Today marks four years since Redstone Arsenal was selected as best location for U.S. Space Command
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tuberville (R-AL) led with U.S. Representative Dale Strong (R-AL-05) and U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) in introducing a resolution honoring today as the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Secretary of the Air Force naming Redstone Arsenal as the best place for U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM). Unfortunately, the Biden administration made a purely political decision in July 2023 to keep SPACECOM in Colorado, despite several studies concluding that Huntsville was the better location. Sen. Tuberville and his colleagues are united in the effort to bring SPACECOM to its rightful home in Huntsville, Alabama, which would bring thousands of jobs to the state. Redstone Arsenal has the infrastructure to defend the United States’ interests in space and bolster our national security.
As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Tuberville has been a fierce advocate for permanently moving U.S. Space Command to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama since coming to Congress in 2021.
“Four years ago, the Secretary of the Air Force declared Huntsville, Alabama, as the best place for U.S. Space Command over six other locations considered. Multiple military leaders and studies have made it abundantly clear that SPACECOM’s rightful home is in Huntsville, but Joe Biden decided to let politics get in the way of what is best for our national security and defense. As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will continue fighting to bring SPACECOM to its rightful home. I’m honored to join my Alabama colleagues in this effort,” said Sen. Tuberville.
“The headquarters of U.S. Space Command belongs on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, and our resolution recognizes the Air Force’s original decision,” said Sen. Britt.“Huntsville finished first in both the Air Force’s Evaluation Phase and Selection Phase, leaving no doubt the Air Force’s decision to choose Redstone as the preferred basing location was correct purely on the merits. Huntsville’s selection should have remained in the Air Force’s purview, but instead the Biden Administration irresponsibly yanked the decision away. The time for partisan politics at the expense of our national security is over, and President Trump’s imminent return to the White House will ensure American interests are protected once again. Alabama’s world-class aerospace and defense workforce, capabilities, and synergies in Huntsville remain the best possible location to fulfill the mission and strengthen our national security long into the future.”
Read full text of the resolution here.
BACKGROUND:
As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Tuberville has been a fierce advocate for permanently locating U.S. Space Command at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
In 2020, the U.S. Air Force conducted an extensive search for the best location for the new home of U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM), reviewing objective criteria like infrastructure, costs, mission capability, and the quality of the local community. Sixty-six different locations in twenty-six states were evaluated, and in the end, Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama ranked number one.
At the request of other lawmakers, the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General (DoD IG) and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) both conducted investigations into U.S. Air Force’s site selection process for SPACECOM headquarters.
Following the release of the IG’s report, which concluded that the U.S. Air Force followed a legal, fair, and logical process, Senator Tuberville praised the findings of the report as “rock solid.” The IG report said, in part, “Overall, we determined that the 2020 Basing Action directed by the SECDEF complied with Federal Law and DoD policy and that the Basing Action process was reasonable.” After his office was briefed on the GAO report, which had similar findings to the IG report, Senator Tuberville issued a video statement in which he said, “it’s time to fully embrace the Air Force’s decision and move forward together. The U.S. Air Force needs and deserves our full support.”
In June 2022, as the Senate Armed Services Committee considered the Senate version of Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (FY23 NDAA), Senator Tuberville successfully thwarted an attempt to delay and potentially reverse the process of locating SPACECOM at Redstone Arsenal. The senator led a bipartisan group of senators to defeat an amendment that would have required another lengthy study of the U.S. Air Force’s basing decision. This follows the remarks of General James H. Dickinson, Commander of U.S. Space Command, who debunked the idea that moving Space Command would delay readiness during a March 8, 2022, Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. In his testimony, General Dickinson assured the committee that Space Command would be fully operational in two to three years, regardless of where it is ultimately located.
In a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing on March 9, 2023, Senator Tuberville pressed a senior military official in defense of the U.S. Air Force’s decision to move SPACECOM to Alabama, confirming independent studies that prove Redstone Arsenal is, unquestionably, the best location. In the hearing, Senator Tuberville questioned General James Dickinson, commander of SPACECOM, about the criteria and scores that led to Huntsville’s selection. These questions prompted General Dickinson to confirm the process that chose Alabama as the number one choice for SPACECOM.
The hearing on March 9 came hours after Senator Tuberville took to the Senate floor to methodically lay out the facts supporting Redstone Arsenal as the best location for SPACECOM, defend Alabama from baseless political attacks, and urge the military to proceed with its original plan to permanently bring SPACECOM to Huntsville as soon as possible.
On March 27, Senator Tuberville wrote a letter to the editor of the Washington Post, rebuffing inaccurate attacks on the selection of Huntsville and explaining why the facts show Redstone Arsenal is the best location for SPACECOM.
On June 21, Senator Tuberville introduced legislation to stop the Biden administration from cherry-picking federal leases or property buildings based on the legality or availability of abortion services in certain states.
MORE:
Tuberville Statement on Biden Taking Space Command from Alabama
The Best Place for Space Command is Huntsville
Tuberville Presses Space Command General to Confirm SPACECOM’s Move to Alabama
Tuberville on Space Command Environmental Impact Study
Tuberville Presses Air Force Secretary to Finalize SPACECOM’s Move to Alabama
VIDEO: Tuberville on GAO Space Command Report
Pentagon Nominees Refuse to Second Guess Space Command Move to Huntsville
Tuberville: “Alabama and Redstone Arsenal are Ready for Space Command”
Tuberville Advocates for SPACECOM’s Move to Alabama at Senate Armed Services Hearing
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
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