U.S. Policy
Legislation that would create a new Department of Defense Regional Center in the Arctic was introduced in the U.S. Senate this week.
The center, the Ted Stevens Arctic Center for Security Studies, would be named after the longtime Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. The Defense Department has five... Read More »
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee launched the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism this week.
The purpose of the task force is to collaborate with advocates, state and local governments, federal agencies, law enforcement, clergy, educators, and... Read More »
Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) recently introduced a measure reauthorizing Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) funding, noting it advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies in early development stages.
The ARPA-E... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) now has six ports of entry Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) sites in the wake of establishing expansion at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry.
Migrants attempting to enter the country via the southwest border regardless of location may be returned to Mexico... Read More »
A bill that would give authority to the arresting law enforcement agency to maintain custody of an illegal immigrant in cases where a detainer has been issued will be formally introduced in Congress this week.
The Immigration Detainer Enforcement Act would clarify the Department of Homeland... Read More »
The U.S. Senate advanced a bill that would direct the Department of Homeland Security to examine the threats deepfakes pose to national security and elections.
Deepfake is a technology where hackers are able to alter video to create images or real people. The videos can then use these fake... Read More »
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III recently conducted an exercise in Central Pennsylvania to test the state’s ability to provide mass care services during a winter storm event leading to power outages and flooding.
The Mass Care Tabletop Exercise was held with the... Read More »
Three agencies within the Department of Commerce have initiated a $1 million initiative they said is designed to accelerate disaster response and resilience technology.
The Economic Development Administration (EDA), in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)... Read More »
Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued last week new disaster resilience guidelines to help entities refine responses to the growing threat posed by natural disasters.
Disaster Resilience Framework: Principles for Analyzing Federal Efforts to Facilitate and Promote Resilience to Natural... Read More »
A group of Democratic senators introduced a bill last week that addresses southwest border challenges while improving Department of Homeland Security (DHS) border community engagement.
Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Tom Udall (D-NM) joined colleagues in supporting the Homeland... Read More »
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) have requested the intelligence community conduct an assessment of the potential national security risks from China-owned content platforms operating in the United States.
The formal request was sent to Acting Director... Read More »
A delegation of Colorado lawmakers is urging Congressional leaders to provide additional H-2B visas for seasonal workers in year-end appropriations packages or budget resolutions.
H-2B program allows U.S. employers to bring aliens to the United States to fill temporary nonagricultural... Read More »
Countries are not prepared for the possible international spread of new or emerging pathogens or for the deliberate or accidental release of dangerous agents, according to a new index that assesses the capabilities of 195 nations.
The Global Health Security Index is a joint project by the... Read More »
A group of Senate Republicans recently introduced the Restoring, Enhancing, Strengthening, and Promoting Our Nation’s Safety Efforts (RESPONSE) Act, which would provide law enforcement with new tools, expand resources for mental health treatment and boost school safety.
Law enforcement would... Read More »
The House Committee on Homeland Security advanced a bill sponsored by the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) to improve the Transportation Security Administration's security operations.
The Covert Testing and Risk Mitigation Improvement Act (H.R. 3469) is designed to improve the effectiveness and... Read More »
Legislation that would prevent drug diversion in real-time was introduced in the Senate this week by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Chris Coons (D-DE).
The Suspicious Order Identification Act of 2019 to enhance oversight related to prescription drug diversion. Currently, law enforcement or other... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), New Orleans Field Office, has partnered with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to stop counterfeiting efforts during the Holiday season for the third consecutive year.
Operation Safety Claus, an anti-counterfeiting law enforcement operation in metro New... Read More »
Antimicrobial resistant (AMR) microorganisms, also known as superbugs, increasingly threaten every person on Earth, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and national experts.
“Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most urgent health risks of our time and threatens to undo a... Read More »
In the year since the attack on Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, 12 white supremacists have been arrested for their alleged roles in terrorist plots, attacks or threats against the Jewish community, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported.
The ADL’s Center on Extremism reports... Read More »
A bipartisan delegation of legislators recently supported legislation seeking to prohibit foreign ownership or control of the nation’s elections systems.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ) recently joined Reps. Kendra Horn (D-OK), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM), Dan Crenshaw... Read More »
Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-CA) recently introduced a measure they said would create a voluntary cybersecurity certification program for Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
The Cyber Shield Act would establish an advisory committee of cybersecurity experts from academia,... Read More »
A recently launched joint federal/state task force will address workforce challenges and budgetary faced by volunteer fire companies in Pennsylvania.
The task force was created by U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Congressional Fire Services Caucus member, and state Reps. Frank Farry (R-... Read More »
A bill that would give U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents the equipment to detect synthetic opioids has been introduced in the U.S. House.
The DHS Opioid Detection Resilience Act of 2019 requires the Commissioner of CBP to procure chemical screening devices that allow border patrol... Read More »
Rep. Ro Khanna introduced Monday a measure designed to consider federal employee cybersecurity training and information on the risks of Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
“The Internet of Things Cybersecurity Training for Federal Employees Act will ensure that our federal workforce is aware of... Read More »
Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) recently introduced H.R.4720, legislation that would establish an assistant secretary of defense for space.
The position would be responsible for the growth and expansion of the United States Space Force and would report to the secretary of defense.
“As China and... Read More »
Democratic members of Congress from Massachusetts are urging the Department of Homeland Security to broaden its efforts to help state and local governments to fight the growing number of ransomware attacks.
The lawmakers expressed their concern with the rise in these attacks on police... Read More »
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is calling upon the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of State to deliver a plan to Congress outlining efforts to eliminate ISIS permanently.
Ernst recently issued a resolution in which the agencies would submit the plan of action within 30 days as a means of... Read More »
Terrorist threats against the United States continue to grow and evolve, including the use of non-conventional weapons, begging the question of whether this country is well-equipped for such attacks.
The conclusion of experts who testified Thursday before the U.S. House Homeland Security... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced this week that it has partnered with the City of Houston and the Houston Airport System (HAS) as a means of combating human trafficking.
The effort stems from the Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI) program, officials said, which is an extension of the... Read More »
Barbara Barrett has garnered Senate confirmation to become the nation’s 25th Secretary of the Air Force, with lawmakers voting 85-7 to approve the action.
“I can think of no position that offers more excitement, challenge and meaning than the secretary of the Air Force,” Barrett, replacing... Read More »
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, praised Tuesday the awarding of $41 million for a new Munitions Disassembly Complex at Picatinny Arsenal in Wharton, N.J.
The... Read More »
Reps. Mike Levin (D-CA) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) recently introduced a bill targeting $10 billion investment in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supporting antibiotic resistance and rare diseases research.
“The National Institutes of Health support critically important research... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) is calling upon President Donald Trump to remove nuclear weapons stored in Turkey.
Markey, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. stores roughly 50 B61 nuclear weapons at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. The airbase is located about 250 miles... Read More »
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) maintains the Coast Guard’s recent decision to modify the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) contract with Panama City-based Eastern Shipbuilding provides certainty for Northwest Florida’s communities.
“Hurricane Michael had a devastating impact on our local economy,... Read More »
Four U.S. senators recently sent a letter to the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC), urging for stronger coordination of supply-chain risk management across the federal government.
FASC was established to reduce federal supply-chain risks by creating a “combined information-sharing... Read More »
