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To authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to deputize a State or local law enforcement officer to protect certain events with temporary flight restrictions, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security or Attorney General to deputize state and local law enforcement officers to use drone detection and countermeasure equipment to protect certain events and locations with flight restrictions. The protected sites include those with permanent flight restrictions, large public gatherings, or temporary flight restrictions established by the FAA. Deputized officers must complete training specified by DHS or DOJ in coordination with the Transportation Department and FAA. The bill limits authorized equipment to systems on a list maintained by DHS and coordinated with other federal agencies including the FAA, FCC, and National Telecommunications and Information Administration. DHS and DOJ will provide oversight of the use of this authority.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] (R-AR)
1 cosponsor
- Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] (D-NV)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Tom Cotton’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $80,461
- APOLLO MANAGEMENT $25,600
- APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $19,800
- BRODIE GENERATIONAL CAPITAL PARTNERS $13,200
- APOLLO $11,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Tom Cotton → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Feb 20, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. · senate
- Feb 20, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 20, 2025
Mr. Cotton (for himself and Ms. Rosen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to deputize a State or local law enforcement officer to protect certain events with temporary flight restrictions, 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 “Disabling Enemy Flight Entry and Neutralizing Suspect Equipment Act” or the “DEFENSE Act”.
SEC. 2. DRONE COUNTERMEASURES TO PROTECT EVENTS.
Section 210G of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124n) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(m) Stadium Security.—
“(1) In general.—The Secretary or the Attorney General may deputize a State or local law enforcement officer to exercise the authority granted by subsection (a), except that the authority is granted solely for the purpose of protecting—
“(A) a site with respect to which a flight restriction is maintained pursuant to section 521 of division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (49 U.S.C. 40103 note);
“(B) the location of an eligible large public gathering described in section 44812(c) of title 49, United States Code; or
“(C) a public gathering otherwise protected by a temporary flight restriction, at the discretion of the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration under the authority of section 40103(b) of title 49, United States Code.
“(2) Training required.—The Secretary or the Attorney General may deputize only a State or local law enforcement officer that has completed training in the use of the authority described in paragraph (1), as specified by the Secretary or Attorney General in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
“(3) Oversight.—The Secretary or the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall exercise oversight of the use of the authority described in paragraph (1) by a deputized State or local law enforcement officer.
“(4) Authorized equipment.—Equipment authorized for unmanned aircraft system detection, identification, monitoring, or tracking under this subsection shall be limited to systems or technologies that are included on a list of authorized equipment maintained by the Department, in coordination with the Department of Justice, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Communications Commission, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.”. <all>
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