Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz Co-Author Bill to Ban Most Domestic Drone Killings

On the heels of yesterday’s 13-hour filibuster by Kentucky U.S. Senator Rand Paul (pictured, above), Senator Paul and Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz have co-authored a bill that would ban most drone killings on U.S. soil.

Senator Cruz (pictured, right) said, “Our Constitution restrains government power. The federal government may not use drones to kill U.S. citizens on U.S. soil if they do not represent an imminent threat. The Commander in Chief does, of course, have the power to protect Americans from imminent attack, and nothing in this legislation interferes with that power."

Senator Cruz assisted Senator Paul yesterday with his filibuster of the confirmation of John Brennan as CIA director. Brennan and President Barack Obama's non straight-forward answers concerning the use of drones on U.S. soil prompted the filibuster by Paul.

Some of the text in the proposed bill, provided by the Office of Senator Ted Cruz:

The Federal Government may not use a drone to kill a citizen of the United States who is located in the United States. The prohibition under this subsection shall not apply to an individual who poses an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to another individual. Nothing in this section shall be construed to suggest that the Constitution would otherwise allow the killing of a citizen of the United States in the United States without due process of law.