Threats
Measure eyes bolstered firefighting technology
U.S. Reps. David G. Valadao (R-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Mark Amodei (R-NV), John Curtis (R-UT) and Doug Lamborn (R-CO) recently introduced the Emergency Wildfire Fighting Technology Act, which would bolster firefighting technology initiatives. The... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee advances five bills on cybersecurity, drones and more
The House Homeland Security Committee took up a slew of bills this week, advancing five to the larger House’s consideration on cybersecurity, Chinese drones, approaches to weapons of mass destruction and support for first responders. These bills included the Securing Open Source Software Act... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Durbin tout bill targeting immediate southern border needs
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Dick Durbin have joined eight colleagues to introduce a bill that focuses on addressing immediate southern border needs. The Border Management, Security, and Assistance Act of 2023 would strengthens border security, establish consequences for unlawful entry,... Read More »
AI training program for federal workforce leadership proposed in Senate
A day ahead of testimony by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman before Congress on the concerns and possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI), U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced legislation to create an AI-based training program for federal managers. While Altman would go on to... Read More »
Measure eyes printed circuit board production, bolstered supply chain security
U.S. Reps. Blake Moore (R-UT) and Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) have reintroduced legislation they maintain would enhance domestic printed circuit board (PCB) production while strengthening supply chain security. Moore and Eshoo recently detailed the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act,... Read More »
Agencies tout school safety reporting programs resource
Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) personnel are espousing the benefits of a new resource to aid school safety reporting programs. The K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit supports kindergarten through grade 12... Read More »
China’s role in opioid trafficking under scrutiny in Congressional letter to State Department
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) urged the Department of State to take steps to hold China accountable for the precursor chemicals used by Mexican drug cartels in the manufacture of synthetic opioids. The pair proposed... Read More »
Anti-money laundering bill targets fentanyl trafficking
U.S. Reps. Young Kim (R-CA), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Andy Barr (R-KY) and Zach Nunn (R-IA) recently introduced the Stop Fentanyl Money Laundering Act, which targets money laundering within the fentanyl trafficking trade. “We cannot allow foreign drug manufacturers, money launderers, and... Read More »
Lawmakers urge implementation of TikTok national security finding
U.S. Reps. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Tim Scott (R-SC) are urging President Joe Biden to implement a national security finding determining TikTok’s operations pose a national security risk to the United States. Officials noted in correspondence to Biden, McHenry, House Financial Services... Read More »
Bipartisan Cyberspace Solarium Commission urges White House nomination to fill National Cyber Director position
Although the position was created in 2021, the co-chairs of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC) last week expressed extreme concern about the currently vacant National Cyber Director role, and urged President Joe Biden to nominate someone for the job soon. The Office of the National Cyber... Read More »
House panel advances Beagle Brigade Act
Bipartisan legislators are commending the House Agriculture Committee's advancement of the Beagle Brigade Act (H.R. 1480), which authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Detector Dog Training Center. U.S. Reps. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Dan Kildee... Read More »
Measure seeks to bolster defense-centric small business investment
U.S. Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Pat Fallon (R-TX), and Rob Wittman (R-VA) recently reintroduced the Investing in American Defense Technologies Act, which targets defense-centric small business investment. The legislation creates a federal public-private partnership to scale, support and... Read More »
DHS, DOJ detail lawful immigration pathways guidance
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the finalization of a new rule further incentivizing individuals to use lawful and orderly pathways to enter the United States. “This Administration has led the largest expansion of legal pathways for... Read More »
Lawmakers seek suspected terrorist southern border encounter insight
U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has joined six North Carolina colleagues in forwarding correspondence to Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol officials regarding southern border suspected terrorist encounters. "The chaos at our southern border has created a humanitarian... Read More »
DHS eyes bolstered portable drug detection system capabilities
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is seeking methods to bolster portable drug detection system capabilities. DHS personnel indicated the agency is collaborating with the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to... Read More »
Operation Long Mile: one year, thousands of investigations and millions of drugs seized from Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported the results of its year-long Operation Last Mile this week, touting millions of fentanyl pills and pounds of fentanyl power, methamphetamine, firearms and cash seized, alongside thousands of arrests made. Operation Last Mile was a targeted... Read More »
Northrop Grumman finishes fifth successful test of U.S. Navy’s anti-radiation guided missile
In the fifth consecutive test of the U.S. Navy’s AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range (AARGM-ER) this week, Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully detected, identified, located, and engaged a land-based emitter target. “AARGM-ER provides the Navy with a... Read More »
Maine Border Patrol turns to public for help combating human smuggling activity
