FBI Director Christopher Wray Testifies Before Congress on January 6th Capitol Attack
Christopher Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 2, 2021 to answer questions from lawmakers about events that transpired during the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The hearing focused on what the FBI knew leading up to the attack and its general response to the rising threat from domestic violent extremists.
Colorado Man Who Plotted to Bomb Synagogue Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison
According to a Department of Justice press release dated February 26, 2021, Richard Holzer, 28, was sentenced in federal court for planning to blow up a synagogue in Pueblo, Colorado. Holzer pleaded guilty to federal hate crime and explosives charges and was given a sentence of over 19 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release.
Women in Federal Law Enforcement - WIFLE
For Women’s History Month, WIFLE highlights the women in federal law enforcement who work hard every day to protect and serve our country.
Making Our National Security Workforce Reflect Our Nation
The most recent FEDtalk podcast episode featured a roundtable discussion on diversity and inclusion in the U.S. national security workforce. The guests discussed diversity gaps in national security, barriers to equal opportunity, and the opportunity present today. Through their work, the guests have sought solutions to diversifying the national security workforce and bridging divides to help people of color and underrepresented groups succeed. The show highlights the work being done to create a culture of inclusivity in the national security space.
Do you have enough emergency savings?
Life happens. And sometimes, it brings a financial hardship to your doorstep, leaving you scrambling to find the cash needed to handle the unexpected and often, unwelcome situation.
Dismissing FTCA Claims for Lack of Jurisdiction Can Bar Related Bivens Claims, Supreme Court Rules
When a district court addresses the merits of a Federal Tort Claims Act claim in its decision dismissing that claim for failing to legally state a claim, the FTCA bars the plaintiffs from bringing any Bivens claim on the same subject matter, the Supreme Court held today.
Merrick Garland’s Attorney General Confirmation Hearing: A Breakdown
From February 22 to February 23, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the position of Attorney General in the Biden administration.
Personnel Vetting, Suitability, Clearance, and Credentialing Efforts Move Forward
The federal government’s efforts to modernize and rationalize its workforce vetting policies and protocols continue to move forward, with actions coming at the tail end of the last administration and in the first month of the Biden administration.
Former Owner of Aquarium Business Sentenced for Trafficking Reef Creatures
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release from February 22, 2021, a Puerto Rican man was sentenced to one year in federal prison for violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits the trafficking and false labeling of protected coral reef organisms.
2021 US Citizenship Act Would Expand Federal Hiring and Workforce Reforms for Homeland Security Agencies
The Biden administration recently proposed the 2021 U.S. Citizenship Act to Congress. The bill has been introduced in both chambers by Congressional Democrats. The act would revamp the United States immigration system and reverse many immigration initiatives that were introduced by the Trump administration. The plan also includes several reforms aimed at improving the homeland security workforce.
Ambassador Susan Rice Provides Keynote Address for Event on Forging Future of Federal Leadership
The African American Federal Executive Association, Executive Women in Government, Senior Executives Association, and Management Concepts partnered to present "It Starts with Us: Forging the Future of Federal Leadership.” The event featured Ambassador Susan Rice, current head of the White House Domestic Policy Council, as a keynote speaker and then continued with a panel discussion on the role of leaders in increasing equity, diversity, and inclusion in the federal leadership cadre of the future.
Introducing FLEOA: the Voice for Federal Law Enforcement
The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) is the largest nonpartisan, nonprofit professional association exclusively representing federal law enforcement officers. FLEOA represents more than 30,000 federal law enforcement officers from over 65 different agencies.
U.S. Deputy Fire Administrator Tonya Hoover supports the FEMA mission
Tonya Hoover supports the training, education, and professional development of fire departments so they are better prepared to respond to all hazards. Learn more about the staff behind the FEMA mission.
Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act Would Expand 6(c) Retirement Benefits
Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) recently reintroduced the Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act. The bill has bipartisan support and would guarantee that law enforcement officers across the federal government have full access to federal retirement benefits.
House Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing on Reforming Immigration System
The House Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on February 11, 2021 titled The U.S. Immigration System: The Need for Bold Reforms. The discussion covered a number of topics ranging from the terminology of using “illegal alien” versus “undocumented immigrant” to some policy steps the government can take to better approach the immigration system and solve its problems.
Owner of Sport Supplement Company Sentenced for Unlawful Distribution of Steroid-Like Drugs
According to a Department of Justice press release from February 16, 2021, a North Carolina sport supplement company owner, Brian Michael Parks, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing unapproved new drugs with the intent to mislead and defraud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. He was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison.
TSA Careers: On the Job with a Transportation Security Officer
Learn what it took to be a Transportation Security Officer in the days before the pandemic and how they were trained to protect the traveling public.
Penalties Mitigated in Arbitration, after an Agency Decision, Do Not Establish Disparate Treatment
McKenzie Holmes was a U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) employee from 1989, until his removal in 2018. At the time of his removal, he worked as a city carrier at the Fort Dearborn Station in Chicago.
Bridging the Partisan Divide
The latest FEDtalk episode sparks a conversation on fueling compromise at a time when Americans are divided. With slim Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, stakeholders see a new opportunity to bridge the partisan divide with common sense policy priorities.
First Circuit: Warrant or Reasonable Suspicion Not Needed for Basic Border Searches of Electronic Devices
Plaintiffs, ten U.S. citizens and one lawful permanent resident, brought suit against the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kirstjen Nielsen, Acting Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Kevin McAleenan, and Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Thomas Homan, alleging that certain CBP and ICE policies and practices violated their Fourth Amendment rights.