H.R. 8458

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8458 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8458

To amend title 51, United States Code, to authorize certain actions to 
protect certain facilities and assets from unmanned aircraft, and for 
other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 22, 2026

Mr. Soto (for himself and Mr. Dunn of Florida) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 51, United States Code, to authorize certain actions to 
protect certain facilities and assets from unmanned aircraft, and for 
other purposes.

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 ``Stopping Theft and Aerospace 
Reconnaissance Act'' or the ``STAR Act''.

SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF CERTAIN FACILITIES AND ASSETS FROM UNMANNED 
AIRCRAFT.

(a) Authority To Protect Certain NASA Facilities and Assets From 
Unmanned Aircraft.--
(1) In general.--Subchapter II of chapter 201 of title 51, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:
``Sec. 20118. Authority to take actions to protect certain NASA 
facilities and assets from unmanned aircraft
``(a) Authority.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Administrator may take, and may authorize officers and employees of the 
Administration to take, such actions as are described in subsection (b) 
that are necessary to mitigate the threat an unmanned aircraft system 
or unmanned aircraft poses to the safety or security of a covered 
facility.
``(b) Actions Described.--The actions described in this subsection 
are the following:
``(1) Detect, identify, monitor, and track an unmanned 
aircraft system or unmanned aircraft, without prior consent.
``(2) Warn the operator of such unmanned aircraft system or 
unmanned aircraft, as the case may be.
``(3) Disrupt control of such unmanned aircraft system or 
unmanned aircraft, as the case may be, without prior consent, 
including by disabling such unmanned aircraft system or 
unmanned aircraft, as the case may be, by intercepting 
electronic communications or otherwise interfering with such 
communications.
``(4) Seize or exercise control of such unmanned aircraft 
system or unmanned aircraft, as the case may be.
``(5) Seize or otherwise confiscate such unmanned aircraft 
system or unmanned aircraft, as the case may be.
``(6) Use reasonable force to disable, damage, or destroy 
such unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft, as the case 
may be.
``(c) Forfeiture.--Any unmanned aircraft system or unmanned 
aircraft described in subsection (a) and seized by the Administrator is 
subject to forfeiture to the United States.
``(d) Signage.--The Administrator shall display on each covered 
facility a sign that includes information relating to the following:
``(1) The actions that may be taken pursuant to subsection 
(a).
``(2) Forfeiture under subsection (c).
``(e) Policy Development.--The Administrator, in coordination with 
relevant offices of the Administration and the Attorney General, the 
Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall develop 
uniform policy for the following:
``(1) The actions that may be taken pursuant to subsection 
(a).
``(2) The actions that may be taken pursuant to subsection 
(a) of section 50925.
``(f) Determination.--Each year, the Administrator shall consult 
with the local law enforcement agency for each covered facility to 
determine the most effective and least hazardous means to take actions 
pursuant to subsection (a).
``(g) Liability.--Neither the Administrator nor the officers and 
employees of the Administration are entitled to assert any form of 
absolute or qualified immunity as a defense to liability under this 
section, but if an unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft poses 
a threat described in subsection (a) and an action is taken pursuant to 
such subsection to mitigate such threat, the operator of such unmanned 
aircraft system or unmanned aircraft, as the case may be, is liable for 
damages caused by such action.
``(h) Reports.--
``(1) Local law enforcement agencies.--Not later than 30 
days after an instance in which an action described in 
paragraphs (3) through (6) of subsection (b) is taken pursuant 
to subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to the local 
law enforcement agency for the jurisdiction in which such 
action was taken a report on such instance, in a form specified 
by such agency.
``(2) Specified entities.--Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this section and annually 
thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the specified 
entities a report that includes for the annual period covered 
by such report information relating to the following:
``(A) The actions, if any, described in paragraphs 
(3) through (6) of subsection (b) and taken pursuant to 
subsection (a), including an identification of each 
instance in which such an action was so taken and the 
means through which such action was so taken.
``(B) The actions, if any, described in paragraphs 
(3) through (6) of subsection (b) of section 50925 and 
taken pursuant to subsection (a) of such section, 
including an identification of each instance in which 
such an action was so taken and the means through which 
such action was so taken.
``(C) For each action referred to in subparagraph 
(A) or (B), the justification for so taking such 
action.
``(D) The efforts by the Administrator to protect 
privacy and civil liberties with respect to the 
following:
``(i) The actions that may be taken 
pursuant to subsection (a).
``(ii) The actions that may be taken 
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 50925.
``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered facility.--The term `covered facility' means 
any facility that satisfies the following requirements:
``(A) Is under the jurisdiction of the 
Administration.
``(B) Is identified by the Administrator as a 
facility critical to a function of the Administration.
``(2) Local law enforcement agency.--The term `local law 
enforcement agency' means the law enforcement agency of a 
county or county-equivalent entity.
``(3) Specified entities.--The term `specified entities' 
means the following:
``(A) The Committee on Energy and Commerce and the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives.
``(B) The Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate.
``(C) The Attorney General.
``(D) The Secretary of Defense.
``(E) The Secretary of Homeland Security.
``(F) The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration.
``(4) Unmanned aircraft; unmanned aircraft system.--The 
terms `unmanned aircraft' and `unmanned aircraft system' have 
the meanings given such terms in section 44801 of title 49.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
201 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 20117 the following new 
item:

