Government
The Israel – U.S. Binational Industrial Research and
Development (BIRD) Foundation is seeking proposals for advanced technologies related
to homeland security.
The BIRD Foundation is seeking proposals in six areas:
Advanced first responder technologies; Border protection, including... Read More »
A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) readiness review site visit of the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has resulted in the agency receiving stellar reviews.
The CDC assessment determined the OSDH ranks in the top 14 percent of all medical countermeasure supply... Read More »
The Department of
Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have collaborated to develop the
Opacity and Complexity Analysis Software Tool (OCAST).
OCAST will be
used to assist X-ray operators in determining possible... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced a bill
last week that would expand federal background checks for gun purchases and
transfers.
The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 was approved
by a vote of 240-190 with only 8 Republicans supporting it. It now moves to the
Senate for action.... Read More »
Lockheed Martin and industry partners are touting the results of a recent Army Modular Active Protection Systems (MAPS)-enabled systems test demonstrating the effectiveness of the active protection system.
The effort supported the Army’s integration of three countermeasures and a cueing... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently introduced Singh’s Law, a measure designed to prevent known gang members and those convicted of dangerous crimes from entering the country.
Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)... Read More »
The U.S. Customs
and Border Protection (CBP) ports of entry in Arizona are urging travelers to
prepare for the upcoming Spring Break by enrolling in trusted traveler programs
and using Ready Lanes.
Non-immigrant
visa, passport holders are urged to apply for tourist permits online.
To use... Read More »
A group of legislators introduced last week a measure designed to bolster greater cyber transparency, security, and data privacy initiatives.
Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), John Kennedy (R-LA) and Doug Jones (D-AL) said the Cybersecurity Disclosure Act of 2019... Read More »
Air Force officials said cyber domain restructuring efforts will aid in achieving the overarching goal of streamlining oversight, policy, and guidance.
The branch is merging its headquarters staffs to integrate intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance with cyber effects operations. The... Read More »
Several units of reserve Marines conducted simulated
training during Night Watch, a Marine Air Command and Control System exercise, last
month.
During the simulation, the reservists trained in a scenario that
involved degraded communication. This situation could happen during a
cybersecurity... Read More »
Several groups, including the National Sheriff’s
Association, voiced their support for a bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton
(R-AR) that would bar aliens associated with a criminal gang and convicted of a
crime from entering the United States.
The bill, called Singh's law, says aliens... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently petitioned the Justice Department to implement information from requisite agencies via the Fix NICS Act, which requires steps to assess progress in database correction.
Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dianne... Read More »
Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX), Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) introduced last week a measure designed to streamline and amend the overtime payment process, enabling border patrol personnel greater compensation flexibility.
The Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Amendment Act of 2019... Read More »
In a letter released this week, more than 400 physicians and scientists called on Congress to increase the nation’s funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
The United States is the largest contributor to the fund to date, comprising a third of total funding.... Read More »
A bill introduced
in the U.S. House last week would aim to improve employee morale at the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS), which ranked last among the 17 major Federal
agencies for morale in 2018, according to the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
Since being in
2003, DHS has... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions announced today
that the company has signed a deal with the U.S. Department of State to
establish a supply chain for certain medical countermeasures that address
chemical warfare agents.
The five-year, indefinite-delivery,
indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract includes five... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently assessed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts to enhance the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program, offering input on progress and challenges.
The GAO recommended the department identify high-risk chemical... Read More »
Several federal government agencies, including the
Department of Homeland Security, introduced a program this week called the
Opioid Detection Challenge, a $1.55 million competition to develop opioid
detection technologies.
The Opioid Detection Challenge calls upon innovators
to submit plans... Read More »
The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life
Cycle Management Command recently placed a $75 million order with Oshkosh
Defense, a tactical wheeled vehicles and life cycle sustainment services
company.
The order is for 354 Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles
(FMTV) A1P2 trucks and... Read More »
Recognizing the potential for public health emergencies to be exacerbated by lack of cooperation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have created a joint task force to make... Read More »
Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) recently reintroduced a measure designed to bolster the financial support for a universal influenza vaccine protecting against multiple strains and offering longer protection.
The Flu Vaccine Act targets a total investment of $1 billion,... Read More »
Amer Sinan Alhaggagi was
recently sentenced to 188 months in jail for providing support to ISIS and
identity theft charges.
“Alhaggagi wanted to
carry out deadly terrorist attacks in the United States in the name of ISIS,”
said Assistant Attorney General John Demers said. ... Read More »
The Department of
Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has extended the
deadline for submitting first-responder technologies for assessment in the Next
Generation First Responder – Birmingham Shaken Fury Operational Experimentation
(OpEx).
The original
deadline was... Read More »
Federal lawmakers are focused on deterring domestic terrorism, which now ranks alongside — or possibly even eclipses — the prevention of global extremist threats against the nation, said U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
“What’s on our minds a lot now is... Read More »
Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) has introduced the Mass Violence Prevention (MVP) Act, which is designed to prevent firearm violence by improving response to threats and reducing illegal firearm street sales.
“It’s cruel to advance legislation that ignores the factors contributing to gun violence... Read More »
A total of 50 full-time and part-time positions with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will see applicants fast-tracked during a one-day event at the Boston Logan International Airport in March.
The move, undertaken in advance of increased travel generally seen during the summer... Read More »
A bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives that would allow assets seized from Mexican drug lords,
including Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, to be used to secure the
southern border.
The Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to
Provide Order (EL CHAPO) Act would set... Read More »
RGNext recently signed a $502-million, 10-year contract to operate
the U.S. Army's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, which tests missiles
on islands in the 750,000-square-mile Pacific Ocean range.
The company will maintain systems such as radar, telemetry and optical sensors on... Read More »
A bipartisan group of senators recently sent a letter to Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen urging them to ban the use of inverters made by the Chinese-owned company, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, citing cybersecurity concerns.
“Huawei has recently... Read More »
Savannah, Georgia-based Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers recently thwarted a narcotics smuggling effort resulting in the seizure of cocaine valued at $19 million.
Officers working at the Savannah seaport last November encountered a Cartagena,... Read More »
Secretary of
Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen met Feb. 20 with Northern Triangle
security ministers in El Salvador to discuss the ongoing humanitarian and
security crisis caused by the formation of migrant caravans and irregular
migration.
During the
meeting, the officials agreed to a plan... Read More »
The Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII) has secured a $10 million Department of Defense (DoD) award to lead the digital future of manufacturing.
Officials said the agreement includes an option of $20 million more over the upcoming five years and is part of a new... Read More »
Sandia National Laboratories officials are espousing the benefits of an automated robotic system that has resulted in 700,000 Multiple Launch Rocket System submunitions being demilitarized.
The automated system, considered the most complex, automated robotic demilitarization system Sandia has... Read More »
The U.S. Army
recently awarded BAE Systems a $74.7 million contract to design, construct and
commission the Recrystallization and Slurry Coating Formulation facility at the
Holston Army Ammunition Plant (HSAAP) in Tennessee.
BAE Systems has
been the plant’s operating contractor since... Read More »
As the political situation in Venezuela
deteriorates and a humanitarian crisis blooms, health experts warn that
epidemics could push beyond the nation’s borders and potentially bring a
hemisphere-wide health emergency.
Such were the conclusions of a review published
in a recent edition of The... Read More »
