Policy
Defense bill amendment targets Agent Orange aid
Citing Agent Orange's wide impact, two Democratic senators are urging the inclusion of Senate Amendment 1972 in the final National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA). Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Jon Tester (D-MT) said the amendment would establish a presumption of... Read More »
West Virginia receives $6M grant to fight addiction
The Justice and Community Services section of the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security recently awarded the state a $6 million grant through the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program. Funding will be used for two strategies that provide addiction... Read More »
Senate committees proposed $70B for Homeland Security budget
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced a bill in the Senate Appropriations Committee to fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The $69.8 billion spending plan includes funding to support investments in border security, disaster recovery and... Read More »
Justice Department funding initiative targets violence threats
Department of Justice officials said its Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has awarded a total of $2.6 million to four jurisdictions to disrupt and mitigate violence threats. “Disruption and early engagement programs are part of the Department of Justice’s national strategy to disrupt... Read More »
Reps. Cox, DeLauro seek response from CDC on wastewater-based epidemiology to fight COVID-19
U.S. Reps. TJ Cox (D-CA) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) are seeking information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on a nationwide COVID-19 wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) surveillance program. As coronavirus cases are rising across the United States, WBE is an... Read More »GAO assesses State, Labor Departments efforts to prevent human trafficking
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has determined the Department of State, the Department of Labor, and the U.S. Agency for International Development have taken steps to strengthen global anti-trafficking projects. The GAO indicated while the entities acknowledged challenges that made it... Read More »Reps. Castor, McKinley introduce legislation to halt flow of opioids to pill mills
U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL) and David McKinley (R-WV) announced Monday the introduction of bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing the flow of opioids to pill mills. The Preventing Pill Mills Through Data Sharing Act would require drug wholesalers that ship opioids to drug stores and... Read More »Eli Lilly’s COVID-19 antibody earns FDA emergency use authorization
A neutralizing antibody developed by Eli Lilly and Company -- bamlanivimab --for use on COVID-19 earned emergency use authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week, specifically for treating mild to moderate cases. Now, the drug can be utilized on those 12... Read More »
DHS awards funds to improve identity verification during cross-border travel
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has awarded $198,407 to iProov Ltd. to help the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) streamline cross-border travel at ports of entry while still ensuring a high degree of confidence when verifying the... Read More »
IAFC urges Congress to pass Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2020
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is urging Congress to pass legislation that would help protect and preserve retirement benefits for firefighters and emergency workers. The Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2020 (H.R. 8696), introduced by Reps. Richard Neal (D-MA) and Kevin... Read More »
GAO recommends steps to improve Defense Department cost reporting
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has made several recommendations to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to better improve processes for reporting costs. The GAO said that while the department has made progress in establishing valid and reliable cost baselines for its business... Read More »
Vermont governor deploys National Guard to help with cyberattack
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott ordered the Vermont Army National Guard’s Combined Cyber Response Team (CCRT) to help the University of Vermont Health Network (UVMHN) to respond to a cyberattack last week. The National Guard will be deployed to review thousands of computers and devices to ensure they... Read More »
Sen. Moran helps Kansas county secure crime reduction grant
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County in Kansas got a $999,958 grant from the Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction Program (CBCR) through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). CBCR was established to reduce serious and violent crime, including gun violence; dismantle gang... Read More »
Justice Department seizes Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps domain names
Justice Department officials said the agency has seized 27 domain names Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) illegally used to expand a global covert influence campaign. The seizures represent a step against Iran's worldwide disinformation campaign, indicating each of the 27 domains... Read More »
Medical societies criticize DHS proposed visa change rule for harm it will cause to COVID-19 response
In comments made to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week, major medical societies blasted efforts to change visa rules, citing concerns over limits the “arbitrary and disruptive” change would impose and pleading for exemptions for physicians. Together, the societies -- which... Read More »
Republican senators press HHS for clarity on guidance calling for free COVID-19 testing
Seeking to address confusion over coverage requirements for COVID-19 testing due to new guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Republican senators wrote to HHS Secretary Alex Azar for clarification. The writers, who included U.S. Sens. James Lankford (R-OK), Rick Scott... Read More »
CBP operation yields counterfeit ID, narcotics seizures
A Memphis, Tennessee-based Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operation initiated in July 2019 has yielded nearly 200 seizures of counterfeit ID cards and illegal narcotics. Operation Mega Flex involves an interagency effort seeking to measure compliance and assess illicit networks in the... Read More »
