News
Military radio garners Type-1 NSA certification
Rockwell Collins’ military ground radio achieved a major milestone recently as the National Security Agency (NSA) issued the company’s device a Type-1 certification. Officials said certification for the AN/PRC-162(V)1 RT-2048(C)U validates that the radio provides protected handling of... Read More »
Report examines nuclear weapons, cyberattack vulnerability
A recently released Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) report suggests nuclear weapons and related systems are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks and implores nuclear-armed states to take measures to prevent attacks. “Nuclear Weapons in the New CyberAge: A Report of the Cyber-Nuclear Weapons... Read More »
UN holds first high-level meeting to address global TB threat
The United Nations set forth a goal of eliminating a global tuberculosis epidemic by 2030, as well as to treat 40 million people infected by the disease by 2022 and push forward infection prevention measures in the same timeframe. A meeting held by the body’s General Assembly this week marked... Read More »
ICE operation yields arrest of 98 criminal aliens, immigration violators
During a 10-day enforcement operation this month, officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) reported the arrest of 98 criminal aliens and immigration violators in North Texas and Oklahoma. Sixty-seven of those arrested had criminal... Read More »
House aviation bill reauthorizes FAA, TSA
The U.S. House advanced bipartisan resolution H.R. 302 Thursday that reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration for five years while also reauthorizing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for three years. “Better protecting Americans requires a holistic approach to security... Read More »
House advances bill to improve pay structure for border patrol agents
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced this week legislation to improve safety, scheduling, and compensation for Border Patrol agents. The Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Amendment Act of 2018, sponsored by Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), addresses pay and scheduling issues that have impeded the... Read More »
ADRAS technology targets road hazard risks
The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) introduced new technology designed to protect first responders at incident scenes by alerting them to potentially hazardous motorists. The Automated Driver and Responder Alert System (ADRAS) has two main components... Read More »
Bill seeks to assist law enforcement with drug-control efforts
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) recently introduced the Law Enforcement Resources and Community Safety Act of 2018, which addresses state and local problems associated with drug trafficking, gangs and organized crime, strengthen witness protection programs, and provide resources to keep first responders safe... Read More »
House advances four bills to improve homeland security
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced four bills this week designed to protect the country from external threats and foreign adversaries. The four different measures include the Public-Private Cybersecurity Cooperation Act, introduced by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA); Border Tunnel Task Force... Read More »
United States challenges UN to fight antibiotic resistance
The United States announced during the United Nations General Assembly in New York Tuesday the AMR Challenge, the “most ambitious global initiative” for combating antibiotic resistance (AMR). Led by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Centers for Disease Control and... Read More »
DHHS working on faster tests to identify, counteract bacterial infections
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) unveiled a new partnership with SeLux Diagnostic, Inc. this week with the goal of developing faster tests for bacterial infection identification and matching those individual infections with appropriate antibiotics. The Biomedical Advanced... Read More »
House approves Rep. Brooks’ pandemic, all-hazards reauthorization bill
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday advanced bipartisan legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) to bolster America’s preparedness and response to public health emergencies, including biological threats like emerging infectious diseases, as well as chemical, bio or nuclear... Read More »
DHHS, MediWound cooperate on sulfur mustard injury treatment
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is teaming up with Israeli company MediWound Ltd. in the creation of a new treatment of skin injuries resulting from exposure to sulfur mustard. Sulfur mustard, more commonly known as mustard gas, has seen devastating use since World War I,... Read More »
Administration transfers funding from infectious disease response to unaccompanied alien children program
In a move the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the HIV Medicine Association warn could threaten public health responses, the Trump Administration has transferred funds from infectious disease prevention, care, and biomedical research programs into its unaccompanied alien children... Read More »
Three Pennsylvania counties added to drug-trafficking program
Pennsylvania’s Allegheny, Beaver, and Washington counties were designated this week as part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. Congress created HIDTA under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. It was designed to assist... Read More »
Air Force awards Boeing $2.38B helicopter contract
The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a $2.38 billion contract for replacement helicopters. The original cost estimate for the program was about $4.1 billion. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson said that the $1.7 billion in savings was due to strong competition. The first helicopter... Read More »
GAO says DHS’s Countering WMD Office should be better coordinated
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended that the Department of Homeland Security’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office develop a plan to help DHS coordinate chemical defense programs and activities. The GAO’s study came about in response to concerns about... Read More »
