 31 million Americans report having to borrow nearly $74 billion between 2023 and 2024 to pay for health care, and 58 percent of Americans believe they would experience medical debt if faced with a health event. All of which would be exacerbated by the proposed health care cuts,” wrote the senators.

    “The impact is significant to individuals and to our economy. Medical debt makes it more difficult for individuals to accumulate good credit and access stable housing. Survey data indicates that more than a third of adults with medical debt report negative credit score impacts, and some report losing their homes through foreclosure or eviction as a result. In addition, medical debt decreases consumer spending, which would hinder economic growth, at a time when economists estimate a 40 percent probability the U.S. enters a recession in 2025,” the senators continued.

    To read the full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, McCormick Push for Stronger Oversight to Prevent Currency Manipulation by Communist China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Dave McCormick (R-Penn.) introduced the China Exchange Rate Transparency (CERT) Act, which would direct the U.S. Executive Director at the IMF to advocate for enhanced transparency in China’s exchange rate arrangements at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The bill also calls for stricter oversight of China’s compliance with its commitments under the IMF’s Articles of Agreement which prohibit countries from manipulating currencies.
    “As we work and trade with countries all around the world, it’s critical that every nation follows the same rules that make our global system fair,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I will continue to push for Communist China to be held accountable for unfair trade practices, like currency manipulation, which take advantage of the rest of the world.”
    “China’s currency manipulation and secrecy are further examples of the CCP putting American businesses at a disadvantage in the global economy,” said Senator McCormick. “We need more transparency and stricter oversight of China’s economic commitments. That’s why I’m proud to partner with Senator Cortez Masto and fellow Pennsylvanian Rep. Dan Meuser on this legislation to stand up to China’s economic malpractice.”
    Under Article IV of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has committed to orderly exchange rate arrangements, the avoidance of exchange rate manipulation, and cooperation with the Fund to ensure ‘‘firm surveillance’’ of PRC exchange rate policies. However, according to the Department of the Treasury’s most recent report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States, “China stands out among our major trading partners in its lack of transparency around its exchange rate policies and practices.” When any country artificially lowers the value of their currency, it allows them to sell to more countries than other nations who are trying follow the rules, gaining an unfair trade advantage.
    Read the full bill here. The House companion bill, H.R. 692, was introduced by Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Penn.-09) and passed the House of Representatives on February 10.
    Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts in Congress to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party’s influence and protect the American national and economic security. She introduced the PASS Act to ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near U.S. military installations or sensitive sites and the Strengthening Exports Against China Act, which would incentivize economic growth by eliminating barriers for American businesses competing directly with China in emerging industries like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. She’s also introduced the Pacific Partnership Act to strengthen the United States’ strategic partnerships with Pacific Island nations, support sustainable development, and combat the increasing Chinese aggression in the region. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Dobbs Anniversary Press Conference, Senator Murray Slams Republican Efforts to Rip Away Abortion Access, Vows to Keep Fighting Back

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: SENATOR MURRAY’S REMARKS***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at a press conference marking the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning the constitutional right to abortion. Joining Senator Murray at the press conference were Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), abortion access advocates Shanette Williams and Ashley Ortiz, Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson, and Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity.

    At the press conference, Senator Murray highlighted the devastating consequences of Republican abortion bans for women and health care providers across the country, and how Republicans’ attacks on abortion access are only escalating. In particular, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Republicans are pushing through Congress right now would defund Planned Parenthood—threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country, 90 percent of which are in states where abortion is legal—and effectively ban ACA marketplace health plans from covering abortion services.

    Senator Murray’s full remarks at today’s press conference are below and HERE:

    “Three years in, it’s clear that the heartbreak and damage being caused by Republicans’ war on abortion is only growing, but so is the public opposition. The outcry is getting louder and louder as more and more people see the full horror of abortion bans in ways they cannot ignore, and will never forget.

    “Meanwhile, Republicans aren’t just sticking their heads in the sand, they are sticking to the same, dangerous agenda that is already denying women health care that they need, pushing maternal and reproductive health care providers out of red states in droves, driving a dangerous spike in pregnancy complications and maternal deaths, and forcing women to stay pregnant—regardless of their health or their own wishes.

    “Republicans are doubling down with even more anti-abortion extremism. Trump is undermining emergency abortion care, and the basic safety protections for abortion clinic staff and patients. Far-right groups are pushing junk science and trying to rip medication abortion off the shelves nationwide—and they are finding support among top health officials in this Trump administration.

    “And Republicans are trying to block marketplace insurance from covering abortion care in their big ugly bill. Not to mention, as Senator Schumer said, they are trying to defund Planned Parenthood—one of the biggest health care providers in the entire country.

    “And, let’s not forget Republicans are sneaking fetal personhood language into everything from state laws to Trump’s executive orders. We are talking about an ideology so extreme that it would strip pregnant women of their rights and impose a complete and total ban on abortion, IVF, and even some forms of birth control.

    “And they think they can just slip it onto the books without anyone noticing? Not a chance. We are not going to stop calling out these attacks. We are not going to stop pushing to restore and expand abortion access for patients nationwide. We are not going to stop lifting up the voices of women across the country.

    “And we are going to keep a bright and burning spotlight on the harm Republicans are causing with their anti-abortion extremism. Which is exactly what I will be doing this afternoon at the spotlight forum joined by many of my colleagues—and I hope to see many of you there.

