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Today, President Trump signed an executive order to reinstate the National Space Council, an executive agency that will be tasked with guiding US space policy during the administration. The council, typically chaired by the vice president, is one that the US has seen before; it was first in operation during the 60s and 70s and then again under the George H.W. Bush administration, before being dissolved in 1993. Now, its back again, and this time with Vice President Mike Pence at the helm.

This will be Pences eyes and ears into our governments actions in space.

Other notable members of the executive branch will serve on the council as well, according to a draft of the order obtained by The Verge. Those include the secretary of state and the secretary of defense, as well as NASAs administrator though that positioned has yet to be filled permanently. The executive order lays out the main functions of the council, too, which revolve around making recommendations of space policy for the president and how to implement that guidance. It also calls for the creation of an advisory group, comprised of non-government workers and those in the industry to provide advice.

The councils purview includes NASA, as well as the US Air Force and intelligence community, which rely heavily on satellites for national defense. Basically this will be Pences eyes and ears into our governments actions in space, whether its NASA or the Pentagon, Phil Larson, a former space policy advisor for the Obama administration, tells The Verge.

The council's resurrection has been in the works since the campaign, when one of Trump's space advisors advocated for it. Pence confirmed in March he'd head the council, and a draft of the executive order to reinstate the group has been around since May, according to a report by Space News.

It's not yet clear what policy the council will implement. Two factions appear to have formed within the space community: "old space" and "new space." The "old space" group prefers the traditional way NASA has done business: the agency gives pricey contracts to government contractors, to develop vehicles that are ultimately overseen and operated by NASA. Its how the agency is making its next monster rocket, the Space Launch System, which is meant to take astronauts into deep space and onto Mars.

As for what type of policy the council will implement, thats still up for debate

New space advocates prefer a more hands-off approach, leaning on public-private partnerships. Under this model, NASA tells the private sector what service it wants and companies make pitches. This is the basic formula for NASAs Commercial Crew Program, which tasks SpaceX and Boeing with building spacecraft to take astronauts to and from the International Space Station. These types of contracts are usually fixed-price and are often hailed for being more cost-effective ways of doing business. But NASA doesn't own the vehicles and has less oversight in development.

It's unclear which faction will win on the counsel. Pence and his team seem to support public-private partnerships, Larson says. But the attendees at todays briefing about the council indicate old space may have an edge. The room was filled with legislators from Alabama, the state where the SLS is being developed. And representatives from most of the major private space companies were noticeably absent.

Of course, the council may just be an additional layer of bureaucracy that slows the making process it just depends on how itll be used. It could help break some of the log jams weve seen, instead of muddling through space policy right now, says Larson. But it will only work that way if space is a high priority for Pence.

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Mike Pence will now oversee US space policy - The Verge

Miami Herald

GOP's latest worry: White House turmoil dividing Trump, Pence staffs Miami Herald Republicans are growing concerned that the staffs of Donald Trump and Mike Pence are starting to feud, the latest trouble to hit a White House that has spent months battling crisis after crisis. They worry that any rift could be delaying decisions ... How Donald Trump Decides to Fire SomeoneNew York Magazine all 171 news articles »

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GOP's latest worry: White House turmoil dividing Trump, Pence staffs - Miami Herald

Vice Presidential Chief of Staff Josh Pitcock, second from right, looks on as President Donald Trump meets with automobile company executives in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Jan. 24, 2017.(Photo: Pool, Getty Images)

WASHINGTON Vice President Pence is replacing his chief of staff, swapping one long-time aide for another in his first major staff change.

Josh Pitcock, who worked for Pence for a dozen years, is leaving the job at the end of the month. Pitcock worked for Pence both when he was a member of Congress and Indiana's governor.

Nick Ayers, a Pence political adviser, will take his place.

The change was first reported by The New York Times.

Ayers was a top adviser to Pences gubernatorial re-election campaign and became his senior adviser on the vice presidential campaign trail. He also helped Pence lead the transition team.

Pence said he's "come to appreciate Nick's friendship, keen intellect and integrity."

"I couldnt be more excited to have him come to the White House," Pencesaid in a statement.

Republican political strategists Nick Ayers and Kellyanne Conway arrives at Trump Tower, December 8, 2016 in New York City. President-elect Donald Trump and his transition team are in the process of filling cabinet and other high level positions for the new administration.(Photo: Drew Angerer, Getty Images)

Ayers, Pitcock and Marc Short, President Trumps director of legislative affairs, are part of a tight circle of Pence advisers which also includes longtime aide and fundraiser Marty Obst.

"Deciding to leave was not easy, but I believe the time is right for me to transition to the private sector," Pitcock said in a statement. "Nick and I have worked seamlessly together for years and will continue to do so through the transition and thereafter.

Ayers is still expected to play a role in Pence's team, but from an outside perspective.

"Whatever the future holds for Josh and his family, he will remain one of my most trusted advisers and cherished friends," Pence said in a statement.

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The change is taking place a few weeks after Pence announced he hired outside counsel to help him respond to questions raised by the special counsel investigatingpossible collusion between Trump campaign associates and Russia.

A Pence official who was not authorized to speak about the subject said the ongoing investigationis not a factor in the change in top aides.

Although Pence has not been at the center of the questions raised about Trump campaign officials, hehasnt escaped totally unscathed.

The New York Timesreported last month that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn told the Trump transition team headed by Pence that he was under FBI investigation for secretly lobbying for Turkey during the campaign. After that report, Pence reiterated a previous statement that he first learned of Flynn's lobbying in March.

