Government
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), reintroduced
legislation last week that would reduce foreign aid to El Salvador, Guatemala,
and Honduras by $30,000 for each of its unaccompanied alien children placed in
U.S. federal custody.
The Unaccompanied Alien Children Assistance
Control Act is designed to... Read More »
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel have reached an agreement designed to bolster public health and safety protection efforts.
The collaboration would maximize inspection and detection capabilities as a means of preventing illegal and... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently
issued three recommendations for the director of the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) in regards to determining security measures for radioactive
material.
The GAO is required to review NRC's security requirements
for high-risk... Read More »
A bipartisan group of senators
introduced a bill that would prohibit the United States from expending funds
which could lead to war with Iran without express approval from Congress.
The Prevention of
Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019 underscores that Article 1, Section
8 of the... Read More »
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is constantly working to identify screening issues, but while covert tests have improved, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) attests that operations could be bettered, especially since one new process used by TSA is not working... Read More »
Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) recently introduced a measure designed to enhance the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) to reflect the daily work of 9-1-1 dispatchers.
The Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act, also known as the 9-1-1 SAVES Act,... Read More »
The House Congressional Joint Strike Fighter Caucus
recently sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House Armed
Service Committee and the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee urging them
to support the F-35 Lightning II program.
The F-35 is a stealth military aircraft.... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) spoke out
about his support of a bill that would bar aliens associated with a criminal
gang and convicted of a crime from entering the United States.
Singh’s Law was introduced earlier
this year by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is joining Israeli Police in espousing the benefits of a new 3-D crime scene investigation tool.
Officials said 3D-Hawk can turn a crash or crime scene into an interactive 3D model within minutes, based... Read More »
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) forwarded correspondence Tuesday to Secretary of Energy Rick Perry seeking clarity regarding the nation's nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
In the letter, Rubio and Menendez expressed concern and sought clarification about the... Read More »
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking proposals for the fourth swarm sprint in its OFFensive Swarm-Enabled Tactics (OFFSET) program.
“With OFFSET, we are expanding the tactics available to warfighters, leveraging advances in autonomous systems to address complex... Read More »
The number of nonimmigrant visa (NIV) applications issue by U.S.
State Department consular officers decreased in fiscal
year 2017 to 880,000 after increasing annually from fiscal years 2012 through
2016, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
Applications... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Doug Jones (D-AL)
introduced a bill to create pilot scholarship programs for qualified members of
the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC).
The Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited (CAVU) Act is named
after the renowned pilots' acronym to describe ideal... Read More »
Department of Defense (DOD) and Republic of Korea (ROK) officials met recently to discuss efforts supporting denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and ROK Minister of National Defense Jeong Keyong-doo said the session was on the heels... Read More »
A training exercise known as Balikatan is underway in the Philippines this week, assembling forces from the Philippines, United States and Australia to address a multi-faceted range of operations.
Balikatan, which marks the partnership between the Philippines and United States specifically, is... Read More »
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) was appointed to
serve as a commissioner on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in
Europe, or the Helsinki Commission.
The Helsinki Commission, founded in 1976, was
created to advance democracy and human rights through military, economic, and
environmental... Read More »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday issued a final rule that restricts both the use and distribution of Bacillus bacteria detection devices, which are prescribed to preliminarily identify and diagnose cases of anthrax and other infectious diseases.
“The FDA plays a critical... Read More »
A $96.8 million computed tomography (CT) systems contract from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was awarded last week to Smiths Detection, Inc.
The contract will cover the next five years, over which 300 CT systems and their affiliated equipment will be deployed at various... Read More »
Marine Corps Logistics Base personnel in Barstow, Calif., recently conducted a training exercise designed to enhance both man-made and natural emergency preparedness.
The Exercise Haber Rail effort involved a simulated rail tanker car carrying thousands of cubic feet of chlorine gas... Read More »
A mission by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) seized more than three tons of drugs from a vessel off the coast of Central America last week.
The drugs, estimated to be worth $17 million, were plucked from a moderately-sized, open-bed fishing... Read More »
A group of Republican U.S. senators sent a letter to the
leaders of the Senate Budget Committee expressing their support for the $750
billion defense request in President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget.
The senators – including Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dan
Sullivan (R-AK), Marsha... Read More »
Auburn University has secured $564,988 in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funds to develop projects designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of canines trained to detect explosives.
The funding allotment was provided through the DHS Science and Technology Directorate... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) recently led other agencies in conducting an active shooter drill at the airport's Terminal 4.
The CBP's Office of Field Operations at LAX joined forces with other federal and local law enforcement... Read More »
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds declared a public health
disaster emergency for the state following the widespread flooding and flash flooding
that began March 13.
The declaration authorizes the Iowa Department of
Public Health to take the necessary actions to protect the public’s health. It
also... Read More »
Rep. John Katko (R-NY) introduced legislation to
create a cybersecurity advisory committee to help fight cyberattacks.
The Cybersecurity Advisory Committee (CSAC) would
be comprised of cybersecurity professionals from every major business sector
that are responsible for protecting... Read More »
Air Force officials have selected Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., to house the first operational B-21 Raider bomber and its formal training unit.
Officials also noted Whiteman AFB, Missouri, and Dyess AFB, Texas, will receive B-21s as they become available.
"These three bomber bases are well... Read More »
The Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (SDPE) office at the Air Force Research Laboratory is seeking artificial intelligence (AI) industry input regarding incorporating artificial intelligence into its Skyborg unmanned combat vehicle.
SDPE office is seeking to develop Skyborg, a... Read More »
A U.S. Senate
bill aims to address the growing threat of white supremacists and other violent
right-wing extremists by requiring federal law enforcement agencies to
regularly assess this threat and provide training and resources to officers.
The bill, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act,... Read More »
A bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would equip
state and local law enforcement with high-tech devices to detect dangerous
drugs like fentanyl.
The legislation – called the Providing Officers with
Electronic Resources (POWER) Act -- would create a new grant program through
the U.S.... Read More »
Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) recently visited McAllen, Texas, to assess the situation along the southern border, meeting with law enforcement officials, landowners, agriculture producers, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
Challenges and resources needed to secure the border in a... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently questioned the Department of Defense's transfer of $1 billion in military personnel funding to an account designated for border wall funding.
Democratic members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on... Read More »
The White House appointed this week Hawaii Gov. David Ige as one of the two newest co-chairs of the Council of Governors.
Ige, along with his nine other council colleagues appointed this year, will serve a two-year term in their positions.
“Hawai‘i is home to the U.S. Indo-Pacific... Read More »
Huntington
Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division recently received a $1.47
billion, fixed-price contract from the U.S. Navy for the design and
construction of another amphibious transport dock.
The ship will be
a San Antonio class vessel,
supporting Marine Air Ground Task Forces... Read More »
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen met this
week with senior officials from Mexico and other central American nations to
discuss border security and immigration.
On March 26, Nielsen met with Mexican Secretary of the
Interior Olga Sanchez Cordero and other senior Mexican... Read More »
Oshkosh Defense recently unveiled its L-ATV Ambulance at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Ala.
The ambulance enables Army medics and Marine corpsmen to keep up with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) while also offering protection for... Read More »