    “We are in this battle, we are not stopping.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Calls for Kennedy to Reinstate Fired ACIP Members or Delay Meeting Until New Members Appropriately Vetted

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Senator Murray, Former ACIP Member from WA State Raise Alarm Over Purge of Entire CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Patty Murray, a senior member and former chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee released the following statement regarding the upcoming meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which is scheduled to begin tomorrow. The meeting would be the first since Secretary Kennedy fired every single member of the 17-member board, and announced his own slate of eight members just two weeks ago, many of whom have aligned themselves with dangerous anti-vaccine ideologies or outright conspiracy theorists and the majority of whom are not vaccine experts.

    “We need qualified vaccine experts evaluating the RSV and influenza shots families are counting on to protect them this fall—not the unvetted slate of eight members handpicked by RFK Jr. that includes people with long records of promoting anti-science conspiracies. The only way the upcoming ACIP meeting should proceed tomorrow is with the original board of vetted, qualified individuals that Secretary Kennedy chose to abruptly fire without any semblance of a legitimate reason or appropriate process. Short of that, ACIP must postpone this meeting until the board once again has a full slate of qualified members who have been fully and appropriately vetted.

    “It is perilous to move ahead with this meeting with a bench of largely unqualified members with anti-vaccine backgrounds who seem all but certain to set back public health and confidence in ACIP’s important work to protect Americans from deadly illnesses.”

    Earlier this month, Senator Murray held a press call with Washington state-based Dr. Helen Chu, one of the 17 ACIP members abruptly fired by Secretary Kennedy, to raise the alarm about how this move threatened public health and vaccine confidence.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Grills Navy Secretary Phelan on Politicization of Civilian Hiring, Navy Hospital Staffing Cuts Eliminating Health Care on Base for 15,000 Servicemembers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray Sounds Alarm on Chronic Staffing Shortages at Naval Hospital Bremerton, Presses for Answers from Defense Health Agency

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s questioning*** 

    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on the President’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of the Navy, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan and Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James W. Kilby about the Trump administration’s litmus tests to hire for civilian roles, staffing cuts at Naval Hospital Bremerton, and frigate production.

    [CIVILIAN STAFFING]

    Senator Murray began her questioning by addressing how OPM has encouraged federal workers across the country to leave their jobs, including civilian workers that support key installations and operations, stating: “Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, located in my home state of Washington, is one of the largest shipyards in the country, and the only shipyard on the entire west coast that can dry dock Nimitz Class aircraft carriers. It’s a huge asset to the Navy and the overall Indo-Pacific strategy. Right now, PSNS is undergoing important renovations to address seismic vulnerabilities and prepare for the new Ford Class aircraft carriers. This administration, however, is actively encouraging our shipbuilders to leave their jobs and putting up absurd barriers to hiring new civilian workers. Almost 2,000 naval shipyard workers have already taken the deferred resignation under the threat of looming mass layoffs. And Trump’s Office of Personnel Management is insisting on approving civilians one-by-one, which is creating massive slowdowns and ballooning waitlists to hire the workers that we need at every base in this country. And on top of that, on May 29th, OPM added a requirement for new civilian nonpartisan hires to write about how they would ‘advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities’ as part of the application process.”

    “Secretary Phelan, how does a welder’s fluency in, or support of Trump’s Executive Orders relate to their qualifications as a welder?” asked Senator Murray.

    Secretary Phelan answered, “I did visit Puget Sound and saw a lot of the impressive work that was done there. As to your question on—I believe what you’re referring to is the civilian loyalty oath—and my understanding is the Department of the Navy continues to use the same appointment affidavit it’s been using since 2002 for civilian hires. And we are waiting for guidance from the Department of Defense as it relates to any revisions.”

    Senator Murray pressed, “Well will you push back on OPM’s political purity tests, and object to them individually approving civilian hires?”

    “I will have to wait to see what it is they recommend before I can tell you that,” Secretary Phelan responded.

    “Well from my position, a nonpartisan government hire should not need to articulate which Trump policy they like best just to get hired. And a welder should not need to share their favorite Trump Executive Order. This is putting us behind. So, I just think this is something that we all need to take notice of. And I hope, as you get your guidance, that you push back on that,” said Senator Murray.

    [NAVAL HOSPITAL BREMERTON]

    Senator Murray continued her questioning by turning to the issue of staffing cuts at Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) completely eliminating on-base health care for servicemembers and their family at Naval Base Kitsap: “Naval Base Kitsap, also in my state, is the third largest Navy base in the United States. It’s home to 15,000 servicemembers, nearly 18,000 family members and retirees. But since 2022, the Defense Health Agency has repeatedly ordered the base’s hospital to cut critical staff and medical care—which has been devastating for our servicemembers and their families’ access to health care. Right now, in fact, Naval Hospital Bremerton’s Internal Medicine department has no—zero—physicians for over 2,000 patients. Instead of hiring anyone, DHA is forcing patients to travel over an hour, on a good day, each way, to Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Mr. Secretary, this is just unacceptable.”

    Senator Murray asked, “Can you fill me in on what the Navy is doing to fill those vacancies at Bremerton?”

    “As you know, I’ve been visiting a number of different installations of ours, and from some of the conditions of the barracks to some of the conditions in the medical facilities, et cetera, we have issues at most of them. On that specific one I’m going to have to get back to you and get some more detail on it. Which, I will do,” Secretary Phelan responded.

    “Admiral, do you have anything to add?” Senator Murray asked Admiral Kilby.

    Admiral Kilby replied, “I agree with your assessment ma’am, there are challenges with DHA across the board, for the Navy. And we’re working, like all the other services, to make sure we’re providing the best health care we can for our servicemembers and our families.”

