Matt Van Epps (R-TN)
Critical Infrastructure Airspace Defense Act
A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Critical Infrastructure Airspace Defense Act allows private owners and operators of designated high-risk critical infrastructure facilities to detect, track, and mitigate drone threats. To do this, personnel must be trained and certified by the Secretary of Homeland Security. The bill establishes a grant program to help these owners purchase and operate approved counter-drone technologies. It also provides liability protection for those taking authorized actions, except in cases of willful misconduct or gross negligence. This authority is set to expire on September 30, 2031.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +6
Would business owners be better off under this?
Provides critical infrastructure owners with funding and legal authority to protect their assets from drone threats.
- Scored +5
Does this put more money into stopping terrorism?
Provides grants and legal authority to mitigate drone threats against critical national infrastructure.
- Scored +3
Does this give the government more power to monitor people inside the country?
Increases the ability of private operators to detect and track unmanned aircraft systems.
The opposite· 3 of 4
- Scored -4
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?
Grants broad liability protection to private operators for authorized actions, reducing legal recourse for affected parties.
- Scored -3
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
Expands the authority of private entities to detect and track aircraft, potentially impacting privacy.
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
It increases government spending by establishing a grant program through 2031.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection of Essential Services: By allowing the mitigation of drone threats to the bulk power system, including nuclear generating stations and control centers, the bill aims to protect the reliability of critical infrastructure (Section 2).
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Financial Assistance for Security: The bill establishes a grant program with $250,000,000 authorized for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to help covered facility owners purchase and install approved counter-drone systems (Section 4).
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Standardized Safety Training: The bill requires a national certification program with standards for technical, operational, and legal proficiency, as well as coordination protocols with the FAA to protect the national airspace (Section 3).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Reduced Accountability: Under the liability protection section, owners and personnel are not liable for civil or criminal claims arising from authorized actions, unless there is willful misconduct or gross negligence (Section 5).
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Expanded Private Authority: The bill grants private owners and their contractors the authority to take actions to mitigate drone threats that were previously authorized only for Federal agencies and trained law enforcement (Section 2 and Section 3).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this put more money into stopping terrorism? — Provides grants and legal authority to mitigate drone threats against critical national infrastructure. Does this give the government more power to monitor people inside the country? — Increases the ability of private operators to detect and track unmanned aircraft systems.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Provides critical infrastructure owners with funding and legal authority to protect their assets from drone threats.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires biannual reports to congressional committees on activities carried out under the new authority. Does this give the federal government more power? — The Secretary of Homeland Security is granted authority to certify personnel and manage the grant program. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — Grants broad liability protection to private operators for authorized actions, reducing legal recourse for affected parties. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — Expands the authority of private entities to detect and track aircraft, potentially impacting privacy.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The grant program and certification requirements may increase demand for security personnel and contractors specializing in counter-drone technology. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Protecting critical infrastructure from drone threats reduces the risk of costly economic disruptions to the power grid. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — It increases government spending by establishing a grant program through 2031. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — The bill authorizes $250 million in spending for a new grant program.
- 7/7/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security.
- 6/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/9/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Homeland Security, 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.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Dan CrenshawRepublican · Texas