Bill
HB 548
Maryland would prohibit National Guard combat deployment abroad without congressional war declaration or state authorization, reasserting state control over federalized troops.
HB 548, known as "Defend the Guard," would require Maryland to prohibit its National Guard members from being deployed to active combat operations outside the United States without either a declaration of war by Congress or explicit state authorization. The bill aims to establish a state-level check on federal military deployment authority by preventing Guard units from engaging in combat abroad without meeting these conditions.
This bill addresses the constitutional tension between federal and state control over National Guard forces. Since the Guard can be "federalized" under presidential authority, this legislation attempts to reclaim state sovereignty over when Maryland's military personnel can be committed to combat. The outcome could set precedent for state-federal power dynamics regarding military deployment and affect how National Guard units operate under federal command.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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