04/18/1994 08:00 AM House STA

  HJR 51 - SUIT RE POWS & MIAS AGAINST U.S. & OTHERS                           
                                                                               
  Number 045                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY, under bills previously heard, opened CSHJR
 for discussion.  He stated a the committee had a                          
  committee substitute prepared reflecting the amendments                      
  adopted April 16.  CSHJR 51(STA) was before the committee.                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE GARY DAVIS commented page 1, line 9, had been                 
  one of his concerns in the CSHJR 51(MLV).  The language was                  
  changed.                                                                     
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE OLBERG noted page 1, line 12, the general's                   
  name was corrected to read "Kwang."  He directed to the                      
  letter from the American Legion in the packet and said the                   
  four suggested amendments at the bottom had been adopted.                    
                                                                               
  Number 092                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE PETE KOTT asked if there had been discussion                  
  on April 16 as to what the Administration has done that                      
  would imply the state has taken this position.  He referred                  
  to page 1, line 9.                                                           
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY answered he did not believe there was not                     
  anything indicating the U.S. government had taken this                       
  position.  The phrase "implied" was inserted because he                      
  believed they had not taken an official position on the                      
  disposition of all POWs.                                                     
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE KOTT commented general use of "implied" is                    
  the result of some type of action.  He felt CSHJR 51 was                     
  saying the governmental action was in fact inaction.                         
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY clarified the committee interpreted "implied"                 
  is default, and not saying otherwise.                                        
                                                                               
  (REPRESENTATIVE OLBERG left the meeting at 9:11 a.m.)                        
                                                                               
  Number 134                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE G. DAVIS directed to page 2, line 15, reading                 
  "WHEREAS the executive branch of the federal government has                  
  not even attempted to negotiate the release of Americans                     
  that may still be held in Southeast Asia and is not actively                 
  searching for remaining Americans;..."  He was not                           
  comfortable agreeing with this statement, unless it was in                   
  fact the case.  This was the amended language.                               
                                                                               
  (REPRESENTATIVE OLBERG rejoined the meeting at 9:12 a.m.)                    
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JEANNETTE JAMES, SPONSOR OF CSHJR 51, join                    
  the committee table to answer questions.  She responded she                  
  did not know if there was justification for the statement on                 
  page 2, line 15.  The problem is that when HJR 51 began                      
  certain conditions existed; however, there has been a lot of                 
  pressures since then.  She had no objection to making the                    
  language more gentle.                                                        
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY responded the simplest way to do it would be                  
  to extricate it.                                                             
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JAMES stated from what she had heard in the                   
  news, the U.S. government is saying the search is over.  She                 
  noted there had been testimony, however, which indicated                     
  some people were there looking for remains.  They are not                    
  looking for live people only remains, according to the news.                 
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JAMES said as a side note there had not been                  
  testimony from Fairbanks on April 16 because the Legislative                 
  Information Office had been closed.  Anchorage was also.                     
                                                                               
  (REPRESENTATIVE ULMER joined the meeting at 9:15 a.m.)                       
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY noted REPRESENTATIVE ULMER's arrival.                         
                                                                               
  Number 231                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE G. DAVIS moved to delete page 2, lines 15, 16                 
  and 17.                                                                      
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY, hearing no objection, passed the motion.                     
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE KOTT observed page 1, line 9, and conveyed                    
  "implied" would be satisfactory to use.                                      
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE G. DAVIS clarified he understood "implied"                    
  meant implied by the makers of the resolution.                               
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY added he interpreted "implied" as it is                       
  implied to whomever wanted to listen.  Not stated, but                       
  implied.                                                                     
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE KOTT agreed.  He mentioned, based on the                      
  WHEREAS clause on page 2, lines 4-8, the committee could use                 
  the word "implied."  There is an implication based on                        
  federal intelligence agencies.                                               
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY indicated another committee substitute would                  
  have to be drawn up; however, he would consider a motion to                  
  move CSHJR 51(STA) reflecting the amendment out of                           
  committee.  He emphasized it was very late in the session                    
  and he was sure it would not get another committee hearing.                  
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE G. DAVIS moved to pass CSHJR 51(STA), as                      
  amended, from committee with individual recommendations.                     
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY, hearing no objection, passed the motion.                     
                                                                               
  MOTION PASSED