News
Carper, Leahy introduce bill to assist communities in active shooter situations
U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced legislation on Wednesday to assist communities in preparing for and responding to active shooter events. The bill, the Active Shooter Preparedness Enhancement Act of 2016, would ensure that the Department of Homeland Security... Read More »
Keating’s airport perimeter security bill passes House
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Monday authored by U.S. Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA) to strengthen security at the nation’s airports. The bill stems from an investigation into the death of a 16 year-old boy who managed to break security at the Charlotte-Douglas Airport and hid... Read More »
FDA issues Zika virus recommendations for medical community
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began a series of actions this week designed to combat the emerging threat of Zika virus and to mitigate its spread throughout the U.S. and the world. The FDA began with important steps to help protect the safety of the blood supply. One of the first... Read More »CBP officers seize 11.5 pounds of alleged heroin at Gateway International Bridge
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stationed at the Gateway International Bridge seized a shipment on Friday of alleged heroin hidden within a 2001 Nissan Xterra SUV. The seizure took place when officers referred a 29-year-old Mexican citizen driving a green 2001 Nissan Xterra... Read More »
European counterterrorism legislation calls for protecting victims of CBRN attacks
The European Parliament has taken an important step toward protecting victims of potential biological, chemical and other types of terrorist attacks in the European Union with its new draft counterterrorism directive that is being negotiated this week. The European Parliament’s Civil... Read More »New Mexico receives $10.4 million for border security, emergency preparedness
U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) announced $10.4 million in grants on Monday to support border security and emergency preparedness in New Mexico. The grants were awarded through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s preparedness grant programs. "Living in a... Read More »
EU-US enter into privacy shield for transatlantic data flows
The European Commission launched a privacy shield for the United States and the European Union (EU) on Tuesday to strengthen protection for transatlantic data flows. The framework of the project protects the fundamental rights of anyone in the EU whose personal data is transferred to the United... Read More »
House passes four homeland security-related bills
The U.S. House of Representatives passed four bills on Monday to better provide homeland security. The bills prevent foreign fighter travel to the U.S., improve airport security measures and improve internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) practices and reviews. “We face an... Read More »House passes legislation to shorten TSA wait times and enhance overall security measures
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016, H.R. 818, on Monday to support the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and strengthen security for Americans traveling by air in the United States and those flying from abroad. “When we go to... Read More »McSally bill to prevent foreign fighter travel passes House
The U.S. House of Representatives passed U.S. Rep. Martha McSally’s (R-AZ) legislation on Monday to require a stress test of U.S. government protection and prevention programs against terrorist travel. The bill, the Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act, is the result of a task... Read More »Chabot chairs hearing on cyber attack threat against small businesses
Committee on Small Business Chairman Steve Chabot (R-OH) recently chaired a full committee hearing on the threat of cyber attacks on small businesses in the U.S. “According to a recent study, over 70 percent of cyber attacks occur in businesses with fewer than 100 employees,” Chabot said at... Read More »
CDC releases report detailing response to 2014-2016 worldwide Ebola epidemic
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a detailed account on Thursday of the agency’s response to the Ebola virus epidemic of 2014-2016. The report, a special supplement to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), comes on the second anniversary of... Read More »
Homeland Security Committee releases TSA misconduct report
The House Homeland Security Committee released a report on Thursday critiquing the misconduct of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in recent months. The report, titled “Misconduct at TSA Threatens the Security of the Flying Public,” is the result of a six month investigation... Read More »Johnson provides update on security and immigration enforcement
Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson provided an up-to-date analysis of security and immigration enforcement priorities on Thursday. “In June 2016, apprehensions by the Border Patrol on our southwest border – an indicator of total attempts to cross the border illegally – decreased... Read More »Warner urges legislation regarding internet-connected children’s toys
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday to work with Congress to strengthen efforts to protect children’s personal information on internet-connected “smart toys” that collect and store data on minors and their parents. Warner sent a letter to FTC... Read More »
ECBC develops chemical agent decontamination spray for active soldiers in the field
The Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) recently announced that is has developed a decontamination spray that enables soldiers at the unit level to decontaminate vehicle surfaces in the field immediately after exposure to a chemical warfare agent and continue with their mission. The... Read More »Carper discusses security operations at Philadelphia International Airport
U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) on Friday met with federal and local partners to discuss security operations and procedures at the Philadelphia International Airport. During his trip, Carper toured the airport’s checkpoint areas that screen approximately 31 million passengers per year. In... Read More »CBP agents seize approximately $5 million of methamphetamine
