Threats
Merck, Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute to develop two tuberculosis antibiotics
Through a new licensing agreement between Merck and the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, two preclinical antibacterial candidates will be developed and evaluated for potential use in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). “Tuberculosis is one of the world’s most significant... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Portman tout passage of legislation strengthening federal workforce AI insight
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) are espousing the benefits of the recent enactment of their legislation that bolsters the federal workforce’s understanding of artificial intelligence (AI). The Artificial Intelligence Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act would aid in... Read More »
Rep. Katko releases CISA fact sheet to pitch forward path for American cybersecurity
Released this week by U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY), ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) 2025 fact sheet outlined his view of a roadmap for the agency’s growth over the next three years. Since its founding in 2018,... Read More »
DHS S&T initiates new baggage screening system
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently announced the benefits of a new, compact carry-on baggage screening system to aid smaller airports. The Reduced Form Factor-Computed Tomography (RFF-CT) system is presently being deployed at Harry... Read More »
Homeland Security Investigations launches Operation Boiling Point to target organized theft
A new effort to crackdown on organized retail crime put domestic and transnational criminal organizations in the crosshairs of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) this week, with the beginning of Operation Boiling Point. Working alongside industry partners, as well as federal, state, and... Read More »
Delaware to invest nearly $1M into security enhancements for public and charter schools
All 19 of Delaware’s public school districts and charter schools will benefit from a nearly $1 million investment effort from the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) to improve school mapping, threat assessment and reporting applications. These efforts are meant to strengthen school... Read More »
Bill designates New York, Texas airports as ports of entry
A pair of lawmakers have introduced a measure they said seeks to designate New York's Plattsburgh International Airport and Valley International Airport in Texas as Ports of Entry (POE). Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Mayra Flores (R-TX) recently introduced the Border Airport Enhancement Act,... Read More »
House committee leaders introduce bill to encourage international tribunal in support of Ukraine
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine still raging on, a collection of House chairs, co-chairs and ranking members introduced non-binding legislation last week meant to encourage President Joe Biden to support the creation of an international tribunal to punish crimes undertaken against Ukraine.... Read More »
Drug Enforcement Administration details New York fentanyl, weapons seizure
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently outlined a New York fentanyl and weapons seizure. DEA personnel and Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York officials noted the seizure resulted in the confiscation of 300,000 rainbow fentanyl pills, 20 pounds... Read More »
Congressional scrutiny of social media company moderation grows in wake of U.S. shootings
Although the Internet was, at one time, deemed to be one of the last frontiers, its uses have changed and multiplied exponentially over the years – and now, a collection of 13 members of Congress have written social media companies asking for evidence of response to violent threats and harmful... Read More »
BARDA, BioFire Defense partner on new molecular panel to test human coronaviruses
A new partnership united BioFire Defense, LLC, and the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) last week under a contract to develop a pan-coronavirus test panel for known, novel, and emerging human coronaviruses. This panel, known as the BioFire Emerging CoV Panel,... Read More »
NIAID partners with Democratic Republic of the Congo for new trial of monkeypox antiviral TPOXX
Together, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) and the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are co-leading an evaluation trial of TPOXX, an antiviral drug for monkeypox. With this year’s worldwide... Read More »
DHS, Mexico lay out new migration enforcement paths for Venezuelan immigrants
Effective immediately, Venezuelans who enter U.S. ports of entry without authorization will be deported to Mexico, according to new enforcement rules laid out by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security this week. The announcement came alongside declarations of new agreements between DHS and its... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security outlines H-2B Cap supplement initiative
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced efforts to issue a regulation making an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for fiscal year (FY) 2023. The effort is focused on providing a supplemented number of visas to employers in... Read More »
DHS S&T details fifth Hacking for Homeland Security course
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently initiated its fifth Hacking for Homeland Security (H4HS) program. “We’re excited to provide this unique opportunity for students who’ll bring fresh ideas to real-world government problems,”... Read More »
U.S. Rep. Banks, 20 Republican lawmakers urge federal action against Chinese police on American soil
Following reports that the Chinese Communist Party was actively opening and utilizing overseas police departments, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), with an additional 20 Republican lawmakers, penned a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding... Read More »
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 »