WASHINGTON (February 14, 2013) – Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who has pushed for privacy laws to govern domestic drone use, today welcomed the move by the Federal Aviation Administration to hold a public comment period on drone privacy. In April, Rep. Markey was joined by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) in sending a letter querying the FAA about the potential privacy implications of non-military drone use. The full FAA response can be found HERE.

Rep. Markey also introduced the Drone Aircraft Privacy and Transparency Act last year to establish drone privacy laws, and intends to reintroduce the legislation soon.  

Below is the statement of Rep. Markey, co-Chair of the Bi-Partisan Congressional Privacy Caucus:

“The FAA has rightfully recognized that privacy has been a blind spot in its oversight of domestic drones. The FAA’s announcement is welcome news. I plan to work with the FAA along with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that privacy protections are put in place before drones take off.”

Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Rep. Ed Markey, 202-225-2836