(CBS/AP) Fed up that Washington hasn't done more to end the war, a group of Vermont lawmakers said this week that the president no longer has the authority to use Guard troops in Iraq.
State Rep. Michael Fisher said the authority to call up Guard members for Iraq duty has expired because that country no longer poses a threat to U.S. national security.
"The mission authorized in 2002 does not exist," said Fisher. "Unless Congress grants a new authorization, the Vermont Guard should revert back to state control."
Fisher introduced a bill Wednesday, backed by 30 colleagues, that called on Gov. Jim Douglas to join the effort.
"Most of us standing here, maybe all of us, have made objections in the past about the morality or wisdom of this war. Today we are limiting ourselves to one vital principle: the rule of law," Fisher said.
"Questions about whether the war is going well or the surge is going well should be left for other days. We have a special interest in the welfare of the Vermont National Guard," said Fisher.
Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin said the Senate would take up similar legislation.
"Bottom line is, if the politicians in Washington aren't going to do the right thing for our troops, let's do the right thing by bringing our Vermont Guard members home," he said.
"If Vermont can make one small step forward, I believe others will follow," Shumlin said.
Several other states, including Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island are looking at similar legislation.
There are currently 25 Vermont guard members in Iraq, but the bill would also prevent future deployments of the state's Guard members to Iraq.
A spokesman for Gov. Jim Douglas said Douglas can't stop the use of Guard troops in the war.
"The mission authorized in 2002 does not exist. Unless Congress grants a new authorization, the Vermont Guard should revert back to state control.
State Rep. Michael Fisher"It's clear that's there's no legal basis for stopping the federalization of the National Guard when Congress has authorized and continues to fund a war," said Douglas' spokesman Jason Gibbs. "The bottom line is, this a federal issue."
He said Douglas would rather see Congress develop an exit strategy to bring the troops home as soon as possible.
Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie, head of the Vermont National Guard, refused to comment until he could read the bill.
Shortly after the bill was introduced in the Vermont legislature, a commission on the Army National Guard and Reserves issued a report saying that, in part because of the deployments of guard members and equipment overseas and insufficient training, the U.S. military is ill-prepared to handle a catastrophic event (such as a biological or nuclear attack) within the U.S. homeland.
State Rep. Michael Fisher said the authority to call up Guard members for Iraq duty has expired because that country no longer poses a threat to U.S. national security.
"The mission authorized in 2002 does not exist," said Fisher. "Unless Congress grants a new authorization, the Vermont Guard should revert back to state control."
Fisher introduced a bill Wednesday, backed by 30 colleagues, that called on Gov. Jim Douglas to join the effort.
"Most of us standing here, maybe all of us, have made objections in the past about the morality or wisdom of this war. Today we are limiting ourselves to one vital principle: the rule of law," Fisher said.
"Questions about whether the war is going well or the surge is going well should be left for other days. We have a special interest in the welfare of the Vermont National Guard," said Fisher.
Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin said the Senate would take up similar legislation.
"Bottom line is, if the politicians in Washington aren't going to do the right thing for our troops, let's do the right thing by bringing our Vermont Guard members home," he said.
"If Vermont can make one small step forward, I believe others will follow," Shumlin said.
Several other states, including Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island are looking at similar legislation.
There are currently 25 Vermont guard members in Iraq, but the bill would also prevent future deployments of the state's Guard members to Iraq.
A spokesman for Gov. Jim Douglas said Douglas can't stop the use of Guard troops in the war.
"The mission authorized in 2002 does not exist. Unless Congress grants a new authorization, the Vermont Guard should revert back to state control.
State Rep. Michael Fisher"It's clear that's there's no legal basis for stopping the federalization of the National Guard when Congress has authorized and continues to fund a war," said Douglas' spokesman Jason Gibbs. "The bottom line is, this a federal issue."
He said Douglas would rather see Congress develop an exit strategy to bring the troops home as soon as possible.
Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie, head of the Vermont National Guard, refused to comment until he could read the bill.
Shortly after the bill was introduced in the Vermont legislature, a commission on the Army National Guard and Reserves issued a report saying that, in part because of the deployments of guard members and equipment overseas and insufficient training, the U.S. military is ill-prepared to handle a catastrophic event (such as a biological or nuclear attack) within the U.S. homeland.