    “This is a readiness issue. It’s a retention issue. It’s personal for these families. So please, if you could get back to me about what steps we are going to take to fix this,” said Senator Murray.

    [NAVAL STATION EVERETT FRIGATES]

    Senator Murray then asked about years of delays on frigate production, stating: “Finally, let me ask you about Naval Station Everett. It was designated as the home station for the new class of Frigates in 2022.  However, the design delays have postponed production for the last three years. I understand you and the Department leadership are considering several options for the future of the Constellation-class frigate—and I’d emphasize this committee needs the budget details to put this bill together. So, if you can make sure we have that and talk for a minute about what you see as the implications for Everett under the different scenarios the Department might propose for the frigate program.”

    Secretary Phelan replied, “Let me take that one from the record and come back to you.”

    “I would appreciate the response to that. Thank you very much,” concluded Senator Murray.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray’s Opening Remarks at Dobbs Anniversary Spotlight Forum on Republicans’ Backdoor Abortion Ban

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, on the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned the constitutional right to abortion, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks at a spotlight forum she hosted for Senate Democrats titled Under Attack: Republicans’ Escalating War on Reproductive Freedom. The forum was co-led by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

    In her remarks, Senator Murray highlighted the many ways President Trump and Republicans are attacking abortion access and reproductive health care right now and laid bare the Republican strategy to implement a backdoor nationwide abortion ban by ultimately making abortion impossible to access for everyone, everywhere—including in states where abortion remains legal.

    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

    “I want to thank all of our panelists who are here to share your stories and your expertise.

    “As I said, it has been three years since Trump and Republicans succeeded in overturning Roe, ripping away a Constitutional right for the first time in American history, and causing a full-blown health care crisis in our nation.

    “Already, we have seen with painful clarity, how—on a daily basis—Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant, no matter their personal circumstance.

    “Dobbs was never the end of this fight for Republicans, we all need to know that, their goal has always been a national abortion ban.

    “And since Republicans know they do not have the votes right now to pass a national abortion ban outright, they are slowly, but surely, advancing a backdoor nationwide abortion ban, and chipping away at access to reproductive health piece-by-piece—even in states where abortion is protected.

    “Republicans are hoping no one will notice these attacks—as if people don’t care when their rights are stripped away. As if it’s easy to miss the moment your health care decisions are out of your control. As if someone forced to stay pregnant because of Republican bans might just forget about it.

    “Well, we know what Republicans are doing, and we are putting their tactics on full blast.

    “To start, just days into his presidency, Trump pardoned people en masse who blockaded abortion clinics and assaulted and injured clinic staff. And Trump’s Justice Department has made clear if anyone else wants to break the law and intimidate abortion clinics, they won’t do anything to stop it—except in the most extreme circumstances.

    “Republicans are also attacking lifesaving abortion care for pregnant women who face a medical emergency. Earlier this month, the Trump Administration quietly revoked CMS guidance that made clear hospitals are required to provide emergency abortion care when it is necessary to save a patient’s life, as it can be in the case of hemorrhage or sepsis.

    “Republicans are also attacking abortion medication. Trump’s FDA recently announced it will undertake a ‘comprehensive review’ of mifepristone. Why? Because of discredited junk science from the same anti-abortion activists who helped write Project 2025.

    “And unfortunately, we know exactly where this is going: Trump ripping mifepristone off the shelves, reinstating unnecessary restrictions, banning telehealth prescriptions, and curtailing access in every single state. And that’s at a minimum. Many Republicans want to revoke the approval of mifepristone altogether.

    “Meanwhile, Republicans have been sneaking so-called personhood language into Trump’s Executive Orders. Fetal personhood is an extreme ideology that would strip pregnant women of their rights and impose a complete and total ban on: abortion, on IVF, and even some forms of birth control. It does not get any more extreme than that.

    “And you know Trump’s Big Betrayal Bill that Republicans are working around the clock to pass right now? That one that would strip 16 million people of their health care? The one that would shutter rural hospitals across the country? That includes even moreattacks on abortion—they just can’t help themselves.

    “They are effectively barring ACA marketplace plans from covering abortion care—something that is actually required in many states, including my home state of Washington. Even worse, Republicans want to shut the doors of one of the largest health care providers in our country.

    “Their bill would defund Planned Parenthood, putting 200 clinics across the country at risk of closure—90 percent of which are in states where abortion is legal.

    “These are clinics that don’t just provide lifesaving abortion care, but they provide cancer screenings, birth control, and other essential health care services for over one million patients. Republicans will do just about anything they think they can do to get away to undermine abortion across this country.

    “The one thing Republicans still refuse to do? Reckon with the consequence of their action.

    “They really seem to think that if they don’t talk about the damage they are causing, the people they are hurting, the lives they are destroying—it doesn’t exist. It will somehow just go away. Big mistake.

    “Republicans may be silent, but women across the country are speaking up about the suffering and heartbreak Republicans’ draconian anti-abortion policies are causing.

    “Women are sharing their stories of being forced to carry a doomed pregnancy for months or being pushed to death’s door before their doctors could provide care without the threat of spending the rest of their lives in jail.

    “And families are speaking up about the deaths—because, yes, these Republicans’ extreme policies have led to women dying. And it’s not just patients telling stories, it is cold hard data. In Texas, sepsis rates have rocketed over 50 percent since their abortion ban.

    “And in state after state that banned abortion, health care providers are leaving town en masse. Because why stay, when doing your job—and saving a patient’s life—could land you in prison? As hard as Republicans might try, the damage they are causing is undeniable.

    “But that does not mean that we give up. Women’s lives are at stake, Democrats are not going to stop pushing back—not ever.

