Policy
HHS Secretary cites emergency preparedness, response as federal budget priority
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price told members of Congress on Wednesday that the nation’s emergency preparedness and response ranks high on the federal funding list at his agency. The goal of the Trump Administration is not to deconstruct HHS, Price... Read More »
Reps. Ratcliffe, Langevin participate in AIPAC panel to discuss two US-Israel cybersecurity bills
U.S. Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) recently participated in a panel at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference to discuss cybersecurity-related bills that recently passed through Congress. Langevin and Ratcliffe began their discussion by detailing... Read More »
House advances bill to provide accountability, oversight of DHS acquisition programs
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acquisition Authorities Act of 2017 last week, which aims to create greater accountability for major acquisition programs within the DHS by enhancing oversight and implementing cost-saving budget measures. The... Read More »
McSally introduces bill to increase penalty for cartel “spotters”
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently introduced a bill that would enhance penalties for “spotters” who convey information related to the position and surveillance efforts of Border Patrol agents in order to disrupt their duties. The bill, titled the Transnational Criminal Organization... Read More »
House advances agro-terrorism preparedness bill
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced last week U.S. Rep. David Young’s (R-IA) Securing our Agriculture and Food Act (H.R. 1238), which aims to prevent acts of agro-terrorism from affecting the nation’s food supply. The bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance the... Read More »
House unanimously advances bill to curb wasteful spending by DHS agencies
The U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously last week to advance U.S. Rep. John Rutherford’s (R-FL) Reducing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acquisition Cost Growth Act (H.R. 1294), which aims to prevent wasteful spending by various agencies within DHS. The act is one of nine... Read More »
House unanimously advances McSally terrorist travel “stress test” bill
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced nine bills last week sponsored by the Homeland Security Committee, including unanimously voting on U.S. Rep. Martha McSally’s (R-AZ) Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017. “It is critical that we continue to re-examine our... Read More »Interpol holds training course on identifying falsified, stolen travel documents in Thailand
The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) recently held a three-day training course in Thailand, which discussed various ways law enforcement entities can identify individuals who use forged travel documents. Participants included law enforcement officials, immigration agents,... Read More »
OPCW Director-General delivers keynote address at the international symposium on toxic substances in Singapore
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü recently paid an official visit to Singapore, where he gave the keynote address at the Singapore International Symposium on Protection Against Toxic Substances. In his address, Üzümcü touched on... Read More »
Senators introduce bill to interdict illicit fentanyl entering the United States
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently introduced the International Narcotics Trafficking Emergency Response by Detecting Incoming Contraband with Technology (INTERDICT) Act, which aims to reduce the flow of illicit fentanyl coming into the United States. Cosponsors of the bill include... Read More »
Sens. Markey, Blumenthal reintroduce bills to address vehicular cybersecurity vulnerabilities
U.S. Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) recently reintroduced two bills aimed at improving cybersecurity standards for both cars and aircraft. The first bill, the Security and Privacy in Your Car (SPY Car) Act, would direct both the National Highway Traffic Safety... Read More »
Dept. of Defense aims countermeasures at WMD, synthetic biological threats
The United States must prepare for surprise attacks at home and abroad from traditional weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and from the new, emerging and largely unknown consequences posed by synthetic biological threats, a senior defense official told House congressional members on Thursday. ... Read More »
House advances TSA bill to address leadership issues within the agency
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed this week the TSA Administrator Modernization Act of 2017, which seeks to address various leadership issues within the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The bill was authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) and is currently... Read More »Emmons introduces bill to continue OK2SAY program for Michigan school students
Michigan State Sen. Judy Emmons (R-Sheridan)introduced a bill this week to continue the state’s OK2SAY hotline, a 24-hour confidential tip line aimed at preventing school tragedies. Emmons current bill would extend the program by repealing its designated expiration date of Oct. 1, 2017.... Read More »
TSA transparency in technology acquisition bill advanced by House
The U.S. House of Representatives passed this week the Transparency in Technological Acquisitions Act of 2017, which aims to increase transparency in the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) technology acquisition process in order to ensure businesses both large and small can meet the... Read More »
Tester discusses budget concerns, security interests with Defense secretary
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) held a hearing this week with Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary James Mattis regarding the President’s recently-proposed budget priorities and the nation’s economic strength. Tester brought attention to the budget’s proposed cuts to agencies that help... Read More »Reps. Hurd, McSally request information on border wall funding from Homeland Security
U.S. Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX) and Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently published an oversight letter, requesting specific details regarding the Trump Administration’s $999 million request for the planning, design, and construction of the first installment of the proposed border wall between the United... Read More »
GOP senators return from Middle East intelligence trip
