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Senators seek to extend CFATS program and its security for chemical facilities
The Protecting and Securing Chemical Facilities from Terrorist Attacks Act was introduced in the Senate last week as a proposal to extend the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program beyond its impending July expiration. Introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Shelley... Read More »
Bipartisan bill would direct U.S. military to identify ways of reducing mineral dependence on foreign adversaries
Concerned about the U.S. need for critical minerals and the domination of those minerals by adversarial nations, three U.S. senators have introduced a bipartisan bill that would direct the Department of Defense (DoD) to find ways to reduce its foreign mineral dependence. Currently, China... Read More »
U.S. DOT proposes new rule to improve freight rail safety through real-time hazmat info
New requirements could be coming to railroads’ provision of hazardous materials information to responders during hazmat incidents, based on a new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). If adopted, the proposal... Read More »
Newly introduced Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act proposes tax exemptions for natural disaster preparations
A bipartisan, bicameral collection of federal lawmakers introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Party Act this week, proposing that homeowners be exempt from federal taxes on rebates received for hardening their homes against natural disasters. Such rebates are not a national given, but some... Read More »
Three bipartisan cybersecurity bills advance out of Senate Homeland Security Committee
Three cybersecurity-focused bills authored by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) advanced to the full Senate from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee this week, proposing new possibilities for outreach, rural hospitals and partnerships abroad. The DHS International Cyber Partner... Read More »
Bipartisan bill seeks investigation, plans for pharmaceutical supply chain vulnerabilities
In introducing the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act last week, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) proposed an assessment of pharmaceutical supply chain vulnerabilities and toeing plans to reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing. The issue is a long-running one,... Read More »
Senate Intelligence Committee unanimously votes for funding and more under FY24 Intelligence Authorization Act
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence this week advanced the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 by unanimous 17-0 vote. “The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 reflects the Senate Intelligence Committee’s bipartisan commitment to ensuring America’s... Read More »
DHS to provide more than $290M for dozens of sites temporarily housing migrants
Funding will be made available to communities that have provided temporary shelter and other eligible expenditures for migrants processed and provisionally released from the custody of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In a soon-to-be-published funding notice, the department –... Read More »
Lockheed Martin, GlobalFoundries partner to advance U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, resiliency
In direct support of the CHIPS and Science Act, Lockheed Martin and GlobalFoundries (GF) announced a new collaboration this week, focused on advancing semiconductor ideas, manufacturing processes, security, and resiliency of domestic supply chains. The CHIPS and Science Act was passed last year,... Read More »
Intergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force Act seeks reduction of U.S. independence on critical minerals from abroad
Amid ongoing tensions between the United States and China, a group of senators recently introduced the Intergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force Act, toeing the first steps of assessment to pursue reductions of reliance on adversarial nations for critical minerals. In the digital age,... Read More »
Reps. Moore, Kuster reintroduce resolution backing J-1 visas through BridgeUSA
In support of the American tourism industry, cultural diversity and workforce needs, U.S. Reps. Blake Moore (R-UT) and Annie Kuster (D-NH) reintroduced a resolution expressing support for BridgeUSA programs. As a resolution, it’s a nonbinding effort, but rather, is meant to express... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Lankford introduce legislation to improve cybersecurity partnerships between U.S., international partners
With the introduction of the DHS International Cyber Partner Act this week, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and James Lankford (R-OK) sought to boost cybersecurity assistance partnerships between the United States and its partners and allies abroad. “Cyber-attacks against networks around the... Read More »
Non-Intrusive Inspection Expansion Act reintroduced to increase screening of vehicles, cargo
In a bid to increase screening of vehicles and cargo at U.S. ports of entry, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) reintroduced their Non-Intrusive Inspection Expansion Act this week. Generally, the bill would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to increase use of... Read More »
Philadelphia Border Patrol officers seize nearly $15M of counterfeit currency
Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers based in Philadelphia seized four massive loads of counterfeit currency last month, raking in a combined total of $14,368,160 in various denominations of fake U.S. currency. “Law enforcement knows that counterfeit and fictitious bank notes have been... Read More »
DistrictWON works with U.S. Army, Marines to reimagine high school military recruiting
As the U.S. military continues to struggle to meet its recruiting goals, Ohio-based marketing consultant DistrictWON is working to replenish the pool of young Americans who are willing to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces by reimagining high school recruiting. In days gone by, a recruiter for the... Read More »
Senators press FAA to finalize Saracini Aviation Safety Act, counter airplane hijacking after years of inaction
More than two years after a mandated deadline, U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Ed Markey (D-MA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) wrote to federal officials last week urging implementation of the Saracini Aviation Safety Act of 2018 that required secondary cockpit barriers for new commercial aircraft. The... Read More »
DHS debuts National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finished building and commissioning a first of its kind National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Kansas last month, opening the doors of the only U.S. lab with biosafety level-4 containment capable of housing large livestock. Supported by... Read More »
