U.S. Policy
The U.S. Department of Defense's Industrial Base Policy Office recently launched a manufacturing pilot program with the Austin Center for Manufacturing and Innovation (ACMI) in Austin, Texas.
The Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Program initiative is slated to focus on advanced... Read More »
As the war between Ukraine and Russia enters into its sixth month, the U.S. Army is still finding new ways to help its eastern European ally, and as of last week, that support took the form of a $182 million contract with Raytheon Missiles & Defense.
The company, formed through a combination of... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) recently formed a congressional caucus that seeks to prevent, reduce and offer a response to civilian harm resulting from U.S. and partners’ operations.
The action stems from the... Read More »
In an effort to improve school safety at the state and local levels, United States Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) last week introduced the Security to Avoid Violence in Educational Settings (SAVES) Act, which would create a new federal grant program.
The Department of Justice would be in charge of a... Read More »
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released Preparing Critical Infrastructure for Post-Quantum Cryptography, a guide which provides critical infrastructure and government network owners with essential updates.
The analysis also provides operators with an overview of... Read More »
Leaders from the House Committees on Energy & Commerce and Homeland Security joined forces in a letter this week to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), pressing for urgent action to close vulnerabilities in the oversight of radiological material purchases.
Spurring the letter was a covert... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) have joined eight colleagues in expressing concerns regarding a recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State determination that "terrorist-linked" individuals are no longer barred from entering the United States.
The... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) recently announced funding for their respective states to aid faith-based and other nonprofit organizations in securing their facilities against terrorist attacks and acts of hate.
Portman, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and... Read More »
In a letter to leadership at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) revealed nine whistleblowers had disclosed concerns of mislabeling and unauthorized manufacturing of... Read More »
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking proposals to enhance microelectronics manufacturing efforts.
DARPA’s Next-Generation Microelectronics Manufacturing (NGMM) seeks to create a new, domestic-based center for research and development and 3DHI microsystems... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) recently introduced two pieces of legislation to combat gun violence by establishing gun manufacturer accountability.
The Firearm Industry Fairness Act would tax firearm manufacturers producing semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines at a rate of 20... Read More »
At the first summit of its kind in 15 years, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and various national law enforcement organizations gathered in Alexandria, Va., Aug. 17-18, 2022, to network and improve information sharing on national and public security.
“In the 20 years since 9/11,... Read More »
With signature from President Joe Biden, the TBI and PTSD Law Enforcement Training Act became law last week, authorizing $270 million over five years to continue the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) and to fund a new police training program.
The legislation seeks to... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Angus King (I-ME) recently applauded the passage of their legislation (S. 3451) that cuts "bureaucratic red tape" for certain computer-related projects, such as the development of semiconductors, which was signed as Public Law 117-173 on... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has detailed final allocations of $550 million for seven Fiscal Year 2022 competitive preparedness grant programs.
“As the threats to the homeland evolve, so too must the grant programs intended to prepare communities for those threats,”
DHS... Read More »
During some COVID-19 surges, U.S. hospitals were hampered in terms of staff, supplies, or space to care for patients that exceeded their normal operating capacity, though health care coalitions helped fill some gaps.
According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a review of eight... Read More »
With no signs the monkeypox health emergency is set to lessen, a group of 14 U.S. senators wrote to congressional leadership this week in search of additional funding for a public health response in any future legislative package.
“Monkeypox is a serious threat to public health, and we need to... Read More »
The Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS) used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may soon be capable of providing hazard and evacuation alerts directly to vehicles’ infotainment screens.
This week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology... Read More »
Though border crossing attempts remain high, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported in its July 2022 operational update that encounters at the Southwest border decreased by 4 percent, trending down for two months.
In terms of individuals encountered, the figures went up by 1 percent,... Read More »
In coordination with state and local partners this August, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced successfully identified and located 84 minors victimized by sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, as well as 37 children who had been actively missing.
Dubbed Operation Cross... Read More »
Utilizing money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) put up more than $3 billion in funding last week for two grant programs meant to help communities improve resilience to climate change and extreme weather.
“Climate change is... Read More »
A collection of 14 U.S. senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) last week to request funding for the monkeypox outbreak response be included in any upcoming legislative package.
Designated a Public Health Emergency (PHE) earlier... Read More »
Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) recently convened a roundtable in Janesville, Wis., to address the fight against fentanyl.
The effort focused on Rock County and targeted methods the federal government could aid in keeping Wisconsin communities safe.
The session involved leaders from the Rock County... Read More »
Lawmakers and educators are espousing the benefits of the Cybersecurity Opportunity Act's recent enactment, which officials maintain would bolster cybersecurity job training programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson... Read More »
Responding to the ongoing American struggle with opioids in general and fentanyl in particular, United States Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) joined the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition (HC ARC) and other stakeholders in his state to address the larger issue of addiction and overdose.
Last... Read More »
Writing to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgrim this week, a group of Republican senators requested details on the agency’s moves to crack down on illegal narcotics and their suppliers.
Citing the ongoing opioid crisis that, as of Feb. 9, 2022, led to more than... Read More »
Through letters dispatched to the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have requested briefings on federal network... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Tim Scott (R-SC), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) have introduced the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act (SISA), which seeks to make the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 permanent.
Through SISA, the sanctions regime serves as the nation's best tool to restrain... Read More »
With approval from the House Appropriations Committee, some $30 million has been marked for Justice Department use on the Community-Based Approaches to Advancing Justice Grant Program -- an effort begun just last year to reduce violent hate crimes in communities nationwide.
The funding was added... Read More »
A bill from United States Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and James Lankford (R-OK), the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, advanced out of Senate committee last week, putting to the Senate floor the idea of simplifying the application process for federal disaster assistance.
“Victims of natural... Read More »
A pair of lawmakers are commending Senate passage of a measure enhancing law enforcement training for those interacting with individuals with mental health, behavioral health and substance use issues.
Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) joined 19 colleagues in co-sponsoring... Read More »
A total of three bills authored by United States Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) crossed out of committee and to the floor of the Senate last week, offering potential means of enhancing Department of Homeland Security human and drug trafficking efforts.
The bills include the Non-Intrusive Inspection... Read More »
The Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Act crossed its first legislative hurdle last week, after it was advanced from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to full Senate consideration.
A joint work from U.S. Sens. Gary... Read More »
After a favorable vote from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, a bill that would reauthorize the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) office will face consideration of the full Senate.
The Offices of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction and Health Security Act... Read More »
The House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee has advanced the Spectrum Innovation Act (H.R. 7624), which would enhance domestic communications networks.
U.S. Reps. Bob Latta (R-OH) and Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA), chairman of the House Commerce Communications and Technology... Read More »
