Policy
HHS begins distributing billions in relief funds to skilled nursing facilities
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun distributing billions in additional relief funds to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing homes have faced unique challenges as their population of high-risk seniors are more vulnerable to... Read More »
Bills target medical supply chain, manufacturing issues
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) has introduced two measures he said are designed to address medical supply chain vulnerabilities while increasing capacity for domestic manufacturing of drugs and medical devices. The Pharmaceutical Accountability, Responsibility, and Transparency (PART) Act would expand... Read More »
InSPIRE event bolsters disaster preparedness, resilience innovations
Two agencies are espousing the benefits of the Innovation Summit for Preparedness and Resilience (InSPIRE), which is dedicated to fostering policy and technology innovation for preparedness and resilience. The summit was hosted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology... Read More »
House committee discusses SNS preparedness with former director
Members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a teleconference forum former director of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to improve its readiness for events like COVID-19 pandemic. The Strategic National Stockpile is a federal resource designed to supplement state and local... Read More »
Senators seek info from FBI, CISA on Chinese hackers of COVID-19 data
Several U.S. Senators have reached out to the leadership at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) about attempts by the Chinese to steal intellectual property related to COVID-19. The FBI and CISA had sent out a joint notice,... Read More »
Marine Corps launches infantry modernization initiative
Marine Corps personnel said the Systems Command’s Program Manager for Infantry Weapons (PM IW) has initiated a modernization project designed to increase infantry squad lethality. “This is the largest modernization of the infantry squad in the last 25 years,” Lt. Col. Tim Hough, Marine... Read More »
Sens. Coons, Graham introduced legislation targeting live animal markets
U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced new legislation this week that would end the sale of wildlife species within live animal markets deemed high-risk for human consumption. Tied to previous outbreaks of human diseases, such markets have gained increasing scrutiny... Read More »
Senators urge Trump to ramp up COVID-19 testing, tracing
A group of U.S. Senators, including Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), sent a letter to President Donald Trump regarding the COVID-19 Testing Blueprint that the Administration recently released. The blueprint includes plans to expand state testing capacity and establish... Read More »
Senators urge COVID-19 task force to provide PPE, testing for firefighters battling wildfires
A group of U.S. Senators recently called on the Trump administration officials to help secure personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing kits for firefighters and federal law enforcement personnel charged with fighting wildfires. “Peak fire season comes closer every day. However, it is... Read More »
Moderna proposes public offering of common stock shares to raise funds for COVID-19 vaccine candidate
With an underwritten public offering of $1.25 billion in shares of common stock, Moderna, Inc. hopes to entice buyers to raise funds for the manufacturing of mRNA-1273, the company’s vaccine candidate for use on SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus responsible for COVID-19. Additionally, underwriters will... Read More »
International Association of Fire Chiefs urges passage of HEROES Act
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is encouraging lawmakers to pass the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act. The measure provides direct assistance to state and local governments, protects critical public safety radio spectrum, funds essential... Read More »
Trump administration announces structure, leadership for ‘Operation Warp Speed’
The Trump administration appointed last week Dr. Moncef Slaoui and U.S. Army General Gustave F. Perna to lead the advancement of Operation Warp Speed, a program to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 medical countermeasures. Slaoui, a former Chairman of both... Read More »
Leaders of Costa Rica, Chile launch effort with WHO to create COVID-19 platform
The leaders of Costa Rica and Chile, working with the World Health Organization (WHO), are spearheading an effort to create a technology platform that aims to lift access barriers to effective vaccines, medicines, and other health products against COVID-19. “Our proposal relies on... Read More »
Senate bill seeks to strengthen the nation’s bioeconomy
A bipartisan group of Senators introduced May 15 legislation designed to strengthen the nation’s bioeconomy. The Bioeconomy Research and Development Act of 2020 seeks to advance research and development, advance biomanufacturing, develop the future bioeconomy workforce, and support various... Read More »
Rep. Buchanan introduces bill to rebuild stockpile of critical medicines
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) introduced legislation that would create a new federal office responsible for stockpiling adequate supplies of critical medicines in the United States. The Securing America’s Medicine Cabinet Act authorizes $100 million to create National Centers of Excellence... Read More »
Bipartisan legislation seeks to improve federal cybersecurity
U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced legislation that will facilitate innovation and breakthroughs in cybersecurity. The Cyber Leap Act of 2020 would establish cybersecurity grand challenges on improving the economics related to federal... Read More »
Reps. Pallone, DeGette seek answers from CDC on keeping food production workers safe
U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) are asking officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the steps taken to further protect food production workers from the coronavirus. There have been a series of COVID-19 outbreaks in food production... Read More »
FBI, CISA issues warning for COVID-19 research organizations
