[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 137 (Friday, October 12, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1879-E1880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    A BILL TO EXTEND THE MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE SAME 
    AUTHORITY WITH RESPECT TO THE NATIONAL GUARD OF THE DISTRICT OF 
            COLUMBIA AS THE GOVERNORS OF THE SEVERAL STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 12, 2001

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a bill to give the 
mayor of the District of Columbia the same authority over the National 
Guard as the Governors of all 50 states. This bill is another important 
step necessary to complete the transfer of full self-government powers 
to the District of Columbia that Congress itself began with the passage 
of the Home Rule Act of 1973. District authority over its own National 
Guard apparently was not raised during the Home Rule Act process. 
However, it was unthinkable then that there would be war in the 
homeland, much less terrorist threats to the nation's capital.
  While the National Guards in the 50 states operate under dual 
jurisdictions, federal and local, the D.C. National Guard (DCNG) has no 
local jurisdiction, no matter the local emergency. The President of the 
United States as the Commander-in-Chief alone has the authority to call 
upon the National Guard for any purpose, local or national here. Each 
governor, however, as the head of state, has the authority to mobilize 
her National Guard to protect the local jurisdiction, just as local 
militia have always done historically. Most often, this has meant 
calling upon the National Guard to restore order in the wake of civil 
disturbances and natural disasters. For such local emergencies, it 
makes sense that the governor would have exclusive control over the 
mobilization and deployment of the state militia, and it makes the same 
sense for the mayor of the District of Columbia with a population the 
size of that of small states, to have the same authority.
  The mayor of the District of Columbia, acting as head of state, 
should have the authority to call upon the DCNG in instances that do 
not rise to a level of federal importance or involvement. Currently, 
needless formalism requiring action by the President of the United 
States could endanger the life and health of D.C. residents and many 
more who work here in the event of an emergency. Today, the mayor must 
request the needed assistance from the President, who serves as the 
Commander-in-Chief for a local National Guard. In an emergency unique 
to the District, the mayor, who knows the city better than any federal 
official, can deploy his own National Guard only by relying on the 
President, who is necessarily preoccupied with national matters, 
including perhaps war or homeland attack.
  Following the September 11th terrorist attacks, the House has 
recognized that the District of Columbia must be an integral part of 
the planning, implementation, and execution, of national plans to 
protect city residents, federal employees, and visitors by including 
the District of Columbia as a separate and full partner and first 
responder in federal domestic preparedness legislation. Allowing the 
mayor control over the DCNG at a minimum demonstrates the respect for 
local governance and

[[Page E1880]]

home rule that every jurisdiction that recruits members of the military 
to its National Guard deserves. If the mayor has local control over his 
own Guard, the Executive would give up nothing of his necessary control 
because the President would retain his right to nationalize the DCNG at 
will, as he can for the states.
  The confusion that accompanied the September 11th attack plainly 
showed the danger inherent in allowing bureaucratic steps to stand in 
the way of responding to emergencies in the nation's capital. September 
11th has made local control of the DCNG an imperative. I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill.

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