U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stationed at the Hidalgo International Bridge in Texas recently intercepted a large shipment of liquid methamphetamine valued at approximately $3.7 million. The incident occurred May 14 when a 20-year old female U.S. citizen … Read More
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee recently held a hearing discussing the nation’s emergency alert systems and how technological advancements could alter their future. “Outfitting first responders with the robust capabilities of broadband communications is essential,” … Read More
A group of scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) were recently recognized with the Secretary of Energy’s Appreciation Award for their contributions in the response efforts to the West African Ebola epidemic of 2014-2015. Katrina Waters, Mary Lancaster, … Read More
In the wake of the recent WannaCry ransomware attacks, U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced the Protecting Our Ability to Counter Hacking (PATCH) Act, which adds a layer of transparency and accountability to government procedures for … Read More
A bill that addresses many of the staffing shortfalls seen at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stations was recently approved by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The Boots on the Border Act was cosponsored by U.S. … Read More
U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) recently sent a public letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly requesting information regarding the department’s use of privately operated immigration detention facilities. The senators’ concerns stem … Read More
A bill that seeks to reduce wasteful spending on the nation’s outdated IT systems and enhance security by expediting the government’s transition to modern technology like cloud computing was recently approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, titled … Read More
A bill to improve enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws by cracking down on sanctuary city policies was recently introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Raúl Labrador (R-ID) and Bob Goodlatte (R-VA). The Michael Davis, Jr. and … Read More
A bipartisan bill to assist local fire departments in saving money and hire more trained first responders was recently introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME). The Firefighters Retention Act of 2017 gives … Read More
In the wake of the international WannaCry ransomware attacks, U.S. Reps. Cedric Richmond (D-LA) and Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) recently called upon the House Homeland Security Committee to hold hearings on the cybersecurity posture of the nation’s healthcare and … Read More
A bipartisan bill to help mitigate security risks of potential foreign government espionage by collecting beneficial ownership information prior to the federal government leasing buildings for high-security purposes was recently introduced by U.S. Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Peter King … Read More
A bill to provide state and local law enforcement offices with tools to combat cybercrime recently advanced the U.S. House of Representatives. The Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017 was introduced by U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe … Read More
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), recently announced the availability of $6 million in funding for research in combating antimicrobial resistance. The funds were authorized as part of the the 2014 Farm … Read More
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) recently called for a federal panel to recommend enhanced data security measures, such as the use of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), to protect sensitive personal information in a forthcoming report to Congress on evidence-based policymaking. Wyden, … Read More
The African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently activated its Emergency Operational Centre in response to the recently-declared Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in order to develop a concept of … Read More
To achieve a goal of global health security, the United States must extend its legacy as a global leader through forward-looking policies, international partnerships, and continued investment into innovate medical advancements, according to a recent report from the National Academies … Read More
In a rare show of bipartisanship, members of a key House appropriations panel expressed opposition to the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts for the National Institutes of Health, the main funding source for medical research in the United States. U.S. … Read More
The results of two recent studies of Dartmouth University’s investigational tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, DAR-901, have expedited the vaccine’s acceptance for use in an upcoming randomized trial to determine if it can prevent the earliest stages of infection. The inactivated vaccine … Read More
During a recent workshop on ways to mitigate risk from dirty bombs, California Gov. Jerry Brown, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA) cautioned more than 60 attendees to increase efforts to lock down, and … Read More
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) recently introduced three separate bills intended to provide additional layers of protection for law enforcement officers across the country. “My legislation stands for two simple propositions: First, America’s law enforcement officers should be at least … Read More
A six-week, nationwide gang operation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit netted a total of 1,378 arrests across the country, the largest such operation conducted by HSI to date. In total 1,098 individuals … Read More
A single engine marine vessel, carrying approximately 159 pounds of cocaine, was recently intercepted north of Arecibo, Puerto Rico by officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) and the Puerto Rico Police Department. The … Read More
A malicious ransomware software known as WannaCry has recently infected more than 200,000 computer systems across multiple nations, forcing users to pay the equivalent of $300 in the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, before users regain access to their files. The ransomware reportedly … Read More
A group of students at the University of Maryland-College Park (UMD) recently developed a program for family and friends of individuals at risk of radicalizing, with a goal of finding new ways of challenging extremism in the United States. The … Read More
In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing held last week, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) heard testimony from Navy Adm. Mike Rogers, commander of U.S. Cyber Command (Cybercom), on how a potential government shutdown could complicate Cybercom’s mission. Kaine’s concerns … Read More
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has taken numerous steps to reduce the risk of avian influenza, but needs a plan to evaluate its efforts going forward, according to a recent report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). … Read More
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently adopted and published a recommendation made by its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP), concerning the use of PaxVax’s cholera vaccine, Vaxchora. The recommendation, which was unanimously approved by the … Read More
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti recently visited Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to hold a meeting with the country’s national authorities to discuss an effective response plan in regards to the recently-verified … Read More
President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order last week, which aims to strengthen the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) role in securing federal networks from potential cyberattacks. “Our nation’s economic and national security rely on a safe, secure, and … Read More
U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) recently sent a public letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai requesting information on the reported distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) cyberattack on the FCC’s website and the ability of the … Read More
A team of scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently began an initiative on developing technologies to detect trace amount of fentanyl, heroin, and other substances to help prevent accidental exposure for law enforcement. Through a … Read More
BAE Systems was recently selected by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (DoT) to assist its Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI) in protecting the nation’s financial systems against threats from terrorist organizations, drug cartels, and rogue actors. The … Read More
Tommi Kainu was recently named executive vice president and chief business officer at Bavarian Nordic effective July 1, where he will oversee operations in both commercial and government affairs, along with various business development initiatives. Kainu’s new role will be … Read More
A report detailing both the current and emerging threats to the federal government’s use of mobile devices, complete with a number of security recommendations, was recently submitted to Congress by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology … Read More
Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi recently visited the headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to meet with OPCW Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü and discuss the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Üzümcü first briefed … Read More
