To express the sense of Congress on use of test sites for research and development on countering unmanned aircraft systems.

SA 976. Ms. HEITKAMP submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by her to the bill H.R. 2810, to authorize appropriations for fiscal
year 2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for
military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of
Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year,
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:

At the end of subtitle E of title X, add the following:

SEC. ___. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON USE OF TEST SITES FOR RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT ON COUNTERING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT
SYSTEMS.

It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the armed unmanned aircraft systems deployed by
adversaries for military purposes pose a threat to military
installations, critical infrastructure, and members of the
Armed Forces in conflict areas like Iraq and Syria;
(2) the unmanned aircraft systems test sites designated by
the Federal Aviation Administration offer unique
capabilities, expertise, and airspace for research and
development related to unmanned aircraft systems; and
(3) the Armed Forces should, as appropriate and to the
extent practicable, seek to leverage the test sites described
in paragraph (2), as well as existing Department of Defense
facilities with appropriate expertise, for research and
development on capabilities to counter the nefarious use of
unmanned aircraft systems.
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