White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby, accompanied by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, left, speaks during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Dec. 12, 2024, in Washington, D.C., during which they discussed drone sightings in New Jersey and other areas along the East Coast and other topics. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Members of Congress are among those calling for greater transparency from the federal government as a spate of reported drone sightings concentrated in New Jersey and New York has raised questions beyond the Northeast.

Reported sightings of drones, officially known as unmanned aerial systems, or UAS, have spiked since Nov. 18, when authorities received several reports of suspicious drone activity near critical infrastructure in New Jersey, according to an FBI official in the state who briefed reporters over the weekend.

The increased activity has worried some and led to calls from lawmakers for the federal agencies to provide more information on drone activity, even as security officials urged caution.

In a statement that described an “epidemic of non-stop drone sightings,” U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for the federal government to deploy more drone-detection systems and to share information with local authorities.

“I want it deployed widely across New York and New Jersey to help give us concrete answers on what is going on, and from where,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said of a drone-detection system that the federal government uses. “What we need right now is data. The briefings I have had tell me there is no evidence that this is a government or foreign activity, and so, we have to answer the logical of question of: who?”

Schumer called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to deploy the drone-detection system and said he would cosponsor a bill that would give local law enforcement more authority to respond to drone sightings.

Drones, like planes and other users of the national airspace, are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

“We still have very few answers on where some of these drones come from and who may be operating them,” Schumer said Monday on the Senate floor. “The people of New York and New Jersey have a lot of questions and haven’t gotten many answers. We know one thing, though. Local officials now don’t have the resources nor the authority to get to the bottom of what’s happening.”

On CBS’ Sunday morning news show “Face the Nation,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat who is a senior member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee with jurisdiction over the FAA, called for federal officials to brief U.S. senators.

“We need more transparency,” she said.

‘No evidence’ of threat, says DOD

U.S. Defense Department spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Monday that there was “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.”

Regardless, he said he wanted to take the public’s concerns seriously, but also offered further context.

The drone industry is expanding, with more than 1 million hobbyist and commercial drones licensed by the FAA and 8,000 in use daily.

He likened the drone sightings, even those near military installations or other important sites, to drivers who may get lost and turn up in their cars at places they are not supposed to be, something he said happens regularly without incident.

“The point being is that flying drones is not illegal,” he said. “There are thousands of drones flown around the U.S. on a daily basis. So, as a result, it’s not that unusual to see drones in the sky, nor is it an indication of malicious activity or any public safety threat.”

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, noted Monday that federal investigators had not found any malicious activity and urged residents to “calm down” about drone sightings.

Many recent reports of drones, noted by non-experts, turned out to be commercial planes flying regularly scheduled nighttime routes.

More than 5,000 tips

The New Jersey-based FBI official said that the vast majority of the more than 5,000 tips his office received in the past month related to unidentified objects in the night skies have not been “actionable.”

The official, who briefed reporters along with officials from other agencies on the condition their names not be used, said the FBI was working to identify the 100 or so tips that did warrant further investigation.

“I don’t want to cause alarm and panic, but you can’t ignore the sightings that have been there, and we are concerned about those just as much as anybody else is,” the FBI official said. “We’re doing our best to find the origin of that specific — of those drone activities. But I think there has been a slight overreaction.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, speaks with reporters in the basement of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.  (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer sent a letter to incoming Republican Leader John Thune on Monday urging him to move nominees through the traditional confirmation process, including committee hearings and floor votes.

The letter is likely a response to President-elect Donald Trump urging Senate Republicans to recess the chamber for at least 10 days next year so he can make recess appointments, getting around the Senate’s role confirming nominees. Republicans will be in the majority when the new Congress convenes in January, taking over from Democrats.

“As we transition to the 119th Congress, Senate Democrats stand ready and willing to work with Senate Republicans to provide advice and consent as we evaluate all of the incoming president’s nominations,” Schumer wrote in the one-page letter. “In particular, we commit to working in a bipartisan fashion to process each nominee by reviewing standard FBI background-investigation materials, scheduling hearings and markups in the committees of jurisdiction, and considering nominees on the Senate floor.”

Thune, who GOP senators elected to replace Mitch McConnell next year as their leader, hasn’t committed to recessing the chamber for the time needed to allow Trump to appoint nominees single-handedly, but has repeatedly encouraged Democrats not to slow down the process.

“What we’re going to do is make sure that we are processing his nominees in a way that gets them into those positions, so they can implement his agenda. How that happens remains to be seen,” the South Dakota Republican said in mid-November.

“Obviously, we want to make sure our committees have confirmation hearings, like they typically do, and that these nominees are reported out to the floor,” Thune added. “But I’ve said this and I mean it — that we expect a level of cooperation from the Democrats to work with us to get these folks installed. And obviously, we’re going to explore all options to make sure they get moved and they get moved quickly.”

Narrow path for nominees

Trump’s nominations have received mixed reaction from GOP senators with some, like Florida Sen. Marco Rubio who will likely become secretary of State, receiving widespread praise, while others have received lukewarm receptions.

For example, Trump’s first nominee for attorney general, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew eight days after Trump said he wanted him to lead the Justice Department amid widespread concerns from Republican senators about allegations of illegal drug use and paying for sex.    

Republicans will have a 53-seat majority in the Senate once the next session of Congress begins on Jan. 3, meaning any nominee can lose the support of three Republican senators and still secure confirmation on a party-line vote with Vice President-elect J.D. Vance breaking the tie. 

Democrats may vote for some of Trump’s nominees if they believe they’re qualified, but are unlikely to support the more controversial picks, like TV personality and former U.S. Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz, who Trump says he will tap to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 

With such narrow margins, centrist Republicans like Maine’s Susan Collins, Kentucky’s McConnell and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, could have influence over Trump’s Cabinet, unless the chamber allows recess appointments.

Checks and balances

Schumer wrote in his letter the Senate’s role confirming nominees should be respected regardless of who holds the Oval Office or which political party controls the chamber.

“In our system of checks and balances, the Senate plays a vital role in ensuring the President appoints well-qualified public officials that will dutifully serve the American people and honor their oaths to the Constitution,” Schumer wrote. “Regardless of party, the Senate has upheld this sacred duty for generations and we should not and must not waver in our Constitutional duty. We look forward to joining you in these efforts as soon as possible once the Senate and its committees are organized in January.”