Policy
Sanchez amendments adopted in two Homeland Security bills
The House Committee on Homeland Security unanimously approved amendments on Tuesday authored by U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) on two different counterterrorism measures. The first bill, the Community Counterterrorism Preparedness Act, H.R. 5859, establishes a grant program to help major... Read More »
GAO: NNSA should evaluate surveillance program in assessing nuclear weapons stockpile
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a study on Wednesday evaluating the role of the enhanced surveillance program in assessing the condition of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. The GAO report found that the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security... Read More »GAO report questions DHS CBRNE program consolidation proposal
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a study regarding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) program consolidation proposal. The GAO report found that DHS’s documentation related to... Read More »INTERPOL secretary general discusses combating terrorism with Central African Police Chiefs Committee
Secretary General of INTERPOL Jürgen Stock recently spoke at a meeting of security ministers from countries in the Central African Police Chiefs Committee (CAPCCO). Stock said that regional law enforcement cooperation is directly connected with security efforts across the continent and beyond.... Read More »Donovan introduces bill to add flexibility to Transit Security Grant Program
U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) introduced the Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act, H.R.5943, on Thursday to improve the ability of transit agencies to prevent and respond to terror attacks. Donovan said that his bill will give flexibility to the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP),... Read More »
NTI, WINS holding workshop on radiological security in Berlin
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), along with the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS), is holding a one-day workshop entitled “Radiological Security: Increasing Transparency and Voluntary Reporting” this week in Berlin. The workshop serves as a key component to continued progress... Read More »
Rice calls for hearing to investigate airport preparedness and response measures
U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY) called for a hearing on Wednesday to investigate emergency preparedness and response procedures at multiple American airports in the wake of incidents in New York and Los Angeles. Rice’s call to action follows an Aug. 14 incident at John F. Kennedy International... Read More »
Rubio, Menendez introduce companion bill to Katko’s Cuban airport security legislation
U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) applauded U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) on Wednesday for introducing the Cuban Airport Security Act in the Senate. “I welcome the support of Senators Rubio and Menendez on the issue of the safety and security of Americans traveling to... Read More »
Royce introduces bill to end cash payments to Iran
U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) introduced the Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act, H.R. 5931, on Tuesday as a measure to ensure that no future cash payments are made to the Iranian regime. “The Obama administration forked over a massive cash ransom to Iran, emboldening the world’s... Read More »GAO report: DoD should identify National Guard’s cyber capabilities and address challenges
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on Tuesday that found that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) needs to identify the National Guard’s cyber capabilities and address challenges in its exercises. The GAO report said that DoD doesn’t have the visibility of... Read More »
European Commission proposes EU certification system for airport security equipment
The European Commission (EC) proposed the establishment of a single European Union (EU) certification procedure for aviation security screening equipment on Wednesday to enhance the competitiveness of the EU security industry. The EU certificate would allow security equipment approved in one... Read More »
INTERPOL holds cybercrime training sessions for Latin America and Caribbean countries
INTERPOL recently conducted a series of cybercrime training sessions in Latin America and the Caribbean seeking to enhance regional law enforcement capacity to respond to and prevent cyberthreats. The training efforts served as an important part of INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Capacity Building... Read More »
Report: Iran may not be in compliance with nuclear deal
The Institute for Science and International Security recently released a report that found that Iran was not in compliance with the original conditions of the Iran Nuclear Deal, agreed to in July 2015. The report said that the Obama administration, along with the other P5+1 nations, secretly... Read More »
McCaul releases terror threat snapshot for the month of September
Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Michael McCaul (R-TX) released a terror threat snapshot for the month of September on Thursday. “We are confronting a lethal enemy in Islamist terrorists targeting the U.S. and our allies,” McCaul said. “Eliminating senior terrorist... Read More »Katko expresses concern over resumed commercial air travel to Cuba
U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) expressed concern on Wednesday about resumed commercial flights to Cuba. “Recent tragedies have shown us that insider threats to aviation are real, and it is clear that the U.S. government currently lacks sufficient information to ensure that Cuban airports are not... Read More »
OPCW confirms successful removal of remaining chemical weapons precursors from Libya
Director General for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ahmet Üzümcü recently confirmed that the remaining chemical weapons stocks left in Libya have been successfully removed from the country. The operation was facilitated in part by the OPCW in response to... Read More »RAND’s Gerstein: U.S. needs biodefense strategy to protect against terror threats
