The western interconnected electric system of North America pioneered the concept of system-wide measurements, particularly applied to system dynamic issues. This involved the development and deployment of synchronized, sub-second measurement units and their associated data collection networks. More recently, the United States Department of Energy has collaborated with the North American Electric Reliability Council, electric utilities, reliability coordinators, equipment and software suppliers, and researchers to advance the use of phasors in the eastern interconnection of North America. This paper provides an overview of the status of system-wide monitoring in North America, the directions emerging for application of this data to situational awareness and system operations, as well as the institutional changes underway to organize the relevant parties and establish a viable infrastructure to support the information exchange required to fulfill each party?s role.