News
MAIN STREET Cybersecurity Act advanced by Senate commerce committee
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation recently advanced legislation that seeks to provide protections and resources for digital assets of small businesses at risk of falling victim to a cyberattack. The Making Available Information Now to Strengthen Trust and Resilience... Read More »
Battelle, Nanotherapeutics enter into partnership to develop CBRN medical countermeasures
Battelle recently announced it has entered into a research and development agreement with Nanotherapeutics Inc. to expedite the creation of new medical countermeasures for deployed military forces facing a variety of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats. The agreement... Read More »
Monoclonal antibody treatment shown to provide protection against Marburg, Ravn viruses in nonhuman primates
According to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health, a monoclonal antibody treatment, MR191-N, successfully protected nonhuman primates against both the Marburg and Ravn viruses even when administered five days after infection. The study was conducted by the University of Texas... Read More »
Senators introduce bipartisan bill to fight the spread of Zika, mosquito-borne viruses
In the wake of a report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that stated one in ten women infected with Zika virus gave birth to a child with virus-related effects, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently introduced a bill to provide local communities with resources... Read More »
Congressional leaders support missile strike against Syrian regime after chemical attack
Congressional leaders said they supported President Donald Trump’s authorization of a missile strike against Syria on Thursday in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians. Trump authorized the launch of 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian air base suspected of... Read More »
Formation of new extremist group strengthens Al Qaeda faction, according to terror report
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) released the April terror threat snapshot, which found that Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) had merged with Al-Mourabitoun and Ansar Dine to form a new extremist group called Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal... Read More »
Study reveals individuals previously infected with dengue, West Nile may carry increased risk of Zika virus complications
According to a recent study conducted by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, individuals previously infected with West Nile virus or dengue fever may carry an increased risk of complications should they become infected with Zika virus. In recent years, Zika virus has spread... Read More »
New GAO report examines DHS progress in resource allocation, collaboration mechanisms
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a report assessing how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its agencies have allocated resources and established collaborative mechanisms for effective border control operations. In recent years, GAO was tasked with... Read More »
Rep. Lynch introduces bill to provide congressional oversight into the use of confidential informants
U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) introduced this week the Confidential Informant Accountability Act (H.R. 1857), a bill to require extensive congressional oversight over the selection and use of confidential informants by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,... Read More »
House members request funding for Nonprofit Security Grant Program
A bipartisan group of U.S. House members urged the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security this week to fund the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NGSP), valued at $50 million, as part of the fiscal year 2018 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. The group was led by U.S.... Read More »
ECBC to reduce costs, increase efficiencies in the nation’s chemical-biological defense sector
Officials from the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD) and the Army Material Command (AMC) recently called on the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) to provide assistance to increase efficiencies and reduce costs in the nation’s... Read More »
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 »