Congressional Reporting Requirements

This page provides a list of congressionally directed reporting requirements related to GPS, with reference links to their original sources at congress.gov and other federal websites. Some links on this page lead to content in the Portable Document Format (PDF) and may require you to install PDF software. Get software

A list of reports submitted to Congress is available on a separate page of this website.

View reports to Congress

Federal Radionavigation Plan

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Title 10 of the U.S. Code, Section 2281, directs the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation to jointly prepare the Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP) on a biennial basis. View FRP

Biennial GPS Report

10 U.S.C. § 2281 previously directed the co-chairs of the National Executive Committee for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing to submit a biennial report to Congress on GPS. Congress repealed this requirement in 2013 (Learn more). View biennial reports

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GPS Modernization

Quarterly Reports on GPS Acquisition

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The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 directs the Air Force to submit regular reports to GAO on GPS space, control, and user segment acquisition programs. Due date: not later than 90 days after the date of enactment, and every 90 days thereafter.

New The act also directs GAO to provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees on the Air Force's first quarterly report. Due date: not later than 30 days after receiving that report. View GAO review of AF report

GPS III Satellite Launch Plan

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(23 MB PDF)

The joint explanatory statement on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, directs DOD "to determine if the current GPS III satellite launch plan should be adjusted to ensure necessary operational testing on early vehicles has been completed and potential satellite deficiencies have been discovered before more satellites are launched." Due date: 60 days after enactment.

Constellation Replenishment Plan

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(1.5 MB PDF)

The House report on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 directs the Air Force to provide a report on the GPS satellite constellation and replenishment plan. View AF report (3.2 MB PDF)

GAO Audit of M-Code Deployment

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(1.5 MB PDF)

The House report on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 directs GAO to report on DOD's progress in deploying GPS M-Code capability. View GAO report

GAO Audit of OCX

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(1.2 MB PDF)

The Senate report on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 directs GAO to review the cost, scope, and schedule of the Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX), including synchronization with the launch of the GPS III constellation. View GAO report

Assessment of Multi-Year Procurement

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(1.2 MB PDF)

The Senate report on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 directs the Air Force to assess the feasibility of multi-year procurement of GPS III satellites. View AF report (2.7 MB PDF)

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(2 MB PDF)

The House report on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 directs the Air Force to submit a report to Congress on "lower-cost solutions for providing GPS capability following the procurement of the GPS III satellites." It also directs GAO to review the Air Force report.

Analysis of Alternatives for Next Generation GPS

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(2.4 MB PDF)

Section 215 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 compels DOD to complete and report to Congress on an analysis of alternatives for the satellite and ground architectures, satellite technologies, and tactics, techniques, and procedures for the next generation GPS.

Development Plan for Enhanced GPS

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(1.3 MB PDF)

Section 218(d) of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 requires DOD to submit a plan for the development of an enhanced Global Positioning System (i.e., GPS modernization). View DOD plan (1.5 MB PDF)

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Interference

Notification of Foreign Disruptions

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(1.5 MB PDF)

Section 911 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 requires congressional notification of any suspected foreign disruption of national security space capabilities. The original House text cited space-based PNT (i.e., GPS) as a capability of concern. View source (1.5 MB PDF) The joint explanatory statement for the final act states, "this notice is not intended to be notification of every anomaly instance; this is only notification when there is reason to believe that there was an intentional attempt to disrupt, degrade, or destroy a national security space capability." View source (1 MB PDF)

Report on Military Readiness for Denied Environments

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(2 MB PDF)

Section 342 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2013 directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress on the readiness of the joint force to operate in environments where there is no access to GPS and other Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems.

Review of Interference to Military GPS

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(1.6 MB PDF)

Section 911(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2012 directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a review every 90 days during 2012-2013 on the ability of military GPS devices to operate without widespread harmful interference, particularly from commercial communications services. The law requires congressional notification if such interference occurs. Learn more

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Augmentations and Backups

NEw Report on WAAS Upgrades

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(600 KB PDF)

The Senate report on the FY 2016 transportation appropriations bill directs the FAA to provide a progress update on its plans to upgrade the GPS Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). Due date: within 180 days of enactment.

Study on the Need for a GPS Backup System

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(450 KB PDF)

Section 219 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to conclude a study of whether a single, domestic system is needed as a backup navigation system to GPS. DHS submitted the report to Congress in October 2011.

WAAS Status Report

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(2.2 MB PDF)

The joint committee print to accompany the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, calls for a letter report on the status of precision approach capability, including updates on WAAS satellite integration, WAAS equipage, and WAAS-enabled airports. View WAAS report (3.3 MB PDF)

NDGPS Recapitalization Plan

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(2.2 MB PDF)

The joint committee print to accompany the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, directs the Department of Transportation to submit a recapitalization plan for the Nationwide Differential GPS. View DOT plan (600 KB PDF)

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Foreign GNSS Issues

Russian Monitoring Stations

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(1.5 MB PDF)

The House report on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 directs DOD to provide a report on GNSS ground monitoring stations operated by Russia near any U.S./allied military installation overseas or any other sensitive installation.

Galileo Market Access Report

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(2.4 MB PDF)

The joint committee print to accompany the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, 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 2004 GPS-Galileo Agreement. View USTR report (40 KB PDF)

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Spectrum Management

Spectrum Harmonization Study

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(2 MB PDF)

The conference report to accompany the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2000, directs DOD to initiate a GPS spectrum harmonization study to be conducted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

National GPS Spectrum Strategy

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(400 KB PDF)

Section 8137 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1999, requires the DOD to submit a national strategy to protect GPS spectrum against interference and disruption, achieve its full and effective use of ITU-allocated satellite navigation spectrum, and provide any additional spectrum necessary for GPS evolution.

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