Legislature(1993 - 1994)
01/28/1993 05:00 PM House ITT
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON
INTERNATIONAL TRADE & TOURISM
January 28, 1993
5:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Jeannette James, Chair
Representative Joe Green
Representative Terry Martin
Representative Curt Menard
Representative Jim Nordlund
Representative Jerry Sanders
Representative Cynthia Toohey
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Organizational meeting
WITNESS REGISTER
Paul Fuhs, Acting Commissioner
Department of Commerce and Economic Development
P.O. Box 110800
Juneau, AK 99811
(907) 465-2500
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information regarding the
Department
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-1, SIDE A
Number 000
The first organizational meeting of the Special House
Committee on International Trade and Tourism was called to
order by the Chair, Representative Jeannette James, on
January 28, 1993, at 5:00 p.m. She indicated that there had
been a great deal of interest in the accomplishments of this
committee then asked for questions regarding the
organization of the committee and comments on frequency of
meetings, alluding to the fact that Representative Cynthia
Toohey had talked to previous committee members who said
meeting once a month was enough.
Number 050
REPRESENTATIVE CURT MENARD observed that it depended on how
the committee outlined its goals and objectives and what it
wished to accomplish; this would determine the work load.
He suggested more frequent meetings at the beginning of the
session, while schedules were more flexible and time was
more available.
REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN agreed. He pointed out the
schedule might change if the goals changed, and that right
now weekly meetings would be good.
Number 068
REPRESENTATIVE JIM NORDLUND asked how many bills did the
committee expect to be referred to it, which would affect
the agenda.
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES said the information was not available, but
the previous committee's main activity was in House joint
resolutions as opposed to actual bills or legislation.
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES said she would like to see positive
accomplishments from the committee, and suggested three ways
to effect international trade and tourism positively: 1) by
possibly passing helpful legislation, 2) by providing
assistance in regulation and policy changes, and 3) by
listening to the public and transmitting a mental picture of
the committee's goals. She requested each committee member
think independently of four or five goals.
Number 127
REPRESENTATIVE MENARD suggested contacting, for example, Dr.
Kim, in the international trade field at the University in
Anchorage, for a presentation on suggestions, and that the
same thing could be done with the Director of Tourism.
Number 141
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN agreed the committee should bring in
individual ideas and then perhaps use the Disney concept of
pooling these to come up with innovative and far-sighted
ideas more fitting to this less structured committee.
Number 162
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES agreed and suggested the committee identify
the status of international trade in this state, and of
tourism, with research on where it was coming from and
dollars generated, so the committee could then identify
where they would like to be. She observed that it was not
the committee's position to impose their ideas and goals
upon the people of the state of Alaska as much as it was to
find out from the people what they wanted and help them
achieve it.
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES announced that next Thursday (February 4,
1993) at 5:00 p.m., in Capitol Room 102, the foreign trade
delegation on seafood marketing, with representatives from
Australia, Korea, Japan, and other countries would make a
presentation to the committee.
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES advised that she had also been talking to
Commissioner-Designee Fuhs, who was very cooperative in
providing information needed on existing policies.
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES noted the arrival of Representative Martin.
Number 204
REPRESENTATIVE CYNTHIA TOOHEY pointed out that Doug Drum and
Andrew Cole, who wrote a long article on their sausage trade
with Magadan and who did not have a good relationship with
the Russians, could be a topic for the committee to deal
with.
Number 216
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES was excited about her appointment to the
committee because she believed it was a good area to get
things going for the state to promote jobs and the economy.
In spite of the perception of others that it meant she would
just be traveling, she wanted to make this a meaningful
committee with good solid accomplishments.
Number 233
REPRESENTATIVE TERRY MARTIN suggested getting in touch with
Dr. Kim.
Number 238
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES pointed out that had been suggested.
