[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 117 (Monday, July 10, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2286-S2287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petition or memorial was laid before the Senate and was 
referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-29. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Colorado reaffirming Colorado to be the 
     permanent location for the United States Space Command, and, 
     in connection therewith, urging the Department of Defense to 
     keep the United States Space Command in Colorado; to the 
     Committee on Armed Services.

                   House Joint Resolution No. 23-1015

       Whereas, Our nation and the world have significantly 
     benefitted from technological and scientific advances 
     resulting from space exploration and aerospace activities, 
     and Colorado is paving the way for new discoveries in the 
     frontiers of space by having a rich history in aerospace 
     development and being at the forefront of space travel, 
     exploration, and aerospace research; and
       Whereas, Colorado is the acting provisional Space Command 
     Base, and it will remain the provisional base until 2026. 
     Colorado is also the center for United States military space 
     operations and strategy. According to the Colorado Space 
     Coalition, the state's military commands are the primary 
     customers for space-based research, development, 
     acquisitions, and operations, representing nearly 90 percent 
     of space-related expenditure by the military. Moving the 
     United States Space Command (USSPACECOM) to Huntsville, 
     Alabama, would be incredibly disruptive to the National 
     Defense Strategy. In addition, it would cause a major 
     upheaval in existing infrastructure and jobs in the state, 
     which would result in higher costs and less efficient 
     outcomes for the United States military; and
       Whereas, Colorado is strategically located at the center of 
     our national and space defense. We are the home to five key 
     strategic military commands: North American Aerospace Defense 
     Command (NORAD), United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), 
     United States Strategic Command's Joint Functional Component 
     Command for Space (JFCC Space) Missile Warning Center, the 
     United States Space Force, and the United States Army Space 
     and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command; 
     and five military installations, including United States 
     Space Force bases Buckley, Peterson, and Schriever; Cheyenne 
     Mountain Space Force Station; as well as Fort Carson Army 
     Base; and
       Whereas, The 460th Space Wing at Buckley Space Force Base 
     provides operational command and control of three 
     constellations to space-based infrared missile warning 
     systems, has been defending America continuously since 1970, 
     and is a critical part of global defense and national 
     security; and
       Whereas, Colorado leads the charge in bringing current and 
     future global positioning system (GPS) assets to life, a 
     service provided free to the world by United States Space 
     Force in Colorado Springs. Lockheed Martin designs and builds 
     GPS III, the most powerful GPS satellite to date, which 
     United Launch Alliance launches, with Raytheon Technologies 
     developing the command and control capabilities. Boeing, 
     L3Harris Technologies, Braxton Technologies, and Infinity 
     Systems Engineering also support GPS development and 
     operations from locations in Colorado. These GPS technologies 
     enable an integral part of our global economy and have an 
     incalculable impact that has improved the everyday lives of 
     billions of people around the world; and
       Whereas, Colorado's aerospace industry is home to a broad 
     range of companies that create products and systems for 
     commercial, military, and civil space applications, such as 
     spacecraft, launch vehicles, satellites, command and control 
     software, sensors, and navigation operations. These companies 
     include Ball Aerospace, Boeing, DigitalGlobe, L3Harris 
     Technologies, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Northrop 
     Grumman, Raytheon Technologies, Sierra Nevada Corporation, 
     Teledyne Brown Engineering, and United Launch Alliance, which 
     make up a large portion of the aerospace sector; and
       Whereas, Colorado has an existing educated workforce, 
     ranked second in the nation for residents with a bachelor's 
     degree or higher, and a pipeline of higher education 
     institutions to sustain future growth. We are home to the 
     United States Air Force Academy and many colleges and 
     universities, including the University of Colorado Boulder 
     and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado 
     School of Mines, Colorado State University, Metropolitan 
     State University of Denver, University of Denver, Colorado 
     Mesa University, and Fort Lewis College. Altogether, they 
     provide access to world-class aerospace-related degrees and 
     offer aerospace companies one of the country's most educated 
     workforces; and
       Whereas, Colorado is home to some amazing research 
     institutions. These institutions include the prestigious 
     Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the 
     University of Colorado Boulder. It began in 1948, a decade 
     before NASA, and is the world's only research institute to 
     have sent instruments to all eight planets and to Pluto, 
     combining all aspects of space exploration through science, 
     engineering, mission operations, and scientific data 
     analysis; and
