05/17/2025 10:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

         HJR 13-AFGHANS, SP. IMMIGRANT VISAS, ASSISTANCE                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
10:13:49 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR KAWASAKI announced  the consideration of CS  FOR HOUSE JOINT                                                              
RESOLUTION NO. 13(MLV)  Urging the President of  the United States                                                              
to  expand  evacuation   efforts  for  applicants   with  approved                                                              
Special  Immigrant  Visas,  including   resumption  of  evacuation                                                              
flights  organized  by  the  Coordinator   for  Afghan  Relocation                                                              
Efforts; urging  the United States  Department of State  to secure                                                              
legal  protections   and  humanitarian   assistance  for   Special                                                              
Immigrant Visa  applicants; urging  the United States  Citizenship                                                              
and  Immigration  Services  in the  United  States  Department  of                                                              
Homeland  Security  to expedite  the  review of  applications  for                                                              
Special Immigrant  Visas;  and requesting  that the United  States                                                              
Secretary  of  State  provide  a   report  to  Congress  regarding                                                              
efforts  to  reinstate  evacuation  flights  for  applicants  with                                                              
approved Special Immigrant Visas.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:14:22 AM                                                                                                                   
HENRY  THOMPSON, Staff,  Representative Will  Stapp, Alaska  State                                                              
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,  provided a brief overview of HJR 13.                                                              
He  stated the  purpose of  HJR 13  is  to draw  attention to  the                                                              
failure of  the Special  Immigrant Visa  program in brining  Iraqi                                                              
and Afghan  allies to  the US  and granting  them citizenship.  It                                                              
urges   the  executive   branch   to  act   and  resolve   program                                                              
challenges.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:15:40 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR KAWASAKI  opened public testimony  on HJR 13;  finding none,                                                              
he closed public testimony.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:15:55 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
10:15:59 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR BJORKMAN  moved to  report CSHJR  13(MLV), work  order 34-                                                              
LS0710\G,  from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and                                                              
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:16:19 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR KAWASAKI found  no objection and CSHJR 13(MLV)  was reported                                                              
from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.