News
TSA screened record number of passengers during winter holidays
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers screened more than 43.8 million passengers and crew members during the holiday travel period, a record and 4 percent higher than during 2018. The holiday period ran from Dec. 19 to Jan. 5. The busiest day was Dec. 27, when officers screened... Read More »
Officials tout border wall construction progress
Federal officials recently joined Yuma, Ariz., city and county leaders in touting border wall construction progress, noting completion of the first 100 miles of the system along the southwest border. Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf recently joined by Senator Martha McSally... Read More »
Sen. Duckworth demands Secretary Esper disclose legal rationale for Soleimani assassination
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) recently sent correspondence to U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, pressing for information regarding the legal basis used for the military operation that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. “During your confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services... Read More »
DARPA gives 17 teams a chance to compete to change subterranean warfare
DARPA’s Subterranean Challenge Urban Circuit is looking to change the nature of subterranean warfare, and as of last week, 17 teams have qualified to demonstrate breakthroughs and solutions to existing problems. Operating underground is, by its nature, highly challenging for humans. Both... Read More »
DHS secretary meets with Honduran officials to discuss border security
Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, met with officials from Honduras to discuss efforts to discuss several issues related to border security. Specifically, they discussed plans to stem the flow of illegal immigration, combat transnational criminal... Read More »
Gates Foundation awards $1.4M to help cholera fight
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded a $1.4 million grant to the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) to ensure standards and reagents are available to low-cost oral cholera vaccine (OCV) manufacturers. International standardization in the manufacturing and release of OCV will... Read More »
Annapolis reports FirstNet benefits
City of Annapolis, Md., personnel recently espoused the benefits of FirstNet, the public safety broadband network designed to enhance public safety communications as a means of protecting residents and visitors. The Annapolis Police Department (APD), Public Works, the Office of Emergency... Read More »
Bill bolsters US-Israel strategic alliance
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chris Coons (D-DE) recently introduced legislation designed to strengthen the U.S.-Israel strategic alliance. The United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2020 authorizes $3.3 billion in annual security assistance consistent with the Memorandum... Read More »
UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter aids El Paso CBP
El Paso Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel said the return of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to its Air and Marine Operations aids capability to accomplish its missions. The CBP’s Air and Marine Operations El Paso Air Branch (AMO El Paso) had not flown the UH-60 Black Hawk since... Read More »
University of Dundee researchers seek new treatments for tuberculosis
Backed by a $3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, researchers from the University of Dundee will push the LEADS4TB program to find new treatment options over the next three years. "We want to improve how we do drug discovery for TB, and identify new candidate drugs to treat... Read More »
Homeland Security Investigations appoints new leadership
Debra Parker is the new special agent in charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office based in Seattle. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said Parker, a 25-year veteran of federal law enforcement, would be responsible for supervising special agents conducting... Read More »
Lawmakers urge increased cybersecurity protections in financial sector
Reps. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY) recently urged federal financial regulators to strengthen cyber infrastructure against possible attacks on the heels of recent threats from Iran and its allies. The congressman forwarded correspondence to nine separate financial... Read More »
Study concludes Borna disease cases potentially gone unnoticed for decades in the wild
A new study recently published by researchers at the Zoonotic Bornavirus Consortium (ZooBoCo) theorized that, in the wake of eight new Borna disease virus linked deaths, the disease may have been operating unnoticed for decades behind the scenes. Borna is a virus that leaps from shrews to... Read More »
House advances three bills to improve 5G security
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced three bills this week that seek to improve 5G security in the country. One of the bills is the Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2019 (H.R. 2881), introduced by Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Francis Rooney... Read More »
Rep. Stefanik holds law enforcement roundtable
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) hosted a Law Enforcement Roundtable in her district at the Milton Community Center to discuss several pressing issues facing police officers. Among the issues, law enforcement officials spoke about the importance of mental health resources for police departments.... Read More »
House panel seeks restoration of homeland security grants
A bipartisan group of U.S. House members, in the wake of this week’s U.S. killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani and recent domestic acts of anti-Semitic violence, called on the Trump administration to restore millions of dollars in homeland security grants aimed at aiding state and local... Read More »
CBP to evaluate process of DNA sample collection
Two Customs and Border Protection (CBP) locations have been selected to evaluate the operational impact of proposed regulatory changes requiring DNA sample collection from some in CBP custody. Beginning this month, the Border Patrol is implementing the 90-day pilot program in the Detroit Sector.... Read More »
