Government
The Marine Corps Systems Command’s mission to support Marines continues, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
With travel restrictions in place, MCSC began conducting online training to teach marines how to use new gear. This online training, called Virtual NET, is designed to replicates a live... Read More »
Members of the Congressional Cyberspace Solarium are introducing a bill to modernize and secure state and local government information technology.
The bill, the State and Local IT Modernization and Cybersecurity Act, addresses a recommendation from the Solarium’s pandemic white paper that... Read More »
The Marine Corps has awarded a $19 million contract to BAE Systems to develop the prototype design for a Wargaming Center at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
“We will build on our experience supporting the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory Wargaming Division and partner with a diverse... Read More »
National Security Agency (NSA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel have issued a new Cybersecurity Advisory regarding previously undisclosed Russian malware.
The NSA and FBI said the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) 85th Main Special Service Center... Read More »
With billions in public funding being directed to coronavirus treatment and vaccine research, U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Mike Braun (R-IN) have introduced the Taxpayer Research and Coronavirus Knowledge (TRACK) act to publicly account for where those dollars are going.
The bill would... Read More »
In an effort to expand SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 -- tests by millions per month, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has invested $6.5 million into two commercial diagnostic laboratories: Aegis Sciences Corporation and Sonic Healthcare USA.
These... Read More »
Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) are among a group of 34 senators calling on President Donald Trump to restore full funding to states to cover the cost of the National Guard responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
National Guard units across the country have helped states respond to... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new funding opportunity to expand the uses of electronic health information via health information exchanges (HIEs) to support public health agencies.
Strengthening health data exchange between HIEs and state and local public... Read More »
Legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate seeks to help safeguard American telecommunications networks against cyberthreats from untrusted foreign equipment suppliers.
The Ensuring Network Security Act would expand access to federal “rip and replace” funding for telecommunications providers... Read More »
A bill was introduced in the House to protect patients from increased out-of-pocket prescription drug costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Preserving Patient Savings on Drug Costs Act (H.R. 7647) would delay the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) 2021 Notice of Benefit and... Read More »
Transportation Security Administration officials said personnel at two airports are using new Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) to confirm the identification (ID) validity and flight information in near real-time.
Systems at Baltimore/Washington International-Thurgood Marshall Airport... Read More »
Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY) and Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced a measure they said is designed to aid universities and research institutions in protecting COVID-19 research from China and Russia cyberattacks.
The legislation would grant universities and research institutions access to cybersecurity... Read More »
Insurance-exempt and cost-share free, a new bill introduced to the Senate this week would waive any costs for Americans in need of a COVID-19 vaccine, whenever one emerges.
Introduced by U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) and co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO),... Read More »
Under a new agreement reached with Moderna, Inc., the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) have ordered 100 million doses of the mRNA-1273 vaccine, a candidate for use against COVID-19.
That vaccine was co-developed by Moderna and the National Institute of... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted the COVID-19 Testing Plans from all states and localities for July through December on its website.
The State Testing Plans were developed in partnership with the federal government for each jurisdiction. The plans include details on... Read More »
A group of Congressional Republicans is urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to require media company Al Jazeera to register as a foreign agent.
The lawmakers said that Al Jazeera, which is owned by the Qatari government, have engaged in activities that align closely with the priorities of... Read More »
The Space and Missile Systems Center and the National Reconnaissance Office announced this week that United Launch Alliance LLC and SpaceX garnered National Security Space launch (NSSL) service contracts.
The Firm-Fixed-Price, Indefinite Delivery Requirement pacts add to savings the NSSL program... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently introduced a measure they said bolsters global cooperation in combating synthetic drug trafficking.
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) have collaborated with Reps. David Trone (D-MD) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) in crafting the Fighting Emerging... Read More »
As Congress continues to grapple over the next COVID-19 relief package, more than two dozen senators wrote a letter to Senate leadership this week to request inclusion of $15.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Whatever form the final legislation takes, they reasoned, funds... Read More »
Legislation that would require the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and state governments to collect and report data about COVID-19 in correctional facilities was introduced in Congress.
Prisons and jails have become hotspots for the spread of COVID-19,... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report regarding the appointment of temporary and term personnel by the Department of Defense (DoD).
The (DoD) uses term and temporary appointments to hire personnel to non-permanent positions that have uncertain funding or workload. Term... Read More »
Three lawmakers have launched the Pandemic Preparedness Caucus, a coalition of lawmakers they said would work to advance policy solutions to challenges presented by COVID-19 and future public health emergencies.
Reps. Troy Balderson (R-OH) and Cindy Axne (D-IA) said the caucus would focus on... Read More »
Three lawmakers have introduced a measure designed to expand the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS’s) jurisdiction to review foreign investments in emerging and foundational technology.
Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) maintain the... Read More »
Doubling down on the increasingly rocky relationship between the United States and China, U.S. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) introduced the Transparency in Chinese Government Investment Act last week, which would require any publicly traded companies to reveal connections with China’s governing... Read More »
Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced a bill designed to help veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad (K2) Airbase in Uzbekistan to obtain the health screenings and services they need.
According to a U.S. Army study conducted in 2015, service... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DoD) struck a deal with the Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which is part of Johnson & Johnson, to demonstrate large-scale manufacturing and delivery of the company's COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
As part of the agreement,... Read More »
Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) personnel have forwarded correspondence to the White House advocating nationwide mask requirements.
The organizations are urging issuance of a federal mask directive to curtail the spread of COVID-19, protect the... Read More »
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has earmarked $1 million to combat human trafficking in Alaska via the agency’s Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking program.
Officials said Covenant House Alaska and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) would receive $500,000 each... Read More »
Reps. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) forwarded correspondence Wednesday to Trump administration officials regarding an updated national COVID-19 vaccine plan.
Pallone and DeGette recently sent a second oversight letter to White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr.... Read More »
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) introduced this week a pair of bills he said are designed to further empower the nation’s strategic competition against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
McCaul serves as Republican leader on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of the China Task... Read More »
There are ways to conduct safe elections even during a pandemic like COVID-19, but despite lessons provided by recent primary elections, researchers from RAND warn that nine states have adopted no policies key to safe voter participation in the 2020 presidential election.
This lack of... Read More »
The House Problem Solvers Caucus has endorsed the COVID Preparedness, Response, and Effective Planning for Advanced Requirements by the Executive Branch (PREPARE) Act, a bill introduced by Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and Brad Schneider (D-IL).
The Problem Solvers Caucus is a bipartisan group in... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA) sponsored or cosponsored several cybersecurity bills that were passed recently by the U.S. House of Representatives in various funding bills.
Graves worked to include a dozen cybersecurity related priorities in more than half of the 12 funding bills, which now move... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently introduced a bill they said is designed to find an alternative to PFAS contaminated firefighting foam.
Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Dan Kildee (D-MI) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) said the PFAS Free Foam Research and... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and Department of Transportation (DOT) have initiated the Next Generation 911 (NG911) systems interoperability and compatibility testing process.
The agencies have selected the Critical Infrastructure Resilience... Read More »
