IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 219 

Recognizing the contributions made by the men and women of the Air Force 

who are responsible for operating and maintaining the Global Positioning 

System constellation and affirming the importance of continuous availability, accuracy, reliability, and resiliency of the Global Positioning System constellation. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 12, 2019 

Mr. LOEBSACK (for himself and Mr. BACON) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the contributions made by the men and women 

of the Air Force who are responsible for operating and 

maintaining the Global Positioning System constellation 

and affirming the importance of continuous availability, 

accuracy, reliability, and resiliency of the Global Positioning System constellation. 

Whereas the Global Positioning System (referred to in this 

preamble as ‘‘GPS’’) offers both military and civilian 

benefits of positioning, navigation, and timing services; 

Whereas the GPS constellation is managed and operated by 

the Air Force and consists of more than 30 satellites operating at an altitude of approximately 12,550 miles 

above the Earth; 


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•HRES 219 IH 

Whereas GPS-enabled precision agriculture has led to input 

cost savings of $8,200,000,000 and yield increases in 

grain production in the United States; 

Whereas GPS precision timing allows for accurate record 

management by major financial institutions, including detailed transaction management for large and small businesses; 

Whereas GPS has proven to be an essential tool in facilitating social and economic activity around the world; 

Whereas consumers overwhelmingly access GPS using a variety of platforms, such as smartphones and a wireless 

broadband connection; 

Whereas cities leverage GPS applications to support Smart 

Cities initiatives that will increase service efficiency, resulting in savings in time and money to taxpayers; 

Whereas first responders utilize GPS to enable more timely 

and accurate disaster response, improve situational 

awareness as well as for identifying the location of 9–1– 

1 calls made from wireless phones; 

Whereas the safety of our Nation’s rail systems is improved 

by implementing GPS-based Positive Train Control 

(PTC) systems; 

Whereas GPS-enabled applications and services enhance the 

independence of individuals with visual impairments; 

Whereas marine operations depend on GPS for precise navigation as well as for determining location and measuring 

speed; 

Whereas the land surveying and mapping sector utilizes GPS 

to produce data that are more accurate and reliable; 


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•HRES 219 IH 

Whereas GPS-based time synchronization assists power and 

utility companies in providing efficient power transmission and distribution; 

Whereas smart grid infrastructure is increasingly reliant on 

GPS for synchronization and system resilience; 

Whereas GPS supports autonomous vehicle development by 

complementing embedded vehicle sensors to determine 

precise vehicle location and improving safety; 

Whereas the Federal Aviation Administration relies on GPS 

to improve all aspects of commercial aviation safety and 

efficiency, including by providing greater precision and 

accuracy in all phases of flight, and GPS is also essential 

for enabling the Next Generation Air Transportation 

(NEXTGEN) system; 

Whereas the Federal Aviation Administration relies on GPS 

to improve commercial aviation safety by synchronizing 

reporting of hazardous weather with 45 Terminal Doppler Weather Radars; 

Whereas GPS-based time synchronization assists power and 

utility companies in providing efficient power transmission and distribution; and 

Whereas economic contributions by GPS include— 

(1) GPS provides economic benefits valued at 

$68,700,000,000 or 0.4 percent of the gross domestic 

product of the United States; 

(2) the Department of Homeland Security identifies 

GPS as essential to 14 of the 16 industries that are classified as part of the Nation’s critical infrastructure; 

(3) GPS-enabled precision agriculture is estimated 

to save farmers 10 to 15 percent in operating costs and 


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•HRES 219 IH 

purchased inputs and the broad economic benefits of precision agriculture are estimated at $13,700,000,000; 

(4) GPS-enabled surveying is estimated to produce 

$11,600,000,000 in economic impact; 

(5) globally, 3,600,000,000 Global Navigation Satellite System devices were in use in 2014, 450,000,000 

of which were in North America; 

(6) geospatial services ecosystem, which are supported by GPS, are estimated to drive 

$1,600,000,000,000 in revenues and $1,400,000,000,000 

in cost savings throughout the United States economy; 

(7) GPS-enabled internet publishing, broadcasting, 

and search portals accounted for $87,000,000,000 in revenue and supported 181,000 jobs; 

(8) GPS enables location-based services that will enhance the $950,000,000,000 app economy, supporting 

4,700,000 jobs across the United States; and 

(9) GPS has proven to be essential to the foundation 

of the ridesharing industry accessed on smartphones, valued close to $61,000,000,000: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognize the contributions made by the 

3 men and women of the Air Force who are respon4 sible for operating and maintaining the Global Posi5 tioning System constellation; and 

6 (2) recognize the importance of continuous 

7 availability, accuracy, reliability, and resiliency of 

8 the Global Positioning System constellation. 

Æ 


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