Terrorism
U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) are calling on Congress to fully fund the District of Columbia emergency planning and security fund (EPSF).
The EPSF pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation’s capital. It is... Read More »
U.S. Senate leaders from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration said they would hold investigations to examine the security failures during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Senate Homeland Security Committee leaders,... Read More »
The violent suicide bombing that rocked downtown Nashville, Tenn., on Christmas morning and devastated dozens of businesses in the area also exposed the difficulties with an American reliance on reactive, rather than proactive, emergency planning efforts.
While much focus has been placed on... Read More »
Leaders of five House committees are seeking an immediate briefing with the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on its efforts to investigate the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol that led to five deaths.
“We write to request an immediate and urgent briefing on the steps the... Read More »
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and NASCAR officials recently joined Daytona International Speedway personnel, first responders, and law enforcement officials in conducting a Daytona 500 fan safety tabletop exercise.
The exercise serves as an example of the planning and... Read More »
U.S. Reps Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) introduced a bill requiring the regular disclosure of the presence of designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations on social media websites.
Further, the bill, the Online Terrorism Prevention Act (H.R.9043), would impose financial and... Read More »
The American Defamation League’s (ADL) Center on Extremism is partnering with the Community Security Initiative (CSI) to focus on the security needs of the Jewish communities of greater New York City.
The initiative responds to a series of violent attacks in the Jewish communities of Jersey... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced a bill that would repeal the USA Patriot Act and amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to remove provisions that they say undermine civil liberties.
The bill, the Protect Our Civil Liberties Act (H.R.8970),... Read More »
Congress backed away from restrictions on drone purchases from Chinese manufacturers in the final push to approve the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), but there is still concern on Capitol Hill that measures must be taken to close a potential espionage peephole that could be built... Read More »
Department of Justice officials said an Operation Regional Shield (ORS)-centered effort recently resulted in charges against members of Central America transnational criminal organizations.
Per authorities, the charges were primarily levied against MS-13 and 18th Street gangs in conjunction with... Read More »
Argentum Medical has been awarded a contract by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its Silverlon burn dressings.
The Silverlon burn dressings will be used for patients affected by mass casualty incidents,... Read More »
New research from the University University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) found tremendous diversity in hate crime offenders' backgrounds and motivations.
Researchers determined that these criminals are a diverse group, varying... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), along with other congressional representatives from New Jersey, are urging the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to increase the federal response related to white nationalist groups in their state.
The lawmakers said they have seen... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its Homeland Threat Assessment (HTA) – a report that synthesizes threat information across DHS, including intelligence and operational components.
“This HTA is as close as the American people will get to seeing and understanding the... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said personnel within the agency’s Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention program (TVTP) recently hosted its fifth Digital Forum on Terrorism Prevention.
The initiative primarily involved Atlanta-based civil society leaders, providing an opportunity... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security has awarded $10 million for projects that support the development of a nationwide Terrorism and Targeted Violence Prevention (TVTP) Framework.
The grants were made through the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant Program and went to 29 different... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expanding its efforts to combat emerging terrorist threats and improve information sharing.
The DHS’s Public Action Plan outlines the goals set by DHS, including efforts to secure cyberspace, deter lone wolf attacks, and secure soft targets such as... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is seeking handheld, portable and desktop explosives trace detectors (ETDs).
The agency recently released a request for information (RFI) for the devices, which possess the ability to analyze wipe samples... Read More »
A group of lawmakers are espousing the benefits of extending the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program for three years, noting the action secures chemical facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), James Lankford (R-OK), Tom Carper (D-DE) and other... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will lift its ban on the Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) for New York residents.
The ban, in place since February, was lifted after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state legislature amended the law that prevents sharing of information to federal law... Read More »
The House of Representatives’ recent unanimous vote to extend the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program (CFATS) has garnered plaudits from lawmakers and chemical industry organizations.
CFATS is the nation’s first regulatory program focusing specifically on security at high-risk... Read More »
A bill designed to strengthen the U.S. government’s counter-terrorism efforts against transnational white supremacy and identity groups was introduced in Congress.
The Countering Global White Supremacist Terrorism Act directs the U.S. Department of State to assess the global threat of the... Read More »
The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) has joined the RESOLVE Network, a group of individuals and organizations focused on issues related to violent extremism and community resilience.
START Director William Braniff serves on the RESOLVE Network’s... Read More »
A bipartisan group of Congressional lawmakers is urging European Union (EU) member states to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
The lawmakers state that Hezbollah is using Europe as a launching pad for its criminal and terrorist activities, including money laundering, drug... Read More »
The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), which is tasked with supplementing state and local supplies of antibiotics, vaccines and other critical drugs and medical products, woefully needs a revamp to help the nation better prepare and respond to public health emergencies like the current COVID-19... Read More »
The Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT) issued a statement on the importance of a coordinated response to bioterrorism.
The committee said that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of modern societies to viral infections. The intentional use of a pathogen or... Read More »
Social media companies need to step up and use the technology they already have to limit extremist groups from spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories online, experts said Wednesday during a U.S. House Homeland Security Committee virtual forum on extremism during the COVID-19 pandemic.... Read More »
Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell announced several reforms to increase efficiency within the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), which is part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
The changes, based on the recommendations of career... Read More »
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is awarding $10 million to help communities combat terrorism and targeted violence across the country.
The funding comes from money appropriated by Congress for the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program.
“Attacks by... Read More »
Congressional legislators on Friday introduced two bipartisan bills in the U.S. House of Representatives to bolster the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), the nation’s repository of antibiotics, vaccines and other critical medical supplies that has been strained by the current coronavirus... Read More »
A new report from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) attributes three instances of chemical weapons use in 2017 to the Assad regime in Syria.
The report from the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) concluded that there are grounds to believe that the... Read More »
The former director of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) told Homeland Preparedness News on Friday that Congress should go above and beyond requested supplemental funding to ensure the United States is more prepared to fight the coronavirus outbreak and other future threats.
“There is... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) consulted with Major League Baseball teams to review incident preparedness measures and response plans at stadiums during spring training.
The review was done with teams participating in the... Read More »
President Donald Trump signed into law a bill that provides grants to nonprofits and faith-based organizations to secure their facilities against a potential terrorist attack.
The Protecting Faith-Based and Nonprofit Organizations from Terrorism Act authorizes $75 million annually for five years... Read More »
The National Institute of Justice awarded the University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) about $1.5 million for two research projects examining violent extremists’ radicalization and mobilization.
The projects, which will build... Read More »
