Norton Introduces Bill Requiring D.C. National Guard Commanding General to Live in D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a bill to require the Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard to reside in D.C. It was marked up and passed by the Committee on Oversight and Reform in 2022.

"As we work to resolve all the ways D.C. is treated differently than the states, the lack of residency requirements for federal officials responsible for public safety and law enforcement in the District, as required for other jurisdictions, is surely an important one," Norton said. "The primary reason residency requirements exist is so that government officials have a connection to the residents they serve and knowledge of the unique challenges faced by residents. Adding a residency requirement for the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard will help ensure the Commanding General has in-depth knowledge of the issues that D.C. residents face and bring the D.C. National Guard in line with those of the states."

Governors of the states and territories control their respective National Guards. The bill, the District of Columbia National Guard Commanding General Residency Act, is similar to other bills Norton has introduced requiring certain federal officials to live in D.C., including U.S. District Court and Circuit Court judges for D.C., the U.S. Attorney for D.C., the U.S. Marshal for the D.C. Superior Court, the U.S. Marshal for the U.S. District Court for D.C., and the Director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for D.C.

Norton's introductory statement follows.

Statement of CongresswomanEleanor Holmes Norton

on the District of Columbia National Guard Commanding General Residency Act

July 29, 2025

Today, I introduce the District of Columbia National Guard Commanding General Residency Act, which would require the Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard to reside in D.C.  Two Congresses ago, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform passed this bill. 

The president controls the D.C. National Guard. In contrast, governors of the states and the three territories that have National Guards each control their National Guards.

The Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard is the top official in the D.C. National Guard, is appointed by the president and is a federal employee.  There are residency requirements for government officials in federal law, D.C. law and the laws of jurisdictions throughout the country.  In fact, several states have laws that require the top official in their National Guard to reside in the state, and it is highly likely that every state and territory only appoints residents as the top official in their National Guard.  The primary reason residency requirements exist is so that government officials have a connection to the residents they serve and knowledge of the unique issues and challenges faced by residents.

Congress has justifiably required certain federal officials to reside in the jurisdiction to which they are appointed, including U.S. district court judges, U.S. Marshals and U.S. Attorneys. Similarly, Congress, which controls the local D.C. court system, has justifiably required local D.C. judges and members of the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission and the D.C. Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure to reside in D.C.

There is no reason that the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, a federal entity that serves D.C. residents and that has both a military and law enforcement role, should not be required to reside in D.C.  A D.C. residency requirement for the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard will lead to a better relationship between the D.C. National Guard and D.C. residents and is a matter of fairness for D.C. residents.

The D.C. mayor should control the D.C. National Guard. Until then, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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