Protecting Critical Infrastructure Against Drones and Emerging Threats Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this legislation that will help protect the American people from threatening drones. Drones are being used to cross America more and more every year. News outlets use drones to capture footage for a breaking story. Photographers use them to take photos and videos at weddings, sporting events, and rock concerts. They also are used by law enforcement to help document crime scenes or assist with search and rescue operations. Those are all good things.

However, drones or other unmanned aerial systems can also pose a threat if they are controlled by terrorists or criminals. For example, ISIS used them to carry out attacks and conduct reconnaissance overseas. Here at home, criminals are using drones to smuggle drugs across our borders and surveil law enforcement. The FBI even disrupted a plot to attack the Pentagon with a drone loaded with grenades.

The threats we face from drones are constantly evolving as the technology becomes more accessible across the globe. We need to do more to confront these dangers.

This legislation requires the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at DHS to develop a drone threat assessment with information gathered from Federal, State, local, and private sector partners.

It also directs the Under Secretary to establish a secure communications infrastructure for receiving and analyzing such threat information.

Further, this bill sets up a voluntary mechanism for critical infrastructure owners and operators to report information on similar emerging threats.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Richmond and Congressman Ratcliffe for their hard work on this issue. I think this bill will allow us to strengthen our intelligence gathering and stay one step ahead of our enemies.

I am pleased that the Senate and House were also able to include the Preventing Emerging Threats Act, legislation I introduced with Congressman Chabot, in the FAA bill that will be on the floor tomorrow. This will give DHS the authority to counter drones in our airspace if they are determined to be a threat to national security.

This bill provides DHS and DOJ with the ability to act quickly and effectively when a drone poses a security risk to large-scale events, national security events, and government facilities.

Secretary Nielsen described this legislation as ``a critical step in enabling the Department to address this threat.''

Let's provide DHS with the tools it needs to confront these threats before they get worse.

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Mr. Speaker, on September 11, a United Airlines flight was headed towards the Capitol. Thank God those heroes that day brought down that airliner in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and this great building that we are standing in today was not destroyed with an image I don't think the American people could accept.

However, those terrorists are exploiting these drones. We have seen them in Iraq and Syria with explosives and chemical weapons. We have also disrupted plots for the use of drones against both the Pentagon and the United States Capitol. A drone, unlike an airplane, could hit the United States Capitol very quickly. We need to give the Department the tools and the authorities necessary to protect our American institutions.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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