I

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1705

To amend title 32, United States Code, to authorize members and units

of the National Guard to conduct and participate in athletic competitions

and small arms competitions in conjunction with required training, and

for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 3, 2001

Mr. BEREUTER (for himself and Mr. LANGEVIN) introduced the following bill;

which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To amend title 32, United States Code, to authorize members

and units of the National Guard to conduct and participate in athletic competitions and small arms competitions

in conjunction with required training, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. PREPARATION FOR, PARTICIPATION IN, AND

2 CONDUCT OF ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS BY

3 THE NATIONAL GUARD AND MEMBERS OF

4 THE NATIONAL GUARD.

5 (a) EXPANSION OF EXISTING AUTHORITY.—Sub6 section (a) of section 504 of title 32, United States Code,

7 is amended by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the

8 following new paragraph:

9 ‘‘(3) prepare for and participate in a qualifying

10 athletic competition or a small arms competition.’’.

11 (b) COMPETITIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRAIN12 ING.—Such section is further amended by adding at the

13 end the following new subsection:

14 ‘‘(c) CONDUCT OF AND PARTICIPATION IN COMPETI15 TIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRAINING.—(1) Members

16 and units of the National Guard may conduct and compete

17 in a qualifying athletic competition or a small arms com18 petition in conjunction with training required under this

19 chapter in any case in which—

20 ‘‘(A) the conduct of or participation in the com21 petition does not adversely affect the quality of that

22 training or otherwise interfere with the ability of a

23 member or unit of the National Guard to perform

24 the military functions of the member or unit;
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1 ‘‘(B) National Guard personnel will enhance

2 their military skills as a result of conducting or par3 ticipating in the competition; and

4 ‘‘(C) the conduct of or participation in the com5 petition will not result in a significant increase in

6 the cost of the training.

7 ‘‘(2) Facilities and equipment of the National Guard,

8 including military property and vehicles described in sec9 tion 508(c) of this title, may be used in connection with

10 the conduct of or participation in a qualifying athletic

11 competition or a small arms competition under paragraph

12 (1).’’.

13 (c) OTHER MATTERS.—Such section is further

14 amended by adding after subsection (c), as added by sub15 section (b) of this section, the following new subsections:

16 ‘‘(d) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Subject to such lim17 itations as may be enacted in appropriations Acts,

18 amounts appropriated for the National Guard may be

19 used to cover—

20 ‘‘(1) the costs of conducting or participating in

21 a qualifying athletic competition or a small arms

22 competition under subsection (c); and

23 ‘‘(2) the expenses of members of the National

24 Guard under subsection (a)(3), including expenses of
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1 attendance and participation fees, travel, per diem,

2 clothing, equipment, and related expenses.

3 ‘‘(e) QUALIFYING ATHLETIC COMPETITION DE4 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘qualifying athletic com5 petition’ means a competition in athletic events that re6 quire skills relevant to military duties or involve aspects

7 of physical fitness that are evaluated by the armed forces

8 in determining whether a member of the National Guard

9 is fit for military duty.’’.

10 (d) STYLISTIC AMENDMENTS.—Such section is fur11 ther amended—

12 (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘AUTHOR13 IZED ACTIVITIES.—’’ after ‘‘(a)’’; and

14 (2) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘AUTHOR15 IZED LOCATIONS.—’’ after ‘‘(b)’’.

16 (e) CONFORMING AND CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—

17 (1) The heading of such section is amended to read as

18 follows:

19 ‘‘§ 504. National Guard schools; small arms competi20 tions; athletic competitions’’.

21 (2) The item relating to section 504 in the table of

22 sections at the beginning of chapter 5 of that title is

23 amended to read as follows:

‘‘504. National Guard schools; small arms competitions; athletic competitions.’’.

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