U.S. Policy
While U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has tripled the number of applications it has received for law enforcement positions in recent years, it has had problems retaining employees.
To address this issue, CBP asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office to examine CBP’s efforts to... Read More »
A pair of bills introduced by Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) designed to enhance Department of Homeland Security (DHS) border security efforts garnered House approval Monday.
The Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) Authorization Act seeks to establish the OBIM as the primary biometric... Read More »
Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) officials are incorporating the organization’s Electronics Resurgence Initiative (ERI) into a three-day gathering designed to galvanize industry professionals.
The ERI, introduced in June 2017, is a multi-year, $1.5 billion investment in... Read More »
Citing significant threats to national security, U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Mark Warner (D-VA) urged the president on Tuesday to reconsider lifting a ban on Chinese telecommunications company ZTE and to support banning government purchases of Huawei equipment.
The senators noted in a... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved seven bills this week that aim to help the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to better identify cyber threats, secure the nation’s borders, shore up transportation security and improve reporting systems for suspicious activity.
U.S. Rep.... Read More »
New research from BAE Systems finds a gap between the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals and the number of available positions in corporate America.
The BAE study says 50 percent of businesses claim there is a lack of staff with the required security skills and expertise. Further, 40... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be directed to secure information and operational technologies used in critical applications to address vulnerabilities under a bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday.
The DHS Industrial Control Systems Capabilities... Read More »
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office will use Rockwell Collins’ UrgentLink disaster communications network as a backup if primary communication infrastructure fails during natural or man-made disasters.
As a beyond-line-of-sight communications system that operates on the high-frequency... Read More »
Thirteen companies have been selected to take part in a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) Smart Cities Internet of Things Innovation (SCITI) Labs program, which aims to enhance first responder situational and building security.
DHS S&T issued a... Read More »
A national registry would be created to collect data on the prevalence of cancer in firefighters to better understand how smoke inhalation and other occupational hazards contribute under a bill that cleared Congress on Friday.
The Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2017, H.R. 931 would require... Read More »
The U.S. Air Force and Boeing have announced plans for the first Boeing-built KC-46 Tanker, a military version of the 767 commercial aircraft, to be delivered to bases in Oklahoma and Kansas in October.
The announcement drew praise from U.S. Reps. Tom Cole (R-OK) and Frank Lucas (R-OK), whose... Read More »
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) recently supported an effort to steer federal funding toward enhanced security at a pivotal intelligence research laboratory.
Schumer and Gillibrand said the Senate version of the FY 2019 National Defense... Read More »
A “bug bounty program” competition would be created to reward cyber experts for identifying gaps in the cyber defenses of the nation’s election infrastructure under a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.
The Prevent Election Hacking Act of 2018 would authorize... Read More »
A bipartisan group of lawmakers raised concerns on Wednesday about the national security implications of a new strategic partnership between Google and Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications company.
The lawmakers argued in a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai that Chinese telecommunication... Read More »
Federal, state, and local officials discussed efforts to disrupt the flow of illegal opioids into communities and to break up criminal networks during a field hearing held on Tuesday in Harrisburg, Pa.
The hearing, “Opioids in the Homeland: DHS Coordination with State and Local Partners to... Read More »
In response to evolving terror threats, the U.S. House of Representatives approved bills on Tuesday to enhance federal efforts to protect against vehicular terrorism and to establish a federal laboratory to develop new technologies for use by law enforcers and first responders.
U.S. Rep. Dan... Read More »
A $55.15 billion homeland security appropriations bill that emphasizes border security, cybersecurity, the nationwide opioid epidemic, and state and local support cleared the U.S.
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security on Tuesday.
The Fiscal Year 2019 Homeland Security... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a nuclear proliferation reporting analysis, determining the documents did not address several requirements and lacked vital details.
The work stemmed from the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015, which... Read More »
The U.S. Senate approved a national defense spending bill for fiscal year 2019 Monday that totals $716 billion, including a $550 million increase in military readiness funding to address critical shortfalls and a $450 million increase in military facilities sustainment funding.
The Fiscal Year... Read More »
Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) announced last week their support of legislation prioritizing urgent public health and research priorities.
“We look forward to learning more about allocations to the Prevention and Public Health Fund and hope to see robust support for... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Treasury issued sanctions against five Russian entities and three Russian individuals last week for engaging in “significant malicious cyber-enabled activities.”
The Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued sanctions against one entity... Read More »
The United States may be prepared for emerging biological terror and disease outbreaks, but members of Congress questioned during a recent hearing whether coordination among federal agencies, local health departments, and private companies are optimal to tackle such threats.
The purpose of... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is assisting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in drafting a report assessing hurricane damage in Puerto Rico and outlining a plan to rebuild that is due to Congress by Aug. 8.
DHS S&T has... Read More »
Oshkosh Defense, LLC has secured a $159.6 million government contract for 771 Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) after the Army Contracting Command placed the four additional orders.
Oshkosh Defense was first awarded the FMTV A1P2 contract in 2009.
The current generation FMTV is... Read More »
Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are seeking to amend the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to ensure Congress continues a role in authorizing the development of new nuclear weapons.
The senators said the amendment is needed because the Trump Administration is... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made progress in managing the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program, according to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
DHS established the CFATS program in 2007 to identify and assess the security risk... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued Wednesday a series of recommendations to the Department of Defense (DOD), as a means of resolving ongoing data access issues with suppliers.
GAO officials said while the DOD relies on a network of suppliers to provide the materials and equipment... Read More »
President Donald Trump would be barred from unilaterally withdrawing nearly 30,000 U.S. troops currently stationed in South Korea under a measure introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday.
U.S Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced an amendment to the... Read More »
Amid ongoing debate on the annual national defense spending bill in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) highlighted the importance of policies that support domestic manufacturing and penalize manufacturers that ship jobs overseas on Wednesday.
Donnelly, a member of the U.S. Senate Armed... Read More »
Top nuclear experts maintain the global nonproliferation regime is not faring well in today’s current policy climate, according to a recent Simson Center hosted discussion on The Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) at Fifty.
Susan Burk, former special representative of the President for Nuclear... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced this week the initiation of an effort designed to require the submission of advanced air cargo information on shipments arriving in the United States from a foreign location.
Although the Air Cargo... Read More »
Firearms dealers that engage in illegal sales practices would face stronger oversight from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and stiffer penalties under a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday.
U.S. Reps. Jim Langevin (D-RI), Ted Deutch (D-FL), and Gwen... Read More »
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is partnering with BAE Systems to develop software aiding military planners in understanding and addressing dynamics driving world conflicts.
Through a $4.2 million Phase 1 contract awarded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the... Read More »
Touting the achievement as a testament to the effort’s continued progress and momentum, the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin recently delivered the 300th production aircraft to the Air Force.
Pentagon officials said the 300th aircraft, a U.S. Air Force F-35A, was delivered to... Read More »
Ahead of the summit between the United States and North Korea in Singapore, U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced a measure that would prohibit war with North Korea without congressional authorization.
The amendment to the John S. McCain National Defense... Read More »
