The process used to decide the location of the U.S. Space Command headquarters was "severely flawed and not in line with the more deliberate approach" taken in the past, according to a letter from three of New Mexico's congressional delegates sent on Friday to President Joe Biden.
The letter, which joins a similar letter sent earlier this month by U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO), urges the Biden administration to "conduct a comprehensive review" of the Air Force's decision to locate the development at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, instead of at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. It was sent by U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), along with U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).
Calls for an investigation into the decision began not long after it was announced. And then they intensified.
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Jan. 19, Biden's then-nominee for secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, said he would take a closer look at how the decision was made. Austin's comment came in response to a question from Heinrich about ensuring that that the process "met the historical standards" for similar decisions made in the past.
Heinrich raised the possibility of "political impropriety" on behalf of the Trump administration in a statement released Jan. 13.
Friday's letter provides more specific allegations. It says the legislators are concerned that the Air Force "circumvented" its own strategic basing process, which provides a "standardized, repeatable, transparent, and deliberate process" for making certain decisions, according to the Air Force. The letter also says that instead of using a "standardized point scale" that is part of the SBP, the Air Force used a "subjective evaluation scale" that has not been provided to the legislator's offices.
The letter also calls into question the timing of the decision, which was made days after Air Force officials toured Kirtland Air Force Base as part of the process. The legislators "find it difficult to understand how the Air Force can properly evaluate one of the most important aspects of a candidate's bid in less than a week," according to the letter.
"We ask that your administration suspend all efforts to plan and execute the standup of the new headquarters while a thorough review of the Trump Administration's decision is being conducted," their letter concludes.
If Leger Fernandez, Lujan and Heinrich have their way, the effort to find a permanent home for the Space Command may be examined by Biden's team.
The assertions are significant given the possible economic impact of the Space Command, which is expected to employ about 1,400. Others have raised concerns about national security.
In addition to creating many new positions, the Space Command headquarters could have created opportunities for local businesses. Gabe Mounce, director of the Air Force Space Accelerator program, previously told Business First that about 80% of the technology the Space Force wants is already being created in the private sector. Companies with expertise in space operations, system engineering, satellite components and systems, and software to include machine learning and artificial intelligence will be sought after, Business First reported.
Aside from New Mexico and Alabama, other locations that made the short list included Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue, Nebraska; Patrick Air Force Base near Cocoa Beach, Florida; Port San Antonio, Texas; and Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Politicians aren't the only ones calling foul when it comes to the Space Command decision. Sherman McCorkle, a board member at the Kirtland Partnership Committee, joined legislators in casting doubt, previously saying "what we have is something that it appears the [administration of former President Donald Trump] is involved in."
During a February campaign rally in Colorado Springs, Trump said the Colorado city was being "very strongly considered" to host the Space Command. During the same rally, Trump said a decision was going to be made "for the Space Force, as to where it's going to be located" toward the end of 2020, Business First reported.
