[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 141 (Wednesday, September 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5985-S5986]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3249. Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mr. Rounds) 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, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. STUDY AND REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE USE OF 
                   CHINESE-MADE UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE SYSTEMS 
                   AND PROHIBITION ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
                   PROCUREMENT AND OPERATION OF SUCH SYSTEMS.

       (a) Study and Report on Use in Department of Defense 
     Systems of Chinese-made Unmanned Ground Vehicle Systems.--
       (1) Study and report required.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Defense shall--
       (A) conduct a study on the use in Department of Defense 
     systems of covered unmanned ground vehicle systems made by 
     covered foreign entities; and
       (B) submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
     on the findings of the Secretary with respect to the study 
     conducted pursuant to subparagraph (A).
       (2) Elements.--The study conducted pursuant to paragraph 
     (1)(A) shall cover the following:
       (A) The extent to which covered unmanned ground vehicle 
     systems made by covered foreign entities are used by the 
     Department, including a list of all such covered unmanned 
     ground vehicle systems.
       (B) The extent to which covered unmanned ground vehicle 
     systems made by covered foreign entities are used by 
     contractors of the Department.
       (C) The nature of the use described in subparagraph (B).

[[Page S5986]]

       (D) An assessment of the national security threats 
     associated with using covered unmanned ground vehicle systems 
     in applications of the Department. Such assessment shall 
     cover concerns relating to the following:
       (i) Cybersecurity.
       (ii) Technological maturity of the systems.
       (iii) Technological vulnerabilities in the systems that may 
     be exploited by foreign adversaries of the United States.
       (E) Actions taken by the Department to identify covered 
     foreign entities that--
       (i) develop or manufacture covered unmanned ground vehicle 
     systems; and
       (ii) have a military-civil nexus on the list maintained by 
     the Department under section 1260H(b) of the William M. (Mac) 
     Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
     2021 (Public Law 116-283; 10 U.S.C. 113 note).
       (F) The feasibility and advisability of directing the 
     Defense Innovation Unit, or another entity in the Department 
     of Defense, to develop a list of United States manufacturers 
     of covered unmanned ground vehicle systems.
       (G) A recommendation on whether a prohibition on the 
     procurement and operation of covered unmanned ground vehicle 
     systems is in the best interest of the Department.
       (b) Prohibition on Procurement and Operation by Department 
     of Defense of Covered Unmanned Ground Vehicle Systems From 
     Covered Foreign Entities.--
       (1) Prohibition.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, except as provided in paragraph 
     (2), the Secretary of Defense may not procure or operate any 
     covered unmanned ground vehicle system that is manufactured 
     or assembled by a covered foreign entity.
       (B) Applicability to contracted services.--The prohibition 
     under subparagraph (A) with respect to the operation of 
     covered unmanned ground vehicles systems applies to any such 
     system that is being used by the Department of Defense 
     through the method of contracting for the services of such 
     systems.
       (2) Exception.--The Secretary of Defense is exempt from any 
     restrictions under subsection (a) in a case in which the 
     Secretary determines that the procurement or operation--
       (A) is required in the national interest of the United 
     States; and
       (B) is for the sole purposes of--
       (i) research, evaluation, training, testing, or analysis 
     for electronic warfare, information warfare operations, 
     cybersecurity, or the development of unmanned ground vehicle 
     system or counter-unmanned ground vehicle system technology; 
     or
       (ii) conducting counterterrorism or counterintelligence 
     activities, protective missions, Federal criminal or national 
     security investigations (including forensic examinations), 
     electronic warfare, information warfare operations, 
     cybersecurity activities, or the development of unmanned 
     ground vehicle system or counter-unmanned ground vehicle 
     system technology.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Covered foreign country.--The term ``covered foreign 
     country'' means any of the following:
       (A) The People's Republic of China.
       (B) The Russian Federation.
       (C) The Islamic Republic of Iran.
       (D) The Democratic People's Republic of Korea
       (2) Covered foreign entity.--The term ``covered foreign 
     entity'' means an entity that is domiciled in a covered 
     foreign country or subject to influence or control by the 
     government of a covered foreign country, as determined by the 
     Secretary of Defense.
       (3) Covered unmanned ground vehicle system.--The term 
     ``covered unmanned ground vehicle system''--
       (A) means a mechanical device that--
       (i) is capable of locomotion, navigation, or movement on 
     the ground; and
       (ii) operates at a distance from one or more operators or 
     supervisors based on commands or in response to sensor data, 
     or through any combination thereof; and
       (B) includes--
       (i) remote surveillance vehicles, autonomous patrol 
     technologies, mobile robotics, and humanoid robots; and
       (ii) the vehicle, its payload, and any external device used 
     to control the vehicle.
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