Policy
Sen. Kaine questions Cybercom commander on the impact of potential government shutdown
In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing held last week, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) heard testimony from Navy Adm. Mike Rogers, commander of U.S. Cyber Command (Cybercom), on how a potential government shutdown could complicate Cybercom’s mission. Kaine’s concerns stem from a recent... Read More »
USDA has made progress in protecting against avian influenza, evaluation still needed
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has taken numerous steps to reduce the risk of avian influenza, but needs a plan to evaluate its efforts going forward, according to a recent report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). In preparing its report, GAO was asked to... Read More »
Centers for Disease Control updates immunization recommendations for Vaxchora cholera vaccine
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently adopted and published a recommendation made by its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP), concerning the use of PaxVax’s cholera vaccine, Vaxchora. The recommendation, which was unanimously approved by the CDC’s... Read More »
Trump issues Executive Order to strengthen cybersecurity for federal networks and critical infrastructure
President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order last week, which aims to strengthen the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) role in securing federal networks from potential cyberattacks. “Our nation’s economic and national security rely on a safe, secure, and reliable cyber... Read More »
Sens. Wyden, Schatz request information on recent Federal Communications Commission cyberattack
U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) recently sent a public letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai requesting information on the reported distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) cyberattack on the FCC’s website and the ability of the agency to defend... Read More »
BAE Systems selected by Treasury Department to assist in investigating financial crimes from terrorist organizations, drug cartels
BAE Systems was recently selected by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (DoT) to assist its Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI) in protecting the nation’s financial systems against threats from terrorist organizations, drug cartels, and rogue actors. The company is part of a... Read More »
Indonesian Foreign Minister visits OPCW headquarters, discusses chemical weapons convention implementation
Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi recently visited the headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to meet with OPCW Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü and discuss the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Üzümcü first... Read More »
Sen. Corker responds to Syrian chemical attack aftermath footage
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN) recently appeared on CNN to respond to a video that showed the aftermath of the reported chemical weapons attack in southern Idlib, Syria by Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The attack provided the impetus for a missile strike response... Read More »
Joint discussion encourages US-Chinese collaboration in a potential nuclear crisis
A scenario-based discussion, centering around how the United States and the People’s Republic of China could better cooperate to address nuclear threats, was recently conducted amongst representatives from the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the China Institutes of Contemporary International... Read More »
U.S. Senate should create separate cybersecurity combat command, experts testify
America’s cybersecurity efforts could be strengthened posthaste if operations were overseen by a separate nationwide combat command, witnesses on Wednesday told members of the powerful U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “The government and military need to move... Read More »
House advances legislation to enhance FEMA disaster response, recovery programs
Three bills to strengthen the federal government’s disaster response and recovery programs of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were unanimously approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives. Each piece of legislation ensures that the federal government fairly considers... Read More »
Electromagnetic pulse threats don’t outrank cyberattacks on America’s grid, U.S. senators learn
Naturally occurring or man-made risks from electromagnetic pulse (EMP) are a threat to national defense, witnesses testified during a recent U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. And although the electric sector and the U.S. government are regularly working together and... Read More »
Nation’s visa security remains work in progress, feds tell U.S. House task force
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made progress during the past few years but faces numerous challenges strengthening America’s visa security, members of the House Committee on Homeland Security learned during a task force hearing last week. “This is a critical time for our... Read More »
Chamber of Commerce report provides recommendations for US-EU cybersecurity cooperation
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently released a report, which includes policy recommendations that would help align the United States and the European Union (EU), regarding frameworks, standards, and best practices for cybersecurity. The report, titled Transatlantic Cybersecurity: Forging a... Read More »
Defense Threat Reduction Agency awards $35 million contract to Engility Holdings for nuclear consulting
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) recently awarded a $35 million contract to Engility Holdings, Inc. to provide specialized advisory services to the organization’s Nuclear Enterprise Support Directorate. The Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract has a one year base period and four one-year... Read More »
McSally bill to address staffing shortages along border approved by Committee
A bill authored by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) to address staffing shortages among U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Border Patrol agents by getting rid of duplicative mandated polygraph tests was recently approved by the House Committee on Homeland Security. McSally’s... Read More »Amendment to include mass-gathering venues in emergency preparedness plans added to counterterrorism bill
An amendment that requires mass-gathering venue operators to be included in law enforcement and first responder exercises to inform response plans was unanimously approved to be added to the Community Counterterrorism Preparedness Act by the House Committee on Homeland Security. Venues included... Read More »
