News
Sens. Durbin, Cassidy introduce bill to address shortages in PPE, testing supplies
U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced legislation to address shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing supplies. The Protecting Providers Everywhere (PPE) in America Act would boost domestic PPE and testing supply production. It would also... Read More »
Northrop Grumman secures DARPA weapons pact
The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's (DARPA) Tactical Technology Office (TTO) has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a contract to develop an advanced technology weapon concept. The effort would increase the engagement range and weapon effectiveness of domestic forces against... Read More »
Measure targets COVID-19 vaccine distribution, transparency standards
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) reintroduced Wednesday the Set Testing and Objectives Plan (STOP) COVID-19 Act, which he said would address state COVID-19 vaccine distribution, reporting, and transparency standards. The bill would also create a program for cities and counties to increase testing, contact... Read More »
Sens. Rounds, Duckworth introduce PHE Production Act to boost domestic production of critical medical supplies
New legislation from U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) attempts to guarantee maximized use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) during emergency response and to increase domestic production of critical medical supplies. The Public Health Emergency (PHE) Production Act,... Read More »
AstraZeneca, IDT Biologika announce intent to accelerate, increase COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in Europe
Through a letter of intent released this week, AstraZeneca and IDT Biologika pledged to increase COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in Europe and guarantee long-term supply capacity. While the details are still up in the air, both companies also intend to invest in drug substance capacity.... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Wexton, Speier urge DNI to update security clearance guidelines
U.S. Reps. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) are urging the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines to adopt new security clearance guidelines to prevent individuals involved in extremist groups from accessing classified information. Specifically, Wexton and Speier are... Read More »
US Army to continue relationship with drone manufacturer Skydio
The U.S. Army announced that it will continue its relationship with Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer. Specifically, the Army will continue with the Skydio X2D SRR system to complete the remaining integration and documentation requirements within the Other Transaction Agreement... Read More »
CBP reopens biometric entry, exit system comment period
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reopened the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) biometrics comment period. “As a testament to CBP’s steadfast commitment to privacy principles and transparency, CBP reopened the comment... Read More »Sens. Rubio, Warner seek leader for SolarWinds cyber breach response
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) are requesting a leader be named in the U.S response to the SolarWinds cyber breach that impacted numerous federal agencies and thousands of private sector entities. The senators forwarded correspondence to the Director of National... Read More »
House members reintroduce aviation safety bill mandating additional cockpit protections
A collection of four United States representatives reintroduced the Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act this week in a bipartisan effort to require the installation of secondary cockpit barriers on passenger aircraft to prevent future events like those witnessed on Sept. 11, 2001. The bill is... Read More »
FDA authorizes bamlanivimab, etesevimab antibody combos to treat COVID-19
Under a new emergency use authorization (EUA) issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the monoclonal antibodies bamlanivimab and etesevimab can be used together for the treatment of mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. Specifically, they can be used by adults and pediatric... Read More »
U.S. House members eye expanding powers of CISA
Frustrated by ongoing cyber threats from the United States and abroad, members of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee said Wednesday they are developing new legislation that would expand the powers of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, currently an operational component... Read More »
Indiana to expand access to Naloxone
Indiana Gov. Eric J. Holcomb joined the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s (FSSA) Division of Mental Health and Addiction Monday to announce the state’s new plan to expand access to the opioid reversal agent naloxone. Working with Overdose Lifeline, Inc., the state will... Read More »
Reps. Bacon, Wilson introduce bill to limit Iran’s influence
U.S. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) introduced a bill that seeks to limit Iran’s influence in the Middle East. The Iranian Arms Transfer Prevention Act of 2021 (H.R. 857) requires the United States to impose sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the transfer of conventional... Read More »
DHS selects AppCensus for digital contact tracing award
AppCensus, a start-up from El Cerrito, Calif., won a $198,600 award from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to develop testing and validation services for digital contact tracing applications. The phase 1 award was made under S&T’s... Read More »
Lockheed selects firm to aid UK Pathfinder Launch project
Lockheed Martin officials said the aerospace company has contracted with ABL Space Systems to supply a rocket and associated launch services for Lockheed Martin's first UK vertical satellite launch. The UK Pathfinder Launch is slated to be the first vertical small satellite launch from UK soil... Read More »
Rep. Johnson introduces measure to bolster border safety
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) has introduced a pair of bills designed to strengthen border security and protection. “America is the most compassionate nation in the world, but our immigration system is broken," Johnson, who serves on the House Judiciary Committee, said. "Reforming that system is a... Read More »
COVAX urges continued assessment of AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine after poor showing against South African variant
