The Maryland Legislative session may winding down, but last week there was heated debate about plans to send 1,300 members of the Maryland National Guard to Iraq.

Rich Madaleno, a new state Senator and former member of House of Delegate, attempted to introduce legislation challenging the decision.

His legislation called on the Governor and Congressional Delegation of Maryland to oppose this deployment unless unless our troops were properly equipped, properly trained for combat in Iraq, and that there was a plan for their redeployment out of Iraq.

This late in the session two-thirds of the Senate must vote to suspend the rules in order to introduce new legislation. Unfortunately, the vote fell short of that mark.

The resolution in it's entirety is printed below:

By: Senators Madaleno and Pinsky

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

A Senate Joint Resolution concerning Mobilization of Members of Maryland National Guard for Duty in the War in Iraq

FOR the purpose of urging the Governor and the Maryland Congressional Delegation to voice their opposition to the most recent mobilization order of members of the Maryland National Guard and to call for a rescission of the order unless certain conditions are shown to be met; and generally relating to a mobilization of members of the Maryland National Guard to go to Iraq.

WHEREAS, Approximately 1,300 members of the Maryland National Guard have been called to serve in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, There are only an estimated 7,000 members of the Maryland National Guard and many have recently served in repeated deployments; and

WHEREAS, To date, more than 3,200 of the U.S. military have died in the war in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, The Inspector General of the Department of Defense has found that the Pentagon has not been able to properly equip the soldiers it already has with many lacking adequate weapons, ammunition, armor, and other supplies to “effectively complete their missions;” and

WHEREAS, Both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are considering legislative proposals relating to military operations in Iraq that include demands for the withdrawal of most U.S. troops from Iraq by 2008; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the Governor and the Maryland Congressional delegation are urged to voice their opposition to the most recent mobilization order potentially affecting members of the Maryland National Guard and call for a rescission of the order unless it can be shown that (1) the members will be fully equipped with sufficiently protective body armor and armored vehicles and other necessary weapons and equipment; (2) the members will be fully and adequately trained for combat in Iraq; and (3) there is an official redeployment strategy for all Untied States military personnel from Iraq; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of Legislative Services to the Maryland Congressional Delegation: Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; and Representatives Wayne T. Gilchrest, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger III, John P. Sarbanes, Albert R. Wynn, Steny Hamilton Hoyer, Roscoe G. Bartlett, Elijah E. Cummings, and Christopher Van Hollen, Jr., House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of Legislative Services to the Honorable Martin O’Malley, Governor of Maryland; the
Honorable Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., President of the Senate of Maryland; and the Honorable Michael E. Busch, Speaker of the House of Delegates.