U.S. Policy
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week authorized the use of third COVID-19 vaccine doses from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. for patients with compromised immune systems.
The decision follows months of build-up surrounding... Read More »
Promoting community response and assistance, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced this week that its Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) will expand efforts to reduce domestic violence inflicted with firearms, with $10 million on offer.
Presented through the expansion of the... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility seized nearly 3 tons of methamphetamine and fentanyl powder hidden in a shipment of household articles, officials said Tuesday.
The seizure was the largest methamphetamine drug smuggling seizure along the... Read More »
With the introduction of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Training Act (H.R. 4989) this week, U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) have proposed a grant to educate students, teachers, and school personnel on the warning signs of human... Read More »
In a letter to federal officials, eight senators from the Western United States called for coordination and development of a strategy to counter jet fuel shortages, which they fear could exacerbate the dangers of wildfire season through grounded aircraft.
“As you are well aware, the 2020... Read More »
Members of Congress this summer ramped up bipartisan efforts with the introduction of at least eight bills that seek to help the United States prepare for and respond to pandemics and other public health emergencies.
Most recently, the Disease X Act, S. 2640, proposed on Aug. 5 by U.S. Sens.... Read More »
This week yielded multiple attempts from Republican legislators to crack down on what they see as massive health concerns at the United States-Mexico border, urging COVID-19 tests for migrants, a field hearing on illegal immigration and border health protections, and increased support for... Read More »
A budget push from U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) seeks to require the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) to report reconciliation legislation of $50.2 billion for military infrastructure improvements, among other items.
If accepted, their... Read More »
Legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Rick Scott (R-FL) that would enhance cybersecurity assistance to K-12 schools systems pass the Senate, the Congressmen announced Tuesday.
The bill, the K-12... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced Monday that he had introduced legislation responding to sonic attacks on U.S. diplomatic personnel worldwide.
Called the Havana Syndrome Attacks Response Act, the legislation seeks to protect... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced last week legislation designed to strengthen critical infrastructure cybersecurity and address foreign governments knowingly harboring cybercriminals.
The Sanction and Stop Ransomware Act seeks to initiate critical... Read More »
President Joe Biden approved more than $3.46 billion Thursday for Hazard Mitigation Grants to increase state’s resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The investment will be available for natural hazard mitigation measures across the 59 major disaster declarations issued due to the... Read More »
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently partnered with a group of stakeholders to initiate the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC).
The endeavor to develop and implement cyber defense operations plans with federal interagency, private sector, and state, local,... Read More »
Following a recent local law enforcement roundtable discussion in Austin, Texas, a Republican group of representatives shared their takeaways from the meeting, focusing on an increase in violent crimes and officer effectiveness.
Since Austin cut its police budget by $150 million last year, the... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation last week that would allocate $2 billion to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
The Disease X Act would provide $2 billion over the next four years -- $500 million per year, beginning in 2022 -- for BARDA to... Read More »
Legislation re-introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), chairman and ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, had advanced in the Senate.
The State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act would promote stronger cybersecurity... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, are commending committee advancement of their legislation, the Domains Critical to Homeland Security Act.
The legislation is designed to address... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), a House Committee on Homeland Security member, has joined committee Republicans in introducing legislation they said would bolster border security.
The Border Security for America Act of 2021 would require the federal government to secure the nation’s... Read More »
The U.S. Coast Guard recently released an updated Cyber Strategic Outlook as a means of addressing increased maritime system cyber-attack threats against the economy and security.
“The Coast Guard is taking important and necessary steps to increase safety and security where physical and cyber... Read More »
A new report released this week by United States Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) revealed glaring cybersecurity failures at eight federal agencies over the past decade, along with the inability of seven of them to comply with basic cybersecurity requirements.
The Federal... Read More »
Fearing for highly interdependent border communities, a bipartisan collection of U.S. representatives and senators have submitted legislation to strengthen multi-country cooperation to screen infectious diseases and support public health initiatives therein.
The Border Health Security Act (H.R.... Read More »
Bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting firefighters, first responders, and communities from exposure advanced the Senate Thursday.
The Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances (PFAS) Act, co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R- Maine), co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced legislation to help the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) counter the effects of deepfake technology.
Deepfakes are realistic, digital manipulations of real content that depict events that did not actually occur. Their bill, the... Read More »
In a letter dispatched last week, five U.S. representatives called on Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to tap domestic manufacturing and new technologies to grow the national stockpile of important pharmaceuticals and reduce reliance on foreign production.
Although the... Read More »
Thanks to a bipartisan effort from U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Mitt Romney (R-UT), the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act will now include a $21 million carve-out for the Office of the National Cyber... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that it awarded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants to two companies.
The companies will use the money to develop an in-building coverage analysis system (ICAS) that will use existing first responder radio and... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced last week legislation that would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to research how supply chain vulnerabilities could threaten U.S. homeland security.
The Domains Critical to Homeland Security Act will not only... Read More »
Next year’s funding for the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) cleared the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence last week, following a unanimous vote on the Intelligence Authorization Act.
In all, the bill would authorize funding and legal authorities for 2022 while increasing congressional... Read More »
REGEN-COV was confirmed for continued use against COVID-19 cases deemed at high risk for progression to hospitalization or death last week, with the extension of its Emergency Use Authorization by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The therapeutic is a monoclonal antibody... Read More »
Following a new National Security Memorandum signed by President Joe Biden aimed at strengthening cybersecurity for the nation’s critical infrastructure, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently introduced the Defense of United States Infrastructure Act, S. 2491, legislation aimed at... Read More »
Bipartisan legislation that would direct the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish tests and vaccinations to America’s military veterans during public health emergencies was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Veterans’ Access to Care Concerning... Read More »
State funding for public health departments has dropped by 16 percent since 2010, and these same departments have lost a quarter of their workforce in the last decade.
How can the United States adequately prepare for the next pandemic when the public health infrastructure is woefully... Read More »
Biden administration officials said efforts are underway to bolster critical infrastructure protections in the wake of expanding and continuous cyber threats.
President Joe Biden's recent signing of a National Security Memorandum (NSM) on Improving Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) is imploring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure the solicitation of resources to combat California wildfires.
During a recent Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hearing, Padilla questioned Secretary of Homeland... Read More »
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Frank Kendall as the 26th Secretary of the Air Force, with officials lauding his decades-long record of service amid efforts to navigate global challenges.
Kendall previously served in various Department of Defense senior capacities, including the Pentagon’s... Read More »
