News
Report: Iran may not be in compliance with nuclear deal
The Institute for Science and International Security recently released a report that found that Iran was not in compliance with the original conditions of the Iran Nuclear Deal, agreed to in July 2015. The report said that the Obama administration, along with the other P5+1 nations, secretly... Read More »
McCaul releases terror threat snapshot for the month of September
Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Michael McCaul (R-TX) released a terror threat snapshot for the month of September on Thursday. “We are confronting a lethal enemy in Islamist terrorists targeting the U.S. and our allies,” McCaul said. “Eliminating senior terrorist... Read More »Johnson releases report on opioid epidemic and the effects of non-secure borders
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a report on Thursday detailing the senator’s work during the 114th Congress. Included in the report were 18 hearings on America’s non-secure border and the public health... Read More »
HHS awards $19.8 million for development of Zika virus vaccine
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) recently provided Takeda Vaccines, Inc., with a grant to develop a Zika virus vaccine. The grant, worth $19.8 million, will be spaced out over the course of the next 18... Read More »
Katko expresses concern over resumed commercial air travel to Cuba
U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) expressed concern on Wednesday about resumed commercial flights to Cuba. “Recent tragedies have shown us that insider threats to aviation are real, and it is clear that the U.S. government currently lacks sufficient information to ensure that Cuban airports are not... Read More »
OPCW confirms successful removal of remaining chemical weapons precursors from Libya
Director General for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ahmet Üzümcü recently confirmed that the remaining chemical weapons stocks left in Libya have been successfully removed from the country. The operation was facilitated in part by the OPCW in response to... Read More »RAND’s Gerstein: U.S. needs biodefense strategy to protect against terror threats
The U.S. government has become “somewhat complacent” in preparing for potential bioterrorist attacks and needs to implement a national biodefense strategy, Daniel Gerstein, a senior policy researcher at the nonpartisan RAND Corporation, recently told Homeland Preparedness News. The anthrax... Read More »
U.S. Navy, Canadian Army sign agreement for international sale of Blackjack UAS
The U.S. Navy recently signed an agreement with the Canadian Department of National Defense for the first international sale of the RQ-21A Blackjack Unmanned Air System (UAS). The Blackjack program will be managed by the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program... Read More »
Bill calling for new national biodefense strategy awaits Senate floor action
Legislation that would require the United States to develop a national biodefense strategy to help prevent and respond to a bioterrorist attack or public health emergency is awaiting Senate floor action. The Biodefense Strategy Act of 2016, S. 2967, would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002... Read More »AEI: More federal funds for human intelligence efforts needed to thwart terrorists
More federal counterterrorism funding should be directed to local law enforcement agencies for human intelligence initiatives in urban areas where the risk of a terrorist attack is high, according to Matt Mayer, a homeland security expert at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), recently told... Read More »
Barletta warns California bill would turn state into a sanctuary
U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) drew attention on Monday to a pending California state bill that would impede the ability of federal immigration officials to do their jobs by effectively turning the entire state into a sanctuary jurisdiction that won’t comply with immigration laws. The bill,... Read More »Johns Hopkins researchers identify three promising drugs in fight against Zika virus
A collaborative research effort by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health and Florida State University recently revealed two classes of compounds already in use in the pharmaceutical industry that might prove useful in the fight against Zika virus.... Read More »
NCATS research team identifies compounds for potential treatment against Zika virus
A research team at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) recently identified compounds that could be used to inhibit the replication of Zika virus and reduce its ability to kill brain cells. The research team identified two classes of compounds effective against Zika... Read More »
Senate coalition urges action from Obama on financial cybersecurity at upcoming G-20 summit
A coalition of U.S. senators urged President Obama via letter on Monday to prioritize cybersecurity and strategies to counter cyber threats in the financial sector in discussions at the upcoming G-20 summit in September. The coalition included U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Sherrod Brown... Read More »
Warner applauds implementation of new federal drone rule
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) recently welcomed the implementation of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) small drone rule, which went into effect on Monday. The new rule allows for certified commercial pilots to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) weighing up to 55 pounds during the... Read More »
ICE ERO officers arrest three at-large criminal aliens released from local custody after detainers were not honored
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers recently arrested three at-large criminal illegal immigrants after they were released from local custody when detainers lodged with Philadelphia authorities were not honored. The three individuals have... Read More »
