Austin News

U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz and U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin have initiated a congressional effort to relocate NASA's headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The lawmakers, leading a bipartisan coalition, sent a letter to President Trump advocating for the move.

The letter outlined concerns about NASA's current headquarters being disconnected from the everyday operations and how this affects the agency's mission. The proposed relocation to Houston is supported by the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center's comprehensive involvement in U.S. space exploration, hosting facilities like Mission Control and the astronaut corps.

The letter emphasizes Texas's favorable environment for business and low regulation, as well as its strong commercial space sector, as advantages of moving NASA headquarters to Houston. The relocation is also expected to create more jobs, save taxpayer dollars, and revitalize the space agency.

Additional signatories of the letter include Sen. John Cornyn and various representatives such as Jodey Arrington, John Carter, and Michael Cloud. Their argument underscores Houston's longstanding connection to NASA's history and its strategic values for the United States' space exploration efforts.

"Houston is particularly well suited for NASA’s headquarters due in part to the unique strengths of the city and the state," the letter stated. "Texas is the eighth largest economy in the world, with low government regulation and a strong business environment."

The letter concludes by encouraging the move ahead of the expiration of NASA's current lease in Washington, D.C. in 2028, aiming to reconnect the headquarters with its operational roots and reduce costs.