Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville appears to have cost his state a major economic boost as President Joe Biden has chosen to leave the prestigious Space Command headquarters in Colorado.
Space Command, which was created in the Trump administration, had been promised by the disgraced ex-president to Alabama, but Biden decided today that the force will state in Colorado, which is a $1 billion boon to the Centennial State’s economy.
NBC News reports that the decision was announced by Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder:
“Today, following a thorough and deliberate evaluation process, and after consultation with (Defense) Secretary (Lloyd) Austin and weighing the input of senior military leaders, President Biden notified the Department of Defense that he has selected Colorado Springs as the permanent location of the U.S. Space Command Headquarters.”
Did Tuberville’s refusal to allow military promotions to go forward in order to solidify his anti-choice credentials play a role in the decision? Almost certainly, NBC notes.
NBC News first reported in May that the Biden administration was reconsidering plans to move Space Command headquarters to Alabama partly because the state has imposed a near total ban on abortion. White House officials have denied Alabama’s restrictive abortion law was a factor in their review.
Members of the Alabama GOP congressional delegation said they would fight the decision, but it seems unclear what they can do, despite Rep. Mike Rogers, chair of the House Armed Services Committee whining, “This is far from over.” He added that “far-left politics, not national security, was the driving force behind this decision.”
However, as commander-in-chief, Biden makes all final decisions on the military, so Rogers might as well get over himself.