Threats
New House legislation seeks modernization of federal efforts to tackle WMDs, pandemics
New legislation up for consideration in the U.S. House would revamp the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts on weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) by modernizing its Countering WMD office and formalizing and expanding its Office of Health Security. The Health Security and Countering... Read More »
DHS, FEMA announce selections for $1.16B climate resilience funding initiative
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced the selections for $1.16 billion in climate resilience funding through two competitive grant programs to help communities across the nation enhance climate and disaster... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster community unmanned aircraft systems protections
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) recently introduced legislation that seeks to bolster the nation’s ability to counter community threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones. The Safeguarding the Homeland from the... Read More »
Biden administration locks in millions of Moderna, Pfizer variant-specific COVID-19 vaccine boosters
For use later this year, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DoD) announced last week that they had bought 66 million doses of a Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster candidate. “We must stay vigilant in our fight against COVID-19 and continue to expand... Read More »
House advances Cicilline legislation representing first vote on assault weapons ban in nearly 30 years
In a close vote of 217-213, the House advanced the Assault Weapons Bill (H.R. 1808) last week, marking the first vote on an assault weapons ban by the full House since 1994. Originally introduced by U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), the ban advanced with support from major gun safety... Read More »
HHS to dispense additional 786,000 JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine doses nationwide
Following inspection and approval of a Bavarian Nordic manufacturing facility overseas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week that it now has access to – and plans to allocate – another 786,000 doses of the company’s JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine nationwide.... Read More »
Bill seeks to address violent crime law discrepancies
A group of Republican lawmakers recently introduced legislation that seeks to clarify and strengthen violent crime laws focusing on offenses such as homicide, bank robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping. Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) led 24 Republican colleagues in... Read More »
San Francisco declares local public health emergency over monkeypox
San Francisco declared monkeypox a local public health emergency last week as New York state designated the disease an imminent threat. In both cases, such designations will help focus preparedness and response efforts to rising cases of monkeypox. That same disease was declared a public health... Read More »
Republican legislators express ICE funding concerns
A group of Republican legislators recently forwarded correspondence to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership regarding the ICE budget shortfall and its impact. U.S. Reps. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) led U.S.... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Hawley introduce legislation to seek illicit drug plan from DHS
The newly introduced Enhancing DHS Drug Seizures Act seeks to bolster efforts by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detect and seize illicit drugs, including through the development of a plan for stronger public-private partnerships. Introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and... Read More »
FDA approves Bavarian Nordic manufacturing capabilities, frees up 786,000 more monkeypox vaccine doses
Monkeypox vaccine production is about to experience a significant surge following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval this week of a supplement to the Bavarian Nordic JYNNEOS vaccine and its fill-and-finish capabilities. Through an expedited inspection and approval process,... Read More »
United States, Ukraine expand cybersecurity collaboration
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Ukrainian State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP) recently announced an expanded cybersecurity Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC). “I am incredibly pleased to sign this MOC to deepen... Read More »
USDA launches five-year, $1B Community Wildfire Defense Grant program
Drawing on funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that $1 billion is now being offered through the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program to assist at-risk communities. “Insight and guidance from the communities most at risk for... Read More »
Report: Efforts by China to undermine U.S. Federal Reserve Banks ongoing
A new report from U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has found that China’s efforts to undermine the U.S. Federal Reserve System have been going on since at least 2013. According to the report, China’s Threat to... Read More »
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers details school safety summit
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) recently outlined the results of a recent school safety summit tailored for federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and campus law enforcement personnel. The School Safety Summit: Strategies for Prevention was conducted July 19-21, 2022,... Read More »
Congressional letters to White House mount over monkeypox response
More than 100 members of Congress, backed by more than 100 organizations, sent a letter to the Biden administration this week, urging additional funding for sexual health clinics dealing with the expanding monkeypox outbreak. Signatories of the letter, led by U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and... Read More »
Rep. Demings hosts disaster response, recovery roundtable in Orlando
U.S. Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, recently convened a roundtable in Orlando, Fla., addressing federal security and disaster response and recovery operations. The initiative allowed central Florida... Read More »
IPR Center, global partners seize $11M in illicit medicines
