(DES MOINES) - Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds is joining nearly 40 of her colleagues in asking President Obama to support the U.S. National Guard on the eve of an important congressional hearing. National Guard Bureau Chief General Frank Grass is scheduled to testify to the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Defense on the proposed reductions tomorrow, Wednesday April 30. Lt. Governor Reynolds currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Lieutenant Governors Association.
"I am working with my peers across the country to highlight this vital state issue which requires serious review," said Reynolds. "The Iowa National Guard has helped communities across the state effectively respond to disasters, like floods and tornadoes. Beyond that, the National Guard is an effective and efficient element of the U.S. total force and has aptly served our nation at home and abroad."
Nearly forty of the seconds-in-command in the states and territories co-signed the letter noting various proposed National Guards cuts would return funding to a pre-9/11 level. Lt. Governor Reynolds commends the entire Iowa delegation for their engagement on this important issue to the Iowa National Guard, including Congressmen Latham, King, Braley, and Loebsack for co-sponsoring legislation calling for an independent commission to thoughtfully explore the optimal force structure to meet emergency response and national defense needs.
Reynolds continued, "As a state leader, I respect the need to review, modernize, and balance budgets. I would request that this scrutiny, though, include transparent, careful examination of the cost effectiveness of the National Guard and the essential nature of its service to states and territories."
A copy of the letter co-signed by Lt. Gov. Reynolds can be found here.
This letter echoes continued engagement from Governor Branstad and 49 other governors and the nation's Adjutants General to ensure the National Guard is appropriately valued in national policy discussions.
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