Carol Shea-Porter: “from its birth before the Revolutionary War, the National Guard has served as our first defense against catastrophic…”

“from its birth before the Revolutionary War, the National Guard has served as our first defense against catastrophic disaster. We all remember the scenes during Hurricane Katrina. The National Guard came to the rescue. They were the ones in the helicopters, along with the Coast Guard, rescuing people after FEMA had collapsed and had not fulfilled its responsibilities. After we invaded Iraq, it was our brave soldiers in the National Guard that once again answered the call to duty. They have served side by side with the regular forces doing an incredible job. They also have a job to do in our country, though. But multiple deployments and use of equipment has degraded the equipment they have at home to protect us in our own States. The National Guard currently has about 40 percent of the equipment that it needs at home. The American people deserve to know this, that we do not have the equipment that we need, and the National Guard has a right to have the equipment so they can fulfill their duty in case of a national domestic disaster. I thank the National Guard and their families who stand by day after day, serving us during any kind of catastrophe. I urge the American public to ask Congress and ask the executive branch to make sure that our National Guard has the equipment at home they need.”