WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and Leader Hakeem Jeffries this evening urging them to address the recent spate of drone sightings and activity by including the bicameral counter-drone legislation — of which Speaker Johnson is an original co-sponsor--in the Continuing Resolution currently being negotiated as the 118th Congress draws to a close.

The letter reads:

Dear Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries:

In light of the recent incidents involving drones spotted over the eastern seaboard, we urge you to swiftly take

action on counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) legislation that will allow for state and local law

enforcement to protect their communities from this emerging threat in the year end continuing resolution. In

recent weeks, there has been a sudden surge in sightings of unknown drones over New Jersey, New York,

Pennsylvania and other east coast states.1 Although the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland

Security have claimed that there is not an immediate national security threat, senior officials from both

departments have also been extremely clear in numerous appearances before Congress that the federal

government does not have the resources to handle every drone threat alone.2 In his own testimony to the

Bipartisan Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump and the United States Senate Homeland

Security Committee, Acting Director Rowe of the Secret Service has been clear that additional C-UAS legal

authority for state and local law enforcement could have helped prevent the assassination attempt on President-

Elect Trump.3

 

There are hundreds of thousands drones in the U.S. market alone, many of them unregistered with the FAA.4

These sorts of incidents are likely to be come only more common, as will the number flights that do pose

genuine threats to public safety. It is clearly time to end the blanket ban on the use of C-UAS technology by

local law and state law enforcement to detect and mitigate drone threats, in favor of at least a limited pilot

program that will allow the responsible use of these technologies throughout their jurisdictions in coordination

with the FAA. There has been bipartisan legislation introduced in both the House and Senate that will address

this emerging threat, including our bill H.R.4333. It is essential that as you consider a year-end continuing

resolution, that this package include an expansion of the current C-UAS authorities to allow local and state law

enforcement to access these technologies.

Chrissy Houlahan

Member of Congress

 

Andrew R. Garbarino

Member of Congress

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1 https://apnews.com/article/drones-new-jersey-what-to-know-e6f565f5d51d9d47ad140e7e7d131842

2 https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/joint-dhs-fbi-statement-on-reports-of-drones-in-new-jersey

3 https://www.youtube.com/live/0iyeDFRLKV4?si=huVoe_dF1T-CHbff

4 https://homeland.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-12-10-CTITMS-HRG-Testimony.pdf

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She represents Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward” and the Congressional Management Foundation’s 2022 Democracy Award for best Constituent Services in Congress.