WASHINGTON – The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee called Thursday for the Pentagon’s inspector general to launch an investigation into why the Biden administration reversed a decision to move the US Space Command to its home state of Alabama.
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) accused the White House of playing politics by reversing the Trump administration’s late decision to move the combatant command headquarters from Colorado Springs, Colo. to Huntsville, Ala.
“We have seen some real concerns raised here today. There is no reason to allow what happened other than – in my view – political considerations,” the chairman said at the HASC hearing on the matter.
Although the Space Command has been temporarily based in the Centennial State since its inception, Trump – in one of his last acts as president – ordered the command to open a new headquarters in Huntsville.
The South City was originally chosen as a nod to its proud history of engineering innovation.
It also houses the Marshall Space Flight Center, which delivers critical propulsion systems and hardware, launch vehicles, space systems and other research projects for NASA.
Rep. Mike Rogers demanded on Thursday that the Pentagon’s inspector general launch an investigation into why the Biden administration reversed the decision to move the US Space Command to Alabama.Getty Images
Since then, Space Command has been operating “temporarily” out of Colorado while the Biden administration reviews the permanent base decision, which has been informed by an Air Force-directed study.
But when Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) began holding up senior military officer promotions in protest of a Pentagon policy that covers military travel expenses to receive reproductive health care — such as in-vitro fertilization and abortions — some suggested a stand. can affect fundamental revisions.
When President Biden announced on July 31 that the Defense Department would instead keep the Space Force in Colorado, some Republicans in Congress began speaking out about their suspicions that the choice was retaliation for the Alabama senator’s obstinacy.
“I want you to know that I don’t agree with Sen. Tuberville’s way of doing things,” Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) told Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall at the hearing.
Rogers accused the White House of playing politics by reversing a late Trump administration decision to move the combatant command’s headquarters from Colorado Springs, Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama.AP
“… But to me, my concern is, it looks like payback from the president of the United States – and payback is a very dangerous game.”
“No one wins when there are refunds,” he added.
Not all those protesting the president’s decision are members of the GOP.
At the hearing, Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) also accused the Biden administration of making base decisions for improper reasons.
Space Command has been operating “temporarily” out of Colorado as the Biden administration reviews the permanent base decision, which has been informed by a study directed by the Air Force.AP
“Although Space Command needs to be in Huntsville, we have made a political decision regarding efficiency decisions,” he said.
“I know that this administration strives for equality and strives to be fair — and this is unfair.”
The head of the US Space Command, Army General James Dickinson – a native of Colorado – reportedly convinced Biden not to move the base, claiming that moving without it would “undermine military readiness.”
That assessment contrasts with the Air Force’s previous proposal to move the headquarters to Huntsville after studying the issue at length.
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Kendall, who previously supported the Huntsville location, testified Thursday that Biden believed Dickinson’s advice that forcing the civilian workforce of the Space Force — which makes up about 60% of combat personnel — to relocate would risk losing important skilled workers.
“I know that the workforce – the capable and willing workforce – that we have in Huntsville can more than cover the operational readiness that is at issue, and operational readiness comes only months before the President makes a decision,” Sewell responded.
Sewell also claimed that Biden may not have been given the full picture by Space Command leadership when prompted to make his decision.
“I hope we can move away from the politics, and look at the facts and the fact that Huntsville is going to be a better location – the best location – for Space Command,” he said.
Rogers agreed with his assessment, claiming that Dickinson’s observation about steps affecting readiness was false.
“There is no concern about preparedness here, there is no basis for the president to intervene in this matter [study] decision,” said the chairman.
“And I agree that the president should not have been given that information, and he will support Sec. Kendall’s suggestion [to move the base to Alabama.]”
Moving forward, Rogers said he intends to “ensure that the competition’s decision is respected, and that the base headquarters remains authorized and funded to be built in Huntsville, Ala.”
“We do not live in a monarchy; we live in a constitutional republic,” said the chairman.
“The president can step in and tell his department staff what he wants to do, but Congress can decide what we’re going to authorize and what we’re going to pay for.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
