S.Amdt. 2215

SA 2215. Mr. PETERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2025 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

[[Page S4500]]

year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:

At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:

SEC. ___. LARGE AND MEDIUM FIXED-WING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT AND
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM PILOT PROGRAM.

(a) Pilot Program Authorized.--The Secretary shall, in
coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration, carry out a pilot program to assess the
feasibility and advisability of conducting flights of large
and medium unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems in
high- or medium-density complex airspace environments.
(b) Locations.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a pilot
program under subsection (a) in the United States.
(2) Airports.--In carrying out the pilot program required
by subsection (a), the Secretary may select 5 airports from
which unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems
participating in the pilot program may depart, arrive, and be
housed, of which one airport shall be an airport that is
collocated with--
(A) an existing U.S. Border Patrol sector headquarters;
(B) an Air and Marine Operations branch; and
(C) a Coast Guard air station.
(c) Testing.--In carrying out the pilot program required by
subsection (a), the Secretary shall test large and medium
unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems operations
and advanced air mobility airspace integration, flight
verification, and validation.
(d) Use of Aircraft.--In carrying out the pilot program
required by subsection (a), the Secretary may use large and
medium unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems
procured by the Department of Defense.
(e) Coordination With Other Agency Heads.--In carrying out
the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary
may coordinate with the heads of other Executive agencies to
conduct joint large and medium unmanned aircraft and unmanned
aircraft system operations using the unmanned aircraft and
unmanned aircraft systems and facilities of the respective
Executive agency at the pilot program locations selected by
the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program, subject to
the approval of those heads of other Executive agencies.
(f) Annual Briefing.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter
for 4 years, the Secretary and the Administrator of the
Federal Aviation Administration shall jointly provide a
briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress on the
activities carried out under this section.
(g) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to affect the existing authorities of the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration related
to unmanned aircraft system integration or the safety and
efficiency of the national airspace system.
(h) Termination.-- The requirement to carry out the pilot
program authorized by subsection (a) shall terminate 6 years
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``advanced air mobility'' has the meaning
given the term in section 2(i) of the Advanced Air Mobility
Coordination and Leadership Act (Public Law 117-203; 49
U.S.C. 40101 note).
(2) The term ``airport'' has the meaning given the term in
section 47102 of title 49, United Sates Code.
(3) The term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives.
(4) The term ``congressional defense committees'' has the
meaning given the term in section 101(a) of title 10, United
States Code.
(5) The term ``Department'' means the Department of
Defense.
(6) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Defense.
(7) The terms ``unmanned aircraft'' and ``unmanned aircraft
system'' have the meanings given those terms in section 44801
of title 49, United States Code.
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