Following preliminary data that showed the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine to have minimal effect in preventing mild to moderate cases of a South African variant, the global COVAX initiative has nevertheless stressed the need to assess its efficacy against more severe illness. Preliminary... Read More »
NIAID begins Phase 3 trial of AstraZeneca antibody combination for COVID-19
The National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) this week began enrolling participants for an international phase three clinical trial of AZD7442, an antibody combination developed by AstraZeneca to treat those hospitalized with COVID-19. The trial is part of ACTIV-3, a... Read More »
Maryland governor tours Emergent BioSolutions facility manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. on Monday hosted Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan at the multinational biopharmaceutical company’s East Baltimore, Md., Bayview facility where the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine candidate is being manufactured. Emergent’s Bayview facility, which is designated by... Read More »
FEMA allocates nearly $2B for federal vaccine centers
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has set aside approximately $1.98 billion to states, tribes, territories as well as Washington D.C., for community vaccination centers. Currently, there are 175 federally supported vaccine centers operational across the country. The federal... Read More »
Donna Shalala appointed to Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense
The former Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Clinton administration, Donna Shalala, has been appointed to the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense. Shalala had been a founding member of the commission, established in 2014. She left two years ago to serve in the Congress from Florida... Read More »
DARPA advances unmanned underwater vehicle project
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials said the organization has executed contract options to continue the Manta Ray project, which seeks to demonstrate technologies toward unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV). “Manta Ray performers have each taken unique approaches to... Read More »
ADL unveils counter domestic terrorism plan
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has initiated the PROTECT Plan to mitigate domestic terrorism efforts while protecting civil liberties. According to ADL data, right-wing extremists were linked to at least 16 extremist-related murders in America last year and have been responsible for 75 percent... Read More »
Modelling study identifies mix of weekly testing, two-week isolation most cost-effective COVID-19 strategy
Where and when COVID-19 transmission rates are high, a new study published in The Lancet Public Health journal last week asserts that weekly testing and two week isolation periods for positive cases remain the most cost-effective ways to control spread. This will remain the case until vaccines... Read More »
GSK-CureVac collaborate in pursuit of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19
GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and CureVac N.V. announced a €150 million ($180,639,000) collaboration last week focused on developing mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 and its emerging variants. Their goal is a multi-valent candidate capable of fighting COVID and its iterations at the same time. This... Read More »
Bill to create a federal contact tracing workforce for Coronavirus introduced in Congress
A bill was introduced in Congress last week that would establish a federal contact tracing workforce. The Coronavirus Containment Corps Act would fill a need for more contact tracing to combat the COVID-19 virus and its variants. It would help by providing federal funding for this workforce... Read More »
Bill introduced in Senate to protect firefighters from harmful substances
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators introduced legislation to help protect the health and safety of firefighters and emergency responders from adverse substances. The Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances (PFAS) Act directs federal agencies to develop best practices, training, and... Read More »
DARPA assesses value of System Security Integration Through Hardware and Firmware
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency officials said a review of hacking exploits by cybersecurity researchers proved the value of System Security Integration Through Hardware and Firmware (SSITH) program. “Knowing that virtually no system is unhackable, we expected to discover bugs within... Read More »
Lawmakers seek domestic terrorism growth review
A group of lawmakers recently called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the intelligence community to review threats posed by domestic terrorist groups and their domestic growth. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, along with Senate... Read More »
Community Immunity During COVID-19 Act would offer $560M to boost local COVID-19 vaccination efforts
New legislation introduced in both chambers of Congress last week -- the Community Immunity During COVID-19 Act -- proposes support for vaccination efforts and to reverse drops in vaccination rates through a mix of funding for local initiatives and access to primary care services. The effort is... Read More »
Johnson & Johnson applies for FDA Emergency Use Authorization of Janssen COVID-19 vaccine
Following efficacy and safety data reports released earlier, Johnson & Johnson announced today that Janssen Biotech, Inc. -- J&J’s pharmaceutical arm -- has applied for Emergency Use Authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.... Read More »
Sen. Peters outlines priorities as chair of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) outlined his key priorities as the new chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Peter said he would continue to focus on bolstering the federal government’s Coronavirus pandemic response, strengthening national security, including... Read More »
Rep. Katko seeking answers from DHS on when border officials will receive COVID vaccines
U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) is seeking answers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on its plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines among its frontline law enforcement workers. Katko, ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, expressed concerns about the handling of... Read More »