Government
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a recommendation regarding creating a federal transportation security national strategy governing document.
GAO officials said after researching the issue, it has recommended DHS should, in... Read More »
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has released findings regarding Iran’s military capability, providing details on that nation’s defense and military goals, strategy, plans, and intentions.
“As Tehran expands its capabilities and role as both an unconventional and conventional threat... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) were honored by the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) for their leadership in supporting global health research and development (R&D).
The two were honored at GHTC’s 2019 Innovating for Impact Awards, which recognizes U.S.... Read More »
A group of Democratic and Independent U.S. senators recently urged the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to increase funding for election security grants and the Election Assistance Commission (EAC).
The EAC is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring accessible,... Read More »
Austin, Texas-based Factom, Inc. has secured $197,292 in funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to enhance blockchain security system development.
DHS officials said they envision agencies using the technology to create and verify... Read More »
Reps. Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) recently introduced legislation they said would facilitate information sharing from the federal government to the private sector regarding supply chain vulnerabilities.
The Network Security Information Sharing Act addresses the need for greater... Read More »
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week issued final guidance for developing smallpox treatment studies, providing clarity to drug manufacturers.
“Despite recent advances in developing an effective treatment for smallpox, drug developers still face challenges in bringing... Read More »
Federal regulatory updates to the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program that go into effect on Nov. 21 could receive some additional muscle to knock out bad actors if recently introduced federal legislation is enacted.
“I still have concerns about fraud and abuse in the program that can only be... Read More »
Bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Senate was introduced to improve the hiring and retention of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and officers.
U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and John Hoeven (R-ND) said the CBP Hiring and Retention Innovation Act, S. 2813, creates a Customs and... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate awarded $199,984 to Digital Bazaar, a company based in Blacksburg, Va., to develop blockchain security technology.
The award was made by S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP). The Phase 1 award... Read More »
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) awarded a $6 million contract to Burlingame, Calif.-based Inflammatix Inc. to develop a new testing technology that reads gene expression patterns in the immune system.
The innovative technology, known as host-response testing,... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a series of recommendations to the Department of Defense (DOD) regarding efforts to sustain its growing F-35 aircraft fleet.
The GAO said the F-35 fighter plays a key role in the nation’s defense. As of October, the United States and... Read More »
The European Commission granted marketing authorization to Merck for a vaccine to immunize adults against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) caused by the Zaire Ebola virus.
The vaccine, called ERVEBO, can be marketed in the 28 countries that are members of the European Union, as well as European... Read More »
The U.S. Senate passed the Federal Advance Contracts Enhancement (FACE) Act, which requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to more effectively manage its advance contracts for goods and services.
Specifically, the legislation requires federal preparedness actions to be... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently awarded Transmute Industries, an Austin, Texas-based company, a $198,642 Phase 1 award to develop a proof-of-concept application for Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The application must support... Read More »
Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced last week the Stadiums Operating under New Guidance (SONG) Act, which empowers the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue temporary flight restrictions for stadium concerts and other events.
“Whether... Read More »
A bill advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee seeks to reauthorize and increase funding for the northern United States border’s Operation Stonegarden program for the next five years, injecting $110 million into border security operations.
U.S. Sen. Jon... Read More »
A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently extended praise to the FBI for stopping an attempted synagogue bombing in Colorado.
Reps. Marc Veasey (D-TX), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Kay Granger (R-TX), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Randy Weber (R-TX), and Brian Fitzpatrick... Read More »
Lockheed Martin recently demonstrated its ATHENA laser weapon system for the U.S. Air Force at the government test range at Fort Sill, Okla.
ATHENA, which stands for Advanced Test High Energy Asset, is a high-energy, transportable laser system designed to provide a cost-effective, anti-drone... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is embarking on a road tour to meet with small businesses.
The National SBIR 2019 Road Tour will begin with stops in Miami, Fla., and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“We are continually seeking new... Read More »
The head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) briefed the United Nations Security Council on issues related to Syria’s chemical weapons last week.
The UN officials expressed their support for the objectives of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the work of the... Read More »
Three agencies under the Department of Justice umbrella have earmarked $95 million to support Tennessee public safety efforts.
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) funding allotment would target... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) recently sent a letter to members of the Trump administration urging the federal government not to do business with contractors that have forced labor or human trafficking in their supply chains of companies.
Two... Read More »
Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced Wednesday a bill to protect firefighters from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foams.
The Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances (PFAS) Act of 2019 has... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently introduced a measure designed to address criminal and terrorist organizations’ use of the illegal tobacco trade to fund activities.
The Combating the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products Act, which authorizes the executive branch to deny development and security... Read More »
Port of Savannah, Georgia, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently seized a port-record 2,133-pounds of cocaine via scrap aluminum and copper being shipped from South America to Europe.
“Drug Trafficking Organizations are relentless in their attempts to smuggle drugs into the... Read More »
The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee recently held a hearing on the importance of the Department of Homeland Security actively combating the influx of deadly drugs across the Southwest border.
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), a committee member, recently introduced new... Read More »
More than 40 experts from nine Central African nations met in October at an event hosted by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to advance biosafety and biosecurity in the region.
The event, held in Libreville, Gabon, was the... Read More »
A bipartisan bill designed to bolster science education and cybersecurity programs within various federal agencies was introduced in the U.S. Senate this week.
The Harvesting American Cybersecurity Knowledge through Education (HACKED) Act Incentivize recruitment of cybersecurity educators... Read More »
Twitter suspended content affiliated with foreign terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah, following a request by members of Congress.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Reps. Tom Reed (R-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), and Max Rose (D-NY), sent a... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) blasted the decision by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to approve the exemption of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station from the regulations for emergency planning and preparedness.
Markey, who serves on the committee, wrote to the Nuclear... Read More »
The Department of Interior recently decided to halt the use of non-essential Chinese-made drones or drones made from Chinese components pending a review of the program.
The exception would be drones used for emergency purposes.
All of the department’s 810 drones have Chinese hardware, and... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials said an Austin, Texas-based start-up has secured funding designed to enhance security checkpoint operations.
S&T officials said the agency awarded $199,961.29 to Synthetik Applied Technologies to develop a... Read More »
The U.S. Air Force announced this week that the branch selected the Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai to house the Air National Guard’s Space Control Squadron.
Officials said the effort would create a new, highly technical squadron to monitor satellites in support of the... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agreed to 11 tentative, reimbursable services agreements this week to boost cross-border trade and travel.
The agreements are an expansion of the Reimbursable Services Program that has been in place since 2013. All are public-private partnerships that... Read More »
