00                      HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 22                                                                     
01 Urging the Canada Border Services Agency to keep the border between Hyder, Alaska,                                      
02 and Stewart, British Columbia, open 24 hours a day.                                                                     
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
04       WHEREAS the residents of Hyder, Alaska, and Stewart, British Columbia, have                                     
05 expressed concern regarding the economic ramifications of limiting the hours that the border                            
06 between those communities may be crossed; and                                                                           
07       WHEREAS crossing the border is the only means by which residents of Hyder may                                   
08 leave their enclaved town by road and is the route by which they would escape inland by road                            
09 in the event of a tsunami, flood, or other natural disaster; and                                                        
10       WHEREAS the Canada Border Services Agency plans to close the border daily in                                    
11 both directions, preventing, without cause, American citizens from entering or leaving Hyder;                           
12 and                                                                                                                     
13       WHEREAS the residents of Hyder, Alaska, rely entirely on Stewart, British                                       
14 Columbia, for medical and other emergency services; and                                                                 
15       WHEREAS the Hyder Community Association and the District of Stewart have both                                   
16 independently expressed strong support for keeping the border open 24 hours a day;                                      

01       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the Canada Border                                        
02 Services Agency to keep the border between Stewart, British Columbia, and Hyder, Alaska,                                
03 open 24 hours a day.                                                                                                    
04       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of                            
05 Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Canada; and Luc Portelance, President, Canada                                 
06 Border Services Agency.