News
HHS to provide initial funding for certain states, localities as part of COVID-19 response
Specific states and local jurisdictions stand to benefit from federal funding under a targeted effort to counter COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced this week. Through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an initial $25 million cooperative... Read More »
Inovio speeds up timeline for COVID-19 vaccine, pledging 1 million doses by year’s end
As both the public’s and lawmakers’ concerns over the spread of COVID-19 continue to mount, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced it will accelerate its set timeline for the development of a DNA vaccine targeting the virus. The vaccine has been underway since January when Chinese... Read More »
Bipartisan effort introduces Cure the Coronavirus Act to spur vaccine efforts
The bipartisan Cure the Coronavirus Act ( H.R. 6019) was introduced this week in the House in response to a growing presence of COVID-19 in the United States. Through the legislation, U.S. Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-), Rep. Peter King (R-NY), and Rep. Jaime Herrera... Read More »
Air Force Secretary to visit the Minot Air Force Base
U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett is visiting the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota Thursday at the invitation of Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND). Hoeven invited Barrett to visit the facilities during her confirmation process last year. The senator, a member of the Senate Defense... Read More »
Sen. Collins probes US health officials on coronavirus response
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) urged officials from U.S. health agencies to take action to stem the spread of the coronavirus at a Senate Health Committee hearing on the coronavirus this week. Specifically, Collins said they should work to prevent drug shortages and protect Americans,... Read More »
Lockheed Martin touts F-35 milestones
Lockheed Martin recently highlighted a pair of F-35 aircraft milestones, one related to delivery and the other to logged flight hours. Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office have delivered the 500th F-35, and last month, the F-35 enterprise surpassed 250,000 flight hours. “These... Read More »
GAO offers NNSA portfolio management recommendation
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) a portfolio management recommendation regarding the agency’s nuclear weapon stockpile modernization efforts. The GAO said the recommendation stemmed from the NNSA modernizing the nation's... Read More »
Disease threats exacerbated by dangerous shortage of personal protective equipment, WHO warns
The World Health Organization (WHO) this week warned that severe disruption of the global supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) is endangering lives already at risk by COVID-19 and other infectious diseases as reports of equipment hoarding, crisis profiteering, and general misuse have come... Read More »
Congress reaches deal on $8.3B emergency funding package to fight coronavirus
U.S. House and Senate leaders reached an agreement on an $8.3 billion emergency supplemental appropriations package on Wednesday to fund the nation’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, including critical funding for vaccine research and development. “Today Democrats and Republicans in... Read More »
Right-wing extremists account for majority of extremist-related murders last year, ADL reports
Right-wing extremists were responsible for a majority of extremist-related murders in the United States last year, according to a report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Of the 42 extremist-related murders in the nation last year, 38 were committed by individuals subscribing to various... Read More »
TSA notes PreCheck milestone of 10 million members
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently indicated its PreCheck program has reached a milestone of 10 million members, adding the landmark figure is essential to aviation security. TSA PreCheck is an expedited screening program enabling low-risk travelers to undergo screening... Read More »
Firm secures Rio Grande Valley border wall contract
Two government agencies said Southwest Valley Constructors Co. has secured a contract to build 15 miles of new Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector border wall. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) officials announced the contract, valued at $179,580,000,... Read More »
DHS S&T calls for biometric recognition submissions for third Biometric Technology Rally
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced its third Biometric Technology Rally this week, allowing submitters to show off improved biometric recognition capabilities. Those capabilities could improve security and use of checkpoint... Read More »
Rep. Buchanan urges rapid COVID-19 response after cases reach Florida
With reports of COVID-19 cases spreading further across the U.S. day by day, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) has become the latest lawmaker calling for swift congressional action to contain the virus. While the novel coronavirus’s spread in the United States has remained low, Centers for... Read More »
Lawmakers seek medical supply chain clarity
Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Gary C. Peters (D-MI) recently forwarded correspondence to two agencies to inquire about medical supply chain security and stability in the event of a coronavirus outbreak. Johnson and Peters sent a letter to Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary... Read More »
Measure addresses border personnel fentanyl exposure
Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced last week a measure designed to protect Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees from accidental exposure to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. The Synthetic Opioid Exposure Prevention and Training Act of 2020 would... Read More »
FDA allows certain labs to immediately use developed, validated tests on COVID-19
A new policy issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week means to expedite U.S. diagnostic capabilities related to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, by allowing specific labs to immediately utilize related tests they have developed and validated. This builds on an Emergency... Read More »
