The SUSTAIN Act is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was recently introduced in the Senate and sent to the Committee on Armed Services for review. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
Legislative Progress
Senate
House
President
Law
Could go either way
Bipartisan support and protection of local jobs help its chances, but military leaders often fight against laws that limit their ability to retire older equipment.
Key Points
This bill prevents the Air Force from retiring or reducing the number of MQ-9 Reaper drones until September 2032. It also stops the military from closing the units that operate these drones or cutting their staff levels below what they are today.
The rules specifically protect the Air National Guard. The Air Force cannot take drones away from Guard units or change their mission without getting approval from that state's governor and providing a detailed transition plan to Congress.
The Air Force is allowed to retire a single drone only if it is unsafe to fly or broken beyond repair. In those cases, they must still ensure the unit has the equipment and people it needs to continue its work.
Within six months, the Air Force must give Congress a full report on the future of these drones. This includes how they will update the fleet, how much it will cost through 2035, and how they will keep the National Guard involved in these missions.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Jun 3, 2026Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Jun 3, 2026
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
