II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4515 

To combat foreign terrorist acquisition of unmanned aerial systems, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 11, 2024 

Mr. ROMNEY (for himself and Ms. ROSEN) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To combat foreign terrorist acquisition of unmanned aerial 

systems, and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Combating Foreign 

5 Terrorist Drones Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Foreign terrorist organizations, including al 

9 Qaeda, the Islamic State, and groups backed by Iran 

10 such as the Houthis, have used unmanned aerial 


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1 systems to commit violence and to conduct attacks 

2 against members of the Armed Forces and interests 

3 of the United States overseas. 

4 (2) Since its inception in 2014, the Islamic 

5 State has used commercially-available unmanned 

6 aerial systems, including Chinese-manufactured 

7 drones. 

8 (3) In 2023, the United Kingdom arrested an 

9 individual for designing a three-dimensional printed 

10 drone for the Islamic State to deliver chemical weap11 ons. 

12 (4) According to public reporting, Iranian13 backed terrorist organizations and proxy militias 

14 have further increased the frequency of unmanned 

15 aerial system attacks against the Armed Forces and 

16 interests of the United States in the wake of the Oc17 tober 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas in Israel. 

18 (5) On or around October 17, 2023, 21 mem19 bers of the Armed Forces sustained injuries from 

20 drone and rocket attacks by Iran-sponsored proxy 

21 groups against military bases of the United States 

22 in Syria and Iraq. 

23 (6) On January 28, 2024, three members of the 

24 Armed Forces were killed and more than 40 mem25 bers of the Armed Forces were injured in an unVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:40 Jul 30, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4515.IS S4515

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1 manned aerial system attack, committed by groups 

2 backed by Iran, in Jordan. 

3 (7) In February 2024, the Defense Intelligence 

4 Agency confirmed the use by the Houthis of un5 manned aerial systems from Iran to conduct attacks, 

6 including against civilian targets and maritime infra7 structure. 

8 (8) According to United States Central Com9 mand, the threat posed by unmanned aerial systems, 

10 ‘‘coupled with’’ the ‘‘lack of dependable, networked 

11 capability to counter them is the most concerning 

12 tactical development since the rise’’ of improvised 

13 explosive devices in Iraq. 

14 (9) Foreign terrorist organization access to and 

15 use of unmanned aerial systems presents national 

16 security threats to the United States, its personnel, 

17 and its interests abroad, and it is critical that the 

18 Department of Defense acts effectively to interrupt 

19 the supply of such systems to foreign terrorist orga20 nizations. 

21 SEC. 3. INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGN TER22 RORIST ORGANIZATION ACQUISITION OF UN23 MANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS. 

24 (a) INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT REQUIRED.—Not 

25 later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 


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1 this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the con2 gressional defense committees an intelligence assessment 

3 of foreign terrorist organization acquisition of unmanned 

4 aerial systems. 

5 (b) CONTENTS.—The assessment required by sub6 section (a) shall cover the following: 

7 (1) Methods by which foreign terrorist organi8 zations acquire unmanned aerial systems, such as 

9 through commercial purchase, diversion, illicit manu10 facture, trafficking, state-sponsored supply, or theft 

11 or recovery from nation-state operators. 

12 (2) Identification of suppliers, networks, routes, 

13 production facilities, and other key nodes that facili14 tate the acquisition of unmanned aerial systems by 

15 foreign terrorist organizations. 

16 (3) An evaluation of the degree of coordination 

17 and intelligence sharing with allies and partners of 

18 the United States to prevent foreign terrorist organi19 zations from acquiring unmanned aerial systems. 

20 (4) Recommendations for legislative or adminis21 trative action to limit or combat foreign terrorist or22 ganization acquisition of unmanned aerial systems. 

23 (c) FORM.—The assessment submitted pursuant to 

24 subsection (a) shall be submitted in classified form. 

25 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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

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

4 (2) The term ‘‘foreign terrorist organization’’ 

5 means any organization or individual designated as 

6 a— 

7 (A) foreign terrorist organization by the 

8 Secretary of State pursuant to section 219 of 

9 the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

10 1189); or 

11 (B) specially designated global terrorist 

12 under Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 

13 note; relating to blocking property and prohib14 iting transactions with persons who commit, 

15 threaten to commit, or support terrorism), or 

16 successor order, or section 594.310 of title 31, 

17 Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regu18 lation. 

Æ 


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