Republican members of the Senate Intelligence Committee recently returned from a trip to the Middle East to examine the region’s anti-terrorism efforts and provide oversight of key intelligence programs. Included in the delegation were U.S. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), chairman of the... Read More »Sen. Cruz set to introduce bill to re-list North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) released a plan this week to introduce a bill that would re-list North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. Cruz’s bill received cosponsors from U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Dean Heller (R-NV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and... Read More »Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons adds specialized NMR equipment to its laboratory
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inaugurated the new nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer at OPCW’s laboratory last week in Rijswijk, South Holland Province. The ceremony was led by OPCW Director General Ahmet Üzümcü. NMR is widely used in... Read More »Senate Select Committee on Intelligence schedules new open hearing on Russian interference into US elections
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence scheduled last week an open hearing for March 30 regarding potential Russian intelligence activities and influence during the recent U.S. presidential election. The hearing, titled Disinformation: A Primer in Russian Active Measures and Influence... Read More »
CBP posts two requests for border wall prototype proposals
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently released two requests for proposals (RFPs) to award multiple contracts, along with initial task orders, for the design and construction of wall prototypes to be used in President Trump’s proposed border wall with Mexico. The President’s... Read More »
Rep. Ratcliffe introduces bill to provide cybersecurity training to local law enforcement
U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) introduced a bill last week aimed at providing state and local law enforcement the tools necessary to combat cybercrime. The Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017 would authorize the National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI), based in... Read More »
Bill to increase number of cybersecurity-related scholarships introduced in House, Senate
A bipartisan group of congressmen introduced the Department of Defense (DOD) Cyber Scholarship Program Act of 2017 last week, which aims to improve the nation’s cybersecurity workforce by enhancing existing DOD scholarship programs for students in cybersecurity-related majors. The bill... Read More »
Sens. Feinstein, Collins introduce bill to reduce the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) recently introduced the Preventing Antibiotic Resistance Act, which aims to preserve the effectiveness of medically-important antibiotics used to treat human and animal bacterial infections. U.S. Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Rosa... Read More »
Rep. Barletta chairs hearing on successes of emergency preparedness grants for public safety threats
U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) held a hearing last week to examine the effectiveness of emergency preparedness grant programs that allow locales to identify and respond to various disaster scenarios. Barletta, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and... Read More »Sen. Roberts introduces bill to protect the nation’s food supply from agro-terrorism
U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, introduced legislation last week to ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply by addressing various threats posed by acts of agro-terrorism. The bill was cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), who serves... Read More »Bills aimed at protecting social security numbers introduced in House
The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee introduced two bills last week in an attempt to prevent identity theft by enhancing protections for social security numbers (SSNs). The first bill, titled the Social Security MAIL Act (H.R. 1513), would prevent the Social Security Administration from... Read More »
Rep. Thompson sends request for oversight hearings, bill markup for countering domestic threats to religious institutions
U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) sent a public request last week to U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, for a comprehensive oversight hearing on the various domestic threats on religious institutions and a markup to pass the Securing American... Read More »
Gen. Dunford discusses recent North Korean missile launch with South Korean counterpart
In response to recent missile launches by the North Korean government, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joe Dunford held a 30-minute telemeeting with the Chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Sun Jin-Lee to assess the security situation for allies in the area. On... Read More »
Interpol’s Stock addresses effective information sharing to counter extremism, organized crime
Secretary General of Interpol Jürgen Stock recently addressed the Chiefs of Police Conference of South Asia and Neighboring Countries, stating that regional and global police cooperation has never been more essential in the fight against terrorism and organized crime. “In today’s world,... Read More »
OPCW Executive Council votes to condemn the use of VX nerve agent in recent Malaysian airport attack
The Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently adopted a decision to condemn the use of the Schedule 1 liquid nerve agent VX, which was used in a fatal incident last month at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The incident occurred on Feb.... Read More »
Democratic Congress members raise concerns over impact of executive orders on preparedness for pandemic flu outbreak
A group of Democratic members of Congress recently sent a public letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price and the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), questioning how actions by the Trump Administration could harm the CDC’s preparedness in the... Read More »Bill to help local law enforcement, government organizations better prepare for cyber attacks introduced
Congressmen of the San Antonio, Texas delegation recently introduced a cybersecurity preparedness bill to both the U.S House of Representatives and the Senate, aiming for better training for local authorities against cyber attacks. The National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act requires... Read More »