Biden blocks Space Command HQ move to Alabama

President Joe Biden on Monday overturned a Trump administration decision to relocate the headquarters of the United States Space Command to Huntsville, Ala., keeping the facility in Colorado.

Space Command chief Gen. James Dickinson reportedly convinced the president to keep the facility in its existing Colorado location so as not to impact military readiness, the Associated Press reported. Air Force leadership had advocated for the move to Alabama.

Biden ostensibly believes that maintaining the current Colorado location will ensure stability for the service branch and bolster its responsiveness over the coming years.

Alabama Republicans, who had supported the move to their state, are likely to take exception to the decision, which comes amid an intense row between the administration and Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville over the military's abortion funding policy.

Tuberville has maintained a blanket hold on key military promotions in protest of the Pentagon policy of provided paid leave and travel for servicemembers to obtain abortions in states where it is legal.

While he cannot unilaterally block the promotions, he can force the upper chamber to schedule hearings and votes for each individual nomination by refusing unanimous consent requests to approve promotions in slates, as it typical.

Alabama has largely banned abortion while Colorado has relatively permissive laws on the procedure, a situation which, combined with the White House's conflict with Tuberville, is likely to fuel accusations that the matter played a role in the decision, the AP noted.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.