News
Senate to consider bill to renew, expand federal oversight of drones
The Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Act crossed its first legislative hurdle last week, after it was advanced from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to full Senate consideration. A joint work from U.S. Sens. Gary... Read More »
Senators urge invocation of Defense Production Act to bolster monkeypox vaccine production
From a virtual press conference to a letter to the White House, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) led eight colleagues in pressing for the Biden administration to tap the Defense Production Act to increase domestic production of monkeypox vaccines. The senator’s state of New York currently... Read More »
Bill looks to bolster southern border law enforcement efforts
A group of lawmakers have introduced a measure they said seeks to bolster southern border law enforcement operations. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Mayra Flores (R-TX), Susie Lee (D-NV) and Chris Pappas (D-NH) recently introduced the Advanced Border Coordination Act. The bill would establish Joint... Read More »
Senate bill to reauthorize DHS office advances
After a favorable vote from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, a bill that would reauthorize the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) office will face consideration of the full Senate. The Offices of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction and Health Security Act... Read More »
Huntington Ingalls Industries issued $127M contract to aid DoD with new technology
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awarded a $127 million contract to defense, technologies, and shipbuilder company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) to improve systems integration through research, development, testing, and evaluation efforts. Over five years, HII will work to improve the... Read More »
House advances domestic communications networks bill
The House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee has advanced the Spectrum Innovation Act (H.R. 7624), which would enhance domestic communications networks. U.S. Reps. Bob Latta (R-OH) and Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA), chairman of the House Commerce Communications and Technology... Read More »
White House appoints team to lead federal monkeypox response
As more states and localities declare emergencies over the growing monkeypox outbreak, President Joe Biden this week formed an official White House national monkeypox team from other agencies to guide federal response. Helming the team will be FEMA’s Regional Administrator for the American... Read More »
Bill targets comprehensive southern border strategy
A Republican group of senators recently introduced a bill requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary to complete a comprehensive southern border strategy within 12 months of enactment. U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and James... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee leaders request details on federal monkeypox response
In letters dispatched to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), House Homeland Security Committee leaders have pressed for details of the federal government’s preparations for and response to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak. Committee... Read More »
Northrop Grumman selected to lead Homeland missile defense program
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Weapon System (GWS) program. The agreement reflects a maximum amount of $3,286,745,005, noting the GWS program domestically... Read More »
New House legislation seeks modernization of federal efforts to tackle WMDs, pandemics
New legislation up for consideration in the U.S. House would revamp the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts on weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) by modernizing its Countering WMD office and formalizing and expanding its Office of Health Security. The Health Security and Countering... Read More »
DHS, FEMA announce selections for $1.16B climate resilience funding initiative
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced the selections for $1.16 billion in climate resilience funding through two competitive grant programs to help communities across the nation enhance climate and disaster... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster community unmanned aircraft systems protections
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) recently introduced legislation that seeks to bolster the nation’s ability to counter community threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones. The Safeguarding the Homeland from the... Read More »
Biden administration locks in millions of Moderna, Pfizer variant-specific COVID-19 vaccine boosters
For use later this year, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) announced last week that they had bought 66 million doses of a Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster candidate. “We must stay vigilant in our fight against COVID-19 and continue to expand... Read More »
House advances Cicilline legislation representing first vote on assault weapons ban in nearly 30 years
In a close vote of 217-213, the House advanced the Assault Weapons Bill (H.R. 1808) last week, marking the first vote on an assault weapons ban by the full House since 1994. Originally introduced by U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), the ban advanced with support from major gun safety... Read More »
HHS to dispense additional 786,000 JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine doses nationwide
Following inspection and approval of a Bavarian Nordic manufacturing facility overseas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week that it now has access to – and plans to allocate – another 786,000 doses of the company’s JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine nationwide.... Read More »
Bill seeks to address violent crime law discrepancies
A group of Republican lawmakers recently introduced legislation that seeks to clarify and strengthen violent crime laws focusing on offenses such as homicide, bank robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping. Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) led 24 Republican colleagues in... Read More »
