Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
05/06/2025 10:15 AM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HCR6 | |
| HJR20 | |
| HJR21 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HCR 6 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HJR 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HJR 21 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS
May 6, 2025
10:17 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ted Eischeid, Chair
Representative Andrew Gray
Representative Carolyn Hall
Representative Zack Fields
Representative Dan Saddler
Representative Jamie Allard
Representative David Nelson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6
Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine
Corps.
- MOVED CSHCR 6(MLV) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 20
Encouraging the United States Congress to establish hiring goals
for apprentices and veteran apprentices.
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 21
Encouraging the United States Congress to designate 2025 as the
Year of the Soldier.
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HCR 6
SHORT TITLE: US MARINE CORPS 250TH ANNIVERSARY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) UNDERWOOD
04/30/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/30/25 (H) MLV
05/06/25 (H) MLV AT 10:15 AM BARNES 124
BILL: HJR 20
SHORT TITLE: HIRING OF APPRENTICES/VETERANS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) NELSON
04/14/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/14/25 (H) MLV, L&C
05/06/25 (H) MLV AT 10:15 AM BARNES 124
BILL: HJR 21
SHORT TITLE: 2025 YEAR OF THE SOLDIER
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) NELSON
04/22/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/22/25 (H) MLV, STA
05/06/25 (H) MLV AT 10:15 AM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE JUBILEE UNDERWOOD
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HCR 6 to the
committee.
BUDDY WHIT, Staff
Representative Jubilee Underwood
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of Representative Jubilee
Underwood, prime sponsor, gave a PowerPoint presentation to the
committee.
REPRESENTATIVE DAVID NELSON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HJR 20 to the
committee.
BOGDAN GILMUTDINOV, Staff
Representative David Nelson
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of Representative David Nelson,
prime sponsor, presented HJR 20 to the committee.
KYLE KAISER, President & Founder
Viper Transmissions
No address provided
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony on HJR 20.
REPRESENTATIVE DAVID NELSON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HJR 20 to the
committee.
BERNARD AOTO
Former Member, U.S. Army
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave invited testimony on HJR 21.
ACTION NARRATIVE
10:17:30 AM
CHAIR TED EISCHEID called the House Special Committee on
Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 10:17 a.m.
Representatives Fields, Hall, Nelson, Gray, and Eischeid were
present at the call to order. Representatives Allard and
Saddler arrived as the meeting was in progress.
HCR 6-US MARINE CORPS 250TH ANNIVERSARY
10:18:51 AM
CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6, Commemorating the 250th
Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.
10:19:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JUBILEE UNDERWOOD, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, presented HCR 6 to the committee. She
paraphrased the sponsor statement for HCR 6 [included in the
committee file], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
House Concurrent Resolution 6 commemorates the
250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps,
to be observed on November 10, 2025, and recognizes
the long and honorable history of the United States
Marines Corps, and the Corps' contribution to the
protection of freedom and liberty for our nation and
the world. Established on November 10, 1775, at Tun
Tavern in Philadelphia, the Marine Corps has
distinguished itself as a premier military force,
embodying the core values of honor, courage, and
commitment. This resolution calls upon Alaskans and
all Americans to honor this historic
milestone and celebrate the Marine Corps'
extraordinary legacy of service and sacrifice.
The United States Marine Corps has been instrumental
in shaping the nation's history, demonstrating
exceptional leadership, resilience, and valor in every
major conflict, from the Revolutionary War to the
Global War on Terrorism. Through iconic battles such
as Trenton, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Inchon, Fallujah
and Ramadi, Marines have showcased their adaptability
and unwavering dedication to safeguarding
national security. The motto Semper Fidelis reflects
their enduring loyalty, inspiring generations to
serve with distinction.
This resolution pays tribute to the Marines and Navy
corpsmen who made the ultimate sacrifice, and
recognizes the men and women currently serving who
uphold this storied tradition. It encourages
Alaskan communities to acknowledge the contributions
of local Marines and to foster collaboration
with the Marine Corps to promote civic pride and
mutual support. By commemorating this anniversary,
the resolution seeks to strengthen the bonds of
camaraderie between the Marine Corps and the
people of Alaska.
