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Senators on Trump Space Force plan: Not so fast
Source: Associated Press
Senators on Trump Space Force plan: Not so fast
By ROBERT BURNS
April 11, 2019
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration’s proposal for creating a Space Force as a new military service encountered bipartisan skepticism in the Senate on Thursday, with several lawmakers questioning the need for expanding the military bureaucracy.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan pitched the proposal as vital to maintaining what he called America’s “margin of dominance” in space as potential adversaries like Russia and China develop the capability to challenge U.S. use of space.
“Both China and Russia have weaponized space with the intent to hold American capabilities at risk,” Shanahan told the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Every member of this committee has access to the classified threat picture, but the bottom line is: the next major conflict may be won or lost in space.”
Committee members agreed that the U.S. needs to innovate in space and move more quickly to improve defenses of U.S. satellites and other interests in space. But several members, both Republicans and Democrats, expressed skepticism about a Space Force.
Sen. Angus King, an Independent from Maine, said he thinks the current approach, with the Air Force handling the bulk of space responsibilities, is working well.
-snip-
By ROBERT BURNS
April 11, 2019
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration’s proposal for creating a Space Force as a new military service encountered bipartisan skepticism in the Senate on Thursday, with several lawmakers questioning the need for expanding the military bureaucracy.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan pitched the proposal as vital to maintaining what he called America’s “margin of dominance” in space as potential adversaries like Russia and China develop the capability to challenge U.S. use of space.
“Both China and Russia have weaponized space with the intent to hold American capabilities at risk,” Shanahan told the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Every member of this committee has access to the classified threat picture, but the bottom line is: the next major conflict may be won or lost in space.”
Committee members agreed that the U.S. needs to innovate in space and move more quickly to improve defenses of U.S. satellites and other interests in space. But several members, both Republicans and Democrats, expressed skepticism about a Space Force.
Sen. Angus King, an Independent from Maine, said he thinks the current approach, with the Air Force handling the bulk of space responsibilities, is working well.
-snip-
Read more: https://apnews.com/5a6e1a08acb745a69976e3110b4789b4