Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Protect Our Care: RFK Jr.'s Friday Night Anti-Vax ACIP Appointment Part of Trump's Keep-It-Quiet Strategy
WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Protect Our Care issued the following news:
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RFK Jr.'s Friday Night Anti-Vax ACIP Appointment Part of Trump's Keep-It-Quiet Strategy
In line with the Trump administration "downplaying their push to overhaul vaccine policy" amid its extreme unpopularity, late Friday night, Trump Health Secretary RFK Jr. quietly announced yet another concerning anti-vax member of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Angie Farella. After unceremoniously firing all 17 members last year, Kennedy has continued to pack ACIP with anti-science quacks, including its
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Protect Our Care issued the following news:
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RFK Jr.'s Friday Night Anti-Vax ACIP Appointment Part of Trump's Keep-It-Quiet Strategy
In line with the Trump administration "downplaying their push to overhaul vaccine policy" amid its extreme unpopularity, late Friday night, Trump Health Secretary RFK Jr. quietly announced yet another concerning anti-vax member of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Angie Farella. After unceremoniously firing all 17 members last year, Kennedy has continued to pack ACIP with anti-science quacks, including itsChairman, who thinks a return of Polio wouldn't be so bad. Kennedy's overhauled ACIP has already made dangerous and unfounded recommendations adopted by the Trump CDC, including putting more kids at risk of potentially fatal hepatitis B.
"Secretary Kennedy and Donald Trump may try to hide their anti-vaccine efforts to avoid accountability, but in practice, their latest anti-vaccine moves are only getting more aggressive," said Kayla Hancock, Director of Protect Our Care's Public Health Project. "The appointment of Angie Farella to ACIP is the latest step in an escalating Trump-RFK Jr. war against peer-reviewed science. This is someone who pushed patients to risk their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic while advocating to rip the vaccines credited with saving over 2.5 million American lives off the market. Trump's growing dream team of anti-vax frauds and wellness grifters presents nothing but a nightmare for public health, from more lives endangered by preventable disease to ballooning health costs."
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ANGIE FARELLA:
* Dr. Angie Farella is a vocal vaccine opponent, advocating to "stop the immunizing" of young mothers and touting efforts to "pull" the COVID-19 vaccines from the market.
* Farella is a member of America's Frontline Doctors, a fringe group that was a leading promoter of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 - an unproven anti-parasitic drug for animals that led to increased emergency room visits from patients who had taken the drug after receiving misleading information.
* During the height of the pandemic, the group also repeatedly shared misleading claims about COVID-19, including promoting hydroxychloroquine as an effective treatment and asserting that masks did not slow its spread.
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Original text here: https://www.protectourcare.org/rfk-jr-s-friday-night-anti-vax-acip-appointment-part-of-trumps-keep-it-quiet-strategy/
[Category: Health Care]
Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for Temples in California and Cambodia
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 3 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release:
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Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for Temples in California and Cambodia
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the open house and dedication dates for the San Diego California Temple and the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple.
A media day for the San Diego California Temple will be held Monday, June 15, 2026, and invited guests will tour the temple on June 16 and 17, 2026. The public open house will be held Thursday, June
... Show Full Article
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 3 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release:
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Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for Temples in California and Cambodia
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the open house and dedication dates for the San Diego California Temple and the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple.
A media day for the San Diego California Temple will be held Monday, June 15, 2026, and invited guests will tour the temple on June 16 and 17, 2026. The public open house will be held Thursday, June18, through Saturday, July 11, 2026 (excluding Sundays). The dedication will be on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at 10 a.m. (rebroadcast: 2 p.m.)
This house of the Lord was first dedicated in April 1993 by President Gordon B. Hinkley and was the third temple in California. Today, 12 temples are announced, under construction or operating in the state.
Dedicated temples in California are the Feather River, Fresno, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Oakland, Redlands and Sacramento Temples. The Modesto and Yorba Linda Temples are under construction, and the Bakersfield and Sunnyvale Temples have been announced.
Nearly 730,000 Latter-day Saints reside in California, meeting in over 1,000 congregations.
Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple
A media day for the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple will be held on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. Invited guests will tour the temple on August 13 and 14.
