U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) said he and the rest of the Alabama congressional delegation were blindsided Monday by the Biden administration's decision to make Colorado the permanent home of U.S. Space Command over Huntsville.
"The last conversation that we had with the folks at the Pentagon and with General [James] Dickinson was that there was no reason that it had to be in Colorado, so this came as a complete surprise to us today," Aderholt told Kaitlan Collins, host of CNN's "The Source."
Aderholt said he had to find out the news from a reporter before he got the official word.
"We were completely shocked," he said. "... It's just completely shocking and outrageous that all of a sudden here at the 11th hour they've decided to put it in Colorado."
Aderholt said he and his congressional colleagues met with Dickinson, the commander of Space Command, roughly two months ago in hopes of breaking the log jam that had delayed the decision for many months.
"There was no indication there was a problem with Huntsville at that time, and if things have changed, I don't know where it's coming from other than maybe it's coming from politics from the president," Aderholt said.
Alabama's strict abortion laws following the overturning of Roe v. Wade may have been a deciding factor for the Biden administration, according to an NBC News report in May, which, if true, would be nakedly political, Aderholt said.
"I hope not because if it did, then we know that it's clearly politics," he said when asked if Alabam's abortion laws played into the decision. "...I don't want us to go down a road of where we're making military decisions based on politics, and that's what this looks like, and that's why we're very concerned. As the Alabama delegation, we're going to do everything we can to try to find out where the problem is."
Aderholt said the delegation plans to meet soon and discuss "how to move forward" in dealing with Biden's decision.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com.
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
