Policy

European Commission signs agreement for public-private cybersecurity partnership

Friday, July 8, 2016 by Alex Murtha

The European Commission launched a new public-private partnership on cybersecurity on Tuesday that is expected to trigger $1.9 billion of investment by 2020. The partnership is part of a series of a new initiatives to better equip Europe against cyber attacks and to strengthen the... Read More »

Warner, Kaine push VA on pilot program to improve access for veterans healthcare

Wednesday, July 6, 2016 by Alex Murtha

U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) pushed the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Friday for an update on a local pilot program designed to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare for veterans. The senators sent a letter to VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald... Read More »

House Homeland Security Committee releases encryption report

Tuesday, July 5, 2016 by Alex Murtha

The House Homeland Security Committee released a report on Wednesday regarding encrypted communications in the wake of the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and Paris. The report, titled “Going Dark Going Forward: A Primer on the Encryption Debate,” is the first congressional in-depth... Read More »

Donovan calls for smarter rules on cyberdefense, seizing terrorist funds

Friday, July 1, 2016 by Tracy Rozens

With the goal of improving U.S. threat preparedness, U.S. Rep. Daniel Donovan (R-NY), who serves on the House Homeland Security Committee, recently introduced legislation to help fight potential terror attacks in urban areas and in cyberspace. Donovan recently introduced the Terrorist Asset... Read More »

Katko, House members denied access to Cuba by Cuban government

Wednesday, June 29, 2016 by Alex Murtha

U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY), along with other House members, was blocked by the Cuban government last week from entering the country to assess security risks associated with resuming air travel between the United States and Cuba. The Cuban government signed an accord on Feb. 16 that will allow... Read More »

Subcommittee hearing examines FirstNet’s progress

Monday, June 27, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet held a hearing on Tuesday to examine the progress of FirstNet, the first nationwide, high-speed network dedicated to public safety. Chairman of the Subcommittee... Read More »

Burr, McCain raise concerns over Senate rejection of FBI surveillance amendment

Monday, June 27, 2016 by Alex Murtha

The United States Senate voted 58-38 on Wednesday to reject an amendment that would enable the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to more quickly obtain the electronic transaction records of suspected terrorists. The amendment was offered by U.S. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and John McCain... Read More »

EU Civil Liberties Committee endorse plan to check citizens at external borders

Thursday, June 23, 2016 by Alex Murtha

The European Union (EU) Civil Liberties Committee endorsed a plan by the EU Commission on Tuesday that will systematically check all EU citizens entering or leaving the EU against wide and national security databases. The plan, authored by Monica Macovei and approved by a vote of 48-6, also... Read More »

GAO: NSDD is addressing challenges, but more improvement needed

Wednesday, June 22, 2016 by Alex Murtha

A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released on Saturday found that the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) nuclear smuggling detection and deterrence (NSDD) program is addressing challenges but should improve its overall plan. The full GAO report examined... Read More »

Katko legislation included in broader counterterrorism bill package

Tuesday, June 21, 2016 by Alex Murtha

Legislation authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) was included in a comprehensive bill package on Friday aimed at combating domestic terrorism in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting. The Countering Terrorist Radicalization Act, H.R. 5471, will seek to streamline domestic... Read More »

Rubio, Nelson urge reassessment of security risks for Orlando area

Monday, June 20, 2016 by Alex Murtha

U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (R-FL) urged the president on Wednesday to reevaluate the Relative Risk Score Threat Level applied to the Orlando area so that it qualifies for funding under the Urban Area Security Initiative. The two senators sent letters to the Obama... Read More »

European Commission releases recommendations to prevent home-grown radicalized terrorists

Thursday, June 16, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The European Commission (EC) presented further steps on Tuesday to support member states in preventing and countering violent radicalization leading to terrorism. The steps are part of the EC’s European Agenda on Security. “Recent terrorist attacks have shown how some young Europeans... Read More »

INTERPOL conducts international border protection operation

Wednesday, June 15, 2016 by HPN News Desk

INTERPOL recently conducted Operation Red Lotus, which seeks to build closer collaboration between immigration and police agencies by utilizing INTERPOL’s global policing capabilities to carry out enhanced passenger screenings. Approximately 3.5 million passenger checks were conducted during... Read More »

Royce, Ryan join House Republicans in unveiling new national security agenda

Tuesday, June 14, 2016 by Alex Murtha

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), along with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI), unveiled the House Republicans’ blueprint for security at home and abroad on Friday. The blueprint is part of the House GOP’s “A Better Way” initiative, which outlines ideas to... Read More »

Health Subcommittee holds markup on the Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act

Wednesday, June 8, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a Health Subcommittee markup on Tuesday, discussing the Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act, H.R. 3299. "There is a clear role for the federal government to play in creating medical countermeasures and contributing to our nation's... Read More »

Alliance for Biosecurity applauds subcommittee efforts to sustain medical countermeasure funding

Wednesday, June 8, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The Alliance for Biosecurity lauded the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday for recommending sustained funding in its FY 2017 appropriations bill for some essential medical countermeasures programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. The... Read More »

EU seeks to improve management of national borders

Tuesday, June 7, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The European Union (EU) Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee recently approved proposals concerning border security, migration and cooperation with other countries. More than one million migrants arrived in the EU by sea in 2015, according to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR. This... Read More »

Ministers of European Parliament seek better information sharing of criminal records for EU nationals

