Policy
WHO recommends seven policies to build health system resilience, renew health security
In a new position paper, the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the setbacks and failures faced worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted seven means for nations to begin building a more resilient and secure health system. These recommendations include: Utilizing... Read More »
Bill seeks to enhance wildfire combating efforts
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) introduced Tuesday the Military Support for Fighting Wildfires Act, which seeks to bolster wildfire combating efforts. Garamendi joined U.S. Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) in delivering the bill for consideration. The legislation seeks to... Read More »
Sen. Wicker advocates naval ship fleet requirement
During a recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, President Joe Biden’s nominee for Deputy Undersecretary for Policy at the Department of Defense, Sasha Baker, affirmed a U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker's (R-MS) naval fleet requirement advocacy. A hearing exchange resulted in Baker expressing... Read More »
Rep. Portman seeks answers from Customs and Border Protection nominee on crisis at Southern Border
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, grilled Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus, President Joe Biden’s nominee for Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on the need for enhanced border security... Read More »
DHS provides 24/7 hotline for modeling and analysis of chemical hazards during severe weather
Recognizing the additional level of dangerous chemical hazards brought on by storm-damaged infrastructure could cause, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is providing a 24/7 hotline to address a variety of threats and how they could... Read More »
Sen. Murray promotes $1.85B budget increase for CDC, public health funding amidst pandemic
Fed up with the dangers of an unprepared and underfunded public health system, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) voiced support this week for a fiscal year 2022 bill that would increase Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding by $1.85 billion. The bill, released by the Labor, Health... Read More »
Sens. Portman, Peters introduce bipartisan legislation to combat human trafficking
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI), the ranking member and chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced legislation Monday designed to enhance the country’s ability to combat the rise of human trafficking. The Countering Human Trafficking Act... Read More »
Justice Department outlines defense contractor bribery charge
U.S. Department of Justice officials said the chief executive officer (CEO) of Multinational Logistics Services (MLS) is facing a criminal charge for alleged participation in a bribery scheme. Frank S. Rafaraci is an American citizen living abroad. Authorities cited a criminal complaint alleging... Read More »
Rep. Higgins assesses updated CDC COVID-19 vaccination guidance regarding international travel
After a recent request from U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) updated guidance on recognizing people as fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The White House indicated it will reopen land ports of entry on Nov. 8, 2021, after the sites have... Read More »
FDA advisory committee unanimously recommends Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine booster for emergency use authorization
Adults at least 18 years old could soon gain access to a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine booster shot if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agrees with the unanimous recommendation of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC). Last week, in a 19-0 vote,... Read More »
DHS funds earmarked for Coast Guard language translator
A San Jose, California-based firm has secured a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) award to develop a Coast Guard language translation platform. DHS S&T officials said the award of $199,592 to myLanguage would address the adaptation and customization... Read More »
MITRE panel: Maintain warp speed in preparation for next global health crisis
The all-star team of government officials, scientists and industry executives who tackled COVID-19 made great strides in the development of an effective vaccine against the novel virus, but that is no guarantee that the United States will be ready for the next pandemic that rears its head, speakers... Read More »
20 years after anthrax attacks, report finds U.S. government still behind on biodetection
Shortly after the terrorist events of Sept. 11, 2001, letters containing deadly anthrax spores arrived at locations across the country, killing five Americans and sickening 17 others. Twenty years after these incidents, considered the worst biological attacks in U.S. history, the federal government... Read More »
DHS targets enhanced employment, labor standards enforcement
Department of Homeland Security officials said the agency is initiating efforts to bolster enforcement of wage protections, workplace safety, labor rights and other employment laws and standards. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas has issued directives to Immigration and... Read More »POWER Act would provide law enforcement grants to purchase drug detection devices
Reckoning with rising cases of overdose throughout the United States, a bicameral reintroduction of the POWER Act was announced last week, which proposes new U.S. Department of Justice-provided grants to help law enforcement procure better drug detection devices. POWER, or Providing Officers... Read More »
Senate bill introduced to legally shield disaster relief medical volunteers
A group of United States senators last week reintroduced an effort to update the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 and extend legal protections for medical volunteers working in federally-recognized disaster relief efforts. Authored by U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and... Read More »
HAVANA Act signed into law
The Helping American Victims Afflicted by Neurological Attacks (HAVANA) Act was recently signed into law. The measure supports American public servants having sustained brain injuries likely stemming from directed energy attacks, also known as Havana Syndrome. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark... Read More »
