WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, issued the following statement after the Department of Defense announced the release of its unclassified Space Policy strategy for protecting and defending space systems and the Joint Force from the hostile use of space.

“This is a strong first step in ensuring the United States continues to achieve our national security and defense objectives and that we continue to develop, test, and employ needed capabilities on-orbit by building on our innovation and technology strengths. Over classification within the space domain has been a bipartisan focus of the House Armed Services Committee as it hinders collaboration with allies, partners, and industry, and has made it difficult to communicate the threats that are being developed, tested, and launched to degrade and destroy U.S. satellites. Further, it has hampered the ability of the Executive and Legislative branches to communicate with the American public how the U.S. will protect and defend on-orbit capabilities that are essential to our way of life.

“As Joint Force operations continue to face constantly evolving challenges, the ability to communicate clearly but without compromise our strategy to deter aggression and, if deterrence fails, prevail in conflict is particularly crucial. Perhaps most importantly, the strategy ensures that we remain the world leader in the responsible use of space and establishing and maintaining norms of behavior in this increasingly essential domain.

“We commend the Department for taking this important step to communicate the Department’s strategy in the space domain. We will continue to work with leadership in DoD to talk more openly about the threats we face in space and our strategy to deter, and if necessary, defeat them.”

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