September 15, 2025
Mr. Padilla (for himself, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Van Hollen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
To provide for congressional oversight of domestic use of the National Guard, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Safeguarding the Use of the National Guard Act
or the SUN Act
.
Sec. 2. Congressional oversight of domestic use of the National Guard
(a) In general
Except as provided in subsection (b), not later than 15 days after the date on which the President deploys or otherwise uses members of the National Guard at a location in the United States pursuant to chapter 13 or 15 of title 10, United States Code, or any other law or authority, the President shall submit to Congress a report on the use or deployment that includes—
(1)
the precise legal basis and goals of the President for the deployment or other use, including any evidence substantiating the assessment of the President;
(2)
a description of the effect of such deployment or use on any situation identified in such justification, including any specific reports of any interactions between members of the National Guard and civilians engaged in violence or threats of violence;
(3)
reports from local and State law enforcement agencies describing any such interactions, including the extent of actual violence or threat of violence, and the assessment of such agencies of the propriety of deployment or other use of members of the National Guard;
(4)
an estimate of the total cost to the Federal Government for the entirety of the deployment or use, including any indirect costs to the Department of Defense; and
(5)
a certification that such deployment or use of the members of the National Guard will not interfere with the ability of the Armed Forces to respond in the event of a disaster that could be covered by a presidential declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
(b) Exception
Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to the use or deployment of members of the National Guard at a location in the United States pursuant to a presidential declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in response to a natural disaster or other weather-related event.