Washington, D.C. – Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) joined Chairwoman of House Republican Leadership Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (MI-02), and Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) in reintroducing the Drones for First Responders Act. This legislation supports the U.S. drone industry, reduces reliance on foreign adversaries, and strengthens U.S. national security.
“The Chinese Communist Party is a clear and present threat to our national security and relying on their drones for our first responders is not only dangerous, but unacceptable,” said Rep. LaHood. “I am proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Drones for First Responders Act to ensure safe and reliable equipment. This critical piece of legislation supports American drone manufacturing and protects our communities. The United States must stand firm against foreign threats while prioritizing American innovation.”
“My legislation will establish a revenue neutral grant program to help Americans purchase drones securely made by the U.S. and our allies,” said Rep. Stefanik. “I’m proud to reintroduce the Drones for First Responders Act, which will increase the competitiveness of U.S. drone manufacturers and provide first responders with the secure, high-quality drones they need to protect and serve our communities in Upstate New York, the North Country, and across our nation."
“Chinese drones pose an unacceptable surveillance risk to our first responders, our infrastructure, and our national security. For too long, the CCP has exploited unfair trade practices to dominate the global drone market and flood the United States with spyware-laden technology. I’m proud to co-sponsor Rep. Stefanik’s Drones for First Responders Act, which takes a clear-eyed approach: penalize the CCP’s economic aggression and give Americans the tools they need to transition to secure, U.S.-made drones. This is about protecting our communities, rebuilding American manufacturing, and cutting off the CCP’s access to sensitive data,” said Chairman Moolenaar.
“The United States should not be reliant on Communist China for drones that are critical to our nation’s first responder operations,” said Rep. Wittman. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Drones for First Responders Act to enable our first responders to purchase secure drones, increase the competitiveness of American drone manufacturers, and enhance U.S. national security. We simply cannot cede control of the drone market to the Chinese Communist Party.”
“The DFR Act is a reasonable, strategic step toward reducing dependence on adversarial suppliers, without pulling the plug overnight on investments made into drone technology. This legislation delivers a smart, enforceable, timely incentive structure to strengthen our industrial base, enhance public safety, and ensure that our first responders, farmers, and infrastructure operators aren’t forced to choose between capability and security. Congress must act with urgency to pass the DFR Act and follow through with broader, sustained investment in secure, U.S.-aligned drone manufacturing,” said Michael Robbins, CEO of AUVSI.
"An alarming number of drones operated by U.S. first responders are made in China and controlled by the CCP. Using aggressive subsidies, direct government investment, and favorable regulations to undercut our national security interests, they are dominating the global drone market over U.S. manufacturers," said Jon Toomey, President of the Coalition for A Prosperous America (CPA). "Thanks to the leadership of Rep. Stefanik, CPA believes that tariffs tied with subsidies to incubate new manufacturing industries here in the U.S. is precisely the kind of policy Congress should be embracing.”
Background:
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has utilized unfair trade practices and direct government investment to undercut U.S. drone manufacturers and strengthen its grip on the global drone market. Currently, 90 percent of drones used by American first responders are built in China, posing a direct threat to our national security.
The Drones for First Responders Act will end U.S. dependency on the CCP. This bill will help create a grant program to allow first responders, critical infrastructure providers, and farmers to purchase drones manufactured by the U.S. and our allies. This legislation also establishes that by 2030, imported drones must meet strengthened rules of origin to ensure critical components are not sourced from China.
The full text of the bill can be read HERE.
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