SJR 24-END IMPORT OF O&G FROM RUSSIA  1:58:45 PM CHAIR PATKOTAK announced that the final order of business would be CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 24(RES), Urging President Biden's Administration and the United States Congress to use American oil and gas resources to replace oil imported from the Russian Federation and to increase oil and gas production in the State of Alaska and other energy-producing states to fortify the economy and security of the nation. 1:59:23 PM SENATOR JOSH REVAK, Alaska State Legislature, introduced CSSJR 24(RES) on behalf of the Senate Resources Standing Committee, prime sponsor. He said the committee is proud of the bipartisan effort on the resolution and that the resolution received unanimous support on the Senate floor. He noted that the CS before the committee reflects that his committee worked together and made some changes. He explained that CSSJR 24(RES) urges the federal administration, the US Congress, to utilize the energy resources of the State of Alaska to offset the import of Russian oil and gas. SENATOR REVAK said the resolution further urges the expansion of US domestic energy production to help fortify and secure the US, as it is a national security issue. Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine has highlighted the United States' reliance on oil from Russia and other foreign adversaries. The US annually imports nearly 220 million barrels of oil from the Russian Federation. Purchasing that oil has contributed over $20 billion to the Russian Federation, which is more than what was produced in Alaska. Alaskan oil and gas can help fill the void left from eliminating the dependence on authoritarian energy regimes from producers like Russia. The US and other [democratic] nations cannot be reliant on dictators and tyrants who have no regard for human life, the environment, energy needs, or social responsibility. There is a social, humanitarian, and environmental obligation to divest from the energy resources of despot-linked countries, while at the same time there is an opportunity and responsibility to manage resource development in Alaska responsibly. Global demand isn't changed by decreasing responsible production in the US, instead it empowers foreign dictators. This resolution is specifically geared for national security and is a bi-partisan effort. 2:03:16 PM CHAIR PATKOTAK opened public testimony on CSSJR 24(RES), then closed public testimony after ascertaining no one wished to testify. 2:03:44 PM REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN expressed her support for the resolution. She reminded the committee that the state plays a role in making sure it is pushing for developments like Pikka and Willow. Hurdles have been placed on those developments on the state side through some of the state's lessees. [The State of Alaska] has an obligation to ensure that those lessees remember they are working for [the state] and [the state] wants those projects developed. 2:05:25 PM REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS agreed with Representative Hannan and said the administration needs to permit Pikka yesterday to get that final investment decision done and get oil flowing by 2025. He said he agrees with the resolution. A potential next step, he suggested, is to have various committees look at critical mineral development, and not just developing the minerals but the entire supply chain and keeping that supply chain within North American for long-term security. If [the US] is producing the critical minerals and China is producing all the components, [the US] is not secure. The Alaska State Legislature should think about what Alaska's role is and potentially Canada's role in bringing those entire supply chains home to North America for long-term security. The minerals must be produced, refined, and manufactured into things in North America. 2:06:59 PM The committee took an at-ease from 2:06 p.m. to 2:12 p.m. 2:12:27 PM CHAIR PATKOTAK invited additional comments on CSSJR 24(RES). REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER commented that the intent of the resolution is to get the administration to look to Alaska for oil and hydrocarbons. He expressed his concern with the word "unprovoked" on page 2, line 19, because it is debatable on what that word means. He agreed, however, that there is aggression and said he will therefore let the resolution move on because it needs to happen soon. SENATOR REVAK thanked the committee and welcomed collaborative efforts in the future. 2:14:11 PM REPRESENTATIVE HOPKINS moved to report CSSJR 24(RES) from committee with individual recommendations and the attached [zero] fiscal note. There being no objection, CSSJR 24(RES) was moved out of the House Resources Standing Committee.