News
Sens. Peters, Cornyn introduce Non-Intrusive Inspection Expansion Act to bolster screening at ports of entry
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Non-Intrusive Inspection Expansion Act (S. 4572) this week, seeking to improve the screening of vehicles, cargo, and overall border security at the nation’s ports of entry. Drug detection is one of the major focuses of the... Read More »
DHS creates new Office of Health Security to guide public health actions
To guide its future medical, workforce health and safety, and public health authority, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week established a new Office of Health Security. It is the result of a reorganization, which will shuffle the department’s organizational structure to a... Read More »
Bill seeks to track Iranian nuclear capabilities
U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) recently introduced legislation to monitor Iran's nuclear weapons and missile capabilities. The Iran Nuclear Weapons Capability Monitoring Act of 2022 would establish a Department of State-spearheaded task force responsible for regularly... Read More »
Senate Homeland Security committee hears of weapons of mass destruction risks, DHS security efforts
At a hearing convened by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, lawmakers heard from federal officials about the risks posed by chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological weapons, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts to counter them, and the creation of... Read More »
Gunlocks, mapping, youth employment programs among gun violence reduction initiatives in New York’s Erie County
Following a spate of shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., last summer, the Erie County Gun Violence Prevention Task Force was formed to promote gun violence reduction initiatives and engage with the community, and as of this week, it delivered its first report on the efforts and successes that... Read More »
Nuclear security amendment among provisions advanced by House’s National Defense Authorization Act
An amendment sponsored by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) to improve nuclear security advanced out of the House last week, along with others included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). "I was proud to vote for the National Defense Authorization Act, which makes major investments to... Read More »
Space Development Agency details missile warning, tracking initiative
The Space Development Agency (SDA) recently announced the award of two prototype agreements to provide National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA) missile warning/missile tracking warfighting capability. The agreements, which include a potential total value of more than $1.3 billion, are... Read More »
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence advances legislation authorizing increased funding, oversight
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has advanced legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (D-ME) that authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and improves congressional Intelligence community oversight. The committee passed the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal... Read More »
Rep. Joyce applauds inclusion of NDAA amendment reducing depending on Chinese resources
U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) is commending the House of Representatives' passage of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and his amendment regarding Chinese product and resource dependency. The amendment eliminates the domestic Armed Forces’ dependence on Chinese-made... Read More »
Rep. Swalwell introduces Proactive Cyber Initiatives Act to invest in new cybersecurity methods
Worried about rapidly fixing cyber vulnerabilities in the highly digital age, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) introduced the Proactive Cyber Initiatives Act of 2022 last week to direct investment into new cybersecurity efforts and shift from responsive defensive tactics to proactive ones. The... Read More »
HHS orders 2.5 million more JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccines, makes thousands more available
As concerns about the monkeypox outbreak worldwide continued to grow, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) responded last week with an order for another 2.5 million doses of Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine to fill the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). While the... Read More »
Demings legislation seeking to aid Urban Area Security Initiative included in NDAA
U.S. Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) is commending colleagues for including her legislation supporting the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The action will be included in the NDAA Fiscal Year 2023, which serves as the legislative foundation for... Read More »
Aegis Sciences begins testing for monkeypox in boost to U.S. testing capacity
Beginning last week, Aegis Sciences began testing for monkeypox at its laboratories in Nashville, Tenn., adding potential capacity for up to 10,000 tests per week to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) national Laboratory Response Network (LRN). To achieve this, Aegis will... Read More »
Pandemic prevention in focus with passage of National Defense Authorization Act
A major provision of the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA, or H.R. 7900) – which advanced from the House by a vote of 329-101 last week – addresses commercial wildlife markets and illegal wildlife trafficking. An amendment to the act from U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley... Read More »
House advances active shooter legislation
U.S. Reps. David N. Cicilline (D-RI) and Fred Upton (R-MI) recently applauded the House of Representatives for advancing the Active Shooter Alert Act of 2022 (H.R.6538). The legislation would create an AMBER Alert similar system for active shooter incidents, which could be deployed during... Read More »
FDA authorizes Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted for emergency use on severe adult cases
Bolstering the number of options for use against SARS-CoV-2, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) this week for the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted. This authorization greenlit the vaccine for use on those at least 18 years old and... Read More »
DARPA details initial OpFires flight test
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently detailed the successful execution of its first Operational Fires (OpFires) program flight test at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The OpFires system accomplished all test objectives, including the initial use of a U.S.... Read More »
