28 members of Congress have joined together to create a bipartisan congressional caucus to mark a new era in space exploration. Representative Mo Brooks (AL-5) is one of the founding members of the House National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) caucus. The caucus will be dedicated to advocating for the space agency’s economic and national security importance, as well as educating policy makers on current NASA initiatives.

According to Alabama Today, Brooks currently serves as the vice-chair on the Space Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. “It is an honor to serve as the Congressman representing the Tennessee Valley, home to Alabama’s Marshall Space Flight Center – one of NASA’s largest field installations with nearly 6,000 civil service and contract employees​,” Brooks said. “​​Without the contributions of the dedicated engineers, scientists, and other talented professionals we would be unable to inspire the next generation with the dream of continued space exploration.”

The caucus is led by Representative Steve Knight (R-CA) and Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH). The announcement was made Wednesday, on the anniversary of the launch of Pioneer I in 1958, NASA’s first spacecraft.

“​​I am excited to report that there is a renewed commitment to space exploration on Capitol Hill and you can feel the excitement. The recently launched NASA Caucus will help bring to the forefront NASA’s most important endeavors, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to further America’s global leadership in space,” added Brooks.

The government space agency has been at the forefront of political discourse over the past few years, as underfunding and the rise of the private sector in space exploration has led some lawmakers to believe the agency is obsolete. The caucus hopes to keep NASA as the forerunner in modern space technology and exploration.