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Time of India
06-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
US Senators introduce bill to boost Quad space cooperation
US Senators Kevin Cramer and Michael Bennet introduced the Quad Space Act of 2025 to bolster space cooperation among the Quad nations (US, India, Australia, and Japan). The bill directs the US Secretary of Defense to initiate discussions on space practices, situational awareness, and industrial policy. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads US Senators Kevin Cramer and Michael Bennet have introduced the Quad Space Act of 2025 to strengthen Quad space cooperation . The bill would direct US Secretary of Defence to initiate discussions with Quad nations to identify mutual areas of interest with regards to formulation of practices in space, cooperation on space situational awareness , and space industrial policy The press release stated, "At a time when adversaries like China and Russia are increasingly utilizing space-based capabilities to expand their interests, US Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), co-chair of the Senate Space Force Caucus and chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee, and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Quad Space Act of 2025.""The bill would direct the Secretary of Defense to initiate discussions with Quad countries to identify mutual areas of interest with respect to the formulation of best practices in space, cooperation on space situational awareness, and space industrial policy," it emphasised that maintaining space dominance is needed for protecting the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. He stated that Quad Space Act protects US' interests by deepening space cooperation with trusted partners and reaffirming US' commitment to advancing a free and open region."He stated, "Maintaining space dominance is vital to protecting the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region." He added, "The Quad's alignment addresses shared security challenges between our countries, and we recognize the importance of space as a strategic domain. The Quad Space Act protects our interests by deepening space cooperation with trusted partners and reaffirming our commitment to advancing a free and open region."Bennet emphasised that Quad Space Act will enhance the collective capacity of the four nations to address shared challenges by better ensuring safe and secure space missions, tracking objects and activities in space, and fostering shared innovation"As China and Russia rapidly develop dangerous space capabilities and behave recklessly in space, the United States must bolster cooperation with our Quad partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," Bennet said in a release."The Quad Space Act will enhance our collective capacity to address shared challenges by better ensuring safe and secure space missions, tracking objects and activities in space, and fostering shared innovation," he Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the Quad is a diplomatic partnership among India, Australia, Japan, and the United States, committed to fostering an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and in January, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on his first day in office, hosted the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan for a significant meeting of the QUAD alliance."On day one as Secretary of State, I hosted the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan for an important meeting of the Quad. We are committed to strengthening economic opportunity and peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region," Rubio posted on Secretary of State Marco Rubio held the meeting with his Quad counterparts--External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan's Takeshi Iwaya, and Australia's Penny Wong--at the US Department of a joint statement, the Foreign ministers of Quad countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific where "sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and defended." The Quad nations also expressed strong opposition "to any unilateral actions aimed at changing the status quo through force or coercion."
India.com
06-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
US Senators Introduce Bill To Boost Quad Space Cooperation
US Senators Kevin Cramer and Michael Bennet have introduced the Quad Space Act of 2025 to strengthen Quad space cooperation. The bill would direct US Secretary of Defence to initiate discussions with Quad nations to identify mutual areas of interest with regards to formulation of practices in space, cooperation on space situational awareness, and space industrial policy. The press release stated, "At a time when adversaries like China and Russia are increasingly utilizing space-based capabilities to expand their interests, US Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), co-chair of the Senate Space Force Caucus and chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee, and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Quad Space Act of 2025." "The bill would direct the Secretary of Defense to initiate discussions with Quad countries to identify mutual areas of interest with respect to the formulation of best practices in space, cooperation on space situational awareness, and space industrial policy," it added. Cramer emphasised that maintaining space dominance is needed for protecting the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. He stated that Quad Space Act protects US' interests by deepening space cooperation with trusted partners and reaffirming US' commitment to advancing a free and open region." He stated, "Maintaining space dominance is vital to protecting the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region." He added, "The Quad's alignment addresses shared security challenges between our countries, and we recognize the importance of space as a strategic domain. The Quad Space Act protects our interests by deepening space cooperation with trusted partners and reaffirming our commitment to advancing a free and open region." Bennet emphasised that Quad Space Act will enhance the collective capacity of the four nations to address shared challenges by better ensuring safe and secure space missions, tracking objects and activities in space, and fostering shared innovation. "As China and Russia rapidly develop dangerous space capabilities and behave recklessly in space, the United States must bolster cooperation with our Quad partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," Bennet said in a release. "The Quad Space Act will enhance our collective capacity to address shared challenges by better ensuring safe and secure space missions, tracking objects and activities in space, and fostering shared innovation," he added. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the Quad is a diplomatic partnership among India, Australia, Japan, and the United States, committed to fostering an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. Earlier in January, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on his first day in office, hosted the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan for a significant meeting of the QUAD alliance. "On day one as Secretary of State, I hosted the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan for an important meeting of the Quad. We are committed to strengthening economic opportunity and peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region," Rubio posted on X. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held the meeting with his Quad counterparts--External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan's Takeshi Iwaya, and Australia's Penny Wong--at the US Department of State. In a joint statement, the Foreign ministers of Quad countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific where "sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and defended." The Quad nations also expressed strong opposition "to any unilateral actions aimed at changing the status quo through force or coercion."
