Featured
Department of Defense awards $30M in grants to six Defense Manufacturing Communities
As part of the Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program (DMCSP), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) this week awarded approximately $30 million to six organizations, following competitive applications. "Delivering capabilities to our warfighters at scale depends on a resilient and... Read More »
Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act introduced to guarantee Secret Service gets paid fairly
U.S. Reps. Mark Green (R-TN) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS) recently introduced the Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2023, new legislation that would extend the overtime pay authority for U.S. Secret Service agents. “For the brave men and women of the Secret Service, protecting our... Read More »
Biden administration adds national security protections to CHIPS incentives program
Through elaboration of certain provisions, the U.S. Department of Commerce placed guardrails on the CHIPS and Science act last week, barring associated funds from expanding semiconductor manufacturing in or jointly researching with foreign countries of concern. “One of the Biden-Harris... Read More »
Bipartisan legislation proposes establishing FEMA as cabinet-level federal agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could, as a whole, be up for a major promotion under the FEMA Independence Act of 2023 – a proposal to raise the agency to a cabinet-level position. According to its authors – U.S. Reps. Garret Graves (R-LA) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) – the... Read More »
U.S. military implementing creative programs to boost recruitment efforts
As some branches of the U.S. Armed Forces are coming up short in their recruitment efforts, officials are looking at creative ways to connect students with recruitment officers, as well as programs that increase the likelihood students are prepared to pass rigorous military entrance... Read More »
House Homeland Security Republicans probe DHS, DoD and FBI over reported Chinese attempts to access sensitive U.S. sites
In a letter to the heads of the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Defense (DoD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the House chairs pressed for details of their responses to supposed Chinese attempts to breach U.S. military and other sensitive sites. The letter from House... Read More »
DHS proposes modernizing H-2 temporary visa program with more flexibility, worker protections
Reckoning with the essential nature of temporary visa-based workers to the United States economy, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a proposed rulemaking this week that would update H-2 visa programs to strengthen worker protections and more. These efforts target two... Read More »
Secure the Border Act introduced to push border wall, make immigration standards more strict
As a companion to House-passed legislation H.R. 2, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) last week introduced the Secure the Border Act of 2023, proposing a resumption of border wall construction, harsher asylum and visa standards, and more Border Patrol agents. Known as S. 2824, the Senate version of the... Read More »
DHS: High risk of foreign and domestic terrorism remains for U.S. headed into 2024
In its freshly released 2024 Homeland Threat Assessment (HTA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that a high risk of foreign and domestic terrorism remains largely unchanged, alongside predatory economic practices and misinformation campaigns. “Sharing information with... Read More »
House advances Emergency Wildfire Fighting Technology Act
The Emergency Wildfire Fighting Technology Act (H.R. 3389) passed the last of its hurdles in the House this week, advancing out of the chamber on a bipartisan vote and raising the potential that firefighters may soon gain increased assets for wildfire emergencies. Originally introduced by U.S.... Read More »
Department of Defense solidifies agreements with Albemarle, Talon Nickel to expand domestic lithium mining and nickel production
The U.S. Department of Defense announced two new agreements this week meant to shore up domestic manufacturing and mining operations for critical metals: lithium and nickel. For lithium, that resulted in a $90 million agreement with Albemarle Corporation to support the expansion of domestic... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Tillis, Hickenlooper press Biden administration to reduce threats from artificial intelligence
Worried about the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to disrupt cyber infrastructure and compromise critical data, U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) recently wrote to Acting National Cyber Director (ONCD) Kemba Walden seeking information and action. Foremost,... Read More »
Sens. Tillis, Brown seek to reauthorize Marshals’ Fugitive Safe Surrender Program
U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Fugitive Safe Reauthorization Act last week to renew the Fugitive Safe Surrender Program, which allows U.S. Marshals to work with local faith organizations and get those with warrants to turn themselves into law enforcement.... Read More »
Inspector General report claims CBP risked officer safety through international mail management failures
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) failed to properly resolve and monitor issues at International Mail Facilities (IMF), leading to wasted dollars and risks to both officers and its larger mission, according to a newly released report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG). CBP... Read More »
Passport backlog at State Department called out by House Foreign Affairs Republicans
Concerned about a growing backlog for passport processing at the U.S. State Department and bad actors smelling opportunity for fraud, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) and U.S. Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY) this week urged action. In a letter to the department, they... Read More »
Senate bill proposes new training curriculum for law enforcement focused on de-escalation
U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) recently introduced the Law Enforcement Scenario-Based Training for Safety and De-Escalation Act (S.4847), which would require the Department of Justice to create a new training curriculum. This curriculum would, as the name implies, be... Read More »
Reps. Green, Pfluger seek answers from Biden administration on Iran threats
U.S. Reps. Mark Green, MD (R-TN) and August Pfluger (R-TX) are requesting that the Biden administration provide more information on threats made by Iran against U.S. officials and individuals. Specifically, the lawmakers are requesting a briefing on the ongoing threats against former national... Read More »
