News
Congress expected to extend Terrorism Risk Insurance Program
The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program is expected to be extended for seven years as is it part of a government funding package that is anticipated to pass in Congress this week. The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program was established following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Through a... Read More »
House advances bill to secure telecom supply chain
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced a bill Monday designed to secure the nation’s telecommunications supply chain. The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR 4998) would prohibit the use of federal funds to purchase communications equipment or services from any company that... Read More »
Department of Justice awards West Virginia nearly $38M to fight opioid crisis
The U.S. Department of Justice recently awarded West Virginia nearly $38 million to improve community safety and fight crime associated with the opioid crisis. The grants are part of more than $333 million awarded to states, tribes, and communities. The Department of Criminal Justice... Read More »
Lawmakers initiate Russia, China START queries
Three lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the Acting Director of National Intelligence seeking answers regarding the possible expiration of the Russia and China New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Todd Young (R-IN) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)... Read More »
Bill seeks to sanction drug cartels at the same level as terrorist groups
Sens. David Perdue (R-GA) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced Monday legislation designed to impose consequences on drug cartels. The Significant Transnational Criminal Organization Designation Act would subject certain foreign criminal organizations, such as drug cartels, to the same level of... Read More »
RSV infectious could be less severe, more common under climate change
Researchers from Princeton University have found that climate change has the potential to make respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) outbreaks less severe but more common in high-risk areas. The studies consisted of climate condition influence on annual outbreaks of RSV in the United States and... Read More »
Appropriations legislative package bolsters funding for nation’s biodefense efforts
The U.S. House Appropriations Committee on Monday released the domestic priorities and international assistance appropriations minibus, which includes ramped-up final budget amounts for several biodefense-related items, including the Strategic National Stockpile. In releasing the text of the... Read More »
Senate committee passes bill to limit president from withdrawing from NATO
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) applauded the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for passing his bill that would prohibit any president of the United States from withdrawing from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) without congressional approval. “Recent actions have raised serious... Read More »
Sen. Portman bill to criminalize fentanyl gets support from US attorneys general
Attorneys general from every U.S. state and territory have endorsed a bill by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) that would permanently criminalize fentanyl-related substances. In February 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a temporary order to criminalize fentanyl-related... Read More »
Researchers develop self-cleaning surface to repel bacteria
Researchers from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, recently developed a self-cleaning, plastic surface that repels bacteria. The goal is to prevent the transfer of dangerous bacteria and antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The surface is a treated form of conventional transparent wrap... Read More »
Sen. Bennet advocating for Space Command base in Colorado
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) recently advocated for the Department of Defense to reestablish Space Command in the state, maintaining it is the epicenter of national security space. Bennet met with Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett and talked with the Commander of U.S. Space Command... Read More »
DARPA program bolsters water resources for deployed troops
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has initiated a program providing deployed units technology to capture potable water from the air in quantities sufficient to meet daily needs. The Atmospheric Water Extraction (AWE) program seeks to aid the water resource effort even in... Read More »
WHO investigating spike in DRC Ebola cases, including fear of reinfection
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), long a source of concerted health efforts to combat one of the largest Ebola outbreaks ever recorded, experienced a sharp increase in cases last week -- and many may be linked to an individual’s reinfection. In all, 27 new cases were confirmed last... Read More »
Policy experts discuss complexities of fighting Ebola outbreaks
One of the most searing memories Thomas Frieden had during the 2014 West African Ebola outbreak was one in which he deeply questioned the international community’s effectiveness in supporting the health infrastructure of Ebola-plagued nations. Then head of the Centers for Disease Control and... Read More »
DoD inspector general to audit border wall contract
The U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General is initiating an audit of the $400 million border wall construction contract the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded to Fisher Sand and Gravel Co. "We intend to initiate an audit of the solicitation and award of the $400 million... Read More »
Senate bill would allow cybersecurity agency to subpoena ISPs
A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would allow the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to subpoena Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to offer information when necessary. The bill gives CISA authority to detect, identify, and receive information only related to critical... Read More »
Senate committee advances bill maintaining T-band spectrum for first-responder communications
