Senator Wendy Rogers’ proposed legislation, SB 1121, known as the “Defend The Guard Act,” has successfully passed the Senate Military Affairs, Public Safety and Border Security Committee.
The “Defend The Guard Act” stipulates that the Arizona National Guard cannot be released from the state into active duty combat unless there is an official declaration of war by the United States Congress, or an official action is taken pursuant to the Constitution to call forth the National Guard for specific purposes. This move aligns with Senator Rogers’ commitment to ensuring that Arizona’s National Guardsmen focus on defending the state’s border, rather than participating in what she refers to as “Joe Biden’s undeclared, endless wars.”
Senator Rogers’ statement on Twitter underscores the bill’s importance: “Arizonans deserve a vote before our very own National Guard goes to war!” With every Senate Republican co-sponsoring the bill, its passage seems assured.
Read the text of the bill: https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/2R/bills/SB1121P.pdf