News
Senators urge Trump to certify Colombian commitment to combating drug trade
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) recently forwarded correspondence to President Donald Trump to certify to Congress that Colombia is committed to working with authorities to combat the illegal drug trade. Colombia, who the senators said is one of the most proactive nations... Read More »
New CMS rule emphasizes antimicrobial drugs
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) instituted last week a new final rule, altering its 2020 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) in a way that changes how Medicare services are paid for, along with greater payment for newer antimicrobial drugs. The new rule... Read More »
Senate approves bill to let federal workers assist FEMA with search and rescue efforts
The U.S. Senate passed a bill this week that would allow federal workers to assist the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) efforts. The National Urban Search and Rescue Parity Act would override a policy that currently bars federal employees from... Read More »
Sen. Gardner seeks reestablishment of Space Command headquarters in Colorado
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) is encouraging the Department of Defense to reestablish the U.S. Space Command in Colorado and use its existing military assets to address emerging space threats. Gardner recently forwarded correspondence to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, highlighting Colorado’s... Read More »
Raytheon secures Air Force laser systems contract
The Air Force awarded Monday a contract to Raytheon Company to provide a pair of prototype high energy laser weapon systems (HELWS) to overseas troops. The effort includes 12 months of in-field operation against unmanned aerial systems and operator training, noting Raytheon's HELWS uses pure... Read More »
DHS allocates $350M for six competitive preparedness grant programs
Building on non-competitive grant funding already provided to various preparedness efforts throughout the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced $350 million will be divided between six competitive preparedness grant programs this year. Those funds will support... Read More »
NTI urges Trump, Putin to re-engage on nuclear talks following end of INF Treaty
The United States officially withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty last week, ending a 30-year ban on a class of weapons that both the United States and the then Soviet Union, now Russia, recognized as particularly dangerous and destabilizing. These land-based... Read More »
Honeywell joins Global Cybersecurity Alliance
Honeywell has joined the Global Cybersecurity Alliance (GCA) as a means of aiding the process of keeping infrastructure and building systems secure and protected. “Cybersecurity is the great equalizer for any company,” Matthew Bohne, vice president and chief product security officer -... Read More »
Bill offers firefighter PFAS protection
A bill designed to protect the health and safety of firefighters and emergency responders frequently exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in foams was recently introduced by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH). The... Read More »
Sen. Menendez criticizes Trump Administration’s failure to sufficiently respond to DRC Ebola outbreak
As he called for immediate action to eradicate a major outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last week, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) also denounced the Trump Administration for its failures to combat the growing crisis adequately. The outbreak is now recognized by the... Read More »
Senators call for extending SALT nuclear arms treaty
A bill urging the Trump Administration to place limits on Russia’s strategic nuclear arms was introduced in the U.S. Senate last week. The legislation – sponsored by Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) -- calls for extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START)... Read More »
Bill seeks to close firearms loophole
Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) reintroduced Wednesday a measure designed to close loopholes they said offenders exploit to obtain firearms through straw purchasing and firearms trafficking. The Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act of 2019 is landmark... Read More »
California bolsters emergency preparedness
As a means of addressing this year’s fire season, California officials are highlighting efforts to bolster preparedness with a series of actions to prepare for wildfires and other natural disasters. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order increasing the number of seasonal firefighters... Read More »
New cheap, portable TB test to begin manufacturing soon
A new test for tuberculosis will soon be available for research use, and its creators -- Advanced Biological Laboratories (ABL) and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) -- say that it will be smaller, more portable and more affordable than its contemporaries. Known as... Read More »
Senate committee advances bill to authorize appropriations for Coast Guard
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation advanced a bill that would authorize appropriations for the U.S. Coast Guard operations through Fiscal Year 2021. The bill, among other things, will help the Coast Guard recruit and retain a workforce through a number of... Read More »
Rep. Herrera Beutler receives Alliance for Biosecurity ‘champion’ award
U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) was awarded Wednesday the 2019 Congressional Biosecurity Champion Award from the Alliance for Biosecurity. The annual award recognizes Congressional members that work to improve the country’s capabilities to prevent and combat chemical, biological,... Read More »
Legislation explores benefits of US-Israel cybersecurity center
Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced this week a bill requiring the State Department to investigate potential benefits of establishing a U.S.-Israel cybersecurity center. According to the legislators, the U.S.-Israel Cybersecurity Center of Excellence Act would aid in... Read More »
Bill to bolster firefighter safety
