• Obama announces $3.4 billion investment in smart grid

    President Barack Obama today announced the largest single energy grid modernization investment in U.S. history, funding a broad range of technologies that will spur the U.S. transition to the smart grid; applicants say investments will create tens of thousands of jobs

  • Earmarks in the 2010 DHS budget

    There were 186 earmarks the Homeland Security Appropriations bill approved by the House ten days ago; we offer a complete list of these earmarks, containing the names of the projects, how much money is involved, and the names of the lamwakers backing it; in a few days we will offer a list detailing which of these earmarks survived — and what earmarks were added during — the Senate authorization and the conference deliberations, and which were included in the $44.1 billion bill sent to President Obama on 20 October for siging

  • Boeing eyes energy sector amid defense cuts

    Boeing, the U.S. second largest military contractor, cites its expertise as it bids on slices of the $20 billion U.S. power-grid market; to compensate for cuts in funds for defense programs in which it was traditionally involved, the company is also moving into the helicopters, UAV, cyber-security, and intelligence businesses

  • Congress increases DHS funding 6.6 percent for 2010

    The U.S. Senate Wednesday approved $42.8 billion for DHS for fiscal year 2010, slightly below the White House’s request of $43.1 billion, but a 6.6 increase over 2009 expenditure; the measure provides $397 million for cybersecurity, a 27 percent increase over the 2009 appropriation

  • U.S. bioterrorism efforts criticized

    The task force criticized President Obama for requesting $305 million in 2010 for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which it called “insufficient by a factor of 10”

  • TSB funds technology development

    The U.K. Technology Strategy Board will award £39.5 million investment to help U.K. businesses develop technologies that address global challenges

  • Top U.S. federal contracts to exceed $180 billion In 2010

    New report says that the top 20 federal contracts, many involving IT purchases, will be worth 50 percent more than last year’s contracts

  • New DARPA director seeks to deepen relations with universities

    Under the Bush administration, the relationship between DARPA, the Pentagon’s research arm, and leading U.S. universities became strained; the new director has embarked on a tour of university campuses to re-energize the government-academia cooperation in defense research

  • Congress allocates funds for planning Kansas biolab

    Congress allocates $32 million for planning and design of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas; the money for construction of the 520,000-square-foot lab and the transferring of research equipment from Plum Island, New York — about $915 million — will be released only if security concerns are satisfactorily addressed

  • Port Manatee receives $1 million for security

    Tampa Bay-area port receives stimulus package funds to improve port security

  • Kansas City International Airport again to receive stimulus dollars

    Kansas City International Airport will receive a $9.3 million stimulus package grant for new and enhanced closed circuit television systems; the airport’s new inline baggage screening system is already completed so it was not eligible for funding

  • OSI Systems gets a $25 million deal from TSA

    OSI Systems receives $25 million from TSA for advanced imaging technology; the order is placed under the terms of its recently awarded, $173 million contract with TSA

  • New baggage screening tech ahead for Port Columbus

    Columbus International Airport to install a new, $51 million baggage screening system; $35.2 million will come from TSA-distributed stimulus package funds

  • Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach receive $15.3 million in security grants

    Grants to help improve security at ports, support implementation of TWIC program; the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach account for more imports and exports traffic than any other U.S. port

  • Napolitano announces stimulus package grants

    DHS secretary Janet Napolitano announced $380 million in ARRA grants — $150 million for port security, $72 for transit security, and $166 million for fire station construction