News
Funds earmarked for Navy ROTC program at UH Manoa
An allotment of $1.1 million in federal funds has been earmarked for the inaugural Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Manoa. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, noted the funds were included in the spending... Read More »
Marines debut new amphibious combat vehicle for performance tests
The U.S. Marines put a new amphibious combat vehicle (ACV) to the test this month, subjecting it to maneuverability and performance tests during low-light and night operations at Camp Pendleton, Calif. “I am loyal to tracks, but the more I learn about these vehicles, the more impressed I get... Read More »
Lockheed Martin exceeds aircraft delivery goal for 2019
Lockheed Martin exceeded its joint government and industry delivery goal for 2019, delivering 134 F-35 aircraft. The goal for the year was 131 aircraft. The deliveries represent a 200 percent production increase from 2016 and a 47 percent increase from 2018. "This achievement is a testament... Read More »
U.S. Space Operations Command becomes official
U.S. Space Operations Command (SPOC) became official on Dec. 20 after Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett re-designated the Fourteenth Air Force. Air Force military and civilian personnel previously assigned to the Fourteenth Air Force are now assigned to SPOC. The SPOC supports the U.S.... Read More »
Motorola awarded $23.8M contract from Department of Defense
Motorola Solutions was awarded a $23.8 million contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to sustain the U.S. Navy’s enterprise land mobile radio (LMR) system. The LMR system is used to coordinate the deployment of the first responder community at Navy bases. The LMR system connects Navy... Read More »
Houses advances bill to fund gun violence research
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a spending package that includes $25 million for gun violence research. The bill—sponsored by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) -- now moves to the Senate for consideration. The Senate will vote on final passage in the coming days.... Read More »
Senate bill seeks to reduce international corruption
The U.S. Senate recently advanced a bipartisan bill designed to fight international corruption. The Combatting Global Corruption Act (S. 1309), introduced by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Todd Young (R-IN), would encourage greater transparency in U.S. foreign and security assistance and publicize... Read More »
Researchers find genetic mutations may play a role in disease outbreaks
Researchers from the University of California, Davis, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have discovered that outbreaks of human disease may be due to genetic mutations and that viruses may change as they expand their geographic range. The researchers studied how the Zika... Read More »
BAE Systems secures contract for Navy rockets
BAE Systems has secured a $2.68 billion Navy contract for indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity purchase of thousands of additional Advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS) Laser-Guided Rockets. “Our armed forces customers are looking to apply just the right amount of force at the right... Read More »
Melinta bankruptcy showcases vulnerability of antibiotics supply
The announcement last week that antibiotic maker Melinta had descended into Chapter 11 bankruptcy highlighted the problems facing the antibiotic industry, as well as the danger corporate issues could cast over medication availability. Melinta was the second antibiotic producer to file for... Read More »
Sens. King, Risch applaud passage of Securing Energy Infrastructure Act
U.S. Sens. Angus King (I-ME) and Jim Risch (R-ID) commended the enactment of a bill they introduced that would develop defenses for the U.S. energy grid. The Securing Energy Infrastructure Act, which passed as part of the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act, would seek to develop defenses... Read More »
Legislation authorizes Homeland Security program
The Senate recently passed legislation that authorizes $75 million annually for the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program for fiscal years 2020 through 2024. The program provides grants to nonprofits and faith-based organizations to protect against a potential... Read More »
Democratic-led legislation addresses Valley Fever
A group of Democratic lawmakers recently crafted legislation designed to combat Valley Fever through enhanced diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development. Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), TJ Cox (D-CA), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Josh Harder (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ), Ann... Read More »
Bill classifies seven Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-NY) recently introduced legislation classifying seven Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) as defined by section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Identifying Drug Cartels as Terrorists Act would... Read More »
President Trump signs bill to create U.S. Space Force
President Donald Trump signed the $738 billion defense bill into law last week, which includes funding to create the sixth branch of the military – the U.S. Space Force. “Today [also] marks another landmark achievement as we officially inaugurate the newest branch of the military [United... Read More »
NIH establishes Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) established the Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium. This leadership consortium will encompass NIAID’s Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs). NIAID, which is part of the National Institute of Health (NIH),... Read More »
Infectious Diseases Society of America warns federal FY 2020 spending bill ignores urgent challenges
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has delivered a cautious appraisal of the federal spending bill for FY 2020, noting that while it will strengthen public health and research efforts, it undercuts -- at Americans’ peril -- HIV investment and immunization efforts, among... Read More »
From vaccines to disinfectants, new multi-agency task force tackles emerging threat of African swine fever
