II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4413 

To improve the response of the Department of Defense to threats to United 

States forces worldwide from small unmanned aircraft systems. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 4, 2020 

Ms. HASSAN (for herself and Mr. JOHNSON) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To improve the response of the Department of Defense to 

threats to United States forces worldwide from small 

unmanned aircraft systems. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RESPONSE TO 

4 THREATS TO UNITED STATES FORCES 

5 WORLDWIDE FROM SMALL UNMANNED AIR6 CRAFT SYSTEMS. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find8 ings: 

9 (1) United States military forces face an ever 

10 increasing and constantly evolving threat from small 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 4413 IS

1 unmanned aircraft systems in operations worldwide, 

2 whether in the United States or abroad. 

3 (2) The Department of Defense is already 

4 doing important work to address the threats from 

5 small unmanned aircraft systems worldwide, though 

6 the need for engagement in that area continues. 

7 (b) EXECUTIVE AGENT.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Army 

9 is the executive agent of the Department of Defense 

10 for programs, projects, and activities to counter 

11 small unmanned aircraft systems, groups 1, 2, and 

12 3 (known as ‘‘Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft 

13 Systems for Unmanned Aircraft Groups 1, 2, and 

14 3’’ and in this section referred to collectively as the 

15 ‘‘Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pro16 gram’’). 

17 (2) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Sec18 retary as executive agent shall be as follows: 

19 (A) To develop the strategy required by 

20 subsection (c). 

21 (B) To carry out such other activities to 

22 counter threats to United States forces world23 wide from small unmanned aircraft systems as 

24 the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 

25 the Army consider appropriate. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 4413 IS

1 (3) STRUCTURE.—The Secretary as executive 

2 agent shall carry out the functions specified in para3 graph (2) through such administrative structures as 

4 the Secretary considers appropriate. 

5 (c) STRATEGY TO COUNTER THREATS FROM SMALL

6 UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.—Not later than 90 days 

7 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

8 of the Army, as executive agent for the Counter-Small Un9 manned Aircraft Systems Program, shall develop and sub10 mit to relevant committees of Congress a strategy for the 

11 Armed Forces to effectively counter threats from small un12 manned aircraft systems worldwide. 

13 (d) REPORT ON EXECUTIVE AGENT ACTIVITIES.— 

14 (1) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than one 

15 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

16 Secretary of the Army, as executive agent for the 

17 Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pro18 gram, shall submit to Congress a report on the 

19 Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pro20 gram. 

21 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para22 graph (1) shall include the following: 

23 (A) A description and assessment of the 

24 structure and activities of the executive agent 

25 as established and put in place by the SecVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:12 Aug 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4413.IS S4413

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 4413 IS

1 retary, including any obstacles hindering the ef2 fective discharge of its functions and activities, 

3 including limitations in authorities or policy. 

4 (B) Recommendations for legislative or ad5 ministration action for any changes to statutes, 

6 policies, or plans that may be required in order 

7 to optimize the use by the Armed Forces of 

8 counter-small unmanned aircraft systems. 

9 (C) An assessment of the implementation 

10 of the strategy required by subsection (c), and 

11 a description of any updates to the strategy 

12 that are required in light of evolving threats to 

13 the Armed Forces from small unmanned air14 craft systems. 

15 (e) REPORT ON THREAT FROM SMALL UNMANNED

16 AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.— 

17 (1) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 

18 days after the submittal of the strategy required by 

19 subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense shall submit 

20 to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 

21 that sets forth a direct comparison between the 

22 threats United States forces worldwide face from 

23 small unmanned aircraft systems and the capabili24 ties of the United States to counter such threats. 

25 The report shall be submitted in classified form. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 4413 IS

1 (2) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall pre2 pare the report required by paragraph (1) in coordi3 nation with the Director of National Intelligence, 

4 other appropriate officials of the intelligence commu5 nity, and such other officials in the United States 

6 Government as the Secretary considers appropriate. 

7 (3) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para8 graph (1) shall include the following: 

9 (A) An evaluation and assessment of the 

10 current and evolving threat being faced by 

11 United States forces worldwide from small un12 manned aircraft systems. 

13 (B) A description of the counter-small un14 manned aircraft systems acquired by the De15 partment of Defense as of the date of the en16 actment of this Act, and an assessment whether 

17 such systems are adequate to meet the current 

18 and evolving threat described in subparagraph 

19 (A). 

20 (f) INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF COUNTER-SMALL

21 UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS PROGRAM.— 

22 (1) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 60 days 

23 after the submittal of the strategy required by sub24 section (c), the Secretary of Defense shall seek to 

25 enter into a contract with a federally funded reVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:12 Aug 18, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4413.IS S4413

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 4413 IS

1 search and development center to conduct an assess2 ment of the efficacy of the Counter-Small Un3 manned Aircraft Systems Program. 

4 (2) ELEMENTS.—The assessment conducted 

5 pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include the fol6 lowing: 

7 (A) An identification of metrics to assess 

8 progress in the implementation of the strategy 

9 required by subsection (c), which metrics shall 

10 take into account the threat assessment re11 quired for purposes of subsection (e). 

12 (B) An assessment of progress, and key 

13 challenges, in the implementation of the strat14 egy using such metrics, and recommendations 

15 for improvements in the implementation of the 

16 strategy. 

17 (C) An assessment of the extent to which 

18 the Department of Defense is coordinating ade19 quately with other departments and agencies of 

20 the United States Government, and other ap21 propriate entities, in the development and pro22 curement of counter-small unmanned aircraft 

23 systems for the Department. 

24 (D) An assessment of the extent to which 

25 the designation of the Secretary of the Army as 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
7 

•S 4413 IS

1 executive agent for the Counter-Small Un2 manned Aircraft Systems Program has reduced 

3 redundancies and increased efficiencies in pro4 curement of counter-small unmanned aircraft 

5 systems. 

6 (E) An assessment whether United States 

7 technological progress on counter-small un8 manned aircraft systems is sufficient to main9 tain a competitive edge over the small un10 manned aircraft systems technology available to 

11 United States adversaries. 

12 (3) REPORT.—Not later than one year after 

13 entry into the contract referred to in paragraph (1), 

14 the Secretary shall submit to the congressional de15 fense committees a report setting forth the results of 

16 the assessment required under the contract. 

17 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

18 (1) The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con19 gress’’ means— 

20 (A) the Committee on Armed Services and 

21 the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 

22 Senate; and 

23 (B) the Committee on Armed Services and 

24 the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 

25 of the House of Representatives. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
8 

•S 4413 IS

1 (2) The term ‘‘congressional defense commit2 tees’’ has the meaning given that term in section 

3 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS