WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives has passed Donalds Amendment 1188 as part of H.R. 1398 – "The Protect America's Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act of 2024" with a bipartisan vote of 237-180.
Amendment 1188 requires an analysis of all Chinese Communist Party-associated drones in the U.S. National Airspace System to ensure national security. The legislation specifically protects our nation's airspace, mitigates-against the threat of Chinese Communist Party espionage, and defends the American drone industry.
Amendment 1188 is sponsored by Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) and is the congressman's twenty-fourth piece of legislation that has passed the U.S. House of Representatives during the 118th Congress.
Background:
Chinese drones account for over 70% of the global drone market and 90% of the U.S. drone market.
Chinese drones actively undercut U.S. government contracts from U.S. companies by at least 50%.
Federal, state, and local governments use Chinese drones for activities that include highly sensitive information from evaluating critical infrastructure and military operations.
Data stored from Chinese drones are subject to Chinese Cybersecurity law which requires network operators to store select data within China and allows Chinese authorities to receive critical data without notification.
China dominates-in critical manufacturing parts including semiconductors and communications equipment that are found in almost every drone.
China could have the capability to track and affect flights of CCP drones.
Chinese drones are a major national and economic security risk to the U.S.
This amendment provides a crucial analysis of CCP unmanned aircraft and associated elements in the National Airspace System to facilitate U.S. national defense solutions.
