H.R. 2505: Block the Use of Transatlantic Technology in Iranian Made Drones Act

This bill, titled the "Block the Use of Transatlantic Technology in Iranian Made Drones Act," aims to implement measures to prevent the export of certain technologies from the United States to Iran, specifically those that could be used in the development of unmanned aircraft systems (drones). Here’s a breakdown of the key components of the bill:

Findings

The bill outlines some findings that support its introduction, including:

• The Iranian government has been involved in supporting adversaries of the U.S., including groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, by providing them with unmanned aircraft systems.
• In response to concerns over how Western technologies are used in Iranian drones, the U.S. established an interagency task force to investigate and take appropriate action.
• In 2023, a joint advisory was issued by U.S. departments alerting the global community to the threat posed by Iran’s drone capabilities.
• Previous U.S. sanctions have targeted Iran's drone and missile industries.

Sense of Congress

The bill expresses the sentiment that:

• Controlling the use of various technologies that can be repurposed is challenging.
• Iranian drones play a significant role in military actions against Ukraine and other regions.
• The U.S. and its allies must ensure that American-designed technologies do not aid Iran in its military efforts.

Strategies to Prevent Export of Technologies

The bill requires the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with other agency heads, to develop a strategy aimed at preventing the illegal export of technological components that could be used in drones by Iran. This includes:

• Identifying current and emerging technologies relevant to drone production.
• Producing guidelines for U.S. manufacturers and third-party distributors to prevent circumvention of existing export controls.
• Submitting a report on the strategy to Congress within 60 days of enactment.

Department of State Strategy

Similarly, the Secretary of State is tasked with developing a strategy to prevent exports to Iran from both the U.S. and allied nations of technologies that may be used in drones. This includes:

• Identifying foreign manufacturers that produce such technologies.
• Coordinating with allies to synchronize export control measures.
• Submitting a report to Congress within 90 days of enactment.

Requirement for Secretary of Defense

The Secretary of Defense must develop options for counteracting Iran's ability to acquire drone-related technologies, which includes a broad range of components such as microcontrollers and GPS modules. The key points include:

• Preparation of options to prevent the acquisition of critical technologies used in drone development.
• A briefing to Congress on developed options within 45 days of the bill's enactment.

Definitions

The bill provides definitions for certain terms, including what constitutes "unmanned aircraft systems” and identifies the congressional committees that will be involved in matters related to this bill.

Relevant Companies

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