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The United States Senate voted 58-38 on Wednesday to reject an amendment that would enable the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to more quickly obtain the electronic transaction records of suspected terrorists.
The amendment was offered by U.S. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and John McCain... Read More »
A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced legislation on Wednesday to protect critical energy infrastructure from potentially catastrophic cyber attacks.
The Securing Energy Infrastructure Act of 2016 was co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Jim Risch (R-ID), Angus King (I-ME), Martin Heinrich (D-NM)... Read More »
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), along with the scientific research organization Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, began a multi-country study on Tuesday to evaluate the magnitude of the health risks that Zika virus infection poses on pregnant women and their developing fetuses and infants.... Read More »
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates one of the busiest networks of aviation, ground, rail and seaport facilities in the nation, is preparing to deliver a new counter-terrorism and personal safety-training program for its employees.
“We always tell people, if you see... Read More »
The European Union (EU) Civil Liberties Committee endorsed a plan by the EU Commission on Tuesday that will systematically check all EU citizens entering or leaving the EU against wide and national security databases.
The plan, authored by Monica Macovei and approved by a vote of 48-6, also... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued two solicitation notices on Tuesday related to the development and procurement of anthrax vaccines for the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), a move that Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., said shows the government’s intent to maintain an... Read More »
A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released on Saturday found that the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) nuclear smuggling detection and deterrence (NSDD) program is addressing challenges but should improve its overall plan.
The full GAO report examined... Read More »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) completed its Pre-Approval Inspection (PAI) of Emergent BioSolutions, Inc.’s Building 55 for the large-scale manufacturing of BioThrax (anthrax vaccine adsorbed).
Following the PAI’s conclusion, Emergent BioSolutions received a No Action Indicated... Read More »
Legislation authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) was included in a comprehensive bill package on Friday aimed at combating domestic terrorism in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting.
The Countering Terrorist Radicalization Act, H.R. 5471, will seek to streamline domestic... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) released data from a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on Wednesday that shows that approximately 91 percent of known or suspected terrorists passed a background check to purchase a firearm or explosives between Feb. 2004 and Dec. 2015.
The GAO... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions, Inc.’s supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) seeking approval for the manufacture of BioThrax (anthrax vaccine adsorbed) at the company’s Building 55 was accepted for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week.
“Emergent’s... Read More »
The House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee held a hearing on Tuesday concerning the U.S. public health response to antibiotic resistant bacteria, otherwise known as “superbugs.”
The hearing was initiated after the discovery of the MCR-1 gene in a Pennsylvania woman who contracted... Read More »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted orphan drug status to Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., on Wednesday for BioThrax (anthrax vaccine adsorbed) for post-exposure prophylaxis of anthrax disease from suspected or confirmed exposure to Bacillus anthraces.
BioThrax is the only... Read More »
The Alliance for Biosecurity released the names of recipients of the 2016 Congressional Biosecurity Champion Awards on Monday
The winners include U.S. Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Brian Schatz (D-HI), along with U.S. Reps. Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Diana... Read More »
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), along with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI), unveiled the House Republicans’ blueprint for security at home and abroad on Friday.
The blueprint is part of the House GOP’s “A Better Way” initiative, which outlines ideas to... Read More »
Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) researchers took to the New York City subway system last month to aid in conducting a series of tests on how a biological agent, such as anthrax, might disperse throughout the rapid transit system as a result of a bioterrorism attack or accidental release.... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed bipartisan legislation on Tuesday to address growing Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) wait times at the nation’s airports.
The Checkpoint Optimization and Efficiency Act of 2016, authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY), seeks to... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on Tuesday that found that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has taken steps intended to improve the security effectiveness of expedited passenger screening since GAO last reported on it in Dec. 2014.
Steps the agency... Read More »
The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a Health Subcommittee markup on Tuesday, discussing the Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act, H.R. 3299.
"There is a clear role for the federal government to play in creating medical countermeasures and contributing to our nation's... Read More »
The Alliance for Biosecurity lauded the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday for recommending sustained funding in its FY 2017 appropriations bill for some essential medical countermeasures programs at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The... Read More »
Results of a Raytheon-commissioned study released on Monday found that organizations worldwide wait until they fall victim to a damaging cyber attack before engaging a provider of managed security services (MSS).
Two-thirds of survey respondents indicated that their organizations were reluctant... Read More »
The world-class team of global communications industry leaders that make up a company formed to bid on building the first nationwide 4G LTE broadband wireless network to successfully deliver the FirstNet network for public safety in the U.S. was announced this week.
Rivada Mercury’s group of... Read More »
The European Union (EU) Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee recently approved proposals concerning border security, migration and cooperation with other countries.
More than one million migrants arrived in the EU by sea in 2015, according to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR. This... Read More »
At the request of House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Tuesday released a report that found that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) could better incorporate risk into its method of selecting on which flights... Read More »
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) participated in Operation RAILSAFE, a nationwide initiative that provides enhanced visible law enforcement and security presence at train stations and trains on selected high volume travel days, on May 26.
Operation RAILSAFE training seeks to... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) sent a letter on Thursday to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson urging him to strengthen information-sharing efforts pursuant to the visa waiver program and calling on him to designate additional “countries of concern.”
"I remain concerned... Read More »
A bill to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster assistance capabilities and programs authored by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) was approved by the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) on Wednesday and now... Read More »
With the world’s volume of stored data doubling each year, an opportunity exists for organizations across the globe to analyze that data and use it to add business value, particularly as it relates to defense and cybersecurity, according to Matthew Kuckuk, CGI Group’s data analytics global... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) urged the Senate on Tuesday to pass two bills that seek to close vulnerabilities at overseas airports.
The Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2016, H.R. 4314, accelerates the transfer of certain border security... Read More »
A coalition of Democratic lawmakers joined Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials on Monday in releasing new steps to help address growing security line delays at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The coalition included U.S. Sens. Robert Melendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker... Read More »
The Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense on Wednesday applauded legislation advanced by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security to ensure that the U.S. is prepared for biological threats, including the Zika virus.
The National Biodefense Strategy Act of 2016, S. 2967, introduced by U.S. Sen.... Read More »
The International Criminal Police Organization’s (INTERPOL) Chemical and Explosives Terrorism Prevention Unit, in coordination with INTERPOL National Central Bureaus (NCBs), carried out exercises across southeast Asia last week.
Operation Chase II involved passenger and motor vehicle... Read More »
Tyco Integrated Security recently unveiled a high-tech security system at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport to help prevent costly exit lane security breaches and increase operational efficiency.
“Airports will be able to save costs overall by using technology over manpower,”... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) introduced the Strong Visa Integrity Secures America Act of 2016, H.R. 5253, on Thursday to enhance visa screening procedures at U.S. embassy outposts overseas.
The bill calls for the Department of Homeland Security to assign counterterrorism personnel and biometric... Read More »
The Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled “Examining H.R. 3299, Strengthening Public Health Response Act” on Thursday to examine legislation meant to better prepare the U.S. to fight biological threats.
The Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response... Read More »