New York Governor Kathy Hochul joined a growing chorus of elected officials on Saturday urging the Biden administration to deploy federal law enforcement resources to address ongoing reports of mysterious drone sightings across the Northeast. The reports, which have caused disruptions at airports and raised security concerns, have prompted state and federal investigations.
Reports of suspicious drone activity began in central New Jersey in November and have since spread to New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland. The incidents have included temporary closures of airport runways, such as those at New York Stewart International Airport on Friday night, which were shut down due to drone activity in the airspace.
READ: Reports Of Drones Over U.S. Capitol Stir Speculation Amid Ongoing Drone Sightings Across The U.S.
Federal officials, including the White House, have attempted to downplay the concerns, suggesting that many of the reported sightings may actually be manned aircraft operating lawfully. However, governors and lawmakers in the affected states are not satisfied with these assurances and are demanding more robust federal action.
“This has gone too far,” Hochul said in a statement on Saturday, calling on the Biden administration to intervene and provide federal resources to address the issue.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also expressed concerns in a letter to President Biden on Friday, urging the administration to investigate the sightings and allocate additional federal resources to the states affected.
READ: Rep. Chris Smith, Local Officials Address Unexplained Drone Sightings In New Jersey
At the federal level, New York and New Jersey senators have requested a briefing from federal agencies by December 23 to address the scope of the issue. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, went a step further, advocating for the drones to be “shot down if necessary.”
Hochul also called on Congress to pass the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act, which aims to enhance federal oversight of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The legislation would grant the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) additional authority to address drone-related threats and streamline the legal framework for responding to such incidents.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby addressed the issue earlier this week, stating that federal authorities had deployed advanced electronic detection technologies but had not corroborated the reported drone sightings.
“To the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft being operated lawfully,” Kirby said during a briefing.
With public concern growing, officials are pressing for more comprehensive answers and tangible solutions. Federal agencies are expected to respond to the senators’ request for a briefing by the December 23 deadline, as investigations continue into the cause and nature of the drone sightings.
The mystery surrounding the drones remains unresolved, leaving state and federal authorities scrambling to reassure the public while ensuring the safety of the region’s airspace.
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