Washington, D.C. — Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper released the following statement after the senators met with Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the U.S. Space Command basing decision:
“We met with Secretary Austin today and agreed with DOD that politics should have no role in the Space Command basing decision process.
“Over the last two years, investigations revealed that senior military leaders identified Peterson Space Force Base as their top choice for Space Command’s headquarters because it will reach Full Operational Capability faster than any other location, cost less, and minimize attrition and disruption to the mission – all of which are critical to our national security. Instead, President Trump put politics first with his abrupt decision to send U.S. Space Command to Alabama.
“In the face of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s saber rattling in the Pacific, national security cannot just be one of many criteria. It has to be the central priority. We expressed these concerns to Secretary Austin today, and reiterated that in the best interest of our national security, Space Command must remain in Colorado.”
Earlier this week, Bennet and Hickenlooper voted against the nomination of Brendan Owens after requests to meet with Secretary Austin had gone unanswered.