OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act

Floor Speech

Date: June 23, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Technology and Communication Defense

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Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1646, the ``Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act.''

I support this bipartisan legislation because it addresses the potential terrorist threat posed by small and medium-sized drones throughout our country.

I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Watson Coleman of New Jersey, for introducing this thoughtful and necessary legislation that will assist the Department of Homeland Security.

The Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act would require the Department of Homeland Security to research how commercially available small and medium-sized drones could be used to perpetrate an attack.

Agencies will be tasked with the responsibility of taking the lead for developing effective policies and guidance along with the proper protocols which will assist in preventing an attack perpetrated with a drone.

Information regarding how to properly respond to the potential threats from these drones will be distributed to state and local law enforcement agencies to allow them to develop approaches to mitigate identified threats.

The protocols that will be developed as a result of this legislation will assist every level of law enforcement in coordinated responses to a drone related emergency.

Recent news reports of small drones crashing in areas such as on the White House lawn and incidents including near misses with commercial aircraft demonstrate the need for this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most important things that can and must continue to be done is to protect our homeland from evolving threats.

Mr. Speaker, this is why I join my colleagues in working to strengthen the laws that allow the Department of Homeland Security to create policies that will address emergency protocol threats such as the proliferation of commercial use of drones.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H.R. 1646.

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