San Francisco declares local public health emergency over monkeypox
San Francisco declared monkeypox a local public health emergency last week as New York state designated the disease an imminent threat. In both cases, such designations will help focus preparedness and response efforts to rising cases of monkeypox. That same disease was declared a public health... Read More »
Republican legislators express ICE funding concerns
A group of Republican legislators recently forwarded correspondence to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership regarding the ICE budget shortfall and its impact. U.S. Reps. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) led U.S.... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Hawley introduce legislation to seek illicit drug plan from DHS
The newly introduced Enhancing DHS Drug Seizures Act seeks to bolster efforts by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detect and seize illicit drugs, including through the development of a plan for stronger public-private partnerships. Introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and... Read More »
FDA approves Bavarian Nordic manufacturing capabilities, frees up 786,000 more monkeypox vaccine doses
Monkeypox vaccine production is about to experience a significant surge following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval this week of a supplement to the Bavarian Nordic JYNNEOS vaccine and its fill-and-finish capabilities. Through an expedited inspection and approval process,... Read More »
United States, Ukraine expand cybersecurity collaboration
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Ukrainian State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP) recently announced an expanded cybersecurity Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC). “I am incredibly pleased to sign this MOC to deepen... Read More »
Senate advances legislation seeking to reduce U.S. homicide cold cases
The U.S. Senate recently advanced the Homicide Victims’ Families Rights Act, which will now move to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. The bill, introduced by U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA), seeks to help address the nation’s growing number of... Read More »
USDA launches five-year, $1B Community Wildfire Defense Grant program
Drawing on funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that $1 billion is now being offered through the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program to assist at-risk communities. “Insight and guidance from the communities most at risk for... Read More »
DHS S&T, National Urban Security Technology Lab host Urban OpEx for first responders to evaluate new tech
To improve first responder operations and get them the best technology, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) hosted the Urban Operational Experimentation (OpEx) 2022 from July 18-22, 2022. At this gathering, S&T and its National Urban Security... Read More »
Report: Efforts by China to undermine U.S. Federal Reserve Banks ongoing
A new report from U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has found that China’s efforts to undermine the U.S. Federal Reserve System have been going on since at least 2013. According to the report, China’s Threat to... Read More »
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers details school safety summit
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) recently outlined the results of a recent school safety summit tailored for federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and campus law enforcement personnel. The School Safety Summit: Strategies for Prevention was conducted July 19-21, 2022,... Read More »
Congressional letters to White House mount over monkeypox response
More than 100 members of Congress, backed by more than 100 organizations, sent a letter to the Biden administration this week, urging additional funding for sexual health clinics dealing with the expanding monkeypox outbreak. Signatories of the letter, led by U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and... Read More »
Rep. Demings hosts disaster response, recovery roundtable in Orlando
U.S. Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, recently convened a roundtable in Orlando, Fla., addressing federal security and disaster response and recovery operations. The initiative allowed central Florida... Read More »
IPR Center, global partners seize $11M in illicit medicines
National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) authorities recently detailed collaboration with 94 Interpol member countries resulting in 7,800 illicit medication seizures totaling $11 million. Operation Pangea XV was conducted from June 23-30. The scope of work included... Read More »
Soligenix ricin antigen licensed to SERB Pharmaceuticals for treatment of ricin poisoning
The biopharmaceutical company Soligenix, Inc. signed a worldwide exclusive license this week guaranteeing supply of its ricin antigen to SERB Pharmaceuticals, which the latter intends to use in developing a therapeutic treatment for ricin toxin poisoning. "We are pleased to be partnering with... Read More »
Legislation seeks to increase penalties against southern border drug cartel spotters
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) recently introduced legislation to increase penalties against southern border drug cartel spotters illegally transmitting information regarding Border Patrol positions or destroying communication devices. Ernst noted the Transnational Criminal Organization Illicit... Read More »
HHS elevates Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response to standalone agency
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week that the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has been renamed and elevated to the status of a standalone agency. In name, the office officially became the Administration for Strategic... Read More »
Senators push for federal acknowledgement of and work to change inequities in vaccine access amid monkeypox outbreak
As an international monkeypox outbreak continues to grow in scope, U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and 20 colleagues last week dispatched a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calling for... Read More »