News
Bill would give Congress oversight of transfer of nuclear information
A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill that would ensure that Congress has the authority to review all materials related to the transfer or nuclear technologies and information. These transfers are known as Part 810 agreement whereby the U.S. government authorizes persons or companies... Read More »
Lawmakers visit hurricane-damaged military bases
House Armed Services Committee Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) is joining congressional colleagues in touring military bases damaged by Hurricane Florence. Garamendi will be accompanied by Ranking Member of the Readiness Subcommittee, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) and Maj.... Read More »
Partnership combats transnational criminal organizations
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Joint Task Force-West (JTF-W) South Texas Corridor officials are espousing the benefits of collaborative efforts to thwart transnational criminal activity. With the advent of the Southern Border and Approaches Campaign launched in December... Read More »
International research team creates Middle East Respiratory Syndrome vaccine
Scientists from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Saudi Arabia and Canada have created a vaccine to defend against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which has caused hundreds of deaths since being identified in 2012. For testing, two versions of the potential vaccine... Read More »
New study shows NARCAN Nasal Spray more quickly diffuses opioid overdoses compared to syringe
NARCAN Nasal Spray appears to be the best life-saving antidote that family members and other bystanders can administer to save a loved one from overdosing on opioids, a new study has found. The study’s conclusions may bode well for potentially decreasing drug overdose fatalities in the United... Read More »
NTI awards $100,000 to Nuclear Security Index Challenge winners
Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) officials have awarded a pair of $50,000 grants to winners of the organization's Nuclear Security Index Challenge, which seeks to improve nuclear security conditions worldwide. The first grant was awarded to Travis Carless (RAND Corporation), Kenneth Redus... Read More »
Twist Bioscience touts Battelle biosecurity technology
The synthetic biology firm Twist Bioscience Corporation is espousing the benefits of Battelle's ThreatSEQTM web service DNA screening platform, which is designed to aid in bolstering internal biosecurity efforts. “Battelle created the ThreatSEQ web service with significant input from industry... Read More »
CDDEP researchers label lack of antibiotics access major health hurdle worldwide
A recent report from the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP) lays out present problems in global access to antibiotics. The majority of the world’s annual 5.7 million antibiotic-treatable deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. The mortality burden from... Read More »
Legislation would establish cybersecurity grant program
Recently introduced bicameral legislation would create a grant program, authorized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to allow state, local, and tribal governments to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses. The program would allow governments to develop, revise or implement cyber... Read More »
Senate Democrats ask Shanahan about deployment of troops to border
Senate Democrats are asking Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan to clarify statements made by Department of Defense (DOD) officials about the deployment of military personnel to the southwest border. In their letter to Shanahan, the senators are seeking assurances that this deployment... Read More »
TSA forms Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials have established the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee (STSAC), which will be responsible for providing recommendations on surface transportation security matters. The committee operates in accordance with provisions of the... Read More »
GAO offers Marine Corps recommendations
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued three recommendations to the Marine Corps regarding the branch's efforts to track training funds and link them to mission readiness. The GAO analysis stemmed from a congressional report maintaining the Corps' budget estimates haven't... Read More »
DOD principal deputy assistant secretary inspects Pennsylvania National Guard training center
Veronica Daigle, principal deputy assistant secretary for Readiness for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), recently visited the Pennsylvania National Guard’s (PNG) training center at Fort Indiantown Gap (FTIG) as part of her tour of schools and ranges where soldiers and airmen from National... Read More »
Sacramento Regional Transit District earns TSA award
Sid Hanna, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Federal Security director in Sacramento, recently presented Henry Li, general manager and CEO of the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT), with the Gold Standard Award. The annual award honors transit agencies that have high scores... Read More »
Sens. Gardner, Warner introduce bill to encourage states to bolster cybersecurity
U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced legislation this week to encourage state, local, and tribal governments to strengthen their defenses against cybersecurity threats. The State Cyber Resiliency Act would authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to run a... Read More »
U.S. military recruits still need adenovirus vaccine
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) recommends that military recruits entering basic training continue to be inoculated with a vaccine for the adenovirus, a DNA virus considered to be a major cause of febrile illness. While adenoviruses are usually spread through coughing, sneezing or after... Read More »
Sen. Rubio seeks foreign terrorist, criminal organization designations
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) forwarded correspondence last week to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin seeking specific Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) designations. In his letter, Rubio, chairman of the... Read More »
