News
Trump administration lays out national distribution plan for Abbott BinaxNOW Ag Card rapid COVID-19 test
The federal government began its rollout of the Abbott BinaxNOW Ag Card rapid COVID-19 test to states this week with the announcement of a national distribution plan meant to support K-12 schools, higher education, critical infrastructure, first responders, and others as needed. The test is... Read More »
Underwood to chair cybersecurity subcommittee
House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) has appointed Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) to chair the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation. “From persistent attempts by foreign adversaries to influence our elections to growing... Read More »
DHS to evaluate first responder technology solutions
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Operational Experimentation (OpEx) Program has launched an effort to evaluate first responder technology solutions. The OpEx Program has released a Request for Information (RFI) with four Technical Topic Areas... Read More »Bicameral bill proposes cybersecurity assistance and improvements for small organizations
With the introduction of the Improving Cybersecurity of Small Organizations Act of 2020 (S. 4731) last week, a bipartisan mix of senators and representatives seek to promote guidance on cybersecurity for small organizations such as businesses, nonprofits and local government agencies. Among... Read More »
Senators call for greater federal assistance in battling western wildfires
In the aftermath of wildfires that devastated wide swaths of land and communities, senators wrote to President Donald Trump last week requesting additional federal aid for wildfire response efforts and to assist recovery. The senators requested quick increases to the number of fire personnel and... Read More »House advances bill that seeks to improve outage, disaster information reporting
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced legislation last week that would direct the Federal Communications Commission to issue reports after activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System and make improvements to network outage reporting. The passage of the Emergency Reporting Act... Read More »
Senate Republicans introduce bill to modify or repeal regulations that impede pandemic response
A bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate that seeks to repeal or modify regulations that have impeded the ability of the government to rapidly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Act establishes a commission charged with prioritizing regulation... Read More »
Victoria Coleman sworn to DARPA director post
Victoria Coleman, appointed as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) 22nd director, received the oath of office from Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Kratsios. Coleman, who most recently served as senior advisor on microelectronics... Read More »
Firm secures language translation capabilities project
Kynamics of Mountain View, Calif., has secured a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) language translation capabilities funding award. The $192,520 in Phase 1 funding would yield a portable, standalone... Read More »
FDA issues first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 antibody point-of-care test
The Assure COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Device this week became the first antibody point-of-care test for COVID-19 to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Originally granted authorization for use by certain labs in July, the new EUA allows the test... Read More »
CDC to provide $200M for critical infrastructure support of COVID-19 vaccine preparations
All 64 jurisdictions under the Immunizations and Vaccines for Children cooperative agreement will receive $200 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the coming days, as a means of supporting COVID-19 vaccination services. The money will aid both planning and... Read More »
Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense prepares for next pandemic
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is revealing major gaps in national readiness to prepare for, respond to, and recover from biological threats, requiring that decision makers consider improved policies, programs, and technologies to ramp up the federal defense, experts said during the Sept. 24 virtual... Read More »
DHS awards $1M for cybersecurity information sharing tool
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program awarded $1 million to InferLink Corp. to develop a tool for sharing cybersecurity information. Inferlink, based in El Segundo, Calif., awarded the Phase II contract to InferLink based on the successful... Read More »
House passes T-Band bill top protect public safety communications
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to protect public safety communications in the T-Band, used for mission-critical communications, and interoperable communications with other agencies. The T-Band (470 MHz – 512 MHz) currently operates in 11 major metropolitan areas --... Read More »
Lawmakers inquire about biomedical research foreign influence
Three lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) requesting insight regarding efforts to address foreign biomedical research influence. Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Rep. Greg Walden... Read More »
Sens. Menendez, Collins seek to create COVID-19 Commission
Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced Wednesday legislation designed to create a COVID-19 Commission to assess the nation’s preparedness and response to the pandemic while providing guidance regarding future occurrences. The measure would establish an independent,... Read More »
BARDA, Luminex form public-private partnership dedicated to new COVID-19 serology test
In an effort to better track COVID-19 infections, the Luminex Corporation and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) have partnered on the creation of a more advanced serology test. This latest effort is based on the xMAP SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay, a... Read More »
Janssen seeks up to 60,000 adult volunteers for phase three COVID-19 vaccine trial
