III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 607 

Recognizing the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on its 20th 

anniversary. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2016 

Mr. BLUNT (for himself, Mr. WARNER, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. BURR, and 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on 

its 20th anniversary. 

Whereas, in an effort to improve the imagery intelligence, 

mapping, and geodesy capabilities of the United States, 

the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (in this preamble referred to as ‘‘NIMA’’), the predecessor of the 

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (in this preamble 

referred to as the ‘‘NGA’’), was founded on October 1, 

1996, as a result of President William Jefferson Clinton 

signing into law the National Defense Authorization Act 

for Fiscal Year 1997 (Public Law 104–201; 110 Stat. 

2422), which authorized the establishment of NIMA; 

Whereas the NGA derives from legacy agencies, including the 

Defense Mapping Agency, the National Photographic InVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:09 Sep 30, 2016 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR607.IS SR607

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terpretation Center, the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office, the Central Imagery Office, and the Defense Dissemination Program Office, that played vital 

roles in the defense of the United States in conflicts dating back to World War II and contributed to the discipline of geospatial intelligence (in this preamble referred to as ‘‘GEOINT’’) through imagery and mapping 

production; 

Whereas the NGA has, throughout its 20-year history, provided GEOINT support to United States policymakers 

and military commanders in both war and peacetime during significant national security and natural disaster 

events, including— 

(1) the operations in the Balkans; 

(2) the response to Hurricane Katrina; 

(3) the operation that resulted in the killing of 

former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden; 

(4) operations against state-sponsored terrorist organizations; 

(5) the humanitarian assistance responses to earthquakes in Haiti and Japan; and 

(6) the continued critical mission support to members of the Armed Forces in the Middle East; 

Whereas, with military and civilian employees serving at the 

NGA headquarters in Springfield, Virginia, the NGA 

West Campus in St. Louis, Missouri, and additional locations throughout the United States, and with personnel 

deployed worldwide in more than 200 locations in 17 

countries, the NGA produces timely mapping, charting, 

geodesy, and intelligence products to warfighters, first responders, civil authorities, policymakers, and the maritime and aviation communities; 


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Whereas the NGA motto describes the many missions that 

were combined 20 years ago upon the creation of the 

NGA, ‘‘Know the Earth, show the way, and understand 

the world’’; 

Whereas the NGA is the primary organization responsible for 

developing, maintaining, and enhancing the World Geodetic System 84 reference frame, the foundation for all 

of the Positioning, Navigation, and Timing systems of 

the Department of Defense, including the Global Positioning System (commonly known as ‘‘GPS’’); 

Whereas the Maritime Safety Office of the NGA, which 

traces its lineage to 1869, collects, analyzes, and writes 

the Notices to Mariners that keep government, civilian, 

and international mariners informed about vital safety 

and navigational issues; 

Whereas the NGA also supports commercial vessels worldwide with navigational products and warning messages; 

Whereas, in addition to updating worldwide digital nautical 

charts that ensure safety of navigation to a broad base 

of users, the NGA has expanded to provide safety of 

navigation information to the aeronautical community; 

Whereas, in recent years, the NGA has increased its— 

(1) worldwide, industry-leading aeronautical safety 

library to more than 10,000 flight procedures made available to the Department of Defense; and 

(2) vertical obstructions database from 4,000,000 

features to more than 24,000,000 features; 

Whereas the NGA has converted from paper maps to 

downloadable digital maps, reducing the amount of gear 

that pilots need to carry while ensuring that those pilots 

always have the latest information; 


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Whereas the NGA continues to be a constant source of innovation, aiding the efforts of the Department of Defense 

in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations by 

using new— 

(1) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance 

sensors and technologies; and 

(2) analytic methods, including full-motion video, 

hyperspectral imagery, overhead persistent infrared, light 

detection and ranging, and activity-based intelligence; 

Whereas the NGA continues to support warfighters and intelligence operators with dedicated efforts in global counterterrorism, counterproliferation, mission readiness, safety 

of navigation, and future weapons development; 

Whereas, since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, 

the men and women of the NGA have worked diligently 

to deter, detect, and prevent acts of terrorism by providing GEOINT support to United States and coalition 

forces in support of the Global War on Terror, including 

Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, Combined 

Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa, Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, and Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and 

Syria; 

Whereas the NGA is commendably pursuing new methods of 

intelligence collection and analysis to inform, complement, and add to the NGA’s support of warfighter requirements by— 

(1) embracing innovative cost-sharing and risk-sharing constructs with the commercial electro-optical satellite industry; and 

(2) looking to emerging commercial technology providers, including small satellite companies, that hold the 

promise of rapid technological innovation and potentially 


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significant future cost savings to the taxpayers of the 

United States; and 

Whereas the NGA has been awarded 3 Joint Meritorious 

Unit Awards reflecting the distinctive accomplishments of 

the personnel assigned to the NGA: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) congratulates the men and women of the 

3 National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on the occa4 sion of the 20th anniversary of the National 

5 Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; 

6 (2) honors the professional men and women, 

7 past and present, of the National Geospatial-Intel8 ligence Agency for their selfless service and dedica9 tion to the United States; and 

10 (3) expresses gratitude to all the men and 

11 women of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agen12 cy for their past and continued efforts to provide 

13 timely, relevant, and accurate geospatial intelligence 

14 support to deliver overwhelming advantages to 

15 warfighters, defense planners, and national security 

16 policymakers in the defense and security of the 

17 United States. 

Æ 


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