Countermeasures
Xylazine, a non-opioid tranquilizer approved for veterinary use, was recently declared an emerging threat to the United States by Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), when combined with fentanyl.
While never approved for human use,... Read More »
Enhancements to the Central American Minors (CAM) program would provide alternatives to perilous and irregular border migration, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State officials.
The CAM program enables certain individuals in the United States to request... Read More »
As part of an ongoing push to counter small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) launched a Request for Information (RFI) on kinetic mitigation technologies and solutions.
“This effort is designed... Read More »
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has procured three Computed Tomography (CT) x-ray scanner orders worth up to $1.3 billion to be deployed at airport checkpoints.
The orders call for up to 426 base, 359 mid-size and 429 full-size scanner units, if all options are exercised, for... Read More »
Reckoning with the increased influx of storms rattling the United States in recent years, United States Reps. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) and Alex Mooney (R-WV) introduced the Improvement of Mapping, Addresses, Geography, Elevation and Structures (IMAGES) Act (H.R. 2568) this week to improve flood... Read More »
Through a Request for Information (RFI) this week, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) signaled a search for new and emerging counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) capable of defending against other small UAS (sUAS).
Small UAS are... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) released the agency's 2023 Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program (REPI) Resilience Project Funding Guide this week.
“The REPI Program is thrilled to release the first-ever Resilience Project Funding Guide," REPI Program Director... Read More »
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) personnel have completed the third test of off-road unmanned vehicles as part of its Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency (RACER) program.
The March 12-27 test runs in the Mojave Desert included the first with completely... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently installed a next generation carry-on baggage screening system at Boston Logan International Airport.
“This new carry-on screening system is an important next step in aviation security,” S&T... Read More »
Concerned about inadequacies in Military Criminal Investigative Organizations (MCIOs), a group of 18 Congress members recently issued a letter calling for adequate, stable funding and resources to aid investigations as part of the fiscal year 2024 Defense Appropriations funding bill.
“The... Read More »
After a trip that spanned 144 days, stops in four continents, and more than 25,000 miles of ocean covered, all to resupply the United States Antarctic stations, the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star completed its journey home to Seattle on April 8, 2023.
“The completion of this mission is a... Read More »
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently issued new guidance to address bolstered supply chain disruption initiatives.
Cyber Incident Guidance for Customs Brokers would aid customs brokers in preparation, response, and recovery regarding cyberattacks, from proactively installing... Read More »
Air Force officials announced that Ravi Chaudhary has been sworn to duty as assistant secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and Environment.
The recent ceremony at the Pentagon followed Chaudhary's U.S. Senate confirmation on March 15. In his new position, Chaudhary will be... Read More »
In order to build relationships with those soon to be training in their state, U.S. Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) and John Boozman (R-AR) went to Singapore last week.
On the heels of a decision to relocate an F-16 squadron to Ebbing Air National Guard base in Arkansas and train Singapore pilots on... Read More »
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials recently announced the sentencing of Jorge Sanchez Morales, aka “Capulina,” 47, to life in prison for leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization.
In November 2022, an El Paso jury found Sanchez Morales guilty of conspiracies to import... Read More »
According to a new paper from researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), hurricane season is set to worsen in the years ahead in terms of strength and frequency as global warming empowers storms along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts.
Hurricane frequency could rise by as much... Read More »
As the United States continues to reckon with gun violence nationwide, including in its schools, U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) introduced the latest legislative proposals for change, with the Safe Schools Act and the Strengthening School Security for Students Act.
Touted as ways to protect... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has planned a two-day, in-person event next month to highlight technology addressing DHS challenges and homeland security needs.
The Demo Week initiative funded by DHS's Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP)... Read More »
Ships and teams gathered off the coast of Manzanillo, Mexico last month for a weeklong exercise under the North American Maritime Security Initiative (NAMSI), which brought together the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Mexican Navy (SEMAR) and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).
"This exercise provides... Read More »
Northrop Grumman has opened a two-building campus outside of Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala.
“Our new lab enables us to deliver innovative solutions to our customers on rapid timelines, helping to protect and defend our nation and its allies against evolving threats,” Northrop Grumman... Read More »
The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) along with the Air and Marine Operations (AMO) intercepted a vessel transporting cocaine in waters along northern Puerto Rico.
The agencies seized 1,455 pounds of cocaine valued at approximately $15.1 million and arrested four non-citizens from the... Read More »
The U.S. Justice Department personnel has dismantled a major criminal marketplace that allegedly enabled cybercriminals to victimize individuals, businesses and governments globally.
“Our seizure of Genesis Market should serve as a warning to cybercriminals who operate or use these criminal... Read More »
As a way to encourage stakeholders and partners to pursue rigorous supply chain risk management (SCRM) solutions, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and a mix of federal and industry partners are highlighting SCRM as the recipe for resilience in this National Supply Chain... Read More »
According to a new report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), pulled from its own database, 146 incidents of illegal or unauthorized activities occurred in 2022 involving nuclear and other radioactive material.
While the IAEA’s global database utilizes information from 143... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Steve Womack (R-AR) and
Dan Kildee (D-MI) joined four colleagues to introduce a bill that seeks to exclude military Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) benefits from taxable income.
The BNA Fairness Act would amend the tax code and place the BNA in line with the tax status of other military... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated Smiths Detection's HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX CT passenger screening system as terrorism deterring technology.
The designation was established through the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act.
"This is a... Read More »
The Department of Defense (DoD) Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) Directorate for Digital Services (DDS) has launched a website targeting DoD systems and assets protection.
The site was developed in conjunction with the Hack the Pentagon (HtP) program, which invites vetted,... Read More »
A surge of Joint-Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) and HELLFIRE missiles will come to the U.S. Army over the years ahead as part of a four-year production contract newly awarded to Lockheed Martin.
Initially, the procurement and production award was valued at $439 million as a basic Program Year 1... Read More »
After seizing a flagless vessel in the Arabian Sea on Dec. 1, 2022, U.S. Central Command forces took more than 1 million rounds of ammunition, among other weapon supplies, and as of last week, the Justice Department filed a forfeiture complaint over it, accusing the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guard... Read More »
The U.S. Army has awarded Raytheon Technologies a $1.2 billion foreign military sales contract to provide Switzerland with the Patriot air defense system.
The contract is in conjunction with the Global Patriot partnership that includes the United States, Switzerland, and 16 other nations.... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) has requested funding for the Canine Reimbursement Program, following President Joe Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget determining the program was zeroed out.
Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson contacted Bacon when the president’s budget request was released.
“I... Read More »
Lawmakers and law enforcement personnel are expressing support for the SAFE School Act, which focuses on keeping children safe.
U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) would introduce the bill to establish a $900 million grant program enabling public and private schools to... Read More »
Through the introduction of the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act last week, U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dick Durban (D-IL) took aim at visa programs, intending to reform them and reduce fraud while introducing greater scrutiny of the recruitment process for foreign workers.
Both visa... Read More »
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has advanced the Securing Open Source Software Act - noting it protects federal and critical infrastructure systems.
The measure introduced by Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) now moves to the full Senate for... Read More »
In his first budget proposal, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called for more than $50 million for 9-1-1 dispatch systems and $36 million to staff, equip and train firefighters and EMS providers.
“I know firsthand how our local municipal and county governments are on the frontlines of keeping... Read More »
