Legislature(2019 - 2020)GRUENBERG 120
04/25/2019 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HR6 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HR 6 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HR 6-NAT'L. NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS MEMORIAL
1:02:17 PM
CHAIR LEDOUX announced the only order of business would be HOUSE
RESOLUTION NO. 6, Expressing support and appreciation for the
National Native American Veterans Memorial.
1:03:13 PM
ELIZABETH FERGUSON, Staff, Representative John Lincoln, Alaska
State Legislature, paraphrased from the following sponsor
statement [original punctuation provided]:
House Resolution 6 (HR6) expresses support and
appreciation for the National Native American Veterans
Memorial. The memorial will be built in Washington,
D.C. on the grounds of the Smithsonian's National
Museum of the American Indian and will be revealed on
Veterans Day of 2020. The National Native American
Veterans Memorial is the first memorial that
recognizes the contributions, service, and sacrifices
American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians
have made for the cause of peace. According to the
U.S. Department of Defense, throughout the history of
the United States, American Indians, Alaska Natives,
and Native Hawaiians have served the armed forces in
higher percentages than any other ethnicity. There are
currently 31,000 active duty members who are Native
American, and 133,000 Native American veterans alive
today. In addition to honoring Native American
veterans, this memorial gives all Americans the
opportunity to learn about the sacrifices, honors of
valor, and distinguished services Native Americans
have made in the last 250 years.
1:04:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked if other states are [supportive of
the memorial].
MS. FERGUSON said the U.S. Congress instructed the Smithsonian
Institution to build the memorial and fundraising has been
underway for approximately 10 years. She deferred to Colonel
Wayne Don for further information.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK clarified the resolution merely expresses
support and appreciation and does not call for any particular
action on the part of the state.
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked whether the sponsor would like the
resolution to direct that copies of the resolution would be
distributed to certain government officials.
MS. FERGUSON acknowledged the sponsor considered introducing a
joint resolution, or another type of resolution, but choose to
introduce a simple resolution to express gratitude and support.
She related testimony hear at a previous hearing suggested
copies of the resolution could be used for fundraising purposes,
although the sponsor has no plans to distribute copies.
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP recalled previous testimony in support of
the resolution and expressed his support for distributing copies
to the Alaska congressional delegation.
1:08:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN LINCOLN, Alaska State Legislature, speaking
as the sponsor of HR 6, stated his intent is - subsequent to the
passage of the resolution - to share HR 6 with residents in his
district, with the Alaska congressional delegation, and with
other interested parties.
1:09:08 PM
CHAIR LEDOUX opened public testimony on HR 6.
1:09:34 PM
WAYNE DON, Colonel, chief of staff, Alaska Army National Guard,
and committee member, National Native American Veterans
Memorial, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian
Institution, informed the committee he is a 25-year member of
the U.S. Army and U.S. National Guard and provided a short
history of his family's military service. He said he strongly
supports the memorial because it represents a deliberate effort
to recognize Native Americans who have contributed to military
service from the time of the Revolutionary War to the present.
Colonel Don explained the U.S. Congress authorized the National
Museum of the American Indian to create a veterans memorial to
inform Americans of the courageous history of Native Americans'
service in the armed forces; in response, the museum established
an advisory committee composed of Native American, Alaska
Native, and Native Hawai'ian veterans and their families.
Colonel Don provided a short history - beginning in 2015 - of
the advisory committee's tasks gathering information and
choosing a design for the memorial that would appropriately
represent all Native Americans' military service over many
years. In 2018, the winning design proposal was the "Warriors'
Circle of Honor" by Cheyenne and Arapaho artist and Vietnam War
veteran, Harvey Pratt.
1:13:02 PM
COLONEL DON further explained, although Congress authorized the
project, the use of federal funds was prohibited, thus the
museum embarked on a fundraising campaign: the total project
cost is estimated at $15 million; the target goal for 2019 is to
raise $8 million, of which $7.8 million has been raised; to
break ground in September 2019, additional funds are needed. In
regard to [Representative Rauscher's] question about other
support for the memorial, he said across the country Native
American Tribes have pledged support, as well as large private
industry donors including Wells Fargo, Bank of America and
others. In Alaska, regional and village corporations such as
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, Calista Corporation, Doyon
Limited, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, Sealaska Corporation,
Chugach Alaska Corporation, Cook Inlet Region Inc., and Afognak
Native Corporation have contributed financial support, and other
support is proposed. Further, Alaska Airlines has pledged an
honor flight in 2020 to transport Alaska veterans to the
unveiling ceremony. In closing, he urged for continued support
for HR 6.
CHAIR LEDOUX expressed support for the memorial.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK asked if the monument design incorporates an
eternal flame.
COLONEL DON stated there will be lighting but a continuous flame
is not planned at this time. He stressed veterans desire a
place at the memorial site for reflection and a place to leave
remembrances.
1:17:24 PM
CHAIR LEDOUX, after ascertaining no one further wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HR 6.
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON asked if there is a Senate companion
resolution.
REPRESENTATIVE LINCOLN said no.
REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON urged members to move HR 6 out of
committee.
1:18:43 PM
CHAIR LEDOUX announced amendments to HR 6 are due 4/29/19; the
resolution is scheduled for final hearing on 4/30/19.
[HR 6 was held over.]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HR 06 ver A.pdf |
HMLV 4/25/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HR 6 |
| HR 06 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HMLV 4/25/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HR 6 |
| HR 06 Supporting Document-Letter of Support Nelson Angapak.pdf |
HMLV 4/25/2019 1:00:00 PM HMLV 4/30/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HR 6 |
| HR 06 Additional Document-Photograph of Warriors' Circle of Honor Design.pdf |
HMLV 4/25/2019 1:00:00 PM HMLV 4/30/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HR 6 |
| HR 06 Fiscal Note.pdf |
HMLV 4/25/2019 1:00:00 PM |
HR 6 |