Maloney, Norton, Van Hollen, Carper, Brown Send Letter Calling for D.C. Mayor to be Given Control Over D.C. National Guard in Final National Defense Authorization Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), and Representative Anthony Brown (D-MD) sent a letter urging the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to give the District of Columbia mayor control over the D.C. National Guard in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA). The governors of states and territories control their National Guards, while the president controls the D.C. National Guard.
The House-passed version of the NDAA gives the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard. Republicans have blocked consideration of an amendment filed by Van Hollen and Carper to include this provision in the Senate version.
The Members wrote, "The attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and the events at Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020, are prime examples of why the mayor should control the D.C. National Guard. During January 6th, the Trump administration refused to deploy the D.C. National Guard to the Capitol for several hours, likely costing lives and prolonging the insurrection. At Lafayette Square, the Trump administration used the D.C. National Guard and other federal forces to attack largely peaceful protestors."
When the House passed its version of the NDAA, it was the first time either chamber of Congress had ever passed a bill to give the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard. Representatives Norton, Maloney, Brown and Senators Van Hollen and Carper have previously introduced the D.C. National Guard Home Rule Act to address this issue.
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