Policy
FirstNet passes budget including funding for public safety broadband network
The First Responder Network Authority passed an $82 million budget for Fiscal Year 2020, which includes funding for future investments in the nationwide public safety broadband network. “The FirstNet Authority is an organization solely focused on public safety’s critical communications needs... Read More »
Bill would make domestic terrorism a federal crime
U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) released a draft of a bill Wednesday that would make domestic terrorism a federal crime. Domestic terrorism is defined in the criminal code but is not a distinct federal crime with specific punishments. This makes it more challenging to track domestic terror acts,... Read More »
Rep. Reed asks U.S. attorney general to investigate NYC water attack on police a hate crime
U.S. Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) is asking U.S. Attorney General William Barr to investigate federal criminal and hate crime charges people who doused police officers with buckets of water. In July, police officers in New York City were drenched with buckets of water and one officer was hit on the head... Read More »
New National Guard center announced in North Dakota
North Dakota officials are touting the benefits of a new, $32 million Army National Guard Readiness Center, which will house, support and train guard personnel. “The North Dakota National Guard is always ready, always there,” Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), a member of the Senate Defense... Read More »Sen. Brown reintroduces legislation limiting impact of antibiotic resistance
The Strategies to Address Antibiotic Resistance (STAAR) Act was reintroduced to the Senate this week, raising the issue of what to do in the face of growing antibiotic resistance. The legislation was introduced by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in an attempt to increase data collection,... Read More »
House bill would help develop evidence-based solutions to address gun violence
Legislation introduced Monday would provide evidence-based solutions to gun violence nationwide. The Gun Safety Board and Research Act establishes a board responsible for conducting research aimed at reducing gun violence and evaluating federal and state policy proposals to identify gaps in gun... Read More »
Department of Defense develops plan to correct contracting practices
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) developed a corrective action plan on contracting practices in the DoD’s Office of Net Assessment. The plan was developed at the request of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who sent a letter to then-Acting Secretary Mark Esper in July seeking more information on... Read More »
Officials address emerging security threat protections
Acting Deputy Secretary David P. Pekoske and Attorney General William P. Barr recently participated in the Five Country Ministerial in London, England, to address emerging global security threats. Pekoske and Barr joined Home Affairs, Interior Security and Immigration Ministers of the Five Eyes... Read More »
FEMA awards $23.8M in preparedness funding to Maryland
Hazard preparedness in Maryland will benefit from $23.8 million in federal grants recently announced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funds will be broken up into seven specific targets. The State Homeland Security Program, Urban Area Security Initiative, Emergency... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee addresses domestic terrorism
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chairman of House Homeland Security Committee, met with Acting DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan this week to discuss the threat of domestic terrorism following recent shootings in Gilroy, Calif., El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. The Aug. 13 meeting took place in... Read More »
House Energy & Commerce members initiate biodetection technology system inquiry
U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders have written to the U.S. Comptroller General requesting that the Government Accountability Office examine the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) new biodetection technology system known as BioDetection 21. The BioDetection 21 pilot program... Read More »
Apprehensions on Southwest border decrease 20 percent in July
Apprehensions along the U.S. Southwest border declined 20 percent in July, the second consecutive month of decreases, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan announced on Aug. 8. The reductions are attributed mainly to an agreement with Mexico that was signed in June intended to... Read More »
Senators support expansion of F-35 program
A group of Republican senators led by U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) sent a letter on Aug. 6 to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, asserting their support for the continued expansion of the F-35 joint strike fighter program. “Since its inception over 25 years ago, the F-35 program has depended... Read More »
Bill bans high capacity gun magazines
Four democratic legislators are calling on their colleagues to pass their bill banning high-capacity gun magazines holding more than 10 rounds. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Ted Deutch (D-FL), and Dina Titus (D-NV) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) are urging passage of the Keep Americans Safe Act,... Read More »
DHS to provide New Jersey with more than $57M for homeland security, preparedness efforts
New Jersey will receive $57.6 million grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for emergency preparedness, terrorism prevention, and bolstering port security and transit security efforts. “Because of our state’s proximity to New York and Philadelphia, as well as our major... Read More »
GAO report details challenges to defend U.S. against biological threats
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently identified several challenges related to the nation’s ability to detect and respond to biological events. These hurdles transcend what any one federal department or agency can individually address. The GAO found four precarious areas,... Read More »
California governor touts 9-1-1 system upgrades
