Policy
Bolstered mental health crisis training sought for law enforcement
A group of lawmakers recently introduced legislation to enhance training for law enforcement personnel interacting with persons with mental or behavioral health issues. The Bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act was sponsored by U.S. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Cornyn... Read More »
House advances School and Daycare Protection Act focused on securing schools against terrorism
The House of Representatives advanced this week the School and Daycare Protection Act (H.R. 6387), introduced by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), to prompt action from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management. Under H.R. 6387, DHS would create a School Security... Read More »
Bipartisan legislators urge White House for more weapons, support for Ukraine
Uniting colleagues from across the political aisle, a letter written to President Joe Biden this week from 17 members of the House called for more missiles and radar capabilities to help Ukraine weather the ongoing Russian invasion. Despite overwhelming numerical and technical odds, the... Read More »
House advances Homeland Security Republican measures
The House of Representatives advanced two Republican bills to secure the southern border against drug cartels and bolster domestic supply chain resilience. The DHS Illicit Cross-Border Tunnel Defense Act (H.R. 4209) directs Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to develop a strategic plan to... Read More »
Lockheed Martin, Intel to aid DOD 5G initiative
Lockheed Martin and Intel Corporation recently announced the expansion of an ongoing strategic relationship to provide U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) 5G-enabled hardware and software solutions. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed late last year would enable faster and more decisive... Read More »
U.S. Air Force selects six locations to house Space Force’s various headquarters
The U.S. Department of the Air Force announced this week that it has chosen six locations throughout the United States to house Space Force Training and Readiness Command Headquarters. The Space Force, the smallest and newest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, has been divided into three field... Read More »
Bill seeks to update National Weather Service’s Chat platform
U.S. Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Cindy Axne (D-IA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) recently introduced legislation to update the National Weather Service’s (NWS) NWS Chat platform, which circulates time-sensitive information during severe weather... Read More »
FDA pushes forward priority review for Roche’s Actemra/RoActemra as COVID-19 treatment for hospitalized patients
A supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Roche’s Actemra/RoActemra intravenous treatment for COVID-19 cases among hospitalized patients was accepted by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week and will benefit from priority review. If approved, the drug... Read More »
Bill introduced in Senate would enhance reporting of attacks on law enforcement
A bipartisan push in the Senate yielded the introduction of the Improving Law Enforcement Office Safety and Wellness Through Data Act to the Judiciary Committee last week to improve information gathering on attacks that target law enforcement. The legislation was introduced by U.S. Sens. Charles... Read More »
Sen. Rubio expresses concerns regarding potential Apple NAND chips purchase
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) forwarded correspondence to Apple CEO Tim Cook, expressing his concern regarding reports that the company is considering purchasing NAND chips from a Chinese manufacturer. Rubio maintains Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC) serves as a company with links to the... Read More »
EB-5 experts weigh in on solving I-829 petition processing backlogs
The USCIS Investor Program Office (IPO), which processes EB-5 foreign investor visas and I-829 petitions, can’t seem to get its processing act together. With the processing time for a 1-829 petition taking years to complete, EB-5 experts say immigrant investors seeking permanent residency in... Read More »
Homeland Security, Labor Departments add fiscal year 2022 visas
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) said the agencies are making an additional 35,000 visas available for fiscal year (FY) 2022's second half. The action stems from the forthcoming publication of a joint temporary final rule. The H-2B temporary... Read More »
Bill targets southern border illicit drug surge
U.S. Sens. Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) recently introduced legislation that addresses the uptick in illicit drug action at the southern border. The Stop Fentanyl Border Crossings Act expands Title 42 authority to turn back migrants as a means of combating drug... Read More »
Bipartisan, bicameral push yields legislation to increase Tribal public health access, preparedness
With the introduction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act, a bipartisan collection of senators has made a bicameral push to increase Tribal public health security and preparedness through greater access to CDC resources. U.S.... Read More »
Senate committee advances legislation offering federal cybersecurity resources for commercial satellites
The Satellite Cybersecurity Act, authored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX), advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee last week, raising the possibility of federal resources for cybersecurity on private commercial satellites. Peters is... Read More »
Senate committee advances bill to permanently enshrine FEMA National Risk Index, help identify communities at risk of natural disasters
The Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act (S.3875) advanced through the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee this week, offering potential help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for communities needing to invest in natural disaster mitigation... Read More »
WHO releases strategy to equitably scale up use of genomic surveillance for pathogens
Within 10 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) sees a path to increase the use of and access to genomic surveillance for monitoring and analyzing pathogens through a strategy targeting inequities and leveraging existing capacities. Genomic surveillance is a process whereby pathogens are... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster support for Baltic allies
