Bill Introduced to Impose Additional 30% Tariff on Chinese Drones
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., introduced the Drones for America Act, which would impose tariffs on Chinese drones and drone parts that escalate until drones with Chinese components are banned in 2028.
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The ban would apply to any unmanned aircraft that contains a "flight controller, radio, data transmission device, camera, gimbal, permanent magnets (including neodymium iron boron magnets), ground control system, operating software, network connectivity hardware, or data storage" manufactured in China.
Chinese drone components would be banned in 2031.
If the bill became law, a 30% tariff in addition to other tariffs on Chinese goods would start 30 days after passage; one year after passage, it would go up to 35%, and increase by 5 percentage points each year until it reaches 50%. Proceeds from the tariffs would fund grants to support the development of U.S.-made drones and components, and the procurement of those drones by law enforcement, first responders and farmers.
In a press release announcing the bill, Scott said, “For years now, I have been working to stop Communist China from pushing drones and other items into U.S. markets for use by our military and everyday Americans because of their clear national security risk. ... As we work to build American manufacturing and stop our reliance on our adversaries, my new bill, the Drones for America Act, will work to phase Chinese-made drones and components out of the market and give domestic industries the opportunity to compete and thrive."