NewzIntel.com

Category: US Senate

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Schatz Introduce New Legislation to Improve Wages, Operations Transparency for Rideshare Drivers, Delivery App Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    July 25, 2025

    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Thursday joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) in introducing the Empowering App-Based Workers Act, new legislation to improve transparency on how app companies operate and help boost wages for rideshare drivers and delivery app workers.

    “App-based companies purposely keep gig workers in the dark so they can grossly underpay them while also price gouging consumers,” said Murphy. “Our bill forces these companies to be transparent with workers about what they will be paid and establishes wage minimums so they can’t exploit loopholes to mislead and steal from their workers.”

    “Every day rideshare drivers and delivery app workers work long hours and travel many miles to make a living, often without knowing how much money they’ll make. Our bill would shed some light on how apps determine work assignments and pay, ensuring workers are treated and paid fairly,” said Schatz.

    Millions of workers across multiple industries, report to work by turning on an app. These platforms collect data from both workers and consumers to shape working conditions, evaluate workers, and make work-related decisions, including decisions on how much to pay a worker, which workers get which assignments, and whether, when, or for how long a worker will be suspended or ‘deactivated.’ All this is done with systems that are not transparent to workers, consumers, or regulators, creating information imbalances that mask wage theft, discrimination, and price-gouging.

    The Empowering App-Based Workers Act would create a level playing field for workers managed by digital labor platforms by:

    • Requiring disclosure of electronic monitoring and automated decision systems uses, including how they are used to determine pay and other work decisions;
    • Providing itemized receipts to workers and consumers after every work assignment;
    • Providing workers receive weekly pay statements with relevant information on their compensation;
    • Ensuring rideshare workers receive at least 75 percent of the amount paid by consumers; and
    • Stopping platforms from using interfaces that contain unfair or deceptive information on compensation.

    The bill is supported by the ACE Collaborative of New Virginia Majority, Action Center on Race and Economy, AFL-CIO, Athena, Center for Law and Social Policy, Color Of Change, Colorado Independent Drivers United, Connecticut Drivers United, Coworker, Data & Society, Drivers Union Washington/Teamsters Local 117, Economic Policy Institute, Fair Work Center, Groundwork Collaborative, Hawai‘i Workers Center, Los Deliveristas Unidos, Minnesota Uber/Lyft Drivers Association, Make the Road New Jersey, National Women’s Law Center, National Employment Law Project (NELP), New York Taxi Workers Alliance, New School Center for NYC Public Affairs, NLAN/GLOW, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, Open Markets Institute, Portland Drivers United, Rideshare Drivers United, PowerSwitch Action, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Tech Equity Collaborative, Tennessee Drivers Union, The People’s Lobby, Towards Justice, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, and Working Washington.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley to Introduce Legislation Sending Rebate Check to Every Working American

    US Senate News:

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

    Friday, July 25, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced he will introduce legislation to send a rebate check to every working American. President Trump voiced support for this policy as recently as this morning when he discussed record-breaking tariff revenue.

    “Working people need relief now,” Senator Hawley tweeted. “They’ve earned it. Let’s return their money to them asap.”

    Senator Hawley has long advocated for working Americans and has introduced legislation to protect unionized blue-collar workers. Senator Hawley also successfully fought to include direct payments in COVID-19 relief packages during the pandemic. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Van Hollen, 28 Senators Call on Administration to Conduct Independent, U.S.-Led Investigation into Death of American Citizen in West Bank

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    The Senators wrote, “We write with grave concern regarding the brutal killing of a Palestinian-American, Saifullah Kamel Musallet, near the West Bank town of Sinjil, on July 11, 2025. The U.S. government must conduct a credible and independent investigation into his death and hold all perpetrators accountable. Protecting and supporting U.S. citizens abroad is one of the foremost responsibilities of the U.S. government. The United States Government has failed to secure accountability for the killing of respected Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, or any of the other five American citizens – Omar Assad, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, and Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee – killed in the West Bank since January 2022. Following the Trump Administration’s sudden revocation of all U.S. sanctions against extremist settlers in the West Bank, the first five months of 2025 have seen the highest rate of settler attacks in years and the killing of another American. We urge you to pursue a different approach.”

    “Saifullah Kamal Musallet is the seventh American citizen killed in the West Bank since January 2022 — and the fifth in just the last nineteen months. The killings of these Americans in the West Bank have been met by a lack of accountability from the Netanyahu government and an inability to secure justice by the U.S. government. These failures have contributed to an unacceptable culture of impunity when it comes to incidents where civilians have been killed in the West Bank, including Americans,” they continue.

    The Senators note, “The Netanyahu government has failed to hold anyone accountable for any of these seven killings of Americans and the United States government has failed in its responsibility to protect American citizens overseas and demand justice for their deaths.”

    “It is long past time for the U.S. government to demand accountability in these killings of Americans. To that end, we urge you to immediately launch an independent investigation into the brutal killing of Saifullah Kamel Musallet, including the circumstances that blocked ambulances from reaching him. We also ask that you provide us with an update on the status of any investigations into the killings of the six other Americans who have been killed since January 2022, and provide us with a briefing on actions you are taking to ensure accountability for their deaths and to prevent future killings of Americans in the West Bank,” the Senators close.

    In addition to Senators Booker and Van Hollen, the letter was cosigned by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elzabeth Warren (D-MA), Marie Cantwell (D-WA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Statement on Catastrophic Hunger in Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement:

    “Witnessing the catastrophic hunger and suffering of civilians, especially children, women, the sick and elderly, in Gaza has been heartbreaking. The crisis in Gaza must be met with an immediate and drastic surge in life-saving resources, such as desperately needed food, water, and medicine–including therapeutic foods for those suffering from severe malnutrition. It is our collective moral duty to ensure that humanitarian relief reaches those who need it most urgently.

    “The strategy of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has not worked. Proven methods to get humanitarian aid to those in need while preventing diversion to Hamas must be used to flood the zone now. Every moment of delay will cost lives and cause irreparable harm to the health of children, pregnant women, and other civilians.

    “We must do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as part of the strategy to save lives, decrease Hamas’s influence and capabilities, release all remaining hostages, strengthen Israel’s security, and ultimately end this war. These goals are not mutually exclusive, rather they go hand-in-hand.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lawmakers Across Political Spectrum Warn Trump’s K-12 Funding Freeze is Already Harming Students and Schools Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Lawmakers, school districts, state leaders, and attorneys general are all sounding the alarm that President Trump’s unconstitutional withholding of $6.8 billion – including about $30 million for Rhode Island — in federal funds that Congress appropriated for K-12 education programs is harming students, teachers, and public schools nationwide.

    Despite a July 1 disbursement date enshrined in federal law, President Trump is withholding key federal K-12 funds for states and local school districts under the auspicious guise of an “ongoing programmatic review.” Trump’s abrupt freeze of this critical public school funding and adult education investment came just ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court’s six Republican-appointed justices clearing the way for the downsizing of the U.S. Department of Education at President Trump’s behest.

    U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) recently called on Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to release the $6.8 billion in funds for K-12 schools that the Trump Administration is withholding. Yesterday, ten Senate Republicans backed that call by sending a letter urging the Trump Administration to change course to avoid disrupting essential school services, such as summer instruction, teacher training, and after-school programs, as well as adult education programs that are critical to success in the workplace.

    Attorneys General from 24 states — including Rhode Island — are also pushing back against President Trump’s efforts to undermine public schools by filing a lawsuit describing the freeze on funds as both unconstitutional and “debilitating” to states just weeks ahead of a new school year.

    Due to the budget uncertainty caused by President Trump’s war on public education, officials have noted that some statewide education programs have already been forced to close their doors completely due to the loss of funds. Both Democratic and Republican Governors and state education chiefs in Arizona, Alabama, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon and more have rebuked Trump’s education funding freeze.

    “President Trump is needlessly causing budgetary chaos and making it harder for public schools to budget for the coming academic year. Furthermore, he taking away opportunities for working class people to build their skills, advance economically, and meet employers’ needs. I appreciate my ten Republican colleagues speaking up, but frankly, more Republicans should actively oppose this unconstitutional impoundment. School districts responsibly budgeted months in advance and now President Trump is needlessly making it harder for them to hire, support, and retain good teachers. Schools are now left scrambling through no fault of their own and forced into difficult staffing and programmatic cuts,” said Senator Reed.

    Reed also noted: “In addition to freezing these funds and dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, Trump’s 2026 budget proposal would cut federal education funding by 15 percent. It would cut off opportunities for students and set back America’s future workforce. President Trump allocated so much money to tax windfalls for billionaires that he is now trying to shortchange K-12 students.”

    According to an analysis from New America: “The 100 school districts that would see the worst losses per pupil are heavily concentrated in Republican-represented Congressional districts (91, compared with nine in Democrat-represented Congressional districts).”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Senators Call on Netanyahu to Immediately Change Course in Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), Ranking Defense Appropriator Chris Coons (D-DE), and Ranking State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriator Brian Schatz (D-HI) released the following joint statement urging the Trump Administration to press Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately change course in its war in Gaza:

    “Humanitarian conditions in Gaza are appalling and unconscionable. This week, more than 100 NGOs—including Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and Oxfam—warned of mass starvation spreading across Gaza. Following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s nearly 3-month blockade of humanitarian assistance, three-quarters of the population is facing emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger.

    “The handful of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are wholly inadequate to meet the needs of this starving population. Widespread problems have made GHF aid delivery chaotic and dangerous, leading to the deaths of an estimated 700 people. Yet the Trump Administration recently approved $30 million for GHF, overriding established procedures and waiving consultation with Congress.

    “While some established humanitarian organizations have been allowed to resume very limited operations, a number of restrictions and security challenges prevent them from fully functioning. To make matters worse, this week’s expansion of Israel’s military operation into central Gaza for the first time in the conflict has put at risk these few remaining operations. Moreover, the UN estimates that nearly 88 percent of Gaza is no longer accessible to civilians, leaving approximately two million people confined to a troublingly small remaining area.

    “Meanwhile, hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, including American citizens, and three out of four Israelis are calling for an end to this war. Last September, the IDF assessed that Hamas had been largely defeated militarily from its peak strength when it heinously attacked Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023 and is now effectively a “guerilla terror group.” As we know from our own experience following the attacks of September 11, 2001, there is no solely military solution to defeating a terrorist group. Continuing this war with no discernable end is not in Israel’s national security interest, and the lack of a viable “day after” plan has been a glaring mistake.

    “We call on the Trump Administration to use its considerable leverage to press Prime Minister Netanyahu to:

    • Reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that releases the hostages as soon as possible.
    • Support a surge in humanitarian assistance that provides both a sufficient amount of humanitarian aid and credible mechanisms for effective distribution, including the verification and monitoring of assistance to ensure equitable distribution and to prevent Hamas from diverting assistance. Established humanitarian organizations like the World Food Programme have the experience and ability to renew their delivery of assistance without civil unrest. We must allow them to do their jobs.
    • Dramatically reform or shut down the Gaza Humanitarian Fund and resume support for the existing UN-led aid coordination mechanisms in Gaza with enhanced oversight to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in need.
    • Establish a “day after” plan for Gaza where Hamas does not retain power, Israel disavows annexation of the West Bank and further integrates into the region, a reformed Palestinian Authority is fostered and empowered, and regional partners are included in rebuilding.
    • Create a framework for a viable path back to a two-state solution that will allow the Israeli and Palestinian people to live side by side in security, dignity, and prosperity.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 25th, 2025 After Republicans’ Cuts Threaten Rural Healthcare, Heinrich & Luján Demand Transparency on Trump Administration’s Inadequate Rural Health Slush Fund & Backroom Deals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with 12 of their Democratic colleagues, to demand accountability from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed to states and what guidance will be considered in this decision:

    In a letter to Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Senators demanded clarity on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed across the country. Earlier this month, Senate Republicans passed their “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” which delivered devastating cuts to the U.S. health care system – slashing funding by over $1 trillion dollars, the largest cut to healthcare in history. To try and cover up the damage of these cuts, they included a $50 billion rural health slush fund. However, this temporary fund only accounts for 5 percent of the cuts, which will have devastating, irreversible impacts. Perhaps even more alarming is the potentially blatant political distribution of this fund, underscoring the importance of accountability as to how CMS plans to award this money to states.

    “We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds,” the Senators wrote. “Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the Big, Ugly Betrayal. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund.”

    Moreover, there are many questions about how the funds will be distributed. Shortly after the passage of the “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” Republican Senators took to “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to celebrate specific money for their states to support rural hospitals. Senator Britt (R-AL) tweeted: “the Senate just amended the Big Beautiful Bill to invest over $500M in Alabama’s rural hospitals.” Senator Husted (R-OH) said: “I’m proud to have secured $1.3 billion in funding for rural hospitals across Ohio—because every Ohioan deserves access to quality care close to home.” Senator Cassidy (R-LA) even noted an inequity, tweeting: “We secured a $50 billion fund to support rural hospitals. Louisiana is set to receive about 2% of that money, despite having only 1% of the U.S. population—a double share.” Since CMS has yet to release the criteria for how the funding will be awarded, there are questions about if this slush fund constituted a political pay-off.

    Additionally, the Senators noted the hasty and ill-conceived wording of the fund, which leaves it open to abuse, fraud, and re-appropriation.

    “Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the Big, Ugly Betrayal, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health,” the Senators continued. “Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse.”

    To combat this apparent political giveaway, the Senators demanded answers on several questions, including:

    • When will CMS provide guidance to states on criteria for an application?
    • Will they commit to clear defined criteria before distributing these funds, and an appeals process related to funding award decisions?
    • Will CMS prioritize rural providers receiving these funding awards?
    • How will CMS define proper vs improper use of funds and accountability for how CMS will hold states accountable for improper use?
    • What states/districts has the Trump administration already promised funding to?

    In addition to Heinrich, Luján, Schumer, and Wyden, other Senators who signed on to the letter include Senators Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Durbin (D-Ill.), Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kim (D-N.J.), Markey (D-Mass.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Padilla (D-Calif.), Sanders (I-Vt.), Smith (D-Minn.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Warren (D-Mass.).

    The full text of the letter can be seen here and below.

