ECBC teaming up to develop contaminant-destroying material for use in military uniforms
The Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, and North Carolina State University recently teamed up to develop a uniform that destroys chemical agents on contact using a type of... Read More »
Battelle names Sharon Hardie as director of congressional affairs
Battelle recently appointed Sharon Hardie as the company’s new director of congressional affairs, where she will work with members of Congress on important policy issues related to research and development in national security, cybersecurity, and infrastructure initiatives. “We’re pleased... Read More »
IAEA convenes experts to discuss radiation use in non-medical human imaging at security checkpoints
Experts from 29 countries recently convened at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to prepare a safety guide for radiation exposure at security checkpoints in airports and other locations. While ionizing radiation for human imaging has been a common practice in medicine for decades,... Read More »
Better federal coordination needed to protect nation’s food supply from biological attacks
Greater coordination between the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security is needed to help prevent a biological attack on the U.S. agriculture industry that threatens the nation’s food supply, a panel of experts on agrodefense said last... Read More »
Coons, Gardner introduce bill to create Cybersecurity Select Committee
U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced last week a bill to establish a Senate Select Committee on Cybersecurity that would focus exclusively on cybersecurity and cyberspace issues. Currently, more than 20 committees claim jurisdiction over cybersecurity issues between... Read More »
Border Patrol agents receive state police authority in Coos County, New Hampshire
After the implementation of New Hampshire House Bill 1298 earlier this month, U.S. Border Patrol officers stationed in Coos County now have state police authority after a training period. The bill now gives Border Patrol agents the authority to provide immediate assistance to a person who has... Read More »
NATO’s Stoltenberg formally opens NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday led the North Atlantic Council in formally opening the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) Regional Centre. Stoltenberg highlighted the centre’s potential in strengthening the partnership between... Read More »
ICE HSI Detroit office selects two Michigan State University students for new internship
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit recently selected two undergraduate students from Michigan State University (MSU) to support active criminal investigations in a new internship program. Madeline MacLean, a junior criminal justice... Read More »
Nuclear Threat Initiative teams up with CNS to provide tutorials on biological weapons nonproliferation, nuclear testing
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) recently released two new tutorials on biological weapons nonproliferation and nuclear testing. Each tutorial contains interactive images and information graphics, ending with a short quiz. Topics... Read More »
McSally introduces two bills aimed at protecting local businesses, communities against potential terror threats
Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently introduced two bills in an attempt to protect local businesses and communities against potential terrorist attacks. The first bill, the CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act, would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish chemical,... Read More »
Ratcliffe renamed chair of House Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee
Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) was renamed chair of the House Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee last week for the 115th Congress. “The importance of cybersecurity to every aspect of society is becoming increasingly apparent,” Ratcliffe said.... Read More »
GAO report: CBP should evaluate pre-departure procedures for identifying high-risk passengers on U.S.-bound flights
According to a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) should evaluate the procedures used by the agency’s National Targeting Center (NTC) to determine its overall effectiveness at keeping high-risk travelers off of United... Read More »
Hurd appointed to House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) was appointed this week to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which oversees initiatives in national security and intelligence gathering. In addition to his new appointment, Hurd also sits on the House Homeland Security Committee and the Oversight and... Read More »
Lawrence Livermore lab’s Zucca receives award from the National Nuclear Security Administration
Jay Zucca, a principal deputy for Global Security and geophysicist with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), recently received the Distinguished Service Gold Award from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) for his work in nonproliferation and nuclear security. Zucca... Read More »