Letter to the Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, to the Hon. Charles E. Schumer, Senate Majority Leader, to the Hon. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, to the Hon. Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader - Womack, Bustos Lead Bipartisan Call to Reimburse National Guard for Capitol Security

Letter

Dear House and Senate Leaders,

Throughout the first seven months of 2021, the nation faced unexpected emergencies demanding robust federal responses. As you continue to negotiate a deal to provide emergency appropriations to address these crises, we urge you to resolve the budget shortfall of the National Guard. Following the events of January 6th, the Guard responded to the Capitol in force and served dutifully for almost five months, keeping us, and the democracy we treasure, secure. This response came without hesitation and with the trust that we would take care of the National Guard Bureau and its more than 453,000 Citizen Soldiers and Airmen. As a result of this mission, the Guard is due nearly $521 million in reimbursement.

Department of Defense (DOD) leadership has stated that without a commitment to reimburse the Guard by July 1st, 2021, preparations will begin to cancel August and September annual training and individual duty training assemblies. Citizen Soldiers and Airmen, homeland response capabilities and our military readiness will be gravely affected without immediate action. When asked about the impact of not reimbursing the Guard during a June 23rd House Armed Services hearing on the FY22 DOD budget, Secretary Austin stated, "It will impact their ability in the near term to be able to train and adequately prepare the Guard for its future, for its current responsibilities," and that failing to fund the Guard would "erode readiness". Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Milley added, "$500 million in the grand scheme of a $715 billion [overall Defense Department] budget may not seem like a lot, but to the National Guard, that is a lot."

If trainings are canceled, several thousand Army National Guard Soldiers will not have enough service time this fiscal year to receive credit for a good year toward a military retirement. Approximately 2,000 training schools will be canceled, affecting their readiness, pay and career progression. Ground vehicle and rotary wing operations and maintenance will be halted. Facilities will degrade, including the delay of critical fire safety projects in Maryland, Minnesota and the Virgin Islands. Air National Guard flying operations will be negatively impacted as they begin recovery from the negative readiness effects of the pandemic. Without reimbursement this fiscal year, it will take years to recover our readiness.

Without immediate action, the brave volunteers of our National Guard will suffer and the National Guard Bureau estimates its readiness will decrease by fifteen to twenty percent. We urge you to swiftly come to an agreement on emergency appropriations that includes full reimbursement for the National Guard.

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