Threats
EBOV-based experimental Sudan virus vaccine shows promise among macaques
In use on macaques, at least, an experimental Sudan virus (SUDV) vaccine created by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research group recently provided complete protection against a lethal case of SUDV. According to findings published in The Lancet Microbe, the vaccine candidate – VSV-SUDV... Read More »
CBP proposed guidance eyes bolstered aviation security
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a proposal to enhance international air travel security for commercial flight travelers to and from the United States. The published Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) addresses the expansion of existing advance data requirements via... Read More »
Reps. Comer, Lucas seek communications regarding DOE National Laboratories targeted by Russian hacking team
U.S. Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Frank Lucas (R-OK) recently forwarded correspondence to the Department of Energy (DOE) requesting documents and communications regarding three DOE National Laboratories targeted by a Russian hacking team last year. Comer, chairman of the House Committee on... Read More »
GAO, Rep. Clarke call for greater implementation of federal cybersecurity efforts
Although the majority – nearly 79 percent – of recommendations related to federal cybersecurity called for by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2010 have been implemented, major room for improvement remains, and this week, U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY) added her voice to the... Read More »
Air Force to conduct next BRAVO hackathon in March to develop prototypes
The United States Department of the Air Force will conduct a BRAVO hackathon from March 20-24, 2023, as a way for American citizens to help it innovate using open-source software and data otherwise unapproved for production with classified or protected data. This event will take place at... Read More »
Legislation seeks to enable ATF to electronically search gun sale records
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) recently introduced the Crime Gun Tracing Modernization Act, which would enable the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to electronically search gun sale records following a crime committed with a... Read More »
DHS to implement victim-centered approach into policies for human trafficking
According to the second annual report from the Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT), a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 2022 brought implementation plans for a new victim-centered approach at the agency, along with hundreds of victims aided and thousands of... Read More »
Bipartisan Senate push yields Wildfire Emergency Act to address western wildfires
Seeking to increase preparedness for wildfires and reduce the risks they pose, a bipartisan group of senators this week introduced the Wildfire Emergency Act, using it to push for funding, new programs, and greater firefighter training efforts. “Wildfires throughout Western states,... Read More »
Bill targets bolstered student, educator human trafficking insight
U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) recently introduced legislation that seeks to educate students and teachers regarding human trafficking. The Human Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Training Act would establish a grant program within the Office of... Read More »
DARPA details FSHARP blood equivalent initiative
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials are espousing the benefits of its Fieldable Solutions for Hemorrhage with bio-Artificial Resuscitation Products (FSHARP) program, which addresses blood supply shortages. “When blood donations decline – as we have seen during the... Read More »
Marburg vaccine candidate deemed safe and effective in small, first-in-human study
According to results published in The Lancet this week, a Phase 1, first-in-human test of an experimental Marburg virus vaccine developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), good safety profiles and an active immune response brought hope for the candidate’s... Read More »
Rep. Feenstra introduces legislation addressing farmland foreign threats
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) recently touted the benefits of the newly introduced Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act, which offers supply chains and family farms foreign threats protections. “American farmland belongs to American farmers – period,” said Feenstra, who helped... Read More »
Citizenship and Immigration Services leadership detail new strategic plan
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials said the agency's newly released FY 2023-2026 Strategic Plan targets strengthened capabilities and aids the nation in attaining its highest ideals. “The work of USCIS makes the possibility of America a reality for immigrants from... Read More »
Legislation seeks to strengthen wildfire detection initiatives
U.S. Reps. Mike Garcia (R-CA), Young Kim (R-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), and Judy Chu (D-CA) recently introduced the Fire Information and Reaction Enhancement (FIRE) Act, which seeks to enhance wildfire detection efforts. Specifically, the legislation would enable the National Oceanic and... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Green, Bishop urge TSA for answers on No-Fly List hack
Fallout continues for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) over the hack and release of data from its official No-Fly List earlier this month, as U.S. Reps. Mark Green (R-TN) and Dan Bishop (R-NC) demanded answers and oversight of how this happened. Green is the chairman of the... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Peters reintroduces bill to increase scrutiny of foreign influences
The Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act was reintroduced last week by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) in a continued push to open up the Lobbying Disclosure Act and close loopholes that would increase awareness of foreign lobbying in the federal government. Peters noted that the bill... Read More »
Pacific Northwest National Lab earns FLC award for commercializing radiological materials tracking system
For successfully licensing its electronic radiological material tracker, Mobile Source Transit Security (MSTS), to private industry, a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory team was honored last week with a 2023 Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) Excellence in Technology Transfer Award. The FLC... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Hawley advocate for GAO to examine contractor, Chinese government risks
