Policy
Bill to streamline federal disaster support advances out of Senate committee
A legislative effort to repeal a section of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA) and bring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in line with other agencies on disaster aid recently advanced unanimously through the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental... Read More »
FBI arrests nearly 200 people in push against large-scale drug-trafficking organizations
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced charges against nearly 200 people over the last several weeks as part of a nationwide crackdown on drug-trafficking organizations. Arrests were made from seven different field offices: Los Angeles, Columbia, Anchorage, Pittsburgh, Baltimore,... Read More »
Department of Defense splits $192.5M award for seven domestic manufacturers of critical chemicals
In all, seven awards were recently announced under the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Production Act Investments (DPAI) program, bringing $192.5 million to bear for the creation of domestic, critical chemical manufacturing capabilities. Each award was given as a contract, and... Read More »
Senators press TSA for answers as agency delays planned PreCheck enrollment expansion
Despite legal obligations, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has delayed expanding its PreCheck program to underserved areas and reportedly opened itself to security breaches, earning the ire of two senators this week. United States Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Thune (R-SD)... Read More »
Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Competition Act advances out of committee with bipartisan support
In a recent vote, the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Competition Act advanced its way out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, leaving the Senate to consider its push to prepare federal employees for cybersecurity threats. “By ensuring our nation has a... Read More »
USCIS final rule targets fraud among employer H-1B visa program
Updates are coming to the H-1B visa program, under a final rule recently released by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that sought to beef up integrity measures for registration, emphasize a beneficiary-centric selection process and provide new codifications. H-1B... Read More »
Applications for $324M in FEMA firefighters assistance grants now open
In a bid to protect firefighters from fire-related hazards, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) opened applications for the 2023 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program this week, dangling $324 million for safety measures. “As a former firefighter, I know the hazards and... Read More »
Anti-drug trafficking operation leads to charges against nearly 200 people nationwide
The U.S. Justice Department recently concluded a series of nearly 200 arrests across the country as part of a large-scale operation against drug-trafficking organizations. The cases spanned four districts and 10 states, as part of a calculated approach by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices – and... Read More »
Bipartisan bill seeks repeal of existing law to improve federal emergency response
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Kennedy (R-LA) recently introduced the Helping Eliminate Limitations for Prompt Response and Recovery Act to overhaul how emergency response is handled. Specifically, the bill would repeal a section of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of... Read More »
FEMA opens new application for nationwide emergency manager exchange program
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently opened an application period for its Emergency Manager Exchange (EMX) program, giving state, local, Tribal and territorial governments to send emergency managers to FEMA offices. Participants will work for six months stints, networking,... Read More »
New federal bill would limit certain foreign biotechnology companies from accessing U.S. genetic data
Seeking to keep adversaries’ hands off sensitive American genetic data, a bipartisan and bicameral group of federal lawmakers recently introduced the Prohibiting Foreign Access to American Genetic Information Act of 2024 and took aim at certain biotechnology companies’ practices. “Every... Read More »
HHS releases voluntary healthcare performance goals for cybersecurity improvements
Eying ways to improve cybersecurity among healthcare operations nationwide, the U.S. Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) released new voluntary performance goals and a new gateway website this week. “We have a responsibility to help... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Peters, Braun seek improvements to federal cybersecurity competition
With the recent introduction of the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Competition Act, United States Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Mike Braun (R-IN) sought to get ahead of cybersecurity threats with improvements to the national President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition. “As foreign... Read More »
CBP recruitment incentives reach as high as $30,000 for new border patrol agents
As a way to fill gaps in its ranks, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently upped its recruitment incentives for agents to as much as $30,000 for those who entered duty on or after Jan. 8, 2024. Additional incentives were also potentially offered for applicants who took on... Read More »
Republicans step up TikTok battle with demands for DHS, FBI briefing
Continuing a fight against the Chinese-owned mobile application TikTok that has stretched since the Trump administration, two House committee leaders recently wrote to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to demand updates on ongoing investigations.... Read More »
Critical Minerals Security Act seeks to safeguard mineral supply chains against Chinese industry
Pushing to counter Chinese dominance of critical minerals, a bipartisan group of senators recently introduced the Critical Minerals Security Act to shore up what they saw as information gaps, evaluate the global supply chain and pull domestic industry away from Chinese industry. The Critical... Read More »
House Homeland Security chairs seek briefing from DHS, DEA on expanding Chinese-operated marijuana farms
Although marijuana is becoming increasingly legal state-by-state across the country, House chairs related to homeland security called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently to discuss Chinese-operated farms. These elicit farms, their... Read More »
