Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

Tonko Calls on Senate Democrats to Reject GOP Budget that Gives Musk Blank Check

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

WASHINGTON, DC — With March Madness set to kick off, Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) yesterday reintroduced their Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet (SAFE Bet) Act, legislation that would create nationwide consumer protections and standards for the mobile sports gambling industry. The Congressmembers were joined by the Douglas family, who shared their firsthand experience with gambling addiction, as well as the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University School of Law. The full recording of the conference can be viewed HERE.

The SAFE Bet Act would address the public health implications resulting from the widespread legalization of sports betting in the United States. The legislation would require states offering sports betting to meet minimum federal standards in the categories of marketing, affordability, and artificial intelligence to create a safer, less addictive product.

Congressman Tonko said, “In just a few years, the sports gambling industry has become entrenched in every aspect of sports, with every play, pass, pitch, and punt marketed as a moment to bet. We are championing the SAFE Bet Act — not to prevent Americans from wagering on sports should they choose to — but to place commonsense guardrails on the sports betting industry in order to protect our communities from the most devastating impacts of gambling-related harm. Just as the federal government established guidelines with the tobacco and alcohol industry, we must take action to limit the harm of this addictive product. I call on all those who have a stake in the world of sports betting to get behind the SAFE Bet Act and this sound and compassionate public health approach.”

Senator Blumenthal said, “We’re introducing this bill just before March Madness for a simple reason: to make sports betting safer and to stop the sports betting industry from abhorrently exploiting addiction. We have seen far too many — especially young people — driven into gambling abuse disorder, which is a disease. Like all addictions, we must take every step to prevent and treat it — not amplify or exploit it. The term March Madness is meant to imply an exuberance and joy as well as enthusiasm, but let’s be very clear: sports betting has become a science for gambling entities. It is the science of exploitation and targeting and tracking individuals who are prone to addiction. The science of targeting and tracking gamblers who lose bets and enticing them to bet more and more until they are driven into ruin. That’s the abuse that we are trying to stop through the SAFE Bet Act.”

Gordon Douglas, the father of Andrew said, “[My son’s] gambling addiction almost ruined his life — it certainly took some years of his life away and came close to ending in tragedy. This addiction was hidden from us because it can be done on a telephone at any hour of the day and night. We support the SAFE Bet Act because we feel like there needs to be some guardrails and protection for those who have identified themselves as having gambling problems.”

Andrew Douglas, who is currently in recovery for gambling disorder, said, “May 27th, 2024 was the day that I attempted to end my own life. Gambling addiction had a hold of me and had taken me to the darkest hole that I could ever imagine. For years and years [I was] constantly being targeted with no way to escape the advertising, the offers, the predatory and targeted business practices of all these gambling sites. There’s many many stories exactly like mine, and a lot more that didn’t end with the miracle that mine did. The hope [with this SAFE Bet Act] is to save future generations from having to go through what my family and myself have had to go through.”

PHAI President and Professor of Law at Northeastern University, Richard Daynard said, “Like cigarettes, online sports gambling apps are a highly addictive product designed to entrap consumers into compulsive use, robbing them of free choice as well their money. The SAFE Bets Act aims, among other things, to eliminate the predatory features of current sports betting apps, still allowing users to bet on the game but not to bet compulsively instead of even watching the game.”

Director of Gambling Policy at PHAI, Dr. Harry Levant, said, “The rapid and unprecedented expansion of the gambling industry has resulted in a public health crisis the scope of which we are only beginning to recognize. Once unthinkable partnerships between the gambling industry, professional and collegiate sports, broadcast media, and technology companies have resulted in the delivery of non-stop gambling action on virtually every phone, tablet, computer, and television. Gambling is a known addictive product, and the 2025 SAFE Bet Act protects the public by replacing the ethically flawed ‘responsible gaming’ model with comprehensive public health solutions designed to prevent gambling-related harm.”

Mark Gottlieb, Executive Director of PHAI said, “Where there is a public health problem, there needs to be a public health solution. At PHAI, we understand that blaming the people who are struggling with gambling and referring to them as ‘irresponsible’ consumers is not a public health solution. The 2025 SAFE Bet Act recognizes that the government needs to take a more active role when dealing with the new high-intensity sports gambling products that are causing so much pain today. The SAFE Bet Act is a public health solution.”

Since the 2018 Supreme Court decision that allowed for the widespread legalization of sports betting, the gambling industry has broken revenue records every year. In 2024, Americans legally wagered a record $147.91 billion on sports, up more than 23 percent from 2022. More than 95 percent of money wagered on sports last year was done online, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA).

A fact sheet of the SAFE Bet Act can be found HERE.

Bill text can be found HERE.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) released the following statement in response to reports that senior Trump administration officials, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, exposed classified war plans in an unsecure group chat that included a reporter.

“Exposing classified war plans in a group chat isn’t just amateurish — it’s a catastrophic intelligence breach that puts all our men and women in uniform at risk. Some members of this group chat were communicating through unsecured channels while they were in Moscow and possibly even at the Kremlin — recklessly exposing our state secrets to our adversaries.

“If these communications had been intercepted by malicious foreign actors, those adversaries would have known the time, place, and manner of impending strikes, putting our service members directly in harm’s way. Just as disturbing, some participants in the group shared information on active intelligence officers in the field — putting their lives in grave danger.

“Any junior officer would be court-martialed for an offense of this magnitude. If the individuals involved in this fiasco don’t resign out of sheer embarrassment, Donald Trump needs to fire them immediately.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressmen Brian Mast (FL-18)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-21) introduced the Service Member Residence Protection Act today, which protects service members from absurd squatters’ rights laws and saves them from costly legal battles. 

Service members encounter unique housing challenges with demanding prolonged absences, relocations, and frequent transitions, often leaving them susceptible to illegal trespassers, or squatters; this common sense legislation ensures active-duty military personnel will not face the stressful obstacles required for evicting such individuals.

“I can’t think of many things worse than finally coming home after a tour of duty, only to find a trespasser camped out. There’s plenty to worry about when you get home, evicting someone shouldn’t be on the list,” said Rep. Brian Mast. “My bill defends service members, puts their interest first and stops government protection for squatters invading their homes.” 

The bill amends the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA), adding a provision that frees service members’ residences from squatters’ rights constraints. Varying by state, squatters’ rights generally allow trespassers to claim ownership of a property if it is open, unoccupied, and their stay is continuous. Evicting a squatter requires legal intervention, which is often unfeasible or impossible during deployment. As service members’ residences are already vulnerable to trespassers, the bill provides housing security and financial protection from the legal barriers required to evict squatters. The bill defends military members’ residences from trespassers while they serve our country.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressmen Brian Mast (FL-18)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-21) introduced the Veterans Homecare Choice Act to ensure veterans have more options for the care that they receive. The legislation restore veterans’ ability to receive homecare through nurse registries and be reimbursed by the VA, reversing restrictions imposed by the 2018 VA MISSION Act.

“Veterans who want to live independently shouldn’t face bureaucratic hurdles to receive homecare,” said Chairman Brian Mast. “This bill corrects an oversight and ensures they can access the support they need.”

Previously, the VA reimbursed veterans for homecare services from independent contractors via nurse registries, which connect professionals with clients. After 2018, only W-2 homecare agencies qualified for reimbursement. This bill reinstates nurse registries as eligible providers, removing an overburdensome regulation and improving access to essential homecare for thousands of veterans.

This bill fixes an oversight in the current legislation and ensures bureaucratic red tape does not deprive veterans of the ability to live independently in their own homes as they age. By restoring veterans’ access to homecare professionals operating as independent contractors, the lives of tens of thousands of veterans and their families will be improved.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressmen Brian Mast (FL-18)

In Case You Missed It – U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-21) joined Fox News’ America Reports to discuss the effectiveness of DOGE and the efforts to cut wasteful spending.

