1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose SB 1047 when it comes before the Senate Military Affairs and Border Security Committee on Monday. This legislation, sponsored by Senator Wendy Rogers, would prohibit the governor from deploying the Arizona National Guard into active duty combat without congressional authorization, but it carries devastating consequences that would cripple our state's military readiness. A general and spokesman for the Arizona Guard has warned that this bill would leave the Guard with no money and no equipment. Refusing to fulfill the federal component of the Guard's mission would trigger an automatic loss of federal funding, which constitutes over 96 percent of the Guard's operating budget. This is not a theoretical concern. Without federal funding, Arizona would be unable to maintain equipment, provide training, or support the thousands of Guard members who serve our state. When confronted with these facts, Senator Rogers dismissed the general's concerns and suggested many would opt to serve without pay. This is an unrealistic and irresponsible position that ignores the financial realities facing service members and their families. Expecting volunteers to serve without compensation or proper equipment is not a viable strategy for maintaining a functional National Guard. The Senate's own rules attorneys warned lawmakers last year that the bill's core intent is unconstitutional. This is the second attempt to pass legislation that legal experts have already identified as fundamentally flawed. We should not waste legislative time on a bill that violates constitutional principles while simultaneously threatening the operational capacity of Arizona's National Guard. I ask you to vote no on SB 1047 and protect the Arizona National Guard's ability to fulfill its dual state and federal mission while maintaining the critical funding that keeps our Guard members equipped, trained, and ready to serve.