The temple will be open for public tours from Saturday, August 15, through Saturday, August 22 (excluding Sunday).
Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will preside at the dedication on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at 10 a.m. (rebroadcast: 2 p.m.). The dedicatory session will be broadcast to all units in the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple district.
Cambodia is home to more than 17,000 Latter-day Saints meeting in 31 congregations. This temple, built in the nation's capital city, will be the country's first house of the Lord.
President Russell M. Nelson announced the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple in 2018.
"Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. I plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time. Invest time in your future and in that of your family," he said. "I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples."
Latter-day Saints worship in temples for several reasons: to feel God's love and peace, to learn more about God's plan for His children and the gospel of Jesus Christ, to make promises with God and with one's husband or wife and to unite families in this life and the next through sacred ordinances.
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Original text here: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/open-house-and-dedication-dates-announced-for-temples-in-california-and-cambodia
[Category: Religion]
More Illegal Aliens Attack IRS Data-Sharing
WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The Federation for American Immigration Reform issued the following news release:
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More Illegal Aliens Attack IRS Data-Sharing
FAIR shows lower court's injunction is against the public interest
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The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) has filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit making the case for reversing a district court's injunction prohibiting the Internal Revenue Service from sharing information about illegal aliens with another federal agency, the Department of Homeland Security. The plaintiffs fear that the data-sharing
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The Federation for American Immigration Reform issued the following news release:
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More Illegal Aliens Attack IRS Data-Sharing
FAIR shows lower court's injunction is against the public interest
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The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) has filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit making the case for reversing a district court's injunction prohibiting the Internal Revenue Service from sharing information about illegal aliens with another federal agency, the Department of Homeland Security. The plaintiffs fear that the data-sharingprogram instituted by the Trump Administration will result in more deportations of illegal aliens.
In another case, after FAIR's brief in this case was filed, the DC Circuit held that a similar challenge to the data-sharing by other plaintiffs could not go forward. Whether that holding will determine this case, however, remains to be seen.
Here, FAIR demonstrates in its brief that, under the doctrine of "unclean hands," a court should not grant an injunction sought by plaintiffs to protect their own illegal activity--here, remaining in the country even though subject to finals orders of removal--because doing so makes the court abet that illegal conduct.
FAIR also argues that the district court assessed the public interest wrongly--a factor in determining whether to grant an injunction. As the brief puts it: "The district court also balanced the equities and determined the public interest improperly, finding weight in the 'informational privacy' of those violating the law while ignoring the Executive's obligation to enforce the law at a time of national crisis."
"There is nothing wrong with one federal agency sharing information with another, to further the purposes of Congress in the immigration laws," said Dale L. Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of FAIR. "And even if there were, courts should not grant injunctions to protect wrongdoing, nor ignore the obvious public interest in enforcing the law. We hope the court sees the factors were all against granting an injunction here, and reverses."
The case is Center for Taxpayers Rights v. Internal Revenue Service, No. 26-5006 (DC Circuit).
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Original text here: https://www.fairus.org/press-release/more-illegal-aliens-attack-irs-data-sharing
[Category: International]
Independent Women's Voice: Major Win for Independent Workers - Wyoming Poised to Become the Fourth State to Adopt Portable Benefits Legislation
WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The Independent Women's Voice, an organization that fights for policy solutions for women, posted the following news release on March 2, 2026:
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Major Win for Independent Workers: Wyoming Poised to Become the Fourth State to Adopt Portable Benefits Legislation
Legislature Passes SF 41 to Protect Independent Worker Freedom and Expand Access to Voluntary Benefits
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CHEYENNE, WY -- Across the country, there is growing bipartisan recognition that independent workers deserve access to benefits without sacrificing flexibility or autonomy.
Today, the Wyoming Legislature
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The Independent Women's Voice, an organization that fights for policy solutions for women, posted the following news release on March 2, 2026:
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Major Win for Independent Workers: Wyoming Poised to Become the Fourth State to Adopt Portable Benefits Legislation
Legislature Passes SF 41 to Protect Independent Worker Freedom and Expand Access to Voluntary Benefits
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CHEYENNE, WY -- Across the country, there is growing bipartisan recognition that independent workers deserve access to benefits without sacrificing flexibility or autonomy.
