Bill > H0355

This bill, named the "Vermont Defend the Guard Act," proposes a significant change in how the Vermont National Guard can be deployed for federal active duty combat. The legislation requires the Governor to review any federal order to place Vermont National Guard units on active duty combat and only consent to deployment if specific constitutional conditions are met. These conditions include an official declaration of war by Congress or a call for the Guard under specific constitutional provisions like repelling an invasion, suppressing an insurrection, or executing laws consistent with the Constitution. If the Governor determines that a deployment order does not meet these criteria, they are obligated to prevent the deployment. The bill also mandates that the Governor notify the General Assembly within 10 business days of reviewing a deployment directive, explaining the review process and the directive's legal and constitutional status. Importantly, the bill does not prohibit domestic missions, disaster response, training, or humanitarian deployments. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and aims to ensure that Vermont's National Guard members are only deployed in strict accordance with constitutional requirements, preserving state authority and protecting guard members from what the bill describes as potential federal overreach.

Government Affairs

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.355