Eighty-five members of Congress from both parties voiced their opposition to an Air Force plan that would effectively give U.S. Space Force authority over relevant National Guard units from governors, who have held that responsibility for more than 100 years.
This large group of lawmakers — 29 senators and 56 representatives — signed on to a letter released Tuesday morning which has been obtained by the Washington Examiner. The letter is addressed to the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees and in it, they urge those congressional leaders to reject the inclusion of the Air Force’s Legislative Proposal 480 in the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.
This proposal, which was sent to Congress in March and requires lawmakers to override existing law, would allow for the Air National Guard space operations to be incorporated into Space Force, effectively removing the governors’ authority over those units.
The lawmakers called the legislative proposal “deeply flawed,” and said, “Congress has a duty to maintain the integrity and longstanding tradition of the National Guard, and a proposal of this magnitude threatens to under over 120 years of precedent.”
GOVERNORS AT ODDS WITH PENTAGON PLAN TO MOVE NATIONAL GUARD UNITS TO SPACE FORCE
“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,” they added. “We urge the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to reject the inclusion of Legislative Proposal 480 in the FY2025 NDAA.”
The letter was spearheaded by Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO), founding co-chair of the Space Force Caucus; Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), a member of the House Armed Services Committee; Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO); and Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO).
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told lawmakers in April the proposed transfer would involve around 700 National Guard members, who would settle into Space Force roles if it passes.
Nearly every governor signed on to a letter last week expressing their opposition to the change as well. This letter was signed by the governors of 48 states and five U.S. territories: American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Technically, the proposal would waive Section 104 of Title 32 and Section 18238 of Title 10 of the U.S. code, which currently state that “no change in the branch, organization or allotment of a unit located entirely within a state may be made without the approval of its governor,” and that National Guard units cannot “be relocated or withdrawn under this chapter without the consent of the governor of the state.”
The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States and the National Guard Association of the United States, which is the Guard’s primary advocate in Washington, D.C., also oppose this change.