Today, the Wyoming Legislatureoverwhelmingly passed Senate File 41 in a combined vote of 90-1, positioning the state to become the fourth in the nation to adopt a portable benefits framework modeled after Independent Women's "Voluntary Portable Benefits Act." The legislation now heads to Governor Mark Gordon's desk to be signed into law.
SF 41 authorizes the creation and use of portable benefit accounts and establishes a clear safe harbor allowing companies to voluntarily contribute to those accounts without triggering worker misclassification. The measure protects independent contractor status while expanding access to voluntary benefits such as health coverage, disability insurance, and retirement savings.
Independent workers are one of the fastest-growing segments of the American workforce representing over 66,000 workers and over 20% of the workforce in Wyoming. Yet many are locked out of accessing traditional employee benefits simply because they choose flexible, independent work. Wyoming is carrying forward western momentum on recognizing the changing workforce. Neighboring Utah was the first state to pass this innovative legislation in 2023 and Idaho has a similar proposal under consideration in their legislature now.
With the passage of SF 41, hiring parties may voluntarily contribute funds to portable benefit accounts without those contributions being used as a factor in employment classification determinations. This ensures workers gain access to critical financial and healthcare benefits without sacrificing their flexibility or autonomy.
"Wyoming has always been a state that values independence and hard work, but the way we work is changing. By passing this first-of-its-kind portable benefits legislation, we are ensuring that our gig workers, contractors and entrepreneurs don't have to choose between a flexible career and financial security. We are setting the national gold standard - proving that Wyoming is not only open for business but is the best place in the country for the modern workforce to thrive," said Wyoming Senator Jared Olsen.
"This is a win for women, workers, and the small business community," said Patrice Onwuka, director of Independent Women's Center for Economic Opportunity and author of the legislative model. "Our modern economy is generating innumerable flexible opportunities, something that women value as they juggle caregiving and other priorities with work. Freelancers, self-employed, and gig workers depend on this flexibility, but also desire the security of benefits. Portable benefits are a bipartisan solution that expands access to healthcare, paid time off, and retirement benefits while protecting the independent status of flexible workers."
"I am grateful to Senators Jared Olsen, Barry Crago, Brian Boner, and Representatives J.D. Williams and Lee Filer for the support that they have given SF41. Wyoming has a unique economy that presents challenges that can be difficult to navigate, especially for families. Portable benefits give families who want to have flexible work options a practical way to access benefits while still allowing opportunities for Wyoming's many small businesses to flourish," said Cathy Holman, Wyoming Leading Member at Independent Women's Network.
Independent Women unveiled its Voluntary Portable Benefits Act model legislation last year as part of a multi-state initiative to modernize workforce policy and safeguard independent worker choice. The organization continues to amplify the voices of independent workers through its national storytelling drive: "Your Work. Your Benefits. Your Story," highlighting the urgent need to expand access to portable benefits to meet the needs of today's rapidly evolving workforce.
Wyoming joins a growing number of states that are prioritizing Independent Women's Voluntary Portable Benefits framework this legislative session.
Direct media inquiries and booking requests to press@iwvoice.com.
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Original text here: https://www.iwvoice.com/2026/03/major-win-for-independent-workers-wyoming-poised-to-become-the-fourth-state-to-adopt-portable-benefits-legislation/
[Category: Sociological]
Decrepit Conditions for Military Dogs at San Antonio Base Prompts PETA Plea to President Trump: 'Please Fund Robo Dogs!
NORFOLK, Virginia, March 3 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
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Decrepit Conditions for Military Dogs at San Antonio Base Prompts PETA Plea to President Trump: 'Please Fund Robo Dogs!
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and 11 other military bases are the subject of a disturbing, just-released report from the Defense Department's Inspector General's office which reveals that at least four dogs used by the U.S. military died after being confined in decrepit kennels and dozens more were sickened or injured. In response, PETA sent an urgent letter
... Show Full Article
NORFOLK, Virginia, March 3 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release:
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Decrepit Conditions for Military Dogs at San Antonio Base Prompts PETA Plea to President Trump: 'Please Fund Robo Dogs!
