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Introduction of the District of Columbia National Guard Commanding General Residency Act

Floor Speech

Date: July 29, 2025
Location: Washington, DC

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the District of Columbia National Guard Commanding General Residency Act, which would require the Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard to reside in D.C. Two Congresses ago, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform passed this bill.

The president controls the D.C. National Guard. In contrast, governors of the states and the three territories that have National Guards each control their National Guards.

The Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard is the top official in the D.C. National Guard, is appointed by the president and is a federal employee. There are residency requirements for government officials in federal law, D.C. law and the laws of jurisdictions throughout the country. In fact, several states have laws that require the top official in their National Guard to reside in the state, and it is highly likely that every state and territory only appoints residents as the top official in their National Guard. The primary reason residency requirements exist is so that government officials have a connection to the residents they serve and knowledge of the unique issues and challenges faced by residents.

Congress has justifiably required certain federal officials to reside in the jurisdiction to which they are appointed, including U.S. district court judges, U.S. Marshals and U.S. Attorneys. Similarly, Congress, which controls the local D.C. court system, has justifiably required local D.C. judges and members of the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission and the D.C. Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure to reside in D.C.

There is no reason that the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, a federal entity that serves D.C. residents and that has both a military and law enforcement role, should not be required to reside in D.C. A D.C. residency requirement for the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard will lead to a better relationship between the D.C. National Guard and D.C. residents and is a matter of fairness for D.C. residents.

The D.C. mayor should control the D.C. National Guard. Until then, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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