§1823 Prohibition on Procurement of Covered Unmanned Aircraft Systems From Covered Foreign Entities.

Summary

Federal agencies cannot buy drones or drone systems made or put together by certain foreign companies if those drones include parts that collect or send sensitive data. The Federal Acquisition Security Council, working with the Secretary of Transportation, must make and update a list of those parts. A few officials and agencies can be allowed to buy these drones in specific cases. The Secretaries of Homeland Security, Defense, State, and the Attorney General can buy them if it is in the national interest and only for narrow reasons: research, testing, training, or developing drone or counter-drone technology; counterterrorism, counterintelligence, protective missions, or federal criminal or national security investigations; or if the drone is fixed so it cannot send data to the foreign company and is judged safe. The Secretary of Transportation can approve buys or operations that keep the National Airspace System safe and efficient (including work under the ASSURE Center of Excellence). The National Transportation Safety Board can for safety investigations (with DHS consulted). The NOAA Administrator can for NOAA science or mission needs (with DHS consulted). An agency head can grant a one-off waiver only with approval from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget after talking with the Federal Acquisition Security Council, and must notify the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability in the House of Representatives, and other relevant congressional committees.