President Trump Extends National Guard COVID-19 Deployment Following Bipartisan Calls from Lawmakers, Including Senator Hassan
Administration Previously Said it Would End National Guard Deployment One Day Before Many Would Qualify for Benefits
WASHINGTON – Following bipartisan calls from Senator Hassan and others, President Donald Trump today announced that the administration would extend federal funding for National Guard deployments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trump administration previously said that it planned to end federal funding of the deployments to help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic one day before many National Guard members would qualify for additional federal education and retirement benefits.
“The Trump administration did the right thing in heeding our bipartisan calls to extend federal funding for the deployment of National Guard members so that they can continue to provide essential help to states amid the COVID-19 pandemic, while also becoming eligible for the benefits that they deserve,” Senator Hassan said. “The men and women of the National Guard have made a huge difference in New Hampshire’s COVID-19 response efforts, supporting the health and economic stability of Granite Staters, and I am deeply grateful for their service.”
Senator Hassan previously joined the rest of the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation in urging the Trump administration to extend the authorization of the New Hampshire National Guard to serve Granite Staters through June 30. Despite their outreach, the Trump administration earlier this month announced an authorization for extensions that would have ended on June 24, one day before any National Guard members would reach the 90-day threshold to become eligible to qualify for certain federal education and retirement benefits. In response, Senator Hassan released a statement calling on the administration to reconsider its decision.
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