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP: Sen. Fetterman, colleagues reintroduce bill to boost domestic bus manufacturing
Feb. 24—WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Sen. John Fetterman this week joined Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) to reintroduce bipartisan legislation to cut red tape and strengthen the domestic bus manufacturing industry by providing more flexibility for local transit systems when purchasing buses. Current U.S. standards impose outdated, 40-year-old payment practices on our bus manufacturers and purchasers, which result in unnecessarily high costs. Many domestic bus manufacturers have gone bankrupt or left the market, despite high demand for new vehicles. The Bus Rolling Stock Modernization Act would help fix this problem. Specifically, it would allow bus purchasers to make advanced payments of up to 20%, helping domestic manufacturers invest in the workers and equipment needed to meet rising demand for new, cost-effective buses. "Right now, we're stuck with 40-year-old rules that prevent bus manufacturers from investing in the workers and equipment they need," said Sen. Fetterman. "It's a problem that's hurting transit agencies in big cities and small towns across Pennsylvania. This bill fixes that by giving local agencies the flexibility they need to get buses on the road faster and at a lower cost, while helping American manufacturers meet demand. I'm proud to be part of this effort to keep Pennsylvanians moving." Senators Fetterman, Smith, Cramer, and Britt originally introduced this legislation in the 118th Congress. Treasurer Garrity bans DeepSeek AI from Treasury devices Treasurer Stacy Garrity this week announced that the use of the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) platform DeepSeek has been banned from all Treasury-issued devices due to concerns about privacy and security. "Our team at Treasury deals with billions of dollars that belong to the residents of the Commonwealth, so keeping our computer network secure is a top priority," Treasurer Garrity said. "There are growing fears that DeepSeek is directly linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), potentially allowing the Chinese government to obtain sensitive government or personal data. Banning DeepSeek is necessary to ensure the safety of Pennsylvanians' hard-earned tax dollars and other important, sensitive information entrusted to Treasury." Treasury's ban of DeepSeek includes all Treasury-issued devices, including laptops, cell phones, or other devices capable of connecting to the internet. Treasury's firewall has also been updated to block access to both the DeepSeek app and its corresponding website from its network. Treasury's systems are designed to block access to any new AI platform to allow necessary and thorough vetting. "Treasury's cyber-security systems monitor around the clock to protect Pennsylvania taxpayers, and the IT team mitigates them 24/7," Treasurer Garrity said. "For example, in 2024, Treasury Firewall blocked more than 200 million requests. Building and updating our systems to best protect our data is crucial to our operations and to the security of our state and our country." Sen. Mastriano introduces No Patient Left Behind Act To allow patients to have the support of loved ones, Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) this week introduced the No Patient Left Alone Act. The legislation would ensure that all Pennsylvanians facing medical treatment or end-of-life care have the support of family, friends or an advocate. "The medical community widely acknowledges that emotional support is just as critical as medical treatment," Mastriano said. "Yet, countless patients have been denied this basic right due to outdated policies, bureaucratic indifference and hospital regulations that fail to recognize the human cost of isolation." Studies show that elderly patients left alone in hospitals experience faster physical and cognitive decline. Patients of all ages who are isolated are more likely to experience severe anxiety, depression and emotional distress. "Hospitals should be places of healing," Mastriano said. "However, for far too many, they have become places of loneliness, despair and unnecessary suffering." With passage of the bill, patients would be guaranteed the right to a support person during hospitalization, treatments and end-of-life care. The legislation would prioritize access for intensive care unit patients, the elderly, disabled individuals and those in critical or long-term care. Hospital and care facilities would be required to implement safe, reasonable visitation policies that balance patient needs with public health protocols. "For too long, hospitals have placed policies over people, red tape over relationships and rules over basic human decency," Mastriano said. "The No Patient Left Alone Act is more than legislation; it's a moral obligation." Florida, Texas and Tennessee have passed similar laws to ensure that no patient is abandoned by their government or health care system. Rep. Pashinski expresses concern over proposed nearly 11% UGI rate hike request State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski. D-Wilkes-Barre, this week expressed serious concern over UGI Utilities proposed nearly 11% rate hike, which would significantly increase natural gas bills for families and businesses across the region. "As a public servant, it is my responsibility to protect the hard-working families and small businesses in our district from unfair burdens, and I fear this proposed rate hike will put a heavy strain on many in our community," said Pashinski "In the midst of inflation, rising costs, and economic uncertainty, an 11% increase in natural gas rates is unacceptable." The proposal, which is currently under review by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, would lead to higher utility bills for residential customers, especially during the winter months when heating costs already place additional pressure on household budgets. Small businesses, which are vital to the local economy, would also face increased operating expenses. "While we understand that utility companies must balance the costs of service, infrastructure repair and the needs of their customers, the timing of this rate increase is particularly troubling," Pashinski continued. "Many families are already struggling to make ends meet, and this hike would only make things worse. I urge the PUC to thoroughly consider the impact this rate increase would have on the people of our district and to explore all options to minimize the financial burden on consumers." Pashinski is calling on the PUC to hold public hearings in affected communities to gather input from residents and small businesses before making any final decisions on the proposed rate hike. He is also urging UGI to explore alternative ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency to avoid passing this burden onto ratepayers. "We must ensure that our utility infrastructure remains strong and reliable, striving to balance these investments with fair and affordable utility rates," said Pashinski. "The expense for these investments cannot be initiated all at once. However, I will continue to fight for our community and work with my colleagues in the legislature to explore legislative solutions to protect consumers against huge increases in monthly energy bills. The plan to improve infrastructure must be phased in over a reasonable time frame to allow their customers to be able to attain the energy they need at a price they can afford." Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Fox News
30-01-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Common Ground: Honoring Our Fallen Heroes
Many first responders who dedicate their lives to serving others often end up paying severe consequences, with firefighters having a 9% greater risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from the disease than the general population. When these brave Americans are putting their lives in danger to protect others, they should feel confident their lives and families are valued. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) discuss how they're setting out to do just that through the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, a piece of bipartisan legislation aiming to secure additional federal funding for the families of first responders who have died or suffered permanent disability from service-related cancers. Follow Bret on X: @BretBaier Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
