Mills, McCaul Introduce Bill to Protect State Department from Enemy Drones, Surveillance

Representatives Cory Mills (R-FL) and Mike McCaul (R-TX) have introduced legislation authorizing the State Department to implement countermeasures against drones and other forms of surveillance used by America's enemies.

Rep. Mills named the legislation the Department of State Domestic Protection Mission Act, which includes provisions for when the State Department encounters an unmanned aerial system or aircraft (like drones) presenting a credible threat to facilities or assets.

Appropriate personnel would be authorized to warn the drone's operator to back off upon identification. If the threat persists, they would be allowed to capture, disable, or destroy the drone.

In his press release, Rep. Mills said, "Global instability is on the rise, with threats growing both overseas and here at home. As adversaries use tactics like unmanned aerial systems to target our assets, we must ensure our State Department is fully prepared to protect its facilities and employees. This bill provides the necessary tools for the State Department to protect its domestic facilities from evolving threats, including potential drone attacks, ensuring that our diplomats are secure here at home, just as they are abroad."

Similarly, Rep. McCaul said, "As the Chinese Communist Party and other adversaries deploy increased surveillance measures, the threat of drone intrusions in American airspace has never been greater. The Department of State Domestic Protection Mission Act will ensure State Department facilities have the capabilities they need to intercept and destroy those threats before they reach Americans."

Multiple drones that flew over New Jersey and New York in December were feared to be foreign surveillance drones.

However, the sightings were frequently found to have been personal drones, manned aircraft, or even stars.

Still, foreign surveillance, especially by the Chinese, has been of concern, with February 2023 seeing a balloon fly over most of the United States launched by China. The Biden Administration downplayed its presence in American airspace, although it was found to have been conducting reconnaissance over large swathes of the country after being shot down.