Secure Unmanned Aircraft Systems for First Responders Fund and grant program

(a) Secure Unmanned Aircraft Systems for First Responders Fund (1) Establishment There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund, to be known as the “Secure Unmanned Aircraft Systems for First Responders Fund” (in this section referred to as the Fund). (2) Deposit of amounts There shall be deposited in the Fund all duties imposed and collected by the United States under subheading 9903.87.01 of the HTS, and as further provided for under U.S. note 31 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTS, as added by section 3(a). (3) Use of amounts (A) In general The Secretary is authorized to use the amounts in the Fund for a fiscal year for purposes of carrying out the grant program established under subsection (b) for the next fiscal year. (B) Unobligated and unexpended funds The Secretary is authorized to make amounts in the Fund that are not obligated or expended in accordance with subparagraph (A) available for the purposes described in subparagraph (A) for the next available fiscal year. (b) Grant program (1) In general Beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and carry out a program to provide grants on a fiscal year basis to first responders, farmers and ranchers, and providers of critical infrastructure to— (A) purchase or lease secure unmanned aircraft systems; (B) support operational capabilities of such systems by the grant recipient; and (C) support the program management capability of the grant recipient to use such systems. (2) Consultation In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall— (A) consult with the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to developing criteria for reviewing applications for grants submitted on behalf of farmers and ranchers; and (B) consult with the Secretary of Transportation with respect to providing grants to providers of critical infrastructure. (3) Priority for grants Of the amounts made available for purposes of carrying out the program— (A) 60 percent of such amounts in the Fund shall be made available for grants that benefit first responders; (B) 20 percent of such amounts in the Fund shall be made available for grants that benefit farmers and ranchers; and (C) 20 percent of such amounts in the Fund shall be made available for grants that benefit providers of critical infrastructure. (4) Review of applications (A) Deadline (i) In general Except as provided in clause (iii), the Secretary shall approve or deny an application for a grant under the program not later than 90 days after the date of the submission of the application. (ii) Allocation timing Amounts under a grant shall be allocated in a manner that prioritizes the funding to recipients in States or localities that have established bans on the purchase, lease, or operation of unmanned aircraft based on their country of origin or on their manufacturer. (iii) Additional time needed for review If the Secretary determines that, because an excessive number of applications have been filed at one time, the Secretary needs additional time for the Secretary to process the applications, the Secretary may extend the deadline described in clause (i) for not more than 45 days. (B) Effect of denial Denial of an application for a grant under the program shall not preclude the applicant from resubmitting the application with additional documentation or submitting a new application at a later date. (5) Report Not later than 1 year after the date on which the program is established, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of the program in the prior year, including a description of all grants provided under the program and the amounts of such grants.