8/11/13: Drones and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) — and privacy issues — continue to be a hot topic among lawmakers. In a letter responding to questions from Senator Rand Paul, the FBI stated that it had used unmanned aircraft in 10 cases for surveillance since 2006. The letter also stated that all "agents are trained on the Supreme Court's interpretations of a reasonable expectation of privacy under the Fourth Amendment." (Read the letter.)
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), acting in response to legislation passed by Congress is 2012, has issued restricted category type certificates to unmanned aircraft systems, "an important step toward the FAA’s goal of integrating UAS into the nation’s airspace." (Source: FAA)
And earlier this year, Senator Rand Paul took to the Senate floor to participate in an active, 13-hour filibuster of President Obama's nominee for CIA director. His topic? Drones. "I will speak as long as it takes, until the alarm is sounded from coast to coast that our Constitution is important, that your rights to trial by jury are precious, that no American should be killed by a drone on American soil without first being charged with a crime, without first being found to be guilty by a court." (Watch his filibuster.)
Drones and Unmanned Aircraft
Already several bills related to drones and unmanned aircraft have been introduced in Congress — with more to come, we expect. Weigh in and POPVOX will deliver your views to your Members of Congress — guaranteed.
Introduced in 2014
- HR 4036 Eliminating the CIA's use of drones: To prohibit the Central Intelligence Agency from using an unmanned aerial vehicle to carry out a weapons strike or other deliberately lethal action and to transfer the authority to conduct such strikes or lethal action to the Department of Defense.
Introduced in 2013
- HR 2868 Drone Aircraft Privacy and Transparency Act: To amend the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to provide guidance and limitations regarding the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into United States airspace. (And S 1639 in the Senate.)
- HR 2438 DRONES Act: To require an adequate process in preplanned lethal operations that deliberately target citizens of the United States or citizens of strategic treaty allies of the United States, to limit the use of cluster munitions generally, including when likely to unintentionally harm such citizens.
- S 1057 Safeguarding Privacy and Fostering Aerospace Innovation Act: to prohibit the use of unmanned aircraft systems by private persons to conduct surveillance of other private persons
- HR 2183 Drones Accountability Act: To direct the Director of the CIA to cease lethal drone operations.
- S 1016 Preserving Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act: to protect individual privacy against unwarranted governmental intrusion through the use of the unmanned aerial vehicles commonly called drones.
- HR 1262 Drone Aircraft Privacy and Transparency Act: To provide guidance and limitations regarding the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into United States airspace.
- HR 1242 A bill to prohibit the use of drones to kill citizens of the United States within the United States (And S 505 in the Senate.)
- HR 1083 No Armed Drones Act: To establish prohibitions to prevent the use of an unmanned aircraft system as a weapon while operating in the national airspace system.
- HR 972 Preserving Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act: To protect individual privacy against unwarranted governmental intrusion through the use of the unmanned aerial vehicles commonly called drones.
Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill doesn't imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we're simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of an overwhelmingly complex legislative system.
