White House taps Indiana, New Mexico governors for federal-state council on national security

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Thursday the appointment of Govs. Eric J. Holcomb, an Indiana Republican, and Michelle Lujan Grisham, a New Mexico Democrat, to a special bipartisan board that strengthens the federal and state partnership on matters pertaining to national security.

The Council of Governors consists of 10 members selected by the president to serve a two-year term, with no more than five members from the same political party. 

The goal is to “increase coordination around preparedness, resilience, and response between the Federal government and state governments, and strengthen the Federal-State partnership that’s critical to protecting our nation from threats to our homeland security,” according to a White House fact sheet.

The White House said in a statement that this year the council will focus on “supply chain resiliency and Federal-State cooperation to mitigate risks to defense critical infrastructure.” 

There have been major supply chain issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war that have contributed to inflation and disruptions in the flow of goods.

The White House said that Holcomb and Lujan Grisham will replace former Govs. Kate Brown of Oregon, a Democrat, and Bill Lee of Tennessee, a Republican, both of whom have finished their terms. 

The Council of Governors was authorized in 2008 by the National Defense Authorization Act, a must-pass defense measure, and established in 2010 by an executive order during the Obama administration. 

The council focuses on homeland security; homeland defense; civil support; state and federal military activities in the United States; and matters involving the National Guard. 

“Federal-State cooperation is critical to protecting communities given the evolving challenges and threats facing our country, which range from extreme weather to domestic and international terrorism to a global pandemic,” the White House said.

The other governors sitting on the council include:

• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Co-Chair
• Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Co-Chair
• Delaware Gov. John Carney
• Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards
• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
• Utah Gov. Spencer Cox
• Vermont Gov. Phil Scott
• Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon