U.S. Policy
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, seeking insight regarding Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to reopen southern entry ports.
Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) joined Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-TX),... Read More »
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) have released a film designed to increase awareness regarding foreign intelligence activities.
The presentation outlines how entities use fake profiles and other forms of deception on social... Read More »
The Essential Medicines Strategic Stockpile Act of 2020, introduced last week by U.S. Reps. Early Cater (R-GA) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) would create an essential medicines strategic stockpile and reduce supply chain reliance on foreign nations.
"At the beginning of the Coronavirus... Read More »
As part of a community-focused move, particularly among schools, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and The Rockefeller Foundation have agreed to identify and share effective approaches for using rapid point-of-care antigen tests to screen for COVID-19.
The pilot... Read More »
A group of Democratic U.S. Sens. sponsored legislation to establish a new core public health infrastructure program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (PHISLA) would include up to $4.5 billion in annual funding to fight... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and John Katko (R-NY) introduced legislation to protect against foreign influence designed to weaken the U.S. electoral system.
A statement from the U.S. Intelligence Community reported in August that “foreign states will continue to use covert and overt... Read More »
America's foreign adversaries, chief among them China, could utilize one of the federal government's most noteworthy immigration programs against the United States, threatening its national security and undermining democracy, U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) told Homeland Preparedness... Read More »
Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced this week legislation designed to address antimicrobial resistance via drug development targeting infections, improving antibiotics use, and ensuring domestic availability.
The Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging... Read More »
Members of the House China Task released its final legislative report, which includes an assessment of the growing threats posed by China, policies that strengthen America’s supply chains and economy, and opportunities to expand agriculture.
The task force, which launched in May, met with 125... Read More »
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said the agencies have invited airports to participate in the Preclearance program for the first time in four years.
“Preclearance is an excellent passenger facilitation program that complements our... Read More »
Reps. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Jim Banks (R-IN), the co-chairs of the Future of Defense Task Force, released their final report with recommendations to enhance the national security innovation base to meet emerging threats.
Specifically, the report suggests strategies to win the artificial... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester introduced a bill that seeks to correct a longstanding disparity between federal firefighters and their state, local, and municipal counterparts.
The Federal Firefighter Flexibility and Fairness Act would allow federal firefighters more flexibility in shift trades without... Read More »
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA) are among a group of lawmakers urging congressional leadership to include a six-month extension for states and local governments to spend their funding allocations provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in... Read More »
National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) plans to replace the W78 nuclear warhead with the W87-1 in 2030 are hamstrung by a lack of formal plans to assess cost, schedule, benefits, or risk, with as much as $14.8 billion on the line, according to the Government Accountability Office... Read More »
The federal government began its rollout of the Abbott BinaxNOW Ag Card rapid COVID-19 test to states this week with the announcement of a national distribution plan meant to support K-12 schools, higher education, critical infrastructure, first responders, and others as needed.
The test is... Read More »
House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) has appointed Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) to chair the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation.
“From persistent attempts by foreign adversaries to influence our elections to growing... Read More »
With the introduction of the Improving Cybersecurity of Small Organizations Act of 2020 (S. 4731) last week, a bipartisan mix of senators and representatives seek to promote guidance on cybersecurity for small organizations such as businesses, nonprofits and local government agencies.
Among... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced legislation last week that would direct the Federal Communications Commission to issue reports after activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System and make improvements to network outage reporting.
The passage of the Emergency Reporting Act... Read More »
A bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate that seeks to repeal or modify regulations that have impeded the ability of the government to rapidly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Act establishes a commission charged with prioritizing regulation... Read More »
All 64 jurisdictions under the Immunizations and Vaccines for Children cooperative agreement will receive $200 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the coming days, as a means of supporting COVID-19 vaccination services.
The money will aid both planning and... Read More »
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is revealing major gaps in national readiness to prepare for, respond to, and recover from biological threats, requiring that decision makers consider improved policies, programs, and technologies to ramp up the federal defense, experts said during the Sept. 24 virtual... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to protect public safety communications in the T-Band, used for mission-critical communications, and interoperable communications with other agencies.
The T-Band (470 MHz – 512 MHz) currently operates in 11 major metropolitan areas --... Read More »
Three lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) requesting insight regarding efforts to address foreign biomedical research influence.
Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Rep. Greg Walden... Read More »
Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced Wednesday legislation designed to create a COVID-19 Commission to assess the nation’s preparedness and response to the pandemic while providing guidance regarding future occurrences.
The measure would establish an independent,... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel in Boston, Mass., recently seized a Thailand shipment containing 196 grams of the opioid drug Tramadol.
“Illegal trading of opioids poses a significant health threat,” Michael Denning, director of Field Operations for the Boston Field Office,... Read More »
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) expressed gratitude to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) after the agency officially accepted her request to conduct an independent review of federal agencies' less-lethal weapons use.
Duckworth joined a group of lawmakers requesting the GAO to assess the... Read More »
Democratic representatives and senators have introduced the No Nuclear Testing Without Approval Act to make nuclear testing dependent on Congressional authorization.
The effort comes from U.S. Reps. Steven Horsford (D-NV), Reps. Susie Lee (D-NV), Ben McAdams (D-UT), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and TJ... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation this week that seeks to improve the Strategic National Stockpile and reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of critical medical supplies.
The bill – Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile Act (H.R. 7574) – focuses... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is recommending that the Treasury Department work with other federal agencies and sector partners to enhance cybersecurity within the financial sector.
The financial services sector's reliance on information technology makes it a leading target for... Read More »
A group of legislators recently encouraged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to invest federal funding in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) with an eye toward low-cost, effective COVID-19 testing.
Rep. TJ Cox (D-CA) recently joined 11 colleagues in forwarding correspondence... Read More »
Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee introduced a bill that reauthorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for two years.
The Keep America Secure Act would reauthorize the DHS and provide $59 billion for FY2021 and $60 billion for FY2022. It includes funding for border... Read More »
Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have introduced a measure they said is designed to help prevent COVID-19 spread via a pilot program requiring air traveler temperature checks at TSA screenings.
The Fly Safe and Healthy Act establishes a 120-day pilot program via the TSA to... Read More »
In a letter written to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) this week, U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and John Cornyn (R-TX) pressed for details on drug trafficking crackdown efforts targeting the dark web and its users.
Pointing to... Read More »
More than 90 organizations representing scientists, physicians, health providers, as well as patients and medical advocates are urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure that reviews of COVID-19 vaccine candidates meet all regulatory standards prior to authorization.
“While we are... Read More »
A group of Republican Senators introduced a bill that would create federal penalties for individuals who deliberately target local, state, or federal law enforcement officers with violence.
The Protect and Serve Act would make it a federal crime to knowingly cause, or attempt to cause, serious... Read More »
