March 18, 2025
Ms. Lee of Nevada (for herself, Mr. Amodei of Nevada, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Horsford, Mr. Alford, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, and Mr. Palmer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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
To exempt the Secretary of Energy of certain prohibitions with respect to an unmanned aircraft system, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Nuclear Ecosystem Drone Defense Act
or the NEDD Act
.
Sec. 2. Authority of Secretary of Energy with respect to covered unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities
(a) Exemption from prohibition on procurement of covered unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities
Section 1823(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 692) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting Secretary of Energy,
after Secretary of State,
.
(b) Exemption from prohibition on operation of covered unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities
Section 1824(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 693) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting Secretary of Energy,
after Secretary of State,
.
(c) Exemption from prohibition on use of Federal funds for procurement and operation of covered unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities
Section 1825(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 694) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting Secretary of Energy,
after Secretary of State,
.
(d) Granting Secretary of Energy authority To determine usage of classified tracking
Section 1827(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 696) is amended by striking the Secretary’s designee
and inserting the Secretary of Energy, as appropriate, or their respective designees
.
(e) Granting Secretary of Energy accounting exception
Section 1827(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 696) is amended by inserting Department of Energy,
after Department of Transportation,
.
(f) Expansion of Secretary of Energy authority related to the protection of certain nuclear facilities and assets from unmanned aircrafts or unmanned aircraft systems
Section 4510(e)(1)(C) of the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (50 U.S.C. 2661(e)(1)(C)) is amended to read as follows:
(C)
owned by the United States or contracted to the United States—
(i)
to store, transport, or use special nuclear material; or
(ii)
for the research, design, manufacture, or production of non-nuclear components for nuclear weapons.