National Guard Brass Oppose Posse Comitatus Changes.

This article reports that generals of the U.S. National Guard from the Gulf Coast region told a House panel today that the Congress should not change a 1878 law to give the military a larger role in handling domestic emergencies. Major General Mark Bowen of Alabama echoed General Bennett Landreneau's sentiment before the House Select panel investigating the government's response to Hurricane Katrina. The generals testified that the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which greatly restricts the military's ability to participate in domestic law enforcement, did not impede their efforts to respond to Hurricane Katrina. Bowen said that the Congress may want to consider revising the law so governors would mobilize Guard troops sooner in an emergency. He said that states have to pay hundreds of dollars per hour for the troops and that causes governors to wait until the "last minute" before calling in the National Guard.