The Republican Party of Florida is pushing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to relocate its agency’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Florida. The request follows the appointment of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as interim Administrator of the space agency.
In a letter addressed to Duffy, Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power pitched that Florida is home to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, making it an ideal fit for NASA's permanent headquarters. Power also argued the agency's relocation would bring several advantages, including reducing bureaucratic overhead, placing the agency closer to its operational infrastructure at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, and leveraging Florida’s growing commercial space sector.
“Florida is the launchpad of American space innovation,” Power said. “Our Space Coast is already home to the nation’s most advanced aerospace activity. Bringing NASA’s leadership here just makes sense.”
In their pitch, the GOP added that Florida's pro-growth policies, low-tax climate, and skilled workforce make the Sunshine State a logical fit for the agency's relocation.
Florida Republican Sen. Ashley Moody backed Power's call for the move.
“Florida is the gateway to space,” Moody said. “This commonsense proposal would save taxpayers money, encourage collaboration with private space companies, and tap into Florida’s talented workforce to spur further innovation.”
Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott also expressed his support. Last month, Sen. Scott sent a letter to President Donald Trump in support of the change.
“There’s no better place for NASA’s headquarters than Florida’s Space Coast, where our nation’s brightest minds innovate and help America reach for the stars,” Scott said.
To promote the move, the Florida GOP has launched a line of merchandise featuring a “space elephant," a toy akin to the Republican Party's logo, over the state of Florida.
Power concluded his pitch to Duffy by reaffirming Florida’s commitment to "freedom, fiscal responsibility, and limited government," saying those values align with NASA's mission of space exploration.