Military construction bill to improve both VA and military bases signed into law
An appropriations bill signed into law on Sept. 21 by President Donald Trump will increase funding to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through 2019 and fund military construction throughout the country. For the VA, this represents a massive influx of funding at more than $86.5 billion,... Read More »
Quanergy Systems to create LiDAR technology for CBP after $200,000 award from DHS
Quanergy Systems, Inc. received $200,000 from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) last week for the development of LiDAR-based technology for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). LiDAR – Light Detection and Ranging – is a means of... Read More »
CBP seizes $4.2 mln in drugs at Pharr International Bridge
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations (CBP OFO) seized $4.2 million worth of heroin and methamphetamine last week at the Pharr International Bridge, between Texas and Mexico. The narcotics were hidden inside a commercial trailer carrying fresh produce. A red Kenworth... Read More »
Simulation highlights holes in preparedness response for smallpox outbreaks
Fiji is subjected to a smallpox outbreak where social norms breakdown and medical experts scramble to get the outbreak under control. This wasn’t reality, but it was the simulation exercise for participants of a workshop held last month at the University of New South Wales Sydney. The event... Read More »
United States calls for global cooperation in quelling antibiotic resistance
During the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on Sept. 25, Alex Azar, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Secretary, will call on world leaders to address the evolving threat of antibiotic resistance. Failure to prepare for and reverse antibiotic resistance could lead to... Read More »
Researchers push greater infectious disease controls in Tokyo ahead of 2020 Summer Olympics
Researchers from Harvard University urged government officials this week to develop new measures to detect and prevent the spread of infectious diseases, like dengue fever, in Tokyo ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics. In a report published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the researchers --... Read More »
Rockwell Collins awarded DoD contract for radio systems
Rockwell Collins, a commercial and military aviation systems company, recently was awarded a long-term contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to supply the department with the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS). MUOS are airborne radios and ancillaries for ground installations and... Read More »
DHS says National Cyber Strategy will enhance efforts to combat cybercrimes
President Donald Trump launched the National Cyber Strategy last week, the first “fully articulated” cyber strategy since 2003. The strategy calls for integrating cyber into the four pillars of the National Security Strategy. Specifically, the strategy is designed to defend the homeland by... Read More »
LSTM, TB Alliance investigate of new TB drug therapies
As part of an effort to counter multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the TB Alliance are collaborating -- with monetary support from the Medical Research Council (MRC) -- to investigate new combination TB therapies. A £1 million ($1.3... Read More »
DHS struggling to create a cohesive, effective department, GAO says
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has made a series of recommendations for evolution within the Department of Homeland Security, better defining its roles and responsibilities to make it less of a risk due to lack of cohesiveness. Efficacy is a huge issue within the department. DHS’... Read More »
Panel discusses Air Force integration of part-time servicemembers
A senior leader panel discussed Tuesday the Air Force integration of Guard and Reserve personnel into missions during the Air Force Association Air, Space, and Cyber Conference in National Harbor. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, part-time forces heavily have been relied upon to meet manpower... Read More »
Senate appropriations bill includes funding for military construction projects in New York State
The recently passed Fiscal Year 2019 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related (MILCON-VA) Appropriations Bill includes funding for four military construction (MILCON) projects in New York State. Specifically, $188.2 million was allocated to fund the construction of a perimeter fence... Read More »
Researchers investigate drugs to stop malaria from infecting mosquitoes
Researchers from Imperial College London are taking a new tack in the battle against malaria, focusing on the compounds that could prevent malaria parasites from being able to infect mosquitoes, halting the spread of disease. As a disease delivery system, mosquitoes are infamous, but... Read More »
Senate report includes increased funding for Abrams tanks, Stryker vehicles
Roughly $1.5 billion in funding to upgrade 135 of Abrams tanks was approved by the Senate on Sept. 18 in the fiscal year 2019 Department of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies conference report. “This funding supports our troops both at home and around... Read More »
FirstNet grows to more than 2,500 public safety agency subscribers
The nation-spanning public safety communications platform known as FirstNet is now used by more than 2,500 public safety agencies in the United States. This system was built to upgrade public safety information technology, and was developed through the joint efforts of AT&T and the First... Read More »
Bicameral bill would forbid low-yield nuclear warheads on submarine missiles
The bicameral Hold the Low-Yield Nuclear Explosive Act, or the Hold the LYNE Act, was introduced in Congress on Sept. 18, a measure that would prohibit the research, development, production and deployment of a low-yield nuclear warhead for submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The legislation,... Read More »
Air Force Secretary Wilson lends branch status update
Restoring force readiness, space operations and the future served as the prime topics during the Secretary of the Air Force’s recent update on the state of the branch. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson addressed the 2018 Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National... Read More »