U.S. Policy
A group of U.S. Senators recently called on the Trump Administration to take action to stop a “Syria-North Korea sanctions evasion scheme and North Korean efforts to advance Syria’s chemical weapons technology.”
Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX), David Perdue (R-GA), Cory Gardner... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently released its 2018 Mobile Security Research and Development (R&D) Program Guide, which introduces the program’s technology projects, goals, and objectives.
The Mobile Security R&D Program aims to address... Read More »
In a new nationwide survey released by the Alliance for Biosecurity on Monday, 73 percent of the 1,612 Americans polled said they would support a congressional decision to increase funding to address biosecurity needs and capabilities.
The survey comes as Congress faces a looming Sept. 30... Read More »
The Trump Administration’s decision to target Syrian chemical weapons facilities on Friday has been applauded by Republican lawmakers as a key step in upholding prohibitions on chemical weapons and has been criticized by Democratic lawmakers as “reckless” and potentially illegal.
U.S.... Read More »
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently added to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list Rafael Caro-Quintero, who is wanted for his alleged involvement in the 1985 kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Special Agent Enrique Camarena Salazar aka “Kiki.”
Caro-Quintero... Read More »
A bipartisan group of 41 senators called for at least $225.5 million in funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program in the fiscal year 2019 federal budget on Wednesday.
Hiring grants administered through the COPS program can be used by state, local and tribal law... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced legislation on Tuesday that would help financial institutions and law enforcers identify human traffickers using the financial system.
The End Banking for Human Traffickers Act, H.R. 2219, would add the secretary of the treasury to the President's... Read More »
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the Republic of Chad has raised its security standards to meet baseline U.S. national security requirements and that the United States would remove travel restrictions placed on the country, effective April 13.
As a result of the removal, Chad... Read More »
Gen. Stephen Wilson, vice chief of staff of the Air Force, spoke this week at the 2018 Future of War Conference in Washington, D.C., where he emphasized the importance of speed, connectivity, and innovation for future war.
Wilson said that the Air Force must be able to quickly collect and... Read More »
As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified on Capitol Hill on Tuesday about the company’s policies related to user data, a bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate to establish a privacy bill of rights to protect the personal information of America’s online consumers.
U.S. Sens. Edward Markey... Read More »
Officials said construction for a border wall replacement in Santa Teresa with new bollard style wall is underway.
The existing barrier will be replaced with an 18- to 30-foot high bollard-style wall, officials noted, referencing the contract, which Customs and Border Protection (CBP) awarded to... Read More »
Democratic leaders of the U.S. House Homeland Security called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday to abandon plans to include social media scraping in an “extreme vetting” initiative for visa applicants.
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, the... Read More »
The F-35B Lightning II aircraft recently arrived at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on MacDill Air Force Base in Florida for a two-day visit to inform CENTCOM leadership about the capabilities and limitations of the F-35B platform.
The aircraft is fully operational and ready for combat. It will... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) seized control of Backpage.com and indicted seven individuals on Friday amid allegations that the online classifieds website has facilitated human sex trafficking for years.
After leading a two-year investigation into Backpage.com, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman... Read More »
A suspected chemical weapons attack by the Asaad regime last week has been condemned by U.S. President Donald Trump, who also called out Russia and Iran for backing Asaad.
“Many dead, including women and children, in mindless chemical attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and... Read More »
Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI) recently introduced a bill designed to strengthen civil defense preparedness in Hawaii and across the country.
Gabbard and Hanabusa said the Civil Defense Preparedness Act of 2018 would expand existing Department of Homeland Security (DHS)... Read More »
Rhode Island will receive $3 million in support from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to update elections equipment, reinforce cybersecurity measures and enhance overall election security, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) announced on Friday
The funds are part of the $380 million in... Read More »
Following a recent visit to Ukraine, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) called on Wednesday for continued U.S. support after witnessing Russian aggression in Eastern Ukraine first-hand.
Portman, the co-chairman of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, visited Ukrainian military positions and was briefed by... Read More »
In response to reports that foreign actors may have placed surveillance equipment around Washington, D.C., that mimics cellular towers, Democratic leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to crack down on Wednesday.
The cell-site... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said its flagship Trusted Traveler Program, Global Entry, has eclipsed the five million member milestone.
CBP personnel said Global Entry provides expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States.
As of... Read More »
Democratic leaders of the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee formally called for a congressional review of election security on Wednesday for the third time since January.
In a letter to U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), the chairman of the committee, U.S. Reps. Eddie Bernice... Read More »
President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to the southern border on Wednesday was lauded by the leader of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee as an important step to keep the country safe.
Citing legal loopholes, asylum fraud, immigration court backlogs and... Read More »
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials said the agency is working to address instances of germs with unusual antibiotic resistance genes in the United States.
A CDC Vital Signs report referenced health departments working with the CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Lab... Read More »
Lessons learned during the 2017 hurricane season will highlight Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) 2018 National Level Exercise, which will bring government agencies, the private sector, non-profits, and individuals together from April 30 to May 11.
The biennial national exercise... Read More »
U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Swanton Sector apprehended 20 individuals in four incidents for entering the country illegally over the past holiday weekend in New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
“The men and women of the United States Border Patrol work diligently to protect the border... Read More »
After fielding white papers from 436 academic institutions seeking federal funding through the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced on Monday that it will issue 24 awards totaling up to $169 million over five years.
The MURI... Read More »
In response to reports that President Donald Trump has directed Pentagon to explore diverting a portion of military funding to construct a border wall, U.S. Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) asserted on Monday that the Pentagon lacks legal authority to build a border wall.
In a... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel recently joined two other agencies as a means following up on a program designed to bring closure for Mexican families missing loved ones in southern Arizona.
CBP agents paired with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from the Tucson Field... Read More »
Fellows of the Study of Terrorism and Response to Terrorism (START) Community Resilience, Engagement and Dialogue (CRED) initiative will discuss more than a year of research into responses to hate bias incidents at the University of Maryland at a “Dialogue Dinner” planned for Wednesday.
As... Read More »
Atlanta-area nuclear regulators, researchers, medical providers and first responders to discuss their roles in the event of a “dirty bomb” attack relying on a radiological dispersal device in a recent workshop.
The workshop was hosted by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)... Read More »
Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan recently discussed the priorities of the Evolving the Future Force project while speaking at an event sponsored by the Center for a New American Security on March 29.
The multiyear initiative examines steps the joint force can take to adapt to... Read More »
Chicago O’Hare International Mail Facility Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are using a hand-held device to screen packages that may contain common drugs and industrial chemicals.
Officials said the Gemini uses analytical techniques to screen packages using either the Raman... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) highlighted the need to reform U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) on Wednesday.
Legislation introduced by McCaul to restructure and rename the NPPD the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure (CISA) agency... Read More »
A group of senators called on Wednesday for the U.S. State Department to counter anti-Semitic Russian propaganda, train diplomats to recognize disinformation and collaborate with U.S. allies to advance a unified response on Wednesday.
In a letter to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan,... Read More »
The Alliance for Biosecurity recently commended congressional leaders for a “historic increase” to Project BioShield as well as significant increases to accounts such as the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), Pandemic Flu, and the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority... Read More »
