COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A bipartisan group from Ohio's congressional delegation, including Sen. John Husted and Rep. Jim Jordan, is calling on NASA's headquarters to relocate to the Buckeye State. In a March 11 letter, the delegation argued moving operations from Washington, D.C., to Ohio would "enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and fiscal responsibility" of NASA, given the space administration is evaluating potential alternatives ahead of the current headquarter's lease expiration in 2028. Along with Husted and Jordan, the letter is signed by Sen. Bernie Moreno, Reps. Marcy Kaptur, Michael Rulli, Troy Balderson, Mike Carey and several others. Ohio State under federal investigation, accused of ‘race-exclusionary practices’ "While we recognize that other states may pursue similar proposals, Ohio presents a uniquely advantageous case due to its rich aerospace heritage, lower operational costs, and central role in the nation's technology and defense sectors," the letter argues. "Ohio is the historical home of aviation and ideally suited to lead NASA into the next frontier of both aeronautics functions and space exploration." Moving operations from Washington D.C. to Ohio would "enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and fiscal responsibility" of NASA, the letter said. (Adobe Stock) Addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Administrator Designate Jared Isaacman, the Trump administration's pick to lead NASA, the letter notes that Cleveland is home to the NASA Glenn Research Center and could offer significantly lower operating expenses than Washington. The move would align with "border efforts to decentralize federal agencies and reinvigorate regions outside the beltway," the letter said. The group argues placing NASA in the "Heart of it All" would reinforce Ohio's national leadership in space exploration, given the state is "the heart of America's aerospace industry and a critical hub for advanced technology." Unsolved Ohio: Where is Carla Losey? Columbus woman vanished 23 years ago Ohio's delegation also notes that few NASA headquarters employees currently work in-office, so consolidating near an existing field center would streamline agency functions while ensuring access to necessary infrastructure. The letter reiterates that the Glenn Research Center and its Lewis Field site at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport offer extensive office space and redevelopment opportunities, "making them ideal locations to accommodate NASA headquarters operations." "[The Trump administration] has signaled a commitment to reshaping the federal workforce by moving administrative agencies out of Washington D.C., promoting a return-to-office culture and improving government efficiency," the letter said. "A relocation of NASA headquarters aligns with these objectives by encouraging in-person collaboration while reducing unnecessary federal overhead costs." The effort comes after Ohio politicians launched a failed campaign in 2023 for President Biden to choose the state as the next home for the U.S. Space Command. In June of that year, the Ohio House passed a resolution urging the federal government to pick Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton as the new Space Command. Remembering the deadly tornado outbreak in central Ohio one year ago Ultimately, Ohio didn't make the shortlist for Space Command's headquarters, which included other "reasonable alternatives" like Albuquerque, New Mexico; Cape Canaveral, Florida; and San Antonio, Texas. Biden announced the headquarters would remain where it had already been stationed in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Still, another bipartisan Ohio group urged the U.S. Space Force last year to select the state as the headquarters for a testing mission designed to evaluate the capabilities of the force’s squadrons. ...read more read less