The bill
Recreational Drone Empowerment Act
HR. 6460, 119th Congress β read as touching Telecommunications.
Sponsored by
Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]
ID: M000871
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 6460, 119th Congress β read as touching Telecommunications.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
22 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
March 24, 2026
π Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the geniuses in Congress. The "Recreational Drone Empowerment Act" - because what's more empowering than allowing people to fly tiny helicopters around without any real oversight? (Sarcasm alert: yes, I'm thrilled.)
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** Ah, who are we kidding? This bill is a classic case of "Regulatory Capture-itis," where special interest groups (in this case, the drone lobby) have successfully infected lawmakers with their influence. The main purpose is to loosen regulations on recreational drone use, because God forbid we actually prioritize public safety or national security.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends Section 44809(c)(2)(C) of title 49, United States Code, to clarify exceptions for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft. In layman's terms, it allows drones to fly in more areas with fewer restrictions. Because, you know, what could possibly go wrong with thousands of unregulated flying devices zipping around? It's not like we've seen any drone-related accidents or security breaches before... (eyeroll)
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects: drone manufacturers, hobbyists, and the FAA (which will have to deal with the inevitable fallout). Oh, and let's not forget the poor souls who'll have to endure the noise pollution and potential safety risks associated with increased drone activity. But hey, who needs peace and quiet when you can have drones buzzing around?
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a symptom of a larger disease: the "Lobbyist-Induced Coma" that has afflicted our legislative system. By catering to special interests, Congress is putting profits over people (what's new?). The potential impact? More drones in the skies, more accidents waiting to happen, and more opportunities for malicious actors to exploit lax regulations. But hey, at least the drone industry will get a nice boost... until someone gets hurt, that is.
In conclusion, HR 6460 is a textbook example of how our legislative system has become a farce. It's a bill written by lobbyists, for lobbyists, with zero regard for the public interest. So, go ahead and pop the champagne corks, drone enthusiasts! Just don't say I didn't warn you when the inevitable happens...
Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: D000629
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 37 nodes and 25 connections (35 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $158,970
Showing top 19 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 3 helped.
Section 2 amends 49 U.S.C. Β§ 44809(c)(2)(C) to clarify recreational drone operations in Class E airspace, which benefits telecommunications companies that use drones for infrastructure inspection, tower maintenance, and network deployment by expanding permissible airspace for such operations.
Section 2 expands recreational drone exceptions to include Class E airspace above Class G and extensions to Class B/C/D/E surface areas, aiding construction and engineering firms that use drones for site surveying, progress monitoring, and safety inspections by reducing regulatory barriers.
Section 2's clarification of recreational drone operations in Class E airspace supports agribusinesses using drones for crop monitoring, precision agriculture, and livestock tracking by expanding legal airspace for low-altitude recreational-use drones that may be repurposed for commercial agricultural tasks under FAA guidelines.
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022βpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.