    Dear Administrator Oz:

    As you know, the Republican reconciliation bill cuts funding to the U.S. health care system by over $1 trillion, and will devastate communities nationwide, with disproportionate, negative impacts on health care access in rural America. To cover up the harms of these catastrophic cuts, Trump and Republicans stood up a temporary $50 billion rural health slush fund. This meager investment amounts to just five percent of the Big, Ugly Betrayal’s largest health care cuts in history.

    We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds.

    Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the reconciliation bill. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund. Before the Big, Ugly Betrayal was even signed into law, Senator Husted celebrated the $1.3 billion he claims is promised to rural hospitals in Ohio, and Senator Hawley said the bill will give $1 billion to rural hospitals in Missouri.

    Other reports suggest you promised to send funding from the rural health slush fund to districts in Pennsylvania that are not even rural. The Trump Administration’s explanation that this fund can and will be used for more than rural areas was a key fact that swayed Republicans to vote for the bill. The rural health slush fund appears to be nothing more than a political parachute to pay off members of Congress for their unpopular votes.

    Rural communities will suffer greatly because of the health care cuts enacted in the Republican reconciliation bill. One-third of all rural hospitals are already at risk of closing, and the bill will force over 330 rural hospitals to reduce service lines, convert to other types of hospitals with fewer services, or close altogether. The Big, Ugly Betrayal makes no meaningful investments in rural hospitals, rural health centers, and other rural health care providers, which have some of the most fragile operating margins in the nation, and often are the largest employers and economic engines of their communities.

    Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the reconciliation bill, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health.

    Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse. There is no clear definition of an appropriate state application for the rural health slush fund, CMS is not required to follow a clear formula for distribution of funds, and there are no guardrails on how CMS should claw back funding from states in cases of inappropriate use. Without more clarity, this rural health slush fund is vulnerable to the very abuse of taxpayer spending that Republicans purport to care about.

    To provide states, rural hospitals, and other health care providers clarity on the available use of funding from the rural health slush fund in advance of the December 31, 2025 deadline for CMS to approve or deny state applications, we request that you provide a staff-level briefing on the parameters of this fund as well as detailed, written responses to the following questions by August 15, 2025:

    1. When will CMS provide states with guidance on the components that should be included in an appropriate state application for funding from the fund?

    a) Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are required to be distributed equally among states with an approved application?

    b) Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are not required to be distributed equally among states?

    2. What percentage of program funding will CMS allocate to rural health care providers?

    a) How will CMS ensure that states use this federal funding to benefit rural hospitals and other health care facilities, providers, and patients?

    b) What is the breakdown of funding that CMS anticipates allocating across the different categories of eligible providers?

    c) How will CMS make sure that states use the funds for purposes that support the financial viability of rural hospitals and other health care providers, including by providing funding to address high fixed costs and low volumes, improve health care workforce retention and recruitment in rural areas, and replace aging infrastructure?

    3. The Big, Ugly Betrayal outlines several metrics that CMS may consider when distributing funding to states. How will CMS apply these metrics—the number of people who live in rural communities, the number of rural health facilities in a state, and the number of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) in a state—when distributing funding to states?

    4. Will CMS commit to make the formula for awarding and distributing funds to states public before making any commitments to states and before formally distributing funding?

    5. Will CMS commit to creating a public website outlining state applicants for funding, the funding formula and criteria for distributing funds, and approved state applications?

    6. How will CMS define and determine improper uses of funding? How will CMS monitor funds to ensure appropriate spending and use?

    7. Will CMS commit to establishing an appeals process for states to provide an opportunity to contest decisions made on award, distribution and/or clawback of funding?

    8. Given the ongoing hiring freeze at CMS, it appears that the agency cannot hire more people to distribute this funding. How will CMS use the $200 million in implementation funding tied to the rural health slush fund?

    a)Will CMS hire a third party to administer this fund?

    b) If yes, has CMS already committed to a hire a specific third party to administer this fund and, if so, which vendor?

    9. What other states or districts have Trump Administration officials already promised funding from the rural health slush fund to? Which states and districts have received this promised funding?

    While this taxpayer-supported rural health slush fund is wholly insufficient to plug the massive hole created by the Big, Ugly Betrayal including the 15 million people expected to lose insurance coverage, it is critical that CMS move with urgency to provide clarity to rural communities, states, hospitals, and other health care providers about the fund. We look forward to your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 25th, 2025 After Republicans’ Cuts Threaten Rural Healthcare, Heinrich & Luján Demand Transparency on Trump Administration’s Inadequate Rural Health Slush Fund & Backroom Deals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with 12 of their Democratic colleagues, to demand accountability from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed to states and what guidance will be considered in this decision:
    In a letter to Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Senators demanded clarity on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed across the country. Earlier this month, Senate Republicans passed their “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” which delivered devastating cuts to the U.S. health care system – slashing funding by over $1 trillion dollars, the largest cut to healthcare in history. To try and cover up the damage of these cuts, they included a $50 billion rural health slush fund. However, this temporary fund only accounts for 5 percent of the cuts, which will have devastating, irreversible impacts. Perhaps even more alarming is the potentially blatant political distribution of this fund, underscoring the importance of accountability as to how CMS plans to award this money to states.
    “We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds,” the Senators wrote. “Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the Big, Ugly Betrayal. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund.”
    Moreover, there are many questions about how the funds will be distributed. Shortly after the passage of the “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” Republican Senators took to “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to celebrate specific money for their states to support rural hospitals. Senator Britt (R-AL) tweeted: “the Senate just amended the Big Beautiful Bill to invest over $500M in Alabama’s rural hospitals.” Senator Husted (R-OH) said: “I’m proud to have secured $1.3 billion in funding for rural hospitals across Ohio—because every Ohioan deserves access to quality care close to home.” Senator Cassidy (R-LA) even noted an inequity, tweeting: “We secured a $50 billion fund to support rural hospitals. Louisiana is set to receive about 2% of that money, despite having only 1% of the U.S. population—a double share.” Since CMS has yet to release the criteria for how the funding will be awarded, there are questions about if this slush fund constituted a political pay-off.
    Additionally, the Senators noted the hasty and ill-conceived wording of the fund, which leaves it open to abuse, fraud, and re-appropriation.
    “Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the Big, Ugly Betrayal, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health,” the Senators continued. “Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse.”
    To combat this apparent political giveaway, the Senators demanded answers on several questions, including:
    When will CMS provide guidance to states on criteria for an application?
    Will they commit to clear defined criteria before distributing these funds, and an appeals process related to funding award decisions?
    Will CMS prioritize rural providers receiving these funding awards?
    How will CMS define proper vs improper use of funds and accountability for how CMS will hold states accountable for improper use?
    What states/districts has the Trump administration already promised funding to?
    In addition to Heinrich, Luján, Schumer, and Wyden, other Senators who signed on to the letter include Senators Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Durbin (D-Ill.), Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kim (D-N.J.), Markey (D-Mass.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Padilla (D-Calif.), Sanders (I-Vt.), Smith (D-Minn.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Warren (D-Mass.).
    The full text of the letter can be seen here and below.
    Dear Administrator Oz:
    As you know, the Republican reconciliation bill cuts funding to the U.S. health care system by over $1 trillion, and will devastate communities nationwide, with disproportionate, negative impacts on health care access in rural America. To cover up the harms of these catastrophic cuts, Trump and Republicans stood up a temporary $50 billion rural health slush fund. This meager investment amounts to just five percent of the Big, Ugly Betrayal’s largest health care cuts in history.
    We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds.
    Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the reconciliation bill. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund. Before the Big, Ugly Betrayal was even signed into law, Senator Husted celebrated the $1.3 billion he claims is promised to rural hospitals in Ohio, and Senator Hawley said the bill will give $1 billion to rural hospitals in Missouri.
    Other reports suggest you promised to send funding from the rural health slush fund to districts in Pennsylvania that are not even rural. The Trump Administration’s explanation that this fund can and will be used for more than rural areas was a key fact that swayed Republicans to vote for the bill. The rural health slush fund appears to be nothing more than a political parachute to pay off members of Congress for their unpopular votes.
    Rural communities will suffer greatly because of the health care cuts enacted in the Republican reconciliation bill. One-third of all rural hospitals are already at risk of closing, and the bill will force over 330 rural hospitals to reduce service lines, convert to other types of hospitals with fewer services, or close altogether. The Big, Ugly Betrayal makes no meaningful investments in rural hospitals, rural health centers, and other rural health care providers, which have some of the most fragile operating margins in the nation, and often are the largest employers and economic engines of their communities.
    Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the reconciliation bill, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health.
    Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse. There is no clear definition of an appropriate state application for the rural health slush fund, CMS is not required to follow a clear formula for distribution of funds, and there are no guardrails on how CMS should claw back funding from states in cases of inappropriate use. Without more clarity, this rural health slush fund is vulnerable to the very abuse of taxpayer spending that Republicans purport to care about.
    To provide states, rural hospitals, and other health care providers clarity on the available use of funding from the rural health slush fund in advance of the December 31, 2025 deadline for CMS to approve or deny state applications, we request that you provide a staff-level briefing on the parameters of this fund as well as detailed, written responses to the following questions by August 15, 2025:
    1. When will CMS provide states with guidance on the components that should be included in an appropriate state application for funding from the fund?
    a) Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are required to be distributed equally among states with an approved application?
    b) Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are not required to be distributed equally among states?
    2. What percentage of program funding will CMS allocate to rural health care providers?
    a) How will CMS ensure that states use this federal funding to benefit rural hospitals and other health care facilities, providers, and patients?
    b) What is the breakdown of funding that CMS anticipates allocating across the different categories of eligible providers?
    c) How will CMS make sure that states use the funds for purposes that support the financial viability of rural hospitals and other health care providers, including by providing funding to address high fixed costs and low volumes, improve health care workforce retention and recruitment in rural areas, and replace aging infrastructure?
    3. The Big, Ugly Betrayal outlines several metrics that CMS may consider when distributing funding to states. How will CMS apply these metrics—the number of people who live in rural communities, the number of rural health facilities in a state, and the number of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) in a state—when distributing funding to states?
    4. Will CMS commit to make the formula for awarding and distributing funds to states public before making any commitments to states and before formally distributing funding?
    5. Will CMS commit to creating a public website outlining state applicants for funding, the funding formula and criteria for distributing funds, and approved state applications?
    6. How will CMS define and determine improper uses of funding? How will CMS monitor funds to ensure appropriate spending and use?
    7. Will CMS commit to establishing an appeals process for states to provide an opportunity to contest decisions made on award, distribution and/or clawback of funding?
    8. Given the ongoing hiring freeze at CMS, it appears that the agency cannot hire more people to distribute this funding. How will CMS use the $200 million in implementation funding tied to the rural health slush fund?
    a)Will CMS hire a third party to administer this fund?
    b) If yes, has CMS already committed to a hire a specific third party to administer this fund and, if so, which vendor?
    9. What other states or districts have Trump Administration officials already promised funding from the rural health slush fund to? Which states and districts have received this promised funding?
    While this taxpayer-supported rural health slush fund is wholly insufficient to plug the massive hole created by the Big, Ugly Betrayal including the 15 million people expected to lose insurance coverage, it is critical that CMS move with urgency to provide clarity to rural communities, states, hospitals, and other health care providers about the fund. We look forward to your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 25th, 2025 Heinrich, Sheehy Introduce Legislation to Study Cost of Wildfires on Homeowners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act, legislation to better understand the cost of increasingly destructive wildfires on homeowners’ insurance coverage and identify possible measures to alleviate the financial risk of wildfires.

    “I’m hearing from more and more New Mexicans who’ve seen their insurance premiums skyrocket, lost coverage entirely, or been priced out of protecting their homes. That is completely unacceptable,” said Heinrich. “Families deserve fair, transparent coverage they can count on. We need a clearer picture of how worsening wildfires and climate risks are impacting insurance companies’ decisions to raise insurance premiums. Without better data, we can’t push back when insurers jack up rates or pull the rug out from under homeowners altogether.”

    “In addition to destroying livelihoods, wildfires that burn down communities threaten homeowners’ access to insurance coverage, lead to more costly premiums, and make the American Dream of homeownership less attainable. One-third of America lives in wildfire-prone areas, and we must get our arms around this crisis, because if you can’t get or afford homeowners’ insurance, you can’t finance your home, which means hardworking families can’t achieve homeownership. As we overhaul the federal wildfire apparatus to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, which will help ease pressure on insurance markets, I’m also proud to lead the charge on this bill to ensure American families’ homes, financial futures, and communities are protected from wildfires,” said Sheehy.

    According to a 2023 report released by Heinrich as the former Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), the financial risks of wildfires are difficult to predict because fires can start for a number of reasons and because their risk to peoples’ homes at any given time is based on a complicated combination of topography, drought conditions, wind patterns, fuel amounts, and the location of houses among many other factors. This has led many insurers to either raise premium costs substantially across the board in Western and forested communities or pull out of markets entirely — with several major insurance companies declining to provide any form of coverage.

    The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act will help gain a clearer understanding of the cost associated with living in areas with increasingly intense and longer fire seasons, regardless of the fire damages that occur over a year.

    Specifically, the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act will require a federal study to assess the:

    • Extent and nature of growing wildfire risks in the United States;
    • The existing state of homeowners insurance coverage and commercial property insurance coverage for damage from wildfires in the United States;
    • Extent to which private insurers have refused to renew new policies because of geographical location;
    • Responses of states’ insurance regulatory agencies to increased premiums and exclusion of coverage; and
    • Need for a national wildfire risk map.

    The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act is endorsed by Public Citizen and the National Association of Counties (NACo).

    Full text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 25th, 2025 Heinrich, Sheehy Introduce Legislation to Study Cost of Wildfires on Homeowners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act, legislation to better understand the cost of increasingly destructive wildfires on homeowners’ insurance coverage and identify possible measures to alleviate the financial risk of wildfires.

    “I’m hearing from more and more New Mexicans who’ve seen their insurance premiums skyrocket, lost coverage entirely, or been priced out of protecting their homes. That is completely unacceptable,” said Heinrich. “Families deserve fair, transparent coverage they can count on. We need a clearer picture of how worsening wildfires and climate risks are impacting insurance companies’ decisions to raise insurance premiums. Without better data, we can’t push back when insurers jack up rates or pull the rug out from under homeowners altogether.”