    “We will keep pushing for legislation to protect women and health care providers from Republican prosecution; to help people access and afford the reproductive health care that they need; to protect women’s private health data; to protect the Right to Contraception and the Right to IVF; and to restore the right to abortion nationwide—nothing less.

    “We will keep fighting tooth and nail against every new strategy Republicans cook up to ban abortion and shutter the doors of health care providers in our country.

    “And we will keep lifting up the heartbreaking stories of people who have experienced firsthand the cruelty of Republican policies; and shining a bright light and burning spotlight on how dangerous—and how deadly—these attacks on abortion truly are.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On Whistleblower Disclosures By Erez Reuveni On Emil Bove’s Nomination To Be A Circuit Court Judge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    June 24, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the whistleblower disclosures of Mr. Erez Reuveni, formerly the Acting Deputy Director for the Office of Immigration Litigation at the Department of Justice, on Emil Bove’s nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit:
    “As a senior Justice Department official, Mr. Bove has abused his position in numerous ways, including firing January 6 prosecutors and agents and ordering career prosecutors to dismiss charges against Eric Adams for blatantly corrupt reasons, among other troubling actions. And now, we have Mr. Reuveni, a 14-year career attorney at DOJ, coming forward under the Whistleblower Act to shine a further light on Mr. Bove’s alleged misconduct.
    “These serious allegations, from a career Justice Department lawyer who defended the first Trump Administration’s immigration policies, not only speak to Mr. Bove’s failure to fulfill his ethical obligations as a lawyer, but demonstrate that his activities are part of a broader pattern by President Trump and his allies to undermine the Justice Department’s commitment to the rule of law.
    “I want to thank Mr. Reuveni for exercising his right to speak up and bring accountability to Mr. Bove. And I implore my Senate Republican colleagues: do not turn a blind eye to the dire consequences of confirming Mr. Bove to a lifetime position as a circuit court judge.”
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Speaks on Republicans’ Bill to Block Access to Health Care and Close Hospitals Across Rural America: “There is still time to kill this bill—and I hope we do.” 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Welch Puts Spotlight on Vermont, West Virginia, and Tennessee in Remarks 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) last night took to the Senate floor to call on Congress to kill Republicans’ disastrous budget bill, which will rip away health care coverage for more than 16 million Americans, including 32,000 Vermonters.  
    The Republican budget will hike health care costs, close rural hospitals, and force millions of middle-class families to lose their coverage altogether, all to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. In addition to draconian Medicaid cuts, Republicans are raising premiums and out-of-pocket costs for tens of millions of people who buy health insurance coverage on their own. Senator Welch highlighted that the Republican bill will impact red and blue states alike: 76,000 West Virginians and 290,000 Tennesseans would lose health care under the legislation. 
    “What’s happening in this bill is the infliction of bipartisan suffering. Whether it’s in the State of Vermont, or the State of West Virginia, or the State of Tennessee, folks who are depending on Medicaid are going to lose it,” said Senator Welch. “We’ve got to protect the people first. We take away their hospitals, they have no protection…There’s a cruelty in this bill. There’s an irresponsibility in the Senate if we don’t acknowledge explicitly what the impact of this bill will be on the people we represent, on the hospitals that are dependent on us, and on the future of community strength in all of our rural communities. Let’s kill this bill.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 
    Read Senator Welch’s remarks as delivered here. 
    Senator Welch has been a leading voice in calling to protect Medicaid and health care in the Senate. Earlier this month, Senator Welch took to the Senate floor to slam Republicans’ tax bill, and joined Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) for a virtual roundtable highlighting the harmful consequences of Republicans’ reconciliation bill for patients in Vermont.  
    Learn more about Senator Welch’s work by visiting his website or by following him on social media. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Cassidy Statement on Google Endorsement of Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (June 24, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) today announced that Google has endorsed their Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0). The legislation would update online data privacy rules for the 21st century and ensure children and teenagers are protected online. The Senate Commerce Committee is scheduled to take up COPPA 2.0 at its markup on Wednesday.

    “We are grateful to have Google’s support for the commonsense protections in our Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act,” said Senators Markey and Cassidy. “This endorsement is further evidence of the broad support for COPPA 2.0. Our legislation has been intensely vetted, passed the Senate by a 91-3 vote last year, and has wide bipartisan support. With a youth mental health crisis raging in our nation, Congress should pass COPPA 2.0 and ensure that young people are protected online.”

    “We commend Senators Markey and Cassidy for their leadership in sponsoring COPPA 2.0, extending meaningful privacy protections to teens, prohibiting ads personalization to minors, and expecting companies to do more to understand users’ age. Google is committed to creating safer online experiences for kids and teens, and we continue to innovate on the protections in our products and services. We look forward to continuing this important dialogue to respect, protect, and empower youth online,” said Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs, Alphabet & Google.

    Specifically, the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act would:

    • Ban targeted advertising to children and teens;
    • Create an “Eraser Button” by requiring companies to permit users to delete personal information collected from a child or teen;
    • Establish data minimization rules to prohibit the excessive collection of children and teens’ data;
    • Revise COPPA’s “actual knowledge” standard to close the loophole that allows platforms to ignore kids and teens on their site; and
    • Build on COPPA by prohibiting internet companies from collecting personal information from users who are 13 to 16 years old without their consent.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Create Cybersecurity Office Related to Critical Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and John Curtis (R-Utah) in reintroducing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act, a bipartisan bill to modernize and codify the NTIA’s work in cybersecurity. 

