Threats
GOP takes multi-pronged approach in demanding COVID-19 related health crackdown on Southern Border
This week yielded multiple attempts from Republican legislators to crack down on what they see as massive health concerns at the United States-Mexico border, urging COVID-19 tests for migrants, a field hearing on illegal immigration and border health protections, and increased support for... Read More »
Senate Republicans propose $50.2B budget amendment to support military infrastructure, PFAS remediation
A budget push from U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) seeks to require the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) to report reconciliation legislation of $50.2 billion for military infrastructure improvements, among other items. If accepted, their... Read More »
Senate advances legislation protecting K-12 school systems from cyberattacks
Legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Rick Scott (R-FL) that would enhance cybersecurity assistance to K-12 schools systems pass the Senate, the Congressmen announced Tuesday. The bill, the K-12... Read More »
DARPA selects three teams to develop novel therapeutics through HEALR program
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency recently selected three teams to support the Harnessing Enzymatic Activity for Lifesaving Remedies (HEALR) program. The HEALR program, which bolsters chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, and microbiology expertise to transform the field of... Read More »
New vaccine recommendation, infection study address COVID-19, pregnancy
Groups of medical experts this week proposed a standardized definition for defining and evaluating placental SARS-CoV-2 infections to optimize both clinical care and new research, as well as the pursuit of COVID-19 vaccinations for pregnant individuals. The first came from a panel of experts... Read More »
INO-4800 COVID-19 vaccine to undergo two trials for heterologous boosting in China
Regulatory approval was granted for two new clinical trials of INO-4800 in China this week, allowing its creator INOVIO and its partners Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals Suzhou Co. Ltd. and Sinovac Biotechnology to investigate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of different... Read More »
McCaul introduces legislation targeting Havana Syndrome Attacks
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced Monday that he had introduced legislation responding to sonic attacks on U.S. diplomatic personnel worldwide. Called the Havana Syndrome Attacks Response Act, the legislation seeks to protect... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster infrastructure cybersecurity
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced last week legislation designed to strengthen critical infrastructure cybersecurity and address foreign governments knowingly harboring cybercriminals. The Sanction and Stop Ransomware Act seeks to initiate critical... Read More »
CBP, cruise lines partner on facial biometrics effort
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently announced it has been working with the cruise industry to modernize the passenger arrival process via biometric facial comparison. The technology provides an extra layer of security while streamlining travel into the United States by... Read More »
NTI | bio virtual workshop showcases international effort to approach unknown biological threats
For two days at the end of July, NTI | bio organized a virtual workshop of more than 40 international participants to address the possibility of developing a new Joint Assessment Mechanism to plug gaps in global biosecurity laid bare by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Originally proposed by NTI... Read More »
Integrum Scientific, CEPI partner to create Rift Valley fever vaccine international standard
A new partnership announced last week between Integrum Scientific and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) will advance progress toward a Rift Valley fever (RVF) vaccine by developing an international antibody standard and validation of new assays. From now until September... Read More »
Biden administration commits nearly $3.5B to reduce effects of climate change
President Joe Biden approved more than $3.46 billion Thursday for Hazard Mitigation Grants to increase state’s resilience to the impacts of climate change. The investment will be available for natural hazard mitigation measures across the 59 major disaster declarations issued due to the... Read More »
BARDA DRIVe partners with US Biologic for oral flu vaccine
BARDA’s Division of Research Innovation and Ventures (DRIVe) announced Thursday that it will partner with US Biologic Inc. to develop an oral vaccine for two strains of the influenza virus. Part of BARDA DRIVe’s Beyond the Needle program, the partnership’s goal is to make vaccines and... Read More »
CISA launches Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently partnered with a group of stakeholders to initiate the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC). The endeavor to develop and implement cyber defense operations plans with federal interagency, private sector, and state, local,... Read More »
Lawmakers assess Texas law enforcement roundtable
Following a recent local law enforcement roundtable discussion in Austin, Texas, a Republican group of representatives shared their takeaways from the meeting, focusing on an increase in violent crimes and officer effectiveness. Since Austin cut its police budget by $150 million last year, the... Read More »
Valneva chikungunya vaccine produces antibodies in 98.5 percent of participants of Phase 3 trial
A Phase Three trial of Valneva SE’s chikungunya vaccine candidate, VLA1553, met with major success, according to topline results released last week that showed it induced protective neutralizing antibody titers in 98.5 percent of subjects after a single vaccination. The trial involved 4,115... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Baldwin introduces Disease X Act, seeking $2B to help BARDA with future viral preparation
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation last week that would allocate $2 billion to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). The Disease X Act would provide $2 billion over the next four years -- $500 million per year, beginning in 2022 -- for BARDA to... Read More »