CISA, FBI release joint cybersecurity guidance covering Chinese-manufactured drones
Concerned about cybersecurity risks posed by Chinese-manufactured unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently released guidance about those threats and advice on safeguards. The Cybersecurity Guidance:... Read More »
Northrop Grumman plots mobile ground-based data prototype under U.S. Defense contract
As a modification of an Indefinite Duration, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, Northrop Grumman Corporation is at work on a new mobile ground station technology under the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Maritime Targeting Cell – Expeditionary contract (MTC-X). “We designed this... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security considers recommendations from Tribal leaders
A new road for how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) interacts with Tribal nations may be in store, following the first in-person meeting of the Tribal Homeland Security Advisory Council (THSAC) and Tribal leaders’ recommendations on policies and practices that affect their... Read More »
Bill to stop fentanyl from crossing the border introduced
On Tuesday, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Bob Casey and Mark Kelly (both D-AZ) introduced legislation to address the fentanyl crisis by stopping it at the southern border. The legislation, the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act, would increase staffing capacity, as well as add technology to... Read More »
Senate Democrats push amendment to maintain oversight of Israeli military assistance
Criticizing a provision in the proposed national security supplemental funding bill, more than a dozen Senate Democrats sponsored a bill this week that would maintain Congressional oversight of military assistance funding for Israel. Introduced by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), the bill would... Read More »
Senate CONTAINER Act would allow states to override federal law, place barriers on federal land
Ten Republican senators opened a new front last week with introduction of the Creating Obstructions Necessary to Address Illegal and Nefarious Entry Rapidly (CONTAINER) Act. In theory, that bill draws on the Constitution’s provided right for states to defend themselves. It is untested legal... Read More »
University of Alaska wins $46M in federal funding for arctic homeland security research, training center
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently chose the University of Alaska to head up a consortium of academic, industry, government, lab and community partners for a new ADAC-ARCTIC Center of Excellence, awarding it $46 million for the... Read More »
Record number of firearms blocked at airport security checkpoints in 2023
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported this week that it intercepted 6,737 firearms people attempted to take through airport security checkpoints and onto aircraft in 2023. It is the highest total on record, topping 2022’s record 6,542 firearms, which was itself... Read More »
New York Gov. Hochul announces new crime and public safety initiatives in 2024 State of the State address
Using her 2024 State of the State address this week as a springboard, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced new initiatives on crime and public safety, including crackdowns on retail theft and gun violence, and support for both domestic violence and hate crime prosecution. “If government... Read More »
U.S. Navy sailor sentenced to prison for transmitting military information to Chinese intelligence
A service member in the U.S. Navy was sentenced this week to 27 months in prison and fined $5,500 for taking bribes and transmitting sensitive military information to an intelligence officer from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The court named the sentenced as Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao... Read More »
Justice Department has barred more than 500 illegal firearm purchases due to enhanced background checks
Since the 2022 implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that, as of December 2023, it had stopped more than 500 unlawful firearm purchases by people under 21 years old. “In the 19 months since the passage of the Bipartisan... Read More »
Energy sector physical and cyber security projects focus of $70M federal funding opportunity
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response (CESER) last week announced up to $70 million would be made available for projects working to improve the energy sector’s security. The security improvements, addressing both physical and... Read More »
Colorado delegation urges FEMA to increase support for those assisting migrant arrivals
With more than 32,000 migrant arrivals in the city of Denver alone as of December 2023, federal Democratic lawmakers from Colorado have called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to increase support for cities and nonprofits assisting those migrants. In a letter, the lawmakers –... Read More »
Massachusetts delegation urges President Biden to remove Cuba from terrorism sponsor list
In a letter to President Joe Biden at the beginning of this year, senators and representatives from Massachusetts called on President Joe Biden to strike Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List, in a rebuke of Trump-era decisions. While President Barack Obama removed Cuba from that list... Read More »
Senate advances legislation to expand domestic semiconductor chip manufacturing
The Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act (S.229) passed its first legislative hurdle without trouble last month, advancing through the Senate with unanimous consent and setting up the possibility of expanded federal help to improve domestic semiconductor chip manufacturing. The bill,... Read More »
Biden administration releases up to $250M worth of additional assistance for Ukraine
With support from its allies wavering and a still-determined invader to deal with, Ukraine received a much-needed boost last week from the Biden administration, which provided additional security assistance and equipment for its war effort to the tune of up to $250 million. The 54th round of... Read More »
Justice Department reforming clemency process for transparency, accessibility
Big changes could be underway for the constitutional clemency power granted to the president of the United States, as the Justice Department (DOJ) announced work last week to review, streamline and improve the clemency application process. These reform efforts could be separated into three... Read More »