Russ Feingold: “I have long advocated the creation of 23 additional full-time National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support…”

“I have long advocated the creation of 23 additional full-time National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams and have supported the location of at least one team in each state and territory of the United States. I am pleased that last year the Congress passed--and the President signed into law--a defense authorization bill that required that these important teams be created. I am also pleased that earlier this year the Senate passed a defense authorization bill that includes $88.4 million for 12 new teams in fiscal year 2004. I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee for their support on this issue, and for including language in the report accompanying the fiscal year 2004 DoD authorization bill urging the Pentagon to include funding for the remaining eleven teams in its fiscal year 2005 budget request. I also want to thank the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for their work on this issue.”