Inhofe, Reed Announce Hearing on U.S. Space Force

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced a full committee hearing to examine the President’s proposal to establish a United States Space Force.

“A coherent space strategy is an integral part of our National Defense Strategy,” Sen. Inhofe said. “This hearing will give us an opportunity to examine the President’s proposal for the Space Force and lay the groundwork for a path forward. I look forward to hearing from Pentagon leadership about what they see as the necessary capabilities of a space force, the costs and benefits associated with their solutions, and what our full range of options are.”

“Defending American assets and interests in space is a must, and I hope this hearing will help answer key questions about how best to achieve that mission. Can it be accomplished with a full unified command for space, or is an entirely new and separate military branch needed? What are the costs of establishing a new military service for space? This hearing will be a big step toward answering some of those key questions, and I commend Chairman Inhofe for convening it,” Sen. Reed said.

The hearing will be held on Thursday, April 11, at 9:30 a.m., in Room SD-G50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Witnesses include: The Honorable Patrick M. Shanahan, Acting Secretary of Defense; The Honorable Heather A. Wilson, Secretary of the Air Force; General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., USMC, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and General John E. Hyten, USAF, Commander of U.S. Strategic Command.

Click here to view the online notice and witness list.