A bill to prohibit use of drones to kill Americans within the U.S.

HR 1242 IH
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1242
To prohibit the use of drones to kill citizens of the United States within the United States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 18, 2013

Mr. RIBBLE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Select Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary and Armed Services, 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

A BILL
To prohibit the use of drones to kill citizens of the United States within the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DRONES.

(a) Definitions- In this section--

(1) the term `drone' means an unmanned aircraft (as defined in section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note));

(2) the term `serious bodily injury' has the meaning given that term in section 1365 of title 18, United States Code; and

(3) the term `United States' as used in a territorial sense, has the meaning given that term in section 5 of title 18, United States Code.

(b) Prohibition- The Federal Government may not use a drone to kill a citizen of the United States who is located in the United States. The prohibition under this subsection shall not apply to an individual who poses an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to another individual. Nothing in this section shall be construed to suggest that the Constitution would otherwise allow the killing of a citizen of the United States in the United States without due process of law.