HR6846-119

What This Bill Does

The DEFEND Act adds a new Homeland Security Act annual assessment requirement for malicious drone threats. Within 270 days and annually for six years, the Homeland Security Secretary must report to the appropriate congressional committees on terrorism threats to the United States from global proliferation and malicious use of unmanned aircraft systems by covered foreign adversaries, including terrorist organizations. The assessment must analyze methods, trends, tactics, and technologies used to surveil, disrupt, damage, or destroy critical infrastructure, target civilians, conduct kinetic strikes or terrorist attacks, or undermine public safety or regional stability. It must evaluate whether those methods could be copied by other foreign adversaries, terrorist organizations, lone actors, or domestic violent extremists, including attacks against border security, port security, transportation systems, soft targets, mass gatherings, high-risk venues, or mass-casualty scenarios. It also covers intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance uses of drones by covered foreign adversaries and implications for homeland security preparedness and response.

Who Benefits and How

Congressional homeland security committees benefit from recurring assessments of drone-terrorism threats and preparedness gaps. Critical infrastructure operators, port authorities, border-security agencies, transportation systems, and mass-gathering venues benefit if the reports improve preparedness against malicious drones. State and local public safety agencies benefit from better federal understanding of drone tactics that could be copied domestically.

Who Bears the Burden and How

DHS intelligence and counterterrorism staff must produce the assessment within 270 days and annually for six years. Federal homeland security partners must gather threat, technology, and preparedness information. Foreign adversary drone programs and terrorist organizations face increased scrutiny. Congress must use the reports to oversee domestic preparedness and response capacity.

Key Provisions

• Requires DHS to submit an unmanned-aircraft terrorism threat assessment within 270 days and annually for six years.
• Requires analysis of foreign adversary and terrorist drone tactics against critical infrastructure, civilians, and public safety.
• Requires evaluation of whether tactics could be copied by other adversaries, lone actors, or domestic violent extremists.
• Covers risks to border security, port security, transportation systems, soft targets, mass gatherings, and high-risk venues.