Other Relevant Bills & Laws
Fiscal Year 2010 Funding
Information on the President's FY 2010 budget request and congressional funding has been moved to a separate page.
Continuation/Termination of LORAN
Congress has introduced language into the Coast Guard's appropriation and authorization bills that would require continued operations of LORAN-C, a ground-based navigation aid, due to its potential utility as a national GPS backup. This is in direct opposition to the President's announced plan to terminate LORAN-C in FY 2010.
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-83)
| House Committee | Full House | Senate Committee | Full Senate |
| Passed | Passed | Passed | Passed |
| House-Senate Conference | President | ||
| Passed | Signed into law | ||
The House version of this bill (H.R. 2892) funds LORAN-C at $36 million and requires the Coast Guard to submit a plan for upgrading the system to eLORAN, a long-term backup for GPS. View House report language.
The Senate version (S. 1298) provides $18 million to extend LORAN-C operations through January 4, 2010. Section 555 allows LORAN-C termination on that date if the Coast Guard Commandant certifies it is not needed and its shutdown will not impact maritime safety. View Senate report language.
On July 7, the White House issued a Statement of Administration Policy on the Senate bill, stating:
The Administration appreciates the Committee's support for termination of the Loran-C radio navigation system. The Administration supports the Committee's aim to achieve an orderly termination through a phased decommissioning beginning in January 2010, and the requirement that certifications be provided to document that the Loran-C termination will not impair maritime safety or the development of possible GPS backup capabilities or needs.
On July 8, the Senate held a floor vote on an amendment proposing to terminate LORAN-C in a manner consistent with the President's original request. The amendment failed by a vote of 37 to 61.
On October 7, the House-Senate conference committee completed a compromise version of the bill that supports termination of LORAN-C. View news release. Section 559 of the conferenced bill matches Section 555 of the Senate version, but it elevates part of the certification requirement from the Coast Guard to the Secretary of DHS. View conference report language.
UPDATE The President signed the bill into law on October 28, 2009.
Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 (H.R. 3619/S. 1194)
| House Committee | Full House | Senate Committee | Full Senate |
| Passed | Passed | Passed | Received |
| House-Senate Conference | President | ||
Section 603 of the Senate committee bill would authorize the Secretary of Transportation to maintain LORAN-C and transition it to eLORAN, providing $37 million per year in FY 2010 and FY 2011. The bill would allow DOT to transfer funds to the Coast Guard for these purposes. The bill also requires a detailed 5-year plan for the eLoran transition.
Section 312 of the House committee bill would require the Secretary of DHS to establish eLORAN as the supplemental navigation system for the United States. It would impose congressional reporting requirements and prohibit LORAN-C termination until 30 days after eLORAN is certified to be operational. View House committee report language.
However, on October 23, the full House passed a new version of the bill with a revised Section 312 that terminates LORAN-C in line with the DHS appropriations bill. On the day prior, the House had adopted H.AMDT.468, requiring a federal study and public comments on the need for a supplemental backup to GPS, such as modernized LORAN (Section 222).
Space Title of U.S. Code
| House Committee | Full House | Senate Committee | Full Senate |
| Passed | Passed | ||
| House-Senate Conference | President | ||
H.R. 3237 seeks to create a new Title 51 of the U.S. Code (51 USC), consolidating multiple pieces of space-related legislation that currently exist within multiple other Titles and Public Laws. It would incorporate 42 USC 14712 on promotion of GPS standards to become 51 USC 50112. It would not, however, incorporate 10 USC 2281.
Space Commerce Act of 2008
This proposed legislation (H.R. 6935/S. 3504), introduced during the 110th Congress, would codify responsibilities of the Commerce Department's Office of Space Commercialization under the U.S. Space-Based PNT Policy, including stewardship of the National Executive Committee and National Coordination Office. The bill also recognizes the Office of Space Commercialization's expanding role in promoting geospatial technologies including GPS. Additional information is available at the Office of Space Commercialization website.
This bill did not move during the 110th Congress. The National Coordination Office hopes to see the legislation reintroduced during the 111th Congress.
Congressional Reporting Requirements
Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-008)
The explanatory statement for the transportation section of this funding measure calls for a report on the status of precision approach capability, including updates on WAAS satellite integration, WAAS equipage, and WAAS-enabled airports.
The explanatory statement for the commerce section directs the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to prepare a report on U.S. industry access to Galileo markets, to assess compliance with the GPS-Galileo Agreement. This language was carried over from the Senate report that accompanied the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009 (S. 3182), which stalled during the 110th Congress. The USTR report is available here.
Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act, FY 2005 (P.L. 108-375)
Section 215 requires an analysis of alternatives to GPS III.
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2000 (P.L. 106-79)
Conference report calls for a report to Congress on GPS spectrum harmonization.
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1999 (P.L. 105-262)
Section 8137 requires a report to Congress on GPS spectrum protection.
GWEN Conversion to NDGPS
Section 346 of the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 (P.L. 105-66) authorizes the conversion of decommissioned Air Force Ground Wave Emergency Network (GWEN) stations to support NDGPS.
Please contact Steve Sidorek at the National Coordination Office to suggest other legislation that may belong on this page.