COLORADO SPRINGS — On Monday, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO 5th District) and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO 6th District) introduced legislation called the Space National Guard Establishment Act which establishes a Space Force Reserve and National Guard.
Lamborn and Crow are both members of the House Armed Services Committee and Co-Chairs of the House Space Force Caucus. Lamborn and Crow created the House Space Force Caucus in October 2020, to help Congress learn about Space Force.
"For 25 years, our National Guard space units have provided operational and tactical assistance to protect our nation's vital interests in space and enhance our military lethality," said Congressman Doug Lamborn in a press release. "Today, they work side-by-side with their active-duty counterparts, both in uniform and often as civilian contractors, bringing vital experience to the mission that enhances our national security space enterprise. This important legislation would officially create the Space National Guard. Colorado has more Guardsmen conducting space missions than any state in the Union. I am happy to join Rep. Crow on this important issue."
According to the press release, nearly 2,000 personnel across 14 National Guard units have space-related missions. Colorado also has the largest number of Guardsmen conducting space missions of any state.
"The U.S. National Guard is critical to defending our interests in space and protecting our force on the ground," said Congressman Jason Crow. "And with more than a third of all National Guard members assigned to space missions residing here in Colorado, our state will play a key role in providing a proven, ready, combat reserve to Space Force. Expanding the Force to include this National Guard component will ensure mission readiness as we continue U.S. dominance in space."
The congressmen say establishing a reserve component for the newest branch of the military will provide a "combat-ready" component to Space Force.
Right now, U.S. Space Command is headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. However, earlier this year, President Trump announced that he would move Space Force to Alabama, something that has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle.
Rep. Lamborn and the other members of Colorado's Congressional Delegation have pushed for investigations into the basing decision by both the Government Accountability Office and the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense.
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