119-s1908

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1908 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 1908

To require the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security 
to complete a threat assessment regarding unmanned aircraft systems at 
 or near the international borders of the United States, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 May 22, 2025

Mr. Lankford (for himself and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To require the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security 
to complete a threat assessment regarding unmanned aircraft systems at 
 or near the international borders of the United States, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This section may be cited as the ``Border Drone Threat Assessment 
Act.''

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
 Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

    (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
 ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
        (A) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
 Senate;
        (B) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
 Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
            (C) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
 Transportation of the Senate;
            (D) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
        (E) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
        (F) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
 Senate ;
        (G) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 
 of the House of Representatives;
        (H) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
 of Representatives;
            (I) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
 Representatives;
        (J) the Committee on Transportation and 
 Infrastructure of the House of Representatives;
        (K) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
 House of Representatives;
            (L) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
 Representatives; and
            (M) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
 of Representatives.

    (3) At or near the international borders of the united 
 states.--The term ``at or near the international borders of the 
 United States'' means at or within 100 air miles of an 
 international land border or coastal border of the United 
 States.

    (4) Commander.--The term ``Commander'' means the Commander 
 of the United States Northern Command

    (USNORTHCOM) .

    (5) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
 National Intelligence.

    (6) Foreign malign influence.--The term ``foreign malign 
 influence'' has the meaning given such term in 

section 119B

    (f) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3059

    (f) ).

    (7) Intelligence community.--The term ``intelligence 
 community'' has the meaning given such term in 

section 3 of the 
 National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003).

    (8) Malign actor.--The term ``malign actor'' means any 
 individual, group, or organization that is engaged in foreign 
 malign influence, illicit drug trafficking, or other forms of 
 transnational organized crime.

    (9) Transnational organized crime.--The term 
 ``transnational organized crime'' has the meaning given such 
 term in 

section 284
            (i) of title 10, United States Code.

    (10) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means 
 the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis of the 
 Department of Homeland Security.

    (11) Under secretary of defense.--The term ``Under 
 Secretary of Defense'' means the Under Secretary of Defense for 
 Intelligence and Security.

    (12) Unmanned aircraft; unmanned aircraft system.--The 
 terms ``unmanned aircraft'' and ``unmanned aircraft system'' 
 have the meanings given such terms in 

section 44801 of title 
 49, United States Code.

SEC. 3. THREAT ASSESSMENT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense, in consultation 
with the Commander, the Director, the Under Secretary, the 
Administrator, and the heads of the other elements of the intelligence 
community, shall complete an assessment of the threat regarding 
unmanned aircraft systems at or near the international borders of the 
United States.

    (b) Elements.--The threat assessment required under subsection

    (a) shall include--

    (1) a description of the malign actors operating unmanned 
 aircraft systems at or near the international borders of the 
 United States, including malign actors who cross such borders;

    (2) a description of how a threat is identified and 
 assessed at or near the international borders of the United 
 States, including a description of the capabilities of the 
 United States Government to detect and identify unmanned 
 aircraft systems operated by, or on behalf of, malign actors;

    (3) a description of the data and information collected by 
 operators of unmanned aircraft systems at or near the 
 international borders of the United States, including how such 
 data is used by malign actors;

    (4) a description of the tactics, techniques, and 
 procedures used at or near the international borders of the 
 United States by malign actors with regards to unmanned 
 aircraft systems, including how unmanned aircraft systems are 
 acquired, modified, and utilized to conduct malicious 
 activities, including attacks, surveillance, conveyance of 
 contraband, and other forms of threats;

    (5) a description of the guidance, policies, and procedures 
 that address the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of 
 persons who lawfully operate unmanned aircraft systems at or 
 near the international borders of the United States;

    (6) a description of the capabilities of the United States 
 Government to counter, contain, trace, defeat, or otherwise 
 mitigate threats from unmanned aircraft systems operated by 
 malign actors at or near the international borders of the 
 United States;

    (7) an assessment of whether the capabilities of the United 
 States Government are sufficient for achieving complete air 
 domain awareness at or near the international borders of the 
 United States; and

    (8) an assessment of the adequacy of current authorities of 
 the United States Government to counter the use of unmanned 
 aircraft systems by malign actors at or near the international 
 borders of the United States, including an accounting of the 
 delineated responsibilities of Federal agencies to counter, 
 contain, trace, or defeat unmanned aircraft systems at or near 
 the international borders of the United States.

SEC. 4. REPORT AND BRIEFING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after completing the 
threat assessment required under 

section 2, the Under Secretary of 
Defense, in coordination with the Commander, the Director, the Under 
Secretary, and the Administrator, shall submit a report to the 
appropriate congressional committees containing findings with respect 
to such assessment.

    (b) Elements.--The report required under subsection

    (a) shall 
include--

    (1) a detailed description of the threats posed to the 
 national security of the United States by unmanned aircraft 
 systems operated by malign actors at or near the international 
 borders of the United States;

    (2) a summary of the current responsibilities, authorities, 
 regulations, policies, and procedures of the United States 
 Government for achieving air domain awareness at and near the 
 international borders of the United States and countering and 
 defeating unmanned aircraft systems used by malign actors along 
 such borders; and

    (3) an assessment of whether a change in authorities or 
 additional authorities or resources are necessary to achieve 
 complete air domain awareness at or near international borders 
 of the United States and to counter and defeat unmanned 
 aircraft systems used by malign actors along such borders.
            (c) Form.--The report required under subsection

    (a) shall be 
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex, as 
appropriate.
            (d) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the submission of the 
report required under subsection

    (a) , the Under Secretary of Defense 
shall provide a briefing regarding the report to the appropriate 
congressional committees.
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