UAS Act

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1501) to prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from operating or procuring certain foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1501.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1501. It is imperative that the Department of Homeland Security is equipped to protect the Nation against all threats. This protection includes ensuring that the unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, that DHS uses and buys are not made in foreign countries that do not align with our interests, countries like China.

DHS requires the dominant, air domain capabilities that drones provide to accomplish many of its land and maritime missions. DHS uses drones for everything from surveilling the border to the Coast Guard National Security Cutter's operational need for a persistent airborne surveillance capability. Utilizing drones is a cost-effective way to cover large areas of the homeland.

However, many of the commercial drones used in the United States are manufactured in China, which dominates the United States' market. Of the top 10 drone manufacturers that supply the United States market, a single Chinese manufacturer towers over the others with nearly 77 percent of market share.

Because of this threat, several other Departments, such as Commerce and Interior, have taken actions to ground their drone fleets until the threat to U.S. Government data can be determined.

DHS has also issued warnings in recent years about Chinese-made drones, specifically citing concerns that they may be sending sensitive data to their manufacturers in China where it can then be assessed by the Chinese Government.

Our colleagues in the Senate share our concerns. In fact, Senator Rick Scott and Mark Warner have introduced similar legislation to ban the purchase and use of these drones across the Federal Government, not just at DHS.

Given the role drones have in protecting homeland security, it is more important than ever to require DHS to assess its drone fleets. Once DHS has identified the extent of the problem, we can then work with the Department to find a suitable solution.

This bill would require DHS to provide a threat assessment report to Congress on whether the agency has analyzed the threat of its drones that are manufactured in covered countries. It would also require that they report the number of these drones the department has in operation and the extent to which the information gathered by these drones may be a threat to the homeland or economic security of the United States.

Second, the bill would prohibit DHS from buying or using drones made in a covered foreign country going forward.

I am proud to say that this bill was passed out of the House Homeland Security Committee in a bipartisan fashion.

I thank my friend and colleague, Chairman Green, for being an original cosponsor of this bipartisan legislation and Congressman Cuellar for being a cosponsor of this bill. I am grateful that this body passed this measure in a bipartisan fashion last Congress, and I am optimistic that we will be able to do so again today.

Madam Speaker, with China looming as a growing threat on the horizon, maintaining our homeland security is of the utmost importance. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1501, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I, again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1501, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, to help carry out its many missions, the Department of

Homeland Security has increasingly come to rely on unmanned aircraft systems, or drones.

DHS utilizes these eyes in the sky to make timely assessments about the extent of damage caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters in instances where the Federal Emergency Management Agency cannot easily deploy personnel to affected areas.

The Coast Guard uses drones to enhance its ability to collect and disseminate information on maritime hazards and threats. In remote parts of the land border, DHS uses them to detect and prevent illicit smuggling activities.

Many unmanned aircraft systems in the marketplace today are manufactured in nations considered foreign adversaries. As such, there are legitimate security concerns about the integrity of the data drones collect.

Recent reports suggest that Chinese-manufactured drones might be compromised and used to send sensitive information to the Chinese Government.

In response to security concerns, the Departments of the Interior and Defense have taken steps to limit their use of foreign-made drones.

H.R. 1501, the Unmanned Aerial Security Act, would direct the Department of Homeland Security to take similar protective measures.

It would prohibit DHS from purchasing or using drone systems manufactured in a foreign country that is deemed to be an adversary by either the intelligence community's annual threat assessment or the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Importantly, H.R. 1501 allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive the prohibition in certain circumstances, such as the national interest of the United States or for research or intelligence purposes.

Finally, the bill requires DHS to report to Congress on information related to drones, including the results of any threat assessments conducted.

H.R. 1501 has bipartisan support and was reported out of the Homeland Security Committee by voice vote.

Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) for introducing this bill that seeks to ensure the integrity and security of the drone systems that the Department of Homeland Security operates.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.