[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 721 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 721
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the inaugural launch of the Landsat
series of Earth Observation satellites, a joint mission of the United
States Geological Survey and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 26, 2022
Mr. Cardin (for himself, Mr. Thune, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr. Rounds)
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
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RESOLUTION
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the inaugural launch of the Landsat
series of Earth Observation satellites, a joint mission of the United
States Geological Survey and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
Whereas, on July 23, 2022, the United States Geological Survey (referred to in
this preamble as ``USGS'') and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (referred to in this preamble as ``NASA'') celebrate the
50th anniversary of the launch of the Landsat series of Earth
Observation satellites (commonly known as the ``Landsat program'');
Whereas, through satellite remote sensing, which in 1972 constituted a new
scientific instrument, the Landsat program introduced a powerful tool
for humankind to observe the resources of Earth and the long-term
changes in the condition of the land surfaces of Earth;
Whereas, as the first civilian program in the United States for the systematic
observation of the land surfaces of Earth, the Landsat program has
exemplified the highest ideals of the United Nations Committee on the
Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, while helping to position the United
States as a global leader in the field of satellite remote sensing;
Whereas data and imagery of Earth produced by the Landsat program have been used
for 50 years in the United States and around the world--
(1) to analyze crop conditions, soil moisture, and global crop
production;
(2) to forecast the needs of the world to ensure food security;
(3) to monitor water consumption;
(4) to facilitate emergency responses to and post-event analyses of
natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, tsunamis,
hurricanes, and wildfires;
(5) to monitor forests and changing land-use patterns;
(6) to track receding glaciers and changes in sea-ice extent; and
(7) to survey urban growth;
Whereas data and imagery produced by the Landsat program have been applied by--
(1) many Federal, State, and local agencies, particularly agencies
within the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture;
and
(2) the governing bodies of Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives to solve
difficult and expensive problems for their members at minimum cost to the
taxpayers of the United States;
Whereas, since 2008, calibrated on-board data and imagery produced by the
Landsat program have been made globally available at no cost to the
public, greatly amplifying the use of such data and imagery, expanding
growing markets for commercial remote sensing data and analysis,
providing the foundation for commercial innovations in land remote
sensing, and serving as a trusted reference for the calibration of
instruments and improvement of commercial data products;
Whereas data produced by the Landsat program has been estimated to provide
billions of dollars in value to the economy of the United States each
year;
Whereas 50 years of continuous Landsat observations--
(1) supply the world with impartial, fundamental evidence to support a
scientific understanding of a changing global climate; and
(2) form the basis for thousands of peer-reviewed, scientific
publications that have documented changes in the land surface of Earth;
Whereas data produced by the Landsat program provide an invaluable common
vocabulary and a shared set of references for the state of Earth that
can inform international, Federal, and local efforts to address
difficult environmental and public policy issues;
Whereas USGS and NASA are currently developing mission concepts for Landsat
Next, the follow-on mission to Landsat 9;
Whereas Landsat 9 and the Sustainable Land Imaging program will build on and
strengthen this key resource of the United States to provide a
sustainable, space-based system to extend and improve the 50-year series
of science-quality, global land imaging measurements produced by the
Landsat program--the longest time series of the land surface of Earth;
and
Whereas, during July 2022, USGS, NASA, scientists, engineers, land managers, and
the people of the United States will celebrate 50 years since the launch
of the first Earth-observing satellite of the Landsat program: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the inaugural launch
of the Landsat series of Earth Observation satellites (commonly
known as the ``Landsat program'');
(2) recognizes the scientific, engineering, and analytical
expertise of the United States Geological Survey (referred to
in this resolution as ``USGS''), the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (referred to in this resolution as
``NASA''), and the advisory Landsat Science Team;
(3) recognizes the important contributions that data
produced by the Landsat program provides to decision-makers
worldwide and the desire to continue the Landsat program into
the next 50 years through Landsat Next;
(4) designates July 23, 2022, as ``Landsat 50th Anniversary
Day'', or ``Landsaturday''; and
(5) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate
transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the Director of
USGS and the Administrator of NASA.
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