On the push for accountability in the federal workforce: 

“The con, the fleecing, the joke was on the American people. When you had the federal government doing things like creating diverse bird-watching groups for $200,000 or teaching gender inclusivity through ultimate frisbee for a couple hundred thousand dollars… I could give lists and lists of these things. That was the fleecing of the American people, and what Democrats are fighting for is to not eliminate this waste, to not be accountable. They’re fighting to keep the waste and the lack of transparency.”

On the success of DOGE:

“DOGE has been beyond successful. Every American should be thanking President Trump. They should be thanking Elon Musk… We will all be more efficient. We will waste less dollars. There will be less inflation. This is the goal of all of this…” 

Watch the full interview here:

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressmen Brian Mast (FL-18)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-21) today introduced the No Tax Breaks for Radical Corporate Activism Act, which would prevent businesses from being able to write off travel expenses for employees who travel out of state for an abortion or gender transition procedures for an employee’s child.

“The days of woke corporations using your tax dollars to finance a far-left agenda are over. Too many companies have proven to be completely out of touch with American values,” said Rep. Mast. “This bill says ‘enough is enough,’ and protects children across the country.” 

Following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, many corporations expanded benefits to cover travel expenses for employees to seek abortions and gender transition procedures for minors if the employee lived in a state where such practices are outlawed.

The No Tax Breaks for Radical Corporate Activism Act would deny the business expense deduction for the reimbursement of employee costs of travel to obtain an abortion or child gender transition procedures. The bill will divest American tax dollars from being used to fund the harming of children and killing of unborn babies.

The full text of the bill can be read here. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Today, in response to news that the President has signed an Executive Order directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to dismantle the Department of Education, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement:

The President cannot unilaterally shut down the Department of Education (DoED). It was established by an act of Congress. To dismantle it—as this extremely harmful Executive Order sets out to do—would also require congressional action. This is basic constitutional law. Sadly, the President has shown time and again that he doesn’t care about the Constitution, or about the impacts his destructive actions will have on everyday Americans.

Eliminating the department would have devastating consequences for students, parents, and educators throughout the country—including here in Maine. Our schools receive more than $250 million a year through DoED, including $61 million for disadvantaged districts; $72 million for students with disabilities; $6.5 million for before- and after-school programs; $30 million for workforce development initiatives; and $75 million for Pell grants. All of it is in jeopardy now.

Let’s call this what it is: an attack on our kids, on parents, on communities, and on the very idea of public education. It will result in less support for education in Maine and very likely lead to higher local property taxes. All so that Republicans can give huge tax breaks to billionaires like Elon Musk.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Earlier today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree hosted a roundtable discussion to highlight how proposed Republican cuts to Medicaid (known in Maine as MaineCare)—which could run as high as $900 billion—will have devastating repercussions for patients, health care professionals, patient-care facilities, and communities throughout Maine. 

During the hour-long meeting, participants shared their perspectives on how these looming cuts will impact Mainers—from forcing community health centers and rural hospitals to close; to the pressure that providers will face if hundreds of thousands of Mainers suddenly lose coverage; to how a surge in uninsured patients will require significantly more funding from the state. 

“What Republicans are trying to do to Medicaid—eliminating coverage for millions of Americans while the cost of living continues to increase, all so they can pay for tax cuts for the richest Americans—is totally unacceptable. Democrats have made it abundantly clear that we will not stand for any cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security,” Pingree said. “Today, we heard from—and about—the very people who will suffer the most from these cuts. Their fear and concern are real, and reflect the anxiety that many Mainers are feeling right now. I’m so grateful to all the participants for coming out and making their voices heard, as so many Americans are doing right now. I hope my Republican colleagues are listening. Cuts to Medicaid will make Americans poorer and sicker. If Republicans really care about balancing the budget, they’ll make billionaires pay their fair share in taxes—not rip vital services away from vulnerable Americans so Donald Trump and Elon Musk can rake in millions.”

