The use of the Michigan National Guard in the battle against COVID-19 has been extended into 2021. Title 32 authority allows Guardsmen and women to receive federal pay and benefits and was set to expire at the end of the year. The authority has been extended to March 31st.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer said, “The Michigan National Guard continues to be a crucial part of our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to thank our men and women in uniform for their dedication and round-the-clock work to protect the people of our state by expanding testing in our communities and ensuring they have what they need to get through this crisis.”
Whitmer went on to ask President Trump to “listen to public health experts and work with Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi on a bipartisan recovery package that protects American families, frontline workers, and small business owners.”
The National Guard is to be part of the logistical framework that will be helping to get Michiganders vaccinated against COVID-19. The Michigan National Guard has helped distribute more than 14 million pounds of food at food banks, delivered tests and protective equipment across the state, and assisted with testing more than 200 thousand Michiganders for COVID-19 since being “called up” earlier this year.
Reporting for WGRT -Jennie McClelland