       Whereas, Colorado is also home to the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, 
     a world-leading center of predictions for the solar and near-
     Earth space environment and the nation's official source of 
     watches, warnings, and alerts of incoming solar storms, using 
     satellite observations to protect and save lives and 
     property; and
       Whereas, Various organizations are key to Colorado's 
     prominence in aerospace, such as the Colorado Space 
     Coalition, a group of industry stakeholders working to make 
     Colorado a center of excellence for aerospace; the Colorado 
     Space Business Roundtable, working to bring together 
     aerospace stakeholders from the industry, government, and 
     academia for roundtable discussions and business 
     development and to encourage grassroots citizen 
     participation in aerospace issues; the Colorado chapter of 
     Citizens for Space Exploration, whose mission is to 
     promote better understanding of aerospace and its 
     importance to our economy and daily lives, as well as to 
     promote the importance of human space exploration; 
     Manufacturer's Edge, a statewide manufacturing assistance 
     center that encourages the strength and competitiveness of 
     Colorado manufacturers by providing on-site technical 
     assistance through coaching, training, and consulting by 
     providing collaboration-focused industry programs and by 
     leveraging government, university, and economic 
     development partnerships; and the Space Foundation, 
     founded in 1983, with its world headquarters in Colorado 
     Springs, Colorado, which holds an annual Space Symposium, 
     bringing together civil, commercial, and national security 
     space leaders from around the world to discuss, address, 
     and plan for the future of space exploration; and
       Whereas, For the aforementioned reasons, it is in the best 
     interests of the American taxpayer to keep USSPACECOM in the 
     state because Colorado is already fulfilling the mission of 
     the USSPACECOM; because Colorado Springs has in place the 
     community infrastructure capacity and community support to 
     champion an expanding mission; because the move would cost 
     the United States billions of dollars; and because the move 
     would severely disrupt the Colorado aerospace industry, which 
     has grown to support the mission; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-
     fourth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate 
     concurring herein.
       That we, the members of the General Assembly:
       (1) Strongly urge the Department of Defense of the Biden-
     Harris administration to reevaluate the merits of this 
     irresponsible decision and rightly conclude that it is the 
     correct decision to keep the existing USSPACECOM in Colorado, 
     recognizing Colorado's unique blend of military installations 
     and major commands, private aerospace companies, academic and 
     research institutions, and government entities, and the 
     valuable synergies this ecosystem produces;
       (2) Strongly urge the Department of Defense of the Biden-
     Harris administration to permanently base USSPACECOM in 
     Colorado, recognizing that Colorado provides the existing 
     command structure, base infrastructure, and communications 
     platforms necessary to successfully host additional national 
     security initiatives and ensure coordination of efforts 
     without committing additional funds;
       (3) Proudly express that Colorado has deep ties with the 
     Department of Defense and immense patriotic commitment to 
     providing for the nation's security and bolstering our 
     defense;
       (4) Express our most sincere and deepest appreciation to 
     our service members and civilian employees working in and 
     supporting military and civilian aerospace companies, 
     military installations, and civil organizations in Colorado; 
     and
       (5) Hereby declare Colorado to be the prime location for 
     the permanent headquarters for USSPACECOM.
       Be it further Resolved, That copies of this Joint 
     Resolution be sent to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.; Vice 
     President Kamala Harris; Congressman Kevin McCarthy; Senator 
     Chuck Schumer; Senator Mitch McConnell; Senator Michael 
     Bennet; Senator John Hickenlooper; Congresswoman Diana 
     DeGette; Congresswoman Lauren Boebert; Congressman Jason 
     Crow; Congressman Joe Neguse; Congressman Ken Buck; 
     Congressman Doug Lamborn; Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen; 
     Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo; Bill Nelson, NASA 
     Administrator; Pam Melroy, NASA Deputy Administrator;

[[Page S2287]]

     Phil Washington, Federal Aviation Administration 
     Administrator; Governor Jared Polis; Lieutenant Governor 
     Dianne Primavera; Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan, The Adjutant 
     General, Colorado National Guard; Wayne R. Monteith, 
     Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation 
     at the Federal Aviation Administration; General John W. 
     ``Jay'' Raymond, U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations; 
     Colonel Robert J. Schreiner, USAF, Commander Aerospace Data 
     Facility-Colorado; Dr. Christopher Scolese, Director, 
     National Reconnaissance Office; Ross Garelick Bell, Executive 
     Director, Aerospace States Association; Thomas E. Zelibor, 
     Chief Executive Officer, Space Foundation; Dr. Ronald Sega, 
     Co-chair, Colorado Space Coalition; Michael Gass, Co-chair, 
     Colorado Space Coalition; and Bob Cone, Chair, Colorado 
     Citizens for Space Exploration.

                          ____________________