Legislative Provision Hinders Launch Of Space Command

Language in the 2019 defense authorization act is preventing the Pentagon from moving forward with a new combatant command, reports Defense One.

The defense act mandates that the U.S. Space Command be subordinate to U.S. Strategic Command, in opposition to the administration's plan to launch it as a unified, independent command.

President Donald Trump and acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan have urged congress to promptly remove the requirement.

In a letter to the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Shanahan said that the Defense Dept. determined that creating a unified, independent space command was vital to address growing security challenges in space.

Other steps remain to be completed before the new command can be established. Pentagon officials expect President Trump to nominate a four-star general or admiral for the new top post soon, with a confirmation hearing anticipated for April and formal establishment of the command to occur in May.