2010/03/10: Wis. Public Radio: Plan would allow governor to challenge National Guard deployments

The bill would let governors go to federal court to try and block the deployment of Wisconsin's National Guard. Supporters say the aim is to make sure those deployments are legal under the War Powers Act, and have the backing of Congress.

Ben Manski of the Liberty Tree Foundation told a panel of state lawmakers that this bill would not give governors the power to block deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan just because they don't personally support those wars. He says the bill would allow governors to look at the Congressional authorizations, and ensure when the executive branch is acting to federalize Wisconsin National Guard troops, it is doing so in agreement with the Congressional authorization.

The plan drew a skeptical response from some lawmakers, who questioned whether one state should be delaying the deployment of troops while others are sending them. Marathon Republican Jerry Petrowski says it could hurt soldiers who are already in battle.

Backers are pushing similar bills in several other states. The Wisconsin bill has only Democratic sponsors at this point.