May 8, 2023 Group Watch: Bill to Ban Chinese Drones Introduced
State Rep. James Lomax of Huntsville introduced a bill to ban state agencies and governmental bodies from buying Chinese-made drones and unmanned aircraft if the producer of the technology is registered on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Under Lomax’s bill, any county, city or state agency that wants to purchase drone-related technology must ensure that the manufacturer is not listed by the OFAC as being “owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of” certain authoritarian regimes and countries of concern. China is the world’s largest manufacturer of drones, with the United States being second. This bill will promote American products while protecting national security. Florida passed similar legislation in 2021.
