III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 701 

Designating November 15, 2018, as ‘‘National GIS Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 15, 2018 

Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. WARNER, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, 

Mrs. CAPITO, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. INHOFE, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. WYDEN, 

Mr. DAINES, and Mr. BOOZMAN) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating November 15, 2018, as ‘‘National GIS Day’’. 

Whereas the management, use, and exchange of geographic 

information and geospatial data and analysis are essential for operations and decisionmaking in Federal agencies; 

Whereas Geographic Information System technology (referred 

to in this preamble as ‘‘GIS’’) embraces new and innovative ways to use, discover, and share geospatial data 

through online portals and web services; 

Whereas GIS facilitates the sharing of geographic data, services, and maps through online portals such as 

GeoPlatform.gov; 

Whereas GIS helps provide shared and trusted geospatial 

data, services, and applications for use— 


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•SRES 701 ATS 

(1) by the public; and 

(2) by government agencies and partners of government agencies to meet their mission needs; 

Whereas GIS is an interdisciplinary tool used by students, 

teachers, researchers, universities, and practitioners in 

numerous fields and disciplines; 

Whereas geography is identified as a core academic subject 

eligible for Federal funding under the Every Student 

Succeeds Act (Public Law 114–95; 129 Stat. 1802); 

Whereas GIS helps foster collaboration and partnerships in 

the advancement of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘NSDI’’); 

Whereas GIS provides a common framework for the Federal 

Government and State, Tribal, and local governments, 

non-Federal partners, communities, constituents, professional bodies for standards, data catalogs, partnerships, 

and tools that make up the NSDI; 

Whereas GIS is used to investigate and address societal, environmental, and cultural issues, including— 

(1) local issues; 

(2) global issues; 

(3) issues from the past; 

(4) issues in the present; and 

(5) potential future issues identified through modeling; 

Whereas GIS and related geospatial technologies are used in 

classrooms to engage students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning; 

Whereas GIS fosters competition within the sector of 

geospatial technologies, which is considered a high-growth 

industry by the Department of Labor; and 


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Whereas many Federal agencies, State and local government 

agencies, nonprofit organizations, schools, libraries, and 

universities will join with others around the world to 

showcase their GIS mapping and geospatial applications 

on November 15, 2018: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates November 15, 2018, as ‘‘Na3 tional GIS Day’’; and 

4 (2) encourages users of Geographic Information 

5 System technology (referred to in this resolving 

6 clause as ‘‘GIS’’), educators, students, and 

7 innovators to continue to employ GIS— 

8 (A) to learn and explore; 

9 (B) to analyze and address societal chal10 lenges; and 

11 (C) to drive economic growth for the bet12 terment of the people of the United States and 

13 individuals around the world. 

Æ 


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