Ted Cruz says Space Force is necessary to prevent space pirates

Source: The Hill

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said at a subcommittee hearing that it was important to fund President Trump's proposed Space Force to prevent potential space pirates.

“Since the ancient Greeks first put to sea, nations have recognized the necessity of naval forces and maintaining a superior capability to protect waterborne travel and commerce from bad actors,” Cruz said Tuesday during a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Space and Aviation for which he chairs.

“Pirates threaten the open seas, and the same is possible in space. In this same way, I believe we too must now recognize the necessity of a Space Force to defend the nation and to protect space commerce and civil space exploration,” Cruz said

The Trump administration's current plan to create Space Force would cost more than $2 billion to get off the ground, according to a report from the Congressional Budget Office. The report found that a Space Force military branch would need 5,400 to 7,800 in new personnel for overhead and management, adding more than $1 billion to the Pentagon's annual costs.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/443923-ted-cruz-says-space-force-is-necessary-to-prevent-space-pirates

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