    “In addition to destroying livelihoods, wildfires that burn down communities threaten homeowners’ access to insurance coverage, lead to more costly premiums, and make the American Dream of homeownership less attainable. One-third of America lives in wildfire-prone areas, and we must get our arms around this crisis, because if you can’t get or afford homeowners’ insurance, you can’t finance your home, which means hardworking families can’t achieve homeownership. As we overhaul the federal wildfire apparatus to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, which will help ease pressure on insurance markets, I’m also proud to lead the charge on this bill to ensure American families’ homes, financial futures, and communities are protected from wildfires,” said Sheehy.

    According to a 2023 report released by Heinrich as the former Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), the financial risks of wildfires are difficult to predict because fires can start for a number of reasons and because their risk to peoples’ homes at any given time is based on a complicated combination of topography, drought conditions, wind patterns, fuel amounts, and the location of houses among many other factors. This has led many insurers to either raise premium costs substantially across the board in Western and forested communities or pull out of markets entirely — with several major insurance companies declining to provide any form of coverage.

    The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act will help gain a clearer understanding of the cost associated with living in areas with increasingly intense and longer fire seasons, regardless of the fire damages that occur over a year.

    Specifically, the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act will require a federal study to assess the:

    • Extent and nature of growing wildfire risks in the United States;
    • The existing state of homeowners insurance coverage and commercial property insurance coverage for damage from wildfires in the United States;
    • Extent to which private insurers have refused to renew new policies because of geographical location;
    • Responses of states’ insurance regulatory agencies to increased premiums and exclusion of coverage; and
    • Need for a national wildfire risk map.

    The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act is endorsed by Public Citizen and the National Association of Counties (NACo).

    Full text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands Trump Admin Stop Withholding Funding for Labs that Protect Food Supply to Prevent Disease Spread and Price Hikes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is leading her colleagues in demanding that the Trump Administration release withheld funding for labs that are dedicated to early detection, response, and control of animal diseases and outbreaks. If these labs do not get their funding by the end of July, the risk of food contamination increases, threatening the safety of our domestic food supply chains, restricting American farmers’ access to markets, and driving up grocery prices across the country. Wisconsin is one of seventeen states that host a Level 1 National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory.

    “Barring the labs from doing their jobs risks a major disease outbreak which would exacerbate the stress on our nation’s farmers and food supply, ultimately driving up food costs for American consumers. Now is not the time for confusion and uncertainty; OMB must allow the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expend these funds and protect the American agricultural sector from disease spread,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Office of Management and Budget Secretary Russell Vought. 

    Every Level 1 laboratory, spread across 17 states, relies on federal funding to support personnel and operations. If OMB fails to immediately release funding, operations at these facilities will be severely impaired, or even halted entirely, when their current funding expires at the end of July 2025.

    This letter was co-signed by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Gary Peters (D-MI).

    Full text of the letter is available here and below.

    Director Vought:

    We write to you today to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) release the funds designated for Level 1 laboratories within the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) that are currently being withheld. These funds are dedicated for early detection, response and control of animal diseases and outbreaks. Withholding these funds threatens the safety of our domestic food supply chains, restricts American farmers access to international markets, and could cause a rapid increase in food costs for Americans.

    As Senators representing states that host Level 1 NAHLN laboratories, we have seen firsthand the vital role these facilities play in safeguarding farmers, workers and agricultural operations. The laboratories are on the frontlines of identifying and containing highly contagious and economically devastating animal diseases, including highly pathogenic avian influenza, foot and mouth disease, African swine fever, and the New World screwworm. These diseases pose enormous risks, but the longstanding funding of NAHLN labs, and their coordination with farmers and ranchers, has successfully mitigated the impact of many disease outbreaks thus far.

    Each Level 1 laboratory, spread across 17 states, relies on $250,000 in annual infrastructure funding to support personnel and operations. By withholding over half of these funds, approximately $2.65 million in total, OMB is putting these laboratories in a grave position. If OMB fails to immediately release funding, operations at these facilities will be severely impaired, or even halted entirely, when their current funding expires at the end of July 2025.

    NAHLN funds are a key component to our ability to rapidly detect and respond to animal disease outbreaks, maintain international trade, and conduct biosecurity measures. Barring the labs from doing their jobs risks a major disease outbreak which would exacerbate the stress on our nation’s farmers and food supply, ultimately driving up food costs for American consumers. Now is not the time for confusion and uncertainty; OMB must allow the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expend these funds and protect the American agricultural sector from disease spread.

    We strongly urge OMB and USDA to work together to immediately release the remaining 58% of funding before the July 31 deadline to ensure operational continuity of Level 1 NAHLN laboratories. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Announces Bill to Reopen Lawful Pathway to Legalization, Countering Trump’s Cruel Mass Deportation Agenda

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Announces Bill to Reopen Lawful Pathway to Legalization, Countering Trump’s Cruel Mass Deportation Agenda

    WATCH: Padilla pushes back against indiscriminate ICE raids and the militarization of Los Angeles
     
    A one-pager on the Registry bill is available here.

    LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, hosted a press conference in Los Angeles alongside immigration advocates, impacted families, and community leaders to announce legislation to expand a pathway to lawful permanent residency for millions of long-term U.S. residents. Amid the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate immigration enforcement in California and across the country, the bill would offer a forward-looking, strategic update to our outdated immigration system to counter President Trump and Stephen Miller’s demonization of undocumented immigrant communities.

    Padilla’s Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 would update the existing Registry statute of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by adjusting the Registry date to meet current circumstances so that an immigrant may qualify to apply for lawful permanent resident status if they have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least seven years before filing an application, do not have a criminal record, and meet all other current eligibility requirements to receive a green card.

    This overdue update would provide a much-needed pathway to a green card for more than 8 million people, including Dreamers, forcibly displaced citizens (TPS holders), children of long-term visa holders, essential workers, and highly skilled members of our workforce, such as H-1B visa holders, who have been waiting years for a green card to become available. According to 2023 FWD.us estimates, if the undocumented individuals covered in this bill eventually became citizens, they would contribute approximately $121 billion to the U.S. economy annually and about $35 billion in taxes.

    Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is co-leading the legislation in the Senate, and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18) is leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

    “Americans know there’s a better path forward than the Trump Administration’s cruel scapegoating of hardworking immigrants and fearmongering of California communities,” said Senator Padilla. “We believe that if you’ve lived here for over seven years, paid taxes for years, contributed to your community for years, and you don’t have a criminal record, then you deserve a pathway to legalization. My bill is a commonsense fix to our outdated immigration system and the same kind of reform that Republican President Ronald Reagan embraced four decades ago, calling it a ‘matter of basic fairness.’ This legislation creates no new bureaucracies or agencies — it’s simply an update to a longstanding pathway to reflect today’s reality and provide a fair shot at the American Dream for millions of Dreamers, TPS holders, and highly skilled workers who have faced delays and uncertainty for decades.”

    “Recently, we have seen devastating arrests of immigrants who have spent their lives in this country, building communities and families in the United States, without any due process. Most have never committed any crime. Protections for these hard-working individuals are long overdue. It’s common sense that immigrants who pose no safety threat and contribute to our country should be able to call America home with certainty; additionally, it’s also common sense that the small percentage of undocumented immigrants who do commit violent crimes should be removed. Expanding the registry pathway to citizenship is a practical solution to provide stability to immigrants who have worked and contributed to our country for years. It’s part of the solution, and I look forward to working to pass this bill into law,” said U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Durbin, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

    “When Donald Trump ran for president, he pledged to deport violent criminals. Instead, masked, heavily-armed agents, often refusing to identify themselves, are aggressively, sometimes violently, targeting day laborers, busboys, farmworkers, and some of the hardest-working people in this country. It’s outrageous and deserves the condemnation of every Member of Congress. We need to control our borders, but we also need a straightforward reform solution for those who have resided peacefully for a long time in America,” said Representative Lofgren. “My colleagues and I are reintroducing our registry legislation to simply update a historically-bipartisan provision that provides lawful permanent resident status to vetted immigrants who have been a part of our communities for years. Providing stability to our communities and our workforces – versus terrorizing them – will make our country stronger.”

    The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

    Section 249 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, also known as the Registry, gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the discretion to register certain individuals for lawful permanent resident status if they have been in the country since a certain date and meet other requirements. Section 249 was first codified in 1929 and Congress has modified it four times, most recently during the Reagan Administration in 1986. No changes have been made since 1986, and the cutoff date for eligibility remains January 1, 1972 — more than 50 years ago.

    Specifically, the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 would:

    • Amend the existing Registry statute by moving the eligibility cutoff date so that an immigrant may qualify for lawful permanent resident status if they have been in the U.S. for at least seven years before filing an application under Registry.
    • Preempt the need for further congressional action by making the eligibility cutoff rolling, instead of tying it to a specific date, as it is now.

    Padilla continues to lead the charge to pass commonsense immigration reforms that strengthen communities, protect long-term residents, and unlock America’s economic potential. He was joined today by community members impacted by the Trump Administration’s cruel immigration raids, including Alejandro Barranco — a veteran and the son of Narciso, who was violently detained by masked Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Orange County.

    “As the son of a hardworking immigrant, I never imagined our family’s story would become national news. Yet the violent and unjust treatment my father endured on June 21st is one that countless others are experiencing across this country. My father, a man who has spent over 30 years working to provide for our family, was beaten and detained by men with no identification—simply for doing the work that makes this country great. This attack wasn’t just on him; it was on every immigrant who has ever sacrificed for the American dream. It’s long overdue for this country’s broken immigration system to be fixed, or more families will continue to be torn apart. I stand with leaders like Senator Padilla to fight for a pathway to citizenship for people like my dad, whose contributions make America stronger,” said Alejandro Barranco.

    “I ask the American people: if you trust us to pick your crops, help build your homes, take care of your children and elderly parents, play with sons and daughters in the same sports teams, why won’t you trust us to be part of the American dream? A path to citizenship is the only solution that will protect us and the nation. Only a path to citizenship will allow us to live free in this our home, the United States of America,” said Angelica Salas, Executive Director for Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress for providing long-term undocumented immigrants with pathways to citizenship or permanent legal residence. As Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and mass deportation assaults intensified in Los Angeles, Padilla marked the 13th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy by urging Congress to take immediate action to deliver permanent protections for millions of families, parents, and individuals who are increasingly at risk amid President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. He also delivered remarks on the Senate floor ahead of the anniversary, pushing for permanent protections for Dreamers rather than the indiscriminate ICE raids stoking fear in Los Angeles communities. Padilla previously introduced the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrant essential workers, including Dreamers, as his first bill in Congress.

    Senator Padilla has been outspoken in criticizing Trump’s mass deportations and unprecedented militarization and escalation of tensions by deploying National Guard troops and active-duty U.S. Marines to respond to overwhelmingly peaceful protests in Los Angeles. He recently introduced the VISIBLE Act to require immigration enforcement officers to display clearly visible identification during public-facing enforcement actions. He also led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus last month in demanding that President Trump immediately withdraw all military forces from Los Angeles and cease all threats to deploy the National Guard or active-duty service members to American cities. Padilla spoke on the Senate floor following his forcible removal from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s press conference, where he was thrown to the ground and handcuffed after attempting to ask a question.

    Video of Senator Padilla’s opening remarks from today’s press conference can be viewed here and downloaded here. His closing remarks are available to watch here and can be downloaded here.

    Additional photos from today’s event can be found here.

    A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: 119th Wing in the Fight Every Day, Need New $33 Million Headquarters to Better Support Operations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    07.25.25
    Facility Will Bring Happy Hooligan Leadership, Support and Training Personnel Under Single Roof, Strengthening Reaper & RTS Operations
    FARGO, N.D.- Senator John Hoeven today announced efforts to build a new $33 million headquarters for the North Dakota Air National Guard’s (NDANG) 119th Wing in Fargo:
    The new facility will provide nearly 22,400 sq. ft. of space to consolidate the 119th Wing’s leadership, support and training personnel under a single roof.
    A replacement is needed for the existing, 66-year-old headquarters, as it lacks adequate space to house the various aspects of the 119th Wing’s missions.
    This results in operational inefficiencies and imposes high maintenance costs on the unit, which must maintain multiple outdated facilities.

    As a member of the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Committee, Hoeven secured an initial $2 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 for planning and design of the new headquarters.
    The Wing expects to award the design contract in the coming weeks, with a proposed floorplan to be ready by May 2026.
    Once the floorplan is approved, the final location of the building will be identified.

    The facility will be purpose-built to support the range of missions and operations undertaken by the 119th Wing, including the Regional Training Site (RTS).
    The RTS provides specialized training programs like Rapid Airfield Damage Repair to active-duty and Guard units from across the country.
    This is one of only four RTS operated by the Air Guard in the nation, and the only Air Force RTS in the Upper Midwest region, with the next closest site being in Arkansas.

    “The Happy Hooligans have a record of pure excellence, and are one of the best units in the Air National Guard. Moreover, they are in the fight globally every single day supporting our military, special forces and intelligence agencies, and they deserve facilities that more effectively support the important missions they carry out for our nation. This new $33 million headquarters will do just that by enabling them to consolidate a range of offices, staff and operations into a single, updated and purpose-built facility, rather than maintaining multiple out-of-date structures,” said Hoeven. “This aligns with our ongoing work to not only enhance the Reaper mission flown by the Happy Hooligans, but also support the specialized training they offer to military units from across the country through their Regional Training Site, the only site of its kind in the entire Upper Midwest.”
    The new headquarters comes as the latest in Hoeven’s work to strengthen the missions and operations of the 119th Wing. This includes:
    The $17.5 million state-of-the-art operations center that Hoeven previously worked to fund.
    The 119th Wing’s MQ-9 Reaper mission began moving into the new center in 2023, and the facility is anticipated to be fully operational later this year.

    Securing funding to upgrade the Reaper mission from the Block 1 to the Block 5 aircraft.
    Currently, the Happy Hooligans operate four Block 5 MQ-9 Reapers, one of which has been permanently assigned to the Wing.
    The Air Force plans for three additional Block 5s to have a permanent home at the Wing in the future.

    Securing $10 million in FY25 funding to create a data center in the former MQ-9 ops facility to support the Test Resource Management Center’s (TRMC) Sky Range hypersonic missile testing program.
    Sky Range is an innovative method for gathering information from hypersonic missile tests using refurbished Global Hawks and MQ-9s.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman Joins Britt, Colleagues in Advocating Critical NIH Research Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Katie Britt (R-AL), joined by twelve of their Republican colleagues, called on White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought to disburse appropriated funds for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help cure disease, advance health, protect biomedical innovation, benefit the economy and compete with adversaries like Communist China.

