Overhaul of Federal Drone-Fighting Powers Advances in Congress

House lawmakers advanced a proposal to renew and expand drone-fighting authorities in the US just weeks before a deadline, but more work remains to lock in the plan.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved an amended version of bipartisan legislation (H.R. 5061) to extend agencies’ power to combat dangerous drones and expand those abilities to select state and local law enforcement agencies.

The federal government’s existing counter-drone authorities expire at the end of the month. Homeland security hawks, buoyed by state and local governments and sports leagues, have pushed to renew the powers as drone ...