U.S. Policy
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) forwarded correspondence last week to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) personnel, urging efforts to bolster cybersecurity infrastructure against Russia and China threats.
Gardner maintains the advocacy... Read More »
A group of Florida lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the Department of Health and Human Services as a means of increasing the state’s COVID-19 drug allotment.
Reps. Donna Shalala (D-FL) and Charlie Crist (D-FL) joined Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) in leading the... Read More »
With news that appropriations bills aimed at addressing the COVID-19 pandemic had passed out of House committees this week, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) examined and declared the bills to provide critical resources, albeit with significant gaps and inadequate funding.
This... Read More »
A trio of lawmakers have introduced a bill they said requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a trial program to check passenger temperatures before advancing through airport security.
Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Ted Budd (R-NC) and John Larson (D-CT) said the TSA... Read More »
Looking to inform decision making during a pandemic, COVID-Local has created a policy mapping tool and database for communities, giving them a way to measure the effects of their COVID-19-related actions against specific policies.
COVID Analysis and Mapping of Policies is meant to identify... Read More »
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), along with other infectious disease associations, are opposed to the Trump Administration’s decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The decision will weaken the nation’s ability to control the... Read More »
Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) has introduced a measure that ensures military firefighters exposed to toxic per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals receive Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) healthcare.
Currently, military firefighters exposed to firefighting foam containing PFAS are not... Read More »
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee approved legislation on Wednesday to strengthen public health security by bolstering the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and boosting the domestic manufacturing of medical supplies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bipartisan Strengthening... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) is requesting more funding for potential COVID-19 vaccines in any new coronavirus relief package.
“As you continue your work on critical legislation to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, I write to you today to urge your support for robust funding that will help... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) introduced legislation designed to reduce emissions and increase use of clean energy sources for the Department of Defense (DoD).
The National Security Resiliency and Sustainability Act (H.R. 7417) would enact Obama-era standards, which were revoked in 2018. The DoD... Read More »
A New York lawmaker has introduced a trio of measures he said are designed to enhance national cybersecurity while bolstering stability in leadership positions, funding, and resources.
Rep. John Katko (R-NY) said the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director and Assistant... Read More »
While an effective COVID-19 vaccine is still being pursued, Senate Democrats released a white paper this week full of proposals to guarantee such vaccines would be provided safely, efficiently and free, while ensuring a distribution wide enough to counter the pandemic.
In all, the paper --... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) is sponsoring a bill that would establish limits on the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF).
The 2001 AUMF — which passed in response to the September 11th terrorist attacks — has been used by presidential administrations to deploy American... Read More »
A group of Texas legislators recently forwarded correspondence to Health and Human Services (HHS) officials requesting increased resources in response to the Rio Grande Valley COVID-19 surge.
Reps. Filemon Vela (D-TX), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Henry Cuellar (D-TX) were joined by Sens. John... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel along the California border with Mexico recently reported that, in June, the agency seized 43,000 pounds of narcotics valued at nearly $92 million.
Officers at the six land ports of entry were able to foil numerous attempts to smuggle 34,685 pounds... Read More »
New legislation introduced by U.S. Reps. Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) last week -- the Rewards for Providing Information on Foreign Election Interference Act -- would expand an existing State Department program that rewards people for information on foreign election... Read More »
U.S. Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and Brad Schneider (D-IL) introduced legislation to ensure the administration and federal government are fully prepared to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and any future resurgences.
“With reports of COVID-19 spiking in most states, Central New York working... Read More »
Reps. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) and Bill Posey (R-FL) have introduced a measure they said is designed to examine per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and firefighter exposure to the chemicals.
The Guaranteeing Equipment Safety for Firefighters Act of 2020 requires the National Institute of... Read More »
A bill designed to identify and combat efforts by the Chinese government to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Preventing China from Exploiting COVID-19 Act calls upon the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to investigate how the Chinese... Read More »
A group of House Democratic leaders sent letters to the CEOs of the major social media companies to request information on how they are responding to disinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The letters were sent to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Twitter CEO... Read More »
A bill that would require a plan for diagnostic testing and public health system integration for COVID-19 and future pandemics was introduced in the U.S. Senate this week.
The bill, the Timely and Effective Systematic Testing (TEST) Act, was introduced by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Michael... Read More »
Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Cheri Bustos (D-IL) are calling upon Air Force personnel to provide a long-term C-130 aircraft fleet management plan.
The representatives recently forwarded correspondence to the House Committee on Armed Services regarding the request amid the committee’s work on... Read More »
The Trump administration filed a notice to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization, senior officials with the administration confirmed to various news outlets.
The move has been received negatively by key Democratic and Republican lawmakers, as well as leading health... Read More »
A bill designed to strengthen the U.S. government’s counter-terrorism efforts against transnational white supremacy and identity groups was introduced in Congress.
The Countering Global White Supremacist Terrorism Act directs the U.S. Department of State to assess the global threat of the... Read More »
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) has forwarded correspondence to the Department of Defense regarding the timeline for removing Turkey from the F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter supply chain.
In the letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Lankford joined Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Max Rose (D-NY) Kendra Horn (D-OK), and Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) introduced legislation requiring the U.S. government to combat efforts by the Chinese government to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Preventing China from Exploiting COVID-19 Act requires the Director of National... Read More »
National Emergency Number Association (NENA) personnel said the organization supports the House of Representatives’ recent action creating a new $12 billion federal grant program upgrading the nation’s 9-1-1 centers.
Next Generation 9-1-1 was incorporated into the Moving Forward Act, a... Read More »
House members of the Northern Border Caucus are pushing for a phased reopening of that United States-Canadian border, which has been shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In all, 29 Congress members, led by caucus co-chairs Brian Higgins (D-NY) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY), called for... Read More »
Last week, the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Transportation (DOT) and Health and Human Services (HHS) issued joint guidance for the air travel industry, meant to provide a framework for airlines and airports operating amidst a global pandemic.
COVID-19 has spawned more than 11.4... Read More »
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators called on the leaders of Central Asian nations to release detainees imprisoned for peaceful activism who are at high risk of contracting COVID-19.
The Senators sent letters to the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Tajikistan Emomali... Read More »
As the U.S. Senate considers the latest National Defense Authorization Act, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announced last week that $500 million had been added to benefit the U.S.–Israeli Cooperative Missile Defense Program.
This inclusion will benefit the development of certain missile... Read More »
The Homeland Security Committee has released a report assessing the government’s coronavirus oversight response, detailing the Committee’s actions amid the pandemic.
Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, recently released a majority staff report... Read More »
Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) said he has introduced H.R. 7384, the Safer Communities Act, that would make communities safer by highlighting functional reforms, rewarding officers making a positive impact, and addressing power abuses.
“Instead of getting bogged down in partisan arguments on issues... Read More »
The U.S. Space Force (USSF) finalized its organizational structure with the Air Force this week, focusing itself more on mission than on a layered command system.
In all, President Donald Trump’s addition to the military system will operate under three echelons of command: Space Operations... Read More »
Alarmed by heavy U.S. reliance on foreign nations for both its supply of drugs and pharmaceutical products, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a bill this week to require a study of that overreliance.
Specifically, the bill would require the Federal Trade... Read More »
