News
Rep. Norton, Sen. Van Hollen call on Congress to fully fund DC security fund
U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) are calling on Congress to fully fund the District of Columbia emergency planning and security fund (EPSF). The EPSF pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation’s capital. It is... Read More »
ICE honors National Human Trafficking Awareness Month
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is honoring National Human Trafficking Awareness Month as a means of drawing attention to the international crime and the work of law enforcement to deter human trafficking, bring traffickers to justice, and aid... Read More »
Huntington Ingalls Industries completes initial hull structure facility
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) officials said the company has completed the initial phase of its Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence, which will be used to assemble hull structures. Construction of the 22,000-square-foot facility serves as the first of two planned buildings on the... Read More »
HHS creates online locator for COVID-19 outpatient antibody treatment sites
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched an online site dedicated to locating potential treatment sites for providers and patients seeking monoclonal antibody therapeutic treatments for COVID-19 cases. The therapeutics distribution page shows locations where these... Read More »
International health and humanitarian organizations join to create global Ebola vaccine stockpile
The International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision is creating a global stockpile of the single-dose Merck and Sharp & Dohme Corp. Ebola vaccine to guarantee response capabilities for any outbreak, with financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The stockpile was deemed... Read More »
DHS, PNNL launch effort to improve detection of synthetic opioids
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is working with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to improve the detection of synthetic opioids. Specifically, as part of this initiative, DHS and PNNL will assess the performance of field... Read More »
Senate leaders plan to investigate security failures during Capitol riot
U.S. Senate leaders from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration said they would hold investigations to examine the security failures during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Senate Homeland Security Committee leaders,... Read More »
Agencies developing firefighter tracking technology
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has partnered with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA JPL) to develop firefighter tracking technology. The effort would allow first responders to locate team members in burning buildings more accurately.... Read More »
Moderna launches three development programs for HIV, Nipah and seasonal flu vaccines
Moderna, Inc. will expand its vaccine efforts with three new development programs targeting mRNA vaccines for HIV, Nipah, and four seasonal flu viruses. The company also intends to expand its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine program to older adults. This is thanks to the... Read More »
CBP operation yields seizure of nearly two tons of cocaine
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel joined forces with military entities to successfully recover approximately 1.9 tons of cocaine and disrupted a Caribbean smuggling attempt. The Air and Marine Operations (AMO) National Air Security Operations Center—Jacksonville (NASOC—J) P-3... Read More »
FDA pledges continued monitoring of UK SARS-CoV-2 mutation
As a new, more infectious strain of SARS-CoV-2 spreads further from the United Kingdom and across the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising that its impact on molecular tests will likely be low, with three approved tests currently affected. The variant, known as... Read More »
Damage to communications grid in Nashville bombing prompts questions of preparedness
The violent suicide bombing that rocked downtown Nashville, Tenn., on Christmas morning and devastated dozens of businesses in the area also exposed the difficulties with an American reliance on reactive, rather than proactive, emergency planning efforts. While much focus has been placed on... Read More »
House committee leaders seek briefing from FBI on Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol
Leaders of five House committees are seeking an immediate briefing with the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on its efforts to investigate the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol that led to five deaths. “We write to request an immediate and urgent briefing on the steps the... Read More »
HHS establishes temporary COVID-19 treatment center in Tucson
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Tucson Medical Center (TMC) began administering monoclonal antibody therapeutic treatments last week. The treatments were given at a temporary COVID-19 infusion center in Tucson. It is just the second federally supported infusion center... Read More »
DARPA division explores innovative night-vision goggle technology
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is exploring the development of next-generation night-vision goggle (NVG) technology. The Enhanced Night Vision in eyeglass form (ENVision) program allows the DSO seeks to create lightweight NVGs offering a... Read More »
DEA seizes more than 30 pounds of suspected heroin, hundreds of fentanyl pills at Bronx pill mill
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced efforts that resulted in the seizure of approximately $2 million worth of suspected heroin and fentanyl pills and five arrests. Officials noted the actions occurred following an investigation into a large-scale narcotics organization operating in the... Read More »
BARDA DRIVe, NIOSH request expert input on development challenge for better mask designs
Both Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) DRIVe and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) put out a call this week for comments on potential evaluation criteria and testing protocols for an improved mask design challenge. Input will help... Read More »
Bayer agrees to support CureVac development, supply of COVID-19 vaccine candidate
