Title: 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.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This resolution recognizes the contributions made by the Air Force personnel responsible for operating and maintaining the Global Positioning System (GPS) constellation of satellites and the importance of continuous availability, accuracy, reliability, and resiliency of the GPS constellation.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 219 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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;
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;
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 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

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognize 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
            (2) recognize the importance of continuous availability, 
        accuracy, reliability, and resiliency of the Global Positioning 
        System constellation.
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