Legislation highlights importance of Arctic region to national, economic security
Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Angus King (I-ME) recently introduced a measure designed to direct the federal government to recognize the importance of the Arctic region to national and economic security interests. The Arctic Naval Focus Act of 2019, also initiates a... Read More »
Senators urge secretary of defense to support a larger U.S. Navy
U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), and Angus King (I-ME) recently expressed concern that the Department of Defense will significantly reduce shipbuilding in its fiscal year 2021 budget. Three years ago, President Donald Trump signed into law a policy of achieving a 355-ship Navy. The current navy... Read More »
Sens. Udall, Paul urge colleagues to support bill to prevent war with Iran
U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Rand Paul (R-KY) are urging their Senate colleagues to support their bill that would prevent going to war with Iran. The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019 (S.1039) affirms the constitutional role of Congress as the sole branch of government... Read More »
Georgia State University researchers create, demonstrate universal flu vaccine on mice
A study created by the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has demonstrated the promise of a new, universal flu vaccine, displaying long-lasting protection against six influenza viruses. The... Read More »
CARB-X awards $1.4M to Centauri Therapeutics for new approach to fighting drug-resistant bacteria
The non-profit Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) announced this week that $1.4 million will be awarded to the British company Centauri Therapeutics, for a new platform in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria. The platform is under development but... Read More »
Massachusetts significantly increases funding to combat hate crimes
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker recently signed a fiscal year 2019 close-out supplemental budget that triples funding for houses of worship and other nonprofit groups. The funding is intended to enhance security against hate crimes and terrorist attacks. The budget adds $1 million to the... Read More »
Sens. Booker, Menendez urge funding increases to combat hate crimes
New Jersey lawmakers are calling for an increase in government funding to protect communities from hate crimes and domestic terrorism. U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) are urging the federal government to increase funding from $90 million to $360 million for the Nonprofit... Read More »
BAE secures Navy missile modernization contract
BAE Systems recently secured a $175 million Navy contract to modernize the USS Vicksburg (CG 69) guided-missile cruiser. The Vicksburg will undergo 18 months of work at the company’s shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, officials said, which serves as the ship’s homeport. “Over the last few... Read More »
Lockheed Martin, Pentagon sign F-35 aircraft agreement
Lockheed Martin has received a $1.9 billion F-35 Joint Program Office contract to support operations and sustainment of the global F-35 fleet in 2020. “The F-35 continues to deliver exceptional capabilities to the field, and this contract ensures F-35s are mission ready to meet warfighter... Read More »
Zika false-negatives crush hopes through long-term neurodevelopmental effects
Though everything might appear normal at first for Zika victims in the womb, according to a new report from a multi-institutional research group led by Children’s National Hospital, the long-term effects on Zika-exposed infants can fly under the radar. In fact, in 77 out of 82 lab-confirmed... Read More »
New York congressional members request investigation of social media’s use in spreading hate
Five members of New York’s congressional delegation recently sent a letter to top-ranking national security officials requesting an investigation into how foreign adversaries use social media to cause hate and civil unrest in the United States. The letter was sent to Christopher Wray, Federal... Read More »
DHS issues new National Terrorism Advisory bulletin following Soleimani airstrike
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a new National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin following the U.S.-led airstrike that killed Qaseem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force. Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf stated that there... Read More »
Interception of smuggling attempts yields 20 pounds of cocaine for CBP Atlanta
In a series of catches made over the last two months of 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport intercepted 20 pounds of cocaine being transported by smugglers. The amounts, which collectively accounted for around $280,000 in... Read More »
Senate, House resolutions demand Congressional Authorization for war with Iran
In a criticism of President Donald Trump, legislation has been introduced into both the Senate and House, respectively, which would require a debate and vote in Congress before any war with Iran would be allowed. These War Powers Resolutions were introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Dick... Read More »
Curtiss-Wright acquires 901D Holdings for $132M
Curtiss-Wright Corp., a global company that provides highly engineered products and services to defense, industrial, commercial, and energy clients, recently completed a $132 million cash acquisition of 901D Holdings. 901D designs and manufactures mission-critical integrated electronic systems,... Read More »
DHS to open migrant processing facility at Nogales Port of Entry
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin processing migrants for return to Mexico under the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) at the Nogales Port of Entry. This is the seventh port of entry where MPP returns will be made. Any migrants making illegal or entry at the Southwest... Read More »
WHO confirms 29 new cases of Ebola in Democratic Republic of the Congo
In its last weekly report of the year, covering Dec. 18 to Dec. 31, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 29 new confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease were logged in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The cases spread across four health... Read More »