Policy
House intelligence committee report calls for reauthorization, reform of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Section 702
Without action from Congress, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) will soon expire, and in a report released last week by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, lawmakers called for its swift reformation and reauthorization. Section 702 authorizes... Read More »
U.S. Department of Defense awards $39.9M to Calumet Electronics to enhance printed circuit board supply chain
Calumet Electronics Corporation of Michigan earned a $39.9 million award from the United States Department of Defense (DoD) this week as part of efforts to improve production capabilities for High-Density Build-Up (HDBU) substrates. Pulled from the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI)... Read More »
IMPACTT Human Trafficking Act advanced by Senate to boost human trafficking victim support
The U.S. Senate advanced with unanimous consent legislation this week that seeks to combat human trafficking and expand support for its victims. The IMPACTT Human Trafficking Act (S.670) is now under consideration in the U.S. House. “The federal government must increase support for... Read More »
CISA releases first Roadmap for Artificial Intelligence to guide federal AI approach
Following up on President Joe Biden’s executive order on artificial intelligence last month, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released its first roadmap detailing a federal approach to developing and implementing AI... Read More »
Federal NCARS Act introduced to push national resilience strategy against natural disasters
A group of federal lawmakers recently introduced the National Coordination on Adaptation and Resilience for Security (NCARS) Act to create a national resilience strategy in the face of increasingly prevalent natural disasters spurred on by climate change. Backed by U.S. Reps. Maria Elvira... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Lankford and Rosen lead letter to UN urging designation of Hamas as terrorist organization
In a letter to the United Nations, several United States senators this week pressed for the international body to designate the Hamas organization of Palestine as a terrorist organization following terrorist attacks on Israel in October that left hundreds dead, others kidnapped, and kicked off a... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security expands analytic, reporting capabilities with new office
In a move meant to bolster the Department of Homeland Security’s statistical reporting and analysis capabilities while improving data transparency, DHS Secretary Alejandra Mayorkas launched the Office of Homeland Security Statistics (OHSS) last week. The new office will primarily report on... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee advances measure targeting alleged Chinese infiltration of universities
Through advancement of the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act (H.R. 1516), this week the House Homeland Security Committee took aim at American funds going to universities connected to Chinese entities of concern. Authored by Homeland Security... Read More »
DOJ announces indictment in PG&E bombings
On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the indictment of a San Jose engineer for his attack on energy facilities in California. According to court documents, Peter Karasev, 36, was indicted Oct. 19 for attacking two PG&E transformers in San Jose on Dec. 8, 2022 and Jan. 5,... Read More »
Senate Republicans introduce proposal to secure Southern border
On Monday, U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and James Lankford (R-OK) unveiled a proposal to secure the country’s southern border. The group said their proposal would address policies that have led to a crisis at the southern border. Drawn from H.R. 2, the proposal would... Read More »
DHS to add nearly 65,000 H-2B visas in 2024
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Friday it would make nearly 65,000 H-2B visas available in Fiscal Year 2024. The temporary nonagricultural worker visas will add to the 66,000 H-2B visas mandated by Congress each year. According to DHS, the additional visas represent the... Read More »
GOP national security leaders call for US to send long-range missile systems to Ukraine
Republican national security leaders in Congress are urging President Joe Biden to send long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine. These would be in addition to the full inventory of the shorter range anti-personnel variants of the same munition, according to a Nov. 1 letter... Read More »
Secret Service creates framework for transnational crime cooperation with Australian Federal Police
The U.S. Secret Service and the Australian Federal Police signed a memorandum of understanding last week creating a new basis for interagency and international collaboration and information sharing on transnational crime. “The Secret Service is honored to join our partners at the Australian... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Daines seeks to designate Yemen’s Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization over Israel attacks
Following missile attacks on Israel by the Houthis of Yemen – also known as Ansarallah – and more intercepted by U.S. military units in the region in recent days, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced a bill last week to redesignate the group as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). The... Read More »
Justice Department Civil Rights Division hosts virtual forum on combating hate
On the 25th anniversary of the murders of James Byrd Jr. and Matthew Shepard, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division held a virtual forum on the launch of the United Against Hate (UAH) initiative and efforts to fight hate crimes. “As I see in my daily threat briefings, there has... Read More »
U.S. Reps. McCaul, Gallego ask House for greater funding for first responders dealing with migrants
In a letter to the House Appropriation Committee this week, U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) urged leadership to include funding for first responder aid programs in any FY 2024 supplemental appropriations to support those affected by immigration. “Increased operations... Read More »
Senate adds amendment that would ban federal funding of drones produced in certain nations
A new amendment from U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Mark Warner (D-VA) that would bar the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from providing federal funds to drones produced in certain foreign countries was added to an Appropriations Minibus package this week. This amendment (1349)... Read More »
