03/22/2012 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

          HJR 34-COAST GUARD ICEBREAKERS & ARCTIC BASE                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:44:42 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI announced that the  next bill would be HJR 34,                                                               
a  resolution that  urges the  President and  Congress to  fund a                                                               
Coast Guard Arctic Base and  icebreakers. The committee has heard                                                               
and reported out the Senate companion bill.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ROB EARL, staff,  Representative Bob Herron, explained  HJR 34 on                                                               
behalf of the  House State Affairs Committee, sponsor  of HJR 34.                                                               
He pointed  out that  the crux  of the resolution  is on  page 4,                                                               
line 21,  which asks Congress  to fund icebreakers and  an Arctic                                                               
Coast Guard base.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
He drew  attention to the  one difference in the  current version                                                               
of the bill, as compared to the  Senate version.  On page 4, line                                                               
11,  the  phrase  "strategically  important"  has  been  inserted                                                               
before "Bering  Strait" and clarifies  the term "choke  point" on                                                               
line  12. "Choke  point"  is a  military term  of  art meaning  a                                                               
geographic feature,  such as  a valley or  a strait,  which would                                                               
require  any  armed  force  passing through  to  present  a  much                                                               
narrower  front,  thereby  decreasing  its  combative  power.  He                                                               
stressed the  importance of  the Bering Strait  to the  future of                                                               
the Arctic.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI referred  to  previous  public testimony  and                                                               
opened public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI  opined that  HJR was an  important resolution                                                               
in that it would facilitate icebreakers in the Arctic.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
JEFFERY  GARRETT, retired,  U.S. Coast  Guard, offered  to answer                                                               
questions on HJR 34.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI closed public testimony                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GIESSEL  moved to  report CS for  HJR 34,  version [B.A.]                                                               
from committee  with individual recommendations and  the attached                                                               
zero fiscal note.  There being no objection,  CSHJR 34(STA)am was                                                               
reported from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.