[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 215 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H7270-H7271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           DRONE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ACT

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 2730) to establish and ensure an inclusive and transparent 
Drone Advisory Committee.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 2730

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

     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, 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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from Illinois 
(Mr. Rodney Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.


                             General Leave

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on S. 2730.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2730, the Drone Advisory 
Committee for the 21st Century Act, introduced by Senator Peters of 
Michigan.
  The number of unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, in the United 
States airspace has grown exponentially in recent years. The growth is 
expected to continue, as drones are deployed for more and more uses 
each year. Drones have become important tools to assist with everything 
from infrastructure inspection and lifesaving missions to delivering 
medical supplies and prescriptions.
  As the Federal Aviation Administration continues its efforts to 
safely integrate drones into the National Airspace System, the work of 
the Drone Advisory Committee, an FAA advisory committee that provides 
the agency with advice and recommendations on key drone integration 
issues, will continue to play an important role in such efforts.
  The Drone Advisory Committee is currently comprised of executives 
from a cross-section of interested stakeholders, including academia, 
drone manufacturers and operators, aviation labor, and local 
governments, among others. While drones are increasingly being used in 
the agriculture, forestry, and rangeland sectors and by county and 
Tribal governments, these stakeholders are not represented adequately 
in the current committee makeup.
  S. 2730 would, therefore, require the FAA to take appropriate steps 
to encourage the direct representation of county and Tribal 
governments, as well as agriculture, forestry, rangeland sectors, and 
other rural interests, on the Drone Advisory Committee. The bill will 
also require the FAA to include public participation in the process of 
nominating individuals for advisory committee membership going forward.
  The efforts outlined in S. 2730 will not only include transparency 
and openness in how the Drone Advisory Committee's membership is 
constructed, but they will also help ensure the insights of 
stakeholders, with vast experience operating drones and perspectives 
regarding their integration, are reflected in the advisory committee's 
important work, ultimately informing future FAA decisionmaking.
  Madam Speaker, I support this legislation, I urge my colleagues to do 
the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I again rise in support of another great piece of 
bipartisan legislation, S. 2730, the Drone Advisory Committee for the 
21st Century Act.
  The Drone Advisory Committee is a long-term advisory committee that 
provides the Federal Aviation Administration with advice on key drone 
integration issues.
  S. 2730 directs the FAA to ensure that there is broad participation 
on this committee that develops policies for unmanned aircraft systems, 
or drones, and their growing uses.
  S. 2730 also directs the FAA to consider public opinion when 
nominating anyone to serve on the Drone Advisory Committee.
  Imagine that, a government agency asking the public, who is 
intricately involved in issues related to drone technology and the 
ability to use drones in and around our public airspace--imagine having 
public opinion determine who should be best to serve.
  This is another example where Republicans and Democrats have come 
together to offer solutions. It is sad we have to put them on paper, to 
put them into legislation sometimes; but here we are today, and I am 
glad it is happening.
  Having committee participation from those in rural areas, especially, 
will

[[Page H7271]]

help those in agribusiness, like in the 13th District of Illinois, my 
district, where agriculture is king and is so much a part of our local 
economy. They depend on drones.
  The growing use of drones and unmanned aircraft in this field are 
affecting wide swaths of the country. When you look at my district, we 
have to start talking about some of the other drone issues that I and 
my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have 
worked on over the last few years that I have been blessed to serve in 
this institution.
  It was an amendment I offered to a previous FAA reauthorization that 
allowed for microdrones to have a category in and of itself. We don't 
need this committee actively trying to influence what we would consider 
the hobby aircraft industry. If a drone is below 4.4 pounds, we believe 
anyone who wants to utilize this technology should have the opportunity 
to do so.
  Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support S. 2730, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I want to say in 
closing, I encourage all Members to support this bill.
  I also want to say thank you to the colleagues that don't get a 
chance to come back here on January 3, like Mr. Cunningham and so many 
of my other friends. These are good people who served in a great 
institution where we worked together to make sure we made this country 
a better place. I thank them for their service.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, as is often the case, it is difficult for 
Congress to stay ahead of the technology that it must regulate.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 2730.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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