[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 122 (Thursday, July 2, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4237-S4238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2427. Ms. HASSAN (for herself and Mr. Johnson) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2301 proposed by Mr.
Inhofe to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2021 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle D of title IX, insert the
following:
SEC. 952. THREATS TO UNITED STATES FORCES FROM SMALL UNMANNED
AERIAL SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) United States military forces face an ever increasing
and constantly evolving threat from small unmanned aerial
systems in operations worldwide, whether in the United States
or abroad.
(2) The Department of Defense is already doing important
work to address the threats from small unmanned aerial
systems worldwide, though the need for engagement in that
area continues.
(b) Executive Agent.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Army is the executive
agent of the Department of Defense for programs, projects,
and activities to counter small unmanned aerial systems (in
this section referred to as the ``Counter-Small Unmanned
Aerial Systems Program'').
(2) Functions.--The functions of the Secretary as executive
agent shall be as follows:
(A) To develop the strategy required by subsection (c).
(B) To carry out such other activities to counter threats
to United States forces worldwide from small unmanned aerial
systems as the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the
Army consider appropriate.
(3) Structure.--The Secretary as executive agent shall
carry out the functions specified in paragraph (2) through
such administrative structures as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(c) Strategy To Counter Threats From Small Unmanned Aerial
Systems.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army, as
executive agent for the Counter-Small Unmanned Aerial Systems
Program, shall develop and submit to relevant committees of
Congress a strategy for the Armed Forces to effectively
counter threats from small unmanned aerial systems worldwide.
The report shall be submitted in classified form.
(d) Report on Executive Agent Activities.--
(1) Report required.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army,
as executive agent for the Counter-Small Unmanned Aerial
Systems Program, shall submit to Congress a report on the
Counter-Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Program.
(2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) A description and assessment of the structure and
activities of the executive agent as established and put in
place by the Secretary, including the following:
(i) Any obstacles hindering the effective discharge of its
functions and activities, including limitations in
authorities or policy.
(ii) The changes, if any, to airspace management, rules of
engagement, and training plans that are required in order to
optimize the use by the Armed Forces of counter-small
unmanned aerial systems.
(B) An assessment of the implementation of the strategy
required by subsection (c), and a description of any updates
to the strategy that are required in light of evolving
threats to the Armed Forces from small unmanned aerial
systems.
(e) Report on Threat From Small Unmanned Aerial Systems.--
[[Page S4238]]
(1) Report required.--Not later than 180 days after the
submittal of the strategy required by subsection (c), the
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a report that sets forth a direct
comparison between the threats United States forces in combat
settings face from small unmanned aerial systems and the
capabilities of the United States to counter such threats.
The report shall be submitted in classified form.
(2) Coordination.--The Secretary shall prepare the report
required by paragraph (1) in coordination with the Director
of National Intelligence, and with such other appropriate
officials of the intelligence community, and such other
officials in the United States Government, as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(3) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) An evaluation and assessment of the current and
evolving threat being faced by United States forces from
small unmanned aerial systems.
(B) A description of the counter-small unmanned aerial
system systems acquired by the Department of Defense as of
the date of the enactment of this Act, and an assessment
whether such systems are adequate to meet the current and
evolving threat described in subparagraph (A).
(4) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress''
means--
(A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Select
Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Permanent
Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of
Representatives.
(f) Comptroller General of the United States Assessment of
Counter-Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Program.--
(1) Assessment.--Not later than 180 days after the
submittal of the strategy required by subsection (c), the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the
congressional defense committees a report setting forth the
results of an assessment, conducted by the Comptroller
General for purposes of the report, of the efficacy of the
Counter-Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Program.
(2) Elements.--The assessment conducted pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A) An identification of metrics to assess progress in the
implementation of the strategy required by subsection (c),
which metrics shall take into account the threat assessment
required for purposes of subsection (e).
(B) An assessment of progress, and key challenges, in the
implementation of the strategy using such metrics, and
recommendations for improvements in the implementation of the
strategy.
(C) An assessment of the extent to which the Department of
Defense is coordinating adequately with other departments and
agencies of the United States Government, and other
appropriate entities, in the development and procurement of
counter-small unmanned aerial systems for the Department.
(D) An assessment of the extent to which the designation of
the Secretary of the Army as executive agent for the Counter-
Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Program has reduced
redundancies and increased efficiencies in procurement of
counter-small unmanned aerial systems.
(E) An assessment whether United States technological
progress on counter-small unmanned aerial systems is
sufficient to maintain a competitive edge over the small
unmanned aerial systems technology available to United States
adversaries.
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