U.S. Policy
A bill that seeks to improve information sharing and cooperation in addressing cybersecurity risks at the nation’s ports was recently unanimously advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Authored by U.S. Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA), the Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and... Read More »
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security recently introduced a self-guided exercise scenario to help public health communicators and risk communication researchers prepare for transmission dilemmas they could face during a pandemic.
The SPARS Pandemic scenario book features the outbreak of... Read More »
The National Governors Association (NGA) recently announced the launch of a project aimed at preventing acts of violent extremism in throughout the United States.
Developed through a two-year training and engagement grant provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the project... Read More »
A bill that establishes an interagency task force of federal law enforcement agencies to help eradicate the illicit trade of fentanyl and heroin throughout the United States was recently introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins (R-WV).
The bill, titled the... Read More »
A bill that seeks to reauthorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) cargo vetting program for the first time in eleven years was recently advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Authored by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ), the... Read More »
During a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) prodded federal officials on the nation’s cyberdefenses and the need for a national doctrine for deterrence of cyber attacks.
Witnesses included Christopher Krebs, the senior official undertaking duties of... Read More »
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) recently sent a letter to Nuance, a health care technology company affected by June’s NotPetya malware outbreak, asking for additional information about the incident.
The outbreak affected Nuance’s ability to provide transcription... Read More »
In a Massachusetts case, a 28-year-old man had been convicted of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) terrorist group, along with terrorism and obstruction charges.
David Daoud Wright had been indicted back in April 2016 alongside Nicholas... Read More »
According to a recently published report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should use sound program management and oversight practices in its technology infrastructure modernization (TIM) plan to avoid repeating past... Read More »
Air passenger travel is steadily increasing, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, and with an influx of passengers comes the need for more highly trained canines to protect the public and support law enforcement, experts say.
The FAA reports in an aerospace forecast that passenger... Read More »
The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is now one of 10 airports in the country to offer automated security screening lanes in an effort to cut down on passenger processing time.
The creation of four automated screening lanes in terminals A and D is a joint effort on behalf of the... Read More »
A jury in Manhattan federal court returned a guilty verdict Monday against Ahmad Khan Rahimi on all eight counts of the indictment that charged him with offenses related to his execution and attempted execution of bombings in New York City on September 17, 2016.
Rahimi faces a mandatory... Read More »
A group of House Energy and Commerce Committee members sent a letter Monday to the General Services Administration (GSA) to request information on its data security vetting for awarding government contracts.
The committee members also sent a letter recently to the Internal Revenue Service... Read More »
A hearing of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications recently examined the status of emergency communication networks for first responders.
Chaired by U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY), the committee reviewed communications issues observed in the wake of acts of... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) recently wrote a letter to the director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), following the first case of locally transmitted Zika in 2017, asking the organization to prioritize Zika prevention efforts.
"The Zika outbreak isn't over and continues... Read More »
Several security and health organizations recently launched an initiative to reduce the use of risk-significant radioactive source-based devices in medical and research applications in order to reduce the risk of terrorists acquiring this material.
Radioactive sources are used in various... Read More »
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) faces various challenges in implementing its public safety broadband network, according to a recent review conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
GAO was tasked by Congress to asses FirstNet’s efforts to establish the... Read More »
In an effort to help federal agencies identify biodefense capabilities and identify priorities for spending, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a study Wednesday tracking national activities that contribute to biological threat awareness.
Key players involved in the study... Read More »
Reps. Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Bradley S. Schneider (D-IL), and Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) introduced a bill Wednesday that would require federal firearms licensees to report the sale of two or more long guns within a five-day period.
This requirement already exists for handguns, but long guns, such... Read More »
Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) recently wrote to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to ask for an evaluation of the resiliency of the United States’ wireless networks.
Pallone requested that the commission review the... Read More »
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 »
