Laugh all you want, but the idea of creating a Space Force as the sixth branch of the military is gaining traction, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"The way it's being branded is not the right way of doing it," Congressman Henry Cuellar admits, "But should we have capability in space? The answer is yes."
Cuellar (D-Laredo) sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, which would be tasked with paying for a Space Force.
"To set up another department is going to cost a lot of money. It's not going to be a couple millions of dollars. It's going to be in the billions of dollars."
But he says it's critical to protect American assets like GPS satellites or satellites that are linked to the banking industry.
It comes at a time, he says, when China and Russia are expanding into computer hacking as the next battlefield.
"Our emphasis is still on the old legacy equipment that we have. They're looking at cyber warfare and satellites."
The Space Force is also winning praise from U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Last year, he opposed moves in Congress to create a separate space service. At the time, he said it was too early.
"What I was against was rushing to do that before we could define the problem," he told reporters flying with him to Brazil to begin his first tour of South America as defense secretary.
Mattis said he has been discussing this with Trump and Pence since the first month of the administration.
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