    Specifically, Boozman and colleagues requested the administration implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, which President Trump signed into law earlier this year. This legislation contains critical funding to support NIH initiatives across a range of research areas, including but not limited to cancer, cardiovascular disease and rare pediatric disorders.

    “We are concerned by the slow disbursement rate of FY25 NIH funds, as it risks undermining critical research and the thousands of American jobs it supports. Suspension of these appropriated funds – whether formally withheld or functionally delayed – could threaten Americans’ ability to access better treatments and limit our nation’s leadership in biomedical science. It also risks inadvertently severing ongoing NIH-funded research prior to actionable results,” wrote the senators.

    “We share your commitment to ensuring NIH funds are used responsibly and not diverted to ideological or unaccountable programs,” the senators continued. “We are confident Secretary Kennedy and Director Bhattacharya are well positioned to uphold gold standard research by ensuring that NIH awards are grounded in transparency, scientific merit, and a clear alignment with national interests.”

    Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tim Scott (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Todd Young (R-IN) co-signed Boozman and Britt’s letter to Director Vought.

    Full text of the letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Announces Vermont Will Receive Nearly $20 Million in Withheld Public Education Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    BURLINGTON, Vt., July 25 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced it would release nearly $20 million in public education funding for Vermont that it had illegally withheld, as part of nearly $5.5 billion that was held back nationwide.

    A total of $26.1 million will now be available for schools in Vermont as a result of Sanders’ efforts.

    On June 30, just one day before states expected to receive the funds, the Education Department sent a three-line email notifying states that $6.88 billion in public education funding would be illegally withheld. This decision received strong opposition from both Democrats and Republicans in Congress — including a letter led by Sanders and Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) alongside 32 Democratic senators, and a letter from Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and nine Republican senators demanding the release of these funds.

    Last week, the department released a portion of these funds for summer and after-school programs — $6.5 million in Vermont and $1.3 billion nationally — as a result of Sanders’ demands that the Trump administration release the funds. That funding supports nearly 100 after-school and summer programs in Vermont serving 11,000 students.

    “Let’s be clear: Today the administration solved a problem of its own making by finally releasing funding for our public schools that it illegally and unconstitutionally withheld,” Sanders said.

    “I am glad these funds will finally get to schools to offer critical services — including support for students learning English, professional development for educators, and mental health services in the classroom. We as a nation must do much, much more to support our public schools,” Sanders continued. “I will continue to do everything in my power as Ranking Member to ensure the Department administers these funds in accordance with the law and without additional strings attached.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Applauds USDA Funding Grant for Volunteer Fire Departments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – On Friday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) issued the following statement after the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) were released for disbursement.
    “I want to thank USDA Secretary Rollins for her thorough review of the funding and allocation to our state fire agencies,” said Senator Marshall. “These funds are essential for maintaining safe communities and supporting our volunteer firefighters in their dedicated service.”
    These funds are distributed to local volunteer fire departments, based upon annual applications for funding, so they can purchase essential equipment, improve their training, and increase their capacity to fight fires and protect property and lives.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: After GOP Cuts Threaten Rural Healthcare, Luján and Heinrich Demand Transparency on Administration’s Inadequate Rural Health Slush Fund and Backroom Deals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), joined Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with 12 of their Democratic colleagues, to demand accountability from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed to states and what guidance will be considered in this decision:

    In a letter to Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Senators demanded clarity on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed across the country. Earlier this month, Senate Republicans passed their “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” which delivered devastating cuts to the U.S. health care system – slashing funding by over $1 trillion dollars, the largest cut to healthcare in history. To try and cover up the damage of these cuts, they included a $50 billion rural health slush fund. However, this temporary fund only accounts for 5 percent of the cuts, which will have devastating, irreversible impacts. Perhaps even more alarming is the potentially blatant political distribution of this fund, underscoring the importance of accountability as to how CMS plans to award this money to states.

    “We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds,” the Senators wrote. “Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the Big, Ugly Betrayal. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund.”

    Moreover, there are many questions about how the funds will be distributed. Shortly after the passage of the “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” Republican Senators took to “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to celebrate specific money for their states to support rural hospitals. Senator Britt (R-AL) tweeted: “the Senate just amended the Big Beautiful Bill to invest over $500M in Alabama’s rural hospitals.” Senator Husted (R-OH) said: “I’m proud to have secured $1.3 billion in funding for rural hospitals across Ohio—because every Ohioan deserves access to quality care close to home.” Senator Cassidy (R-LA) even noted an inequity, tweeting: “We secured a $50 billion fund to support rural hospitals. Louisiana is set to receive about 2% of that money, despite having only 1% of the U.S. population—a double share.” Since CMS has yet to release the criteria for how the funding will be awarded, there are questions about if this slush fund constituted a political pay-off.

    Additionally, the Senators noted the hasty and ill-conceived wording of the fund, which leaves it open to abuse, fraud, and re-appropriation.

    “Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the Big, Ugly Betrayal, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health,” the Senators continued. “Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse.”

    To combat this apparent political giveaway, the Senators demanded answers on several questions, including:

    • When will CMS provide guidance to states on criteria for an application?
    • Will they commit to clear defined criteria before distributing these funds, and an appeals process related to funding award decisions? 
    • Will CMS prioritize rural providers receiving these funding awards?
    • How will CMS define proper vs improper use of funds and accountability for how CMS will hold states accountable for improper use? 
    • What states/districts has the Trump administration already promised funding to?

    In addition to Luján, Heinrich, Schumer, and Wyden, other Senators who signed on to the letter include Senators Alsobrooks (D-MD), Blumenthal (D-CT), Durbin (D-IL), Gillibrand (D-NY), Kim (D-NJ), Markey (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR), Padilla (D-CA), Sanders (I-VT), Smith (D-MN), Van Hollen (D-MD), and Warren (D-MA).

    The full text of the letter can be seen here and below.

    Dear Administrator Oz:

    As you know, the Republican reconciliation bill cuts funding to the U.S. health care system by over $1 trillion, and will devastate communities nationwide, with disproportionate, negative impacts on health care access in rural America. To cover up the harms of these catastrophic cuts, Trump and Republicans stood up a temporary $50 billion rural health slush fund. This meager investment amounts to just five percent of the Big, Ugly Betrayal’s largest health care cuts in history. 

    We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds.

    Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the reconciliation bill. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund. Before the Big, Ugly Betrayal was even signed into law, Senator Husted celebrated the $1.3 billion he claims is promised to rural hospitals in Ohio,[1] and Senator Hawley said the bill will give $1 billion to rural hospitals in Missouri.[2]

    Other reports suggest you promised to send funding from the rural health slush fund to districts in Pennsylvania that are not even rural.[3] The Trump Administration’s explanation that this fund can and will be used for more than rural areas was a key fact that swayed Republicans to vote for the bill.[4] The rural health slush fund appears to be nothing more than a political parachute to pay off members of Congress for their unpopular votes.   

    Rural communities will suffer greatly because of the health care cuts enacted in the Republican reconciliation bill. One-third of all rural hospitals are already at risk of closing, and the bill will force over 330 rural hospitals to reduce service lines, convert to other types of hospitals with fewer services, or close altogether.[5] The Big, Ugly Betrayal makes no meaningful investments in rural hospitals, rural health centers, and other rural health care providers, which have some of the most fragile operating margins in the nation, and often are the largest employers and economic engines of their communities. 

    Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the reconciliation bill, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health.

    Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse. There is no clear definition of an appropriate state application for the rural health slush fund, CMS is not required to follow a clear formula for distribution of funds, and there are no guardrails on how CMS should claw back funding from states in cases of inappropriate use. Without more clarity, this rural health slush fund is vulnerable to the very abuse of taxpayer spending that Republicans purport to care about.

    To provide states, rural hospitals, and other health care providers clarity on the available use of funding from the rural health slush fund in advance of the December 31, 2025 deadline for CMS to approve or deny state applications, we request that you provide a staff-level briefing on the parameters of this fund as well as detailed, written responses to the following questions by August 15, 2025:

    1. When will CMS provide states with guidance on the components that should be included in an appropriate state application for funding from the fund? 
    1. Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are required to be distributed equally among states with an approved application?
    2. Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are not required to be distributed equally among states?
    3. What percentage of program funding will CMS allocate to rural health care providers?
    1. How will CMS ensure that states use this federal funding to benefit rural hospitals and other health care facilities, providers, and patients?
    2. What is the breakdown of funding that CMS anticipates allocating across the different categories of eligible providers?
    3. How will CMS make sure that states use the funds for purposes that support the financial viability of rural hospitals and other health care providers, including by providing funding to address high fixed costs and low volumes, improve health care workforce retention and recruitment in rural areas, and replace aging infrastructure?  
    1. The Big, Ugly Betrayal outlines several metrics that CMS may consider when distributing funding to states. How will CMS apply these metrics—the number of people who live in rural communities, the number of rural health facilities in a state, and the number of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) in a state—when distributing funding to states?
    2. Will CMS commit to make the formula for awarding and distributing funds to states public before making any commitments to states and before formally distributing funding? 
    3. Will CMS commit to creating a public website outlining state applicants for funding, the funding formula and criteria for distributing funds, and approved state applications? 
    4. How will CMS define and determine improper uses of funding? How will CMS monitor funds to ensure appropriate spending and use?
    5. Will CMS commit to establishing an appeals process for states to provide an opportunity to contest decisions made on award, distribution and/or clawback of funding?  
    6. Given the ongoing hiring freeze at CMS, it appears that the agency cannot hire more people to distribute this funding. How will CMS use the $200 million in implementation funding tied to the rural health slush fund? 
    1. Will CMS hire a third party to administer this fund?
    2. If yes, has CMS already committed to a hire a specific third party to administer this fund and, if so, which vendor?
    3. What other states or districts have Trump Administration officials already promised funding from the rural health slush fund to? Which states and districts have received this promised funding?

    While this taxpayer-supported rural health slush fund is wholly insufficient to plug the massive hole created by the Big, Ugly Betrayal including the 15 million people expected to lose insurance coverage, it is critical that CMS move with urgency to provide clarity to rural communities, states, hospitals, and other health care providers about the fund. We look forward to your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Interior And Transportation, Housing, & Urban Development Funding Bills With Illinois Priorities Secured By Durbin, Duckworth

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    July 25, 2025
    The Senate Appropriations Committee passed Interior, Environment, & Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing, & Urban Development, & Related Agencies government funding bills
    SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a funding bill for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, as well as for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). Durbin and Duckworth worked to secure various priorities for Illinois in the appropriations bills, both through Congressionally Directed Spending requests and through the programmatic appropriations process.
    “It is the responsibility of Congress to fund our government programs and agencies through the appropriations process. Rather than rely on continuing resolutions, I hope that we can prioritize a true bipartisan process to pass these funding bills through the Senate in a timely process,” said Durbin. “While the Trump Administration continues to drain resources from critical programs, I will fight for the funding and support for the programs Illinoisans rely on.”
    “Our state and our nation are stronger when we invest in our communities and families—and that’s what these bipartisan funding bills do,” Duckworth said. “Appropriating federal funding is the primary role of Congress, and it’s critical this responsibility remains in the legislative branch. I’m proud I was able to help secure critical support for projects throughout Illinois that help modernize our state’s infrastructure, clean up our water, improve accessibility and more.”
    The two funding bills include the following Illinois priorities secured by Congressionally Directed Spending requests:
    Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
    · City of Chester, Chester, Illinois. $1.2 million to the City of Chester to help fund the Route 150 water main replacement.
    · City of Markham, Markham, Illinois. $1.5 million to the City of Markham to help fund water system infrastructure improvements.
    · Infrastructure Improvements, Lockport, Illinois. $250,000 to the Bonnie Brae Forest Manor Sanitary District to fund water main infrastructure improvement projects.
    · Lead Service Line Replacements, Chicago, Illinois. $2 million to the City of Chicago to replace more than 200 lead service lines. Chicago has more lead service lines than any other municipality in the country and the majority of properties in Chicago receive their water from lead service lines.
    · Lead Service Line Replacements, Macomb, Illinois. $1 million to the City of Macomb to replace lead drinking water service lines in various locations throughout the City.
    · PFAS Remediation, Rockford, Illinois: $1 million to Winnebago County to help fund water infrastructure upgrades to address PFAS contamination in Rockford.
    · Stormwater and Flooding Mitigation Project, Carbondale, Illinois. $1.5 million for the City of Carbondale to replace storm sewer piping. The failing pipes cause frequent flooding during significant rain events and is also causing pavement failures on an arterial street that is heavily traveled.
    · Wastewater Improvements, Paris, Illinois. $500,000 to the City of Paris to help fund wastewater treatment plant upgrades.
    · Water Main Extension, Winnebago County, Illinois. $600,000 to Winnebago County to extend a water main to provide water to additional areas of the County.
    · Water Main Improvements, Park Forest, Illinois. $1.45 million to the Village of Park Forest to replace the highest priority water main.
    · Water Main Replacement, Springfield, Illinois. $900,000 to the City of Springfield to replace a water main on South Seventh Street in downtown Springfield. The water main was installed in 1931 and has had 27 breaks and is need of replacement. The main serves the historic downtown Springfield area, including Lincoln’s Home National Historic Site Visitor Center, the Illinois State Police Memorial Park, Springfield Clinic, and the Elijah Iles House.
    · Well Reconstruction and Water Treatment, Machesney Park and Roscoe, Illinois. $1 million to North Park Public Water District for the reconstruction of Roscoe and Machesney Park’s well to accommodate PFAS treatment. This funding will ensure continued access to a reliable source of safe, plentiful, and affordable drinking water for the communities of Machesney Park and Roscoe in Winnebago County, Illinois.
     
    Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
    · Accessibility Upgrades, Chicago, Illinois. $750,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago to help fund accessibility upgrades at the Boys and Girls Club True Value in Little Village.
    · Affordable Housing, Edwardsville, Illinois. $1 million to Home First Housing to help expand affordable housing units in Edwardsville.
    · Affordable Housing, Joliet, Illinois: $1 million to Volunteers of America Illinois to help fund the expansion of Hope Manor Village Joliet’s housing development initiative.
    · Capital Improvements, Chicago, Illinois. $500,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago to make capital improvements at the Bartlett J. McCartin Boys & Girls Club in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago.
    · City of Marseilles, Marseilles, Illinois. $1.5 million to the City of Marseilles to help fund the Sycamore Street Bridge rehabilitation.
    · Construction of the National Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, Chicago, Illinois. $2.5 million to Illinois Institute of Technology to fund construction of a facility to serve as the National Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (NIAM). The NIAM on IIT’s Bronzeville Campus will train more than 4,000 students in advanced manufacturing fields through in-person instruction and online curricula.
    · Economic Hub Project, Carbondale, Illinois. $693,000 to Carbondale Community Arts, Inc. (d.b.a. Artspace 304) to make facility improvements for an economic hub.
    · Equipment Upgrades, Chicago, Illinois. $722,000 to Navy Pier Inc. to upgrade the Pier’s surveillance apparatus to ensure the safety of the Pier’s guests and businesses.
    · Environmental Justice Institute, Chicago, Illinois. $900,000 to People for Community Recovery to help fund the development of the Hazel M. Johnson Institute for Sustainability and Environmental Justice.
    · Facilities Improvements and Technology Upgrades, Carbondale, Illinois. $500,000 to Southern Illinois University’s (SIU) Center for Teaching Excellence to revitalize learning spaces at the SIU campus and community colleges throughout Southern Illinois.
    · Facility Improvements, Springfield, Illinois. $450,000 to the Lincoln Presidential Foundation for facility improvements at the Visitor Center at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site.
    · Fire Truck, North Chicago, Illinois. $861,000 to the City of North Chicago to purchase a new fire truck, as the City’s current fire truck has exceeded its useful life by nearly 10 years.
    · Food Security Project, Hamilton, Illinois. $2.5 million to the City of Hamilton to establish a rural health village, in partnership with Memorial Hospital, to address food insecurities in the region by offering meal subscription/prescription programming, home-delivered meals, and more.
    · Infrastructure Developments, Chicago, Illinois: $1.6 million to North Lawndale Catalyst Impact Initiative, Inc. to help fund infrastructure developments in Chicago’s North Lawndale community.
    · Infrastructure Updates, Mascoutah, Illinois. $4 million to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport to help fund infrastructure upgrades at airport.
    · Land Remediation, Will County, Illinois. $3 million to the State of Illinois, in coordination with the State of Michigan, to remediate 3.6 acres of land on the bank of the channel of the Des Plaines River needed for construction of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Interbasin Project.
    · Station Improvements, Macomb, Illinois. $134,000 to the Illinois Department of Transportation to make improvements to Macomb’s Amtrak Station, including HVAC upgrades, electrical work, and painting.
    · Supportive Housing Development, Arlington Heights, Illinois. $750,000 to Full Circle Communities for construction of a housing development to support veterans and people with disabilities.
    · Track Reconstruction Design, Chicago, Illinois. $2 million to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to fund design of track reconstruction of CTA’s Blue Line Forest Park Branch from Western Avenue to Lathrop Avenue, a roughly 6.5-mile section of the line. This reconstruction is needed in order to improve safety and on-time performance of the Forest Park Branch.
    · Trail Extension, Normal, Illinois. $1.9 million to the Town of Normal to fund engineering and construction of a trail connection. This will close a gap in pedestrian and bicycle accommodations between the existing Constitution Trail network and major employers located in west Normal, and promote safe multimodal travel by separating pedestrians and cyclists from motor vehicles.
    · Transit Improvements; Vermilion County, Williamson County, and Jackson County; Illinois. $3.711 million to the Illinois Department of Transportation to fulfill ongoing transit needs, including vehicle and equipment purchases, maintenance, and other improvements for transit agencies serving Carbondale, Marion, and Danville.
    · Transitional Shelter, Chicago, Illinois. $650,000 to BEDS Plus, Inc. to help fund the expansion of transitional shelter services at BEDS Plus Inc.
    · Transportation Center Pedestrian Access Improvements, Normal, Illinois. $1.6 million to Connect Transit to improve pedestrian access to the City of Bloomington’s Downtown Transportation Center.
    · Unhoused Population Support, Carbondale, Illinois: $2 million to the City of Carbondale to help fund the development of a new homeless center facility in Carbondale.
    · Workforce Accelerator Program, Chicago, Illinois. $1 million to the North Lawndale Employment Network to transform a vacant lot across the street from its workforce development campus to offer an agricultural and environmental workforce accelerator program.
    · Youth Mentoring, Springfield, Illinois. $1 million to The Outlet Mentoring Program to help fund the development of a youth mentoring center in Springfield.
     
    The two funding bills include additional Illinois priorities secured through the programmatic appropriations process:
    Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
    Department of Interior
    Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
    Plant Conservation Activities. $20.6 million for conservation activities and includes language supporting BLM’s continued support of the Seed Strategy, the interagency Native Plant Materials Development Program, the Seeds of Success program, the Plant Conservation Alliance, and regional native plant materials development programs.
    o Urban and Community Forestry (Chicago Region Trees Initiative). Includes language prioritizing multi-organizational collaborations to support conservation and offset climate change for urban and community forestry grants.
    o Migratory Bird Management Program, Incidental Take. Includes language supporting an incidental take authorization program for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which will help bird species that are experiencing population decline.
     
    National Park Service
    New Philadelphia National Historic Site. Includes language directing the National Park Service to ensure park operation begins in a reasonable timeframe for the newly established New Philadelphia site.
    Springfield Race Riot Site. Includes language directing the National Park Service to work with the community to complete the Foundation Document for the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument and provide for park planning.
    Land and Water Conservation Fund
    Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge. Includes language supporting federal land acquisition by the National Fish and Wildlife Service for the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge
    Environmental Health Program. $30.5 million for the program and includes language that sets aside $1 million for addressing PFAS contamination in the Great Lakes.
     
    Environmental Protection Agency
    Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF). $1.6 billion to provide critical investments that create jobs, repair crumbling wastewater infrastructure, and protect public health and environmental quality. Ten percent of CWSRF may be used as grants to address lead exposure.
    Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF). $1.13 billion to help water systems and states to ensure clean and safe drinking water is reliably delivered to communities. Fourteen percent of DWSRF may be used as grants to address lead exposure.
    EPA Compliance. $97.7 million to enable EPA and co-regulators to undertake inspections and other monitoring activities to determine if regulated entities are complying with environmental statutes as well as applicable regulations and permit conditions.
    EPA Enforcement. $284.9 million to ensure consistent and fair enforcement of all major environmental statutes and numerous regulations implementing each of those statutes. Includes report language supporting EPA in addressing PFAS contamination through National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives and incorporating Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) in settlements.
    Bubbly Creek. Includes report language on the inclusion of the restoration Bubbly Creek in EPA’s Lakewide Management Plan (LAMP) and directs EPA to maximize its partnerships and resources to ensure no further delays.
    Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). $368 million for GLRI and includes report language to allow funds from the program to be used for projects in the Chicago River Watershed. Congress established the GLRI to provide funding to states, tribes, local governments, and federal agencies to protect the Great Lakes. The program has provided $4 billion since 2010 to fund projects that restore habitat, fight invasive species, clean up toxic pollution, and reduce pollution runoff.
    Lake Explorer II Support Vessel Decommission. Includes language regarding the importance of EPA replacing the Great Lakes research vessel Lake Explorer II so the agency may continue uninterrupted water quality and biological monitoring of the Great Lakes.
    Coal Combustion Residual Permit Program. Includes language requesting $9 million for federal and state permitting programs for coal combustion residuals (CCR, coal ash).
    Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development
    Department of Transportation
    Capital Investment Grants (CIG). $1.95 billion for grants to fund the extension and improvements of existing transit systems. This amount would fully fund the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line Extension Project for FY26.
    Protections for the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line Extension Project. Includes language protecting Chicago’s FY26 allocation of $350 million and requiring disbursement within 120 days of enactment.
    Amtrak. $2.43 billion in nationwide funding to support Amtrak operations, with $1.57 billion for the National Network.
    BUILD (formerly RAISE) Grants. $250 million to fund innovative transportation projects that will create jobs and have a significant impact on the nation, a region, or a metropolitan area.
    Passenger Rail Grant Programs. The two rail grant programs were reauthorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and address gaps in supporting and growing our nation’s rail infrastructure:
    Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grants. $151.52 million for the CRISI program.
    Federal-State Partnerships for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant (FSP) Program. $75 million for FSP grants for capital improvement projects that expand or establish intercity passenger rail service.

    Midwest Rail Commission Study. Includes report language directing GAO to examine the establishment of a federally authorized commission for the purposes of developing a long-term delivery strategy for Midwest rail. The study would identify lessons learned from the establishment of the Northeast Corridor Commission that could be applied to a Midwest Rail Commission, it also would examine any Federal resources necessary to establishment of the commission.
    FRA Rail Research & Development Center of Excellence (COE). Supports the FRA’s intent to use no less than $2.5 million of its and development funding for the FRA COE, which Durbin established in IIJA and secured funding for in FY22, FY23, and FY24 (FY25’s full-year CR did not have a report, so the COE was not funded in the CR). The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was competitively selected to host the COE.
    Blocked Crossings Causes & Solutions Identification. Includes report language directing the FRA to include in its annual report potential solutions and best practices to improve safety, mobility, and emergency response capabilities at highway-rail crossings. This would require the FRA to consider technology’s potential role in detecting the highest risk areas and to explore what role train length plays in blocked crossings, among other measures.
    Emergency Response Blocked Crossing Reports. Includes report language urging the FRA to require states receiving track inspection funding to require first responders to report verified blocked crossing incidents to the FRA’s blocked crossings portal, which you established through previous appropriations legislation. It also directs the FRA to continue working with stakeholders to identify root causes of blocked crossings and identify meaningful solutions.
    Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). $22.4 billion for the FAA. This includes $13.8 billion for FAA operations and $4 billion for facilities and equipment. This funding will allow the FAA to hire 2,500 additional air traffic controllers; improve air traffic control facilities, equipment, and systems; improve the aircraft certification process; improve hazardous materials transport oversight, and more.
    Airport Improvement Program. More than $4 billion for airport improvement grants for capital improvements at the nation’s airports, including investments that emphasize capacity development, safety improvements, and security needs.
    Digital Alert Technologies. Includes report language urging National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to deploy digital alert technologies, with local law enforcement, that can provide up-to-date information about dynamic road conditions to drivers.
    NHTSA Rulemakings. Includes language directing NHTSA to continue to provide quarterly briefings on the status of all major rulemakings to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. In 2023, DOT implemented a key provision of Durbin and Duckworth’s Protecting Roadside First Responders Act by proposing a rule to require automatic emergency braking (AEB) on all new cars and light trucks, and finalizing this rule in April 2024. The provision, which was passed in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and injuries. According to NHTSA, the rule could save more than 360 lives and prevent more than 24,000 injuries each year. The Trump Administration has delayed the effective date of this rule.
    Automated Track Inspections. Includes no less than $21.6 million to support the FRA’s fleet of advanced inspection vehicles that accompany its field inspectors to validate the railroads’ inspection programs and advance research priorities, with a special emphasis on routes transporting passengers and hazardous materials.
    Department of Housing and Urban Development
    HEAL Initiative Pilot Program. Includes $5 million to support efforts underway between HUD and HHS to provide direct technical assistance to communities leveraging programs like Medicaid to cover and provide housing-related supportive services and behavioral healthcare. Includes report language acknowledging that several studies have demonstrated that interventions based on social determinants of health can help support housing permanency.
    Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. $295.6 million to provide funding to state and local governments to develop cost-effective ways to reduce lead-based paint hazards.
    Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). $529 million to help cities and states address the housing crisis facing people living with HIV/AIDS.
    Homeless Assistance Grants. $4.5 billion to provide funding to state and local governments for emergency shelters, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, and other crisis response programs.
    Housing Counseling. $57.5 million to enable housing counseling organizations to provide foreclosure prevention counseling, mortgage counseling before and after purchase, rental counseling, homelessness prevention counseling, and fair housing education.
    Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). $86.36 million to provide resources to nonprofit fair housing organizations that tackle discrimination and predatory lending and ensure that our nation’s fair housing laws are enforced.
    Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). $3.1 billion to provide states and localities with resources to meet the needs of low-income communities, including housing rehabilitation, supportive services, public improvements, and economic development projects.
    Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). $1.25 billion to provide state and local governments the funding necessary to provide affordable housing in low-income communities.
    Public Housing Capital and Operating Funds. $3.2 billion for Capital Funds and $4.87 billion for Operating Funds. This includes $30 million for emergency capital needs; $10 million for safety and security measures, with report language supporting safety and security improvements to protect tenants; and $65 million for lead remediation grants.
    Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance. $37.35 billion for Section 8 Tenant-Based rental assistance. This includes $429 million for new Tenant Protection Vouchers, $15 million to expand the HUD-VASH program, and $30 million for new Family Unification Program vouchers.
    Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) and Rural Capacity Building Program (RCB). $13 million for SHOP and $5 million for RCB. Both programs support affordable housing in rural communities.
    Section 4 Capacity Building Program. $49 million for Section 4 Capacity Building Program. This program allows HUD to partner with national nonprofit community development organizations to provide education, training, and financial support to local community development corporations (CDCs) across the country.
    Choice Neighborhoods Program. $40 million to provide funding for the transformation, rehabilitation, and replacement of distressed public and HUD-assisted housing, as well as support for communities working to revitalize neighborhoods of concentrated poverty.
    Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program. $156.4 million to provide funding for an asset-building program to serve more households, both within already-established Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher FSS Programs
    Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NeighborWorks). $158 million to create opportunities for Americans to live in affordable and safe homes by providing community development organizations in all fifty states with financial resources and counseling services.
    -30-
     
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Calls Out Cuts To Medicaid, Student Loan Caps For Medical Students At SIU Medical School

