Sponsors
The bill strengthens defenses for energy and other critical infrastructure by authorizing, funding, and standardizing private counter‑UAS actions and protections to speed local responses — but it trades off increased civil‑liberties and safety risks, new costs to taxpayers/ratepayers, and coordination/oversight challenges.
Households and businesses that rely on electricity and other critical services gain stronger on-site ability to detect and mitigate hostile or threatening drones, lowering the risk of large-scale outages and service disruptions.
Owners/operators and personnel of covered critical infrastructure receive a national certification program with common legal, operational, and technical standards (and limits to authorized technologies), improving uniformity of training and reducing accidental interference with the national airspace.
Covered infrastructure can get federal grant funding (authorized $250 million FY2027–2031) to buy and operate approved counter‑UAS systems, reducing upfront equipment costs for operators.
Members of the public and nearby communities face increased risks to privacy and civil liberties because private operators gain expanded counter‑UAS powers and grants, while broad liability immunities reduce legal accountability for harms caused by those actions.
The use of C‑UAS countermeasures by private operators risks accidental interference with civilian aircraft, communications, or other critical systems, creating potential safety hazards for the public and aviation operations.
Federal taxpayers and ratepayers could bear new costs: the $250 million appropriation increases federal spending, and equipment, operational, and maintenance costs (or costs passed through by operators) could raise utility rates or local budgets.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Allows trained owners/operators of high‑risk critical infrastructure to detect and disrupt threatening drones, creates certification and grant programs, grants immunity, and sunsets in 2031.
Introduced April 22, 2026 by Thomas Bryant Cotton · Last progress April 22, 2026
Allows trained and certified owners or security personnel at designated high‑risk critical infrastructure sites to detect, identify, monitor, warn, and disrupt threatening unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones). It creates a national certification program and coordination rules with the FAA and other agencies, provides grant money to buy approved counter‑UAS equipment, grants liability protection for authorized actions (except for gross negligence or willful misconduct), and sunsets the authority in 2031. Requires DHS (with DOE, FAA, DOJ, DOD and DOT coordination) to set up the certification program and issue implementing regulations within 180 days, deliver reporting to Congress, and limit technologies to a jointly authorized list; funds $250 million for grants for fiscal years 2027–2031 to help purchase and operate approved counter‑drone systems.