Countermeasures
FEMA rule to increase flooding resiliency finalized
The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Wednesday it had published a final rule to implement Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS). The final rule provides a flexible framework to increase resilience against flooding and help protect... Read More »
Legislation reauthorizing firefighter assistance signed into law
On Tuesday, legislation to extend federal programs aimed at helping to support local fire departments across the country was signed into law. The Fire Grants and Safety Act, authored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK),... Read More »
DARPA awards Lockheed Martin $4.6M contract to develop Artificial Intelligence tools
On Monday, Lockheed Martin announced the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) had awarded it a $4.6 million contract to develop Artificial Intelligence tools for dynamic, airborne missions. Part of DARPA’s Artificial Intelligence Reinforcements (AIR) program, the 18-month... Read More »
Legislation to secure titanium filed
In late June, U.S. Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Dan Kildee (D-MI) joined several of their colleagues to introduce legislation that would temporarily ensure U.S. titanium manufacturers have access to the global titanium marketplace. The Securing America’s Titanium Manufacturing Act would... Read More »
CISA holds cyber roundtables for industry, higher education, healthcare stakeholders
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Mark Green, M.D. (R-TN) held four cyber roundtables with Jen Easterly, director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for industry, higher education and healthcare stakeholders. The discussion followed hearings by the House Homeland Security... Read More »
Bipartisan Congressional group calls for passage of wildland firefighter pay fix
On Monday, a bipartisan group called for Congress to swiftly pass legislation to raise the pay for federal wildland firefighters in advance of wildfire season. U.S. Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Jack Bergman (R-MI), met with wildland... Read More »
More than 650 project selected for climate resiliency grants
More than 650 projects across the country were selected to receive $1 billion in climate resilience funding, officials announced Tuesday. President Joe Biden, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said the 656 projects will... Read More »
DHS to make new fire safety technology available for testing
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced it would be making an innovative new fire safety tool available to fire departments across the country for testing. The tool – a helmet-mounted indoor visualization and navigation device... Read More »
House approves Homeland Security Appropriations Act funding
On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 212 to 203 to approve the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2025. The $64.8 billion provides $600 million for southern border wall construction and forces Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to build the physical barriers... Read More »
Project ULTRA shows off first simulation of unmanned cargo transportation project
A new unmanned aerial systems (UAS) initiative focused on practical military drone applications, Project ULTRA, debuted last week with a simulation of the unmanned movement of cargo payloads for over 100 km. It was the Department of Defense’s (DoD) first task order related to the project,... Read More »
Military and Educational Data Integration Act proposes insights for students into military enlistment data
A bipartisan group of senators this week introduced the Military and Educational Data Integration Act, which would mandate a program granting state education systems access to enlistment data to potentially let high schools more accurately track the outcome of military careers. “The military... Read More »
DHS to distribute $160M for security at faith-based institutions, nonprofit organizations
As a first round of additional funding from the Biden administration, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week announced that $160 million would go to faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations to better protect them from targeted attacks. This funding, pulled from the... Read More »
PHMSA sets new requirements for freight railroad hazmat disclosures
In a bid to improve rail safety and support first responders, the Biden administration’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced a final rule this week that would require railroads to proactively provide first responders with real-time details of hazmat... Read More »
House committee chairs seek declassification of info surrounding Chinese drones’ risks to national security
In a letter to the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Energy (DOE), House Committee on Homeland Security Chair Mark Green, MD (R-TN) and Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) urged the government to declassify information on the national security risks... Read More »
Fire Grants and Safety Act heads to president’s desk
After advancement out of the Senate, the Fire Grants and Safety Act of 2023 (S.870) is headed to President Joe Biden for signature, with the promise of a five-year reauthorization for the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and grant assistance. Drawing from the Fire Grants and Safety Act of 2023... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee to consider new DHS requirements for U.S.-Canadian border
In introducing the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act (H.R. 8734) last week, U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) sought to increase security and attention on the U.S.-Canadian border through several mandates at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill, which has 16... Read More »
NDAA advances out of House despite Democrat objections to divisive amendments
The FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) narrowly advanced out of the House last week in a 217-199 vote, largely split down party lines. With three Republicans opposing and six Democrats supporting, the legislation (H.R. 8070) has been a point of contention between the political... Read More »
Latest congressional crackdown on China would bar communist agents, businesses from land purchases
