Recognizes: (1) the critical importance of the Operational Reserve as a component of the Armed Forces, particularly as a means of preserving combat power during a time of budget austerity; and (2) the dual-status, state-federal National Guard as the foundation of the Operational Reserve and of military manpower.
Expresses support for making the Operational Reserve permanent.
Repudiates proposals to return the Reserve Components to a diminished or purely strategic role in national security.
Affirms the growth of the Operational Reserve as circumstances warrant.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 129 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 129
Recognizing 375 years of service of the National Guard and affirming
congressional support for a permanent Operational Reserve as a
component of the Armed Forces.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 8, 2012
Mrs. Miller of Michigan (for herself, Mr. Rahall, Mr. Walz of
Minnesota, and Mr. Hunter) submitted the following concurrent
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Recognizing 375 years of service of the National Guard and affirming
congressional support for a permanent Operational Reserve as a
component of the Armed Forces.
Whereas the first volunteer militia unit in America was formed in 1636 in
Massachusetts Bay, followed by other units in the colonies of Virginia
and Connecticut;
Whereas from the opening salvos at Lexington and Concord, to the conclusion of
the American Revolutionary War in 1783, the volunteer patriots and
minutemen of the American militia helped create the United States of
America;
Whereas the American founding fathers wrote article I, section 8, of the United
States Constitution to keep the militia model, authorizing only a small
standing military force that could organize, train, and equip militia
volunteers when needed;
Whereas the American militia answered the call during the second war with
Britain in 1812;
Whereas in the 19th Century, during the Mexican-American War, the United States
Civil War, and the Spanish-American War, State militia volunteers
mustered when called and more than 300,000 gave their lives in service
of the United States of America;
Whereas in World War I, nearly all National Guardsmen were mobilized into
Federal service, and while they represented only 15 percent of the total
United States Army, they comprised 40 percent of the American divisions
sent to France and sustained 43 percent of the casualties in combat;
Whereas in World War II, the National Guard comprised 19 Army divisions and 29
observation squadrons with aircraft assigned to the United States Army
Air Forces;
Whereas the National Defense Act of 1947 formed the Air National Guard, created
a minimum of one flying unit in each State, with the result of more than
44,000 Air Guard troops serving in Korea and 4,000 Air Guard troops in
Vietnam;
Whereas the Air National Guard flew 30,000 sorties and 50,000 combat hours
during Operation Desert Storm over 37 days and were some of the first
units into the fight;
Whereas, on September 11, 2001, the first fighter jets over New York City and
Washington, DC, were Air National Guard F-15 and F-16 aircraft from
Massachusetts and North Dakota, with over 400 more Air National Guard
fighter aircraft on alert by that afternoon;
Whereas 456,974 Air and Army National Guard soldiers and airmen have deployed in
the many campaigns since 9/11;
Whereas Air and Army National Guard soldiers and airmen have been involved in
countless domestic response missions, including missions in response to
hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and forest fires;
Whereas during the Cold War, the National Guard was regarded as a Strategic
Reserve to be held in case of a Soviet invasion of Europe, yet, since 9/
11, the National Guard and the Federal Reserves have made the transition
to an Operational Reserve, in constant use and rotation for missions at
home and abroad;
Whereas the Operational Reserve has time and again demonstrated its readiness to
meet operational requirements, and its mission- and cost-effectiveness
and volunteerism are the heart of modern United States military service;
Whereas the Operational Reserve must be sustained by a fully manned and fully
funded National Guard in the spirit intended by the Framers and
enshrined in article I of the Constitution; and
Whereas the Air Force, in its fiscal year 2013 budget, has advanced a proposal
to convert the Air National Guard from the Operational Reserve to the
Strategic Reserve of yesteryear: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) recognizes the critical importance of the Operational
Reserve as a component of the Armed Forces, particularly as a
means of preserving combat power during a time of budget
austerity;
(2) supports making permanent the Operational Reserve as
the cornerstone of military manpower in the decades to come;
(3) repudiates proposals to return the Reserve Components
to a diminished or purely strategic role in United States
national security;
(4) affirms the growth of the Operational Reserve as
circumstances warrant; and
(5) recognizes the dual-status, State-Federal National
Guard as the foundation of the Operational Reserve and of
military manpower now and in the future.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
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