Legislation proposed to restrict drone purchases from countries classified as national security threats

Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the American Security Drone Act of 2023, legislation aimed at prohibiting the purchase of drones from Countries considered national security threats, especially China.

Specifically, The American Security Drone Act:

• Prohibits federal departments and agencies from procuring certain foreign commercial off-the-shelf drone or covered unmanned aircraft system manufactured or assembled in countries identified as national security threats, and provides a timeline to end current use of these drones.
• Prohibits the use of federal funds awarded through certain contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements to state or local governments from being used to purchase foreign commercial off-the-shelf drones or covered unmanned aircraft systems manufactured or assembled in a country identified as a national security threat.
• Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress detailing the amount of foreign commercial off-the-shelf drones and covered unmanned aircraft systems procured by federal departments and agencies from countries identified as national security threats.

Senator Warner believes that while the U.S. should continue to invest in the domestic production of drones, the purchase of drones from foreign countries, especially those considered national security threats, is dangerous.

Senator Scott reiterated that drones are a threat to national security and that the U.S. should not use taxpayer dollars to purchase anything made in Communist China.

The legislation prohibits federal departments and agencies from procuring certain foreign commercial off-the-shelf drones or covered unmanned aircraft systems manufactured or assembled in countries identified as national security threats.

It also prohibits the use of federal funds awarded through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements to purchase such drones.

The Comptroller General of the United States must also submit a report to Congress detailing the number of foreign drones and unmanned aircraft systems procured by federal departments and agencies from countries identified as national security threats.

The legislation is co-sponsored by several senators, including Marco Rubio (R-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Josh Hawley (R-MO). Senator Warner introduced the Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act earlier this month, which seeks to enable drones to be used for commercial transport of goods across the country.