The US Congress’ House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee considered the 2014 US Coast Guard Authorization Act today. Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), chair of the committee’s Coast Guard and Marine Transportation subcommittee, offered an amendment, which was adopted, that includes within its provisions important language about GPS vulnerability and eLoran.

“SEC. 221. E-LORAN.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may not carry out activities related to the dismantling or disposal of infrastructure that supported the former LORAN system until the later of—
(1) the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act; or
(2) the date on which the Secretary provides to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate notice of a determination by the Secretary that such infrastructure is not required to provide a positioning, navigation, and timing system to provide redundant capability in the event GPS signals are disrupted.
(b) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (a) does not apply to activities necessary for the safety of human life.
(c) AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, and other agreements with Federal entities and other public or private entities, including academic entities, to develop a positioning, timing, and navigation system, including an enhanced LORAN system, to provide redundant capability in the event GPS signals are disrupted.”

The bill was approved by the committee and sent on for consideration by the full House. Click below for a copy of the entire amendment offered by Congressman Hunter.

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