Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper passed a measure to protect funding for the U.S. Space Command Headquarters in Colorado. The measure was added to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference committee vote.
“In the face of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s saber-rattling worldwide, U.S. leadership in space is more critical than ever. Earlier this year, President Biden restored integrity to the Pentagon’s basing process and defended our national security by keeping Space Command in Colorado. By passing our directive, the Senate ensured that Space Command can build on its existing investments and reach Full Operational Capability without interruptions,” said Bennet.
“Space Command is in Colorado to stay,” said Hickenlooper. “The facts are the facts: Colorado Springs is the best choice for our national security. It’s great to see the Senate agree.”
The measure was a Motion to Instruct to guide members of the conference committee in drafting the final version of the NDAA to be passed into law. The senators’ measure makes explicit that members of the conference committee must insist upon a provision that prohibits any limitation on the use by the United States Space Command of funds for military construction. This would directly counteract efforts by the Alabama Congressional delegation to undermine the Biden administration’s decision to keep Space Command Headquarters in Colorado earlier this year.
Following the previous administration’s political decision to move Space Command, Bennet repeatedly expressed his concerns about the basing decision on the Senate floor, to military leaders, and to the Biden administration. In January, Bennet and Hickenlooper met with U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the Space Command basing decision. The following month, Bennet spoke on the Senate floor to urge the Biden Administration to keep Space Command in Colorado. In July, Bennet and Hickenlooper introduced an amendment to the NDAA to strike language added by U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to block funding for any U.S. Space Command military construction projects and freeze half of Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall’s travel budget until a final basing decision was made – an attempt to force a decision in Alabama’s favor.