House Republicans Introduce Bill to Provide Grants for Counter-Drone Systems at Critical Infrastructure
Rep. Matt Van Epps introduced a House version of Sen. Tom Cotton’s Critical Infrastructure Airspace Defense Act on June 9, 2026. The measure would provide grants for private operators of hospitals, power plants, water systems, dams, and potentially data centers to acquire approved counter-drone equipment.
foxnews.comRepublican Tennessee Rep. Matt Van Epps introduced a House version of the Critical Infrastructure Airspace Defense Act on June 9, 2026. The legislation would authorize grants to private companies that own hospitals, power plants, water treatment facilities, and dams so they can buy government-approved counter-drone systems.
The bill would also allow the Secretary of Homeland Security, after consulting the Secretary of Energy and other officials, to decide which facilities qualify for the authorities. ” Sen. Tom Cotton introduced the Senate version on April 23, 2026.
Van Epps cited testimony from Secretary Markwayne Mullin at a recent House Homeland Security Committee hearing, noting that counter-drone development is viewed as a priority ahead of major events. ” Republican Alabama Rep. Dale Strong raised similar concerns during a June 6, 2026, committee hearing.
Strong said counter-UAS technology “is, I think, the largest concern that I have on a daily basis” and expressed interest in capabilities available by the 2028 Olympics. ” The House version mirrors that language.
U.S. Marine Corps truck carrying a palletized Active Denial System at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The system is described as a directed-energy device that projects millimeter waves up to 1,000 meters and produces a heating sensation on the skin.
