Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0971 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	HM 971 2023
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7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
11	11	R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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13	13	House Memorial 1
14	14	A memorial to the Congress of the United States, 2
15	15	urging Congress to impel the United States National 3
16	16	Guard Bureau to examine the resource allocations of 4
17	17	the Florida National Guard and allow an increase in 5
18	18	its force structure. 6
19	19	7
20	20	WHEREAS, the number of soldiers and airmen allocated to 8
21	21	each state's National Guard, known as its "force structure," is 9
22	22	determined by the United States National Guard Bureau in 10
23	23	Washington, D.C., and 11
24	24	WHEREAS, with approximately 21 million residents, Florida 12
25	25	is the third most populous state in the nation but nevertheless 13
26	26	has a force structure of just over 12,000 Guardsmen, and its 14
27	27	ratio of one Guardsman for every 1,833 residents r anks 53rd 15
28	28	among the 54 states and territories of the United States which 16
29	29	have a National Guard component, and 17
30	30	WHEREAS, due to the unprecedented events of 2020 and 2021, 18
31	31	including COVID-19 response in addition to natural disasters and 19
32	32	overseas deployments, the Florida National Guard expended the 20
33	33	same number of workdays within 18 months as it had expended 21
34	34	within the previous 20 years, and 22
35	35	WHEREAS, the Florida National Guard continues to meet its 23
36	36	mission goals; however, the shortage of these invaluable 24
37	37	"citizen soldiers," combined with the state's growing population 25 
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39	39	HM 971 2023
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43	43	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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46	46	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
47	47	R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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49	49	and increased need for National Guard activation and response, 26
50	50	has resulted in the repeated deployment of the same soldiers, 27
51	51	which ultimately leads to their excessive fatigue and negatively 28
52	52	impacts recruitment, retention, and readiness, and 29
53	53	WHEREAS, the United States National Guard Bureau's report, 30
54	54	"Impact of U.S. Population Trends on National Guard Force 31
55	55	Structure," released to Congress in April of 2021, acknowledges 32
56	56	the aforementioned concerns w ithin Florida and other regions, 33
57	57	stating, "...the National Guard may need to evaluate re -34
58	58	allocating mission sets to other geographic areas to keep pace 35
59	59	with changing demographics across the country," NOW, THEREFORE, 36
60	60	37
61	61	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 38
62	62	39
63	63	That the Florida Legislature respectfully urges the United 40
64	64	States Congress to impel the United States National Guard Bureau 41
65	65	to examine the resource allocations of the Florida National 42
66	66	Guard and allow an increase in its force struc ture. 43
67	67	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State dispatch 44
68	68	copies of this memorial to the President of the United States, 45
69	69	the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the 46
70	70	United States House of Representatives, and each member of the 47
71	71	Florida delegation to the United States Congress. 48