Biden Decides on USSPACECOM HQ– Colorado not Alabama

President Biden has finally made a decision about the permanent location of U.S. Space Command headquarters. The issue pitted Colorado against Alabama. Colorado won, overturning the decision by President Trump days before he left office to move it from Colorado Springs to Huntsville.

Trump reestablished U.S. Space Command, one of the 11 Unified Combatant Commands, almost four years ago on August 29, 2019.  USSPACECOM joined a large number of other national security space facilities to call Colorado Springs, CO home, but only on a temporary basis.

After a laborious process, on January 13, 2021, the Air Force announced the decision to move it to Huntsville, AL after a meeting with President Trump. Colorado politicians argued it was a political decision because Alabama supported Trump in the 2020 elections and asked incoming President Biden to take another look. Alabama politicians insisted it was based on the merits of Huntsville over Colorado Springs.

The issue has festered since then with everyone on both sides calling on Biden to make a decision.

With Congress on summer break, he announced it today: USSPACECOM will stay in Colorado.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said it ensures “peak readiness in the space domain.”

“Locating Headquarters U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs ultimately ensures peak readiness in the space domain for our nation during a critical period. It will also enable the command to most effectively plan, execute and integrate military spacepower into multi-domain global operations in order to deter aggression and defend national interests.”

Colorado Senators Johh Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, both Democrats, praised the outcome, while Alabama’s Rep. Mike Rogers (R), chair of the House Armed Services Committee, lambasted it and vowed to fight on.

“The Biden administration’s shameful delay to finalize the permanent basing decision for U.S. Space Command warranted the opening of a Congressional investigation. I will continue this investigation to see if they intentionally misled the Armed Services Committee on their deliberate taxpayer-funded manipulation of the selection process. I will continue to hold the Biden administration accountable for their egregious political meddling in our national security.

“This fight is far from over.”