Offutt Air Force Base passed over for Space Command Headquarters

Offutt Air Force Base passed over for Space Command Headquarters

AS THE NEWHEADQUARTERS FORTHE U.S.SPACE COMMAND.GOOD EVENING, I'MMAYA SAENZ.3 NEWS NOWREPORTER JESSIKAEIDSON TELLS USHOW NEBRASKALEADERS WHOADVOCATED FOROFFUTT ARE FEELINGABOUT THE NEWS.OFFUTT AIR FORCEBASE WILL LIKELYNOT BE THE NEWHEADQUARTERS FORTHE U.S.INSTEADHUNTSVILLE,ALABAMA, WILL BETHE COMMAND'SNEWHEADQUARTERS.HAVING LOST THEPOTENTIAL TO ADD800 CIVILIAN JOBSAND 600 MILITARYJOBS FOR THE AREA,NEBRASKA LEADERSSAY THEY AREDISAPPOINTED ANDWANT TO LOOKFURTHER INTO THEDECISION.GFX GOVERNORPETE RICKETTSISSUED A STATEMENTSAYING "EVEN WITHTODAY'SANNOUNCEMENT,NEBRASKA WILLCONTINUE TO MAKETHE CASE TO THEINCOMINGADMINISTRATION FORBRINGINGUSSPACECOM TOTHE HEARTLAND INTHE COMING DAYSAND WEEKS." GFXCONGRESSMAN JEFFFORTENBERRY WHOREPRESENTS THEAREA THATENCOMPASSESOFFUTT, IS PROUDOF HOW FAR THEBASE GOT IN THEBIDDING PROCESSAND SAYS "WE WILLEXAMINE THEREASONS FOR THISDECISION ANDPOTENTIALLYLAUNCH AN APPEAL."CONGRESSMAN DONBACON ALSO AGREESTHAT THE DECISIONSHOULD BEREVIEWED.HE SAYS NEBRASKAOFFERS THE BESTEXPENSE ANDQUALITY OF LIFE FORTHE SPACECOMMAND, BUT HASONE MAJORBARRIER."THE ONE THING WECANNOT OVERCOME,AT LEAST IN THENEAR TERM, IS THELARGE ABUNDANCEOF A SPACEQUALIFIED WORKFORCE.WE JUST DON'T HAVESPACE UNITS ORSPACE INDUSTRYHERE IN OMAHA." ASOFFICIALS INNEBRASKA HINT ATAN APPEAL,OFFICIALS INCOLORADO SPRINGS-ANOTHER FINALISTAND FORMER HOMETO THE SPACECOMMAND- ARECLAIMING THAT THEDECISION WAS LESSPRACTICAL ANDMORE POLITICAL."THE SENATORSOFFICES, HADSOURCES WITHINTHE AIRFORCE THATHAD INDICATED TOTHEM THATCOLORADO SPRINGSWAS IN FACT THERECOMMENDATIONOF THE AIR FORCEAND ONLY AT THEDIRECTION OFPRESIDENT TRUMPDID THIS GO ADIFFERENTDIRECTION." THEMAYOR NOTES THESEANONYMOUSSOURCES HAVE YETTO GO ON THERECORD.CONGRESSMANBACON SAYS WHILENEBRASKA HADQUALITY AND LOWCOST, ANDCOLORADO HAD AHISTORY OF SPACEINDUSTRY "ALABAMAHAD A LOT OFPOLITICAL CLOUTTHERE AS WELL.SO THAT WAS SORTOF HOW THATPROBABLY TURNED."REPORTING INOMAHA, JESSIKAEIDSON 3 NEWSNOW.OMAHA, JESSIKAEIDSON 3 NEWSNOW.MAYOR RUSTY PIKEAND THE OMAHACHAMBER ALSOCOMMENTED ON THEDECISION, BOTHSAYING THEY AREPROUD OF THEWORK DONE TOMAKE IT THIS FAR INTHE BIDDINGPROCESS.WE WANT TO ALSONOTE THAT THESPACE COMMAND ISA COMMUNICATIONSAND LOGISTICSAGENCY - NOT TO BECONFUSED WITH THENEW MILITARYBRANCH CALLED "U-SSPACE FORCE"."ON THIS VOTE THEAYE'S ARE 232."