U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) is commending the House of Representatives' passage of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and his amendment regarding Chinese product and resource dependency.
The amendment eliminates the domestic Armed Forces’ dependence on Chinese-made... Read More »
Worried about rapidly fixing cyber vulnerabilities in the highly digital age, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) introduced the Proactive Cyber Initiatives Act of 2022 last week to direct investment into new cybersecurity efforts and shift from responsive defensive tactics to proactive ones.
The... Read More »
As concerns about the monkeypox outbreak worldwide continued to grow, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) responded last week with an order for another 2.5 million doses of Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine to fill the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).
While the... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) is commending colleagues for including her legislation supporting the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The action will be included in the NDAA Fiscal Year 2023, which serves as the legislative foundation for... Read More »
A major provision of the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA, or H.R. 7900) – which advanced from the House by a vote of 329-101 last week – addresses commercial wildlife markets and illegal wildlife trafficking.
An amendment to the act from U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley... Read More »
U.S. Reps. David N. Cicilline (D-RI) and Fred Upton (R-MI) recently applauded the House of Representatives for advancing the Active Shooter Alert Act of 2022 (H.R.6538).
The legislation would create an AMBER Alert similar system for active shooter incidents, which could be deployed during... Read More »
Bolstering the number of options for use against SARS-CoV-2, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) this week for the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted.
This authorization greenlit the vaccine for use on those at least 18 years old and... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced this week the CONSULT Act, which aims to prevent Russian, Chinese, and other countries of concern from meddling with national security consulting firms.
CONSULT, or the Combating Obstructive National Security... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jim Risch (R-ID) recently introduced legislation to bolster southern border security initiatives.
The Solving the Border Crisis Act would resume southern border wall construction, strengthen management and enforcement capacities, and uphold the rule of... Read More »
Seeking to progress key homeland security agreements and objectives, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced expanded security cooperation with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Robert Silvers, Under Secretary for Policy at the DOE, penned security arrangements with... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY) have introduced a bill prohibiting countries such as China and Russia from purchasing U.S. agriculture companies.
The Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act also ensures the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is fully... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced that Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc., based in El Segundo, Calif., has agreed to pay $9 million to resolve False Claims Act violation allegations.
According to the Justice Department, the settlement resolves a lawsuit filed and litigated by former... Read More »
New recommendations meant to overhaul U.S. research oversight for enhanced potential pandemic pathogens (ePPPs) and life sciences dual-use efforts were submitted last week by a 34-member group of scientists, public health experts, and policy researchers.
These recommendations were submitted by... Read More »
In response to Afghanistan’s return to Taliban rule, U.S. Reps. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) introduced legislation last week – the Preventing Terrorist Transfers to Afghanistan Act – that would disallow the release of terrorism-aligned individuals to Afghanistan.
A similar... Read More »
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently detailed the seizure of 1,342 pounds (609 Kilos) of cocaine left inside a smuggling vessel in El Paraiso Beach.
The estimated value of the narcotics discovered in northern Puerto Rico is $12.7 million - crediting the seizure to Border Patrol... Read More »
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced this week that $122.5 million had been awarded through the State Aid for Police Protection (SAPP) program to expand resources for police departments statewide.
“Prioritized by our budget, this record 60% increase in funding will help police officers and the... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to formally investigate TikTok and the platform's parent company, ByteDance.
Warner and Rubio, respective chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence,... Read More »
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) recently released a joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) providing information on Maui ransomware.
The Maui ransomware has been used by North... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Young Kim (R-CA) have introduced a bill that seeks to ensure efficient delivery of domestic defense equipment sold to Taiwan and Indo Pacific allies.
The Arms Exports Delivery Solutions Act (H.R. 8259) would track transfers while reaffirming congressional... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), and Anthony G. Brown (D-MD) recently filed a fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) amendment providing the District of Columbia mayor D.C. National Guard control.
The legislators introduced the filing at the... Read More »
As the war between Ukraine and Russia continues unabated, despite hundreds of deaths and months of economic sanctions, some lawmakers in the United States have begun looking to the future, with a resolution committing the United States to rebuild the ravaged Ukraine.
Essentially, the bill would... Read More »
As part of a competitive search for climate-friendly cooling solutions in the face of extreme heat conditions, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded $195,000 to winners of the Cooling Solutions Challenge this week.
Participants worked on innovative solutions to heat, inventing... Read More »
Responding to the more than 450 cases of monkeypox reported in the United States as of July 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ordered another 2.5 million doses of Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS vaccine for smallpox and monkeypox.
The case count held at 459 at the end of... Read More »
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently unveiled an updated version of its mobile app, which now provides users with increased personalization options while aiding disaster safety efforts.
“FEMA is committed to providing families with the tools and information they need to keep... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Ken Calvert (R-CA), co-chairs of the California Aerospace Caucus, sent a letter to U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III last week, urging for the permanent relocation of the U.S. Space Force (USSF) upcoming Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM)... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), advocating support for a CMS proposal encouraging hospitals to buy domestically-produced masks.
U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined six colleagues in sending... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) recently formed the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Cyber program-managed joint initiative, which would enhance critical infrastructure cyber... Read More »
Struggling to contain a national opioid epidemic, the United States Justice Department (DOJ) Criminal Division this week gathered various law enforcement operations together under the New England Prescription Opioid (NEPO) Strike Force.
The strike force represents a renewed focus on unlawful... Read More »
Public health policy organization Trust for America’s Health and the nonprofit collective known as the Coalition for Health Funding assembled expert panelists and public health officials last week to discuss public health funding in the post-COVID landscape.
While COVID-19’s effects are... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently detailed an agreement to purchase 105 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for a fall vaccination campaign.
HHS collaborated with the U.S. Department of Defense on the $3.2 billion contract that includes a combination of... Read More »
A new study conducted by consulting firm Trail of Bits and funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) concluded that despite claims to the contrary, blockchains are not impenetrable but can be subverted to dishonest means.
Despite the growing prevalence of blockchains... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) is requesting the Biden administration reopen the northern border and recently encouraged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end the trucker and traveler vaccination mandate.
Tester recently implored Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro... Read More »
With the acceptance of a biologics license application (BLA) from Emergent BioSolutions Inc. last week, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to review the potential of AV7909, an anthrax vaccine candidate.
“Over the last 20 years, Emergent has partnered with the U.S.... Read More »
As encouragement for proof-of-concept research into homeland security technology, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) divided up $4.479 million in competitive research contracts to 30 small businesses.
This first phase of the DHS Small... Read More »
Following the advancement of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, Rep. David N. Cicilline said the momentum must be used to pass other gun violence combating measures.
“This is the first time in nearly 28 years that Congress has sent a comprehensive gun violence prevention bill to the... Read More »