The House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing on Thursday on the progress made in the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program over the past six months. CFATS was once considered a great success in security and government regulations. In late 2011, however, a leaked Department of …
At the end of February, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) certified that another six states are REAL ID compliant. Nearly eight years after Congress first passed the REAL ID Act—which calls on the states to implement minimum security standards in issuing driver’s licenses and state IDs—progress is finally being …
Today, Venezuela will hold the official state funeral for Hugo Chávez. Already, ceremonies in honor of El Comandante are well underway. On Wednesday, a caravan carried Chávez’s body along a seven-hour-long procession through the streets of Caracas. The flag-draped coffin was laid in state at the military academy where he …
Last week, Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee released a report outlining what they believe the consequences of sequestration will be if it goes into effect. Following its release, Homeland Security Today published an article highlighting the report’s findings on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) specifically. In short, the …
On Monday, Congressmen Mike Quigley (D–IL) and Aaron Schock (R–IL), along with Senator Mark Kirk (R–IL) and more than 15 other cosponsors, reintroduced the Visa Waiver Program Enhanced Security and Reform Act. The bill would expand the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows citizens of participating countries to travel in …
On Thursday, the Senate is expected to begin consideration of H.R. 5949, the Foreign Intelligence Amendments Act of 2012 (FAA). The bill would reauthorize amendments to the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which are set to expire December 31. FISA created a secret court to review wiretap applications for …
Last week, President Obama issued a request for $60.4 billion for Hurricane Sandy response and recovery. Yet as the fiscal cliff continues to loom nearby, many on Capitol Hill are asking exactly where that money would come from. While House Speaker John Boehner (R–OH) has indicated that he is still …
Early this morning, news broke of an attempted terrorist attack against U.S. military targets in Afghanistan. A federal complaint unsealed yesterday alleges that four men—all U.S. citizens or permanent residents—were engaged in an active plan to carry out “violent jihad” and target U.S. government facilities in Afghanistan. From the news …
