Prohibition on operation of covered unmanned ground vehicle systems from covered foreign entities

(a) Prohibition (1) In general Beginning on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal department or agency may operate a covered unmanned ground vehicle system manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign entity. (2) Applicability to contracted services The prohibition under paragraph (1) applies to any covered unmanned ground vehicle systems that are being used by any executive agency through the method of contracting for the services of covered unmanned ground vehicle systems. (b) Exemption The Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and the Attorney General are exempt from the restriction under subsection (a) if the operation is required in the national interest of the United States and— (1) is for the sole purposes of research, evaluation, training, testing, or analysis for electronic warfare, information warfare operations, cybersecurity, or development of unmanned ground vehicle system or counter-unmanned ground vehicle system technology; (2) is for the sole purposes of conducting counterterrorism or counterintelligence activities, protective missions, or Federal criminal or national security investigations, including forensic examinations, or for electronic warfare, information warfare operations, cybersecurity, or development of an unmanned ground vehicle system or counter-unmanned ground vehicle system technology; or (3) is an unmanned ground vehicle system that, as procured or as modified after procurement but before operational use, can no longer transfer to, or download data from, a covered foreign entity and otherwise poses no national security cybersecurity risks as determined by the exempting official.