The Council of Governors (Council) was created in 2008 by the National Defense Authorization Act and formally established by Executive Order 13528, issued on January 11, 2010. The Council serves as a forum for governors and key federal officials to improve and maximize state-federal partnerships to address matters pertaining to the National Guard, homeland defense, and civil support activities.

The Council consists of ten governors appointed to two-year terms by the President – five from each party – with two governors serving as co-chairs. The Executive Order specifically names a number of federal participants in the Council, including the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security, the President’s Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor, the Commander of U.S. Northern Command and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, among others.

To ensure that the Council appropriately represents all governors, the Council co-chairs, through the National Governors Association, share documents for review and discussion with all governors’ offices prior to their approval by the Council.

Key Issues: Support the National Guard and Military Families, Improve Catastrophic Disaster Response and Recovery, Build Cybersecurity Partnerships and Resilience, and Inform Federal Budgetary Considerations.


Activities

Council of Governors Holds 28th Plenary Meeting
The Council of Governors met February 22, 2024, in Washington, D.C., for its 28th Plenary Meeting. The Council serves as a forum for 10 presidentially appointed, bipartisan Governors to engage ...
Council Of Governors Holds 27th Plenary Meeting
The Council of Governors met July 12, 2023, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, for its 27th Plenary Meeting. The Council serves as a forum for 10 presidentially appointed, bipartisan Governors ...
Council of Governors 26th Plenary Meeting
The Council of Governors met in Washington, DC for its 26th Plenary Meeting on February 10, 2023. The Council serves as a forum for 10 presidentially appointed, bipartisan governors engage ...
Council of Governors - 25th Plenary Meeting
On Wednesday, July 13, the Council of Governors, held its 25th Plenary Meeting in Portland, Maine, with key federal partners. The Council’s work groups on cybersecurity, emergency management and disaster relief, ...
Council of Governors - 13th Intersession Meeting
On Thursday, June 2, the Council of Governors, led by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, held its 13th Intersession Meeting with key federal partners. The Council’s ...
Governors Respond to President Biden’s Letter About Cybersecurity Threats
(4 May 2022) Council of Governors co-chairs Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota and Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio sent a letter to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. in response to ...
Recommendations and Best Practices for Collaboration with the Council of Governors
(12 Feb 2021) This memo contains a summary for President Biden and the Administration on best practices and recommendations for working with the presidentially appointed Council of Governors (Council). To: ...
Letter on Council Accomplishments 2019-2020
(19 Jan 2021) This memo contains a summary of the presidentially appointed Council of Governors work over the past two years. To: President Donald J. Trump and the Trump AdministrationFrom: ...
Council Letter on Guard Mobilization Extensions for COVID-19
(6 May 2020) Governors across the country are working diligently and rapidly to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. As each state and territory looks towards reopening, we believe it is ...

Resources

Founding Documents



Additional Resources

Council Members

Gov. Tim Walz (Minnesota)
Co-Chair

Gov. Phil Scott (Vermont)
Co-Chair

Gov. John Carney (Delaware)
Gov. Brad Little (Idaho)
Gov. Eric Holcomb (Indiana)
Gov. Maura Healey (Massachusetts)
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan)
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
(New Mexico)
Gov. Henry McMaster (South Carolina)
Gov. Mark Gordon (Wyoming)

NGA Staff

  • Jessica Davenport, Program Director, Homeland Security, Center for Best Practices
  • Renee Antoine, Legislative Director, Government Relations

Historical Council Of Governors Membership

2010 Membership

Vermont Governor James H. Douglas, Co-Chair
Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, Co-Chair

  • Arizona Governor Janice K. Brewer
  • Puerto Rico Governor Luis G. Fortuño
  • Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry
  • Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell
  • Missouri Governor Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon
  • Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley
  • North Carolina Governor Beverly Eaves Perdue
  • South Dakota Governor M. Michael Rounds

2011 Membership

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Co-Chair
Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, Co-Chair

  • Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie
  • Arizona Governor Janice K. Brewer
  • Puerto Rico Governor Luis G. Fortuño
  • Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell
  • Wyoming Governor Matt Mead
  • Missouri Governor Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon
  • Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley
  • North Carolina Governor Beverly Eaves Perdue

2012 Membership

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Co-Chair
Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, Co-Chair

  • Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie
  • Arizona Governor Janice K. Brewer
  • Puerto Rico Governor Luis G. Fortuño
  • Delaware Governor Jack Markell
  • Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell
  • Wyoming Governor Matt Mead
  • Missouri Governor Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon
  • Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley

2013 Membership

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Co-Chair
Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Co-Chair

  • Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie
  • Arizona Governor Janice K. Brewer
  • Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy
  • Delaware Governor Jack Markell Virginia
  • Governor Robert F. McDonnell
  • Wyoming Governor Matt Mead
  • Missouri Governor Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon
  • Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval

2014 Membership

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Co-Chair
Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Co-Chair

  • Arizona Governor Jan Brewer
  • Connecticut Governor Daniel Malloy
  • Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie
  • Illinois Governor Pat Quinn
  • Missouri Governor Jay Nixon
  • Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval
  • Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam
  • Wyoming Governor Matt Mead

2015 Membership

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy, Co-Chair
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Co-Chair

  • Michigan Governor Rick Snyder
  • Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton
  • Missouri Governor Jay Nixon
  • Montana Governor Steve Bullock
  • Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval
  • Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam
  • Wyoming Governor Matt Mead
  • Virginia Terry Governor McAuliffe

2017 Membership

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy, Co-Chair
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, Co-Chair

  • Alaska Governor Bill Walker
  • Florida Governor Rick Scott
  • Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards
  • Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker
  • Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton
  • Missouri Governor Eric Greitens
  • Montana Governor Steve Bullock
  • Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam

2018 Membership

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy, Co-Chair
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, Co-Chair

  • Alaska Governor Bill Walker
  • Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson
  • Florida Governor Rick Scott
  • Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards
  • Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker
  • Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton
  • Montana Governor Steve Bullock
  • Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam

2019 Membership

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Co- Chair
Hawaii Governor David Ige, Co-Chair

  • Arizona Governor Doug Ducey
  • Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont
  • Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
  • Minnesota Governor Tim Walz
  • Missouri Governor Mike Parson
  • Montana Governor Steve Bullock
  • Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts
  • Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
  • Tennessee Governor Bill Lee

2020 Membership

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Co- Chair
Hawaii Governor David Ige, Co-Chair

  • Arizona Governor Doug Ducey
  • Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont
  • Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
  • Minnesota Governor Tim Walz
  • Missouri Governor Mike Parson
  • Montana Governor Steve Bullock
  • Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
  • Tennessee Governor Bill Lee

2021 Membership

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Co-Chair
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Co-Chair

  • Delaware Governor John Carney
  • Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards
  • Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
  • Oregon Governor Kate Brown
  • Tennessee Governor Bill Lee
  • Utah Governor Spencer Cox
  • Vermont Governor Phil Scott
  • Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon

2022 Membership

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Co-Chair
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Co-Chair

  • Delaware Governor John Carney
  • Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards
  • Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
  • Oregon Governor Kate Brown
  • Tennessee Governor Bill Lee
  • Utah Governor Spencer Cox
  • Vermont Governor Phil Scott
  • Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon