Mike Rogers: “I would like to thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership in bringing this years's NDAA. I…”

“I would like to thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership in bringing this years's NDAA. I would also like to thank my friend and colleague from Tennessee, Mr. Jim Cooper, the ranking member on our subcommittee, for being such a great partner as we worked on this important bill. Now, I would like to focus on some key provisions in the bill. First, space reform. This bill takes two monumental steps to reform national security space. First, the bill provides for the creation of a space core within the Air Force to fix the fragmented space acquisition process. Second, it provides for the establishment of a subordinate, unified command for space under U.S. Strategic Command to ensure integration of the joint command of all space operations. I can't stress enough the urgent necessity of these reforms. Our society and our military are enormously dependent on space. Meanwhile, our adversaries continue to grow their counterspace capabilities. These adversaries have already reorganized their space forces toward the goal of neutralizing our advantage in space. Multiple studies going back almost two decades have recommended a space force to fix our space acquisition and management problems. Regardless, the DOD and the Air Force have yet to fix the problem. Decisionmaking authorities for space acquisitions remain fragmented across over 60 organizations.…”