Where Are We?: Examining Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Capabilities in the United States

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a subcommittee hearing on June 5, 2026, focused on the state of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities in the United States, with an emphasis on GPS resilience and complementary systems. Witnesses from industry and advocacy groups discussed the critical role of GPS in national security, emergency response, transportation, agriculture, and critical infrastructure. They highlighted vulnerabilities such as jamming and spoofing by foreign adversaries and the need for backup and complementary PNT technologies, including terrestrial broadcast positioning systems (BPS), low Earth orbit satellite systems, and 5G-based solutions. The hearing included detailed discussions on the potential impacts of FCC proposals to reconfigure the 900 MHz spectrum band, which is heavily used by unlicensed devices critical to agriculture and public safety, raising concerns about interference and costs to consumers. Witnesses and members emphasized the importance of modernizing GPS, ensuring technical rigor in evaluating alternatives, protecting existing spectrum users, and fostering a layered, resilient PNT architecture. Several witnesses called for Congress to support funding and policy frameworks that enable deployment of complementary PNT systems without disrupting current critical infrastructure. The hearing concluded with members submitting additional questions for the record and underscoring the urgency of addressing GPS vulnerabilities and backup solutions.