[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 209 (Thursday, December 10, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7431-S7432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           DRONE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ACT

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 560, S. 2730.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2730) to establish and ensure an inclusive and 
     transparent Drone Advisory Committee.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which was reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Drone Advisory Committee for 
     the 21st Century Act''.

     SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the Sense of Congress that:
       (1) Due to the ever-increasing use of Unmanned Aircraft 
     Systems in the agriculture, forestry, and rangeland sectors, 
     as well as the inherently different uses in less populated 
     parts of the nation, membership of the Drone Advisory 
     Committee established by the Federal Aviation Administration 
     should, to the extent practicable,

[[Page S7432]]

     include direct representatives from county and tribal 
     government, agriculture, forestry, and rangeland interests.
       (2) Full transparency in the work of the Drone Advisory 
     Committee is vital to ensuring the public can effectively 
     participate and contribute to the development of sound 
     Federal policies. The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration should, to the maximum extent practicable, 
     ensure the work of the Drone Advisory Committee is shared 
     with and easily accessible to the public and shall ensure 
     transparency and openness in the manner in which the affairs 
     of the Committee are conducted.

     SEC. 3. DRONE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP.

       (1) In general.--The Federal Aviation Administration shall 
     take appropriate steps to encourage direct representation of 
     county and tribal governments as well as agriculture, 
     forestry, rangeland sectors, and other rural interests on the 
     Drone Advisory Committee.
       (2) Public participation.--To the maximum extent 
     practicable, the Administrator shall include public 
     participation in the process of nominating individuals for 
     membership on the Committee.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I further ask that the committee-
reported substitute be considered and agreed to; the bill, as amended, 
be read a third time and passed; and the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment, in the nature of a substitute, was 
agreed to.
  The bill (S. 2730), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

                          ____________________