Threats
Rep. Gottheimer introduces Medical and Health Accountability Act to improve medical supply transparency, counter equipment shortages
In the latest effort to get ahead of future medical equipment shortages, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) announced plans for the Medical and Health Stockpile Accountability Act last week, proposing a new tracking system and data sharing guidelines, and more. While building greater resilience... Read More »
WHO recommends baricitinib, sotrovimab for treating various stages of COVID-19
Expanding options for individuals with COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) last week recommended two additional drugs for treatment: the oral inhibitor known as baricitinib and the monoclonal antibody drug sotrovimab. Baricitinib is meant for use by those with severe or critical... Read More »
Defense Department awards contracts to purchase COVID-19 test kits
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has coordinated with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to purchase 380 million over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits. Contracts were awarded to Orlando, Florida-based Abbott Rapid Dx North America, LLC; Mountain View, California's iHealth Lab... Read More »
Russian FSB arrests members of REvil ransomware gang following attacks on U.S. infrastructure
Following requests from U.S. authorities, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested members of the REvil ransomware gang and shut their operations, which in the last few years have struck American ventures such as the Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods, and Kaseya. The Russian-based group... Read More »
Bipartisan legislators seek to prioritize halting fentanyl trafficking
A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to Congressional leadership, noting the effort seeks prioritization of efforts to stop fentanyl trafficking. U.S. Reps. Chris Pappas (D-NH) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) led 36 of their colleagues in advocating action to permanently classify... Read More »
Sens. Burr, Hickenlooper push Early Countermeasure Discovery Act to improve research detection of pathogens
U.S. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) this week introduced a bipartisan bill that would increase the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) collaboration efforts surrounding research and development of countermeasures for pathogens with pandemic potential. “Two years... Read More »
Senate advances Peters, Portman cybersecurity legislation
The Senate advanced Wednesday legislation by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-Oh), promoting stronger cybersecurity coordination between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and state and local governments. Peters and Portman, the chair and ranking member of the Homeland... Read More »
Sens. Peters, Collins seek greater registration demands for foreign manufacturers of medical products
A bipartisan proposal from U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) seeks increased transparency through stronger requirements on foreign manufacturers of medical products utilized in the U.S., increasing those needing to register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Our... Read More »
Agencies release CSA regarding infrastructure cyber threats
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials said the agency has joined a pair of government entities in releasing a Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) providing an overview of Russian cyber operations. Authorities indicated CISA joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)... Read More »
Republican COVID Act would sanction China for obstructing COVID-19 investigations
In response to the Chinese government's refusal to allow a comprehensive investigation into the origins of COVID-19, a collection of Republican senators introduced the Coronavirus Origin Validation, Investigation and Determination (COVID) Act this week. The bill seeks to authorize sanctions... Read More »
DOD awards COVID-19 antigen test kit contract for free at-home tests
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced Monday that it had awarded contracts to Atlantic Trading, LLC, of Austin, Texas and Medea, Inc., of Pleasanton, Calif., that would purchase a combined total of 27 million over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits. The contracts will support President Joe... Read More »
Sens. Merkley, Blunt seek greater biometric data collection transparency
U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) recently forwarded correspondence to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to seek greater transparency regarding biometric data collection from U.S. citizens. Merkley and Blunt are requesting more information as it relates to how CBP... Read More »
More than 40 Congressional lawmakers urge presidential action to expand equitable access to COVID-19 rapid testing
In a letter to President Joe Biden this week, a collection of more than 40 sitting members of Congress led by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) urged administration action to expand access for and increase the supply of COVID-19 rapid tests. Demanding more... Read More »
United States to purchase 600,000 additional doses of sotrovimab COVID-19 treatments
According to GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology, Inc., the United States government this week agreed to purchase another 600,000 doses of the COVID-19 antibody treatment sotrovimab, which will be distributed in this first quarter of 2022. The arrangement stems from an amendment to... Read More »
FDA shortens wait time for Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccine to five months
Amid rising breakthrough cases of COVID-19, largely fueled by the spread of the omicron variant, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week shortened the time between primary and booster vaccination with a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to five months. This revised timeline was reflected in... Read More »
Sen. Gillibrand and Reps. Higgins, Jacobs urge DHS to keep U.S.-Canada border open to vaccinated travelers
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) joined U.S. Reps. Brian Higgins (D-NY) and Chris Jacobs (R-NY) in urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to keep the U.S.-Canada border open for vaccinated individuals. Citing the economic livelihoods of New York businesses, as well as supply chain... Read More »
Sen. Rubio advocates Brazil bilateral security cooperation
