Document k6nxBvBEb6Dbq79YmO5VvzbxB

Congrefif4 of the 'Unite) Niagliffigtoti, DC 20315 tate5 June 26, 2025 The Honorable Sean Duffy Secretary U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20590 Dear Secretary Duffy: The Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs is continuing to investigate how the federal government addresses drone incursions on U.S. military installations and sensitive sites. Recent high-profile incursions near sensitive military facilities, power infrastructure, and public events suggest that the current framework for domestic counter-drone operations remains fragmented and, in some cases, insufficiently agile to meet evolving threats. To better understand this issue, the Subcommittee is requesting documents and information concerning the federal government's authorities and operational posture for countering unmanned aerial systems (cUAS) within the United States, with particular attention to discrepancies in how threats from unmanned verses manned aircraft are treated under current law and policy. On April 29, 2025, the Subcommittee held a hearing titled, "Securing the Skies: Addressing Unauthorized Drone Activity Over U.S. Military Installations."1 This hearing revealed the depth and urgency of this growing national security threat. In 2024 alone, more than 350 drone incursions were detected at 100 different military installations.2 In many cases--such as the 17-day drone surveillance at Langley Air Force Base in December 2023--they appear to reflect coordinated efforts to gather intelligence on sensitive military assets.3 At this hearing, witnesses stressed that the advent of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled drone technologies-- capable of autonomous navigation and tracking--amplifies the danger exponentially.4 The hearing also brought to light severe deficiencies in legal authorities and interagency coordination.5 Base commanders must rely on standing rules of engagement requiring a determination of "hostile intent" -- a threshold difficult to meet in ambiguous or rapidly evolving situations.6 Detection and mitigation capabilities vary drastically between bases, and Securing the Skies: Addressing Unauthorized Drone Activity Over U.S. Military Installations: Hearing Before Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs, H. Comm. on Oversight & Gov't Reform, 1196 Cong. 1 (April 29, 2025). Id. 3 Id. 4 Id. 5 1d. 6 Id. OST-2025-1200 Page 02063 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0027944 The Honorable Sean Duffy June 26, 2025 Page 2 of 3 coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and state and local law enforcement is often improvised and bureaucratically delayed.? Given the national security implications and congressional recognition of the urgent need for legislative reform and operational clarity, the Subcommittee requests the following documents and communications as soon as possible but no later than July 10, 2025: 1. All relevant policies, memoranda, and interagency agreements guiding the detection, identification, tracking, and mitigation of unauthorized unmanned aerial systems over or near military installations and other federally protected sites; 2. All documents and communications involving DoD, DoJ, FAA, and/or other federal agencies related to cUAS operations, authority gaps, incident responses, and coordination protocols since January 2022; 3. All incident reports or summaries of UAS incursions at military installations since January 2022; 4. All internal assessments or strategic reviews evaluating the sufficiency of current domestic cUAS legal authorities and recommending policy or legislative reforms; and, 5. All documents and communications from January 2022 to present detailing plans for a joint or interagency task force to coordinate cUAS activities across federal, state, and local levels, including any proposed mechanisms for enhanced data sharing or resource allocation. The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate "any matter" at "any time" under House Rule X. To arrange for delivery of documents or to ask any related follow up questions, please contact the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority staff at (202) 225-5074. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Sincerely, William Timmons Chairman Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs rY1444;A#4-1 Mike_TumerMember of Congress 7 1d. OST-2025-1200 Page 02064 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0027945 The Honorable Sean Duffy June 26, 2025 Page 3 of 3 ael Clo Member of Congress Andy Biggs Member of Congress on Donalds Member of Congress ma Luna Member of Congress Member of Congress John McGuire Member of Congress cc: The Honorable Suhas Subramanyam, Ranking Member Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs OST-2025-1200 Page 02065 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0027946