Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, met this week with Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett and spoke with the Commander of U.S. Space Command General John W. Raymond to discuss the importance of a focus on national security space.
“Colorado is the epicenter of national security space and plays a critical role in ensuring our continued technological superiority, global leadership, and capabilities in space,” said Bennet. “My conversations with Secretary Barrett and General Raymond centered on the importance of increased focus on space as a contested domain and why reestablishing U.S. Space Command in our state would best position our nation to maintain superiority in space. I look forward to continuing to work with Secretary Barrett, General Raymond, and stakeholders in Colorado to address the evolving threats in space.”
In his conversation with Secretary Barrett, who was confirmed in October, Bennet highlighted Colorado’s significant role and history in national security space, and the benefits of the state’s existing military and intelligence space infrastructure, exceptional workforce, and strong community support. In May, the Air Force named six finalist bases, four of which are located in Colorado: Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in Colorado Springs, Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, and Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.
Last March, Bennet led the entire Colorado Congressional Delegation and Governor Jared Polis in a letter urging the Department of Defense to reestablish Space Command in Colorado and invited the department’s leadership to visit the state. Following the official White House announcement of the reestablishment of Space Command in August, Bennet, the delegation, and the governor sent a new letter to the Defense Department reiterating their support.
In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which became law in August 2018, Congress directed the Department of Defense to establish U.S. Space Command under U.S. Strategic Command. In December 2018, President Trump signed an executive order to create U.S. Space Command separate from U.S. Strategic Command.