U.S. Policy
U.S. Reps. Val Demings (D-FL) and Don Bacon (R-NE) last week introduced legislation to create a plan to continue federal anti-terrorism support for Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI)-funded homeland security capabilities.
The Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Act (H.B. 5615) directs... Read More »
House Republican Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) and U.S. Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) applauded their U.S. House of Representatives colleagues for advancing the Secure Equipment Act.
The measure prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from reviewing or issuing new equipment licenses... Read More »
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials announced that two organizations have secured awards totaling $2 million
to develop cybersecurity workforce training programs.
NPower and CyberWarrior will focus on the unemployed and underemployed, urban and rural underserved... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted 397-22 to approve a bipartisan bill that aims to reform how the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is administered and managed. The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
The Strengthening America’s Strategic National... Read More »
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) introduced Tuesday the Military Support for Fighting Wildfires Act, which seeks to bolster wildfire combating efforts.
Garamendi joined U.S. Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) in delivering the bill for consideration. The legislation seeks to... Read More »
During a recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, President Joe Biden’s nominee for Deputy Undersecretary for Policy at the Department of Defense, Sasha Baker, affirmed a U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker's (R-MS) naval fleet requirement advocacy.
A hearing exchange resulted in Baker expressing... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, grilled Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus, President Joe Biden’s nominee for Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on the need for enhanced border security... Read More »
Recognizing the additional level of dangerous chemical hazards brought on by storm-damaged infrastructure could cause, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is providing a 24/7 hotline to address a variety of threats and how they could... Read More »
Fed up with the dangers of an unprepared and underfunded public health system, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) voiced support this week for a fiscal year 2022 bill that would increase Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding by $1.85 billion.
The bill, released by the Labor, Health... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI), the ranking member and chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced legislation Monday designed to enhance the country’s ability to combat the rise of human trafficking.
The Countering Human Trafficking Act... Read More »
U.S. Department of Justice officials said the chief executive officer (CEO) of Multinational Logistics Services (MLS) is facing a criminal charge for alleged participation in a bribery scheme.
Frank S. Rafaraci is an American citizen living abroad. Authorities cited a criminal complaint alleging... Read More »
After a recent request from U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) updated guidance on recognizing people as fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The White House indicated it will reopen land ports of entry on Nov. 8, 2021, after the sites have... Read More »
Adults at least 18 years old could soon gain access to a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine booster shot if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agrees with the unanimous recommendation of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC).
Last week, in a 19-0 vote,... Read More »
A San Jose, California-based firm has secured a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) award to develop a Coast Guard language translation platform.
DHS S&T officials said the award of $199,592 to myLanguage would address the adaptation and customization... Read More »
The all-star team of government officials, scientists and industry executives who tackled COVID-19 made great strides in the development of an effective vaccine against the novel virus, but that is no guarantee that the United States will be ready for the next pandemic that rears its head, speakers... Read More »
Shortly after the terrorist events of Sept. 11, 2001, letters containing deadly anthrax spores arrived at locations across the country, killing five Americans and sickening 17 others. Twenty years after these incidents, considered the worst biological attacks in U.S. history, the federal government... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security officials said the agency is initiating efforts to bolster enforcement of wage protections, workplace safety, labor rights and other employment laws and standards.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas has issued directives to Immigration and... Read More »
Reckoning with rising cases of overdose throughout the United States, a bicameral reintroduction of the POWER Act was announced last week, which proposes new U.S. Department of Justice-provided grants to help law enforcement procure better drug detection devices.
POWER, or Providing Officers... Read More »
A group of United States senators last week reintroduced an effort to update the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 and extend legal protections for medical volunteers working in federally-recognized disaster relief efforts.
Authored by U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and... Read More »
The Helping American Victims Afflicted by Neurological Attacks (HAVANA) Act was recently signed into law.
The measure supports American public servants having sustained brain injuries likely stemming from directed energy attacks, also known as Havana Syndrome.
Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jackie Rosen (D-NV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Angus King (I-ME), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced a resolution Thursday that would designate October 2021 as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
As part of the... Read More »
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded $999,644 to a California-based small business, Karagozian & Case, Inc., for development of an advanced software option that would allow security professionals to view their environments through a mobile device.
“As crowded places... Read More »
Two bipartisan bills from U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) on cybersecurity and infrastructure were approved by the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee and now head to the full Senate for a vote.
The bills, which require critical infrastructure owners... Read More »
A pair of lawmakers have introduced a measure they said is designed to protect systemically important critical infrastructure (SICI) from cyber attacks.
Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) recently detailed the the Securing Systemically Important Critical Infrastructure Act,... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) released the text of their legislation that would strengthen cybersecurity across the federal government.
The legislation, the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2021, would update existing legislation which has not been updated... Read More »
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) introduced legislation on Friday aimed at preventing theft from federally-licensed gun dealers, as a way to reduce gun violence.
The Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective (SECURE) Firearm... Read More »
The House of Representatives advanced a trio of bills sponsored by Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee Republicans focused on air travel security, foreign manufactured drones and contract award transparency.
Committee Ranking Member Rep. John Katko (R-NY) introduced the One-Stop Pilot... Read More »
A group of lawmakers have introduced a measure they said seeks to reassert congressional power regarding national security matters.
House Rules Committee Chairman Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight,... Read More »
A pair of lawmakers have introduced a bill they said requires critical infrastructure owners and operators to report cyber attacks to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Officials said the Cyber Incident Reporting Act, presented by Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob... Read More »
With a pair of new bills this week, United States Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) sought to improve the federal government’s capabilities to investigate the origins of diseases and respond accordingly, as well as to guarantee analysis and action from its intelligence community.
“Knowledge is power... Read More »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) remains without permanent leadership during the nation’s ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It's of top concern that President Biden still has not nominated someone to serve as permanent FDA commissioner,” a House Energy and Commerce... Read More »
Legislation reclassifying 9-1-1 dispatchers from Office and Administrative Support to Protective Service Occupations was approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives as an amendment in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), according to lawmakers.
U.S. Reps.... Read More »
Lawmakers are touting the benefits of the U.S. House of Representatives recently advancing the Oversight of Munitions Exports amendment in conjunction with the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
U.S. Reps. Norma J. Torres (D-CA) and Katie Porter (D-CA) said the measure... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 last week with a number of homeland security-related amendments, including measures that would strengthen the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Department of Homeland... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday that its Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), had awarded nearly $187 million to support public safety and community justice activities.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance... Read More »
