Countermeasures
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently sought to articulate its critical investment plans to help it meet technological needs and maximize strategic impact by publishing a department-wide Innovation, Research and Development (IRD) Strategic Plan.
It was the result of two years... Read More »
Following eight separate suspected drug smuggling interdictions off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America in February and March, the Coast Guard Cutter Munro docked in San Diego this week with a haul of 33,768 pounds of cocaine.
The estimated value of those drugs came to $468... Read More »
In a push to crackdown on entities of national security concern, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed new rules to bar those deemed untrustworthy from participating in the testing and certification of electronic devices in the United States.
The move kicked off with... Read More »
Following recent hearings of the Senate Indian Affairs and Interior Appropriations Committees, officials from the U.S. Department of the Interior committed to grow the U.S. Indian Law Enforcement Advanced Training Center (ATC) and work to recruit and train more Tribal law enforcement officers.... Read More »
As the legal actions over decades of contaminated water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune continue, last week U.S. Reps. Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC) and Deborah Ross (D-NC) introduced a bill to remove barriers to veteran benefits under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
“Our brave veterans put their... Read More »
In preparation for the 2024 hurricane season’s kickoff next month, FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik A. Hooks joined National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad, and National Weather Service (NWS) Director Ken Graham issued the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season... Read More »
On Wednesday, U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and John Moolenaar (R-MI) urged the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the Drone Advocacy Alliance (DAA) for potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
The DAA is an advocacy group that is funded by Chinese... Read More »
With the introduction of the Secure Smartports Act, U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) seek to convince their fellow lawmakers of the danger to U.S. ports posed by Chinese cyberattacks and intrusion.
“Every day we don’t understand the risks of relying on Chinese technology is... Read More »
Although they have been working together on the Constellation pilot program since 2022, the U.S. Cyber Command and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently deepened their ties with an agreement on future planning necessities.
Constellation is a pilot program meant to get cyber... Read More »
