Threats
CEPI, SK bioscience collaboration seeks to address rapid Disease X response
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and SK bioscience personnel are touting a collaboration to facilitate rapid response to unknown pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential or Disease X. The partnership agreement, in which CEPI is slated to provide up to $40 million in... Read More »
Justice Department charges 13 for allegedly working with China to exert influence in U.S.
Across three cases, the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the District of New Jersey charged 13 individuals with conspiracy, obstruction, and attempts to aid the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in exerting influence in-country. According to unsealed... Read More »
Sens. Portman, Klobuchar urge Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act implementation
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) recently forwarded correspondence to the Biden administration, encouraging the implementation of the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP Act) to address increased illegal opioids entering the country. The senators... Read More »
PAWS Act signed into law, bringing greater attention to animals during natural disasters
In the wake of the passage of his Planning for Animal Wellness (PAW) Act earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) toured the American Red Cross at its Lansing, Mich., chapter this week to highlight community efforts to help them – and their pets – recover from natural... Read More »
Lockheed Martin, Red Hat tout military mission AI initiatives
Aerospace company Lockheed Martin and software firm Red Hat personnel have detailed a collaboration they said seeks to advance artificial intelligence (AI) innovation regarding military missions. Red Hat Device Edge would enable Lockheed Martin to support national security missions by applying... Read More »
New York State, New York City announce police and mental health efforts to address transit crime
A series of expanded initiatives for the New York City subways were announced last week as part of a joint effort between the State of New York and New York City to crack down on transit crime through traditional law enforcement means and community psychiatric care. This will equate to a massive... Read More »
Latest Border Protection figures show rising would-be immigrant encounters, but from changing points of origin
The September operational statistics from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reveal a dramatically changing landscape, showcasing significantly increased migrant encounters. Individual encounters reached 182,704 in September, a 15 percent increase over the previous month. Only 55,068... Read More »
More than two dozen House members push for details, and change, surrounding U.S. gun tracing backlog
A collection of 25 House members wrote to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) Director Steve Dettelbach asking for details on the agency’s gun tracing backlog and stating that a gun lobby-backed 1986 law needs to change. Led by U.S. Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Bill Pascrell, Jr.... Read More »
Legislators support firearms, ammunitions businesses Merchant Category Code
A group of lawmakers recently commended three credit card companies for creating a new Merchant Category Code (MCC) for firearms and ammunition businesses. House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Mike Thompson (D-CA) and U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) spearheaded an effort by 118 members... Read More »
CISA virtual forum seeks to address school safety, security
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently announced that it will host its first virtual National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security on Nov. 1-3, 2022. “I’m thrilled that CISA is hosting the National Summit on K-12 School Safety for a critical dialogue on... Read More »
Bicameral Gang Activity Reporting Act seeks greater reporting on gang-related crime
In an effort to gather more information for lawmakers and law enforcement on gang-related crimes, federal lawmakers introduced the Gang Activity Reporting Act last week to both the House and Senate. "Increased crime and gang activity across the country is making us all less safe," said U.S. Rep.... Read More »
Reps. Thompson, Cicilline, Espaillat lead effort seeking ghost gun enforcement actions
U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) have joined 135 colleagues in forwarding correspondence they said encourages strong enforcement actions against ghost guns. The legislators sent letters to President Joe Biden, U.S. Attorney General Merrick... Read More »
Pacific Northwest National Lab warns climate change to bring worse hurricanes
As devastating as hurricanes have ever been to coastal communities, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) sounded the alarm through a new study this week, claiming that climate change will bring faster, wetter, stronger storms to come up and down the Atlantic Coast and beyond. In a... Read More »
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 »