WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Jackie Speier (D-CA), Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, this week sent a letter calling on President Trump to extend Title 32 activation of the National Guard beyond the June 24 end date to September 2020 at the earliest.
 
“As we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, our National Guard members have played an essential role in our continued response,” said Chairman Smith. “When called upon, the Guard has performed essential tasks like supporting our food banks, assembling test kits, and bolstering contact tracing capacity. Now, as it becomes clear that the pandemic is far from over, the President should extend Title 32 status to ensure our continued response includes the Guard – our country needs them.”
 
“You don’t spell gratitude to the National Guard members who have been building hospitals, doing testing in nursing homes and boxing food at food banks during the pandemic by cheating them out of retirement or GI bill benefits,” Rep. Speier said. “COVID-19 will not magically end at the stroke of midnight on June 24—the President must extend Title 32 status so the Guard can stay in the fight against the coronavirus. Reopening the economy and saving countless lives depends on it.”
 
The activation of the National Guard under Title 32 provides essential support to states and localities as they confront this public health crisis. Guard members are assisting with testing, especially for vulnerable populations like in nursing homes; logistics; and warehouse distribution support, and all these efforts are essential to mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on every state, facilitating a responsible reopening, and getting our economy back on a path to recovery.
 
A copy of the letter can be found here.
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Jim Cooper (D-TN), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, today issued the following statement in response to reports that the Trump Administration plans to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty:

“The Administration’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Open Skies Treaty is a slap in the face to our allies in Europe, leaves our deployed forces in the region at risk, and is in blatant violation of the law. This decision weakens our national security interests, isolates the United States since the Treaty will continue without us, and abandons a useful tool to hold Russia accountable.

“What’s more, this decision has been made without any consultation with Congress. Not only does the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act require a minimum 120-days’ notification of the withdrawal notice, but also multiple communications from the House Armed Services Committee and other congressional chairmen have gone unanswered.

“The Trump Administration continues to give Russia the upper hand with regards to arms control, which leaves our allies and deployed forces less protected in Europe. Despite the Department of Defense’s rhetoric about the dire need to prepare for ‘great power competition,’ this decision will undoubtedly do the exact opposite, and further fracture our relationships with allies needed to push back against Russian aggression in the region.”

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