WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and James Lankford (R-OK) wrote to the Department of Homeland Security calling for information on its efforts to protect critical infrastructure and public safety from GPS disruptions.

“GPS technology has become an integral part of our nation’s critical infrastructure,” wrote the Senators. “GPS disruptions could affect the delivery of critical community services provided by multiple government and commercial entities, and could lead to cascading detrimental economic, public safety, and security effects.”

“We are concerned that the United States is lagging in its efforts to prepare for a potential GPS outage when compared to the efforts of our adversaries,” continued the Senators. “Reporting from the New York Times indicates that China is investing in land-based alternatives to GPS, including by building hundreds of physical timing stations and laying thousands of miles of fiber-optic cables… We are also concerned by steps that international competitors have taken to challenge U.S. leadership in position, navigation, and timing capabilities.”

The Senators are asking the Department of Homeland Security to respond to questions on the Department’s efforts to address GPS vulnerabilities and help enhance the resilience of U.S. critical infrastructure.