To establish a Department of State Domestic Protection Mission relating to unmanned aircraft system and unmanned aircraft.
Sponsored By: Representative Mills
In Committee
Summary
Creates a time-limited State Department Domestic Protection Mission that would authorize targeted actions to detect, disrupt, seize, or destroy unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) threatening designated high-risk diplomatic facilities and assets. It would pair that authority with Federal Aviation Administration coordination, privacy limits, budget reporting, and congressional oversight for up to 7 years.
Show full summary
- Diplomatic facilities and personnel: The Secretary of State could authorize detection, identification, monitoring, warnings, disruption of control signals, seizure, or destruction of UAS near covered facilities. Seized UAS could be forfeited to the United States under federal law.
- UAS operators and owners: Communications used to control UAS could be intercepted or accessed only as necessary during an authorized operation, and devices could be disabled, have control exercised, confiscated, or destroyed. Intercept records must generally be retained no longer than 180 days unless needed for investigation, prosecution, ongoing security operations, or legal requirements.
- Airspace and interagency coordination: Actions would require coordination with the FAA, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the Federal Communications Commission to avoid adverse impacts on safe airport operations and the national airspace. The bill would require a consolidated unclassified budget display with an optional classified annex and semiannual congressional briefings for seven years.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
State Department counter-drone powers with safeguards
If enacted, the State Department would get time-limited powers to act against dangerous drones at high-risk sites in the United States. The Department could detect, track, warn, disrupt, seize, or destroy a drone, and seized drones could be forfeited. Sites would be chosen by a risk review done with the FAA. The Department would have to test gear first and coordinate with the FAA to avoid harm to airports and air traffic. This authority would start at enactment and end seven years later.
Emergency counter-drone help for agencies
If enacted, the State Department could help other agencies handle urgent drone threats. Help would be by request, for a set time and place, and within available resources. Support could be reimbursed or not. All actions would need coordination with the FAA. This authority would start at enactment and end seven years later.
State Department can accept outside support
If enacted, the State Department could accept supplies, services, or money from other agencies and private groups. It could take this support with or without repayment and make needed agreements. This would help carry out counter-drone actions at protected sites. This authority would start at enactment and end seven years later.
Limits on tapping drone communications
If enacted, the Department’s access to drone control communications would be tightly limited. It could intercept only what is needed to stop a threat. It would have to follow the First and Fourth Amendments and other federal law. Records could be kept no longer than 180 days, unless a listed exception applies. Sharing outside the Department would be allowed only for specific law, security, or safety reasons.
Training rules for State contractors
If enacted, only trained and certified State Department staff could perform counter-drone work. Some contractors could help, but only if directly hired by the Department, working at government sites, and not doing inherently governmental jobs. The Department would have to train and certify them to its standards. These rules would start at enactment and end seven years later.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Mills
FL • R
Cosponsors
McCaul
TX • R
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Lawler
NY • R
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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