Members of Congress are talking about "unknown drones" that have been seen flying around the New York and New Jersey skies over the last few weeks.
Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram wrote on X about a conversation he had with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., regarding the situation, before a hearing focused on the drones:
"Pergram: It seems as though Members from both sides are not getting answers about these drones or whatever they're seeing in New Jersey and Staten Island. There's a hearing focusing on this today. What is the level of concern? Do you think the government is being straight? And Members can't even get answers on this.
Johnson: We're working on that. We need straight answers of course. We are concerned about drones and all of these new technologies and what it might mean for national security and the safety of the American citizen. I'm looking forward to the outcome of that hearing. And if we don't get the necessary answers there, we'll dig deeper and go to the classified level.
Pergram: Any thought that these might be "dark" programs?
Johnson: I hope not. I do not believe so. But there's a lot of investigation going on. So we'll find out."
Other members of Congress have also spoken out about the drones.
"Last December, a fleet of drones swarmed Langley Air Force Base next to my district, and now, more drones are swarming sites along the East Coast. This is a serious threat to public safety and national security — we've got to invest in our nation's counter-drone programs if we want to deter adversaries from gathering information on Americans," Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., vice chair of the Armed Services Committee, wrote on X on Tuesday.
"My office has been in communication with Governor Murphy's office and our federal agency partners. While the drones currently pose no known threat to the public, my team and I will continue to monitor the situation closely," Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., wrote.
"Repeated incidents involving unknown drones over American airspace must be addressed. That is why I am leading a charge to update DOD's authorities to detect and stop these drones when they are over military facilities," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., wrote.
New Jersey Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy told reporters Monday that, although nothing was seen that would warrant concerns for public safety, authorities were taking the drone sightings "deadly seriously" and that he was participating in discussions with the White House and Homeland Security leaders on Sunday.
"The minute you get eyes on them, they go dark. We're obviously most concerned about sensitive targets, and sensitive critical infrastructure. So we've got military assets, we've got utility assets, we've got the president-elect — one of his homes here," Murphy said.
Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., whose district is where many drones have been seen, stated that he was not happy with the lack of answers.
"I join thousands of New Jersey residents in deep frustration regarding the growing concerns over drones operating in our skies. The safety and privacy of our residents must be a top priority, and right now, both are being put at risk. I am calling for the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other appropriate federal agencies to deploy greater resources to investigate and address this escalating issue. Additionally, an in-depth public briefing from authorities should take place immediately. The people of New Jersey deserve answers, and I will continue to demand accountability to ensure their rights and security are fully protected," Kean said.
Jeremy Frankel ✉
Jeremy Frankel is a Newsmax writer reporting on news and politics.
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