Vice President Mike Pence said in a speech at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston that the U.S. Space Force would be established by 2020.

“The need is real,” he said, citing a Pentagon report that showed Russia and China making swift advancement in their respective space capabilities.

“As we speak, the Department of Defense is moving forward with initial steps to strengthen American security in space, and we will continue to work with both parties in Congress to provide the necessary authorities and funding to stand up a new branch of our armed forces,” he said.

He also added that the Trump administration was “working tirelessly” to put a U.S. crew on the Lunar Orbital Platform before the end of 2024.

Watch Pence’s full remarks in the player above. You can read his full remarks here.