News
GAO report assesses medical technologies for rapidly diagnosing infectious diseases
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a study on the capabilities and challenges of medical device technologies in order to assess their abilities to rapidly diagnose infectious diseases. As infectious diseases continue to pose a public health threat throughout the... Read More »
House advances Homeland Threat Assessment Act
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced this week a bill that would require the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis to evaluate the terrorist threat to the homeland for each of the next five fiscal years. “The 9/11 Commission revealed that a “failure of... Read More »
Georgia Tech-developed vaccine exploits weaknesses of Leishmania parasite
A new experimental vaccine immunized genetically-altered mice from the Leishmania parasite, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). With more than 30 different strains, Leishmania is classified at the world’s... Read More »
Homeland Security waives legal requirements for California border construction project
Seeking to expedite construction of barriers on the international border with Mexico near Calexico, California, the Department of Homeland Security issued this week a waiver for certain legal regulations. Calling on powers invested in them by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant ... Read More »
Lockheed Martin unveils new lightweight canister-launched unmanned aircraft system
Lockheed Martin revealed a new small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) at the Defence and Security Equipment International Exhibition (DSEI) recently held in London. Lockheed Martin designed and developed the UAS, known as OUTRIDER, in collaboration with Wirth Research at Lockheed Martin’s... Read More »
House advances amendment to restore funding for National Urban Security Technology Laboratory
Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) announced this week that the U.S. House of Representatives advanced his amendment to restore funding to the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL). NUSTL, which is located in New York City, researches, develops and assesses new technologies for use by law... Read More »
Bill to improve intelligence sharing among DHS, law enforcement unanimously passed by House
A bill that aims to improve intelligence sharing capabilities amongst U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies was recently unanimously approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation, titled the DHS Data Framework Act, was authored by U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), a... Read More »
Following data breach, 36 Senators request investigation into Equifax stock sales
A bipartisan group of 36 U.S. senators recently called for an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission into the sale of approximately $2 million in Equifax securities held by company management prior to the news... Read More »
Barletta bill to improve law enforcement access to secure information sharing facilities
A bill that requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to maintain an inventory of facilities certified to store classified information and enhance information sharing amongst law enforcement entities was recently advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, the... Read More »New treatment shows effectiveness against non-severe cases of malaria
A new drug called AQ-13 was shown to be effective against non-severe cases of malaria, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Tulane University. Results of the study may prove to be significant as worldwide disease researchers are increasingly finding that the parasite... Read More »
Hazardous chemical incident training event held for Latin American, Caribbean first responders
A training event focusing on hazardous chemical incident response was recently held for Latin American and Caribbean first responders in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, managed by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Part of the Exercise of Assistance and Protection for Latin... Read More »
House Committee marks 9/11 anniversary with 10-year progress report of Homeland Security
As the nation gathered to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001, this week, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, delivered a review of the Department of Homeland Security’s progress over the past decade. Analyzing 10 specific mandates, including... Read More »
GAO recommends TSA evaluate cost, effectiveness of aviation security countermeasures
Following a review of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) documentation on the effectiveness of six passenger aviation security countermeasures, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that the agency explore methods to evaluate the effectiveness and cost of those... Read More »Health and Human Services Department to provide funding for secondary infection antibiotic development
An office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced that it would provide up to $62 million over the next five years to Summit Therapeutics for the development of an antibiotic to combat Clostridium difficile infections (CDI). The secondary infection can occur... Read More »
Rep. Pittenger urges Treasury to consider sanctions against Qatar-based terrorism financiers
Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC), vice chair of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, recently sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin urging the exploration of sanctions against Qatar-based terrorism financiers. Reps. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), David... Read More »
GAO report examines US efforts to fight narcotics-related money laundering
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report exploring U.S. efforts to stop profits from drug trafficking from entering financial systems in the Western Hemisphere through money laundering. The report describes U.S. agency oversight and monitoring of compliance with the... Read More »
Russian hacker pleads guilty in $50 million online identity theft case
A Russian hacker named Roman Seleznev has now pled guilty to a role in stealing credit card data and other personal information as part of a credit fraud ring known Carder.su. To be specific, Seleznev, who has gone by the handles of Track2, Bulba and Ncux, pleaded guilty in two criminal cases to... Read More »
IAEA nuclear experts complete security advisory mission to China
