Policy
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 »
Senate advances legislation seeking to reduce U.S. homicide cold cases
The U.S. Senate recently advanced the Homicide Victims’ Families Rights Act, which will now move to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. The bill, introduced by U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA), seeks to help address the nation’s growing number of... Read More »
USDA launches five-year, $1B Community Wildfire Defense Grant program
Drawing on funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that $1 billion is now being offered through the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program to assist at-risk communities. “Insight and guidance from the communities most at risk for... Read More »
DHS S&T, National Urban Security Technology Lab host Urban OpEx for first responders to evaluate new tech
To improve first responder operations and get them the best technology, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) hosted the Urban Operational Experimentation (OpEx) 2022 from July 18-22, 2022. At this gathering, S&T and its National Urban Security... Read More »
Report: Efforts by China to undermine U.S. Federal Reserve Banks ongoing
A new report from U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has found that China’s efforts to undermine the U.S. Federal Reserve System have been going on since at least 2013. According to the report, China’s Threat to... Read More »
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers details school safety summit
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) recently outlined the results of a recent school safety summit tailored for federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and campus law enforcement personnel. The School Safety Summit: Strategies for Prevention was conducted July 19-21, 2022,... Read More »
Congressional letters to White House mount over monkeypox response
More than 100 members of Congress, backed by more than 100 organizations, sent a letter to the Biden administration this week, urging additional funding for sexual health clinics dealing with the expanding monkeypox outbreak. Signatories of the letter, led by U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and... Read More »
Rep. Demings hosts disaster response, recovery roundtable in Orlando
U.S. Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, recently convened a roundtable in Orlando, Fla., addressing federal security and disaster response and recovery operations. The initiative allowed central Florida... Read More »
IPR Center, global partners seize $11M in illicit medicines
National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) authorities recently detailed collaboration with 94 Interpol member countries resulting in 7,800 illicit medication seizures totaling $11 million. Operation Pangea XV was conducted from June 23-30. The scope of work included... Read More »