Legislature(2015 - 2016)CAPITOL 120
02/10/2015 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR13 | |
| HB61 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HJR 13 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 61 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HJR 13-RETAIN ARMY FORCES IN ALASKA
1:08:08 PM
CHAIR HERRON announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 13, Urging the United States
Department of the Army to maintain the current level of its
combat-capable structure in the state and not to take structural
realignment actions with regard to Fort Wainwright and Joint
Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
1:08:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LORA REINBOLD, Alaska State Legislature, speaking
as the sponsor of HJR 13, stated that the U.S. Army plays a role
important to Alaska, the nation, and the world. As co-chair of
the Joint Armed Services Committee, she sponsored HJR 13 because
30 military installations are being considered for reductions
nationwide. It is critical to maintain the number of Army
personnel in Alaska at its current level due to the fact that
Alaska is in a unique situation, and she highlighted three
important roles for Alaska. She directed attention to the bill
on page 2, lines 17-19, which read:
WHEREAS the geographic location of Alaska, including
its access to polar air routes, provides a vital
strategic advantage for current and future Department
of the Army missions, force mobilizations, offensive
operations, and defensive operations; and
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD said Alaska's geographic location is one
facet of its very unique role. Also, on page 2, lines [26-28],
which read:
WHEREAS, the six major military installations, more
than 23,000 active duty service members, and more than
37,000 family members of active duty service members
in Alaska make the military presence in the state
economically important to Alaska; and
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD directed attention to another point, on
page 3, lines [17-20] which read:
WHEREAS Alaska has demonstrated its strong commitment
to the United States Army by investing more than
$88,000,000 in transportation infrastructure to
provide the United States Army with access throughout
the year to training areas for maneuvers in the Joint
Pacific Alaska Range Complex; and
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD stated that Alaska is the only state
with direct access to the Arctic thus Alaskan military members
are experts in extreme cold weather operations. She concluded
that these three unique factors are very important. About 5,000
positions at Fort Wainwright and another 5,000 military
positions in Anchorage are at risk. She read a quote from Major
General Mitchell, and urged support for HJR 13, for national
security and for Alaska. In response to Chair Herron,
Representative Reinbold said she would be attending [listening
sessions on this matter scheduled for 2/23-24/15 in Anchorage].
1:12:36 PM
CHAIR HERRON noted that the committee and the House Judiciary
Standing Committee would also be represented in order to send a
clear message from the legislature in support of the resolution.
1:13:29 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN said these are hazardous times in which to
live and expressed his surprise that there are proposed cuts to
the military. He expressed his support for the bill.
1:15:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he noted several minor grammatical
problems with the bill and directed attention to page 1, line 1,
and page 4, line 1, which read respectively in part:
Urging the United States Department of the Army to
maintain the current level of its
Department of the Army to maintain the current level
of its combat-capable structure in
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG then proposed a conceptual amendment
that after the word "maintain" in both sentences add "and
strengthen." He asked whether the chair wanted his conceptual
amendments to be numbered consecutively or to be included in one
conceptual amendment.
CHAIR HERRON said "we will take note of them and then we will
make a motion at the end ... so, just so the committee signs off
on each one as we go." He restated that the conceptual
amendment was to read "maintain and strengthen" to line 1, page
1, and to line 1, page 4, of the bill. In response to
Representative Gruenberg, Chair Herron said the proposed change
was approved by the bill's sponsor and asked the committee for
comments. [There were no comments made by committee members.]
[The committee treated the conceptual amendment as accepted by
the chair.]
[All of the following conceptual amendments that were accepted
by the chair were incorporated into Conceptual Amendment 1 moved
by Representative Gruenberg at the conclusion of the hearing of
HJR 13.]
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG turned to page 1, lines 1-3, which
read:
Urging the United States Department of the Army to
maintain the current level of its combat-capable
structure in the state and not to take structural
realignment actions with regard to Fort Wainwright and
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG proposed a conceptual amendment to
specify "structural realignment actions that reduce" the force
and noted that this term appears elsewhere in the bill on page
1, line 7, and on page 4, line 4.
REPRESENTATIVE COLVER suggested that on page 1, line 3, the
conceptual amendment replace "with regard to" with "that
reduce."
CHAIR HERRON remarked:
This is a conceptual amendment, we'll just talk about
the potential of a full amendment at the end and I
understand, in those three places, it's: We don't
want it to reduce. Is that correct?"
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said yes. He then proposed that on
page 1, line 3, the committee replace "with regard to" with
"at."
CHAIR HERRON said, "So we have "at" we're at ... page 1, line 3,
and then in those three other locations, there will be an
adjective that talks about reductions. ... You and my staff and
the sponsor, we will make sure that [legislative] legal
understands the intent."
1:19:15 PM
ELIJAH VERHAGEN, Staff, Representative Lora Reinbold, Alaska
State Legislature, expressed concurrence with the first change
to add "and strengthen." However, he said the sponsor would not
accept the deletion of "with regard to," or an amendment to page
1, line 2; even though these are minor changes, the intent of
the resolution is clear that a reduction in the number of troops
is unwanted.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG questioned whether the sponsor did not
wish to say "reduce or decrease."
MR. VERHAGEN responded that the intent is clear as the bill is
written.
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD remarked:
It's always the will of the committee. So if you guys
believe that this is ... what needs to be done in the
title, then we obviously are yielding to the
committee, so, in regards to that.
CHAIR HERRON noted that the sponsor does not want to use the
word "reduce."
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG asked whether the sponsor did not want
to make the foregoing change just in the title, or anywhere in
the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD pointed out the term is written
throughout the bill, and she was "open to the option;" however,
she also wanted to ensure there is time to advance the
resolution to the other body.
