Congress Authorizes Use of Drones Over American Skies

I originally posted the following information and commentary onto my Facebook wall…

U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses drones for surveillance along the border

U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses drones for surveillance along the border

Drones Over U.S. Get OK by Congress:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/7/coming-to-a-sky-near-you/

(Shaun WatermanWashington Times) Look! Up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It’s … a drone, and it’s watching you. That’s what privacy advocates fear from a bill Congress passed this week to make it easier for the government to fly unmanned spy planes in U.S. airspace.

The FAA Reauthorization Act, which President Obama is expected to sign, also orders the Federal Aviation Administration to develop regulations for the testing and licensing of commercial drones by 2015.

Privacy advocates say the measure will lead to widespread use of drones for electronic surveillance by police agencies across the country and eventually by private companies as well.

(Read entire article here…)

My Commentary: Under the Congress-approved “FAA Reauthorization Bill,” the FAA “projects that 30,000 drones could be in the nation’s skies by 2020,” because “the legislation would order the FAA, before the end of the year, to expedite the process through which it authorizes the use of drones by federal, state and local police and other agencies.”

Great! Domestic drone surveillance is EXACTLY what our brutal, over-militarized American police force needs! Now, we’ll all FINALLY be safe! ::whew!::