U.S. Policy
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently unsealed federal terrorism charges against three men who allegedly plotted attacks in New York City in summer 2016 in support of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which were ultimately stopped by law enforcement.
The three men, a 19-year... Read More »
Amendments to the Border Security for America Act that include provisions to conduct thorough threat assessments, equip front-line agents with the latest technology and ensure accountability from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were recently passed by the House Homeland Security... Read More »
In the wake of the recent shooting in Las Vegas, which left 59 dead and hundreds more injured, a group of 18 Democratic U.S. senators introduced a bill that effectively bans the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.... Read More »
Building on the Border Security for America Act, U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) has proposed two amendments that would seek alternatives to physical border walls in certain areas and give prior national park agreements precedence.
“As I have been saying for years, a wall from sea to shining sea is... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee advanced on Wednesday the Border Security for America Act, which would enhance security infrastructure on the U.S. northern and southern borders.
The bill, introduced by Homeland Security Chair Michael McCaul (R-TX), would introduce... Read More »
Democratic Senators introduced Wednesday a bill regarding the ban the sale of accessories that accelerate the rate of fire of semi-automatic weapons, such as those used by the gunman during the shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday.
This bill would prohibit the sale, transfer, importation,... Read More »
The U.S. State Department needs to improve data collection and participant oversight of its Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) program, according to a recently published report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
GAO was tasked by Congress to examine the State Department’s... Read More »
A bipartisan bill that would establish a bug bounty program using “white hat” ethical hackers to search for and identify vulnerabilities within U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) networks was recently advanced by the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.... Read More »
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently began implementing new screening procedures at airports across the country that require travelers to place all electronics larger than a mobile phone in bins for X-ray screening at checkpoints.
Passengers at various U.S. airports,... Read More »
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), in tandem with the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation’s NTP Radioisotopes SOC Ltd (NTP), recently completed conversion of its molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) production process from highly-enriched uranium (HEU), which is frequently used for... Read More »
A team of nuclear security experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently completed an advisory trip to the People’s Republic of China at the behest of its government for an examination of the country’s nuclear security apparatus.
Under the IAEA’s Physical Protection... Read More »
Scientists, engineers, and technicians from the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Nuclear/Radiological Advisory Team (NRAT) recently conducted advanced maritime training aboard the Maersk Detroit in order to expand their advanced shipboard operational skill sets while on the... Read More »
While some claim nuclear power is past date, former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz published a report last week that claims the commercial nuclear energy industry remains vital to national defense and must be supported.
The report, “The U.S. Nuclear Energy Enterprise: A Key National Security... Read More »
Representatives of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) worked with the Turkish National Police last month to provide radiation detection systems and training.
Their goal was to enhance capabilities to detect smuggled nuclear and... Read More »
Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC recently announced that it would recognize Victor Reis for his contributions to nuclear security with the John S. Foster Jr. Medal.
Reis retired from his role as senior adviser in the Office of the Secretary and Undersecretaries at the U.S. Department... Read More »
An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch on Friday by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un that landed roughly 200 miles from Japan’s coast, and reports this week that North Korea was threatening an ICBM strike against the United States, are fresh warnings that the country continues to... Read More »
Sandia National Laboratories established this week a new fellowship program, which it named after Jill Hruby, its immediate past director and the first woman to direct a National Nuclear Security Administration laboratory.
The Jill Hruby Fellowship Program will provide postdoctoral candidates... Read More »
A National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) tritium extraction facility in South Carolina recently surpassed its own mining records by conducting three extractions in fiscal year 2017.
Tritium is a radioactive component that is critical to the U.S. nuclear stockpile. Previously, the... Read More »
Battelle recently received a Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) Homeland Defense and Security Technical Area Task (HD TAT) award with a total value of $13,781,575 to support the National Guard Bureau’s (NGB) Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Division initiative.
The... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) recently participated in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) workshop in Karlsruhe, Germany, where DHS personnel delivered a presentation on preparing U.S. scientists to serve as expert... Read More »
Officials with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) recently named the 2016 winners of the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Award and the Nuclear and Missile Operations Award.
The Nuclear Deterrence Operations Award is given to those who accomplish outstanding achievements in nuclear deterrence operations,... Read More »
Researchers from the Sandia National Laboratories recently developed a new method for verifying attributes of a nuclear warhead, which could help address issues of conducting verification measurements while also protecting sensitive design elements.
The method, described as Confirmation using... Read More »
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), in conjunction with the Moscow-based Center for Energy and Security Studies (CENESS), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the Government of Kazakhstan, recently sponsored a workshop on radiological security and safety procedures.
The event... Read More »
Modernizing and replacing programs related to the United States nuclear triad is the first priority for both the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy, according to testimony from key defense officials at a recent House Armed Services Strategic Force... Read More »
A scenario-based discussion, centering around how the United States and the People’s Republic of China could better cooperate to address nuclear threats, was recently conducted amongst representatives from the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the China Institutes of Contemporary International... Read More »
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) recently awarded a $35 million contract to Engility Holdings, Inc. to provide specialized advisory services to the organization’s Nuclear Enterprise Support Directorate.
The Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract has a one year base period and four one-year... Read More »
Officials from the United States recently announced a pledge of $1.091 million (€1 million) to modernize the laboratories of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Siebersdorf, Austria, which provide key nuclear research in various areas of human and animal health, food security, and... Read More »
On his first day as the new director of Sandia National Laboratories, Steve Younger stated in a speech to the lab’s workforce that it would maintain its strong missions in nuclear deterrence, nuclear nonproliferation, energy, and national security.
“I see those continuing. However, are in... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report on the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) weapon modernization programs, which stated that the agency needed to address affordability concerns in future budget estimates.
GAO was tasked with publishing... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), in conjunction with researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), recently launched a new capability that improves the department’s ability to trace the origins of plutonium.
The... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) recently sent a public letter to President-elect Donald Trump expressing concern over the continuity of government operations for national security positions in the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).... Read More »
Szuhsiung Ho, a naturalized U.S. citizen and nuclear engineer, recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully engage in the production or development of special nuclear materials outside of the United States, without the required authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which... Read More »
Battelle, Inc.’s David Winkel was recently recognized by the Nuclear Biological and Chemical (NBC) Industry Group with the Dr. Billy Richardson Award, which recognizes young leaders who are committed to NBC-related defense initiatives.
Winkel is the third Battelle researcher overall to win... Read More »
In response to North Korea’s September 2016 nuclear test and ongoing violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 16 entities and seven individuals for their ties to the Government of North... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Devin Nunes (R-CA) this week urged President Barack Obama to examine a potential breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty by Russia.
The congressmen in a letter also asked Obama to implement additional sanctions on Russia, along with... Read More »
