[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6360547,"mediaKeyId","2174590-fb9e099a255f72f3bf77df42838f1328","parentId",2174590,"title","Committee hears hours-long debate on ‘Defend the Guard’ bill to restrict overseas combat deployments","audioSeconds",2588,"startMs",340000,"endMs",2928000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174590-fb9e099a255f72f3bf77df42838f1328&start=340&end=2928","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174590-fb9e099a255f72f3bf77df42838f1328/thumbnail_340000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6360547/Kansas/Committee-hears-hours-long-debate-on-Defend-the-Guard-bill-to-restrict-overseas-combat-deployments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360547-2c5f74c311ec335c93a278e89bb1b12c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445376&Signature=c3YG8XWCo-3Ko14dRWK9WLr9nj~QWn3resdJuJFBuKbFvD9mZps8xhOyAXlvlsU5YZzbDrPLHcC~GQrW2h8hXCUpIOVln9kz7CC8SowPxIzkPZASBjG~YcyLeXMwmk4PORMbcdR2HK3fZ~3xgLfYu97zsSr6Evr1Ik7jztrBzwfuDdDoVuqmeIFFCeZdhj0h1S5euYDtBlCTcBuUR--OL-BRLEpq4Yn8T6Cw54u-E-L6J6EW-iaTjRv~hSlX5iE5sZm~52Fb8YpqHUN8Jy~7E8UYyBNLHwMT43RZV62~pn9mJQFf45S7~EsMCkrz5WCZGJ2AFPGOAvb0HZH4XngZlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Committee on Federal and State Affairs, KS","date","2025-01-30T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 38, the “Defend the Guard Act,” would bar the governor or other state actors from releasing Kansas National Guard members for active federal combat service unless the U.S. Congress has declared war or taken other official action under its constitutional powers, committee adviser Jason Long said at the opening of the hearing.

The measure, Long told the Kansas Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs, would “prohibit the release of the Kansas National Guard or any member of the guard for active duty combat unless the United States Congress has declared war or taken official action under its constitutional powers to call on the guard,” and would not limit Guard assistance for domestic disaster response or other non-combat missions.

Supporters who testified said the bill would close a perceived loophole in federal mobilization law and protect Guardsmen from being sent to foreign combat without explicit congressional authorization. Dan McKnight of Bring Our Troops Home said the proposal would “restore the constitutional law and close[] loopholes that have led to the misuse of the National Guard,” and later explained proponents’ view that recent practice has allowed the executive branch to federalize Guardsmen without a formal declaration.

Other proponents, including private citizens Scott Horton and Sean Held, framed the measure as protecting constitutional war powers and reducing overseas deployments. Horton described the bill as part of a larger political movement to “end the wars” and to press elected officials to require congressional authority before extended overseas combat deployments.

Opponents from the Kansas National Guard and its leadership said the bill would risk federal funding, missions and readiness. Lieutenant Colonel Jacob McElwee, legal advisor to the Adjutant General, told the committee that Guardsmen have dual status as both Kansas National Guard members and as members of the National Guard of the United States and that federal law and decades of court decisions allow the federal government to mobilize Guardsmen for federal service under Title 10 orders. McElwee said the practical effect of the bill could be to reduce Kansas’s ability to respond to disasters and other state needs because federal funding and assigned missions could be moved elsewhere if the Guard’s federal availability is constrained.

Keith Marshall, legislative liaison for the Kansas Adjutant General’s Department, said the state receives roughly $270,000,000 in federal support that could be jeopardized if the Guard’s accessibility for federal missions is limited. Marshall referenced a recent change in the National Defense Authorization Act that, he said, demonstrates the Department of Defense can reassign missions and funding when it cannot access Guard units.

Retired Colonel Michael Kelly warned of national defense consequences, telling senators the Guard supports components of the nation’s strategic posture and that limiting federal access could affect readiness for high-end scenarios.

Committee members pressed both sides on practical and legal consequences. Senator Gossage and others asked whether the bill would change existing practice or merely restate law; Long and proponents said the bill narrows when Guardsmen may be released for active federal combat as defined in the bill. Senators asked about the distinction between Title 10 and Title 32 status, disaster response, and whether federal funding could be withheld; proponents acknowledged uncertainty about potential federal remedies, while Guard witnesses pointed to 32 U.S.C. §108 as a statutory basis for potential withholding or reassignment of missions.

The bill text, as Long noted, includes a definition of “active duty combat” and a definition of “official declaration of war.” Long said the bill’s effective date would be July 1 if enacted.

The committee took no final action on Senate Bill 38 at the hearing. The chair closed proponent and opponent testimony after scheduled blocks and adjourned the hearing for committee consideration.

The hearing drew a mix of veterans’ groups and private citizens supporting the bill and senior Kansas National Guard officials opposing it, and committee members asked staff to gather further legal and fiscal information before any final vote.

