House Approves DHS Database Consolidation Bill
Published on
House Approves DHS Database Consolidation Bill


House Approves DHS Database Consolidation BillThe House has passed a bill that would consolidate databases and systems of the Department of Homeland Security‘s 22 component agencies in a move to simplify information sharing across DHS, FCW reported Tuesday.

The DHS Data Framework Act seeks to streamline the process for exchange and analysis of intelligence on national security, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction between authorized department personnel.

DHS began to develop its Data Framework in 2013 to implement a “systematic repeatable process” for granting controlled access to department data, but the effort was faced with incompatibility issues between component agencies’ information technology systems, the report said.

The bill would require DHS to integrate legacy IT systems within two years and establish different domains for classified and unclassified information.

A DHS consolidated system would not include data that may compromise ongoing investigations and would only grant access to authorized employees, the report added.

/
Dan Coats, Jeff Sessions Want Congress to Renew Foreign Intell Surveillance Authority
Published on
Dan Coats, Jeff Sessions Want Congress to Renew Foreign Intell Surveillance Authority


Dan Coats, Jeff Sessions Want Congress to Renew Foreign Intell Surveillance AuthorityNational Intelligence Director Dan Coats and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have called on Congress to reauthorize a provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that is set to expire by the end of 2017.

Sessions and Coats wrote in a Thursday letter to congressional leaders FISA’s Title VII permits the intelligence community to gather data on international terrorists, cyber threat actors and other foreign organizations and individuals involved in the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

They noted how a specific section of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 – Section 702 – helps intelligence agencies protect the country from international terrorism and cyber threats through collection of foreign intelligence data on non-Americans outside the U.S. while safeguarding the civil liberties and privacy of U.S. citizens.

“The Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence conduct extensive oversight reviews of Section 702 activities and Title VII requires us to report to Congress on implementation and compliance twice a year,” they wrote.

Coats and Sessions called on Congress to reauthorize FISA’s Title VII provisions “in clean and permanent form.”

The letter was addressed to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California).

/
Commerce Dept Reports Fiscal 2016 Tech Transfer Initiatives
Published on
Commerce Dept Reports Fiscal 2016 Tech Transfer Initiatives


Commerce Dept Reports Fiscal 2016 Tech Transfer InitiativesThe Commerce Department has produced a report that details technology transfer activities across DOC’s National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Telecommunications and Information Administration components during fiscal 2016.

NIST said Monday the report highlights the role of technology transfer in the department’s efforts to foster economic growth, job creation, sustainable development and the development of living standards for U.S. citizens.

The department entered into 389 collaborative research and development agreements with non-federal entities over the past fiscal year and 54 of the CRADAs focused on security of public safety broadband communications, NIST noted.

NIST added the department also published a total of 3,056 scientific and technical publications across various peer-reviewed journals during FY 2016.

DOC filed for 25 patent applications and secured 12 patents in addition to the agency’s 55 disclosed new inventions.

The report also outlines NIST’s research projects in the areas of precision medicine diagnostics and delivery systems such as a measurement standard designed to boost the treatment quality for patients with cancer, autoimmune disorders and other infectious diseases.

Reports: US National Debt Exceeds $20T After Congress, Trump Approve Debt Limit Bill
Published on
Reports: US National Debt Exceeds $20T After Congress, Trump Approve Debt Limit Bill


Reports: US National Debt Exceeds $20T After Congress, Trump Approve Debt Limit BillData from the Treasury Department showed that the national debt hit a record $20.1 million for the first time in history after Congress and President Donald Trump approved a three-month debt ceiling extension Friday, Washington Examiner reported Monday.

U.S. debt climbed from $19.8 trillion — the level that the Treasury Department worked to maintain since mid-March through “extraordinary measures,” the report said.

Congress aims to extend the debt ceiling suspension beyond Dec. 8 and President Trump wants to eliminate the ceiling altogether.

The Hill reported Michael Peterson, president and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, estimated that the national debt will require the government to spend $6 trillion on interest over the next 10 years.

Rep. Mark Walker (R-North Carolina) urged Congress to pass legislation that would address the government’s debt challenges before lawmakers authorize another debt limit extension.

/
Army Officials Urge Service Members to Bolster Social Media Security
Published on
Army Officials Urge Service Members to Bolster Social Media Security


Army Officials Urge Service Members to Bolster Social Media SecurityBrig. Gen. Tony Aguto, commander of 7th Army Training Command, has said the U.S. military should treat social media as an extension of cyberspace in terms of cybersecurity practices.

The U.S. Army said Monday U.S. service members and their families currently face the challenge of defending themselves against threats made through social networking sites.

“Potential foreign adversaries are using social media to make threats toward service members,” said Adam Troxel, lead special agent with the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade.

The Army’s operating concept recognizes that threat actors use social media to shape perceptions and cover-up large-scale military operations, but social media remains largely unaddressed by the Army doctrine, the service branch noted.