Reps. Fitzpatrick, Jackson Lee and Ruiz chair coronavirus task force
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) have been selected to head up the new Bipartisan Congressional Coronavirus Task Force. The task force will marshal the experience and expertise of Congress members and committee leaders to develop an action plan for... Read More »
UN shoring up most vulnerable nations against coronavirus with $15M funding
While raising the global risk surrounding the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, to very high, the World Health Organization (WHO) this week released $15 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) as a means of shoring up defenses in more vulnerable nations. “We do not yet see evidence... Read More »
Representatives applaud Senate passage of communications bill
The U.S. Senate recently passed the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, a bipartisan House bill that would secure America’s telecommunications supply chain. The bill was introduced by Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Greg Walden... Read More »
Sens. Feinstein, Markey seeks answers from GAO on NNSA nuclear spending
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) are asking the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine if the nuclear modernization activities by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) are sustainable and affordable. The GAO issued a report in 2017 recommending... Read More »
DHS seeking proposals to help Coast Guard better track objects in the water
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking proposals from technology companies to develop a system to mark and track objects in the water more clearly. The solicitation – called the Maritime Object Tracking Technology initiative – was posted this week by the DHS Science and... Read More »
CBP Acting Commissioner pitches $18.2B budget plan to House Appropriations Committee
The House Appropriations Committee took testimony from Acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Mark Morgan this week, regarding the CBP’s portion of the Trump administration’s proposed FY 2021 budget. For CBP, that portion amounts to a more than $18.2 billion budget... Read More »
American College of Emergency Physicians analyzes COVID-19 in new open access journal
The new open access journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), the JACEP Open, is kicking things off with dual analyses of COVID-19 -- both its transmission risk factors and the public health concerns such outbreaks spur. To date, notes the article Novel Coronavirus 2019:... Read More »
Raytheon to partner with IronNet on cybersecurity solutions for defense systems
Raytheon Company is teaming up with IronNet Cybersecurity to develop cyber solutions for the defense of operational and information technology (OT/IT) systems. These solutions would integrate security services with advanced analysis and threat sharing tools through IronNet's collective defense... Read More »
Senators introduce bill to block Defense Department from diverting funds to build border wall
A bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would reverse the Department of Defense’s recent transfer of $3.8 billion to be used to a border wall. Further, the Restoring Military Priorities Act of 2020 would reduce the transfer authority of the DoD to prevent President Trump from diverting... Read More »
BAE receives $113.5M Marine Corps order
The U.S. Marine Corps recently awarded BAE Systems a $113.5 million contract for 26 additional Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV) under the Low-Rate Initial Production phase of the program. BAE Systems and Iveco Defence Vehicles are replacing the corps’ Assault Amphibious Vehicles with ACV, a... Read More »
CDC rushes to correct coronavirus test following performance issues
An apparent bottleneck has emerged in U.S. capabilities to test for the novel coronavirus, with the much-awaited release of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) test kit scrapped this week after performance issues emerged. While this has not hindered the CDC’s testing... Read More »
NIH launches $1M prize challenge to encourage disease diagnostics
Under the newly launched Technology Accelerator Challenge, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering $1 million for those capable of designing and developing handheld, digital technologies capable of detecting and diagnosing high impact diseases. Bolstered by support from the Bill &... Read More »
Spreading coronavirus forces U.S. administration’s targeted response plans
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, charged Wednesday night with leading the federal government’s response to the coronavirus epidemic, has named a top AIDS expert to coordinate the response and clamped down on future outgoing coronavirus messaging by government health officials and... Read More »
Department of Defense adopts artificial intelligence principles
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) recently adopted ethical principles for the use of artificial intelligence (AI), which will apply to both combat and noncombat functions. The principles were based on Defense Innovation Board recommendations. The board consulted with AI experts and... Read More »
Harvard scientists work with Chinese researchers to develop coronavirus treatment
Harvard University scientists will work with researchers from China to develop coronavirus therapies and treatments designed to prevent new infections and alleviate existing ones. The effort will be led by Harvard Medical School Dean George Q. Daley, working with colleagues from the Harvard T.H.... Read More »
Resolution to support Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations introduced in House
The co-chairs of the House Global Health Caucus introduced a resolution in support of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI). GAVI is dedicated to saving the lives of children in the world’s poorest countries by improving access to new and underutilized vaccines. Since... Read More »
Democratic US Senators urge decisive action on coronavirus outbreak
Following the Trump administration’s request for $2.5 billion to address the growing novel coronavirus outbreak, Democratic U.S. Senators this week urged that appropriate resources be put in place to guarantee an effective response. “The highly contagious and rapidly spreading Coronavirus... Read More »