Michael F. Easley
Governor
State of North Carolina
Office of the Governor
Governor's Press Office
State Capitol, Raleigh, NC 27603-8001
(919) 733-5612 - Toll Free 1-800-662-7005
FAX (919) 733-5166
For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Seth Effron
Date: April 24, 2007 Phone: 919/733-5612
GOV. EASLEY CALLS FOR MORE STATE CONTROL OVER NATIONAL GUARD Represents State and Nation’s Governors Before Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
RALEIGH – Gov. Mike Easley today said a federal law, adopted last year with no public hearings and practically no debate, must be changed so governors can clearly command National Guard units in their states and effectively respond to emergencies to protect their citizens. Easley said current law weakens the authority of governors while increasing the power of the president over the National Guard. He testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C., on behalf of North Carolina and as the National Governors Association’s co-lead on the National Guard.
“There is unanimous support, and you know how hard that is to find among the nation’s governors, to repeal these dangerous provisions,” Easley said in his testimony. “The new law unnecessarily expand the president’s authority to federalize the National Guard during natural and manmade disasters and encroach on our constitutional authority to protect the citizens of our states.”
Easley said unless activated in purely federal service, the National Guard should remain under state control with governors as commanders-in-chief. “Governors have the responsibility for assuring the security and wellbeing of our residents,” he said. “The Guard is a key part of that duty during disasters and other local emergencies. The changes in the (National Defense Authorization) Act undermine governor’s authority over the Guard, place the safety and welfare of citizens in jeopardy and should be repealed.”
The changes in the National Defense Authorization Act made during behind-the-scenes negotiations, the Governor said, confuse the issue of just who commands the National Guard during a domestic emergency. U.S. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), is also co-chairman of the Senate National Guard Caucus and is co-sponsor of legislation to repeal the provisions enacted last year.
North Carolina is home to more than 101,000 active-duty military personnel at Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station at Elizabeth City and Marine Corps Air Stations at New River and Cherry Point. The active duty bases are supported by 17,000 civilians.
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