Policy
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 »
Lawmakers express DHS, CBP southern border concerns
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding southern border protection concerns. U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) joined nine colleagues in signing off on the letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro... Read More »
Senate advances bipartisan legislation to reauthorize training for state and local law enforcement
The Senate unanimously voted through the National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 2022 this week, setting up an extension of the aforementioned institute’s lifespan to continue training state and local law enforcement agencies. “NCFI helps train law enforcement across the... Read More »
Senate committee advances bill to ensure federally-funded inventions made in United States
The Invent Here, Make Here for Homeland Security Act advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee this week, putting to the full body consideration of legislation that would add requirements and restrictions on what can be manufactured abroad. Produced by U.S.... Read More »
DEA details fentanyl seizure operation
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials have detailed results of a May to September 2022 enforcement operation the agency said yielded nationwide fentanyl seizures. In conjunction with the One Pill Can Kill initiative, the DEA and law enforcement partners seized more than 10.2 million... Read More »
USDOT to award $32.4M in grants for hazardous materials safety efforts among states, territories and Tribes
To improve local efforts to respond to hazardous materials incidents, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) announced this week that it will award $32.4 million in grants to states, territories, and Tribes. A total of 81 grants will be split between six different hazardous... Read More »
Bipartisan senators urge Biden to take executive action to create additional outbound investment screen
While promoting their National Critical Capabilities Defense Act (S. 1854 and H.R. 6323), a bipartisan group of U.S. senators wrote to President Joe Biden this week, urging him to take an immediate, interim executive action on outbound investments to foreign adversaries. This action, they... Read More »
Lawmakers target online fentanyl sales
A group of lawmakers have forwarded correspondence to TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and the Department of Justice (DOJ), noting they are seeking increased efforts to address illegal online fentanyl sales. House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA),... Read More »Ukraine Human Rights Policy Act seeks new sanctions for Russian human rights violations
Seeking to dial-up support for the Ukrainian war effort and increase scrutiny of Russian actions taken during its invasion, a group of U.S. senators and congressmen last week submitted the bipartisan, bicameral Ukraine Human Rights Policy Act of 2022. Jointly rolled out by U.S. Sens. Todd... Read More »
U.S. House advances police department funding measure
The U.S. House of Representatives on Sept. 22 advanced bipartisan legislation that seeks to fund local police departments and help reduce crime. The Invest to Protect Act of 2022, H.R. 6448, was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and has 86 cosponsors. It would establish a new grant... Read More »
TSA details rising security checkpoint gun intercepts
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said the agency is experiencing a nationwide trend regarding guns intercepted at airport security checkpoints. “Each gun presents a danger," TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz said. "Any incident could have tragic results. This ominous trend continues... Read More »
BADGES legislation pursues new Tribal resources to solve growing crisis of missing, murdered women
With an underreported wave of missing and murdered indigenous women continuing throughout America, Congress is starting to take notice: last week, Congressional lawmakers introduced the bicameral BADGES for Native Communities Act to acquire more resources for Tribal communities. “The federal... Read More »
Raytheon Missiles and Defense secures Air Force contract for Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile prototypes
Raytheon Missiles and Defense has secured a $985,348,124 Air Force contract to develop and demonstrate Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) prototypes. "HACM is a powerful example of developing and integrating combat capabilities alongside our partners from the beginning," Air Force Chief of... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Portman introduce Securing Open Source Software Act
In response to the potential exploitation of vulnerabilities in open source software, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) last week introduced the Securing Open Source Software Act to evaluate and direct how open source code could be used by the federal government. “Open... Read More »
MINES Act seeks increased scrutiny of Chinese, Russian mineral acquisition worldwide
In his introduction of the Monitoring and Investigating Nations Exploiting States (MINES) Act (H.R. 8911) this week, U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) emphasized a need to maintain and monitor access to minerals critical to the national economy or security, no matter their origin. Earlier this year,... Read More »
Hurricane Fiona leads to Public Health Emergency in Puerto Rico
After the Category 1 Hurricane Fiona slammed Puerto Rico, the devastation led to President Joe Biden declaring a disaster across the island this week, followed shortly by a Public Health Emergency from Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra due to flooding. Even as Federal Emergency... Read More »
Bill seeks to clarify, strengthen violent crime laws
A group of lawmakers recently introduced a bill that seeks to clarify and strengthen violent crime laws involving homicide, bank robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and other offenses. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) recently joined U.S. Reps. Ken Buck (R-CO), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Scott Fitzgerald... Read More »
Rep. Higgins advocates elimination of U.S.-Canada border restrictions
U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins is calling on the United States to end COVID-related restrictions at the U.S. border with Canada. Higgins, co-chair of the Canada-US Interparliamentary Group and the Congressional Northern Border Caucus, forwarded correspondence to Department of Homeland Security (DHS)... Read More »
Redacted Senate Intelligence Committee report highlights China, Russia and more as foreign intelligence threats
A new Senate Intelligence Committee report built on two years of research identified numerous threats to American security and called for reforms. Redacted and released by Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL), the bipartisan report concluded, among other things, that... Read More »
Bill ensures DHS S&T funds back domestically-produced inventions
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) recently introduced the Invent Here, Make Here for Homeland Security Act, which ensures Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) funds support inventions produced in the United States. The legislation... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Grassley target lobbyists, foreign influence on U.S. policy in latest legislation
Worried about undisclosed foreign influence on United States policy, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act this week to crack down on lobbyist and political party exploitation of a Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA)... Read More »
DHS deploys Ford Mustang Mach-E battery electric vehicle for law enforcement
With the debut this week of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shook up the law enforcement sector with a first-of-its-kind electric vehicle (EV). The vehicle, fitted to tackle the particular challenges of law enforcement, also made DHS the first federal... Read More »