Flynn was fired after he lied to Pence and others about not having spoken during the transition with the Russian ambassador about the sanctions imposed on the country by the Obama administration.

After President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, Pence repeated the initial White House explanation that Comey was dismissed based on the recommendation of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.But Trump later undercut that explanation, sayinghe was going to fire Comey regardless of the Justice Department's recommendation which centered on the former FBI director's controversial handling of the Hillary Clinton email prob and confirmed in a television interview the Russia investigation was indeed on his mind when he made the decision.

Pence relied heavily on former aides from his congressional and gubernatorial days to staff his new office.

Pitcock started in Pences congressional office as a legislative assistant and rose to chief of staff. When Pence became governor, the state contracted with Pitcock to lobby for Indianas interests in Washington. Pitcock continued that post while also working on the vice presidential campaign.

As a former lobbyist, Pitcock was given a waiver from the ethics rules Trump signed earlier this year that barred any lawyers and lobbyists joining the administration from working on matters that involved their former clients.

Pence said he will always be grateful for the foundation Pitcock laid in his office.

For his part, Ayers, a Georgia native who headed the Republican Governors Association in 2010, was a top contender to take over the Republican National Committee after the election.

Instead, he helped start America First Policies, an outside group launched in January to promote Trumps policies and provide a counter balance to the agenda of the liberal and biased media.

The group has run ads against GOP Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada for his opposition to the Republican bill to overhaul Obamacare.

Ayers, who had been considering running for governor, said his departure from Georgia - "albeit temporarily" is only possible because of how much he believes in the policies Pence and Trump are fighting for.

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Mike Pence's first major staff shakeup: Josh Pitcock out, Nick Ayers in as chief of staff - USA TODAY

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Updated: Thursday, June 29, 2017, 9:21 AM

CLEVELAND Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday reiterated a promise to repeal former President Barack Obama's health care reforms by the end of the summer despite uncertainty over whether a Republican bill has enough votes to pass the Senate.

In a speech delivered at a Cleveland manufacturing facility, Pence defended the bill, saying its measures to expand health savings accounts and create tax credits would make insurance more affordable. He said the legislation would cut costs for businesses and give states flexibility to tailor Medicaid programs to local needs.

"(President Donald Trump) believes in state-based solutions, not one-size-fits-all Washington answers," Pence said.

After Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell abandoned plans to bring the bill to a vote this week, fresh GOP critics came forward to attack the bill, with the number of Republican senators publicly complaining about it hitting double digits.

But despite strong party opposition, Pence said the Trump administration is continuing to make "great progress every single day."

Pence's speech came a day after Ohio U.S. Sen. Rob Portman declared his opposition to the bill, catching the senator in the crosshairs of a high-stakes intraparty fight.

Portman is among Republican senators facing intense pressure back home, targeted by demonstrators, advertisement campaigns and a verbal onslaught from Gov. John Kasich, who has spearheaded GOP criticism of the Senate bill.

Pence didn't criticize Portman. Instead, Pence took aim at Democrats, saying Obama's health reforms had driven up insurance premiums and deductibles and blaming them for obstructing health care reform.

"Obamacare has failed, and Obamacare must go," Pence said. "You'd have to be a politician blinded by partisanship to believe otherwise. But, sadly, Congress is full of them."

Democrats have roundly criticized the Republican plan to scrap the Obama health care law. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has said, "Surely we can do better than what the Republican health care bill promises."

In a nod to Ohio's drug overdose problems, Pence singled out opioids in his speech Wednesday, saying the bill would provide new resources to help fight mounting death tolls. Portman has expressed concerns about the impact of slashed Medicaid funding on Ohio's ability to battle the epidemic.

Pence, toward the end of his speech, urged his audience of about 200 people to contact their representatives to put pressure on them to roll back Obama's health care law.

Steven Simons, a 57-year-old paint worker at the workshop where Pence made his speech, said he had faith in the Trump administration's ability to repeal the Democratic former president's health care reforms.

"I know they ain't got it right yet, but they will get it right," Simons said.

Simons said he's covered by employer health insurance and his coverage was reduced under Obama.

Pence also spoke about cutting taxes and bringing manufacturing jobs from overseas.

Earlier in the day, Pence participated in a round-table discussion with business leaders and toured the facility, Tendon Manufacturing, and spoke with workers who demonstrated a laser metal cutter and sheet metal fabricators.

Pence was on his fourth visit to Ohio since taking office in January.

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Mike Pence says Trump will repeal Obamacare by the end of summer - New York Daily News

Vice President Mike Pence had an "organizational" phone call Wednesday with members of the election fraud panel that the White House commissioned last month.

With an executive order, President Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which is charged with investigating voter fraud and issuing recommendations to prevent it.

"The integrity of the vote is a foundation of our democracy; this bipartisan commission will review ways to strengthen that integrity in order to protect and preserve the principle of one person, one vote," said Pence, who leads the election fraud panel, told commission members in the phone call, according to a White House statement.

Kris Kobach, vice chair of the commission and Kansas secretary of state, told members he will send a letter Wednesday to the 50 states and District of Columbia requesting publicly available data from state voter rolls and feedback on how to prevent voter fraud.

The commission set July 19 as its first meeting in Washington, D.C.

Trump instituted the commission after making an unsubstantiated claim that millions of illegal immigrants voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, and prevented him from winning the popular vote.

Democrats and civil rights groups have condemned the panel as a waste of taxpayer money that is meant to restrict voting access to minority groups.

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Mike Pence holds 'organizational' call with Trump's voter fraud panel - Washington Examiner