WASHINGTON D.C. (WJHL) — United States Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Rick Scott (R-FL) have introduced legislation referred to as the American Security Drone Act of 2023, aimed at prohibiting federal agencies from buying drones from countries identified as national security threats.

A release from Sens. Warner and Scott said the legislation would prohibit federal departments and agencies from buying “certain off-the-shelf commercial drones or unmanned aircraft systems” that have been manufactured or assembled in a foreign country identified as a national security threat. The release from the senators used China as an example of one such country.

Additionally, the act lays out a timeline to end the current use of qualifying drones, according to the release.

“I am a staunch supporter of unmanned systems and drone investment here in the United States, and I wholeheartedly believe that we must continue to invest in domestic production of drones,” said Sen. Warner. “But the purchase of drones from foreign countries, especially those that have been deemed a national security threat, is dangerous. I am glad to introduce legislation that takes logical steps to protect our data from foreign adversaries and meanwhile supports American manufacturers.”

Along with Sens. Warner and Scott, the legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Josh Hawley (R-MO), the release stated.