U.S Treasury sanctions Russia-based individuals for part in North Korea WMD scheme
The United States is part of a collation that sanctioned two individuals and one entity for their involvement in generating revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), also known as North Korea, and its unlawful development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic... Read More »
Public Health Emergency declared in Florida in response to Hurricane Idalia
After Hurricane Idalia struck Florida as a Category 3 storm, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra declared a Public Health Emergency (PHE) in the state and authorized deployment of emergency response personnel. Approximately 68 medical and disaster... Read More »
DHS awards more than $14.9M through Small Business Innovation Research Program for new technologies
A total of 15 businesses will benefit from a new award of $14,994,521 doled out by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program this week, as the government pushes for supportive new technologies. Specifically, DHS seeks... Read More »
Biden administration selects recipients for nearly $3B in climate resilience funding
As a means to build resilience to climate change and extreme weather, the Biden administration announced recipients this week for nearly $3 billion. Choices were made through two competitive grant programs, and include both $1.8 billion through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and... Read More »
Rep. Barr introduces bill to enforce supervision of scientific and technological agreements between U.S. and China
Through introduction of the Science and Technology Agreement Enhanced Congressional Notification Act (H.R. 5245) last week, U.S. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) proposed new risk assessments, human rights considerations and enforced monitoring of any scientific and technological partnership agreements... Read More »
DHS, FEMA release new resources for communities amid heat crisis
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released new resources for local community leaders this week to help in the face of extreme, record-breaking heat battering at least 17 states so far. “As extreme heat, worsened by the... Read More »
Legislative push spawns Safer Supervision Act to improve federal supervised release system
In a bicameral, bipartisan effort, federal lawmakers recently introduced the Safer Supervision Act, proposing changes to the federal supervised release system to improve oversight, reduce recidivism and raise the bar for early termination provisions. “The widespread usage of supervised... Read More »
HHS awards more than $1.4B to develop new COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics
Through Project NextGen, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded more than $1.4 billion this week to support development of new tools, technologies and trials of vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19. Of these funds, the bulk – $1 billion – went to vaccine clinical... Read More »
DHS distributes more than $77M in funding to communities receiving migrants
Responding to the needs of migrant host communities throughout the country, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week announced more than $77 million would go to border and interior communities housing those awaiting immigration proceedings. It’s an extension of the Shelter and... Read More »
Biden administration launches online public awareness campaign for school safety resources
Working through several federal departments, the Biden administration began a new public awareness campaign last week that will highlight federal safety resources for schools and evidence-based practices through SchoolSafety.gov. The initiative is a joint effort between the departments of... Read More »
Bipartisan, bicameral effort presses President Biden to hold Iran accountable for threats to American oil
Oil from an Iranian tanker off Texas remains in limbo despite its seizure by American personnel, and United States lawmakers from both parties and both chambers of Congress are growing fed up after the months-long delay in transfer. In a letter to President Joe Biden, led by U.S. Sen. Joni... Read More »
DoD hosting inaugural talent management innovation challenge for military, civilian employees
Employees at all levels of the Department of Defense (DoD) will be able to participate in its inaugural talent management program that began earlier this month as an idea generator for how to recruit, retain and promote a diverse workforce. Hosted by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense... Read More »
LEAD Act introduced in Senate in bid to improve VA accountability
With the introduction of the Leadership, Engagement, Accountability, and Development (LEAD) Act this week, United States Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) proposed reforms of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) to crack down on bad actors. This oversight... Read More »
DoD launches generative AI task force to guide innovation, risk assessment
Reckoning with the growing attention on and potential of artificial intelligence, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) last week created a generative AI task force to analyze, integrate and responsibly utilize large language models, and more. These efforts were gathered under the... Read More »
Cyber Safety Review Board cites 10 recommendations for government, industry amid report on hacker group Lapsus$
Global hacker group Lapsus$ took top billing in the latest report from the United States Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), and though its techniques were found to be simple, its threat is anything but, prompting a series of recommendations for greater protections. The CSRB operates under the... Read More »
New York launches first-ever statewide cybersecurity strategy
For the first time, New York laid out a range of high-level objectives for its cybersecurity and resilience this week, guided by Gov. Kathy Hochul and backed by $600 million in funding. With the release of an official cybersecurity strategy, the state laid out various agencies’ roles and... Read More »
CONVENE Act to bolster cooperation with Pacific islands in countering China included in NDAA
Through introduction of the Connecting Oceania’s Nations with Vanguard Exercises and National Empowerment (CONVENE) Act, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) proposed building partnerships with Pacific island nations and gathering allies against China – a proposal that has been included in the National... Read More »