Congressman Fleischmann Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Defend Nuclear Assets Related to National Security Against Drones

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Chairman of Energy and Water Appropriations, Rep. Susie Lee (NV-03), Mark Amodei (NV-02), and Seth Moulton (MA-06) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Nuclear Ecosystem Drone Defense (NEDD) Act in the House to increase the protection of Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear assets and facilities related to national security, including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), from unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly known as drones. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) is leading companion legislation in the Senate.

NNSA is the federal agency responsible for safeguarding national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA has a footprint in Oak Ridge at the Y-12 National Security Complex, which works to ensure a safe and effective nuclear weapons deterrent for the United States.

Currently, the DOE lacks the authority to adequately protect the full range of nuclear facilities from drones. Recent unauthorized drone sightings have highlighted the need for the DOE to have expanded authorities and capabilities to combat evolving threats. DOE currently only has the authority to protect facilities that house nuclear material, but this excludes a wide range of facilities and activities that are critical to the nuclear security enterprise and national security.

The NEDD Act will:

• Allow DOE to develop systems to defend a broad range of nuclear-related assets and facilities against UAS threats.
• Expand the definition of covered assets to include facilities that house nuclear weapons components and vehicles owned or contracted by the United States to transport nuclear weapons or components.
• Give the DOE authorities to acquire UAS technology similar to that of our adversaries to test counter-UAS systems.

“The NEDD Act will strengthen our nuclear security enterprise by enabling the Department of Energy (DOE) to protect against threats posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS). As Chairman of Energy and Water Appropriations and Co-Chair of the Nuclear Security Working Group, it is my priority to ensure that our entire nuclear enterprise is protected throughout all stages of production. The DOE, through the National Nuclear Security Administration, is the cornerstone of our strategic production capabilities, and this bill ensures it will have the tools to protect our most sensitive security capabilities,” said Rep. Chuck Fleischmann.

“Unauthorized drones pose a serious threat to America’s nuclear resources related to national security, including at the Nevada National Security Site where we maintain America’s nuclear weapons ecosystem,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Our bipartisan NEDD Act bill will give the Department of Energy the tools it needs to defend all its nuclear and national security assets from unauthorized enemy drones.”

“In recent years, there has been a growing threat from both foreign and domestic unmanned aerial systems (UAS) targeting our nation’s nuclear sites, including six reported incidents at the Nevada National Security Site,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “At present, the Department of Energy lacks the authority to intercept these drones and investigate their origins and intentions, allowing them to freely gather sensitive data for malign purposes. This bill empowers us to counter these threats in real-time and ensure they are not equipped to undermine our national security.”

“Our adversaries should not be able to fly a drone over anywhere in this country that makes part of a nuclear weapon. This bill closes down loopholes to make sure the Department of Energy can fully protect our most sensitive national security capabilities against the threat of drones,” said Rep. Seth Moulton.

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