Senate advances legislation designed to strengthen state, local cybersecurity coordination
Legislation re-introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), chairman and ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, had advanced in the Senate. The State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act would promote stronger cybersecurity... Read More »
House committee advances supply chain vulnerability legislation
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, are commending committee advancement of their legislation, the Domains Critical to Homeland Security Act. The legislation is designed to address... Read More »
DHS Wildland Fire Sensor Research advances
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announces the advancement of the Wildland Fire Sensor Research Program. Authorities indicated that the selection of Hamburg, Germany-based Breeze Technologies UG and N5 Sensors, Inc. of Rockville, Md.,... Read More »
INOVIO begins dosing for Phase 2 trial of MERS vaccine
Biotechnology company INOVIO dosed its first participant in a Phase 2 trial of a DNA vaccine for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). MERS, another coronavirus disease, is far deadlier than COVID-19, with a kill rate of approximately 34 percent. Fortunately, though, its transmission rate has... Read More »
REGEN-COV reduces risk of symptomatic COVID-19 infections by 81 percent in Phase 3 trial
A cocktail of casirivimab and imdevimab known as REGEN-COV, produced by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., cut the risk of symptomatic infections by 81 percent in a Phase 3 trial of more than 1,500 people, according to a new publication in the New England Journal of Medicine. Even better,... Read More »
Bill seeks to bolster border security
U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), a House Committee on Homeland Security member, has joined committee Republicans in introducing legislation they said would bolster border security. The Border Security for America Act of 2021 would require the federal government to secure the nation’s... Read More »
Coast Guard issues updated Cyber Strategic Outlook
The U.S. Coast Guard recently released an updated Cyber Strategic Outlook as a means of addressing increased maritime system cyber-attack threats against the economy and security. “The Coast Guard is taking important and necessary steps to increase safety and security where physical and cyber... Read More »
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs report reveals eight federal agencies’ cybersecurity failures
A new report released this week by United States Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) revealed glaring cybersecurity failures at eight federal agencies over the past decade, along with the inability of seven of them to comply with basic cybersecurity requirements. The Federal... Read More »
Southern border state legislators introduce bill to support public health and infectious disease efforts in border communities
Fearing for highly interdependent border communities, a bipartisan collection of U.S. representatives and senators have submitted legislation to strengthen multi-country cooperation to screen infectious diseases and support public health initiatives therein. The Border Health Security Act (H.R.... Read More »
Senate advances legislation protecting firefighters, first responders from PFAS chemicals
Bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting firefighters, first responders, and communities from exposure advanced the Senate Thursday. The Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances (PFAS) Act, co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R- Maine), co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services... Read More »
DHS S&T releases strategic plan for AI, machine learning
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) released its Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (AI/ML) Strategic Plan on Friday. The proposed plan will incorporate the technological advancements in AI/ML to enhance the efficiency and... Read More »
Sens. Portman, Peters move to create deepfake task force within DHS
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced legislation to help the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) counter the effects of deepfake technology. Deepfakes are realistic, digital manipulations of real content that depict events that did not actually occur. Their bill, the... Read More »
U.S. lawmakers urge HHS to expand domestic manufacturing, technologies for pharmaceutical stockpile
In a letter dispatched last week, five U.S. representatives called on Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to tap domestic manufacturing and new technologies to grow the national stockpile of important pharmaceuticals and reduce reliance on foreign production. Although the... Read More »
National cyber director position gains $21M addendum in Senate’s Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act
Thanks to a bipartisan effort from U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Mitt Romney (R-UT), the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act will now include a $21 million carve-out for the Office of the National Cyber... Read More »
DHS awards two small business $1.68M in grants to enhance access to wireless service
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that it awarded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants to two companies. The companies will use the money to develop an in-building coverage analysis system (ICAS) that will use existing first responder radio and... Read More »
Sens. Portman, Peters sponsor bill to research supply chain vulnerabilities
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced last week legislation that would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to research how supply chain vulnerabilities could threaten U.S. homeland security. The Domains Critical to Homeland Security Act will not only... Read More »
Senate Select Committee unanimously advances FY22 funding for Intelligence Community
Next year’s funding for the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) cleared the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence last week, following a unanimous vote on the Intelligence Authorization Act. In all, the bill would authorize funding and legal authorities for 2022 while increasing congressional... Read More »