Threats
Measure targets domestic Saudi Arabia arms sales prohibition
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) recently introduced legislation prohibiting domestic arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The measure stems from Saudi Arabia's agreement with Russia to cut oil production at last week’s OPEC+ meeting, lending support to Russia in its... Read More »
House Homeland Security Fentanyl Enforcement Act proposed to expand DHS authorities to combat fentanyl
As the drug fentanyl continues to surge into the United States, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and six other Republicans added to a parallel surge of affiliated legislation to combat it last week with the introduction of the Homeland Security Fentanyl Enforcement Act (HR 9093). The new bill would... Read More »
Republican congressmen propose designating fentanyl weapon of mass destruction
Through the introduction last week of the Stop Our Scourge Act of 2022, H.R. 9162, U.S. Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) sought to chart a new course for illicit fentanyl, designating the drug as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) on par with nuclear and chemical... Read More »
BARDA extends partnership with ASELL in development push for radiation exposure diagnostic
Radiation is a deadly force for mankind, and quick treatment can make all the difference – something the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has firmly in mind in its latest funding partnership with ASELL. Together, the pair seek to create three tools for initial... Read More »
BARDA, DIazyme Laboratories developing rapid test to measure neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies
Through a new partnership with Diazyme Laboratories, Inc., the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) announced this week that efforts are underway to develop a fast, high-throughput, fully automated test to detect SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. The focus is on... Read More »
IARPA initiates research on ionizing radiation exposure detection
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) recently initiated a multi-year research endeavor targeting new low-dose ionizing radiation exposure detection methods. Through the Targeted Evaluation of Ionizing Radiation Exposure (TEI-REX) program, IARPA is pursuing new... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster cybersecurity education
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX) introduced the Cybersecurity Clinics Grant Program Act, legislation that would fund higher education-based cybersecurity at community colleges and minority-serving institutions. The bill would create a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant program while also... Read More »
HBCU Caucus urges FBI, DOJ to protect schools from bomb threats
America has faced a surge in hate crimes over recent years, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have been among the threatened, with at least 57 bomb threats made this year alone – and now, the HBCU Caucus in Congress is urging federal action. In a letter to Department of... Read More »
HHS purchases drug for radiological and nuclear health emergencies
A new deal with Amgen USA Inc., under the authority provided by the Project BioShield Act, saw the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) purchase a $290 million supply of the drug Nplate this week, for use during radiological and nuclear emergencies. Nplate is a... Read More »
Pennsylvania offers $5M in support for security at nonprofits targeted by hate crimes
Responding to an uptick in hate crimes that have plagued the United States for years, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced this week that $5 million would fund security enhancement projects for nonprofits targeted by such crimes in the Commonwealth. “Hate has no place here in Pennsylvania,”... Read More »
HHS revises PREP Act declaration to increase number of people able to administer monkeypox vaccines
In order to expand the number of providers able to administer vaccines against monkeypox, smallpox, and other orthopoxviruses, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week amended its declaration of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act. HHS Secretary... Read More »
CISA highlights cybersecurity awareness initiatives
Amid October being designated Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials said the agency is highlighting actions Americans can take to raise the baseline for cybersecurity nationwide. President Joe Biden's recent signing of a proclamation... Read More »
Boeing outlines Hurricane Ian recovery, relief donation
Global aerospace company Boeing said the firm has committed $2 million to aid Hurricane Ian ground disaster recovery and relief initiatives. "The destruction left behind in the wake of Hurricane Ian is devastating and heartbreaking," Boeing president and CEO David Calhoun said. "Our thoughts go... Read More »
CBP, Dominican Republic sign Global Entry Agreement
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are espousing the benefits of the agency's recently signed agreement initiating negotiations to include the Dominican Republic among Global Entry foreign partner countries. Authorities indicated CBP Deputy Commissioner Troy Miller and Dominican... Read More »
Bipartisan dozen in Congress urge FDA to pursue broad array of therapeutics for COVID-19 variants
In a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D. last month, 12 members of Congress pressed the regulator to guarantee a variety of therapeutics to ready the nation for further COVID-19 variants. “We urge the FDA to ensure that the availability of... Read More »
Senate advances legislation to expand FEMA preparedness capacity to assist with technological hazards
While much of what the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) deals with are natural disasters, a new bill – the Technological Hazards Preparedness and Training Act (S.4166) – advanced through the Senate last week seeks to expand its ability to address technological hazards as... Read More »
Facial Recognition Act introduced in pursuit of strong limits on law enforcement use of facial recognition technology
A group of Democratic representatives recently introduced the Facial Recognition Act of 2022 to enforce limitations and increase transparency in law enforcement's use of facial recognition technology. The lawmakers argued that a lack of transparency or reasonable limits can make such... Read More »
