Sponsor
Marion Michael Rounds
Senator · R-SD
Senator · R-SD
The bill increases fairness and transparency in allocating State Partnership Program relationships and favors giving additional partnerships to single-partner states, at the expense of fewer new opportunities for already well-partnered states and some minor administrative work for DoD.
State National Guards in states that currently have only one State Partnership Program partner are more likely to receive an additional partnership, increasing their international engagement and training opportunities.
State governments and relevant federal officials will have clearer, more consistent selection criteria because the bill codifies considerations into Department of Defense instruction, improving transparency and predictability of partnership decisions.
States already hosting multiple State Partnership Program relationships (and their National Guards and local economies) will be less likely to gain new partnerships, reducing potential training opportunities and local economic benefits.
National Guard Bureau and Department of Defense staff will incur a modest administrative burden to revise instructions and track partnership counts, requiring staff time and minor resources.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs DoD to revise selection guidance so the National Guard Bureau prefers States that have only one active State Partnership Program country.
Official title: Provide for modifications to the State Partnership Program selection analysis.
Introduced July 31, 2025 by Marion Michael Rounds · Last progress July 31, 2025
Requires the Secretary of Defense to change DoD Instruction 5111.20 (or its successor) so that when the Chief of the National Guard Bureau evaluates potential State Partnership Program assignments, the Chief must consider how many partnerships a State already has and give preference to States that have only one active partner country. The change directs selection practice to favor more evenly distributed partnerships across State National Guards.