by Robert Fireovid
A bill in the Vermont Legislature (H.785) will block the U.S. government from unilaterally federalizing the Vermont National Guard for deployment into active-duty combat within the U.S. or overseas unless the United States Congress passes a formal Declaration of War. (note: the U.S. Constitution, Article, Section 8 specifies other situations where Congress can federalize specific state militias). H.785 gives the Governor of Vermont the final say on allowing the Vermont National Guard to be federalized.
The Vermont Defend the Guard Act is part of a nationwide effort to return control of state militias to the states and to the U.S. Congress AS SPECIFIED IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
Did you know that units of the Vermont National Guardsmen may currently be deployed in active combat zones in the Middle East? The three dozen U.S. casualties in Jordan this past weekend from a terrorist attack (8 seriously, 3 died) were from a Georgia Army Reserve unit and the Arizona National Guard.
Might Biden federalize the Vermont National Guard to subdue Texas from defending itself? Never say never… In other state legislatures, such as in Arizona, Montana, and New Hampshire, where similar bills were considered, nearly every Republican legislator voted in favor of the bill, but NO Democratic legislator voted for these bills. Have any children of these Democrats enlisted in the U.S. armed forces?
Again, this bill is meant to return us to the type of operational military that the U.S. Constitution intends. The Constitution does NOT provide POTUS with unilateral control over state militias, nor does it allow Congress to abdicate its duty to be the sole decision-maker regarding declarations of war.
An excellent 15 minute video about the nationwide Defend the Guard movement is here. If you want to help pass H.785, please call members of the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs which will act on this bill this week. Call them today. They can be reached through 802-828-2228…
Michael McCarthy, Chair
Matthew Birong, Vice-Chair
Mark Higley, Ranking Member
Rep. Lucy Boyden
Rep. Seth Chase
Rep. Lisa Hango
Rep. Philip Jay Hooper
Rep. Robert Hooper
Rep. Michael Morgan
Rep. Michael Mrowicki
Rep. Kate Nugent
Rep. Chea Waters Evans
Author is a farmer in South Hero and executive director of Better(not bigger)Vermont. Before coming to Vermont, he held managerial positions for General Electric, Black & Decker, and the federal government.