Recreational Drone Empowerment Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAYLOR. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6460) to amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify exceptions for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6460

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Recreational Drone Empowerment Act''. SEC. 2. CLARIFYING RECREATIONAL OPERATIONS OF DRONE SYSTEMS.

Section 44809(c)(2)(C) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in the heading by inserting ``and class e'' after ``Uncontrolled''; and

(2) by inserting ``, Class E airspace above Class G airspace, or a Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class B, Class C, Class D, or Class E surface area'' after ``Class G airspace''.

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Mr. TAYLOR. 6460.

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Mr. TAYLOR. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann) for his initiative and leadership on this issue.

General aviation, including recreational drone operations, are the lifeblood of the American aviation ecosystem. As such, it is of the utmost importance that we protect their access to the sky.

Section 928 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 established a novel process by which community-based organizations could seek administrative approval from the FAA to conduct recreational unmanned aircraft systems operations in controlled airspace from a fixed site.

If approved, the community-based organization would then work with the appropriate air traffic control facility to establish mutually agreed-upon operating procedures.

Unfortunately, when it came to implementing the law, the FAA's interpretation was at odds with congressional intent, and that resulted in recreational UAS clubs being unable to legally fly in certain sectors of class E airspace.

H.R. 6460, the Recreational Drone Empowerment Act, represents a commonsense solution to ensure community-based organizations can seek authorization from the FAA to operate legally in all types of class E airspace, as Congress intended.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation and reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. TAYLOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann), the author of this legislation.

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Mr. TAYLOR. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Madam Speaker, to reiterate, freedom of the skies is an inherently American ideal.

This legislation does not require the FAA to approve every community- based organization request. Rather, it provides the FAA with the statutory authority to consider all applications and approve or deny at the agency's discretion.

The Recreational Drone Empowerment Act represents a solution oriented to fix, ensure, and protect America's ability to access the airspace. Once again, I thank the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann) for his work on this issue.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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