[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 18, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H4990-H4991]


             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2013

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                  Amendment Offered by Mr. LoBiondo

  Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following new section:
       Sec. ___.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to operate an unmanned aircraft system except in 
     accordance with the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution.

  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, the Fourth Amendment is unequivocal that 
``the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, 
papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches, shall not be 
violated.'' I'm a firm believer in this. I'm also a firm believer in 
article I, section 8 of the Constitution that Congress shall have the 
right to provide for the common defense of the United States. 
Therefore, I offer my amendment to ensure that no funding will be used 
to operate unmanned aerial systems, except those operations that are in 
accordance with the Fourth Amendment.
  We need to make sure our citizens explicitly understand that while 
funding for these platforms is critical for our Nation's intelligence 
activities, these normal operations will not conflict with our 
constitutional protections against unreasonable searches.
  This language would ensure that there is no misperception about the 
Department's use of these technologies, and I urge its adoption.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. LoBIONDO. I yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the 
amendment.
  Mr. DICKS. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. LoBIONDO. I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

[[Page H4991]]

  Mr. DICKS. Mr. Chairman, I have no objection to the amendment.
  Mr. LoBIONDO. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo).
  The amendment was agreed to.

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