HR 9-HOMEPORT ICEBREAKERS IN AK  1:07:54 PM CHAIR TUCK announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 9, "Encouraging the homeporting of new United States Coast Guard icebreakers in the state." 1:08:19 PM REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, introduced HR 9 as a simple resolution that says all due consideration should be given to Alaska, as the only Arctic state, in homeporting decisions for the new U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers. He described learning that the Coast Guard was proposing a renovation and expansion of its Seattle, Washington, base in anticipation of homeporting its icebreakers. He stated the desire to keep assets that "rightfully belong to Alaska" within the state and expressed frustration that 1,000 employees of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, dedicated solely to managing Alaska fisheries, live and work in Seattle. He held that there are notable Coast Guard assets within Alaska, in particular the Port of Nome, and described working with Representative McCabe, a Coast Guard veteran, in drafting the proposed resolution. 1:11:16 PM REPRESENTATIVE NELSON observed that the article from The Seattle Times [included in the committee packet] stated that the Coast Guard first announced the intention to homeport the icebreakers in Seattle in 2019. He asked whether there were discussions at the time about suggesting Alaska as the homeport. REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS replied, "No, this is the first time that the legislature has advocated homeporting [icebreakers] in Alaska." He said homeporting decisions have not been made for several icebreakers. REPRESENTATIVE NELSON asked whether the ports in Alaska are capable of housing vessels the size of the icebreakers. REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS stated his understanding that the Coast Guard base in Kodiak has substantial facilities, and if a base with sufficient capacity doesn't exist in Alaska, it should. He opined that appropriations to sustain homeporting large vessels should go to ports and associated communities in Alaska instead of out of state. He said research vessel (RV) Fairweather, with a $20 million appropriation, is homeported in Astoria, Oregon when it should be in Ketchikan. CHAIR TUCK expressed his agreement with Representative Kreiss- Tomkins' statements and noted that Kodiak has the largest Coast Guard base in the world. REPRESENTATIVE NELSON suggested editing the language of the proposed resolution to include encouraging investment in Alaska's ports. 1:14:39 PM REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked Representative Kreiss-Tomkins whether he felt offering a backup option would strengthen the proposed resolution, in case the Coast Guard doesn't want to homeport its entire fleet in Alaska. REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS explained that this proposed resolution isn't intended to encourage homeporting all vessels in Alaska at the exclusion of Seattle, but to declare that the bulk of the vessels should be in Alaska. He expressed that, due to the haste in drafting the proposed resolution, he is agreeable to any necessary reframing. 1:16:50 PM CHAIR TUCK reminded committee members that HR 9 is a simple resolution that doesn't need committee referral. 1:17:10 PM REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER noted that the planning process for Coast Guard base improvements began the prior week, which started the 45-day public comment period. He asked whether HR 9 is intended "to be a public comment for this public commenting period." REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS responded that the goal of the proposed resolution is to give the Alaska congressional delegation another tool in their advocacy for homeporting icebreakers in Alaska. He specified that HR 9 would be delivered to U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan. REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER referred to page 2, lines 26-28, of the proposed resolution, which read "BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives encourages proposed new United States Coast Guard icebreakers to be strategically homeported in the state rather than in the Port of Seattle." He suggested replacing "in the state rather than in the Port of Seattle." with "in Alaska rather than in the Port of Seattle." REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS expressed his agreement. 1:18:56 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked Representative Kreiss-Tomkins whether he had shared the proposed resolution with the Coast Guard. REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS responded that the plan is to send HR 9 to "any and every" relevant entity, which would include the Coast Guard. He said there is a teleconference with the Alaska congressional delegation planned for the end of May, during which icebreaker homeporting would be addressed. 1:20:10 PM CHAIR TUCK discussed his sponsorship of House Resolution 13, introduced during the Thirty-First Alaska State Legislature, which was a resolution to name an icebreaker "Polar Bear" in recognition of the U.S. Revenue Cutter (USRC) Bear, commissioned to USRC Service in 1885. It served as a federal court and patrolled, surveyed, and delivered mail and supplies in Alaska until its decommission in 1929. 1:21:25 PM REPRESENTATIVE TARR expressed that she was satisfied with the information provided by Representative Kreiss-Tomkins and would not offer any amendments. 1:22:18 PM The committee took a brief at-ease. 1:22:46 PM REPRESENTATIVE TARR referred to the previously suggested change in the text [in HR 9, page 2, line 27] from "in the state" to "in Alaska", and suggested it could be made now as a conceptual amendment. REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS replied that he would consult with Representative McCabe as co-drafter to specify the new language. He said that he may suggest a floor resolution and expressed his hope for a unanimous adoption. 1:26:08 PM CHAIR TUCK opened public testimony on HR 9. After ascertaining that no one wished to testify, he closed public testimony. 1:26:24 PM REPRESENTATIVE TARR moved to report HR 9 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, HR 9 was moved out of the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.