Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today approved legislation to reauthorize, reform, and reasonably expand the existing counter-unmanned aircraft system (counter-UAS) authorities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) joined Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and Ranking Member Bennie Thompson in introducing the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act (H.R. 5061). Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin is also an original co-sponsor.

H.R. 5061 improves coordination requirements amongst the authorized agencies, establishes standards for counter-UAS training programs, and establishes the first ever Counter-UAS Mitigation Law Enforcement Pilot Program. The bill also establishes a special program to ensure eligible state and local law enforcement agencies have the necessary tools to maintain safety and security from credible threats posed by UAS for major events, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. Furthermore, the legislation addresses counter-UAS detection and mitigation protection at critical infrastructure sites and in the airport environment.

“As the skies continue to evolve with new technology, it’s important that we ensure the safety of those in the air and on the ground,” said T&I Committee Chairman Graves. “This legislation reauthorizes and reforms federal counter-UAS authorities while allowing the National Airspace System to remain safe and open to drone innovation. This bill allows us to stay one step ahead of emerging drone threats and begin to put tools into the hands of law enforcement to detect, identify, and, if necessary, mitigate threats posed by unlawful drone usage. With upcoming multinational events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, we must be proactive about securing our airspace. I want to thank Chairman Garbarino and the other committee leaders for their work on this bill, as well as T&I Ranking Member Larsen for his bipartisan partnership.”

“As drones continue to emerge in the U.S. airspace, Congress must be proactive in addressing safety and security risks posed by these new entrants,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA). “This bipartisan bill takes comprehensive steps to protect the American public and our airspace by empowering the FAA to ensure the safe use of counter-UAS systems, responsibly expanding the government’s ability to detect and deter drones, strengthening protection of U.S. airports and critical infrastructure, and other key reforms. I look forward to the full House considering this important legislation.”

In summary the bill:

Protects Certain Facilities and Assets from Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Threats

• Clarifies and improves coordination requirements between DHS, DOJ,  and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the event of an unlawful UAS incursion.
• Increases Americans’ privacy and civil liberty protections by ensuring information gathered by approved counter-UAS systems is not misused or retained for an extended period.
• Requires DHS to maintain a list of evaluated and approved models of counter-UAS detection and mitigation equipment and technologies.
• Requires DHS and DOJ to establish training standards for counter-UAS system training programs.

Expands Authorities to Detect, Identify, Monitor, and Track UAS

• Allows DHS to authorize state and local law enforcement agencies to partner with critical infrastructure facility operators and others, to deploy advanced drone detection systems around covered sites— marking the first time this authority has ever been given to non-Federal entities.
• Equips the FAA with counter-UAS authorities to carry out its mission of ensuring safe and efficient operations in the National Airspace System (NAS).
• Establishes an Office of Counter-UAS activities within the FAA to carry out its counter-UAS activities with other federal agencies and eligible entities.

Establishes a Counter-UAS Mitigation Law Enforcement Pilot Program

• Requires DHS, in coordination with DOJ and FAA, to establish the first-ever pilot program authorizing eligible non-Federal law enforcement agencies to mitigate threatening drones at certain sites and events.
• The program will start with five state and covered local law enforcement agencies, each able to protect up to four covered sites.
• Following a review of the preliminary results of the pilot program, DHS may expand the size of the pilot program by 10 state or covered local law enforcement agencies after 18 months.
• If the program is successful, DHS may add an additional 12 state or covered local law enforcement agencies, 18 months after the previous expansion.
• For purposes of the pilot program, covered events, such as outdoor sporting events or large outdoor gatherings, can be covered by such law enforcement agencies without counting against their four covered sites cap.

Creates Special Program for Multinational Sporting Events

• Requires DHS to establish a program to enable the deployment and operation of approved counter-UAS mitigation systems by state and local law enforcement responsible for securing the following events: the 2026 FIFA World Cup; the 2028 Summer Olympics; and the Summer Paralympic Games.
• Following the conclusion of the multinational sporting events, state and select local law enforcement participating in the special program will transition into the mitigation pilot program without counting against the program’s cap.

Increases Counter-UAS System Planning and Deployment at Airports

• Requires the FAA, in coordination with DHS and DOJ, to develop a plan for counter-UAS operations at U.S. airports.
• Directs the FAA, in coordination with DHS and DOJ, to deploy counter-UAS detection systems at large hub, medium hub, and three cargo mega hub airports.
• Requires the FAA and DHS to establish a counter-UAS mitigation pilot program at up to five of the Core 30 airports, to assess the feasibility of mitigating errant UAS operations within the airport environment.

Modernizes Drone Safety Statements

Requires manufacturers of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to make available to the operator of such system a safety statement, which includes information about applicable laws and regulations as well as information about temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and airspace restrictions applicable to sUAS.

Full text of the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act as approved by the Committee can be found here, as well as an approved amendment to the legislation.

The Committee also approved the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025, legislation to provide the most robust legislative reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and federal disaster assistance programs in decades. Additionally, the Committee approved its views and estimates on the fiscal year 2026 budget for programs under its jurisdiction.

More information from today’s markup can be found here.