U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) recently blocked an effort to further delay the announcement for the headquarters of the new command center for the U.S. Space Force after months of political drama with the site's location.
Last month, NBC News reported that two unnamed U.S. officials and one official with the U.S. Department of Defense said Biden had been delaying the decision on Space Command due to Alabama's "restrictive" abortion laws, which went into effect June 24, 2022, following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
The report spurred unanimous consternation from Alabama's federal delegation.
In the aftermath, Strong and U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) began spearheading a House Armed Services Committee (HASC) investigation into what's causing the continued delays in picking a permanent headquarters for U.S. Space Command.
During the HASC markup of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2024 fiscal year, Strong stopped a last-minute amendment to further delay the announcement of Space Command headquarters by a member of the Colorado delegation.
The amendment would freeze permanent or temporary military construction funds for SPACECOM and cut the Secretary of the Air Force's travel budget by 50% until a final decision is made. It would not mandate a decision in favor of a particular location.
After protest from Strong, Rogers and U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham), the Colorado delegation removed the amendment.
Former President Donald Trump picked the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville as the new permanent home for Space Command. The Arsenal has since repeatedly ranked at the top of the list of potential locations for Space Command over its current location in Colorado.
"The Colorado amendment was nothing but another attempt to insert politics into a critical national security decision," Strong said. "If the Secretary of the Air Force hasn't decided on where Space Command headquarters should be located, he shouldn't be spending taxpayer dollars to invest in a temporary location," said Representative Strong. "I remain confident that Redstone Arsenal, the top location throughout the entire basing process, is the best location for national security."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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