Title: Coast Guard Drug Detection and Interdiction Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Coast Guard Drug Detection and Interdiction Act
This bill authorizes the United States Coast Guard to provide funding through FY2021 for the enhancement of its land-based unmanned aircraft system program.
The Coast Guard must assess the feasibility and advisability of using unmanned aircraft systems for surveillance of marine protected areas, the transit zone, and the Arctic.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2173 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th Congress
  1st Session
                                S. 2173

   To amend title 14, United States Code, to enhance the land-based 
  unmanned aircraft system program of the Coast Guard, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 18, 2019

     Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself, Ms. Sinema, and Mr. Young) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
           Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 14, United States Code, to enhance the land-based 
  unmanned aircraft system program of the Coast Guard, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Coast Guard Drug Detection and 
Interdiction Act''.

SEC. 2. LAND-BASED UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM PROGRAM OF THE COAST GUARD.

    (a) Funding for Certain Enhanced Capabilities.--Section 319 of 
title 14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection:
    ``(c) Funding for Certain Enhanced Capabilities.--In each of fiscal 
years 2020 and 2021, the Commandant may provide additional funding for 
the land-based unmanned aircraft system program in amounts, and for 
purposes, as follows:
            ``(1) $2,000,000 in each fiscal year for assessment of the 
        expanded use of medium range unmanned aircraft systems within 
        the program.
            ``(2) $5,000,000 in each fiscal year for additional long-
        range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) within the program.''.
    (b) Report on Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Certain 
Surveillance.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than March 31, 2021, the 
        Commandant of the Coast Guard shall submit to the appropriate 
        committees of Congress a report setting forth an assessment of 
        the feasibility and advisability of using unmanned aircraft 
        systems (UAS) for surveillance of marine protected areas, the 
        transit zone, and the Arctic in order to--
                    (A) establish and maintain regular maritime domain 
                awareness of such areas;
                    (B) ensure appropriate response to illegal 
                activities in such areas; and
                    (C) collaborate with State, local, and tribal 
                authorities, and international partners, in 
                surveillance missions over their waters in such areas.
            (2) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation and the Committee on Homeland Security 
                and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure and the Committee on Homeland Security 
                of the House of Representatives.
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