Representative Underwood respectfully urges colleagues
to support this resolution to ensure the
United States Marine Corps' remarkable history and
ongoing contributions are duly recognized and
celebrated across Alaska and the nation.
10:22:07 AM
BUDDY WHIT, Staff, Representative Jubilee Underwood, Alaska
State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Underwood, prime
sponsor of HCR 6, gave a PowerPoint presentation [hard copy
included in the committee file]. He began on slide 1, which
described what the United States Marine Corps (USMC) is, and
moved through slides 2-3, which gave a brief overview of the
history of the USMC. He moved to slide 4, which outlined the
mission of the USMC, and continued to slide 5, which emphasized
that "every marine is a rifleman." He skipped to slide 8, which
highlighted the importance of the difference in using the word
"birthday" instead of "anniversary" with regards to celebrating
the USMC founding date, and he moved through slides 9-10, which
detailed the USMC birthday celebrations. He concluded the
presentation on slides 11-12.
10:29:19 AM
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON asked Mr. Whit about his time in the USMC.
He noted that the United States Congress attempted to dissolve
the USMC after World War II, but it was retained due to its
outstanding performance.
MR. WHIT answered that he was an enlisted soldier that was
trained as a rigger and participated in the USMC reserves after
his time in active duty service.
10:31:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked Representative Underwood if there
is a national desire to pass similar resolutions in other states
and asked about the USMC presence in Alaska.
MR. WHIT replied that there is no nationwide push to celebrate
the 250th birthday of the USMC by state legislatures and
explained that the majority of the marines in Alaska are a part
of a military police detachment.
10:34:48 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY noted that even though his focus had been
with the U.S. Army, he recognized the importance of the 250th
birthday of the USMC, and he asked when women began serving in
USMC.
MR. WHIT said that he did not know but would follow up with an
answer.
10:36:15 AM
CHAIR EISCHEID opened public testimony on HCR 6. After
ascertaining that there was no one who wished to testify, he
closed public testimony.
10:36:46 AM
CHAIR EISCHEID moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1 to HCR 6,
which read as follows:
Page 2, line 2:
Delete "Corps'"
Insert "Corps's"
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER objected, then withdrew his objection.
There being no further objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 to HCR
6 was adopted.
10:37:49 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY moved to report HCR 6, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHCR 6(MLV) was
reported from the House Special Committee on Military and
Veterans' Affairs.
10:40:05 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 10:37 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.
HJR 20-HIRING OF APPRENTICES/VETERANS
10:40:23 AM
CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 20, Encouraging the United States
Congress to establish hiring goals for apprentices and veteran
apprentices.
10:40:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DAVID NELSON, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented HJR 20 to the committee. He paraphrased the
sponsor statement to HJR 20 [included in the committee file],
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
House Joint Resolution 20 urges the United States
Congress to establish hiring goals for apprentices and
veteran apprentices for U.S. Department of Defense
construction projects. United States veterans and
their families face immeasurable risks and sacrifices
during their service to our country.
Members of our armed forces are put through the most
rigorous training in the world. This ensures that all
individuals that pass through it come out well-
educated, highly trained, and strongly motivated. They
learn discipline and a number of skills which make
them highly valuable in the workforce.
In 2024, 65% of the unemployed veterans were age 18-
54, meaning that the majority of unemployed veterans
are in their prime working age. Veterans face many
challenges when transitioning back into civilian life.
Some of these challenges can be made easier by
requiring hiring goals for certain Department of
Defense projects. HJR 20 would encourage the U.S.
Congress to establish a goal for the hiring of
veterans who participate in qualified apprenticeship
or postsecondary programs. This goal should be no less
than 10 percent of the total workforce employed in the
performance of the project.
Department of Defense construction projects offer a
prime opportunity for veterans to further their
careers while providing the DOD with qualified,
mature, and motivated employees. It is our duty to
take care of those who stood ready to defend this
country.
10:42:49 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked how the bill sponsor obtained the
10 percent number with regards to veteran unemployment.
REPRESENTATIBE NELSON answered that the 10 percent figure in the
proposed legislation represented a goal, not a requirement that
the state would have to meet.
