U.S. Policy
As the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) enters its second year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week announced a boost to its coffers, amounting to $374.9 million in available funding.
Overall, the program will provide $1 billion in funding over four years... Read More »
As artificial intelligence (AI) advancements continue to develop, a bipartisan group of senators this week proposed a way to keep it advancing while also maintaining safety standards: the Creating Resources for Every American To Experiment with Artificial Intelligence Act of 2023 (CREATE AI... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) introduced the Fair Pay for Federal Firefighters Act (H.R. 4831) last week, offering a base pay raise for federal firefighters as a stopgap against U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pay cuts caused by lack of funds.
“Our firefighters... Read More »
Some $7.5 million in grant funding will be awarded to nonprofits and faith-based organizations in Michigan from the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) in the days ahead, to help these organizations secure their facilities.
In recent years,... Read More »
Justice Department officials have detailed two separate cases in which Navy personnel have been charged with espionage and bribery, respectively.
According to the Justice Department, Navy sailor Jinchao Wei, aka Patrick Wei, was recently arrested on espionage charges as he arrived for work at... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Rand Paul (R-KY), and James Lankford (R-OK) are commending their colleagues for advancing their legislation that would simplify the federal disaster recovery assistance application process.
Specifically, the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act would require the... Read More »
As the United States reckons with its seasonal labor needs and political infighting over immigration, a new bipartisan effort known as the SEASONAL Act seeks to allow governors the ability to push supplemental H-2B visas beyond the national cap of 66,000.
The SEASONAL Act, or the State... Read More »
A years-running bipartisan effort at national security sector investment scrutiny from U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) gained traction this week, as the Senate voted to attach the Outbound Investment Transparency Act to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
At the... Read More »
U.S. Reps. August Pfluger (R-TX) and Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) are seeking insight from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Treasury Department regarding agency efforts to combat illicit cartel and terrorist financing.
Pfluger, chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee... Read More »
The bipartisan Disaster Assistance Deadlines Alignment Act queued up for consideration in the House this week after advancing through the Senate, raising the possibility of a single application deadline for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance programs.
“Survivors of... Read More »
U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Chris Coons (D-DE) recently introduced legislation equipping law enforcement officers with trauma kits to respond if a civilian or officer experiences traumatic injury.
The American Law Enforcement Sustaining Aid... Read More »
Currently, the world is still reckoning with how the endless expanse of outer space fits into its terrestrial-focused economic structure, but the Space Infrastructure Act introduced in the House last week seeks to take a crack at it by filing space systems, services and technology under critical... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are advocating the Biden Administration bolster the submarine industrial base amid efforts to fulfill Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) partnership terms.
Wicker, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and... Read More »
Under the newly introduced Rolling Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and Drug act, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) last week proposed fighting drug shortages with increased domestic supplies of critical medications.
The bill would front and center... Read More »
The House of Representatives has advanced the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 4366), which honors the nation's commitment to veterans.
“The bill before us demonstrates our commitment to reduce overall spending and still... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC)and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) expanding collaboration to strengthen the semiconductor defense industrial base.
"This agreement is an important step forward in increasing the capacity and resiliency of... Read More »
A legislative effort to create a Northern Border Coordination Center and another to support critical operations at airports, seaports and land ports of entry through onboarding of at least 600 officers a year moved out of committee this week and to the Senate floor.
The Northern Border... Read More »
The Senate recently advanced legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) screening domestic investments in national security sectors made in countries of concern.
Outbound Investment Transparency Act proponents indicated the legislation would give the United... Read More »
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) won $1.67 million from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) this week, to aid research into future emergency response structures.
In this context, this includes items like emergency operation centers... Read More »
In order to secure a presence in international commercial shipping and bolster military usefulness at sea, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD) enrolled nine ships into its Tanker Security Program (TSP) this week.
“Today we are announcing the first... Read More »
Seemingly joining with states’ efforts to block certain foreign entries into American agriculture, the U.S. Senate approved an amendment this week that would ban four nations in particular from buying up either American farmland or agricultural businesses.
In a 91-7 vote, the Senate... Read More »
Mexico government officials recently hosted a U.S. delegation to reaffirm the nations' commitment to address fentanyl and arms trafficking, as well as humanely manage migration.
This month Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador joined senior Mexico government personnel in hosting a U.S.... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Jeff Duncan (R-SC), chair of the Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee, recently unveiled the Pipeline Safety, Modernization, and Expansion Act of 2023, which incorporated energy pipeline... Read More »
A total of $20 million in grant funding was made available to eligible counties in New York last week to improve land mobile radio interoperability among public safety agencies and, more generally, improve the state’s emergency communications systems.
"Communications are the backbone of... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Bill Posey’s (R-FL) initiative seeking to reduce American dependence on Chinese production of heparin has been adopted into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The action was advanced by the House of Representatives. It encourages private capital to drive domestic... Read More »
Coast Guard officials have detailed Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast's 70-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific.
The crew crew recently returned to its homeport in Astoria, Ore., after disrupting the flow of illegal narcotics on three separate occasions during the patrol, preventing a... Read More »
Working together, U.S. Reps. Young Kim (R-CA) and Kathy Manning (D-NC) reintroduced the Securing Global Telecommunications Act (H.R.4741) last week, resurrecting an attempt to push global telecommunications security by clamping down on foreign influence.
Specifically, the bill was geared toward... Read More »
The results of six competitive preparedness grant programs under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) came in last week, resulting in $605 million to aid state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, nonprofit agencies, and the private sector ready for terrorism and natural... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has detailed a northern border surge operation resulting in the apprehension of 124 people.
CBP said its Air and Marine Operations (AMO) Plattsburgh Air Unit collaborated with federal, state and local partners to execute Operation Jagdakommando in response to... Read More »
A database could help identify and address vulnerabilities in the pharmaceutical supply chain, according to a new bill proposed in the Senate last week – the Mapping America’s Pharmaceutical Supply Act (MAPS), allowing greater preparedness for public health threats overall.
The... Read More »
Through introduction of the bipartisan Protecting Firefighters and Advancing State-of-the-Art Alternatives Act (PFAS Alternatives Act), several federal lawmakers recently proposed authorizing $25 million annually through 2028 to support development of new materials, guidance and training for... Read More »
As gun sales increase and shootings nationwide rise, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) have introduced the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Data Integrity Act requiring the FBI to complete all gun-purchase background checks.
Currently,... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Warren Davidson (R-OH), John Garamendi (D-CA) and Seth Moulton (D-MA) recently detailed the Streamline Pentagon Budgeting Act, which would reform wasteful Department of Defense budget practices.
Specifically, the legislation would repeal... Read More »
A Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) analysis maintains nuclear security conditions are regressing among the dozens of countries, as well as areas with weapons-usable nuclear materials and nuclear facilities.
“The bottom line is that the countries and areas with the greatest responsibility for... Read More »
A pair of bills introduced by U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) this week would authorize the federal government to investigate the health impacts of nuclear weapons and promote safe design and mass-production of genetic material through artificial gene synthesis.... Read More »
