Establishes the "Defend the Guard Act"

HB 1729, the "Defend the Guard Act," prohibits Missouri National Guard members from being deployed into active duty combat without a formal U.S. Congressional declaration of war. It directly affects the Missouri National Guard and its members by requiring the governor to block such deployments unless Congress officially declares war under the Constitution. The bill defines "active duty combat" as participation in armed conflict, hazardous foreign service, or duty involving war instruments, and mandates the governor take necessary actions to comply. It explicitly allows the governor to deploy Guard members under Title 32 (state-focused federal duty) but bars deployment into combat without a congressional war declaration.