Government
Linking retail crime to organized crime and denouncing it as exploding across American cities, 16 Republican representatives wrote to United States Attorney General Merrick Garland this week, demanding a national strategy and fight against both.
“One of the essential functions of our... Read More »
Fearing Russian cyberattacks as reprisal for support of Ukraine, a bipartisan collection of senators wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas this week pushing for dedicated resources to aid private and public institutions.
Led by U.S. Sen. John... Read More »
U.S. Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and James Comer (R-KY) expressed concerns to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding failure to disclose apprehension information for southern border terrorists.
“We write to conduct oversight over the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS)... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Karen Bass (D-CA), and Nancy Mace (R-SC) recently introduced legislation that seeks to expand human trafficking prevention efforts.
The Human Trafficking Prevention Act requires posting National Human Trafficking Hotline contact information... Read More »
Nalas Engineering Services (Nalas) has secured a $2.1 million Department of Defense (DoD) award established to produce 17,000 pounds of DoD compliant aminoguanidine bicarbonate (AGB) annually.
AGB is a chemical precursor used in DoD armament systems energetic materials and is in accordance with... Read More »
At a virtual meeting on April 6, 2022, the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will meet to address the future of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses and the process for selecting them for use against specific viral... Read More »
In a letter this week, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, called on President Joe Biden to increase U.S. Coast Guard funding by $3 billion to address shoreside infrastructure needs.
Released in advance of the... Read More »
A group of 10 Senators recently visited Poland and Germany in support of Ukraine amid the nation's war with Russia.
U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Angus King (I-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Steve Daines... Read More »
Legislation introduced to create a national plan to combat the growth of the methamphetamine addiction and overdose crisis was recently signed into law by President Joe Biden.
The Methamphetamine Response Act requires the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to create and deploy a... Read More »
U.S. Sens. John Boozman (R-AR) and John Kennedy (R-LA) recently joined a group of colleagues advocating bolstered efforts that focus on preventing cyberattacks initiated by Russia or its representatives.
Boozman and Kennedy and 11 other Senate members signed correspondence to Defense Secretary... Read More »
In a letter sent to Congressional leadership, the co-chairs of the COVID-19 Global Vaccination Caucus urged the inclusion of $5 billion in global COVID-19 response funding with any COVID-19 supplemental package.
This would shore up aid when USAID has said it will have fully obligated the funding... Read More »
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has awarded two contracts worth a combined $781.2 million to procure and maintain base and full-size Computed Tomography (CT) x-ray systems for scanning carry-on items at airport checkpoints.
This will result in 469 base and 469 full-size systems... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has joined nine colleagues in introducing a resolution encouraging the Biden administration to facilitate transferring aircraft that include MiG-29s to aid Ukraine's air defense systems.
The resolution supports continued efforts by members of the North Atlantic... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) recently introduced legislation that seeks to make permanent the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Risk Index (NRI) to aiding natural disaster vulnerable communities.
The measure would also require FEMA to use data from... Read More »
Under a bill introduced to the House of Representatives this week, the Empowering the U.S. Fire Administration Act, four legislators proposed changes to federal legislation that would allow the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) to aid local firefighter investigations after major... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) recently reintroduced legislation to strengthen border security and address ports of entry personnel shortages.
The Securing America’s Ports of Entry Act, which passed out of committee last Congress, would fully staff the nation's airports,... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) is commending President Joe Biden's signing of legislation introduced to bolster gun violence prevention efforts.
The NICS Denial Notification Act was signed into law by Biden under the FY22 Omnibus package. It requires federal authorities to alert state and local... Read More »
A new solicitation issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) this week sought modern means of identifying and mitigating threats to so-called soft targets: sports venues, shopping complexes, schools, and more.
As a program, Securing... Read More »
A new attempt to strengthen the U.S. public health, medical preparedness, and response system will have its day in the Senate, after it was voted forward in a 20-2 vote by the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
The Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, encouraging Ukrainian Armed Forces' support against Russia.
U.S. Reps. Michael Turner (R-OH), Mike Rogers (R-AL), and Michael McCaul (R-TX) joined U.S. Sens. Jim... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) are espousing the benefits of a critical infrastructure cybersecurity threat reporting provision signed into law as a part of the government funding legislation.
Peters and Portman authored the provision requiring critical infrastructure... Read More »
Over three days last week, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) drew together more than 2,000 representatives from approximately 200 international organizations for an extensive cybersecurity exercise revolving around critical infrastructure: Cyber Storm VIII.
“Over the... Read More »
Four congressmen founded a new bipartisan Border Security Technology Caucus this week to keep Congress informed of available technologies to improve U.S. border security.
It was created by U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Tim Ryan (D-OH), and Vicente Gonzalez... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Mike Rounds (R-SD) joined 19 colleagues in sending correspondence to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, seeking information regarding agency efforts to protect the nation from Russian... Read More »
A group of 49 Republican Senators recently expressed to President Joe Biden they are not in favor of the revived Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran.
“According to press reports, the Biden Administration may soon conclude an agreement with Iran to provide substantial sanctions relief... Read More »
Included in the omnibus spending bill advanced by the Senate last week, the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY 2022 (IAA) would authorize funding and legal authorities for the U.S. Intelligence community while increasing oversight of it.
“The Intelligence Authorization Act ensures that... Read More »
U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced legislation Thursday that would modernize programs currently focused on surveilling and forecasting future pandemic-causing viruses.
Called the Modernizing Biosurveillance Capabilities and Epidemic Forecasting Act, the bill... Read More »
The Senate advanced as part of the government funding legislation a provision from U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) that would require cyber attacks on critical infrastructure to be reported and further federal oversight.
Peters and Portman, chairman and ranking member of the... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released a report that seeks to assess efforts to maximize preventing, detecting, and responding to potential domestic violent extremism threats.
“Every day, the more than 250,000 dedicated public servants at DHS work to ensure the safety... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice said a recent collaboration of U.S. and Mexican law enforcement resulted in an enforcement operation dismantling a transnational human smuggling organization in Nogales, Sonora.
“The Attorney General established Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) to address the threat... Read More »
The Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine (AUCVM) has been awarded a five-year, $24 million Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) canine development contract.
“Canines are an important tool in support of the S&T mission to prevent and respond... Read More »
The U.S. Navy recently awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a $65 million contract to execute Link-16 full rate production for Marine Corps H-1 AH-1Z and UH-1Y aircraft to modernize electronic systems fleetwide.
Link-16 is a secure data link enabling H-1 crews to share data and communications... Read More »
Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) began a clinical trial this week investigating rare but potentially serious systemic allergic reactions to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
“People who experienced an allergic reaction after receiving a COVID-19 mRNA... Read More »
U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) said the House of Representatives' advancement of the Shadow Wolves Enhancement Act (H.R. 5681) represents wins for border security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Katko is ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and introduced the... Read More »
In a move hailed by U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, the bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations Agreement for FY 2022 now includes an increase of funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $250 million.
The funding, representing a 39... Read More »