    The NTIA’s Office for Policy Analysis and Development would be renamed the Office for Policy Development and Cybersecurity to better align with the agency’s 21st century mission of helping secure the information and communication technology (ICT) sector.

    “Cyberattacks and breaches of private data ultimately hurt American consumers, and as technology and the telecommunications industry continues to advance, so do the threats from hackers and bad actors. Provisions must be in place to strengthen NTIA’s Office for Policy Analysis and Development, and protect the private information of the public they serve. I’m proud to reintroduce bipartisan legislation that takes necessary, proactive steps to develop cybersecurity guidance, identify potential vulnerabilities, and promote collaboration between the public and private sectors with the ultimate goal of protecting consumers,” Senator Capito said.

    In recent years, the NTIA has increasingly adapted to better reflect the rising importance of cybersecurity to our critical infrastructure and daily functions. The senators’ bill would codify, strengthen, and provide Congressional guidance to NTIA’s ongoing cybersecurity activities, as well as outline responsibilities of an Associate Administrator.

    The redesignated office would be led by an associate administrator and be responsible for:

    • Developing cybersecurity policy as it relates to telecommunications, the internet, consumer software services, and public media.
    • Creating guidance and support for implementing cybersecurity and privacy measures for internet and telecommunication companies.
    • Promoting collaboration between security research and industry.
    • Preventing and mitigating future software vulnerabilities in communications networks.
    • Removing barriers for implementing, understanding, and investing in cybersecurity for communications and software providers.
    • Providing technical assistance on cybersecurity practices to small and rural communications service providers.

    In the House, a companion bill passed out of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Senators Capito and Hickenlooper originally introduced the legislation in the 117th Congress.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Lauds Pres. Trump’s Approval of Eagle Pass Bridge Expansion Permit

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today applauded President Trump’s approval of the City of Eagle Pass permit application to expand the Camino Real International Bridge Land Port of Entry (POE) located along the U.S.-Mexico border, which authorizes the addition of a six-lane bridge span adjacent to the existing bridge and increases the POE’s capacity for vehicular and pedestrian crossings:

    “I am pleased President Trump has authorized the expansion of the Camino Real International Bridge in Eagle Pass, which will help modernize the bridge’s infrastructure and ultimately increase the port’s capacity,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This approval is great news for South Texas, and I was proud to support this effort and thank the Trump administration for prioritizing critical improvement projects at our nation’s ports of entry.”

    Background:

    Sen. Cornyn has supported this project across two administrations. Last year, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to President Biden expressing his strong support for the City of Eagle Pass’ application for a presidential permit to expand and continue to operate the vehicular and pedestrian crossing at the Camino Real International Bridge Land Port of Entry. The Senator’s letter can be found here. He has continued to push for the project’s approval during the Trump administration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman Holds Hearing on Department of Veterans Affairs Budget and Welcomes Secretary’s Support for Key Suicide Prevention Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Chairman of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Subcommittee, led a hearing examining the fiscal years 2026 and 2027 budget request for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and secured Secretary Doug Collins’ support for reauthorizing a Boozman-authored program to enhance mental health outreach and suicide prevention in veteran communities.

    The senator reviewed the Department’s proposed budget in his opening statement and highlighted several important priorities.

    “The PACT Act has certainly been a dramatic change for veterans, and I also think VA has a good story to tell about its implementation, the new veterans enrolling, and the number of PACT Act-related claims received and processed. It also created the Toxic Exposure Fund, and this year’s budget request represents more than a $22 billion increase,” Boozman said. “The budget request includes a large increase for the Electronic Medical Records program. With well more than $12 billion of taxpayer money invested, it’s time to start seeing a return on this investment.”

    Boozman also urged Collins to lay out how he intends to lead the VA’s approach to combat the consistently high rates of suicide in the veteran community. 

    “I know something that’s very important to you is veteran suicide, which it is to me and so many other members of this committee, on both sides of the aisle. The VA has numerous suicide prevention initiatives and yet we still see elevated suicide rates among veterans relative to their civilian counterparts,” Boozman said.

    “This is the one that keeps me up at night,” Collins said. “What has happened since 2008 is a number that’s not really changed: 17 to 22 veterans taking their own life [daily]. Of those numbers, half of them have not had contact with the VA, they’ve not been in our system.”

    “Things like the Fox Grant Program, which I encourage to be renewed,” Collins continued. “Ninety-five organizations have been a part of that and they’re reaching out and helping veterans who are not enrolled in our system. They’re bringing them in.”

    The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program was signed into law as a provision of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act and is currently scheduled to sunset in 2025. The senator, also a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has pushed for its renewal and expansion as well as having previously encouraged the VA to explain its impact and provide an endorsement of a reauthorization.

    Click here to watch part of Boozman’s opening statement. Click here to watch his questions for VA Secretary Collins.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall & the Trump Administration to Streamline the Prior Authorization Process in Medicare

