News
NIAID researchers discover six Zika-related antibodies
Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), released a study on Wednesday that found six Zika virus antibodies, including four that neutralize African, Asian and American strains of the virus. Dr. Michael S.... Read More »BARDA, NIAID provide additional funding for Soligenix’s acute radiation syndrome medical countermeasure
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) provided additional funding to Soligenix, Inc., this week to advance preclinical development of OrbeShield (oral beclomethasone 17,21-dipropionate or oral BDP) as... Read More »Langevin commends signing of cyber incident coordination directive
U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) applauded President Barack Obama this week for signing Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 41, entitled “United States Cyber Incident Coordination.” The directive complements the Cybersecurity National Action Plan, which was introduced earlier this year to build... Read More »
CBP opening London Global Entry enrollment center
A Global Entry enrollment center will be opened for 60 days in London at the U.S. Embassy by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) beginning on Sept. 26. The CBP Trust Traveler’s Program’s Global Entry Applicants program allows for expedited clearance of preapproved, low-risk travelers.... Read More »
Global Hawk UAS surpasses 200,000 flight hours
The autonomous Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) from Northrop Grumman Corp. surpassed 200,000 flight hours this week, with the U.S Air Force’s Global Hawks logging 88 percent of the hours. The remaining hours were flown by NASA Global Hawks, Germany’s Full Scale Demonstrator and... Read More »First evidence that Zika transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito discovered by UTMB researchers
University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston researchers, working in collaboration with colleagues from Mexico, recently discovered a direct connection between the Aedes aegypti mosquito and Zika transmission in the Americas during an outbreak in southern Mexico. The findings,... Read More »
OPCW, UN endorse urgent action to destroy Libya’s remaining chemical weapons
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently adopted a decision that calls for the necessary international assistance in response to a request from the Libyan Government of National Accord to destroy its remaining Category 2 chemical weapons on an expedited basis outside... Read More »
FirstNet to hold Southwest border region forum on public safety communications
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) will hold its inaugural forum in the Southwest border region in August to engage with federal and regional public safety stakeholders about the communications challenges they face ahead of the deployment of a nationwide public safety broadband... Read More »Senators urge president to restrain and reduce stockpile of nuclear weapons
A coalition 10 of U.S. senators wrote a letter on Wednesday to the Obama administration requesting action on nuclear weapons policy in the time the president has left in office. The letter was co-signed by U.S. Sens. Edward Markey (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Barbara... Read More »Donovan decries partisan fights as Zika research remains underfunded
U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) on Tuesday decried actions by his congressional colleagues for jeopardizing the development of a vaccine for the Zika virus. Donovan’s statement came in the wake of three different companies threatening to halt their developments due to funding uncertainty.... Read More »
INTERPOL reveals new biosafety curriculum for law enforcement
The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) produced its first biosafety curriculum for police colleges to advance law enforcement capability and preparedness in responding to biological incidents on Tuesday. The initiative was developed under Project Rhino and seeks to address... Read More »TSA, United Airlines release plans for new security screening technology
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), along with United Airlines, released plans on Wednesday to install automated security screening lanes at select United Airlines hubs this fall. The automated lanes will incorporate technology that enhances overall effectiveness, while also... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee releases “Terror Gone Viral” report
The House Homeland Security Committee released its “Terror Gone Viral” report that shows that the wave of terror attacks in the past month have helped ISIS reach a record-level of plotting following the attacks in Germany, France and Orlando. “ISIS terrorists have reached an alarming and... Read More »Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee examines protections against energy disruptions
U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), the chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy, chaired a hearing on the Securing Energy Infrastructure Act, S. 3018, and to examine protections designed to guard against energy disruptions last week. “In the United States, we too often we... Read More »
Alliance for Biosecurity applauds passage of public health emergency response bill by committee
The Alliance for Biosecurity applauded the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Friday for passing the Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act, H.R. 3299, which now heads to the House floor for a vote. The bill was sponsored by U.S. Reps. Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA).... Read More »Battelle awarded $170 million contract to build armored vehicles for SOCOM
Battelle was awarded a second contract from the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) on Tuesday worth $170 million to build non-standard commercial vehicles (NSCVs). The contract stipulates that Battelle will build armored and unarmored vehicles for the next five years at its manufacturing... Read More »Johnson: “If you see something, say something” key to preventing acts of terror
Homeland security leaders joined forces on Thursday at the “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland: ISIS and the New Wave of Terror” to discuss how to keep Americans safe from both cyber threats and acts of terror. Many national leaders were in attendance, including U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez... Read More »Ratcliffe, Langevin introduce two bills for U.S.-Israel cybersecurity initiatives
U.S. Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) introduced two bills on Thursday aimed at strengthening collaborative cybersecurity research and development efforts with Israel. The first bill, the United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2016, will create a... Read More »
House Energy and Commerce Committee passes medical countermeasure bill authored by Brooks, Eshoo
The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed a bill on Thursday introduced by U.S. Reps. Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) aimed at incentivizing investments in vaccines and treatments for dangerous and deadly diseases identified as threats to our national security. The Strengthening... Read More »
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 »