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently sent correspondence to Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin advocating Brazil bilateral security cooperation expansion. Rubio indicated the effort would counter growing Chinese Communist Party influence (CCP) in the Western Hemisphere. “Brazil... Read More »
Goldbelt Security wins $51.6M DoD contract for COVID-19 antigen over-the-counter test kits
As part of President Joe Biden’s pledge to provide 500 million free at-home COVID-19 tests throughout the United States, the Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded a $51.6 million contract to Goldbelt Security, LLC for delivery of test kits. Kits will be provided over the counter at no cost... Read More »
Ransomware attack closes local government operations in Albuquerque, Los Ranchos and Tijeras
An assessment is ongoing to determine the extent and source of a ransomware attack on the New Mexico cities of Albuquerque, Los Ranchos, and Tijeras, which took affected systems offline and severed network connections, forcing most county buildings to shutter on Jan. 5. While employees continued... Read More »
ICE HSI, Blue Campaign highlight victims of human trafficking with national Wear Blue Day
Calling attention to human trafficking, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Blue Campaign announced that Jan. 11, 2022, will be Wear Blue Day and encouraged supporters to join in and speak out. “Human trafficking is one of the most... Read More »
Reps. Smith, McMorris Rodgers, Brady seek accounting of existing COVID-19 funds
Three Republican representatives recently forwarded correspondence to President Joe Biden seeking an accounting of existing COVID-19 funding in anticipation of the administration requesting additional dollars. House Budget Committee Republican Leader Jason Smith (R-MO), House Energy & Commerce... Read More »
Justice Department details Chinese national espionage plea
The U.S. Department of Justice recently reported that a Chinese national formerly residing in Chesterfield, Mo., has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit economic espionage. According to court documents, Xiang Haitao, 44, conspired to steal a trade secret from Monsanto, an... Read More »
CBP officers in South Texas Post increased seizures of cocaine, fentanyl in 2021
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at eight South Texas ports of entry seized significantly more cocaine and fentanyl in 2021, officials said Wednesday. According to CBP, officers have seized 1,066 percent more fentanyl and 98 percent more cocaine in fiscal year 2021, than in... Read More »
Log4j vulnerability prompts Senate Homeland Security Committee briefing, warnings for critical infrastructure
In response to hacker-discovered vulnerabilities in the widely used Java-based logging package Log4j, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) convened a committee briefing with top federal cybersecurity officials this week to address the issue’s mitigation. The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs... Read More »
Cue Health, BARDA partnering on development of real-time Omicron-Genotyping COVID-19 Test
While Cue Health already has a COVID-19 test on the market capable of detecting the widespread omicron variant, the organization announced that it will work with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to create a point-of-care test specifically focused on rooting out... Read More »
Sens. Portman, Rosen, Wicker request cybersecurity information from DHS, DOT
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation Tuesday asking for information on the departments’ ability to thwart cyberattacks. Portman, the ranking member of the Senate... Read More »
Rep. Meijer human trafficking legislation signed into law
U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) applauded this week the passage of his legislation, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act (H.R. 2795), which increases human trafficking indicators awareness. Additionally, the legislation, included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year... Read More »
Moniz, Nunn release statement on preventing nuclear war, arms race
Former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA) and Former Secretary of Energy under the Obama administration Ernest J. Moniz, co-founders of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, said they applaud the position of world leaders that a nuclear war “cannot be won,” in a statement Monday. The statement comes in... Read More »
Sens. Burr, Blunt request information from HHS concerning COVID-19 testing shortage
In a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, U.S. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) requested explanations for the nation’s COVID-19 testing shortages amid rising omicron variant infection cases. Specifically, they blasted the Biden... Read More »
Bipartisan amendment pushes analysis of federal government’s vaccine logistics, increased global supply
Through an amendment (H.R. 4350) to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed last week, U.S. Sens. Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) guaranteed a new federal study for the logistics of distributing COVID-19 doses abroad and ensuring vaccine... Read More »
Newly enacted measure seeks to bolster AI capabilities
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) are touting the recently signed Advancing American AI Innovation Act, which they said would bolster the nation's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The legislation signed into law in accordance with the FY 2022 National Defense... Read More »
J&J COVID-19 vaccine boosts protection against hospitalization 85 percent, even around omicron
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) released news from the South African Phase 3b Sisonke study of its COVID-19 booster vaccine, which demonstrated 85 percent effectiveness against COVID-19 induced hospitalization, even in a region dominated by the omicron variant. The results were preliminary, conducted by... Read More »
New York National Guard, NYS Department of Health partner to bolster EMT numbers
In an effort to boost the number of EMTs available to New York during any winter surges of COVID-19, a new training partnership began last week between the New York State Department of Health and the New York National Guard. While Gov. Kathy Hochul had already deployed 60 National Guard medical... Read More »
Bill advocates supply chain vulnerability research
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) recently praised the benefits of their advanced Domains Critical to Homeland Security Act, which advocates Department of Homeland Security (DHS) supply chain vulnerability research. The legislation was signed into law with the FY 2022 National... Read More »