``20118. Authority to take actions to protect certain NASA facilities 
and assets from unmanned aircraft''.
(b) Authority To Protect Space Launch Property From Unmanned 
Aircraft.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 509 of title 51, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:
``Sec. 50925. Authority to take actions to protect space launch 
property from unmanned aircraft
``(a) Authority.--Subject to section 20118 and notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, a covered entity may take, and may authorize 
officers and employees of such entity to take, such actions as are 
described in subsection (b) that are necessary to mitigate the threat 
an unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft poses to the safety or 
security of the covered property of such entity.
``(b) Actions Described.--The actions described in this subsection 
are the following:
``(1) Detect, identify, monitor, and track an unmanned 
aircraft system or unmanned aircraft, without prior consent.
``(2) Warn the operator of such unmanned aircraft system or 
unmanned aircraft, as the case may be.
``(3) Disrupt control of such unmanned aircraft system or 
unmanned aircraft, as the case may be, without prior consent, 
including by disabling such unmanned aircraft system or 
unmanned aircraft, as the case may be, by intercepting 
electronic communications or otherwise interfering with such 
communications.
``(4) Seize or exercise control of such unmanned aircraft 
system or unmanned aircraft, as the case may be.
``(5) Seize or otherwise confiscate such unmanned aircraft 
system or unmanned aircraft, as the case may be.
``(6) Use reasonable force to disable, damage, or destroy 
such unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft, as the case 
may be.
``(c) Forfeiture.--Any unmanned aircraft system or unmanned 
aircraft described in subsection (a) and seized by a covered entity is 
subject to forfeiture to the local law enforcement agency for the 
jurisdiction in which such unmanned aircraft system or unmanned 
aircraft, as the case may be, was so seized.
``(d) Signage.--A covered entity shall display on each covered 
property of such entity a sign that includes information relating to 
the following:
``(1) The actions that may be taken pursuant to subsection 
(a).
``(2) Forfeiture under subsection (c).
``(e) Determination.--Each year, a covered entity shall consult 
with each local law enforcement agency for the covered property of such 
entity to determine the most effective and least hazardous means to 
take actions pursuant to subsection (a).
``(f) Liability.--If an unmanned aircraft system or unmanned 
aircraft poses a threat described in subsection (a) and an action is 
taken pursuant to such subsection to mitigate such threat, the operator 
of such unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft, as the case may 
be, is liable for damages caused by such action.
``(g) Reports.--Not later than 30 days after an instance in which 
an action described in paragraphs (3) through (6) of subsection (b) is 
taken pursuant to subsection (a), the covered entity through which such 
action was so taken shall carry out the following:
``(1) Submit to the local law enforcement agency for the 
jurisdiction in which such action was so taken a report on such 
instance that satisfies the following requirements:
``(A) Is in a form specified by such agency.
``(B) Includes information relating to the 
justification for so taking such action.
``(2) Submit to the Administrator a report on such instance 
that satisfies the following requirements:
``(A) Is in a form specified by the Administrator.
``(B) Includes information relating to such 
justification.
``(C) Includes an identification of the means 
through which such action was so taken.
``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered entity.--The term `covered entity' means a 
person or entity licensed under this chapter to conduct launch, 
reentry, testing, or manufacturing activities.
``(2) Covered property.--The term `covered property' means 
any real property, including airspace over such property, that 
is owned, leased, or under the control of a covered entity and 
is a site where launch, reentry, testing, or manufacturing 
activities occur.
``(3) Local law enforcement agency.--The term `local law 
enforcement agency' means the law enforcement agency of a 
county or county-equivalent entity.
``(4) Unmanned aircraft; unmanned aircraft system.--The 
terms `unmanned aircraft' and `unmanned aircraft system' have 
the meanings given such terms in section 44801 of title 49.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
509 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new item:

``50925. Authority to take actions to protect space launch property 
from unmanned aircraft''.
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