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HR 137 114th Congress House Armed Forces and National Security Congressional oversight Military operations and strategy Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents War and emergency powers

DRONES Act

Introduced: January 6, 2015 Introduced by: Issa, Darrell Republican · California See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 6, 2015
Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jan 6, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Designating Requirements On Notification of Executive-ordered Strikes Act or the DRONES Act

Prohibits a federal department or agency or the Armed Forces from deliberately targeting a citizen of the United States or of a strategic treaty ally in a pre-planned lethal operation unless such operation is planned and executed pursuant to a written determination signed personally by the President: (1) confirming the status of the targeted citizen as an enemy combatant, and (2) authorizing the deliberate lethal targeting based on an articulated need for the use of lethal force.

Requires the President, within 30 days after making such a determination, to submit a report to specified congressional committees: (1) certifying that the timing and details of the operation were approved personally by the President, and (2) detailing the information used to determine that the targeted citizen is an enemy combatant and the reasons why lethal force was necessary.

Prohibits this Act from being construed to authorize such lethal targeting of such a citizen inside any location under U.S. jurisdiction.

    What's happening now January 6, 2015

    Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

     Bill text 1 version

    Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

     Committees of jurisdiction 3
    Cite this page click to expand
    APA
    U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 137: DRONES Act. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-137/
    MLA
    "H.R. 137: DRONES Act." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-137/.
    Bluebook (legal)
    H.R. 137, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-137/.
    Markdown link
    [H.R. 137: DRONES Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-137/)
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