Policy
DEA opens new office in Duluth, Minnesota
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha opened a new office in Duluth, Minn. It is being opened through a partnership with the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Duluth Post of Duty, the 11th DEA office in the DEA’s Omaha Division, supplements the existing drug... Read More »
Roundtable discussion addresses New York cybersecurity threats
Rep. John Katko (R-NY) recently joined federal officials in conducting a roundtable discussion focused on addressing cybersecurity threats there. Katko recently hosted the session at the Onondaga County Water Authority with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials to assist local elected... Read More »
Trade-based money laundering threat assessed
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) maintains trade-based money laundering (TBML) is not sufficiently regarded as one of the nation’s most significant national security threats while urging a comprehensive solution process. “Cartels and terrorists are moving billions of dollars unchecked to fund their... Read More »
Senate Democrats ask why DoD is taking funds from military construction projects to build wall
A group of Senate Democrats recently called on the U.S. Department of Defense to provide Congress with details of its decision use military construction funding to pay for a Southern border wall. “We are opposed to this decision and the damage it will cause to our military and the relationship... Read More »
U.S. Coast Guard joins state, local first responders for boat drills on Tennessee River
The U.S. Coast Guard will work in conjunction with state and local first responders in Tennessee today to conduct boat drills aboard the passenger vessel Star of Knoxville, out on the Tennessee River. Operations will span periods in the morning and afternoon, in two locales: the Knoxville... Read More »
Lawmakers seek Ukraine assistance funds
A group of lawmakers recently implored the Trump Administration to release $250 million in authorized military security assistance for Ukraine. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) have forwarded correspondence to... Read More »
Reps. Ratcliffe, Khanna introduce bill to improve cybersecurity
Legislation to modernize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Continuous Diagnostics Mitigation (CDM) program was introduced in the House this week. The Advancing Cybersecurity Diagnostics and Mitigation Act, introduced by Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), seeks to... Read More »
U.S. Army picks Textron Systems for weapons contract
The U.S. Army’s Project Manager Soldier Weapons awarded Textron Systems a contract to deliver automatic rifles. Textron Systems, a subsidiary of Textron Inc., will deliver 43 6.8mm CT Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) Automatic Rifles and 53 NGSW-Rifles. Further, it will provide the Army... Read More »
DHS awards $200K to San Diego aerosystems company for final testing of sUAS proficiency
Planck Aerosystems, Inc. has secured a $200,000 Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) award to test its small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) in operational settings. The award is part of S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) in partnership with... Read More »
Groundbreaking held for Maryland fire station
A recent groundbreaking ceremony was held for the site of the Waterloo Fire Station in Jessup, Md., a nearly six-acre plot that will serve as the first new fire station in the eastern part of Howard County in 25 years and will improve the area’s emergency response services. The fire station... Read More »
Partners set standards for emergency communications
Two cooperative research and development agreements, between the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the First Responder Network Authority and more than 75 industry partners, have made emergency service communication easier. Network towers generally can support approximately 600... Read More »
DHS to test smart cities technology in St. Louis to improve public safety
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is launching a pilot program in St. Louis to integrate smart cities technology into the public safety infrastructure. The pilot program will take place at T-REX, the downtown St. Louis technology innovation... Read More »
Wyoming announces arrival of first FEMA Integration Team member
The State of Wyoming Office of Homeland Security recently welcomed the first member of its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integration Team (FIT). “We are excited to explore this opportunity for partnership with FEMA,” Lynn Budd, director of the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security... Read More »
Federal grants to aid Connecticut fire departments
Fire departments in Middletown, Manchester, Bristol, and Southington, Conn., have been awarded more than $595,000 in Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). “These grants represent the hard work and sacrifice of our firefighters and first responders in Middletown, Manchester, Bristol,... Read More »
Allocation bolsters emergency responder equipment in Virginia counties
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) said a funding allotment of $125,000 would assist efforts to update old equipment at Virginia-area police and fire departments. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) said the effort would aid departments in Augusta County, Halifax County and the... Read More »
DHS S&T coordinates creation of new Emergency Response Best Practices alongside Canada, UK
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) worked alongside colleagues in the United Kingdom and Canada in June to test the latest iteration of the Science Advisory Guide for Emergencies (SAGE). SAGE is a supplemental tool that maintains scientific... Read More »
Sen. Portman visits Wright-Patterson during ‘Results Tour’
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) recently visited Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as part of his Results Tour, where he met with the officers overseeing the F-35 Hybrid Product Support Integrator Organization and the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC). NASIC is using World War II-era... Read More »
Baltimore to receive funding for disaster preparedness
