FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 4, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. This bill would shore up long-term funding for critical FAA programs and authorize additional disaster program funding for areas like Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, which are still struggling to bounce back after the 2017 hurricane season.

I am proud to be a cosponsor of a recently adopted amendment, which will help ensure the safety of the national airspace by prohibiting individuals from operating unmanned aircraft systems that are equipped or armed with a dangerous weapon.

In July of 2015, lawmakers and the public began to express concerns over the weaponization of drone technology after a college student built a drone capable of firing live armnunition from a mounted .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun. More recently, at least one state legislature has proposed legislation to allow the use of weaponized drones by local and national law enforcement, which is something that concerns me greatly.

This amendment addresses these concerns by explicitly prohibiting the operation of a weaponized drone in the national airspace and by imposing a penalty of up to $25,000 for each violation.

I am pleased to have worked with Rep. Burgess on this common-sense, bi-partisan amendment and applaud my colleagues for adopting. I urge all Members to support the underlying bill.

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