Threats
United States completes destruction of obsolete chemical weapons stockpile
Last week the United States destroyed its last declared chemical weapons stockpile, allowing the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to confirm that all such stockpiles worldwide are now verified gone. It was work spanning decades, following on from the ratification of... Read More »
DHS details new family reunification parole processes for South American countries
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have outlined the implementation of new family reunification parole (FRP) processes for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. “These new processes promote family unity and provide lawful pathways consistent with our laws and our... Read More »
FEMA urges communities to purchase flood insurance heading into hurricane season
All summer long, FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will be reaching out to communities across the country encouraging them to get insured before peak hurricane seasons hits, and brings the waves with it. This year’s campaign theme is “Keep Home,” and it encourages residents... Read More »
Major collaborative study shows preparedness made largest difference in COVID-19 pandemic
Nations with the best capacity to prevent, detect and respond to disease threats weathered the COVID-19 pandemic with lower overall mortality rates than less prepared nations, according to a new study from partners at the Brown University School of Public Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security awards $3.15M in research contracts to 20 small businesses for R&D needs
Through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last week awarded research contracts amounting to $3.15 million to 20 small businesses, to advance proof of concept research in seven areas. This will advance in phases, with... Read More »
GAO issues recommendations on counterterrorism information sharing
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a series of recommendations to agencies and leadership regarding counterterrorism information sharing enhancements. According to the GAO, it remains unclear if federal programs designed to improve how terrorism-related information is shared... Read More »
Cathinone analogue shipment bound for Washington D.C. halted at Washington Dulles airport
Last month, officers from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stationed at Washington Dulles International Airport intercepted two boxes destined for Washington, D.C. that turned out to possess about 71 pounds of a cathinone analogue. Cathinone is a substance similar to amphetamines,... Read More »
U.S. Army awards RTX $117.5M contract for 3rd generation targeting sensor systems
Looking to improve its lethality, survivability and situational awareness in harsh situations, the U.S. Army turned to RTX this week with a $117.5 million contract for a next-generation targeting and surveillance system meant to support its Abrams Tanks and other fighting vehicles. "This... Read More »
New DARPA program targets bloodstream infections
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials are touting a new program they maintain addresses bloodstream infections (BSI)-causing fungal and bacterial pathogens. The Synthetic Hemo-technologIEs that Locate & Disinfect (SHIELD) program seeks to develop broad, preventive... Read More »
Senate HELP Committee seeks feedback on proposal to reauthorize public health emergency preparations
Members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released a discussion draft of a reauthorization for the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), in search of feedback. PAHPA, first created in 2006, established the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and... Read More »
CBP thwarts narcotics smuggling attempt in California
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have detailed the interception of nearly 900,000 fentanyl pills concealed inside porcelain sinks at the Otay Mesa port of entry’s facility in California. “Narcotics traffickers will try new and innovative ways to smuggle dangerous drugs across... Read More »
Smiths Detection outlines Swiss DOD chemical detector contract
Threat detection and security screening company Smiths Detection is slated to manufacture and deliver up to 1,050 Lightweight Chemical Detectors (LCD) to the Swiss Federal Department of Defense (DOD). The action would aid in replacing the existing fleet of personal chemical... Read More »
Lockheed Martin wins three contracts to mentor smaller defense industrial businesses
As part of the United States Department of Defense’s Mentor-Protégé Program, Lockheed Martin recently won contracts to support three small businesses from the nation’s defense industrial base, and will help them to develop technical and business capabilities. Run by the Missile Defense... Read More »
Northrop Grumman outlines successful EGI-M test flight
Northrop Grumman Corporation has detailed the successful flight test of its advanced airborne navigation solution, Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) / Inertial Navigation System (INS) Modernization - known as EGI-M. “This flight test is a major step forward in developing our next... Read More »
Justice Department creates regional outreach program for missing or murdered indigenous persons
After years of warnings about the growing number of missing or murdered Indigenous people, and a traveling federal commission investigating the issue, the Justice Department this week announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program. The new... Read More »
DHS S&T details flood, wildfire alerting technology testing
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently outlined results of a demonstration testing new flood and wildfire alerting technology. DHS S&T partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integrated Public Alert Warning System... Read More »
New international partnership seeks improvements to registry, sharing of medical product regulatory information
A new connection announced between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) will spur development of a common language and registry of medical product regulatory information globally. The... Read More »
Vulnerability Disclosure Program at DoD Cyber Crime Center sees major growth through partnership with George Mason University
