Threats
Sens. Feinstein, Padilla, Booker request more information on Justice Department’s prioritization of hate crime investigations
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) recently forwarded correspondence to Attorney General Merrick Garland, seeking more details regarding Justice Department hate crime investigative efforts. "Hate crimes are on the rise across the country," the... Read More »
Alaska legislators announce supply chain, border security funding
U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-AK) are touting a $187 million funding allotment that would bolster the supply chain and border security. The legislators lauded the funds garnered from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It would... Read More »
DHS to launch fourth Hacking for Homeland Security program course
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently announced that the fourth Hacking for Homeland Security (H4HS) program course is slated for Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). The course would be offered during the Spring 2022 semester at the Heinz... Read More »
WHO publishes first-ever malaria vaccine recommendation following guidelines update
In the most recent update to its malaria guidelines, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that the vaccine RTS,S/AS01 be used to prevent P. falciparum malaria among children living in areas of moderate to high transmission. This represents the first time a vaccine for malaria was... Read More »
House considers Ukrainian Protection Act that would temporarily block deportation of Ukrainians in U.S.
A mix of Democrats and Republicans collectively introduced the Ukrainian Protection Act of 2022 (H.R. 6892) to the House last week, proposing to grant Ukrainians currently in the United States a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and barring their deportation during the war with Russia. Current... Read More »
DHS outlines Israeli security agreements
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has established security agreements with the Government of Israel and private sector partners to collaborate on varied joint security issues. “DHS is proud to continue to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the United States and Israel... Read More »
SIGA Technologies launches clinical trials for oral TPOXX as post-exposure prophylactic
Efforts are underway to study the possibilities of oral smallpox treatment TPOXX as a post-exposure prophylactic (PEP), with the announcement of clinical trials by SIGA Technologies, Inc. last week. These trials will support a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label expansion for the drug,... Read More »
NIH opens multiple health technologies to potential licensing through Medicines Patent Pool
The primary goal of the international COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) to facilitate access to COVID-19 health products received a major boost last week with an offer from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) for several related technologies. These offers would allow potential... Read More »
Sens. Ernst, Warnock seek more training sought for dog-based animal disease detection
Triggered by a new case of avian flu in Iowa and cases of African Swine Fever in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) have introduced legislation to streamline funding for dogs used to detect animal diseases on cargo. The National Detector Dog... Read More »
Lawmakers tout advanced homeland security bills
Homeland Security Republicans are espousing the benefits of advancing five House Committee on Homeland Security bills they said are designed to bolster homeland security. The Securing the Checkpoint Property Screening System (H.R. 6827) authorizes appropriations for the full requirement of... Read More »
Senate advances legislation to strengthen cybersecurity, protect critical infrastructure
A new legislative package from U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) advanced through the Senate this week, setting up the House to consider revamps to public and private sector cybersecurity and the lingering question of governmental adoption of cloud technology. The... Read More »
Bipartisan push creates House Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act to get military equipment overseas
Faced with the ongoing, globally denounced Russian military invasion of Ukraine, a bipartisan collection of House lawmakers this week introduced the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 – legislation that would make it easier to ship military equipment for Ukraine’s use. The bill... Read More »
Measure targets social media platform illegal activities
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) is espousing the benefits of a measure he introduced, which seeks to aid law enforcement and Big Tech in combating illegal activities on social media platforms. The Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee recently conducted a hearing in which Bilirakis'... Read More »
Bechtel-led team begins final chemical stockpile destruction effort at Pueblo Army depot
The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) team, led by engineering company Bechtel, began eradicating its final round of mustard agent weapons this week at a facility in Pueblo, Colo. “Safe elimination of the Pueblo stockpile helps the U.S. government meet its international... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster municipal, school cybersecurity efforts
U.S. Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) has joined colleagues in introducing a bill he said seeks to award grants to states, local governments, and educational institutions for cybersecurity curriculum and tools. Under the Director of the Cybersecurity Grants For Schools Act of 2022 (H.R. 6868),... Read More »
Anti-Defamation League launches machine-learning driven Online Hate Index to locate antisemitic content on social media
Social media has always struggled with the question of how to deal with hate speech, but a new Online Hate Index launched by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) this week showcased the full extent of the failure to confront it. According to the ADL, this machine-learning system combs hate... Read More »
Rep. Krishnamoorthi seeks to use COVID-19 aid as counter to Russian and Chinese influence worldwide
Reckoning with a world still navigating a pandemic and the changing diplomatic realities a war in Ukraine has wrought, United States Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) this week called for increased COVID-19 aid abroad to counter Russian and Chinese influence. “As Russian tanks roll into Ukraine... Read More »