Lawmakers express DHS, CBP southern border concerns
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding southern border protection concerns. U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) joined nine colleagues in signing off on the letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro... Read More »
DEA details fentanyl seizure operation
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials have detailed results of a May to September 2022 enforcement operation the agency said yielded nationwide fentanyl seizures. In conjunction with the One Pill Can Kill initiative, the DEA and law enforcement partners seized more than 10.2 million... Read More »
USDOT to award $32.4M in grants for hazardous materials safety efforts among states, territories and Tribes
To improve local efforts to respond to hazardous materials incidents, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) announced this week that it will award $32.4 million in grants to states, territories, and Tribes. A total of 81 grants will be split between six different hazardous... Read More »
Bipartisan senators urge Biden to take executive action to create additional outbound investment screen
While promoting their National Critical Capabilities Defense Act (S. 1854 and H.R. 6323), a bipartisan group of U.S. senators wrote to President Joe Biden this week, urging him to take an immediate, interim executive action on outbound investments to foreign adversaries. This action, they... Read More »
Simplexa COVID-19 Direct becomes second COVID diagnostic test cleared by FDA
After being backed by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) under public-private partnerships, the office recently announced that Simplexa COVID-19 Direct became the second standalone COVID-19 diagnostic cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In so doing,... Read More »
TSA details rising security checkpoint gun intercepts
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said the agency is experiencing a nationwide trend regarding guns intercepted at airport security checkpoints. “Each gun presents a danger," TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz said. "Any incident could have tragic results. This ominous trend continues... Read More »
BADGES legislation pursues new Tribal resources to solve growing crisis of missing, murdered women
With an underreported wave of missing and murdered indigenous women continuing throughout America, Congress is starting to take notice: last week, Congressional lawmakers introduced the bicameral BADGES for Native Communities Act to acquire more resources for Tribal communities. “The federal... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Portman introduce Securing Open Source Software Act
In response to the potential exploitation of vulnerabilities in open source software, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) last week introduced the Securing Open Source Software Act to evaluate and direct how open source code could be used by the federal government. “Open... Read More »
MINES Act seeks increased scrutiny of Chinese, Russian mineral acquisition worldwide
In his introduction of the Monitoring and Investigating Nations Exploiting States (MINES) Act (H.R. 8911) this week, U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) emphasized a need to maintain and monitor access to minerals critical to the national economy or security, no matter their origin. Earlier this year,... Read More »
Hurricane Fiona leads to Public Health Emergency in Puerto Rico
After the Category 1 Hurricane Fiona slammed Puerto Rico, the devastation led to President Joe Biden declaring a disaster across the island this week, followed shortly by a Public Health Emergency from Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra due to flooding. Even as Federal Emergency... Read More »
Bill seeks to clarify, strengthen violent crime laws
A group of lawmakers recently introduced a bill that seeks to clarify and strengthen violent crime laws involving homicide, bank robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and other offenses. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) recently joined U.S. Reps. Ken Buck (R-CO), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Scott Fitzgerald... Read More »
Rep. Higgins advocates elimination of U.S.-Canada border restrictions
U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins is calling on the United States to end COVID-related restrictions at the U.S. border with Canada. Higgins, co-chair of the Canada-US Interparliamentary Group and the Congressional Northern Border Caucus, forwarded correspondence to Department of Homeland Security (DHS)... Read More »
Redacted Senate Intelligence Committee report highlights China, Russia and more as foreign intelligence threats
A new Senate Intelligence Committee report built on two years of research identified numerous threats to American security and called for reforms. Redacted and released by Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL), the bipartisan report concluded, among other things, that... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Grassley target lobbyists, foreign influence on U.S. policy in latest legislation
Worried about undisclosed foreign influence on United States policy, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act this week to crack down on lobbyist and political party exploitation of a Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA)... Read More »
Air Force outlines B-21 Raider aircraft reveal
The U.S. Air Force announced plans to reveal the B-21 Raider in December during an unveiling ceremony hosted and sponsored by the Northrop Grumman Corporation. The ceremony at Northrop Grumman's production facilities in Palmdale, Calif., in the first week of December, will highlight the stealth... Read More »
TSA, American Association of Airport Executives offer virtual training course on insider threats
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) recently developed and released a new virtual insider threat training course for badged employees at airports nationwide. The training is meant to help these aviation workers recognize and... Read More »
Legislation targets increased support for local fire departments
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) recently introduced the Fire Grants and Safety Act, which seeks to bolster nationwide federal support for local fire departments. Specifically, the legislation reauthorizes Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant programs local fire... Read More »