Heinrich, Allison highlight new security enhancement measure at Albuquerque International Sunport
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), along with the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Office of Law Enforcement and Federal Air Marshal Service Director Roderick Allison, highlighted a new security enhancement measure at the Albuquerque International Sunport on Friday. Heinrich led... Read More »FirstNet applauds FCC action in planning for Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) commended the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday for moving forward with two separate items regarding the implementation of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. The FCC unanimously voted to release a notice of proposed... Read More »Poliquin: Challenges to protecting Maine northern border highlight need for tough security
U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) recently said that the challenges of protecting the state’s wild and rugged 611-mile border with Canada highlight the need for a tougher stance on border security from the U.S. administration. “It would be very easy for someone to slip in or out of the... Read More »
TSA issues new labor-management guidelines
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released new labor-management relationship guidelines between the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the agency on Thursday. TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger sent the new guidelines to all employees in the middle of ongoing... Read More »NIAID researchers develop system to replicate norovirus in intestinal cells
Researchers supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) recently developed a novel system to grow norovirus in intestinal cells, which could bring about new therapeutic drugs and vaccines to combat the virus. Intestinal cells are the natural site of norovirus... Read More »
Johns Hopkins Medicine opens multidisciplinary Zika virus center
Johns Hopkins Medicine formally opened the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Zika Center on Tuesday, becoming the first known multidisciplinary Zika virus center in the world. The center is composed of providers and related staff from departments and divisions at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Johns Hopkins... Read More »DARPA develops pocket-sized, affordable, networked radiation sensor
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently developed and demonstrated a network of smartphone-sized mobile devices that can detect trace amounts of radioactive materials. DARPA said that the new SIGMA devices, paired with larger detectors along major roadways and bridges,... Read More »HHS enters into agreement with DiaSorin Group for the development of rapid Zika virus test
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) entered into a $2.6 million agreement on Monday with the DiaSorin Group to further the development of a Zika virus test that may help diagnose the virus more quickly.... Read More »
Hoeven continues push to secure beyond-line-of-sight operations for North Dakota test site
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) continued his push on Tuesday to further North Dakota’s role in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) development and integration into the national airspace at the Unmanned Aerial Systems Summit and Expo in Grand Forks, N.D. “What we’re seeing in Grand Forks are the... Read More »
IAFC names John Sinclair new president and board chairman
Chief John Sinclair of the Kittitas Valley Fire Rescue in Washington was recently installed as president and chairman of the board of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). Sinclair will head the 18-member board of directors and serve as the association’s primary spokesperson on... Read More »UTMB researchers identify possible Sudan ebolavirus treatment
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) released a study on Monday showing the successful treatment of monkeys infected with Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV) several days after infection. Scientists have known about SUDV and Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) since 1976, with EBOV being the... Read More »
Woman sentenced for conspiring to export defense technology to People’s Republic of China
A California woman was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison on Friday for conspiring to illegally export fighter jet engines, along with unmanned aerial vehicles and related technical data, to the People’s Republic of China. The investigation was handled by U.S. Immigration and Customs... Read More »
Raytheon awarded contract for air surveillance radar system for U.S. Navy
Raytheon Company was awarded a $92,069,954 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract on Friday by the U.S. Navy for the development of the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR). Raytheon’s EASR consists of two configuration variants - a rotating phased array configuration and a three-face... Read More »Thompson urges review of DHS use of privately-operated prisons
U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) sent a letter on Friday to Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) John Roth calling for a review of the department’s use of privately-operated prisons. Thompson’s letter comes after the Department of Justice (DOJ) said that it would... Read More »
NRECA receives grant to advance new cybersecurity solution for utilities
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded funding on Thursday to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) to advance the React cybersecurity solution for utilities that monitors IT networks for near real-time detection of possible cyber intrusions. React will aim to develop... Read More »