# 119-s-4259: Blue Skies for Taiwan Act of 2026

119-s-4259, Blue Skies for Taiwan Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR); status in_committee (as of 2026-09-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4259
- As of: 2026-09-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-4259
- Congress: 119
- Title: Blue Skies for Taiwan Act of 2026
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2026-03-26
- Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-19

## Summary

**This bill would promote development, production, and deployment of secure and resilient Unmanned Aerial Systems to strengthen U.S. national security and support Taiwan's defense in the Indo-Pacific.** It centers on **creating a PRC-independent Blue UAS supply chain** through fast-track certification, expedited export-control reviews, and U.S.–Taiwan co-development with allied partners. - Taiwan and manufacturers: The bill would require a Blue UAS Working Group to assess Taiwan's drone production capacity and barriers to participation. It would fast-track certification and licensing for Taiwanese makers, streamline technical reviews for parts without PRC-linked subcomponents, and identify components suitable for integration within 12 to 24 months. - U.S. defense and industry: The Working Group, chaired by the Secretary of State with Defense coordination and industry and academic input, would evaluate public–private partnerships and how to leverage the Army Organic Industrial Base for testing, production, maintenance, and sustainment. It must produce an unclassified report within one year and annual updates for three years, with a classified appendix if needed. - Allies, exports, and interoperability: The bill would create a cooperative framework via the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience to encourage regional allies to buy Taiwan-made Blue UAS parts. It would promote reciprocal testing, recognition of equivalent Taiwan cybersecurity standards where appropriate, and faster certification for co-developed systems.

## Cosponsors (4)

- Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (R-TX), 2026-03-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT] (R-UT), 2026-03-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2026-04-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] (D-DE), 2026-06-16T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Fast-track Taiwan drone certification: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense to create a fast-track process for Taiwan manufacturers to get Blue drone certification. The process would speed export-control reviews and licensing and streamline technical checks for parts that have no PRC-connect…
- Help allies buy Taiwan drone parts: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would direct the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense to build a cooperative framework using the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience. The framework would push regional allies and partners to buy Taiwan-made Blue drone components or systems instead of PRC-s…
- New Blue drone Working Group: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary of State, with the Secretary of Defense, to set up a Blue drone Working Group within 180 days. The group would include government, industry, and university experts and study Taiwan's drone production, testing, certification, and legal frameworks. It…
- Keeps U.S. Taiwan policy unchanged: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would say that nothing in it changes U.S. policy toward Taiwan in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. It would also state it does not change the U.S. commitment to the One China policy as reflected in the Three U.S.–China Communiqués and the Six Assurances, nor the U.S. position…
- Which drone parts count as Blue UAS: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would define "Blue UAS" as drone components and systems that meet the Defense Contract Management Agency's Blue UAS program and its associated list. This tells suppliers which parts qualify for the new programs, certification fast-tracks, and procurement preferences described e…

## Related bills

- 119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
- 119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025
- 119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
- 119-sres-913: A resolution relating to the death of the Honorable Nancy Kassebaum, former United States Senator for the State of Kansas.
- 119-sres-897: A resolution honoring the life, service, and legacy of the Honorable Jon Llewellyn Kyl, former Senator for the State of Arizona.
- 119-sres-801: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Lindsey Olin Graham, a Senator from the State of South Carolina.

## Sources
- [119-s-4259 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4259)

## Related
- [119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1071)
- [119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1241)
- [119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-524)
- [119-sres-913: A resolution relating to the death of the Honorable Nancy Kassebaum, former Uni…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-913)
- [119-sres-897: A resolution honoring the life, service, and legacy of the Honorable Jon Llewel…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-897)
- [119-sres-801: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Lindsey Olin Graham,…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-801)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4259 (as of 2026-09-19).