US Drone Bill Bans Government From Buying Drones From China, Supports Local Industry

Mike Gallagher, Chairman of the Republican Drone surveillance committee, (photo: twitter @radiotalkermike)

JAKARTA - The leading members of a committee of the United States House of Representatives focused on China have introduced a bill aimed at barring the US government from buying Chinese-made drones.

Mike Gallagher, chairman of the Republican committee, and King Krishna Moorthi, a Democratic Party member at the top of the committee, will introduce the "American Security Drone Act" on Wednesday, November 1, according to a statement made to the media by legislators.

"The bill will prohibit the federal government from using American citizen tax money to purchase this kind of equipment from a country like China," Gallagher said. "This is very important for Congress to immediately certify this bipartisan bill to protect the interests of the United States and our national security supply chain."

The bill will also deter local governments and states from buying Chinese-made drones using federal grants, and will demand federal reports detailing the number of foreign off-the-shelf commercial drones and drone systems purchased by federal departments and agencies from China.

Krishnatasthi said that this bill "will help protect against potential vulnerabilities due to the dependence of our government agencies on foreign artificial drone technology and will drive the growth of the drone industry in the United States."

Separately, the US Senate on Tuesday, October 31, unanimously approved an amendment proposed by Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn and Democratic Senator Mark Warner that would ban the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from operating or providing federal funding for drones produced in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, or Cuba.

"Tax money should never be used to fund drones produced in areas that are hostile to our country," Blackburn said.

Recently, China announced export controls against several types of drones and drone-related equipment, citing wanting to maintain "national security and interests."

In 2020, the US Department of Commerce imposed export restrictions on China-based drone manufacturer DJI, on charges of involvement in China's suppression of the Uighur minority and assisting the military.

More than 50% of the drones sold in the United States are produced by DJI, and the drones are the most popularly used by public security agencies, according to Republicans who expressed the opinion earlier this year.

In 2019, the US Congress banned the Pentagon from buying or using its drones and components manufactured in China.