National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) authorities recently detailed collaboration with 94 Interpol member countries resulting in 7,800 illicit medication seizures totaling $11 million. Operation Pangea XV was conducted from June 23-30. The scope of work included... Read More »
Soligenix ricin antigen licensed to SERB Pharmaceuticals for treatment of ricin poisoning
The biopharmaceutical company Soligenix, Inc. signed a worldwide exclusive license this week guaranteeing supply of its ricin antigen to SERB Pharmaceuticals, which the latter intends to use in developing a therapeutic treatment for ricin toxin poisoning. "We are pleased to be partnering with... Read More »
Legislation seeks to increase penalties against southern border drug cartel spotters
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) recently introduced legislation to increase penalties against southern border drug cartel spotters illegally transmitting information regarding Border Patrol positions or destroying communication devices. Ernst noted the Transnational Criminal Organization Illicit... Read More »
Senators push for federal acknowledgement of and work to change inequities in vaccine access amid monkeypox outbreak
As an international monkeypox outbreak continues to grow in scope, U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and 20 colleagues last week dispatched a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calling for... Read More »
Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act introduced to Senate to improve federal security
Last week, U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced a security modernization bill known as the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act to address wide-reaching cybersecurity issues. The bill would require federal agencies to engage the most up-to-date... Read More »
CBP opens new Port of Entry at Alexandria Bay in New York
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel officially opened the new Port of Entry at Alexandria Bay on July 19, noting the project would increase efficiency and improve traffic flow. “It’s a state-of-the-art facility that greatly enhances our officers' ability to screen incoming... Read More »
Lawmakers advocate dirty bomb attack preparedness
U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, is advocating Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) preparedness for a potential domestic dirty bomb attack. Thompson recently released findings from a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report,... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Cornyn introduce Non-Intrusive Inspection Expansion Act to bolster screening at ports of entry
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Non-Intrusive Inspection Expansion Act (S. 4572) this week, seeking to improve the screening of vehicles, cargo, and overall border security at the nation’s ports of entry. Drug detection is one of the major focuses of the... Read More »
DHS creates new Office of Health Security to guide public health actions
To guide its future medical, workforce health and safety, and public health authority, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week established a new Office of Health Security. It is the result of a reorganization, which will shuffle the department’s organizational structure to a... Read More »
Bill seeks to track Iranian nuclear capabilities
U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) recently introduced legislation to monitor Iran's nuclear weapons and missile capabilities. The Iran Nuclear Weapons Capability Monitoring Act of 2022 would establish a Department of State-spearheaded task force responsible for regularly... Read More »
Senate Homeland Security committee hears of weapons of mass destruction risks, DHS security efforts
At a hearing convened by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, lawmakers heard from federal officials about the risks posed by chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological weapons, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts to counter them, and the creation of... Read More »
Gunlocks, mapping, youth employment programs among gun violence reduction initiatives in New York’s Erie County
Following a spate of shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., last summer, the Erie County Gun Violence Prevention Task Force was formed to promote gun violence reduction initiatives and engage with the community, and as of this week, it delivered its first report on the efforts and successes that... Read More »
Nuclear security amendment among provisions advanced by House’s National Defense Authorization Act
An amendment sponsored by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) to improve nuclear security advanced out of the House last week, along with others included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). "I was proud to vote for the National Defense Authorization Act, which makes major investments to... Read More »
Rep. Swalwell introduces Proactive Cyber Initiatives Act to invest in new cybersecurity methods
Worried about rapidly fixing cyber vulnerabilities in the highly digital age, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) introduced the Proactive Cyber Initiatives Act of 2022 last week to direct investment into new cybersecurity efforts and shift from responsive defensive tactics to proactive ones. The... Read More »
HHS orders 2.5 million more JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccines, makes thousands more available
As concerns about the monkeypox outbreak worldwide continued to grow, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) responded last week with an order for another 2.5 million doses of Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine to fill the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). While the... Read More »
Aegis Sciences begins testing for monkeypox in boost to U.S. testing capacity
Beginning last week, Aegis Sciences began testing for monkeypox at its laboratories in Nashville, Tenn., adding potential capacity for up to 10,000 tests per week to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) national Laboratory Response Network (LRN). To achieve this, Aegis will... Read More »
Pandemic prevention in focus with passage of National Defense Authorization Act
A major provision of the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA, or H.R. 7900) – which advanced from the House by a vote of 329-101 last week – addresses commercial wildlife markets and illegal wildlife trafficking. An amendment to the act from U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley... Read More »