During Tuesday’s meeting of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) questioned the adequacy of the National Guard’s fiscal year 2023 budget proposal due to the increased need for branch personnel deployment to the southern border.
Shelby, who serves as vice chair of the committee, began his remarks before National Guard leadership by touching on the role that the branch’s service members played in protecting the citizenry while carrying out emergency response operations.
“The National Guard and Reserves serve both overseas and, when disaster strikes, here at home,” noted Shelby. “Over the last few years, they have answered the call on many occasions. From responding to COVID-19, hurricanes, and wildfires to safeguarding our border, these men and women have served our country with distinction.”
According to Alabama’s senior senator, the Biden administration’s “failure” to prioritize funding for border operations has resulted in an increased burden for the National Guard as it relates to security operations along the southern border.
“I am deeply concerned, however, that the administration’s failure to direct the appropriate resources to the crisis at the southern border has resulted in shifting the burden to the Guard,” added Shelby. “Because the administration has refused to fund the construction of a comprehensive barrier along the border, it has been compelled to send the National Guard to deal with the consequences.”
“Further, if the administration succeeds in appealing a recent court decision, Title 42 restrictions will end and the demands on the Guard’s manpower and resources will only increase,” lamented the senator. “Recently, we have seen as much as $300 million in a single year reprioritized from the Guard to pay for border deployments. Now, we are seeing active military components cover most of the bill which puts a significant and unnecessary strain on the DOD in the year of execution. Regrettably, this was all predictable and avoidable.”
Shelby concluded his remarks by requesting feedback from branch leadership regarding the adequacy of the administration’s funding ask.
“So, today I would like to understand how the Administration’s policies at the border are straining your resources and how the President’s budget supports the fundamental requirements of the Guard and Reserves. I would also like to know whether your respective budgets fall short of providing adequate funding for much-needed equipment, modernization, training, and recruitment,” finished the senator.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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