Countermeasures
The Israel – U.S. Binational Industrial Research and
Development (BIRD) Foundation is seeking proposals for advanced technologies related
to homeland security.
The BIRD Foundation is seeking proposals in six areas:
Advanced first responder technologies; Border protection, including... Read More »
Baltimore County personnel are espousing the benefits of a new, purpose-built cell site designed to deliver increased coverage and capacity to first responders across the state.
Officials said public safety communications is receiving a critical upgrade with the cell site launch of a new,... Read More »
A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) readiness review site visit of the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has resulted in the agency receiving stellar reviews.
The CDC assessment determined the OSDH ranks in the top 14 percent of all medical countermeasure supply... Read More »
An international team of researchers have statistically predicted where mosquitoes will spread through the use of 35 years of data and 17 climate change models.
That spread data includes everything from short to long-term timeframes and, the scientists note, is precise within 5x5 kilometers.... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently announced a new, $10 million partnership with Public Health Vaccines LLC to study potential vaccine treatments for the Marburg virus.
Through the Biomedical Advanced research and Development Authority (BARDA), the DHHS will work... Read More »
The Department of
Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have collaborated to develop the
Opacity and Complexity Analysis Software Tool (OCAST).
OCAST will be
used to assist X-ray operators in determining possible... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced a bill
last week that would expand federal background checks for gun purchases and
transfers.
The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 was approved
by a vote of 240-190 with only 8 Republicans supporting it. It now moves to the
Senate for action.... Read More »
Lockheed Martin and industry partners are touting the results of a recent Army Modular Active Protection Systems (MAPS)-enabled systems test demonstrating the effectiveness of the active protection system.
The effort supported the Army’s integration of three countermeasures and a cueing... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently introduced Singh’s Law, a measure designed to prevent known gang members and those convicted of dangerous crimes from entering the country.
Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)... Read More »
Scientists from the Texas Biomedical Research Institute are developing a new approach to tuberculosis (TB) protection -- one that provides a better, safer defense and is deliverable by spray instead of shot.
These represent major changes to the vaccine, but the scientists are seeking to... Read More »
The U.S. Customs
and Border Protection (CBP) ports of entry in Arizona are urging travelers to
prepare for the upcoming Spring Break by enrolling in trusted traveler programs
and using Ready Lanes.
Non-immigrant
visa, passport holders are urged to apply for tourist permits online.
To use... Read More »
Battelle, an applied science and technology nonprofit
company, recently sent two employees to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to
provide training to local healthcare officials in dealing with the Ebola Virus.
Ebola remains a significant health issue in Africa. The
nation is currently... Read More »
A group of legislators introduced last week a measure designed to bolster greater cyber transparency, security, and data privacy initiatives.
Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), John Kennedy (R-LA) and Doug Jones (D-AL) said the Cybersecurity Disclosure Act of 2019... Read More »
Air Force officials said cyber domain restructuring efforts will aid in achieving the overarching goal of streamlining oversight, policy, and guidance.
The branch is merging its headquarters staffs to integrate intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance with cyber effects operations. The... Read More »
Human vulnerability remains a major opening for cybersecurity incidents, according to a 2019 incident response report released last week by BAE Systems.
The report surveyed numerous organizations through engagement with board level executives, IT decision makers, and information security... Read More »
Several units of reserve Marines conducted simulated
training during Night Watch, a Marine Air Command and Control System exercise, last
month.
During the simulation, the reservists trained in a scenario that
involved degraded communication. This situation could happen during a
cybersecurity... Read More »
Several groups, including the National Sheriff’s
Association, voiced their support for a bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton
(R-AR) that would bar aliens associated with a criminal gang and convicted of a
crime from entering the United States.
The bill, called Singh's law, says aliens... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently petitioned the Justice Department to implement information from requisite agencies via the Fix NICS Act, which requires steps to assess progress in database correction.
Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dianne... Read More »
Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX), Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) introduced last week a measure designed to streamline and amend the overtime payment process, enabling border patrol personnel greater compensation flexibility.
The Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Amendment Act of 2019... Read More »
In a letter released this week, more than 400 physicians and scientists called on Congress to increase the nation’s funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
The United States is the largest contributor to the fund to date, comprising a third of total funding.... Read More »
A bill introduced
in the U.S. House last week would aim to improve employee morale at the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS), which ranked last among the 17 major Federal
agencies for morale in 2018, according to the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
Since being in
2003, DHS has... Read More »
The United States is not as prepared as it could be in key areas of public health disaster management, according to a recently issued report by Trust for America’s Health.
In Ready or Not: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism, the report’s authors... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions announced today
that the company has signed a deal with the U.S. Department of State to
establish a supply chain for certain medical countermeasures that address
chemical warfare agents.
The five-year, indefinite-delivery,
indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract includes five... Read More »
Lockheed Martin officials are preparing a pair of Sikorsky-built HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters (CRH) for flight tests at the facility's West Palm Beach site in Florida.
“Having these initial HH-60W helicopters in West Palm Beach for flight test is an exciting time for the Sikorsky team,”... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently assessed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts to enhance the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program, offering input on progress and challenges.
The GAO recommended the department identify high-risk chemical... Read More »
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and biopharmaceutical company CureVac AG recently announced a partnership worth up to $34 million for the development of a vaccine-boosting creation known as The RNA Printer.
The RNA Printer is a mobile, automated printing facility for... Read More »
Several federal government agencies, including the
Department of Homeland Security, introduced a program this week called the
Opioid Detection Challenge, a $1.55 million competition to develop opioid
detection technologies.
The Opioid Detection Challenge calls upon innovators
to submit plans... Read More »
The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life
Cycle Management Command recently placed a $75 million order with Oshkosh
Defense, a tactical wheeled vehicles and life cycle sustainment services
company.
The order is for 354 Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles
(FMTV) A1P2 trucks and... Read More »
Recognizing the potential for public health emergencies to be exacerbated by lack of cooperation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have created a joint task force to make... Read More »
Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) recently reintroduced a measure designed to bolster the financial support for a universal influenza vaccine protecting against multiple strains and offering longer protection.
The Flu Vaccine Act targets a total investment of $1 billion,... Read More »
Amer Sinan Alhaggagi was
recently sentenced to 188 months in jail for providing support to ISIS and
identity theft charges.
“Alhaggagi wanted to
carry out deadly terrorist attacks in the United States in the name of ISIS,”
said Assistant Attorney General John Demers said. ... Read More »
The Department of
Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has extended the
deadline for submitting first-responder technologies for assessment in the Next
Generation First Responder – Birmingham Shaken Fury Operational Experimentation
(OpEx).
The original
deadline was... Read More »
Federal lawmakers are focused on deterring domestic terrorism, which now ranks alongside — or possibly even eclipses — the prevention of global extremist threats against the nation, said U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
“What’s on our minds a lot now is... Read More »
Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) has introduced the Mass Violence Prevention (MVP) Act, which is designed to prevent firearm violence by improving response to threats and reducing illegal firearm street sales.
“It’s cruel to advance legislation that ignores the factors contributing to gun violence... Read More »
A total of 50 full-time and part-time positions with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will see applicants fast-tracked during a one-day event at the Boston Logan International Airport in March.
The move, undertaken in advance of increased travel generally seen during the summer... Read More »
