Last week, Florida’s two U.S. senators–Republicans Rick Scott and Marco Rubio–teamed up with U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and. U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY. on the
“Countering CCP Drones Act.”
The bill would “add Communist Chinese drone company Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI) to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Covered List which identifies telecommunication equipment that poses an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States.”
Scott introduced the proposal and his office offered some of the details on why he had introduced it.
“All companies in Communist China are required to comply with government orders to conduct and assist in espionage activities, which poses a clear threat to America’s national security. Earlier this week, the Washington Post confirmed that the Communist Chinese government is an investor in DJI, which supplies 50 percent of drones sold in the U.S., directly contradicting DJI’s prior public statements,” Scott’s office noted.
“Communist China funds technology, like drones made by DJI, to spy on Americans and steal their data. The United States Government should under no circumstance purchase drones made in Communist China and put our national security at risk and that’s why my colleagues and I introduced the American Security Drone Act. The Countering CCP Drones Act is the next step to ensure that federal funds from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) cannot be used to obtain communications equipment and services produced or provided by DJI. I’m proud to introduce this important bill in the Senate and urge my colleagues to join me in support,” Scott said.
“Chinese drone-maker DJI has repeatedly lied about its links to the Chinese Communist Party while collecting vast quantities of Americans’ data. The FCC should act immediately to further ban DJI by adding it to its Covered List,” Rubio said.
“Chinese companies are beholden to the Chinese Communist Party. DJI can’t be trusted—we shouldn’t allow its equipment to be used alongside American communications technology,” said Cotton.
“DJI drones pose the national security threat of Huawei, but with wings. The possibility that DJI drones could be equipped to send live imagery of military installations, critical infrastructure, and the personal lives of American citizens to China poses too great a threat. Allowing this practice to continue in the U.S. is playing with fire. This Chinese-controlled company cannot be allowed to continue to operate in the U.S.,” said Stefanik.
Scott’s bill was sent to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Stefanik’s bill was sent to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.
