Loading…
H.R. 8697119th CongressIn committeeLatest action May 7, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
State governors could request National Guard drone-defense authority at National Special Security Events under this bill.
50-second read · 4 questions answered below
HR 8697 would extend drone detection, tracking, and disabling authority to National Guard units, which currently only a small number of federal agencies hold. Governors could request this authority for their Guard units, subject to approval from the Secretary of Defense. Guard members would need to be on official duty orders to exercise these powers, and the bill also authorizes specific training for drone-protection missions.
National Guard members would gain new legal authority and training opportunities, and state governors would have a new channel to request drone defense support. Private drone operators flying near protected sites would face the possibility of National Guard intervention in addition to existing federal enforcement.
The bill targets security at National Special Security Events, high-profile gatherings such as presidential inaugurations or major summits that already receive extra federal security attention. Expanding authorized personnel could alter how drone threats near those events are detected and addressed.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Judiciary, 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.