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FLORIDA - Senator Rick Scott is urging the federal government to move NASA’s main offices out of Washington and bring them to Florida’s Space Coast.
In a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, Scott, joined by the full Florida Congressional delegation, pitched the idea of relocating NASA headquarters to Brevard County.
He cited the upcoming expiration of the agency’s current lease in Washington and the projected 500 million dollar cost of a new facility in the National Capital Region as reasons to consider the move.
Scott argued that Florida offers more than just cost savings.
He described the state as the undisputed leader in space operations, pointing to the proximity of Kennedy Space Center, a skilled aerospace workforce, and infrastructure already in place.
He also noted that Space Florida can provide build to suit options with the support of state financing programs.
However, critics of the proposal say the idea faces serious obstacles, including disrupting the agency’s close ties to lawmakers and federal agencies in Washington.
One critic vocalized concerns that headquarters staff work primarily on budgeting, policy, and Capitol Hill relations, not engineering or spacecraft design, making Washington a strategically important location.
The push to move NASA’s base follows the introduction of the CAPE Canaveral Act, a bill co-sponsored by Scott earlier this year.
The legislation calls for relocating NASA’s central offices to Florida, though it is likely other states would compete fiercely if the idea gains traction.