U.S. Policy
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, led a group of lawmakers in calling for funding to meet the needs of houses of worship to secure their facilities against potential terrorist attacks.
In a letter to the leaders of the Senate... Read More »
A collection of more than 40 senators and representatives published a letter last week calling for members of the United States Conference of Mayors to crack down on and ban untraceable firearms, better known as “ghost guns.”
“We write today to request your consideration in addressing the... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Young Kim (R-CA) and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) recently introduced legislation to bolster wildfire communications and information sharing among first responders.
The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Wildland Fire Communications and Information Dissemination Act... Read More »
Backed by various law enforcement organizations and bipartisan appeal, U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and John Rutherford (R-FL) – together with 36 cosponsors – introduced the Invest to Protect Act of 2022 last week to support local police.
The House bill seeks critical investments into... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-ME), and Chris Murphy (D-CT), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, joined U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and other members of Congress, in calling on President Joe Biden to overhaul the U.S.... Read More »
A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) report determined firearm discoveries at Georgia airports increased in 2021.
Per the analysis, officers at Georgia airports discovered 542 firearms in travelers’ carry-on luggage last year, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport... Read More »
Introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) this week, the Satellite Cybersecurity Act proposes new requirements for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) to help commercial satellite owners and operators protect their networks.
“Hackers have already... Read More »
Citing the surge in Omicron cases nationwide, U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) urged President Joe Biden to use research and technology from academic medical centers in Central New York, like SUNY Upstate Medical University, to guide the nation’s public health response and to improve testing.
In a... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Ann Wagner (R-MO), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) introduced this week legislation that seeks to reduce demand for sex trafficking worldwide.
The Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Act would amend the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to reflect the need to... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Tuesday as part of their bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Ukraine.
The... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced Tuesday a bill that requires federal agencies to consider disaster resilience when investing in and managing federal property and assets.
The legislators noted the Disaster Resiliency Planning Act stems from a 2021 Government... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Tina Smith (D-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced legislation Friday that would reinforce and expand the U.S. public health workforce in light of current shortages.
The legislation, Strengthening the Public Health Workforce Act, would... Read More »
A new bill introduced by U.S. Reps. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), and John Rutherford (R-FL) would provide $50 million in grants for small police departments to invest in training, equipment, personnel support, and mental health resources.
“Now more than ever, we need to make... Read More »
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is advocating Congress increase non-profit security funding and confirm Deborah Lipstadt as the State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
The ADL noted the advice stems from a recent hostage situation at a Texas synagogue resulting in... Read More »
In the latest effort to get ahead of future medical equipment shortages, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) announced plans for the Medical and Health Stockpile Accountability Act last week, proposing a new tracking system and data sharing guidelines, and more.
While building greater resilience... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has coordinated with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to purchase 380 million over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits.
Contracts were awarded to Orlando, Florida-based Abbott Rapid Dx North America, LLC; Mountain View, California's iHealth Lab... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced a department program that supports adapting to climate change and improving resilience.
The DHS indicated the Climate Change Professionals Program recruits recent graduates and current federal employees while serving as a new... Read More »
A former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges of theft of government property in a scheme to defraud the U.S. government.
Charles K. Edwards, 61, of Sandy Spring, Md., pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the... Read More »
Following requests from U.S. authorities, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested members of the REvil ransomware gang and shut their operations, which in the last few years have struck American ventures such as the Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods, and Kaseya.
The Russian-based group... Read More »
With the introduction of the House version of the Strengthening Supply Chains for Servicemembers and Security Act (H.R. 6374), U.S. Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Peter Meier (R-MI) this week sought to bolster cut overreliance on foreign pharmaceuticals and strengthen the domestic supply... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Gary Peters (D-Ml) have introduced a bill they said strengthens Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster response within underserved communities facing federal aid barriers.
The legislators indicated the Achieving Equity in Disaster Response,... Read More »
In a letter dispatched to the Biden administration last week, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and nearly 20 colleagues asked that the withdrawing OSHA emergency COVID-19 protections for healthcare workers be made permanent.
OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration,... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) has introduced a bill that would aid efforts to continue space program initiatives through authorization and funding of critical government programs.
The U.S. Leadership in Space Act of 2021 (H.R. 6391) calls for the National Space Council to report foreign threats... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to Congressional leadership, noting the effort seeks prioritization of efforts to stop fentanyl trafficking.
U.S. Reps. Chris Pappas (D-NH) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) led 36 of their colleagues in advocating action to permanently classify... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) this week introduced a bipartisan bill that would increase the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) collaboration efforts surrounding research and development of countermeasures for pathogens with pandemic potential.
“Two years... Read More »
The Senate advanced Wednesday legislation by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-Oh), promoting stronger cybersecurity coordination between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and state and local governments.
Peters and Portman, the chair and ranking member of the Homeland... Read More »
As part of efforts to optimize both governmental and industrial approaches to medical countermeasure manufacturing, the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will host a Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Consortium... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently introduced a measure that seeks to increase the hiring and compensation of rural law enforcement officers.
U.S. Reps. Tom Rice (R-SC) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) recently joined 10 colleagues in introducing the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) on the... Read More »
A bipartisan proposal from U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) seeks increased transparency through stronger requirements on foreign manufacturers of medical products utilized in the U.S., increasing those needing to register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“Our... Read More »
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials said the agency has joined a pair of government entities in releasing a Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) providing an overview of Russian cyber operations.
Authorities indicated CISA joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)... Read More »
In response to the Chinese government's refusal to allow a comprehensive investigation into the origins of COVID-19, a collection of Republican senators introduced the Coronavirus Origin Validation, Investigation and Determination (COVID) Act this week.
The bill seeks to authorize sanctions... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) recently forwarded correspondence to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to seek greater transparency regarding biometric data collection from U.S. citizens.
Merkley and Blunt are requesting more information as it relates to how CBP... Read More »
In a letter to President Joe Biden this week, a collection of more than 40 sitting members of Congress led by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) urged administration action to expand access for and increase the supply of COVID-19 rapid tests.
Demanding more... Read More »
According to GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology, Inc., the United States government this week agreed to purchase another 600,000 doses of the COVID-19 antibody treatment sotrovimab, which will be distributed in this first quarter of 2022.
The arrangement stems from an amendment to... Read More »
A group of fire fighting and fire safety organizations is imploring Congress to pass legislation improving public housing and older high-rise buildings' fire safety.
Officials representing the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the... Read More »
