U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) has blocked a second try by Colorado lawmakers to pass national defense spending legislation that would delay selection of a permanent U.S. Space Command home keeping the headquarters in their state, Strong’s office said today.

After an earlier, failed attempt in the House Armed Services Committee to block a headquarters move to Alabama, Colorado U.S. Reps. Doug Lamborn and Laura Boebert introduced new legislation into the National Defense Authorization Act, Strong’s office said. Their two amendments “would have effectively allowed SPACECOM to continue building up the temporary headquarters in Colorado Springs,” Strong said.

Alabama lawmakers think some money Congress authorized to make the older Colorado startup quarters functional is going for upgrades that argue for keeping the headquarters there.

Strong and U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala) have already blocked one attempt by Lamborn in the House Armed Services Committee to make a headquarters move to Alabama less likely. And Rogers, chair of the Armed Services Committee, has proposed his own legislation to freeze all construction funding for Space Command in Colorado and cut the secretary of the Air Force’s travel budget in half until the headquarters issue is decided. They just want a final decision, Alabama lawmakers say.

“These amendments are not in the best interest of America’s national security, and I was glad to see them withdrawn from consideration,” Strong said of the newer Lamborn and Boebert legislation. “If (Air Force) Secretary (Frank) Kendall hasn’t decided where Space Command is going to be permanently located after over two and a half years, he shouldn’t be traveling and definitely shouldn’t be spending taxpayer money to build up a temporary home.”

Boebert and Lamborn had filed their legislation to keep the headquarters work moving forward with the House Rules Committee to be considered as floor amendments. Lamborn withdrew his measure Thursday, June 7, and Boebert withdrew her legislation over the weekend.