Sen. Cruz, Texas Delegation Endorse Texas Proposal to Host U.S. Space Academy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, led members of the Texas congressional delegation in a letter to the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy endorsing Texas's forthcoming proposal to host the U.S. Space Academy.

Below are highlights and excerpts from the letter:

"As the Commission determines how to bring that vision to life, all the Stars align within the great State of Texas. If America is going to build the world's premier academy for space, Texas has all the ingredients for success: the people, infrastructure, experience, land, and resources required to support the President's vision and keep America as the leader in space.

"For more than six decades, Texas has led human spaceflight. NASA's Johnson Space Center is home to America's astronaut corps, Mission Control, and human spaceflight training. Houston has trained the astronauts who pushed the boundaries of human exploration and made history.

"That history matters. America has spent more than six decades building and perfecting a world-class human spaceflight ecosystem in Texas. Locating the Space Academy in Texas would allow the Nation to build on those existing investments rather than attempting to recreate these capabilities elsewhere. The Academy could inherit and benefit from that advantage from day one, giving students direct access to the people, facilities, and institutions driving America's human Spaceflight program.

"Most states specialize in one part of the space enterprise. In Texas, we develop, build, test, launch, and operate space systems. America's space enterprise comes together here. That convergence is particularly important to the President's vision for the Space Academy. The President's Executive Order calls for an institution that combines rigorous technical education with leadership development, experiential training, and commitment to public service.

"Students should train where astronauts train, learning from those operating today's missions, working alongside engineers, developing tomorrow's Space technology, and engaging with servicemembers protecting American interests in space. Texas is the natural home for the Space Academy, with more than sixty years as the heart of America's human spaceflight programs."

The letter is co-signed by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Reps. Brian Babin (R-Texas-36), Michael Cloud (R-Texas-27), Pat Fallon (R-Texas-4), Lance Gooden (R-Texas-5), Keith Self (R-Texas-3), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas-2), Randy Weber (R-Texas-14), Michael McCaul (R-Texas-10), Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas-8), Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas-24), Jodey Arrington (R-Texas-19), Troy Nehls (R-Texas-22), John Carter (R-Texas-31), Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas-1), Craig Goldman (R-Texas-12), Roger Williams (R-Texas-25), Pete Sessions (R-Texas-17), Jake Ellzey (R-Texas-6), Chip Roy (R-Texas-21), August Pfluger (R-Texas-11), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas-13), Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas-15), and Brandon Gill (R-Texas-26).

Click here to read the full letter.