News
Reps. Roskam, Meng formally request more than $600 million for cooperative US-Israel missile defense programs
A pair of U.S. House members recently called upon the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to continue its funding of key U.S.-Israel defense cooperation programs. U.S. Reps. Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Grace Meng (D-NY) sent letters to both Subcommittee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) and... Read More »
House Homeland Security subcommittee examines effectiveness of border security task forces
In a House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing this week, representatives from the three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Joint Task Force sectors testified to the effectiveness of their current border security practices against foreign operations. The hearing sought to examine the... Read More »
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons condemns reported use of chemical weapons in Syria
In response to recent reports of a chemical weapons attack in the Khan Shaykhun area of southern Idlib in Syria, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) condemned the reported use of chemical weapons and provided updates of its fact-finding mission in the country. The... Read More »U.S. Homeland Security secretary has ‘elbow room’ on building border wall
With laws and federal personnel in place, additional resources should be dedicated to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enforce the nation’s border security challenges, particularly along the southern border, said DHS Secretary John F. Kelly. “We face diverse challenges and... Read More »
Military emergency responders participate in Vigilant Guard 17 exercise in Georgia
The Georgia Department of Defense and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency recently co-hosted the Vigilant Guard 17 emergency-response exercise to test emergency first response capabilities during a potential disaster scenario. The exercise was conducted in response to... Read More »
FLIR announces new video management solution, three new cameras
FLIR Systems, Inc. released this week the latest version of its flagship video management solution, FLIR United VMS 8.0, along with three new high-performance security cameras. The FLIR United VMS 8.0 is described as an enterprise-level video management system for managing video security... Read More »
Nogales CBP officers arrest three, seize $500k worth of narcotics over separate incidents
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the Port of Nogales in Arizona recently apprehended two Mexican nationals and a U.S. citizen in connection to three separate narcotics smuggling incidents. The first incident began as officers stationed at the Dennis DeConcini Crossing... Read More »In debate over how to protect Southwest border, no one size fits all solution
Former members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection downplayed the idea that a wall alone would be enough to strengthen the U.S. southern border in a Senate hearing on Tuesday, framing it as part of a broader strategy. Speaking at a Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs committee hearing on... Read More »
CARB-X invests up to $48 million to accelerate the development of new antibiotics
The Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) recently announced an immediate investment of $24 million and up to $24 million in additional, milestone-based payments over three years to accelerate the development of new antibiotics and diagnostics to treat... Read More »
Infectious Diseases Society of America supports Paulsen, Thompson antibiotic incentives bill
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recently came out in favor of the bipartisan Reinvigorating Antibiotics and Diagnostic Innovation (READI) Act, which provides a new tax credit for new antibiotics that treat serious or life-threatening infections and addresses unmet medical needs... Read More »
Phase 2 study to evaluate safety, efficacy of Zika virus vaccine candidate begins
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), an organization under the direction of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), recently began its Phase 2/2b VRC 705 clinical trial, testing an experimental DNA vaccine designed to protect against Zika virus infection. Zika... Read More »
ICE arrests 84 individuals in operation throughout Pacific Northwest
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington recently arrested 84 foreign nationals during a three-day operation that targeted at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants, and immigration fugitives. Among those detained by ICE was a... Read More »Raytheon’s new air, missile defense radar successfully tracks ballistic missile test target
Raytheon Company’s AN/SPY-6(V) air and missile defense radar (AMDR) system recently acquired and tracked a ballistic missile test target during the system’s first dedicated defense exercise. The exercise was conducted at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Kauai,... Read More »
Bipartisan Senate group introduces bill to address surface, maritime security concerns
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently reintroduced the Surface Transportation and Maritime Security Act, which seeks to address concerns regarding the safety of the nation’s rail, transit, highway, and maritime passenger and freight transportation infrastructure. The group includes... Read More »
DHS awards $200k to CryptoMove for security upgrades to small unmanned aircraft systems
CryptoMove, a company specializing in active defense data protection, was recently awarded a $200,000 contract from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to strengthen Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS)... Read More »
House subcommittee holds hearing to examine the nation’s 911 networks
The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing last week to examine the nation’s 911 networks and any weaknesses that may exist within the system itself. The purpose of the hearing, titled Realizing Nationwide Next-Generation 911, was to... Read More »
Emergent Biosolutions modifies contract with BARDA for supplying botulism antitoxin to national stockpile
Emergent Biosolutions said on Friday it signed a $53 million modified contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in order to allow for future filling and deliveries of its botulism antitoxin to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile. The contract covers a... Read More »
