Policy
Report examines military funding, personnel gaps
A new RAND Corporation report maintains a significant gap exists between the nation's strategic and defense policies and funding and personnel resources required to implement those policies successfully. “Modernizing its nuclear deterrent over the next several decades is likely to consume most... Read More »
Coalition of senators pushes for $75M for security grants
A bipartisan coalition of 33 senators sent a letter this week urging that $75 million be provided in the 2020 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The letter was sent to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations... Read More »
Lawmakers urge DHS not to transfer CBP officers from Northern to Southern border
A group of lawmakers recently urged the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to maintain strong staffing levels at airports and ports of entry between the United States and Canada. The request, made by members of the Congressional Northern Border Caucus, comes after the Department of... Read More »
Unprecedented volumes of aliens continue to arrive in South Texas
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said agents are continuing to process and receive illegal aliens in unprecedented numbers through the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector. “We’ve exceeded our capacity and we’re doing all we can to house migrants in a humane place and transfer them... Read More »
Legislation would expand TSA PreCheck enrollment
Legislation recently introduced in the Senate would expand TSA PreCheck enrollment for people in positions of public trust. Positions of public trust include law enforcement officers and federal employees holding an active security clearance. These individuals have already passed an extensive... Read More »
Reps. Collins, Rogers seek additional funding for border response and operations
U.S. Reps. Doug Collins (R-GA) and Mike Rogers (R-AL) are proposing an amendment to fund the Trump Administration’s request for an additional $4.5 billion for humanitarian response and border operations. “The crisis at our southern border demands additional resources,” Collins, ranking... Read More »
Domestic terrorism is a growing threat to homeland, counterterrorism officials testify
Top U.S. officials testified on Wednesday during a U.S. House committee hearing that the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) are focused on countering a rise in domestic terrorism threats. U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the House Homeland... Read More »
Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism finalizes update for Minimum Security Criteria
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said the agency's Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program has finalized its review and update of its Minimum Security Criteria (MSC). The result stems from CBP formally requesting the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory... Read More »
More than 600,000 connections made under FirstNet platform
More than 600,000 devices used by more than 7,250 public-safety agencies have connected to the FirstNet communications platform. FirstNet is intended for public-safety agencies. In more than 600 markets, band 14 spectrum has been deployed, allowing agencies of all sizes in urban, rural and... Read More »
Air Force committed to rebuilding Florida’s Tyndall Air Force Base
The Air Force is committed to rebuilding Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, which was damaged last fall when Hurricane Michael hit the Florida panhandle. Speaking at a symposium last week at Florida State University-Panama City, John Henderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force for... Read More »
Legislation aids bulletproof vest initiative
Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) recently introduced a measure designed to reauthorize the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program permanently. S. 1231 is a federal grant program that helps state and local law enforcement agencies purchase lifesaving bulletproof vests for... Read More »
Bill would protect faith-based community centers, houses of worship
The recently introduced Faith-Based Community Center Protection Act would allow Homeland Security Grant Program funds to be used to safeguard faith-based community centers and houses of worship. If the bill becomes law, the Homeland Security Grant Program would be provided with $75 million in... Read More »
House bill would limit transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey
Legislation that seeks to limit the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last week. The Protecting NATO Skies Act of 2019 was introduced by Mike Turner (R-OH), John Garamendi (D-CA), and Paul Cook (R-CA). It is a companion bill to legislation... Read More »
Bill seeks to aid first responders following injury
Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Jon Tester (D-MT) reintroduced last week a bill designed to ensure injured first responders do not have to pay taxes on injury-related compensation. The Putting First Responders First Act would clarify the current tax code and stems from the circumstance of the... Read More »
Lawmakers introduce Fentanyl Sanctions Act
Reps. French Hill (R-AR), Max Rose (D-NY), Anthony Brindisi (D-NY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) recently introduced legislation designed to implore the Chinese government to honor its commitment of making fentanyl illegal while providing tools to address traffickers. The Fentanyl Sanctions Act... Read More »
GAO reports Army modernization efforts could use improvement
Building on two years of recommendations surrounding modernization efforts of the U.S. Army, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found areas in which they believe the Army could improve to avoid costly failures. Their report, which covers near and long-term modernization efforts,... Read More »
FDA approves first dengue vaccine for use in endemic areas
The most common mosquito-borne viral disease -- Dengue -- will now be preventable in endemic regions, thanks to the approval of the first dengue vaccine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dengvaxia, as it is called, blocks all dengue virus serotypes in ages 9 through 16, providing a... Read More »