Citing the state’s desire to upgrade California’s analog 9-1-1 system microwave network to a digital platform, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently touted a $1 billion investment in emergency preparedness and response funding. During a 9-1-1 call center tour at the San Francisco Department of... Read More »
Senators urge Trump to certify Colombian commitment to combating drug trade
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) recently forwarded correspondence to President Donald Trump to certify to Congress that Colombia is committed to working with authorities to combat the illegal drug trade. Colombia, who the senators said is one of the most proactive nations... Read More »
Senate approves bill to let federal workers assist FEMA with search and rescue efforts
The U.S. Senate passed a bill this week that would allow federal workers to assist the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) efforts. The National Urban Search and Rescue Parity Act would override a policy that currently bars federal employees from... Read More »
Sen. Gardner seeks reestablishment of Space Command headquarters in Colorado
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) is encouraging the Department of Defense to reestablish the U.S. Space Command in Colorado and use its existing military assets to address emerging space threats. Gardner recently forwarded correspondence to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, highlighting Colorado’s... Read More »
DHS allocates $350M for six competitive preparedness grant programs
Building on non-competitive grant funding already provided to various preparedness efforts throughout the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced $350 million will be divided between six competitive preparedness grant programs this year. Those funds will support... Read More »
NTI urges Trump, Putin to re-engage on nuclear talks following end of INF Treaty
The United States officially withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty last week, ending a 30-year ban on a class of weapons that both the United States and the then Soviet Union, now Russia, recognized as particularly dangerous and destabilizing. These land-based... Read More »
Bill offers firefighter PFAS protection
A bill designed to protect the health and safety of firefighters and emergency responders frequently exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in foams was recently introduced by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH). The... Read More »
Sen. Menendez criticizes Trump Administration’s failure to sufficiently respond to DRC Ebola outbreak
As he called for immediate action to eradicate a major outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last week, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) also denounced the Trump Administration for its failures to combat the growing crisis adequately. The outbreak is now recognized by the... Read More »
Senators call for extending SALT nuclear arms treaty
A bill urging the Trump Administration to place limits on Russia’s strategic nuclear arms was introduced in the U.S. Senate last week. The legislation – sponsored by Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) -- calls for extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START)... Read More »
Bill seeks to close firearms loophole
Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) reintroduced Wednesday a measure designed to close loopholes they said offenders exploit to obtain firearms through straw purchasing and firearms trafficking. The Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2019 is landmark... Read More »
California bolsters emergency preparedness
As a means of addressing this year’s fire season, California officials are highlighting efforts to bolster preparedness with a series of actions to prepare for wildfires and other natural disasters. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order increasing the number of seasonal firefighters... Read More »
Senate committee advances bill to authorize appropriations for Coast Guard
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation advanced a bill that would authorize appropriations for the U.S. Coast Guard operations through Fiscal Year 2021. The bill, among other things, will help the Coast Guard recruit and retain a workforce through a number of... Read More »
Legislation explores benefits of US-Israel cybersecurity center
Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced this week a bill requiring the State Department to investigate potential benefits of establishing a U.S.-Israel cybersecurity center. According to the legislators, the U.S.-Israel Cybersecurity Center of Excellence Act would aid in... Read More »
Bill to bolster firefighter safety
Reps. Pete Stauber (R-MN) and Jared Golden (D-ME) introduced Wednesday a measure designed to ensure fire station infrastructure nationwide enables firefighters to perform their duties efficiently and safely. The Fire Station Infrastructure Safety Act directs the U.S. Fire Administration to... Read More »
New Senate bill seeks improvements to federal cybersecurity
U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced cybersecurity legislation this week, seeking to improve the work of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) program. Their solution is the Advancing Cybersecurity Continuing... Read More »
U.S. employment-based immigration visas bring highly skilled, educated workers to America
Every fiscal year — from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 — the United States government says it makes available to qualified applicants roughly 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas in efforts to bring much-needed, highly skilled labor and foreign investment dollars to America. It’s a critical... Read More »
Sens. Van Hollen, Rubio urge measures to protect U.S. elections from foreign interference
U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) are encouraging the leadership of the Senate and House Armed Services Committee to include the DETER Act in the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report. The Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing... Read More »
Sens. Markey, Lee seek report on biometric identification technology
Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Mike Lee (R-UT) recently called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide Congress with the status of an overdue biometric identification technology report. Under the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018, DHS was required to... Read More »