Brad Knott Calls Dems ‘Disingenuous’ For Their ‘Crocodile Tears Over FEMA Not Having Enough Money’

4/2/2025

During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Brad Knott (R-NC) spoke about cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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Transcript

00:00Thank you. The chair now recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Knott, for his five

00:06minutes of questioning.

00:07Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you to the witnesses who were here. I will say that I

00:11am a little bit miffed whenever I hear grievances about the current president and the funding

00:17that seems to be at issue. When you look at sanctuary cities, sanctuary states, and the

00:22amount of tax dollars that are going to illegal immigrants in states just like Illinois, New

00:28York City, California, et cetera, where illegals we now know are getting free health care,

00:33free education, free transportation, these allocations in dollars far exceed the total

00:38budget of FEMA. So I find it a little bit disingenuous that we're railing on money that

00:44should otherwise be reappropriated or reallocated.

00:47Mr. Knott, would the gentleman yield?

00:49No, ma'am. And when we have had four years of draining billions and billions and billions

00:55of dollars to people who are not here illegally, crocodile tears over FEMA not having enough

01:01money seems to be somewhat disingenuous. In regards to the issue at hand that we should

01:07be discussing, I would love to ask you, Mr. Hendricks, as a former federal prosecutor,

01:14drones are being used to a very effective extent to undermine law enforcement and truly

01:21our national security, whether it's the cartels, whether it's local transnational gangs, whether

01:27it's the Chinese Communist Party, whoever it may be, drones are a force multiplier.

01:33And one of my gravest frustrations, whether it was the Bureau of Prisons, whether it was

01:37federal law enforcement along the border, whether it was counter surveillance measures

01:42that were being executed, what are technologies that we can implement and we can provide or

01:49promote that would stop criminals from using drones so effectively?

01:55There are some technologies that allow us to establish wide-world operations, so we

01:59eliminate aircraft from operating in the area. Of course, then the threat has evolved so

02:04that now they're just flying aircraft on fiber optic cables, right? So it's hard to do that.

02:09Another thing I think is important from our standpoint is to look at what things we can

02:14do to enforce our capabilities so that they're not vulnerable to these technologies.

02:19Our counter-UAS systems, for example, should be tested to certified threats by an independent

02:24agent based on the particular scenario that you're trying to protect.

02:28Okay, and can you explain just briefly how that would work in the field? How would that

02:33technology be best implemented?

02:35So the wide-world technologies, for example, as you identify your particular aircraft that's

02:39going to be operating, you could look at it as comparable to, roughly comparable to

02:44remote ID or to UAS traffic management. Identify those aircraft that are operating in the area

02:49then any other aircraft that's reported or detected by radars are certainly uncorrupted.

02:54Okay, thank you, sir.

02:56Yes, sir.

02:57Dr. Ledbetter, I want to talk to you in regards to the components that go into many drones

03:01that we use in a law enforcement capacity, in a first responder capacity. It's my understanding

03:06that many of those components are made in other countries, whether it's China, whether

03:10it's other nation states. Are you familiar with the basic percentage of our components

03:17that are put into American drones that are made in China or other countries?

03:22I'm not familiar with that number, sir.

03:24Are you familiar? Is it a problem that you're aware of?

03:27It is a problem, yes, sir.

03:28And how would you quantify, briefly, we've got a minute and a half from your expertise,

03:32how can we assist bringing some of those jobs and technologies back to the United States

03:37for manufacturing?

03:38Well, it's absolutely critical. I find that most, whether it's first responders, military

03:45members, whatever, they want to get the job done and they'll get the job done. And right

03:48now the cheapest, most available resource out there is going to be a DJI, which is Chinese

03:54product. And we need to comply with NDAA and bring those parts back into the United

04:03States and build a compliant American-made drone. Did I answer your question?

04:11It did, but in regards, I guess, to follow up, in regards to what we can do in this committee,

04:16are there certain regulations, rules, laws that make it more costly for drone manufacturers

04:21to operate or to produce their materials here as opposed to overseas that you're aware

04:25of?

04:26Absolutely. Supply chain is, you know, we're hamstrung by the supply chain to get parts.

04:32Availability is another issue. And then price. We're looking at anywhere from three to five

04:37times the cost per part to make an American-made drone versus a DJI or Chinese part.

04:45In regards to the technology, as you understand it, how are American companies, how are American

04:49innovators faring as it relates to international competitors?

04:54I don't really have that data. I know as far as we're concerned, it takes significantly

05:00more money, more resources, and more time to build a compliant drone versus a non-compliant

05:06drone.

05:07And one more question. When you say compliant drone, just so we understand, what are you

05:10referring to?

05:11NDAA compliance.

05:12Okay. Thank you, sir. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

Brad Knott Calls Dems ‘Disingenuous’ For Their ‘Crocodile Tears Over FEMA Not Having Enough Money’

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