Thursday, June 2, 2016 by HPN News Desk

Civil Liberties Committee Ministers of European Parliament (MEP) on Tuesday called for the addition of non-European Union (EU) nationals to the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) that EU countries use to exchange information on the criminal convictions of EU citizens. The... Read More »

Eastern European States pledge support to OPCW for education and outreach efforts

Thursday, May 26, 2016 by Alex Murtha

Representatives from 21 Eastern European States voiced their support of awareness-raising efforts by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) during the first regional meeting on education and outreach early this month in Vilnius, Lithuania. In total, 45 participants from... Read More »

Lawmakers ask FCC how proposed rules would affect cybersecurity

Thursday, May 26, 2016 by HPN News Desk

A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers sent a letter on Monday to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler asking how the FCC’s proposed rule on set-top boxes could affect cybersecurity. The coalition included U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Tom Carper (D-DE), along with... Read More »

McCaul urges Senate to take action on TSA bills

Thursday, May 26, 2016 by Alex Murtha

House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) on Tuesday urged the United States Senate to take action on two bipartisan bills aimed at reducing wait times at the nation’s airports. The TSA PreCheck Expansion Act, H.R. 2343, was introduced by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) and passed... Read More »

Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense applauds legislation to establish national biodefense strategy

Wednesday, May 25, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense on Wednesday applauded legislation advanced by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security to ensure that the U.S. is prepared for biological threats, including the Zika virus. The National Biodefense Strategy Act of 2016, S. 2967, introduced by U.S. Sen.... Read More »

OPCW director general speaks at NATO conference in Slovenia

Monday, May 23, 2016 by HPN News Desk

Ahmet Uzumcu, director general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), addressed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Conference on Weapons of Mass Destruction Arms Control Disarmament in Slovenia on Wednesday regarding security challenges facing the OPCW.... Read More »

Energy and Commerce subcommittee examines U.S. biological threat preparedness

Friday, May 20, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled “Examining H.R. 3299, Strengthening Public Health Response Act” on Thursday to examine legislation meant to better prepare the U.S. to fight biological threats. The Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response... Read More »

Katko calls upon Senate to pass TSA PreCheck expansion legislation

Friday, May 20, 2016 by Alex Murtha

U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) called upon the U.S. Senate on Tuesday to take action on his bipartisan TSA PreCheck Expansion Act, H.R. 2843, in order to address long security lines affecting many of the nation’s airports. The TSA PreCheck program is a risk-based security model that provides... Read More »

Migration, border security highlight top issues at INTERPOL European meeting

Friday, May 20, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The 44th International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) European Regional Conference is being held this week, with participants discussing the challenges posed by record numbers of migrants traveling to Europe. Following the publication of the joint Europol-INTERPOL report on migrant... Read More »

Schumer: Increase canine units, TSA agents to alleviate security wait times

Thursday, May 19, 2016 by HPN News Desk

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called on Monday for an immediate surge in canine inspection units at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to help speed up long security lines at New York City airports. “As the dog days of summer roll on in, airport security lines need to roll... Read More »

McCaul, Congressional delegation return from Egypt with new terror insight

Tuesday, May 17, 2016 by Alex Murtha

U.S. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) returned to the United States last week after visiting Egyptian leaders to discuss the growing presence of ISIS in the region and efforts to combat terrorist groups throughout North Africa. “ISIS may be losing some ground... Read More »

EU Parliament approves new powers for Europol to fight terrorism

Friday, May 13, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The European Union (EU) Parliament approved a new rule on Wednesday allowing EU Police and Europol to soon be able to step up efforts in fighting criminal offenses and respond faster to threats. The draft rules will strengthen Europol’s mandate to ensure that it is fully equipped to counter... Read More »

Bipartisan committee leaders seek update for nuclear smuggling deterrence programs

Thursday, May 5, 2016 by HPN News Desk

Bipartisan leaders from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Monday sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz seeking information on the current status of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) nuclear smuggling detection and deterrence programs (NSDD). “We... Read More »

Buchanan calls for full funding to eradicate Zika virus

Thursday, May 5, 2016 by Alex Murtha

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) called for Congress on Monday to fully fund efforts to eradicate the emerging Zika virus. Buchanan said that he supported an additional $1.9 billion in funding requested by the government to contain and eradicate the virus. His supports follows the rapid spread of... Read More »

OPCW holds talks with Russian foreign minister on Chemical Weapons Convention implementation

Friday, April 29, 2016 by Alex Murtha

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Director General Ahmet Üzümcü met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday to discuss a wide variety of issues pertaining to chemical weapons. One of the main topics for discussion was the... Read More »

Bipartisan disaster preparedness legislation passes House

Friday, April 29, 2016 by HPN News Desk

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation - the Promoting Resilience and Efficiency in Preparing for Attacks and Responding to Emergencies (PREPARE) Act, H.R. 3583 - on Tuesday that would enhance the U.S.’s disaster preparedness and response capabilities. The legislation was... Read More »

Legislation introduced to fund Zika countermeasures

Friday, April 29, 2016 by Douglas Brown

U.S. Sens. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced legislation on Friday that would fully fund the Obama administration’s $1.9 billion request aimed at counteracting the Zika virus. “In Hawaii, the threat of the Zika virus remains a major public health concern, especially... Read More »

Brooks calls for more public-private partnerships to strengthen U.S. biodefense position

Tuesday, April 26, 2016 by Tracy Rozens

The U.S. is woefully underprepared for potential bioterrorist attacks or naturally occurring pandemics like the Zika virus, and the federal government must do more to partner with the private sector in order to combat those threats, U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) warned this week. “The answers... Read More »

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