A collaboration and services agreement united Bayer and CureVac N.V. this week in support of CureVac’s new class mRNA-based medicines, particularly its COVID-19 vaccine candidate CVnCoV. Under the agreement, Bayer will support development, supply, and key territory operations through its... Read More »
NIH director: COVID-19 herd immunity requires more vaccinated Americans
At least 80 percent to 85 percent of Americans should receive the COVID-19 vaccine for the country to reach herd immunity, said National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins in a Jan. 6 interview with the Washington Post. “Herd immunity requires the majority of a population to be... Read More »
Study reveals that COVID-19 survivors have immune cells to fight re-infection
A new report from the LaJolla Institute for Immunology has revealed that almost all survivors of COVID-19 have the immune cells necessary to fight re-infection. Based on analyses of blood samples from 188 COVID-19 patients, the findings suggest that the immune system learns to fight specific... Read More »
Lockheed Martin awarded $1.28B Pentagon F-35 contract
Lockheed Martin was awarded a $1.28 billion sustainable contract from the Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office. This Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) supports operations and sustainment of the global F-35 fleet through June 30, 2021. "This contract ensures F-35s remain ready to fly and... Read More »
CISA, NASCAR target Daytona 500 fan safety
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and NASCAR officials recently joined Daytona International Speedway personnel, first responders, and law enforcement officials in conducting a Daytona 500 fan safety tabletop exercise. The exercise serves as an example of the planning and... Read More »
IARPA initiative aids satellite imagery automation
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) has launched a multi-year research effort officials said is designed to automate broad-area search of multi-source satellite imagery. The Space-based Machine Automated Recognition Technique (SMART) program detects, monitors, and... Read More »
Bavarian Nordic to supply IMVANEX smallpox vaccine to three European governments this year
Under a $13.5 million contract, Bavarian Nordic A/S announced this week that it would provide supplies of its IMVANEX smallpox vaccine to three European governments in the first half of 2021. “We are pleased to expand our sales of smallpox vaccines to other countries,” Paul Chaplin,... Read More »
CDC to provide $22B in support for expanded response efforts to COVID-19 pandemic
Before Jan. 19, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will release more than $22 billion in funding to support states, localities, and territories grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic through a mix of expanded testing and vaccination distribution efforts. "This funding is... Read More »
TSA provides update on air travel during holidays in New England
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 470,000 people at New England’s six largest airports from Dec. 18 to Jan. 3. The average number of passengers screened during the 2020 holiday travel period was about 27,600 a day at New England’s top six airports, including... Read More »
National Security Council launches task force to investigate Solar Winds cyberattack
The National Security Council staff has launched a task force to coordinate the investigation and remediation of the recent Solar Winds cyberattack involving federal government networks. The task force -- called the Cyber Unified Coordination Group (UCG) -- is composed of representatives from... Read More »
BAE Systems secures Navy rapid response pact
The Navy has awarded BAE Systems a $4 million rapid response contract to conduct a quick-turnaround demonstration of a P-8A Poseidon radio frequency countermeasure (RFCM) system. “The ability to meet this unprecedented response time underscores our agility, focus on meeting customer needs, and... Read More »
Sen. Durbin urges rural EMS agencies to apply for SIREN Act funds
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) is encouraging communities to apply for Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) Act funds in support of fire and emergency medical services (EMS). “In many small and rural towns in Illinois and across the country, rural fire and EMS agencies are a lifeline in... Read More »
IDSA president, HIV Medicine Association chair call on US government to immediately address impediments to COVID-19 vaccine access
Dr. Barbara Alexander, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and Dr. Rajesh Gandhi, chair of the HIV Medicine Association, called this week for swift action to overcome the hurdles slowing COVID-19 vaccine access and efforts to counter the raging pandemic. “To address... Read More »
NIAID begins phase 2/3 clinical trial of two antibody therapies for mild or moderate COVID-19 cases
ACTIV-2, a study sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has begun phase 2/3 trials to evaluate two monoclonal antibody therapies that could help those with mild or moderate cases of COVID-19. The twin antibodies are known as BRII-196 and BRII-198, both... Read More »
DHS conducts tests that show facial recognition technologies could work with masks
Tests conducted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) showed promising results that facial recognition technologies can accurately identify individuals wearing protective face masks. The tests were conducted as part of S&T’s 2020 Biometric... Read More »
Reps. Spanberger, Katko introduce bill to better prepare for pandemics, other threats
U.S. Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and John Katko (R-NY) introduced a bill to enhance the nation’s readiness to prepare for and respond to public safety and national security threats – including pandemics. Their bill -- the Analyzing Disaster Vulnerabilities and Applicable National... Read More »
TSA report shows dramatic changes in checkpoint operations due to COVID-19 pandemic
A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) report assessing the 2020 calendar year detailed the implementation of modifications across more than 440 federalized airports nationwide amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020, the agency screened a total of approximately 324... Read More »