News
Senate unanimously advances legislation to support “Havana Syndrome” victims
The Senate unanimously advanced Monday legislation designed to support American public servants who have incurred brain injuries from likely directed energy attacks. Intelligence Committee Chairman Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Intelligence Committee Vice... Read More »
Senate advances innovation investment protection bill
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) applauded recent Senate action advancing a measure designed to protect the more than $100 billion investment in research from global competitors. The Safeguarding American Innovation Act was advanced as a part of the U.S.... Read More »
DiaSorin awarded $4.6M federal contract to increase COVID-19 test capacity
The U.S. Departments of Defense (DoD) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have awarded a $4.6 million contract to DiaSorin Inc. to boost production capacity of SARS-CoV-2 serology tests by nearly eightfold, to 10 million per month by May 2022. Currently, the lab diagnostics company DiaSorin... Read More »
Reps. Pascrell, Fitzpatrick, Bost introduce fire station construction legislation
On Monday, U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Michael Bost (R-IL), co-chairs of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, introduced legislation that would help fire departments build and upgrade their facilities. The Fire Station Construction Grants Act would... Read More »
Justice Department seizes $2.3M in cryptocurrency payed to ransomware extortionists
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently seized 63.7 bitcoins valued at approximately $2.3 million, alleging the funds represented proceeds paid after a ransomware attack. The DOJ said a group known as DarkSide initiated a ransomware attack against Colonial Pipeline, resulting in critical... Read More »
Sen. Tester urges investigation attack on meat processing industry, increased security
Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) has forwarded correspondence to Biden administration leaders requesting an investigation into a beef processing industry ransomware attack and means of bolstering cybersecurity. Tester's recent letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of... Read More »
Smallpox therapeutic marks BARDA’s 60th FDA approval/licensure/clearance through public-private partnerships
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Chimerix, Inc.’s smallpox therapeutic TEMBEXA last week marked a medical achievement and a milestone for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). BARDA itself was created in 2006. It began collaborating with... Read More »
Hagerty introduces IRON DOME legislation
U.S. Rep. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) introduced legislation on Friday to redirect funds appropriated for Gaza and other Hamas-dominated areas to replenish Israel’s defense missile systems. The legislation, the Emergency Resupply for IRON DOME Act of 2021, was co-sponsored by 21 other Congressmen and... Read More »
CBP, LAWA issue proactive international travel guidance
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) personnel said the entities are implementing proactive measures to address anticipated 2021 summer season passenger demand. “CBP is proactively mitigating any potential impact in wait times by maximizing our... Read More »
Oshkosh secures Army weapon system upgrade contract
Oshkosh Corporation announced that it has secured a $942.9 million Army contract to update weapon systems on Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles. The scope of work would include integrating a 30mm Medium Caliber Weapon System (MCWS) onto the Stryker Double V Hull Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICVVA1)... Read More »
GSU researcher receives $2.7M NIAID grant for study of seasonal, universal vaccination in elderly populations
A professor at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Dr. Sang-Moo Kang, received a five-year, $2.7 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) last week for a study of seasonal and universal vaccination in elderly... Read More »
Congress members release GAO report on DHS Inspector General
U.S. Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Homeland Security Committee Chairman; Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman; John Katko (R-NY), Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member, and James Comer (R-KY), Oversight and Reform Committee Ranking Member, announced the... Read More »
Center for American Progress applauds Biden administration focus on global anti-corruption
Center for American Progress (CAP) officials are espousing the benefits of the Biden administration's decision to make global anti-corruption a prime focus of national security initiatives. The Biden administration recently released its initial National Security Study Memorandum targeting a... Read More »
Rep. Stefanik urges reopening of northern border
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has forwarded correspondence to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to encourage efforts to reopen the U.S. northern border. Stefanik seeks the unilateral easing of non-essential travel restrictions across the northern border if a... Read More »
Experimental oral antiviral shows potential against COVID-19 in cell culture study
According to new research from National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists at the Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the oral antiviral drug TEMPOL could limit SARS-CoV-2 infection capabilities. Though still considered experimental, the drug’s... Read More »
Moderna enters agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine
Biotech company Moderna announced Tuesday that they had entered into an agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to fill/finish the sterile manufacturing and packaging of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Under the agreement, Thermo Fishers’ facility in Greenville, N.C., will be used for aseptic... Read More »
KBR secures Air Force engineering services contract
Air Force officials said the branch has awarded a $91.8 million task order to KBR, Inc. to provide engineering services for aircraft and other system components. The scope of work will involve elements managed by the 448th Supply Chain Management Wing (SCMW), focusing on research, analysis, and... Read More »
Maine delegation oppose naval destroyer budget elimination
