GIS in the E-Government Act of 2002
E-Government Act of 2002 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)
SEC. 216. COMMON PROTOCOLS FOR GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS.
- (a) PURPOSES- The purposes of this section are to--
- (1) reduce redundant data collection and information; and
- (2) promote collaboration and use of standards for government geographic
- (b) DEFINITION- In this section, the term `geographic information' means
information systems that involve locational data, such as maps or other
geospatial information resources.
- (c) IN GENERAL-
- (1) COMMON PROTOCOLS- The Administrator, in consultation with the
Secretary of the Interior, working with the Director and through an
interagency group, and working with private sector experts, State, local,
and tribal governments, commercial and international standards groups, and
other interested parties, shall facilitate the development of common
protocols for the development, acquisition, maintenance, distribution, and
application of geographic information. If practicable, the Administrator
shall incorporate intergovernmental and public private geographic
information partnerships into efforts under this subsection.
- (2) INTERAGENCY GROUP- The interagency group referred to under paragraph
(1) shall include representatives of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology and other agencies.
- (d) DIRECTOR- The Director shall oversee--
- (1) the interagency initiative to develop common protocols;
- (2) the coordination with State, local, and tribal governments, public
private partnerships, and other interested persons on effective and
efficient ways to align geographic information and develop common protocols;
- (3) the adoption of common standards relating to the protocols.
- (e) COMMON PROTOCOLS- The common protocols shall be designed to--
- (1) maximize the degree to which unclassified geographic information
from various sources can be made electronically compatible and accessible;
- (2) promote the development of interoperable geographic information
systems technologies that shall--
- (A) allow widespread, low-cost use and sharing of geographic data by
Federal agencies, State, local, and tribal governments, and the public;
- (B) enable the enhancement of services using geographic data.
- (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section, for each of
the fiscal years 2003 through 2007.