Senate’s Guard Caucus Leaders Send
Letter To Leadership Opposing Bill Riders
That, When Invoked, Would Remove Governors’ Domain Over National
Guard
National Guard
Caucus Co-Chairs Bond And Leahy
Join Governors In Seeking Removal Of Defense Authorization Bill
Riders
WASHINGTON (Thursday, Sept. 7) --
U.S. Sens. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the
co-chairs of the Senate National Guard Caucus, Thursday released
a letter they have sent to the leadership of the House and
Senate Armed Services Committees in which they ask for removal
of a provision in the House and Senate versions of the Defense
Authorization Bill – now in conference – that would make it
easier for the President to invoke the Insurrection Act and, in
turn, to declare martial law. The rider – which is similar in
both the House and Senate bills -- allows the activation of the
military, including the National Guard, in domestic emergencies
without the consent of state governors.
The National Association of
Governors in August sent a letter to Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld and to the leadership of both the House and Senate,
opposing these provisions in the bill. Earlier this year, Leahy
and Bond introduced legislation to strengthen the involvement of
the states in the defense planning process through the National
Guard. A version of their legislation was included in the
Senate-passed version of same Defense Authorization Bill that is
currently under negotiation between the House and Senate.
"As a former Governor who has
called upon the National Guard in crisis, I share our governors'
concern and opposition to the House and Senate language. This
proposal would giver our nation's governors less control over
their Guard units and provide the President with unnecessary and
unprecedented power to invoke martial law," said Bond.
“The language in the House and
Senate bills threatens to undermine the authority of
democratically elected governors and needlessly makes it easier
for a President to declare martial law,” said Leahy. “Lessening
the governors’ control over their National Guard units will
ultimately weaken the protection the Guard provides to our
communities. Senator Bond and I have introduced legislation
this year to strengthen and empower the National Guard. We hope
the conferees considering the Defense Authorization Bill will
consider the opposition of the Senate’s over 80-member National
Guard Caucus, as well as that of the governors, and that they
will consider the National Guard Empowerment Act as an effective
alternative that supports, instead of undermines, the crucial
missions of the National Guard.”
A copy of the Bond-Leahy letter is
available as a PDF.
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National Governors Association Letter to House and Senate
Leadership
National Governors Association Letter to Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld
National
Governors Association Letter to House and Senate Leadership,
signed by 51 state governors
