NEDD Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Nuclear Ecosystem Drone Defense Act amends several National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 provisions dealing with covered unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities. It adds the Secretary of Energy alongside existing officials in those authorities and adds the Department of Energy to covered agency language.
The bill also amends a nuclear-security facility provision so covered facilities include property owned by or contracted to the United States to store, transport, or use special nuclear material, or to research, design, manufacture, or produce non-nuclear components for nuclear weapons. The practical effect is to give the Department of Energy a clearer role in restrictions or authorities involving foreign-linked drones and sensitive nuclear facilities.
Who Benefits and How
Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration facilities benefit from clearer authority to address covered foreign unmanned aircraft systems around nuclear-material and nuclear-weapons-component operations. Federal nuclear security officials benefit because the Secretary of Energy is explicitly included in covered authorities. Contractors operating facilities that store or transport special nuclear material benefit from clearer federal coverage for drone-related security rules.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Secretary of Energy and DOE security staff must participate in implementation decisions, designations, and coordination previously centered on other federal officials. Covered foreign drone manufacturers and suppliers face expanded risk that their systems will be restricted in DOE-related nuclear contexts. DOE contractors at covered nuclear facilities may need to adjust procurement, security, or compliance practices for unmanned aircraft systems.
Key Provisions
- Adds the Secretary of Energy to multiple NDAA provisions governing covered unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities.
- Adds the Department of Energy to covered agency language for those unmanned-aircraft-system authorities.
- Modifies designee language so the Secretary of Energy or appropriate designees can act where relevant.
- Expands covered nuclear facility language to sites storing, transporting, or using special nuclear material.
- Covers facilities researching, designing, manufacturing, or producing non-nuclear components for nuclear weapons.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Adds the Secretary of Energy and Department of Energy facilities to federal authorities governing covered unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities, including nuclear-material and nuclear-weapons-component facilities.
Key Policy Areas
Energy, Nuclear Security, Drones, National Security
Primary Purpose
Adds the Secretary of Energy and Department of Energy facilities to federal authorities governing covered unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities, including nuclear-material and nuclear-weapons-component facilities.
Policy Domains
DOE authority over covered foreign drones at nuclear facilities
Identified Gains
- Department of Energy nuclear security offices
- National Nuclear Security Administration facilities
- DOE contractors handling special nuclear material
Identified Costs
- Secretary of Energy security staff
- Covered foreign drone suppliers
- DOE facility procurement staff
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMs. Lee of Nevada (for herself, Mr. Amodei of Nevada, …
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and …
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
DOE facility procurement staff, Department of Energy nuclear security offices, National Nuclear Security Administration facilities
Positive-direction: Department of Energy nuclear security offices, National Nuclear Security Administration facilities
Negative-direction: DOE facility procurement staff
Covered foreign drone suppliers, DOE contractors handling special nuclear material
Positive-direction: DOE contractors handling special nuclear material
Negative-direction: Covered foreign drone suppliers
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "doe"
- → Department of Energy
- "secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
- "covered_facility"
- → Covered nuclear-material or nuclear-weapons-component facility
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Property owned by or contracted to the United States to store, transport, or use special nuclear material or to research, design, manufacture, or produce non-nuclear components for nuclear weapons.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology