House Approves Bill to Limit Purchase of Chinese-Made Drones Over National Security Concerns

Department of Homeland Security sign at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Washington on June 28, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

The House of Representatives passed legislation on July 27 prohibiting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from purchasing and operating foreign-made Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), especially those manufactured in countries designated as foreign adversaries, such as China, due to national security concerns.

Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.), who serves as the vice chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, introduced the Unmanned Aerial Security Act (pdf), which was among a number of measures enacted by the House prior to the August recess.

The bill would prohibit DHS from “operating or procuring foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems.” Specifically, it would prohibit the use of drones manufactured in a foreign country identified by the intelligence community as a foreign adversary or a corporation headquartered in such a country.

The bill, known as HR 1501, aims to prevent potential espionage and risks posed by drones deployed by the DHS, as well as other U.S. and foreign organizations, that are required to share information with the CCP.

The legislation’s focus lies in addressing the significant capacity of Chinese-made UAS to collect sensitive data and the legal obligation for these drones to share such information with the CCP.

The text of the bill underscores the necessity of prohibiting the government agency from using foreign-made UAS, particularly those manufactured in a country with potentially nefarious intentions, to ensure the protection of sensitive information and avoid compromising government information.

Language from the bill asserted that foreign adversarial countries, particularly China, could potentially exploit UAS to commit espionage and pose risks to homeland security. By limiting the use of foreign-made UAS, the legislation aims to mitigate these threats and strengthen national security measures.

Support for the Bill

The ongoing concerns over data privacy and potential foreign interference have led lawmakers to prioritize legislation that addresses the use of drones manufactured in countries like China.

“We know that drones made by our foreign adversaries can be manipulated to undermine American security—a security risk that we cannot tolerate as the Chinese Communist Party presents a continuous threat against our nation and our allies,” Mr. Guest said upon passage of the bill, according to a committee press release.

The lawmaker went on to explain how drones are used and the importance of DHS having access to tools free of potential compromise by the CCP and others.

“The Department of Homeland Security utilizes drones for critical missions, and it is imperative that we trust the technology we are using. It is well known that the Chinese Communist Party has stolen our technology and information in the past.

“That’s why this legislation is so important. It would help mitigate security risks by ensuring our drones are not manufactured by our adversaries—including those manufacturers influenced by the CCP.”

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-Tenn.) congratulated his chamber of Congress on the bill’s passage.

“The House took direct action to combat the Chinese Communist Party’s brazen espionage and theft of American innovation by ensuring no drones procured by the Department of Homeland Security are manufactured in China,” he said.

“As a proven threat to our critical infrastructure, the United States cannot allow adversaries in Beijing to infiltrate a supply chain for critical homeland security technology that is used by Border Patrol agents and other federal law enforcement to accomplish their missions in the field.”

In the 117th Congress, an earlier version of the bill passed the House of Representatives with unanimous support on Sept. 29, 2021.

China’s Use of Southern Border

House Republicans pointed out the dangers of China’s access to the U.S. southern border during a June 21 Committee on Homeland Security hearing where Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) stated that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had intercepted an increasing number of foreign nationals from countries not in South or Central America, including Russia, and several high-value targets from China.

“I am concerned that the chaos of the Southwest border could be taken advantage of by anti-U.S. regimes—not just can, but has been,” Mr. Pfluger said.

“Meanwhile, the PRC and our foreign adversaries are expanding their spheres of influence in Latin America, right in our backyard … There are clear implications for U.S. Homeland Security.”

Mr. Pfluger highlighted the growing migration crisis resulting from the administration’s policy decisions, leading to significant increases in encounters at the southwest border. Of particular concern were the encounters involving individuals from what he referenced as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia.

The lawmaker also pointed out that several sheriff’s offices had reported apprehending multiple high-value targets from China, who were subsequently taken into custody by the FBI and cited data from the CBP showing an increase in fiscal year 2023 encounters with nationals from various continents by border patrol along the southwest border.

At the time of that report, the FBI declined The Epoch Times’s request to comment on the issue.