Rep. Sheri Biggs Questions State Dept. on NGO Collaboration in International Space Policy

State Department's Role in Space Policy

• 🎯 The State Department plays a supporting role in international space policy, focusing on implementing US foreign policy and working with international partners.
• ⚠️ The department aims to spotlight threats and challenges posed by competitors in the space domain.

Integrating Non-Governmental Expertise

• 💡 Non-governmental actors (NGOs) are seen as an invaluable resource for formulating and executing forward-looking space-related foreign policy.
• 🤝 The State Department works at every level with NGOs, recognizing them as a major source of information and influence on host governments.
• 🌍 Maintaining channels to non-governmental actors is essential for 21st-century diplomacy, especially given the global closure of civil society space.

Challenges and Congressional Action

• 📈 There's a need to resource new threats and adapt to emerging activities in the space domain, which may be hindered by outdated organizational structures and authorization bills.
• 🏛️ Congress and the State Department can take concrete steps to more effectively and proactively integrate non-governmental expertise directly into the Office of Space Affairs for foreign policy.