U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R) and U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (R) are leading a coalition of Texas lawmakers urging President Trump to move NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, once the lease for NASA’s current D.C. office expires in 2028.
In a letter to the President, the lawmakers argue that NASA’s current headquarters in Washington, D.C. has created a disconnect from the agency’s core mission. They highlight the significant role JSC plays in the agency’s operations, noting it “maintains the largest NASA workforce” and houses key facilities, such as Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, and the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility.
The letter states, “Perhaps no city is more closely linked to America’s space program than ‘Space City.’ Some of the first words spoken on the surface of the moon called out to Houston, which is home to numerous aerospace businesses.”
The lawmakers assert that moving the headquarters to Houston would allow for more effective leadership and reduce bureaucratic micromanagement. This, the lawmakers argue, has eroded the interdependence of NASA’s centers and undermined its core function of exploration.
“Consolidating greater and greater levels of work and authority in Washington, D.C. has been a decades-long trend, resulting in decision making funneled up to bureaucrats at headquarters rather than empowering scientists and astronauts across the centers,” the letter explains.
The lawmakers also point to the economic benefits of relocating to Texas. The state boasts a strong business environment, low government regulation, and a lower cost of living compared to Washington, D.C. Additionally, Texas is home to more than 2,000 aerospace and defense companies, with major players like SpaceX and Blue Origin operating in the state.
As the letter emphasizes, “For the United States to reach the surface of Mars, NASA must rely on a robust commercial space sector. No state offers greater economic and geographic benefits than Texas.” Texas’ central location and growing commercial space industry, including companies like Axiom Space and SpaceX, make it an ideal site for NASA’s headquarters.
The lawmakers urge President Trump to act on this opportunity to “reinvigorate our national space agency,” urging him to relocate NASA’s headquarters to JSC in Houston for greater efficiency and leadership in space exploration.
By shifting the headquarters to Texas, Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Brian Babin believe NASA can regain its focus on space exploration, reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies, and help the U.S. maintain its leadership in the global space economy.
