COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Contrary to conclusions drawn by Alabama lawmakers, Colorado Congressman Jeff Crank said a new government report about Space Command is good news for the Centennial State.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released May 29 highlighted key challenges to keeping Space Command in Colorado Springs, including facilities, communications, and personnel challenges.
“As a result of identified challenges, officials stated the Command’s posture is not sustainable long term and new military construction would be needed to support the headquarters’ operations in Colorado Springs, Colorado,” the report noted.
The new construction carries a price tag of $1.5 billion, but that estimate came in 2023, meaning the total cost could be outdated at this point.
Alabama lawmakers seized on the findings and clung to a claim that moving the headquarters to Huntsville, Alabama, would save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. One aspect of the argument is that if a new headquarters must be built, then it makes sense that it should be built in the Gulf state.
Republican Congressman Jeff Crank, whose district houses Space Command, heartily disagreed with that line of thinking.
“Why build it in Alabama? Wouldn't that be the question? Why move it? Why disrupt it?” he said in a Saturday interview with KOAA. “I don't think this should be a decision that we say, ‘Well, it's slightly cheaper to build it here.’ Well, you got to take in all the other costs. What about the costs of relocating staff who really are qualified people?”
The GAO report noted that personnel concerns were likely due to the uncertainty of the Command’s final location. As of October 2024, Space Command had filled 1,024 of 1,379 authorized positions, including 576 of 809 government civilian positions.
Space Command states that the intended civilian personnel are supposed to be 60% of the command's personnel. But Space Command has had issues hitting that quota and has been relying on contractors to supplement since 2024.
Crank said he hasn’t heard from a single military leader who believes a move now for Space Command across the country would benefit national security interests.
“I've asked four-star generals about it. I say, ‘What is the military value of moving Space Command out of Colorado Springs?’ And they say that there isn't any. So why do it?” Crank said.
The back and forth between Alabama and Colorado lawmakers over Space Command’s home dates back to President Trump’s first term. Near the end of that term in early 2021, Trump announced Alabama would become the home of Space Command. But then President Biden reversed course in 2023 and announced it would stay in Colorado.
As noted in the GAO report, Space Command has been unable to begin construction on a permanent headquarters because of this cross-state fight.
Part of the delay in the construction of a central facility in Colorado Springs is in part to Representative Mike Rogers of Alabama's 3rd Congressional District chairs the House Armed Services Committee.
He added a provision to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, which halted the funds for Space Command construction pending the outcome of this report, as well as a report from the Pentagon Inspector General.
In a report by al.com, Rep. Rogers said in a statement the GAO report “yet again affirms” that Huntsville is the best location.
In an April podcast, Rogers went so far as to claim an announcement to move Space Command to Huntsville would be made right after the new Secretary of the Air Force was confirmed. Rogers had said the announcement could come by the end of April, which has passed.
Watch When Alabama Representatives Said Space Command Move Was Imminent
The new Air Force Secretary, Dr. Troy Meink, was confirmed in mid-May, but no further updates on Space Command have come as of yet. His first public speech was as commencement speaker for the Air Force Academy graduation last week.
Rep. Crank said he has not yet met with Secretary Meink, but plans to in the coming weeks. Crank noted both Democrats and Republicans in Colorado’s Congressional delegation are unified in keeping Space Command in Colorado Springs.
However, Crank couldn’t say when a final decision might come, noting that an announcement could happen at any moment for all he knows.
“I don't have an answer for you on that,” Crank said. “To me, no news is good news, because the command is here, right? And so we're going to continue to make the case.”
Crank also noted that with all of the focus on Space Command, some might lose sight of other large operations focused in Colorado Springs like the growing Space Force and how he believes much of President Trump’s “Golden Dome” anti-missile defense initiative is likely to have work completed in Colorado.
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