WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) today introduced the Combating Foreign Terrorist Drones Act of 2024, bipartisan legislation aimed at preventing foreign terrorists—such as Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and Iran-backed groups like the Houthis—from acquiring unmanned aerial systems, or drones, to conduct attacks, collect intelligence, and deliver weapons or supplies. As recently as January 28, 2024, an Iran-backed terrorist group committed a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American soldiers and injured 40 more.
“With the rise of unmanned aerial systems used in warfare, and the relative ease of access to commercial drones, it has become more critical to keep foreign terrorist groups from getting their hands on drones,” Senator Romney said. “Since the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas, there have been dozens of drone attacks on American troops by Iran-backed groups. Preventing foreign terrorists from acquiring drones will save American lives, degrade terrorist capabilities by reducing their stockpiles, and protect our national security interests.”
“Foreign terrorist groups are increasingly acquiring and using drones to target American servicemembers and our allies,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m helping introduce this bipartisan bill to prevent terrorist organizations from acquiring drones, protect our servicemembers from attacks, and enhance our national security.”
Background:
The Combating Foreign Terrorist Drones Act of 2024 would require the Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress an intelligence assessment of foreign terrorist organization acquisition of drones that would include:
- Methods that foreign terrorist organizations use to acquire drones, such as through commercial purchase, diversion, illicit manufacturing, trafficking, state-sponsored supply, or theft or recovery from nation-state operators.
- Identification of suppliers, networks, routes, production facilities, and other key points that facilitate the acquisition of drones by foreign terrorist organizations.
- Evaluation of the degree of coordination and intelligence sharing with U.S. allies and partners to prevent foreign terrorist organizations from acquiring drones.
- Recommendations for legislative or administrative action to limit or combat foreign terrorist organization acquisition of drones.
Full text of the legislation can be found here.