Stop this gun control crap you people don't know what the difference between a true assault weapon is I carried one during the gulf war and it's not like the one I have in my gun cabinet AR-15 sold in gun shops is not a assault weapon so give public the true information or better yet put it to a vote by the people let the people decide

I fervently support HB2193, and urge you to pass this bill. For too long has the National Guard been used to fight forever wars that were never voted on by Congress. The last time Congress passed a formal declaration of War was 1942. Since then Congress and several Presidents have abused their powers to send young men and women to die overseas without a declaration of War. I strongly urge you to pass this bill to protect the men and women of the Virginia National Guard from such abuses, and to use the National Guard for its true purpose. We need the Virginia National Guard to help Virginia in times of crisis here in the state of Virginia.

This bill protects our National Guard from gross national overreach by requiring Congress to actually declare war before their activation.

I strongly urge you to support HR 2193, a crucial piece of legislation that not only restores constitutional oversight to the deployment of Virginia’s National Guard but also ensures we are prepared to meet emergencies here at home. As you know, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to declare war under Article I, Section 8. Unfortunately, for decades, this responsibility has been bypassed, allowing the federal government to send our National Guard troops to fight in overseas conflicts without the proper constitutional process. This undermines the separation of powers and leaves our Guard members vulnerable to unnecessary risks. In addition to the constitutional concerns, sending our National Guard resources to foreign conflicts reduces our ability to respond to emergencies here in Virginia. When our Guardsmen are deployed overseas, they are not available to assist during natural disasters, like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires, where their presence is critical. For example, during Hurricane Katrina and other major disasters, the absence of National Guard units—who were deployed abroad—left states struggling to respond effectively. Other states are also seeing this now in Georgia and North Carolina with Hurricane Helene. Ensuring our National Guard remains available for state emergencies should be a top priority, and the Defend the Guard Act helps protect our state's ability to address such crises. This bill does not impede the Guard’s ability to respond to domestic disasters or participate in training exercises. Instead, it requires that before our Guard units are sent into combat overseas, Congress must formally declare war—ensuring that such deployments are made with full transparency and accountability. Virginia's National Guard is a vital resource for our state’s security, from disaster relief to emergency management. Supporting HR 2193 not only upholds constitutional principles but also preserves the readiness of our Guard to serve Virginia when we need them most. I urge you to stand with Virginia's National Guard and the citizens of our state by supporting this important legislation.

This bill should pass with unanimous consent from both Political Parties in the VA General Assembly. Both Democrats and Republicans say they "support our troops" and that they also "support our veterans". Well, it's time to prove it by passing this bill and sending it to our Governor -- This bill will allow the state of Virginia to use its inherent, sovereign authority to rebalance war powers between the branches of the federal government State legislators have an essential, civic obligation to their constituents to demand that the federal government adhere to congressional war powers as mandated by Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution. Without an official declaration of war by the U.S. Congress, states have a duty to withhold their troops from active combat. The sole objective of this bill is to obligate the federal government to obey the U.S. Constitution before sending our sons and daughters to fight more endless wars. -- On a side note, I ask that the VA General Assembly and Governor Youngkin beware anyone who opposes this bill being passed into law, especially lobbyists or US military officials.

I strongly urge you to support HR 2193, a crucial piece of legislation that not only restores constitutional oversight to the deployment of Virginia’s National Guard but also ensures we are prepared to meet emergencies here at home. As you know, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to declare war under Article I, Section 8. Unfortunately, for decades, this responsibility has been bypassed, allowing the federal government to send our National Guard troops to fight in overseas conflicts without the proper constitutional process. This undermines the separation of powers and leaves our Guard members vulnerable to unnecessary risks. In addition to the constitutional concerns, sending our National Guard resources to foreign conflicts reduces our ability to respond to emergencies here in Virginia. When our Guardsmen are deployed overseas, they are not available to assist during natural disasters, like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires, where their presence is critical. For example, during Hurricane Katrina and other major disasters, the absence of National Guard units—who were deployed abroad—left states struggling to respond effectively. Other states are also seeing this now in Georgia and North Carolina with Hurricane Helene. Ensuring our National Guard remains available for state emergencies should be a top priority, and the Defend the Guard Act helps protect our state's ability to address such crises. This bill does not impede the Guard’s ability to respond to domestic disasters or participate in training exercises. Instead, it requires that before our Guard units are sent into combat overseas, Congress must formally declare war—ensuring that such deployments are made with full transparency and accountability. Virginia's National Guard is a vital resource for our state’s security, from disaster relief to emergency management. Supporting HR 2193 not only upholds constitutional principles but also preserves the readiness of our Guard to serve Virginia when we need them most. I urge you to stand with Virginia's National Guard and the citizens of our state by supporting this important legislation.