WASHINGTON DC (March 11, 2019) — Representatives Dave Loebsack (D-IA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) today joined with Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) to announce the creation of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Global Positioning System (GPS) Caucus. The Caucus will focus on discussing the economic, national security, and infrastructure benefits of increasingly efficient GPS technology, as well as the risks and oversight challenges that face the GPS industry.
“GPS has been an important tool for safely getting passengers from one location to another, but is beneficial to many different sectors including defense and infrastructure. GPS is also being used throughout rural communities and on farms as the use of precision agriculture continues to grow,” said Rep Loebsack. “By forming this caucus, I look forward to working with my colleagues to expand and promote the use of this technology.”
“As a 30-year Air Force veteran, I take an immense amount of pride in the GPS constellation our country operates,” said Rep Bacon. “More than 12,000 miles away, these incredible satellites not only enable our national security but they also power every sector of the American economy.”
“GPS has proven to be an invaluable tool in making our transportation systems more efficient and more secure,” said Sen Duckworth. “This technology has the potential to further improve our nation’s military readiness, infrastructure, and agricultural production, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to maintain and promote effective oversight of this technology.”
“In 1978 the US Air Force launched its first GPS satellite; now, 41 years later, we’re continuing to see the tremendous impact of this resource,” Sen Ernst said. “From Iowa’s agriculture industry that depends on GPS for weather mapping and crop projections, to our military personnel needing the most reliable data, GPS has been a strong contributor to our nation’s security and growth.”
The Congressmen and Senators both introduced a resolution in their separate chambers to recognize the contributions and importance of the GPS constellation, which contributes an estimated $68.7 billion to the U.S. economy. GPS-enabled precision agriculture is estimated to save farmers 10 to 15 percent in operating costs – leading to an estimated $13.7 billion in economic benefits to the farming industry. GPS impacts nearly all levels of infrastructure in the US, including: air, ground, and sea transportation systems; with additional support for land-surveying and mapping sectors.
