Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Safeguarding the Use of the National Guard Act” or the “SUN Act”.
Safeguarding the Use of the National Guard Act
A BILL
To provide for congressional oversight of domestic use of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Congressional oversight of domestic use of the reserve components of the Armed Forces
In general— Except as provided in subsection (b), not later than 15 days after the date on which the President deploys or otherwise uses members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces at a location in the United States pursuant to chapter 13 or 15 of title 10, United States Code, or any other law or authority—
the President shall submit to Congress a report on the use or deployment that includes—
the precise legal basis and goals of the President for the deployment or other use, including any evidence substantiating the assessment of the President;
a description of the effect of such deployment or use on any situation identified in such justification, including any specific reports of any interactions between members of the Armed Forces and civilians engaged in violence or threats of violence;
reports from local and State law enforcement agencies describing any such interactions, including the extent of actual violence or threat of violence, and the assessment of such agencies of the propriety of deployment or other use of members of the Armed Forces;
an identification of the total cost to the Federal Government of such deployment or use, including any indirect costs borne by the Department of Defense and civilians called up to serve in the National Guard; and
a certification that such deployment or use of the members of the reserve component will not interfere with the ability of the Armed Forces to respond in the event of a disaster that could be covered by a presidential declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.); and
the Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall provide to Congress a briefing on whether the deployment or use of the reserve components resulted in a reduction of violence and met the stated goals identified by the President under paragraph (1)(A).
Exception— Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to the use or deployment of members of the Armed Forces at a location in the United States pursuant to a presidential declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in response to a natural disaster or other weather-related event.