10:44:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked if the goal of HJR 20 was to bring
the veteran unemployment rate up from 4.6 percent.
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON explained that HJR 20 would be urging the
United States Congress to establish the 10-percent goal
explained earlier.
10:46:06 AM
CHAIR EISCHEID asked if there is any information regarding the
ratio of journeymen to apprenticeship.
10:47:03 AM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS answered that apprenticeship to journeymen
ratios are uniformly one-to-one across the entire country.
10:47:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked Representative Nelson how he best
saw U.S. Congress solving the issue of veteran unemployment.
10:48:59 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HALL asked if there are any specific numbers
related to the unemployment rates of Alaska veterans.
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON replied that he would follow up with
information after the committee meeting.
10:51:57 AM
KYLE KAISER, President & Founder, Viper Transmissions, gave
invited testimony on HJR 20. He spoke to the importance and
positive impact that a construction apprenticeship had on both
his and other servicemembers' lives after exiting the military
and encouraged the committee's support of HJR 20.
10:57:36 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER commented that he is proud to be a co-
sponsor of HJR 20.
[HJR 20 was held over].
HJR 21-2025 YEAR OF THE SOLDIER
10:58:35 AM
CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 21, Encouraging the United States
Congress to designate 2025 as the Year of the Soldier.
10:59:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DAVID NELSON, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented HJR 20 to the committee. He paraphrased the
sponsor statement to HJR 20 [included in the committee file],
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
House Joint Resolution 21 encourages Congress to
designate 2025 as the Year of the Soldier. This
designation honors the unwavering dedication, courage,
and sacrifice of the men and women who serve in the
United States Army. Since the US Army was founded on
June 14th, 1775, our soldiers have stood as guardians
of freedom, defending our nation and its ideals both
at home and abroad.
Throughout our history, American soldiers have
answered the call to serve with valor and commitment.
From the Revolutionary War to present-day missions,
they have faced adversity with resilience and have
upheld the highest standards of military excellence.
Their contributions have been instrumental in securing
peace, providing humanitarian aid, and promoting
stability around the world.
Designating 2025 as the "Year of the Soldier" provides
an opportunity for our nation to collectively
recognize and celebrate the invaluable role that
soldiers play in safeguarding our freedoms. This
designation encourages educational initiatives,
community events, and public ceremonies that highlight
their service and sacrifices. Moreover, it serves as a
reminder of our collective responsibility to support
soldiers and their families, ensuring they receive the
care and recognition they deserve.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and
join in honoring the bravery and dedication of our
soldiers. Let us celebrate the 250th Birthday of the
United States Army by reaffirming our commitment to
those who have given so much in the service to our
country.
11:01:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked if the 250th anniversary for the
United States Army would be more fun than the one for the United
States Marine Corps.
11:02:59 AM
BERNARD AOTO, Former Member, U.S. Army, gave invited testimony
on HJR 21. He shared his background in serving with the United
States Army and explained that the proposed legislation would be
seen as a great honor for those who have served in the U.S.
Army.
11:04:39 AM
CHAIR EISCHEID shared his appreciation for the proposed
resolution.
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON added that it is "well known" that the
first female army veteran was Deborah Samson, a woman who fought
in the Revolutionary War.
[HJR 21 was held over.]
11:06:26 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Military & Veteran's Affair's meeting was
adjourned at 11:06 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HCR 6 Version A.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HCR 6 |
| HCR 6 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HCR 6 |
| HCR6-LEG-SESS-05-05-2025.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HCR 6 |
| HJR 21.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HJR 21 |
| HJR 21 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HJR 21 |
| HJR020A.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HJR 20 |
| HJR 20 Sponsor Statement Version A.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HJR 20 |
| HJR 20 AWP Letter of Support.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HJR 20 |
| HJR 20 IBEW Local 11 Letter of Support.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HJR 20 |
| HCR 6 Written Testimony 5.2.25.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HCR 6 |
| HCR 6 250th USMC Birthday Presentation.pdf |
HMLV 5/6/2025 10:15:00 AM |
HCR 6 |