“As members of the U.S. military deployed overseas, we need to approach social media in the cyber domain the way we might approach any dangerous and unfamiliar territory: Be smart and keep a low profile,” said Col. Lance Varney, commander of the U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria.

The branch also called on soldiers and their family members to adopt methods to protect their social media identities.

/
UN Security Council OKs Resolution to Impose Textile, Crude Oil Sanctions on North Korea
Published on
UN Security Council OKs Resolution to Impose Textile, Crude Oil Sanctions on North Korea


UN Security Council OKs Resolution to Impose Textile, Crude Oil Sanctions on North KoreaU.S. allies in Asia such as Japan and South Korea commended the move of the United Nations Security Council on Monday to unanimously approve a resolution that would impose new sanctions on North Korea in an effort to end the country’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapon development efforts, Reuters reported Monday.

The sanctions include a ban on North Korea’s textile exports, a cap on the export of crude oil and refined petroleum products to the country and an embargo on natural gas liquids and condensates.

“The North Korean regime has not yet passed the point of no return,” said Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the UN.

“If it agrees to stop its nuclear program, it can reclaim its future … if North Korea continues its dangerous path, we will continue with further pressure,” Haley added.

The UN Security Council’s decision came a week after U.S. government officials called on council members to ban the sales of oil and other fuel products to North Korea after the East Asian country tested a hydrogen bomb.

/
Senate Committee Drafts Bill on Automated Vehicle Cybersecurity
Published on
Senate Committee Drafts Bill on Automated Vehicle Cybersecurity


Senate Committee Drafts Bill on Automated Vehicle CybersecurityThe Senate Commerce Committee has introduced a draft bill that would require carmakers to develop cybersecurity plans for self-driving car systems, Nextgov reported Monday.

Nextgov obtained a copy of the proposed bill that also seeks to encourage collaboration between the Transportation Department and industry to establish a program for voluntary disclosure of automated vehicle security vulnerabilities.

The bill also calls for the formation of a committee that would have members from both public and private sectors and be tasked to recommend technical safety methods for self-driving cars.

Reuters reported Thursday the House voted unanimously to pass legislation that would prohibit U.S. states from banning sale of automated vehicles.

Congress OKs $15B Emergency Funding Package, 3-Month Debt Limit Extension
Published on
Congress OKs $15B Emergency Funding Package, 3-Month Debt Limit Extension


Congress OKs $15B Emergency Funding Package, 3-Month Debt Limit ExtensionCongress has passed a spending bill that would provide $15.25 billion in emergency funds to aid communities affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

The emergency assistance package contains $7.4 billion each for the Federal Emergency Management‘s Disaster Relief Fund and the Department of Housing and Urban Development‘s Community Development Block Grants program as well as $450 million for the Small Business Administration‘s disaster loan program, the House Appropriations Committee said Friday.

The bill also extends U.S. debt ceiling and fund government operations until Dec. 8 under a continuing resolution measure.

The House voted 316-90 to pass the bill Friday, one day after the Senate approved it through a 80-17 vote.

President Donald Trump signed the legislation later Friday.

/
NBIB to Test New Federal Employee Investigation System
Published on
NBIB to Test New Federal Employee Investigation System


NBIB to Test New Federal Employee Investigation SystemThe National Background Investigations Bureau plans to start testing a new security clearance system for federal employees in approximately six weeks, Federal News Radio reported Thursday.

NBIB Director Charles Phalen said at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance Summit held in Washington that the bureau aims to deploy the E-application system in 2018 to replace the Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing platform.

“We’ve actually been running this through a lot of other people in the meantime to get feedback on it,” Phalen noted.

E-App is being developed by the Defense Department and will work to support real or near real-time validation of an individual’s responses, according to Phalen.

He said the government should consider issuing more interim clearances at the secret level or starting the investigation process before an employee has received a job offer to help address the current backlog of 700,000 applications.

/
Army Eyes New Acquisition Strategy for Lightweight Precision Munitions
Published on
Army Eyes New Acquisition Strategy for Lightweight Precision Munitions


Army Eyes New Acquisition Strategy for Lightweight Precision MunitionsThe U.S. Army is exploring new approaches to procure lightweight precision munitions that can integrate with unmanned aircraft systems as the service branch faces a shortage of weapons and equipment for theater operations, Defense News reported Saturday.

The report said the Army also seeks to increase its munitions stockpile and inventory through the development of cheaper long-range precision-guided missiles.

Brig. Gen. Frank Tate, director of aviation at the Army Training and Doctrine Command, told Defense News the service branch has started to organize opportunities for precision weapons makers to demonstrate technology offerings.

“There’s already been some industry involvement in terms of people coming forward.”

“We will try and review all of those again, narrow it down to the vendors where we think the level of risk is close enough that it may be doable on the kind of rapid timeline that we want to have.”

The Army solicited white papers from industry in February to gather information on precision munitions the branch can use in conjunction with Gray Eagle UAS.

1 … 2,252 2,253 2,254 2,255 2,256 … 2,703