Legislation would preserve nuclear arms treaty with Russia
Five Democratic senators recently sponsored a bill that would preserve the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). The treaty, enacted in February 2011, reduces by 74 percent the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads from the original treaty’s limit of 6,000. It is the final... Read More »
Reps. Thompson, Langevin support President Trump’s executive order on cybersecurity education
U.S. Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) came out in support of President Donald Trump’s executive order designed to bolster the country’s cybersecurity education. The executive order says the government “must enhance the workforce mobility of America’s cybersecurity... Read More »
Air Force officials tour Arctic region
A senior Air Force delegation recently visited several Arctic locations to gain greater insight regarding operational challenges while refining efforts to meet the security dynamics there. “The Arctic has always been a vital, indispensable part of any strategy to ensure the security and... Read More »
GAO offers pipeline security program guidance
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has made a series of recommendations designed to strengthen the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) management of its pipeline security program. The GAO analysis stems from the fact pipeline system disruptions could result in commodity... Read More »
Lack of funding stops U.S. Air Force construction
The U.S. Air Force halted the rebuilding Wednesday of two bases damaged by natural disasters because of a lack of Congressional funding. Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida sustained $4.7 billion in damages in October 2018 from Hurricane Michael. Nearly 700 buildings were damaged, and 11,000... Read More »
Senators seek additional funding for nonprofit security grant program
A group of U.S. Senators recently called upon the leadership of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to increase funding for nonprofit groups to better secure their facilities from potential attacks. The Senators are requesting $75 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant... Read More »
National Critical Functions Set released
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have released the first set of National Critical Functions, which officials said would have a dire nationwide impact if interrupted. The DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) provided the functions they said are used or... Read More »
New DHS technology garners honors
A new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) technology designed to increase situational awareness is garnering security industry plaudits. S&T’s Immersive Imaging System recently received the R&D 100 Award, presented at the annual R&D 100 Conference,... Read More »
More than 108 million people screened during spring travel season
A total of 108.6 million passengers and crew and 63.4 million checked bags were screened by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) during the March 14 to April 28 spring travel period, reflecting a nearly 4.7 percent increase from 2018. The average wait time at TSA checkpoints was 20... Read More »
Reps. Cuellar, Rogers back bill to reinstate overtime pay for border agents
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) recently expressed support for the Border Patrol Pay Security Act of 2019 (H.R. 2335), which would reinstate overtime pay for Border Patrol agents. “More manpower is desperately needed at our southwest border,” Rogers, ranking member of the House Homeland Security... Read More »
California man arrested in foiled terror plot
Justice Department officials said a foiled terrorist plot has resulted in a Reseda, California, man’s arrest under an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation. Authorities said Mark Steven Domingo, 26, was recently arrested after he received what he thought was a live bomb, but it was an... Read More »
ICE resources fortify Southwest border initiatives
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is reallocating Southwest border resources as a means of addressing human smuggling operations and immigration law exploitation. ICE is using personnel to investigate the use of fraudulent documents to create fake families seeking to exploit immigration... Read More »
CBP purchases biometric fingerprint sensors for ports of entry
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently purchased mobile biometric fingerprint sensors from Integrated Biometrics. CBP purchased Kojak Light Emitting Sensor technology 10-fingerprint scanners to use at more than 5,000 workstations at the United States Ports of Entry. The scanners... Read More »
Sens. Markey, Thune seek remote identification rule for drones
U.S. Sens. Edward Markey (D-MA) and John Thune (R-SD) are urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to publish a proposed rule for remote identification of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also called drones. Remote identification would allow the public, the FAA, law enforcement, and... Read More »
Cybersecurity agency holds safety exercise with Jewish community
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently held a tabletop exercise in collaboration with the Secure Community Network (SCN), a Department of Homeland Security Initiative for the American Jewish community. The purpose of the exercise was to examine how federal and state... Read More »
DHS to construct new bollard walls in Yuma, El Paso
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is planning to construct new bollard walls within the U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma and El Paso sectors in Arizona and Texas. The projects call for approximately 53 miles of new bollard wall -- which is a wall made up of steel slats -- in place of... Read More »
Chavez tabbed for Laredo Sector CBP post
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have selected Felix Chavez to serve as Chief Patrol Agent within the Laredo Sector. Border Patrol Chief Carla L. Provost recently announced the selection, noting Chavez entered on duty with the Border Patrol in July 1985 as a member of Academy Class... Read More »