Us Congress House Bill HB7586

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/7/24
• Refer: 3/7/24
• Refer: 3/8/24
• Report Pass: 5/16/24

Caption

To establish a Department of State Domestic Protection Mission relating to unmanned aircraft system and unmanned aircraft.

Impact

The bill anticipates a broad impact on national security protocols involving unmanned aircraft. By empowering the Secretary of State to act autonomously in high-threat situations without needing prior consent, it facilitates timely responses to potential threats. However, this also results in an expansion of federal authority over private airspace and could lead to significant changes in how drones are monitored and controlled within U.S. airspace, which could have implications for law enforcement and civilian privacy.

Summary

House Bill 7586 aims to establish a Department of State Domestic Protection Mission related to unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned aircraft. It delegates to the Secretary of State the authority to take necessary actions to mitigate credible threats posed by unmanned aircraft. This includes various actions like monitoring, tracking, and even disabling or destroying unmanned aircraft that are identified as threats to certain covered facilities or assets. The bill positions the Department of State in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure that any actions taken do not compromise the safety and efficiency of national airspace operations.

Contention

Notable points of contention arising from HB7586 revolve around privacy rights and civil liberties. Critics argue that the broad powers granted to the Secretary of State to track and potentially disable drones may infringe on constitutional rights, particularly regarding the Fourth Amendment that protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. There are concerns about how communications related to unmanned aircraft operations will be monitored and whether safeguards are adequate to prevent misuse of the data gathered during monitoring efforts.