Drone Reform Act

Drone Reform Act - Prohibits operations involving the use of an armed unmanned aerial vehicle from being carried out under the authority of federal agency other than the Department of Defense (DOD).

Defines "unmanned aerial vehicle" (UAV) as an aircraft operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft, including drones, unmanned aircraft or aerial systems, remotely piloted aircraft or vehicles, remotely operated aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicle systems.

Authorizes only uniformed members of the Armed Forces to: (1) operate, or order the operation of, an armed UAV; or (2) operate or fire, or order the operation or firing of, any weapon or other munition carried on an armed UAV.

Subjects the operation and use of armed UAVs to the requirements of laws applicable to the Armed Forces.

Prohibits this Act from being construed to: (1) limit or expand the authority of a component of the federal government to provide intelligence to the DOD, or (2) create or expand any authority for the federal government to kill any person.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5091 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5091

To consolidate within the Department of Defense all executive authority 
  regarding the use of armed unmanned aerial vehicles, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 11, 2014

 Mr. Yoho (for himself, Mr. Amash, Mr. Massie, Mr. Holt, Mr. Broun of 
  Georgia, Mr. Conyers, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Mulvaney, and Mr. 
  Labrador) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Select Committee on 
   Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To consolidate within the Department of Defense all executive authority 
  regarding the use of armed unmanned aerial vehicles, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Drone Reform Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY OVER USE OF ARMED 
              UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES.

    (a) DOD Executive Authority.--
            (1) Prohibition.--No operation involving the use of an 
        armed unmanned aerial vehicle shall be carried out under the 
        authority of a department or agency of the Federal Government 
        other than the Department of Defense.
            (2) Use by military personnel.--Only uniformed members of 
        the United States Armed Forces may--
                    (A) operate, or order the operation of, an armed 
                unmanned aerial vehicle; or
                    (B) operate or fire, or order the operation or 
                firing of, any weapon or other munition carried on an 
                armed unmanned aerial vehicle.
            (3) Applicable law.--The operation and use of an armed 
        unmanned aerial vehicle shall be subject to the requirements of 
        title 10 of the United States Code.
    (b) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed--
            (1) to limit or expand any authority of any component of 
        the Federal Government to provide advice, including 
        intelligence, to the Department of Defense in support of 
        actions described in paragraph (1) and (2) of subsection (a); 
        or
            (2) to create any authority, or expand any existing 
        authority, for the Federal Government to kill any person.
    (c) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.--The term ``unmanned aerial vehicle'' 
means an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct 
human intervention from within or on the aircraft. The term includes 
aircraft referred to as a drone, UAV, unmanned aircraft (UA), unmanned 
aerial system (UAS), remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), remotely piloted 
vehicle (RPV), remotely operated aircraft (ROA), and unmanned aerial 
vehicle system (UAVS).
    (d) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
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