Policy
Bicameral Gang Activity Reporting Act seeks greater reporting on gang-related crime
In an effort to gather more information for lawmakers and law enforcement on gang-related crimes, federal lawmakers introduced the Gang Activity Reporting Act last week to both the House and Senate. "Increased crime and gang activity across the country is making us all less safe," said U.S. Rep.... Read More »
Reps. Thompson, Cicilline, Espaillat lead effort seeking ghost gun enforcement actions
U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) have joined 135 colleagues in forwarding correspondence they said encourages strong enforcement actions against ghost guns. The legislators sent letters to President Joe Biden, U.S. Attorney General Merrick... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Portman tout passage of legislation strengthening federal workforce AI insight
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) are espousing the benefits of the recent enactment of their legislation that bolsters the federal workforce’s understanding of artificial intelligence (AI). The Artificial Intelligence Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act would aid in... Read More »
Rep. Katko releases CISA fact sheet to pitch forward path for American cybersecurity
Released this week by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY), ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) 2025 fact sheet outlined his view of a roadmap for the agency’s growth over the next three years. Since its founding in 2018,... Read More »
DHS S&T initiates new baggage screening system
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently announced the benefits of a new, compact carry-on baggage screening system to aid smaller airports. The Reduced Form Factor-Computed Tomography (RFF-CT) system is presently being deployed at Harry... Read More »
Homeland Security Investigations launches Operation Boiling Point to target organized theft
A new effort to crackdown on organized retail crime put domestic and transnational criminal organizations in the crosshairs of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) this week, with the beginning of Operation Boiling Point. Working alongside industry partners, as well as federal, state, and... Read More »
Bill designates New York, Texas airports as ports of entry
A pair of lawmakers have introduced a measure they said seeks to designate New York's Plattsburgh International Airport and Valley International Airport in Texas as Ports of Entry (POE). Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Mayra Flores (R-TX) recently introduced the Border Airport Enhancement Act,... Read More »
House committee leaders introduce bill to encourage international tribunal in support of Ukraine
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine still raging on, a collection of House chairs, co-chairs and ranking members introduced non-binding legislation last week meant to encourage President Joe Biden to support the creation of an international tribunal to punish crimes undertaken against Ukraine.... Read More »
Department of Justice allocates $139M in grant funding for 180 law enforcement agencies
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has earmarked $139 million in grant funds for 180 law enforcement agencies nationwide, which enables the hiring of 973 additional full-time personnel. The initiative is offered through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring... Read More »
Drug Enforcement Administration details New York fentanyl, weapons seizure
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently outlined a New York fentanyl and weapons seizure. DEA personnel and Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York officials noted the seizure resulted in the confiscation of 300,000 rainbow fentanyl pills, 20 pounds... Read More »
Congressional scrutiny of social media company moderation grows in wake of U.S. shootings
Although the Internet was, at one time, deemed to be one of the last frontiers, its uses have changed and multiplied exponentially over the years – and now, a collection of 13 members of Congress have written social media companies asking for evidence of response to violent threats and harmful... Read More »
NIAID partners with Democratic Republic of the Congo for new trial of monkeypox antiviral TPOXX
Together, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) and the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are co-leading an evaluation trial of TPOXX, an antiviral drug for monkeypox. With this year’s worldwide... Read More »
Sen Portman details Senate FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) recently detailed the Senate FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), outlining 13 critical priorities within the legislation. “I’m pleased to announce that several of my initiatives to further protect our homeland have been included in the FY 2023... Read More »
DHS, Mexico lay out new migration enforcement paths for Venezuelan immigrants
Effective immediately, Venezuelans who enter U.S. ports of entry without authorization will be deported to Mexico, according to new enforcement rules laid out by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security this week. The announcement came alongside declarations of new agreements between DHS and its... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security outlines H-2B Cap supplement initiative
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced efforts to issue a regulation making an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for fiscal year (FY) 2023. The effort is focused on providing a supplemented number of visas to employers in... Read More »
DHS S&T details fifth Hacking for Homeland Security course
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently initiated its fifth Hacking for Homeland Security (H4HS) program. “We’re excited to provide this unique opportunity for students who’ll bring fresh ideas to real-world government problems,”... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Banks, 20 Republican lawmakers urge federal action against Chinese police on American soil
Following reports that the Chinese Communist Party was actively opening and utilizing overseas police departments, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), with an additional 20 Republican lawmakers, penned a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding... Read More »
Measure targets domestic Saudi Arabia arms sales prohibition
