Updates on congressional actions related to the Global Positioning System (GPS) and related programs http://www.gps.gov/congress/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Fri, 22 Mar 2019 17:00:00 EST Fri, 22 Mar 2019 17:00:00 EST 60 On March 18, 2019, the White House released the President's Fiscal Year 2020 budget proposal. The budget request includes $1.76 billion in Air Force procurement and development to sustain and modernize the GPS program, as well as $105 million in funds for the Department of Transportation to support designated civil elements of the GPS program. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2020/ https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2020/ Fri, 22 Mar 2019 17:00:00 EST On Tuesday, December 4, 2018, the President signed S.140, the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act into law. Section 514 is the National Timing Resilience and Security Act of 2018, which states, "the Secretary of Transportation shall provide for the establishment, sustainment, and operation of a land-based, resilient, and reliable alternative timing system." https://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#NTRSA https://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#2018-12-04 Tue, 4 Dec 2018 17:00:00 EST The U.S. Air Force recently delivered the first of ten GPS III satellites to Cape Canaveral to begin launch processing for a December 15, 2018, launch. Developed with a new design, GPS III will have greater accuracy and improved anti-jamming capabilities compared to the current fleet of GPS IIR, IIR-M, and IIF satellites. GPS III will also be the first series of GPS satellites to broadcast the new "L1C" civil signal. Also offered by other satellite systems, like Europe's Galileo and Japan's QZSS, the L1C signal will improve global interoperability and service availability for commercial and civilian users. On September 14, the Air Force announced the selection of Lockheed Martin to build 22 GPS III Follow-On satellites that will provide even greater capabilities than the new GPS III series. https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/modernization/ https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/modernization/#2018-10-29 Mon, 29 Oct 2018 17:00:00 EDT On September 28, 2018, President Trump signed H.R. 6157, the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019 into law. The omnibus package included funding for Fiscal Year 2019 for the Department of Defense, and appropriates funding for the GPS Program at $1.424 billion, a decrease of $55 million compared to the President's initial request. The funding measure also includes a continuing resolution that will fund the remainder of the government through December 7, 2018. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#dod-approps https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#2018-09-28 Fri, 28 Sep 2018 17:00:00 EDT On Monday, August 13, President Trump signed the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. The NDAA includes policy and funding guidance for the GPS program, but does not expend funds from the U.S. Treasury. The NDAA recommends funding the GPS program at $1.46B, an $18M reduction for the GPS program compared to the initial request. The NDAA also includes several GPS-related provisions. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#NDAA https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#2018-08-14 Fri, 17 Aug 2018 12:00:00 EDT The House Appropriations Committee approved the subcommittee draft of the Fiscal Year 2019 defense appropriations bill. The committee bill would decrease funding for GPS III Development by $18 million compared to the President's request. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#dod-approps https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#2018-06-13 Wed, 13 Jun 2018 17:00:00 EDT We updated our GPS funding page to reflect Senate committee action on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019 and appropriations for the GPS WAAS program. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/ https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#2018-06-08 Fri, 08 Jun 2018 12:00:00 EDT We updated our GPS funding page to reflect the House passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019, including a floor amendment concerning "Backup Global Positioning System." https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#NDAA https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#2018-05-31 Thu, 31 May 2018 17:00:00 EDT We updated our GPS funding page to reflect the House Appropriations Committee's markup of FY 2019 appropriations for the Transportation Department, including the GPS Wide Area Augmentation System. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#dot-approps https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#2018-05-31-waas Thu, 31 May 2018 17:00:00 EDT We updated our GPS funding page to reflect the House Armed Services Committee's markup of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019. The committee provided program funding guidance as well as directive language related to GPS. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#NDAA https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#2018-05-10 Fri, 10 May 2018 17:00:00 EDT On March 23, 2018, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, an omnibus funding measure that provides $1.18 billion to the Air Force GPS program, and $110.3 million to the Department of Transportation's GPS augmentation system (WAAS) in FY 2018. These funding levels represent an increase over the request. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/ https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2018-03-23 Fri, 23 Mar 2018 17:00:00 EDT On February 12, 2018, the White House released the President's Fiscal Year 2019 budget proposal. The proposal includes $1.48 billion in Air Force procurement and development to sustain and modernize the GPS program. