ST. PAUL - President Barack Obama appointed Gov. Mark Dayton to serve a two-year term on the Council of Governors, the White House announced Friday.
The Council of Governors, created by Congress in 2007, is a bipartisan forum to advise the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Homeland Security, and the White House Homeland Security Council on matters related to the National Guard and civil support missions. The Council consists of 10 governors - five from each party, with two governors serving as co-chairs.
"I am honored by President Obama's appointment and looking forward to getting started on this important work," said Dayton, who serves as Commander in Chief of the Minnesota National Guard, in a news release. "The men and women of the Minnesota National Guard serve selflessly on our behalf every day. We owe them our gratitude, and our very best efforts to support them in their mission."
"Gov. Dayton's appointment to the Council of Governors is good news for Minnesota," said Maj. Gen. Richard Nash, adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard. "The governor's service on this important advisory council will give our state another means to advocate for the needs of our service members and their families, and to support the mission and objectives of the Minnesota National Guard."
Dayton is one of 10 governors appointed to the Council of Governors. Full membership of the Council includes the following: Dan Malloy, Connecticut (co-chair); Terry Branstad, Iowa (co-chair); Rick Snyder, Michigan; Mark Dayton, Minnesota; Jay Nixon, Missouri; Steve Bullock, Montana; Brian Sandoval, Nevada; Bill Haslam, Tennessee; Terry McAuliffe, Virginia;
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Matt Mead, Wyoming.
In addition, the following federal officials serve on the council: Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Homeland Security, assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement, assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs, commander U.S. Northern Command, chief National Guard Bureau, Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Air Force, Commandant U.S. Coast Guard, chief of staff Army,
chief of staff Air Force.
The Council of Governors will convene its first meeting of the year today at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. To learn more about the Council of Governors, visit the National Governors Association website at www.nga.org/cms/CoG.