Thousands of pounds of fentanyl and narcotics seized, hundreds arrested in latest DHS operations
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ran two counter-drug operations over the course of the last two months in Arizona and southern California – Operations Blue Lotus and Four Horsemen – and results can be measured in thousands of pounds of illicit substances seized. While focused... Read More »
Newly introduced Know Your App Act would require online app stores to display origin details
A reckoning of transparency put online app stores firmly in its sights this week, with the introduction of the Know Your App Act in the Senate. Its backers, which included U.S. Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and James Lankford (R-OK), pitched the bill as one meant to better protect... Read More »
Bicameral TRICARE Fairness Act reintroduced to grant retired Reserve personnel lower-cost health coverage
Renewing legislation first introduced in the last Congress, U.S. Reps. Bill Johnson (R-OH) and Dean Phillips (D-MN) last week brought up the TRICARE Fairness for National Guard and Reserve Retirees Act (H.R. 3668) to open up healthcare options for retired Reserve personnel. They were joined in... Read More »
Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights legislation introduced to cut bureaucracy facing injured vets
A group of lawmakers last week introduced the Wounded Warrior Bill of Rights (H.R. 3517) to the House, proposing cuts on red tape, improved transparency and greater appeal options for injured veterans navigating medical separation from service and disability benefits. “All too often, wounded... Read More »
House Homeland Security Republicans urge updates on Chinese threats to information and communications tech
In a letter sent to Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly this week, House House Homeland Security subcommittee leaders requested a briefing on any threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to the information and communications technology (ICT)... Read More »
Proposed update to federal Dignity Act targets illegal immigration, American economy
As a wide-ranging proposal to revise the United States immigration system, U.S. Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX) led the introduction of an updated Dignity Act this week, gathering a small bipartisan coalition to break Congressional deadlock on the issue. Salazar... Read More »
New House legislation proposes trust fund to build, expand ports of entry and increase CBP staff
By introducing the Land Port of Entry (LPOE) Modernization Trust Fund Act (H.R.3135) this week, a collection of five congressional lawmakers proposed creating a fund to advance new ports of entry, improve the old and gather both new staff and technology to assist border efforts. Backed by... Read More »
Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act reintroduced to let public safety officers unionize
U.S. Reps. Peter Stauber (R-MN) and Dan Kildee (D-MI) revived pro-unionization efforts for public safety officers nationwide last week with the reintroduction of the Public Safety Employer-Employee Act. That bill would allow public safety officers to form labor unions, collectively bargain for... Read More »
Counter drug trafficking bill meant to benefit DHS advances out of Senate committee
The Enhancing DHS Drug Seizures Act (S.1464) advanced to the Senate floor last week, after approval from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is chaired its author, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI). Together with co-author U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Peters created a... Read More »
Satellite Cybersecurity Act advances in Senate
An effort to increase cybersecurity protections for commercial satellites gained traction in the Senate this week, as the Satellite Cybersecurity Act (S.1425) advanced out of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to the full Senate. The bill was introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary... Read More »
AI training program for federal workforce leadership proposed in Senate
A day ahead of testimony by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman before Congress on the concerns and possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI), U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced legislation to create an AI-based training program for federal managers. While Altman would go on to... Read More »
Bipartisan Invest to Protect Act aims to increase funding for police departments
In an effort to reduce crime and increase public safety, the Invest to Protect Act was introduced by a bipartisan coalition in Congress this week, dangling the possibility of increased funding for police departments to recruit and retain officers, as well as outfit them. Announced at the start... Read More »
Bipartisan Cyberspace Solarium Commission urges White House nomination to fill National Cyber Director position
Although the position was created in 2021, the co-chairs of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC) last week expressed extreme concern about the currently vacant National Cyber Director role, and urged President Joe Biden to nominate someone for the job soon. The Office of the National Cyber... Read More »
Cornyn leads Senate Republicans to Back the Blue, proposing new penalties for attacks on officers
Together with 38 Republican colleagues, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Back the Blue Act last week, which would mandate a new federal crime for offenses against federal officers and judges, limit court review of related challenges and expand officer rights. The act would take four... Read More »
Measure seeks to bolster defense-centric small business investment
U.S. Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Pat Fallon (R-TX), and Rob Wittman (R-VA) recently reintroduced the Investing in American Defense Technologies Act, which targets defense-centric small business investment. The legislation creates a federal public-private partnership to scale, support and... Read More »
Senate legislation introduced to simplify FEMA disaster recovery assistance process
In introducing the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act this week, a bipartisan three senators proposed the creation of a universal application for federal disaster recovery assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The current system, in the views of U.S. Sens. Gary Peters... Read More »
U.S. lawmakers propose expanded assessment tool, oversight in military housing accountability push
With the introduction of the Military Housing Transparency and Accountability Act, as part of May and Military Appreciation Month, U.S. Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) seek to increase housing information available to military members and their families. “As an Army dad,... Read More »