SEARCH AND RESCUE SATELLITE SYSTEM.

SEC. 220. SEARCH AND RESCUE SATELLITE SYSTEM. (a)(1) The Secretary of Transportation shall take such action as may be necessary to upgrade the ground segment of the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking system (hereafter in this section referred to as “SARSAT”). (2) In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish not less than 5 SARSAT ground stations for the purpose of providing adequate coverage of the United States area of search and rescue for which it has responsibility under the program known as “COSPAS-SARSAT”. In establishing such stations, the Secretary, after consultation with the satellite search and rescue offices of the Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Air Force, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the SARSAT Program Steering Group, shall locate the stations in the most optimum sites to assure complete coverage of the search and rescue areas for which the United States is responsible. 103 STAT. 1916 (b) The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall administer the SARSAT ground stations. Such administration shall be carried out in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Defense. (c) For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $5,300,000. Moneys appropriated pursuant to this subsection shall remain available until expended.