Governor Kevin Stitt and 52 governors agree that the Department of Defense’s Legislative Proposal 480 goes too far in curtailing the authority a state’s chief executive has over National Guard assets.
The group wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the DOD opposing the move to weaking governor’s authority over assets which could threaten readiness.
“For over a century, Title 10 and Title 32 of U.S.C. have upheld gubernatorial authority over the National Guard. National Guard assets are critical components of states’ and territories’ responses to crises. Governors must maintain full authority as Commanders in Chief of these assets to protect operational readiness and America’s communities.
“Legislation that sidesteps, eliminates or otherwise reduces Governors’ authority within their states and territories undermines longstanding partnerships, precedence, military readiness and operational efficacy. This action also negatively affects the important relationships between Governors and DOD at a time when we need to have full trust and confidence between the two to meet the growing threats posed by the era of strategic competition as well as natural disasters,” the governors’ letter read in part.