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and 11 other military bases are the subject of a disturbing, just-released report from the Defense Department's Inspector General's office which reveals that at least four dogs used by the U.S. military died after being confined in decrepit kennels and dozens more were sickened or injured. In response, PETA sent an urgent letterto President Trump requesting a boost in federal funding for military and law enforcement agencies or an allocation of funds to allow them to replace the use of dogs with state-of-the-art robotic "dogs."
The report revealed found that dogs were confined almost constantly to small concrete pens without adequate protection from extreme weather. Two hundred and thirty dogs confined at San Antonio-Lackland received only three or four 10-minute walks per week rather than the five hours of daily exercise mandated by military policy, and many showed signs of severe stress, including continuous spinning. PETA points out that dogs used by the military have an extremely high mortality rate due to traumatic injuries from explosive devices and gunshot wounds, heat stress, and disease, and those who survive are at high risk of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder for the rest of their lives and their use is often the cheapest and easiest but the least state-of-the-art "equipment" choice.
PETA notes that as global conflicts escalate, robot dogs are already being deployed in active combat zones. Robot dogs like "Spot" from manufacturer Boston Dynamics can perform many of the same duties as traditional military working dogs and police K-9s, while sparing real dogs from being shot, blown up, strangled, or suffering slow, agonizing deaths from heatstroke. In the war between Russia and Ukraine, remotely operated "dogs" have been used for reconnaissance, building clearance, and detecting explosives. A British supplied robotic dog program in Ukraine uses walking, drone like units to explore trenches, dense woodlands, and booby trapped buildings that would pose extreme danger to live dogs. And the U.S. military sent an AI-enabled robodog to the Middle East in 2024 to evaluate counter drone capabilities, and in 2022, deployed a robotic dog to Ukraine to assist in mine and ordnance clearing.
"San Antonio prides itself on supporting the troops, and that must include protecting the dogs forced into dangerous missions and deplorable living conditions," says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "PETA is asking President Trump to give America's military and law-enforcement agencies advanced robotic K-9s and spare real dogs from misery and death."
Besides being injured and killed in the line of duty, K-9s used by police are often subjected to cruel, antiquated training methods, as well as abused, injured, or even killed by their handlers when off duty.
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PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to abuse in any way"--points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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PETA's letter to President Trump follows.
Dear Mr. President:
Long ago, you helped PETA end mule diving in Atlantic City. Animals need your help again today. We respectfully request that your administration support our troops and fund the police by providing American-made robotic dogs to replace dogs used for military operations and police work in the U.S. and overseas.
Numerous federal, state, and local agencies use dogs. There are approximately 50,000 active police K-9s across the country and 1,600 "military working dogs" (MWDs) across four branches. Unlike the brave service members and officers who choose to put their lives on the line, MWDs and police K-9s can't consent to being used as living shields or being sent into violent situations they did not cause--and many pay with their lives.
Robot K-9s like "Spot" from Boston Dynamics can perform many of the same duties as live police dogs but obviously won't suffer or die if they are shot, stabbed, punched, kicked, strung up, hit by a car, left inside a hot car, or left outside in a kennel in triple-digit heat without shade or water. Although statistics regarding police K-9 line-of-duty mortality rates are not available, a study of 92 MWDs who died during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom showed that 77% of the deaths were due to traumatic injuries, mostly caused by explosive devices and gunshot wounds. Those who survive are at high risk of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder for the rest of their lives. MWDs are not even safe on domestic bases: According to a recent report from the Defense Department's Inspector General's office, four MWDs died because of "unsatisfactory kennel facility conditions," and 22 dogs at just one base in Texas sustained heat injuries over a three-year period.
The Massachusetts State Police and others are already using robots to de-escalate highly volatile and dangerous situations, like domestic violence calls. Tactical robots can enhance community safety and protect officers (both human and canine). Four of these "mechanical first responders" will be used for security during the World Cup in Mexico. At the same time, Florida International University researchers are developing technology capable of detecting explosives with even greater accuracy than dogs--a potentially lifesaving breakthrough, both domestically and in combat zones.
