Letter to Senate Armed Services Committee highlights severe impact on public safety operations
In a letter sent to the Senate Armed Services Committee today, the California Fire Chiefs Association, representing over 800 fire agencies in California, together with public safety advocacy groups DRONERESPONDERS, the Law Enforcement Drone Association (LEDA), AIrborne Public Safety Association, and other first responder advocacy groups voiced strong opposition to the inclusion of the Countering CCP Drones Act within the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) FY2025. The letter arrives ahead of the Senate’s scheduled discussion on June 12, 2024, and descriptions significant concerns over the potential repercussions of the act on public safety drone operations.
Key Points of Concern
The Countering CCP Drones Act, introduced by Representative Elise Stefanik, seeks to handle national security concerns by adding DJI, a significant Chinese drone manufacturer, to the FCC Covered List. This motion would empower the FCC to retroactively revoke all DJI licenses without having Congressional approval, effectively dismantling roughly 90% of all public safety drone operations. The letter highlighted that this may not only affect military personnel but additionally jeopardize the protection and livelihood of communities across America.
“The Countering CCP Drone Act is harmful since it overlooks the immediate operational needs of public safety agencies, compromising first responders’ ability to reply effectively to emergencies,” the letter states. “The over-reliance on unproven alternatives to established Chinese drone technology is impractical and dangerous. Simply put, we’ve not yet reached parity with China.”
Potential Impacts on Public Safety
The letter emphasizes that banning DJI drones would disrupt critical public safety operations. The association argues that a balanced approach is mandatory—one which addresses security concerns without an outright ban on DJI drones, which haven’t demonstrated any impropriety in published reports and are essential in saving lives and deescalating volatile situations each day.
The association also references the Drones for First Responders (DFR) Act, one other legislative effort by Representative Stefanik. This act proposes tariffs on Chinese drones to fund a grant program enabling police departments to buy non-Chinese drones and put money into American drone technology. Nonetheless, the letter contends that the success of the DFR Act is contingent on the exclusion of the Countering CCP Drones Act from the NDAA.
Unintended Consequences and Recommendations
The letter from public safety groups warns that including DJI on the FCC Covered List would eliminate tariff revenue needed to subsidize the upper costs of American drones. Additionally they highlight the unrealistic assumption that other Chinese drone corporations, like Autel, would compensate for this loss.
The association urges lawmakers to think about the broader implications of the Countering CCP Drones Act on public safety. They call for a method that balances national security concerns while safeguarding American lives—a balance they consider the present version of the act fails to realize.
Conclusion
In closing, the letter underscores the necessity for careful consideration of the Countering CCP Drones Act’s impact on public safety. The association expresses readiness to collaborate with lawmakers to develop a method that addresses security concerns without compromising the effectiveness of public safety operations.
“We’re ready and willing to collaborate closely with you to develop a method that balances national security concerns while safeguarding American lives—a goal that the present version of the Countering CCP Drone Act fails to fulfill.”
Because the Senate Armed Services Committee prepares to review the NDAA, the concerns raised by first responders highlight the critical need for a nuanced approach to laws impacting public safety and national security.
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