South Dakota Senate Bill 82 passed the military and veterans affairs committee Wednesday with a three to one vote. If passed, the bill would require the U.S. Congress to formally declare war for South Dakota’s National Guard members to be deployed into international combat.
“We want to support the [the military] and only send them into wars that have the full, informed consent of the people of the United States,” Bring Our Troops Home Chairman & Founder Dan McKnight said. “When you have a declaration of war, every zip code in the country is behind the efforts.”
McKnight’s organization works with state lawmakers and supports bills including Senate Bill 82 and similar ones in states like Wyoming and New Hampshire. McKnight says Bring Our Troops Home has seen significant success, and South Dakota is leading the way on the issue of raising the standard for National Guard deployments despite some challenges.
“It has faced stiff opposition every time it has been put forward,” McKnight explained. “There has been a general with two stars on his collar show up to oppose it. Other states… West Virginia started the movement about ten years ago and it has never cleared a committee in West Virginia yet, but it cleared the committee in South Dakota.”
Senate Bill 82 will move forward in the legislative process.
