WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) sent a letter today to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski, asking him to take all necessary steps to protect the Global Positioning System (GPS) from interference that could cause interruptions.

“Millions of Americans rely on GPS to get around safely every day. It is also critically important to aviation safety, first responders, civil engineers who monitor dams and bridges, and it is central to our national defense capabilities,” said Roberts, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “GPS is an integral part of our national economy. Farmers rely on GPS for greater efficiency and environmental protection, and just about every industry from manufacturing to distribution has come to rely on this valuable national utility. Reliable GPS affects virtually every American. GPS is far too important to have anything interfere with it.”

“Many Nebraskans rely on GPS daily. From boosting crop yields to helping aircraft land safely, from improving rail safety to guiding drivers to their destinations, GPS is a vital tool for our economy, agricultural producers, national defenses, emergency responders and transportation networks,” said Sen. Nelson, a member of both the Senate Armed Services and Agriculture committees. “Any interference could have a far-reaching and detrimental impact across our state and nation. As high-powered communication networks continue expanding, the government must make sure GPS isn’t disrupted or degraded because it’s an essential utility to millions of Americans.”

The letter comes after the International Bureau, a sub-organization within the FCC, granted a conditional waiver earlier this year to allow a company, LightSquared, to build 40,000 ground stations throughout the United States to enhance its satellite network. Those stations could cause widespread interference to nearby GPS receivers, because the spectrum used by LightSquared is adjacent to the spectrum used by GPS.

Sen. Roberts and Sen. Nelson led the bipartisan letter, co-signed by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Sen. Johnny Isakson R-Ga.), Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.),Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.).

The letter asks that the full Commission be involved in the process of making sure GPS is not compromised in any way, that the FCC require an objective demonstration of non-interference with GPS, and that the waiver for LightSquared be withdrawn until this demonstration is met.

To view a signed copy of the letter, click here.

Full text of the letter is below:

We write to express concern regarding a recent order by the International Bureau granting LightSquared Subsidiary LLC (“LightSquared”) a waiver of the “integrated service” rule with regard to its Mobile Satellite Service license in the L-Band. We urge the full Commission to give appropriate attention to this matter.

Numerous parties have raised significant concerns about interference from the LightSquared system into the Global Positioning System (GPS) frequencies. These parties included the GPS industry, aviation, agriculture, construction, cellular telecommunications companies and government entities such as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Homeland Security. We have substantial concerns that LightSquared’s proposal places an unacceptable risk to public safety through interference with GPS receivers necessary for aviation, first responders, agriculture, construction, maritime navigation, E-911, and national defense systems.

GPS is integral to the functioning of our economy, and is essential for public safety. To ensure full protection that GPS service is not compromised in any way, we request the full Commission require LightSquared to demonstrate non-interference of GPS as a condition prior to any operation of its proposed service, and we request the Commission rescind LightSquared’s waiver until this demonstration can be made.

We recognize the Commission’s unique obligation to the public, and its commitment to ensure appropriate use of the nation’s airwaves. We urge the Commission, therefore, to ensure the uninterrupted operation of our nation’s critical GPS system.

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