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/ https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2019/#2018-02-13 Tue, 13 Feb 2018 17:00:00 EST On December 12, 2017, Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced the National Timing Resilience and Security Act of 2017. This legislation would "provide for the development, construction and operation of a backup to the Global Positioning System, and for other purposes." https://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#NTRSA https://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#2018-02-12 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 17:00:00 EST Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled, "Global Positioning System: Better Planning and Coordination Needed to Improve Prospects for Fielding Modernized Capability." GAO prepared the report in response to direction in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016. http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-18-74 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-18-74 Tue, 12 Dec 2017 12:15:00 EST On December 12, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018. The act includes policy and funding guidance for the GPS program. It recommends full funding for GPS plus a $10 million increase above the President's request. The legislation also includes specific provisions regarding satellite positioning ground monitoring stations, demonstration of backup and complementary PNT, enhancement of PNT capacity, and counter threat strategy. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#NDAA https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-12-12 Tue, 12 Dec 2017 12:00:00 EST On November 21, the Senate Appropriations Committee released its Fiscal Year 2018 defense appropriations bill, which includes a $50.5 million net increase for the Air Force GPS program. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed its defense spending package as part of a "minibus" appropriations bill. That bill recommended $30 million in GPS cuts. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#dod-approps https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-11-22 Wed, 22 Nov 2017 17:00:00 EST We updated our funding tracker to reflect yesterday's passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) through conference committee. The final bill supports full funding for GPS and includes multiple provisions related to GPS. https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#NDAA https://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-08-30 Thu, 9 Nov 2017 17:00:00 EST On July 27, 2017, Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) reintroduced the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance (GPS) Act in the House of Representatives following the resignation of its previous sponsor. The GPS Act seeks to establish a legal framework that gives government agencies, commercial entities, and private citizens clear guidelines for when and how geolocation information can be accessed and used. http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/gps-act/#gpsact http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/gps-act/#2017-08-30 Wed, 30 Aug 2017 15:00:00 EDT Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its FY 2018 transportation package, including an $8 million increase for the GPS Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). The committee's explanatory language echoes that of the House from last week. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#dot-approps http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-07-28 Fri, 28 Jul 2017 15:00:00 EDT We updated our page on E-LORAN legislation to reflect yesterday's House passage of the DHS Authorization Act, which includes the Coast Guard Act and its provision on "Backup Global Positioning System." The language directs the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Commandant of the Coast Guard, to "provide for the establishment, sustainment, and operation of a reliable land-based enhanced LORAN, or eLORAN, positioning, navigation, and timing system." http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#cgauth2017 http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#2017-07-21 Fri, 21 Jul 2017 12:00:00 EDT Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee passed its FY 2018 funding measure for Transportation, HUD, and related agencies, including $105.3 million for FAA's GPS Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). The committee proposes a $3 million increase to WAAS and "recommends that development of the WAAS GEO 7 satellite system begin in fiscal year 2018 to ensure continuous sustainment of a full three-satellite WAAS navigation constellation." The legislation also includes a provision regarding GPS vehicle tracking. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#dot-approps http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-07-18 Tue, 18 Jul 2017 13:00:00 EDT The Senate's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), released today, recommends full funding for the GPS program, with $138.8 million in increases to GPS III development and Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) development. The House of Representatives will vote on their NDAA bill later this week. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#NDAA http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-07-11 Tue, 11 Jul 2017 15:30:00 EDT The House report on the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2017, published June 26, provides further explanation of the bill's provision on "Backup Global Positioning System." The report proposes $200 million in "Capital Spending for PNT System" and discusses the estimated costs and potential revenue sharing. http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#cgauth2017 http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#2017-07-03 Mon, 3 Jul 2017 17:00:00 EDT Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee marked up its FY 2018 defense spending measure, proposing a $20 million reduction for GPS III and a $10 million reduction for Military GPS User Equipment. The committee's draft report also includes directive language on GPS III. