Countermeasures
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) has launched a multi-year research effort officials said is designed to automate broad-area search of multi-source satellite imagery.
The Space-based Machine Automated Recognition Technique (SMART) program detects, monitors, and... Read More »
Under a $13.5 million contract, Bavarian Nordic A/S announced this week that it would provide supplies of its IMVANEX smallpox vaccine to three European governments in the first half of 2021.
“We are pleased to expand our sales of smallpox vaccines to other countries,” Paul Chaplin,... Read More »
Before Jan. 19, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will release more than $22 billion in funding to support states, localities, and territories grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic through a mix of expanded testing and vaccination distribution efforts.
"This funding is... Read More »
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 470,000 people at New England’s six largest airports from Dec. 18 to Jan. 3.
The average number of passengers screened during the 2020 holiday travel period was about 27,600 a day at New England’s top six airports, including... Read More »
The National Security Council staff has launched a task force to coordinate the investigation and remediation of the recent Solar Winds cyberattack involving federal government networks.
The task force -- called the Cyber Unified Coordination Group (UCG) -- is composed of representatives from... Read More »
The Navy has awarded BAE Systems a $4 million rapid response contract to conduct a quick-turnaround demonstration of a P-8A Poseidon radio frequency countermeasure (RFCM) system.
“The ability to meet this unprecedented response time underscores our agility, focus on meeting customer needs, and... Read More »
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) is encouraging communities to apply for Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) Act funds in support of fire and emergency medical services (EMS).
“In many small and rural towns in Illinois and across the country, rural fire and EMS agencies are a lifeline in... Read More »
Dr. Barbara Alexander, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and Dr. Rajesh Gandhi, chair of the HIV Medicine Association, called this week for swift action to overcome the hurdles slowing COVID-19 vaccine access and efforts to counter the raging pandemic.
“To address... Read More »
ACTIV-2, a study sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has begun phase 2/3 trials to evaluate two monoclonal antibody therapies that could help those with mild or moderate cases of COVID-19.
The twin antibodies are known as BRII-196 and BRII-198, both... Read More »
Tests conducted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) showed promising results that facial recognition technologies can accurately identify individuals wearing protective face masks.
The tests were conducted as part of S&T’s 2020 Biometric... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and John Katko (R-NY) introduced a bill to enhance the nation’s readiness to prepare for and respond to public safety and national security threats – including pandemics.
Their bill -- the Analyzing Disaster Vulnerabilities and Applicable National... Read More »
A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) report assessing the 2020 calendar year detailed the implementation of modifications across more than 440 federalized airports nationwide amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020, the agency screened a total of approximately 324... Read More »
Laura McGill has been named Sandia National Laboratories deputy labs director and will lead its nuclear deterrence programs to support safety, security, and reliability excellence.
“I’m honored to join Sandia Labs and the tradition of serving the national security mission,” McGill said.... Read More »
While many antibody tests today fail to identify neutralizing antibodies, Dr. Benjamin Larimer, a researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), has developed a diagnostic capable of accurately and quickly identifying these antibodies and showing people’s potential immunity to... Read More »
Legislation designed to reduce military training accidents was signed into law last week.
The bill’s sponsor, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), attached the measure to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It requires the Department of Defense to examine emergency response... Read More »
U.S. Reps Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) introduced a bill requiring the regular disclosure of the presence of designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations on social media websites.
Further, the bill, the Online Terrorism Prevention Act (H.R.9043), would impose financial and... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have released the Fiscal Year 2020 Enforcement Lifecycle Report, an analysis of enforcement outcomes for aliens encountered at the Southwest Border.
The report covers Fiscal Years 2014 through 2019. The Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS)... Read More »
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has acquired the autonomy business of Spatial Integrated Systems Inc. (SIS), indicating the acquisition expands HII’s unmanned systems capabilities with unmanned surface vessel (USV) solutions.
