NEDD Act of 2025

S 1762, the NEDD Act of 2025, amends existing defense authorization law to transfer authority over drone-related rules from the Secretary of State to the Secretary of Energy. It specifically updates provisions governing the procurement, operation, and use of drones near nuclear facilities, shifting oversight to the Department of Energy. The bill modifies sections of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act to allow the Energy Secretary to exempt certain drone systems from restrictions and manage classified tracking for nuclear site protection. This directly affects the Department of Energy, federal agencies operating near nuclear sites, and companies supplying drones for nuclear facility security. The key change is expanding the Energy Department’s role in safeguarding nuclear facilities from drone threats.