New legislation introduced in the Michigan state house would stop the Michigan National Guard from being deployed to conflicts not explicitly declared by U.S. Congress, including the current conflict in Ukraine that is being heavily subsidized by the American taxpayer.

State Rep. Steve Carra, Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, introduced House Bill 4336 (HB4336) on March 23. The bill was sponsored by Republican state representatives Jay DeBoyer, James DeSana, Rachelle Smit, Joseph Fox, Brad Paquette, Matt Maddock, Mike Hoadley, Bob Bezotte, Neil Friske and Angela Rigas as well as Democrat state representative Dylan Wegela.

The legislation reads as follows:

“The Michigan National Guard and any member of the Michigan National Guard must not be released from this state into active duty combat unless the United States Congress has passed an official declaration of war or has taken an official action under clause 15 of section 8 of article I of the Constitution of the United States to explicitly call forth the state militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress an insurrection, or repel an invasion. The governor shall take all actions necessary to comply with the requirements of this section.”

The legislation is backed by the constitutional rights organization, the Tenth Amendment Center, as a mechanism to restrain the belligerent foreign policy of Washington D.C., where members of both major political parties spend recklessly to provoke other nations and never hesitate to throw U.S. troops into the meat grinder.

“National Guard troops have played significant roles in all modern overseas conflicts, with over 650,000 deployed since 2001. Military.com reports that “Guard and Reserve units made up about 45 percent of the total force sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, and received about 18.4 percent of the casualties.” More specifically, Michigan National Guard troops have participated in missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere,” said Mike Maharrey of the Tenth Amendment Center.

“Passage of Defend the Guard would also force the federal government to only use the Guard for the three expressly-delegated purposes in the Constitution, and at other times to remain where the Guard belongs, at home, supporting and protecting their home state,” Maharrey added.

The legislation has been referred to the House Committee On Military, Veterans And Homeland Security where it will need to be approved before it can be considered for a vote in the full state house. Please contact members of the committee and urge them to support the HB4336, the Defend the Guard Act.