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington – On Monday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Department of Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz in laying out six specific pillars of agreement on plans to improve patient outcomes and reduce administrative burdens in Medicare Advantage.
    “I am grateful for the Trump Administration’s support of my legislation, the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, which will greatly benefit the speed and quality of care that our Seniors rely upon,” said Senator Marshall. “Likewise, I am proud to support the administration in its noble goal to streamline the prior authorization process and remove burdensome regulations from the patient-doctor relationship.”
    In the six pillars of agreement, the Trump Administration and Senator Marshall have the following overlap, thanks to the Senator’s Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act:
    Standardizing Electronic Prior Authorization – establishing an electronic prior authorization program and requiring MA plans to adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities.  
    Reducing the Scope of Claims Subject to Prior Authorization – streamlining the prior authorization process for routinely approved services.
    Ensuring Continuity of Care When Patients Change Plans – protecting patients from disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements when transitioning plans
    Enhancing Communication and Transparency on Determinations – increasing transparency around prior authorization use.
    Expanding real-time responses – requiring HHS to review items and services eligible for real-time decisions.
    Ensuring Medical Review of Non-Approved Requests – ensuring prior authorization requests are reviewed by qualified medical personnel.
    Background:
    Senator Marshall reintroduced the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act in May 2025. The full text of the legislation can be found here.
    Prior authorization is a tool used by health plans to reduce unnecessary care by requiring health care providers to get pre-approval for medical services. However, the current system often results in multiple faxes or phone calls by clinicians, which takes time away from delivering care.
    Prior authorization continues to be the number-one administrative burden identified by health care providers, and nearly three out of four Medicare Advantage enrollees are subject to unnecessary delays due to the practice.
    The bill would codify and enhance elements of the Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Processes (e-PA) rule that was finalized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on January 17, 2024.
    Last Congress, the bill was supported by a super majority of members in the Senate (60) and a majority in the House (232), and was unanimously passed by the House in 2022.
    In 2018, the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) raised concerns after an audit revealed that Medicare Advantage plans ultimately approved 75% of requests that were originally denied.
    In 2022, the HHS Office of Inspector General released a report finding that MA plans incorrectly denied beneficiaries’ access to services even though they met Medicare coverage rules.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Statement On The Third Anniversary Of The Dobbs Decision

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Today, on the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement:
    “Three years ago, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court overturned women’s rights to bodily autonomy, privacy, and reproductive care. Since then, states across the country have criminalized abortion, threatened access to IVF, and denied millions of women access to basic medical care. And now, as part of President Trump’s so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ the Trump administration and congressional Republicans are trying to bar Medicaid patients from seeking services like STI testing, cervical cancer screenings, and contraception at Planned Parenthood clinics. These attempts to strip women of their rights remain as disgusting today as they were three years ago.
    Despite ongoing attempts to restrict reproductive rights, most Americans believe that women should have the right to choose what to do with their bodies. The vast majority of state ballot initiatives regarding reproductive rights have passed in favor of expanding or protecting them enshrining these rights in state constitutions from New York to Missouri to Arizona.
    But relying on the states is not enough. We must continue to do everything we can to make sure every woman, regardless of where she lives, has access to safe, legal reproductive care. That’s why I support the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would codify a national right to abortion, restoring Roe v. Wade as the law of the land. I’m also fighting to pass federal legislation to guarantee access to contraception, IVF, and other health care and resources that are necessary to give women the reproductive choices they deserve.
    I will not stop fighting until every American regains the right to reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER: AS SUMMER SIZZLES, UPSTATE NY TOURISM FIZZLES – NEW DATA SHOWS TRUMP’S TARIFF WAR SLAMS UPSTATE NY, WITH CANADIAN BORDER CROSSINGS PLUMMETING 400,000 LAST MONTH, A 25% DECREASE FROM PREVIOUS…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    With Summer Tourism Season Underway Across Upstate NY, New Data Shows Border Crossings Are Continuing To Plummet, Putting NY Main Streets At Risk, Jeopardizing Jobs & Restricting Summer Tourism Economy As A Result Of Trump’s Tariff War & Insulting Comments That Are Driving Away Canadian Visitors
    As Border Crossings Fall Further Amid Tariff Chaos, Schumer Says NY House Republicans Must Stand Up For Upstate NY And Main Street Hotels, Restaurants & Shops Across NY That Rely On Canadian Tourists And Are Seeing Major Hits To Their Bottom Lines
    Schumer: Upstate NY’s Main Streets Are Feeling The Heat Of Trump’s Damaging Tariff War 
    With summer tourism season underway across Upstate NY, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed new data showing how Trump’s reckless tariff war continues to plummet at border crossings at all major land ports of entry in New York. As Canadians cancel trips to the United States because of Trump’s mistreatment of our closest ally and trading partner, new data shows nearly 400,000 fewer travelers crossed the Upstate NY-Canadian border via land in May 2025 compared to May 2024 according to CBP, a whopping nearly 25% decrease, which Schumer said threatens our regions’ Main Street businesses and tourism economy that rely on a summer boost.
    “As summer sizzles, Upstate NY tourism fizzles thanks to Trump’s reckless and damaging tariff war with Canada. Summer tourism season should be in full swing, but instead our small businesses and Main Streets are left sweating as reservations get cancelled & tourism from Canada continues to plummet,” said Senator Schumer. “This new data shows again how it is Upstate NY families paying the price for Trump’s tariff war and his insults hurled at our top-trading partner, Canada. From Buffalo to Watertown to Plattsburgh, our shops, hotels, restaurants, and thousands of good-paying jobs rely on summer tourism for success. NY House Republicans know Trump’s tariff war with Canada is hurting our communities, but even as the numbers show how badly this is hurting our businesses and jobs they refuse to act. House Republicans need to pass the bipartisan resolution the Senate has already acted on to end Trump’s destructive trade war with Canada, helping to restore our cherished friendly relationship with our next-door neighbor and major economic partner.”
    According to new data from CBP, Upstate NY & Canada saw approximately 1,144,524 border crossings in May, compared to 1,520,424 during the same month in 2024, a nearly 25% decrease across land (both road and bridge) crossings frequented by tourists. This is an even further from April 2025 which saw almost 290,000 fewer travelers, a nearly 22% decrease across ports of entry in NY.
    A breakdown bridge-by-bridge from the Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association of May 2025 crossings shows just how steeply tourism is declining across all the major bridge ports of entry between Upstate NY and Canada:

