Policy
Qatari officials visit UNMC to discuss biosecurity efforts ahead of 2022 World Cup
Members of the Qatar National Committee for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (NCPW) recently visited with leaders from the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) to discuss potential collaborative efforts on developing Qatar as a leader in biosecurity ahead of the 2022 World Cup. The... Read More »
President Xi Jinping opens Interpol General Assembly with call for cooperation
The Interpol general assembly met this week in Beijing, China, bringing nearly 1,000 participants from 156 countries together at an event opened with a speech from Chinese President Xi Jinping. “No country can guarantee its absolute security all by itself,” Xi said. “China stands ready to... Read More »
Bill to give full Pell Grants to children of fallen firefighters, EMS and law enforcement officers advanced by Senate
A bill that gives the children of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS workers the maximum Pell grant authorized by federal law was recently advanced by the U.S. Senate. The legislation, titled the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act, was introduced by U.S. Sens. Bob... Read More »
NNSA collaborates with South Africa’s NTP to convert its molybdenum-99 production processes to low-enriched uranium
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), in tandem with the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation’s NTP Radioisotopes SOC Ltd (NTP), recently completed conversion of its molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) production process from highly-enriched uranium (HEU), which is frequently used for... Read More »
NNSA assists in removal of all highly-enriched uranium from Kazakhstan-based reactor
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), in tandem with the Institute for Nuclear Physics (INP) of Almaty, Kazakhstan recently announced that the last remaining stores of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) have been repatriated from the institute’s VVR-K reactor. In total, more than... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection offers expedited NEXUS membership for Buffalo-Niagara Region
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is offering an expedited NEXUS enrollment process for the Ice Hockey World Juniors Championship, which will be held in Buffalo from Dec. 26, 2017 through Jan. 5, 2018. CBP is offering the expedited enrollment through Oct. 13 to residents of the... Read More »
NATO Council pushes back on UN treaty to legally prohibit, eliminate all nuclear weapons
Following a decision by the United Nations’ (UN) General Assembly to negotiate a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons and their eventual elimination, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Council recently pushed back against the move, stating that a total ban would... Read More »
Congress members inquire about NotPetya malware, effects on drug supplies
Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee recently sent public letters to the heads of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the global pharmaceutical company Merck concerning the NotPetya malware and its effects on drug supplies. On June 27, a malware known by a... Read More »
Senate approves reform package for government information technology
The U.S. Senate approved this week a reform package aimed at making government IT spending more efficient and accelerating the government’s transition to modern technology. The Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act creates an incentive for the federal government to streamline IT systems... Read More »
Key provisions secured for Ohio-based defense manufacturing in FY2018 NDAA legislation
Two key provisions that will benefit Ohio-based defense manufacturers were recently secured as part of the Senate version of the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In order to better protect aircraft within the 180th Fighter Wing based in Toledo, Ohio, the bill authorized a total... Read More »
Congress members request FCC investigation into Russian interference in 2016 presidential election cycle
In the wake of recent reports that Sputnik, a Russian radio network, allegedly used U.S. airwaves to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election cycle, members of Congress penned a public letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai requesting an investigation... Read More »
Fourteen cases of chikungunya appear in Italy, according to WHO
Fourteen confirmed cases of chikungunya virus have recently been diagnosed in Italy, six of which appeared in Rome with another eight appearing in the coastal region of Anzio, according to a recently published report from the World Health Organization (WHO). The first case was identified on... Read More »House advances appropriations package to fund border wall, increase military funding
The U.S. House of Representatives recently advanced an appropriations bill that would fund President Trump’s wall on the Mexican border and various other security initiatives. The bill includes funding for the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, Military Construction and Veterans... Read More »
Sens. Graham, Gillibrand bill to establish commission to investigate cyberattacks during 2016 presidential election cycle
A bipartisan bill was recently introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), aiming to establish a National Commission of the Cybersecurity of United States Election Systems. Based on a similar structure set by the 9/11 Commission, the new... Read More »
House votes to update immigration law in gang crackdown
The U.S. House of Representatives recently voted to change immigration law to make membership in a criminal gang both a deportable offense and justification for barring entry in the first place. The bill, entitled the “Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act,” would allow the Department of... Read More »
Reps. Royce, Engel introduce Cyber Diplomacy Act
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY) recently introduced the Cyber Diplomacy Act, which would create a U.S. international cyber policy and promote working with other countries on promoting this policy. “The U.S. is increasingly under... Read More »
Rep. Royce sponsors bill to strengthen anti-money laundering system
Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) proposed legislation last week to strengthen the anti-money laundering (AML) and countering terrorism financing (CTF) system in the United States. The draft legislation, the Anti-Money Laundering Modernization Act, seeks to modernize the system and update the regulatory... Read More »Bill to streamline DHS intelligence gathering efforts advanced by House
A bill to help streamline and enhance intelligence sharing at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was recently advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation, titled the Unify DHS Intelligence Enterprise Act, was authored by U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), who serves as... Read More »
House advances Homeland Threat Assessment Act
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced this week a bill that would require the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis to evaluate the terrorist threat to the homeland for each of the next five fiscal years. “The 9/11 Commission revealed that a “failure of... Read More »
Homeland Security waives legal requirements for California border construction project
Seeking to expedite construction of barriers on the international border with Mexico near Calexico, California, the Department of Homeland Security issued this week a waiver for certain legal regulations. Calling on powers invested in them by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant ... Read More »
House advances amendment to restore funding for National Urban Security Technology Laboratory
Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) announced this week that the U.S. House of Representatives advanced his amendment to restore funding to the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL). NUSTL, which is located in New York City, researches, develops and assesses new technologies for use by law... Read More »
Bill to improve intelligence sharing among DHS, law enforcement unanimously passed by House
A bill that aims to improve intelligence sharing capabilities amongst U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies was recently unanimously approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation, titled the DHS Data Framework Act, was authored by U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), a... Read More »
Following data breach, 36 Senators request investigation into Equifax stock sales
A bipartisan group of 36 U.S. senators recently called for an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission into the sale of approximately $2 million in Equifax securities held by company management prior to the news... Read More »
Barletta bill to improve law enforcement access to secure information sharing facilities
A bill that requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to maintain an inventory of facilities certified to store classified information and enhance information sharing amongst law enforcement entities was recently advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, the... Read More »House Committee marks 9/11 anniversary with 10-year progress report of Homeland Security
As the nation gathered to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001, this week, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, delivered a review of the Department of Homeland Security’s progress over the past decade. Analyzing 10 specific mandates, including... Read More »
Rep. Pittenger urges Treasury to consider sanctions against Qatar-based terrorism financiers
Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC), vice chair of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, recently sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin urging the exploration of sanctions against Qatar-based terrorism financiers. Reps. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), David... Read More »
GAO report examines US efforts to fight narcotics-related money laundering
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report exploring U.S. efforts to stop profits from drug trafficking from entering financial systems in the Western Hemisphere through money laundering. The report describes U.S. agency oversight and monitoring of compliance with the... Read More »
IAEA nuclear experts complete security advisory mission to China
A team of nuclear security experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently completed an advisory trip to the People’s Republic of China at the behest of its government for an examination of the country’s nuclear security apparatus. Under the IAEA’s Physical Protection... Read More »
NNSA needs to develop cost estimates, schedule for new uranium processing project, GAO says
A complete scope of work is needed to develop timely cost and schedule information for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) uranium program, according to a recently published report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). As part of the FY2013 National Defense... Read More »
McSally bill to reauthorize Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism advances committee
A bill, authored by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ), that aims to protect global supply chains against terrorist activities by reauthorizing and modernizing the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) recently advanced the House Homeland Security Committee. First established as... Read More »
Amendment to fully fund NBACC advances House
The U.S. House of Representatives recently advanced an amendment authored by U.S. Rep. John Delaney (D-MD) to fully fund the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), reversing a decision by the Trump Administration to eliminate funding for the center in its proposed FY2018... Read More »
Feasibility study for modernization of Arizona’s Douglas Port of Entry receives funding
The General Services Administration (GSA) recently informed U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) that it provided funding for a feasibility study of the modernization of the Douglas Port of Entry (POE) for fiscal year 2017. “GSA is taking a major step towards making the Douglas modernization... Read More »
Sen. Tester secures $5 million for state-based border security efforts
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) recently secured $5 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assist Montana-based law enforcement agencies in their efforts to strengthen security along the state’s 540-mile international border with Canada. "Terrorists and criminals will find... Read More »