[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 59 (Thursday, April 1, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E325-E326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD COMMANDING 
                         GENERAL RESIDENCY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 1, 2021

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the District of 
Columbia National Guard Commanding General Residency Act, which would 
require the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard to reside in 
the District of Columbia, just as States and territories can require 
that the top official of their National Guard reside within their State 
or territory.
  The D.C. National Guard is a Federal entity. Currently, the 
Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard is not required to reside 
in the District. Congress has justifiably required that certain Federal 
officials reside in the jurisdiction they serve to ensure in-depth 
knowledge of the unique issues and challenges residents and these 
Federal officials face. Additionally, the Mayor of D.C., unlike the 
Governors of the States and territories, cannot deploy the National 
Guard, making residency of the Commanding General of the National Guard 
that much more important, though my District of Columbia National Guard 
Home Rule Act (H.R. 657) would give the Mayor the authority to deploy 
the D.C. National Guard. The appointment of the Commanding General of 
the D.C. National Guard is made by the President, not the Mayor, 
whereas the top official of the National Guards in the States and 
territories are usually appointed by the Governor. All of these are 
compelling reasons why the Commanding General of the D.C. Guard should 
be required to be a D.C. resident.
  This bill follows in the footsteps of several other bills that I have 
introduced that would require Federal officials serving D.C. 
exclusively to reside in the District. For example, my District of 
Columbia Federal Officials Residency Equality Act (H.R. 3785, 116th 
Congress) would require the Federal district court judges, Federal 
circuit court judges, U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals for the District 
to live in D.C. I have also previously introduced a bill (H.R. 4184, 
116th Congress) that would require the Director of the Court Services 
and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia and the 
Director of the District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency to reside 
in the District.
  With the nomination of the current D.C. National Guard Commanding 
General, Major General William J. Walker, to be the House Sergeant at 
Arms, this bill is more timely than ever. Moreover, the attack of the 
U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and the events at Lafayette Square on 
June 1, 2020, are prime examples of why this bill is so important. 
Residents of the District would feel at least somewhat more confident 
in the D.C. National Guard if the Commanding General were required to 
be a D.C. resident.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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