Policy
Congress passes $900B COVID-19 relief package, including $73B for HHS federal response efforts
Congress passed a $900 billion pandemic relief package Monday, which includes legislation that will provide more than $73 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for federal response efforts. While much attention has been put on the $600 direct stimulus payment and $300 per... Read More »
Sens. Portman, Peters to work on cybersecurity legislation in light of hack
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), who will lead the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in the new Congress, plan to hold hearings and develop comprehensive cybersecurity legislation in 2021. The lawmakers also issued a statement on the recent... Read More »
House Services Committee leaders urge sound cybersecurity policy following hack
The House Armed Services Committee leaders are sounding the alarm for the need for a sound cybersecurity policy following the breach of the SolarWinds breach that has impacted several federal agencies. SolarWinds is a provider of IT infrastructure management software, which is used by several... Read More »
CBP publishes 2021-2026 forward strategy
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said the agency's recently published Strategy 2021-2026 introduces new mission and vision statements describing commitment to a safer and more prosperous nation. The document also addresses mission priorities describing the core in a succinct... Read More »
Congress advances legislation to address shoreline erosion on Great Lakes to president’s desk
After securing U.S. House support last week, the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Act, which is meant to reduce risks of flooding, rising water levels, and shoreline erosion along the Great Lakes, is headed for final review by the president. Introduced by U.S. Sens.... Read More »
COVAX initiative secures deals for nearly 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines
On behalf of 190 participating economies, the global COVAX initiative has secured access to nearly 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine candidates and plans to begin dispensing those doses early next year to protect vulnerable groups. While most of the vaccine candidates involved are still under... Read More »
FDA working to finalize EUA for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine following advisory committee vote
A Moderna, Inc. vaccine is on track to become the second COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use in the United States, following this week's positive endorsement from the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC). The VRBPAC, an advisory committee for the U.S. Food... Read More »
RPI researchers address shortages of medical facilities during a health crisis
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are looking to improve the manufacturing of rapidly deployed structures to address future shortages of medical care and quarantine facilities during a health crisis, like the current pandemic. The stress that COVID-19 has placed on medical... Read More »
Reps. Gabbard, Massie sponsor bill to repeal Patriot Act, FISA amendments
U.S. Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced a bill that would repeal the USA Patriot Act and amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to remove provisions that they say undermine civil liberties. The bill, the Protect Our Civil Liberties Act (H.R.8970),... Read More »
BinaxNOW COVID-19 home test granted emergency use authorization by FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) to Abbott this week for its BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test, allowing for virtually guided use by anyone 15 years or older, with a prescription. Healthcare providers will refer such patients to the... Read More »
Sacklers endure House committee’s outrage over Purdue Pharma’s role in opioid crisis
Two prominent members of the founding family of Purdue Pharma appeared before Congress Thursday and continued to distance themselves from an aggressive marketing campaign the company allegedly used to drive sales of the dangerous opioid painkiller, OxyContin. Kathe Sackler and David Sackler... Read More »
DEA launches campaign to reduce drug misuse, overdose
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is launching a new campaign that urges the public to “Secure Your Meds” as part of its effort to reduce drug misuse and overdose. The administration hopes the campaign will remind Americans to clean out their medicine cabinets and secure unused... Read More »
CDC will award $227M for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, tracking
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will award $140 million for COVID-19 vaccine preparedness, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced. The CDC will also award almost $87 million for tracking and testing to 64 jurisdictions, including all 50 states and... Read More »
Bechtel initiates chemical weapons destruction initiative
The engineering, construction, and project management firm Bechtel has initiated an effort to address chemical weapons destruction to reach the goal of eradicating the national stockpile by 2023. “As a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty, the U.S. is committed to destroying the... Read More »
Delaware to make Naloxone available for free delivered through the mail
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ (DHSS) Division of Public Health DPH) will allow that state’s residents to access Naloxone free by mail. In an announcement on Friday, DPH said increasing access to naloxone is critical to reducing overdose deaths, especially as more... Read More »
House bill would fund a COVID-19 vaccine awareness campaign
A bipartisan bill authorizing a public advocacy campaign to promote COVID-19 vaccine participation and provide science-backed information was introduced in the House this week. The bill provides necessary funds for the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control... Read More »
DHS, federal agencies draft final rule on White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to implement President Trump’s Executive Order to establish the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative. The final rule seeks to ensure that religious and non-religious organizations are treated equally in DHS-supported programs.... Read More »
Funds target Virginia human trafficking
