Huey and Maya begin their journey in the state of Maine, visiting current and historical federal sites.

A federal grand jury in the Western District of Virginia returned a sealed indictment on September 11 charging a Florida man with making racially motivated threats against a prospective candidate for a local city council position in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) field office in Tampa, Florida.

Last week, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association elected the following National Officers at the 25th National Conference held in College Park, Maryland:

Members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs wrote the president last week urging him to fill vacant inspector general (IG) positions in the federal government. The letter outlines current vacancies and expresses the importance of stable, permanent leadership.

Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM) has formally introduced legislation to improve federal law enforcement reporting mechanisms for missing and murdered indigenous women. The Bridging Agency Gaps and Ensuring Safety for Native Communities Act (BRIDGES Act) was introduced upon the return from recess with 10 cosponsors, five Democrats and five Republicans.

January 14, 2016, was Terry Parnell’s birthday. That evening, he was celebrating with his fiancée, Nicole Cann, at her home in Detroit. That evening, Cann wanted to practice firing a legally purchased handgun, and she went out to her front porch and fired several practice shots at an abandoned home.

Tune in to FEDtalk this week for a discussion on the human capital management within the federal government. Across the federal government reforms are underway, but the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has warned that reforms may be unsuccessful without a focus on human capital management.

Three individuals, including officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), have been indicted and arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit bribery of public officials; acts affecting a personal financial interest; false statements; disaster fraud; honest services wire fraud, Travel Act violations, and wire fraud. The arrests came as a result of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation.

The Senate and House return this week with just three weeks to pass a funding measure to avoid a government shutdown. To remove some pressure on this time limit, lawmakers in both chambers have endorsed a continuing resolution (CR) to delay the end of the fiscal year. The House has pledged to vote on a proposal while the Senate Majority Leader has offered support.

During an event at the Brookings Institution, the Director of the Department of the Interior’s Office of Aviation Services (OAS) recommended changes to national airspace regulations to allow federal, state, and local governments to better utilize drone technology. Director Mark Bathrick spoke of the new opportunities drones present and the department’s increased use of the technology.

An ICE Supervisory Special Agent delivered a document to a colleague at the direction of his supervisor, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge. The colleague (a Special Agent) later used the document in support of his own whistleblower case against the Agency. After the Agency learned of the Supervisory Special Agent’s involvement in his colleague’s appeal, he was not selected for promotion, and received a lower-than-normal performance appraisal. He then filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, alleging that the agency retaliated against him for providing information to his colleague that was later used in his colleague’s appeal.

Upon arrival at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, Milon Miah was arrested for conspiring to smuggle individuals into the United States. Miah allegedly conspired to bring and brought 15 Bangladeshi nationals to the U.S. in exchange for payment.

A bipartisan bill which will be introduced in the House this week seeks to codify the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Continuous Diagnostics Mitigation (CDM) program into law and expand the program to additional agencies on the federal, state, and local level. The legislation matches legislation introduced in the Senate in July.

In a letter to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, President Trump has endorsed a pay increase for all federal employees with no locality pay increase. This plan goes against the president’s previously proposed pay freezes for federal employees. Congress must now pass funding measures to determine the exact pay increase federal employees will receive.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (“Memorial Fund”) has announced the appointment of Marcia C. Ferranto to the position of Chief Executive Officer.

Tune in to FEDtalk this week for a discussion on the importance of cybersecurity within the federal government. As the federal government becomes increasingly digital, it also becomes increasingly at risk for cyberattacks. Experts in the cybersecurity community will discuss what these threats look like and how the federal workforce can prepare for them.

Life insurance exists to help protect your loved ones in case you pass. These policies are usually created as part of an overall estate plan. Two of the most common types of life insurance available are Term and Whole. Each has their own benefits.

Ransomware attacks in Texas and Louisiana have the National Guard considering an expansion of an existing pilot program designed to assist states in preparing for and handling cybercrime. The National Guard has already committed to working with the states to understand how the incidents occurred and how they could have been prevented.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched a 30-day proof of concept at the McCarren International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada for automating the identity verification portion of airport screenings using biometric technology. The technology uses live facial recognition to compare a traveler’s current image with their identification.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (HCF Unit) executed 36 search warrants, including 15 pharmacies and six “pill mill” clinics, as well as other offices and residences, aimed at disrupting networks of opioid distribution. The DEA also served immediate suspension orders on seven pharmacies and two providers involved in dispensing controlled substances without legitimate medical purpose. In total, 41 individuals have been charged in nine indictments.