Policy
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 »
DHS to conduct cyber safety review of cloud security
Through the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intends to review the targeting of cloud computing, providing recommendations for security among government, industry, and Cloud Service Providers (CSPs). “Organizations of all kinds are... Read More »
China, climate change and new technologies top concerns in latest U.S. National Intelligence Strategy
With the release of the 2023 National Intelligence Strategy (NIS) last week, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines laid out the goals of the Intelligence Community (IC) for the next four years. “The National Intelligence Strategy articulates what the Intelligence Community will need... 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 »
Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act introduced in bid to up federal firefighter pay
With wildfires more aggressive than ever, and climate change threatening worse to come, a bicameral collection of lawmakers introduced the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act (H.R. 5169) this week to boost recruitment, retention and well-being of federal firefighters. Chief sponsor of... 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 »
ASPR divides $50M in awards between states, jurisdictions to build up Medical Reserve Corps
A total of $50 million in awards will be split between 33 states and jurisdictions as an Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR)-led effort to build up the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) network. Such was the end result of the first-ever, competitive state, territory and... Read More »
DHS adds $374.9M in available grant funds for state, local cybersecurity
As the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) enters its second year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week announced a boost to its coffers, amounting to $374.9 million in available funding. Overall, the program will provide $1 billion in funding over four years... Read More »
CREATE AI Act proposes shared national research to maintain safe artificial intelligence
As artificial intelligence (AI) advancements continue to develop, a bipartisan group of senators this week proposed a way to keep it advancing while also maintaining safety standards: the Creating Resources for Every American To Experiment with Artificial Intelligence Act of 2023 (CREATE AI... Read More »
Fair Pay for Federal Firefighters Act proposes short-term base pay raise despite USDA funding issues
U.S. Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) introduced the Fair Pay for Federal Firefighters Act (H.R. 4831) last week, offering a base pay raise for federal firefighters as a stopgap against U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pay cuts caused by lack of funds. “Our firefighters... Read More »
DHS to provide $7.5M in security grants for faith-based organizations and nonprofits in Michigan
Some $7.5 million in grant funding will be awarded to nonprofits and faith-based organizations in Michigan from the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) in the days ahead, to help these organizations secure their facilities. In recent years,... Read More »
Justice Department details espionage, bribery charges against Navy personnel
Justice Department officials have detailed two separate cases in which Navy personnel have been charged with espionage and bribery, respectively. According to the Justice Department, Navy sailor Jinchao Wei, aka Patrick Wei, was recently arrested on espionage charges as he arrived for work at... Read More »
Senate advances disaster recovery assistance application measure
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Rand Paul (R-KY), and James Lankford (R-OK) are commending their colleagues for advancing their legislation that would simplify the federal disaster recovery assistance application process. Specifically, the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act would require the... Read More »
Senate SEASONAL Act introduced to allow governors flexibility with H2-B nonimmigrant visas
As the United States reckons with its seasonal labor needs and political infighting over immigration, a new bipartisan effort known as the SEASONAL Act seeks to allow governors the ability to push supplemental H-2B visas beyond the national cap of 66,000. The SEASONAL Act, or the State... Read More »
Outbound Investment Transparency Act attached to Senate’s NDAA, promising additional national security investment screening
A years-running bipartisan effort at national security sector investment scrutiny from U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) gained traction this week, as the Senate voted to attach the Outbound Investment Transparency Act to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). At the... Read More »
Reps. Pfluger, Luetkemeyer seeks insight into efforts combating illicit cartel financing
U.S. Reps. August Pfluger (R-TX) and Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) are seeking insight from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Treasury Department regarding agency efforts to combat illicit cartel and terrorist financing. Pfluger, chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee... Read More »
Bill to set single deadline for individual-focused FEMA disaster programs applications advances Senate
The bipartisan Disaster Assistance Deadlines Alignment Act queued up for consideration in the House this week after advancing through the Senate, raising the possibility of a single application deadline for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance programs. “Survivors of... Read More »
Bipartisan legislation introduced to provide law enforcement trauma kits
