To provide a prohibition on certain reductions to MQ-9 aircraft units, and for other purposes.
Military Drones: Protecting MQ-9 Aircraft Units
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the House Committee on Armed Services for review. No further actions or hearings are scheduled at this time. The bill is considered active but is not moving quickly through Congress.
Legislative Progress
Standalone defense bills like this are usually added to the much larger yearly defense budget bill rather than passing as their own separate law.
Key Points
- This bill stops the Air Force from getting rid of or shrinking MQ-9 drone units for the next several years. The Air Force would not be allowed to retire these aircraft, move them to backup status, or reduce the number of people who fly and maintain them until late 2032.
- The rules apply to both the regular Air Force and the Air National Guard. If the Air Force wants to change a unit's mission, they must get permission from the state governor and prove to Congress that the new mission is just as good or better for national security.
- There is an exception for individual drones that are broken beyond repair or unsafe to fly. If a drone is too old or damaged to be fixed, the Air Force can still take it out of service on a case-by-case basis.
- The Air Force must also create a long-term plan for these drones. This plan must explain how they will update the fleet, how much it will cost, and what role the Air National Guard will play in flying these drones through the year 2035.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
To provide a prohibition on certain reductions to MQ-9 aircraft units, and for other purposes.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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