ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  JOINT MEETING  SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON WORLD TRADE AND STATE/FEDERAL  RELATIONS  HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INTERNATIONAL  TRADE AND TOURISM  March 29, 2004 4:06 p.m. TAPE(S) 04-1 MEMBERS PRESENT  SENATE WORLD TRADE AND STATE/FEDERAL RELATIONS Senator John Cowdery, Chair Senator Gene Therriault Senator Donny Olson HOUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TOURISM Representative Cheryll Heinze, Chair Representative Pete Kott Representative Nancy Dahlstrom Representative Vic Kohring Representative Sharon Cissna MEMBERS ABSENT  SENATE WORLD TRADE AND STATE/FEDERAL RELATIONS Senator Ralph Seekins Senator Gretchen Guess Senator Thomas Wagoner HOUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TOURISM Representative Lesil McGuire, Vice Chair Representative Harry Crawford COMMITTEE CALENDAR  ^USDA INTERNATIONAL TRADE REPRESENTATIVE TAPES  04-1, SIDE(S) A & B [SENATE WTR TAPE] SUMMARY OF INFORMATION  CO-CHAIRS JOHN COWDERY and CHERYL HEINZE convened the joint meeting of the Senate Special Committee on World Trade and State/Federal Relations and the House Special Committee on Economic Development, International Trade and Tourism at 4:06 p.m. Present were Senators Cowdery, Therriault, and Olson, and Representatives Heinze, Coghill, Kott, Cissna, Dahlstrom and Holm. The first presentation was by Mr. Robert Tse, representing the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) with the USDA. Mr. Tse explained to the committee the role of the FAS in U.S. international trade. Mr. Tse then explained Alaska's global position in terms of exporting agricultural products, including timber and seafood. Mr. Tse explained that Alaska is responsible for 40-60 percent of U.S. seafood exports. Mr. Tse continued his presentation with a more detailed explanation of Alaska's role in agricultural trade exports. Following Mr. Tse, Mr. Doug Farquhar of the National Conference of State Legislatures presented information on the role of and interaction between state legislatures and the federal law that deals with international trade, such as GATT, WTO, NAFTA, etc. ADJOURNMENT  The meeting concluded at 5:10 p.m. NOTE: The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the Senate Records Office at State Capitol, Room 3, Juneau, Alaska 99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2870, and after adjournment of the second session of the Twenty-Third Alaska State Legislature this information may be obtained by contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.