FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 12, 2025

Contact: Josie Harms

Gov. Rhoden and Colleagues Urge Congress to Protect Nation from Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Governors Commend President Trump for His Action

PIERRE, S.D. – On Wednesday, Governor Larry Rhoden and 30 fellow governors wrote Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer urging them to take action against Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) that pose an increased threat against our nation’s critical infrastructure and public safety. You can find the letter here.

“While the use of drones have proven valuable to governments for a wide variety of important purposes…these systems are also increasingly being used for things like espionage, stalking, and other kinds of attacks,” wrote Governor Larry Rhoden and his colleagues. “More must be done to ensure states have the express legal authority and capability to detect and mitigate drone activity over critical infrastructure and major events.”

The Governors specifically urged Congress to:

• Enact legislation that strengthens and clarifies the coordination between federal and state authorities, enhancing states’ capacity to detect and mitigate UAS threats; and
• Grant states explicit legal authority, similar to that of the federal government, to detect and mitigate UAS threats.

“Congress cannot wait for a catastrophic event to occur before taking action. This clarity is essential for effectively safeguarding our citizens and critical infrastructure,” continued Governor Larry Rhoden and his colleagues. “Recent incidents of drone intrusions over sensitive sites and high-profile events underscore the pressing need for robust legislative action to address these vulnerabilities and enhance security.”

Governor Rhoden and his colleagues also commended President Donald J. Trump’s action to address this critical issue through the signing of Executive Order 14305, "Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty," and Executive Order 14307, "Unleashing American Drone Dominance."

Governor Rhoden was joined in signing the letter by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, American Samoa Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Vermont Governor Phil Scott, U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.

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