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Rep. Eric Swalwell introduces bill to improve U.S. cybersecurity protections to counter Russian threats
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 »
Shootings in New York, California prompt call for immediate vote on House Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act
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 »
DHS invests $1.6B for preparedness grant programs for state, local aid
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 »
Global COVID-19 Summit brings new policy, financial commitments to whole-of-society pandemic preparations
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 »
Congressional Problem Solvers Caucus endorses two bills to enhance funding for law enforcement
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 »
CEPI to provide up to $19.3M for variant-proof COVID-19 vaccine development by Bharat Biotech, University of Sydney and ExcellGene
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 »
Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act will ease means of providing U.S. military equipment to Ukraine
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 »
Better Cybercrime Metrics Act signed into law, pledges improvements to federal action on cybercrime
With the signing of the Better Cybercrime Metrics Act last week, President Joe Biden welcomed a new cybersecurity bill into law, promising improvements to how the federal government prosecutes, measures, and tracks cybercrime. Backed by the National Fraternal Order of Police and other national... Read More »
Bill seeks to protect domestic technology research from being used to bolster People’s Liberation Army
A group of legislators recently introduced legislation that would protect domestic technology research from being used by Chinese entities to benefit the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) led colleagues U.S. Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike... Read More »
U.S. Attorney announces successful results of strategy to combat fraud related to COVID-19
U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger B. Handberg announced Wednesday that his work to combat COVID-19-related fraud has been, to date, successful. Working with federal, state, and local law enforcement, Handberg said his office was able to form the COVID-19 Fraud Task Force to... Read More »
BARDA announces new partnerships to develop diagnostics for respiratory RNA virus
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced Tuesday it had partnered with a number of industry and academic organizations to advance next-gen diagnostics to detect respiratory viruses in a single test.... Read More »
Sen. Tester introduces legislation seeking to strengthen U.S. borders
Two bills introduced by U.S. Sen. John Tester (R-MT) would further strengthen and secure the U.S. borders to Canada and Mexico, the senator’s office said Monday. Tester introduced the Securing America’s Ports of Entry Act, which will require U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to hire... Read More »
CBP Trusted Traveler Programs reach milestone, exceeding 10 million members in March
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently announced that the Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) initiative exceeded 10 million total members during March. TTP supports the agency's mission to secure domestic borders while facilitating lawful travel and trade - enabling pre-approved,... Read More »
House advances bill waiving restrictions on President’s authority to lend-lease military equipment for Ukraine
The House last week advanced the bipartisan Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 (H.B. 4595), which would temporarily remove some requirements on the president’s authority to loan defense equipment to Ukraine or other Eastern European nations affected by Russia’s invasion. “I... Read More »
Bill would bar Russian and Belarussian nationals from DOE labs
Seeking to expand the domestic response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, United States Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced a bill this week that would prohibit both Russian and Belarussian nationals from working in Department of Energy (DOE) research... Read More »
Positive data reported for Valneva, Pfizer’s Lyme disease vaccine candidate for children
A Lyme disease vaccine candidate for adults and children at least 5 years old produced strong immunogenicity, safety and overall positive results this week in a Phase 2 trial conducted by its developers, Valneva SE and Pfizer Inc. This marked the first clinical study where VLA15, as the... Read More »
Biden administration releases first national action plan to counter malicious drone activity
The rapid introduction and expansion of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, into daily life has created a host of additional safety and privacy concerns as well, and this week those concerns prompted the Biden administration to introduce the first Domestic Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems... Read More »
WHO recommends Paxlovid as treatment for high risk COVID-19 patients, but warns of roadblocks
While adding Paxlovid – nirmatrelvir and ritonavir – to its list of recommended treatments for mild and moderate COVID-19 patients at risk of hospital admission, the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that lack of price transparency at Pfizer Inc. and testing demands before administration... Read More »
ASPR celebrates construction of new research and development facility for production of prefilled injectors
The U.S. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) celebrated the completion of the initial design and construction last week for a new ApiJect Technology Development Center that promises greater manufacturing capacity for prefilled injectors used to administer vaccines... Read More »
U.S. intelligence community, international partners issue advisory on demonstrated Russian cyber threats
A joint cybersecurity advisory was issued this week by a collection of various U.S. intelligence and security agencies, as well as international partners, providing a comprehensive overview of Russian state-sponsored and criminal cyber threats to critical infrastructure. This focus on Russia... Read More »
CDC launches Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics to improve public health data response
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced this week the launch of the new Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA). The latest addition to the CDC umbrella will focus on improving U.S. capabilities to utilize data, models, and analytics for quicker decision-making... Read More »
House Quantum Cybersecurity Preparedness Act proposes federal system migration to quantum-resistant cryptography
In an effort to safeguard information on federal systems, U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Gerry Connolly (D-VA) introduced legislation this week promoting a transition of governmental IT systems to quantum-resistant cryptography. The Quantum Cybersecurity Preparedness Act... Read More »
Rep. Kim introduces bill to improve enforcement coordination, crack down on retail crime
U.S. Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) recently introduced the Improving Federal Investigations of Organized Retail Crime Act (H.R. 7499), a bipartisan bill to improve how law enforcement handles organized retail crime. According to a 2019 report by the Retail Industry Leaders Association and Buy Safe... Read More »
FDA grants emergency use authorization to first breath-based COVID-19 diagnostic test
A new avenue of testing for COVID-19 opened last week, with emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer, a diagnostic capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection from breath samples. In less than three minutes, the... Read More »
Project Titanic in development to ensure no other North Atlantic ships need fear icebergs
Hitting back at what once destroyed its historic forebear, Project Titanic – an initiative from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) – is under development to improve maritime safety and navigation in the North Atlantic Ocean through modern... Read More »
Senate Intelligence Committee members push for supporting Ukraine through increase intelligence sharing
Republicans on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led by Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL), wrote to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines this week urging U.S. intelligence agencies to actively share helpful intelligence with their Ukrainian counterparts. Meant to more... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Cassidy, Duckworth and Brown introduce bill authorizing research into COVID-affiliated mental illnesses
U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced a bill this week to fund research on the COVID-19 impacts on mental health and brain function. “The pandemic showed us the need to prioritize mental health and support those suffering,” Cassidy... Read More »
Bipartisan group of senators introduce Preventing Future Pandemics Act to counter zoonotic disease spread
By supporting conservation in other nations, a bipartisan group of senators has proposed – through the Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2022 (S.4074) – that the risk of zoonotic disease transmission could be reduced for humans. As introduced, the bill would authorize the U.S. government to... Read More »
Sens. Cassidy, Burr ask Biden administration to support their bill to make fentanyl a permanent Schedule I substance
In a push back against the spread of fentanyl overdoses throughout the United States, U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) wrote to National Drug Control Policy director Rahul Gupta last week, asking for support on legislation to permanently classify the substance. The... Read More »
CEPI to invest up to $9.25 million into Phase 3 clinical trial of Vaxxinity’s heterologous COVID-19 booster
A Phase 3 clinical trial of Vaxxinity, Inc.’s UB-612 heterologous COVID-19 vaccine booster dose candidate gained up to $9.25 million in support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) this week to help evaluate the candidate’s abilities. “As we strive to stay one... Read More »
House advances School and Daycare Protection Act focused on securing schools against terrorism
The House of Representatives advanced this week the School and Daycare Protection Act (H.R. 6387), introduced by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), to prompt action from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management. Under H.R. 6387, DHS would create a School Security... Read More »
FDA pushes forward priority review for Roche’s Actemra/RoActemra as COVID-19 treatment for hospitalized patients
A supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Roche’s Actemra/RoActemra intravenous treatment for COVID-19 cases among hospitalized patients was accepted by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week and will benefit from priority review. If approved, the drug... Read More »
Bill introduced in Senate would enhance reporting of attacks on law enforcement
A bipartisan push in the Senate yielded the introduction of the Improving Law Enforcement Office Safety and Wellness Through Data Act to the Judiciary Committee last week to improve information gathering on attacks that target law enforcement. The legislation was introduced by U.S. Sens. Charles... Read More »
EB-5 experts weigh in on solving I-829 petition processing backlogs
The USCIS Investor Program Office (IPO), which processes EB-5 foreign investor visas and I-829 petitions, can’t seem to get its processing act together. With the processing time for a 1-829 petition taking years to complete, EB-5 experts say immigrant investors seeking permanent residency in... Read More »