Press Release of Senator Cantwell

Cantwell Plan to Help Keep National Guard Equipped Signed Into Law

Military Told Washington National Guard to Leave Over $32 Million of Equipment Behind in Iraq; 42 Percent Came From Eastern Washington Units

Thursday, October 19,2006

WASHINGTON, DC – Tuesday, President Bush signed into law U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell’s plan to address National Guard equipment shortfalls and help give our citizen soldiers the resources they need to train and stay prepared to help out during emergencies. The measure was included in the final version of the Defense Department Authorization Act for 2007, passed by Congress last month. Cantwell first introduced the plan in April as the stand-alone “National Guard Equipment Accountability Act” to mandate a system to track and replace equipment left in the theater of operations by National Guard units.

“We can’t afford to leave the brave men and women of our National Guard without the equipment they need to train and respond to emergencies at home and abroad,” said Cantwell. “Right now, all the equipment left overseas by National Guard units hampers their ability to respond to domestic emergencies. We depend on the National Guard to support our state through civil emergencies and contribute to military missions overseas. We have a responsibility to provide the resources they need to protect our communities, and that’s exactly what this new law will help do.”

The loss of equipment overseas has hindered training capabilities and limited the National Guard’s ability to respond to potential civil emergencies and natural disasters. For example, at the Pentagon’s direction, the Washington Army National Guard’s 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team left approximately 1,400 items—including weapons, radios, and vehicles worth a total of more than $32 million—in Iraq for other units to use.

Cantwell’s measure, supported by Adjutant General Timothy Lowenberg, commander of the Washington State National Guard, requires a system to track transferred equipment and mandates the development of plans to replace the equipment in question. For the next five years, the Department of Defense will be required to submit quarterly reports to Congress detailing all National Guard equipment diverted to other units as well as an equipment replacement plan. Reports will have to be completed within 90 days of the equipment’s diversion. The new law mirrors a current Defense Department policy that, according to a Government Accountability Office report, has not been followed. According to the report, the Army could not account for more than half of all items left behind at the time and has not committed to an equipment replacement plan.

In June, the Senate decided unanimously to include Cantwell’s legislation in its version of the defense authorization bill. Cantwell then worked to make sure her proposal was included in the final version of the legislation.

Since September 11, 2001, more than 6,000 members of the Washington Army and Air Guard have been deployed around the world. During the past four years, the Washington National Guard has aided federal military missions overseas, responded to local civil emergencies, and supported recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina.


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Weekly Update To sign up for Maria's weekly newsletter, enter your email address: Search The Site	News Press Release of Senator Cantwell Cantwell Plan to Help Keep National Guard Equipped Signed Into Law Military Told Washington National Guard to Leave Over $32 Million of Equipment Behind in Iraq; 42 Percent Came From Eastern Washington Units Thursday, October 19,2006 WASHINGTON, DC – Tuesday, President Bush signed into law U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell’s plan to address National Guard equipment shortfalls and help give our citizen soldiers the resources they need to train and stay prepared to help out during emergencies. The measure was included in the final version of the Defense Department Authorization Act for 2007, passed by Congress last month. Cantwell first introduced the plan in April as the stand-alone “National Guard Equipment Accountability Act” to mandate a system to track and replace equipment left in the theater of operations by National Guard units. “We can’t afford to leave the brave men and women of our National Guard without the equipment they need to train and respond to emergencies at home and abroad,” said Cantwell. “Right now, all the equipment left overseas by National Guard units hampers their ability to respond to domestic emergencies. We depend on the National Guard to support our state through civil emergencies and contribute to military missions overseas. We have a responsibility to provide the resources they need to protect our communities, and that’s exactly what this new law will help do.” The loss of equipment overseas has hindered training capabilities and limited the National Guard’s ability to respond to potential civil emergencies and natural disasters. For example, at the Pentagon’s direction, the Washington Army National Guard’s 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team left approximately 1,400 items—including weapons, radios, and vehicles worth a total of more than $32 million—in Iraq for other units to use. Cantwell’s measure, supported by Adjutant General Timothy Lowenberg, commander of the Washington State National Guard, requires a system to track transferred equipment and mandates the development of plans to replace the equipment in question. For the next five years, the Department of Defense will be required to submit quarterly reports to Congress detailing all National Guard equipment diverted to other units as well as an equipment replacement plan. Reports will have to be completed within 90 days of the equipment’s diversion. The new law mirrors a current Defense Department policy that, according to a Government Accountability Office report, has not been followed. According to the report, the Army could not account for more than half of all items left behind at the time and has not committed to an equipment replacement plan. In June, the Senate decided unanimously to include Cantwell’s legislation in its version of the defense authorization bill. Cantwell then worked to make sure her proposal was included in the final version of the legislation. Since September 11, 2001, more than 6,000 members of the Washington Army and Air Guard have been deployed around the world. During the past four years, the Washington National Guard has aided federal military missions overseas, responded to local civil emergencies, and supported recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina.
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