    NY-Canada Bridge

    Region

    May 2024 Auto Crossings

    May 2025 Auto Crossings

    Percentage Decline

    Peace Bridge

    Western NY

    423,080

    327,209

    -22.66%

    Rainbow Bridge

    Western NY

    203,067

    144,260

    -28.96%

    Lewiston-Queenstown Bridge

    Western NY

    239,954

    228,156

    -4.92%

    Whirlpool Rapids Bridge

    Western NY

    36,403

    27,183

    -25.33%

    Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge

    North Country

    48,723

    34,746

    -28.69%

    Thousand Islands Bridge

    North Country

    172,733

    140,600

    -18.6%

    Seaway Bridge

    North Country

    234,826

    224,657

    -4.33%

    Since taking office in January, Trump has damaged the United States’ relationship with Canada by threatening to annex Canada and levying 25% tariffs on Canadian goods. Schumer said this new data on major reductions in border crossings for the second month in a row shows Trump’s threats to annex Canada and tariff Canadian goods are directly impacting commerce between the two countries, including Canadian tourism across New York State.
    Schumer said he is fighting to end this unnecessary, damaging trade war with Canada and protect tourism, small businesses, and local jobs. Earlier this year, the Senate passed a bipartisan resolution to end tariffs on Canada, and Schumer said this new shocking data shows the urgency for House Republicans to take up and pass it as well. Senate Democrats are also pushing for tariff exemptions for small businesses and putting an end to Trump’s across-the-board tariffs. Schumer said ending this costly trade war is key to protecting American families from price increases and job losses as a result of tariffs on Canada.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Opening Statement at SAC-D Hearing on FY 26 Budget Request for the Navy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, convened today’s hearing “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Navy”. Prepared text of his opening statement follows:
    “I’ll begin by welcoming Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James Kilby, and Commandant of the Marine Corps General Eric Smith. I’m grateful to each of you for your willingness to lead at a pivotal moment for the Department, and to the sailors, Marines, and civilian personnel who advance Navy and Marine Corps missions and keep America safe every day.
    “I’m particularly grateful to the sailors who have stood watch in the Gulf and the Red Sea over the last 20 months helping to defend Israel, US interests, and freedom of navigation against Iranian-backed terrorists. And to the crews deployed there right now who launched Tomahawk cruise missiles as part of the joint operation to strike what I hope is a fatal blow to Iran’s nuclear aspirations.
    “I also want to recognize the Marine Corps, whose fallen comrades were among the earliest victims of Iran’s decades-long war against the United States and Israel — those taken hostage with U.S. Embassy personnel in Tehran and the hundreds killed in Beirut in 1983, before any of us on this dais showed up in Washington.
    “Generations of servicemembers carry the scars of Iran-backed attacks on American personnel in the region over the decades. Their sacrifices remind us that ‘Death to America’ is more than rhetoric.
    “For too long, Tehran itself faced negligible costs for the actions of their terrorist proxies. Thanks to Israel’s initiative in turning the tables – and the President’s decision to back them up – the Islamic Republic is finally paying a steep price.
    “This weekend’s events are yet a further reminder of the challenges facing the joint force today. And my colleagues and I hope to understand the extent to which you think the President’s budget request would provide the resources necessary to meet, deter, and defeat them.
    “Each of the Services is grappling in its own way with the reality of renewed major-power competition and with the increasing alignment of America’s adversaries. As you know, major transformations test assumptions and service culture. They test the capacity of the industrial base. And, importantly, they hinge on transparent working relations with Congress and on robust and consistent full-year investments in major priorities.
    “I’ll offer just a few observations in this vein. First, the good: Secretary Phelan, I’ve appreciated your recognition of Congress’ role in equipping the Navy and Marine Corps and the collaborative approach you’ve taken with this subcommittee. Your willingness to communicate transparently will continue to benefit our shared mission of restoring the Navy’s preeminence. I also appreciate your persistent engagement with the maritime industrial base. Your travels to see our shipbuilding challenges across the country, firsthand, have not gone unnoticed. We will not solve this problem without the private sector.
    “Likewise, General Smith – The Marine Corps spent years developing a clear rationale for major transformation, made tough and deliberate choices, and engaged Congress effectively along the way. Marine Corps Force Design 2030 continues to offer other services valuable lessons as they pursue transformation efforts of their own. I look forward to hearing how the Marine Corps’ own transformation to meet future threats is going: the good, the bad, and the ugly. But, to be quite frank, the decisions this Administration has made on resourcing the Department of Defense – a full-year CR that failed to address rising costs of operations and maintenance and major modernization requirements, a one-time reconciliation investment that risks new cliffs for sustainment, and a base request for FY26 even lower than the previous Administration’s FY25 request – make each of your jobs more difficult.
    “At the most basic level, an FY26 base defense topline that doesn’t keep pace with inflation – let alone with the ‘pacing’ threat of the PRC – does not show we’re serious about the tasks before us. Neither does pretending that one-time injections of funding are a substitute for consistent appropriations. For example, none of you needs me to point out the breadth of bipartisan support for accelerating procurement of Virginia-class submarines. If the Administration shares our interest in meaningfully expanding shipbuilding capacity, why are investments like this one not built into the base budget request? Why are we allocating funds under extraordinary parliamentary authorities for capabilities that would otherwise have been funded in an annual appropriation? Will the Navy even be able to complete two Virginia class subs with reconciliation money before the funding expires? 
    “Leaving aside the color of money, we’ll also want to hear your assessment of the impediments to delivering essential capabilities like submarines, destroyers, and amphibious vessels at the speed of relevance. This subcommittee has been consistently generous, but despite pouring billions more dollars into the effort, the timeline for producing a Virginia-class sub continues to stretch longer. Of course, we don’t just need to build platforms faster. We need to figure out how to make munitions more efficiently – especially the exquisite missile defense interceptors and long-range fires on which current operations are relying so heavily. How has the Navy handled the high operational tempo in the Red Sea? How does the FY26 request reflect the urgent need to deepen our magazines in a more cost-effective manner?
    “Finally, I’m curious about the lessons your services are taking from current conflicts. What has the Navy learned from the demands of long deployments and the costs of air wing accidents on the U.S.S. Truman? What lessons is the service taking from Ukraine’s decimation of Russia’s Black Sea fleet? How is the Navy approaching force protection itself? Is it hardening major assets, both in port and at sea? Does it have sufficient resources to do so?
    “What is the Marine Corps learning from Russia’s ground war in Ukraine? How does information-sharing at the cutting-edge of modern warfare inform the service’s ongoing transformation effort? To what extent is success in the face of unique Indo-Pacific circumstances dependent on things outside your control, like logistics and transportation provided by other services or commands?
    “I will be curious for each of your observations. I would just suggest that any honest accounting of the task at hand will have to reckon with the deficiencies of the defense topline. If our objective is to build a force capable of projecting power globally to deter, fight, and prevail against Chinese aggression, possibly while engaged in conflict in other theatres, I don’t see how this budget request gets us there. So we’ll look forward to your testimony in just a moment.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Slams RFK Jr. For “Reckless” Decision to Fire Vaccine Experts, Presses on New Appointees’ Conflicts of Interest, Anti-Vaccine Views