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) are urging the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the national security risks of consulting companies contracting with the U.S. government and the Chinese government. The senators also seek GAO examination of potential national... Read More »
U.S. Department of Justice dismantles Hive ransomware group
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, agents last week concluded efforts ongoing since July 2022 to infiltrate the computer networks of the Hive ransomware group, seize its decryption keys and offer them to victims targeted for more than $130 million in demands. “Last night, the Justice... Read More »
New border enforcement measures drop unlawful border crossings 97 percent in January
According to preliminary figures touted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), new measures deployed by the Biden administration have led to drastic reductions in illegal border crossings in the first month of 2023, setting January up for the lowest levels of monthly border encounters since... Read More »
Bill seeks permanent fentanyl analogues scheduling
U.S. Reps. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Bob Latta (R-OH), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) recently introduced the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act, which seeks to permanently schedule fentanyl analogues while granting researchers the ability to conduct fentanyl substance... Read More »
CISA report offers school cybersecurity threat protections
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials said a recently released report and toolkit seeks to aid K-12 schools in protecting against cybersecurity threats. CISA noted Partnering to Safeguard K-12 Organizations from Cybersecurity Threats provides insight into the current... Read More »
Democrats in renewed Senate push for Assault Weapons Ban following California shootings
This week, U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CN), and Chris Murphy (D-CN) introduced two bills to increase protections against guns nationwide following another series of mass shootings in California. Respectively, the bills proposed were the Assault Weapons Ban and the Age... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection December update showed illegal encounters up, but crossings down
In its latest operational update, covering the final month of 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) figures showed a mix of figures, with overall encounters along the border increasing even as unlawful crossings fell and migration patterns shifted overall. Large numbers of people... Read More »
GAO examines cybersecurity strategy, oversight challenges
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) noted its recent examination of comprehensive cybersecurity strategy and oversight challenges has resulted in a series of recommendations to address the concerns. The GAO has issued 335 public recommendations regarding cybersecurity and oversight since... Read More »
FBI offers $25,000 rewards for tips on attackers of reproductive health service facilities
Last week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) turned to the public for information on those responsible for a series of threats against and attacks on reproductive health service facilities nationwide – and it put up $25,000 in rewards for that information. In all, 10 incidents were... Read More »
GAO calls for greater oversight of HHS research involving pandemic-capable pathogens
As called for under the CARES Act stimulus bill of 2020, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted an investigation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) oversight practices surrounding research into pandemic pathogens and found cause for concern. While such... Read More »
Legislation seeks to establish permanent bump stock ban
U.S. Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Dan Kildee (D-MI) recently introduced the Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act, which seeks to ban bump stocks permanently. The bill stems from legal efforts to overturn the present bump stock regulatory ban. When attached to semiautomatic... Read More »
End of year government funding bill included public health measures from PREVENT Pandemics Act
As lawmakers process the passage of the government funding bill at the tail end of December 2022, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced that major portions of the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act) were included in its... Read More »
TSA details 2022 accomplishments
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had a successful year in 2022, the agency reports, and commended personnel for several accomplishments. “I am incredibly proud of our dedicated TSA employees who perform the critical task of securing our nation’s transportation systems each... Read More »
DHS launches streamlined deferred action request process to support labor investigations
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new process of deferred action requests for noncitizen workers victimized by or witnesses to the violation of labor rights, allowing them greater potential protections against exploitation. The change in process will shift more scrutiny... Read More »
Sens. Markey, Warren, Booker express concerns regarding southern border vigilante group
U.S. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) recently expressed concerns regarding increased paramilitary vigilante groups patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border. The senators forwarded correspondence to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Secretary of Homeland... Read More »
Defense Department touts research, security agreements with Japanese Ministry of defense
Department of Defense (DoD) and Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) officials are commending recently signed Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Projects (RDT&E) and Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) agreements. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Japan Minister of Defense... Read More »
CBP One mobile application adds scheduling system for border processing
As part of new methods to enhance border enforcement and expand tools for local immigration, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last week debuted a new scheduling function on the CBP One mobile application to allow appointment requests at land ports of entry. Only specific land ports... Read More »