 

Click here to download photos from today’s event.

Participants included Carter Friend, CEO of York County Community Action and Nasson Health Center in Sanford; Dr. Booth Dargis, Primary Care Physician at Stephens Hospital in Norway; April Tardiff, a resident of Old Orchard Beach whose son relies on MaineCare for critical services; Tom Doherty, Executive Director at Milestone Recovery; as well as two representatives from Maine Equal Justice (Policy Advocate Alex Carter, and Community Organizer Allina Diaz—who also shared her own personal story about the important role MaineCare has played in her life). 

Medicaid (also known as MaineCare) is a lifeline for more than 350,000 Mainers—including children, people with disabilities, seniors in long term care, and working adults, among others. It’s also a critical source of revenue for patient-care facilities, which rely on Medicaid reimbursements for everything from paying doctors to updating equipment. The House and Senate are currently trying to reconcile a budget resolution agreement that could require deep cuts to the program–all to pay for more than $4 trillion in tax cuts proposed by Republicans. 

“This morning’s conversation about Medicaid in Maine can’t come at a more important moment, as Congress considers cuts to Medicaid and other critical programs, threatening to roll back the health care progress we’ve made in Maine,” said Alex Carter, Policy Advocate at Maine Equal Justice. “That would go against the will of Maine voters who supported Medicaid expansion. It would hurt our rural hospitals, our economy, and the Maine people and families who rely on Medicaid to get the health care they need.” 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

More than 80 Members of Congress, led by Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Congressman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), and Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-N.C.), are demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) after the Trump Administration cancelled two agency programs that help bolster local and regional food supply chains by purchasing food from American farmers and providing nutritious meals to feeding programs, including at food banks and schools. 

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Pingree and her colleagues said that the USDA’s decision to cancel federal funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreements for 2025—as well as the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS)–will impact farmers across the country and strip food away from people, who need it, including children. 

“At a time when farmers are facing increased input costs and significant uncertainty due to the indiscriminate funding freeze on certain USDA funds, and when grocery costs have not come down and more families are relying on food banks and school meals, it is reckless and cruel to cancel LFPA and LFS awards to states,” they wrote.

The full letter is available here and copied below. 

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Secretary Rollins,

We write to express our deep dismay and concern regarding the United States Department of Agriculture decision to terminate Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreements for 2025 and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) across the country. This decision will impact farmers across the country and strip food away from people, including children, who need it. 

The LFPA program provided funding across the country to purchase locally and regionally sourced foods to maintain and improve agricultural supply chain resiliency. As you may recall, the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare issues with our agricultural supply chain. The LFPA program worked to ensure food and beverages purchased were healthy, nutritious and unique to their geographic areas, meeting the needs of the population. Food purchased through the program supported feeding programs, including food banks, which continue to experience unprecedented demand. The LFS program provided funds to support the purchase of domestic local food to provide in schools and at child care facilities. Paired together, LFPA and LFS bolstered our local and regional supply chains to support producers and ensure Americans had access to nutritious food.

At a time when farmers are facing increased input costs and significant uncertainty due to the indiscriminate funding freeze on certain USDA funds, and when grocery costs have not come down and more families are relying on food banks and school meals, it is reckless and cruel to cancel LFPA and LFS awards to states.

We request answers to the following questions by March 21, 2025

1.     How much LFPA25 and LFS funding was clawed back by USDA?

2.     How does USDA intend to use the funds clawed back?

3.     What is USDA’s legal justification for cancelling already agreed to LFPA and LFS contracts with states?

4.     How many farmers benefitted from previous rounds of LFPA and LFS funding? 

5.     How will USDA assist farmers in the coming growing season that lost a market due to LFPA and LFS termination?

6.     How will USDA assist additional impacted communities, including feeding programs, school children and school nutrition professionals, and child care facilities? 

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter. 

 

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