Countermeasures
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials have indicated the agency is prepared to screen high volumes of passengers at nationwide airport security checkpoints this summer travel season.
“TSA is ready to handle this summer’s anticipated increase in travel,” TSA Administrator... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Mike Bost (R-IL) recently reintroduced legislation that would raise police officer salaries and hire more police officers.
The David Dorn Thin Blue Line Retention Act is named in honor of David Dorn, a retired St. Louis Police captain killed in June 2020 while... Read More »
A bicameral, bipartisan group of lawmakers wrote Congressional leadership this week to secure FY 2024 Department of Defense (DoD) appropriations for the Marine Corps Force Design 2030 modernization efforts.
Led by U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), the lawmakers called for... Read More »
By introducing the Land Port of Entry (LPOE) Modernization Trust Fund Act (H.R.3135) this week, a collection of five congressional lawmakers proposed creating a fund to advance new ports of entry, improve the old and gather both new staff and technology to assist border efforts.
Backed by... Read More »
Under a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) launched last week, the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA) announced efforts to strengthen outbreak response among decision makers through creation of a disease forecasting network.
CFA is a part of the Centers for Disease Control... Read More »
The U.S. Senate recently advanced a bill increasing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement personnel mental health resources.
The DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act authored Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) would create the DHS Law... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Peter Stauber (R-MN) and Dan Kildee (D-MI) revived pro-unionization efforts for public safety officers nationwide last week with the reintroduction of the Public Safety Employer-Employee Act.
That bill would allow public safety officers to form labor unions, collectively bargain for... Read More »
Three legislators recently forwarded correspondence to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), seeking insight regarding suspected terrorists illegally crossing the southern border.
U.S. Reps. Mark E. Green (R-TN), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, James Comer (R-KY),... Read More »
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) has launched a research program the agency maintains examines global population mobility patterns while providing alerts when anomalies emerge.
Serving as the advanced research and development arm of the Office of the Director of... Read More »
Fearing the proliferation of illicit versions of the drug xylazine – or tranq – and its effects on the U.S. public, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) wrote to Congressional leaders last week urging passage of the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R. 1839).
The legislation... Read More »
The Enhancing DHS Drug Seizures Act (S.1464) advanced to the Senate floor last week, after approval from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is chaired its author, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI).
Together with co-author U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Peters created a... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) noted his recent reintroduction of the Wildfire Emergency Act seeks to reduce American West wildfire risks and bolster preparedness via forest restoration, infrastructure investments and training.
“Despite this year’s severe storms, wildfire season will soon... Read More »
An effort to increase cybersecurity protections for commercial satellites gained traction in the Senate this week, as the Satellite Cybersecurity Act (S.1425) advanced out of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to the full Senate.
The bill was introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary... Read More »
U.S. Reps. David G. Valadao (R-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Mark Amodei (R-NV), John Curtis (R-UT) and Doug Lamborn (R-CO) recently introduced the Emergency Wildfire Fighting Technology Act, which would bolster firefighting technology initiatives.
The... Read More »
The House Homeland Security Committee took up a slew of bills this week, advancing five to the larger House’s consideration on cybersecurity, Chinese drones, approaches to weapons of mass destruction and support for first responders.
These bills included the Securing Open Source Software Act... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Dick Durbin have joined eight colleagues to introduce a bill that focuses on addressing immediate southern border needs.
The Border Management, Security, and Assistance Act of 2023 would strengthens border security, establish consequences for unlawful entry,... Read More »
A day ahead of testimony by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman before Congress on the concerns and possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI), U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced legislation to create an AI-based training program for federal managers.
While Altman would go on to... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Cornyn (R-TX), and eight colleagues recently introduced the Sensible Classification Act, which proposes an overhaul of the national classification system.
If passed, the legislation would seek to codify classification authority and specify how that authority is... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Blake Moore (R-UT) and Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) have reintroduced legislation they maintain would enhance domestic printed circuit board (PCB) production while strengthening supply chain security.
Moore and Eshoo recently detailed the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act,... Read More »
Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) personnel are espousing the benefits of a new resource to aid school safety reporting programs.
The K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit supports kindergarten through grade 12... Read More »
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) urged the Department of State to take steps to hold China accountable for the precursor chemicals used by Mexican drug cartels in the manufacture of synthetic opioids.
The pair proposed... Read More »
In an effort to reduce crime and increase public safety, the Invest to Protect Act was introduced by a bipartisan coalition in Congress this week, dangling the possibility of increased funding for police departments to recruit and retain officers, as well as outfit them.
Announced at the start... Read More »
A group of lawmakers are seeking to incentivize employers to continue to pay National Guard and Reserves members while activated.
U.S. Reps. Blake Moore (R-UT), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), and Don Beyer (D-VA) have reintroduced the bipartisan Reservist Pay Equity Act, which would... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Young Kim (R-CA), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Andy Barr (R-KY) and Zach Nunn (R-IA) recently introduced the Stop Fentanyl Money Laundering Act, which targets money laundering within the fentanyl trafficking trade.
“We cannot allow foreign drug manufacturers, money launderers, and... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Tim Scott (R-SC) are urging President Joe Biden to implement a national security finding determining TikTok’s operations pose a national security risk to the United States.
Officials noted in correspondence to Biden, McHenry, House Financial Services... Read More »
Although the position was created in 2021, the co-chairs of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC) last week expressed extreme concern about the currently vacant National Cyber Director role, and urged President Joe Biden to nominate someone for the job soon.
The Office of the National Cyber... Read More »
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently outlined plans to develop microelectronic sensor technologies capable of withstanding extreme temperatures through its High Operational Temperature Sensors (HOTS) program.
“Many of the defense and industrial systems that rely on... Read More »
Together with 38 Republican colleagues, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Back the Blue Act last week, which would mandate a new federal crime for offenses against federal officers and judges, limit court review of related challenges and expand officer rights.
The act would take four... Read More »
Bipartisan legislators are commending the House Agriculture Committee's advancement of the Beagle Brigade Act (H.R. 1480), which authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Detector Dog Training Center.
U.S. Reps. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Dan Kildee... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Pat Fallon (R-TX), and Rob Wittman (R-VA) recently reintroduced the Investing in American Defense Technologies Act, which targets defense-centric small business investment.
The legislation creates a federal public-private partnership to scale, support and... Read More »
In introducing the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act this week, a bipartisan three senators proposed the creation of a universal application for federal disaster recovery assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The current system, in the views of U.S. Sens. Gary Peters... Read More »
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation has advanced two national weather targeting modernization and expansion of the nation’s weather communication and radio service.
U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), committee chair, and Ted Cruz (R-TX), ranking member, introduced the... Read More »
Under the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) this week awarded $18 million to 28 collaborative academic teams, encouraging their research capabilities to enhance U.S. science and engineering.
“DEPSCoR allows us to tap... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the finalization of a new rule further incentivizing individuals to use lawful and orderly pathways to enter the United States.
“This Administration has led the largest expansion of legal pathways for... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has joined six North Carolina colleagues in forwarding correspondence to Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol officials regarding southern border suspected terrorist encounters.
"The chaos at our southern border has created a humanitarian... Read More »