It’s a disease that’s killed millions of pigs globally, crippled farming, and has no cure. African swine fever has devastated the Asian pork industry, as China has culled about half of its total swine population since the disease took hold of that country in August 2018. Outbreaks of African... Read More »
Congressional spending package includes $200M for universal flu vaccine
Approximately $200 million has been allocated for the creation of a universal influenza vaccine that could protect against multiple strains of the flu virus in Congress’s year-end spending package. U.S. Sen, Edward Markey (D-MA) has spearheaded the effort to boost funding for the flu vaccine.... Read More »
Alliance for Biosecurity adds five new members
Five U.S. companies joined a coalition of pharmaceutical companies that advocates for public policies and funding to support medical countermeasures to prevent and respond to a variety of threats. Opiant, Roche Diagnostics, SCYNEXIS, Tonix, and Venatorx are the five newest members of this... Read More »
Bill targets public, private sector cybersecurity
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) recently espoused the benefits of public and private sector cybersecurity legislation ready to be signed into law as part of the fiscal year 2020 budget agreement. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber Hunt and Incident Response Teams... Read More »
Terrorism consortium examines worldwide critical infrastructure attacks
A Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) research initiative examining worldwide critical infrastructure attacks determined America was the country most often targeted for cyberattacks regardless of motive. The work showed the United States accounted for more than 19 percent of... Read More »
Experimental Zika virus vaccine shows promise
Recent tests of an experimental Zika virus vaccine in rhesus macaques, a primate, show the vaccine lowered levels of virus in pregnant monkeys and improved fetal outcomes, according to a new study in Science Translational Medicine. Zika is transmitted via mosquitoes and through sex. It causes... Read More »
First FDA-approved Ebola vaccine marks milestone in public health preparedness
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Thursday the approval of a vaccine created by Merck & Co., Inc. as a preventative measure against the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus in individuals 18 years of age or older. In 2018, the World Health Organization and the Democratic Republic... Read More »
Senate committee advances bill to create lab for bio- and agro- threats
The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry advanced a bill to create as a national security laboratory to combat bio-and agro-terrorism threats. The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) Act of 2019 (S. 2695) would establish the National Bio and Agro-Defense... Read More »
NY State lawmakers urge Air Force to pick Stewart ANG for new installation
A group of New York State Congress members recently urged the U.S. Air Force to select Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, N.Y., for the installation of a new Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES). U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), along with U.S. Rep. Sean... Read More »
Organization hosts events addressing biochemicals
Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) | bio hosted two events during the 2019 Biological Weapons Convention Meeting of States Parties in Geneva, Switzerland, earlier this month. A panel of international biosecurity experts was the focus of the first event. The experts discussed efforts to reduce... Read More »
Bill aids CBP administrative support
Rep. Xochitl Liana Torres Small (D-NM) introduced Wednesday a measure designed to address Customs and Border Protection (CBP) challenges, including the need for a new position providing migrant processing administrative support. The Border Workforce Efficiency Act creates a processing... Read More »
Republican senators target Chinese drone threats
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials to address concerns over national security threats posed by Chinese drones. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rick Scott (R-FL), John... Read More »
DHHS supports first Project BioShield contract to advance development of Anthrax treatment
Bolstering what could become the first antibiotic developed and acquired by Project BioShield to treat drug-resistant bioterrorism agents, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) intends to supply up to $169 million to Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. over the next five years. The... Read More »
New EB-5 program regs face federal lawsuit; Schumer cosponsors pending reform bill
Federal regulations that went into effect on Nov. 21 for the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program are already being challenged in federal court, just as one of New York’s most-influential federal legislators signs on to a proposal that some say doesn’t go far enough to end ongoing fraud in the... Read More »
United States, Panama sign security agreement
Security officials from the United States and Panama struck an agreement this week that would improve collaboration between the two countries in battling security threats. The Security Cooperation agreement will strengthen cybersecurity cooperation and policy planning, enhance customs processes... Read More »
Benefits for volunteer first responders included in appropriations bill
Provisions from the Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Act (VRIPA) were included in the final appropriations agreement, which passed in the House this week. The Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Act would allow communities to provide volunteer firefighters and EMS workers with up to... Read More »
BAE Systems awarded 10-year intelligence contract
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently awarded BAE Systems a more than $17 billion, 10-year multiple award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for Solutions for Intelligence Analysis 3 (SIA 3). An IDIQ contract is awarded when the U.S. General Services Administration... Read More »