Congressional wisdom? Yes, sometimes.

Congress takes a lot of hits for being divided, misinformed, missing the mark, and out of touch with America.  Rightly so, since Congress and this president are often tone-deaf to our common concerns about the economy’s health, country’s direction and our future national security.  But there are – believe it or not – redeeming moments, also.  From somewhere, the winds of wisdom blow across Capitol Hill, and surprise us all.  A sudden catharsis occurs, a sense that maybe Congress can and does occasionally listen.  One of these occurred in mid-December – and it preserved our national security. 

For more than a year, members of the broad national security community have been testifying before Congress, writing and trying to explain to members that short-term choices often block long-term options – and that these long-term options can be critical.  Losing them can be irreversible.  Nowhere is that more true than in preserving national security, and in no part of national security is the risk higher than in preserving our options in space.   

{mosads}Reliable access to space, especially heavy lift access, requires enormous advance planning, creation and preserving of experience, flexibility and ingenuity, risk and common sense.  Most of all, it requires a degree of unlikely deference by those with power to those with knowledge, by members of Congress to real subject-matter experts, real proven “rocket scientists,” as well as those in applied physics and engineering, security and intelligence. 

In 2014, Congress sprang off the line and punished Russia for invading Ukraine, a politically satisfying act that seemed timely, even necessary.  They used broad sanctions, not war, another good choice.  But in choosing sanctions, they suddenly amputated U.S. purchasing power, and worse – American access to space, since they put a sudden end to America’s use of Russia’s unique, heavy-lift rocket engines.  These engines are viewed by experts – in physics, engineering, space and security – as vital to America’s reliable access to deeper space, at least for the foreseeable future.  Until America can manage a decade-long parallel engine development, we will need to launch our Atlas 5 rockets on so-called RD-180 Russian rocket engines.  There are few alternatives, none that offers any confidence yet.

But there are occasions on which angling, egos and agendas aside, Congress studies an issue and comes to the right conclusion.  This can apparently even happen when the issue involves a revision of prior thinking.  Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) led the rethinking process.  He wrote widely, collected a range of opinions; he persuaded colleagues, heard from experts on both sides of this issue and from both parties.  He apparently must have turned even some of his more headstrong colleagues around.  The result of his effort has, by all indications, been to save America’s heavy launch options in space for the indefinite future, specifically by saving America’s option to use foreign engines in support of U.S. heavy lift launches as and when needed until we deliver our own heavy lift engines. 

The exact language was this:  “That notwithstanding any other provision of law, award may be made to a launch service provider competing with any certified launch vehicle in its inventory regardless of the country of origin of the rocket engine that will be used on its launch vehicle, in order to ensure robust competition and continued assured access to space.”

The reason to take notice of the exact language is that it offers two lessons.  First, it assures that America will not now lose the critical ability to launch heavy payloads on American rockets from U.S. soil with foreign engines and at manageable expense, thus preserving our intelligence and parallel interests in space.  The second lesson demonstrates congress can, when necessary, step back and actually do something for the right reasons, not merely for political gain. 

This completed provision is an example of genuine rethink, a thoughtful review of a prior congressional position that was deemed too quick, if not misguided and ill-directed, perhaps just overtaken by time – as a matter of both engineering and mounting security concerns.  Congress is not always cocksure, headstrong or wrong, but can on occasion, honestly review its own recent actions, updating and revising them to protect us when necessary.   The solace found in that reality should offer reassurance on this and other issues, near and longer term.   Sometimes, Congress does listen, does rethink, and does surprise us with forethought and solid judgment.

Johnson, fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and former F-15 Strike Eagle and A-10 Warthog fighter pilot, served as a political-military adviser on the staff of the Secretary of the Air Force (International Affairs) and senior adviser to a Royal Air Force think tank. He is an adjunct at North Central Texas College specializing in defense studies.