Reps. John Katko and Antonio Delgado are leading a bipartisan push to have President Donald Trump extend the authorization for National Guard activities in New York through the duration of the national emergency declaration. 

The move would ensure National Guards units receive benefits for their service and help maintain public safety measures put in place during the coronavirus pandemic. 

What You Need To Know


  • The National Guard's deployment authorization expires June 24.

  • Reps. Delgado and Katko want to see it extended for the emergency.

  • The move would ensure guards units are paid.

  • The National Guard has been providing critical support during the pandemic.

Trump authorized National Guard mobilization on March 22. Since then, the National Guard has worked in support of first responders, helped to increase testing capabilities and to expand the health care system in the state. 

The National Guard was also deployed to New Rochelle in March to help provide support when measures were put in place to mitigate the spread of the virus in the city, at the time considered a hot spot.

The current deployment is set to expire on June 24. 

The request from Delgado, a Democrat, and Katko, a Republican, would extend the deployment authorization through the duration of the emergency. 

“Servicemembers in the National Guard have worked tirelessly to support first responders, increase our testing capabilities, and expand the capacity of our healthcare system. These efforts have undoubtedly saved the lives of many New Yorkers and our state owes these heroes a grave debt of gratitude," they wrote in the letter to Trump.

"In order for New York State to maintain important public health measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, we ask that you extend DSCA activities through the duration of the National Emergency Declaration issued on March 13, 2020. In addition to bolstering our state’s ongoing response to this crisis, an extension would ensure that the heroic men and women of the National Guard receive the benefits that they deserve for their service.”