This bill adds a new section to chapter 5 of title 32, United States Code. It says certain full-time National Guard duty under section 502(f) will be treated as service in response to a national emergency for benefit purposes. To qualify, the duty must be (1) authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense, (2) performed in direct support of federal law enforcement operations (the bill lists ICE, DEA, and ATF and allows the Secretary of Defense to designate others), and (3) carried out to address significant criminal activity, drug trafficking, organized crime, or other public safety threats as the Secretary of Defense determines. The bill lists specific benefits that this service will count toward, including a retirement age reduction provision in title 10, the Transitional Assistance Management Program, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33 of title 38), and any other federal benefit that requires service in response to a national emergency. It also says this change does not limit the President's authority to declare a national emergency and updates the chapter table of contents.
If you are a National Guard member performing full-time duty under section 502(f) that is authorized by the President or Secretary of Defense and is in direct support of federal law enforcement as described, that time could be counted the same way as service during a national emergency for the benefits named in the bill. The bill names ICE, DEA, and ATF as examples of federal law enforcement agencies and lets the Secretary of Defense add others. The President still keeps the power to declare a national emergency.
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