National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1025
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2011-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Defense spending
Department of Defense
Disaster relief and insurance
Intergovernmental relations
Military civil functions
Military command and structure
Military facilities and property
National Guard and reserves
State and local government operations
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-19
text: 
National Guard Empowerment and State-National Defense Integration Act of 2011 - Reestablishes the position of Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau (Vice Chief). Terminates the position of Director of the Joint Staff of the National Guard Bureau (Director) and transfers existing duties of the Director to the Vice Chief.
 
Adds the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (Chief) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
 
 Directs the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to continue the Task Force for Emergency Readiness (TFER) pilot program as a permanent FEMA program. Requires the Administrator to carry out the program in at least five states in addition to the five states in which the program is carried out as of the enactment of this Act.
 
Requires the Chief to: (1) identify, using catastrophic disaster response plans for each state developed under the program, any gaps in state civilian and military response capabilities that federal military capabilities are unprepared to fill; (2) notify the Secretary of Defense and the respective Commanders of the U.S. Northern and Pacific Commands of any such gaps; and (3) assist, acting through the Adjutants General of the States, states in developing state plans on responses to catastrophic disaster emergencies.
 
Directs the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into a memorandum of understanding on coordination between Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and between such departments and the states, in the use of military forces in response to domestic emergencies.
 
Authorizes appropriations for the DOD for FY2012 for National Guard: (1) continuity of operations, continuity of government, and consequence management in connection with response to terrorist and other attacks and catastrophes; (2) emergency preparedness and response activities; and (3) staffing of joint operations coordination centers in response to terrorist and other attacks and catastrophes.
 
States that the U.S. Northern and Pacific Commands shall be the combatant commands principally responsible for the military support of civil authorities in the United States. Requires the Commander of each Command and the Chief to enter into a memorandum of understanding setting forth the operational relationships, and individual roles and responsibilities, during responses to domestic emergencies among such Commands and the National Guard Bureau.
 
Requires the officers serving as Commander of Army North Command and Commander of Air Force North Command to be officers in the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, respectively. 
 
Directs the Secretary of Defense to modify specified regulations prescribed pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 to provide for the use of available appropriated State Partnership Program funds for contacts between members of the National Guard and civilian personnel of foreign governments outside the ministry of defense on matters within the core competencies of the National Guard.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3173-3175)
action_date: 2011-05-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3173)
action_date: 2011-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate