I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1501 
To prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from operating or procuring 
certain foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 9, 2023 
Mr. GUEST (for himself, Mr. GREEN of Tennessee, Mr. EZELL, Mr. 
D’ESPOSITO, Mr. LUTTRELL, Mr. GIMENEZ, and Mr. PFLUGER) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Home-
land Security 
A BILL 
To prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from oper-
ating or procuring certain foreign-made unmanned air-
craft systems, and for other purposes. 
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 Se-
curity Act’’ or the ‘‘UAS Act’’. 
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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 
subsection (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 corporation domiciled in a cov-
ered foreign country; 
(B) uses flight controllers, radios, data 
transmission devices, cameras, or gimbals man-
ufactured in a covered foreign country or by a 
corporation domiciled in a covered foreign coun-
try; 
(C) uses a ground control system or oper-
ating software developed in a covered foreign 
country or by a corporation domiciled in a cov-
ered foreign country; or 
(D) uses network connectivity or data stor-
age located in a covered foreign country or ad-
ministered by a corporation domiciled in a cov-
ered foreign country; 
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(2) a software operating system associated with 
a UAS that uses network connectivity or data stor-
age located in a covered foreign country or adminis-
tered by a corporation domiciled in a covered foreign 
country; or 
(3) a system for the detection or identification 
of a UAS, which system is manufactured in a cov-
ered foreign country or by a corporation 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 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
that a UAS, a software operating system associated 
with a UAS, or a system for the detection or identi-
fication of a UAS described in any of paragraphs (1) 
through (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 
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(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 waiv-
er 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 proc-
ess by which the head of an office or component of 
the Department of Homeland Security may request 
a waiver under subsection (b). 
(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 oper-
ating 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 such sub-
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section 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 Home-
land 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 enact-
ment of this Act, whichever is later. 
(d) DRONE ORIGIN SECURITY REPORT
TO CON-
GRESS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment 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 Sen-
ate a terrorism threat assessment and report that contains 
information relating to the following: 
(1) The extent to which the Department of 
Homeland Security has previously analyzed the 
threat that a UAS, a software operating system as-
sociated 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 
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