The U.S. government has become “somewhat complacent” in preparing for potential bioterrorist attacks and needs to implement a national biodefense strategy, Daniel Gerstein, a senior policy researcher at the nonpartisan RAND Corporation, recently told Homeland Preparedness News. The anthrax... Read More »
Bill calling for new national biodefense strategy awaits Senate floor action
Legislation that would require the United States to develop a national biodefense strategy to help prevent and respond to a bioterrorist attack or public health emergency is awaiting Senate floor action. The Biodefense Strategy Act of 2016, S. 2967, would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002... Read More »AEI: More federal funds for human intelligence efforts needed to thwart terrorists
More federal counterterrorism funding should be directed to local law enforcement agencies for human intelligence initiatives in urban areas where the risk of a terrorist attack is high, according to Matt Mayer, a homeland security expert at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), recently told... Read More »
FirstNet applauds FCC action in planning for Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) commended the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday for moving forward with two separate items regarding the implementation of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. The FCC unanimously voted to release a notice of proposed... Read More »Poliquin: Challenges to protecting Maine northern border highlight need for tough security
U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) recently said that the challenges of protecting the state’s wild and rugged 611-mile border with Canada highlight the need for a tougher stance on border security from the U.S. administration. “It would be very easy for someone to slip in or out of the... Read More »
INTERPOL holds border management training course for ASEAN countries
INTERPOL held a training course last week under the framework of the EU—ASEAN Migration and Border Management Program II to enhance border security. The course was hosted by the Royal Brunei Police Force and focused on topics such as integrated border management, illegal immigration, human... Read More »Asia-Pacific nations urge action by Obama administration on “no first use” nuclear policy
A coalition of 40 Asia-Pacific former leaders and experts from 14 different countries urged the United States on Tuesday in a letter to adopt a “no first use” nuclear policy and called for Pacific-based allies to support the initiative. The coalition included U.S. allies Australia, Japan... Read More »
European Parliament working to strengthen management of borders and travel security
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) approved plans on Friday set forth on July 6 to set up an EU border control system that brings together the European Union’s border agency, Frontex, and national border management authorities. The plan calls for national authorities to continue the... Read More »
ECDC releases opinion on whole genome sequencing
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), along with member states, released an opinion this week on whole genome sequencing (WGS) for public health surveillance. Whole genome sequencing is a laboratory process that determines the complete DNA sequence of an organism’s... Read More »
House Energy and Commerce Committee members seek information regarding CDC’s LRN capabilities
U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee members continued their oversight in examining the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Laboratory Response Network (LRN) on Thursday by requesting information regarding the network’s capabilities. The group included U.S. Reps. Fred... Read More »Ayotte releases Guantanamo Bay detainees report
U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) released an unclassified report on Wednesday summarizing the terrorist activities and affiliations of the 107 Guantanamo Bay detainees who were detained there as of Nov. 25, 2015. "The Obama administration promised transparency, but this new report shows why... Read More »
INTERPOL urges nations to adapt to changes in fight against terrorism
Secretary general of Interpol Jürgen Stock recently urged agencies across the globe to adapt to the evolving and expanding nature of transnational terrorist organizations. At a meeting on countering the cross-border movement of terrorism, Stock said that effective information sharing, capacity... Read More »Study finds huge gap in international biosafety regulations threatens security
A major gap in international standards for biosafety in laboratories handling contagious pathogens potentially increases the risk that an accident could result in a disease outbreak that threatens global security, according to a recent study by the UPMC Center for Health Security. The year-long... Read More »
Langevin commends signing of cyber incident coordination directive
U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) applauded President Barack Obama this week for signing Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 41, entitled “United States Cyber Incident Coordination.” The directive complements the Cybersecurity National Action Plan, which was introduced earlier this year to build... Read More »
OPCW, UN endorse urgent action to destroy Libya’s remaining chemical weapons
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently adopted a decision that calls for the necessary international assistance in response to a request from the Libyan Government of National Accord to destroy its remaining Category 2 chemical weapons on an expedited basis outside... Read More »
Senators urge president to restrain and reduce stockpile of nuclear weapons
A coalition 10 of U.S. senators wrote a letter on Wednesday to the Obama administration requesting action on nuclear weapons policy in the time the president has left in office. The letter was co-signed by U.S. Sens. Edward Markey (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Barbara... Read More »Donovan decries partisan fights as Zika research remains underfunded
U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) on Tuesday decried actions by his congressional colleagues for jeopardizing the development of a vaccine for the Zika virus. Donovan’s statement came in the wake of three different companies threatening to halt their developments due to funding uncertainty.... Read More »