The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday to allow the DC mayor control of the DC National Guard. The bill will now go to the U.S. Senate. It was a part of the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.
“The District of Columbia mayor is the chief executive for our jurisdiction and has the best knowledge and most reliable expertise about when to deploy our own National Guard,” Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton said. “D.C. National Guard Home Rule Act, which I had introduced for years before the January 6th insurrection, simply gives the District’s chief executive the same authority afforded to governors of states and territories over their Guards. This bill may have ended the insurrection hours earlier on January 6th and would afford D.C. a critical element of home rule as we simultaneously fight for statehood. Today’s House passage is another step toward granting full equality to D.C. on our road to statehood.”
Currently, the President controls the DCNG, while governors of states control their own National Guards. It became an issue for Mayor Muriel Bowser on January 6, 2021, when pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol. She couldn't call in the DCNG to help backup Capitol Police or the Metropolitan Police Department and instead, Maryland delegates had to call Gov. Larry Hogan to have the Maryland National Guard respond.
"To better protect our nation’s capital, it’s clear that D.C. must have complete authority over its National Guard. I’m glad to see the House pass this vital provision, and I’ll be working to get this passed in the Senate,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
Congressman Anthony Brown (D. Md.) said the NDAA will make the country and communities safer.
I applaud the inclusion of a provision providing the D.C. Mayor authority over the Guard to protect public safety and respond to emergency situations,” said Congressman Anthony Brown. “We’ve seen across the country how local elected officials, with the support of federal partners, have the best knowledge base to quickly deploy the assets to address the security issues. This legislation is an important step forward for the safety of our 700,000 neighbors in Washington D.C. and ultimately statehood.”