Congress threatens to block Space Command headquarters funding as abortion politics affects location decision
By: NBC News
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
May 31, 2023, 10:00 AM UTCBy Courtney Kube
Republican and Democratic members of Congress from Alabama submitted a draft House bill late last week that would block funding for the continued growth of U.S. Space Command's temporary headquarters in Colorado, according to documents reviewed by NBC News.
Two congressional officials said the bill would prohibit the command from spending money on constructing, leasing or modernizing facilities until the secretary of the Air Force formally selects and publicly announces the location of its permanent headquarters, which the Trump administration said would be in Huntsville, Alabama.
NBC News reported this month that Biden administration officials have signaled privately to Defense Department leaders and lawmakers that they are considering reversing the planned move to Alabama over concerns about the state's strict anti-abortion laws. Since the Trump administration announced in January 2021 that the headquarters would be in Huntsville, there has been a series of reviews and investigations of what has become a fraught, politically contentious process.
Operatives at the Global Strategic Warning and Space Surveillance System Center at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo., in 2014. Alamy Stock Photo
Air Force and defense officials also say that Space Command is on track to be fully operational by the end of this summer, months ahead of their last public statement, which said would not occur until the end of 2023.
Last week, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall met with members of Alabama's congressional delegation to discuss the location of the permanent headquarters. Several members of the delegation were surprised when Kendall disclosed that the command is continuing to expand its facilities in Colorado. Space Command is leasing at least two buildings there, according to three defense and congressional officials. The length of the leases has not been made public.
After the members objected, Kendall said the command's commander, Army Gen. James Dickinson, approved spending the money on leases and that he, as Air Force secretary, has little power to stop him. Now, the members of Congress from Alabama hope to cut off Dickinson's funding to prevent him from continuing to lease space in Colorado.
Alabama lawmakers are concerned that the Biden administration and the Air Force have slowed the process with the goal of building a fully operational headquarters in Colorado and then arguing that a move would result in a pause in Space Command operations.
The SpaceX and U.S. Space Force compound at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., in 2021.Yasin Ozturk / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images file
Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Republican who represents Colorado Springs and has Peterson Space Force Base in his district, made that argument on Twitter last week. He contended that moving the headquarters to Alabama would prevent Space Command from reaching full operational capability for "four to six years."
"U.S. Space Command is months away from full operational capability (FOC) at Peterson Space Force Base," he wrote. "We cannot afford a self-imposed delay in FOC given the threats posed by China and Russia."
Air Force Secretary Kendall also informed the Alabama lawmakers at their meeting about "fundamental changes" being made to the3 command's headquarters requirements that could affect the decision about its final location, according to a letter released Thursday by the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Mike Rogers, R-Ala.
Kendall said the changes came from Dickinson and were not directed by the Pentagon or others in the Biden administration. Kendall added that he is conducting his own investigation into the changes in the headquarters parameters and other "irregularities." He told members of Congress that he is weeks away from finishing his review but did not commit to publicly sharing the results.
A spokesperson for the Air Force confirmed that Space Command has issued new requirements for its permanent headquarters. "The Department of the Air Force recently received additional information from the Commander, U.S. Space Command, which will require additional analysis before a final decision can be made for the permanent location of U.S. Space Command headquarters," the spokesperson said.
Rogers, meanwhile, has launched an House Armed Services Committee investigation of the headquarters location selection process. He has directed Kendall and Dickinson to provide all documents related to any change in mission or headquarters requirements for the command since President Joe Biden took office, all documents about leasing or construction of facilities for Space Command and all communications from the Biden administration about changes to the headquarters. Rogers asked that all the materials be produced by June 8.
"It is advisable for SPACECOM to cease and desist from any action that implicates taxpayer funds in a scheme to alter the mission or headquarters requirements of SPACECOM without civilian order of oversight," Rogers said.
Courtney Kube
Courtney Kube is a correspondent covering national security and the military for the NBC News Investigative Unit.
