U.S. Policy
The U.S. Senate advanced this week legislation authored by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) designed to protect public and private networks from cyber threats.
Peters' two pieces of legislation - The K-12 Cybersecurity Act and the Supply Chain Security Training Act - passed unanimously in the... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) recently introduced legislation designed to offer disaster victims protections from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance clawbacks due to agency errors.
The senators commended the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental... Read More »
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee approved the Defense Funding bill for FY 2022 on a 33-23 vote.
The bill provides $705.9 billion in defense spending, an increase of 1.4 percent over 2021’s budget. The increase reflects President Joe Biden’s budget... Read More »
The U.S. House Appropriations Committee announced this week the approval of the fiscal year 2022 Homeland Security funding bill, which invests in cyber and infrastructure security while combating domestic extremist violence.
The action also expands the Coast Guard's Arctic reach and the maritime... Read More »
Approximately $398 million was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a means of helping 1,540 small rural hospitals address COVID-19 testing and mitigation.
“Our state-based SHIP grantees... Read More »
A congressional panel began the formal process of investigating the origins of Covid-19 Wednesday amid recriminations over allegations of researchers being intentionally misled by the Chinese government and American media and politicians.
U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) labeled it “a bit... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) recently introduced a bill to address defense budget transparency and accountability, ensuring the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) achieves a clean audit opinion on its financial statements.
The Audit the Pentagon Act of 2021 will seek to... Read More »
After an eight-month void in official leadership, the U.S. Senate this week confirmed former Obama-era senior National Security Agency official Jen Easterly to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) amid increasingly frequent digital attacks.
Easterly, who formerly... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is encouraging Senate passage of his legislation, The Genomics Data Security Act (S.1744), which establishes protections addressing Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) national security risks.
S.1744 was presented in the wake of a recent Office of... Read More »
Is the United States prepared for the next pandemic?
That question has forced experts to either rethink preparedness strategies or find ways to bolster existing policy in the era of COVID-19.
For the researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, this has meant identifying 13... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced bipartisan legislation Wednesday to standardize opioid and substance abuse training for prescribers.
The Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act would require controlled substance providers to complete substance... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the Department of Defense (DOD) a series of recommendations regarding F-35 aircraft fleet sustainment.
The GAO review stems from the DOD's plan to acquire nearly 2,500 F-35 aircraft for about $400 billion and project expenditures totaling an... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) recently applauded the inclusion of $2.42 billion for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in the House's draft Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
Langevin and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) previously forwarded correspondence to appropriators... Read More »
A chikungunya vaccine candidate created by Valneva SE is proceeding through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pipeline, having been awarded a breakthrough therapy designation this week after already gaining fast track designation.
A single shot therapy, the vaccine -- known as VLA1553... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) introduced legislation Tuesday that would prohibit Chinese scientists affiliated with the Chinese military from studying at American universities.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Visa Security Act would require the U.S. government... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced this week the launch of a new initiative to support noncitizen service members, veterans, and their immediate family members.
"It’s our responsibility to serve all veterans as well as they... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined several senators in introducing legislation calling on the Biden administration to end the mask mandate for fully vaccinated individuals on public transportation throughout the United States, including airports, commercial airplanes, buses, and rail systems.... Read More »
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently announced that it has joined law enforcement partners in releasing a Cybersecurity Advisory addressing Russian military intelligence cyber activities.
The FBI, along with the National Security Agency (NSA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure... Read More »
House Committee on Homeland Security Democrats reintroduced last week legislation designed to initiate reform within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, recently joined Committee Democrats in... Read More »
As part of its Safe Return to School Diagnostic Testing Initiative, the National Institutes of Health funded five additional research projects last week to investigate ways of safely returning people to in-person learning in areas with vulnerable and underserved populations.
Up to $15 million... Read More »
DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced last week the agency's largest cybersecurity hiring initiative, noting the onboarding of nearly 300 cybersecurity professionals as well as the extension of an additional 500 tentative job offers.
In May, Mayorkas established a goal to hire 200 new... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) recently introduced legislation designed to enhance supply chain security via vigorous training initiatives.
The Supply Chain Security Training Act creates a standardized training program to help federal employees responsible for purchasing... Read More »
A new legislative effort is pushing for a new program to designate academic medical centers as research and communication hubs in the American preparation for and response to pandemics.
While COVID-19 is firmly in mind with the program, it also seeks to aid developments for fighting future... Read More »
A group of Democratic legislators recently reintroduced a bill prohibiting the online distribution of blueprints and instructions enabling the printing of three dimensional (3D) firearms.
The bicameral 3D Printed Gun Safety Act was introduced by U.S. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Robert... Read More »
Denouncing further spending on the nuclear Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program as unnecessary, costly, and promoting a nuclear arms race, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) has introduced legislation to pause development until 2031 and extend the lifespan of existing weapons.
“As a... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) recently led colleagues in sending a letter to President Joe Biden, encouraging the administration to hold China and Russia accountable for food industry cyberattacks.
The correspondence addressed recent cyberattacks on infrastructure and the nation's food system and... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Chris Jacobs (R-NY), Peter Meijer (R-MI), Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), and John Katko (R-NY), ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, recently forwarded correspondence to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding a status update on the backlog of Trusted Traveler... Read More »
Antibiotics underpin modern medicine— used to treat everything from bacterial infections to cancer.
However, a world without effective antibiotics because of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could mean the unraveling of health care. It also has implications for national security as antibiotics... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and Mark Green (R-TN) introduced last week legislation seeking to increase funding to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).
The measure garnered advancement in the U.S. House of Representatives last year as efforts with the executive branch continue... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regarding travel and mask guidance updates.
U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Amy Klobuchar... Read More »
A new policy brief released this week by U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) assessed the role of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) during the COVID-19 pandemic and concluded that reforms are necessary both within the agency and beyond to improve federal pandemic... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Elaine Luria (D-VA) recently joined U.S. Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Angus King (I-ME) in introducing legislation that focuses on assessing Arctic region security while also establishing Department of Defense (DOD) resources there.
The Arctic Security... Read More »
Committee leadership for the U.S. Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee announced that it would provide oversight and investigation of three new areas to improve the nation’s pandemic preparedness effort.
“More than 600,000 Americans have died as a result of... Read More »
A group of lawmakers recently introduced legislation seeking to increase knowledge and awareness of cybersecurity risks via a cybersecurity literacy campaign.
U.S. Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) presented the... Read More »
Marine Corps officials are espousing the benefits of its Wargaming and Analysis Center currently under construction.
The 100,000 square-foot venue will house various capabilities to enhance warfighter preparedness.
“This facility is a big deal to us, to the commandant and to those [young... Read More »
