PNGAS

LEGISLATIVE ALERT #08-02 March 20, 2008

To: NGAUS Members, Adjutants General, Executive Directors, Presidents and CACOs
The Issue: National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2008

Immediate Action Required: Contact your Members of Congress and urge them to support and
co-sponsor S. 2760 or H.R. 5603 - National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2008.
On March 14th, a bipartisan team of National Guard supporters in Congress - Senator’s Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Kit Bond (R-MO), co-chairs of the Senate National Guard Caucus, and Representative’s Gene Taylor (D-MS) and Tom Davis (R-VA) introduced the National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2008.

Empowerment legislation enacted in the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA); elevated the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB) to 4-stars, designated the National Guard Bureau as a joint activity, required the Defense Secretary to develop a Charter for the National Guard Bureau, identified the CNGB as a principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs for matters pertaining to non-federalized Guard forces, and more.

Empowerment II, as some are calling it, will build on those historic improvements by; increasing the quality of advice at the highest levels by creating a seat on the Joint Chiefs for the CNGB, assuring our nation’s governors maintain “tactical control” over federal forces during emergencies, improve the Department of Defense’s domestic capabilities by providing the National Guard budgetary authority to research, validate, and procure essential equipment for homeland defense, ensure that United States Northern Command and United States Pacific Command remain in support of a state/National Guard—led response, and more.

The National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2008 is the next logical step to ensure the National Guard fully develops its capabilities as an operational force. More information concerning Empowerment legislation can be found on our web site www.ngaus.org.

Contact your members of Congress and urge them to support and co-sponsor S. 2760 or H.R. 5603 to ensure the National Guard is at the table, empowered, and better prepared for homeland defense response.

TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION:

By using the “Write to Congress” feature provided below, you can IMMEDIATELY e-mail your elected representatives. A sample letter is included in our “Write to Congress” feature. You can e-mail the pre-written message or edit the sample letter as you desire. This is the quickest and most effective method of expressing your views to Congress. Also, contact your friends and family and urge them to “Write to Congress” as well. For more in-depth information and background visit our web site at www.ngaus.org/.