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have issued a warning to organizations conducting research on the COVID-19 pandemic. These agencies are warning that healthcare researchers are prime targets from fraudsters from the... Read More »
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions members push for HHS transparency on remdesivir
Concerned about the level of transparency being provided by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over the distribution of the antiviral remdesivir, senators on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee are pressing for information. Remdesivir is a therapeutic... Read More »
Boeing secures $3.1 billion in Navy missile systems contracts
Boeing has secured a combined $3.1 billion Navy contract for Harpoon and Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM ER) weapon systems in support of Foreign Military Sales (FMS). Officials indicated about $2.6 billion of the agreement was recently contracted, with the remainder having... Read More »
HEROES Act to provide additional $3 trillion in COVID-19 aid and relief
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a $3 trillion aid package that would provide relief for Americans, fund COVID-19 testing, and bolster state and local health infrastructure and funding, among other initiatives. The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions... Read More »
DoD, HHS award contract enabling prefilled syringes for future COVID-19 vaccine
The U.S. Departments of Defense (DoD) and Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a $138 million contract to ApiJect Systems America for Project Jumpstart and RAPID USA, two programs designed to expand U.S. production of medical-grade injection devices. The contract will create a U.S.-based... Read More »
Sen. Murkowski requests joint efforts to allocate PPE, COVID-19 tests for fire crews
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has requested four government agencies combine efforts to allocate personal protective equipment (PPE) and rapid COVID-19 tests for federal wildland fire crews. Murkowski recently forwarded correspondence to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the... Read More »
Sen. Peters urges Trump administration to secure medical supplies for eventual coronavirus vaccine distribution
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) pressed the Trump administration this week to secure the medical supplies necessary to help immunize Americans against COVID-19 once such a vaccine is created. These include things like needles, syringes, or other delivery devices. Such supplies have been compromised... Read More »
CBP seizes shipments of illegal PPE, COVID-19 pharmaceuticals
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Ports of Entry working within the Baltimore Field Office seized several shipments of counterfeit and unapproved coronavirus personal protective equipment (PPE) and pharmaceuticals. Since March 23, CBP officers at the ports in Philadelphia,... Read More »
House Democrats seek briefing from AG Barr on state stay-at-home restrictions
Several Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are asking Attorney General William Barr for a briefing on legal action the Department of Justice has taken – or has threatened to take -- against state governments that have imposed strict public health and safety restrictions to combat... Read More »
IAFC seeks congressional aid to offset job losses
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is asking Congress and the Trump Administration to help offset firefighter job losses amid COVID-19, requesting $10 billion for the nation’s fire departments. A recently released IAFC survey maintains COVID-19 related budget cuts have... Read More »
GAO assesses HHS recruitment, retention efforts
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently assessed Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) efforts to recruit and retain personnel after the agency indicated challenges attracting science and technology professionals. The 21st Century Cures Act provides additional hiring and... Read More »
FDA further streamlining review, advice process for COVID-19 treatment options
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week moved to further development of prevention and treatment options for COVID-19 by providing new guidance with recommendations for innovators and researchers. The FDA previously launched the Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program to help... Read More »
Fauci warns against premature reopening amid pandemic as health officials testify to U.S. Senate
Top U.S. health officials testified before the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Tuesday, discussing the potential for future response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for and capabilities of testing, and the dangers of reopening workplaces and schools too... Read More »
Rep. Burgess seeks hearing on Strategic National Stockpile readiness
U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) is seeking to hold a hearing in the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health to examine concerns on the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). In a letter to Subcommittee Chair Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Burgess made the request, saying the committee... Read More »
Senate bill would provide $9B to support global fight against COVID-19
U.S. Senate Democrats introduced legislation to provide an additional $9 billion to support international efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 International Response and Recovery Act (CIRRA) seeks to compel the Trump Administration to engage with other countries and... Read More »
Office of the Director of National Intelligence implements organizational reforms
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) recently announced the implementation of a series of organizational changes to save government resources and enhance other initiatives. The actions would bolster ODNI's Department of Defense partner and customer support, strengthen the... Read More »
Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense delves into preparedness, response for next pandemic
The United States’ preparedness and response capabilities have buckled under the stress of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and proactive work is needed to meet the next infectious disease before it strikes, said experts during the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense May 8 virtual... Read More »