Congress has recognized use of National guard and House Authorization Bill has language reflecting the Guard's new roles and missions:
Empowering the National Guard and Reserves
As the use of the National Guard has expanded in recent years, the National Guard and Reserves have been called upon to meet an ever expanding range of requirements. Given this trend, the Committee feels the National Guard and Reserve must be given the resources and authorities necessary to meet these new requirements. The following are initiatives designed to assist the National Guard in fulfilling its expanded role in the nation’s defense:
National Guard Empowerment Act
The Committee takes many of the recommendations from the National Guard and Reserve Commission and combines them with provisions of the National Guard Empowerment Act to develop a legislative package that will restore our National Guard and Reserves to their full strength. None of these changes are intended to alter the current relationship between the National Guard and the services.
The National Guard Empowerment Act does the following:
• Authorizes a fourth star for the Chief of the National Guard Bureau and enhances the duties of that position.
• Makes the National Guard Bureau a joint activity of the DoD.
• Expands the National Guard Bureau charter to include official coordination with federal agencies, states, Joint Forces Command and Northern Command on homeland and civil support activities.
• Requires the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to review and determine how to incorporate more National Guard and Reserve personnel into positions at Northern Command.
• Creates a bipartisan Council of Governors to advise the President on how best to use the National Guard for civil support missions.
The following initiatives aim to improve the condition of the National Guard:
National Guard and Reserve Equipment Fund
The Committee authorizes an additional $1 billion for the procurement of critical, high-priority equipment to address National Guard and reserve component unfunded equipment shortfalls. The National Guard is no longer a strategic reserve component but is now considered an operational force. The Committee is aware that personnel, equipment, and training readiness for the National Guard and reserve components have fallen dramatically since 2001 and feels this is an unacceptable situation.
