Crapo, Risch, Colleagues Oppose Air Force Proposal to Override Governors’ Authority, Strip National Guard Units

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined a group of bipartisan, bicameral colleagues, to call on the U.S. Senate and House Armed Service Committees to reject a flawed proposal from the U.S. Air Force (USAF).  The proposal would enable the transfer of U.S. National Guard units performing space missions to the U.S. Space Force and waive governor approval in the process, breaking precedent.

“We write regarding a deeply flawed legislative proposal put forward by the US Air Force that would undermine our National Guard system,” wrote the lawmakers.  “The original intent of the National Guard was to have a force ready to respond to the needs of their state and country.  Because of this, authority was placed in the hands of each state's individual governor.  This is more than a matter of governance; governors bear the responsibility to protect the safety of their citizens by maintaining the readiness and deployability of their National Guard units.”

Under USAF’s proposal, National Guard members who perform space missions would be designated as “part-timers” under a full-time Space Force without the consent of their state’s governor.  Current laws state that only governors can approve changes to the branch, organization or allotment of National Guard units.

“Congress has a duty to maintain the integrity and longstanding tradition of the National Guard, and a proposal of this magnitude threatens to undo over 120 years of precedent,” concluded the lawmakers.  “We recognize the Air Force is evolving to address future threats, but there are other options available to the Air Force to accomplish this evolution that don't undo an important foundation of our state National Guard system established by Congress.”

In addition to Crapo and Risch, Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) Kyrsten Sinema (I-Arizona), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire), Gary Peters (D-Michigan), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), J. D. Vance (R-Ohio), Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Laphonza Butler (D-California), Tom Carper (D-Delaware), Alex Padilla (D-California), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) and 58 members of the U.S. House of Representatives also signed the letter.

The text of the letter is available HERE.