00                      SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19                                                                    
01 Supporting trade policies for the United States that hold China and other countries                                     
02 accountable, reward leadership in clean production standards, reward superior                                           
03 environmental performance, support economic development, and support the rebuilding                                     
04 of supply chains in the United States.                                                                                  
05 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
06       WHEREAS China's dominance of key components of the global supply chain,                                         
07 including the components related to critical minerals, represents a threat to the economic                              
08 security and economic and social development of the United States; and                                                  
09       WHEREAS, in terms of clean production standards, Alaska sets the bar for the                                    
10 production of critical minerals, natural gas, crude oil, and other materials; and                                       
11       WHEREAS the United States manufactures and produces domestic goods and                                          
12 resources adhering to environmental standards that are some of the highest in the world and                             
13 far cleaner than many of the nation's global competitors; and                                                           
14       WHEREAS the nation's leadership in clean manufacturing and production practices                                 
15 contributes to environmental preservation and sustainable economic growth, which                                        

01 significantly benefit both Alaska and the United States; and                                                            
02 WHEREAS innovation in the private sector and American resources have resulted in                                      
03 the United States' eliminating more carbon emissions than any other country in the last 15                              
04 years, and the economy of the United States is 44 percent more carbon-efficient than the                                
05 world average; and                                                                                                      
06       WHEREAS the vast majority of critical and strategic minerals in Alaska are sent to                              
07 China for refining, which requires the United States to purchase those minerals back to                                 
08 employ environmentally protective technology; and                                                                       
09       WHEREAS China is the greatest immediate obstacle to reducing world emissions                                    
10 because China accounts for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, an amount more                                 
11 than the rest of the developed world combined; and                                                                      
12 WHEREAS China subsidizes its exports by not imposing or enforcing environmental                                       
13 and labor standards comparable to the standards in other developed countries; and                                       
14 WHEREAS United States companies are more efficient in most industries and yet are                                     
15 forced to compete with subsidized imports from China and other countries that do not face                               
16 pollution limits; and                                                                                                   
17 WHEREAS goods produced in China and Russia generate 300 and 400 percent on                                            
18 average, respectively, more in carbon emissions compared to equivalent goods produced in                                
19 the United States; and                                                                                                  
20 WHEREAS the United States invests in cleaner, more efficient manufacturing                                            
21 practices than other countries, and China and other countries must be held accountable for                              
22 emissions-heavy production of steel and other goods; and                                                                
23 WHEREAS United States trade policies do not account for high carbon emissions                                         
24 associated with foreign competitors and allow foreign polluters to take advantage of the                                
25 global market, despite a domestic carbon advantage; and                                                                 
26 WHEREAS United States trade policies should level the playing field and ensure                                        
27 workers and producers are not unjustly penalized for high environmental standards; and                                  
28 WHEREAS rewarding United States companies for the companies' environmental                                            
29 performance would bolster Alaska's resource industries, generate well-paying jobs, and                                  
30 reduce dependence on imports from China, Russia, and other countries; and                                               
31 WHEREAS developing and mining minerals domestically would lead to more                                                

01 opportunities for health care, education, and jobs for rural residents of Alaska and would help                         
02 build communities in which children and families can thrive; and                                                        
03       WHEREAS American manufacturing and production are recognized globally for                                       
04 committing to environmental stewardship and adherence to stringent production standards;                                
05       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports United States trade                                   
06 policies that hold China and other countries accountable and reward Alaska's leadership in                              
07 clean production standards; and be it                                                                                   
08       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the adoption of                                     
09 policies that reward United States businesses and workers for superior environmental                                    
10 performance and support economic development and the rebuilding of supply chains in the                                 
11 United States.                                                                                                          
12       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the                                 
13 Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Mary Peltola, U.S. Representative,                             
14 members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.