Policy
Rep. Titus introduces bill to prevent explosive nuclear weapons testing
U.S. Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) introduced a bill that would prevent explosive nuclear weapons testing. According to a report by The Washington Post, senior Trump administration have recently discussed conducting an explosive nuclear test. The Preserving Leadership Against Nuclear Explosives... Read More »
Commission on biodefense backs Congressional efforts to improve nation’s biodefense
The Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense supports efforts by Congress to improve the country’s biodefense following the COVID-19 pandemic. “This will not be the last biological crisis this nation faces,” commission members wrote to Congressional leaders. “In addition to the potential... Read More »
Reps. Kuster, Jeffries introduce bill to ensure mass production of COVID-19 vaccine
U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) introduced legislation to ensure that the United States can mass produce and administer a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available. The Coronavirus Vaccine Development Act requires the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development... Read More »
GAO makes recommendations on infectious disease modeling
A report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) examines how federal agencies use infectious disease modeling to fight outbreaks and what can be done to improve them. The report, titled “Infectious Disease Modeling: Opportunities to Improve Coordination and Ensure... Read More »
Funds earmarked for West Virginia law enforcement
West Virginia officials are espousing the benefits of a $2.5 million Department of Justice (DOJ) funding allotment to aid several local police departments. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) said the $2,564,147 in funding allows law enforcement agencies to hire additional... Read More »
Bell forms Team Invictus for project
Bell Textron Inc., has reached agreements with nine aerospace industry firms to form Team Invictus, which will produce the Bell 360 Invictus prototype for the U.S. Army. “Team Invictus is working together to show how cutting-edge technology will give soldiers the ability to confidently operate... Read More »
Sen. Durbin offers resolution to spur US involvement on COVID-19 response
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) is seeking unanimous consent on a resolution that encourages U.S. engagement with the international community on the COVID-19 response. The resolution is in response to the Trump Administration’s failure to participate in global summits related to the research and... Read More »
Unapproved COVID-19 treatment capsules, tests seized
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officials said Baltimore special agents seized over 14,000 unapproved COVID-19 capsules and several COVID-19 test kits via Operation Stolen Promise. Operation Stolen Promise is a national operation that includes... Read More »
HHS ASPR offers additional $250M to bolster US healthcare systems’ COVID-19 response
As authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (HHS ASPR) has released an additional $250 million for aid health care systems treating COVID-19... Read More »
Rep. Lynch meets with FBI, CISA and DOJ to examine cybersecurity during pandemic
U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) met with officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to examine cyberattacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The attacks have been targeting federal... Read More »
Reps. DeGette, Bucshon introduce bills to boost COVID-19 testing
U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Larry Bucshon (R-IN) introduced two bills designed to boost COVID-19 diagnostic testing. Together, the two pieces of legislation would provide $750 million of grants for public health laboratories, hospitals, and other health providers. “In order to save... Read More »
Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, NTI criticize Trump administration decision to withdraw from WHO
In separate statements released this week, both the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense and the nonpartisan, nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) expressed concern with the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). “Terminating the U.S.... Read More »
International community joins WHO in supporting open COVID-19 research, science
More than 30 countries and international partners/institutions have rallied behind the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), a new initiative from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Costa Rica designed to make scientific tools to fight COVID-19 universally available. The show of unity... Read More »
Sen. Peters introduces bill requiring agencies to share COVID-19 testing inventory
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) introduce legislation directing federal agencies to share real-time information about testing supply inventory and shortages publicly. Hospitals, health care systems, nursing homes, and first responders have struggled to obtain tests and other critical supplies... Read More »
HHS adds $628M to contract with Emergent BioSolutions in effort to ramp up COVID-19 vaccine production
Operation Warp Speed, the White House-created program to speed up COVID-19 vaccine candidate development and manufacturing domestically, will benefit from a $628 million expansion of an existing public-private partnership with Emergent BioSolutions Inc., the U.S. Department of Health and Human... Read More »
Strategic plan bolsters maritime partnerships
U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, and Royal Canadian navy personnel maintain a recently signed five-year strategic plan will establish the foundation for future coordination and joint operations. “Whether it’s combating criminal activity by international drug cartels in the eastern pacific, or... Read More »
Defense collaboration eyes 5G development, testing
The Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced that two entities are collaborating to build and test a fifth-generation (5G) cellular network. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) and the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) are partnering... Read More »
Bipartisan bill would help better detect, contain overseas pandemics
