Policy
Senate bill would bolster science, cybersecurity education
A bipartisan bill designed to bolster science education and cybersecurity programs within various federal agencies was introduced in the U.S. Senate this week. The Harvesting American Cybersecurity Knowledge through Education (HACKED) Act Incentivize recruitment of cybersecurity educators... Read More »
Twitter suspends content from accounts affiliated with foreign terrorist organizations
Twitter suspended content affiliated with foreign terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah, following a request by members of Congress. A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Reps. Tom Reed (R-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), and Max Rose (D-NY), sent a... Read More »
Sen. Markey blasts committee decision to exempt Pilgrim plant from certain regulations
U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) blasted the decision by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to approve the exemption of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station from the regulations for emergency planning and preparedness. Markey, who serves on the committee, wrote to the Nuclear... Read More »
Department of Interior to stop using Chinese-made drones
The Department of Interior recently decided to halt the use of non-essential Chinese-made drones or drones made from Chinese components pending a review of the program. The exception would be drones used for emergency purposes. All of the department’s 810 drones have Chinese hardware, and... Read More »
DHS awards funding for security checkpoint operation enhancement
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials said an Austin, Texas-based start-up has secured funding designed to enhance security checkpoint operations. S&T officials said the agency awarded $199,961.29 to Synthetik Applied Technologies to develop a... Read More »
Hawaii secures Air Force space squadron
The U.S. Air Force announced this week that the branch selected the Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai to house the Air National Guard’s Space Control Squadron. Officials said the effort would create a new, highly technical squadron to monitor satellites in support of the... Read More »
CBP selects 11 potential partnerships to expand trade, travel services
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agreed to 11 tentative, reimbursable services agreements this week to boost cross-border trade and travel. The agreements are an expansion of the Reimbursable Services Program that has been in place since 2013. All are public-private partnerships that... Read More »
Lawmakers introduce bill to combat synthetic opioids
A bipartisan group of federal legislators introduced last week a bill to fight the spread of synthetic drugs. Synthetic drugs are re-engineered to circumvent federal laws designed to outlaw them. The Stop Importation and Manufacturing of Synthetic Analogues (SIMSA) Act would allow substances... Read More »
CISA urges heightened infrastructure security
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials said infrastructure owners and operators are urged to be alert in accordance with November being designated National Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month. Critical infrastructure (CI) plays an essential role in... Read More »
El Centro Sector Border Patrol highlights fiscal year 2019 efforts
El Centro Sector Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel said the division demonstrated a series of law enforcement achievements during fiscal year 2019. “El Centro Sectors results are attributed to the combined effort of our agents out in the field, new technology, and the border wall... Read More »
Senators introduce bill to preserve T-band spectrum for first responders
A group of Democratic U.S. Senators introduced a bill that would preserve access to T-band spectrum for emergency personnel. The bill – called Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act -- repeals a provision of the 2012 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, which directed the Federal... Read More »
Senate hearing explores need for national 5G strategy
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing last week focusing on the secure rollout of 5G networks, supply chain risks associated with 5G equipment, and the need for a national 5G strategy. 5G is the industry term that refers to the latest evolution in mobile... Read More »
Sen. Brown touts public safety appropriations
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced last week that he helped secure important victories for the state that bolster public safety while also enhancing Ohio law enforcement under a recently approved Senate appropriations package. “One of the most important roles of government is keeping... Read More »
Funds announced for Chicagoland firefighter resources
Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced last week over $11 million in federal funding would aid efforts to bolster firefighting efforts in Chicagoland communities. The $11,194,763.84 funding allotment is being provided through the Department of Homeland Security, Federal... Read More »
Bipartisan bill authorizes grants for border security
Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the Senate would authorize the Operation Stonegarden program, which provides state, local, and tribal law enforcement grants to assist in border security. Under the bill, the program would be authorized through 2024 at $110 million annually. The bill... Read More »
Terrorist Financing Targeting Center designates 25 targets affiliated with the Iranian regime
The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) has designated 25 targets affiliated with the Iranian regime’s terror-support networks in the region. The designation is focused on entities supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hizballah. Several of these... Read More »
House committee advances bill to secure 5G networks
The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced legislation that would protect 5G telecommunications systems and mobile infrastructure in the United States. The bill -- the Secure 5G and Beyond Act -- would require the administration to develop an unclassified, national strategy to maximize... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security office garners IACP honor
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) received this week the Leadership in Homeland Security Award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). “Collaboration between the DHS Intelligence Enterprise and our state and local... Read More »
Bill bolsters local government cybersecurity
A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently introduced a measure designed to strengthen local government cybersecurity defenses by switching to the .gov domain for websites and email addresses. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) joined Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and James Lankford... Read More »
Record number of firearms detected at Tampa area airports in October
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Tampa Bay area airports detected 15 firearms this month in passenger carry-on bags. This is nearly double the number of firearms detected in the previous two Octobers. Twelve firearms were detected at TSA security checkpoints at the... Read More »
Bill would provide benefits for Ready Reserve Corps.
Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Michael Burgess (R-TX) introduced a bill that allows the Ready Reserve Corps members to be paid retirement benefits. The Ready Reserve Corps is a pool of trained personnel who may be deployed to assist in public health crises and emergency response missions. The... Read More »
Sen. Inhofe introduces “skinny” defense authorization bill
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) introduced a “skinny” or basic version of the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA). This version of the annual defense authorization provides for the common defense by extending essential, noncontroversial authorities for national... Read More »
Space Development Agency announces new director
Department of Defense (DoD) officials announced Monday the selection of Derek Tournear as the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) first permanent director. “Our strategy is to unify efforts across the military services and government agencies to rapidly develop capabilities that are responsive... Read More »
Bill seeks to cut nuclear weapons budget
Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) reintroduced Tuesday legislation is designed to reduce the nation’s nuclear weapons budget by $75 billion over the next decade. The Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures (SANE) Act would enhance national security and cut what they... Read More »
Democrats decry reports of Trump bid at acting DHS head
The chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security opened Wednesday’s hearing on global terrorism criticizing President Donald Trump and his bid to name a new acting director of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on the day before Kevin McAleenan was scheduled to end his five-month... Read More »
Justice Department launching program to let task force officers wear body cameras
The U.S. Department of Justice is launching a pilot program that will allow federal task force officers to use body-worn cameras while serving arrest or search warrants. The Department of Justice oversees hundreds of federal task forces throughout the nation, which work with law enforcement to... Read More »
Senate bill would create new Department of Defense Regional Center in the Arctic
Legislation that would create a new Department of Defense Regional Center in the Arctic was introduced in the U.S. Senate this week. The center, the Ted Stevens Arctic Center for Security Studies, would be named after the longtime Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. The Defense Department has five... Read More »
Task force created to combat anti-Semitism
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee launched the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism this week. The purpose of the task force is to collaborate with advocates, state and local governments, federal agencies, law enforcement, clergy, educators, and... Read More »
Bill addresses energy research, development
Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) recently introduced a measure reauthorizing Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) funding, noting it advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies in early development stages. The ARPA-E... Read More »
DHS expands Migrant Protection Protocols sites
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) now has six ports of entry Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) sites in the wake of establishing expansion at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. Migrants attempting to enter the country via the southwest border regardless of location may be returned to Mexico... Read More »
Lawmakers to formally introduce Immigration Detainer Enforcement Act
A bill that would give authority to the arresting law enforcement agency to maintain custody of an illegal immigrant in cases where a detainer has been issued will be formally introduced in Congress this week. The Immigration Detainer Enforcement Act would clarify the Department of Homeland... Read More »
Senate advances legislation directing DHS to examine threats of deepfakes
The U.S. Senate advanced a bill that would direct the Department of Homeland Security to examine the threats deepfakes pose to national security and elections. Deepfake is a technology where hackers are able to alter video to create images or real people. The videos can then use these fake... Read More »
FEMA, Pennsylvania conduct mass care exercise
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III recently conducted an exercise in Central Pennsylvania to test the state’s ability to provide mass care services during a winter storm event leading to power outages and flooding. The Mass Care Tabletop Exercise was held with the... Read More »
Challenge targets disaster response, resilience
Three agencies within the Department of Commerce have initiated a $1 million initiative they said is designed to accelerate disaster response and resilience technology. The Economic Development Administration (EDA), in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)... Read More »