"In 1990, a songwriter named Ray Parker, Jr., was asked to put together a theme song for a movie called "Ghostbusters." His effort became a hit and popularized the phrase, "Who you gonna call?"

Well, though it is the stuff of reality and not of science fiction, when the American people are in a bind and need swift, certain, and capable help, we call the U.S. National Guard.

The men and women of the National Guard have been called to Afghanistan, to Iraq, to the Gulf Coast, to the U.S.-Mexico border and to Pemiscot County. They have met each and every challenge set before them. Their service has reflected on them individually, on Americans in general, and on our nation as a whole.

And I would argue that the three pressing emergencies our nation faces today – the global war on terror, disaster relief, and border security – have all proven the point that the National Guard is just as important as any other branch of the military when it comes to serving the cause of freedom and protecting liberty at home and around the world.

Our U.S. Senators, Kit Bond and Jim Talent, are working to advance legislation that will elevate the National Guard to the level of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, our nation’s highest level of military leadership outside the White House. I am so supportive of their effort that I have signed on to support a similar push in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation will not only entitle the National Guard to better representation in federal government, it will also elevate the status of a valuable asset for our national defense and emergency response.

Our Senators’ idea is both simple and effective: to promote the chief of the National Guard to four-star general rank and to make that person a member of the Joint Chiefs. With the passage of that bill, the National Guard would gain the latitude to facilitate and coordinate the activities of the Guard – which would be especially valuable when states or municipalities need the immediate assistance of the Guard in an emergency. As the bill is written in the U.S. House of Representatives, those emergencies include military operations other than war, natural disasters and support for civil authorities.

This is exactly the role the National Guard will be asked to fill in the wake of a large-scale natural disaster such as an earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Interoperability will be key to the response in Southern Missouri, where communications systems could be knocked out on a devastating scale, leaving schoolchildren, residents of long-term health care facilities, and their family members dispersed over a wide, rural area. Civil authorities will be working around the clock and military-style operations will be needed to organize emergency transportation for essential supplies and personnel. In just this type of situation, the American people will rely on the National Guard to be available and prepared.

It is unfair to ask this of them, however, unless we give the National Guard the tools to prepare for this mission right now. As in the Senate, this bill has growing support in the House, because there is no better time to recognize all of the tasks to which the National Guard is called. From Southern Missouri, our Guard members have been dispersed around the globe. One such way of recognizing their good work is in a bill I have introduced in the House to provide the full benefits of the Montgomery G.I. Bill to Guard members who serve on extended active duty.

With Independence Day approaching, please remember the men and women of the National Guard, and every American in uniform serving our nation. These men and women make tremendous sacrifices to stand guard for our country. From times of war to hurricanes to tornadoes to border patrol, the responsibilities we ask of them are always changing. It is important that their work be rewarded with the appropriate rank, so that when we call them – they are ready."