H.R. 4759 — Ban Military Drones Spying on Civilians Act

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated for FY2026 or any fiscal year thereafter for the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, or any other executive agency (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105) to operate a covered unmanned aircraft vehicle in the United States to conduct surveillance of United States persons engaged in protests or civil disobedience. It requires the President to submit annual reports to the House and Senate Armed Services, Homeland Security (Senate Governmental Affairs), and Intelligence Committees detailing each instance of covered unmanned aircraft vehicle use for a novel purpose or purpose not authorized by Congress, including the purpose, justification (with analysis of alternatives such as helicopters), dates, duration, location, model, sensors/weapons, approval process, and details on any surveilled or identified U.S. persons (e.g., number, dissemination, retention period); reports may be classified. It defines covered unmanned aircraft vehicle as the MQ-9 Reaper or variants, any unmanned aircraft using an airframe initially developed for the Armed Forces, any medium- or high-altitude long-endurance aircraft, or any capable of flying at 10,000 feet or higher; and defines United States person as in 50 U.S.C. 1708.