CONSULT Act introduced in Senate to crack down on Chinese, Russian penetration of national security contracting
U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced this week the CONSULT Act, which aims to prevent Russian, Chinese, and other countries of concern from meddling with national security consulting firms. CONSULT, or the Combating Obstructive National Security... Read More »
Legislation seeks to bolster security efforts at southern border
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jim Risch (R-ID) recently introduced legislation to bolster southern border security initiatives. The Solving the Border Crisis Act would resume southern border wall construction, strengthen management and enforcement capacities, and uphold the rule of... Read More »
DHS bolsters security cooperation with Qatar, United Arab Emirates
Seeking to progress key homeland security agreements and objectives, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced expanded security cooperation with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Robert Silvers, Under Secretary for Policy at the DOE, penned security arrangements with... Read More »
Bill prohibits Chinese purchases of domestic agriculture businesses
U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY) have introduced a bill prohibiting countries such as China and Russia from purchasing U.S. agriculture companies. The Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act also ensures the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is fully... Read More »
COVID-19 pandemic caused setbacks in fight against antimicrobial resistant infections throughout United States
While the general focus has been on the immediate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the outbreak also reversed years of progress in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AR), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a report released this week – "COVID-19:... Read More »
Lockheed Martin delivers Multiple Launch Rocket System M270A2 launcher to Army
Lockheed Martin officials are touting the initial delivery of the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) M270A2 launcher to the Army at the Precision Fires Center of Excellence in Camden, Ark. "This delivery represents a significant milestone for Lockheed Martin, as the modernized system will... Read More »
DHS S&T, CISA detail software vulnerabilities collaboration
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) detailed the benefits of a collaboration addressing software vulnerabilities. The effort is significant because software weaknesses are a prime... Read More »
NIAID launches clinical phase 1 trial of mRNA Nipah virus vaccine
Nipah virus became the newest target of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) this week, with the launch of a phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate an investigational vaccine from Moderna, Inc. and NIAID’s own Vaccine Research Center. This potential vaccine was built... Read More »
Northrop Grumman advancing high energy laser prototype
Northrop Grumman Corporation recently touted the completion of a preliminary design review the firm said would result in a high-energy laser prototype for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). In March 2021, Northrop Grumman secured a $72 million DoD pact via the High Energy Laser Scaling... Read More »
Moderna bivalent booster displays high antibody response to Omicron subvariants
With new and aggressive strains of COVID-19 continuing to emerge, such as the omicron subvariants BA.4/5, Moderna, Inc. has continued developing new means to counter them, including its booster candidate mRNA-1273.214, which recently delivered promising results. One month after administration... Read More »
Biden administration secures 3.2 million Novavax COVID-19 vaccine doses
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it had secured 3.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Novavax. Working in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), HHS said it acquired the doses as a way to provide additional protection options for... Read More »
DHS S&T funds heat-related injuries prevention tech research
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently awarded a $161,000 grant to Kenzen, Inc., based in Kansas City, Mo., to develop wearable technology to prevent heat-related injuries. S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) targeted... Read More »
Aerojet Rocketdyne to pay $9M to resolve False Claims Act violation, Justice Department announces
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced that Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc., based in El Segundo, Calif., has agreed to pay $9 million to resolve False Claims Act violation allegations. According to the Justice Department, the settlement resolves a lawsuit filed and litigated by former... Read More »
HHS offers another 144,000 doses of JYNNEOS vaccine in bid to lockdown monkeypox early
States and jurisdictions will begin receiving another 144,000 doses of the Bavarian Nordic JYNNEOS vaccine from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) this week as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) pivots to focus more heavily on monkeypox. As of July 8, the Centers for... Read More »
Coalition of scientists, researchers and public health experts recommend means to strengthen oversight of pathogen research
New recommendations meant to overhaul U.S. research oversight for enhanced potential pandemic pathogens (ePPPs) and life sciences dual-use efforts were submitted last week by a 34-member group of scientists, public health experts, and policy researchers. These recommendations were submitted by... Read More »
Smiths Detection, Kromek enter agreement for development of wearable radiation detection equipment
Threat detection and security firm Smiths Detection announced that it has entered an agreement with Kromek to deliver wearable radiation detection equipment to North and South America. “Smiths Detection is committed to deliver the best security screening solutions to our customers," Smiths... Read More »
Reps. Turner, Veasey seek to halt release of terrorists to Afghanistan
In response to Afghanistan’s return to Taliban rule, U.S. Reps. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) introduced legislation last week – the Preventing Terrorist Transfers to Afghanistan Act – that would disallow the release of terrorism-aligned individuals to Afghanistan. A similar... Read More »