Bill seeks bolstered small business cybersecurity
A group of lawmakers recently introduced a bill seeking to bolster small business cybersecurity efforts in the wake of potential Russian cyberattacks stemming from the Ukrainian invasion. U.S. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), and Joe Morelle (D-NY)... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Peters leads collective call to bolster funding for border security, drug detection
Five senators, led by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), are urging Senate leadership to support additional funding for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts to boost security at U.S. ports of entry and improve its ability to detect and seize drugs. Peters, chairman of the Homeland Security... Read More »
Measure seeks to end northern border mandates
U.S. Rep. Chris Jacobs (R-NY) has introduced the Northern Border Reopening Act, which urges the Biden administration to end COVID-19 mandates for Canadians crossing the U.S. northern border. “Vaccine mandates being imposed upon our truckers, workers in other essential industries, families, and... Read More »
House No Surprises for COVID-19 Tests Act would extend free COVID-19 testing beyond emergency
U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Robert Scott (D-VA) introduced the No Surprises for COVID-19 Tests Act last week to close legislative loopholes and extend free COVID-19 testing. COVID-19 tests were meant to be free and widely available as a result of the CARES Act, but some companies... Read More »
New HHS report touts medical supply chain, industrial base gains over past year
The beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic were a fraught time for the medical supply chain, but a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notes that significant gains were made by the United States health supply chain and industrial base over the last year. “The... Read More »
Rep. Buchanan hosts roundtable on crime, law enforcement threats
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) recently hosted a roundtable discussion with law enforcement personnel, which examined the overall crime uptick nationally and increased threats to first responders. The session with law enforcement personnel from Florida’s 16th District advocated for the... Read More »
Coast Guard vessel offloads over $1B in illegal narcotics
Coast Guard Cutter James recently offloaded over $1.06 billion in illegal narcotics. Coast Guard Cutter James offloaded 54,500 pounds of cocaine and 15,800 pounds of marijuana, at Port Everglades, Fla., on Feb. 17, 2022. During their 90-day patrol, the crew set new marks for the largest single... Read More »
BARDA extends partnerships with GSK, Sanofi and Seqirus to broaden influenza response
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will continue long-standing partnerships with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Sanofi, and Seqirus to build up medical countermeasures to influenza pandemics and other public health emergencies. For years, these partnerships and other... Read More »
Three men convicted of conspiring to provide material support to plot U.S. power grid attacks
Three men pleaded guilty this week after seeking to provide material support to domestic terrorists in an attempt to destroy energy facilities throughout the United States. These charges were handed out to Christopher Brenner Cook, 20, of Columbus, Ohio; Jonathan Allen Frost, 24, of West... Read More »
Sanofi, GSK press forward with regulatory authorization request for COVID-19 vaccine
With test data showing their COVID-19 vaccine’s capabilities to fight COVI-19 in regular or booster form, Sanofi and GSK announced this week that they intend to submit data as the foundation of regulatory authorization requests. The Sanofi-GSK offering is a refrigerator temperature-stable,... Read More »
Bipartisan legislators address congressional authority regarding Russia-Ukraine conflict
A group of lawmakers is encouraging President Joe Biden to gain authorization from Congress before involving domestic armed forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Warren Davidson (R-OH) joined 43 colleagues in signing off on the letter, which seeks the... Read More »
NTI, MSC initiate biological threat elimination exercise
Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and Munich Security Conference (MSC) personnel are espousing the benefits of a recently convened tabletop exercise to reduce high-consequence biological threats. The effort involved uniting senior leaders from across government, industry, and civil society to... Read More »
Moderna launches Phase 3 trial for mRNA RSV vaccine candidate
Following an endorsement from the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board this week, Moderna, Inc. officially began the third phase of trials for its mRNA Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSC) vaccine candidate this week. The safety greenlight was based on preliminary Phase 2 safety and... Read More »
DHS S&T, Israeli partners seek advanced technology proposals
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Israel – U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Homeland Security (HLS) program indicated they are seeking advanced technology project proposals. The 2022 Call for Proposals focuses on mission-critical homeland... Read More »
New York to form, host Joint Security Operations Center for local, state and federal cybersecurity efforts
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the creation of a Joint Security Operations Center (JSOC) in Brooklyn that will provide data sharing and cyber coordination for local, state, and federal cybersecurity efforts. It is the first such cyber command center in the nation, and the partners involved... Read More »
Secret Service initiates cryptocurrency public awareness hub
The U.S. Secret Service said it has initiated a cryptocurrency public awareness hub to protect the national financial infrastructure. “Blockchain technology has brought massive development to many sectors, especially within finance," Secret Service Office of Investigations Assistant Director... Read More »
Memphis CBP personnel detail drug seizure efforts
Memphis, Tennessee, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel said the division has seized 2,509 pounds of drugs since the beginning of this fiscal year. China, Mexico, and Brazil are among the countries of origin for the contraband, which includes fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, ketamine, DMT,... Read More »