On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of legislators in the Alabama House of Representatives sent a letter to U.S. Airforce Secretary Frank Kendall supporting the congressional investigation led by U.S. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and Congressman Dale Strong.
The letter was signed by Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, House Majority Leader Scott Stadthagan, and Speaker Pro Tem. Chris Pringle, as well as Reps. Joe Lovvorn, Danny Garrett, Wes Kitchens, Laura Hall, Parker Moore, David Cole, Rex Reynolds, Andy Whitt, James Lomax, Ritchie Whorton, and Phillip Rigsby.
An NBC news report released on May 15 claimed that President Joe Biden will intervene to keep the Pentagon from moving Space Command from Colorado to Huntsville. The President’s objections to the state of Alabama are reportedly due to the state’s ban on abortion. Many speculate that the real reason could be political in that Colorado voted for Biden in 2020, while Alabama did not.
Below is the text included in the attached letter:
“Dear Secretary Kendall,
“As members of the Huntsville and Madison delegations of the Alabama House of Representatives, and as House leadership, we are writing to you in support of the House Committee on Armed Services’ investigation into the delay in implementing the recommendation to place U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) Headquarters at Redstone Arsenal, which is being led by U.S. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and Congressman Dale Strong.”
“As you are aware, it has been made clear through multiple U.S. Air Force recommendations that the most strategic location for the U.S. Space Command headquarters is Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The Government Accountability Office and Department of Defense Inspector General have both confirmed this recommendation was made through a sound process. Huntsville has the infrastructure, the workforce, the education system, engineering base, existing military and defense apparatus, and quality of life to be the ideal location for U.S. Space Command. This is why this site has received the unanimous number one recommendation from the U.S. Air Force.”
“As representatives of the communities surrounding Redstone Arsenal in the Alabama House of Representatives, we felt the need to respectfully encourage you to support and comply with the congressional investigation into the delay of this critical national security decision. We are also concerned to learn the U.S. Department of Defense was not aware, and not involved, in this change. The people of Alabama and the United States of America need and deserve transparency on the apparently revised mission requirements of SPACECOM as it relates to its decision to locate its headquarters.”
“A lengthy delay in making a decision this important to national security deserves Congressional oversight, and we are thankful that Congressmen Rogers and Strong recognized this need and are taking action by launching this investigation. We greatly appreciate your service to our nation and the role that the U.S. Air Force has in keeping our country, and the world, safe from threats, and we believe that you also appreciate the need for transparency and Congressional oversight.”
On Friday, Fox News published a story detailing an announcement from Rogers that he is opening an investigation into the continued delays in the selection of a permanent base for the U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) Headquarters.
“Today, I launched an investigation into the continued delays in the SPACECOM Headquarters basing decision,” said Chairman Rogers. “The fact is, the Air Force already made the correct decision well over two years ago. That decision was affirmed by the GAO and the DoD Inspector General over a year ago. This decision was based on multiple factors, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, was the clear winner in the Evaluation and Selection phase. I am deeply concerned that the continued delays in making this move final are politically motivated and damaging to our national security.”
“I have requested that House Armed Services Committee Chairman, Mike Rogers, open a formal investigation into the Biden Administration’s failure to announce a permanent location for U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM) Headquarters,” said Rep. Strong.“The Administration’s delay risks politicizing a process which must remain fact-based. Injecting politics into America’s basing decisions serves to do unprecedented harm to our national security. American men and women in uniform must be given the very best, not the third or fourth choice. Redstone Arsenal was chosen as the preferred location after a years-long process. The decision was later confirmed not just once, but twice with the results of the Government Accountability Office and Department of Defense Inspector General investigations. It is plain and simple: Redstone Arsenal is the best possible location to host U.S. Space Command headquarters. The Air Force’s basing process established this, and it was confirmed. I thank Chairman Rogers for agreeing to this investigation. The members of the House Armed Services Committee, and our service members awaiting a final basing decision, deserve answers and swift action from the Air Force.”
The letter by the State Representatives followed the announcement of the investigation by Rogers.
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