SUN Act
The SUN Act creates a congressional oversight requirement for domestic use of the National Guard. When the President deploys or otherwise uses National Guard personnel within the United States under Title 10 or other authorities (for example, emergency or law enforcement missions), the bill would require a report to Congress within 15 days. The report must detail the legal basis and goals of the deployment, any evidence supporting the President’s assessment, the impact on the situation, interactions with civilians including any violence or threats, input from local and state law enforcement, the estimated total federal cost (including indirect Defense Department costs), and a certification that the deployment will not hamper the Armed Forces’ ability to respond to disasters under the Stafford Act. The Act provides an exception: it does not apply to National Guard deployments under a Stafford Act presidential disaster declaration for natural disasters or weather-related events. In short, the SUN Act would formalize a near-immediate, structured reporting requirement to Congress about domestic National Guard deployments, aiming to increase transparency and accountability for such deployments while preserving disaster-response readiness.
Key Points
- 1Within 15 days of any domestic National Guard deployment or use under Title 10 or other authorities, the President must submit a report to Congress with specific details on basis, goals, and supporting evidence.
- 2The report must include: (a) precise legal basis and goals; (b) description of effects on the identified situation; (c) input from local and state law enforcement about interactions and violence levels; (d) total federal cost estimates (including indirect DoD costs); (e) a certification that the deployment won’t hinder federal disaster response under the Stafford Act.
- 3The bill requires inclusion of law enforcement reports describing interactions with civilians, including any violence or threats of violence.
- 4The total cost estimate must cover the full cost to the federal government for the deployment, ensuring budgetary transparency.
- 5An explicit exception: the reporting requirement does not apply to National Guard deployments in response to natural disasters or weather-related events under a Stafford Act presidential declaration.
- 6The act is named the Safeguarding the Use of the National Guard Act (SUN Act) and signals a push for greater congressional oversight of domestic Guard deployments.