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    June 24, 2025
    New panel will meet for the first time tomorrow without ethics disclosures or conflict of interest guidelines in place
    “You have promised that, as HHS Secretary, you would root out conflicts of interest and promote ‘radical transparency,’ but you are failing miserably to meet this promise as you rush to impose your anti-vaccine agenda on the American public.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), on the eve of a key committee meeting,  slammed Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK Jr.) for his “reckless” and “shortsighted” decision to fire all 17 independent members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replace them with eight members who appear to be hand-picked to advance RFK Jr.’s own anti-vaccine agenda. With the new panel set to meet for the first time tomorrow, Senator Warren pressed RFK Jr. on his own conflicts of interests, and those of his appointees, raising concerns about their ability to make public health decisions to benefit Americans rather than line their own pockets.
    The letter follows Senator Bill Cassidy’s (R-La.) push to delay the ACIP meeting, citing the appointees’ lack of relevant experience and apparent anti-vaccine bias.
    “As presently constituted, the committee lacks the qualifications and credibility to offer the nation credible advice on vaccines. You have promised that, as HHS Secretary, you would root out conflicts of interest and promote ‘radical transparency,’ but you are failing miserably to meet this promise as you rush to impose your anti-vaccine agenda on the American public,” wrote Senator Warren.
    As an expert panel of the CDC, ACIP is responsible for developing recommendations for the use of vaccines by the American public. Decisions made by the committee have significant implications, affecting parents’ confidence in vaccines, physicians’ recommendations on who should receive them, and insurers’ coverage decisions.
    RFK Jr. recently purged the entire nonpartisan panel, claiming — with no evidence — that all 17 members had conflicts of interest that prevented them from effectively serving on the committee. But RFK Jr.’s hand-picked replacements are known vaccine skeptics, appear to lack relevant training, and have their own financial conflicts that present serious conflicts.
    During RFK Jr.’s confirmation process, he specifically pledged that he would end conflicts of interest on ACIP and “create an honest, unbiased, science-driven HHS.” It remains unclear how — if at all — his new appointees have been vetted for conflicts of interest, and the short timeframe from their nomination to tomorrow’s meeting means it would have been impossible for them to go through the typically rigorous vetting process for committee members.
    “While you’ve declared that previous efforts to guard against conflicts of interest on the panel were insufficient, you appear to have made no effort to ensure that your hand-picked appointees even declare their conflicts of interest, let alone meet a heightened standard,” wrote Senator Warren.
    With the panel set to meet for the first time tomorrow, a financial disclosure for only one of the eight new members is publicly available on the CDC website, and it remains unclear how conflict of interest rules will be applied. The meeting agenda will be truncated because the new appointees are reportedly “not yet in a position to deal with all the agenda items.” Even so, the panel is set to discuss recommendations for multiple key vaccines, including RSV, COVID-19, Influenza, and MMR.
    RFK Jr. also has his own unresolved conflicts of interest. At his confirmation hearing, Senator Warren questioned him on his biggest conflict: a lucrative arrangement with the law firm Wisner Baum in vaccine-related cases. Senator Warren specifically raised concerns about RFK Jr. financially benefiting as HHS Secretary by strengthening anti-vaccine lawsuits — including by naming anti-vaccine members to ACIP.
    “Your decision to reconstitute ACIP with members that share your anti-vaccine views therefore raises questions about your and your family’s ability to cash in from the dangerous decisions the panel appears prepared to make,” wrote Senator Warren.
    To understand RFK Jr.’s “haphazard” decision to purge ACIP and replace its members with a hand-picked panel of “unqualified and unvetted vaccine skeptics with their own troubling conflicts,” Senator Warren pressed the Secretary for information on the termination of the previous 17 experts, the appointments of the new members, and processes for vetting and eliminating conflicts of interest.

    MIL OSI USA News –