Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: On Wednesday, March 15, the Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing titled “Vows for Visas: Investigating K-1 Fiance Fraud.” On Wednesday, March 15, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has scheduled a business meeting to consider the nomination of the Honorable Elaine Duke to be Deputy Secretary, U.S. … Continue Reading
President Donald Trump focused last week on health care reform and the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget proposal, with the skinny budget proposal due to be released this week. President Trump spoke with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority on Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya on Tuesday, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Panel to Consider Proposed Changes to Investor Visa Program This week, the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing to consider changes to the EB-5 investor visa program proposed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS). The EB-5 program is designed to bolster the U.S. economy … Continue Reading
President Donald Trump gave an optimistic speech last Tuesday before a Joint Session of Congress that has largely been positively received. The President said: “A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning. A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation. And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: On Tuesday, February 28, the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications has scheduled a hearing titled “The Future of FEMA: Recommendations of Former Administrators.” The witnesses will be announced. On Tuesday, February 28, the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence has scheduled a hearing … Continue Reading
President Donald Trump is preparing to release another immigration-related Executive Order (E.O.) that is expected to refine a previous directive that banned Syrian refugees from entering the United States and suspended the issuance of visas and admission into the United States for foreign nationals from seven countries of “particular concern.” The President will address a … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers Unveil Report, Legislation to Strengthen U.S. Aviation Security On Monday, February 6, the majority staff of the House Homeland Security Committee released a report titled “America’s Airports: The Threat From Within.” The report recommends nine ways to assist airports, airlines, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to address insider threats facing the … Continue Reading
President Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe at the White House last Friday, discussing trade and security matters. Over the weekend, the two continued the dialogue while in Florida. President Trump will welcome Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. He … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: On Tuesday, February 7, the House Homeland Security Committee has scheduled a hearing titled “Ending the Crisis: America’s Borders and the Path to Security.” On Wednesday, February 8, the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support has scheduled a hearing titled “Current Readiness of U.S. Forces.” On Wednesday, … Continue Reading
Last Wednesday, the U.S. Senate approved Mr. Rex Tillerson to serve as the next Secretary of State. On his first day as Secretary of State, he met with German Vice Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel. Secretary Tillerson also spoke by phone with Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers Call for Sequestration Repeal Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, has enlisted other lawmakers in urging House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to repeal Pentagon spending limits mandated by the 2011 Budget Control Act. Twenty-four Republicans have signed on to the letter, which seeks a floor … Continue Reading
The U.S. Congress is in session this week; the Senate is expected to vote on Mr. Rex Tillerson’s nomination to be Secretary of State. Nikki Haley was sworn in last week to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Gen. James Mattis was also sworn in as the next U.S. Secretary of Defense. Last … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Armed Services Committee Unveils Subcommittee Leaders, Budget White Paper On Wednesday, January 18, the Senate Armed Services Committee announced subcommittee chairmen and ranking members for the 115th Congress, including for a newly-created panel on cybersecurity: Subcommittee on AirLand: Tom Cotton (R-AR), Chair/ Angus King (I-ME), Ranking Member Subcommittee on Cybersecurity: Mike Rounds … Continue Reading
On Friday, 20 January, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America. In his remarks, President Trump stated: “Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families.” He added: “We will follow two simple rules: … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers Pledge Regular Reauthorization of Homeland Security Agency On Wednesday, January 11, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) released a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by chairmen of eight House committees with jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The MOU serves as an agreement between the eight lawmakers to work together to … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Panels Prepare for Trump Cabinet Confirmation Hearings This week, Senate lawmakers will begin a number of hearings to consider President-Elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees. On Wednesday, January 11, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing to consider the nomination of Gen. John Kelly to be Secretary of the … Continue Reading
The 115th Congress convened on Tuesday, 3 January. U.S. businessman Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on Friday, January 20. Russia –Aggression Scrutinized At the end of December, the Obama Administration announced punitive measures targeting Russia for what President Barack Obama characterized as the “Russian government’s aggressive … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Approves DHS Provisions in Defense Authorizing Bill On Friday, December 2, the House of Representatives approved the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (S. 2943) conference report by a vote of 375 to 34. The bill’s homeland security provisions: Direct the Secretary of Defense to coordinate unmanned aerial systems training missions along … Continue Reading
The U.S. Congress will be in session again this week, primarily focusing on advancing a Continuing Resolution to fund the U.S. Government beyond 9 December. Last week, the Senate passed the Iran Sanctions Extension Act (H.R. 6269) by a vote of 99-0 on 1 December, sending the measure to President Obama’s desk. This week, the … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: On Wednesday, November 30, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing titled “Initial Observations of the New Leadership at the U.S. Border Patrol.” Executive Branch Activity Op-Ed: “Homeland Security: Three Policy Actions for the Trump Administration” Sam Adcock, Senior Policy Advisor at Squire Patton Boggs, … Continue Reading
Last week, Washington hosted the final U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) under the Obama Administration. On Saturday, President Barack Obama issued a statement on the death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro, as did several Members of Congress. This week, the House of Representatives has noted a possible vote on the reconciled … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity McCaul Unveils Counterterrorism Strategy, Including TSA Overhaul On Tuesday, September 20, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) unveiled a counterterrorism strategy containing over 100 policy prescriptions and principles designed to combat the rise of global terrorism. The 35-page document, “A National Strategy to Win the War Against Islamist Terror,” follows on … Continue Reading
President Barack Obama addressed the U.N. General Assembly last week, giving his final speech to the Assembly. He also participated in the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees and the U.S.-Africa Business Forum events in New York City. The White House released a fact sheet last Wednesday on U.S.-Africa cooperation with respect to trade and investment during the Obama … Continue Reading
U.S. President Barack Obama is in New York City for his speech to the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) this week, as well as attend the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees and the U.S.-Africa Business Forum. Secretary of the U.S. Department of State John Kerry is also in New York City this week, meeting on the margins of … Continue Reading