Votes or formal motions were not recorded for Senate Bill 38 during the hearing; the committee instead opened and closed testimony and set follow-up questions for staff to answer.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs 01/30/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 38, the “Defend the Guard Act,” would bar the governor or other state actors from releasing Kansas National Guard members for active federal combat service unless the U.S. Congress has declared war or taken other specified official action, committee adviser Jason Long told the Kansas Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs.","taxTitle","Federal and State Affairs, Standing, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Kansas","taxId",20424,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6360537,"Committee notes introduction of several bills including casino smoking ban and industrial-scale renewable measures",108,48000,156000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174590-fb9e099a255f72f3bf77df42838f1328&start=48&end=156","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174590-fb9e099a255f72f3bf77df42838f1328/thumbnail_48000.jpg","/articles/6360537/Kansas/Committee-notes-introduction-of-several-bills-including-casino-smoking-ban-and-industrial-scale-renewable-measures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360537-a72bf0b899da9d2aeb8d8609b47e2fc0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445376&Signature=nBX2Za2nz1x6SkTvhAr8-Yoz0y8G10eDFYLzZ0PuYf1NtyzMJ3Ttd-Ci5yriw00v5kJaoQyjb3gIHeHoO5bMpv1p6xqlras4YBLNib1DZCszpRwg-IspfV54P1w25KCkei1zisQ1V6VhlYNWr-JbejjDhJdyHAClJp6xHhIyJkRO2cOPDyNZlXJNpKvqv-TGbdhgbJQGrEldxVWzdhsxJNXHqBEPYSf2IH4-bjVXJsLNBXdWNE8haCeaKvclPiWU4ySHpu9K00jtAQLJyWDxpsyWqY7YFQ63-xLb0pcP-MMVBQXHpsiFo1H-ibk7MnSAtH7M25LnRJJ5IDvndUbAWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Before the substantive hearing on Senate Bill 38, the Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee recorded introductions of several bills by unanimous consent or without objection.

Brett Glendening, city manager for the City of Osuwatomi, requested introduction of 25RS 0354 concerning state-owned property near and within the City of Osuwatomi.

Senator Blue introduced 25RS 0171, described as a bill concerning childcare. The committee then introduced 25RS 0821 addressing Convention of States Article V term limits.

The committee also introduced 25RS 0296, described as relating to industrial-scale solar and wind leases, and 25RS 0323, concerning decommissioning of industrial-scale wind and solar projects.

Finally, 25RS 0460 was introduced; the sponsor described it as a proposal to remove the exemption from the statewide smoking ban for state-owned casino floors and thus extend the smoking ban to casinos. Senator Foskadot asked whether the measure would affect Native American tribes; a committee member answered that under current law an exemption exists for the floors of state-owned casinos and that the proposed bill would remove that exemption if enacted. The chair noted any introduced bill would still follow the regular bill-review process.

All introductions were recorded without objections in committee.

","At the start of the session the committee recorded introductions of multiple bills, including measures on state-owned property near Osuwatomi, childcare, Convention of States term limits, industrial-scale wind and solar leases and decommissioning, and a proposed casino smoking ban.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6360542,"Committee favorably recommends confirmation of Colonel Carlin Williams to brigadier general",90,220000,310000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2174590-fb9e099a255f72f3bf77df42838f1328&start=220&end=310","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2174590-fb9e099a255f72f3bf77df42838f1328/thumbnail_220000.jpg","/articles/6360542/Kansas/Committee-favorably-recommends-confirmation-of-Colonel-Carlin-Williams-to-brigadier-general","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360542-0c4471e41c57c953c4d4bb031e7a42bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445376&Signature=ViwDcCDj~NvfcemrZWFc43AldjyMeFBeAKsDJxh3ySwf6zrbFelcrwV9-CXgDh3PEL-UFL2kht09fMhMHOhf-7WlKTkxBxYF-xoHHOEQwQ3hig3uWhuDsktxNq6kNxwiods~vFTZRr-Asx1cMkMu~AQRpkdcbWa~~9tnaGhbMNqMrQ31e3JjzLnVOF~frSpbaIKE0xVeEQcDvRERU8YcwmmeIPvZSdCatT~ebLD4DA0oriPCf2KCjlHCYWUnQmrmqBeF2OAKeJ98Rp0css0u1FzKukws9mZXWxTxHrxymat2v5DEEf0wDG3sQ~NQ4tQk5wOJ9KeLcMqWZItM51MC3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee favorably recommended the confirmation of Colonel Carlin Williams to the rank of brigadier general after brief discussion and a confirmation hearing.

Senator Gossage moved to \"favorably recommend the approval confirmation of Colonel Williams to the rank of brigadier general,\" and the motion was seconded by Senator Dietrich. The committee called for the question; the clerk recorded a voice vote. Chairman Thompson summarized the result as unanimous and announced the recommendation would head to the full Senate for confirmation.

No roll-call tally was recorded in the committee transcript; the committee reported the motion as having passed by voice vote.

","The Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee favorably recommended confirmation of Colonel Carlin Williams for promotion to brigadier general by unanimous voice vote after a confirmation hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears hours-long debate on ‘Defend the Guard’ bill to restrict overseas combat deployments

Committee notes introduction of several bills including casino smoking ban and industrial-scale renewable measures

Committee favorably recommends confirmation of Colonel Carlin Williams to brigadier general