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And the dominos keep falling...
maybe the republican brain trust should introduce legislation to ban abortions in space...
They would if they could, lol.
So Colorado and Alabama are bickering on where Space Command should go.
I vote for Colorado
we're already a mile closer to space than that goober shithole...
Alabama where Senator Tommy Tuberville is holding up all the senior military promotions because he doesn't like the military position on abortion.
Whine on Tommy.
... another glaring example of how conservatives support the military.
Oh they support them all right as long as they adhere to their outdated conservative values
If we get attacked by Martians it's on them.
that'll be the reason behind the next massive defense budget increase...
Yes, Tuberville is saying to his constituents it's no big deal while telling his political buddies he has the Senate by the balls.
I didn't know the Senate had any balls
He can fall back on his extensive Military service, Oh, wait!!!!
apparently none that function on the right side of the aisle...
Mitch keeps his in his wife's purse. The rest I'm not so sure of.
Lindsey keeps his in the front pocket of his boyfriends chaps. (because, obviously, they have no back pockets.)
Ok. So we are supposedly in a crisis, according to republicans. We have to stop spending and the debt needs to be addressed. After all, people getting food stamps and section 8 housing are the problem.
Butt by all means, let us spend billions of dollars on a brand new division of the armed forces and millions on brand new bases for them...
Uh, what debt crisis and spending problem?
who do you think owns most of the private section 8 housing? that dipshit is getting phone calls now...
Progressives, no?
Jared Krushner and Co.
section 8 - nobody complains about the dump and the rent check is never late...
W ASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force announced the permanent location for many more U.S. Space Force units Wednesday — and none of them are in Huntsville, Alabama, suggesting the service may be moving ahead with at least part of the design it originally sought for the new force before it became entangled in polit
Four more Space Force missions will now be based in Colorado Springs, a notable choice during a larger and now politicized battle over where to locate the permanent headquarters of U.S. Space Command. Colorado Springs, which is housing Space Command's temporary headquarters, was the Air Force’s preferred location, but Donald Trump, in the final days of his presidency, selected Alabama instead.
While the Pentagon and White House have said the decisions are not directly linked, Alabama has strict anti-abortion laws, and its Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville earlier this year announced he would hold up all military nominations until the Department of Defense rescinds a new policy that would allow female service members to be reimbursed for travel costs if they have to go out of state for reproductive care.
Tuberville's office was not immediately available for comment Wednesday evening.
The Space Force announcement came as President Joe Biden left for Colorado Springs to speak during Thursday's commencement ceremony at the nearby U.S. Air Force Academy.
Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet said he'll be using the president's visit as another opportunity to press for the command.
“As President Biden and his administration near a final basing decision for Space Command, we urge them to restore the integrity of this process and make a decision in the interest of our national security — to keep Space Command in Colorado Springs," his office said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Air Force has been moving forward with getting fully dug in at Colorado Springs, where more than 20 of the military’s space missions are now based. The Air Force Academy now has a space curriculum and graduates Space Force Guardians alongside its Air Force cadets.
“Colorado Springs continues to prove itself as the premier location for our nation’s space defense operations,” Colorado Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn said in a statement announcing the selection.
The Space Force, founded in December 2019, is the smallest of the military branches, with just under 8,400 personnel. But it has seen its budget rapidly rise as the U.S. has scrambled to defend against a rapid militarization of space, such as North Korea's failed Wednesday launch of a ballistic missile believed to be carrying a spy satellite.
The four new missions in Colorado Springs include Delta 15, a headquarters unit for the service’s space operations command; Space Delta 12, a test and evaluation unit; and two surveillance squadrons.
Other locations announced Wednesday as new permanent homes for Space Force missions are in Florida and New Mexico.
Screw you Tommy Tuberville, it's called karma.
plenty of room down there for growth.
colorado springs, that is...
It makes sense to move Space Command to Colorado Springs if the Academy is already teaching the curriculum
Jesus Christ. Build a new base here, build a new base there and two more....
Spending problem my ass...