Thanks to a partnership with George Mason University (GMU), the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Crime Center Vulnerability Disclosure Program has grown significantly and successfully on the heels of an award-winning pilot. Utilizing the National Security Innovation Network Capstone... Read More »
DARPA touts INGOTS program benefits
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials are espousing the benefits of its Intelligent Generation of Tools for Security (INGOTS) program, which they maintain would bolster cybersecurity efforts. "In an attack paradigm where exploitability depends on the emergent behavior of... Read More »
DEA, FBI and state law enforcement warn of growing threat of fentanyl in Colorado
In a joint statement, Colorado field offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), together with state law enforcement, this week warned people to use only prescription medications as the fentanyl poisonings surge. According to the DEA, fentanyl... Read More »
Senate advances bills to close foreign lobbying loophole
Two bills authored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) won the approval of their colleagues this week, putting it to the House whether efforts will be taken to close lobbying loopholes the pair fear foreign adversaries could exploit. Respectively, the bills include the... Read More »
Rep. Newhouse introduces amendment to prohibit who can purchase American farmland
Through an amendment to the Agriculture and Rural Development Appropriations bill, adopted last week by a vote of 34-26, U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) proposed a requirement for the Secretary of Agriculture to prohibit purchase of agricultural land by specific entities. “Increased ownership... Read More »
Senators seek to extend CFATS program and its security for chemical facilities
The Protecting and Securing Chemical Facilities from Terrorist Attacks Act was introduced in the Senate last week as a proposal to extend the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program beyond its impending July expiration. Introduced by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Shelley... Read More »
DEA details alleged Controlled Substances Act violation resolution
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has indicated Keene, New Hampshire-based Cheshire Medical Center (CMC) will pay $2 million to resolve an alleged Controlled Substances Act (CSA) violation. “Cheshire Medical Center’s failure to fulfill its obligations under the Controlled Substance Act... Read More »
TSA touts CAT, CT technology implementation
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials are espousing the benefits of implementing credential authentication technology (CAT) and computed tomography (CT) scanners at two airports. TSA indicated it has installed a new credential authentication technology (CAT) unit and a 3-D... Read More »
Measure seeks wildfire technologies expansion access
U.S. Reps. Young Kim (R-CA) and Jason Crow (D-CO) have introduced a bill eyeing expanded wildfire technologies access. The Wildfire Tech Demonstration, Evaluation, Modernization, and Optimization (DEMO) Act (HR 4235) would enable private entities to partner with federal land management agencies... Read More »
Bipartisan bill would direct U.S. military to identify ways of reducing mineral dependence on foreign adversaries
Concerned about the U.S. need for critical minerals and the domination of those minerals by adversarial nations, three U.S. senators have introduced a bipartisan bill that would direct the Department of Defense (DoD) to find ways to reduce its foreign mineral dependence. Currently, China... Read More »
DHS follows up on successes with next phase of fentanyl surge campaign: Operations Artemis and Rolling Wave
As the next phase of its campaign to target and block illicit fentanyl from entering the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last week announced two new operations, Artemis and Rolling Wave. These operations will dispatch multi-disciplined, interagency jump teams to... Read More »
Smiths Detection secures computed tomography systems agreement with TSA
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has awarded threat detection and screening technology firm Smiths Detection a contract for full-size checkpoint computed tomography (CT) systems and related services. Smiths Detection President Inder Reddy said 2.9 million passengers fly in and... Read More »
Stop Pills that Kill Act targets counterfeit pill production with new penalties
With reintroduction of the federal Stop Pills that Kill Act this week, U.S. Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH), Lou Correa (D-CA), Ken Buck (R-CO) and Greg Stanton (D-AZ) seek to institute new penalties for counterfeit pill production. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), a single kilogram of... Read More »
Bill seeks to implement amateur radio private land use restrictions
U.S. Reps. Bill Johnson (R-OH) and Joe Courtney (D-CT) have reintroduced legislation they maintain seeks to govern private land use restrictions on amateur radio. The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act (H.R. 4006) addresses present federal law providing for the installation of TV... Read More »
U.S. DOT proposes new rule to improve freight rail safety through real-time hazmat info
New requirements could be coming to railroads’ provision of hazardous materials information to responders during hazmat incidents, based on a new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). If adopted, the proposal... Read More »
Newly introduced Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act proposes tax exemptions for natural disaster preparations
A bipartisan, bicameral collection of federal lawmakers introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Party Act this week, proposing that homeowners be exempt from federal taxes on rebates received for hardening their homes against natural disasters. Such rebates are not a national given, but some... Read More »
Senate advances ports of entry vehicle screening measure
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) are commending Senate colleagues for advancing their bill bolstering efforts to screen vehicles and cargo entering the United States. The Non-Intrusive Inspection Expansion Act would require Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to use... Read More »