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) recently introduced legislation prohibiting domestic arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The measure stems from Saudi Arabia's agreement with Russia to cut oil production at last week’s OPEC+ meeting, lending support to Russia in its... Read More »
House Homeland Security Fentanyl Enforcement Act proposed to expand DHS authorities to combat fentanyl
As the drug fentanyl continues to surge into the United States, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and six other Republicans added to a parallel surge of affiliated legislation to combat it last week with the introduction of the Homeland Security Fentanyl Enforcement Act (HR 9093). The new bill would... Read More »
DARPA pursues design, demonstration of airborne optical energy relays
As part of a project that could rethink wireless power and energy distribution, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is plotting out the Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program – and working toward multipath, wireless energy networks. If successfully... Read More »
Bill targets military global conflict response preparedness
U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) recently introduced legislation to bolster U.S. military preparedness in response to a global conflict. Tillis and Shaheen, members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, recently detailed the Promoting Readiness for Overseas Contingencies... Read More »
HBCU Caucus urges FBI, DOJ to protect schools from bomb threats
America has faced a surge in hate crimes over recent years, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have been among the threatened, with at least 57 bomb threats made this year alone – and now, the HBCU Caucus in Congress is urging federal action. In a letter to Department of... Read More »
HHS purchases drug for radiological and nuclear health emergencies
A new deal with Amgen USA Inc., under the authority provided by the Project BioShield Act, saw the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) purchase a $290 million supply of the drug Nplate this week, for use during radiological and nuclear emergencies. Nplate is a... Read More »
Legislation seeks to strengthen EMS support
U.S. Reps. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Cindy Axne (D-IA), Mike Carey (R-OH), Al Lawson (D-FL), Bruce Westerman (R-AR), and Marc Veasey (D-TX) recently introduced the Supporting Our First Responders Act, which seeks to enhance emergency medical services (EMS) agency support. The... Read More »
Pennsylvania offers $5M in support for security at nonprofits targeted by hate crimes
Responding to an uptick in hate crimes that have plagued the United States for years, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced this week that $5 million would fund security enhancement projects for nonprofits targeted by such crimes in the Commonwealth. “Hate has no place here in Pennsylvania,”... Read More »
HHS revises PREP Act declaration to increase number of people able to administer monkeypox vaccines
In order to expand the number of providers able to administer vaccines against monkeypox, smallpox, and other orthopoxviruses, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week amended its declaration of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act. HHS Secretary... Read More »
CISA highlights cybersecurity awareness initiatives
Amid October being designated Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials said the agency is highlighting actions Americans can take to raise the baseline for cybersecurity nationwide. President Joe Biden's recent signing of a proclamation... Read More »
New FEMA reservists’ job protections signed into law
Even as disaster relief continued on Puerto Rico, Florida, and others in the wake of Hurricane Ian, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reservists gained new job protections last week with the passage of the Civilian Reservist Emergency Workforce Act. Authored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters... Read More »
CBP, Dominican Republic sign Global Entry Agreement
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are espousing the benefits of the agency's recently signed agreement initiating negotiations to include the Dominican Republic among Global Entry foreign partner countries. Authorities indicated CBP Deputy Commissioner Troy Miller and Dominican... Read More »
Bipartisan dozen in Congress urge FDA to pursue broad array of therapeutics for COVID-19 variants
In a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D. last month, 12 members of Congress pressed the regulator to guarantee a variety of therapeutics to ready the nation for further COVID-19 variants. “We urge the FDA to ensure that the availability of... Read More »
Senate advances legislation to expand FEMA preparedness capacity to assist with technological hazards
While much of what the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) deals with are natural disasters, a new bill – the Technological Hazards Preparedness and Training Act (S.4166) – advanced through the Senate last week seeks to expand its ability to address technological hazards as... Read More »
Facial Recognition Act introduced in pursuit of strong limits on law enforcement use of facial recognition technology
A group of Democratic representatives recently introduced the Facial Recognition Act of 2022 to enforce limitations and increase transparency in law enforcement's use of facial recognition technology. The lawmakers argued that a lack of transparency or reasonable limits can make such... Read More »
Committee advances measure bolstering support of local fire departments across United States
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) recently applauded the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for advancing their legislation increasing federal for local fire departments nationwide. The Fire Grants and Safety Act reauthorizes Federal Emergency Management... Read More »
Legislation seeks to strengthen Taiwan’s defense, deter CCP aggression
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) is espousing the benefits of a measure he said seeks to strengthen Taiwan’s defense and deter the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aggression. The House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican and Chairman of the China Task Force recently introduced the Taiwan Policy... Read More »