US announces more than $1 million pledge towards IAEA laboratory modernization
Officials from the United States recently announced a pledge of $1.091 million (€1 million) to modernize the laboratories of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Siebersdorf, Austria, which provide key nuclear research in various areas of human and animal health, food security, and... Read More »
House Science, Space and Technology Committee unanimously approves NIST cybersecurity bill for small businesses
The U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on Tuesday unanimously approved the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Small Business Cybersecurity Act of 2017, which aims to provide small businesses with guidance to help them manage various cybersecurity risks.... Read More »
New director discusses future of Sandia National Laboratories in introductory speech to lab workforce
On his first day as the new director of Sandia National Laboratories, Steve Younger stated in a speech to the lab’s workforce that it would maintain its strong missions in nuclear deterrence, nuclear nonproliferation, energy, and national security. “I see those continuing. However, are in... Read More »
Namibian delegation visits OPCW headquarters to discuss full chemical weapons convention implementation
A delegation of Namibian representatives recently visited the headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to discuss various initiatives related to the full implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The delegation included members of the... Read More »McSally introduces bill to address CBP, Border Patrol staffing shortages
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) introduced last week bipartisan legislation that builds on the Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2010, which addresses staffing shortages of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Border Patrol agents along both international U.S. borders. The legislation... Read More »Bills introduced in House, Senate to streamline government’s transition to cloud-based computing
U.S. Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX), Robin Kelly (D-IL), and Gerry Connolly (D-VA) recently introduced the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act, which aims to reduce wasteful spending in information technology (IT) while strengthening information security by expediting the federal government’s... Read More »
McCaul introduces counterterrorism funding bill for first responders
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) introduced this week the Community Counterterrorism Preparedness Act, which aims to direct grant funding towards first responders so they may receive counterterrorism training in the event of a coordinated terrorist attack.... Read More »
McSally calls for expediting Douglas Port of Entry modernization project
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently called on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan to expedite the modernization of the Douglas Port of Entry (POE) in Arizona, which was last renovated more than 20 years ago. McSally also called for the construction... Read More »
Gen. Scaparrotti holds discussion on countering violent extremism with European chiefs of defense
Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, commander of the U.S. European Command, recently hosted a discussion with dozens of senior NATO Leaders and European chiefs of defense on how to counter the threat of violent extremism. “This fight against terror and violent extremists will not be easy, nor... Read More »
National Nuclear Security Administration must address affordability issues with its modernization programs, according to GAO report
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report on the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) weapon modernization programs, which stated that the agency needed to address affordability concerns in future budget estimates. GAO was tasked with publishing... Read More »
Bill to waive passport fees for first responders reintroduced in House
Fourteen members of the U.S. House of Representatives reintroduced this week the First Responders Passport Act, which allows the Secretary of State to waive passport fees for American first responders when making trips abroad to assist in natural disaster response efforts. The bipartisan group... Read More »
Katko’s airport employee screening enhancement bill advances House
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed this week the Aviation Employee Screening and Security Enhancement Act, authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY), which aims to strengthen security at the nation’s airports by providing enhanced screening procedures for airport and aviation... Read More »House advances bill incorporating children’s needs into future disaster planning initiatives
The U.S. House of Representatives passed this week the Homeland Security for Children Act, which requires future disaster preparedness planning initiatives to include the needs of children as well. The bill was introduced by U.S. Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ). “Children are not tiny... Read More »
Sens. Rubio, Coons introduce airport counterterrorism screening bill
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced this week the Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act, which aims to strengthen national security by coordinating with foreign partners to identify international airport vulnerabilities that could allow a potential terrorist to... Read More »
Sen. Cruz introduces EL CHAPO Act to use forfeited drug assets to pay for border security
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Tuesday introduced the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order (EL CHAPO) Act, which reserves forfeited assets from drug lords to pay for various security measures along the U.S.-Mexico border, including President Trump’s proposed border wall.... Read More »Biodefense advocates take on U.S. preparedness funding fight
With the nation’s signature preparedness law due for reauthorization in 2018, leaders now are readying public health stakeholders across local, state and federal levels for battle on Capitol Hill. Not only should those in the public health sector be battle-ready to support renewal of the... Read More »
Short-term funding in continuing resolutions is harming national security, says Sen. Boozman
U.S. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) recently released an editorial, which stated that Congress’ use of continuing resolutions (CR) is harming national security due to its insufficient ability to rein in spending and allow agencies to plan for the future. “This chronic budget uncertainty makes it... Read More »