[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 159 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 159

   To improve the operation of the Department of Homeland Security's 
                   Unmanned Aircraft System Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 13, 2015

  Mr. McCain (for himself, Mr. Flake, and Ms. Ayotte) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
               Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To improve the operation of the Department of Homeland Security's 
                   Unmanned Aircraft System Program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Illegal border activities.--The term ``illegal border 
        activities'' means the illegal trafficking or smuggling of an 
        individual or controlled substances or activities to further a 
        Federal crime relating to United States immigration, customs, 
        controlled substances, agriculture, monetary instruments, or 
        other border controls.
            (2) Southern border.--The term ``Southern border'' means 
        the international border between the United States and Mexico.
            (3) UAS.--The term ``UAS'' means unmanned aircraft systems.

SEC. 2. PERSISTENT SURVEILLANCE ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

    (a) In General.--The Department of Homeland Security shall fully 
utilize surveillance and detection capabilities developed or used by 
the various Federal departments and agencies for the purpose of 
enhancing the functioning and operational capability to conduct 
continuous and integrated manned or unmanned, monitoring, sensing, or 
surveillance of 100 percent of Southern border mileage or the immediate 
vicinity of the Southern border.
    (b) Procurement of Additional Unmanned Aircraft Systems.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security may not 
        procure any additional UAS until after the Secretary provides 
        Congress with written certification that the Department of 
        Homeland Security successfully operated its current fleet of 
        UAS at least 23,000 hours during the preceding calendar year.
            (2) Exemption.--The limitation set forth in paragraph (1) 
        shall not apply to the procurement of unmanned aircraft that do 
        not weigh more than 150 pounds.
    (c) Use of Best Available Radar and Surveillance Technology.--The 
Department of Homeland Security shall use the best available radar and 
surveillance technology--
            (1) to increase awareness of illegal border activities 
        along the Southern border; and
            (2) to identify gaps in surveillance capabilities.

SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and biannually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
submit a report to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
House of Representatives that contains, for the reporting period--
            (1) the total number of UAS hours required to provide 
        persistent surveillance along the Southern border;
            (2) the total number of UAS flight hours planned in support 
        of any Federal or State department or agency;
            (3) the number of planned UAS flight hours in support of 
        the goal referred to in paragraph (1);
            (4) the number of hours in which UAS were flown in support 
        of the goal referred to in paragraph (1);
            (5) the number of planned UAS flight hours in support of 
        the goal referred to in paragraph (1) that were cancelled 
        before takeoff, including the reason for such cancellations;
            (6) performance measures regarding--
                    (A) the number of hours flown by the current fleet 
                of UAS operated by the Department of Homeland Security;
                    (B) the number of subjects detected though the use 
                of UAS;
                    (C) the number of apprehensions assisted by the use 
                of UAS; and
                    (D) the number and quantity of illicit drug 
                seizures assisted by the use of UAS; and
            (7) all accumulated cost associated with the Unmanned 
        Aircraft System Program within the Department of Homeland 
        Security, including--
                    (A) salaries of pilots; and
                    (B) costs associated with radar and surveillance 
                technology.

SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION.

    The Secretary of Homeland Security shall consult with the Secretary 
of Defense to identify the best practices used by the Department of 
Defense that could also be used by the Department of Homeland Security 
to improve the security of the Southern border by enhancing wide aerial 
surveillance and fulfilling the requirements set forth in section 2.

SEC. 5. SUNSET.

    This Act shall be repealed on the date that is 5 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.
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