Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Unmanned Aerial Secu-
rity Act’’ or the ‘‘UAS Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON OPERATION OR PROCUREMENT 
OF CERTAIN FOREIGN-MADE UNMANNED AIR-
CRAFT SYSTEMS. 
(a) PROHIBITION ON AGENCY OPERATION OR PRO-
CUREMENT.—Except as provided in subsection (b) and sub-
section (c)(3), the Secretary of Homeland Security may not 
operate, provide financial assistance for, or enter into or 
renew a contract for the procurement of— 
(1) an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that— 
(A) is manufactured in a covered foreign 
country or by a business entity domiciled in a 
covered foreign country; 
(B) uses flight controllers, radios, data 
transmission devices, cameras, or gimbals manu-
factured in a covered foreign country or by a 
business entity domiciled in a covered foreign 
country; 
(C) uses a ground control system or oper-
ating software developed in a covered foreign 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Jul 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1501.RH
H1501
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
country or by a business entity domiciled in a 
covered foreign country; or 
(D) uses network connectivity or data stor-
age located in a covered foreign country or ad-
ministered by a business entity domiciled in a 
covered foreign country; 
(2) a software operating system associated with 
a UAS that uses network connectivity or data storage 
located in a covered foreign country or administered 
by a business entity domiciled in a covered foreign 
country; or 
(3) a system for the detection or identification of 
a UAS, which system is manufactured in a covered 
foreign country or by a business entity domiciled in 
a covered foreign country. 
(b) WAIYER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security is authorized to waive the prohibition under 
subsection (a) if the Secretary certifies in writing to 
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate that a 
UAS, a software operating system associated with a 
UAS, or a system for the detection or identification 
of a UAS described in any of paragraphs (1) through 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Jul 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1501.RH
H1501
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(3) of such subsection that is the subject of such a 
waiver is required— 
(A) in the national interest of the United 
States; 
(B) for counter-DAS surrogate research, 
testing, development, evaluation, or training; or 
(C) for intelligence, electronic warfare, or 
information warfare operations, testing, anal-
ysis, and or training. 
(2) NOTICE.—The certification described in 
paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the Committees 
specified in such paragraph by not later than the date 
that is 14 days after the date on which a waiver is 
issued under such paragraph. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—This Act shall take effect on 
the date that is 120 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(2) WAIYER PROCESS.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall establish a process 
by which the head of an office or component of the 
Department of Homeland Security may request a 
waiver under subsection (b). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Jul 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1501.RH
H1501
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(3) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding the prohibi-
tion under subsection (a), the head of an office or 
component of the Department of Homeland Security 
may continue to operate a UAS, a software operating 
system associated with a UAS, or a system for the de-
tection or identification of a UAS described in any 
of paragraphs (1) through (3) of such subsection that 
was in the inventory of such office or component on 
the day before the effective date of this Act until— 
(A) such time as the Secretary of Homeland 
Security has— 
(i) granted a waiver relating thereto 
under subsection (b); or 
(ii) declined to grant such a waiver; or 
(B) one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, whichever is later. 
(d) DRONE ORIGIN SECURITY REPORT
TO CON-
GRESS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a ter-
rorism threat assessment and report that contains informa-
tion relating to the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Jul 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1501.RH
H1501
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(1) The extent to which the Department of 
Homeland Security has previously analyzed the 
threat that a UAS, a software operating system asso-
ciated with a UAS, or a system for the detection or 
identification of a UAS described in any of para-
graphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a) operating in 
the United States poses, and the results of such anal-
ysis. 
(2) The number of UAS, software operating sys-
tems associated with a UAS, or systems for the detec-
tion or identification of a UAS described in any of 
paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a) in oper-
ation by the Department, including an identification 
of the component or office of the Department at issue, 
as of such date. 
(3) The extent to which information gathered by 
a UAS, a software operating system associated with 
a UAS, or a system for the detection or identification 
of a UAS described in any of paragraphs (1) through 
(3) of subsection (a) could be employed to harm the 
national or economic security of the United States. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BUSINESS ENTITY.—The term ‘‘business enti-
ty’’ has the meaning given such term in section 334 
of the Graham-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6764). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Jul 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1501.RH
H1501
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(2) COVERED
FOREIGN
COUNTRY.—The term 
‘‘covered foreign country’’ means a country that— 
(A) the intelligence community has identi-
fied as a foreign adversary in its most recent 
Annual Threat Assessment; or 
(B) the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
coordination with the Director of National Intel-
ligence, has identified as a foreign adversary 
that is not included in such Annual Threat As-
sessment. 
(3) INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘in-
telligence community’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 
1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)). 
(4) UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT
SYSTEM; UAS.—The 
terms ‘‘unmanned aircraft system’’ and ‘‘UAS’’ have 
the meaning given the term ‘‘unmanned aircraft sys-
tem’’ in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Jul 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1501.RH
H1501
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Jul 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H1501.RH
H1501
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 119 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1501 
[Report No. 118–151] 
A BILL 
To prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security 
from operating or procuring certain foreign-made 
unmanned aircraft systems, and for other pur-
poses. 
JULY 19, 2023 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:06 Jul 20, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6651
Sfmt 6651
E:\BILLS\H1501.RH
H1501
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS