In a letter to the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the National Governors Association expressed their displeasure with the department’s proposed legislation to Congress to weaken the authority that governors have over the National Guard.

Fifty-three governors from the states and U.S territories signed onto the letter. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders was among the governors to sign onto the letter. The letter explains that this proposal would make it more difficult for governors to respond to crises. Last year, Sanders activated the Arkansas National Guard to help local officials respond to the tornado in Central Arkansas. She also deployed the National Guard to the Southern Border.

Gov. Sanders opposes DOD's proposal to weaken states' powers over National Guard