Will your administration please give our troops and law-enforcement agencies the state-of-the-art tools they need to do their jobs--and allow them to retire dogs who are routinely being killed in the line of duty--by funding their use of robotic dogs made right here at home, which can do the job without loss of life or limb?
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Most respectfully,
Daniel Paden
Vice President of Legal Advocacy
Investigations, Research, & Legal Advocacy
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/decrepit-conditions-for-military-dogs-at-san-antonio-base-prompts-peta-plea-to-president-trump-please-fund-robo-dogs/
[Category: Animals]
Consumer Reports Applauds Virginia General Assembly for Sending Key Location Privacy Bill to Governor's Desk
YONKERS, New York, March 3 -- Consumer Reports posted the following news release:
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Consumer Reports applauds Virginia General Assembly for sending key location privacy bill to governor's desk
Richmond, VA - The Virginia General Assembly approved SB 338, legislation to amend the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act to ban the sale of consumers' precise geolocation data. Consumer Reports recently led a coalition of privacy and consumer groups in support of the bill. The bill received unanimous, bipartisan approval at every step of the legislative process.
"Our location data should never
... Show Full Article
YONKERS, New York, March 3 -- Consumer Reports posted the following news release:
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Consumer Reports applauds Virginia General Assembly for sending key location privacy bill to governor's desk
Richmond, VA - The Virginia General Assembly approved SB 338, legislation to amend the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act to ban the sale of consumers' precise geolocation data. Consumer Reports recently led a coalition of privacy and consumer groups in support of the bill. The bill received unanimous, bipartisan approval at every step of the legislative process.
"Our location data should neverbe sold to the highest bidder. Today, data brokers and others sell records of our daily movements, including to sensitive locations like healthcare facilities, places of worship, or rallies, as often as every three seconds. This bill would curb those practices and strengthen privacy protections for all Virginians," said Matt Schwartz, policy analyst at Consumer Reports. "We applaud Senator Russet Perry for her leadership on this critical issue, as well as the Virginia General Assembly for unanimously approving legislation to rein in the unchecked sale of personal geolocation data. We urge Governor Spanberger to sign SB 338 without delay."
If signed into law, Virginia would join Maryland and Oregon in banning the sale of precise geolocation information. Several other states are considering similar bans during the 2026 legislative session, including California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Washington.
Consumer Reports recently released model legislation, the State Location Privacy Act, that would similarly ban the sale of consumers' precise geolocation information.
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Original text here: https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/press_release/consumer-reports-applauds-virginia-general-assembly-for-sending-key-location-privacy-bill-to-governors-desk/
[Category: Business]
VFW Expresses Condolences for US Casualties of Operation Epic Fury
KANSAS CITY, Missouri, March 3 -- The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., a veterans service organization, issued the following statement on March. 1, 2026:
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VFW Expresses Condolences for US Casualties of Operation Epic Fury
The following is a message from VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore
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On behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and its Auxiliary, we are deeply saddened by the news that three American service members were killed in action and five others seriously wounded during the ongoing Operation Epic Fury.
These brave men and women answered our nation's call without
... Show Full Article
KANSAS CITY, Missouri, March 3 -- The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., a veterans service organization, issued the following statement on March. 1, 2026:
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VFW Expresses Condolences for US Casualties of Operation Epic Fury
The following is a message from VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore
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On behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and its Auxiliary, we are deeply saddened by the news that three American service members were killed in action and five others seriously wounded during the ongoing Operation Epic Fury.
These brave men and women answered our nation's call withouthesitation, serving in harm's way to defend the freedoms we too often take for granted. Their courage, commitment and selfless devotion to duty represent the very best of America.
We extend our heartfelt condolences and prayers to the Gold Star families whose loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice. No words can fully ease the pain of such profound loss, but please know that a grateful nation stands beside you. We also keep those who were wounded in our thoughts and pray for their full and swift recovery.
The VFW remains steadfast in our support of the men and women currently deployed in Operation Epic Fury and across the globe. We honor the lives and legacy of the fallen and we will never forget their sacrifice in defense of our country and liberty everywhere.
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Original text here: https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2026/3/vfw-expresses-condolences-for-us-casualties-of-operation-epic-fury
[Category: National Defense]
