Legislature(2021 - 2022)GRUENBERG 120
05/18/2021 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HR9 | |
| Presentation: Redefining Veteran Success | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HR 9 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HR 9-HOMEPORT ICEBREAKERS IN AK
1:07:54 PM
CHAIR TUCK announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 9, "Encouraging the homeporting of new
United States Coast Guard icebreakers in the state."
1:08:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS, Alaska State
Legislature, as prime sponsor, introduced HR 9 as a simple
resolution that says all due consideration should be given to
Alaska, as the only Arctic state, in homeporting decisions for
the new U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers. He described learning
that the Coast Guard was proposing a renovation and expansion of
its Seattle, Washington, base in anticipation of homeporting its
icebreakers. He stated the desire to keep assets that
"rightfully belong to Alaska" within the state and expressed
frustration that 1,000 employees of the Alaska Fisheries Science
Center, dedicated solely to managing Alaska fisheries, live and
work in Seattle. He held that there are notable Coast Guard
assets within Alaska, in particular the Port of Nome, and
described working with Representative McCabe, a Coast Guard
veteran, in drafting the proposed resolution.
1:11:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON observed that the article from The Seattle
Times [included in the committee packet] stated that the Coast
Guard first announced the intention to homeport the icebreakers
in Seattle in 2019. He asked whether there were discussions at
the time about suggesting Alaska as the homeport.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS replied, "No, this is the first
time that the legislature has advocated homeporting
[icebreakers] in Alaska." He said homeporting decisions have
not been made for several icebreakers.
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON asked whether the ports in Alaska are
capable of housing vessels the size of the icebreakers.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated his understanding that the
Coast Guard base in Kodiak has substantial facilities, and if a
base with sufficient capacity doesn't exist in Alaska, it
should. He opined that appropriations to sustain homeporting
large vessels should go to ports and associated communities in
Alaska instead of out of state. He said research vessel (RV)
Fairweather, with a $20 million appropriation, is homeported in
Astoria, Oregon when it should be in Ketchikan.
CHAIR TUCK expressed his agreement with Representative Kreiss-
Tomkins' statements and noted that Kodiak has the largest Coast
Guard base in the world.
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON suggested editing the language of the
proposed resolution to include encouraging investment in
Alaska's ports.
1:14:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked Representative Kreiss-Tomkins whether
he felt offering a backup option would strengthen the proposed
resolution, in case the Coast Guard doesn't want to homeport its
entire fleet in Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS explained that this proposed
resolution isn't intended to encourage homeporting all vessels
in Alaska at the exclusion of Seattle, but to declare that the
bulk of the vessels should be in Alaska. He expressed that, due
to the haste in drafting the proposed resolution, he is
agreeable to any necessary reframing.
1:16:50 PM
CHAIR TUCK reminded committee members that HR 9 is a simple
resolution that doesn't need committee referral.
1:17:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER noted that the planning process for
Coast Guard base improvements began the prior week, which
started the 45-day public comment period. He asked whether HR 9
is intended "to be a public comment for this public commenting
period."
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS responded that the goal of the
proposed resolution is to give the Alaska congressional
delegation another tool in their advocacy for homeporting
icebreakers in Alaska. He specified that HR 9 would be
delivered to U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER referred to page 2, lines 26-28, of the
proposed resolution, which read "BE IT RESOLVED that the House
of Representatives encourages proposed new United States Coast
Guard icebreakers to be strategically homeported in the state
rather than in the Port of Seattle." He suggested replacing "in
the state rather than in the Port of Seattle." with "in Alaska
rather than in the Port of Seattle."
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS expressed his agreement.
1:18:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked Representative Kreiss-Tomkins whether
he had shared the proposed resolution with the Coast Guard.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS responded that the plan is to send
HR 9 to "any and every" relevant entity, which would include the
Coast Guard. He said there is a teleconference with the Alaska
congressional delegation planned for the end of May, during
which icebreaker homeporting would be addressed.
1:20:10 PM
CHAIR TUCK discussed his sponsorship of House Resolution 13,
introduced during the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature,
which was a resolution to name an icebreaker "Polar Bear" in
recognition of the U.S. Revenue Cutter (USRC) Bear, commissioned
to USRC Service in 1885. It served as a federal court and
patrolled, surveyed, and delivered mail and supplies in Alaska
until its decommission in 1929.
1:21:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR expressed that she was satisfied with the
information provided by Representative Kreiss-Tomkins and would
not offer any amendments.
1:22:18 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
1:22:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR referred to the previously suggested change
in the text [in HR 9, page 2, line 27] from "in the state" to
"in Alaska", and suggested it could be made now as a conceptual
amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS replied that he would consult with
Representative McCabe as co-drafter to specify the new language.
He said that he may suggest a floor resolution and expressed his
hope for a unanimous adoption.
1:26:08 PM
CHAIR TUCK opened public testimony on HR 9. After ascertaining
that no one wished to testify, he closed public testimony.
1:26:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR moved to report HR 9 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
note. There being no objection, HR 9 was moved out of the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 20210513 Viper PowerPoint presentation.pdf |
HMLV 5/18/2021 1:00:00 PM |
|
| Homeporting icebreakers in Alaska reslution version A.pdf |
HMLV 5/18/2021 1:00:00 PM |
|
| HR 9 version A 5.18.2021.PDF |
HMLV 5/18/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HR 9 |
| HR 9 Additional Document - Seattle Times Article on Coast Guard Icebreakers 5.18.2021.pdf |
HMLV 5/18/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HR 9 |
| HR 9 Additional Documents - Congressional Research Service - Polar Icebreaker Program 5.17.2021.pdf |
HMLV 5/18/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HR 9 |
| HR 9 Additional Documents - US Coast Guard Arctic Strategic Outlook 5.17.2021.pdf |
HMLV 5/18/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HR 9 |
| HR 9 Sponsor Statement 5.18.21.pdf |
HMLV 5/18/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HR 9 |
| HR 9 Fiscal Note HMLV 5.18.2021.pdf |
HMLV 5/18/2021 1:00:00 PM |
HR 9 |