Rep. Boebert Delivers Bipartisan Results for Colorado: Space Command to Stay
Today, after extensive work by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, Congressman Lamborn, and Colorado’s bipartisan delegation the Biden administration announced that U.S. Space Command will remain in Colorado.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert stated, “Space Command will stay in Colorado, its rightful home. I worked in a bipartisan and bicameral fashion with Congressman Lamborn and all Members of the Colorado delegation to set politics aside and put Colorado first. When Russia and China are developing lasers to destroy U.S. satellites, we should not be wasting time considering moving Space Command’s headquarters for political reasons. Our successful effort will keep thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars here in Colorado, including good-paying jobs for people that live in Pueblo.”
Background:
One of Congresswoman Boebert’s first acts in office was to join a bipartisan and bicameral letter to Joe Biden requesting that he leave Space Command in Colorado.
During a committee hearing, Congresswoman Boebert questioned Vice Admiral Ronald Boxall and advocated for keeping Space Command in Colorado. Additionally, Congresswoman Boebert worked to improve last year’s NDAA and helped add a provision to the bill ensuring that the Pentagon would not move Space Command out of Colorado until it finished its investigation. Congresswoman Boebert has also been an active advocate for Colorado’s space industry. Her appropriations requests signed into law delivered $1.34 billion for NASA’s Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, $799.15 million for space exploration ground systems, and $2.6 billion for the Space Launch System.
1,600 jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars were at risk of leaving Colorado if Space Command moved. Colorado’s aerospace economy is second only to California and accounts for nearly 232,000 jobs.
U.S. Space Command was created in 1985 and was located at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs from 1985-2002 until it was deactivated. Space Command was reestablished in 2019 and has been located in Colorado Springs since reactivation.
The National Space Defense Center (NSDC) at Schriever AFB, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, and the satellite communication capabilities at Peterson AFB represent the nation’s premier military and intelligence space coordination entities. Space Command should be near these important facilities in Colorado.