In a show of unity, all 55 governors of U.S. states and territories are urging Congress to stop a plan for increased federal control of state Air National Guard units. The proposal is currently part of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, the annual must-pass defense budget and policy bill.
Legislative Proposal 480 would allow the federal government to reassign certain Air National Guard units, usually controlled by a state’s governor, to the U.S. Space Force without a governor’s approval.
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The House Armed Services Committee advanced the bill –– passed Tuesday, Dec. 11 –– with the proposal in it.
Gov. Jared Polis, D-Colo., and Gov. Kevin Stitt, R-Okla., released a joint statement on behalf of the National Governors Association.
“The Armed Services Committee’s failure to preserve governors’ lawful authority over their National Guards in the NDAA is deeply concerning and breaks with more than a century of important precedent surrounding state’s rights, as well as a violation of federal law,” they said. “It is crystal clear that National Guard units may not be moved without consultation and approval from governors.”
The National Guard Association of the United States, the leading group representing National Guard service members, also opposes the bill. The organization told its members “with all 55 of the nation’s governors behind us, now is the time to make your voice heard.”
The Space Force is the newest service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, formally established in 2019. If it passes, the proposal could shape the relationship between the new branch and the Air National Guard’s space-related units.
The governors said they support the NDAA but hope Congress changes the Space Force proposal’s current language before final passage.
Tags: Air National Guard, Department of Defense, National Defense Authorization Act, National Guard, U.S. military, U.S. Space Force
LAUREN TAYLOR: In a rare show of unity, all 55 governors of U.S. states and territories are urging Congress to stop a plan for increased federal control of state Air National Guard units from becoming law.
Legislative Proposal 480 would allow the federal government to reassign certain Air National Guard units – normally under the control of a state’s governor – to the U.S. Space Force *without* the approval of a governor.
The proposal is currently in the text of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, the annual must-pass defense budget and policy bill.
The House Armed Services Committee advanced the bill without an amendment that would have removed the proposal, and the House passed the bill on Tuesday.
Democratic Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Republican Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt released a joint statement on behalf of the National Governors Association, saying “The Armed Services Committee’s failure to preserve Governors’ lawful authority over their National Guards in the NDAA is deeply concerning and breaks with more than a century of important precedent surrounding state’s rights – as well as a violation of federal law.”
Adding that “It is crystal clear that National Guard units may not be moved without consultation and approval from governors.”
The National Guard Association of the United States, the leading group representing National Guard service members, also opposes the bill, telling its members “With all 55 of the nation’s governors behind us, now is the time to make your voice heard.”
The Space Force is the newest service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, formally established in 2019. The proposal is meant to shape the relationship between the new branch and the Air National Guard’s space-related units.
The governors said they support the NDAA overall but hope Congress can change the current language of the Space Force proposal before final passage.
For Straight Arrow News, I’m Lauren Taylor.
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