Letter to Honorable Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States - Palazzo Joins Lawmakers Urging US Leadership in Space

Letter

Dear President Biden:
We write today to urge your prioritization of America's continued commitment to strong space
leadership, exploration, and commerce as you set your policy goals for the next four years. The
United States has a storied history of excellence in astronautics, and that history is woven into
the daily lives of all Americans and serves as a critical foundation for future technology.
Space repeatedly has, and always should, spur American excitement and ingenuity. According to
a study conducted by Pew1
, 80% of Americans see the International Space Station as a good
investment for our country. According to CSPAN2
, 80% of Americans believe space travel
supports scientific discovery, 79% say NASA contributes to scientific advancement, and 77%
believe that space travel inspires young people. While our country disagrees on many things
these days, space seemingly stands alone as an issue on which an overwhelming majority agrees.
More importantly however, space is a constant source of economic growth and a rising
determinant of national security.
At a time when American leadership is distracted by partisan divisions, our adversaries like
Russia and China are surging forward in their technological and scientific advancements in the
space industry at an alarming rate. Our two largest foes have developed a Lunar-Pact to create a
joint moon base3
utilizing Russia's space history and China's deep pockets. All the while, despite
being the world's 2nd and 3rd largest space programs, both continually refuse to sign the Artemis
Accord4
. Although China cannot sign, as they were banned from collaborating with NASA in
2011, their alliance with Russia and opposition toward the international agreement could be
considered a threat toward America. Without a common treaty by which our nations must each
commit to abide, there are no assurances in founding a truly safe, demilitarized future in space.
This is, and should be, troubling for the current administration and America as a whole.
We were pleased to see the Space Force flag hang among the other military branch flags on your
inauguration day. It was a sign of unity among a difficult transition. We hope that your
Administration will further embrace the branch and seek to understand the issues within its
jurisdiction for the importance they carry. Protecting America's orbital and deep space assets in
the near- and long-term future is of paramount importance to our nation's economic and national
security. Threats posed by the ability of our adversaries to disrupt our space assets could easily
cripple the communications, intelligence, reconnaissance, navigational, or commercial
capabilities of the United States, our military, or our allies.
With these concerns in mind, we request that the Space Force and the National Space Council
and User's Advisory Group be continued and invested in, along with other programs of national
and international importance in the space community. Programs such as NASA's Artemis should
be given full support, as should other exploratory missions and continued research and
development surrounding the International Space Station and those programs that provide for the
protection and security of our other orbital and satellite assets.
As your administration gets up to speed addressing the myriad challenges that face our nation,
we strongly urge you to consider enhanced American space superiority among the priorities. If
we stand idly by and allow our space strength to diminish, our allies and our enemies will not
wait for our political division to subside. Space is an ever-growing area of commerce and policy,
and American ambition must grow along with it as goal for our nation. If the Biden
administration truly seeks unity among Americans and prioritizes restoring America's global
standing, then a strong commitment to space exploration, commerce, and research should be
considered a major step in achieving those goals.
Sincerely,

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