S.Amdt. 6343

SA 6343 is an amendment proposed by Mr. Schumer and Mr. Cotton to be added to bill S. 4784. The purpose of this amendment is to create a prohibition on the Department of Defense procuring and operating covered unmanned ground vehicle systems.

This amendment aims to add Section 823 to the bill, which includes the following changes:

• Procurement and Operation Bans: It prohibits the Department of Defense from procuring covered unmanned ground vehicle systems. Starting one year after the Act is enacted, it also prohibits the operation of these systems, including those used through contracted services.

• Funding Restrictions: Starting one year after enactment, Federal funds from Department of Defense contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements cannot be used to procure or operate these systems.

• Definitions: It defines a covered unmanned ground vehicle system as one manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign entity. A covered foreign entity is an entity domiciled in, controlled by, or affiliated with a covered nation.

• Exemptions: The Department of Defense is exempt from these bans if the action is in the national interest and serves specific purposes, such as:

• Research, evaluation, training, testing, or analysis for cybersecurity, information warfare, electronic warfare, or the development of unmanned ground vehicle technology.

• Counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, protective missions, or national security and criminal investigations.

• The system is modified so it can no longer transfer or download data to or from a covered foreign entity and the Secretary of Defense determines it poses no national security cybersecurity risk.