The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is take Congress to pass young lawmaking that would expand the agency ’s index to surveil , research , and attack drone in U.S. air space . Hayley Chang , DHS surrogate world-wide counselor-at-law , testified yesterday that there are a number of things that DHS “ ca n’t do presently ” because of out-of-date laws that have the potential difference to jeopardizeAmerica ’s national security .
Inwritten testimony , DHS said that terrorist groups are using small pilotless aircraft to conduct onslaught overseas and ring the potential for attacks on U.S. stain a “ looming threat . ” terrorist have not yet used drone to conduct any attacks on U.S. soil , but they ’ve become progressively popular with ISIS and other terror groups in the Middle East . Terrorists in Syria sometimes utilise off - the - shelf drones todrop grenadesandmortar shell .
“ Our efforts right now , for model , to detect drones that could pose a threat primarily rely on scanning the radio frequency spectrum . That raises questions under the Wiretap Act and Pen Trap Act for use , as well as spending any money on inquiry or testing . Because it ’s role is illegal , so testing and take on it is illegal , ” Chang told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committeeyesterday .
Chang also mention the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the Aircraft Sabotage Act as sure-enough laws that have been “ interpreted in newfangled shipway ” to prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from thoroughly testing thing like droning jamming technology .
“ Because the technology use is illegal , we are not permitted under our normal to buy equipment that ’s illegal to utilise . So we ca n’t test it , ” said Chang .
North Dakota Senator John Hoeven , a patron of the bipartisan bill lucubrate DHS ’ drone powers , fight Chang on the question of whether DHS is really prohibited from testing jamming . Chang backpedalled a bit , admitting that they can test in a “ sterile environment , ” but that drone jam was currently illegal in thickly populated places like Manhattan .
Drone attacks have n’t yet position a terrorist threat to the United States , but Republican Committee Chairman Ron Johnson noted during yesterday ’s hearing that “ mistrustful ” trailer flights have increase in recent years . There were reportedly just eight incident drone flight of steps considered “ suspicious ” or in sore areas during 2013 . That number skyrocketed to close to 1,752 incident in 2016 .
But not everyone is happy with the proposed legislation . The ACLU submit a missive to the subcommittee alleging that the young drone beak , title the “ Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018 , ” would give the governmenttoo much power .
“ While the potential surety threat posed by drones is substantial and the motive to protect certain facilities is legitimate , strong checks and symmetry to protect holding , privacy , and First Amendment rights are full of life . S.2836 miss such measures , ” the ACLU letter of the alphabet says . “ The bill number to an enormous ungoverned subsidisation of authority to the government to forcefully off drones from the sky in nebular security measures circumstances . ”
The ACLU claim that the fresh natural law would allow the government to seize or destroy drone , “ include in case they are operated by a non - malicious actor like a hobbyist , commercial-grade entity , or diary keeper . ”
The rights organisation claims that the terminology of the bill is too spacious and does n’t permit for right oversight .
[ YouTubeandRoll Call ]
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