While noting four separate successes against human smuggling in the past two weeks, the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) in Maine recently called on the general public for help to stop further illicit border activities. Despite a vast border area, USBP contended that it simply lacks the manpower to... Read More »
Legislation seeks to reduce student opioid deaths
U.S. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Dean Phillips (D-MN) are espousing the benefits of the recently introduced School Access to Naloxone Act - maintaining the bill would reduce student opioid overdose deaths. “The number of young Americans dying due to an overdose doubled in 2020, underscoring... Read More »
USDOT seeks revamp of aging pipeline leak standards to decrease dangers, increase efficiency nationwide
Eying ways to increase national safety alongside emissions reduction efforts, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) last week released details of a planned overhaul to pipeline leak detection and repair standards. “We are proposing a long-overdue modernization of the way we identify... Read More »
Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act fuel $63M investments into fuel breaks
As part of efforts to invest in America, made through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest $63 million in wildfire barriers, or fuel breaks, to slow wildfires and protect firefighters. “For... Read More »
Bipartisan legislation reintroduced to strengthen public-private partnerships with DHS to detect illicit drugs
In a bid to improve Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detection and interdiction capabilities for illicit drugs and their precursor chemicals, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) reintroduced the Enhancing DHS Drug Seizures Act last week. Although the legislation was... Read More »
Justice Department details Operation SpecTor results
Justice Department officials have detailed the results of Operation SpecTor - described by authorities as a globally coordinated effort spanning three continents to disrupt dark web fentanyl and opioid trafficking. “Operation SpecTor was a coordinated international law enforcement effort,... Read More »
Legislation introduced to reauthorize funding for Project Safe Neighborhoods program
A group of lawmakers recently introduced the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act, which would reauthorize funding for the nationwide law enforcement program. U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Thom Tillis... Read More »
New House legislation seeks mental health task force to recommend strategy for U.S. military issues
Under the Servicemembers Mental Health Improvement Act (H.R. 3011) introduced this week, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) could be required to create a mental health task force to recommend a path of address for issues facing the U.S. military. Between 2016 and 2020, the DoD reported... Read More »
Center for Health Security recommends adequately funded, authorized and targeted CDC in response to Congressional reformation queries
Following up on a request for information (RFI) from U.S. Rep. Marionette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), in which she pushed for changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security delivered a proposal for a well-funded, appropriately authorized and... Read More »
Rep. Clarke introduces legislation to ensure DHS climate change preparedness
U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) has joined colleagues to introduce the Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act (H.R. 2924), which ensures the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is prepared to address climate change impacts. U.S. Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS),... Read More »
Measure seeks to enhance hazardous weather forecasting
A group of lawmakers recently reintroduced legislation seeking to improve hazardous weather forecasting that includes tornadoes. U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) recently joined seven colleagues in detailing the Tornado Observation Research Notification and Deployment to... Read More »
U.S. Chamber of Commerce gathers more than 430 business groups for LIBERTY campaign on border security, immigration
Citing recent polling that placed Republican and Democrat voters in support of strengthened border security policies and easier paths for immigration, the United States Chamber of Commerce and more than 430 business groups this week formed the LIBERTY Campaign to push for reform at the national... Read More »
Securing America’s Ports of Entry Act reintroduced in bipartisan push to address staffing shortages
A second attempt at legislation, introduced to the Senate last week, would compel the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire at least 600 additional officers per year until its staffing needs are filled. The Securing America’s Ports of Entry Act was proposed by U.S. Sens. Gary... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee votes Border Reinforcement Act forward
Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee achieved a major goal last week when they advanced the Border Reinforcement Act of 2023 (H.R. 2794) out of committee and to the House floor to revamp border security and stymie Biden administration changes. “This legislation takes a targeted... Read More »
DHS initiative seeks enhanced software supply chain
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently announced seven awards stemming from an innovative technologies topic call will enhance software supply chain visibility tools. S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) issued the... Read More »
Reintroduction of MADE in America Act pushes for domestic drug manufacturing
Looking to loosen the grip of foreign nations on the pharmaceutical supply chain and favor domestic manufacturing instead, a dozen Republican representatives reintroduced the Manufacturing API, Drugs, and Excipients (MADE) in America Act last week. “The success of United States supply chain... Read More »
Reps. Garbarino, Swalwell seek insight on CISA program office goals
U.S. Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) recently requested details regarding the new Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) program office goals. Garbarino, chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection, and Swalwell, ranking... Read More »