ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS  March 12, 2020 1:01 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Laddie Shaw, Co-Chair Representative Steve Thompson, Co-Chair Representative Ivy Spohnholz Representative Chris Tuck Representative Sharon Jackson Representative George Rauscher MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Chuck Kopp COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 27 Requesting the United States Department of Defense to invest in the Port of Alaska. - MOVED CSHJR 27(MLV) OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HJR 27 SHORT TITLE: FEDERAL INVESTMENT IN PORT OF ALASKA SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) FIELDS 02/24/20 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/24/20 (H) MLV, AET 03/10/20 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 03/10/20 (H) Heard & Held 03/10/20 (H) MINUTE(MLV) 03/12/20 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 WITNESS REGISTER No witnesses to report ACTION NARRATIVE 1:01:53 PM CO-CHAIR LADDIE SHAW called the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at [1:01] p.m. Representatives Thompson, Spohnholz, Tuck, Jackson, Rauscher, and Shaw were present at the call to order. HJR 27-FEDERAL INVESTMENT IN PORT OF ALASKA  1:02:19 PM CO-CHAIR SHAW announced that the only order of business would be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 27, Requesting the United States Department of Defense to invest in the Port of Alaska. 1:03:08 PM CO-CHAIR SHAW opened public testimony on HJR 27. After ascertaining there was no one who wished to testify, he closed public testimony. 1:03:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK moved to adopt Amendment 1, labeled 31- LS1605\M.1, Bannister, 3/11/20, which read as follows: Page 1, following line 10: Insert new material to read: "WHEREAS the designation of the Port of Alaska as a Commercial Strategic Seaport includes a port readiness committee to provide the means to coordinate efficient port operations during peacetime and actual national defense emergencies; and WHEREAS the port readiness committee for the Port of Alaska includes representatives from nine federal agencies and organizations, including the United States Maritime Administration, the United States Coast Guard, the Military Sealift Command, the United States Transportation Command, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Northern Command, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command; and" Page 2, line 24, following "Defense;": Insert "the Honorable Elaine L. Chao, United States Secretary of Transportation; and" 1:03:53 PM CO-CHAIR THOMPSON objected, for the purpose of discussion. 1:03:55 PM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK explained he thought a copy of HJR 27 should go to the U.S. Department of Transportation because of the role the department played in infrastructure development. There were a couple of "whereas" statements, he said, on Amendment 1 to HJR 27, one of which pointed out that the Port of Alaska as a commercial strategic seaport included a port readiness committee to provide the means to coordinate efficient operations during peace time as well as during national defense emergencies, and the other outlining all of the agencies and organizations involved in said operations. CO-CHAIR THOMPSON asked whether any problems were anticipated in getting folks together to answer questions, since the list of agencies was so exhaustive. REPRESENTATIVE TUCK replied that many of the nine federal agencies and organizations fell under the Department of Defense (DoD). 1:05:31 PM CO-CHAIR THOMPSON removed his objection to Amendment 1. There being no further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. 1:06:54 PM The committee took an at-ease from 1:06 p.m. to 1:07 p.m. 1:07:33 PM CO-CHAIR SHAW moved to report HJR 27, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHJR 27(MLV) was reported out of the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs. 1:07:45 PM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK asked that the Department of Military & Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) keep the committee aware of preparations for a COVID-19 outbreak in Alaska. 1:08:41 PM REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ added DMVA also had an emergency response role within the state so it may be helpful to have a briefing. 1:09:15 PM CO-CHAIR SHAW said he would contact the Commissioner's office to address these concerns. 1:09:27 PM The committee took an at-ease from 1:09 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. 1:10:16 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was adjourned at 1:10 p.m.