[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 23, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5306-S5307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3028. Mr. PETERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 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 appropriate place in title II, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. LARGE AND MEDIUM FIXED-WING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT AND 
                   UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM PILOT PROGRAM.

       (a) Pilot Program Authorized.--The Secretary shall, in 
     coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration, carry out a pilot program to assess the 
     feasibility and advisability of conducting flights of large 
     and medium unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems in 
     high- or medium-density complex airspace environments.
       (b) Locations.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a pilot 
     program under subsection (a) in the United States.
       (2) Installations.--In carrying out the pilot program 
     required by subsection (a), the Secretary may select 5 
     installations of the Air Force or the Air National Guard from 
     which unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems 
     participating in the pilot program may depart, arrive, and be 
     housed.
       (c) Testing.--In carrying out the pilot program required by 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall test large and medium 
     unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems operations 
     and advanced air mobility airspace integration, flight 
     verification, and validation.
       (d) Use of Aircraft.--In carrying out the pilot program 
     required by subsection (a), the Secretary may use large and 
     medium unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems 
     procured by the Department of Defense.
       (e) Coordination With Other Agency Heads.--In carrying out 
     the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary 
     may coordinate with the heads of other Executive agencies to 
     conduct joint large and medium unmanned aircraft and unmanned 
     aircraft system operations using the unmanned aircraft and 
     unmanned aircraft systems and facilities of the respective 
     Executive agency at the pilot program locations selected by 
     the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program, subject to 
     the approval of those heads of other Executive agencies.
       (f) Annual Briefing.--Not later than one year after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter 
     for 4 years, the Secretary and the Administrator of the 
     Federal Aviation Administration shall jointly provide a 
     briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
     activities carried out under this section.
       (g) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to affect the existing authorities of the 
     Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration related 
     to unmanned aircraft system integration or the safety and 
     efficiency of the national airspace system.
       (h) Termination.-- The requirement to carry out the pilot 
     program authorized by subsection (a) shall terminate 6 years 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (i) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``advanced air mobility'' has the meaning 
     given the term in section 2(i) of the Advanced Air Mobility 
     Coordination and Leadership Act (Public Law 117-203; 49 
     U.S.C. 40101 note).
       (2) The term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (3) The term ``Department'' means the Department of 
     Defense.

[[Page S5307]]

       (4) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Defense.
       (5) The terms ``unmanned aircraft'' and ``unmanned aircraft 
     system'' have the meanings given those terms in section 44801 
     of title 49, United States Code.
                                 ______