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    July 25, 2025
    SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined educators and health care professionals at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine to discuss the Trump Administration’s cuts to Medicaid and medical research, and the impact recent caps to student loans will have on medical students.
    “Earlier this month, President Trump and Republicans in Congress slashed health care to provide tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans in our nation,” said Durbin. “The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act will also make it more difficult for medical students to pay for their education at a time when we need more doctors, especially in rural communities and downstate Illinois.Students, providers, and patients here at SIU and across our state are already seeing the impacts of this disastrous bill. We cannot give up, and I’ll continue to fight for access to health care and education for all Illinoisans.”
    “Capping graduate loans for future doctors while slashing safety-net funding is a one-two punch to rural health in America,” said Dr. Haneme Idrizi, SIU Pediatrician and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. “Cutting loan access now will shrink the physician pipeline at a time when many rural counties already face serious shortages in primary care, psychiatry, and pediatrics. Senator Durbin’s consistent support for rural pipeline programs and loan forgiveness initiatives shows he gets it—our rural future depends on today’s students being able to afford the path to medicine.”
    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will slash $1 trillion in funding from Medicaid and more than $300 billion from the Affordable Care Act over the next decade. As a result, up to 500,000 Illinoisans could lose their health care coverage. Federal Medicaid spending in Illinois also will be reduced by a projected 19%, leading to 30,000 lost health jobs, rural hospital closures, and nursing home closures.
    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act also will cap graduate student loans at $20,500 per year with a lifetime borrowing limit of $100,000, and cap professional student loans, like medical school loans, at $50,000 per year with a $200,000 lifetime borrowing limit. Loan limits could force students to turn to the private loan market or discourage low- and middle-income students from pursuing a medical degree.
    Today, Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent letters to every hospital in Illinois to gather information about how they anticipate this Republican-passed law will impact their services and workforce.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Reed, Durbin, Shaheen, Coons, and Schatz Call on Trump Administration to Engage Netanyahu to Immediately Change Course in Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON —Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) joined with Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Defense Appropriator Chris Coons (D-DE), and Ranking State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriator Brian Schatz (D-HI) to release the following statement urging the Trump Administration to press Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately change course in its war in Gaza:
    “Humanitarian conditions in Gaza are appalling and unconscionable. This week, more than 100 NGOs—including Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and Oxfam—warned of mass starvation spreading across Gaza. Following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s nearly 3-month blockade of humanitarian assistance, three-quarters of the population is facing emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger. 
    “The handful of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are wholly inadequate to meet the needs of this starving population. Widespread problems have made GHF aid delivery chaotic and dangerous, leading to the deaths of an estimated 700 people. Yet the Trump Administration recently approved $30 million for GHF, overriding established procedures and waiving consultation with Congress.  
    “While some established humanitarian organizations have been allowed to resume very limited operations, a number of restrictions and security challenges prevent them from fully functioning. To make matters worse, this week’s expansion of Israel’s military operation into central Gaza for the first time in the conflict has put at risk these few remaining operations. Moreover, the UN estimates that nearly 88 percent of Gaza is no longer accessible to civilians, leaving approximately two million people confined to a troublingly small remaining area.    
    “Meanwhile, hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, including American citizens, and three out of four Israelis are calling for an end to this war. Last September, the IDF assessed that Hamas had been largely defeated militarily from its peak strength when it heinously attacked Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023 and is now effectively a “guerilla terror group.” As we know from our own experience following the attacks of September 11, 2001, there is no solely military solution to defeating a terrorist group. Continuing this war with no discernable end is not in Israel’s national security interest, and the lack of a viable “day after” plan has been a glaring mistake. 
    “We call on the Trump Administration to use its considerable leverage to press Prime Minister Netanyahu to:
    Reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that releases the hostages as soon as possible.
    Support a surge in humanitarian assistance that provides both a sufficient amount of humanitarian aid and credible mechanisms for effective distribution, including the verification and monitoring of assistance to ensure equitable distribution and to prevent Hamas from diverting assistance. Established humanitarian organizations like the World Food Programme have the experience and ability to renew their delivery of assistance without civil unrest. We must allow them to do their jobs. 
    Dramatically reform or shut down the Gaza Humanitarian Fund and resume support for the existing UN-led aid coordination mechanisms in Gaza with enhanced oversight to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in need.
    Establish a “day after” plan for Gaza where Hamas does not retain power, Israel disavows annexation of the West Bank and further integrates into the region, a reformed Palestinian Authority is fostered and empowered, and regional partners are included in rebuilding.
    Create a framework for a viable path back to a two-state solution that will allow the Israeli and Palestinian people to live side by side in security, dignity, and prosperity.”
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Face of Widespread Blowback, Trump Admin Finally Releases Education Funds It’s Blocked for Weeks—Forcing Layoffs, Program Closures, & Needless Chaos

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Senator Murray responds after raising alarms bells for weeks
    ICYMI: Senator Murray Demands All Remaining Education Funds Blocked By Trump Get Released Immediately
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump administration finally relented and gave notice it will release the remaining $5.5 billion in federal funding for K-12 schools and adult education programs that it has been blocking for weeks:

    “Instead of spending the last many weeks figuring out how to improve after-school options and get our kids’ reading and math scores up, because of President Trump, communities across the country have been forced to spend their time cutting back on tutoring options and sorting out how many teachers they will have to lay off.
    “There is no good reason for the chaos and stress this president has inflicted on students, teachers, and parents across America for the last month, and it shouldn’t take widespread blowback for this administration to do its job and simply get the funding out the door that Congress has delivered to help students.
    “This administration deserves no credit for just barely averting a crisis they themselves set in motion. You don’t thank a burglar for returning your cash after you’ve spent a month figuring out if you’d have to sell your house to make up the difference.
    “It’s time for President Trump, Secretary McMahon, and Russ Vought to stop playing games with students’ futures and families’ livelihoods—and end their illegal assault on our students and their schools.”

    The Trump administration’s decision to withhold nearly $7 billion dollars in funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. Over the last few weeks, school districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs and lay teachers off, told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have been forced to lay off staff.
    Today, the Trump administration finally relented and confirmed it will get this funding out, as the law requires, after weeks of creating panic and stress for schools and families alike.
    Here are the funding streams President Trump blocked for weeks—all of which are programs he requested to eliminate in his budget request:
    $2.19 billion: Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    $1.33 billion: 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    $1.38 billion: Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    $890 million: English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    $376 million: Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    $715 million: Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
    These funds typically flow on July 1st of every year—but the Trump administration let states and stakeholders know on July 1st that it would not be moving the funding. It failed to provide any rationale, with the Department of Education directing questions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and it has still failed to articulate an acceptable reason for withholding the funds.
    Senator Murray immediately called on Trump to release the funding, led her colleagues in demanding the funds flow, and last week, objected to fast-track consideration of President Trump’s nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs at the Department of Education while the funding blockage continues. When the Trump administration moved but one fraction of the blocked funds last Friday, she called on Trump to immediately move the rest.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Van Hollen, Colleague to Call on Administration to Conduct Independent, U.S.-Led Investigation Into Death of American Citizen in West Bank

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Senators also press for an update on any investigations into the killings of 6 other Americans in the West Bank
    Washington (July 24, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and 27 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Pam Bondi calling on the Administration to conduct an independent investigation into the death of Saifullah Kamel Musallet, an American citizen recently killed near the West Bank town of Sinjil. The Senators point to the repeated lack of accountability in the deaths of other American citizens killed in the West Bank since January 2022, including Shireen Abu Akleh, Omar Assad, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, and Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee. Given that, the Senators also ask for an update on the status of any investigations into the killings of these six other Americans.
    The Senators write, “We write with grave concern regarding the brutal killing of a Palestinian-American, Saifullah Kamel Musallet, near the West Bank town of Sinjil, on July 11, 2025. The U.S. government must conduct a credible and independent investigation into his death and hold all perpetrators accountable. Protecting and supporting U.S. citizens abroad is one of the foremost responsibilities of the U.S. government. The United States Government has failed to secure accountability for the killing of respected Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, or any of the other five American citizens – Omar Assad, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, and Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee – killed in the West Bank since January 2022. Following the Trump Administration’s sudden revocation of all U.S. sanctions against extremist settlers in the West Bank, the first five months of 2025 have seen the highest rate of settler attacks in years and the killing of another American. We urge you to pursue a different approach.”
    “Saifullah Kamal Musallet is the seventh American citizen killed in the West Bank since January 2022 — and the fifth in just the last nineteen months. The killings of these Americans in the West Bank have been met by a lack of accountability from the Netanyahu government and an inability to secure justice by the U.S. government. These failures have contributed to an unacceptable culture of impunity when it comes to incidents where civilians have been killed in the West Bank, including Americans,” they continue.
    The Senators note, “The Netanyahu government has failed to hold anyone accountable for any of these seven killings of Americans and the United States government has failed in its responsibility to protect American citizens overseas and demand justice for their deaths.”
    “It is long past time for the U.S. government to demand accountability in these killings of Americans. To that end, we urge you to immediately launch an independent investigation into the brutal killing of Saifullah Kamel Musallet, including the circumstances that blocked ambulances from reaching him. We also ask that you provide us with an update on the status of any investigations into the killings of the six other Americans who have been killed since January 2022, and provide us with a briefing on actions you are taking to ensure accountability for their deaths and to prevent future killings of Americans in the West Bank,” the Senators close.
    The letter was signed by Senators Murray, Kaine, Durbin, Reed, Shaheen, Schatz, Merkley, Sanders, Warner, Warren, Cantwell, Welch, Smith, Baldwin, Warnock, Lujan, Ossoff, Kim, Heinrich, Duckworth, Klobuchar, Whitehouse, Hirono, Booker, Alsobrooks, Blunt Rochester, and Murphy.
    The full text of the letter is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven, Cramer, Fedorchak Request Major Disaster Declaration Following Tornadoes in North Dakota

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    07.25.25
    WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak today supported Governor Kelly Armstrong’s request for a major disaster declaration following the destructive derecho storm that impacted North Dakota on June 20–21, 2025. The delegation requested that the Trump administration quickly approve North Dakota’s request to provide federal assistance for recovery efforts in 19 counties across southern, central, and eastern North Dakota.
    “…the storm system caused unavoidable damages to infrastructure and property, and tragically took the lives of 4 North Dakotans…This disaster not only destroyed North Dakotans’ homes and businesses, but negatively impacted our farmers and ranchers, as well as rural electric cooperatives,” wrote the delegation. “Critical buildings, equipment, silos, grain bins and elevators were damaged or lost just months ahead of the fall harvest. The straight-line winds were extremely harmful to electrical infrastructure. At the peak of the derecho, nearly 37,000 homes and businesses were without power, and in rural areas, service was disrupted for as long as a week…We support the State’s request and urge you to approve it as soon as possible so the necessary Federal resources can be made available to North Dakotans.”
    Full text of the delegation’s letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Seek Answers on So-Called “One Big Beautiful Bill’s” Impact on Illinois Hospitals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    July 25, 2025
    In a letter that was sent to every hospital in Illinois, Duckworth and Durbin request information about how each hospital anticipates to be impacted by Republicans’ so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill”
    [CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to every hospital in Illinois requesting information about the projected impact analysis of the Republicans’ so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cuts $1 trillion in Medicaid funding and $300 billion in Affordable Care Act funding over the next decade. As a result of the legislation, over 15 million Americans are projected to lose health insurance coverage, including approximately half a million people in Illinois, and hospitals that rely on Medicaid funding, especially those in rural areas, face risk of closure. Further, it’s estimated that 30,000 health care jobs will be lost over the next decade as a result of the bill.
    “Earlier this month, Congressional Republicans passed and President Trump signed into law the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act. We voted against the measure. We write to request information about how this Republican-passed law will affect your hospital, health care workforce, and the patients you serve across Illinois,” the Senators began their letter.
    “The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that federal Medicaid spending for Illinois will be reduced by 19 percent. These cuts include freezing and reducing provider taxes and state directed payments that hospitals across Illinois depend on to help finance the Medicaid system and make up for low reimbursement rates. The Republican-passed law also will raise uncompensated care costs for hospitals by restricting eligibility and raising out-of-pocket costs for Medicaid and Affordable Care Act beneficiaries,” the Senators continued. “Based upon the estimated 19 percent cut to Medicaid funding, and increased uncompensated care costs from deep insurance coverage losses, we worry that hospitals will face severe financial hardship, and patients will suffer.
    Duckworth and Durbin closed their letter by requesting detailed information about the impacts of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act on each hospital, including if patients can expect critical services like obstetrics to be eliminated, how many health care jobs may be lost, and how hospital uncompensated care costs will increase as Illinoisans lose access to their insurance.
    “To help inform legislative efforts to improve health care and strengthen hospitals across Illinois, we request the following information and analysis from your hospital about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by August 22, 2025,” the Senators requested.
    “If faced with a 19 percent cut to Medicaid funding as a result of this law, what changes would your hospital be forced to make to maintain viability?” the Senators asked as they concluded their letter.
    Full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:
     
    Dear Hospital Administrator:
    Earlier this month, Congressional Republicans passed and President Trump signed into law the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21). We voted against the measure. We write to request information about how this Republican-passed law will affect your hospital, health care workforce, and the patients you serve across Illinois.
    Republicans in Congress voted for legislation that cuts $1 trillion in Medicaid funding and $300 billion in Affordable Care Act funding over the next decade. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that federal Medicaid spending for Illinois will be reduced by 19 percent. These cuts include freezing and reducing provider taxes and state directed payments that hospitals across Illinois depend on to help finance the Medicaid system and make up for low reimbursement rates. The Republican-passed law also will raise uncompensated care costs for hospitals by restricting eligibility and raising out-of-pocket costs for Medicaid and Affordable Care Act beneficiaries.
    Fifteen million Americans are projected to lose health insurance coverage, including approximately half a million people in Illinois—impacting children, pregnant women, seniors, and individuals with disabilities across rural and urban areas. In Illinois, it is estimated that 30,000 health care jobs will be lost over the next decade as a result of this legislation. For rural hospitals that are often the largest employers in a community, this could be devastating.
    Hospitals, like any business, must make forecasts and plan their budgets months and years in advance to ensure proper resource allocation and capacity. Based upon the estimated 19 percent cut to Medicaid funding, and increased uncompensated care costs from deep insurance coverage losses, we worry that hospitals will face severe financial hardship, and patients will suffer.
    In addition to opposing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we have worked on bipartisan legislation to strengthen the health care system, including bills to: bolster the pipeline and recruitment of physicians, nurses, behavioral health providers and dentists; increase funding for rural ambulance services; save rural hospitals facing financial hardship, address maternal mortality and chronic disease; and lower prescription drug costs.
    To help inform legislative efforts to improve health care and strengthen hospitals across Illinois, we request the following information and analysis from your hospital about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by August 22, 2025.
    What percent of your inpatient and outpatient services are paid for by Medicaid, and what percent of such patients are covered by the program?
    What is your hospital’s current operating margin, and, as a result of this law, what do you anticipate it to be in 2028, 2031, and 2034?
    What is the projected annual financial loss to your hospital as a result of this law?
    What is the projected increase in annual uncompensated care provided by your hospital as a result of this law?
    If faced with a 19 percent cut to Medicaid funding as a result of this law, what changes would your hospital be forced to make to maintain viability?
    Please identify which service lines would be the most likely or first to face reductions or termination.
    If your hospital currently offers obstetrics/labor and delivery services, do you anticipate continuing to do so in the same manner by 2030?
    How do you project emergency room wait times will be impacted by this law?
    How do you expect your projected financial losses to affect the economy of your local communities?
    If Congressional Republicans attempt to implement additional Medicaid or Affordable Care Act cuts this Congress, including by reducing or eliminating the 90 percent federal cost-share for Medicaid expansion states, how do you expect this would affect your finances?
    Thank you for your attention to this matter, we look forward to your response. Please contact our offices with any questions and to transmit your response.
    Sincerely,
     
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Touts Significance of Nuclear Energy to Growing Energy Demand

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
    WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) emphasized nuclear energy’s central role in meeting the nation’s growing energy demands during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.

