Government
A molecular test for COVID-19 can now be used at home without a prescription, following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) granting of emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Cue COVID-19 Test for Home and Over the Counter (OTC) Use.
A molecular nucleic acid amplification test... Read More »
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas signed an Interim Final Rule (IFR) to publicize regulations regarding the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act.
The regulations will allow U.S. Customs and Border Protect (CPB) and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to strengthen... Read More »
Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) recently reintroduced a measure they said is designed to address foreign influence.
The Foreign Influence Transparency Act would require organizations such as the Chinese government-run Confucius Institutes... Read More »
Legislation that would formally end the authorizations for the Gulf and Iraq wars was introduced in the U.S. Senate this week.
Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against... Read More »
Homeland Security Republicans have released a fact sheet highlighting how the border humanitarian and public health circumstance has intensified under the Biden administration.
Rep. John Katko (R-NY), ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and colleagues indicated Homeland... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has awarded $153,000 to Morcom International, Inc. to develop maritime object tracking technology.
The funding allotment earmarked for the Chantilly, Virginia-based firm was made via S&T’s Silicon Valley... Read More »
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Hologic, Inc. are working together to develop the Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV assay, intended to be able to simultaneously detect and differentiate a variety of viruses from a single sample.
While SARS-CoV-2 is a major... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) announced Tuesday that it would be awarding $196,880 to fund a video analytics program for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The funding was... Read More »
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) recently reintroduced the Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act as a means of addressing recent technological developments given rise to undetectable plastic guns.
The original law was enacted in 1988, with the public concerned about guns with frames and grips made... Read More »
A team, including GE Research, the Broad Institute, DNA Script, MEDInstill, Molecular Assemblies, and the University of Washington, has been awarded a five-year, up to $41 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to create a new, quicker vaccine production... Read More »
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit a critical stage, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and as such, the $1.9 billion American Rescue Plan touted by the Biden Administration and advanced by the House last week represents a welcome boost.
“This legislation represents... Read More »
The Biden administration helped forge a deal between Merck and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to expand production of J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine, which is expected to help the company deliver 100 million doses by the end of May instead of its previous June goal.
The collaboration between the... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation Monday aimed at examining terrorist attacks to prevent future ones.
The Reporting Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism (REPORT) Act would require federal agencies to report to Congress after a... Read More »
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) said the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) allocated up to $2.4 million to help Ohio faith-based and nonprofit venues upgrade security.
The allotment would benefit synagogues, churches, religious education facilities, and charity... Read More »
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has earmarked funding totaling nearly $33 million over four years for five University of California San Diego Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) projects.
The RADx initiative seeks to expedite the development, commercialization, and implementation of... Read More »
A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collaboration with federal authorities recently resulted in the seizure of 1.7 tons of cocaine worth over $58 million.
The efforts of the agency's Air and Marine Operations (AMO) National Air Security Operations Center (NASOC) P-3 crews and those of federal... Read More »
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) recently partnered with LightDeck Diagnostics to create a six-minute SARS-CoV-2 antigen test usable without the need for a full diagnostic laboratory.
This point of care test could be used for on-site screening of suspected... Read More »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization Monday for the Quidel QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test.
An antigen test, QuickVue will allow users suspected of having COVID-19 by their healthcare provider within the first six days of symptom onset to quickly collect... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) introduced a $163 billion bill to funds efforts to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.
The Crush The Virus Act (H.R. 1371) provides $163 billion in funding to increase the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines, boost access to COVID-19 testing throughout... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Richard Burr (R-NC) reintroduced legislation designed to improve communications networks during natural disasters Wednesday.
The Emergency Reporting Act would ensure the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provided resources to state and local governments... Read More »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced this week that undiluted frozen vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will now be allowed to be transported and stored at conventional pharmaceutical freezer temperatures for up to two weeks.
While the preferred storage for this... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials are espousing the benefits of resources designed to address GPS spoofing activity.
The Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Integrity Library and Epsilon Algorithm Suite seeks to protect against Global... Read More »
Lawmakers representing the Committee on Oversight and Reform and Committee on Homeland Security recently conducted joint hearings to examine potential actions after cybersecurity incidents impacting government and private sector networks.
The panels detailed the supply chain attacks targeting... Read More »
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) said he is encouraging the Biden Administration to prioritize communication and clarify to Michiganders and Americans regarding continuing Northern border travel restrictions.
Peters, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, recently forwarded... Read More »
The United States will now benefit from the rollout of a third COVID-19 vaccine, following last week’s emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Janssen vaccine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
That decision came in the wake of recommendations from an advisory panel known as the... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials are touting the release of the funding notice for eight different types of terrorism prevention and preparedness grants totaling almost $1.87 billion.
“In the almost 20 years since September 11, 2001, the terrorism threat landscape has changed... Read More »
Lawmakers said Orlando, Fla., has received $3.8 million in terror-prevention and preparedness grant funds via the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI).
Reps. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), Val Demings (D-FL), and Darren Soto (D-FL) indicated the city's... Read More »
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is holding an advisory committee meeting on Friday during which the committee is expected to recommend a single-dose Johnson & Johnson (J&J)-Janssen Biotech SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to become the third COVID-19 vaccine available for emergency use to... Read More »
A group of Senators introduced legislation supporting President Joe Biden’s efforts to rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal, also called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The Iran Diplomacy Act Full says the United States and Iran should promptly return to full compliance with all of... Read More »
Legislation recently introduced in both houses of Congress seeks to improve the resiliency of communications networks during emergencies.
With extreme weather events on the rise, it is critical to engage the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to help local governments prepare for and... Read More »
Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND), Jon Tester (D-MT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) recently introduced a bill that seeks to offer bolstered support to combat-wounded veterans.
The Major Richard Star Act would allow veterans wounded in combat with less than 20 years of... Read More »
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has introduced a bill designed to better protect firefighters in New York and nationwide from toxic exposure to PFAS chemicals.
PFAS are used as an ingredient in special foam used to fight fires, called aqueous film forming foam (AFFF). The use of the foam,... Read More »
Bipartisan legislation was introduced in this House of Representatives this week that would extend concealed carry privileges for qualified retired and active law enforcement officials.
The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) Reform Act (H.R. 1210) would allow active and retired law... Read More »
A bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to ensure that the U.S. strengthens partnerships with international allies to combat cyberattacks in a unified approach.
The Cyber Diplomacy Act of 2021 (H.R. 1251), sponsored by Michael McCaul (R-TX), would also advocate for the State... Read More »
The Navy and Air Force have awarded Lockheed Martin a $414 million contract for Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) production.
The agreement represents the largest LRASM production pact in the program's history. The combined Lot 4/5 contract continues production of the air-launched variant of... Read More »
