Legislature(2009 - 2010)BARNES 124
03/23/2010 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR53 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HJR 53 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
March 23, 2010
1:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative John Harris
Representative Bob Lynn
Representative Jay Ramras
Representative Robert L. "Bob" Buch
Representative Scott Kawasaki
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Carl Gatto, Chair
Representative Tammie Wilson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 53
Urging the United States Congress to pass H.R. 1034, designating
the Honor and Remember Flag as an official symbol to recognize
and honor members of the armed forces of the United States who
died in the line of duty.
- MOVED HJR 53 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HJR 53
SHORT TITLE: HONOR AND REMEMBER FLAG
SPONSOR(s): RULES BY REQUEST OF MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
03/10/10 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/10/10 (H) MLV
03/16/10 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
03/16/10 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
03/23/10 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
KAREN SAWYER, Staff
Representative Carl Gatto
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HJR 53 on behalf of the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs, sponsor.
DAVE CASWELL, Member
Alaska State Chapter
Honor and Remember, Inc.
Sterling, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the hearing on HJR 53.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:05:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS, acting chair, called the meeting to order
at 1:05 p.m. Present at the call to order were Representatives
Harris, Lynn, Ramras, Buch, and Kawasaki.
HJR 53-HONOR AND REMEMBER FLAG
1:05:45 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS announced that the only order of business
would be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 53, Urging the United States
Congress to pass H.R. 1034, designating the Honor and Remember
Flag as an official symbol to recognize and honor members of the
armed forces of the United States who died in the line of duty.
1:06:47 PM
KAREN SAWYER, Staff, Representative Carl Gatto, Alaska State
Legislature, informed the committee that the Honor and Remember
Flag was conceived by the father of a serviceman who died in
Iraq in 2005. She said families who have lost loved ones want
to know that their sacrifice is not in vain, and that the nation
would never forget; however, there is not a universally
recognized symbol that acknowledges the American servicemen and
women who will never come home. Although the American flag
stands for freedom and what the country fights for, it is not an
emblem to honor those who have fallen. The Honor and Remember
Flag recognizes all individuals who died in service from the
time of the birth of the nation; therefore, the flag honors all
of those who defend the Constitution, the American flag, and our
freedom. By flying the Honor and Remember Flag, the families
and servicemen will know their contribution to freedom will
never be forgotten. Ms. Sawyer displayed a picture of the flag.
The intention of Honor and Remember, Inc. is to personalize a
flag as a gift to each family across the country. In addition,
on special occasions wherever an American flag is flown, this
flag would fly beneath it.
1:10:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN asked whether this flag would take the place
of the American flag over the casket.
1:10:29 PM
MS. SAWYER said no, the Honor and Remember Flag would be
presented to the family at an appropriate occasion, and would be
flown in public areas when authorized by local law.
1:10:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN noted that the American flag placed over the
casket is given to the family.
1:11:10 PM
DAVE CASWELL, Member, Alaska State Chapter, Honor and Remember,
Inc., thanked the committee for hearing the resolution. He
reiterated that the American flag stands for what we believe-the
unity of our people, and the diversity of our nation-and is a
symbol of what servicemen and women fight for, rather than an
emblem to honor those fallen. He described the meaning of the
colors and symbols on the American flag and said, "The dead
honor the flag, the flag does not honor the dead." In fact, in
the 200-year history of the U.S., there has never been a symbol
to recognize the sacrifice of the 1.6 million servicemen and
women who have died in military service to the country. Mr.
Caswell noted that the fallen are remembered only three times
per year, but they deserve more, thus the need for this national
campaign. The Honor and Remember Flag will not take the place
of the American flag that is given to the family as a gift for
the service provided by deceased veterans or others. The Honor
and Remember Flag was specifically designed and intended for the
sole purpose of helping to heal the family members who have lost
a loved one. The Honor and Remember, Inc., organization is a
non-profit organization that operates by tax-deductable
donations and sponsorships.
1:17:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH asked how many states have enjoined in this
effort.
1:17:24 PM
MR. CASWELL said there are Honor and Remember, Inc. chapters in
Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Alaska. In further response
to Representative Buch, he said he was unsure of a requirement
that the flags are manufactured in the U.S.; however, the flags
are currently manufactured in Virginia.
1:19:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH opined that to honor Americans, there is a
need to mandate the manufacture of flags and symbols in the U.S.
1:20:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS asked for the present status of the
resolution in Congress.
1:21:24 PM
MR. CASWELL said the resolution is in a subcommittee.
1:21:42 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS expressed his concern that Congress has
put this resolution in a subcommittee.
1:22:59 PM
MR. CASWELL advised that emails have been sent to members of
Congress and sponsors of the resolution urging the movement of
H.R. 1034 from subcommittee.
1:23:29 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN moved to report HJR 53, 26-LS1579\R, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, HJR 53 was reported
from House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was
adjourned at 1:23 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 1e-HJR53 Sponsor Statement 3-18-10.pdf |
HMLV 3/23/2010 1:00:00 PM |
HJR 53 |
| 2e-HJR 53 FY11 Zero Fiscal Note - by MLV Committee 3-12-10.xls |
HMLV 3/23/2010 1:00:00 PM |
HJR 53 |
| 3e-HJR53-The Honor and Remember Flag meanings.docx |
HMLV 3/23/2010 1:00:00 PM |
HJR 53 |
| 4e-HJR53-Honor and Remember origins.docx |
HMLV 3/23/2010 1:00:00 PM |
HJR 53 |
| 6e-HJR53-H & R flag - power point presentation.pdf |
HMLV 3/23/2010 1:00:00 PM HMLV 3/25/2010 1:00:00 PM |
HJR 53 |
| 5e-HJR53-Becoming a State Chapter.docx |
HMLV 3/23/2010 1:00:00 PM |
HJR 53 |
| 7e-Sponsoring a Personalized Flag.docx |
HMLV 3/23/2010 1:00:00 PM |