United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2003-06-10 monographic deposited born digital 20 p. GA 1.13:GAO-03-874T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-874T P0b002ee18039a912 f:d03874t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-874T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-874T GAO-03-874T Data collection Geographic information systems Interagency relations Redundancy National Spatial Data Infrastructure Program Testimony A07119 Geographic information systems (GIS) manipulate, analyze, and graphically present an array of information associated with geographic locations, have been invaluable to all levels of government. Their usefulness in disaster response was recently demonstrated during the Space Shuttle Columbia recovery effort. GIS provided precise maps and search grids to guide crews to the debris that was strewn across 41 counties in Texas and Louisiana. The federal government has long been attempting to develop an integrated nationwide GIS network. The information available through such a network could significantly enhance decision--making in myriad public--service areas, including emergency response, national security, law enforcement, health care, and the environment. Among GAO's objectives were to describe the federal government's efforts to coordinate GIS activities, the long-standing challenges of adopting and implementing federal GIS standards, and the role of Geospatial One-Stop. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-874T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-874T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-874T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-874T.pdf GAO-03-874T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-874T Testimony GAO-03-874T; Geographic Information Systems: Challenges to Effective Data Sharing; Data collection Geographic information systems Interagency relations Redundancy National Spatial Data Infrastructure Program Public Law 107-347