The City of Baltimore received Monday a $937,700 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to improve the city’s preparedness for disasters and catastrophes. The funding was awarded through the DHS Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program, which seeks to expand... Read More »
Raytheon secures ESSM Block 2 contract
Raytheon has secured a $190 million low-rate Navy contract to produce ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles) Block 2 units featuring a guidance system with dual mode active and semi-active radar. “ESSM plays a critical role in protecting Navy sailors worldwide and our international partners share... Read More »
Delaware seeking volunteers to participate in public health exercise
Delaware’s Division of Public Health (DPH) is seeking volunteers to participate in an emergency preparedness exercise on Sept. 28. The exercise will be held at two Delaware Technical Community College campuses and will be used to evaluate the state’s ability to set up locations to... Read More »
Air Force awards new contract to replace wings on A-10 aircraft fleet
As a means of extending the performance of its current A-10 aircraft fleet, the Air Force recently awarded a contract to replace wings on over 100 planes. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ), a former A-10 pilot and the first female to command a squadron of A-10’s in combat, said the effort would... Read More »
U.S. Marines participate in exchange program with Indonesia
The U.S. Marines are participating in a military exchange with Indonesian Marines to train and learn from each other. The 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment is participating with the Indonesian Korps Marinir (KORMAR). The soldiers are training in Eastern Java, Indonesia, and Marine Corps Base... Read More »
Rep. McCaul urges Congress, Trump Administration to address UN arms embargo of Iran
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), lead Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Congress and the Trump Administration must address the expiration of the UN arms embargo on Iran. The UN arms embargo on Iran and the travel ban on Qasem Soleimani, the chief of Iran's Quds force, are set to... Read More »
CBP, LA law enforcement seize more than 52,000 gun parts from China
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorities said a Los Angeles / Long Beach Seaport law enforcement collaboration recently resulted in the seizure of 52,601 illegal firearms parts. The shipment, which violated the Chinese Arms Embargo, was intercepted with the aid of the Machinery Center of... Read More »
New York City receives nearly $179M from Urban Area Security Initiative
The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) recently announced that the New York City area would receive $178.8 million in federal funding to help prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism. The funding includes an $11.09 million Nonprofit Security Grant... Read More »
CBP provides update on U.S. Virgin Islands cargo automation process
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is continuing its efforts to incorporate the U.S. Virgin Islands into the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) to expedite the cargo importation process. At a meeting in Washington D.C. last week, CBP officials updated the U.S. Virgin Islands trade... Read More »
Lawmakers seek immigration checkpoint reviews
Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Gary Peters (D-MI) requested Wednesday that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) review the Border Patrol’s interior immigration checkpoints usage and Fourth Amendment compliance. In correspondence to GAO personnel, the senators sought... Read More »
Senators urge inclusion of nuclear weapons provisions in 2020 NDAA
A group of 18 U.S. senators recently urged the Senate Armed Services Committee to include three nuclear weapons provisions in the final National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020. The provisions were included in the House-passed version of the bill. The first provision would ban... Read More »
Bill would prosecute domestic terrorism the same as international terrorism
Legislation recently introduced in the House would change the penal code structure to prosecute domestic terrorism crimes the same way as international terrorism crimes. The change would allow federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors to charge those committing acts of domestic terrorism... Read More »
Rep. Moulton urges Trump administration to protect Afghan translators
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) recently urged the Trump administration to protect the lives of the Afghan translators who worked with the U.S. or the Taliban will kill them. Moulton’s warning comes as the administration is negotiating a potential peace deal with the Taliban. There are nearly 20,000... Read More »
Rep. Brooks urges national passage of red flag laws
Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) is urging national passage red flag laws, which will allow state law enforcement to seize weapons from individuals perceived as a danger to themselves or others. Brooks said the effort is in the wake of the latest round of mass shootings across the country. She noted... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster firefighter infrastructure
Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Pete Stauber (R-MN) introduced last week a measure designed to enhance the nation’s fire station infrastructure. The Fire Station Infrastructure Safety Act provides data on the age and conditions of every fire station in the country, which the legislators maintain... Read More »
Senators push US efforts against global tuberculosis threats
U.S. Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) recently introduced legislation to significantly increase U.S. efforts in prevention, research, and technology development to help end the global tuberculosis epidemic. The End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2019 would alter the existing Foreign... Read More »
GAO issues Army cyber, electronic warfare recommendations
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the Army three recommendations regarding how forces will engage jointly with other services in multiple domains - specifically cyber and space. The GAO said the analysis and subsequent recommendations stem from the House Armed Services... Read More »