On the recordDecember 20, 2024
as we near the deadline to fund the government tonight without a clear path from my Republican colleagues in the House, it appears that we are once again on the brink of a government shutdown. When the clock runs out at midnight, the current authorities that the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have to safely disable drones that pose a security threat will also expire, and we simply cannot let that happen. I just received unanimous consent to pass a bill that will extend the current authorities for 1 year. I appreciate my Senate colleagues for joining me in passing this legislation so that our Federal law enforcement Agencies can continue to protect against dangerous drones while giving us additional time to work on bipartisan legislation that Senator Johnson and I have authored to strengthen counterdrone efforts. There are now more than 1 million drones currently registered in the United States, and the overwhelming majority of them are used for hobby, commercial, or law enforcement purposes and in a responsible and legal way, but we have also seen many instances where drones can pose a serious threat to the safety of the public, our critical infrastructure, our airports, and our communities.…
