§1825 PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR PROCUREMENT AND OPERATION OF COVERED UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS FROM COVERED FOREIGN ENTITIES.

Summary

Starting two years after Dec. 22, 2023, federal money given by contract, grant, or other awards must not be used to buy or run drones or unmanned aircraft that are made or put together by certain foreign companies. Some officials and agencies can allow exceptions. The Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and the Attorney General can allow use if it is needed for the national interest and is only for research, testing, training, developing drone or anti-drone tech, electronic or information warfare, cybersecurity, or for counterterrorism, counterintelligence, protective missions, or federal criminal or national security investigations. They can also allow a drone if it is made or changed so it cannot send or download data to the foreign company and is judged free of security risks. The Secretary of Transportation can allow use when needed to keep the national airspace safe or protect public safety, including work under the FAA’s ASSURE Center. The NOAA Administrator, with Homeland Security’s input, can allow use for NOAA’s science or missions. An agency head may waive the ban case-by-case if the Director of OMB approves after consulting the Federal Acquisition Security Council and Congress is notified (including the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability). The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council must issue rules or guidance within 180 days after Dec. 22, 2023 to apply these rules to federal contracts.