Bill · S. 1809· Senate(119-S-1809)
Drone Espionage Act
- Introduced
- 5/20/2025
- Last activity
- 2/9/2026 — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 316.
- Sponsored by
- Ashley Moody
- Cosponsors
- - 12 - 1
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Drone Espionage Act," seeks to amend title 18 of the United States Code. The primary purpose is to prohibit the taking or transmitting of video of defense information. It accomplishes this by inserting the term "video" after "photographic negative" in Section 793. The legislation was introduced in the Senate and reported without amendment.
Yes
Does this give the federal government more power?+5
The bill expands federal criminal statutes regarding defense information.
The opposite
Does this protect the individual right to speak freely?-3
The bill adds restrictions on the transmission of video which may impact certain forms of expression.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Protection of Defense Information: By adding "video" to the existing prohibitions in Section 793 of title 18, the bill expands the legal framework to include video recordings of defense information (Section 2).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+5Improves Freedom Of Speech-3
- 2/9/2026
- Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley without amendment. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 316.
- 2/5/2026
- Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 11/18/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/28/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/22/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/14/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/10/2025
- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs. Hearings held.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/9/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/4/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/2/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/20/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Marsha BlackburnRepublican · Tennessee
Ted BuddRepublican · North Carolina
Katie BrittRepublican · Alabama
Tom CottonRepublican · Arkansas
Ted CruzRepublican · Texas
Mike LeeRepublican · Utah
Markwayne MullinRepublican · Oklahoma
Bernie MorenoRepublican · Ohio
David McCormickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat · Michigan
Tommy TubervilleRepublican · Alabama
Thomas TillisRepublican · North Carolina
Roger WickerRepublican · Mississippi