The United States Government invests in Earth observations that are critical to the protection of lives and property, national security, economic growth, and scientific inquiry. These data provide the fundamental basis for our understanding of all Earth-system phenomena, including weather and climate, natural hazards, land-use change, ecosystem health, and natural-resource availability.A core principle of the U.S. Government is that Federal Earth-observation data are public goods, paid for by the American people, and that free, full, and open access to these data significantly enhances their value. The return on our annual Earth-observation investment increases in accordance with the data's widespread use in public- and private-sector decision-making.Through the advocacy of the international Group on Earth Observations and the leadership of the United States, international data sharing has increased dramatically over the past decade. Our international engagement provides U.S. entities with access to valuable new sources of Earth-observation data.