Senators introduce resolution making October National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jackie Rosen (D-NV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Angus King (I-ME), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced a resolution Thursday that would designate October 2021 as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. As part of the... Read More »
DHS awards $1 million to firm for soft target, crowded places software security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded $999,644 to a California-based small business, Karagozian & Case, Inc., for development of an advanced software option that would allow security professionals to view their environments through a mobile device. “As crowded places... Read More »
Cybersecurity bills advance in U.S. Senate
Two bipartisan bills from U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) on cybersecurity and infrastructure were approved by the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee and now head to the full Senate for a vote. The bills, which require critical infrastructure owners... Read More »
U.S.-Israel partnership targets homeland security technology development
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and Israel Ministry of Public Security (MOPS) officials are touting a partnership to aid homeland security technology development. The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development Homeland Security (BIRD... Read More »
Bill seeks to address critical infrastructure cyber attacks
A pair of lawmakers have introduced a measure they said is designed to protect systemically important critical infrastructure (SICI) from cyber attacks. Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) recently detailed the the Securing Systemically Important Critical Infrastructure Act,... Read More »
WHO approves world’s first malaria vaccine for children
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the first vaccine to treat malaria in children, a mosquito-borne disease that kills more than 260,000 children under the age of five annually in sub-Saharan Africa, in what public health officials have called a historic development. “The... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Portman release legislation bolstering federal cybersecurity
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) released the text of their legislation that would strengthen cybersecurity across the federal government. The legislation, the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2021, would update existing legislation which has not been updated... Read More »
DHS initiates air domain awareness demonstrations at northern border
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials said the agency is evaluating air domain awareness technologies as a means of protecting northern border airspace. S&T’s National Urban Security Technology Laboratory recently spearheaded a test team that... Read More »
Lawmakers introduce bill to reduce violence from stolen firearms
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) introduced legislation on Friday aimed at preventing theft from federally-licensed gun dealers, as a way to reduce gun violence. The Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective (SECURE) Firearm... Read More »
House passes bills sponsored by Homeland Security Committee Republicans
The House of Representatives advanced a trio of bills sponsored by Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee Republicans focused on air travel security, foreign manufactured drones and contract award transparency. Committee Ranking Member Rep. John Katko (R-NY) introduced the One-Stop Pilot... Read More »
Senators urge Biden to reduce trade barriers amidst COVID-19 pandemic
Leaders of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness wrote to President Joe Biden this week requesting more work to remove medical trade barriers and bolster distribution to better combat the global spread of COVID-19. U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE)... Read More »
Bill addresses national security powers
A group of lawmakers have introduced a measure they said seeks to reassert congressional power regarding national security matters. House Rules Committee Chairman Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight,... Read More »
Bill addresses critical infrastructure cyber attack reporting
A pair of lawmakers have introduced a bill they said requires critical infrastructure owners and operators to report cyber attacks to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Officials said the Cyber Incident Reporting Act, presented by Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob... Read More »
Rep. Swallwell introduces bills to improve intelligence gathering and response for biological threats
With a pair of new bills this week, United States Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) sought to improve the federal government’s capabilities to investigate the origins of diseases and respond accordingly, as well as to guarantee analysis and action from its intelligence community. “Knowledge is power... Read More »Nuclear Threat Initiative gathered 100 experts to address global biosecurity
Earlier this month, the Nuclear Threat Initiative gathered 100 international experts on biosafety for the 2021 Virtual Global Biosecurity Dialogue (GBD), the latest in an annual series of discussions on how best to maintain attention on and advance biosecurity across the world. COVID-19 loomed... Read More »
FDA continues operating without a Senate-confirmed, permanent leader
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) remains without permanent leadership during the nation’s ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. “It's of top concern that President Biden still has not nominated someone to serve as permanent FDA commissioner,” a House Energy and Commerce... Read More »
NDAA to include 9-1-1 dispatcher reclassification
Legislation reclassifying 9-1-1 dispatchers from Office and Administrative Support to Protective Service Occupations was approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives as an amendment in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), according to lawmakers. U.S. Reps.... Read More »