President Trump Has Indicated He Will Sign The Bill

In a compromise move, Congress approved a defense policy bill that creates a new Space Force that has been a priority for President Donald Trump. The new service was included in exchange for the establishment of paid parental leave for federal workers.

Defense News reports that the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act redesignates the Air Force Space Command as the Space Force, a sixth branch of the armed services. But it also includes language that prohibits the Pentagon from creating any new billets for the service, meaning it must be staffed with existing forces, and keeps space operations under the auspices of the Air Force.

The bill does create a new Chief of Space Operations, or CSO, who will be a direct report to the Secretary of the Air Force and become a member of the Joint Chiefs of staff.

The bill also creates an assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration who will be the "senior space architect" and chair a Space Force Acquisition Council. Another new civilian position created by the NDAA is an assistant secretary of defense for space policy.

(Image from file)

FMI: Source report
Source report