Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026

Floor Speech

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Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this bill.

I was very proud of the markup that passed out of the Armed Services Committee. The bill that we delivered to this floor this week was overwhelmingly bipartisan. It supported our men and women in uniform and strengthened our national defense.

It was an honor to work so closely with Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith on that bill.

Unfortunately, the toxically amended bill that is here before us is no longer that. Not only have a number of very difficult amendments been added to the original markup, but also, since the markup, this administration has recklessly and dangerously deployed the National Guard to American cities without the request or permission of either State or local officials.

For good reason, the Governor of each State makes the decision about when and where to deploy National Guard, not Presidents who are trying to score cheap political points and who are trying to divide our Nation.

I am very proud to be a veteran, and as ranking member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, it is my responsibility to make sure that we are taking care of our troops and deploying them responsibly and legally, but you don't need to be a veteran or a member of a military family to see what this administration has done with our military. It is divisive, shameful, and irresponsible.

It is divisive, shameful, and irresponsible for us to ask our soldiers to act as local police officers, a role that undermines our readiness for actual conflicts.

It is divisive, shameful, and irresponsible that we force them to leave their families and their jobs for an uncertain period of time with uncertain pay and benefits. It is most certainly divisive, shameful, and irresponsible when we force them to spend their days picking up trash at a cost of millions to the taxpayer.

Our National Guard is designed and trained, indeed purpose-built, to serve key roles in domestic emergencies, natural disasters, and in deployment overseas. When we stray from that mission, we put our national security at risk, and we disrespect these men and women.

For these reasons, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. This simple amendment requires that the State's Governor must consent before the National Guard can be deployed.

I know that many of my colleagues may agree with me, including some who are, indeed, running for Governor of their home State, so I ask these Members and all of those who believe in federalism and States' rights to have the courage to support this important amendment today. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for this motion to recommit.

Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of this amendment.

Ms. Houlahan moves to recommit the bill H.R. 3838 to the Committee on Armed Services with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith, with the following amendment:

At the end of subtitle B of title V, insert the following new section: SEC. 5__. REQUIREMENT OF CONSENT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR CERTAIN FULL-TIME NATIONAL GUARD DUTY PERFORMED IN A STATE, TERRITORY, OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Section 502(f)(2)(A) of title 32, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

``(A) Support of operations or missions undertaken by the member's unit at the request of the President or Secretary of Defense, with the consent of--

``(i) the chief executive officer of each State (as such term is defined in section 901 of this title) in which such operations or missions shall take place; or

``(ii) if such operations or missions shall take place in the District of Columbia, the Mayor of the District of Columbia.''.

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