Bipartisan resolution underlines support for International Atomic Energy Agency
Working together, U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced a resolution this week to support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) role in promoting nuclear security. “The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plays a crucial role in bolstering... Read More »
Biden administration issues executive order for A.I. developmental guardrails
In a wide-ranging Executive Order issued this week, President Joe Biden sought to preempt threats posed by the development of artificial intelligence with new safeguards and oversight, while calling on Congress to pass data privacy legislation and enshrine such guardrails permanently. While AI... Read More »
Internal memo leak from DHS prompts document demand from House Homeland Security Republicans
After an internal memo from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warning that foreign fighters from the Israel-Hamas conflict could be encountered at the southwest border leaked to the press, House Republicans demanded documents and information from Department Secretary Alejandro... Read More »
Bill to simplify requirements for FEMA hazard mitigation grants clears Senate committee
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee advanced a bill from U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) last week that would make the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) update its cost-effectiveness requirements for hazard mitigation grants. The... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection updates strategy to combat fentanyl, synthetic drugs
According to an updated approach released last week by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains focused on the opioid epidemic while reckoning with an ever-changing landscape. CBP planted its focus firmly around four areas: ... Read More »
Holding Iranian Leaders Accountable Act reintroduced to crack down on financial institutions connected to Iran
With the war between Hamas and Israel dragging attention on Iran once more to the fore, U.S. Reps. French Hill (R-AR) and Juan Vargas (D-CA) reintroduced the Holding Iranian Leaders Accountable Act this week, seeking new means to crackdown on their financial support. “The Iranian regime has... Read More »
Protect Our Bases Act seeks to provide greater oversight of foreign land purchases near sensitive sites
A collection of six senators this week introduced the Protect Our Bases Act, seeking to require member agencies annually update their lists of sensitive military, intelligence and national lab sites for the review of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This... Read More »
Advanced Border Coordination Act seeks improvements to communication along U.S.-Mexico border
The United States-Mexico remains a focus of Congressional interest, and the latest offshoot of that emerged this week in the form of the Senate’s Advanced Border Coordination Act, which aims to improve law enforcement communication and coordination. “From local sheriffs to Border Patrol and... Read More »
Republicans float Keep Our Border Agents Paid Act to keep paychecks flowing during shutdowns
With government shutdowns, however brief, becoming more of a regular danger, and exacerbated by the Republican Speaker crisis in the House, several Republican senators introduced the Keep Our Border Agents Paid Act to shield border and customs officers from a shutdown. U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson... Read More »
TSA renews cybersecurity requirements for railroad carriers
On Monday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it had renewed updates to security directives that regulate passenger and freight railroad carriers. The revised directives, part of an effort to enhance the cybersecurity of surface transportation systems and associated... Read More »
Nuclear Threat Initiative paper provides analysis, contemplates shape of nuclear planning
In a far-ranging paper on the past, present, and future of nuclear policy and conflict released this week, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) called for a renewed investigation into the effects of nuclear conflict. Faced with conflicts currently ranging from Ukraine to Israel and threats of... Read More »
DHS proposes modernizing the H-1B specialty occupation worker program
A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last week would streamline eligibility for the H-1B specialty occupation worker program, improve efficiency and institute more benefits and integrity measures. H-1B is a nonimmigrant visa program... Read More »
Facilitating Hazard Mitigation Projects Act would require FEMA simplify grant requirements
A joint effort from U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) last week yielded the Hazard Mitigation Projects Act, which would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to simplify requirements surrounding hazard mitigation grants. “Too often, complex application... Read More »
BEST Facilitation Act introduced to speed up cargo screenings at ports of entry
With the bicameral introduction of the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act (H.R. 5990) last week, supporters seek to allot for a series of new image technicians within Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to expedite screenings at U.S. ports of entry. Created by U.S.... Read More »
Defense Department chooses Ohio to host defense innovation hub
Ohio will become one of five states newly selected by the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Innovation Unit to gain a defense innovation hub, focused on developing and adopting new technologies for national security. This center, to be placed in the Miami Valley, will be known as the Ohio... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection integrating supply chain data following startup exchange testing
Real-time, standards-based tests for exchanging supply chain data from three U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) collaborating startups have opened the door for Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to begin integrating data from them and their customers. Companies mesur.io, Neoflow and... Read More »
Justice Department makes recommendations to counteract law enforcement recruitment, retention woes
Following meetings with more than 35 law enforcement and community leaders nationwide, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) this week released recommendations to reverse challenges facing recruitment and retention at law enforcement agencies nationwide. The causes are many. In its... Read More »