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents stationed at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility seized approximately $5 million in two separate, unrelated incidents last week. The first incident occurred on June 30 when officers encountered a tractor trailer hauling a commercial shipment... Read More »
European Commission signs agreement for public-private cybersecurity partnership
The European Commission launched a new public-private partnership on cybersecurity on Tuesday that is expected to trigger $1.9 billion of investment by 2020. The partnership is part of a series of a new initiatives to better equip Europe against cyber attacks and to strengthen the... Read More »Johnson applauds efforts by Congress, TSA personnel on busy holiday weekend
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson released a statement on Tuesday regarding Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wait times and security procedures going forward. “From Wednesday, June 30 through Monday, July 4, TSA screened 10.7 million travelers. June 30 and... Read More »TSA, American Airlines jointly testing new innovative airport security technology
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and American Airlines (AA) will install new screening technology at select American Airlines hubs nationwide this fall. The new technology includes automated security screening lanes and computed tomography (CT) scanners. The automated lanes... Read More »BioCryst receives additional funding to advance potential hemorrhagic fever virus treatment
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) provided BioCryst Pharmaceuticals with additional funding on Monday for efficacy studies of BCX4430 in non-human primates to further assist effective dose regimens. BCX4430 is a broad-spectrum antiviral that is advancing toward... Read More »
Border encounter leads to arrest of wanted child predator in Canada
A vehicle stop by the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and subsequent investigation helped the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) locate a wanted fugitive in Ottawa, Canada, on Friday. CBSA arrested Adrien C. Peters of South Beloit, Illinois, at an Ottawa hotel. Peters was wanted for fleeing child... Read More »Independent report highlights need for improvement of public health response techniques
An independent panel of public health, emergency response and communication experts issued a report on Friday on the Ebola epidemic of 2014, identifying recommendations to improve the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) response to urgent public health threats. Concerns... Read More »
Treatment trial for men with persistent Ebola viral RNA in semen opens in Liberia
The Partnership for Research on Ebola virus in Liberia (PREVAIL) on Monday opened PREVAIL IV, a treatment trial for men who have survived Ebola virus disease (EVD) but continue to have evidence of Ebola virus genetic material - RNA - in their semen. The trial is sponsored by the National... Read More »
Rhode Island first responders to receive more than $8 million to enhance emergency preparedness
A coalition of Rhode Island lawmakers said on Friday that the state would receive more than $8 million in federal funds to assist first responders in response to a range of security challenges and crises. The coalition included U.S. Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), along... Read More »
Warner, Kaine push VA on pilot program to improve access for veterans healthcare
U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) pushed the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Friday for an update on a local pilot program designed to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare for veterans. The senators sent a letter to VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald... Read More »
FirstNet prepares for deployment of nationwide public safety broadband network
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) moved forward on Friday with its preparations for a public-private partnership to deploy and operate a nationwide public safety broadband network. During their meeting in Chicago, the FirstNet board of directors provided strategic guidance for... Read More »DHS announces grant allocations for FY2016
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allocated $275 million on Wednesday for six FY2016 DHS competitive preparedness and grant programs to support state, local, tribal and territorial partners. The grant program funds come in addition to the more than $1.3 billion in non-competitive... Read More »FLIR Systems acquires Armasight for $41 million
FLIR Systems acquired Armasight, Inc., a leading developer of precision sporting, hunting and military optics products, for approximately $41 million on Wednesday. "The addition of Armasight to our existing scopes and sights business provides us with meaningful additional scale and injects... Read More »Miller applauds DHS grant awards for Michigan counties
U.S. Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI) applauded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday for its intentions to award Operation Stonegarden grants to Macomb, St. Clair and Sanilac counties. The awards include port security grants for Macomb County, the St. Clair Sheriff’s... Read More »New study shows how some survive Ebola virus
A coalition of research institutions published a report in the Clinical Infectious Disease Journal on Wednesday that analyzed the immune responses of Ebola patients treated in the United States. The coalition includes the U.S. Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), the Emory University School... Read More »
Donovan calls for smarter rules on cyberdefense, seizing terrorist funds
With the goal of improving U.S. threat preparedness, U.S. Rep. Daniel Donovan (R-NY), who serves on the House Homeland Security Committee, recently introduced legislation to help fight potential terror attacks in urban areas and in cyberspace. Donovan recently introduced the Terrorist Asset... Read More »