WASHINGTON — The deep demands on the National Guard for the war in Iraq spurred widespread worries from the nation’s governors yesterday, who said they were closely monitoring deployment of their troops, worn-out equipment, and how ready they would be for domestic emergencies.

Governors also hoped to convince Congress to reverse a step taken last year in response to Hurricane Katrina that gave the president greater power to deploy troops for problems at home, a power previously reserved for the state’s top leaders. Several governors met privately yesterday with Lieutenant General H. Steven Blum, who is the chief of the National Guard Bureau.

“There’s a lot of concern about the resources already employed, manpower, and equipment,” Governor Napolitano, a Democrat of Arizona, said. “How much equipment have we sent abroad, how much has returned, how much is usable?”

In Virginia, many of the 5,500 Guard members have already been deployed more than once since September 11, 2001, Governor Kaine, a Democrat of Virginia, said. “Obviously, that’s a problem.”

But Governor Pawlenty, a Republican of Minnesota, said the administration has been listening to the governors’ concerns, and have promised to better handle deployments and equipment usage so that states aren’t left short-handed.

“We just want to make sure the words and the actions match up,” Mr. Pawlenty said.

Mr. Blum, before closing doors for his meeting with governors, said he came to assure them that he shared their concerns about equipment and would work with Pentagon leaders so governors’ needs would be met.

“We have not delivered on equipment,” he said.

Last year, governors unsuccessfully fought the change in federal law that gave President Bush the power to federalize the Guard without governors’ consent. Historically, governors have maintained control in domestic emergencies, while the president’s control over the Guard was reserved for overseas demands.