U.S. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) recently introduced the Baltic Defense and Deterrence Act, which seeks to enhance support for Baltic allies by codifying the U.S. Department of State's Baltic Security Initiative. “The tragic events of the last month have taught us once... Read More »
House advances Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act
This week, the House of Representatives advanced the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022, seeking to authorize funding for bolstering Coast Guard operations. The legislation also replaces and modernizes Coast Guard cutters and shoreside and cyber infrastructure. "The House... Read More »
U.S. Chamber of Commerce urges action regarding retail crime
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has forwarded correspondence to four entities, encouraging action regarding retail theft and organized retail crime negatively impacting communities and businesses nationwide. The organization has sent letters to Congress, the National Governors Association, the... Read More »
Sens. Grassley, Feinstein introduce legislation to update, reauthorize Trafficking Victims Protection Act
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) jointly introduced legislation to reauthorize existing programs and create new ones dedicated to halting human trafficking, supporting victims, and increasing federal response and coordination on the matter. Touted by Feinstein as... Read More »
Bipartisan group of senators seek specifics of U.S. aid for Ukraine
A full quarter of the U.S. Senate wrote to White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan this week, requesting details on the speed, composition, and supply of lethal aid being delivered to Ukraine to counter the Russian invasion. Approximately one month ago, Russia invaded its western... Read More »
DHS Secretary touts agency’s proposed budget allocations
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas recently released a statement regarding the $97.3 billion earmarked for the agency via President Joe Biden's Fiscal Year 2023 budget. Mayorkas said the appropriation ensures DHS personnel are equipped with the tools to... Read More »
DOE National Nuclear Security Administration requests $21.4B for FY 2023 budget
In releasing President Joe Biden’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget request, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has requested $21.4 billion for 2023 to modernize, innovate and maintain its deterrence capabilities simultaneously. Weapons... Read More »
TSA outlines proposed FY 2023 budget appropriations
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said $9.70 billion in proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Budget appropriations have been earmarked for the agency. The figure represents $1.4 billion more than the TSA’s FY22 appropriations. Once approved by Congress, it is slated to support... Read More »
Republican senators scrutinize DHS over southern border policies, potential reversal of Title 42
A group of Republican senators wrote the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week to criticize current border policies and urge additional information ahead of a potential revocation of U.S. Title 42. The senators noted the possible problems a reversal of Title 42 policy, which allows... Read More »
Bill urges for reauthorization of Global Magnitsky sanctions against human rights violators
A group of Republican senators introduced legislation last week that seeks to reauthorize the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for 12 years, until December 31, 2034. U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ron Johnson (R-WI), James Lankford... Read More »
Smiths Detection to supply TSA explosive detection systems
Threat detection and security screening technology firm Smiths Detection has been selected to supply 47 CTX 9800 DSi explosive detection systems to the Transport Security Administration (TSA). “We are delighted to announce this new order to supply our CTX 9800 DSi systems, which highlights... Read More »
OPCW Executive Council discusses nearly 98 percent destruction of chemical weapons achieved in United States
Members of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Executive Council attended a meeting in The Hague last week to assess the progress of chemical weapons destruction efforts in the United States as they hone in on completion. As a matter of demilitarization transparency,... Read More »
CISA, FBI and DOE warn of Russian cyber threats to critical U.S. infrastructure
Together, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and United States Department of Energy (DOE) recently warned that action is needed to counter the ongoing threat of state-sponsored Russian cyber operations to the U.S. energy sector and... Read More »
Republican senators push DOJ to reinstate China Initiative aimed at countering Chinese espionage
Criticizing the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to end the national program started under the Trump administration known as the China Initiative, eight Republican senators called on the department last week to reinstate moves to counter Chinese espionage and other activities. “If... Read More »
DHS S&T seeks to bolster flood preparedness, response efforts
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has issued a Flood Data Collection & Analysis solicitation to aid flood preparedness and response efforts. The solicitation via the agency's Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) seeks technology capable... Read More »
Rhode Island law enforcement personnel support active shooter legislation
The Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association (RIPCA) and Rhode Island law enforcement recently expressed support for U.S. Rep. David N. Cicilline's (D-RI) Active Shooter Alert Act (H.R.6538). Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha also supports the measure, which would create a program... Read More »
Forty Republican members of Armed Service Committees urge 5 percent defense budget increase to meet inflation
A collection of 40 Republican members of the Armed Services Committees in both the House and Senate wrote President Joe Biden this week, encouraging his upcoming fiscal year 2023 budget request to include a 5 percent increase above inflation for any defense spending. “As you prepare your... Read More »