U.S. Army taps BAE Systems to continue howitzer, ammunition carrier production with $418M contract
BAE Systems will continue production first begun in 2017, thanks to a new $418 million contract with the United States Army for sets of M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers and M992A3 ammunition carriers. That contract will run through 2025, ultimately supplying the military with the most current... Read More »
Anti-drug trafficking operation leads to charges against nearly 200 people nationwide
The U.S. Justice Department recently concluded a series of nearly 200 arrests across the country as part of a large-scale operation against drug-trafficking organizations. The cases spanned four districts and 10 states, as part of a calculated approach by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices – and... Read More »
Bipartisan bill seeks repeal of existing law to improve federal emergency response
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Kennedy (R-LA) recently introduced the Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act to overhaul how emergency response is handled. Specifically, the bill would repeal a section of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of... Read More »
FEMA opens new application for nationwide emergency manager exchange program
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently opened an application period for its Emergency Manager Exchange (EMX) program, giving state, local, Tribal and territorial governments to send emergency managers to FEMA offices. Participants will work for six months stints, networking,... Read More »
New federal bill would limit certain foreign biotechnology companies from accessing U.S. genetic data
Seeking to keep adversaries’ hands off sensitive American genetic data, a bipartisan and bicameral group of federal lawmakers recently introduced the Prohibiting Foreign Access to American Genetic Information Act of 2024 and took aim at certain biotechnology companies’ practices. “Every... Read More »
NOAA, Kennedy Space Center prepare for spring launch of new weather satellite
A new Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-U is scheduled to launch this spring, marking the last of four planned National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather satellites. The satellite arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida this week, following its... Read More »
HHS releases voluntary healthcare performance goals for cybersecurity improvements
Eying ways to improve cybersecurity among healthcare operations nationwide, the U.S. Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) released new voluntary performance goals and a new gateway website this week. “We have a responsibility to help... Read More »
Disasters Expo USA
March 6th & 7th, 2024 - Miami Beach Convention Center Homeland Preparedness News has announced collaboration with Disasters Expo USA, the leading event mitigating the world’s most costly disasters, curated for professionals looking to source the solutions helping our communities prepare,... Read More »DHS launches Track 3 of Remote Identity Validation Technology Demonstration challenges
As part of its ongoing Remote Identity Validation Technology Demonstration (RIVTD), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently began a third track of challenges for identity verification technologies. Those challenges will help S&T and its... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Peters, Braun seek improvements to federal cybersecurity competition
With the recent introduction of the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Competition Act, United States Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Mike Braun (R-IN) sought to get ahead of cybersecurity threats with improvements to the national President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition. “As foreign... Read More »
CBP recruitment incentives reach as high as $30,000 for new border patrol agents
As a way to fill gaps in its ranks, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently upped its recruitment incentives for agents to as much as $30,000 for those who entered duty on or after Jan. 8, 2024. Additional incentives were also potentially offered for applicants who took on... Read More »
Republicans step up TikTok battle with demands for DHS, FBI briefing
Continuing a fight against the Chinese-owned mobile application TikTok that has stretched since the Trump administration, two House committee leaders recently wrote to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to demand updates on ongoing investigations.... Read More »
Critical Minerals Security Act seeks to safeguard mineral supply chains against Chinese industry
Pushing to counter Chinese dominance of critical minerals, a bipartisan group of senators recently introduced the Critical Minerals Security Act to shore up what they saw as information gaps, evaluate the global supply chain and pull domestic industry away from Chinese industry. The Critical... Read More »
House Homeland Security chairs seek briefing from DHS, DEA on expanding Chinese-operated marijuana farms
Although marijuana is becoming increasingly legal state-by-state across the country, House chairs related to homeland security called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently to discuss Chinese-operated farms. These elicit farms, their... Read More »