Bill Would Provide Additional Technology to Identify Drones Like Those Reported Across Country
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to pass long overdue, bipartisan legislation he authored that would address the growing safety threats posed by drones. Peters’ bill – the Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act of 2023 – would expand the authorities that allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to disable drones that pose a security risk. It would also provide state and local law enforcement agencies with the authority to use technology to help identify and mitigate urgent drone threats, including the recently reported drone sightings across the country. Peters’ bill would ensure law enforcement is better prepared to defend against maliciously or recklessly operated drones.
“Drones can offer important societal and economic benefits – but they can also pose serious problems if they are not used appropriately,” said Senator Peters in his remarks. “My legislation would equip law enforcement agencies – including state and local police, like the officials currently dealing with the ongoing situation in New Jersey – with the ability to better detect and track drones – and identify cases where they may pose a security threat to large public gatherings, airports, critical infrastructure facilities, and our communities. Most urgently, this bill would ensure law enforcement has the technology needed to quickly and clearly identify exactly what the reported sightings of drones across the country are. If a drone is found to be a potential danger, our law enforcement agencies must have the tools to mitigate these threats effectively.”
To watch video of Senator Peters’ remarks, click here.
Below is text of Senator Peters’ remarks as prepared for delivery:
“Every day, more and more Americans are using drones for everything from hobby flights to commercial applications and law enforcement activities.
“Drones can offer important societal and economic benefits – but they can also pose serious problems if they are not used appropriately.
“Recently in New Jersey, we’ve seen reports of loud and menacing drones. While the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and other key agencies have assured the public that these drones pose no immediate homeland security threat – they have certainly caused unease and concern for many Americans.
“Rogue drones can interfere with commercial air traffic – as we saw with the recent closure of runways at a New York airport – as well as large public gatherings like football games or concerts. The National Football League – a key supporter of this legislation – has shared that in recent seasons they have seen more than 2,500 drones violate the airspace around stadiums – in some cases leading to them to stop the games to resolve potential threats to the fans and the teams.
“We’ve also seen how drones operated by a bad actor can quickly become a serious security threat. This summer, an assailant used a drone to surveil President-elect Trump’s rally site in Butler, Pennsylvania just hours before firing shots in a horrific assassination attempt.
“That’s why I’ve been working to pass bipartisan legislation that would address these concerns by giving law enforcement the tools and authorities they need to detect, identify, and track drones to ensure that they do not pose any risk to Americans.
“My legislation would equip law enforcement agencies – including state and local police, like the officials currently dealing with the ongoing situation in New Jersey – with the ability to better detect and track drones – and identify cases where they may pose a security threat to large public gatherings, airports, critical infrastructure facilities, and our communities.
“Most urgently, this bill would ensure law enforcement has the technology needed to quickly and clearly identify exactly what the reported sightings of drones across the country are.
“If a drone is found to be a potential danger, our law enforcement agencies must have the tools to mitigate these threats effectively.
“That’s why my bill would also allow DHS and DOJ to operate a pilot program so that state and local law enforcement agencies can conduct drone mitigation activities to safely disable threatening drones before they can cause serious harm.
“This legislation has strong bipartisan support in the Senate – with 26 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle.
“As the number of registered drones continues to grow, so does the need to pass this critical legislation to ensure that our law enforcement agencies can address potential threats.
“I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this commonsense bill to safeguard our homeland and ensure that law enforcement can better protect our communities from the potential threats posed by recklessly or nefariously operated drones.”
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