03/19/2002 03:40 PM Senate STA

                                                                                                                              
                HCR 20-SEPT 11 DAY OF REMEMBRANCE                                                                           
REPRESENTATIVE  GARY STEVENS,  resolution  sponsor, declared  that                                                              
September 11,  2001 would  remain in our  history as  an important                                                              
and  significant   date.  Just  as   for  Pearl  Harbor   and  the                                                              
assassination of  President John Kennedy, future  generations will                                                              
ask, "Where  were you  when that  occurred?"   It brought  out the                                                              
best and the worst  in human nature and although  it can't be made                                                              
right, we can certainly honor and  not forget the efforts of those                                                              
involved in the aftermath.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
The resolution asks the governor  to declare September 11, 2002 as                                                              
a day of remembrance  so that we, as Alaskans can  pay respect and                                                              
honor to the  firefighters, paramedics, policeman,  National Guard                                                              
and armed forces  personnel who responded to that  tragedy and are                                                              
ready, every day, to respond to additional tragedies.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  THERRIAULT apologized  for not  having had  the time  to                                                              
meet with him to discuss some of  the wording in the resolution. A                                                              
"Whereas" on  the first page talks  about Flight 11 and  the lives                                                              
lost onboard then a separate "Whereas"  talks about Flight 175 and                                                              
the people  on board. The  third "Whereas" speaks  of firefighters                                                              
and police officers.  He asked what the source  of information was                                                              
for the number of firefighters and police listed.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
DOUG LETCH,  aide to  Representative Stevens,  responded  that the                                                              
information  came from the  official World  Trade Center  Web site                                                              
that displays  the names  and numbers  of firefighters  and police                                                              
officers. As  more recovery work  is accomplished, the  death toll                                                              
does change so some language change is probably in order.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  THERRIAULT   asked  whether   firefighters  and   police                                                              
officers were the only two categories listed.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. LETCH said that was the case.  The number of passengers aboard                                                              
each flight  has remained  static while the  numbers in  the other                                                              
two categories has  continued to rise with the  continued recovery                                                              
efforts  so the  numbers  have changed  since  the resolution  was                                                              
drafted.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT noted lines 15  and 16 speak of Flight 77 that                                                              
crashed  into  the Pentagon.  The  number  of  lives lost  is  the                                                              
cumulative  of those  from the  plane and  those who  were on  the                                                              
ground. We know  how many people were on that flight  but there is                                                              
no separate "Whereas"  for those people like there  is for the two                                                              
flights that  went into the Trade  Center. He asked  whether there                                                              
was a reason why they were combined.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. LETCH replied there was no particular reason and they could                                                                 
work together to change the language.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT then referred to page 2, lines 2-4.                                                                         
Specifically, he didn't agree with using the word "sacrificed."                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
He said he would work with Representative Stevens to revise the                                                                 
wording before the next hearing.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
The bill was held in committee.