U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed in New Mexico arrested several people, including a convicted murderer, a sex offender and drug smugglers, in a series of incidents last week. The first incident occurred on Monday when horse patrol … Read More
The House Homeland Security Committee on Friday unanimously passed legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) that enhances U.S. visa screening procedures at posts overseas. The Strong Visa Integrity Secures America Act of 2016, H.R. 5253, seeks to deploy … Read More
The Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) launched a new initiative on Thursday with Huntsville City Schools in Alabama to provide strategic support to the school system’s Cyber Academy. The initiative is part of a three-year, $300,000 commitment, with SAIC providing … Read More
Chimerix’s President and CEO M. Michelle Berrey participated in a panel focused on North Carolina’s role in biodefense preparation at the recent “Medical, Biomedical and Biodefense: Support to the Warfighter Symposium.” “In the event of a smallpox bioweapon event or … Read More
The House Appropriations Committee released its proposed FY 2017 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill on Wednesday. The bill targets critical programs such as aviation security, border and immigration enforcement, customs activities, protections against cyberterrorism, natural disaster response, and … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed bipartisan legislation on Tuesday to address growing Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) wait times at the nation’s airports. The Checkpoint Optimization and Efficiency Act of 2016, authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY), seeks … Read More
The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) released a study on Tuesday with findings that more than half of United Kingdom office workers say their employers have provided no cyber awareness training. The study, entitled “2016 Cyber Security Perceptions,” … Read More
The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a Health Subcommittee markup on Tuesday, discussing the Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act, H.R. 3299. “There is a clear role for the federal government to play in creating medical countermeasures and contributing … Read More
The Alliance for Biosecurity lauded the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday for recommending sustained funding in its FY 2017 appropriations bill for some essential medical countermeasures programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. … Read More
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) hosted her office’s first-ever Congressional First Responder of Distinction Award Ceremony on Monday, recognizing firefighters, SMTs and law enforcement officers from her district who go above and beyond in their service to Southern Arizona. Nominees … Read More
U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) raised concerns on Friday with the findings of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation into the lack of cooperation between DHS entities following the San … Read More
The world-class team of global communications industry leaders that make up a company formed to bid on building the first nationwide 4G LTE broadband wireless network to successfully deliver the FirstNet network for public safety in the U.S. was announced … Read More
The European Union (EU) Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee recently approved proposals concerning border security, migration and cooperation with other countries. More than one million migrants arrived in the EU by sea in 2015, according to the United Nations refugee agency … Read More
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson swore in John F. Kelly and Karen P. Tandy as the two newest members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) on Friday. “I welcome the new members to the advisory committee and … Read More
At the request of House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Tuesday released a report that found that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) could better incorporate risk into its method of selecting on … Read More
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) participated in Operation RAILSAFE, a nationwide initiative that provides enhanced visible law enforcement and security presence at train stations and trains on selected high volume travel days, on May 26. Operation RAILSAFE training seeks to … Read More
Civil Liberties Committee Ministers of European Parliament (MEP) on Tuesday called for the addition of non-European Union (EU) nationals to the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) that EU countries use to exchange information on the criminal convictions of EU … Read More
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) completed the overhaul of its 13th P-3 Orion aircraft earlier this month. The Service Life ExtensionPlan (SLEP) overhaul stems from a 2006 analysis of the aging P-3 aircraft fleet … Read More
BitSight Technologies released a report on Friday that examined the security ratings of a random sample of 250 companies per country from the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, China and Brazil. The report, “BitSight Insights Global View: Revealing … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for FY 2017 by a vote of 371-35. This year’s IAA focuses resources on ongoing threats of terrorism from groups like ISIS, while also prioritizing long-term … Read More
The House Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on Wednesday examining cybersecurity efforts and responsibilities at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The hearing examined the HHS Data Protection Act, H.R. 5068, which amends the Public Health Service … Read More
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on Monday finding that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has made progress in deploying programs under the Arizona Border Surveillance Technology Plan, but more action is needed by the agency. … Read More
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) questioned officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Tuesday about delays and cost-overruns in border technology acquisition programs. “Customs and Border Protection’s border technology procurement office, to put … Read More
A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers sent a letter on Monday to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler asking how the FCC’s proposed rule on set-top boxes could affect cybersecurity. The coalition included U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Tom … Read More
The Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense on Wednesday applauded legislation advanced by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security to ensure that the U.S. is prepared for biological threats, including the Zika virus. The National Biodefense Strategy Act of 2016, … Read More
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility apprehended two Mexican men after discovering packages of marijuana and cocaine in two separate incidents last week. “Our officers have once … Read More
The International Criminal Police Organization’s (INTERPOL) Chemical and Explosives Terrorism Prevention Unit, in coordination with INTERPOL National Central Bureaus (NCBs), carried out exercises across southeast Asia last week. Operation Chase II involved passenger and motor vehicle screening exercises as part … Read More
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) named David Salazar as area port director for the Calexico ports of entry on Thursday. Salazar is a career federal law enforcement officer with more than 20 years of experience involving international travelers and … Read More
Ahmet Uzumcu, director general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), addressed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Conference on Weapons of Mass Destruction Arms Control Disarmament in Slovenia on Wednesday regarding security challenges facing the OPCW. … Read More
The Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled “Examining H.R. 3299, Strengthening Public Health Response Act” on Thursday to examine legislation meant to better prepare the U.S. to fight biological threats. The Strengthening Public Health Emergency … Read More
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on Monday regarding critical infrastructure protection and federal efforts to address electromagnetic risks. The report found that key agencies have taken various steps to address electromagnetic risks to the electric grid, … Read More
The 44th International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) European Regional Conference is being held this week, with participants discussing the challenges posed by record numbers of migrants traveling to Europe. Following the publication of the joint Europol-INTERPOL report on migrant smuggling … Read More
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) this week warned the public that ransomware attacks are on the rise for businesses and consumers alike. “As cybercriminals become more cunning and sophisticated, we must become more vigilant about basic digital hygiene and … Read More
A partisan coalition of House representatives on Monday introduced a bill to strengthen the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) presence overseas. The Expanding DHS Overseas Passenger Security Screening and Vetting Operations Act would require the DHS to issue a … Read More
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called on Monday for an immediate surge in canine inspection units at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to help speed up long security lines at New York City airports. “As the dog days of summer … Read More
