Policy
House Homeland Security subcommittee examines effectiveness of border security task forces
In a House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing this week, representatives from the three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Joint Task Force sectors testified to the effectiveness of their current border security practices against foreign operations. The hearing sought to examine the... Read More »
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons condemns reported use of chemical weapons in Syria
In response to recent reports of a chemical weapons attack in the Khan Shaykhun area of southern Idlib in Syria, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) condemned the reported use of chemical weapons and provided updates of its fact-finding mission in the country. The... Read More »U.S. Homeland Security secretary has ‘elbow room’ on building border wall
With laws and federal personnel in place, additional resources should be dedicated to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enforce the nation’s border security challenges, particularly along the southern border, said DHS Secretary John F. Kelly. “We face diverse challenges and... Read More »
In debate over how to protect Southwest border, no one size fits all solution
Former members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection downplayed the idea that a wall alone would be enough to strengthen the U.S. southern border in a Senate hearing on Tuesday, framing it as part of a broader strategy. Speaking at a Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs committee hearing on... Read More »
Infectious Diseases Society of America supports Paulsen, Thompson antibiotic incentives bill
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recently came out in favor of the bipartisan Reinvigorating Antibiotics and Diagnostic Innovation (READI) Act, which provides a new tax credit for new antibiotics that treat serious or life-threatening infections and addresses unmet medical needs... Read More »
Bipartisan Senate group introduces bill to address surface, maritime security concerns
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently reintroduced the Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Act, which seeks to address concerns regarding the safety of the nation’s rail, transit, highway, and maritime passenger and freight transportation infrastructure. The group includes... Read More »
House subcommittee holds hearing to examine the nation’s 911 networks
The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing last week to examine the nation’s 911 networks and any weaknesses that may exist within the system itself. The purpose of the hearing, titled Realizing Nationwide Next-Generation 911, was to... Read More »
House members introduce bill to help protect faith-based community centers
A bipartisan group of House members recently introduced legislation to increase federal penalties for making bomb threats and provide $20 million in additional funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help safeguard faith-based community centers across the country. The members... Read More »
Africa CDC launches new strategic plan for infectious disease control, prevention
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a new strategic plan last week to improve the prevention, surveillance, and emergency response to infectious diseases on the continent. Prior to its approval, the plan was reviewed by Africa CDC experts, the advisory and... Read More »
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 »