Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/27/2025 01:30 PM Senate SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ARCTIC AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR9 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SJR 9 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ARCTIC AFFAIRS
February 27, 2025
1:30 p.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Cathy Giessel, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
Senator Scott Kawasaki
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Donald Olson
Senator Bill Wielechowski
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 9
Recognizing and honoring the relationship between Canada and
Alaska; and recognizing the importance of the United States-
Mexico-Canada Agreement negotiated by President Donald J. Trump
in October of 2018.
- MOVED SJR 9 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SJR 9
SHORT TITLE: RECOGNIZING ALASKA/CANADA RELATIONSHIP
SPONSOR(s): SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ARCTIC AFFAIRS
02/19/25 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/19/25 (S) AAF
02/27/25 (S) AAF AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
IntiMayo Harbison, Staff
Senator Cathy Giessel
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented SJR 9 on behalf of the Senate
Special Committee on Arctic Affairs, Senator Giessel, Chair.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:30:13 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL called the Senate Special Committee on Arctic
Affairs meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Kawasaki, Stevens, and Chair Giessel.
SJR 9-RECOGNIZING ALASKA/CANADA RELATIONSHIP
1:30:45 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL announced the consideration of SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 9 Recognizing and honoring the relationship
between Canada and Alaska; and recognizing the importance of the
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement negotiated by President
Donald J. Trump in October of 2018.
1:31:02 PM
IntiMayo Harbison, Staff, Senator Cathy Giessel, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, presented the following sponsor
statement for SJR 9 on behalf of the Senate Special Committee on
Arctic Affairs, Senator Giessel, Chair:
[Original punctuation provided.]
COMMITTEE SPONSOR STATEMENT
Senate Joint Resolution 9 highlights the importance of
the Alaska Canada relationship and the longstanding
ties and friendship shared between the State of Alaska
and the Nation of Canada. As Arctic neighbors we share
a common bond and often rely on one another to
effectively manage resources, trade, defense, tourism,
and many other aspects of our daily lives.
Recent discussions and statements from the Federal
Government have caused concern within Alaska that our
vital relationship with Canada may be threatened.
While supportive of the desire to be more self-
sufficient, the reality is that Alaska finds itself
without a land border to the contiguous lower 48
states, without reliable sources of building
materials, without reliable sources of energy, without
reliable sources of food, and entirely reliant on
imports to the state, many of which originate from
Canada or pass through Canadian territories or waters.
The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump
signed an Executive Order in January of 2025 titled,
"Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource
Potential". While supportive of these measures, it
must be made clear that impacts to access, or
restrictions to access, of materials from the Nation
of Canada will irrevocably harm the goal of unleashing
Alaska's resource potential goals.
Senate Joint Resolution 9 gives historical context of
the United States Canada relationship, and the
Alaska Canada relationship, and humbly implores the
United States Federal Government not to impose
measures that would jeopardize the best interests of
Alaska.
1:32:59 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL asked Mr. Harbison to highlight important segments
of SJR 9.
1:33:19 PM
MR. HARBISON said the operative clauses in SJR 9 are [found on
Page 3, line 18 through Page 4, line 2]:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature
recognizes the vibrancy and importance of the Alaska-
Canada relationship as the world increasingly
recognizes the strategic, economic, environmental, and
cultural importance of the Arctic; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State
Legislature believes that Canada and Alaska must
continue to work together to make our citizens' lives
better, safer, more prosperous, and more affordable;
and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State
Legislature recognizes the importance of the United
States-Mexico-Canada Agreement negotiated by President
Donald J. Trump in 2018 and recognizes the economic
and trade relationships between our nation and Canada
and Alaska and Canada; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State
Legislature opposes any restrictive trade measures
that would harm the unique relationship between Canada
and Alaska or negatively affect our integrated
economies; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State
Legislature honors Alaska's alliance with Canada and
looks forward to many more years of cooperation,
friendship, trade, tourism, cultural exchange, and
good will.
1:34:52 PM
SENATOR KAWASAKI asked whether the federal tariff changes
announced today by the President of the United States will
affect the language in SJR 9.
1:35:27 PM
MR. HARBISON replied that SJR 9 does not reference specific
trade measures but instead applies to all potential restrictive
trade measures applicable to both current and future federal
proposals.
1:35:51 PM
SENATOR KAWASAKI said that makes sense.
1:35:53 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL said on page 3, lines 15 17, SJR 9 refers to
restrictive trade measures that threaten this unique, mutually
beneficial relationship and could harm economies. She stated
that this is as specific as the resolution gets, as the language
is broad.
SENATOR KAWASAKI agreed that the language is broad.
1:36:22 PM
SENATOR STEVENS emphasized that the United States and Canada
have fought wars together and have remained close allies. He
noted that Canadian soldiers experienced some of the highest
death tolls during World War II, particularly during the
Normandy Invasion. He said Canada stood alongside the United
States in many wars and referenced page 1, line 15 through page
2, line 3 of SJR 9, which reads:
WHEREAS the United States and Canada have been
close allies, serving on battlefields alongside one
another in World War I, World War II, the Korean War,
the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, and the
War on Terror, including the Global Coalition against
Daesh;
SENATOR STEVENS asked about the Global Coalition against Daesh.
MR. HARBISON expressed his belief that Daesh is the technical
term for the Islamic State (ISIS).
SENATOR STEVENS remarked that Canada and the United States have
shared an extraordinary relationship. He noted that the United
States has called on Canada in nearly every war since World
War I.
1:37:20 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL said when the United States must rally a military
defense, it is Canada that joins the effort. She noted that
Canada responds when Chinese and Russian vessels and aircraft
approach United States borders.
CHAIR GIESSEL drew attention to a packet of informational
documents [available at: akleg.gov] that provides data on:
- The integrated economy of Alaska and Canada, including
investments and various partnerships.
- The partnership between the United States and Canada in energy
dominance and security.
- The shared commitment of the United States and Canada to
security, defense, and military alliances worldwide.
- The strong Arctic partnership between the United States and
Canada, including the role of Canadian rangers.
- Canadas critical mineral exports to the United States. She
specifically mentioned potash and germanium, noting that
Canada refines germanium from the Red Dog Mine and highlighted
that China has banned the export of germanium.
CHAIR GIESSEL said this is a special opportunity to recognize
the partnership between Alaska and Canada and the partnership
between the United States and Canada.
1:39:26 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL opened public testimony on SJR 9; finding none,
she closed public testimony.
1:39:43 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL solicited the will of the committee.
1:39:45 PM
SENATOR STEVENS moved to report SJR 9, work order 34-LS0597\N,
from committee with individual recommendations, attached fiscal
note(s), and authorization for Legislative Legal Services to
make conforming and technical changes.
1:40:06 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL found no objection and SJR 9 was reported from the
Senate Special Committee on Arctic Affairs.
1:40:25 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Giessel adjourned the Senate Special Committee on Arctic
Affairs meeting at 1:40 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SJR009A.pdf |
SAAF 2/27/2025 1:30:00 PM |
SJR 9 |
| SJR 9 Committee Sponsor Statement .pdf |
SAAF 2/27/2025 1:30:00 PM |
SJR 9 |
| SJR 9 Fiscal Note.pdf |
SAAF 2/27/2025 1:30:00 PM |
SJR 9 |
| Canadian Consulate Handout, Alaska - Canada Trade Facts.pdf |
SAAF 2/27/2025 1:30:00 PM |
SJR 9 |
| Canadian Consulate Handout, Canada - US Partners.pdf |
SAAF 2/27/2025 1:30:00 PM |
SJR 9 |
| Letter of Support Senate Joint Resolution 9.pdf |
SAAF 2/27/2025 1:30:00 PM |
SJR 9 |