Several Democratic lawmakers, including Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, are proposing new limits on a president’s ability to deploy the National Guard or active-duty troops within the United States.
The No Troops in Our Streets Act, introduced by Sens. Kelly, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, would give Congress the power to block a domestic military deployment through a fast-track vote. The bill also includes $1 billion in new funding for state and local law enforcement to address crime.
Supporters say the legislation is meant to prevent the military from being used for political purposes. Lawmakers pointed to the Trump administration’s decision to send troops to several U.S. cities, including Portland and Washington, D.C., as examples of what they call executive overreach.
“The men and women in uniform serve to protect the nation, not to be used as political tools by any president,” Kelly said in a statement.
The bill would apply to federal deployments under existing law but would not restrict state-level activations by governors, responses to natural disasters, or missions such as border security assistance.
Read the full text of the bill here.