    “In recent years, we have had people come in here and predict what was going to happen as far as demand for electricity for America because of AI and other things that are coming on board. I have to tell you, I was a doubter at the beginning, but the further we go, the more obvious it is becoming that we are going to be inundated with demand for electricity. But the good news is that this particular problem, we know how to deal with, and that is, we know how to generate electricity.
    We, in Idaho, in 1951, demonstrated for the first time that nuclear energy could be used to create electricity. And we’ve been at it ever since. [. . .] But now, I think the world knows there’s a real renaissance going on as far as nuclear energy is concerned. Not only in the United States, but also particularly in the globe.”
    Senator Risch has consistently advocated for greater domestic nuclear energy production and the commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies. In a Washington Times editorial, Senator Risch underscored that expanding U.S. civil nuclear energy is essential for powering America’s future.
    Idaho is home to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the nation’s flagship facility for civil nuclear research and the first place in the world to generate electricity using a nuclear reactor. INL is driving significant progress in new nuclear research by collaborating with industry to demonstrate advanced technologies, such as small modular reactors, microreactors, and safer, more efficient nuclear fuels.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan, Senate Colleagues Advocate for Critical NIH Research Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    07.25.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and 12 of their Republican colleagues, sent a letter to Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), advocating for the disbursement of appropriated funds for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in order to advance President Trump’s goals of curing diseases and making America healthy again.

    The letter requests that the administration implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, which President Trump signed into law earlier this year. This legislation contains critical funding to support NIH initiatives across a range of critical research areas, including, but not limited to, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and rare pediatric disorders.

    “We are concerned by the slow disbursement rate of FY25 NIH funds, as it risks undermining critical research and the thousands of American jobs it supports. Suspension of these appropriated funds – whether formally withheld or functionally delayed — could threaten Americans’ ability to access better treatments and limit our nation’s leadership in biomedical science. It also risks inadvertently severing ongoing NIH-funded research prior to actionable results,” wrote the Senators.

    The Senators continued, “We share your commitment to ensuring NIH funds are used responsibly and not diverted to ideological or unaccountable programs. We are confident Secretary Kennedy and Director Bhattacharya are well positioned to uphold gold standard research by ensuring that NIH awards are grounded in transparency, scientific merit, and a clear alignment with national interests. Our shared goal is to restore public trust in the NIH precisely because its work is focused on results, accountability, and real-world impact. Withholding or suspending these funds would jeopardize that trust and hinder progress on critical health challenges facing our nation. Ultimately, this is about finding cures and seeing them through to fruition.”

    Senators Sullivan and Britt were joined by Senators John Boozman (R-Ark.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

    Full text of the letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Secures Funding for Great Lakes, Michigan’s Water Infrastructure in Appropriations Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC?– U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped the Senate Appropriations Committee pass the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bipartisan legislation would provide funding for Michigan priorities and high-impact local projects to strengthen water infrastructure, protect our wildlife and environment, and improve access to clean drinking water for Michiganders. As Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, Peters also advocated and secured funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which plays a critical role in protecting and restoring Great Lakes waterways and habitats. The bill now advances to the full Senate.

    “Protecting our Great Lakes and Michiganders’ access to clean drinking water have been some of my top priorities,” said Senator Peters, Co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force.“This bipartisan legislation helps us accomplish those things by investing in our state’s water infrastructure, removing dangerous lead pipes, and working to protect folks from exposure to toxic PFAS contamination. The bill also makes sure the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a historic program that keeps our Great Lakes healthy and vibrant, continues to receive funding to carry out essential cleanup projects in our state.”  

    The bill includes numerous measures led and supported by Peters, including:

    Protecting our Great Lakes, Fisheries, and Environment

    Funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Peters fought and secured continued funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The GLRI is the largest investment in the Great Lakes’ health, ecosystem, and water quality. Since the program’s inception in 2010, $4 billion has been used to fund over 8,000 projects to combat the greatest threats to the Great Lakes, including invasive species, harmful algal blooms, and loss of fish and wildlife habitats. During his time in the Senate, Peters has championed the GLRI, and earlier this year led the effort to introduce the?Great Lakes Restoration Act of 2025,?which would reauthorize the program and increase its annual authorized funding levels.

    Keeping Invasive Carp Out of the Great Lakes: Invasive carp pose a grave risk to the lasting health of our Great Lakes. That’s why this bill provides funding for the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Aquatic Invasive Species program, which supports Great Lakes Basin-wide efforts to combat aquatic invasive species, including invasive carp. This work helps assess the threats posed by invasive carp to the Great Lakes and supports efforts to detect and respond to new invasive species. The bill also provides funding for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program which produces essential research, detection methods, and tools to help keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. Finally, the bill also provides funding for efforts to monitor, detect, and respond to aquatic nuisance species within the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Systems.

    Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration: The bill protects funding for The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act, which helps fund critical fish and wildlife projects in the Great Lakes Basin. Funding from this program has helped establish ecosystem management tools, restored wetlands and aquatic habitat, and advanced fish and wildlife monitoring and modeling.

    Great Lakes Science Center: Peters secured funding in the bill to support the Great Lakes Science Center, which works to enhance our understanding of the Great Lakes’ complex ecosystem through studies and collaboration with a wide range of partners.

    Forest Service: The bill provides robust funding for the Forest Service. These resources will help ensure adequate staffing levels and improve forest restoration and fire risk reduction efforts.

    Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): The bill allocates funding for federal land acquisition and financial assistance to states through the?Great American Outdoors Act. This program is critical for improving recreational access to our federal lands, protecting iconic landscapes, delivering grants to states and local governments to create and protect urban parks and open spaces. It also provides farmers and ranchers with easements to allow them to continue to steward their private lands in the face of development pressures.

    Addressing Wildfires: As catastrophic wildfires grow in size and frequency, it is essential that support for, and investments in, the federal firefighting workforce keep pace. As such, this bill fully funds essential wildfire preparedness and suppression efforts by providing $4.25 billion for wildfire suppression, of which $2.85 billion is for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund. The Reserve Fund provides the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior with an assured amount of funding to be used when major fire activity requires expenditures exceeding regular base suppression operations funding. This bill also provides much-needed funding to help prevent a devastating pay cut for the federal firefighting workforce. 

    Strengthening Michigan’s Water Infrastructure & Ensuring Clean Drinking Water

    Addressing PFAS: Michigan communities and residents continue to face severe challenges with toxic PFAS contamination. Michigan is home to a number of military installations where PFAS contamination has been detected, including Camp Grayling and the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda. The bill provides much needed funding for PFAS research and remediation efforts. Peters has led and championed numerous efforts in the Senate to address PFAS. Peters convened the first-ever hearing on PFAS contamination in the Senate, then convened a field summit in Grand Rapids in November 2018 to shine a light on how local, state and federal governments are coordinating responses to address PFAS contamination. Peters introduced and advanced bipartisan legislation to reduce the spread of PFAS chemicals at commercial airports. Peters’ Preventing PFAS Runoff at Airports Act, which was signed into law in 2022, is working to deploy more existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding for commercial airports to purchase devices to test their firefighting equipment without discharging toxic PFAS chemicals. In 2022, Peters’ bill to help protect firefighters and emergency responders from PFAS exposure in the line of duty was also signed into law.

    Bolstering Lead Abatement Programs: Lead poisoning continues to be a public health challenge in areas with aging infrastructure, causing life-long health impacts particularly among children. Peters helped secure funding for critical programs that support communities seeking to clean up lead contaminated waste sites, replace toxic lead pipes, and minimize exposure in surrounding areas. The bill includes funding for the Lead Testing in Schools Program and Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Program.

    Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds: The bill restores funding for both the Drinking Water and the Clean Water State Revolving Funds, which the Trump Administration had proposed slashing by nearly 90 percent. The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds are vital to protecting Michigan’s water resources and rebuilding critical water infrastructure. These projects provide Michigan residents with significant benefits, ranging from reduced exposure to pollution to lead-free drinking water. While the primary focus of the state revolving funds is offering financing solutions for water infrastructure for wastewater, storm water, and drinking water systems, the funds also reduce energy waste and decrease water system rates, improving affordability. 

    Mitigate PFAS Contamination, Provide Safe Drinking Water for Residents of Grayling Township: The bill provides $3,000,000 to deliver clean, safe drinking through a new municipal water system to residents whose water wells have been contaminated from PFAS migrating off the Grayling Army Airfield and Camp Grayling.

    Improve Water Reliability in Grand Blanc: The bill provides $1,000,000 to modernize critical water infrastructure throughout Grand Blanc, reducing inefficiencies and water loss and improving water reliability for residents and businesses.

    Strengthen St. Ignace’s Water and Wastewater System: The bill provides $36,000 for St. Ignace to update its system that controls the alarms and communication between water wastewater plants as well as other facility operations.

    Upgrade the Aging Freud & Conners Creek Pump Stations: The bill provides $1,000,000 to make improvements to the aging Freud and Conner Creek pump stations.

    Improve Wastewater Management in Oakwood: The bill provides $1,000,000 to improve wastewater management in Oakwood, Michigan.

    Upgrade Marquette County K.I. Sawyer Wastewater Treatment Plant: The bill provides $1,370,000 to upgrade the disinfection system at the K.I. Sawyer Wastewater Treatment Plant.

    Pontiac Drinking Water System Improvements: The bill provides $1,000,000 to improve drinking water quality and reliability for Pontiac residents.

    Lead Service Lines Replacement in Redford Charter Township: The bill provides $1,000,000 to replace lead service lines in Redford Charter Township.

    Supporting New Drinking Water Well for Village of Bellevue: The bill provides $144,000 to help build a new drinking water well in the Village of Bellevue to ensure continued safe drinking water for the residents and surrounding community.

    Protecting and Preserving Public Lands and Cultural Resources

    Preservation of the Historic Freer House at Wayne State University: The bill provides $550,000 for Wayne State University to repair and replace damaged and deteriorating parts of the historic Charles Lang Freer House, which is an important part of Detroit’s cultural heritage.

    Funding for the National Park Service: The bill includes nearly $3 billion to support National Park Service (NPS) operations. This funding will allow NPS to more effectively manage its 433 national parks, monuments, historical sites and other recreational areas that encompass nearly 84 million acres of land across the United States. Michigan is proud to be home to five National Parks, which draw more than 2.5 million visitors to the state annually.

    Supporting the National Heritage Areas Program: Peters helped secure funding for the National Park Service’s Heritage Partnership Program. National Heritage Areas (NHAs) across the country commemorate, conserve, and promote important natural, scenic, historic, and cultural resources, delivering recreational and educational opportunities to visitors, residents, and entire regions. NHAs are key for economic development in their communities. Michigan’s MotorCities NHA alone creates an economic impact every year of nearly $490 million including?5,343 jobs and $40 million in tax revenues.

    Protecting Tribal Nations

    Tribal Programs: In total, the bill provides $12 billion for Tribal programs across the Department of the Interior and the Indian Health Service, rejecting President Trump’s proposed cuts of nearly $1 billion from Tribal programs. 

    Indian Health Service (IHS):The bill provides $8 billion in total resources for IHS to maintain critically important health care services and maintain current staffing for doctors, nurses, and health services staff.

    Supporting Tribal Self-Governance and Essential Services: The bill provides $1.91 billion, an increase in funding, for the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ operations of Indian programs. This funds essential government services in critical areas like roads and infrastructure, housing improvement, natural resources protection, Tribal courts, economic development, and social services. This funding is essential for Tribal governments exercising self-determination and crucial to upholding the federal government’s trust responsibility.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator McConnell Joins Colleagues in Advocating for Critical NIH Research Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) signed on to Senator Katie Britt’s (R-AL) letter to Russell Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), advocating for the disbursement of appropriated funds for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The letter requests that the administration fully implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, which contains critical funding to support NIH initiatives across a range of research areas — cancer, cardiovascular disease, rare pediatric disorders, and more. 
    The Senators wrote: “We are concerned by the slow disbursement rate of FY25 NIH funds, as it risks undermining critical research and the thousands of American jobs it supports. Suspension of these appropriated funds – whether formally withheld or functionally delayed — could threaten Americans’ ability to access better treatments and limit our nation’s leadership in biomedical science. It also risks inadvertently severing ongoing NIH-funded research prior to actionable results. 
    “We share your commitment to ensuring NIH funds are used responsibly and not diverted to ideological or unaccountable programs. We are confident Secretary Kennedy and Director Bhattacharya are well positioned to uphold gold standard research by ensuring that NIH awards are grounded in transparency, scientific merit, and a clear alignment with national interests. Our shared goal is to restore public trust in the NIH precisely because its work is focused on results, accountability, and real-world impact. Withholding or suspending these funds would jeopardize that trust and hinder progress on critical health challenges facing our nation. Ultimately, this is about finding cures and seeing them through to fruition.” 
    Joining Senators Britt and McConnell on the letter were Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tim Scott (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Todd Young (R-IN) 
    Full text of the letter can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders: America Must End the Atrocities and Starvation in Gaza 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    BURLINGTON, Vt., July 25 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement calling on the United States to act to end Israel’s illegal war in Gaza.

