Letter to Chad Wolf, Secretary of Homeland Security and Chad Wolf, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security - Pallone Leads New Jersey Delegation Demand for Trump Administration to Continue Full Support for National Guard

Letter

Dear Secretary Esper and Acting Secretary Wolf,
We are deeply concerned by the announcement that the Trump Administration plans to end 100
percent federal cost-share for National Guard units in most states. Memos signed by President
Trump on August 3 would require all states and territories, with the exception of Texas and
Florida, to pay for Title 32, Section 502(f) National Guard deployments to address the COVID19 pandemic beginning August 21 to December 31. The abrupt end of the 100 percent federal
cost-share for Title 32 activations appears to be a premature and baseless decision that would
strip away essential federal funding from states that are already facing major economic shortfalls
directly linked to the coronavirus. We urge you to immediately reverse this decision and reinstate
full federal support for National Guard units for every state and territory.
We appreciate the federal support the New Jersey National Guard and other National Guard units
around the country have received since April 3. The New Jersey National Guard has played an
instrumental role in the response to the pandemic, acting as a critical backstop for health care
professionals and public safety officials. The Guard's effectiveness is one of the reasons New
Jersey has been able to increase testing, lower the rate of transmission, and lower the daily
number of COVID-19 deaths since the state's peak in April. As a result, we were shocked to
learn of the Administration's plan to remove the 100 percent federal cost-share for Title 32
activations. This decision also comes at a time when the United States continues to see major
increases in confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths across the country. Meanwhile, Texas and
Florida have seemingly been offered special treatment without explanation.
As states grapple with historic budget shortfalls that are direct result of the coronavirus, this
Administration should not add further financial burdens to already overwhelmed resources. The
100 percent federal cost-share of Title 32 activations for all states was a commonsense approach
to help states facing the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge you to immediately reinstate full federal
support for the continued deployment of the National Guard for every state and territory until we
can declare an end to this national public health emergency.
We look forward to your immediate response

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