Oregon Moves to Block Trump From Deploying State National Guard Without Permission
In the wake of President Donald Trump’s actions in Los Angeles, where he deployed the National Guard to contain protesters, lawmakers from the Oregon House of Representatives have passed a bill to stop him from ordering the state’s National Guard to act as law enforcement or immigration officers.
House Bill 3954 was passed by 32-16, with the support of Republican Anna Scharf from Amity, who sided with her Democrat colleagues.
The Oregon National Guard serves the state’s militia and can be mobilized to assist in federal emergencies, as it did during the COVID pandemic.
The proposed legislation specifies conditions under which the federal government can call upon the state’s National Guard, prohibiting its deployment outside Oregon if it would compromise the state’s ability to respond to emergencies such as wildfires, earthquakes, or acts of terrorism.
They Cannot Do In Oregon What They Did in Los Angeles
Supporters of the legislation say it sends a clear message to the federal government that actions like those taken in Los Angeles—when President Trump bypassed California Governor Gavin Newsom to deploy the National Guard—will not be tolerated in Oregon.
Since then, however, a federal appeals court has ruled that the president did not need the permission of the California Governor to call in the National Guard.
The bill outlines six scenarios in which the Department of Defense can call on the Oregon National Guard.
This includes responding to a national emergency or disaster following a declaration of war, a presidential directive, or congressional approval for the use of military force; participating in training exercises; providing support to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with congressional consent; and offering to assist another state with the authorization of that state’s governor.
The bill also clarifies that the National Guard’s adjutant general cannot transmit commands from the Department of Defense if the federal government’s requests do not fall within the scope of the law.
House Bill 3954 now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Since when is it OK for State representatives to trump federal government power? It’s called chain of command for a reason!! All might I add are positions Voted into by constituents that want the power of command in the right hands. If you want more power…RUN FOR OFFICE!!