Sen. Cruz Introduces Bill to Establish Drone Manufacturing in Texarkana

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), joined by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and John Boozman (R-Ark.), introduced the SkyFoundry Act of 2025 to establish a drone production facility, SkyFoundry, at the Red River Army Depot (RRAD) in Texarkana, Texas. This bill will allow RRAD to develop, produce, and field drones for the Department of Defense.

Sen. Cruz said, “Establishing a drone manufacturing facility at the Red River Army Depot will help ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of drone production. I'm proud to see the Lone Star State continuing to lead in defense innovation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to swiftly pass this legislation.”

Sen. Cornyn said, “Russia and China are currently outpacing America in scalable drone production and investment, making us vulnerable to national security threats if left unmatched. This legislation seeks to close this gap and help ensure America remains competitive with our foreign adversaries by establishing a new innovation and production facility that would rapidly improve our ability to develop, test, and mass-produce small unmanned aircraft systems.”

Sen. Cotton said, “Large-scale manufacturing of small drones is critical to the Army’s current and future operational capability. This bill is a win for national security and for Arkansas as the Skyfoundry program presents a unique opportunity to more fully utilize the Army’s organic industrial base by positioning Red River Army Depot to meet the Army’s emerging requirements.”

Sen. Boozman said, “The men and women of the Red River Army Depot are committed to providing our servicemembers with the tools they need to defend our nation. With unmanned aircraft systems playing an increasingly prominent role in modern warfare, tasking them with developing and sustaining an adequate supply of drone systems would be a win for this skilled workforce and our armed forces. I am pleased to join my colleagues to champion this effort and the Arkansans whose vital contributions to Red River support our national security and local economy.”

Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.-10).

Rep. Harrigan said, “The future of warfare is cheap, fast, and scalable—and right now, America is none of those things. The SkyFoundry Act changes that. It creates a fully American pipeline to design, test, and mass-produce FPV drones at scale, decoupled from Chinese supply chains and driven by U.S. innovation. This initiative doesn’t just build drones; it rebuilds our defense industrial base to meet the demands of modern conflict.”

Read the full text of the bill here.

The Texarkana Chamber of Commerce, TexAmericas Center, and the City Manager of the City of Texarkana support the bill.

Robin Hickerson, President & CEO of the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce said, “The Texarkana USA Regional Chamber of Commerce thanks Senators Ted Cruz, John Boozman, Tom Cotton, and John Cornyn for sponsoring the SkyFoundry Act of 2025, which supports the rapid development and production of small unmanned aircraft systems and emphasizes the use of existing Army Depot facilities. Red River Army Depot is well positioned to meet the criteria outlined in the bill, with over 15,000 acres, 8 million square feet of facilities, and a central location near four states. The Chamber commends RRAD for its flexibility and readiness to support future innovation in defense manufacturing. RRAD has long been a vital economic engine for the Texarkana region. This legislation reinforces its strategic value and opens the door for even greater impact on jobs, innovation, and national security. The Chamber stands ready to support the SkyFoundry Program and advocate for continued investment in Red River Army Depot.”

Scott Norton, Executive Director & CEO of the TexAmericas Center said, “TexAmericas Center thanks Senator Cruz and his staff for all their efforts with the SkyFoundry Act of 2025. Utilizing a location such as Red River Army Depot for the annual production of 1,000,000 unmanned aircraft systems, and other associated systems, allows the Department of Defense to collaborate employee training and program enhancements with Texas A&M University – Texarkana, University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana, and Texarkana College. Investing in the dedicated organic industrial base workforce emphasizes the value of the current and future workforce at Red River Army Depot and demonstrates value of our defense community to our nation’s defense. We look forward to the passing of the SkyFoundry Act of 2025 and the continued expansion of workload at Red River Army Depot.”

David Orr, City Manager of the City of Texarkana, Texas said, “The SkyFoundry Act of 2025 represents a forward-thinking investment in advanced manufacturing of unmanned aircraft systems and workforce development that aligns with the Texarkana region’s long-standing commitment to economic growth and regional opportunity. We appreciate Senator Cruz’s leadership in advancing legislation that strengthens our national defense and the industries that power our future.”

 

BACKGROUND

The SkyFoundry Act of 2025 will:

• Establish a production facility and innovation facility for the production and development of small unmanned aircraft systems.
• Utilize a Government-Owned, Government-Operated Contractor Augmented (GOGO/CA) model, blending military, civilian, and contract personnel.
• Encourage public-private partnerships with industry, academia, and nonprofits.

RRAD supports 3,500 direct jobs and over 9,100 total jobs, providing an economic impact of at least $1.6 billion annually to the region.