From Congressman Garamendi’s Web Site:
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Passes Strong Legislation Co-Authored by Ranking Member Garamendi and Chairman Hunter on GPS Backup Systems and Heavy Icebreakers
Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, hailed the passage by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of legislation that would require the creation of a GPS backup system and streamline the Coast Guard’s acquisition of a heavy icebreaker fleet. Garamendi has previously introduced standalone legislation, such as H.R. 1678, to encourage development of a GPS backup. This bill served as the basis for even stronger legislation, developed in bipartisan cooperation with Subcommittee Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), that has now passed the full Committee. The inclusion of both the GPS and heavy icebreaker provisions is a major milestone in a four-year-long effort by Reps. Garamendi and Hunter to address these critical national security issues.
“Americans rely on navigation and timing signals from our space-based GPS systems every day. It has revolutionized how we live, work and play,” said Congressman Garamendi. “Disruption of GPS signals would have drastic consequences, but we still don’t have a reliable backup system in case of failure or sabotage. This legislation would require the Coast Guard to develop a reliable ground-based backup system, called eLORAN, within the next three years. This would drastically improve our economic and our national security.”
Posting on the Congressman’s Website
