Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. Chairman, this amendment is similar to one that I brought to the floor of the House 2 years ago. During that 2 years, there has been a lot of discussion about the use of unmanned aircraft, commonly referred to as drones, in the U.S. national airspace.

The constitutional protections that are important to so many of us can be infringed upon without constant vigilance to prevent abuse of such drones. Until recently, it was believed that the use of drones in the United States airspace was limited to surveillance. That is no longer the case.

To date, at least 17 police departments and sheriffs' offices across the country have filed certificates of authorization with the FAA to be able to use a drone. Police chiefs and sheriffs in districts around the country have applied to the FAA for a certificate of authorization to use a drone in the national airspace.

Some departments might be using the drones for surveillance. However, others have announced their intention to take the drones they are currently using and attach a weapons platform to patrol their jurisdictions.

Further, over the past few years, the Obama administration's policy regarding drones has been cryptic. For instance, it is still not clear whether the President believes that he has the authority to kill an American citizen on American soil. This amendment would put an end to that ambiguity.

This amendment does not affect the use of armed drones in a war zone. Armed drones have been used with precision and success to seek out the enemy hiding in places where ground troops would have difficulty going.

But placing an unmanned drone over the skies of the United States is not only ill-advised, it flies in the face of the sincerely-held constitutional protections that we all hold dear.

This amendment would prevent the Secretary of Transportation and the head of the FAA from approving any application to use an unmanned aircraft in the national airspace for the purpose of arming or weaponizing that aircraft.

It does not affect surveillance. It does not affect weaponized drones being used outside the United States airspace in a war zone.

In my opinion, this is a road that we should not travel. It is a classic example of the oft-used quote by Benjamin Franklin: ``Those who would give up liberty to purchase safety may deserve neither liberty nor safety.''

It is an important provision, and I encourage the chairman of the subcommittee to consider it to allow it to come to a vote.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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