Policy
CBP’s July update shows decreasing encounters on Southwest border
Though border crossing attempts remain high, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported in its July 2022 operational update that encounters at the Southwest border decreased by 4 percent, trending down for two months. In terms of individuals encountered, the figures went up by 1 percent,... Read More »
FBI nationwide sex trafficking operation saves 84 minors, 141 adults from exploitation
In coordination with state and local partners this August, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced successfully identified and located 84 minors victimized by sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, as well as 37 children who had been actively missing. Dubbed Operation Cross... Read More »
FEMA offers more than $3B for two climate resilience grants
Utilizing money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) put up more than $3 billion in funding last week for two grant programs meant to help communities improve resilience to climate change and extreme weather. “Climate change is... Read More »
Group of lawmakers push Senate leadership to fund monkeypox response in future legislative packages
A collection of 14 U.S. senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) last week to request funding for the monkeypox outbreak response be included in any upcoming legislative package. Designated a Public Health Emergency (PHE) earlier... Read More »
Rep. Steil hosts roundtable addressing fight against fentanyl in Wisconsin
Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) recently convened a roundtable in Janesville, Wis., to address the fight against fentanyl. The effort focused on Rock County and targeted methods the federal government could aid in keeping Wisconsin communities safe. The session involved leaders from the Rock County... Read More »Bill targeting HBCU cybersecurity job training enacted
Lawmakers and educators are espousing the benefits of the Cybersecurity Opportunity Act's recent enactment, which officials maintain would bolster cybersecurity job training programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson... Read More »
Sen. Portman hosts Cincinnati roundtable on overdoses in Ohio and U.S., new CARA funding efforts
Responding to the ongoing American struggle with opioids in general and fentanyl in particular, United States Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) joined the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition (HC ARC) and other stakeholders in his state to address the larger issue of addiction and overdose. Last... Read More »
Republican senators requesting information on DEA strategy to fight drug networks, cartels and narcotics smuggling
Writing to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgrim this week, a group of Republican senators requested details on the agency’s moves to crack down on illegal narcotics and their suppliers. Citing the ongoing opioid crisis that, as of Feb. 9, 2022, led to more than... Read More »
House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders request federal briefings on network security over Log4j vulnerability
Through letters dispatched to the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have requested briefings on federal network... Read More »
Bill targets permanent Iran sanctions
U.S. Reps. Tim Scott (R-SC), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) have introduced the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act (SISA), which seeks to make the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 permanent. Through SISA, the sanctions regime serves as the nation's best tool to restrain... Read More »
Measure addresses Afghan permanent legal residency
A group of lawmakers have introduced a bill they said seeks to enable Afghans with temporary status, who undergo additional vetting, to apply for permanent legal residency. Sens. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Richard... Read More »
Bill provides $30M in additional funding for Justice-run anti-hate crime program
With approval from the House Appropriations Committee, some $30 million has been marked for Justice Department use on the Community-Based Approaches to Advancing Justice Grant Program -- an effort begun just last year to reduce violent hate crimes in communities nationwide. The funding was added... Read More »
Senators seek hearing regarding Federal Reserve Bank Chinese influence
A group of Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) lawmakers are requesting a hearing to address Chinese influence and information theft at Federal Reserve Banks. HSGAC Ranking Member Rob Portman (R-OH) joined Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rand Paul... Read More »
Bill to make simplified application for federal disaster assistance advances to Senate
A bill from United States Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and James Lankford (R-OK), the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, advanced out of Senate committee last week, putting to the Senate floor the idea of simplifying the application process for federal disaster assistance. “Victims of natural... Read More »
U.S. Senate passes police training bill
A pair of lawmakers are commending Senate passage of a measure enhancing law enforcement training for those interacting with individuals with mental health, behavioral health and substance use issues. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) joined 19 colleagues in co-sponsoring... Read More »
Three bills, three approaches to strengthening DHS up for Senate consideration
A total of three bills authored by United States Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) crossed out of committee and to the floor of the Senate last week, offering potential means of enhancing Department of Homeland Security human and drug trafficking efforts. The bills include the Non-Intrusive Inspection... Read More »
Senate to consider bill to renew, expand federal oversight of drones
The Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Act crossed its first legislative hurdle last week, after it was advanced from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to full Senate consideration. A joint work from U.S. Sens. Gary... Read More »
Senate bill to reauthorize DHS office advances
