03/03/2009 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

          HJR 12-GROUND-BASED MIDCOURSE DEFENSE SYSTEM                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
9:15:14 AM                                                                                                                    
VICE CHAIR MEYER announced the consideration of HJR 12.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
LAURA  PIERRE, Staff  to Representative  Nancy Dahlstrom,  Alaska                                                               
State Legislature, sponsor  of HJR 12, said  this resolution that                                                               
would urge Congress  to continue to support and  fund the ground-                                                               
based midcourse  defense system. The program  brings $250 million                                                               
to the  state annually,  and it provides  for 700  jobs including                                                               
200  guard  member  jobs.  There  has  been  talk  that  the  new                                                               
administration will  not renew this program.  This defense system                                                               
has been  successfully tested in  shooting down a test  launch in                                                               
midcourse.   The  bill has  additional cosponsors.  She gave  the                                                               
committee  an  article  about  the threat  from  North  Korea  on                                                               
launching  a missile  attack  on the  United  States. The  system                                                               
would be  able to shoot  it down.  All three members  of Alaska's                                                               
congressional  delegation   support  the  system   and  encourage                                                               
continued funding.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:17:16 AM                                                                                                                    
VICE CHAIR  MEYER noted  that the  bill doesn't  go to  a further                                                               
committee. It looks fine to him.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRENCH  said he visited  Fort Greely  with Representative                                                               
Dahlstrom  a few  years  ago,  and it  was  impressive.  It is  a                                                               
fascinating installation with dedicated  people. It a great thing                                                               
and  a  worthwhile visit.  The  handout  is interesting,  and  he                                                               
quoted a North Korean speaking  about South Korea: "If the puppet                                                               
warmongers infringe  on our  inviolable dignity,  even a  bit, we                                                               
will not  only punish the  provokers but reduce  their stronghold                                                               
to debris." It speaks to the  belligerence of North Korea and the                                                               
need to maintain a defense to its missile system.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  FRENCH  moved  to  report HJR  12  from  committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  attached  fiscal note(s).  There                                                               
being no objection, HJR 12 moved out of committee.