Rep. Vince Fong Calls Out California Coastal Commission for Political Bias - Short Sighted Actions Recklessly Halts Vital Growth in America’s Space Innovation

Rep. Vince Fong (CA-20) calls out the California Coastal Commission’s recent decision to prevent additional SpaceX rocket launches in California, apparently due to political views held by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. In a letter sent to the Commission, Rep. Fong discusses its potential use of political bias to punish a specific company. Rep. Fong also defends his belief that government decisions affecting the future of the commercial space industry should be made fairly and without regard to political views, stating these actions will halt vital growth in America’s space innovation. Read the full letter here or highlights below.

I write with grave concerns over the California Coastal Commission’s recent decision to prevent additional SpaceX rocket launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB), with commissioners citing political animus to justify what should have been a non-political decision. As a Member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I believe that government entities should encourage the spirit of innovation, especially in my home state of California, and reduce regulatory burdens on industry to enable the United States to compete with China and win the 21st century space race. As a Member of Congress, I believe that government decisions should be made in a fair and impartial manner, without regard to political views.

I understand that the Commission voted last week—against its own staff’s recommendation—to non-concur with a U.S. Space Force proposal to increase the number of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launches at VSFB from 36 to 50 per year. Commissioners publicly stated that they want to prevent additional launches and cited concerns with the alleged political views of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. In all my years in public service, I have never heard of a commission discussing politics as the basis for official action. This seems to be an egregious use of political discrimination to punish a specific company. I am most concerned that the Commission’s actions risk the public’s trust in our democratic institutions and their ability to rely on the First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing the free exercise of speech and due process.