FEMA offers $8.1M to Illinois Emergency Management Agency to ease COVID-19 costs
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) granted more than $8.1 million to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) this week to help it cover costs accrued by the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic after a federal disaster declaration in March. In all, the funds... Read More »
HHS taps McKesson to distribute COVID-19 supply kits for healthcare workers administering vaccines
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) signed a contract with McKesson Corp. to produce and distribute ancillary to help healthcare workers administering COVID-19 vaccines once they are approved. The ancillary supply kits will be produced and distributed on behalf of the... Read More »
DOJ’s Office of Justice programs awards $458M to fight violent crime
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) awarded more than $458 million in grant funding for state, local, and tribal law enforcement to fight violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made a total of 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support local... Read More »
Justice Department files Iranian forfeiture complaint
The U.S. Department of Justice recently filed a complaint regarding the forfeiture of a pair of Iranian missile shipments and petroleum seized from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Navy seized the missiles in transit to militant groups in Yemen while the 1.1 million barrels... Read More »
Nearly 1 million pounds of drugs turned in on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and its partners brought in nearly 1 million pounds of unused, expired, and unwanted medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Oct. 24. The agency, along with law enforcement partners, said it has now collected nearly 13.7 million pounds of... Read More »
Federal agencies join forces to prevent hazardous products from entering United States through international mail facilities
Leadership from several federal government agencies signed an agreement to collaborate to prevent products that pose a threat to public health from entering the U.S. through International Mail Facilities. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) -- signed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,... Read More »
House E&C Committee introduces COVID-19 legislative package
U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) introduced the Commitment to Defeat the Virus and Keep America Healthy Act, a package of over 50 bills from the House Energy and Commerce Committee that deal with the coronavirus pandemic. The act includes bills related to pandemic preparedness and response,... Read More »
Bill targets aviation health emergency preparedness
Reps. Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Don Beyer (D-VA) recently introduced a measure designed to develop a national aviation preparedness plan regarding future public health emergencies. The National Aviation Preparedness Plan Act of 2020 is supported by key aviation stakeholders, including the American... Read More »
Coast Guard cutter Polar Star deploys to Arctic region
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star will head to the Arctic region this winter to help protect the nation’s maritime sovereignty and security in the region. The Coast Guard has served as the lead federal agency for homeland security, safety, and environmental stewardship in the Arctic... Read More »
Sen. Rubio introduces bill putting restrictions on foreign software like TikTok
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced legislation to establish a set of data protection and censorship standards and restrictions for “high-risk foreign software,” like TikTok and WeChat, to legally operate in the United States. The Adversarial Platform Prevention (APP) Act defines... Read More »
DOD releases Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy
The Department of Defense (DOD) maintains the recent release of its Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy aligns electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) activities with national economic and technology policy goals. The effort is following the 2017 National Security Strategy and the 2018 National... Read More »
CBP’s Simplified Arrival debuts at LAX
Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Simplified Arrival initiative recently debuted at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), with officials touting the endeavor's varied benefits. In partnership with Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the inaugural implementation is an enhanced international... Read More »
New Mexico Congressional delegate presses feds for stockpiled PPE transparency
New Mexico is one of many areas throughout the United States currently facing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, and in response, the New Mexico Congressional delegation called on federal agencies this week to provide a full accounting of the state’s share of stockpiled PPE. Federal Emergency... Read More »
Washington, Oregon, and Nevada join California in effort to review COVID-19 vaccine safety
The states of Washington, Oregon, and Nevada have joined California’s COVID-19 Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, which will independently review the safety and efficacy of any vaccine approved by the FDA for distribution. “California has led with science and data through the COVID... Read More »
Rule targets American worker protections
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials are espousing the benefits of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) designed to protect American workers while also strengthening the economy. The revision would prioritize the selection of H-1B registrations based on corresponding wage levels to... Read More »
Air Force, Lockheed advance airlifters assessment
Lockheed Martin has secured a $25 million contract from the Air Force Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (SDPE) Office to assess airlifters potential to deliver large volumes of air-launched weapons. The initiative would involve the next phase of the Palletized Munitions... Read More »
GAO offers recommendations on DHS efforts to improve workforce
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) three recommendations regarding the department's efforts to improve workforce planning and monitoring. The GAO analysis stemmed from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) within DHS increasing its... Read More »