Congressman Pat Harrigan Introduces Guarding Readiness Resources Act to Support the National Guard
Contact: Lexi Kranich (814) 380-4408
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10) has introduced the Guarding Readiness Resources Act to ensure the National Guard has the funding needed to repair and maintain equipment after responding to state emergencies. Right now, outdated bureaucracy is draining resources and leaving essential equipment unfunded, making it harder for the Guard to respond to future missions. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is leading the companion bill in the Senate.
“The National Guard is America’s first responder, but outdated bureaucracy is draining resources, leaving critical equipment broken and unfunded after State Active Duty missions. The Guarding Readiness Resources Act fixes this by cutting red tape at the Department of the Treasury—ensuring the National Guard Bureau immediately gets the funds it needs to repair, replace, and maintain equipment. This keeps our Guardsmen mission-ready, whether responding to natural disasters like Hurricane Helene or supporting local law enforcement,” said Congressman Pat Harrigan. “I’m proud to lead this effort in the House alongside Senator Lee in the Senate to strengthen the Guard and protect American communities.”
Under current law, when states use National Guard equipment like helicopters and trucks for State Active Duty (SAD) missions, they are required to reimburse the federal government. However, an outdated provision in the Miscellaneous Receipts Act (MRA) redirects these funds to the U.S. Treasury instead of back to the National Guard. As a result, units are left without the resources to repair or replace critical equipment, putting future readiness at risk. The Guarding Readiness Resources Act fixes this by exempting SAD reimbursements from the MRA so the National Guard can reinvest those funds into maintenance and operational readiness.
Rep. Harrigan is leading the bill in the House, with Reps. Greg Murphy (R-NC), Don Davis (D-NC), and Joe Neguse (D-CO) as co-leads. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) is spearheading the effort in the Senate.
“The National Guard is essential to our national defense and emergency response system," said Senator Lee. "This legislation eliminates unnecessary hurdles, ensuring that the funds used by states to reimburse the National Guard go directly to maintaining and preparing our equipment for future missions.”
“We must ensure our state National Guard units are properly equipped to execute their missions and funded appropriately,” said Congressman Greg Murphy. “I’m proud to support the Guarding Readiness Resources Act to address bureaucratic hurdles that have gotten in the way of this goal for too long. Thank you to my friend Congressman Pat Harrigan for leading this important reform.”
“Congress must use all tools at its disposal to speed up recovery following natural disasters like Hurricane Helene,” said Congressman Don Davis. “By reimbursing the National Guard for maintaining and repairing equipment they use in responding to local emergencies, we are helping them help our communities in need.”
The Guarding Readiness Resources Act passed the Senate unanimously in December 2024 and has strong support from the National Guard Bureau, which has long advocated for this change. Ensuring the Guard has the resources to maintain readiness is critical to both national security and disaster response, and Congress must act quickly to get this done.