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) joined U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jared Golden (D-ME) in forwarding correspondence to President Joe Biden detailing opposition to the elimination of a DDG-51 Flight III destroyer from the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget. The... Read More »
Bechtel completes destruction of 60 tons of VX nerve agent projectiles
In four months, a Bechtel-led team has managed to destroy approximately 60 tons of VX nerve agent contained in 155-millimeter artillery projectiles, pulling the United States closer to an international chemical weapons reduction goal. “This is an important milestone for the team,” Ron Hink,... Read More »
CARB-X funds earmarked for antibiotics research
Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company BioVersys has secured a $4.35 million funding allotment from CARB-X to develop new antibiotics to treat life-threatening infections caused by ESKAPE pathogens. The pathogens are identified as bacteria that have developed resistance to most current,... Read More »
Rep. Lieu introduces legislation seeking to bolster government vendor cybersecurity
Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-CA) has introduced a measure designed to bolster government vendor cybersecurity. The Improving Contractor Cybersecurity Act would amend the federal contracts title to require vendors seeking to conduct business with the government to maintain vulnerability disclosure... Read More »
HHS unveils public-private partnership with Global Health Investment Corporation, its first venture capital partnership
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched its first venture capital public-private partnership dedicated to developing technologies and medical products for public health emergencies with the nonprofit Global Health Investment Corporation (GHIC). “While we tackle the... Read More »
NIH begins Phase 1 clinical trial of NIAID’s universal flu vaccine
Following its development by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) began a human, phase one clinical trial to determine the safety and immunogenicity of a nanoparticle-based, universal influenza... Read More »
Reps. Khanna, Mace introduce legislation to strengthen government cybersecurity workforce
U.S Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced legislation to boost America’s cybersecurity capabilities Friday. The Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program Act would invest in the cyber workforce and allow cyber professionals to broaden their experience and knowledge base... Read More »
Bill addresses improved police training
A group of lawmakers recently reintroduced the Law Enforcement Training For Mental Health Crisis Response Act, which was designed to improve police training best practices. The legislation was presented by U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan (D-OH), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Stephanie Bice... Read More »
Legislation introduced to develop southern border plan, contingency fund
U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced last week a bill designed to devise a southern border strategic plan and establish a contingency fund to address plan activation. The Border Response Resilience Act would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and federal... Read More »
House legislation seeks to mandate accountability for foreign nations and review WHO’s pandemic actions
U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Conor Lamb (D-PA) sought legislative action on foreign nations’ health efforts last week, introducing the Never Again International Outbreak Prevention Act to establish new monitoring and reporting mandates, sanctions, and an investigation of the World... Read More »
Moderna launches rolling FDA submission process to fully license COVID-19 vaccine for adults
After months of operating under the ongoing pandemic, Moderna, Inc. announced this week that it has initiated the Biologics License Application (BLA) process with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to gain full approval of its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. This approval would make... Read More »
Biden’s budget blueprint ramps up HHS, CDC preparedness and response funding
President Joe Biden’s first budget proposal would authorize the largest funding increase in nearly two decades for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), going above and beyond funding the agency’s disease-focused work at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services... Read More »
DHS announces cybersecurity requirements for critical pipeline owners, operators
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced a new security directive Thursday that will allow it to better identify, protect against and respond to threats to critical companies in the pipeline sector. The new directive requires critical... Read More »
CBP, Chamber of Commerce partnership targets counterfeit goods
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced last week that it has partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to foster enhanced information sharing and public outreach regarding counterfeit goods importation. A memorandum of understanding on information sharing has been established and... Read More »
DOD funds earmarked for nitrile gloves production
Renco Corporation has secured a $13.1 million contract via the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to bolster domestic nitrile gloves production. Under the agreement, the initiative enables Renco to increase the production capacity of nitrile gloves... Read More »
Sanofi, GSK begin Phase 3 clinical study to chart safety, efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine candidate
Another COVID-19 vaccine may soon be on the way: Sanofi and GSK began enrollment for a phase three, global clinical study of their adjuvanted recombinant-protein vaccine candidate, with the anticipation it could be approved by the end of the year. Approval will, of course, depend on results, and... Read More »
WHO warns of need to distribute at least 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses through COVAX this year
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the COVID-19 pandemic situation is stabilizing in nations with advanced vaccination programs, but it is surging in other, less equipped areas, demanding action lest the future become a repeat of present failures. WHO urges the distribution of 2... Read More »