02/03/2009 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 5                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Urging the  United States  Department of Defense  to pay                                                                   
     veterans  benefits  retroactively  and  to  continue  to                                                                   
     provide  retirement benefits for  members of  the Alaska                                                                   
     Territorial Guard who served during World War II.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Huggins  MOVED  to  ADOPT  Work  Draft  26-LS0468\R,                                                                   
Bailey, 2/2/09. There being NO  OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:13:02 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
KAREN  SAWYER,  STAFF,  SENATOR  CHARLIE  HUGGINS,  explained                                                                   
CSSJR 5 as a  resolution urging the Department  of Defense to                                                                   
continue to  provide retirement  benefits for members  of the                                                                   
Alaska  Territorial Guard  who  served during  World War  II.                                                                   
They were denied  benefits in January due to a  glitch in the                                                                   
law. There  was strong  response, including  from the  Alaska                                                                   
delegation,  which  resulted   in  the  U.S.  Army  making  a                                                                   
decision to  use emergency funds  to extend the  benefits two                                                                   
months.  The original  language  of the  resolution has  been                                                                   
changed to take  out the language about  retroactivity; added                                                                   
language supports the Alaska delegation  to provide permanent                                                                   
recognition  of  the  members. In  addition,  the  resolution                                                                   
requests  that  the Department  of  Defense continue  to  use                                                                   
funds to provide benefits until  Congress passes the bills or                                                                   
the army reverses their January decision.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:15:25 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Huggins MOVED to ADOPT Amendment #1:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 16, following "S. 342"                                                                                        
          Insert: "and H.R. 744"                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Huggins  explained the  technical amendment  changing                                                                   
language.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  removed  his  OBJECTION.  There  being  NO                                                                   
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:16:17 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Huggins MOVED to ADOPT Amendment #2:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, Line 12, Insert:                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
          WHEREAS, in 2000, because of the efforts of                                                                           
     Alaska's U.S. Senator, Ted Stevens, the United States                                                                      
     Congress passed  legislation that required  that service                                                                   
     as  a member  of  the  Alaska Territorial  Guard  during                                                                   
     World  War  II  of  an  individual   who  was  honorably                                                                   
     discharged  be considered  active duty  for purposes  of                                                                   
     all laws administered by  the United States Secretary of                                                                   
     Defense; and                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Senator Huggins  explained that  the amendment clarifies  the                                                                   
chronology of the process. He read the amendment.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  removed  his  OBJECTION.  There  being  NO                                                                   
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:17:51 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Elton suggested  a language change  from "their"  to                                                                   
"its" on page 2, lines 14 and 15.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman referred to the zero fiscal note.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman opened public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
KATHIE  WASSERMAN,   EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR,   ALASKA  MUNICIPAL                                                                   
LEAGUE,  testified   in  support  of  the   legislation.  She                                                                   
reported  that the  league had  addressed the  issue and  put                                                                   
forth a  resolution to  take to  the National Association  of                                                                   
Counties.  Most  members felt  the  change was  an  appalling                                                                   
message sent from the army to the men who had served.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:19:14 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GENE   THERRIAULT,  testified   that  he   supported                                                                   
Amendment 2 to the resolution.  He spoke to other language he                                                                   
supported. He  thought it was  important for the  legislation                                                                   
to  go forward  because  the  fact  that Congress  has  taken                                                                   
action  to fund  another two  months has  misled Alaskans  to                                                                   
believe the  issue was resolved.  The long term  solution has                                                                   
yet to be achieved, and it was  important and appropriate for                                                                   
the  government of  Alaska to  make a  statement through  the                                                                   
passage of the resolution.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:21:20 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  MOVED  to   report  CSSJR  5(FIN)  out  of                                                                   
Committee   with    individual   recommendations    and   the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal  note. There  being NO OBJECTION,  it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CSSJR 5(FIN) was  REPORTED out of Committee with  a "do pass"                                                                   
recommendation and  with new zero  fiscal note by  the Senate                                                                   
Finance Committee for all departments.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:21:55 AM