Map It Once, Use It Many Times Act
A BILL
To establish the National Geospatial Technology Administration within the United States Geological Survey to enhance the use of geospatial data, products, technology, and services, to increase the economy and efficiency of Federal geospatial activities, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds the following:
Geospatial data is necessary and essential to—
the management of natural resources;
economic development;
the management, adjudication, and prevention of future disruptions in the home mortgage system;
the development and implementation of a smart energy grid;
the deployment of universal domestic broadband service;
the management of Federal real property assets;
emergency preparedness and response;
homeland security;
the delivery of efficient health care and other services provided, financed, or regulated by the Federal Government; and
the maintenance, rehabilitation, and enhancement of public works, transportation, and other infrastructure of the United States.
The geospatial technology field is a high growth, high demand, and economically vital sector of the economy of the United States.
The United States is the leader in the global geospatial technology field. The thousands of geospatial firms in the United States, which include many small businesses, are among the most capable and qualified geospatial firms in the international market.
Geospatial technologies can enhance the operations of Government in planning and analysis, asset management, situation awareness, workforce empowerment, citizen engagement, transparency, education, and other services.
The full use and exploitation of geospatial technologies can foster economic growth, contribute to environmental stewardship, and enable scientific and technological excellence.
Studies have indicated that Federal agencies are not effectively using geospatial technologies and can improve the management of information resources and other applications.
Efforts to reduce redundancies in geospatial investments have not been fully successful. Federal agencies are still independently acquiring and maintaining potentially duplicative and costly data sets and systems and until these problems are resolved, duplicative geospatial investments are likely to persist.
Sec. 3 Purposes
The purposes of this Act shall be to—
ensure that a centralized and comprehensive database of geospatial data for the United States is available for use by the Federal Government to—
improve the quality of services provided by the Federal Government; and
reduce the costs to the Federal Government of providing such services;
coordinate Federal agencies, State and local governments, and private entities to—
maximize the use of private geospatial firms for the performance of Federal geospatial activities; and
eliminate redundancy in the Federal performance of geospatial activities;
foster the establishment and growth of private geospatial firms in the United States; and
facilitate the development of new geospatial technology in the United States.
Sec. 4 Definitions
In this Act:
The term Administrator means the Administrator of the National Geospatial Technology Administration.
The term geospatial activity means—
the collection of geospatial data, including collection from terrestrial, ground-based, airborne, or spaceborne platforms;
the organization of geospatial data, including organization in a survey (including a GPS or field survey), map, chart, plan, report, or description;
the storage, dissemination, and retrieval of geospatial data;
the interpretation and use of geospatial data;
the development of products or technology to facilitate the activities described in subparagraphs (A) through (D); and
activities (other than exclusively business-related activities) for the enhancement of geospatial data and its use.
The term geospatial data means data—
relating to natural and human-made physical features and phenomena on or below the surface of the Earth or in the space above the Earth, which may include data on the size, shape, and location of such features, and data on the legal boundaries relating to such features; and
developed by professionals, including surveyors, photogrammetrists, hydrographers, geodesists, and cartographers.
The term licensed geospatial data means—
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) data produced by a commercial provider that exists prior to any purchase or procurement by the Government and is made available to the market via an agreement of license with specific terms including rights and restrictions;
the cost of such data is available from the provider’s published price list;
delivery of such data is provided at the point of sale;
the specifications for such data are prescribed by the provider and not subject to change at the Government’s request; and
a transaction in which the Government does not become involved with defining any portion of the geospatial data product specifications, requirements, uses, or design, which shall be considered a professional service subject to section 303 of this Act.
The term private geospatial firm means a private individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity organized and permitted by law to engage in geospatial activities, that engages in such activities—
as a regular course of trade or business; and
with the principal objective of livelihood and profit.
The term real property means land and—
crops, forests, and other resources attached to or contained in the land;
buildings or other structures on the land; and
improvements to the land, including fixtures permanently attached to the land or to structures on the land.
The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.
Sec. 5 Rights and actions
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to confer a private right of action on any person nor shall affect any valid existing private property rights.