Countermeasures
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) recently introduced the Fire Grants and Safety Act, which seeks to bolster nationwide federal support for local fire departments.
Specifically, the legislation reauthorizes Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant programs local fire... Read More »
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency (RACER) fleet has entered its next experimental phase.
Experiment 1 was executed March-April 2022 on six courses of combat-relevant terrain. The teams completed over 40 autonomous... Read More »
With much of the world’s attention turned to Russia and its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) introduced the North Korea Policy Act of 2022 last week in order to return greater scrutiny to North Korea.
A bipartisan effort, the bill would... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse (D-CO) and Tim Burchett (R-TN) introduced a bill they said seeks to improve information-sharing efforts for missing persons on federal lands.
The Tracking and Reporting Absent Community-members Everywhere (TRACE) Act would enhance information sharing efforts by making a... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has allocated 43 grants totaling $20 million to address targeted violence and terrorism prevention.
The Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) seeks to aid in preventing domestic violent extremism... Read More »
Drawing from funds provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will put up $1 billion for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program -- a first of its kind effort emphasized by the Biden administration.
Funding will be divided over... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced that, through DARPA, it will be launching the Bringing Classified Innovation to Defense and Government Systems (BRIDGES) program, which seeks to use corporate innovation from companies that do not typically get to work on DoD classified... Read More »
The Senate has confirmed David Pekoske for a second term as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator, a role in which he will continue federal responsibility for domestic surface transportation security.
President Joe Biden nominated Pekoske for a second term in May 2022,... Read More »
The Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program could gain new life if an effort newly introduced to the Senate gains traction.
Under S. 4859, reauthorization would be granted to legislation last passed in 2018 and for other purposes. A nationwide law enforcement program, the Project Safe... Read More »
U.S. Department of Justice officials are espousing the benefits of a new nationwide initiative to combat unlawful acts of hate.
The United Against Hate program is convening local forums connecting community groups to federal, state, and local law enforcement to expand community understanding and... Read More »
In response to recent purchases by foreign entities that spooked locals in Oklahoma, U.S. Sens. James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) introduced a bill this week to increase oversight and transparency of purchases of U.S. agricultural land.
The Security and Oversight of International... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have introduced the Russia is a State Sponsor of Terrorism Act, which designates the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST).
“Putin has crossed every line of civilized norms during the war in Ukraine and years... Read More »
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has advanced the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022.
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Subcommittee on Oceans Chair Tammy Baldwin... Read More »
With approval from Congress, the Civilian Reservist Emergency Act headed for President Joe Biden’s desk for a final signature this week, granting new protections for reservists with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from losing their full-time employment when called to... Read More »
While tensions between the United States and China have grown over the years, U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) introduced the Protecting Our Homeland from Chinese Espionage Act this week.
As proposed, the bill would require companies bidding for any Department of Homeland Security (DHS)... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Steve Daines (R-MT) recently introduced the Community Wildfire Protection Act to enable greater wildfire protections.
“Climate change is putting more and more communities in the path of deadly wildfires,” Feinstein said. “Unfortunately, a more than... Read More »
Following up on the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act back in June, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) this week wrote the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) requesting updates on how the law had been implemented.
That legislation had... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently detailed the disruption and dismantling of a human smuggling operation in Texas and across the southern United States.
Authorities indicated the operation in conjunction with Joint Task Force Alpha... Read More »
Construction work concluded on Boeing’s new Advanced Works Composite Fabrication Center in Arizona, and with that, the company revealed the 155,000-square-foot facility as the first of several new factories to come under the guidance of its Defense, Space & Security (BDS) business unit.
The... Read More »
With the introduction of the Securing American Acquisitions, Readiness and Military Stockpiles Act (S.B. 4805) this week, U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) hope to enhance the military’s capabilities to refill stockpiles after they have been tapped for aid to American... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently initiated a new interactive training tool for handlers and trainers of explosive detection canines.
The effort would upgrade Person-Borne Explosives Detection (PBED) capabilities. PBED canines must... Read More »
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has awarded science, technology and engineering solutions firm KBR a $38 million contract supporting global Automated Fuel Handling Equipment (AFHE) sites.
The AFHE system is described by the DLA as an Industrial Control System with real-time data... Read More »
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is soliciting public input regarding new cyber incident reporting requirements.
Authorities indicated a Request for Information (RFI) would provide the public with 60 days to provide written submissions detailing feedback on the Cyber... Read More »
Aerospace company Lockheed Martin and AT&T officials are espousing the benefits of a 5G test that successfully transferred UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter health and usage data.
The test recently conducted at Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky headquarters in Stratford, Conn., demonstrated that wireless... Read More »
The AIDS Clinical Trials Group began enrolling more than 500 adults and children for a Phase 3 clinical trial of the antiviral tecovirimat (TPOXX) for use against monkeypox, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced this week.
“Monkeypox can be an extremely... Read More »
Looking to get ahead of future health concerns, a new financial intermediary fund (FIF) was officially launched last week by the FIF Governing Board, which was recently created with support from G20 members and other nations, along with a positive vote from the World Bank Board of... Read More »
The public safety wireless communications provider known as FirstNet announced plans this week to expand 5G operations, improve connectivity and enhance 9-1-1 resiliency now that it has reached more than 40 cities throughout the United States.
“By delivering 5G on FirstNet in this unique way,... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Ken Calvert (R-CA) have joined 25 congressional colleagues in advocating additional support for combating wildfires and ensuring communities have resources to suppress wildfires.
Thompson and Calvert recently spearheaded the effort to forward correspondence... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded AmerisourceBergen a $19.8 million contract to improve the delivery of monkeypox vaccines and treatments.
AmerisourceBergen was specifically tasked with expanding distribution capacity and weekly shipments. The company will... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a report this week entitled Electromagnetic Pulse Shielding Mitigations, which laid out a series of recommendations to best protect the National Public Warning System from the threat of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
EMPs can be man-made for... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced this week legislation that seeks to prohibit TikTok from accessing domestic citizens’ user data from within China and block TikTok installation on government devices.
The Block the Tok Act also directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to initiate an... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are espousing the benefits of the Fall 2022 Virtual Career Expo, which will help the agency recruit law enforcement professionals.
The Sept. 13 event stems from the CBP seeking entry-level and experienced law enforcement personnel interested in a... Read More »
The U.S. Navy awarded contracts valued at approximately $120 million to the Curtiss-Wright Corporation last week, tapping the company to provide generators for its next-generation Columbia-class submarine.
The Columbia is meant to replace the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, with a lead... Read More »
In a letter to the Director of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) last week, a dozen Republican senators critiqued an alleged policy proposal that conservative media said would cause illegal immigrants to be released into the United States before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could arrest... Read More »
Technology, science, and digital transformation solutions company ECS has been awarded a $53 million contract supporting the USTRANSCOM Global Air Transportation Execution System (GATES).
ESC, a subsidiary of IT and professional services firm ASGN Incorporated, is slated to provide software... Read More »
