New Bills Under Development
Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-008)
NEW LAW
This legislation was signed into law on March 11, 2009. The catch-all spending measure appropriates $20.7 million in FY 2009 funds to the Department of Transportation to cover civil-unique capabilities in the GPS III program. This is in line with the Administration's request.
The legislation also provides approximately $92 million for the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). The explanatory statement covering the transportation section includes language directing FAA to provide a report on the status of precision approach capability. The report is to include an update on the integration of the WAAS satellites, the rate of WAAS equipage, and a list of WAAS-enabled airports.
The explanatory statement covering the commerce section of the legislation includes language directing 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.
Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, FY 2009 (P.L. 110-329)
NEW LAW
This funding bill was signed into law on September 30, 2008. It allocates $136,000,000 to the Department of Defense for GPS procurement, while $819,000,000 goes to research and development efforts. House and Senate appropriators matched the President's funding request.
Section 8071 provides that, "Funds available to the Department of Defense for the Global Positioning System during the current fiscal year may be used to fund civil requirements associated with the satellite and ground control segments of such system's modernization program."
Space Commerce Act of 2008 (H.R. 6935/S. 3504)
This proposed legislation, introduced in September 2008, 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's expanding role in promoting geospatial technologies including GPS. Additional information is available at the Office of Space Commercialization website.
This bill did not see action during the 110th Congress.
To enact title 51, United States Code, 'National and Commercial Space Programs', as positive law. (H.R. 4780)
This bill 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.
This bill did not see action during the 110th Congress.
Please contact the National Coordination Office to suggest other legislation that may belong on this page.