[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3465-S3466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6343. Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mr. Cotton) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 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 B of title VIII, add the following:

     SEC. 823. PROHIBITION ON THE PROCUREMENT AND OPERATION OF 
                   COVERED UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE SYSTEMS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Covered nation.--The term ``covered nation'' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 4872(f) of title 10, United 
     States Code.
       (2) Covered foreign entity.--The term ``covered foreign 
     entity'' means an entity that is--
       (A) domiciled in a covered nation;
       (B) subject to the influence or control of the government 
     of a covered nation, as determined by the Secretary of 
     Defense; or
       (C) a subsidiary or affiliate of an entity described in 
     subparagraph (A) or (B).
       (3) Covered unmanned ground vehicle system.--The term 
     ``covered unmanned ground vehicle system'' means an unmanned 
     ground vehicle system manufactured or assembled by a covered 
     foreign entity.
       (4) Unmanned ground vehicle system.--The term ``unmanned 
     ground vehicle system'' means a system that includes--
       (A) a mechanical device, including a remote surveillance 
     vehicle, autonomous patrol technology, mobile robotics, or a 
     humanoid robot, that--
       (i) is capable of locomotion, navigation, or movement on 
     the ground; and
       (ii) operates at a distance from a human operator or 
     supervisor based on commands or in response to sensor data or 
     any combination thereof;
       (B) the payload of the mechanical device described in 
     subparagraph (A); and
       (C) any external device used to control the mechanical 
     device described in subparagraph (A).
       (b) Prohibition on Procurement of Covered Unmanned Ground 
     Vehicle Systems.--Except as provided under subsection (e), 
     the Department of Defense may not procure any covered 
     unmanned ground vehicle system.
       (c) Prohibition on Operation of Covered Unmanned Ground 
     Vehicle Systems.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (e), 
     beginning on the date that is one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Department of Defense may not 
     operate a covered unmanned ground vehicle system.
       (2) Applicability to contracted services.--The prohibition 
     under paragraph (1) applies to any covered unmanned ground 
     vehicle system being used by the Department of Defense 
     through a contract for the services of the covered unmanned 
     ground vehicle system.
       (d) Prohibition on Use of Federal Funds for Procurement or 
     Operation of Covered Unmanned Ground Vehicle Systems.--Except 
     as provided in subsection (e), beginning on the date that is 
     one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, no 
     Federal funds awarded through a contract, grant, or 
     cooperative agreement of the Department of Defense, or 
     otherwise made available by the Department, may be used to 
     procure or in connection with the operation of a covered 
     unmanned ground vehicle system.
       (e) Exemption to Prohibitions.--The Department of Defense 
     is exempt from the prohibitions under subsections (b), (c), 
     and (d) if--

[[Page S3466]]

       (1) the procurement or operation of the covered unmanned 
     ground vehicle system is in the national interest of the 
     United States; and
       (2)(A) the sole purpose for the procurement or operation 
     is--
       (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 counter-terrorism or counterintelligence 
     activities, protective missions, or Federal criminal or 
     national security investigations, including forensic 
     examinations; or
       (B) the covered unmanned ground vehicle system, as procured 
     or as modified after procurement but before operational use--
       (i) can no longer transfer data to, or download data from, 
     a covered foreign entity; and
       (ii) poses no national security cybersecurity risk as 
     determined by the Secretary of Defense.
                                 ______