U.S. Policy
In introducing the DHS Better Ballistic Body Armor Act (S. 4305) this month, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Katie Britt (R-AL) sought to equip the Department of Homeland Security’s law enforcement personnel with next generation body armor better fit to its wearers.
“Our brave Department... Read More »
With China in mind, U.S. Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) recently introduced the BIOSECURE Act (H.R.8333) – a bill to make it illegal for the federal government to contract with the biotechnology companies of foreign adversaries.
Pitched as a way to safeguard... Read More »
With approval from the House this week, the Fire Grants and Safety Act (S.870) seems set for signature by President Joe Biden, and would bring with it extended authorization for firefighter and first responder support nationwide.
Sponsored by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), the bill incorporated... Read More »
The Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), which is only two years old, announced a shakeup in membership this week, as four current members departed and were replaced by others.
The Board was created in February 2022, following President Joe Biden's direction to improve U.S. cybersecurity. It is... Read More »
Opposition rose this week against a proposal from the U.S. Air Force within the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), over its push to transfer National Guard units performing space missions to the U.S. Space Force without governors’ approval.
A group of 81 senators and... Read More »
In order to properly prepare working canines for explosives detection, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) released a new report to help emergency responders find non-detonable training aids.
“The Detection Canine Program at S&T plays a critical... Read More »
Through new legislation, U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Mike Turner (R-OH) recently placed themselves at odds with the Biden administration by seeking to enable federal grant funding for states to create physical barriers at the southern border.
A hallmark of the previous Trump... Read More »
Fearing the potential behind a recent outbreak of avian flu (H5N1), 17 U.S. senators wrote to Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack this week urging a more coordinated approach between federal, public and state agencies.
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... Read More »
Following the deaths of four police officers while executing an arrest warrant in North Carolina last week, a group of U.S. senators introduced the Protect and Serve Act (S. 4258) to turn attempts to harm or successfully harming a law enforcement officer into a federal crime.
Traditionally, such... Read More »
As a way to crackdown on human trafficking, two U.S. representatives recently introduced the Exposing the Financing of Human Trafficking Act (H.R. 8185), which would authorize the United States to hold foreign countries accountable for related efforts targeting these criminal... Read More »
For the first time since its creation in 2004, the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Flight Training Security Program is getting an overhaul.
As published in the Federal Register this week, TSA plans to update the program for efficacy and efficiency, including the security threat... Read More »
As a way to support veterans, U.S. Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Dale Strong (R-AL), Lou Correa (D-CA), and Glenn Ivey (D-MD) recently introduced legislation that would offer local law enforcement grants to create veteran response teams for use during emergencies.
Cosponsored by 13... Read More »
Mere days after the Department of Homeland Security formed a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety and Security Board, it also released new guidelines for how to protect critical infrastructure and weapons of mass destruction against the threats posed by AI.
The report followed six months... Read More »
In a bid to update federal spectrum and communications network policy, restore the auction authority of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and push technological investments, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) recently introduced the Spectrum and National Security Act.
Pitching the bill as... Read More »
Members of Congress recently paraded a mix of recommended updates to benefit military service members as part of the new Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement Act (H.R. 8070) – and it is set to serve as the base for the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The bill... Read More »
The ByteDance-owned TikTok faces an uphill battle in the United States after President Joe Biden signed a law this week forcing it to sell to a U.S. company or be banned outright.
Biden’s signature was the final stroke needed to pass the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled... Read More »
In unsealing a 13-page indictment this week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed charges against four Iranian nationals for their alleged involvement in a hacking campaign against the U.S. government and private companies.
The defendants remain at large and the United States has... Read More »
A bill targeting the illicit fentanyl supply chain, the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, S.1271, recently advanced through the U.S. Senate as part of the national security supplemental.
If ultimately approved, the legislation from bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Tim... Read More »
For the next round of participants in a pilot program to Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced 13 projects will receive funding.
Helmed by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced a $95 billion package (H.R.815) over the weekend that will include aid for Ukraine and Israel, and billions in support for the domestic defense industrial base.
The Ukraine portion of the bill passed 311-112, with one vote as simply present, but it,... Read More »
Under a new bill – the Ammunition Supply Chain Act – proposed in the House by U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) and in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), the U.S. Army would need to prepare a thorough report on the supply chain of ammunition manufacturing.
“As threats to our nation’s... Read More »
Focused on China and Russia as the combined threats of the present and future, a group of senators recently introduced the Restoring American Deterrence Act to revise United States nuclear preparedness and update deterrence strategies.
The bill was based on recommendations from the Congressional... Read More »
This week, a collection of Republican and Democratic legislators introduced a bill to sanction any Chinese military firm supporting Russia.
In the NO LIMITS ACT, U.S. Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), John Moolenaar (R-MI), and Jared Golden (D-ME) proposed blanket sanctions for... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced more than $1.8 billion in preparedness grants to benefit eight recipients in fiscal year 2024 in addressing capacity, flexibility and high priority investments.
“As threats continue to evolve, the Department of Homeland... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a notice of funding opportunity for its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) grant program recently, opening a month-long application period for interested parties to seek out $18 million.
Online, in-person, and... Read More »
In introducing their Defense Quantum Acceleration Act last week, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) seek to hasten the implementation of quantum technologies within the Department of Defense (DoD).
Both lawmakers pitched the move as one specifically meant to... Read More »
A bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Steve Daines (R-MT) recently proposed extending use of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) procurement tool to acquire leading-edge technology from private companies.
The Better Enabling Secure and Trustworthy (BEST) Technology... Read More »
A new bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) proposed protections for servicemembers by requiring the Department of Defense (DoD) to pursue better blast overpressure screening, tracking, prevention and treatment measures.
Blast overpressure is the pressure... Read More »
In a move to improve technology transitions, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) last month launched the Transition Tracking Action Group (TTAG) and granted the new advisory group access to advanced data analytics.
For its part, the TTAG will be charged with establishing a department-wide... Read More »
According to new findings from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the U.S. Coast Guard’s ongoing efforts to modernize its fleet of about 200 aircraft suffer from a major flaw in its lack of analytical data.
The Coast Guard relies on its aircraft to protect the U.S. coastline and... Read More »
Through an exercise known as Poseidon’s Domain, the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve will take crews from three of its Port Security Units (PSU) and put them to the test along the northeast and eastern coasts of Puerto Rico this month.
From April 8 to April 25, crews from PSUs 305, 307, and 309 will... Read More »
After newly hired officers’ benefits were pulled due to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) error that claimed they would be eligible for proportional annuity, federal lawmakers have introduced bills to correct that mistake and renew those benefits.
The U.S. Customs and Border... Read More »
Working together, U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) recently introduced the Veterans Assistance Helpline Act, a bill to make a veterans information and assistance helpline a permanent fixture of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
“We owe so much to our veterans for... Read More »
Framing it as a move to strengthen enforcement and support American textile jobs, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced a strategy taking aim at illicit textiles and customs violations.
“We are dedicated to ensuring a fair and level playing field for American... Read More »
Working with law enforcement partners, the U.S. Secret Service recently arrested 10 individuals across the state of California and charged them with crimes related to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) fraud, as part of an action dubbed Operation April Fools.
The multi-day operation sought to... Read More »
