I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2569 
To consolidate within the Department of Defense all executive authority 
regarding the use of armed unmanned aerial vehicles, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 22, 2015 
Mr. YOHO (for himself, Ms. LEE, Mr. MASSIE, Mr. JONES, Mr. AMASH, Mr. 
CONYERS, Mr. MULVANEY, Mr. LABRADOR, Mr. DELANEY, and Mr. 
GRAYSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Select Committee on 
Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To consolidate within the Department of Defense all execu-
tive authority regarding the use of armed unmanned 
aerial vehicles, 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 ‘‘Drone Reform Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY 
OVER USE OF ARMED UNMANNED AERIAL VE-
HICLES. 
(a) DOD EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY.— 
(1) PROHIBITION.—No operation involving the 
use of an armed unmanned aerial vehicle shall be 
carried out under the authority of a department or 
agency of the Federal Government other than the 
Department of Defense. 
(2) USE BY MILITARY PERSONNEL.—Only uni-
formed members of the United States Armed Forces 
may— 
(A) operate, or order the operation of, an 
armed unmanned aerial vehicle; or 
(B) operate or fire, or order the operation 
or firing of, any weapon or other munition car-
ried on an armed unmanned aerial vehicle. 
(3) APPLICABLE LAW.—The operation and use 
of an armed unmanned aerial vehicle shall be subject 
to the requirements of title 10 of the United States 
Code. 
(b) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed— 
(1) to limit or expand any authority of any 
component of the Federal Government to provide ad-
vice, including intelligence, to the Department of De-
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fense in support of actions described in paragraph 
(1) and (2) of subsection (a); or 
(2) to create any authority, or expand any ex-
isting authority, for the Federal Government to kill 
any person. 
(c) UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE.—The term ‘‘un-
manned aerial vehicle’’ means an aircraft that is operated 
without the possibility of direct human intervention from 
within or on the aircraft. The term includes aircraft re-
ferred to as a drone, UAV, unmanned aircraft (UA), un-
manned aerial system (UAS), remotely piloted aircraft 
(RPA), remotely piloted vehicle (RPV), remotely operated 
aircraft (ROA), and unmanned aerial vehicle system 
(UAVS). 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 
60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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