U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) last week introduced legislation designed to better detect and contain infectious disease outbreaks overseas before they become global pandemics. The Global Health Security and Diplomacy Act (GHSDA) requires the president to... Read More »
Senators advise Trump on nuclear arms deals
U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and John Cornyn (R-TX) are urging President Donald Trump to avoid nuclear arms control treaties that put constraints on the United States while allowing adversaries to build up their nuclear arsenals. “You and your administration have long... Read More »
Reps. Pallone, DeGette probe FDA about efforts to maintain food safety and supply
U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) are seeking information from leadership at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the agency’s efforts to maintain food safety and address food supply disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although COVID-19 is not known... Read More »
Rep. Axne tracks more than $9B in COVID-19 response efforts in Iowa with new data tool
Following a response to her request of state and federal agencies to provide a detailed account of COVID-19 response efforts, U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne’s (D-IA) has launched a data tracker to provide accountability in the system. Announcing her efforts as a matter of transparency, Axne has now... Read More »
CBP seizes more than $2.4M worth of alleged methamphetamine
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said Office of Field Operations (OFO) personnel at the Hidalgo International Bridge seized $2,446,000 worth of alleged methamphetamine concealed within a vehicle. On May 23, an officer encountered a brown 1999 Ford F150 pickup driven by a 20-year-old... Read More »
Council of Europe cautions on the need for coordinated response to bioterrorism
The Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT) issued a statement on the importance of a coordinated response to bioterrorism. The committee said that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of modern societies to viral infections. The intentional use of a pathogen or... Read More »
Reps. Stefanik, Crow introduce bill to clarify biodefense strategy
U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Jason Crow (D-CO) introduced a bill on May 22 that would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to clarify the national biodefense strategy and implementation plan. The bill, called the RASPP Act (H.B. 6966), follows a Government Accountability... Read More »
Social media companies must use AI to thwart extremist content, experts tell congressmen
Social media companies need to step up and use the technology they already have to limit extremist groups from spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories online, experts said Wednesday during a U.S. House Homeland Security Committee virtual forum on extremism during the COVID-19 pandemic.... Read More »
House Energy and Commerce Leaders request White House COVID-19 vaccine plan
It is past time for a national COVID-19 vaccine plan from the Trump administration, according to House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders so that the country can plan for development, manufacturing, distribution, training, and education linked to these efforts, along with broad vaccine... Read More »
Lawmakers seek Coast Guard preparedness information
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) are seeking information regarding the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) preparedness in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislators recently forwarded correspondence to Admiral Karl Schultz, expressing concern the pandemic could threaten... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security broadens scope of SAFER grant
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has modified the FY2019 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant program to allow firefighting organizations greater access. Following the revisions, certain cost share, salary cap, supplanting, and minimum budget restrictions... Read More »
Senate bill would improve SNS and strengthen supply chain of medical supplies
U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MI) introduced a bill designed to improve the Strategic National Stockpile and strengthen the domestic manufacturing of supplies. The lack of critical medical supplies across the domestic supply chain forced the... Read More »
GOP senators introduce bill to thwart Chinese COVID-19 research hackers
A group of Republican senators introduced legislation requires national security evaluation and clearance for all Chinese student visa holders taking part in activities related to COVID-19 vaccine research. The COVID-19 Vaccine Protection Act – sponsored by Sens. Martha McSally (R-AZ), Rick... Read More »
Colorado lawmakers seek permanent residency of U.S. Space Command
Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) are advocating the state become the permanent home of U.S. Space Command after gaining provisional headquarters status for at least the next six years. The senators recently forwarded correspondence to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis seeking support... Read More »
Air Force initiative aids supply chain fluidity
Air Force officials have launched a new initiative designed to keep the branch’s supply chain system independent of the civilian medical market amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Air Force Rapid Agile Manufacturing Platform (AFRAMP) seeks to leverage the full capacity of the nation's... Read More »
Nuclear Threat Initiative provides new metrics on safely reopening the US amidst COVID-19 pandemic
Through its COVID-Local site, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) has released a guide of new metrics meant to guide local leaders and state officials in safely reopening the United States. The site now includes interactive graphics and downloadable PDFs, meant to aid assessment of existing... Read More »
FDA cracks down on unvetted COVID-19 antibody tests with new list
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators have moved against dozens of supposed COVID-19 antibody tests that have never been shown to work, publishing a list of those that failed to file applications or have already pulled their products voluntarily. There are 28 on that list so far,... Read More »