Tag: United States Congress
Industry leaders bring concerns to Washington, D.C. during Security Hill Day 2025
April 16, 2025Cory Harris, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine—This year’s Security Hill Day brought more than 60 security and life safety industry executives to Washington, D.C., to share their concerns and promote important policy priorities while engaging with members of Congress and their staff.
The Security Industry Association (SIA) hosted the event March 4-5, with support from the Electronic Security Association (ESA) and The Monitoring Association (TMA). Topics and priorities covered ranged from artificial intelligence...
SIA presents 2025 Legislator of the Year Awards to Reps. Ezell, Houlahan
March 10, 2025SSN Staff
SILVER SPRING, Md.—The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Reps. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) as the 2025 recipients of the SIA Legislator of the Year Award.
The 2025 awardees were recognized during Security Hill Day, an event held March 4-5 during which security industry executives convened in Washington, D.C., to connect with legislators and their staff about the value of the security industry and the industry’s legislative priorities.
The...
Barriers to protection
January 8, 2025Cory Harris, Editor
Two senseless vehicular attacks to round out 2024 and usher in 2025 made for anything but a happy holiday season for the families impacted by the death and destruction created by two perpetrators with intent to kill.
The German Christmas market attack on Dec. 20 killed six people and injured more than 200 in the city of Magdeburg, while a suspected terrorist drove his pickup truck onto Bourbon Street in New Orleans and slammed into revelers on New Year’s Day morning, killing 14 and injuring...
Recent vehicle attacks highlight need for ‘deterrence and prevention’
January 7, 2025Cory Harris, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine— The recent vehicle attacks in Germany and New Orleans that caused mass chaos and devastation could have been avoided if perimeter security measures were already in place, security experts say.
Rob Reiter, principal at Reiter and Reiter Consulting, says "deterrence and prevention” are needed to keep vehicles out of places they shouldn’t be.
“The reason it's so easy is because it is,” explained Rob Reiter, principal at...
A two-headed fight for facial recognition
May 1, 2024Cory Harris, Editor
The issue of whether to ban facial recognition technology has reared its ugly head again, and this time, the Security Industry Association (SIA) has an ally to help its cause.
SIA joined forces with the International Biometrics + Identity Association (IBIA) – an international trade group that represents the identification technology industry – to compose a letter dated April 15, 2024, encouraging Congress to oppose a provision in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization...
SIA, IBIA urge Congress to reject provision prohibiting TSA use of facial biometrics
April 30, 2024SSN Staff
SILVER SPRING, Md.—The Security Industry Association (SIA) and International Biometrics + Identity Association (IBIA) have urged Congress to oppose a provision in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization bill prohibiting the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) use of facial recognition technology.
In an April 15, 2024, letter to Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) of the Senate Committee on Commerce Science...
The case against TikTok
March 24, 2023Ken Showers, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his first appearance before Congress on March 23, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew came under fire from a united U.S. Congress as he sought to assuage lawmakers' concerns.
TikTok has landed on the radar of several countries over the last few years as concerns of China meddling and misappropriating user data has skyrocketed. Citing those same security concerns Canada banned TikTok on government devices in February this year (the U.S. did prior to this in December) and...
SIA, other organizations urge Congress to consider facts, benefits of facial recognition
October 21, 2019SSN Staff
SILVER SPRING, Md.—As part of a coalition of organizations and trade associations, the Security Industry Association (SIA) issued a letter to Congress outlining its concerns regarding potential bans on public-sector uses of facial recognition technology. The letter authors encourage the federal government to collaborate with all stakeholders to address concerns about the use of facial recognition technology and recommend that federal leaders provide a consistent set of rules across the United...
ESA pushes forward during lame-duck session
November 4, 2014Amy Canfield
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The Electronic Security Association doesn't expect much to happen to benefit the industry in the waning days of the lame-duck Congressional session, but that doesn't mean it's not pursuing its goals to the fullest.
Apprenticeship tax credits, access to federal background check databases, the impact on the security industry of telecommunications broadband expansion and funding for school security technology are among security issues on the table. ESA will be pushing...
Border Security among topics at SIA Government Summit
March 11, 2014SSN Staff
WASHINGTON—The 2014 SIA Government Summit, hosted by the Security Industry Association, will examine some of the border security and immigration projects being developed in conjunction with homeland security initiatives, according to a news release from SIA.
The summit, held June 3-4 at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C., will feature experts from the public and private sectors who will examine several topics pertinent to border security.
Panels will deal with security programs with state...