[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5024 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5024
To require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program on
establishing a geospatial workforce development program, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 11, 2024
Mr. Schmitt introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program on
establishing a geospatial workforce development program, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Geospatial Innovation Hub
Advancement Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON ESTABLISHING A GEOSPATIAL WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
(a) Pilot Program Required.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a
pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of
establishing a program to develop a skilled workforce in
geospatial technologies, methodologies, and capabilities to
support the defense intelligence requirements of the Department
of Defense.
(2) Designation.--The pilot program carried out pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall be known as the ``Geospatial Workforce
Pilot Program'' (in this section the ``Pilot Program'').
(b) Goals.--In carrying out the Pilot Program, the Secretary shall
seek--
(1) to assess the demand for geospatial technology skills
in both military and civilian sectors in proximity to
facilities of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in
the United States;
(2) to expand, align, and accelerate the education,
training, and certification of a geospatial workforce;
(3) to support a global research hub for geospatial science
and technology;
(4) to foster partnerships with secondary and postsecondary
educational institutions, industry leaders, and local
governments to support the workforce development;
(5) to increase employment opportunities and economic
growth in regions that are in proximity to National Geospatial-
Intelligence Agency locations in the United States through
enhanced geospatial capabilities; and
(6) to support Department of Defense operations and
infrastructure with a skilled geospatial workforce.
(c) Location.--
(1) In general.--In selecting a location for the pilot
program required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall
prioritize a location--
(A) where the Secretary can partner with an
eligible institution of higher education that--
(i) conducts research;
(ii) is in close proximity to National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency facilities
outside of the National Capital Region;
(iii) offers programs of education in
geospatial or related matters; and
(iv) has a demonstrated ability build the
professional workforce, by impacting
kindergarten through college learning and
beyond, as demonstrated by an educational
partnership agreement and a collaborative
research and development agreement with the
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency;
(B) that has a significant presence of Department
of Defense installations or related activities; and
(C) that demonstrates a strong potential to recruit
from a broad spectrum of academic candidates for growth
in geospatial technology sectors.
(2) Eligible institutions of higher education.--For
purposes of the Pilot Program, an eligible institution of
higher education is an institution of higher education (as
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001)) that--
(A) is an institution of higher education described
in paragraph (1)(A);
(B) has a demonstrated capacity for research and
development in geospatial technologies; and
(C) engages in partnerships with local schools and
community organizations to promote geospatial education
at all levels.
(d) Implementation.--In carrying out the Pilot Program, the
Secretary shall--
(1) collaborate with local and regional educational
institutions, including public research institutions, to
develop curriculum and training modules tailored to geospatial
technology skills;
(2) engage with industry partners to ensure the training
meets current and future workforce demands;
(3) provide funding and resources for training facilities,
instructors, and materials; and
(4) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the training
programs and make necessary adjustments to improve outcomes.
(e) Citizenship Requirement.--The Secretary shall ensure that
participation in the Pilot Program is limited to citizens of the United
States.
(f) Termination.--The requirement to carry out a pilot program
under subsection (a) shall terminate on September 30, 2030.
(g) Reports.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
congressional defense committees a report on the establishment
of the Pilot Program.
(2) Annual report.--(A) Not later than one year after the
date of the commencement of the Pilot Program, and not less
frequently than once each year thereafter through fiscal year
2030, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Armed
Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of
the House of Representatives an annual report on the Pilot
Program.
(B) Each report submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A)
shall include, for the period covered by the report, the
following with respect to the goals of subsection (b):
(i) An assessment of the demand for geospatial
technology skills.
(ii) The progress in developing and implementing
the Pilot Program.
(iii) Employment outcomes and economic impact.
(iv) Recommendations for expanding or modifying the
Pilot Program.
(h) Definition of Congressional Defense Committees.--In this
section, the term ``congressional defense committees'' has the meaning
given such term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
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