Number 239
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN said Dr. Kim could give a terrific
overview of their work. He would also like to see the
committee work closely with the governor's efforts on the
Northern Forum's ventures going from the North Atlantic to
the North Pacific to the Bering Sea to Dutch Harbor; it
could be earth-shaking and create a major change in the
international trade routes, and Alaska stood to benefit
greatly. Nome and Kotzebue could become a major foreign
trade zone. He asked Commissioner Fuhs if Dutch Harbor got
its license as a foreign trade zone.
Number 254
PAUL FUHS, ACTING COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, said, "Right now there are Valdez,
Anchorage, and St. Paul. Dutch Harbor has applied."
Number 256
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN pointed out there was much excitement
for Alaska's foreign trade.
Number 260
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES found, as a freshman legislator, that there
was a lot of overlapping of activities, commissions,
committees, and organizations throughout the state in
specific areas, all redoing what someone else was doing. It
would be nice to combine all the information on
international trade and tourism into one package, with a
list of people's research and knowledge in each area. This
would help make more intelligent decisions, she added.
Number 285
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN added that since Alaska was a resource
state and the most basic portion of its income was to export
a resource as it came out of the ground or was grown, the
committee should be looking possibly at value-added type
things as well. And, if the committee could not do this,
maybe they should "jump-start the administration." Like a
girl's basketball team he once coached, who didn't know what
they couldn't do so they won the championship, this
committee had a young fresh look at potentials in
international trade. "We also have a geographical
advantage," he said.
Number 305
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES agreed we had a geographic benefit but
observed the people of Alaska, the ones who wanted to be
here and live here, were an even bigger asset, having in
common their special ability to be very industrious,
intelligent, and independent; they were risk-takers and
decision-makers who wanted to get things done. Thus Alaska
had the best opportunity to be first in many things, she
added.
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES summarized for Rep. Martin the earlier
discussion on organization and frequency of meetings, adding
that she also thought there would be important things to do
in the interim, as well as during the session.
Number 338
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN asked Acting Commissioner Fuhs the
name of the gentleman in charge of the Northern Forum.
Number 340
ACTING COMMISSIONER FUHS replied, "Stephen Shopshire."
Number 342
REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN stated an overview of what Mr.
Shopshire was doing would be exciting to the committee, to
see how Alaska had become the hub of a mini-United Nation.
Number 347
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES asked if the committee should meet once a
week and start scheduling these various people to give
overviews. The committee agreed. She also asked about time
limits.
Number 357
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN suggested the presentations be limited
to one hour, even if the committee met for an hour and a
half.
Number 347
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES concluded the committee would meet once a
week, on Thursday at 5:00 p.m., for an hour and a half, and
would arrange some presentations, not to exceed one hour in
length, from the various international trade and tourism
informational areas within the Juneau area and elsewhere.
Number 371
REPRESENTATIVE GREEN mentioned Acting Commissioner Fuhs had
all the names and phone numbers.
Number 375
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES stated Acting Commissioner Fuhs' department
had been overwhelmingly supportive of anything the committee
wanted to do and willing to give them whatever they needed.
She commented for the general public that she had never seen
so many generous, cooperative people in business dealings as
here in Juneau; she complimented the administration for that
attitude.
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES returned to discussing the need for
independent thinking in establishing topics and asked
committee members to bring their suggestions for goals and
topics to her office during the following week.
Number 440
REPRESENTATIVE MENARD suggested Acting Commissioner Fuhs
come back to bring his past experiences to the committee.
Number 445
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES said she had planned on that, and invited
anyone with further suggestions to contact her or her
Committee Aide, Walt Wilcox.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Future meetings were confirmed for the next four Thursdays
at 5:00 p.m. in the State Affairs Room, Capitol Room 102.
CHAIRWOMAN JAMES announced the committee would hold a joint
confirmation hearing for Acting Commissioner Fuhs, with the
House Labor and Commerce Committee on Tuesday, February 2,
1993, at 3:00 p.m., in the Labor and Commerce meeting room.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m.
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