Pence Joins Bipartisan Coalition of Governors Urging Congress to Repeal Federal Provision Impacting National Guard Readiness

Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence has joined more than 40 governors in urging Congress to repeal a provision of the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that requires the conversion of certain National Guard military technicians into non-uniformed federal civilian employees.

Along with the letter, Governor Pence said, “I am deeply concerned that this provision, affecting hundreds of authorized Indiana National Guard military technicians, will impact force readiness and our ability to respond to state emergencies as they might arise.”

Below are key excerpts of the letter:

“The nation’s governors call on Congress to repeal Section 1053 of the fiscal year (FY) 2016 National Defense Authorization (NDAA), which requires the conversion of certain Title 32 National Guard military technicians into non-uniformed Title 5 federal civilian employees. We are gravely concerned about how this provision will affect overall National Guard readiness and our ability to use the Guard to respond to emergencies.”
“These conversions would exacerbate two consecutive years of reductions in National Guard uniformed end strength and deny governors’ access to thousands of dual-status technicians available for immediate military response to domestic emergencies.”