Defend the Guard Act

The Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war, not any other branch of government, and too often, our country is pulled into open-ended conflict without congressional approval.

It has not been since World War II that Congress has issued a formal declaration of war, and in times of foreign conflict, the federal government has called on the National Guard to fight abroad. Alarmingly, a declaration of war is not necessary for the government to deploy the National Guardsmen of our 50 states.

That’s why I have drafted a Senate bill, the Defend the Guard Act.

This bill would bar the Michigan National Guard from being released into active-duty combat overseas unless Congress has officially declared war. The National Guard has a dual mission: to answer to the governors of our 50 states for domestic emergencies and to the president to defend our homeland.

This bill would not prohibit the National Guard from being called forward to defend the United States from a foreign invasion or restrict its deployment to protect against an insurrection. Further, this bill would not go into effect unless 25 states in the union enacted legislation like this to defend the National Guard from combat deployment.

The National Guard is here to serve our states, not for deployment far from home. And the National Guard must not be seen as a routine combat force for undeclared foreign conflict.

Supporting the National Guard means refusing to send them into conflict if Congress has not authorized it.

Please use the form below to share your opinion on this bill. Your voice makes a difference.