The Senate Commerce Committee recently advanced legislation with a provision to preserve first responders’ access to T-band spectrum, which is used by police and firefighters for emergency public safety communication. The provision, included in the 5G Spectrum Act, repeals a 2012 requirement... Read More »
ICE joins Kansas City-area task force targeting drug traffickers
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) personnel have joined a Kansas City-area task force targeting drug traffickers and violent criminals. U.S. Attorneys for the districts of Kansas and western Missouri said the Kansas City Metro Strike Force is a... Read More »
IDSS, One Resonance win DHS Opioid Detection Challenge
IDSS and One Resonance received the top two monetary awards in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Opioid Detection Challenge. The $1.55 million global competition searches for rapid, nonintrusive detection tools that will help find illicit... Read More »
Researchers pinpoint 150 potential drug targets within Nipah virus
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune have identified 150 possible inhibitors within the Nipah virus -- giving them starting points for drugs to target for the currently untreatable disease. "We conclude that it is highly likely that the proposed inhibitors... Read More »
Marine Corps announces multiple upgrades for Utility Task Vehicles
As a means of enhancing safety and performance, Marine Corps officials said the branch’s Utility Task Vehicles (UTV) are undergoing a series of revisions. “We bought the vehicle as a [commercial-off-the-shelf] solution, so it’s not going to have everything we want right from the... Read More »
Measure targets drug, human trafficking
Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) are touting legislation designed to ensure the intelligence community prioritizes resources to combat Northern Triangle and Mexico drug trafficking, human trafficking, and human smuggling. The representatives previously introduced the... Read More »
TSA officers at Baltimore airport report 27 firearms detected this year
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers have detected 27 firearms at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, breaking 2017’s record. The most recent weapon was found Tuesday in the carry-on bag of a Sparks, Maryland, resident. The man was carrying a .25... Read More »
New technology capable of making safer viruses for more vaccine research, diagnosis
Researchers at the University of Queensland have created a technology that will help create safer hybrid viruses at higher volumes for research and diagnostic efforts involving mosquito-borne diseases. The key to the technology was the Binjari virus. Study researchers exploited the benign... Read More »
Sen. Markey, Rep. Sherman introduce bill to strengthen WMD treaties
Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) introduced legislation Wednesday that would require the U.S. president to certify whether a foreign country is violating a weapons of mass destruction treaty. The Preventing the Spread of Nuclear Weapons Act says that if these conditions are... Read More »
House advances National Defense Authorization Act
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – which sets policies for the military and authorizes funding passed. The bill advanced the House 377 to 48. “As a conferee on the FY2020 NDAA Conference Committee, I was proud to... Read More »
DARPA seeks to address electronic file vulnerabilities
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded a contract to BAE Systems to develop cyber tools preventing electronic file vulnerabilities that could potentially lead to cyberattacks. The development initiative would be part of DARPA's Safe Documents (SafeDocs) program, which... Read More »
Bill offers military bases weather protections
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) recently espoused the benefits of legislation designed to protect military bases from extreme weather events by requiring potential disaster preparation and severe environmental condition changes. The Requiring Every American Defense Installation to Nullify Environmental... Read More »
Nuclear Threat Initiative releases report on nuclear weapons use
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) issued a report recommending steps to improve the decision-making process for nuclear weapons use. The President and Nuclear Weapons: Authorities, Limits, and Process specifically looks at the state of domestic and international law related to the use of... Read More »
Partnership proposes $2.6B to stop, treat tuberculosis
The Stop TB Partnership launched an update to its plan to end tuberculosis that includes billions in annual funding. The partnership’s Global Plan to End TB 2018-2022 calls for $2.6 billion per year for the research and development of new tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic tools, new drug regimens,... Read More »
House advances bill strengthening security of inland waters
The U.S. House of Representatives recently voted to advance a bipartisan bill that strengthens the security of inland waters. Under the Inland Waters Security Review Act, the Department of Homeland Security secretary would be required to conduct an inland waters threat analysis that includes... Read More »
University of Maryland researchers to test vaccine to protect against diarrheal illnesses
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) are testing a vaccine to protect against serious diarrheal illnesses caused by food and water contaminated with bacteria like E. coli and Shigella. Drs. Wilbur Chen and Eileen Barry will lead these tests, thanks to $4.5... Read More »
House advances transportation security bill
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced Monday the Emerging Transportation Security Threats Act of 2019 (H.R. 3318). The bill, introduced by U.S. Rep. John Joyce (R-PA), creates a task force to analyze emerging threats to transportation security. It also requires the Transportation Security... Read More »
Bavarian Nordic, Janssen to provide Ebola vaccine to Republic of Rwanda
Janssen Pharmaceutical and Bavarian Nordic will provide up to 200,000 regimens of its investigational Ebola vaccine to the Republic of Rwanda to support a new immunization program. The vaccine regimen, which consists of the MVA-BN Filo vaccine from Bavarian Nordic and the Ad26.ZEBOV vaccine... Read More »