U.S. Policy
The House of Representatives has advanced a measure sponsored by Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) designed to aid the effort to stop money laundering supporting criminal activity.
The legislation was advanced with unanimous support.
The Advancing Innovation (AI) to Assist Law Enforcement Act... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kevin K. McAleenan recently unveiled the agency’s plan to address terrorism and targeted violence during an event co-hosted by the Heritage Foundation.
The DHS Strategic Framework for Combating Terrorism and Targeted Violence at the Brookings... Read More »
There’s a new word on the street that packs a lot of punch: cyberbiosecurity, which is introducing a host of new multilayered threats to biodefense.
Members of the newly named Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense — formerly the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense — last week sought a... Read More »
During an address at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber conference, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper encouraged military adaptability against potential space threats and cyberattacks.
Esper also said the emergence of Russia and China also expedites the need for adaptable... Read More »
In anticipation of the 2020 elections, federal lawmakers have approved $250 million in support of state and local governments’ efforts to strengthen election security.
The Senate Appropriations Committee recently granted approval to the allotment via an amendment to the Financial Services and... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency recently awarded Western Maryland more than $5.6 million through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program.
The bulk of the funding, $5.5 million, was awarded to Frederick County while... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Drug Enforcement (DEA) is initiating an effort to combat the drug abuse epidemic in the South Coast region of Massachusetts.
The DEA is initiating a “360 Strategy” in that region – which is a comprehensive diversion control, law enforcement, and prevention program to... Read More »
Legislation that would prohibit the U.S. government from procuring drones manufactured by covered foreign entities identified as national security threats was introduced in the U.S. Senate this week.
The American Security Drone Act of 2019 was introduced by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick... Read More »
Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Daniel Webster (R-FL) introduced legislation Tuesday designed to enhance extreme weather events preparedness by establishing best practices to protect communities while saving taxpayer money.
The PREPARE Act would create an interagency council to provide... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program operators are seeking to meet with Maryland-area small businesses to help address homeland security challenges.
Entities in the research and development domain are encouraged to attend Friday’s session,... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) inquired about the information security practices of U.S. Customs and Border Protection contractors following a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of thousands of facial images of U.S. travelers.
The June attack led to the theft of at least 100,000 traveler ID... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at the Air and Marine Operations (AMO), National Air Security Operations Center Corpus Christi (NASOC-CC) recently aided Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Bahamas.
From Aug. 29 to Sept. 8, NASOC-CC’s aircrews deployed to Birmingham, Ala., and... Read More »
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) recently spearheaded a gathering of Nevada education personnel and tech companies to assess cybersecurity threats and legislation to address such circumstances.
“The security of our nation’s cyber infrastructure is put at serious risk without a robust, skilled... Read More »
Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) recently secured strong funding in the 2020 Energy and Water Appropriations bill to extend and refurbish nuclear warheads bolstering the nation’s defense.
“Given the security challenges around the globe, it’s vital we invest in our nuclear warheads and nuclear... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel have partnered with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate as a means of bolstering illegal opioid detection methods.
Synthetic Opioid Detection at Speed (SODAS) began after a report by the President’s... Read More »
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY2020 funding bill for the Department of Defense by a narrow 16-15 margin.
The $694.9 billion funding bill includes an increase of $20.5 billion above FY2019. The recommendation consists of $622.5 billion in base funding, $70.7 billion for... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said the agency’s recently released enforcement actions report reflects a decline in the last 90 days while activity levels remain high.
The analysis showed this year through August, the total number of people apprehended or found to be... Read More »
The U.S. Senate recently advanced a bill that seeks to make air travel more convenient for transportation industry workers.
The TSA Credential and Endorsement Harmonization Act of 2019 is designed to reduce the number of duplicate screenings by expanding TSA PreCheck to those who have already... Read More »
A U.S. House committee hearing on Wednesday focused on how to strengthen a federal program that protects high-risk chemical facilities from terrorist attacks.
“High-risk chemical facilities hold large stores of industrial chemicals that pose a safety and security risk to the American people... Read More »
Kentucky’s Boyd County has been chosen for inclusion in the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the HIDTA program provides law enforcement agencies in designated counties with coordination, equipment, technology,... Read More »
Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced Tuesday legislation designed to address asylum fraud and protect children arriving at the border from human trafficking.
The End Child Trafficking Now Act of 2019, amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require a DNA test to... Read More »
The number of people apprehended or found to be inadmissible at the Southern U.S. border declined by 22 percent in August, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The number apprehended or turned away was 64,006 in August, down from 82,055 in July. The August totals mark a 56 percent... Read More »
On the eve of the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, experts testified to U.S. Congress that while Islamic jihadists remain a threat to the security of the United States, so to do domestic terrorists in the form of white supremacists and other radical right-wing groups.
During a House... Read More »
The 92nd and 141st Air Refueling Wings at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington, are hosting Mobility Guardian 2019, the Air Mobility Command’s (AMC) premier exercise.
“Unmatched rapid global mobility exists because of the ready and resilient Airmen who execute the mission day in... Read More »
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) is lauding the Department of Defense’s (DOD) recent decision to temporarily establish U.S. Space Command in Colorado, noting it harnesses the state’s existing military assets.
Gardner, an advocate for the initiative, said the temporary establishment at Peterson Air... Read More »
Ebola containment efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will now be bolstered by $21 million in additional humanitarian assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The funds are in response to a continually worsening condition in the country, where an... Read More »
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said recent implementation of the agency’s National Fugitive Operations Program resulted in the arrest of 39 fugitives suspected of human rights violations.
The effort, which was executed Aug. 27-29, involved the Human Rights Violators and... Read More »
New York State will provide $10 million in grant funding to strengthen local emergency response operations across the state.
"New York remains steadfast in our commitment to providing our first responders with the tools they need to respond quickly and efficiently to emergencies," Gov. Andrew... Read More »
The U.S. Navy is working on adding 20 new guided missile frigates to its fleet, but the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended they provide Congress with an independent cost estimate before awarding any contracts.
Currently, the cost is estimated at around $20 billion. GAO... Read More »
Over $1.2 million in federal assistance grants has been earmarked for Arizona firefighters in Jerome, Marana, Payson, Pinetop, Phoenix, and Prescott.
The funding was awarded through the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG), which awards grants directly... Read More »
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha opened a new office in Duluth, Minn.
It is being opened through a partnership with the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Duluth Post of Duty, the 11th DEA office in the DEA’s Omaha Division, supplements the existing drug... Read More »
Rep. John Katko (R-NY) recently joined federal officials in conducting a roundtable discussion focused on addressing cybersecurity threats there.
Katko recently hosted the session at the Onondaga County Water Authority with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials to assist local elected... Read More »
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) maintains trade-based money laundering (TBML) is not sufficiently regarded as one of the nation’s most significant national security threats while urging a comprehensive solution process.
“Cartels and terrorists are moving billions of dollars unchecked to fund their... Read More »
A group of Senate Democrats recently called on the U.S. Department of Defense to provide Congress with details of its decision use military construction funding to pay for a Southern border wall.
“We are opposed to this decision and the damage it will cause to our military and the relationship... Read More »
The U.S. Coast Guard will work in conjunction with state and local first responders in Tennessee today to conduct boat drills aboard the passenger vessel Star of Knoxville, out on the Tennessee River.
Operations will span periods in the morning and afternoon, in two locales: the Knoxville... Read More »