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#dod-approps http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-06-30 Fri, 30 Jun 2017 09:00:00 EDT The Chairman's Mark for the House's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), released yesterday, recommends full funding for the GPS program. It contains two new provisions related to GPS. Section 1617 would require, during FY 2018, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly develop a plan for carrying out a backup capability demonstration for the Global Positioning System. Section 1618 would require the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a plan to increase resilience for the positioning, navigation, and timing capacity for the Department of Defense. The House Armed Services Committee will markup the bill on June 28. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#NDAA http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-06-26 Tue, 27 Jun 2017 11:15:00 EDT Today, the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held its markup for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2018. The subcommittee's draft text includes two GPS-related reporting requirements. The full committee will hold its markup on Wednesday, June 28. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#NDAA http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-06-22 Thu, 22 Jun 2017 13:00:00 EDT We updated our E-LORAN legislation page with a link to today's hearing on Coast Guard infrastructure, where there was a brief discussion of E-LORAN as a possible backup for GPS. http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#cgauth2017 http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#2017-06-08 Thu, 8 Jun 2017 15:00:00 EDT We updated our page on E-LORAN legislation to reflect the May 24 committee approval of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2017. The bill includes direction "to provide a complement to, and backup for, the Global Positioning System." http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/ http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/loran-c/#2017-05-30 Tue, 30 May 2017 17:00:00 EDT On May 23, President Trump released his budget for FY 2018. It requests a total of $1.1 billion for the Air Force GPS program. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/ http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2018/#2017-05-25 Thu, 25 May 2017 14:00:00 EDT Yesterday, the Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing on military space organization, policy, and programs, including GPS and OCX. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) also released a testimony report that addresses challenges with GPS modernization. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/17-05-17-military-space-organization-policy-and-programs https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/17-05-17-military-space-organization-policy-and-programs Thu, 18 May 2017 12:30:00 EDT We updated our FY 2017 funding page with definitive source links to the Explanatory Statement for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, which President Trump signed May 5. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2017/ http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2017/#2017-05-08 Mon, 8 May 2017 15:00:00 EDT We updated our FY 2017 funding tracker to reflect the House and Senate agreement on appropriations for the entire federal government, including the GPS line items in the DOD and DOT budgets. We also updated the Geolocation Privacy legislation page to reflect a provision on GPS vehicle tracking in the omnibus. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2017/ http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2017/#2017-05-02 Tue, 2 May 2017 13:00:00 EDT On March 30, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its annual assessment of DOD's major weapon system acquisitions. The report identifies programmatic risks for GPS III, Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE), and the Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX). https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-333SP https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-333SP Thu, 30 Mar 2017 17:00:00 EDT At a March 22 hearing held by the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, & Coast Guard (OAF&CG) on the State of the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Commandant responded to questions regarding a GPS backup. (The discussion begins at 1:22:09 in the video.) http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/3/state-of-the-coast-guard-ensuring-military-national-security-and-enforcement-capability-and-readiness http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/3/state-of-the-coast-guard-ensuring-military-national-security-and-enforcement-capability-and-readiness#2017-03-29 Wed, 29 Mar 2017 17:00:00 EDT We updated our FY 2017 GPS Funding page to reflect the House passage of the updated Defense Appropriations bill, which includes changes to the GPS budget. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2017/#dod-approps http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2017/#2017-03-08 Wed, 8 Mar 2017 17:00:00 EST We updated our Geolocation Privacy Legislation page to reflect the February 15 reintroduction of the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act (GPS Act) for the 115th Congress. http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/gps-act/ http://www.gps.gov/policy/legislation/gps-act/#2017-03-08 Wed, 8 Mar 2017 17:00:00 EST We updated our GPS funding page to reflect the December 23 enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2017/#NDAA http://www.gps.gov/policy/funding/2017/#NDAA Tue, 3 Jan 2017 10:30:00 EST