CHAIR HERRON recommended that the committee not add a "reduce
adjective" because the intent of attending the listening
sessions is to speak against reductions. In response to
Representative LeDoux, he said the committee can approve a
committee substitute (CS) with conceptual amendments, and "we're
not going to hold it up."
CHAIR HERRON, in response to Representative Gruenberg's proposed
change on page 1, line 3, to "at", said, "The chair will make a
ruling on that ... sometimes we disagree with [legislative]
legal, but it survived their review, so ... Representative
Gruenberg, I'm fine with it staying that way."
[The committee treated the foregoing conceptual amendment as not
accepted by the chair.]
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG turned to page 2, line 3, and proposed
a conceptual amendment replacing "chairman" with "Chair;" and on
page 2, lines 8-9, change "members of an affected community" to
"members of affected communities;."
CHAIR HERRON said he accepted the foregoing technical changes
made by the conceptual amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG continued to page 2, line 11, and
proposed a conceptual amendment replacing "WHEREAS Anchorage"
with "WHEREAS Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson."
REPRESENTATIVE COLVER said the conceptual amendment is
redundant.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG clarified the proposed change.
MR. VERHAGEN stated the sponsor's wish to retain the original
language on this point.
[The committee treated the foregoing conceptual amendment as not
accepted by the chair.]
1:26:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG continued to page 2, line 18, and
proposed a conceptual amendment replacing "Department of the"
with "United States."
CHAIR HERRON said he accepted the foregoing technical change
made by the conceptual amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG continued to page 2, line 24, and
proposed a conceptual amendment adding ", Asia," preceding "and
Europe."
CHAIR HERRON stated there was no objection and said he accepted
the foregoing addition made by the conceptual amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG continued to page 2, line 28, and
proposed a conceptual amendment replacing "important" with
"vital."
CHAIR HERRON stated there was no objection and said he accepted
the foregoing conceptual amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG continued to page 3, line 3, and
proposed a conceptual amendment replacing "distance delivery"
with "off campus communications."
CHAIR HERRON noted there was an objection, and said he did not
accept the aforementioned conceptual amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG continued to page 3, line 14, and
proposed a conceptual amendment replacing "the United States
Army and the United States Air Force" with "United States Army
and United States Air Force facilities."
CHAIR HERRON stated there was no objection, and said he accepted
the foregoing conceptual amendment.
There followed discussion about the use of the term "co-located"
or "located together."
CHAIR HERRON ruled to retain "located together" as currently
found in the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG continued to page 3, line 15, and
proposed a conceptual amendment replacing "providing a unique
and efficient" with "providing an ideal."
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD indicated her objection.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG withdrew the foregoing conceptual
amendment.
1:30:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG proposed a conceptual amendment
replacing "with regard to both" with "at" on line 4, page 4.
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD said this conceptual amendment had
already been discussed earlier in the meeting and was not
acceptable to the sponsor.
{The committee treated the foregoing conceptual amendment as not
accepted by the chair.]
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG then proposed a conceptual amendment
that the resolution should be sent to General Dempsey, Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and to the Army Chief of Staff.
CHAIR HERRON stated there was no objection, said he accepted the
conceptual amendment, and directed staff and [legislative] legal
to add the foregoing names.
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD returned attention to page 2, line 11,
and proposed a conceptual amendment adding "and vicinity"
following "Anchorage."
CHAIR HERRON stated there was no objection and said he accepted
the foregoing conceptual amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX [proposed a conceptual amendment]
expanding the distribution list to include the President and
Vice-President of the U.S.
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD agreed.
CHAIR HERRON said he accepted the conceptual amendment to the
distribution list.
1:33:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG moved to adopt [Conceptual Amendment
1]. [The committee treated Conceptual Amendment 1 as
incorporating all of the conceptual amendments that Chair Herron
stated were accepted.] There being no objection, Conceptual
Amendment 1 was adopted. Before the committee was HJR 13, as
amended.
1:33:56 PM
CHAIR HERRON [opened public testimony on HJR 13. After
ascertaining that no one wished to testify, Chair Herron closed
public testimony.]
1:34:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COLVER moved to report HJR 13, as amended, with
individual recommendations and [zero] fiscal note. There being
no objection, CSHJR 13(MLV) was reported from the House Special
Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
1:34:49 PM
The committee took an at ease from 1:34 p.m. to 1:37 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB61 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HMLV 2/10/2015 1:00:00 PM |
HB 61 |
| HB 61 Supporting Document What the state currently offers.pdf |
HMLV 2/10/2015 1:00:00 PM |
HB 61 |
| HB 61 Supporting Documents Medals and their meaning.pdf |
HMLV 2/10/2015 1:00:00 PM |
HB 61 |
| HB 61 Supporting Documents Medals in order of rank.pdf |
HMLV 2/10/2015 1:00:00 PM |
HB 61 |
| HJR 13 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HMLV 2/10/2015 1:00:00 PM |
HJR 13 |
| HJR013A.PDF |
HMLV 2/10/2015 1:00:00 PM |
HJR 13 |
| HB 61 Fiscal Note - HB061-DOA-DMV-02-06-15.pdf |
HMLV 2/10/2015 1:00:00 PM |
HB 61 |
| HJR13 Fiscal Note - HJR13-LEG-SESS-02-09-2015.pdf |
HMLV 2/10/2015 1:00:00 PM |
|
| HB 61 Draft Committee Substitute Ver H.pdf |
HMLV 2/10/2015 1:00:00 PM |
HB 61 |