On June 23, 2021, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) held a press conference with key stakeholders to discuss the negative impact the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Ligado order will have on the daily life of Americans and announce the introduction of the bipartisan RETAIN GPS Act. The Recognizing and Ensuring Taxpayer Access to Infrastructure Necessary for GPS and Satellite Communications Act requires Ligado to cover the cost for correcting any interference their operations create for the public or private sector.
For more from the event, including remarks from Senator Inhofe, please see here.
Please see below for prepared remarks from each of the speakers:
Former FCC Commissioner Rob McDowell Remarks
Helicopter Association International President Stacy Sheard Remarks
George Washington University Professor Diana Furtchgott-Roth Remarks
On Wednesday, February 17, the Satellite Safety Alliance and the American Geophysical Union hosted a virtual event on the importance of SATCOM services and the danger of the Ligado order that featured remarks from former FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell, Capt. Steve Jangelis and more.
For a full transcript of the event, please see here: https://safesatellite.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Satellite-Based-Services-at-Risk_draft.docx
DISCLAIMER: Consistent with the terms of their litigation settlements with Ligado, Garmin International, Inc. (“Garmin”) and Deere & Company (“Deere”) do not affirmatively endorse or oppose the deployment of Ligado’s proposed communications network. The remarks made by GPSIA Executive Director, J. David Grossman during this February 17, 2021 briefing, do not represent the views of Garmin or Deere, except regarding the merits of utilizing the 1 dB standard to assess potential interference to GNSS receivers and, in the case of Garmin, the protection of certified aviation devices.
Following the FCC’s decision to deny the Petition to Stay Ligado Order, the Satellite Safety Alliance released the following statement:
“This is a disappointing, last-minute maneuver by the Pai FCC that puts the FCC completely at odds with the NDAA. With the passage of the NDAA and veto override, Congress told the FCC its April Ligado order creates harmful interference to satellite communications service providers and GPS and American taxpayers will not foot the bill. A bipartisan and bicameral group of our nation’s leaders have agreed that Ligado’s interference will disrupt critical functions and cost billions to consumers of those services and they’ve called for an independent review. We’re encouraged by the negative votes from Commissioners Rosenworcel and Starks and we hope the FCC will swiftly grant the pending petitions for reconsideration to protect critical services. The members of the Satellite Safety Alliance have been raising the alarm for years and will continue to do so.”
On Friday, October 30, the Safe Satellites Alliance and the GPS Innovation Alliance hosted a virtual event on the importance of SATCOM services and the danger of the Ligado order that featured remarks from Capt. Sully Sullenberger, former FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell, and more.
For a full transcript of the event, please see here: https://safesatellite.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/America’s-Critical-Infrastructure-Consumers-and-Safety-Put-at-Risk.mp4-Google-Drive.docx