A new, phase three clinical trial for Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies’ investigational COVID-19 vaccine began recruiting adult volunteers this week to see if a single dose could prevent symptomatic cases. The trial will enroll up to 60,000 volunteers at nearly 215 clinical research sites in... Read More »
Top public health officials dismiss doubts on political interference in vaccine trials
Top Trump Administration officials dismissed concerns that approval of a COVID-19 vaccine is being rushed to satisfy the President’s reelection efforts and assured the public they would volunteer to take any vaccine themselves that is ultimately approved by the government. “We do feel the... Read More »
Boston CBP personnel seize synthetic opioid shipment
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel in Boston, Mass., recently seized a Thailand shipment containing 196 grams of the opioid drug Tramadol. “Illegal trading of opioids poses a significant health threat,” Michael Denning, director of Field Operations for the Boston Field Office,... Read More »
GAO accepts less-lethal weapons assessment request
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) expressed gratitude to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) after the agency officially accepted her request to conduct an independent review of federal agencies' less-lethal weapons use. Duckworth joined a group of lawmakers requesting the GAO to assess the... Read More »
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles participates in $7.1M study of COVID-19, flu transmission
As part of a 250-325 household study spanning three countries, The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles will participate in a $7.1 million effort to investigate some of the unanswered questions surrounding COVID-19 and influenza transmission. Among those questions being... Read More »
New House legislation would put nuclear testing decisions in congressional hands
Democratic representatives and senators have introduced the No Nuclear Testing Without Approval Act to make nuclear testing dependent on Congressional authorization. The effort comes from U.S. Reps. Steven Horsford (D-NV), Reps. Susie Lee (D-NV), Ben McAdams (D-UT), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and TJ... Read More »
House passes bill to strengthen Strategic National Stockpile
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation this week that seeks to improve the Strategic National Stockpile and reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of critical medical supplies. The bill – Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile Act (H.R. 7574) – focuses... Read More »
GAO makes recommendations to Treasury Dept on cybersecurity for financial sector
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is recommending that the Treasury Department work with other federal agencies and sector partners to enhance cybersecurity within the financial sector. The financial services sector's reliance on information technology makes it a leading target for... Read More »
BARDA expands relationship with Ortho on COVID-19 test
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) expanded its partnership with Ortho Clinical Diagnostics to accelerate the development of a COVID-19 antigen test. The Vitros antigen test is designed for the rapid detection of the virus that causes COVID-19. It is intended for... Read More »
DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Lab leads research on COVID-19 test kits
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in collaboration with the University of Washington, analyzed kits that could be used as a critical part of a laboratory test used to detect the COVID-19 virus in a sample from an infected person. “We are pleased the DOE... Read More »
University of Pennsylvania’s lung-on-a-chip technology could provide treatment insights for chlorine exposure
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has joined University of Pennsylvania researchers from two labs to build lung-on-a-chip technology, which promises a safe means of studying chlorine gas effects and the discovery of treatments. Chlorine gas was used as a weapon... Read More »
Nearly two-thirds of world’s population stand to benefit from COVAX facility commitments
The global initiative known as the COVAX facility announced major news for all seeking relief from the COVID-19 pandemic: a total of 156 economies have banded together under the program, guaranteeing both robust and lower income economies will get vaccines. This week marked the formal commitment... Read More »
CIA launches lab mechanism to drive technology innovation
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officials said the department has launched its CIA Labs, its first lab mechanism designed to drive science and technology breakthroughs amid intelligence challenges. “Some phenomenal innovations have come from CIA over the years, and with CIA Labs, we’re now... Read More »
Lawmakers urge wastewater-based epidemiology COVID-19 testing
A group of legislators recently encouraged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to invest federal funding in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) with an eye toward low-cost, effective COVID-19 testing. Rep. TJ Cox (D-CA) recently joined 11 colleagues in forwarding correspondence... Read More »
Homeland Security Committee Republicans introduce bill to reauthorize DHS
Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee introduced a bill that reauthorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for two years. The Keep America Secure Act would reauthorize the DHS and provide $59 billion for FY2021 and $60 billion for FY2022. It includes funding for border... Read More »
NTI convenes global experts on need for government oversight of biotechnology research
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) convened a meeting of more than 40 experts worldwide to address the need for better oversight of biotechnology research. Biotechnology research is essential for reducing pandemic threats and supporting global health. However, scientific advances in the life... Read More »
Bill addresses COVID-19 spread prevention
Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have introduced a measure they said is designed to help prevent COVID-19 spread via a pilot program requiring air traveler temperature checks at TSA screenings. The Fly Safe and Healthy Act establishes a 120-day pilot program via the TSA to... Read More »