After a favorable vote from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, a bill that would reauthorize the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) office will face consideration of the full Senate. The Offices of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction and Health Security Act... Read More »
House advances domestic communications networks bill
The House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee has advanced the Spectrum Innovation Act (H.R. 7624), which would enhance domestic communications networks. U.S. Reps. Bob Latta (R-OH) and Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA), chairman of the House Commerce Communications and Technology... Read More »
White House appoints team to lead federal monkeypox response
As more states and localities declare emergencies over the growing monkeypox outbreak, President Joe Biden this week formed an official White House national monkeypox team from other agencies to guide federal response. Helming the team will be FEMA’s Regional Administrator for the American... Read More »
Bill targets comprehensive southern border strategy
A Republican group of senators recently introduced a bill requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary to complete a comprehensive southern border strategy within 12 months of enactment. U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and James... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee leaders request details on federal monkeypox response
In letters dispatched to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), House Homeland Security Committee leaders have pressed for details of the federal government’s preparations for and response to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak. Committee... Read More »
New House legislation seeks modernization of federal efforts to tackle WMDs, pandemics
New legislation up for consideration in the U.S. House would revamp the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts on weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) by modernizing its Countering WMD office and formalizing and expanding its Office of Health Security. The Health Security and Countering... Read More »
DHS, FEMA announce selections for $1.16B climate resilience funding initiative
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced the selections for $1.16 billion in climate resilience funding through two competitive grant programs to help communities across the nation enhance climate and disaster... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster community unmanned aircraft systems protections
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) recently introduced legislation that seeks to bolster the nation’s ability to counter community threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones. The Safeguarding the Homeland from the... Read More »
Biden administration locks in millions of Moderna, Pfizer variant-specific COVID-19 vaccine boosters
For use later this year, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) announced last week that they had bought 66 million doses of a Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster candidate. “We must stay vigilant in our fight against COVID-19 and continue to expand... Read More »
House advances Cicilline legislation representing first vote on assault weapons ban in nearly 30 years
In a close vote of 217-213, the House advanced the Assault Weapons Bill (H.R. 1808) last week, marking the first vote on an assault weapons ban by the full House since 1994. Originally introduced by U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), the ban advanced with support from major gun safety... Read More »
HHS to dispense additional 786,000 JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine doses nationwide
Following inspection and approval of a Bavarian Nordic manufacturing facility overseas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week that it now has access to – and plans to allocate – another 786,000 doses of the company’s JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine nationwide.... Read More »
Bill seeks to address violent crime law discrepancies
A group of Republican lawmakers recently introduced legislation that seeks to clarify and strengthen violent crime laws focusing on offenses such as homicide, bank robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping. Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) led 24 Republican colleagues in... Read More »
San Francisco declares local public health emergency over monkeypox
San Francisco declared monkeypox a local public health emergency last week as New York state designated the disease an imminent threat. In both cases, such designations will help focus preparedness and response efforts to rising cases of monkeypox. That same disease was declared a public health... Read More »
Republican legislators express ICE funding concerns
A group of Republican legislators recently forwarded correspondence to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership regarding the ICE budget shortfall and its impact. U.S. Reps. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) led U.S.... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Hawley introduce legislation to seek illicit drug plan from DHS
The newly introduced Enhancing DHS Drug Seizures Act seeks to bolster efforts by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detect and seize illicit drugs, including through the development of a plan for stronger public-private partnerships. Introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and... Read More »
FDA approves Bavarian Nordic manufacturing capabilities, frees up 786,000 more monkeypox vaccine doses
Monkeypox vaccine production is about to experience a significant surge following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval this week of a supplement to the Bavarian Nordic JYNNEOS vaccine and its fill-and-finish capabilities. Through an expedited inspection and approval process,... Read More »
United States, Ukraine expand cybersecurity collaboration
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Ukrainian State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP) recently announced an expanded cybersecurity Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC). “I am incredibly pleased to sign this MOC to deepen... Read More »