Defense industry companies initiate cybersecurity task force
As a means of protecting controlled unclassified information throughout the supply chain, Defense Industrial Base Sector Coordinating Council (DIB SCC) officials have established a Supply Chain Cybersecurity Industry Task Force. Founding members of Task Force are BAE Systems, Boeing, Lockheed... Read More »
G7 ministers call for increased law enforcement cooperation with INTERPOL
INTERPOL took center stage in recent discussions between G7 Interior Ministers, who determined that increased cooperation and data sharing with the international police organization is critical to increased law enforcement efforts throughout the world. “INTERPOL has the experience and the... Read More »
TSA launches public awareness campaign about new ID requirements
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently launched a public awareness campaign to educate travelers on the agency’s new identification requirements. Starting Oct. 1, 2020, anyone who flies will be required to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, or another... Read More »
Rep. Burgess reintroduces bill to reduce aid for Central American nations
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), reintroduced legislation last week that would reduce foreign aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras by $30,000 for each of its unaccompanied alien children placed in U.S. federal custody. The Unaccompanied Alien Children Assistance Control Act is designed to... Read More »Vaccine research targets African Swine Fever
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials said they are expediting efforts to develop an African Swine Fever vaccine and diagnostic initiatives. African Swine Fever is a viral disease capable of wreaking havoc in a pig’s body, causing... Read More »
FDA, CBP bolster safety, health protections
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel have reached an agreement designed to bolster public health and safety protection efforts. The collaboration would maximize inspection and detection capabilities as a means of preventing illegal and... Read More »
Universal influenza vaccine candidate reaches human trials
A new, investigational and universal influenza vaccine candidate reached an important milestone this week, beginning its first human trial under the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). That test will examine its safety and tolerability, along with its ability to do... Read More »
GAO issues recommendations for dealing with radioactive materials
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently issued three recommendations for the director of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in regards to determining security measures for radioactive material. The GAO is required to review NRC's security requirements for high-risk... Read More »
Senate bill would prevent war with Iran without Congressional approval
A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill that would prohibit the United States from expending funds which could lead to war with Iran without express approval from Congress. The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019 underscores that Article 1, Section 8 of the... Read More »
GAO recommends nine actions to improve TSA security, screening
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is constantly working to identify screening issues, but while covert tests have improved, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) attests that operations could be bettered, especially since one new process used by TSA is not working... Read More »
Bill seeks to reclassify 9-1-1 dispatchers
Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) recently introduced a measure designed to enhance the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) to reflect the daily work of 9-1-1 dispatchers. The Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act, also known as the 9-1-1 SAVES Act,... Read More »
CALS training initiative deemed successful
Applied science and technology development company Battelle has deemed the recent three-week testing of its Common Analytical Laboratory System (CALS) with users a success. CALS, described as three variants of mobile laboratories providing on-site analytical capabilities to any incident... Read More »
Five-year, international project to target viruses through antibody therapies
A new, $22 million grant-driven project will lead an international consortium of scientists to develop antibody-based means of combating Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), Andes virus (ANDV), Sin Nombre virus (SNV) and the Puumula virus (PUUV) over the next five years. The effort,... Read More »
Joint Strike Fighter Caucus urges support for stealth aircraft program
The House Congressional Joint Strike Fighter Caucus recently sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House Armed Service Committee and the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee urging them to support the F-35 Lightning II program. The F-35 is a stealth military aircraft.... Read More »
Sen. Rounds expresses support for Singh’s Law
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) spoke out about his support of a bill that would bar aliens associated with a criminal gang and convicted of a crime from entering the United States. Singh’s Law was introduced earlier this year by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security touts new 3-D crime scene tool
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is joining Israeli Police in espousing the benefits of a new 3-D crime scene investigation tool. Officials said 3D-Hawk can turn a crash or crime scene into an interactive 3D model within minutes, based... Read More »
Sens. Rubio, Menendez question US-Saudi nuclear cooperation
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) forwarded correspondence Tuesday to Secretary of Energy Rick Perry seeking clarity regarding the nation's nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia. In the letter, Rubio and Menendez expressed concern and sought clarification about the... Read More »