A team of nuclear security experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently completed an advisory trip to the People’s Republic of China at the behest of its government for an examination of the country’s nuclear security apparatus. Under the IAEA’s Physical Protection... Read More »
NNSA needs to develop cost estimates, schedule for new uranium processing project, GAO says
A complete scope of work is needed to develop timely cost and schedule information for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) uranium program, according to a recently published report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). As part of the FY2013 National Defense... Read More »
ISIS losing territory, but calling for more attacks on the West, report says
As the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) continues to lose territory, they have begun calling for more attacks on the West, resulting in a coordinated attack in Spain last month, according to September’s terror threat “snapshot” released by the House Homeland Security Committee. Each... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee advances port-based cybersecurity bill
As a direct result of a cyberattack that saw the largest terminal at the Port of Los Angeles closed in June, the House Committee on Homeland Security has advanced a new cybersecurity bill this week. The Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act is a bill... Read More »
CBP, postal service should evaluate costs and benefits of electronic advance data program, Government Accountability Office says
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the United States Postal Service (USPS) should assess whether the costs of the new Electronic Advance Data (EAD) program outweigh the benefits. In 2014 and 2015, USPS and CPB launched two pilot programs at the New York International Service Center (ISC)... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions launches chemical warfare decontamination lotion to civilian market
Available now to the buying public is Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) from Emergent BioSolutions, a lotion that protects human skin against chemical warfare agents (CWAs). Specifically, RSDL, which was previously only available to the military, is a patented, broad-spectrum liquid... Read More »
New York State receives $319.85M in homeland security grants
U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY), chair of the House Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, recently announced that New York State has been awarded $319.85 million through the Homeland Security Preparedness Grant programs for fiscal year 2017. A major portion of the... Read More »
Researchers develop process for producing malaria treatment on a large scale
Artemisinin, a Chinese medicine used to treat malaria that often faces issues with an unstable supply, can be rapidly produced at an industrial rate by genetically engineering moss, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education the University... Read More »Flooding from hurricanes in Texas and Florida bring public health risks
As people rebuild from the damage caused by hurricanes Harvey and Irma, they should also be aware of the public health risks related to flooding, including diarrheal infections and mosquito-borne illnesses. “What people don't often realize is that there's a significant health risk from... Read More »
McSally bill to reauthorize Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism advances committee
A bill, authored by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ), that aims to protect global supply chains against terrorist activities by reauthorizing and modernizing the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) recently advanced the House Homeland Security Committee. First established as... Read More »
Amendment to fully fund NBACC advances House
The U.S. House of Representatives recently advanced an amendment authored by U.S. Rep. John Delaney (D-MD) to fully fund the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), reversing a decision by the Trump Administration to eliminate funding for the center in its proposed FY2018... Read More »
German study offers potential for accelerated vaccine development
Seeking to overturn boundaries to the development of vaccines against pathogen outbreaks, the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) has announced a successful study of early immune response with serious implications. DZIF scientists at the Heinrich Pette Institute and the University... Read More »
Feasibility study for modernization of Arizona’s Douglas Port of Entry receives funding
The General Services Administration (GSA) recently informed U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) that it provided funding for a feasibility study of the modernization of the Douglas Port of Entry (POE) for fiscal year 2017. “GSA is taking a major step towards making the Douglas modernization... Read More »
Lockheed’s helicopter-based missile surveillance, deterrent system passes preliminary design review
Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Off-Board Electronic Warfare (AOEW) system, developed to provide MH-60 helicopters with enhanced electronic warfare surveillance and countermeasure capabilities against anti-ship missile threats, recently passed its preliminary design review on schedule. AOEW was... Read More »
ManTech’s Advanced Cyber Range Environment achieves full operational capability
ManTech International Corporation recently announced full operational capability of its Advanced Cyber Range Environment, a system that enables users to test and evaluate the cyber-preparedness of their networks and to train in the latest defensive cyber technologies. With the new cyber range... Read More »
Duke researchers create molecular map of F. tularensis to learn how to disable a potential bioweapon
Researchers at Duke University recently developed a three-dimensional map of the complex molecular circuitry of Francisella tularensis, the bacteria that causes tularemia, in order to better understand how the pathogen becomes virulent. "Now we have the coordinates for stopping one of the most... Read More »Disaster-affected area of Sierra Leone to receive cholera vaccines
Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation announced this week that half a million people in areas affected by floods and landslides will receive cholera vaccinations starting this month. The two rounds of vaccines will come from the global stockpile funded by Gavi, the Vaccine... Read More »