Government
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials, citing concerns regarding the lack of oversight of foreign acquisition of domestic agricultural land.
U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) joined 29 bipartisan colleagues in sending the letter to... Read More »
The partnership between the U.S. Air Force and Space Force deepened this week with the creation of a Space Test Course – a new means of evaluation for Space Force personnel and space-flight equipment.
The new course will deploy at the Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California.... Read More »
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials are touting its AI (artificial intelligence) Forward initiative, detailing workshops the agency noted seek to explore new directions for trustworthy AI.
DARPA has scheduled two Summer 2023 workshops - a virtual event on June 13-16 and... Read More »
As a bipartisan effort, U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) and Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) introduced the U.S.-Taiwan Advanced Research Partnership Act last week that would allow new federal coordination and cooperation with Taiwan to research and prepare for cyber threats.
According to the 2023... Read More »
As introduced by U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and five other representatives this week, the new Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act proposes closing a legislative loophole that foreign adversaries could use to influence U.S. policy.
Specifically, Miller-Meeks pointed the... Read More »
Three defense trade associations recently issued recommendations to modernize the domestic Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system elements.
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), and the Professional Services Council (PSC) detailed the... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), co-chairs of the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, recently forwarded correspondence to Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter, seeking insight regarding visa processing delays.
Moran and Klobuchar joined U.S. Sens.... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) published the results of its 2022 Biometric Technology Rally last week, revealing that participants showed high capabilities in group recognition processing and low chances of bystander impact.
The Rally’s goal... Read More »
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is attributing a successful three-year investigation targeting the Sinaloa Drug Cartel to partnerships with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the Tempe Police Department.
To date, more than 150 individuals have been charged, with investigators having... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced last week legislation that seeks to provide more concise information for consumers and small businesses regarding cybersecurity insurance policies.
The Insure Cybersecurity Act would direct the National... Read More »
In a challenge to supposed foreign adversarial influences on college campuses, U.S. Reps. Michelle Steele (R-CA) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY), along with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), introduced a bill last week that would empower removal proceedings against designated agents and increase scrutiny of... Read More »
With reintroduction of the Protecting Military Installations from Foreign Espionage Act last week, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) sought once more to make it illegal for certain U.S. adversaries from purchasing any land near military bases or areas.
“As our foreign enemies grow more... Read More »
The U.S. Navy has awarded security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin a contract to integrate hypersonic strike capability onto surface ships.
The scope of work involves integrating the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon system onto ZUMWALT-class guided missile destroyers (DDGs). The CPS... Read More »
For years, Tribal members and advocates have been trying to draw attention to what they call a crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and now, U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and John Hoeven (R-ND) have introduced legislation that takes it as a focus.
In the... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas recently detailed evolving homeland security challenges during the 59th Munich Security Conference.
While addressing senior Intelligence personnel, Mayorkas emphasized the importance of enhancing information-sharing... Read More »
A recently published Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Federal Register Notice is soliciting additional Section 321 Data Pilot
participants, which would aid shipment inspection efforts.
The Section 321 Data Pilot would enable CBP to partner with private sector supply chains to identify and... Read More »
A group of legislators recently co-sponsored legislation that seeks to prevent mass violence acts.
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) recently joined U.S. Reps.... Read More »
According to new research published in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science,” scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have developed a mouse model of the mpox virus (MPXV) as a way to demonstrate and understand aspects of its... Read More »
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials have detailed a nearly $2 million allocation for the initial phase of a $25 million Puerto Rico hazard mitigation project.
“With the first phase of this project, which includes the contracting process, identifying the engineering firm that... Read More »
Defense and aerospace companies BAE Systems and Leonardo UK have received U.S. government approval to develop interoperable aircraft survivability solutions.
“This layered defense against new and advanced threats will protect aircraft and their crews in the most complex battlespaces,” BAE... Read More »
In one of the more unusual discoveries at a United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility last month, agriculture specialists discovered a first-in-nation pest hiding in a shipment of fresh-cut flowers.
The bug, later lab identified as Corimelaena palmeri, was the first intruder of... Read More »
U.S. Secret Service personnel have outlined the opening of a new Baltic Computer Forensics Training Program (CFTP).
The endeavor is in partnership with the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences and Baltic regional law enforcement, linking law enforcement officers from around the Baltic region to... Read More »
U.S. Sens. John Hoeven (R-MT) and Katie Britt (R-AL) recently proposed legislation they maintain would secure the southern border and keep American communities and families safe.
Hoeven and Britt joined 17 colleagues in co-sponsoring a resolution forcing the Biden administration to acknowledge... Read More »
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) officials have selected Vail Colorado Police Chief Dwight Henninger as the first Senior Law Enforcement Partnership Advisor to the Director.
“Everything we do at ATF begins and ends with public safety, and we hold dear our strong local,... Read More »
With any disaster comes a need for cleanup, which generally means contracting work, and last week, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) reintroduced the Disaster Contract Improvement Act to improve the whole process and save taxpayers money.
“Ensuring there is clear guidance on the removal of debris... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA) has joined two colleagues in introducing measures requiring the President of the United States to provide Congress with reports on North Korea’s activity.
The North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act and the Korean Interdiction and Modernization... Read More »
Efforts by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) continue to produce state-sponsored ransomware and have successfully attacked healthcare and public health sector organizations and other critical infrastructure, according to a new advisory.
This Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) was the... Read More »
Although crossing into the United States unlawfully is a crime, some argue financially assisting that crime is only vaguely addressed as a crime itself - so this week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and several colleagues set out to change that through the No Coyote Cash Act.
“President... Read More »
The United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) this week welcomed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), its first new member in nearly two decades.
USGCRP members are agencies that conduct global change research and utilize it for their missions while providing a link... Read More »
U.S. Reps. David Kustoff (R-TN) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) recently reintroduced the Stop Corrupt Iranian Oligarchs and Entities Act to address Iranian regime corruption via a compiled list of Iranian oligarchs and entities profiting off the Iranian people.
"Over the years, the world has... Read More »
Justice Department officials have detailed the sentencing of a dual citizen of the United States and Iran for alleged illegal exportation in violation of the International Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Kambiz Attar Kashani, 44, was sentenced to 30 months in prison in federal court in Brooklyn,... Read More »
A coalition of 21 Republican state attorneys general wrote President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week urging them to designate Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and provide additional federal resources for combating fentanyl.
“The national... Read More »
The largest private-public collaboration with the Department of Defense (DoD) to date yielded a new solar facility on the northwest corner of Edwards Air Force Base last week, built in collaboration with Terra-Gen LLC as part of the Edwards Solar Enhance Use Lease Project.
It’s a unique land... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) has introduced the Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act, which extends benefits to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers killed in the line of duty.
“Every day, TSA officers put their lives on the line in order to protect millions of Americans in... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently reintroduced the Keep Americans Safe Act, which seeks to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer, or possession of gun magazines holding over 10 rounds of ammunition.
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) have joined 26 colleagues in... Read More »
