Pence’s appearance at a NASA facility was tied to his role as the chair of the reestablished National Space Council, a “high-level group [that] advises the president and comprises the leaders of government agencies with a stake in space.” During his appearance, Pence came out strong with some big promises for the U.S. space program.
“Here from this bridge to space, our nation will return to the moon, and we will put American boots on the face of Mars,” he proclaimed. “For nearly 25 years, our government’s commitment seems to have not matched the spirit of the American people.
But I’m here to tell you, that as we still enter this new century, we will beat back any disadvantage that our lack of attention has placed, and America will once again lead in space for the benefit and the security of all of our people and all of the world.”