Letter to the Hon. Barbara Barrett, Secretary of the Air Force - Sen. Cruz Urges Air Force Secretary To Select Texas City as Host for U.S. Space Command Headquarters

Letter

Secretary Barrett,

Three cities in Texas --Houston, Fort Worth, and San Antonio--recently submitted applications
to be considered for the privilege of hosting the permanent location of U.S. Space Command
headquarters. Each of these meets and exceeds the selection criteria outlined by the Air Force for
choosing a location, and moreover each brings a culture, enthusiasm, and history which would
make any of them an ideal location for the headquarters of U.S. Space Command.

The Air Force's stated criteria for the selection of the U.S. Space Command headquarters listed
three main items: a reasonable cost of living, a strong technology sector, and proximity to
established military base infrastructure to support the command and their families. As was made
clear in their nomination packages, the three Texas cities nominated for consideration excel
under all of these criteria.

There is no better location for the men and women of Space Command than the great state of
Texas. Cities and towns across Texas have been repeatedly recognized as among the best
communities in the nation for supporting the military, including through numerous national
awards from veterans' organizations and the Department of Defense for their support of military
bases. The state of Texas is home to one of the fastest growing technology sectors in the world,
and of course the U.S. Army Futures Command recently made the decision to locate its
headquarters in Austin, Texas in 2018 for these very same reasons. Despite Texas's growth,
common-sense state policies have ensured our cost of living remains low, which ensures servicemembers a high quality of life.

San Antonio, nicknamed Military City USA, is home to numerous Air Force, Army, and Navy
bases, including Fort Sam Houston, Randolph Air Force Base, Lackland Air Force Base, Camp
Bullis, Camp Stanley, and Martindale Army Airfield, all of which are under the umbrella of Joint
Base San Antonio. The city also has a number of great Texas universities and colleges which
include the University of Texas San Antonio, Trinity University, and Texas Lutheran University.
San Antonio also hosts a robust and advanced aerospace industrial base including the Boeing
Corporation's large presence at Kelly Field and the Southwest Research Institute which has led a
number of complex space projects for NASA including the New Horizons mission.

Houston, nicknamed Space City, is not only home to the Johnson Space Center which itself is
home to the famed Mission Control Center of NASA, but also the Army's 75th Innovation
Command and Ellington Air Force Base, all of which contribute to Houston's recognition as the
most diverse big city in America. The city has a number of terrific colleges and universities
including Rice University and the University of Houston. It also hosts advanced industries, many
of which are well versed in all things space like Jacobs, Oceaneering, Intuitive Machines,
Paragon Space Development Corporation, and the large contingent of the Boeing Corporation's
Defense, Space & Security Division, which, among many other things, helps to keep the
International Space Station in top shape for American astronauts and our international partners.

Finally, the city of Fort Worth easily meets and exceeds the Air Force's stated criteria for the
headquarters of U.S. Space Command. Fort Worth houses the expansive Naval Air Station Joint
Reserve Base Fort Worth with over 10,000 active duty and reserve members of the Navy,
Marines, Army, and Air Force assigned to the base. Similar to both San Antonio and Houston,
Fort Worth is home to numerous top-notch universities and colleges like Texas Christian
University and Texas Wesleyan University. This city is also home to a number of leaders in
advanced industries, including the one-of-a-kind Lockheed Martin facility, where the world's
most advanced fighter jet, the F-35, is built and tested.

As you and I discussed while together touring the F-35 plant in Fort Worth, when it comes to
space, Texas leads the nation. There's a reason why one of the first words spoken on the surface
of the moon was that of a Texas city. The importance of space to the state of Texas, and vice
versa, has only grown since. The state is home to large contingents of the best aerospace
technology and development corporations in the world and hosts a litany of private research,
development, manufacturing, and launch sites like those of Blue Origin, SpaceX, Lockheed
Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrup Grumman, and United Launch Alliance, just to name a few.
And those commercial entities are dramatically expanding their footprint in Texas. The state is
also home to an unrivaled university system, which works hand-in-hand with our military on
cutting-edge technologies. The U.S. Army Futures Command, for example, co-located its
headquarters within the University of Texas System headquarters, and partnered with Texas
A&M for a hypersonics laboratory in 2019. Likewise, Rice University has partnered closely with
NASA since the beginning of the space program to help solve complex engineering challenges
and perform scientific experiments to better inform space exploration.

No state in the union has more tenacious or effective advocates for the military or for space. Both
are vital priorities for Texas. Both Senator Cornyn and I have previously served for many years
on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and for the last six years I have chaired (what is now)
the Aviation and Space subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee. Governor Abbott has
led the Texas Military Preparedness Commission in awarding $66 million in grants for
infrastructure projects that support the 15 military installations in the state. The state has also
passed numerous laws to support military families by allowing military children to register for
school earlier and allowing military spouses to transfer certifications and licenses without cost.

Texas is the prime location for the new headquarters for U.S. Space Command. Fort Worth,
Houston, and San Antonio have proven track records of providing a great home to military
members and veterans, supporting advanced educational institutions to train the next generation
of service members, and fostering advanced industries on the cutting edge of aerospace and
space exploration. When it comes to space, I've been the lead author of major legislation that has
passed into law under both the Obama and Trump administrations. I'm proud to be a passionate
supporter of and advocate for the Space Force, space exploration, and renewed American
leadership in space, and I am eager to see the great things the new headquarters of U.S. Space
Command will accomplish. My office is ready to support in any way possible with any questions
you may have about Texas and our tremendous military facilities.

Sincerely,

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