Skip to main content
HR 6401 115th Congress House Emergency Management Administrative law and regulatory procedures Aviation and airports Border security and unlawful immigration Congressional oversight Correctional facilities and imprisonment Crime prevention Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation Department of Homeland Security Evidence and witnesses Federal officials First responders and emergency personnel Government buildings, facilities, and property Government information and archives Government studies and investigations Homeland security Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information Intergovernmental relations Law enforcement administration and funding Motor vehicles

Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018

Introduced: July 17, 2018 Introduced by: McCaul, Michael T. Republican · Texas See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) 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 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 19, 2018
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Jul 18, 2018
Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
Jul 17, 2018
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Homeland Security, 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.
Jul 17, 2018
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018

This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to authorize their personnel to act to mitigate a credible threat that an unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft (i.e., drones) poses to the safety or security of facilities or assets, through a risk-based assessment.

DHS may take actions to:

  • detect, identify, monitor, and track the drone, without prior consent;
  • warn the drone's operator;
  • disrupt control of the drone, without prior consent;
  • seize or exercise control of the drone;
  • confiscate the drone; or
  • use reasonable force, if necessary, to disable, damage, or destroy the drone.

Any drone seized by DHS or DOJ is subject to forfeiture to the United States.

DHS shall: (1) evaluate the threat from drones to U.S. critical infrastructure and to domestic large hub airports; and (2) assess the threat of vehicular terrorism and brief Congress on its findings and on a strategy to improve efforts to support emergency response providers and the private sector to prevent, mitigate, and respond to such threat.

What's happening now September 19, 2018

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 2836 Related bill Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 6401: Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-6401/
MLA
"H.R. 6401: Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-6401/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 6401, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-6401/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 6401: Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-6401/)
Report a problem