On Jan. 29, the House Education Committee met to discuss House Bill 265, Defend the Guard Act. This bill was previously voted on by ASUW as a Senate Resolution in Dec. of 2024 before going to Cheyenne. It protects Wyoming’s National Guard from being deployed into active combat zones overseas unless there is a formal declaration of war issued by Congress.
Representative Singh, as the sponsor of the bill, described it as “the law of the land” and noted Article I, Section B, Clause 11 of the Constitution.
“…We have ignored this fundamental safeguard, allowing our neighbors, our guardsmen, our friends, our sons and daughters to be sent into wars without a clear mission, without accountability, and without a lawful declaration from Congress,” Rep. Singh advocated.
He additionally informed the committee that the bill would not prevent many things, including the ability to deploy overseas, training exercises with allies, humanitarian missions, or disaster relief efforts abroad; the Guard’s ability to be ready for any mission that serves the American people.
Major General Greg Porter, Adjutant General for the state of Wyoming, spoke to the Committee and gave his military perspective on the bill. He stated that the bill’s concept has been discussed in legislation for over ten years and explained that 30 of 50 states have introduced similar legislation without having a single state pass it. He additionally stressed the fact that the Guard serves as a reserve for multiple branches including 21% of Air Force and 33% of Army forces. Major General Porter explained that the National Guard receives 95% of its funding federally, and with the inability of the President to access the Guard this funding would be pulled along with federal equipment.
“If the president cannot access the National Guard, then I believe our forces and those in the National Guard are in jeopardy,” Major General Porter said. “… The Department of Defense cannot afford to not be able to access [the National Guard].”
Following those speaking in opposition of the bill, ASUW members addressed the committee showing support for Defend the Guard. ASUW Senator, Author of ASUW Bill supporting Defend the Guard, and President of TurningPointUSA at UW, Gabe Saint spoke on behalf of the younger generation.
“The states need to take bold action to uphold the Constitution and hold the federal government power,” Saint said. “Young people would like to see our republic be independent again.”
The second ASUW member to speak was Director of Community and Governmental Affairs Sophia Gomelsky. She spoke on behalf of ASUW to express their strong support for House Bill 265.
“This legislation fundamentally aligns with constitutional principles and it preserves the sovereignty of our state’s National Guard,” Gomelsky said. “It ensures decisions that impact Wyoming service members are made with the gravity and deliberation that they deserve.”
Gomelsky also explained the significance of the bill to the community at the University of Wyoming, as many students and alumni are members of the National Guard, and that with this bill, those individuals will not have to fear being deployed into dangerous combat situations without constitutional authorization from Congress.
ASUW Senator and President of Young Americans for Liberty, JW Rzeszut was the third to speak on behalf of UW. He shared his experience of youth being “generally ignorant and apathetic” towards politics, yet the support he has seen for this legislation has contradicted such an idea.
“I think the reason we have so many young people supporting this bill is actually pretty simple,” Rzeszuts said. “The situation of our generation is that virtually everybody in my generation has been living through some state of war since they have been born. The undergraduate group of students… were almost exclusively born in a post 9/11 world… The concept of war abroad is really something that’s permeated our entire lives.”
Rzeszuts also addressed that students may feel financial pressure attempting to afford to go to college and join the National Guard as a result. He feels as though this resulted in a situation with a lot of young people unknowingly putting themselves in the position to be deployed into active combat zones, which this Bill could prevent.
Following discussion, the House Education Committee consisting of Representatives Bratten, Erickson, Guggenmos, Kelly, Lawley, Singh, Strock, Williams, and Andrews, voted 9-0 recommending an amendment and a Do Pass for House Bill 265, Defend the Guard.
