Norton, Van Hollen, Carper, Maloney, Brown Express Disappointment that Final NDAA Does Not Give D.C. Mayor Control Over D.C. National Guard
The members vowed to keep fighting to give the mayor this authority
WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), and Representative Anthony Brown (D-MD) expressed disappointment that the final National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (NDAA) does not give the District of Columbia mayor control over the D.C. National Guard and vowed to keep fighting to give the mayor this important authority.
The members said: “Just like state and territorial governors have control over their National Guard units, the D.C. mayor – the District’s chief executive – must have this authority over the D.C. National Guard in order to protect the safety of the residents and institutions of our nation’s capital. The January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and the events at Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020, are prime examples of why it is vital that the D.C. mayor have this authority. On January 6th, the Trump administration endangered lives and prolonged the insurrection by refusing to deploy the D.C. National Guard to the Capitol for several hours, while at Lafayette Square, the Trump administration weaponized the D.C. National Guard and federal law enforcement agencies to attack largely peaceful protestors. Both incidents make all the more clear the need to give the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard.”
The House-passed version of the NDAA gave the D.C. mayor control over the D.C. National Guard. The Senate version of the NDAA did not give the mayor this authority, but Van Hollen and Carper filed an amendment to do so. The members have also introduced the D.C. National Guard Home Rule Act, which would give the mayor this authority.
The governors of states and territories control their National Guards, while the president controls the D.C. National Guard.
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