Reps. Pete Stauber (R-MN) and Jared Golden (D-ME) introduced Wednesday a measure designed to ensure fire station infrastructure nationwide enables firefighters to perform their duties efficiently and safely. The Fire Station Infrastructure Safety Act directs the U.S. Fire Administration to... Read More »
New Senate bill seeks improvements to federal cybersecurity
U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced cybersecurity legislation this week, seeking to improve the work of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) program. Their solution is the Advancing Cybersecurity Continuing... Read More »
U.S. employment-based immigration visas bring highly skilled, educated workers to America
Every fiscal year — from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 — the United States government says it makes available to qualified applicants roughly 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas in efforts to bring much-needed, highly skilled labor and foreign investment dollars to America. It’s a critical... Read More »
U.S. government exercises option for more doses of Emergent BioSolutions’ AV7909 anthrax vaccine
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) exercised its first $261 million contract option with Emergent BioSolutions Inc. to procure its next-generation anthrax vaccine known as AV7909 for delivery into the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) over 12 months, the company... Read More »
Coast Guard to conduct active shooter drill
As a means of simulating a full-scale response to a large-scale attack, the Coast Guard and local officials slated an active shooter drill at the Port of New Orleans Cruise Terminal on Wednesday. The effort will involve coordination between the U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Bureau of Investigation,... Read More »
GAO issues nuclear security program recommendations
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) five recommendations as a means of addressing nuclear security program concerns. The IAEA executes its nuclear security program under its Division of Nuclear Security through four subprograms,... Read More »
Raytheon, DARPA conclude design review of hypersonic Tactical Boost Glide system
A new weapon has moved closer to readiness, following completion of a successful baseline design review by defense contractor Raytheon Company and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The Tactical Boost Glide system, as it is known, is a boost glide weapon -- meaning it uses a... Read More »
Sens. Van Hollen, Rubio urge measures to protect U.S. elections from foreign interference
U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) are encouraging the leadership of the Senate and House Armed Services Committee to include the DETER Act in the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report. The Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing... Read More »
Sens. Markey, Lee seek report on biometric identification technology
Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Mike Lee (R-UT) recently called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide Congress with the status of an overdue biometric identification technology report. Under the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018, DHS was required to... Read More »
Lawmakers urge investment for Valley Fever drug, vaccine development
Legislators have requested Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include Valley Fever in the Tropical Disease Priority Review Voucher (PRV) Program. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) spearheaded a recent effort to forward correspondence to HHS Secretary Alex Azar... Read More »
DARPA contracts Battelle for development of quick WMD-exposure test
Global research and development company Battelle officially signed onto the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA’s) Epigenetic Characterization and Observation (ECHO) program this week, to develop a quick and mobile means of identifying those touched by weapons of mass destruction... Read More »
Reps. McCaul, Engel introduce bill to support Global Fund to fight AIDs and other diseases
Legislation to provide financial support to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last week. The Global Fund was established in 2002 to raise money to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Contributions by the United States... Read More »
SIGA awarded contract from U.S. Department of Defense to expand use of smallpox drug
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded SIGA Technologies a contract valued at up to $19.5 million, with an initial award of $12.4 million, to advance work that could provide a label expansion for TPOXX, a drug used to treat smallpox. This multi-year contract, which was announced this... Read More »
U.S. government clears commercial medical product for use on mustard gas injuries
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently cleared the first use of a commercially available product to manage blister injuries caused by sulfur mustard, otherwise known as mustard gas. Silverlon, a silver-plated nylon dressing, is used widely to aid in the management of acute skin wounds... Read More »
CEPI partners with Valneva to develop Chikungunya vaccine
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is partnering with biotech company Valneva to fund the development of a single-dose vaccine for the disease Chikungunya. Chikungunya is spread by the bites of infected female Aedes mosquitoes. It causes fever, severe joint pain, muscle... Read More »
Consortium awarded contract to train first responders
University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) recently was awarded a contract to train fire intelligence officers and senior leaders within the National Capital Region. The training will be through the Department of Homeland... Read More »
GAO offers cybersecurity suggestions for federal agencies
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a series of recommendations to federal agencies as a means of assisting with methods of addressing accompanying challenges. The GAO outlined 57 recommendations to the 23 agencies and one to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in... Read More »