U.S. Policy
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will award eight preparedness
grant programs totaling more than $1.7 billion in fiscal year 2019.
The grants will provide funding to states and local governments,
as well as transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations, and the private
sector,... Read More »
With Holy Week (Semana Santa) soon approaching, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officials said Laredo Field Office (LFO) holiday preparation is continuing.
“Our CBP officers and agriculture specialists are the nation’s frontline of defense against all... Read More »
Homeland Security Subcommittee lawmakers are seeking insight regarding investments Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism members are making to prevent terrorists and extremists platform exploitation.
Rep. Max Rose (D-NY), chair of the Homeland Subcommittee on Intelligence and... Read More »
The 286th
Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard, which
will be taking part in Operation Atlantic Resolve, deployed Saturday.
As part of the
operation, U.S. forces have been rotating through Europe since Russia invaded
Ukraine in 2014. American forces train with... Read More »
A
bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill that would ensure that Congress
has the authority to review all materials related to the transfer or nuclear technologies
and information.
These
transfers are known as Part 810 agreement whereby the U.S. government
authorizes persons or companies... Read More »
House Armed Services Committee Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) is joining congressional colleagues in touring military bases damaged by Hurricane Florence.
Garamendi will be accompanied by Ranking Member of the Readiness Subcommittee, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) and Maj.... Read More »
Recently
introduced bicameral legislation would create a grant program, authorized by
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to allow state, local, and tribal governments
to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses.
The program would
allow governments to develop, revise or implement cyber... Read More »
Senate Democrats are
asking Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan to clarify statements made
by Department of Defense (DOD) officials about the deployment of military
personnel to the southwest border.
In their letter to
Shanahan, the senators are seeking assurances that this deployment... Read More »
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials have established the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee (STSAC), which will be responsible for providing recommendations on surface transportation security matters.
The committee operates in accordance with provisions of the... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued three recommendations to the Marine Corps regarding the branch's efforts to track training funds and link them to mission readiness.
The GAO analysis stemmed from a congressional report maintaining the Corps' budget estimates haven't... Read More »
Veronica Daigle, principal deputy assistant secretary for Readiness for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), recently visited the Pennsylvania National Guard’s (PNG) training center at Fort Indiantown Gap (FTIG) as part of her tour of schools and ranges where soldiers and airmen from National... Read More »
Sid Hanna, Transportation
Security Administration (TSA) Federal Security director in Sacramento, recently
presented Henry Li, general manager and CEO of the Sacramento Regional Transit
District (SacRT), with the Gold Standard Award.
The annual award
honors transit agencies that have high scores... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced
legislation this week to encourage state, local, and tribal governments to
strengthen their defenses against cybersecurity threats.
The State Cyber Resiliency Act would authorize the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to run a... Read More »
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) forwarded correspondence last week to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin seeking specific Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) designations.
In his letter, Rubio, chairman of the... Read More »
The
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently launched a public
awareness campaign to educate travelers on the agency’s new identification
requirements.
Starting Oct. 1,
2020, anyone who flies will be required to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s
license, or another... Read More »
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), reintroduced
legislation last week that would reduce foreign aid to El Salvador, Guatemala,
and Honduras by $30,000 for each of its unaccompanied alien children placed in
U.S. federal custody.
The Unaccompanied Alien Children Assistance
Control Act is designed to... Read More »
A bipartisan group of senators
introduced a bill that would prohibit the United States from expending funds
which could lead to war with Iran without express approval from Congress.
The Prevention of
Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019 underscores that Article 1, Section
8 of the... Read More »
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is constantly working to identify screening issues, but while covert tests have improved, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) attests that operations could be bettered, especially since one new process used by TSA is not working... Read More »
Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) recently introduced a measure designed to enhance the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) to reflect the daily work of 9-1-1 dispatchers.
The Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act, also known as the 9-1-1 SAVES Act,... Read More »
The House Congressional Joint Strike Fighter Caucus
recently sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House Armed
Service Committee and the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee urging them
to support the F-35 Lightning II program.
The F-35 is a stealth military aircraft.... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) spoke out
about his support of a bill that would bar aliens associated with a criminal
gang and convicted of a crime from entering the United States.
Singh’s Law was introduced earlier
this year by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin... Read More »
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) forwarded correspondence Tuesday to Secretary of Energy Rick Perry seeking clarity regarding the nation's nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
In the letter, Rubio and Menendez expressed concern and sought clarification about the... Read More »
The number of nonimmigrant visa (NIV) applications issue by U.S.
State Department consular officers decreased in fiscal
year 2017 to 880,000 after increasing annually from fiscal years 2012 through
2016, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
Applications... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Doug Jones (D-AL)
introduced a bill to create pilot scholarship programs for qualified members of
the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC).
The Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited (CAVU) Act is named
after the renowned pilots' acronym to describe ideal... Read More »
A training exercise known as Balikatan is underway in the Philippines this week, assembling forces from the Philippines, United States and Australia to address a multi-faceted range of operations.
Balikatan, which marks the partnership between the Philippines and United States specifically, is... Read More »
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) was appointed to
serve as a commissioner on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in
Europe, or the Helsinki Commission.
The Helsinki Commission, founded in 1976, was
created to advance democracy and human rights through military, economic, and
environmental... Read More »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday issued a final rule that restricts both the use and distribution of Bacillus bacteria detection devices, which are prescribed to preliminarily identify and diagnose cases of anthrax and other infectious diseases.
“The FDA plays a critical... Read More »
A $96.8 million computed tomography (CT) systems contract from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was awarded last week to Smiths Detection, Inc.
The contract will cover the next five years, over which 300 CT systems and their affiliated equipment will be deployed at various... Read More »
A Mississippi-based ambulance company is espousing the benefits of partnering with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) to enhance communication and coverage.
AAA Ambulance Service in Hattiesburg, Miss., subscribed to FirstNet to aid in connecting its 24-hour emergency and... Read More »
Marine Corps Logistics Base personnel in Barstow, Calif., recently conducted a training exercise designed to enhance both man-made and natural emergency preparedness.
The Exercise Haber Rail effort involved a simulated rail tanker car carrying thousands of cubic feet of chlorine gas... Read More »
A mission by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) seized more than three tons of drugs from a vessel off the coast of Central America last week.
The drugs, estimated to be worth $17 million, were plucked from a moderately-sized, open-bed fishing... Read More »
A group of Republican U.S. senators sent a letter to the
leaders of the Senate Budget Committee expressing their support for the $750
billion defense request in President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget.
The senators – including Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dan
Sullivan (R-AK), Marsha... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) recently led other agencies in conducting an active shooter drill at the airport's Terminal 4.
The CBP's Office of Field Operations at LAX joined forces with other federal and local law enforcement... Read More »
Rep. John Katko (R-NY) introduced legislation to
create a cybersecurity advisory committee to help fight cyberattacks.
The Cybersecurity Advisory Committee (CSAC) would
be comprised of cybersecurity professionals from every major business sector
that are responsible for protecting... Read More »
Air Force officials have selected Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., to house the first operational B-21 Raider bomber and its formal training unit.
Officials also noted Whiteman AFB, Missouri, and Dyess AFB, Texas, will receive B-21s as they become available.
"These three bomber bases are well... Read More »