Escalating a long-running and long-growing feud with China, dozens of House Republicans recently signed onto legislation that would block members of or businesses owned by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from purchasing land next to federal property. While the No American Land for the Chinese... Read More »
Bill to establish Northern Border Coordination Center advances through Senate
The Northern Border Coordination Act, authored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME), advanced through the Senate this week, carrying with it the possible creation of a federal coordination center to be collocated along the border with Canada. “The Northern Border... Read More »
PREPARED for AI Act proposes guardrails for any federal use of artificial intelligence
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently introduced the PREPARED for AI Act, which calls for safeguards on any use of artificial intelligence (AI) by the federal government by the creation of certain standards focused on safe adoption and critical assessment. “Artificial... Read More »
Federal legislation proposes increased Congressional oversight of foreign transactions
U.S. Reps. John Moolenaar (R-MI), Zach Nunn (R-IA), and Bill Huizenga (R-MI) introduced legislation this week to increase congressional involvement in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). That legislation was dubbed the Foreign Investment Transparency and... Read More »
Bipartisan bill seeks new DoD plan to rein in Iranian space activities
Through the newly introduced Space Technology and Regional Security (STARS) Act, United States Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) seek new strategies and data-sharing agreements to curtail Iranian space activities. “The next step to ending Iranian aggression is by deepening the... Read More »
Bill introduced in House to enhance oversight of CFIUS
Legislation that seeks to increase Congressional oversight of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives this week. Specifically, the Foreign Investment Transparency and Accountability Act, sponsored by U.S. Reps. John... Read More »
Republican lawmakers introduce legislation banning DHS from buying Chinese batteries
This week, U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) introduced legislation that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from procuring batteries from companies owned and operated by the People’s Republic of China. The Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act would... Read More »
Senate advances plans for Northern Border Coordination Center
Legislation by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) – Northern Border Coordination Act (S. 2291) – advanced through the chamber this week, putting their ideas for expanding coordination on northern border security into the hands of the House. If passed, the bill would... Read More »
Law enforcement seizes methamphetamine, fentanyl, and more, charges 47 in alleged drug trafficking ring
Raids in California this week culminated in charges against 47 alleged members of a Sinaloa Cartel-linked drug trafficking network and the seizure of more than 4 kilograms of fentanyl, 324 kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroine and dozens of firearms. More than 400 federal, state and... Read More »
House committee leaders introduce bill empowering federal agencies to counter drone threats
In a joint effort, a bipartisan collection of leaders from the House committees on homeland security, transportation and infrastructure, and judiciary, recently introduced the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act to maintain and expand federal anti-drone... Read More »
Othram forensic sequencing lab chosen for $1.25M Small Business Innovation Research contract
The AFWERX arm of the Air Force Research Laboratory recently awarded a $1.25 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract to Othram for advancements to forensic DNA sequencing technology. Othram is a forensic sequencing lab for law enforcement. As of this May, it began... Read More »
April National Cyber Crime Conference drew record numbers looking to refine training
More than 1,000 law enforcement officers from local, state, federal and international organizations attended the National Cyber Crime Conference this April, making use of the opportunity to expand their knowledge and tools for dealing with cyber incidents. While the event has been ongoing since... Read More »
Senate Intelligence Authorization Act advances unanimously out of committee
The Senate Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, which contains several provisions on funding, legal authorities, and congressional oversight, recently passed out of the Senate Select Committee by unanimous vote and is headed for the Senate floor. “The Intelligence... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Moolenaar, Krishnamoorthi seek intelligence briefing on GenScript Biotech over Chinese ties
In a letter written to both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director and director of National Intelligence (DNI), the leaders of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party pushed for a briefing on the biotechnology firm... Read More »
Recruit and Retain Act promises new law enforcement resources to counter staffing shortages
Following signature by President Joe Biden, the Recruit and Retain Act (S. 546) recently became law, giving law enforcement nationwide access to expanded federal grants and a new partnership program that will tie schools and law enforcement closer together. The main goal of the bill was to... Read More »
Bipartisan, bicameral coalition seeks accountability report of DoD’s efforts to protect service members from blast overpressure
Members from across the political aisle, and from both chambers of Congress, last week wrote to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to request a review of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) actions for its service members exposed to blast overpressure. In all, 24 lawmakers sought... Read More »
Sen. Wicker pushes for generational surge in military spending in call-back to Reagan era
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), top-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, proposed a massive increase in Pentagon spending to build up U.S. military interest and the defense industrial base for generations to come. Hailing the idea as the “21st Century Peace Through... Read More »