ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 254
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
210th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 27, 2003
Sponsored by:
District 7 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblywoman MARY T. PREVITE
District 6 (Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Eagler, Gusciora, S.Kean, Barnes, Burzichelli, Caraballo, Chivukula, Conaway, Diegnan, Doria, Edwards, Egan, Fisher, Green, Assemblywoman Greenstein, Assemblymen Guear, Hackett, Impreveduto, McKeon, Payne, Assemblywomen Perez-Cinciarelli, Pou, Quigley, Assemblymen Sarlo, Stanley, Assemblywoman Stender, Assemblymen Van Drew and Wisniewski
SYNOPSIS
Memorializes Congress to provide critical funding and equipment to the New Jersey National Guard.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
(Sponsorship Updated As Of: 5/16/2003)
An Assembly Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to provide federal funding and equipment to the New Jersey National Guard.
Whereas, The Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs supports Homeland Security in this State by preparing the New Jersey National Guard and providing specialized teams and training to emergency first responders; and
Whereas, There are more than 1,700 New Jersey National Guard troops on State and federal active duty involved in Homeland Security and Homeland Defense missions; and
Whereas, The New Jersey Army National Guard provides mobilized combat ready military units for deployment in State and national activations; and
Whereas, The New Jersey Air National Guard provides combat-ready airmen, aircraft and equipment for worldwide deployment in support of United States Air Force objectives; and
Whereas, The department is responsible for training and equipping domestic emergency response teams in support of New Jersey's Homeland Security program; and
Whereas, The federal government has failed to establish a Civil Support Team in this State; and
Whereas, The United States Congress is responsible for appropriating funds to the New Jersey National Guard for the procurement of critical resources to be deployed in the effective execution of all assigned missions; and
Whereas, It is necessary to provide critical funding and equipment to the New Jersey National Guard; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House calls upon the United States Congress to provide funding and equipment to the New Jersey National Guard to support the Guard in the execution of all assigned missions.
2. This House urges the United States Congress to appropriate sufficient funds to the New Jersey Army National Guard to procure 464 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Vehicles to meet its authorized strength; continue the replacement of its helicopter fleet with UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopters; accelerate the procurement of AH-64 Apache Helicopters; replace the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier with Bradley Fighting Vehicles; and provide the armor division with deployable M1A1 tanks.
3. This House requests the United States Congress to appropriate sufficient funds to the New Jersey Air National Guard for the procurement of new Block 50/52/plus aircraft and for the upgrading of KC-135E refueling airframes.
4. This House further calls upon the United States Congress to establish and fully fund a Civil Support Team in the State of New Jersey and to provide more and better protective clothing for team members and body armor for counter terrorism missions and to appropriate capital construction funds for critical military construction projects, including the construction of a dedicated site for the arming and dearming of F-16 aircraft at the Atlantic City Air Base; the construction of the Consolidated Logistics and Training Facility at the Lakehurst Naval Engineering Station; and security enhancements at the McGuire Air Force Base.
5. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of United States House of Representatives, and to every member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This Assembly Resolution calls upon the United States Congress to provide sufficient funding and military equipment to the New Jersey National Guard in the federal Fiscal Year 2004 Defense Authorization Act. More than 1,700 New Jersey National Guard troops have been assigned to State or federal active duty on Homeland Security and Homeland Defense missions. However, federal funding and equipment to the National Guard are not at a level for the Guard to achieve top performance. The New Jersey Army and Air National Guard deserve to be as fully prepared as possible to meet the critical missions they have been assigned by our National leaders.