S1252: Defend the Guard

Monday, 3/25/24:

S1252 was killed in House Transportation & Defense last week. I wrote about the hearing here.

Monday, 3/4/24:

Sen. Adams presented S1252 on the floor this morning. Click here to read my live tweet thread. Sen. Geoff Schroeder led the debate against the bill, warning that its passage would deprive the Idaho National Guard of training and materials supplied by the federal government. Debate in favor centered around a desire to return the US Congress to its constitutional authority of declaring war. The bill passed 27-8, with several senators waiting to hear how the vote shook out before declaring their own positions.

Wednesday, 2/28/24:

Sen. Adams introduced S1252 in Senate State Affairs this morning, accompanied by Dan McKnight of Bring Our Troops Home, an organization dedicated to getting bills like this passed in all fifty states. Several members of the committee expressed concern, reserving the right to change their minds later, but they voted to send it to the floor with a do pass recommendation. Only Sen. Melissa Wintrow voted against the motion.

Wednesday, 1/31/24:

Idaho Freedom Foundation has rated S1252 +1.

Friday, 1/26/24:

Sen. Ben Adams introduced RS 31038 in Senate State Affairs on Friday morning. This bill would prohibit the federal government from mobilizing Idaho’s National Guard except in the case of a congressional declaration of war. The US has not officially declared war since 1942, but presidents have nevertheless deployed both the US Armed Forces and state national guards to combat zones overseas ever since.

The same bill was printed last year but only given an informational hearing. The committee voted to print the bill, and we should know soon if it will be given a full hearing. Defend the Guard is now Senate Bill 1252.