RETAIN GPS Act Introduced in Senate

WASHINGTON, DC -- Senators James Inhofe (R-OK), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Mike Rounds (R-SD) recently introduced the bipartisan Recognizing and Ensuring Taxpayer Access to Infrastructure Necessary for GPS and Satellite Communications Act (RETAIN), or S. 2166, in response to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granting Ligado Networks access to the L-band spectrum, a spectrum commonly used for GPS and satellite communications.

Ligado’s use of this spectrum could result in harmful interference to the GPS network by threatening the reception capability of GPS devices.  The current Ligado order requires that Ligado Networks would be responsible for paying the federal government for any harm it causes to GPS signals while it modifies the spectrum.  However, the federal government is not the only sector that would be impacted by interference to GPS signals.

The RETAIN Act recognizes the wide negative impact of the Ligado Order on agriculture and other sectors and, if passed, would require Ligado to pay the cost for any interference their operations create for the public and private sectors.

“GPS is a critical tool that is extensively used by rice farmers in both planting and harvesting,” said Nicole Montna Van Vleck, a California rice farmer and chair of the USA Rice Farmers.  “We are glad to support a bill that works to protect farmers and other private entities from the impact of the Ligado decision and look forward to working towards its passage in Congress.”

USA Rice, along with more than 80 other organizations, recently sent a letter in support of the RETAIN GPS Act.