Researchers at the St. Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice recently published an article pinpointing where Zika virus is most likely to be transmitted in the continental United States. Their study revealed the most likely point of … Read More
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross plans to make an announcement on Thursday regarding the signing of a 25-year contract for a public-private partnership to create the first nationwide public safety broadband network. AT&T is the only publicly known … Read More
U.S. Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) recently participated in a panel at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference to discuss cybersecurity-related bills that recently passed through Congress. Langevin and Ratcliffe began their discussion by detailing … Read More
A team of researchers at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine recently published their initial findings of an early-stage vaccine to protect against Zika virus infection. With new funding, the team is preparing to move forward with non-human … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acquisition Authorities Act of 2017 last week, which aims to create greater accountability for major acquisition programs within the DHS by enhancing oversight and implementing cost-saving budget measures. … Read More
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently introduced a bill that would enhance penalties for “spotters” who convey information related to the position and surveillance efforts of Border Patrol agents in order to disrupt their duties. The bill, titled the Transnational … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced last week U.S. Rep. David Young’s (R-IA) Securing our Agriculture and Food Act (H.R. 1238), which aims to prevent acts of agro-terrorism from affecting the nation’s food supply. The bill requires the Secretary of … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously last week to advance U.S. Rep. John Rutherford’s (R-FL) Reducing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acquisition Cost Growth Act (H.R. 1294), which aims to prevent wasteful spending by various agencies within DHS. The … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced nine bills last week sponsored by the Homeland Security Committee, including unanimously voting on U.S. Rep. Martha McSally’s (R-AZ) Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017. “It is critical that we continue … Read More
Marines and sailors assigned to the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) in Indian Head, Maryland recently traveled to Guardian Centers in Perry, Georgia to take part in Exercise Scarlet Response 2017. The annual exercise aims to develop skills related … Read More
According to a recent study led by the University of Florida and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, most cases of dengue fever occur very close to an individual’s home and are transmitted from the same family of … Read More
The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) recently held a three-day training course in Thailand, which discussed various ways law enforcement entities can identify individuals who use forged travel documents. Participants included law enforcement officials, immigration agents, customs and border protection … Read More
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü recently paid an official visit to Singapore, where he gave the keynote address at the Singapore International Symposium on Protection Against Toxic Substances. In his address, Üzümcü touched … Read More
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently introduced the International Narcotics Trafficking Emergency Response by Detecting Incoming Contraband with Technology (INTERDICT) Act, which aims to reduce the flow of illicit fentanyl coming into the United States. Cosponsors of the bill … Read More
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) recently intercepted two vessels carrying more than 2,900 pounds of cocaine traveling in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. “This latest seizure provides a glimpse of the vigilance our experienced aircrews … Read More
During a Senate Homeland Security Committee Hearing this week, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) received support from U.S. Border Patrol for enhancing security along the northern U.S. border with Canada. The hearing comes in the wake of President Trump’s request … Read More
U.S. Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) recently reintroduced two bills aimed at improving cybersecurity standards for both cars and aircraft. The first bill, the Security and Privacy in Your Car (SPY Car) Act, would direct both the … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed this week the TSA Administrator Modernization Act of 2017, which seeks to address various leadership issues within the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The bill was authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) and … Read More
Michigan State Sen. Judy Emmons (R-Sheridan)introduced a bill this week to continue the state’s OK2SAY hotline, a 24-hour confidential tip line aimed at preventing school tragedies. Emmons current bill would extend the program by repealing its designated expiration date of … Read More
The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) recently hosted a Digital Security Challenge at its Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore, which saw digital forensic experts and cybercrime investigators from 20 countries compete to gather evidence, identify a suspect, and … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives passed this week the Transparency in Technological Acquisitions Act of 2017, which aims to increase transparency in the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) technology acquisition process in order to ensure businesses both large and small can … Read More
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) new Presidio Port Director Michael Neipert was sworn into office during a formal change of command ceremony earlier this week at the Presidio Activity Center. As the new port director, Neipert will oversee operations … Read More
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) held a hearing this week with Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary James Mattis regarding the President’s recently-proposed budget priorities and the nation’s economic strength. Tester brought attention to the budget’s proposed cuts to agencies that … Read More
U.S. Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX) and Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently published an oversight letter, requesting specific details regarding the Trump Administration’s $999 million request for the planning, design, and construction of the first installment of the proposed border wall between … Read More
A group of Sandia National Laboratory researchers recently developed a smartphone-controlled, battery-operated diagnostic device that can detect Zika virus, dengue fever, and chikungunya in under 30 minutes. The device costs approximately $100 and weighs under one pound. Contemporary methods for … Read More
Republican members of the Senate Intelligence Committee recently returned from a trip to the Middle East to examine the region’s anti-terrorism efforts and provide oversight of key intelligence programs. Included in the delegation were U.S. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), chairman … Read More
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) released a plan this week to introduce a bill that would re-list North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. Cruz’s bill received cosponsors from U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Dean Heller (R-NV), Lisa Murkowski … Read More
Broomfield Public Health and Environment in Broomfield, Colorado recently reported plague activity around the Great Western Reservoir Open Space in relation to a mass prairie dog die off. The organization said this is the first incident of plague activity seen … Read More
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inaugurated the new nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer at OPCW’s laboratory last week in Rijswijk, South Holland Province. The ceremony was led by OPCW Director General Ahmet Üzümcü. NMR is widely … Read More
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence scheduled last week an open hearing for March 30 regarding potential Russian intelligence activities and influence during the recent U.S. presidential election. The hearing, titled Disinformation: A Primer in Russian Active Measures and Influence … Read More
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently released two requests for proposals (RFPs) to award multiple contracts, along with initial task orders, for the design and construction of wall prototypes to be used in President Trump’s proposed border wall with … Read More
U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) introduced a bill last week aimed at providing state and local law enforcement the tools necessary to combat cybercrime. The Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017 would authorize the National Computer … Read More
A bipartisan group of congressmen introduced the Department of Defense (DOD) Cyber Scholarship Program Act of 2017 last week, which aims to improve the nation’s cybersecurity workforce by enhancing existing DOD scholarship programs for students in cybersecurity-related majors. The bill … Read More
The Seattle-based Mobile Performance Management software company, NetMotion Software, recently released the world’s first mobile intelligence and analytics solution that captures network and security data across any wireless network, called Diagnostics 4.0. NetMotion said the software gives IT organizations key … Read More
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a study examining actions the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have taken to manage the use of medically-important antibiotics in food animals. For … Read More
