Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

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By Ms. CANTWELL (for herself, Mr. BIDEN, and Mr. Leahy):

S. 2681. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for reports on the withdrawal or diversion of equipment from Reserve units to other Reserve units being mobilized, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services.

Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the National Guard Equipment Accountability Act. I want to thank my colleagues, the Senator from Delaware, Senator BIDEN, and the co-chair of the Senate National Guard Caucus the Senator from Vermont, Senator LEAHY, who have cosponsored this important piece of legislation.

As a Nation, we have a solemn duty to honor, prepare, and properly equip all of our men and women in uniform. That includes our Reserves and National Guard.

The National Guard and Reserves represent an essential element of our national defense, confronting our enemies in distant lands and responding to threats of terror right here within our own borders. In Washington State, we face threats from volcanoes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters. The National Guard played a critical role in the emergency response following the eruption of Mount St. Helens. We have relied on the civil response capabilities of the Guard to protect our communities from wildfires, floods, and to secure our skies in the uncertain hours after 9/11. More recently, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the National Guard responded with urgency and compassion.

There are approximately 30,000 members of the National Guard currently deployed to places like Iraq and Afghanistan. About 500 members of the Washington National Guard are among them.

The men and women who serve in the National Guard are making a great sacrifice, fulfilling a distinct and important responsibility. And we owe them all of the resources necessary to safely and effectively achieve their mission.

Right now, there is simply too much uncertainty and when it comes to maintaining adequate equipment levels for our National Guard.

When our Reserves and National Guard are deployed on operations overseas, they are deployed with equipment from their unit.

While serving abroad, their equipment becomes integrated with the greater mission. As a result, when our men and women return home their equipment does not often return with them.

And too often there is no established plan or process to replace or even track that equipment once it's been left behind. As a result, too many of our National Guard units are left underequipped--lacking the necessary equipment for training or to respond to domestic civil emergencies.

The numbers are clear: According to the Department of Defense, the Army National Guard has left more than 75,000 items valued at $1.7 Billion overseas in support of ongoing military operations.

Last October, the Government Accountability Office found that at the time the Army could not account for more than half of all items left behind and has not committed to an equipment replacement plan, as Department of Defense (DoD) policy requires.

Given the amount of equipment left behind in total, National Guard Units in other States are surely facing a similar situation.

The provisions of my legislation would simply codify provisions of Department of Defense policy that are critical to providing our men and women in uniform with the protection and resources they deserve.

The National Guard Equipment Accountability Act would require a comprehensive report about all transferred equipment. Within 90 days of diverting equipment from any reserve unit to another reserve unit or to active duty forces, the Secretary of the Army or Air Force would be required to report it to the Secretary of Defense.

The report must also include a plan to replace equipment to the original unit. Further, if a reserve unit returns from abroad but leaves equipment in the theater of operations, the Department of Defense would be required to provide a replacement plan for equipment to facilitate continued training.

Finally, my amendment would require a signed Memorandum of Understanding specifying exactly how withdrawn equipment will be tracked and when that equipment will be returned.

Given the current equipment situation, my legislation's provisions are crucial. Our soldiers have chosen to follow a noble and selfless path. We have a responsibility to give our active duty, reserve units, and the men and women of the National Guard, the very best resources so they may fulfill their mission as safely and effectively as possible.

We must do so today and everyday for their sacrifice is immense and our gratitude is profound.

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