Congressman Ken Calvert of California’s 41st Congressional District has introduced the Space Infrastructure Act, which directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate space systems, services and technology as a sector of critical infrastructure.
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Protecting the Nation by Protecting Space-Based Systems
In a press release released Monday, Calvert said the H.R. 1154 aims to protect the United States’ space systems by officially declaring them as critical infrastructure. According to the representative, the nation relies heavily on space-based systems for communication, navigation, banking and other critical systems. The bill ensures the country’s domestic and national security space infrastructure is safeguarded from emerging threats.
The co-sponsors of the bill include Reps. Salud Carbajal, Brian Fitzpatrick and Ted Lieu, who is co-chair of the Congressional Aerospace Caucus along with Calvert.
Congressional Perspectives
“The Space Infrastructure Act designates our space systems as critical infrastructure and takes appropriate measures to protect them,” said Calvert. “As our economy and essential communication systems become increasingly reliant on the support of space-based systems and services, we must act accordingly to increase the safeguards that shield them from any potential threats.”
“From navigation systems to banking to communications systems – space is infrastructure,” stated Lieu. “To ensure this sector receives the necessary attention and resources, we must designate space as critical infrastructure.”
“I’m proud to be part of bipartisan legislation that ensures assessments of our nation’s critical sectors reflect the role that space infrastructure has in our homes, our commerce, and our national security,” added Carbajal.
“The bipartisan Space Infrastructure Act is a crucial step in ensuring the resilience and security of our nation’s space assets by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to formally designate our space systems and technologies as integral components of our national infrastructure,” remarked Fitzpatrick.