Davis Statement on Today's National Guard and Reserve Commission Report

March 01, 2007

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, released the following statement today on a new report from the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves:

"The Commission report reflects a growing understanding of the profound organizational, operational and cultural challenges facing Reserve Component forces today. But 'admiring the problem' isn't enough," Davis said. "The Commission's recommendations for the most part won't address the issues they acknowledge. Mired in Cold War paradigms on the role of the Guard in national defense, the Commission offers transparently palliative or glacially incremental fixes when the real world situation demands fundamental changes. Many of these recommendations patronize rather than empower the Guard to meet its critical combat and civil support missions. I sponsored the Guard Empowerment Act because our bipartisan, bicameral bill recommends substantial solutions that will allow for better protection of the homeland and assure adequate resources for the National Guard. Today's Commission report, on the other hand, doesn't get us there."

In January, Davis joined Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., and Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Kit Bond, R-Mo., to introduce the National Guard Empowerment Act of 2007. The bill will strengthen the Guard by having the Department of Defense approve one four-star general for the National Guard and give this Guard General a seat at the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It also will expand the pool of National Guard generals, ensure that the deputy commander of the United States Northern Command comes out of the ranks of the National Guard, require better coordination and planning between the National Guard, the Department of Defense and the nation s governors, and provide greater transparency on budgeting for National Guard equipment.