I 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 644 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 10, 2011 Mr. Rahall introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the roles and responsibilities of the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Guardians of Freedom Act of 2011.

2.

Chief of National Guard Bureau

(a)

Role as advocate and liaison

Section 10502 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1)by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (f) and (g), respectively; and (2)by inserting after subsection (c) the following new subsection (d): (d)

Advocate and liaison for State National Guards

The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall serve as an advocate and liaison for the National Guard of each State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands and inform such National Guards of all actions that could affect their Federal or State missions, including any equipment level or force structure changes. . (b)

Inclusion as member of Joint Chiefs of Staff

(1)

In general

Such section is further amended by inserting after subsection (d), as added by subsection (a) of this section, the following new subsection: (e)

Member of Joint Chiefs of Staff

(1)The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under section 151 of this title. (2)As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau has the specific responsibility of advocating for the National Guards of the States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands and coordinating the efforts of the National Guard warfighting support and force provider mission with the homeland defense, defense support to civil authorities, and State emergency response missions of the National Guard to ensure the National Guard has the resources to perform its multiple missions. (3)The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall consult with the Governors and their Adjutant Generals before any changes are made in National Guard force structure or equipment levels (or both) to determine the impact those changes may have on the homeland defense, defense support to civil authorities, and State emergency response missions of the National Guard. . (2)

Conforming amendment

Section 151(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (7)The Chief of the National Guard Bureau. .