New legislation aims to combat terrorist access to drones

A new bipartisan bill has been introduced in the US Senate to keep commercial, off-the-shelf drones out of the hands of foreign terrorists.

The Combating Foreign Terrorist Drones Act of 2024, led by Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) aims to curtail the acquisition of drones by foreign terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and Iran-backed groups such as the Houthis. The legislation comes in response to a recent drone attack in Jordan, attributed to Iran-backed militias, which resulted in the deaths of three American soldiers and injuries to 40 others.

Senator Romney has emphasized the urgency of preventing foreign terrorist groups from accessing drones, citing numerous attacks on American troops by Iran-backed groups since the October 7 assaults on Israel by Hamas. He stressed that halting the acquisition of drones by terror groups is vital for saving American lives, diminishing radical activities, and safeguarding national security interests.

Senator Rosen echoed these sentiments, highlighting the increasing use of drones by foreign terrorist groups to target American servicemembers and allies. She emphasized the bipartisan nature of the bill and its significance in protecting servicemembers, enhancing national security, and preventing terrorist attacks.

The Combating Foreign Terrorist Drones Act of 2024 mandates the Secretary of Defense to provide Congress with an intelligence assessment regarding foreign terrorist organizations’ acquisition of drones. This assessment includes detailing the methods used by these groups to obtain drones, identifying key facilitators, evaluating coordination with US allies to prevent such acquisitions, and offering recommendations for legislative or administrative actions to counteract these efforts.

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