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has earmarked $525,000 in federal grant funding to continue the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force (HRHTTF) for at least three more years. The funding allotment via the DOJ's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) would allow the Task Force to expand into new... Read More »
Democrats criticize Trump administration following reports of declined additional COVID-19 vaccine doses
Although distribution of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has begun in the United States, Democrats are criticizing reports that the White House failed to pre-order more doses of the vaccine when it had the opportunity and are pressing for more transparent pandemic planning. News broke last week in... Read More »
NY Assemblyman touts proposed state bill to enact co-prescription of naloxone
New York State Assemblyman John T. McDonald III (D) is co-sponsoring a bill that would enact co-prescription of an opioid and an opioid overdose reversal drug like naloxone in New York, following a trend of similar laws enacted in California, New Jersey, and nine other states. Co-prescription... Read More »
CBP officers seize $2.8M in narcotics at the Laredo Port of Entry
Officials with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Laredo Port of Entry said they have seized more than $2.8 million worth of narcotics in two separate and unrelated actions at the World Trade and Colombia-Solidarity Bridges. “The effort to... Read More »
NDAA includes bill to create Cybersecurity State Coordinators in every state
The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report, which passed in the U.S. Senate, includes establishing a Cybersecurity State Coordinator position in every state. The bill would provide each state with a federally funded Cybersecurity Coordinator, responsible for preventing... Read More »
NDAA includes provision to create Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies
The U.S. Senate passed last week the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA), which authorizes the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies. The Ted Stevens Center will be the first Department of Defense regional center in the Arctic and the first new DOD regional... Read More »
DHS to launch Homeland Security Startup Studio in January
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is introducing a new program designed to commercialize federally funded breakthrough technologies to support homeland security missions. The program, called the Homeland Security Startup Studio, will launch on... Read More »
House committee members urge USCG to adapt recommendations on unmanned systems
House members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure are urging leadership at the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to adopt the recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on unmanned systems, or UxS. The NAS report, "Unmanned Systems for Coast Guard Missions: A... Read More »
Maine legislators seek COVID-19 vaccine distribution transparency
A delegation of Maine lawmakers said they are seeking insight from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding transparency and communication with state partners on COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) recently joined Reps. Chellie... Read More »
International Association of Firefighters applauds provisions included in 2021 NDAA
The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) is commending the inclusion of provisions benefiting IAFF members in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. “In a year when COVID-19 has been the primary focus of Congress, I am proud of yet another successful... Read More »
Pandemic Supplies Production Act proposes to nationalize production, distribution of essential supplies for COVID-19
U.S. Reps. John Larson (D-CT) and Joe Courtney (D-CT) recently introduced the Pandemic Supplies Production Act designed to nationalize the production and distribution of supplies deemed essential to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. “As we fight through this second surge of COVID-19, we need to... Read More »
Federal agencies failing to comply with law aimed at reducing synthetic drugs shipped into US, lawmakers say
As of Jan. 1, 2021, all international mail coming into the United States will have to provide Advance Electronic Data (AED) for added detection measures as part of a law designed to help reduce the supply of opioids shipped into the United States through the U.S. Postal Service. But federal... Read More »
Support grows for inclusion of EB-5 reforms in FY2021 omnibus appropriations bill
Congress should include integrity reform measures and a long-term reauthorization of the EB-5 Regional Center Program in the fiscal year 2021 omnibus appropriations bill, according to almost a dozen congressional lawmakers in a letter sent to federal lawmakers. One existing piece of proposed... Read More »
Bill to ban Chinese drones still alive in Congress
Congress backed away from restrictions on drone purchases from Chinese manufacturers in the final push to approve the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), but there is still concern on Capitol Hill that measures must be taken to close a potential espionage peephole that could be built... Read More »
FDA expects authorization of first COVID-19 vaccine soon, following advisory committee recommendation
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is preparing to quickly authorize the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, following an advisory committee's recommendations. That committee voted 17 to 4 in favor of approval. Once emergency use authorization (EUA) is granted, the... Read More »
Bill to improve opioid detection capabilities advances Senate
A bill by U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins’ (R-LA), the ranking member of the Border Security Subcommittee, that would provide border patrol agents with stronger opioid detection equipment has passed in the Senate, his office said Wednesday. H.R. 4761, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Opioid... Read More »
Senators urge Appropriations Committee to fund security grant program
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators is urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to ensure that the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is adequately funded to meet the needs of at-risk organizations. The funding support nonprofit organizations that are deemed most at risk of terror... Read More »