    After 21 months of brutal war, the Netanyahu government’s extermination of Gaza is entering a new and terrible phase. America and the world cannot continue to look away. We must reckon with what is being done with our taxpayer money, our weapons and the support of our government.

    More than that, we must act to stop it.

    After many months of Israel blocking humanitarian aid, children and other vulnerable people are starving to death in increasing numbers. The World Food Programme says that the food crisis has reached “new and astonishing levels of desperation, with a third of the population not eating for multiple days in a row.” Children’s bodies are eating themselves from within, their organs are shutting down. Starving mothers cannot breastfeed their infants, and no formula is available, with little clean water to make it in any case. Hospitals have run out of nutritional treatments, and doctors themselves are fainting from hunger.

    When mass death from starvation begins, it is difficult to reverse. Aid groups say Gaza faces a tidal wave of preventable death. This is the direct result of the Israeli government’s policies. From March 2 to May 19, Israel did not allow a single shipment of aid into Gaza — no food, water, fuel or medical supplies for a population of more than 2 million people. Israel has since allowed a trickle of aid to get in, but nowhere near enough to meet the enormous needs of a population starved for so long.

    Earlier this week, 28 of our closest allies, including Britain, Japan and numerous European nations, issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s “drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.” More than 1,000 Palestinians have been shot down while trying to get food aid over the past two months. Most of these deaths are the result of Israel’s replacement of the established United Nations distribution system with the untested Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, whose few distribution points have become death traps for Palestinian civilians, with near-daily massacres.

    This is the reality: Having already killed or wounded 200,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the extremist Israeli government is using mass starvation to engineer the ethnic cleansing of Gaza. Don’t take my word for it, listen to Israeli minister Amichay Eliyahu, who said this week: “All Gaza will be Jewish… the government is pushing for Gaza being wiped out. Thank God, we are wiping out this evil.”

    Despite these war crimes, carried out daily in plain view, the United States has provided more than $22 billion for Israel’s military operations since this war began. In other words, American taxpayer dollars are being used to starve children, bomb civilians and support the cruelty of Netanyahu and his criminal ministers.

    Enough is enough. The White House and Congress must immediately act to end this war using the full scope of American influence. No more military aid to the Netanyahu government. History will condemn those who fail to act in the face of this horror.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Leads Bipartisan Bill to Protect Musicians, Artists, and Creators from Unauthorized AI Training

    US Senate News:

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

    TRAIN Act is Supported by the Recording Industry Association of America, the Human Artistry Campaign, SAG-AFTRA, Recording Academy, Nashville Songwriters Association International, SESAC, ASCAP, BMI, Authors Guild and more
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Senate Judiciary Committee members Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Adam Schiff (D-Ca.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) reintroduced the Transparency and Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks (TRAIN) Act, bipartisan legislation to help creators—musicians, artists, writers, and others—access the courts to protect their copyrighted works if and when they are used to train generative artificial intelligence (AI) models. The TRAIN Act allows copyright holders to access training records used for AI models to determine if their work was used—a process currently used for internet piracy. 
    Musical artists and other creative industry leaders have raised the alarm about the use of copyrighted works to train generative AI models, calling out AI companies for using artists’ work without consent or compensation. The TRAIN Act seeks to solve the “black box” problem by allowing creators to know when and how their works are being used. Few AI companies currently share how their models are trained and nothing in the law requires them to do so. 
    “This is simple: if your work is used to train AI, there should be a way for you, the copyright holder, to determine that it’s been used by a training model, and you should get compensated if it was. We need to give America’s musicians, artists, and creators a tool to find out when AI companies are using their work to train models without artists’ permission,” said Senator Welch. “As AI evolves and gets more embedded into our daily lives, we need to set a higher standard for transparency. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to safeguard creators and their incredible contributions to our country.”  
    “Tennessee is home to a thriving creative community filled with musicians, artists, and creators who must have protections in place against the misuse of their content,” said Senator Blackburn. “The TRAIN Act would protect creators by allowing them to access the courts to find out if their work is being used to train generative AI models and seek compensation for that misuse.” 
    “The TRAIN Act gives creators a direct pathway to determine if their works were used to train an AI model, promoting transparency and ensuring that the creative community is not left behind as AI’s capabilities advance. I’m proud to join Senators Welch, Blackburn, Hawley on this bipartisan effort to affirm creators’ rights of action. And as Ranking Member of the Intellectual Property Subcommittee, I will continue my long-standing work to establish appropriate guardrails that continue American leadership in AI and the creative industry,” said Senator Schiff. 
    “AI should be in service to the American people—not the other way around. But under current law, Big Tech’s AI companies are stealing the works of today’s creators as they box out the next generation of creators. Congress should ensure that copyright holders can assert their rights against AI companies that are pirating creative works, and this bill gives Americans the tools to do so,” said Senator Hawley. 
    The TRAIN Act has the support of the creative community and is endorsed by the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM)*, The American Society for Collective Rights Licensing (ASCRL), American Federation of Musicians (AFM), American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Association of American Publishers (AAP), Authors Guild, Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE), Human Artistry Campaign**, Global Music Rights, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), National Music Council (NMC), National Music Publisher’s Association (NMPA), Nashville Songwriters Association International, Recording Academy, Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities (RAMPD), Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), SAG-AFTRA, Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC), The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL), The Songwriters Guild of America (SGA)***, SoundExchange, Transparency Coalition, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group.  
    *The trade organization for independent record labels, which include 650 organizations in 35 states—including Vermont  
    **Representing nearly 200 members spanning the creative and technology communities  
    ***SGA’s organizational membership stands at approximately 4,500 members 
    Read what leading voices in the creative industries are saying about the TRAIN Act:   
    “Artists deserve to know when their works are used and determine the parameters – the Transparency & Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks (TRAIN) Act empowers rightsholders with valuable insight into which specific inputs AI companies are copying to train their models. Just as importantly, it also ensures a clear path to the courts when authorization has not been given. RIAA commends Senator Welch and Senator Blackburn for their vision championing this vital and measured legislation, and strongly urge passage into law,” said Mitch Glazier, Chairman & CEO, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 
    “The TRAIN Act is a vital step toward ensuring transparency and protecting creators from the unauthorized use of their copyrighted work. The Recording Academy® applauds Senator Welch and Senator Blackburn for their leadership and dedication to upholding creators’ rights.” – Harvey Mason jr., CEO, Recording Academy 
    “Human authors and their copyrights must be valued and protected. The TRAIN Act is an important step toward creating guardrails around Generative Artificial Intelligence that, unchecked, threatens the livelihoods of human creators. We are appreciative to Senators Blackburn and Welch for their leadership on this issue and look forward to providing America’s songwriters the tools they need to protect their work in an ever-changing digital environment,” said Nashville Songwriters Association International. 
    “The Transparency & Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks (TRAIN) Act is a thoughtful step forward for creators’ rights in the AI landscape. By allowing artists and rightsholders to subpoena information about what inputs were used in an AI program, the bill will increase transparency and create an avenue for recourse when work is used without consent. Transparency is a key tenet of the Human Artistry Campaign’s principles for responsible and ethical AI, and we’re grateful to Senator Welch for his leadership on this issue,” said Dr. Moiya McTier, Senior Advisor, Human Artistry Campaign. 
    “SAG-AFTRA applauds Sen. Peter Welch for introducing the much-needed TRAIN Act. Intellectual property must be protected in the A.I. age and we’re encouraged that lawmakers like Sen. Welch are taking critical action to prioritize human creativity in this new era,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, SAG-AFTRA National. 
    “SESAC applauds the TRAIN Act, which clears an efficient path to court for songwriters whose work is used by AI developers without authorization or consent. Senators Welch and Blackburn’s narrow approach will promote responsible innovation and AI while protecting the creative community from unlawful scraping and infringement of their work,” said John Josephson, Chairman and CEO, SESAC Music Group. 
    “The future of America’s vibrant creative economy depends upon laws that protect the rights of human creators. By requiring transparency about when and how copyrighted works are used to train generative AI models, the TRAIN Act paves the way for creators to be fairly compensated for the use of their work. On behalf of ASCAP’s more than one million songwriters, composer and music publisher members, we applaud Senators Welch and Blackburn for their leadership,” said Elizabeth Matthews, CEO, American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP). 
    “Some AI companies are using creators’ copyrighted works without their permission or compensation to ‘train’ their systems, but there is currently no way for creators to confirm that use or require companies to disclose it. The TRAIN Act will provide a legal avenue for music creators to compel these companies to disclose those actions, which will be a step in the right direction towards greater transparency and accountability. BMI thanks Senator Welch for introducing this important legislation,” said Mike O’Neill, President & CEO, Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI). 
    “We greatly appreciate Senators Welch and Blackburn’s leadership on addressing the complete lack of regulation and transparency surrounding songwriters’ works being used to train generative AI models. The TRAIN Act proposes an administrative subpoena process that enables rightsholders to hold AI companies accountable by instituting precise record-keeping standards and giving rightsholders the ability to see whether their copyrighted works have been used without authorization. We strongly support the bill which gives creators a pathway to justice from massive AI platforms exploiting their work,” said David Israelite, President & CEO, National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA). 
    “The Authors Guild applauds Senator Peter Welch for introducing the TRAIN Act. Authors have a right to know when their works have been copied into AI systems without their permission.  This bill helps to achieve that commonsense goal by creating an administrative subpoena process that allows copyright owners to obtain information from AI companies about the works used to train their models. As the Guild has long recognized, this kind of transparency is essential to giving authors the ability to enforce their rights. We look forward to working with Senator Welch and other members of Congress in moving the bill toward swift passage,” said the Authors Guild. 
    “The American Society for Collective Rights Licensing (ASCRL), the largest photography and illustration organization in the United States, whose constituents include over 40,000 photographers and over 17,000 illustrator members, thanks Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) for introducing the Transparency and Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks (TRAIN) Act. The bill seeks to promote transparency concerning unauthorized uses of copyrighted works by generative AI systems through the creation of a new administrative subpoena process.  ASCRL was established by and for authors and looks forward to working with Senator Welch to add another tool in the toolbelt for authors to protect their rights in this very challenging, new technological environment,” said James Silverberg, CEO, The American Society for Collective Rights Licensing (ASCRL). 
    “The Songwriters Guild of America (SGA) extends its sincerest thanks to Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt) for the initiatives his office is undertaking in seeking to protect the rights of songwriters and composers through introduction of the Transparency and Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks (TRAIN) Act. Among other positives, the bill seeks to promote transparency concerning unauthorized uses of copyrighted works by generative AI systems through the creation of a new administrative subpoena process. SGA remains a strong supporter of the pending No Fakes Act to protect performers’ rights of publicity in the new, generative AI world, but is additionally elated that Senator Welch and others recognize that far more needs to be done legislatively to protect music creators’ rights in this very challenging, new environment.  The TRAIN Act represents another indispensable step in that process. We applaud its introduction, and intend to work with the Senator’s office in helping it to consider the most effective methodologies possible to protect American creators and musical culture in the context of GenAI,” said Rick Carnes, President, Songwriters Guild of America (SGA).  
    “A2IM applauds Senators Peter Welch and Marsha Blackburn for introducing the TRAIN Act—an essential move to protect artists, musicians, and independent creators from having their copyrighted work exploited to train generative AI models without permission. In the age of AI, transparency isn’t optional—it’s fundamental. This legislation arms creators with the tools to uncover unauthorized use of their work, reinforcing the rights that fuel a thriving, independent music ecosystem,” said Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE, President and CEO American Association of Independent Music (A2IM). 
    “There can be no ethical AI development without transparency. Musicians deserve to know when their work is used in machine learning. The TRAIN Act provides all creators meaningful legal recourse without hindering innovation and creativity. We thank Senators Blackburn and Welch for standing with working musicians against intellectual property theft,” said Tino Gagliardi, President, American Federation of Musicians. 
    “The Society of Composers & Lyricists applauds Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt) for his introduction of the Transparency and Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks (TRAIN) Act, which is a crucial step in safeguarding the rights of composers and songwriters. The TRAIN Act offers vital protections against the unjust practices that have too often undermined our ability to earn a living from our creations. By standing up for the rights of creators, you are not only supporting those who write the music that enriches our culture, but also strengthening the entire music ecosystem. We are grateful for your continued advocacy on behalf of our community, and stand ready to help in whatever way we can,” said Ashley Irwin, President, Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL). 
    “The National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) applauds Sen. Welch’s common sense TRAIN Act and the transparency it will provide to all copyright holders. As artists whose biometric data is contained in copyrighted material, voice actors are particularly concerned about the misuse of their voices for misinformation and disinformation. A basic level of transparency will help protect the many voices that are the foundation of these generative AI systems,” said The National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA). 
    “RAMPD proudly supports the TRAIN Act because transparency is key to fairness, access, and protecting the rights of all music creators. The TRAIN Act is a vital step toward equitable innovation that respects human authorship and artistic integrity,” said Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities. 
    “The Transparency Coalition welcomes the introduction by Sen. Welch of the TRAIN Act which will provide creators and copyright owners additional protection from their copyrighted works being used in AI training without their consent.” said Jai Jaisimha, Co-Founder, Transparency Coalition. “The Act deftly addresses the need for transparency around AI training inputs and empowers creators to seek redress from the appropriate judicial forum.” 
    Senator Welch is focused on strengthening consumer protections and safety around emerging technologies, including AI. During a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing last week, Senator Welch emphasized the importance of passing the TRAIN Act to help creator access the courts to ensure their copyrights are respected and safeguard their content from AI. 
    Last Congress, Senator Welch introduced the Artificial Intelligence Consumer Opt-In, Notification Standards, and Ethical Norms for Training (AI CONSENT) Act, legislation that would require online platforms to obtain consumers’ express informed consent before using their personal data to train AI models. Senator Welch also introduced the Digital Platform Commission Act, legislation to create an expert federal agency to provide comprehensive regulation of digital platforms to protect consumers, promote competition, and safeguard the public interest. 
    Learn more about the TRAIN Act and read a section-by-section summary. 
    Read and download the full text of the bill. 

    MIL OSI USA News –