Congressman Pat Harrigan Introduces the American Drone Manufacturing Act
Contact: Lexi Kranich (814) 380-4408
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10) introduced the American Drone Manufacturing Dominance Act, legislation to help law enforcement agencies transition away from foreign-made drones, strengthen domestic drone manufacturing, and rebuild America's leadership in one of the most important technologies shaping the future battlefield. Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07), Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), and Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04) joined the legislation as original cosponsors.
"China didn't become dominant in the drone market by accident, and we're not going to reclaim that ground by sitting on the sidelines," said Congressman Harrigan. "My bill helps law enforcement replace insecure foreign-made systems, invests in American manufacturing, and strengthens the industrial base we'll need to compete and win in the years ahead. If drones are going to define the future of warfare, public safety, and critical infrastructure, those drones should be built in America, not Beijing."
"AUVSI applauds Congressman Harrigan for introducing legislation to strengthen public safety infrastructure and reduce law enforcement's dependence on CCP-controlled drone technology. As uncrewed systems become increasingly critical to first responders and public safety agencies across the country, it is imperative that we protect against systems that could expose sensitive data, create persistent access, or enable remote disruption. This bill takes decisive action, requiring agencies to phase out CCP-controlled systems within five years while providing the grant funding they need to transition to secure, trusted alternatives without disrupting their operations," said Michael Robbins, President & CEO of AUVSI.
Under the legislation, law enforcement agencies receiving certain federal grants would phase out drones manufactured by covered foreign countries and transition to secure alternatives. The bill also establishes a buyback program to help agencies replace existing systems, creates grants for the procurement of trusted replacements, and invests in expanding domestic drone manufacturing capacity here at home.
The legislation is part of Congressman Harrigan's broader effort to rebuild America's defense industrial base, secure critical supply chains, and ensure the United States remains the global leader in unmanned systems technology. As adversaries continue investing heavily in drone production and battlefield innovation, Congressman Harrigan believes the United States must move with the same sense of urgency.