U.S. Policy
FBI statistics for 2021 showed that 8,226 law enforcement agencies submitted use-of-force data to the National Use-of-Force Data Collection, managed by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
The agencies represent over 60 percent of federal, state, local, tribal, and... Read More »
Air Force officials recently announced that applications are now open for the next BRAVO Hackathon initiative, an innovation and software development event that seeks to build emergent weapons system capabilities.
BRAVO 1 Canary Release will kick off July 18-22, 2022, at Joint Base... Read More »
An effort to net federal firefighters financial support for illnesses and diseases acquired from their duties – the Federal Firefighter Fairness Act – was advanced by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) this week.
“Every day across the country,... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently authorized Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to advance a series of southern border barrier projects.
DHS Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas recently detailed projects in the San Diego, El Centro, Yuma, El Paso, and Rio... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) recently requested an update from Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray regarding the screening and vetting of Afghan evacuees, particularly those with national security concerns.
The senators... Read More »
New legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) last week sought limits on the sale of private data by banning data brokers from selling military personnel lists to U.S.-dubbed adversarial nations.
Citing national security, the... Read More »
With the introduction of the Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU) Stipend Act last week, U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) seek to authorize existing TCIUs into law and get foreign law enforcement teams working with American agencies paid.
TCIUs are teams... Read More »
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) recently provided an update regarding the establishment of the Space Networking Center at Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Hoeven is espousing the benefits of the Space Development Agency (SDA) awarding an operations and integration (O&I) contract totaling nearly $325... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) introduced two bills seeking to support efforts in California and nationwide to extinguish fires faster.
The Fire Suppression Improvement Act would also protect communities from post-fire flooding and expand Federal Emergency Management... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Gary Peters (D-MI) recently praised the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) for advancing the Intragovernmental Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act.
The bill seeks to ensure cybersecurity... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are commending the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) for advancing legislation aiding the federal firefighter benefits platform.
Carper and Collins, co-chairs of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus,... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, concluded an investigation this week into cryptocurrencies’ role in cybercriminal activities with a new ransomware report.
In “Use of Cryptocurrency in Ransomware Attacks, Available... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has detailed charges against an Iraqi citizen living in Columbus, Ohio, whom the agency alleged was involved in plans to murder former President George W. Bush.
Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, 52, was arrested by FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force agents and charged... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Jim Jordan (R-OH) forwarded correspondence Tuesday to FBI Director Christopher Wray, seeking clarity regarding the agency's use of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) authorities.
The legislators focused on the 3.3 million person queries in 2021 -... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Mike Rounds (R-SD) forwarded correspondence to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Monday, advocating for the total funding of U.S.-Israel cooperative missile defense programs.
The funding allocation would apply to the... Read More »
Science, technology, and engineering for KBR has secured a $44 million Air Force task order to protect systems and software from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.
"We are excited to be a part of this significant project to protect the Air Force's... Read More »
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced last week that 61 active shooter incidents were reported last year, representing a 52.5 percent increase from 2020 reports.
Those numbers also led to 103 deaths and 140 injuries, not including the shooters. This gave 2021 a dubious distinction... Read More »
Worried about personnel shortages at the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU) program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), new House legislation would authorize new incentivization to officers for retention and recruitment... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) recently applauded the House Committee on Homeland Security for advancing the PREVENT Act, legislation he introduced to protect drug handling Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel.
“As the crisis at the southern border continues to spiral out of control, so... Read More »
Beginning with $20 million this year, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will commit up to $300 million to support antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infection research conducted through the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) over... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) recently joined nine colleagues in co-sponsoring a bill to address nationwide police staffing shortages.
The Pathways to Policing Act invests in programs to aid state and local law enforcement agencies struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels by... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) recently introduced a bill that seeks to enhance federal weather service firefighting efforts.
The Fire Ready Nation Act of 2022 would create a fire weather services program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives put racially motivated extremists, white supremacists, and other purveyors of domestic terrorism on notice last week with its advancement of the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (DTPA, H.R. 350).
Proponents have sought to push such a bill since at least 2017,... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) recently introduced the Emergency Migration Response Act and the Border Security and Migrant Safety Act to bolster southern border security and address migrant human trafficking.
The Emergency Migration Response Act directs the Department... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) recently introduced legislation to promote enhanced cybersecurity coordination between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and state and local governments.
The State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act previously passed the... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently hosted a virtual summit to address increased gun violence impacting communities nationwide.
The two-day session established an assembly of more than 500 prosecutors, federal and local law enforcement officials, and community partners under the... Read More »
As fears of Russian cyber threats in reprisal for U.S. support of Ukraine continue to grow across Congress, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) introduced the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Training Act this week to bolster U.S. cybersecurity.
The new legislation would mandate the... Read More »
Over the weekend, 11 people were killed and more injured across two separate shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Laguna Woods, Calif., and with them as a backdrop, U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) says it is past time for a House vote on the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (H.R. 350).
“The rise... Read More »
Over 30 Republican legislators recently introduced a resolution that seeks to spur the Biden administration and Congress to act in developing a security plan to combat a rise in crime and increase security at the southern border.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) served as the resolution's sponsor... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor (DOL) officials said 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas are available during the second half of fiscal year (FY) 2022.
“These additional H-2B visas will help employers meet the demand for seasonal workers at this... Read More »
Across a series of grant programs, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that it will disperse $1.6 billion this fiscal year in support of state and local officials seeking to plan for, prevent, halt and respond to terrorism and other issues.
Supplementing $405.1... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Ted Lieu (D-CA) recently introduced a resolution advocating the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
The resolution outlines how the Russian Federation has and continues to promote acts of international terrorism... Read More »
At the second Global COVID-19 Summit last week, governments, including the United States, pledged to provide $3.2 billion in additional funds for COVID-19 and other pandemic preparedness needs and committed to expanding and accelerating testing and vaccine access.
This year’s summit was led by... Read More »
The House of Representatives has advanced the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act of 2022 (H.R. 903), indicating the measure would improve Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel working conditions.
House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) sponsored the... Read More »
In a push to bolster COVID-19 diagnostic testing, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awarded a $79.9 million contract to Premix, Inc. this week, funding new onshore production capacity for plastic resin used in tests’ pipette tips.
This will boost future supply chain demands and other... Read More »
