01/30/2018 01:30 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS

          HJR 17-HMONG VETERANS MILITARY BURIAL RIGHTS                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:37:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR TUCK  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE  JOINT RESOLUTION  NO. 17,  Encouraging  the United  States                                                               
Congress to  pass legislation giving full  military burial rights                                                               
to Hmong veterans of the Vietnam War.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR TUCK,  after ascertaining  that no  one wished  to testify,                                                               
closed  public testimony  on HJR  17  [which had  been opened  on                                                               
1/25/18].    In  response  to   a  question  from  Representative                                                               
Reinbold,  he  confirmed that  testimony  heard  at the  previous                                                               
hearing on HJR 17 was in the committee packet.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:38:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER inquired  as  to when  Congress would  be                                                               
deciding on this issue.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MAGDALENA  OLIVEROS,  Staff,  Representative Geran  Tarr,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature,  on  behalf  of  Representative  Tarr,  prime                                                               
sponsor,   stated  that   S1179,   the   Hmong  Veteran   Service                                                               
Recognition Act,  is a resolution  introduced in Congress  in May                                                               
2017   by   Senator  Lisa   Murkowski,   and   she  offered   her                                                               
understanding  that  Representative  Dan Sullivan  supported  the                                                               
Act.   She said  HJR 17  would serve  as a  show of  support from                                                               
Senator Murkowski's state legislature.   Ms. Oliveros pointed out                                                               
that this is not the  first time Senator Murkowski has introduced                                                               
this topic, but S1179 is the current version in Congress.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:40:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER  moved to  adopt Amendment  1 to  HJR 17,                                                               
labeled   30-LS0723\D.1,  Bannister,   1/23/18,  which   read  as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 24, following "veterans;":                                                                                    
          Insert "and                                                                                                           
          WHEREAS Senator Lisa Murkowski has introduced in                                                                    
     the United States Senate a bill relating to the burial                                                                     
     of Hmong veterans;"                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER objected for the purpose of discussion.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER  stated  that   Amendment  1  would  add                                                               
language to HJR  17 to explain that  Senator Murkowski introduced                                                               
[the Hmong  Veteran Service Recognition  Act].  He said,  "I just                                                               
thought  that it  might fit  well with  what we're  trying to  do                                                               
there, since it was our Senator that moved it."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:40:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER removed  his objection.   There  being no                                                               
further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:41:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  moved to report  HJR 17, as  amended, out                                                               
of   committee   with    individual   recommendations   and   the                                                               
accompanying zero fiscal note.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:41:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 1:41 p.m. to 1:42 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:42:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER withdrew his previous motion.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER restated  the motion to report  HJR 17, as                                                               
amended,  out of  committee with  individual recommendations  and                                                               
the accompanying  zero fiscal  note.   There being  no objection,                                                               
CSHJR 17(MLV) was reported out  of the House Special Committee on                                                               
Military and Veterans' Affairs.