“We are excited to welcome the SIS autonomy business employees... Read More »
In a rare New Year’s Day session, the Senate voted to override President Donald Trump’s veto of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), setting aside his concerns in favor of pay and benefits for the armed forces.
“The NDAA provides vital support for our men and women in... Read More »
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued emergency use validation for the Pfizer/BioNTech Comirnaty mRNA vaccine last week, ending 2020 by issuing the first such validation for a COVID-19 vaccine.
The global organization’s declaration will allow countries to expedite their regulatory... Read More »
The American Defamation League’s (ADL) Center on Extremism is partnering with the Community Security Initiative (CSI) to focus on the security needs of the Jewish communities of greater New York City.
The initiative responds to a series of violent attacks in the Jewish communities of Jersey... Read More »
The Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) is equipping infantry, reconnaissance, and special operation units with suppressors for use on the M27, M4, and M4A1 rifles.
Small arms suppressors are designed to reduce a weapon’s noise, flash, and recoil – and they only take seconds to attach and... Read More »
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said the nationwide Operation No Safe Haven Plus resulted in 18 foreign nationals sought for human rights violations or human smuggling and trafficking activity being arrested.
“These arrests are a critical piece of our ongoing mission to... Read More »
Laredo Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers noted the seizure of methamphetamine totaling over $2.5 million in street value at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge.
“While drug trafficking organizations employ a variety of methods to smuggle their illicit... Read More »
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced this week that the Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis will continue into the new year and the 117th Congress, still under the leadership of Chairman and Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC).
The subcommittee has been running since April 23, 2020. In the months... Read More »
A peer-reviewed report chronicling the phase three trial data of mRNA-1273, Moderna, Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine, was released in the New England Journal of Medicine last week and confirmed its 94.1 percent efficacy in preventing COVID-19.
Distribution of the vaccine has already begun in the... Read More »
The nations of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras have all signed the Asylum Cooperation Agreement (ACA) with the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced.
In 2019, more than 71 percent of migrants apprehended at the U.S. Southwest border came from El Salvador,... Read More »
CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, is collaborating with an India-based pharmaceutical company to develop a COVID-19 subunit vaccine candidate.
The partnership is with Biological E Limited, or Bio E, a Hyderabad-based vaccine and pharmaceutical company. CEPI will... Read More »
The first U.S. case of a new strain of COVID-19 that originated in the U.K. has been confirmed in Colorado’s Elbert County, according to the Colorado State Laboratory.
The variant has cropped up in numerous locations throughout the world since its recent discovery -- and rapid spread -- in the... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions and Mount Sinai Health System began a program to evaluate Emergent’s COVID-19 Human Hyperimmune Globulin (COVID-HIG) candidate for phase one trials of its preventative capabilities among individuals at high risk of exposure.
“Emergent is pleased to partner with Mount... Read More »
The U.S. Congress has passed the REAL ID Modernization Act, which updates identification requirements set 15 years ago by the 9/11 Commission.
“This new law marks another important step toward meeting the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations to close dangerous vulnerabilities to terrorist... Read More »
A provision to encourage local governments to adopt the .gov domain for websites and email accounts was signed into law as a part of the year-end omnibus funding bill.
The provision was originally introduced as the DOTGOV Online Trust in Government Act. It directs the Department of Homeland of... Read More »
Lockheed Martin personnel are touting the company's ability to produce and deliver F-35 aircraft amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The firm recently delivered the 123rd F-35 aircraft of the year. In 2020, 74 F-35s were delivered to the U.S. military, 31 to international partner nations, and 18 to... Read More »
Chris T. Clem has been named Yuma Sector’s Chief Patrol Agent, bringing 25 years of Border Patrol experience to the post.
Authorities noted Clem’s career includes a variety of leadership roles involving serving as senior patrol agent, supervisory border patrol agent, field operations... Read More »
The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) delivered its 2021 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan (SSMP) to Congress this week, laying out a specific path to producing 80 plutonium pits annually and delivering first-time production units for various programs.
The... Read More »