Senators introduce bill to enhance cybersecurity protections for small businesses
A bipartisan coalition of U.S. senators recently introduced the Making Available Information Now to Strengthen Trust and Resilience and Enhance Enterprise Technology (MAIN STREET) Cybersecurity Act, which aims to help small businesses protect their digital assets from cybersecurity threats. The... Read More »
CBP Air and Marine Operations intercepts go-fast vessel with more than 3,500 pounds of cocaine near Puerto Rican coast
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) intercepted a go fast-type vessel this week, carrying approximately 3,500 pounds of alleged cocaine. The incident began as a CBP DHC-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft detected a suspicious vessel traveling southbound without... Read More »
Cincinnati border patrol agents seize nearly 300 pounds of illicit narcotics throughout March
Throughout the month of March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed in Cincinnati seized 83 shipments of illegal synthetic narcotics, totaling more than 290 pounds. Included in the seizures were more than 36 pounds of furanyl fentanyl, 233 pounds of the designer date rape... Read More »
FirstNet, AT&T make $46.5 bln contract official for nationwide broadband network for public safety
Build out of the nation’s first wireless high-speed communications system aimed at connecting all of America’s first responders via a dedicated broadband network will begin this fall, says AT&T, the new primary contractor in a federal government contract valued at $46.5 billion. The... Read More »
Cybersecurity subcommittee examines DHS progress in securing federal networks
U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) chaired a House Homeland Security Committee Cybersecurity Subcommittee hearing last week to examine the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) continuing efforts to secure federal networks. “Federal law has deliberately tasked DHS with a critical role in the... Read More »House members introduce bill to help protect faith-based community centers
A bipartisan group of House members recently introduced legislation to increase federal penalties for making bomb threats and provide $20 million in additional funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help safeguard faith-based community centers across the country. The members... Read More »
GAO report finds redundancies in overseas DOD, State Department security initiatives
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a report surveying the overseas inventory of Department of Defense (DOD) security cooperation, along with various State Department assistance efforts in order to determine if any redundancies exist. Since the Sept. 11, 2001... Read More »Smiths Detection awarded contract for delivery of baggage screening systems
Smiths Detection was recently awarded a contract to supply Amsterdam Airport Schiphol with new baggage screening equipment, including 24 HI-SCAN 10080 XCT systems. The contract includes an option for six additional scanners to be deployed at Lelystad, Rotterdam - The Hague, and Eindhoven... Read More »
Africa CDC launches new strategic plan for infectious disease control, prevention
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a new strategic plan last week to improve the prevention, surveillance, and emergency response to infectious diseases on the continent. Prior to its approval, the plan was reviewed by Africa CDC experts, the advisory and... Read More »
Researchers pinpoint most likely area of Zika transmission in the United States
Researchers at the St. Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice recently published an article pinpointing where Zika virus is most likely to be transmitted in the continental United States. Their study revealed the most likely point of transmission to be along the... Read More »
HHS Secretary cites emergency preparedness, response as federal budget priority
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price told members of Congress on Wednesday that the nation’s emergency preparedness and response ranks high on the federal funding list at his agency. The goal of the Trump Administration is not to deconstruct HHS, Price... Read More »
FirstNet award of contract for National Public Safety Broadband Network expected soon
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross plans to make an announcement on Thursday regarding the signing of a 25-year contract for a public-private partnership to create the first nationwide public safety broadband network. AT&T is the only publicly known entity that is being considered for the... Read More »
Reps. Ratcliffe, Langevin participate in AIPAC panel to discuss two US-Israel cybersecurity bills
U.S. Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) recently participated in a panel at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference to discuss cybersecurity-related bills that recently passed through Congress. Langevin and Ratcliffe began their discussion by detailing... Read More »
Miami’s Miller School of Medicine move forward with development of early-stage Zika virus vaccine
A team of researchers at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine recently published their initial findings of an early-stage vaccine to protect against Zika virus infection. With new funding, the team is preparing to move forward with non-human primate testing and, eventually,... Read More »
House advances bill to provide accountability, oversight of DHS acquisition programs
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acquisition Authorities Act of 2017 last week, which aims to create greater accountability for major acquisition programs within the DHS by enhancing oversight and implementing cost-saving budget measures. The... Read More »
McSally introduces bill to increase penalty for cartel “spotters”
U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) recently introduced a bill that would enhance penalties for “spotters” who convey information related to the position and surveillance efforts of Border Patrol agents in order to disrupt their duties. The bill, titled the Transnational Criminal Organization... Read More »
House advances agro-terrorism preparedness bill
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced last week U.S. Rep. David Young’s (R-IA) Securing our Agriculture and Food Act (H.R. 1238), which aims to prevent acts of agro-terrorism from affecting the nation’s food supply. The bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to enhance the... Read More »