Countermeasures
Beginning with $20 million this year, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will commit up to $300 million to support antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infection research conducted through the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) over... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) recently joined nine colleagues in co-sponsoring a bill to address nationwide police staffing shortages.
The Pathways to Policing Act invests in programs to aid state and local law enforcement agencies struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels by... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) recently introduced a bill that seeks to enhance federal weather service firefighting efforts.
The Fire Ready Nation Act of 2022 would create a fire weather services program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives put racially motivated extremists, white supremacists, and other purveyors of domestic terrorism on notice last week with its advancement of the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (DTPA, H.R. 350).
Proponents have sought to push such a bill since at least 2017,... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) recently introduced the Emergency Migration Response Act and the Border Security and Migrant Safety Act to bolster southern border security and address migrant human trafficking.
The Emergency Migration Response Act directs the Department... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) recently introduced legislation to promote enhanced cybersecurity coordination between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and state and local governments.
The State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act previously passed the... Read More »
Beginning in 2023 and 2024, Bavarian Nordic A/S will, for the first time, manufacture and invoice a freeze-dried version of its JYNNEOS smallpox vaccine to the U.S. government.
The announcement followed a decision by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to exercise... Read More »
Through awards amounting to approximately $577 million, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is working to create nine Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) Centers for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern, working to develop innovative drugs.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has... Read More »
In an expansion of its efforts against COVID-19, AstraZeneca announced a new agreement this week with RQ Biotechnology Ltd. that will see it acquire the worldwide license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
Developed by the U.K.-based RQ... Read More »
The Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Lockheed Martin partnership Javelin Joint Venture has secured $309 million in Army contracts for Javelin missiles and associated equipment and services.
The agreements call for over 1,300 Javelin missiles funded from the recent Ukraine Supplemental... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently hosted a virtual summit to address increased gun violence impacting communities nationwide.
The two-day session established an assembly of more than 500 prosecutors, federal and local law enforcement officials, and community partners under the... Read More »
As fears of Russian cyber threats in reprisal for U.S. support of Ukraine continue to grow across Congress, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) introduced the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Training Act this week to bolster U.S. cybersecurity.
The new legislation would mandate the... Read More »
Over the weekend, 11 people were killed and more injured across two separate shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Laguna Woods, Calif., and with them as a backdrop, U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) says it is past time for a House vote on the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (H.R. 350).
“The rise... Read More »
Over 30 Republican legislators recently introduced a resolution that seeks to spur the Biden administration and Congress to act in developing a security plan to combat a rise in crime and increase security at the southern border.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) served as the resolution's sponsor... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor (DOL) officials said 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas are available during the second half of fiscal year (FY) 2022.
“These additional H-2B visas will help employers meet the demand for seasonal workers at this... Read More »
Broadening testing capabilities and achieving a long-term goal, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week authorized the first COVID-19 test also capable of detecting flu and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) without requiring a prescription.
The multifunctional test, the... Read More »
First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) officials are espousing the launch of the Public Safety Immersive Test Center in Boulder, Colo.
Authorities indicated the effort would nurture the development and deployment of... Read More »
Across a series of grant programs, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that it will disperse $1.6 billion this fiscal year in support of state and local officials seeking to plan for, prevent, halt and respond to terrorism and other issues.
Supplementing $405.1... Read More »
According to a peer-reviewed analysis from scientists at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and Ugandan colleagues, Uganda’s preparedness efforts during the 2018-2020 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreaks in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo showed the potential value of... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Ted Lieu (D-CA) recently introduced a resolution advocating the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
The resolution outlines how the Russian Federation has and continues to promote acts of international terrorism... Read More »
At the second Global COVID-19 Summit last week, governments, including the United States, pledged to provide $3.2 billion in additional funds for COVID-19 and other pandemic preparedness needs and committed to expanding and accelerating testing and vaccine access.
This year’s summit was led by... Read More »
A vaccine candidate for eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV), and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) proved safe, well-tolerated, and robust in antibody response during a Phase 1 clinical trial reported in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
The... Read More »
The House of Representatives has advanced the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act of 2022 (H.R. 903), indicating the measure would improve Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel working conditions.
House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) sponsored the... Read More »
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is slated to join over 30 local, state, and federal agencies to conduct a major radiological incident exercise during the week of May 16-20.
The Austin, Texas-centered Cobalt Magnet 22 exercise, spearheaded by the Department of Energy (DOE),... Read More »
In a push to bolster COVID-19 diagnostic testing, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awarded a $79.9 million contract to Premix, Inc. this week, funding new onshore production capacity for plastic resin used in tests’ pipette tips.
This will boost future supply chain demands and other... Read More »
Legislation authored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) to protect the cybersecurity of the U.S. supply chain has passed the House and Senate.
The Supply Chain Security Training Act (S.2201) would help protect against threats via cybersecurity and other technological... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined 10 colleagues to introduce the Space National Guard Establishment Act.
The legislation serves as the Senate companion to a measure introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) last year.
Three years ago, active-duty... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Peter Meijer (R-MI), and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) recently applauded the House of Representatives' advancement legislation that seeks to bolster federal efforts to assist with major fire investigations.
The Empowering the U.S. Fire... Read More »
For National Police Week this year, the Problem Solvers Caucus endorsed the Invest to Protect Act of 2022 and the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), which pledge to increase federal investment into recruitment and retention efforts at police departments nationwide.
COPS is a part of... Read More »
New Mexico wildfires have resulted in Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra declaring a public health emergency in the state.
“We are working closely with health authorities in New Mexico and monitoring the needs of healthcare facilities to support their efforts to save... Read More »
U.S. Reps. David Kustoff (R-TN) and Roger Williams (R-TX) recently introduced the U.S. Secret Service Mission Improvement and Realignment Act of 2022 (H.R. 7689) that would place the U.S. Secret Service back under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The Secret Service is... Read More »
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that it is prepared for a busy summer travel season and anticipating increased passenger volume.
Summer travel numbers could potentially exceed those of 2019 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The TSA noted that the... Read More »
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) backed efforts at developing a "variant-proof" COVID-19 vaccine this week, announcing that it will provide up to $19.3 million to an international consortium consisting of Bharat Biotech International Ltd., the University of Sydney and... Read More »
Following the passage of the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022, the Biden administration will find it easier to lend and lease military equipment to Ukraine and other Eastern European countries impacted by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Signed into law this week, the... Read More »
As part of a pandemic preparedness push, the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced this week that it chose Biobot Analytics to handle an expansion of the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS).
While not a household name, the NWSS works with public... Read More »
