Alabama's Fight for Space Command
Despite President Joe Biden's decision to keep U.S. Space Command in Colorado, Alabama lawmakers are dedicated to bringing the command to Huntsville. House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers plans to use the next defense policy bill to achieve this goal. If that doesn't work, Rogers hopes for a second Donald Trump term to make it happen.
The Background of Space Command
The military's space assets and satellite defense are overseen by Space Command, which was reestablished in Colorado Springs in 2019. The Air Force was tasked with finding a permanent home for the command. In the final days of the Trump administration, the Pentagon announced that Space Command would relocate to Alabama's Redstone Arsenal. However, Biden reversed this decision, stating that it should remain in Colorado.
The Alabama Delegation's Strategy
Mike Rogers believes that an investigation by the Pentagon's top watchdog into Biden's decision will support Alabama's efforts to bring Space Command to Huntsville. Rogers anticipates that the review will confirm their belief that the decision was politically motivated. He also mentions that if the investigation doesn't produce the desired outcome, Trump could enforce the previous decision to move the command to Alabama.
The Legislative Battle
The ongoing pressure from Alabama lawmakers shows that they still have a legislative card to play in the dispute over the command's location. Both Colorado and Alabama have accused each other's state of being chosen for political reasons. Alabama's restrictive abortion laws were used as a reason to prevent the command from moving there. The Biden administration claimed that operational readiness was the sole concern in their decision to keep the command in Colorado.
Issues with Biden's Decision
The recent issue for Alabama lawmakers is the process through which Biden decided to keep the command in Colorado. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who supported the initial decision to move the command to Alabama, was directed to review the decision. However, Biden ultimately made the final call. Alabama lawmakers argue that Huntsville outranked Colorado Springs on most of the Air Force's basing criteria, proving that Alabama won the fair competition.
Colorado's Perspective
Colorado lawmakers argue that moving the headquarters across the country is unnecessary and costly. They are concerned that moving the command after it became fully operational would risk national security, waste taxpayer dollars, and cause civilian employees to leave. They downplay the impact of the provision blocking funding for a new headquarters, as no funding has been requested for military construction projects for the Colorado Springs headquarters in fiscal 2024.
The Power of Alabama's Delegation
Alabama's delegation holds significant power, with two seats on the House Appropriations Committee. In contrast, Colorado has no seats on the committee. Alabama Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt sit on the Senate Armed Services and Appropriations committees, respectively, while no Colorado senators are on either panel. Katie Britt pledges to use her position to fight Biden's decision and ensure that Space Command ultimately comes to Alabama.
Looking Ahead
The fight over Space Command's location is influenced by the potential 2024 rematch between Biden and Trump. If Trump wins, he could simply reassert the decision to move the command to Alabama. Alabama lawmakers are determined to use every legislative lever available to bring Space Command to Huntsville and correct what they believe to be a politically-motivated decision.
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By: Connor O’Brien
Title: Alabama Lawmakers Vow to Bring Space Command to Huntsville
Sourced From: www.politico.com/news/2023/12/27/space-command-alabama-00133200
Published Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2023 05:00:00 EST
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