U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Chris Coons (D-DE) recently introduced legislation equipping law enforcement officers with trauma kits to respond if a civilian or officer experiences traumatic injury. The American Law Enforcement Sustaining Aid... Read More »
Space systems, services could become critical infrastructure under Space Infrastructure Act
Currently, the world is still reckoning with how the endless expanse of outer space fits into its terrestrial-focused economic structure, but the Space Infrastructure Act introduced in the House last week seeks to take a crack at it by filing space systems, services and technology under critical... Read More »
Sens. Wicker, Collins, colleagues advocate submarine industrial base expansion
U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are advocating the Biden Administration bolster the submarine industrial base amid efforts to fulfill Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) partnership terms. Wicker, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and... Read More »
Bipartisan legislation targets increases to critical domestic medication supply, generics
Under the newly introduced Rolling Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and Drug act, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) last week proposed fighting drug shortages with increased domestic supplies of critical medications. The bill would front and center... Read More »
House approves FY2024 MilCon-VA Appropriations bill
The House of Representatives has advanced the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 4366), which honors the nation's commitment to veterans. “The bill before us demonstrates our commitment to reduce overall spending and still... Read More »
Commerce, Defense Departments announce semiconductor defense industrial base collaboration
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC)and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) expanding collaboration to strengthen the semiconductor defense industrial base. "This agreement is an important step forward in increasing the capacity and resiliency of... Read More »
Bills to address northern border security, port of entry staffing shortages advance to full Senate consideration
A legislative effort to create a Northern Border Coordination Center and another to support critical operations at airports, seaports and land ports of entry through onboarding of at least 600 officers a year moved out of committee this week and to the Senate floor. The Northern Border... Read More »
Senate advances legislation seeking national security investment screening
The Senate recently advanced legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) screening domestic investments in national security sectors made in countries of concern. Outbound Investment Transparency Act proponents indicated the legislation would give the United... Read More »
DHS S&T awards $1.67M to Pacific Northwest National Lab for emergency response management research
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) won $1.67 million from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) this week, to aid research into future emergency response structures. In this context, this includes items like emergency operation centers... Read More »
U.S. Transportation Department enrolls first nine ships in Tanker Security Program
In order to secure a presence in international commercial shipping and bolster military usefulness at sea, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD) enrolled nine ships into its Tanker Security Program (TSP) this week. “Today we are announcing the first... Read More »
Senate approves banning China, Russia, North Korea and Iran from buying American farmland and agriculture
Seemingly joining with states’ efforts to block certain foreign entries into American agriculture, the U.S. Senate approved an amendment this week that would ban four nations in particular from buying up either American farmland or agricultural businesses. In a 91-7 vote, the Senate... Read More »
U.S., Mexico leaders reaffirm commitment combating fentanyl, arms trafficking
Mexico government officials recently hosted a U.S. delegation to reaffirm the nations' commitment to address fentanyl and arms trafficking, as well as humanely manage migration. This month Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador joined senior Mexico government personnel in hosting a U.S.... Read More »
Draft legislation incorporates pipeline safety initiatives
U.S. Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Jeff Duncan (R-SC), chair of the Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee, recently unveiled the Pipeline Safety, Modernization, and Expansion Act of 2023, which incorporated energy pipeline... Read More »
New York makes available $20M to improve local public safety, emergency communications systems
A total of $20 million in grant funding was made available to eligible counties in New York last week to improve land mobile radio interoperability among public safety agencies and, more generally, improve the state’s emergency communications systems. "Communications are the backbone of... Read More »
Domestic heparin production measure adopted into NDAA
U.S. Rep. Bill Posey’s (R-FL) initiative seeking to reduce American dependence on Chinese production of heparin has been adopted into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The action was advanced by the House of Representatives. It encourages private capital to drive domestic... Read More »
Coast Guard details recent Cutter Steadfast assignment
Coast Guard officials have detailed Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast's 70-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific. The crew crew recently returned to its homeport in Astoria, Ore., after disrupting the flow of illegal narcotics on three separate occasions during the patrol, preventing a... Read More »